Thomas Gilcrease got 160 acres at age 9; 18 years later, it had 32 oil wells

Thomas Gilcrease was just nine-year-old when he became eligible for a 160-acre land allotment in Oklahoma through his Creek tribal membership in 1899. The land, near present-day Glenpool, later became part of the Glenn Pool oilfield, where oil was discovered in 1905. By 1917, 32 producing wells were operating on his property, giving Gilcrease the income to continue his education and eventually build a career in the oil industry. That wealth later supported his growing interest in American Indian history, art and culture.Gilcrease was born in 1890, in Robeline, Louisiana, the eldest child of his parents, according to Oklahoma Historical Society. His family moved to the Creek Nation in Oklahoma Territory soon after his birth and eventually settled at Wealaka.