Biography of James Small, M.D.

James Small was born October, 1841, in McMinn County, Tennessee, seventh son of Rev. James Small and Mary A. Wallace, of Scotch descent and from Wane County, Kentucky. James Jr. attended neighborhood schools until 1861, when he joined the Federal army, enlisting in the Second Kansas Infantry, and from that entered the Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry, in which he served till the close of the war. In 1864 he married Miss Mary Noe, of Lee County, Virginia, by whom he had five children, Mary J., born April 3, 1866; Amy A., March 23, 1868; Nellie A., June 23, 1872; Robert Walter, … Read more

Biography of John F. Simpson

John F. Simpson was born December, 1824, in Prince William County, Virginia, the son of J. W. Simpson, of Bardstown, Kentucky, who is now ninety-two years of age. John F. came to Kentucky at the age of twelve, and was educated at the public schools. After a residence of some ten years in Louisville, he moved to Eufaula in the Creek Nation (in 1872), and in the year following embarked in the hide and fur business, which he continues until the present day. In 1870, Mr. Simpson, while in Arkansas, met Miss Susan Crabtree, daughter of the late Mr. William … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Harrison O. Shepard

Harrison O. Shepard was born in December 1865, at Mount Vernon, Indiana, the sixth son of Joseph W. Shepard and Mary E. Barter, an English lady by nativity. Harrison went to the public schools until sixteen years of age, and commenced the study of law at nineteen with Grove & Sheperd, of Anthony, Kansas. He remained with that firm for two years, and was admitted to the bar in January, 1887, when he became a partner with the above named firm, and practiced until the establishment of a United States court in the Indian Territory in 1889, since which time … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William A. Sepulpa

The subject of this sketch was born October, 1861, near Polecat Creek, Sepulpa Station, on the Frisco and St. Louis Railroad, being the son of Sepulpa, who died in 1889. His grandmother lived until May 1890, dying at the age of ninety years. William was first sent to school at Tallahassee Mission, Indian Territory, in 1872, and remained five years, going from thence to Wooster University, Ohio, where he studied for three and a half years in the freshman class. On his return he was appointed United States Indian officer in 1885, and afterwards entered S. B. Severs’ establishment at … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. F. Seaver

W. F. Seaver was born in Rock Island, Illinois, February 22, 1849, and was the son of John Seaver and Eliza Criswell, who emigrated to Illinois in 1840, the former being a native of Virginia. At the age of sixteen, William left his home and traveled indiscriminately through the States, adopting various means of making a living throughout sixteen states which he visited in turn. Having sowed his first crop of wild oats, the young man, determining to study for a profession, entered the Alexandria College, Alexandria, Missouri, and then read law under Hon. E. Kimble, of Nevada, Missouri. He … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James A. Scott

James A. Scott was born July 15, 1847, at Elk Mills, McDonald County, Missouri, third son of James A. Scott and Fannie M. Thompson. James A., Sr., was State senator for Crawford and Franklin Counties, Arkansas, for several years, and a very well known and highly reputable man. Young James, the subject of our sketch, at fourteen years of age, went to work for his uncle, a merchant of Little Rock, until 1868, when he entered the employ of the Memphis and Arkansas River Packet Company, remaining with them until 1871, when he went into farming and stock business in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George R. Rucker, M.D.

George R. Rucker was born in Randolph County, Missouri, in March 1862, the son of J. M. Rucker, of Muskogee. He was educated at the public schools until 1881, when he took a course in the industrial university, Fayetteville, Arkansas. In 1882 he entered the Missouri Medical College, St. Louis, and studied for two terms, graduating in 1887. He then commenced practice in the Cherokee Nation, and the following year moved to Eufaula, Creek Nation, where he resides at present. Dr. Rucker is local surgeon for the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad, and is insurance examiner for the Mutual and … Read more

Biography of A. W. Robb

A. W. Robb was born January, 1840, in Vera County, Pennsylvania, the fourth son of William A. Robb, of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Young Robb attended neighborhood schools until thirteen years of age, when he went to Washington College, Iowa, where he remained one year. Most of his time was spent upon a farm until he arrived at twenty years of age. In the fall of 1860 he went to Kansas, and in the following year entered the Federal service (militia force). Soon, however, he joined the regulars, and in July 1862, became a first lieutenant, Company F, Third Indiana Horse … Read more

Biography of Edgar N. Ratcliffe

Edgar N. Ratcliffe was born March 5, 1857, at Hillsborough, Texas, the fourth son of James T. Ratcliffe, a leading lawyer of Hillsborough, and Miss Whiteside, daughter of Mr. Whiteside, a well known merchant and silversmith of Ashville, North Carolina. Edgar attended public school until fifteen years of age, after which he entered Trinity University, Tehuacana, Texas, where he remained until eighteen years of age, when he became a clerk for Alfred Young, of that town, remaining until he was twenty, and then established a mercantile business for himself, which he conducted until 1884, and, selling out, removed to Vinita, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Miss Eliza Jane Quinton

Miss Quinton was born in January 1861; eldest daughter of Thomas Washington Quinton, of Pennsylvania. Her mother was Miss Eliza Jane Enix, of the same State. Miss Quinton went to school at Keystone Academy, Factoryville, Pennsylvania, where she remained for five years; in 1889 she went to the Baptist Mission Training School, and graduated in one year, coming to Eufaula in August 1890, where she now resides under the auspices of the Women’s Baptist Home Missionary Society, subject to whom she holds her present appointment. Miss Quinton has already done much good in the community, being a most devout Christian, … Read more

