Muskogee County OK

Biography of Judge Charles Wheeler

Judge Charles Wheeler, judge of the city court of Muskogee, was born in Three Rivers, Michigan, November 11, 1856, and is a son of Ransley and Electa (MacOmber) Wheeler. The father was a miller and farmer and active business man. The son obtained a country school education and afterward attended the preparatory department of Hillsdale College, where he pursued the regular four years college course, graduating in 1882 with the B. A. degree. Later he became a student in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. His law studies were pursued in an office in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and later in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Manford E. DeLozier

DeLozier, Manford E. (See Adair)—Manford F. DeLozier, born Sept. 25, 1891, at Adair, educated locally. Married at Mus­kogee, October 4, 1914, Amanda F., daughter of John B. and Bettie 3. Gibson, born January 5th, 1895, in Missouri. They are the parents of Vivian Marie, born Feb­ruary 20, 1916, and Reuben Edward DeLozier, Jr., born August 18, 1819. After clerking in the Bank of Adair for some time, Mr. DeLozier gave up that place to assume the more congenial occupation of farming and stock raising. Edward, the son of John and Gahoga Adair, was born February 7, 1789. Married June 17, … Read more

Biography of Webb Littlefield

Webb Littlefield, treasurer of the Guaranty Trust. Company of Muskogee, was born March 12; 1884, in Knobnoster, Missouri, a son of Charles B. and Theodosia (Webb) Littlefield, who were at one time residents of Kentucky and afterward established their home in Johnson county, Missouri. The father engaged in banking in Missouri for thirty years and in 1906 came to the Indian Territory, settling at Claremore. Webb Littlefield pursued a public school education in Missouri and afterward attended the Teachers’ College at Warrensburg, that state. He started out in the business world as a clerk in the employ of the National … Read more

Biography of Robert Paris Harrison

Robert Paris Harrison, city manager of Muskogee, was born June 6, 1867, at Oakwood, Illinois, and is a son of W. C. and Nancy (Graybill) Harrison, who were farming people of that state. He acquired his education in the public schools of his native town and in the district schools near Ladoga, Indiana, and starting out in life on his own account, he became identified, with newspaper interests as a reporter on the Lebanon (Ind.) Pioneer. He was afterward associated with the Michigan City (Ind.) Dispatch and in time became city editor of the Chicago Daily Globe. At a later … Read more

Slave Narrative of Hal Hutson

Person Interviewed: Hal Hutson Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Galveston, Tennessee Date of Birth: October 12, 1847 Age: 90 I was born at Galveston, Tennessee, October 12, 1847. There were 11 children: 7 brothers; Andrew, George, Clent, Gilbert, Frank, Mack and Horace; and 3 girls Eosie, Marie and Eancy. We were all Hutsons. Together with my mother and father we worked for the same man whose name was Mr. Barton Brown, but who we all call Master Brown, and sometime. Master Brown had a good weather-board house, two story, with five or six rooms. They lived pretty well. … 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 Ira B. Oldham, M. D.

Dr. Ira B. Oldham, who for eighteen years has engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery in Muskogee and whose ability and wide knowledge lie behind the substantial success that he has achieved, was born on a farm in Madison county, Kentucky, March 2, 1871, his parents being William Kavanaugh and J. Catherine (Brown) Oldham, both of whom were representatives of old southern families early established in Virginia. Dr. Oldham’s father was born in Madison county, Kentucky, but his grandfather, Hezekiah Oldham, was born in Caswell county, North Carolina, and was a son of Captain John Oldham, an American … Read more

Biography of O. H. P. Brewer

O. H. P. Brewer, member of the Muskogee county bar, who on the 8th of August, 1921, retired from the office of postmaster, having filled the position for eight years, has devoted no inconsiderable part of his life to public service and his labors have constituted an important force for public good. Mr. Brewer was born at Webbers Falls, in the Indian Territory, a little village situated twenty-five miles southeast of Muskogee. His parents were Cherokee citizens, who voluntarily removed from Georgia to the Indian Territory in 1838, in accordance with the terms of a congressional act. His father, O. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Bower Broaddus

Bower Broaddus, attorney and counselor at law, devoting his attention to civil law practice in Muskogee, was born in Chillicothe, Missouri, May 30, 1888, a son of Elbridge Jackson and Emma (Hollingsworth) Broaddus, the former also a member of the bar. Liberal educational opportunities were accorded Bower Broaddus, who obtained his more advanced training in the Missouri State University and in the Kansas City School of Law, from which he was graduated in 1910. Seeking the opportunities of the growing southwest he came to Muskogee in the same year and here opened a law office. Through the intervening period he … Read more

Biography of Finis Waldo Ewing, M. D.

