Oklahoma City Oklahoma

Biography of John William Bartholomew

In no profession does advancement depend more entirely upon individual merit and ability than in the law. Close application, keen analysis, clear mental perception and careful preparation are indispensable elements in the life of every man who attempts to gain prominence in this arduous calling. That John William Bartholomew is lacking in none of these requisites, is indicated in the fact that he is numbered among the most capable lawyers of Miami and throughout his career he has maintained the highest standards of professional ethics. A native of Indiana, he was born near Morocco, in Newton County, November 20, 1858, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Harriett Robinson

Person Interviewed: Harriet Robinson Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Bastrop, Texas Date of Birth: September 1, 1842 Age: 95 I was born close to Webbers Falls, in the Canadian District of the Cherokee Nation, in the same year that my pappy was blowed up and killed in the big boat accident that killed my old Master. I never did see my daddy excepting when I was a baby and I only know what my mammy told me about him. He come from across the water when he was a little boy, and was grown when old Master Joseph … Read more

Biography of Calvin M. Hill

Calvin M. Hill. One of the long established business houses of Topeka, and one which has established itself firmly in the confidence of the public by reason of the honorable manner in which its affairs have been conducted, is the wholesale wall paper and retail paint business of Calvin M. Hill. Mr. Hill has been a resident of Kansas for thirty-four years, having come here with his parents in 1882, and, with the exception of four years has been identified with the painting and decorating business throughout his career. His present enterprise was started in a small way sixteen years … 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 Carl E. Seastrand

Carl E. Seastrand, manager for the John Lumbard Tire & Supply Company of Muskogee, was born in Sweden on the 12th of April, 1877, and is a son of Carl A. and Christina Sjostrand, who were also natives of Sweden. The father was a shoe merchant in that country, devoting his entire life to the business. He also engaged in the manufacture of shoes, employing twelve men in that connection. He died in February, 1918, and is still survived by his widow, who yet makes her home in Sweden. Carl E. Seastrand was reared and educated in his native country, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Betty Foreman Chessier

Person Interviewed: Betty Foreman Chessier Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Raleigh, North Carolina Date of Birth: July 11, 1843 Age: 94 I was born July 11, 1843 in Raleigh, N. C. My mother was named Melinda Manley, the slave of Governor Manley of North Carolina, and my father was named Arnold Foreman, slave of Bob and John Foreman, two young masters. They come over from Arkansas to visit my master and my pappy and mammy met and got married, ‘though my pappy only seen my mammy in the summer when his masters come to visit our master and … Read more

Biography of William C. Kandt

William C. Kandt, a native of Kansas, and member of a pioneer family in the state, has been a banker all his active career, and while he maintains offices and has his home at Independence he is active cashier of the Wayside State Bank and president of the Citizens State Bank of Elk City. His birth occurred in Dickinson County, Kansas, August 24, 1877. His grandparents, John and Mary Kandt were German people who came to this country in the early ’50s and in 1857 pioneered into Dickinson County, Kansas, where they were among the first to break the virgin … Read more

Biographical Sketch of B. H. Markham

(See Ghigau)-Bettie Ann, daughter of James Walker and Lucy Cordelia Skinner, was born April 12, 1888. Married at Clarksville, Arkansas, December 23, 1909 Baird Hackett Markham, born March 28, 1887, in Decatur, Texas. They are the parents of Jewell Marie, born August 17, 1911 and Baird Hackett, son of Winston Baird and Ada Hackett Markham, born April 12, 1916. Mr. Markham was educated in the Denison High School an the Texas Christian University of Waco, graduating from both. He is the owner of the Markham Motor Company of Oklahoma City. Mr. and Mrs. Markham are members of the Presbyterian church. … Read more

Lee, Adelaide Marie Murray Howard – Obituary

Funeral services over the body of Mrs. Oscar Grant Lee who died Saturday afternoon [September 2, 1911] at 3 o’clock in St. Paul’s Cathedral. The body of the deceased arrived in Oklahoma City Monday morning [died in Cook Co., IL] and will remain at the residence of Harley E. Lee, 212 West Thirteenth Street, until the time of the funeral. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Lee, Myrtle Belle McMillen Grogam – Obituary

Mrs. Myrtle Belle, 600 W. 59th, passed away Fri. morning [December 30, 1932]. Survived by husband, Harley Essex Lee, 600 W. 59th; 2 brothers-in-law, Oscar G. Lee, 94th and State Line; H. H. Lee, 642 W. 59th Terrace. Funeral services and burial will be held in Oklahoma City, OK [Fairlawn Cemetery]. Mrs. Lee will lie in state at D. W. Newcomer’s Sons Community Chapel on Paseo at Robert Gillham Road until 8:30 o’clock Sat. evening. Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Biographical Sketch of Eugene Warren Martin

(See Oolootsa, Ross) Eugene Warren, son of William Henry and Sarah Jane (Lowrey) Martin, born January 30, 1886, was educated in Tahlequah District and the Male Seminary. Married at Oklahoma City, April 1, 1915 Neva, daughter of Hosea Claude and Alice I. Frizielle, born Dec. 19, 1889 in Polk County Missouri. She was educated in the Public Schools in Oklahoma City. They are the parents of Pauline Mae, born Dec. 22, 1917 Harold Leroy Martin, born May 24, 1919. Mr. Martin is a business man in Oklahoma City. William Henry Martin is a grand son of Hercules Martin a fullblood … Read more

