Native American

This illustrious citizen of the Muskogee Tribe was born in that nation, on the Arkansas River, September 26, 1840. His father, Benj. E. Porter, of Norristown, Pennsylvania, was a white man of Irish descent. His mother was a daughter of Tartope Tustennuggee, Chief of the Okmulgees, while his grandmother was a sister to Samuel and Benjamin Perryman. General Porter is a grandnephew to R. W. Porter, ex-Governor of Pennsylvania. When ten years of age, Pleasant was sent to the Presbyterian Mission School at Tallahassee for five years, after which he engaged in farming until the outbreak of the war, when … Read more

The deceased George W. Stidham was born in Alabama, November 17, 1817, son of Hopaychutke (which means white explorer). Hopaychutke was by birth Scotch-Irish, and came to the United States, settling in Alabama among the Creeks, while yet a young man. His adventurous disposition and love of travel is supposed to have suggested his characteristic title. George W., losing his father at the age of twelve years, and the opportunities for education being rather limited at the time, was not a college graduate, but, in spite of such disadvantages, he acquired great knowledge through his own industry and early contact … Read more

Jackson W. Ellis was born in Sweet Town, Cherokee Nation, in 1859. In youth he attended the public schools, and as early as sixteen years of age went to work on a farm. Jackson was the only son of the late Edward Ellis, who, with his brother Samuel, was killed at Fort Gibson during the war while corralling the horses of their company. At the age of twenty-one he was appointed deputy sheriff of Tahlequah district, also sheriff of commissioner’s court; and later, in 1872, deputy warden of the national penitentiary, and in the same year commissioner of the quarantine … Read more

The subject of this sketch was born at Elk Creek, south of Muskogee, in 1845, and is the eldest son of Elijah Grayson and Louina Scott. In 1853 he was sent to Asberry Mission, and remained there until the outbreak of the war, joining the Confederate service in 1863. In 1865 he married Mary Elizabeth Steward, second daughter of R. W. Steward, a white man who had come from Kentucky to this country in 1844. By this marriage he had six children, only one of whom has survived, named Charley Coleman, born December 1873. His wife dying in January, 1879, … Read more

The subject of this sketch was born in East Tennessee, in 1818, the eldest son of Richard Taylor, half Cherokee. His mother was a Miss McDaniel, a white lady. Thomas Fox was educated at the missionary schools of Tennessee, and at the Nashville and Knoxville colleges. At an early age he became a prominent politician, being endowed with a rare fluency of speech both in English and Cherokee. His first offices were those of clerk of the house and interpreter, after which he was elected to the house as a representative, and afterwards to the senate, unfortunately, however, he was … Read more

The subject of this sketch was born March 1, 1848, in Natchitoches, Texas, and is son of Samuel Flournoy, originally from near Lexington, Kentucky, and at one time owner of a large plantation and a number of slaves. Samuel Flournoy organized a company in 1846 and went with Samuel Houston to the Mexican war. The subject of our sketch, D. H. Flournoy, was educated at a private school until the age of sixteen, when he joined the Confederacy, serving under Colonel Crump until the close of the war. On his return home he worked in the cattle business until 1871, … Read more

D. C. Murphy was born in Hickman County, Kentucky, the son of James Murphy, of Cork, Ireland. Mr. Murphy was educated at the county schools and soon after his father’s death commenced laboring on his mother’s farm, where he remained until fourteen years of age. The twelve months following he spent endeavoring to learn the printers’ trade in Hickman, Fulton County, Kentucky, but a certain wild vein in his nature conquered his disposition to learn the trade and he ran off without a farewell, wandering he cared not whither, and with no other object than the gratification of a love … Read more

The subject of this sketch was born March 17, 1861, the seventh son of Dr. James Archer of South Carolina, a leading physician. His mother was a Miss Key. Thomas attended district school until he was fourteen years of age, when he went to Osage Mission Kansas, where he remained one session. After this he went to Muskogee and there clerked in a hotel until April 1882, when he opened a small store on Verdigris River, twenty-one miles east of Tulsa. When the Fisco was completed to Mingo he removed to that point, and on its completion to Tulsa he … Read more

The subject of this sketch is the wife of John Thompson Adair, recently deceased, whose portrait and biography will be found elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Penelope Adair is the daughter of Jesse Mayfield, of South Carolina, who married Sarah, daughter of Caleb Starr, of Tennessee. Her parents emigrated to this nation in 1839 with the Bushyhead detachment. In January 1840, Penelope Mayfield married John Thompson Adair, and they settled near Tulu, Washington County, Arkansas, near the Indian Territory line, beside the present family home. Mrs. Adair had a family of nine children, two having died in infancy. Her oldest … Read more

The subject of this sketch is the second daughter of Rev. E. W. King, a leading citizen of Sebastian County, Arkansas. Miss Artelle, was born October, 1857, in Greenwood, Arkansas, and attended common school until the age of fifteen, after which she entered the Industrial University at Fayetteville, attending seven years, and graduating in the classical and normal courses in June, 1880. Being well adapted for teaching, Miss Artelle King taught school for two years in Hackett, Arkansas, and while there obtained the admiration and affection of her pupils, and indeed, all with whom she came in contact. During her … Read more

