Biography of James G. Mehlin

James G. Mehlin, a pioneer farmer of Nowata county who is now residing one and one-half miles northeast of Alluwe, was born in Stuttgart, Wurtemburg, Germany, on the 21st of January, 1841. His parents were both born in that country and the father died there. Mrs. Mehlin came to America prior to her son James G. and located in New York, where her death occurred in 1870. James G. Merlin came to America in 1854 and, landing in New York, remained there a short time, but later removed to Maryland. Subsequently he went to Chicago, Illinois, where his brother Charles … Read more

Biography of Albert F. Armstrong

Another member of the Armstrong family who is engaged in farming in Nowata County is Albert F. Armstrong, a brother of Charles F., whose sketch appears on another page of this work. A native of Kansas, he was born in Wyandotte County, on the 3d of April, 1865, a grandson of Chief Journeycake and a son of Henry Armstrong, who is now living retired in Coffeyville, Kansas. He is a nephew of J. E. Campbell of Nowata, while H. L. Campbell of the first National Bank of Nowata is a cousin. Albert F. Armstrong received his early education in the … Read more

Biography of Dumont D. Howell, M. D.

For sixteen years Dr. Dumont D. Howell was numbered among the capable, prominent and successful physicians of Nowata, where he passed away on the 6th of December, 1919. He was born in Murphy, North Carolina, January 14,1874, and was a son of D. M. and Margaret (Sudderth) Howell. The Howell family was long connected with the history of North Carolina and of Georgia and the Sudderths were also of an old family of the former state. In the acquirement of his education Dumont D. Howell supplemented his public school course by study at the Young Harris College of Georgia and … Read more

Biography of John E. White

One of the prominent merchants of Lenapah, Nowata county, is John E. White, who was born at Boyds Creek, Tennessee, on the 21st of March, 1875. His paternal great-grandfather came to America from England and was a missionary to the Indians in North Carolina. His father, N. B. White, was a farmer and is now deceased. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Charlotte Huffaker, is still living and is residing on the home farm John E. White was named for his mother’s half-brother who died in the prison at Andersonville while serving in the Civil war. In the … Read more

Biography of Rufus M. Allen

Rufus M. Allen, deceased, was for many years one of the representative agriculturists of Nowata county. He was born in the Coowescoowee district on the 12th of March, 1874, his father having been one of the pioneer physicians of Indian Territory, and his mother a daughter of Chief Journeycake. Rufus M. Allen received his education in the common schools of his birthplace and after putting his textbooks aside engaged in farming. He followed agricultural pursuits until oil was found on his farm in 1905. Nineteen wells have been developed on this farm, from which his widow is receiving large royalties. … Read more

Biography of J. H. Gorden

J. H. Gorden, a representative citizen and successful agriculturist of northeastern Oklahoma, where he has made his home for more than two decades, is busily engaged in the cultivation of a farm of fifty acres situated one mile north and four miles east of Dewey. His birth occurred in Henry county, Missouri, in 1861, his parents being J. B. and Anna (Parks) Gorden. The father is still living at the ripe old age of eighty-five years, and now resides at Wagoner, Oklahoma. The mother passed away in 1904. They reared a family of three sons, namely: J. H., of this … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Ford Smith

(See Ghigau and Hildebrand)-Eliza, daughter of Henry and Margaret (Patrick) Fry, born February 15, 1866. Educated in the Cherokee Public Schools and Female Seminary. Married at Tahlequah February 15, 1882 to Warren Alonzo, son of Alonzo and Sarah Westover, born March 22, 1844 in Illinois. He died November 28, 1896. They were the parents of: Willard W. born February 14, 1883; Thomas H. born December 11, 1885; Lelia Etta, born August 23, 1887; Josephine M. born January 27, 1890; Warren Ferdinand, born May 28, 1892 and died Feb. 28, 1913. Mrs. Eliza Westover married at Oolagah August 6, 1897 to … Read more

Biography of Millard Collier

One of the representative agriculturists of Nowata county is Millard Collier, who since 1904 has been residing on his present place, two miles north of Nowata. A native of Texas, he was born on the Miller Brothers’ ranch, twelve miles southeast of Waco, on the 22d of June, 1877, a son of Charles and Reddie (Hottenger) Collier. His parents were married in Texas and his mother died when he was six years old. In later life the father went to Indian Territory and rented land fifteen miles northeast of Nowata, engaging in farming to the time of his death on … Read more

Biography of John J. Jones

John J. Jones. Actively connected with a profession that has an important bearing upon the progress and stable prosperity of any section or community, and one which has ever been considered as conserving the public welfare by furthering the ends of justice and maintaining individual rights, the reputation of John J. Jones, of Chanute, as a lawyer has been won through honest, earnest labor, and his standing at the bar is a merited tribute to his ability. For a quarter of a century he has been engaged in practice at Chanute, and during this time has been connected with much … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Lulu M. Hefner

(See Ward) Lula May, daughter of James Marion and Annie Henrietta (Prather) Tittle was born August 9, 1874, educated at Vinita and the Female Seminary; Married at Lenapah December 29, 1892 John Emory Heffner. They are the parents of: Roy Emory, born March 13, 1903, and married Fredda Vinyard; Edith Lena, born December 18, 1905; Helen K., born October 2, 1905 and Ruby L., born January 20, 1907. Handsome attractive and resourceful, she has been more than ordinarily successful in business. At the time Nowata was beginning to be one of the busy oil town of Oklahoma, Mrs. Heffner opened … Read more

Biography of Charles O. McClure

Charles McClure, who is engaged in general farming and stock raising one mile west of Delaware, was born on the 17th of September, 1870, in Illinois, a son of George and Mattie (Powers) McClure. Both parents were born in Illinois and the father farmed there until 1879, when he removed to Kansas, locating near Liberty. He was active in agricultural pursuits there until a few days previous to his death, which occurred in 1908. Mrs. McClure died when Charles O. was but an infant. In the family were eight sons Harvey G., Edward A., Bert, John, Mead, Clyde, Claude and … Read more