Magers, Amelda Edith Lee – Obituary

Mrs. M. Majors [Magers] sister of Mrs. A. E. Bracken died Tuesday night [December 18, 1923] at her home on South Seventh Street, following a stroke of paralysis a few days ago. The funeral was held from the A. E. Bracken home this morning at 10 o’clock. The body was taken to Oklahoma City for burial. Kingfisher Weekly Free Press, December 20, 1923 (Front Page) Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

63rr and Penn Avenue Cemetery Records, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma

CARLSON (Infant), b. 21 Jan. 1918, d. 22 Jan. 1918. COLE Margaret H., b. 19 June 1878, d. 16 Sept. 1898. CONKEY Amanda M., b. 6 Feb. 19__, d. 21 Jan. 1925. L. B., b. 18 Dec. 1846, d. 18 July 1921. COOK F. W., b. 24 Sept. 1876, d. 4 Aug. 1938. DOUGLASS Linina C., b. 28 Oct. 1907, ae. 57 yrs. Wife to W. L. Douglass. DUNN Frances Ann, b. 27 Feb. 1834, d. 18 Sept. 1922. FARRINGTON Elizabeth C., b. 22 Feb. 1844, d. 27 Sept. 1901. Wife to E. D. Farrington. FLETCHER Flora, d. 18 July … Read more

Slave Narrative of Ida Henry

Person Interviewed: Ida Henry Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Marshall, Texas Date of Birth: 1854 Age: 83 Occupation: House Girl I was born in Marshall, Texas, in 1854. Me mother was named Millie Henderson and me father Silas Hall. Me mother was sold in South Carolina to Mister Hall, who brought her to Texas. Me father was born and raised by Master John Hall. Me mother’s and father’s family consisted of five girls and one boy. My sister’s names were: Margrette, Chalette, Lottie, Gracy and Loyo, and me brother’s name was Dock Howard. I lived with me mother … Read more

Slave Narrative of Francis Bridges

Person Interviewed: Francis Bridges Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Red River County, Texas Date of Birth: 1864 Age: 73 Occupatio I was born in Red River County, Texas in 1864, and that makes me 73 years old. I had myself 75, and I went to my white folks and they counted it un and told me I was 73, but I always felt like I was older than that. My husband’s name is Henry Bridges. We was raised up children together and married. I had five sisters. My brother died here in Oklahoma about two years ago. He … Read more

Slave Narrative of James Southall

Person Interviewed: James Southall Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Clarksville, Tennessee Age: 82 I was born in Clarksville, Tenn. My father was Wesley and my mother was Hagar Southall. Our owner was Dr. John Southall, an old man. Father always belonged to him but he bought my mother when she was a young girl and raised her. She never knew anything ’bout her people but my father’s mother lived with us in de quarter’s at Master Southall’s. Master John never sold any of his slaves. We was known as “Free niggers.” Master said he didn’t believe it was … Read more

Fort Gibson Conference with the Indians, 1834

Catlin Painting a Chief at the Base of the Rocky Mountains

One of the most important Indian conferences ever held in the Southwest, occurred at Fort Gibson in 1834 for it paved the way for agreements and treaties essential to the occupation of a vast country by one hundred thousand members of the Five Civilized Tribes emigrating from east of the Mississippi; to the security of settlers and travelers in a new country; to development of our Southwest to the limits of the United States and beyond and contributed to the subsequent acquisition of the country to the coast, made known to us by the pioneers to Santa Fe and California traveling through the region occupied by the “wild” Indians who, at Fort Gibson, gave assurances of their friendship. It is true, these assurances were not always regarded, and many outrages were afterwards committed on the whites and by the whites, but the Fort Gibson conference was the beginning and basis upon which ultimately these things were accomplished.

Jackson, Preston “Tex” – Obituary

Preston “Tex” Jackson, 79, a former Baker County resident, died as the result of a stroke on Aug. 1, 2001, at Oklahoma City. His graveside funeral was Aug. 3 at Pleasant Hill Cemetery at Edmond, Okla. Elder Allen Daniels, pastor of the Primitive Baptist Church of Tuttle, Okla., officiated. Arrangements were under the direction of the Baggerly Funeral Home. Mr. Jackson was born on June 12, 1922, at Duncan, Okla., to James P. and Elizabeth Foster Jackson. After he was honorably discharged from military service, he married Nadine Marrow on Oct. 1, 1943. They would have been married 58 years … Read more

Lee, Oscar Grant – Obituary

Funeral services for Oscar G. Lee, pioneer realtor and hotel man of Oklahoma City who died in Kansas City, Mo., Wednesday afternoon [June 13, 1934], will be held here at 10:30 a.m., Friday, it was announced Wednesday night. Death, caused by hardening of the arteries, came to Lee following almost a year’s confinement in St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City. He had been a resident of that city since leaving Oklahoma City in 1913. While Lee was supposed to have staked out a claim in Oklahoma City following the run of 1889, friends of his here recalled that he originally … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. W. L. Brown

(See Downing) Leona Deen, daughter of Clement and Rebecca Caroline (Bryan) Hayden, was born August 18, 1886, at Chouteau. She was educated in her native village and Stephens College, Columbia, Mo. She married at Chouteau March 5, 1905, William L., son of Wifford C. Brown and Sarah Francis Brown, born July 7, 1883, in Anderson County, Ky. He was educated in his native county and Danville, Ind., and graduated from Waddy College, Waddy, Ky. They are the parents of Eloise Caroline, born Feb. 8, 1906, Charles Hayden, born Aug 5, 1907 and William L. Jr. born Sept. 1, 1909,. Mr. … Read more