Muskogee Oklahoma

Biography of William Edward Delehant

William Edward Delehant, organizer and promoter of the Cardinal Drug Company of Muskogee, conducting both a whole-sale and retail business, has long been recognized as a dynamic force in the commercial circles of Muskogee. Starting in business here with an extremely limited capital, he has steadily developed his interests and the scope of his activities until his position in commercial circles is one of prominence and leadership. He has ever been a man of broad vision in relation to business affairs and his life record should serve as a source of encouragement and inspiration to others, showing what can be … 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

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

Biography of Robert Lee Mitchell, M. D.

Dr. Robert Lee Mitchell, a member of one of the old and prominent families of Oklahoma, founded here in early territorial days, engaged in the general practice of medicine at Vinita from 1909 to the close of the year 1921, and during the period which has since elapsed has firmly established himself in the public regard as a man of high professional attainments. He was born at Oaks, which was at that time situated in the Delaware district of the Cherokee Nation, in Indian Territory, and is of Cherokee extraction in the maternal line, his parents being George Washington and … Read more

Biography of James Franklin Ledbetter

James Franklin Ledbetter, of Muskogee, has been a resident of this city for about seventeen years and through the period has largely been an incumbent in public office. Much of his life has thus been given to public service and his record has been most commendable, being characterized by marked devotion to duty and efficiency in the discharge of the tasks which have devolved upon him. Arkansas numbers him among her native sons, his birth having occurred in Madison county, December 15, 1852. He obtained a public school education and in early life gave his attention to the occupation of … Read more

Biography of Jefferson D. Cox

Jefferson D. Cox is actively connected with a profession that has important bearing upon the progress and stable prosperity of every community, and one in which advancement depends upon individual merit and ability. Ability becomes in a measure prominence, and that Mr. Cox occupies a leading position in the ranks of the legal profession is an indication of his learning and skill in his chosen field. He is also a successful stock man and he owns a large ranch where fancy Duroc hogs and Durham cattle are raised. Jefferson D. Cox was born in Walhalla, South Carolina, on the 1st … 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 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

Biographical Sketch of Elmer C. Croom

(See Grant and Oolootsa) Lorella Coleman, born March 14, 1858 married September 17, 1874 Joseph Smith, born December 10, 1846 were parents of Jessie Morton Smith, born 22, 1875. She married December 1894, Isaac Newton Croom, born August 12, 1867 in Madison County, Tennessee. They were the parents of Joseph Newton, Marvin Earl, William Lee, Elmer Clement, and Lula Irene Croom. The are residents of Muskogee.

Biography of August Ferdinand Krumrei

August Ferdinand Krumrei, a Muskogee contractor whose extensive patronage is at once proof of his skill and of his ability, was born in Germany, October 17, 1862, and acquired his education in the schools of his native land. He there remained to the age of twenty years, when in September, 1882, he bade adieu to friends and family and crossed the Atlantic to the new world, making his way first to Ann Arbor, Michigan. He had previously acquainted himself with the trade of masonry and carpentering and he became identified with building construction in that city, working for others for … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Walter S. Agnew

(See Grant, Foreman and Cordery) Walter Scott Agnew was born May 16, 1842. Served the Confederacy in Company B, First Cherokee Mounted Rifles and Company E, Second Cherokee Mounted Volunteers. He married in December, 1866, Sarah Seabolt nee Riley, daughter of Felix and Susie (Bigby) Riley. Mr. and Mrs. Agnew had one child, Laura Agnew, who married William H. Robinson. Mrs. Sarah Agnew died and Mr. Agenew married in July, 1870, Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Andrew Jackson and Lucy (Vickory) Cobb, born May 19, 1849. Mr. and Mrs. Agnew are residents of Muskogee. They are the parents of: Ellen, John … Read more

Biography of Walton Elan Bass

Walton Elan Bass, who came to Muskogee in April, 1916, and is here a prominent figure in connection with loan interests, holding the office of loan examiner in connection with the Farm & Home Savings & Loan Association of Missouri, was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, July 10, 1878. His parents were William Ambrose and Usa Dissa (Anderson) Bass, the former a dry goods merchant. Walton E. Bass pursued his early education in the public schools and afterward attended the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, from which he was graduated with the class of 1899, having pursued a mechanical and … Read more

Biography of Guy W. Bain

Although but twenty-five years of age, Guy W. Bain has already made his influence felt in financial circles of Muskogee county and as cashier of the First National Bank of Boynton he is adding prestige to the institution, discharging his duties in a most conscientious and efficient manner. A native of Illinois, he was born in Massac county on the 20th of August, 1896, his parents being William and Minnie B. (Fitch) Bain, who were also born in that county. There the father engaged in farming and merchandising, also devoting his attention to the buying and selling of cattle, and … 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

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Hubert Ambrister

(See Grant)-Julia Theresa daughter of William Columbus and Jane (Davis) Patton, married Dr. Francis Bartow Fite; and they were the parents Frances Fite, born Sept. 24, 1893, in Muskogee. She was educated in National Cathedral School, Washington, D. C., and graduated from Vassar College. She married at Muskogee July 7, 1920, Hubert, son Samuel A. Ambrister, born Feb. 1891, in Norman County, Oklahoma. Mr. Ambrister was educated in Norman High School and is graduate of University of Okla. He is practicing law in Oklahoma City. He served two years in the Aviation Corps during the World War. Thomas James Adair … 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 Frank J. Boudinot

(See Watie, Grant and Ross)-Frank Josiah, son of William Penn and Caroline (Fields) Boudinot, was born August 20, 1866, in the Cherokee Nation. Educated in Bacone College or Indian University (near Muskogee), Flint High School (Michigan) and University of Michigan. He took a course in law at the University of Michigan in 1894-5-6. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias fraternity. His Cherokee name is Kaw-la-nah (Raven) and he belongs to the Cherokee Holly clan. He has been the attorney, counselor and adviser of the Kee-too-wah Society of Cherokees since 1899 and was elected Principal Chief of the … 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

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 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