Fort Gibson Oklahoma

Slave Narrative of Harriett Robinson

Person Interviewed: Harriet Robinson Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Bastrop, Texas Date of Birth: September 1, 1842 Age: 95 I was born close to Webbers Falls, in the Canadian District of the Cherokee Nation, in the same year that my pappy was blowed up and killed in the big boat accident that killed my old Master. I never did see my daddy excepting when I was a baby and I only know what my mammy told me about him. He come from across the water when he was a little boy, and was grown when old Master Joseph … Read more

Slave Narrative of Betty Robertson

Person Interviewed: Betty Robertson Location: Fort Gibson, Oklahoma Age: 93 I was born close to Webbers Falls, in the Canadian District of the Cherokee Nation, in the same year that my pappy was blowed up and killed in the big boat accident that killed my old Master. I never did see my daddy excepting when I was a baby and I only know what my mammy told me about him. He come from across the water when he was a little boy, and was grown when old Master Joseph Vann bought him, so he never did learn to talk much … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Samuel Benge Jr.

(See Hildebrand, Ghigau, Oolootsa and Grant.)-Samuel Houston, son of Samuel Houston and Josephine J. (Walker) Benge, was born at Fort Gibson in 1898. Educated at Fort Gibson. Married in 1918, Margaret, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Hildebrand. They are the parents of Samuel Houston Benge. Mr. Benge is a farmer near Fort Gibson. Samuel Houston, son of Martin and Eliza (Lowrey) Benge was born January 28, 1832. Elected Councilor from Sequoyah District Aug. 3, 1857, and elected solicitor of the same District in 1859. He was First Lieutenant of Company A, Third Indian Home Guards, and a signer of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. E. W. Gish

(See Colootsa, Cordery, Adair and Gosaduisga) Martin R. Brown, born February 27, 1858 at Fort Gibson. Married May 9, 1888 Nannie C. McNair, born in 1866. They were the parents of Catherine Brown born in 1891 at Tahlequah, married in Oklahoma City in 1915, Emmett W. Gish. They are the parents of Dorothy Louise Gish, age five years. Mr. Gish is a merchant in Oklahoma City. Mr and Mrs. Gish are members of the Presbyterian church.

Biography of Grover P. Watkins

Grover P. Watkins, engaged in the practice of law at Fort Gibson, was born at Carrollton, Arkansas, August 23, 1886, and is a son of Paschal T. and Eliza (Holt) Watkins, who were also natives of Arkansas. The father was a druggist and also a farmer, devoting his attention to the two lines of business at Carrollton. He served as a soldier throughout the Civil war with the Confederate forces and became an officer of the army. He died November 11, 1905, and is still survived by his wife, who makes her home in Green Forest, Arkansas. Grover P. Watkins … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Ted R. Mounts

(See Thompson and Gusoduesga) Ada, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Cobb) Brown was born in 1887. Educated in the Cherokee Public Schools and Female Seminary. Married at Fort Gibson in 1911, Ted Ray, son of David Albert and Caroline Harriette (Thompson) Mounts born at Fort Gibson, Saturday March 29,1884. They are the parents of Mary Cherokee, Okla.; Billie Brown, Louise Ramona and Ted Ray Mounts. Mr. and Mrs. Mounts are representative citizens of Fort Gibson and are well known their public spirited citizenship.

Biographical Sketch of Henry C. Meigs

(See Grant and Ross) Henry Clay Meigs, born at Park Hill, Tahlequah District November 16, 1841, married January 11, 1868, Josephine L. Bigelow, born August 27, 1843, in Flint District. Mrs. Meigs died January 15, 1895. They were the parents of Caroline Few, Annie Stapler, Robert Henry, James McDonald, Alice Maud, and Josephine L. Meigs. Mr. Meigs who served in the Confederate Service in 1861-2, is a grandson of Chief John Ross, has many of the amiable traits of his distinguished ancestor. He was elected clerk of Illinois District August 1, 1893, and Judge of the same District on August … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Walter Scott

(See Grant and Ross) -Nannie Ratliff born December 29, 1856, married Thomas Fox French, and they were the parents of Bernice Martha French who married James Milner Howard; Margaret French who married Charles McDonald, and Nannie French who married Lewis G. Girtley Sleeper. Thomas Fox French died and Mrs. French married Rufus Wyatt McCracken and they were the parents of Walter Scott McCracken. Mr. and Mrs. McCracken were divorced and she married Walter Scott. Mr. and Mrs. Scott are well-to-do farmers near Fort Gibson, Oklahoma.

