Muskogee Oklahoma

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 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

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

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 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

Biography of Guy Fountain Nelson

Guy Fountain Nelson, judge of the Third judicial district of Oklahoma, his entire official record reflecting credit and honor upon the people who have honored him, came to Muskogee in 1909. At that time he had had sixteen years’ experience in law practice and had made steady progress to a point where he had left the ranks of the many to stand among the successful. He was born in Nevada, Missouri, August 16, 1872, and is a son of I. F. S. and Alice (Pottorf) Nelson. The father is a traveling salesman, having long devoted his attention to that line … 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

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 Arthur C. Trumbo

The development and success of the Muskogee National Bank is attributable in no small measure to Arthur C. Trumbo, an alert, energetic and farsighted business man, who in financial circles has made a most creditable name and place for himself. He was born on a farm in Allen county, Ohio, on the 6th of August, 1866, and attended the country schools until he reached the age of seventeen, when he began teaching and soon afterward was made principal of the Columbus Grove high school at Columbus Grove, Ohio. Desirous of enjoying still further educational advantages himself, he later became a … Read more

Biography of David Adam Kline

David Adam Kline, member of the Muskogee bar engaged in the general practice of law, was born in Marion county, Iowa, June 4, 1874, a son of Lloyd Thomas and Magdalena (Vicinus) Kline. The father was a contractor and builder, devoting his life to that pursuit in order to provide for his family. He moved with his family from Marion county to Des Moines, Iowa, in 1882, and to Chicago, Illinois, in 1887. David A. Kline after completing his high school education and work in the University Academy, later engaged in the study of law. He pursued his studies at … 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 Nathan K. Farmer

Nathan K. Farmer, who for twenty-nine years has occupied a beautiful home at Muskogee, has since 1883 resided in this section of the country, his attention being most successfully given to agricultural pursuits and stock raising. He was born in Callaway County, Missouri, July 22, 1848, and is a son of Jessie and Nancy (Reid) Farmer. The father, a native of Virginia, came to Missouri in his boyhood days and the mother was a native of the latter state, in which both were reared and married. They continued residents of Missouri until called to their final rest and were highly … Read more

Slave Narrative of J. W. Stinnett

Person Interviewed: J. W. Stinnett Place of Birth: Grayson County, Prairie Grove, Texas Date of Birth: 1863 What with raising nine grandchildren whose mammy is dead, this old head of mine has too many troubles to remember much about them slave days, but anyways I was born in 1863, at a place in Grayson County, Texas, name of Prairie Grove. My mammy come from Virginia, where pappy come from I don’t know, and where he went I don’t know, because he take off to the north during the war and never come back. His name was George Stinnett and mammy’s name … Read more

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.

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 Luther E. Tomm

Luther E. Tomm, conducting a real estate agency in Muskogee, was born in Delavan, Illinois, April 7, 1883, and is a son of Henry A. and Mary (Crabb) Tomm, the former a grain merchant of Illinois. The son obtained his early education in the public schools of Pekin, Illinois, passing through consecutive grades to a sophomore in high school, after which he attended the Lake Forest Academy at Lake Forest, Illinois, and was there graduated with the class of 1902. He afterward spent two years as a student in the University of Minnesota and thus liberal educational privileges well qualified … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. L. Mayes

(See Downing, Oolootsa, Adair and Ghigoneli) William Lucullus, son of Samuel Houston and Martha Elizabeth (Vann) Mayes, was born February 6, 1874; educated in the Male Seminary. He married January 8, 1901, Mary Llewellyn, daughter of Gideon and Mary Llewellyn (Payne) Morgan, born June 23, 1877 and graduated from the Female Seminary June 28, 1894. They are the parents of Martha Llewellyn Mayes, born August 24, 1902. Mr. Mayes is prominently identified with real estate and it activities in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

Biography of Benjamin Martin

Benjamin Martin, who has been actively engaged in law practice at Muskogee for more than a quarter of a century, has also been a prominent factor in financial circles of the city as vice president and director of and attorney for The Commercial National Bank, which he has thus represented during almost the entire period of its existence, his efforts contributing largely to the continued growth and success of the institution. His birth occurred on a southern plantation near Allendale, in Barnwell county, South Carolina, on the 7th of July, 1873, his parents being Benjamin and Catherine M. (Maner) Martin. … 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 Hall Mayes

(See Grant, Downing, Foreman, Oolootsa, Adair, Ross, Conrad and Duncan)—Hall, son of Walter Adair and Nannie Riley (McCoy) Mayes was born near Pryor September 26, 1891, educated at Male Seminary, Bacone University and Agricultural College at Stillwater. Married at Muskogee, September 1, 1915, Sallie Pearl, daughter of Henry Clay and Nannie Vinita (West) Cochran, born October 18, 1893. Educated at Female Seminary and Northeastern State Normal, Tahlequah. They are the parents of Virginia Lee, born September 26, 1916; Mary Hall, born July 22, 1918 and Lucile Cochran Mayes, born July 19, 1920. Samuel Mayes, born April 11, 1803, in Tennessee. … Read more