Born in 1861, the son of John Haynes, a full blood, of the Bear Clan, and Lucy Thompson, also a full-blood Creek, the subject of this sketch was sent to school in Shieldsville, and thence to Asberry Mission and Jackson, Tennessee, where, after two years’ study, he completed his education. On returning from college he went to clerk in the mercantile house of S. B. Severs, Okmulgee. In the spring of 1881 he entered the store of Mr. Parkinson, in the same town, and remained until the following year, when he was elected an officer in Captain Freeman’s Light Horse. … Read more

Rev. David M. Allen was born April 25, 1840, at Denmark, Tennessee, second son of Rev. D. J. Allen, a prominent member of the Memphis conference; president of the Franklin Female College, Holly Springs, Mississippi; and pastor of the Asberry Church, Memphis, Tennessee. David’s mother was a Miss F. Alison, and was married to Rev. D. J. Allen at Marion Court, South Carolina. David attended public school until he was thirteen years of age, when he went to Florence University, Florence, Alabama, where he remained three years. He went to the Indian Territory in 1864, with General Maxey, and in … Read more

Eli E. Hardridge was born in February 1858, the son of Jonathan Hardridge (or Hardage), who was a son of Josiah Hardage, a half-breed. His mother was a full blood, named Lucy New. Jonathan Hardridge came to this country and settled at the mouth of Cane Creek, where Eli was born. The young man was at first sent to the Checotah neighborhood school, and afterward went to Tallahassee Mission, where he remained nearly five years, defraying the expenses of his own clothing and other incidentals by laboring during vacation. For this Eli is entitled to great credit. After leaving Tallahassee … Read more

The subject of this sketch was born September 17, 1868, at Webber’s Falls, second son of Rev. Charles H. Campbell, a half-breed Cherokee and belonging to the Methodist Indian Mission Conference. His mother was a Miss Lowrey, a half-breed and granddaughter of Second Chief Mayor George Lowrey. William attended public school until he was twelve years of age, when he went to work for M. R. Brown, a druggist, at Fort Gibson. With him he remained four years, and went to school at the Presbyterian Mission, at Fort Gibson, for one year. After that he began serving his time to … Read more

The subject of this sketch was born May 3, 1854, and is the eldest son of William F. Belt and Margaret I. John’s parents moved from Tennessee to Arkansas in or about 1847, where they were in the mercantile business. In his younger days John was sent to a neighborhood school. Leaving his family about the year 1877, he commenced dealing in merchandise on his own account at Sans Bois, Choctaw Nation, in which business he continued for one year. In 1878 he moved to Hackett City, Arkansas, entering the same line (merchandise) and successfully following it for a period … Read more

Born April 26, 1835, in Monroe County, Illinois, he is the eldest son of James B. Needles, of the State of Delaware, his mother being a Talbott, from Virginia. Thomas went to the public schools until eighteen years of age, when he entered his father’s mercantile establishment at Richview, Illinois, clerking with him until 1860, when he opened business on his own responsibility at Nashville, Illinois. In 1861 he was elected clerk of Washington County (same State), and held the office sixteen years, after which (in 1876) he was elected State Auditor for Illinois, and held the office four years, … Read more

The subject of this sketch is the fourth son of the late Rev. Thomas Bertholf, the well-known Indian missionary, and Nancy Keys, daughter of Isaac Keys, of Tahlequah district. He attended public schools for some time, and completed his education at the national male seminary in 1856. After some five years spent on the farm, Isaac joined the Confederate service in 1862, under Stand Watie, and served in the battles of Cabin Creek, Bird Creek, Honey Springs and other lesser engagements. At the outbreak of the war, Rev. Thomas Berthold and Isaac’s mother refugeed close to the mouth of the … Read more

The second chief of the Creek Nation was born two years after the close of the Red Stick War. His father was General Bullet (in the aboriginal language, Thecham Hargo), of the Okchaye Town. His mother was Semarharke, a follower of Hoppercheaholo. Hotulke E. Martha and his people belonged to the anti-McIntosh party, remaining in Alabama till from 1833 to 1836. The subject of this sketch entered into public life five years after coming to this country (in 1841), and has been ever since a lawmaker during the old, and since the establishment of the present constitution. From 1867 to … Read more

The subject of this sketch was born November 14, 1833, in Jackson County, Mississippi, the fourth son of William Gray, of that place. His mother was Elizabeth, daughter of Andrew Frash. Valentine was sent to the public school until he was seventeen years of age. In 1852 he emigrated to California, where he became a farmer and stock-raiser. Here he remained seventeen years, coming east to Chouteau, I.T., in 1869, where he again embarked in stock raising and agriculture, and still continues the business. In 1875 he entered the mercantile and milling business, and after three years’ experience disposed of … Read more

The subject of this sketch, father to the present Lucien B. (Hooley) Bell, was born January 1, 1805, in South Carolina. He was the son of John Bell, whose father was Scotch-Irish and emigrated to this country during the persecution. John A. Bell, the subject of this sketch, was one of the leaders of the treaty party, and one of the first signers of the document that afterwards doomed to death Elias Boudinot and the two Ridges. In 1837 he emigrated to the new country, and settled near Evansville, Arkansas, in the Flint district, but during the troubles immediately preceding … Read more