Jackson County, Oklahoma: History
After a dispute over the Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819, both the governments of the United States and the state of Texas claimed ownership of some 1,500,000 acres (6,100 km2) in what was then operated as Greer County, Texas. Litigation followed, and in the case of United States v. State of Texas 162 U.S. 1 (1896), issued on March 16, the Supreme Court, having original jurisdiction over the case, decided in favor of the United States. Greer County was then assigned to the Oklahoma Territory on May 4, 1896. When Oklahoma became the 46th U.S. state (November 16, 1907), old "Greer County" was divided into Greer, Jackson, and part of Beckham counties.
Altus was originally designated as the seat of Jackson County. Olustee vied in an unsuccessful bid to replace Altus as the seat in an election on July 18, 1908.