Muskogee Oklahoma

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

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 Roscoe Simmons Cate

Roscoe Simmons Cate, an attorney of Muskogee, was born in Bradley county, Tennessee, on the 2d of September, 1876, his parents being William Lea and Joanna E. (Julian) Cate, the former an educator. Roscoe Simmons Cate obtained his education in the public schools of St. Louis, Missouri, and of Little Rock, Arkansas, while his professional training was received in the Benton College of Law of St. Louis, from which he was graduated in June, 1901. He first located for practice at McAlester, Oklahoma, and there followed his profession until 1908, when he became chief clerk to the superintendent 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

Slave Narrative of Allen V. Manning

Person Interviewed: Allen V. Manning Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Clarke County Mississippi Date of Birth: 1850 Age: 87 Occupation: Sells Milk I always been somewhar in the South, mostly in Texas when I was a young man, and of course us Negroes never got much of a show in court matters, but I reckon if I had of had the chance to set on a jury I would of made a mighty poor out at it. No sir. I jest can’t set in judgement on nobody, ’cause I learned when I was jest a little boy that good … 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 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 Nathan Adams Gibson

Nathan Adams Gibson has been an active representative of the legal fraternity in Muskogee for the past twenty-eight years and has been accorded an extensive and gratifying clientage. He is a native of Stanton, Tennessee, and a son of James K. and Rosa S. Gibson, the former a banker. His preliminary education was supplemented by study in Vanderbilt University of Nashville, Tennessee, which institution conferred upon him the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1888 and that of LL. B. on the completion of a law course in 1890. In the latter year he was admitted to the bar at … Read more

Biography of Murray George Haskell

Murray George Haskell, of Muskogee, who came into prominence in connection with the banking interests of Oklahoma and is an active representative of the oil industry, was born in Ottawa, Ohio, August 19, 1884, and is a son of Governor C. N. Haskell, who was the first chief executive of Oklahoma after the admission of the state into the Union. He was born at Leipsic, Putnam County, Ohio, March 13, 1860, and came of English descent, the ancestral line being traced back to Henry and Jonathan Haskell, who in 1622 left their native land of England and became members of … Read more

Biography of Tams Bixby

When historians of the future write of the state of Oklahoma, or recite the romance of the American Indian, they needs must tell the story of Tams Bixby. Above his signature five great Indian nations ceased to be, one hundred and one thousand red-men foreswore allegiance to their tribal chieftains to become citizens of the United States and twenty-one million acres of Indian hunting grounds were made ready for admission to the Union. It was in 1897 that Tams Bixby left Minnesota, where he had gained national prominence as chairman of the Republican state central committee and came to Indian … 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

Biographical Sketch of Thomas S. Roach

(See Ghigau and Sanders) -George Roach married Nannie Pritchett, and they were the parents of Thomas Snake Roach who married Wycie McDaniel. Mr. Roach who has been for several years Special Field Man for the U. S. Indian Agency at Muskogee, is one of the most prominent full-bloods of the tribe. Besides being cautious and diplomatic, he speaks both the English and Cherokee languages fluently, and is of inestimable value to his employers.

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 George Warren Barnes

George Warren Barnes, who is at the head of the Barnes Oil Company, oil producers of Muskogee, has been continuously engaged in that line of business since 1901, with the exception of the period of the World war, which he devoted to work as state director of National War Savings on a government salary of one dollar a year. His birth occurred at Honesdale, Pennsylvania, on the 29th of October, 1880, his parents being George W. and Alice (Young) Barnes. John D. Benedict of Muskogee has written the following most interesting history of the life of George W. Barnes, the … Read more

Biography of John G. Land

John G. Land, whose intimate friends call him Jack and who is representing the Prudential Life Insurance Company of America as manager for the territory embracing Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas, was born in Springfield, Missouri, May 26, 1878, and is a son of J. G. and Nancy A. (Berry) Land, both of whom are deceased. The son was educated in the public schools of St. John, Kansas, and in Marmaduke College at Sweet Springs, Missouri. When sixteen years of age he took up the study of telegraphy and for fifteen years was an operator. In 1898 he came to Muskogee … 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 Judge A. E. Robertson

(See Ghigau, Foreman, Riley and Conrad).—Arthur Evans son of Evans Price and Sarah Ellen (Spears) Robertson was born at Hulbert, Cherokee Nation, Tuesday, September 18, 1888. He was educated in the Cherokee National Schools, Henry Kendall College of Muskogee, graduating from the preparatory department; St. Charles Military College, St. Charles, Missouri; University of Tulsa, from which he graduated; University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma and University of Paris, Paris, France. He served in the A. E. F. in France with the 143rd Infantry, 36th Division. His Cherokee name is Wah-la-seee and he belongs to the Bird Clan. He is a member … 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

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

Biography of Samuel Sondheimer

Samuel Sondheimer is a well known and prominent figure in mercantile circles of Muskogee as a partner in the firm of Joseph Sondheimer’s sons. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on the 21st of January, 1871, a son of Joseph Sondheimer who passed away July 10, 1913, at the age of seventy-three years, and who was the first merchant of Muskogee. At the time of his demise the Muskogee Times Democrat published the following interesting review of his life. “Joseph Sondheimer, the oldest citizen of Muskogee in point of years of residence and the pioneer merchant of this city, … Read more