Muskogee County OK

Biography of Robert Garner Emmert

Robert Garner Emmert of Muskogee, a partner in one of the large life insurance agencies of Oklahoma was born in Humboldt, Kansas, October 21, 1873. His education was largely acquired in Mount Carroll, Illinois, and he initiated his business career by becoming identified with a building and loan association as a salesman. At the same time he sold life insurance and for years conducted a life insurance business in Colorado and in Texas. In 1904 he came to Muskogee, where he joined his brother in establishing the firm of Emmert Brothers, general agents for the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company … Read more

Slave Narrative of Phyllis Petite

Person Interviewed: Phyllis Petite Location: Fort Gibson, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Rusk County, Texas Age: 83 I was born in Rusk County, Texas, on a plantation about eight miles east of Belleview. There wasn’t no town where I was born, but they had a church. My mammy and pappy belonged to a part Cherokee named W. P. Thompson when I was born. He had kinfolks in the Cherokee Nation, and we all moved up here to a place on Fourteen-Mile Creek close to where Hulbert now is. ‘way before I was big enough to remember anything. Then, so I been … Read more

Biography of Ezra Brainerd, Jr.

Ezra Brainerd, Jr., has been an active representative of the legal fraternity of Muskogee for the past seventeen years, enjoying an extensive clientage that has connected him with much important litigation tried in the courts of the district. He was born in Middlebury, Vermont, on the 26th of August, 1878, a son of Ezra and Frances (Rockwell) Brainerd, the former at one time president of Middlebury College. Excellent educational advantages were accorded him, for his public school training was supplemented by a course of study in Worcester Academy of Worcester, Massachusetts, and in Colgate Academy of Hamilton, New York. His … Read more

Biography of Herbert George House

Herbert George House, conducting a bond business and fire insurance agency, has won many clients, by reason of his thoroughness, his progressive methods and his unfaltering enterprise. Muskogee has reason to class him with her representative citizens, recognizing his value as a factor in the commercial and financial development of the city. Mr. House came to the southwest from Ohio, his birth having occurred in Cardington, that state, on the 3d of September, 1870. His parents were Richard Johnson and Mary June (Cook) House, the former a banker, now deceased. Herbert G. House became a student in the University at … Read more

Biography of John G. Land

John G. Land, whose intimate friends call him Jack and who is representing the Prudential Life Insurance Company of America as manager for the territory embracing Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas, was born in Springfield, Missouri, May 26, 1878, and is a son of J. G. and Nancy A. (Berry) Land, both of whom are deceased. The son was educated in the public schools of St. John, Kansas, and in Marmaduke College at Sweet Springs, Missouri. When sixteen years of age he took up the study of telegraphy and for fifteen years was an operator. In 1898 he came to Muskogee … Read more

Biography of Henry E. Shipley

Since 1912 Henry E. Shipley has been a member of the Haskell bar and he has also become a well known business man with valuable mining and oil interests in Oklahoma and other states. He is a native of Illinois, his birth having occurred in Petersburg on the 15th of November, 1887. His parents, Clement Washington and Evelyn (Nance) Shipley, are natives of Menard County, Illinois, and the father is now living retired in that state. For many years he devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits, in which he was very successful, and he is now heavily interested in cotton … Read more

Biography of Art Harris

Art Harris, president of the Art Harris Transfer & Storage Company of Muskogee, was born in McDonald county, Missouri, December 31, 1876, and is a son of M. A. and Rhoda A. (Richardson) Harris, the former a native of New York and the latter of Tennessee. The father went to Texas with his parents when a boy and later became a resident of Missouri, settling in Pineville, where he engaged in contracting and building. Later his work of this character took him into Arkansas and Kansas and he continued his contract work in those states and in Missouri until the … Read more

Biography of Henry O. Valeur

Henry O. Valeur, architect and builder, of Muskogee, was born in Norway, April 30, 1882, a son of Alrik and Dorothy Valeur. He enjoyed liberal educational advantages, receiving his more advanced training in universities of Norway and of Germany, pursuing university studies in his native country for three years and in Germany for four years. In young manhood he went to sea, spending three years as a sailor, and it was subsequent to this time that he became a student in Germany, thus qualifying for important and responsible duties in life. It was with the belief that he would have … Read more

Slave Narrative of Acemey Wofford

Person Interviewed: Acemey Wofford Date of Birth: June 13 Age: 100 (about) The folks say I’m about 100 years old but there’s no way of me telling about that. I remember the master told me I was born on June 13, but I don’t know what was the year. Maybe I know once, but not now, for the only things I remember now is about the master. I mean my second master who brought me from somewhere in Mississippi to Texas. He was Doctor Hayes; the mistress was Malissa. She was mean, not like the master himself. When the mistress … Read more

Biography of Clyde C. Cantrell

Clyde C. Cant. a native son of Oklahoma and a representative of one of the pioneer families of the state, is an alert, energetic and enterprising young man who is making wise use of his time, his talents and his opportunities. He is now serving as postmaster of Haskell and is proving a popular and efficient public official. He was born near Pryor, in Mayes County, Oklahoma, January 12, 1894, and is a son of Walter A. and Cora D. (Gortney) Cantrell, the former a native of Illinois and the latter of Indiana. When fourteen years of age the father … Read more

