Muskogee County OK

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

Biography of Charles W. Vowell, M. D.

Dr. Charles W. Vowell, a leading representative of the medical fraternity of Washington County, has followed his profession in Porum since 1906 and his pronounced ability has won for him an extensive practice. He was born in Collinsville, Grayson County, Texas, in January, 1870, and is a son of James J. and Josephine (Choate) Vowell, both of whom were natives of Missouri. The father was a veteran of the Civil war, serving for three years with a Missouri regiment as a member of the Confederate army under General Robert E. Lee. He devoted his life to the occupation of farming … 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 Charles E. Vann

Charles E. Vann, one of the well known residents of Muskogee county, living at Webbers Falls, has long been identified with farming interests in this section of the state. He is a native son of Oklahoma, his birth having occurred near Preston, Texas, in Chickasaw Nation, on the 12th of November, 1863. He is a son of John S. and Elizabeth (Fields) Vann, both of whom were members of the Cherokee Nation. They had a family of five children, but Charles E. is the only one now living. In what is now Muskogee county Charles E. Vann spent the period … Read more

Biography of George Washington Seibold

George Washington Seibold, engaged in the real estate and loan business in Muskogee, was born in Chicago, February 22, 1872, and is a son of William Frederick and Elizabeth Seibold. The father was a lumberman and grain dealer and also owner of farms, conducting important business interests. During the boyhood of George W. Seibold the family removed to Iowa, where the son obtained his education in the public schools. He received his business training under the direction of his father and was engaged in the lumber and grain trade at Danbury, Iowa. On the 3rd of May, 1904, he came … Read more

Slave Narrative of R. C. Smith

Person Interviewed: R. C. Smith Occupation: Prophet One morning in May I heard a poor rebel say; “The federal’s a home guard Dat called me from home…” I wish I was a merchant And could write a fine hand, I’d write my love a letter So she would understand. I wish I had a drink of brandy, And a drink of wine, To drink wid dat sweet gal How I wish dat she was mine. If I had a drink of brandy No longer would I roam, I’d drink it wid dat gal of mine Dat wishes me back home. … Read more

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 Gabe Edward Parker

Actuated at all times by high ideals having to do with all of the duties and relations of life and particularly in connection with the Choctaw and other civilized tribes of what was once the Indian Territory, Gabe Edward Parker of Muskogee has left the impress of his individuality and ability in large measure upon the history of this section. He retired from the office of Superintendent of the Five Civilized Tribes on the 31st of May, 1921, and is now concentrating his efforts and attention upon the management of private business interests, being the President of the Muskogee Ice … Read more

Slave Narrative of Liza Smith

Person Interviewed: Liza Smith Location: Muskogee, Oklahoma Age: 91 Both my mammy and pappy was brought from Africa on a slave boat and sold on de Richmond (Va.) slave market. What year dey come over I don’t know. My mammy was Jane Mason, belonging to Frank Mason; pappy was Frank Smith, belonging to a master wid de same name. I mean, my pappy took his Master’s name, and den after my folks married mammy took de name of Smith, but she stayed on wid de Masons and never did belong to my pappy’s master. Den, after Frank Mason took all … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Augustus W. Aldrich

Ara, daughter of Goren and Eliza (Wheatley) Thomas was born in Kentucky, June 23, 1886 and educated in that State. Married at Muskogee, October 22, 1905 Augustus William, son of Ferdinand and Pauline Aldrich. They are the parents of John Harley, born November 10, 1906 and Roger Arthur Aldrich born August 2, 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Aldrich are members of the Apostolic church. Mr. Aldrich is a farmer, near Ketchum.

Biographical Sketch of George Adair

(See Adair and Grant) George Adair, born at Braggs May 24, 1887, educated in the Cherokee Public Schools. Married at Nowata in 1907 Edna F., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Adolphus McCoy. He enlisted for the World War on September 19, 1917 and was assigned to the 36th Division, was taken from the firing line in France and placed with other full blood Cherokees in the telephone service, where they foiled the German “listeners in” by repeating, receiving, and transmitting the military orders in the Cherokee language Young Adair, who like all full blood Cherokees, is intensely patriotic and counts … Read more

