Ft. Gibson
Gateway to the West
By: C. W. "Dub" West (c) 1974
Muskogee Publishing Company, Muskogee, OK 74401
This book is out of print. If the item is complete I will note <complete> otherwise what I have is snippets of information. If you are interested in the whole article you may
order copies.If you arrived here via a search engine please read the
introduction
[photo & article Penecostal Church of God organized in the 1940s pg 224]
[photo & article Calvary Faith Penecostal Holiness Church pg 224]
[photo & article Old Mission Church organized in 1927 pg 225]
[photo New Testament Christian Church pg 225]
[article on New Testament Christian Church organized in 1972 pg 226]
The National Cemetery was established in 1869 on land that was a part of the original military reservation. In 1872 William M Belknap, Secretary of War, gave instructions that the remains of the bodies buried at Ft Washita, Ft Townson and Ft Arbuckle be moved to the Nation al Cemetery at Ft Gibson. P J Bryne of Ft Gibson, who later was to be Muscogge's first mayor after incorporation, was given the contract to move some of the bodies. In the removal of the bodies from those forts, as well as those in and around Ft Gibson, it was difficult to determine whether the remains were those of soldiers or civilians, and the identity of few could be determined, as the wood headboards had rotted or been pushed from the graves by cattle or vandals. For this reason, most of the early graves are unidentified. Pg 227 <complete>
[Photo of National Cemetery Office in Early Day pg 227]
[pgs 228, 229 & 230 are photos of headstones ... the article accompanying the photos includes some names, ranks, service, etc. I will list only the names] ....
Governor Montfort Stokes; Tiana (aka Diana or Talahina) Rogers (wife of Sam Houston); General John Nicks; Captian Baily Bowlegs; Lieutenant Frederick Thomas; Lieutenant Benjamin W Kinsman; Lieutenant James West; John W Murray; Lieutant Thomas C Brockway; Lieutentants Charles L C Minor, James H Taylor & Alexander G Balkwin; Flora McDonald Coodrey Rucker, Daniel H Rucker; John Decatur; B J Lack; Harry Ellis; Anton Goetz; Acee Blue Eagle; Calvin Coolidge Marshall; Paul Joseph Humphrey. Only Medal of Honor recipient Private 1st Class John N Reese Jr[story of a woman who served as a man to track a lover - Vivia Thomas Jan 7, 1870 pg 231]
Another woman who is more of a mystery even than Vivia is Mary Eliza Mix, who died at Ft Gibson May 26, 1844 at the age of 51 years, 2 months and 10 days. Tradition has been handed down to the effect that she was a spy for the United States Government. Since she died before the Mexican War, the only war in which she could have acted as a spy in was the War of 1812 or some of the Indian skirmishes, but the story has been handed down that she was a spy. Pg 231 <complete>
[photo Major Joel H Elliott pg 231]
There is no record of the first superintendents of the U S National Cemetery at Ft Gibson. In fact, we obtain the first two as a result of markers of their deceased relatives. "Flora, the daughter of
A Hyde, superintendent" died in 1882, placing the date of Mr. Hyde's superintendency. The death of the father-in-law of William Thomas in 1878 sets the date of his being at the cemetery. Other superintendents and the ters of their office have been: Patrick Holt, 1885-1887; William M Jones 1887-1890; Charles F Moore, 1890; C M Doty, 1890; J A Dickson 1890-1894; D F Stephens, 1894-98; H C Morgan, 1898-1902; William W Morris 1902-03; Austin J Chapman 1903-14; Theodore F Robinson 1914-30; William E Bridley 1930-31; Charles H Hunter 1931-32; H H Williamson 1932-37; Marion M Coffee 1937-39; Antony J Nettke 1939-44; David S Ssenter 1944-52; Theodore J Nick 1953-64; John H Clemons 1964-67; Francis M Brooke since 1967 pg 232 <complete>[article & photo Francis M Brooke pg 232]
The Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons granted a charter to Ft Gibson Lodge No 35 Nov 5, 1850. The officers were as follows:
W M Chapman, W M; R Gudder S W; C Delano J W; and P Lukenbill secretary. The charter "was discontinued" November 6, 1867. Pg 233 <complete>Alpha Lodge No 12 of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons was organized in Ft Gibson in 1872 with
P J Bryne as Worshipful Master, Florian H Nash as Senior Warden, and W C Powell as Junior Warden. This Lodge has continued to the present date and has pioneered Masonry in Indian Territory and the State of Oklahoma. Its first master also served as the Grand Master of all the lodges of Indian Territory as did Florian H Nash. Pg 233 <complete>[list of Masters of Alpha No 12 from 1920 thru 1954 pg 233]
[article on the Boy Scouts in Ft Gibson pg 234 & 235]
[article on Old Fort Home Demonstration Club organized 1930 pg 235 & 236]
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