Indian Territory

Biographical Sketch of Joel T. Martin

(See Ghigau and Rogers) Joel Thomas, son of William and Sarah Martin, born August 21, 1876, educated in Cherokee Public Schools. Married October 26, 1896, Myrtle Stephens, nee Stephenson, born April 19, 1878, in Nodaway County, Missouri. One son, William A. Martin, married in 1899, Stella, daughter Mr. and Mrs. Argentine Causdell. They the parents of: Pauline, May and George Martin. Mr. Martin is a member of the Owls fraternity. He is a farmer near Ruby. George Washington Walker married Rachel Rogers and they were the parents of Mrs. Sarah Marlins.

Seminole Tribe

Seminole Indians, Seminole Nation (Creek: Sim-a-no’-le, or Isti simanóle, ‘separatist’, ‘runaway’ ). A Muskhogean tribe of Florida, originally made up of immigrants from the Lower Creek towns on Chattahoochee river, who moved down into Florida following the destruction of the Apalachee and other native tribes. They were at first classed with the Lower Creeks, but began to be known under their present name about 1775.  Those still residing in Florida call themselves Ikaniúksalgi, peninsula people’ (Gatschet). The Seminole, before the removal of the main body to Indian Territory, consisted chiefly of descendants of Muscogee (Creeks) and Hitchiti from the Lower Creek … Read more

Biography of John S. Scott

The subject of this sketch was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, in April 1837, the second son of Merchant Scott, of Jefferson County, Ohio, of Irish and Scotch descent. His mother’s name was Mary Stringer, of Irish descent. John attended school in Jefferson County, Ohio, until fourteen years of age, and moved with his family to Humboldt, Kansas, in 1857. Three years later he commenced business on his own account, and continued it until the town was burned by Confederate bushwhackers, after which he immediately recruited a company of Indians and entered the Federal service in May, 1862, as first … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Virgil H. Adair

(See Adair)-Virgil Harvey Adair, born April 15, 1869, married October 2, 1892, Dorinda, daughter of Jesse and Hariette Calloway, born April 9, 1874 in Missouri. They are the parents of: Viola, born June 15, 1893, married A. B. Jordan; Millard Herron, born July 16, 1898, married Minnie Thompson; Winnie, born December 23, 1900; Virgil, born March 27, 1903; Velma born November 15, 1904; Delphia, born February 28, 1907; Gladys, born December 23, 1909; Francis, born June 27, 1913 and Neva Marie, born July 31, 1915. Mr. Adair belongs to the Wolf Clan and is a Mason. He was elected a … Read more

Biography of R. L. Gordon

R. L. Gordon, the popular and efficient Mayor of Ochelata and a member of one of the prominent pioneer families of Oklahoma, was born just across the boundary line, in Kansas, April 4, 1891, his parents being W. H. and Sarah (Bolen) Gordon, the former a native of Kentucky, while the latter was born in Texas. The father journeyed, overland from Kentucky to Missouri and from that state made three round trips to Texas, also going by the over land route. He became a pioneer of Indian Territory and is now residing in Ochelata, where lie follows the carpenter’s trade, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Susan Taylor

Mrs. Susan Taylor was born July 6, 1803, daughter of “Fields,” a half-breed of Scotch descent. Her mother was a Miss Brown, sister of Judge Brown, prominent in Cherokee history. Susan Taylor was educated at the Moravian Mission, Spring Place, Georgia, and moved with the emigration to the Indian Territory in 1839. Her husband, Richard Taylor, held many prominent positions in the nation, and was second chief when he died, in 1853. The subject of our sketch settled in Tahlequah before there was a residence in that place, and in 1849 built a fine brick residence, one of the first … Read more

Biography of Robert M. French

Robert M. French was born July 28, 1848, in Flint district, Cherokee Nation, second son of Robert M. French, and Margaret W. Fields. His father was a Virginian, and came to the Cherokee Nation in 1833 or 1834. He afterwards went west with Colonel Coffee, to trade with the Western Indians, and located on Red River, at what is now known as Coffee’s Bend. His wife (Robert’s mother) was a member of the celebrated Fields family. Robert attended district school until twelve years of age, and at the outbreak of the war was employed as dispatch bearer by General Cooper. … Read more

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

Biography of A. H. Parrish

One of the representative agriculturists of Nowata county is A. H. Parrish, who is engaged in farming four and one-quarter miles northeast of Alluwe. He was born in Coowescoowee district on the 2d of November, 1870, a son of Holland L. and Cynthia J. (Daniel) Parrish, the latter being of Cherokee extraction. The father located in Indian Territory on the 2d of February, 1869, acquiring land one mile south of Coodys Bluff, where he is still residing. He is now seventy-three years of age and enjoying the best of health. Mrs. Parrish was born in Boone county, Arkansas, and died … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. John M. Carroll

(See Raper, Townsend)-Mary C. daughter of Thomas Martin and Marcella Fernandas (Townsend) Raper, was born in Georgia June 5, 1876, educated in Georgia, Indian Territory and North Carolina. Married January 8, 1893, John M. son of Jesse R. and Mary Jane Carroll, born Nov. 24, 1870 in Cherokee County, N. Carolina. They are the parents of: Myrtle J. born March 31, 1894. Married J. L. Nall, has one daughter Ella Clementine Nall, born April 20, 1914; Clem, born February 13, 1896; Gillie May, born March 24, 1898, married to James Ellis Sloan, Dec. 1, 1917; Jesse L. born July 11, … Read more