Dr. Finis Waldo Ewing, engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery in Muskogee since 1915, his ability in his chosen calling being widely recognized, was born in Missouri, January 10, 1876, and is a son of Dr. Lee D. and Bettie (Harris) Ewing. At the usual age he became a public school pupil and having mastered the regular branches of the public school curriculum and had one year of university preparation, he went to Baltimore, Maryland, where he entered the Baltimore University in preparation for a professional career. He won his M. D. degree upon graduation with the class … 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.

Biographical Sketch of Isaac Johnson

Isaac, son of Milo and Adeline (Payne) Johnson, was born in 1883, educated at Tahlequah. Married at Muskogee in 1913. His children are: Jessie, Maxine and Willard Johnson. Mr. Johnson is an efficient state enforcement officer.

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 Albert N. Earnest, M. D.

Dr. Albert N. Earnest, a surgeon of Muskogee, is numbered among the native sons of Oklahoma and his record as a successful member of the medical profession stands in contradistinction to the old adage that a prophet is never without honor save in his own country. Dr. Earnest was born near Webbers Falls, in Muskogee county, September 13, 1890, and is a son of J. T. and Ellen (Carlisle) Earnest. The mother is one-fourth Cherokee and was born in Texas, of which state the father is also a native. He came to the Indian Territory when a boy with his … Read more

Biography of James N. Dunbar, Hon.

Hon. James N. Dunbar. As lawyer, judge, farmer and stockraiser, Judge Dunbar has long been one of the prominent citizens of Cherokee County, and has taken an active and valuable part in local affairs. It was the confidence felt by the people in his judgment and integrity as well as his sterling reputation as a lawyer that brought about his election to the district bench, and his administration of that position has more than justified the expectations of those who supported him for the office. Though most of his life has been spent in this section of Kansas, Judge Dunbar … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Levi Ackley

See Grant and Ghigau) -Mary Jane, daughter of John Joshua and Minerva Elizabeth (Lillard) Patrick, was born March 12, 1868. Educated in the Cherokee National school. Married January 20, 1887 Levi Ackley, born June 28, 1861, in Bruce County, Ontario, Canada. They are the parents of Oliver Frederick, Madge Elizabeth, Lee Etta, and Edna Almira Ackley. Mr. and Mrs. Ackley are residents of Muskogee.

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 Orlian Scott Redfield

A spirit of undaunted enterprise characterizes Orlian Scott Redfield in the conduct of his extensive business interests. He is proprietor of two grocery houses in Muskogee and is one of the proprietor successful merchants of the city, a point to which he has attained by reason of indefatigable industry, intelligently directed. He started out in life without special advantages and steadily, step by step, has worked his way upward. He has also found opportunity for cooperation in those activities which make for progress and improvement in the community, or which constitute a source of worth to the individual, his labors … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mary Grayson

Person Interviewed: Mary Grayson Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Age: 83 I am what we colored people call a “native.” That means that I didn’t come into the Indian country from somewhere in the Old South, after the war, like so many Negroes did, but I was born here in the old Creek Nation, and my master was a Creek Indian. That was eighty three years ago, so I am told. My mammy belonged to white people back in Alabama when she was born, down in the southern part I think, for she told me that after she was a sizeable girl … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Clarence Alexander Ambrister

Clarence Alexander Ambrister, engaged in the general practice of civil law at Muskogee, was born in Nebraska City, Nebraska, on the 10th of February, 1888, and is a son of Samuel Alexander and Sallie (Gillispie) Ambrister. The father was engaged in the operation of a cottonseed oil mill. The son was accorded liberal educational advantages, which he pursued at Norman, Oklahoma, following the removal of the family to this state. He supplemented his early training with a university course. He became a resident of Norman in 1892 and through the intervening period has resided in this state, where he has … Read more