Muskogee Co, OK

Turning Back The Clock

By: C. W. "Dub" West (c) 1985

Muskogee Publishing Company, Box 1331, Muskogee, OK 74402

Snippets # 14

(Pg 102 & 102) Curtis Act Led To Incorporation. A piece of legislation of great importance to Muscogee as well as all communities of Indian Territory was passed by Congress June 28, 1898. It was the Curtis Act. ... The Curtis Act gave the citizens of Muscogee as well as other towns of more than 200 population the authority to petition the United States court for incorporation. Muscogee's population was 4,254, second in the territory, with Ardmore having a population of 5,681.

The Aug. 29, 1922 issue of the Times-Democrat referred to the incorporation and indicated the city election was June 1, 1898, with the following results: Patrick J. Byrne was elected mayor: with W.R. Shackleford becoming recorder: J.C. Lieber, city attorney: and George H. Williams, treasurer. The following councilmen were elected: A.W. Robb, F.B. Severs, C.W. Turner. W.S. Harsha, and P.N. Blackstone. All of the members were prominent merchants except for P.N. Blackstone, who was a rancher. Mayor Byrne held the first meeting of the city council in the office of the United States commissioner on June 6th, followed by the second on the 29th. .... [he] was builder of .. the Nash Home in Ft Gibson ... on the National Register of Historic Homes. ... epitah [in part] ..Patrick Joseph Byrne ... Born Tippery, Ireland, Oct 26, 1843; Died Monrovia, Calif, April 11, 1918 ... [photo - Patrick J Byrne]

(Pg 103 & 104) Central High School Remembered Much of the following history of the first 18 years of Muskogee High School has been taken from the 1924 Chieftain, made available to me by Randy Belcher.

Before the passage of the Curtis Act, the educational opportunities were provided in Muskogee by Henry Kendall College, Spradling Institute, Evangel Institute, Nazareth Institute, Indian Baptist University, Sango College and the WCTU School for Boys. The Curtis Act provided for the establishment of public schools but provided no funds, and for this reason the program was limited.

It was not until 1905 that a high school was established in Muskogee with a man named Redd as principal, assisted by lduma Hughes, with 19 pupils at Jefferson School. Five subjects were offered - algebra, general history, Latin, rhetoric and zoology.

There were 120 pupils enrolled in the fall of 1906 with Ira L. Cain as the new principal.

With the moving of Henry Kendall College to Tulsa in the summer of 1907, more than 200 pupils enrolled that fall and it was necessary to move to Franklin School where more room was available.

Unfortunately, Franklin School was declared unsafe in the spring of 1907, and the school was offered the use of the main building of Henry Kendall College The curriculum was expanded to include manual training, agriculture and American history. The first graduates of Muskogee High School were the class of 1908. ... 1909 ... the first time the name of Central High School was used ... 1910 ... L E Weatherwax, principal ... [Photo of Central High School]

(Pg 104 & 105) Rodgers Included Muskogee In First Transcontinental Flight. [article describes Cal Rodgers stopping in Muskogee Oct 16, 1911] [Photo of Cal P Rodgers]

(Pg 106 & 107) Connors Toasting 75 Years. This (1984) is the Diamond Jubilee of Conners State College of Agriculture. Authorization was given by the state Legislature to establish the school May 10, 1908. Classes were begun Feb. 3, 1909, at Warner with J.S. Liner as president. Muskogee had put up a good fight to obtain the school, but Campbell Russell's influence as state senator caused John P. Connors, chairman of the state Board of Agriculture, to give the plum to Warner.

The citizens of Warner, as well as those of surrounding communities, subscribed enough money to buy the 160 acres for the campus from Jess McPherson and Alex Shinn. Each person was urged to buy one or more acres at $40 per acre. The campus now consists of 367 acres.

College classes were first held in the old grade school building while the grade school children attended classes in an abandoned drug store. ... The first structure to be built on the campus was the old Administration Building, built in 1911 and currently used as classrooms.

... The presidents of Connors were changed every year or so for several years: J.A. Liner, 1909-1910; J.S. Murray, 1910-1911; J.V. Faulkner, 1911-1912; W.S. Jackson, 1912-1913; President Rennick, 1913-1914; J.S. Malone, 1915-1917; and George Coffey, 1917-1919. H.C. King, former president of Henry Kendall College, broke the barrier and was president from 1919 to 1932, followed by Jacob Johnson from 1933 to 1965, Melvin Self from 1965 to 1978 and Carl Westbrook from 1978 to the present. ... [photo - The First Building on Connors' campus, built in 1911]

(Pgs 107-109) Henry Kendall College. A stunning blow was dealt Muskogee Nov. 15, 1906, with a headline: Relocating Kendall College. The reason given was that the land on which the college was located was more valuable for house lots that was reasonable to be used for the college buildings. It also was pointed out that the school had been operating at a deficit without help from Muskogee except the original gift of the land by Pleasant Porter and Clarence W. Turner.

Muskogee residents were assured that they would be given the same chances to bid for the institution that other communities would be given and that the school would be given and that the school would definitely remain in Oklahoma.

The deadline passed without Muskogee making a bid to retain the school. By that time Tulsa had a number of newly-rich oil men, and they enticed the school to be moved to that city in 1907 to later become the University of Tulsa.

Muskogee had been a city of educational institutions. At one time it had Henry Kendall College, Indian Baptist University (Bacone College), Spaulding Institute, Sanho College, Evangel Institute for Freedom Boys and the WCTU School for Boys.