Biography of George K. Powell

George K. Powell, member of the Muskogee bar, was born in Minneapolis, Kansas, a son of Samuel Joseph and Louisa (Rivers) Powell, the former a real estate dealer long connected with that line of business in support of his family. George K. Powell pursued his early education in the public and high schools of his native city and afterward entered the University of Kansas, from which he was graduated on the completion of a classical course in 1901, while in 1904 he received his professional degree, having for three years devoted his attention to the study of law. In April, … 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

Slave Narrative of Victoria Taylor Thompson

Person Interviewed: Victoria Taylor Thompson Age: 80 My mother, Judy Taylor, named for her mistress, told me that I was born about three year before the war; that make me about 80 year old so they say down at the Indian Agency where my name is on the Cherokee rolls since all the land was give to the Indian families a long time ago. Father kept the name of ‘Doc’ Hayes, and my brother Coose was a Hayes too, but mother, Jude, Patsy, Bonaparte (Boney, we always called him), Lewis and me was always Taylors. Daddy was bought by the … Read more

Biography of Judge Napoleon B. Maxey

Judge N. B. Maxey has the distinction of holding the oldest license to practice law in the Oklahoma courts. Notwithstanding the fact he is still active in the profession, maintaining his once in Muskogee but frequently called to other sections of the state in connection with his specialty of insurance and surety law. He was born in Smith County, Tennessee, July 15, 1853, and the fact that his father, Thomas J. Maxey, was of French extraction probably accounts for the name given to the future Muskogee lawyer, Napoleon Bonaparte Maxey. Whether the name carries with it any qualifications that to … Read more

Biography of John McLemore

Among the progressive and wide-awake young business men of Haskell is numbered John McLemore, a native son of Oklahoma, who has been an important factor in developing the oil fields of this section of the state and also has financial and real estate interests. He was born at Arthur, near Duncan, Oklahoma, March 9, 1892, of the marriage of Albert and Lizzie (Ligon) McLemore, the former a native of Dade county, Missouri, while the latter was born in Illinois. The father came to this state in territorial days, establishing his home near Duncan, in what was then known as Indian … Read more

Biography of J. R. Graves, M. D.

Coming to Boynton in 1919, Dr. J. R. Graves has already proven his skill and ability as a physician and surgeon and his practice is assuming large proportions. A native of Arkansas, he was born in Logan county on the 29th of November, 1883, his parents being G. W. and Mary (Suter) Graves, who were also born in that state. The paternal grandfather, Jacob Graves, was a veteran of both the Civil and Mexican wars, having charge of Fort Gibson, Indian Territory, during the latter conflict. He was a charter member of Masonic Lodge, No. 9, at Clarksville, Arkansas, with … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. H. Ballard

(See Grant, Ghigua, and Ward)-William, son of Archibald and Annie (Fields) Ballard, was born May 29, 1852. Married December 26, 1871 Charlotte Mayes and they were the parents of: Janana, Anna, Ruth May, Ethel Savilla and Zoe Wyly Ballard. This family furnished the largest number of graduates from the Seminaries, they being as follows: Janana in 1896, Anna in 1897, Lucinda in 1899, Sarah Eleanor in 1902, William Houston in 1904 and Ruth May in 1906. Miss Janana is and has been a teacher in the Northeastern State Normal since its inception. Anna married Crawford Conner. Lucinda married William Lee … Read more

Biography of Henry Stanley Shelor

Henry Stanley Shelor is conducting a general insurance agency at Muskogee and has here developed a business of large extent that is indicative of his close application, his persistency of purpose and his sound judgment in all that he undertakes. He was born in Montgomery County, Virginia, September 14, 1879, and is a son of Crockett Pierce and Clara (Abell) Shelor, the former a planter, well known in the Old Dominion. Henry S. Shelor obtained his education in the public schools of Danville until he had completed his high school course and then entered the Danville Military Institute. His initial … Read more

Biography of Thomas F. King

Thomas F. King, who has devoted his entire time and attention to the banking business since making his initial step in business circles, is now the cashier of the Exchange National Bank of Muskogee. A native of Ohio, he was born in Marion on the 13th of May, 1886, and is a son of James and Margaret (Martin) King, the latter a sister of T. H. Martin, former mayor of Muskogee. The father was commissioner of public safety under the charter form of government. With the removal of the family westward, Thomas F. King pursued his more advanced education in … Read more