Muskogee County OK

Biography of Professor Charles Byron Smith

Professor Charles Byron Smith, principal of the Washington school at Muskogee, is a native of Rusk County, Texas, his parents being Lucien Drayton and Amanda Melvina Smith. The father was born in Buncombe County, North Carolina, and in 1852 re-moved to Texas. The mother was born in Tennessee and became a resident of the Lone Star state in 1836. Mr. Smith was a ranch-man farmer and early removed with his family to western Texas, where his son, Professor Smith, grew to manhood with scarcely any Church or school privileges but nevertheless was well instructed religiously and educationally, for when he … 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 Jasper Newton Wilkinson

Jasper Newton Wilkinson of Muskogee is widely known as a most enthusiastic Rotarian and as an untiring worker in the interests of boys. In the latter connection he is state councilor of the Order of DeMolay for Boys and is doing a work of far-reaching importance. In the business world, too, he has made a creditable name and place for himself as a lumber dealer in Illinois and as a banker in Oklahoma. He was born in Vinton County, Ohio, a son of Jackson and Mary (Morrison) Wilkinson, both of southern descent. In 1874 he was graduated from the Illinois … Read more

Biography of John Downing Benedict

John Downing Benedict was born in Clermont, a suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana, on the 27th of May, 1854, and there began his education in the common schools. Accompanying his parents on their removal to Vermilion county, Illinois , he there worked on a farm during the summer months, while the winter seasons were spent as a student in the Rossville high school. When eighteen years of age he took up the profession of teaching, which he followed through the succeeding five years in the country and village schools. Subsequently he attended the University of Illinois for one year and then … 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

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Nannie Foreman

Foreman, Mrs. Nannie (See Grant, Downing, Foreman, Watie, Conrad and Halfbreed)—Return, son of Ellis and Sarah (Phillips) Foreman was educated in the Cherokee Na­tional Schools. Married at Muskogee, Nannie, daughter of Thomas Jefferson and Susannah (Watie) Bean, born March 25, 1881. They are the parents of Joseph, born October 16, 1917 and Samuel Foreman, born February 6, 1911. John Alexander Watie married Eliza Fields and they were the parents of Mrs. Susannah (Watie) Bean. Ellis (commonly called “Tyler’) son of Samuel and Sallie (Gourd) Foreman married Sarah, daughter of Elijah and Sidney Crittenden) Phillips and they were the parents of … Read more

Biography of Max Davidson

Prominent among the energetic, farsighted and successful business men of Muskogee is Max Davidson, a clothing merchant who has developed a large business in handling the Hart, Schaffner & Marx clothing, his store being located at Main and Broadway. He is a native of St. Louis, Missouri, born November 17, 1880, his parents being Leopold and Fannie (Schwartz) Davidson, the former a native of Germany, while the latter was born in Bohemia. The father came to America in his boyhood days, settling in St. Joseph, Missouri, where he was engaged in the towel supply business for a number of years. … Read more

Biography of David Nicholas Fink

David Nicholas Fink, banker and oil man of Muskogee, was born August 4, 1868, in Russia, Shelby county, Ohio. His father, Henry David Fink, now eighty-four years of age, is residing in Spokane, Washington. His mother, Mrs. Clara Elizabeth Fink, nee Work, passed away in Vernon County, Missouri, in August, 1876. The educational advantages of David Nicholas Fink were only such as the common schools afforded. He never had the opportunity of attending college and his life is a verification of the fact that no matter what the advantages of education one may enjoy he must essentially formulate and determine … Read more

Biography of General Marion Swanson

General Marion Swanson of Muskogee, well known in real estate circles through his purchase and sale of farm lands, is also engaged in farming, but follows this more as a recreation than as a source of livelihood. He was born in Lineville, Iowa, April 29, 1863, and is a son of William E. and Susan J. (Edgemand) Swanson. His father was always engaged in farming and stock raising and General Swanson, therefore, early became familiar with the various phases of agricultural life. He was educated in the public schools of Millersburg, Cherokee county, Kansas, and when not busy with his … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Zeb Pettigrew Jackson

Zeb Pettigrew Jackson, whose activity in the field of real estate in Muskogee is bringing substantial results in the attainment of success, was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas, August 10. 1886, and is a son of U. L. Jackson, mentioned on another page of this work. Spending his boyhood days under the parental roof, he supplemented his early educational opportunities by study in the University of Arkansas, devoting a year to civil engineering. In April, 1908, he became associated with his father in the insurance, real estate and loan business which the father had established in 1901. The partnership was maintained … Read more

Biography of O. S. Somerville, M. D.