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Lou G. Howell

(See Cordery, Grant, Ghigau and Oolootsa)-Lou Gott Harris, born at Ft. Gibson July 31, 1886, educated at Nowata High school and Oswego, Kansas, graduated from the former; She was married January 7, 1905 to Dr. Dumont D. Howell, born January 14, 187 4 in Murphy, North Carolina, graduated from the Nashville Medical College in 1903. Died December 6, 1919; he was a Mason and Elk. They are the parents of: Sue Catherine, born April 25, 1906. Alfred Dumont, born April. 30, 1908; Lucile Genevieve, born December 2, 1912 and Margaret Imogene, born December 2, 1914. Charles Joseph Harris, born April … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dr. George Shimoon

(See Oolootsa) Gertrude Whitman, daughter of Connell and Florence (Nash) Rogers, was born July 11, 1879. Educated in the Cherokee public schools and Female Seminary, graduating from the latter on June 24, 1897. Married at Fort Gibson March 24, 1908, Dr. George Shimoon, D. D. S., born Dec. 18, 1878, in Burmia, Persia. Educated in Missionary College and Knox College, Gilesbeury, Illinois and graduated from Indiana Dental College. They are the parents of Miriam Shimoon, born August 14, 1912. Mrs. Gertrude W. Shimoon died April 11, 1906.

Biography of Francis Marion Crowell

Afton owes much to the enterprising spirit and business ability of Francis Marion Crowell, whose identification with the town dates from the time of its establishment, and he is now conducting one of the leading department stores in this part of the state, displaying marked executive force, energy and determination in the control of his interests. He was born on a farm in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, March 14, 1859, his parents being Dr. Marion and Nancy A. Crowell, the former of whom was born at Mecklenburg, North Carolina, February 15, 1830, while the birth of the latter occurred in Henry … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. John T. Mounts

(See Thompson and Thornton)—Evaline, daughter of Lawson and Elsie Jane Martin Runyan, born near Fort Gibson in 1882. Educated in the Cherokee Public Schools and Female Seminary. Married at Fort Gibson in 1912, John Thompson, son of David Albert and Caroline Harriette (Thompson) Mounts, born Thursday February 26, 1880. They are the parents of Thelma J. Mounts.

Biographical Sketch of Bluford W. Starr

(See Ghigau)-Bluford West Starr, born September 1, 1858 near Ft. Gibson is the son of Bluford West Starr born March 5, 1826 and died April 7, 1855 and his wife Margaret Ann (McDaniel) Starr who died July 4, 1866. Bluford W. having been left an orphan at such an early age struggled against adverse conditions and gained a creditable education. His dominant characteristics are honesty and integrity. He a farmer, stockman and Mason. He married on November 10, 1887 Jessie Adel the daughter of Charles and Marion M. Hutch;, born Aug. 29, 1865 in Dane Co., Wisconsin. They are the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joseph M. French

(See Grant and Riley) -Joseph Mason, son of Robert Mosby and Margaret (Fields) French, was born near Stillwell Sept. 22, 1856, and was educated in the Cherokee National schools. He married at Fort Gibson on July 19, 1876, Sallie, daughter of John McNary and Nancy (Ivy) Riley, born Oct. 9, 1860. Mrs. French died Nov. 11, 1901. They were the parents Frances Abigail born July 27, 1879, Jennie Myrtle, born February 7, 1881 ; Lewis, born July 28, 1883; Gypsy, born November 24, 1886; George Yarborough, born March 12, 1889; Beulah, born July 8, 1891; Cabal Vaughan, born Dec. 6, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. William P. Pettit