Biography of Joseph M. Perryman

This prominent citizen was born near Muskogee, Creek Nation, in 1833, the third son of Mayes Perryman, who held many high offices during his lifetime. The young man was sent to school at Coweta Mission until 1853, when he began his studies for the Presbyterian ministry, continuing the same for three years. Before the breaking out of the war he was licensed to preach the gospel, but when the tocsin of war was sounded he joined the Confederate service under Colonel D. N. McIntosh, and held rank in various capacities until the close. When the war ended he went to … Read more

Biography of William P. Boudinot

he subject of this sketch is brother of the late E. C. Boudinot, a well-known man, not only in the Indian Territory, but throughout the United States, and whose sketch is elsewhere given in this volume. W. P. is four years the senior, being now sixty-one years of age. The lives of both ran very much in the same groove until their return to the nation upon coming of age. W. P.’s Eastern education qualified him to fill various subordinate positions in the Cherokee Government, beginning with the clerk of the Senate, or “National Committee,” as it was then called … Read more

Biography of Mack S. Edmondson

Except for looking after his land and other interests of a varied and important nature, Mack S. Edmondson is living retired in Pryor, enjoying the fruits of a life spent in diligence and industry. He was born on the 9th of September, 1853, a son of Van and Laura (Denman) Edmondson, both natives of Georgia. They came to this state after the Civil war but subsequently removed to Texas and located at Kaufman. The mother’s demise occurred there and soon afterward the father removed to Delaware county, Indian Territory, where he engaged in farming and stock raising until his death. … Read more

Biography of John T. Cooper

Checotah numbers among her representative citizens John T. Cooper, attorney at law with offices in the Peoples National Bank building. He is a southerner by birth, born in Scottsboro, Jackson county, Alabama, on the 7th of August, 1881, a son of Abe and Julia (Anderson) Cooper, both natives of that state. The father engaged in agriculture in Alabama until 1894, in which year he removed to Indian Territory and located at Sallisaw. He engaged in farming there for three years and subsequently came to McIntosh County. He became one of the prominent and successful agriculturists of this community. He is … Read more

Biography of Wade Hampton Kornegay

For three decades Wade Hampton Kornegay has been a representative of the Vinita bar and with the passing years his clientele has steadily increased in volume and importance. as he has demonstrated his ability to cope with the intricate problems of the law, while he is also recognized as one of the most progressive agriculturists and stock raisers of Craig county. He was born in Duplin county, North Carolina, April 17, 1865, and was named for General Wade Hampton, the noted Confederate leader. His parents were Henry and Jeannette (Williams) Kornegay, who were also natives of North Carolina, the former … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Arthur F. Adair

Arthur F. Adair was born August 28, 1858, at Mayesville, Cherokee Nation, son of John L. Adair and Mary J. Jeffreys. In early boyhood he was sent to the primary schools, and completed his education at the national male seminary, Tahlequah, about 1883. Arthur commenced life as a schoolteacher; receiving charge of the Blue Springs school, ten miles from the capital, which he taught for five months. After this he went to Webber’s Falls and taught the Prairie Grove School for ten months, which was followed up by two sessions spent likewise in the Coowescowee district institutions. The subject of … Read more

Biography of A. T. Hill

Among those whose progressive methods and intelligently directed efforts have constituted factors in the agricultural development of Washington county is numbered A. T. Hill, a member of one of the pioneer families of the state and the owner of a desirable farm near Bartlesville which in all of its appointments reflects the progressive spirit and capable management of the owner. A native son of Oklahoma, he was born in Dewey, August 3, 1874. His father, who as known as Mr. Top-of-the-Hill, was a native of Kansas and a member of the Delaware tribe, with whom he came to Indian Territory, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William W. Foreman

(See Grant, Ghigau, Foreman, Cordery, Adair, Duncan and Halfbreed)-William Wilburn, son of Daniel C. and Elizabeth (Beck) Foreman was born March 17, 1871. Educated in the Cherokee Public Schools. Married in Canadian District March 11, 1896 Belle Leslie, daughter of Alexander and Susan Deborah (Adair) Jordan, born in Canadian District June 27, 1881. They are the parents of: James Andrew, born July 28, 1898; married Edna Richardson; Bessie J. born April 3, 1900; Jesse, born March 21, 1903; Samuel, born Dec. 4, 1907; Perry born Oct. 12, 1911 and Hooley Foreman, born Feb. 28, 1915. Mr. Foreman is a farmer, … Read more

The Meeting in 1811 of Tecumseh and Apushamatahah

Peter Perkins Pitchlynn was the Choctaw Principal Chief from 1864-1866

The meeting in 1811, of Tecumseh, the mighty Shawnee, with Apushamatahah, the intrepid Choctaw. I will here give a true narrative of an incident in the life of the great and noble Choctaw chief, Apushamatahah, as related by Colonel John Pitchlynn, a white man of sterling integrity, and who acted for many years as interpreter to the Choctaws for the United States Government, and who was an eye-witness to the thrilling scene, a similar one, never before nor afterwards befell the lot of a white man to witness, except that of Sam Dale, the great scout of General Andrew Jackson, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. William H. Pace

(See Downing and Adair)-Annie Lydia, daughter of John and Rosella (Adair) Downing was born in Saliva District September 10, 1871. Educated in Female Seminary and Harrell Institute, Muskogee. Married at Locust Grove December 22, 1898, William Hayden, son of William and Loretta Pace, born in 1868 in Benton County, Ark. They are the parents of: Elbert Edward, born November 21, 1899 was in the S. A. T. C. at Oklahoma University and is at present attending the A. and M. College at Stillwater; Hayden Adair, born February 19, 1901; Clyde Lewis, born November 30, 1902; Joe Sheldon, born June 14, … Read more