Dr. O. S. Somerville, who has been actively engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery at Bartlesville during the past sixteen years, is also a prominent factor in financial circles as Vice President of the Bartlesville State Bank. His birth occurred in Parkersburg, West Virginia, on the 11th of February, 1871, his parents being Andrew and Margaret (Slaven) Somerville, the latter also a native of West Virginia. Andrew Somerville, who followed general agricultural pursuits in that state throughout his active business career, passed away in 1899, while his wife was called to her final rest in 1913. In the … Read more

Carroll, Joseph C. – Obituary

Baker City, Baker County, Oregon Joe Carroll, 73, Services Today Joseph C. Carroll, 73, Unity, passed away Saturday, Feb. 11 at St. Elizabeth Community Hospital. Services for Mr. Carroll will be conducted today, Thursday, Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. at the Calvary Baptist church in Baker with Pastor Larry Goin and Pastor Jim Mitchell officiating. Vault interment will follow at the Haines Cemetery. Mr. Carroll was born November 2, 1910, to Arch T. and Henrietta Whinery Carroll at Braggs, Oklahoma. He came to Oregon in 1945 and was married to Marie Christensen at Winnemucca, Nevada, November 26, 1952. He worked … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James Durrett Simms

The subject of this sketch was born in Albemarle County, Virginia, January 6, 1880, his parents being James M. and Mary Durrett Simms. While a child his parents moved to Missouri and his education was received in the schools of that state. In September, 1900, he went to St. Louis, studied shorthand there, accepted a position in a law office in February, 1901, and took up the study of law, attending the lectures of the Benton College of Law at night. In June, 1902, he was admitted to the bar in the city of St. Louis. He resided in St. … Read more

Biography of Edward Cockrell Hoffman

Statistics show that more than ninety per cent of men are failures in business and investigation brings to light another fact that too many are prone to make constant changes in business instead of concentrating along a single line and developing a thorough mastery of the work undertaken. A notable example of this rule is Edward Cockrell Hoffman, who is now engaged in the line of business in which he started out as a young tradesman, being the secretary, treasurer and manager of the Hoffman-Speed Printing Company of Muskogee. He has been instrumental in building up a substantial business at … Read more

Biography of Judge Napoleon Bonaparte Moore

A life of great usefulness and far-reaching influence ended when on the 10th of October, 1911, Judge Napoleon Bonaparte Moore was called to his final rest, after a long illness, at the venerable age of eighty-four years. Long a leader of public thought and action, he left his impress in notable measure upon the history of Oklahoma along agricultural, legislative, political and moral lines. A native of Alabama, he was born on the 8th of January, 1827, of the marriage of William and Lucy (Chemathla) Moore, who were also natives of that state, in which the father spent his life, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Lucinda Vann

Lucinda Vann, born between 92 and 100+ years old, recounts her life on the Vann plantation in Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, where she was born to enslaved parents in the master’s bedroom during an emergency. Raised in the Vann household, Lucinda describes a plantation managed by wealthy Cherokee owners Jim and Jennie Vann, boasting decent conditions for slaves, who were well-fed, finely dressed, and participated in plantation festivities. Lucinda had a favored horse, Black Hock, gifted by Missus Jennie, with earnings saved for her. Post-war, Lucinda, reflecting on the social inequalities, elected to join the Catholic church and later attempted to flee to Mexico during turmoil, only to return to a depleted plantation. The narrative captures a blend of personal triumphs amid the harsh realities of slavery, retaining a deeply ingrained cultural heritage and the complexities of identity and belonging in post-Civil War America.

Biography of W. W. Harnage

W. W. Harnage of Muskogee is now living retired from active business but for many years was closely identified with farming interests. A native of Texas, he was born in Rusk County, on the 8th of January, 1852, and is a son of George W. and Nancy (May-field) Harnage, both of whom were born and reared in the old Cherokee Nation in Georgia but were married in Oklahoma, where they resided until 1847. In that year they removed to Texas, where they spent their remaining days and in the Lone Star state they reared their family of four children, of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. A. R. Matheron

(See Thompson, Thornton and Oolootsa) —Maudie, daughter of Henry arid Susan F. (Thompson) Eiffert was born January 1, 1872 at Ft. Gibson, educated at Vinita and in the Female Seminary; married at Muskogee, October 1, 1889 Alexander Ross Mathewson, born March 28, 1867 in St. Louis, Missouri. From this union the following children were born: Floyd, born October 9, 1894, married Lola Beaubean; Richard Thomson, born January 13, 1897, married Erin Forsyth; Ross, born May 24, 1899, married Grace Parrish and Helen Matheson, born October 24, 1902, married LaFayette Parrish.

Slave Narrative of Sweetie Ivery Wagoner

If I was born the year of freedom or the year before my mammy didn’t know. Her name was Betty Ivery and pappy’s name was Louis Ivery, belonging to old Newt Titsworth who had a big plantation somewheres in Arkansas, but I don’t know what the name of the town. Only thing I know that man had a big place – as far as the eye could see that man owned it. He had seven or eight slave families on the place; my mother was the house girl, done the spinning, the cooking, the cleaning and all such. The old … Read more

Biography of Robert Milligan Mountcastle

Robert Milligan Mountcastle, a member of the Oklahoma bar since June, 1912, and now filling the office of United States commissioner, to which he was appointed in 1919, comes to this state from Tennessee, his birth having occurred March 17, 1888, in Jefferson City, Jefferson county. His parents were W. H. and Maude C. (Milligan) Mountcastle and while spending his youthful days in their home he was accorded liberal educational privileges, becoming a student in the Carson Newman College, from which he was graduated with the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1908. During his college days he took a most … Read more