(See Grant, Tyner, Adair and Riley)-William Percival, son of William and Nannie (Tyner) Pettitt, was born Sept. 20, 1867; educated at Fort Gibson and the Male Seminary. He married March 18, 1894, Mary Jane, daughter of Benjamin and Sallie (Guerin) Adair, born Thursday, January 1, 1874, in Illinois District. She was educated in the Female Seminary. They moved on April 17, 1894, from Illinois District to Cooweescoowee District, settling three-fourths of a mile north of the Cherokee and Creek line, where they lived until January 19, 1903, when they moved to their present residence at Inola. Mr. and Mrs. Pettitt … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. John C. Duncan

Duncan, Mrs. John C. (See Grant, Duncan and Sanders)—Joanna Coody Rogers daughter of Charles Rogers Coody and Nancy (Patton) Rogers was born in Cooweescoowee District in 1861. Educat­ed in the Cherokee Nation Schools, graduating from the Female Seminary, June 30, 1881. Taught school. In 1885 she mar­ried at Fort Gibson, John Clinton, son of John Thompson and Elizabeth Ann (Sanders) Duncan, born in 1859 in Flint District, Cherokee Nation. He was educated in the Cherokee Public Schools and Male Seminary. Fortunate in having splendid educations, discriminative and appreciative minds, Mr. and Mrs. Duncan have always been unobtrusive

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. James H. Thomas

(See Foreman and Riley)-Eugenia, the daughter of Eugene and Jane (Riley) Triplett, was born at Fort Gibson in 1844; was educated in the Cherokee public schools, and the Cherokee National Female Seminary. She married at Wagoner on Dee. 25, 1892; James H. Thomas, born in Oklahoma in 1874. They are the parents of George H., born April 5, 1897; Arvol V., born June 10, 1899; Theron, born July 8, 1901; Gladys M., born January 16, 1905; Helen, born January 1909; Celia and Lewis Thomas, born June 20, 1911. Mr. Thomas is a member of the Knights of Pythias; and is … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Sue Austin

(See Cordery)-Sue, daughter of Charles Harris and Pearl Victoria (Haas) Sisson, born December 14, 1898, at Ft. Gibson; educated at Ft. Gibson, Muskogee and Claremore. Married at Claremore June 5, 1920 Ervin F. son of Henry and Sallie Austin. Mr. Austin is engaged in wholesale dry goods business at Clarmore. Thomas Cordery, an Irishman married Susannah, a full blood Cherokee of the Blind Savannah Clan. Their daughter Nannie married Parker Collins and they were the parents of Jennie Collins who married Charles Harris of Spartanberg district, S. Carolina Charles and Jennie Harris were the parents Narcissa, born in 1841, married … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas F. Cunningham

(See Ross, Sanders and Ghigau)-Thomas Francis, son of William Ross Cunningham and Eliza Colston, was born at Fort Gibson on Avril 21, 1880. He was educated at Fort Gibson and Bacone University. He married January 29, 1902, Emily Harnage, daughter of John Stringer Scott and Loretta Beldora Harnage, born August 16, 1882, and was educated in Fort Gibson and Bacone University. They are the parents of John Calhoun, born June 2, 1904, and Frances Marion Cunningham, born October 28, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham are residents of Fort Gibson, Oklahoma.

Biography of Edward D. Hicks

Edward D. Hicks is numbered among Tahlequah’s representative business men and is one whose life record should be a stimulus to the effort and ambition of others. He was born at Fort Gibson, Indian Territory, on the 1st of January, 1866, a son of Daniel R. and Nancy J. (Rider) Hicks. His grandfather on the paternal side Elijah Hicks, was chief of the Cherokee Nation in Georgia and Indian Territory and died in 1856. Mr. and Mrs. Hicks came with the immigration of Cherokees in 1837 and 1838 to Indian Territory and the father became a successful farmer and stock … Read more