Muskogee Oklahoma

Biographical Sketch of Dr. James Grady Harris

(See Cordery) Parker Collins born November 9, 1845, married Angeline Davis born July 19, 1859, in DeKalb Go., Ala. They are the parents of Robert Harris, born Dec. 19, 1882; Colonel Parker Harris, born July 3, 1885 ; Emily Harris, born April 29, 1887; Dr. James Grady Harris, born February 18, 1889; Susie Ella Harris, born September 4, 1890; Mary Vann Harris, born October 10, 1893; George Harris, born November 14, 1895; Martha Harris, born June 2, 1899; lda Harris, born March 1, 1901, and Catherine Harris. Dr. James Grady Harris was educated in the Male Seminary, Northeastern State Normal, … Read more

Biography of Elmer Stover Emmert

Elmer Stover Emmert, senior partner of the well known firm of Emmert Brothers and thus head of one of the strong insurance agencies not only of Muskogee but of the state, was born in Humboldt, Kansas, May 18, 1868, and is a son of David B. and Margaret D. (Moffett) Emmert, the former a newspaper publisher. During the early boyhood of Elmer S. Emmert the parents removed with their family to Wichita, Kansas, and there he pursued his education in the public schools until a further removal was made to Albuquerque, New Mexico. After the death of his father, at … Read more

Biography of Wallace Buell Butz

Wallace Buell Butz, whose activities since coming to Muskogee have brought him in close connection with educational interests and with the abstract, real estate and insurance business, is now at the head of the Butz Agency, handling general insurance, and his clientage is extensive. A native of Illinois, he was born August 1, 1872, his parents being Jeremiah King and Rebecca (Tillotson) Butz. The father devoted many years to the occupation of farming and is now living retired at the advanced age of eighty-six. Wallace B. Butz pursued his early education in the public schools of Illinois and afterward attended … Read more

Biography of Alexander Sondheimer

Alexander Sondheimer, banker and merchant, recognized as one of the representative and progressive business men of Muskogee, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, May 11, 1873, and is a son of Joseph and Johanna Sondheimer. His youthful days were spent in St. Louis and in Muskogee, for he was but six years of age when brought by his parents to this city. His father had first visited Muskogee in 1867 and, pleased with the city and its prospects, he brought his family here in 1879, so that Alexander Sondheimer pursued a part of his education in the schools of Muskogee. … Read more

Biography of George Washington Nolle

When one realizes that but few decades have passed since Muskogee was a tiny village, there must also come a realization of the fact that its citizens have been of a most substantial class, willing at all times to cooperate in plans and measures for the general good and that-their labors have been of a most practical character, producing far-reaching results. Through a period of seventeen years George W. Nolle has here made his home, giving his attention to the real estate and insurance business and in both lines he has met public requirement, gaining a large clientage as the … 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 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

Biography of George Samuel Ramsey

George Samuel Ramsey, the subject of this sketch, was born on a farm near Viola, Warren county, Tennessee on August 18, 1874. He is the son of George W. and Elizabeth (King) Ramsey, natives of Warren county, Tennessee. His ancestors on the paternal side are Scotch and on the maternal side, English. His paternal ancestors emigrated from Scotland and settled in Pennsylvania. Branches of the family moved to North Carolina and thence into Tennessee. The father, George W. Ramsey, was a farmer by occupation and during the Civil war served with the Confederate army. Both parents belong to the Christian … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. William A. Lamon

(See Grant and Cordery)—Martha Evaline Clingan, born at Gibson Station Cherokee Nation, March 21, 1874, educated at the Female Seminary and Sedalia, Missouri, taught at Harrell Institute at Muskogee, and married at Gibson Station February 1, 1899 William Archibald, son of Robert A. and Melvina Lamon, born March 15, 1869 in Granada, Miss. They are the parents of: Mary F., born October 29, 1899; Melvina, born April 17, 1901; Catherine Wise, born October 27, 1902; Helen Martha, April 22, 1904; William Archibald, born February 4, 1910; Robert Edward, born February 4, 1912, and John Clingan Lamon, born May 3, 1913. … Read more