Biography of John S. Porter

John S. Porter was born August 1853, the son of Porter, a white man who was raised among the Indians, and came to the Creek Nation with the first settlers. John was sent to the Asberry Mission School and there remained for four months, after which he studied at Cane Hill College, Arkansas, for some time, marrying while yet a young man. He was united to Miss John, a Creek citizen, and soon afterward accepted the position of clerk to Mr. Severs, of Okmulgee, which office he retained for two years. In 1877 he commenced farming and stock rising, and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles Walter Poole

Charles Walter Poole was born October 25, 1859, on the Neosho River, Indian Territory, eldest son of John Poole, who married Sarah Harlan, daughter of a prominent Cherokee, and who was killed on Lees Creek, Indian Territory, during the war, by bushwhackers. John Poole was a Missourian by birth. Charles attended public and high schools in the Cherokee Nation until his eighteenth year, when he accepted a clerkship from W. C. Patton & Co., at Vinita, with whom he continued until April, 1885, when he came to Chelsea to engage in the mercantile business, which he now carries on successfully. … Read more

Biography of Thomas Ward Perryman

Thomas W. Perryman was born July 24, 1839, at Big Spring Town, on the Verdigris River, second son of Lewis Perryman and Hattie Ward. Thomas is a half-brother to Chief L. C. Perryman, now governor of the Creek Nation. He was sent to Tallahassee Mission School about the year 1849, where he remained until 1858, when he returned to his father’s home and assisted him in the stock business until the breaking our of the war, when he joined the Federal army, enlisting at Burlington, Kansas, as a private in the First Regiment of Home Guards, and serving until the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George B. Perryman

George B. Perryman was born April 17, 1847, on the Verdigris River, eighteen miles east of Tulsa, the third living son of Lewis Perryman, a prominent Creek politician. George was chiefly educated at his home, and at the age of eighteen began farming and stock rising, which business he still continues. George has always avoided politics, although several times requested to accept preferment by his people. In 1868 he married Miss Alex, a full-blood Creek, by whom he has six children, Moses S., born July 14, 1870; Ella L., May 14, 1874; Emeline, February 14, 1875; Ebenezer G., August 19, … Read more

Biography of J. A. Patterson

This prominent and wealthy citizen of Muskogee, was born in September, 1819, at Lincoln County, Tennessee, the second son of William Patterson and Annie Newberry, of the same place. He attended neighborhood school until thirteen years of age, when his father moved to Cherokee County, Alabama. Here the young man assisted his parents until his father’s death in 1848, when he assumed the responsibility of taking charge of his mother, sisters and brothers. In 1854 he came to the Creek Agency in the employment of Colonel Garrett, the agent, and afterwards became teacher of a Creek school for two years. … Read more

Biography of Ridge Paschal

Ridge Paschal was born July, 1845, at Van Buren, Arkansas, the second son of George W. Paschal, supreme judge at Arkansas, and author of Texas Digest of Decisions and Texas Digest of Laws, besides other legal works. Ridge’s mother was Sallie, only daughter of Major Ridge, and sister of John Ridge, prominent Cherokees. His father came to the old nation in 1833, being at that time an officer attached to the staff of Scott and Wolfe. When the Cherokees moved west, he went to Van Buren, Arkansas, and resumed the practice of law, becoming attorney for the treaty party of … Read more

Biography of Francis Alexander Neilson

Francis A. Neilson was born in Oxford, Mississippi, June 2, 1860, eighth child in a family of twelve of W. S. Neilson, a prominent merchant of Oxford, and before the war a very wealthy man. Francis A. received his education at the State University, leaving his sophomore year at the age of twenty-one, after which he began a mercantile life as book-keeper in a large general merchandise store in Oxford, and remained in this occupation for three years. In 1885 the subject of our sketch went West to Arkansas City, Kansas, and there formed a partnership in the hardware business, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James Marion Morrow

Born July 1, 1860, in Knox County, Ohio, the fifth son of William J. Morrow, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser. James’ mother was a Miss Easter, of Scotch descent. James attended district school until fifteen years of age, when he went to Lincoln College, Jackson County, Missouri. After having remained three years at college, he began clerking in a drug store in Kansas. Following this business for eleven years at different places, he went to Iowa, and there remained some time, after which, in 1891, he moved to Muskogee, Indian Territory, and there began clerking for Sam Gavagan, the druggist. … Read more

Biography of Gideon Morgan

This well-known citizen of Tahlequah was born April 3, 1851, in Athens, Tennessee, the son of Major William Morgan and grandson of Colonel Gideon Morgan, of Stonewall Jackson’s army. His father was an officer in General John H. Morgan’s command, and was killed at the battle of Lexington, Kentucky, in 1862. The Morgans originally came from Wales. Colonel Gideon Morgan, already referred to, married Margaret Sevier, a granddaughter of General Sevier, who was half Cherokee, through his family connection with the Lowreys. Martha Mayo, daughter of G. W. Mayo, a white man, was mother to the subject of our sketch. … Read more

Biography of Napoleon Bonaparte Moore

Napoleon Bonaparte Moore was born January 8, 1828, in Russell County, Alabama, son of William Moore and Lucy Chemulee, who was daughter of Chemulee, a man of much prominence among the Cussetahs. At six years of age Napoleon commenced attending public school, continuing the same until he was sixteen years old; after which he returned to his father’s home, whom he assisted on the farm, remaining with him until his death, in 1847, when he assumed charge of his sister and brothers until 1853. He was afterwards appointed light-horse man of his country, which office he held until the breaking … Read more