Biography of Thomas P. Smith

Thomas P. Smith was born in Clinton County, New York, in 1861, and died in Muskogee, Okla., on October 4, 1917. He attended the village school of Clinton until he was twelve years of age, when his family moved to Plattsburg, N. Y., where he entered the public schools. Graduating from the high school, he became associated in the mercantile business with his two brothers, M. A. and M. J. Smith. In 1884 he was made deputy postmaster at Plattsburg, which place he held until 1887, when he was appointed chief clerk at the San Carlos Indian Agency in Arizona. … Read more

Biography of Jesse A. De Witt

Jesse A. De Witt, whose mental equipment is of that character that enables him to delve to the root of business problems and whose determined energy enables him to conquer obstacles and difficulties in his path, is now occupying a most enviable place in financial circles of Muskogee. He was the President of the Central State Bank until January 1, 1922, and is now a director. He comes to the southwest from Wisconsin, his birth having occurred in Montfort, that state, September 23, 1889, his parents being I. G. and Abbie (Taylor) De Witt, the former a newspaper publisher. In … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George Albert Pierson

George Albert Pierson, who in 1912 established the George Pierson Studio at Muskogee, where he has since conducted business on his own account, previous experience, however, having well qualified him for the management and development of his studio, was born in Raymond, Mississippi, on the 3d of May, 1883, and is a son of Albert and Belle (White) Pierson. His youthful days were devoted to the acquirement of an education in public and private schools, and later he became a student in the Chicago Art Institute, which maintains the largest art school in the country. He also studied at Smith’s … Read more

Biography of James Albert Pitts

James Albert Pitts, a prominent figure, in real estate and loan circles in Muskogee, having developed a business of very substantial proportions, was born in Hickory county, Missouri, in 1877, and is a son of Robert Virgil and Pauline C. (Robertson) Pitts. The father was a merchant in Missouri and in 1889 removed to Muskogee, where he engaged in the live stock business. He continued a resident of this city until his demise, which occurred in 1900. James A. Pitts, who is usually called “Bert” by his warmest friends, was educated in the public schools, in the Harrell Institute at … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Elizabeth Thatcher Stokes

(See Foreman) Herschael Vetran, son of Jeremiah Young and Mary Malinda (Walker) Stokes, born Sept. 21, 1882 educated in Cooweeescoowee District. Married at Muskogee June 28, 1909 Elizabeth, daughter of Joel T. and Mary L. (Kitchum) Thatcher, born in Delaware District November 12, 1883 and educated at Vinita. They are the parents of: Herschael Owen, born, April 2, 1910 and Darwin Clark Stokes, born September 13, 1911. Minerva Jane Taylor married Robert Wesley Walker and they were the parents of Mary Malinda (Walker) Stokeg. Robert Wesley Walker was elected Judge of Going Snake District March 24, 1879, appointed Attorney General … Read more

Biography of William T. Whitaker

William T. Whitaker, owner of the Pryor Bottling Works at Pryor, was born in Andrews, North Carolina, on the 14th of February, 1854, a son of Stephen and Elizabeth (Taylor) Whitaker, both natives of that state. The mother was of Cherokee descent and their marriage occurred before their removal to Indian Territory. For many years the father was engaged in the land business, also in farming, and he achieved substantial success. William T Whitaker’s education was mostly self acquired and at an early age he started out into the world on his own account. In 1871 he located in Tahlequah … Read more

Biography of Luther E. Tomm

Luther E. Tomm, conducting a real estate agency in Muskogee, was born in Delavan, Illinois, April 7, 1883, and is a son of Henry A. and Mary (Crabb) Tomm, the former a grain merchant of Illinois. The son obtained his early education in the public schools of Pekin, Illinois, passing through consecutive grades to a sophomore in high school, after which he attended the Lake Forest Academy at Lake Forest, Illinois, and was there graduated with the class of 1902. He afterward spent two years as a student in the University of Minnesota and thus liberal educational privileges well qualified … Read more

Biography of Walter George Gibbons

Walter George Gibbons, vice president and cashier of the Chestnut-Gibbons Grocery Company, a wholesale concern, doing business in Muskogee, has since 1908 been in charge of this establishment. The business was founded here in 1902 and since Mr. Gibbons took charge material advance has been made in the trade connections of the firm. This results from his close study of every phase of the business, his persistency of purpose and his thorough application. Mr. Gibbons was born in Tiskilwa, Illinois, October 1, 1868, and is a son of George and Mary (Cook) Gibbons, the former a harness manufacturer, devoting his … Read more

Biography of Myron White

Myron White, an active representative of the Muskogee bar for the past two decades, has been accorded an extensive and gratifying clientage in recognition of his skill in the handling of intricate legal problems. He is numbered among the native sons of Kangas, his birth having occurred in Brown county on the 6th of September, 1875. His father, Jesse H. White, a native of Ohio, came of Revolutionary stock and was of English lineage. He served as a soldier of the Union army during the four-year period ‘of the Civil war and after the close of the conflict he married … Read more

Biography of Malcolm E. Rosser

During a period of eight years Malcolm E. Rosser has been successfully engaged in the private practice of law in Muskogee and prior to that time was prominent as a public official of Oklahoma. He served for two terms as judge of the fifth judicial district of the state and at one time was Supreme Court commissioner. He is a western man by birth, training and preference. Arkansas is his native state, his birth having occurred on the old homestead farm near Fayetteville, in Washington county, January 16, 1870, his parents being William E. and Virginia Frances (Hudson) Rosser, the … Read more