Biography of Milton Gooddell Young

Well known and prominent in the financial circles of Muskogee is Milton Gooddell Young, who is the President of the Security State Bank. Long experience has well qualified him for the important and responsible duties which devolve upon him in this connection and as the years have passed he has made himself a forceful factor among the bankers of his section of the state. He was born in Florence, Alabama, February 15, 1884, and is a son of Andrew M. and Ollie (House) Young.  His father was also prominent in financial circles, being the first bank commissioner of the state … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Wesley Porter

John Wesley Porter, a successful young practitioner of law in Muskogee, where he has followed his profession through the past three years, was born in Henderson county, Kentucky, on the 1st of December, 1886, his parents being John Wesley and Lucy Jane (Moss) Porter, the former a tobacco merchant. In the acquirement of an education he attended public and private schools and also studied under a private tutor. His professional training was received in the law department of the Washington and Lee University at Lexington, Virginia, from which he was graduated in June, 1909. He first located for practice at … 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 Frank Lee

From the year which brought statehood to Oklahoma, Frank Lee has been a member of the Muskogee bar and is regarded as one of the strong and eminent representatives of the profession in this part of the state. He has engaged in the practice of law altogether for thirty-five years and his professional career has been marked by continuous progress and constantly developing power. Born in Stockwell, Indiana, December 9, 1864, he is a son of Captain Smith Lee, who served with the Boys in Blue in the Civil war, becoming a member of Company I, Eleventh Indiana Cavalry. After … Read more

Biography of Warren Butz

Warren Butz, chief deputy clerk of the United States courts at Muskogee, was born in Hope, Illinois, August 1, 1872, a son of J. K. and Rebecca (Tillotson) Butz. He matriculated in the Union Christian College, after completing his public school course and thus studied at Merom, Indiana, for a time, while later he became a student in the University of Illinois, his liberal educational training well qualifying him for life’s practical and responsible duties: He started out in the business world in connection with the engineering department of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad and in 1899 he conducted … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Dexter Halfhill

William Dexter Halfhill, who has been a representative of the legal fraternity for a period covering forty-three years, took up his abode in Muskogee in 1904 and has here since engaged in general civil practice, in which connection he has built up a clientage of enviable proportions. He is a native of Morrow county, Ohio, and a son of Moses and Lydia (Kingman) Halfhill, the former a farmer by occupation. The public schools afforded him his early educational advantages and on attaining his majority he began teaching school. This he considered but an initial step to other professional labor; however, … Read more

Establishment of Fort Gibson in 1824

Fort Gibson in 1875

By Act of Congress of March 2, 1819, Arkansas Territory was established July 4, embracing substantially all of what are now the states of Arkansas and Oklahoma; though the civil government of Arkansas Territory was limited to that section lying east of the Osage line, divided into counties, and embracing approximately the present state of Arkansas. That west of the Osage line was the Indian country, and in later years became known as Indian Territory. James Miller of New Hampshire was appointed the first Governor of Arkansas Territory, and among the duties of his office was that of supervision of … 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

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

Biographical Sketch of William Henry Barker

(See Ghigau) Elvira, daughter of Jesse and Sallie (Starr) Mayfield, married William Henry Barker; and they were the parents of Sallie Belle Barker who married Henry Forney Nicholson. Mr. Barker was elected a member of Council from Canadian District in 1889, and was chosen by that body as their speaker. He was elected Circuit Judge of the Southern Judicial Circuit of the Cherokee Nation in 1891, serving for a four-year term. He is at present a retired farmer at Muskogee.

Biography of James G. Harris, M. D.

Dr. James G. Harris, a physician and surgeon of Muskogee, who is specializing in urology, was born on the 18th of February, 1889, in Muskogee county, and is a son of P. Collins and Mary A. (Davis) Harris, who were natives of Georgia and of Alabama respectively. The father served for two years with the Confederate army in the Civil war and was taken prisoner, being incarcerated for about a year. Soon after the war, owing to the fact that he was part Cherokee, he received an allotment from the government in Oklahoma, then Indian Territory, and removed to this … Read more