The need for these schools was diminished with the advent of the public schools in 1898 as permitted by the Curtis Act. ... By 1910 the Indian Baptist University was the only one remaining in Muskogee and it was having its difficulties.

Kendall College had grown out of Alice Robertson's Minerva Home, She began operating this famous institution in 1885 after several persons had operated subscription schools associated with the Presbyterian Church. It was located in the block between Second and Third streets and Broadway and Okmulgee Avenue.

So successful was the operation of Minerva Home that the Presbyterian Synod established Henry Kendall College in 1894. .... [4 photos of Kendall College]

(Pgs 109 & 110) The Rossers- An Outstanding Family Judge Malcolm Edward Rosser came to Muskogee in 1913 He had been elected judge of the Fifth Judicial District after statehood and was re-elected after the completion of his second term when he resigned after being appointed a member of the Supreme Court Commission, consisting of six judges added to the Oklahoma Supreme Court to relieve the court's case load created by becoming a state.

He had previously practiced law in Mangum, then Greer County of Texas; Vernon, Texas; McAlester; Talihina; Cameron; and Poteau. ... He was unofficial weather observer during his entire stay in Muskogee, keeping a daily record of weather conditions. ... He had the bearing of a "true Gentleman of the Old South." always immaculately dressed with a dignity that even a casual observer would not forget. ... [following is a list of his accomplishments and offices held]

Mrs. Rosser, the former Mary Elizabeth Rodgers, was the granddaughter of Samuel Morton Rutherford, who was one of the first merchants at old Three Forks and Indian agent to the Seminoles. She was active in Grace Episcopal Church and a number of women's activities, but her most significant achievement was guiding their three children, Malcolm Jr. Frances and Louise, in their formative years. [the remainder of the article is about the achievements of the 3 children]

[photos of Mr and Mrs Rosser]

(Pgs 110-112) Sequoyah Convention Held In Muskogee Oklahoma's history might have been different if President Roosevelt and Congress had not interfered. The Sequoyah constitutional convention met in Muskogee Aug. 21, 1905. The Five Civilized Tribes favored continuing their tribal government, but denied that choice, they established a separate state consisting of the five tribes represented in Indian Territory.

There was a great deal of political maneuvering by congressmen, Oklahoma Territory residents and other U.S. officials for single statehood that combined Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory.

A picture was published of a proposed state capitol to be built in Muskogee, provided Muskogee was chosen as the capitol that would include Indian Territory. That capitol, to be located north of Fondulac Street between Ninth and 11th streets, was to be built on a street that would be known as Capitol Place The picture was published by C.W. Turner, AZ. English, Z.E. Zeverly, C.W. Raymon, P.B. Hopkins and Charles N. Haskell. [photo included on pg 111]

James A. Norman is considered the father of the Sequoyah Convention, and he enlisted the help of Haskell as promoter. Using his political acumen, Haskell obtained the cooperation of the Five Civilized Tribes chiefs by promising them that if Roosevelt and Congress did not approve seperate statehood, they would cooperate with the inevitable, single statehood.

The convention was chaired by Cherokee Chief William C. Rogers, and Creek Chief Pleasant Porter as chairman. Haskell was elected vice chairman, and famous Creek poet Alex Posey was secretary.

Norman later was made vice chairman of the convention in recognition of his part in organizing the affair, but Haskell continued to play an important part. Very little has been written about Norman, who has remained a mystery. However, in the Muskogee Phoenix May 16, 1909, issue, he is pictured and credited as the proprietor of The Norman "Muskogees most popular hotel." Norman was described as part Cherokee by blood and was born April 27. 1863, and educated at the National Seminary of the Cherokee Nation. He was an Arkansas River farm owner, a Muskogee and Oklahoma booster, author of the Sequoyah Constitutional Convention "which was the forerunner of joint statehood, induced the President to recommend in his annual message to Congress for joint statehood, and on the President's recommendation, hinged congressional action in passing the Enabling Act for joint statehood," stated the newspaper.

[description of the Convention] ... Rev A Grant Evans ... Mayor F B Fite ... William H Murray. ... Other prominent people attending were Robert L. Owen, Joseph M. LaHay, Judge John R Thomas, W.W. Hastings, P.A. Byers, Connell Rogers, J.S. Holder (who first suggested the convention name and proposed state name) Cheesie McIntosh, James S. Davenport, S.M. Rutherford, George W. Grayson, Walter F. Fears, A.S. McKennon, William P. Thompson, Judge H.G. Baker, and E.A. DeMueles.

(Pgs 112 & 113 ) Miss Alice Robertson - Muskogee's Congress Woman The furor over the nomination of Geraldine Ferraro as the Democratic candidate for the vice presidency reminds us of the widespread attention given to the election of Alice Robertson to Congress in 1920.

Robertson was a national celebrity. She received pages of publicity, more than President Harding received. Not only was this a breakthrough for women, but the outspoken, eccentric spinster was exceptionally good copy. She was the first woman elected to Congress after the passage of the women's suffrage bill. She was the first woman to preside over Congress and was the first woman to receive the presidential salute (on the occasion of representing President Harding at the Portland Rose Festival).

Miss Alice had been first in many facets of life. She was the first person to use shorthand in Indian Territory and was one of the first to use a typewriter in this area. She was the first woman to be the postmaster of a first class post office. She was one of the first women to enter the business in Indian Territory. She brought "domestic science" to Indian Territory. She was the first to contact her constituents by radio. She was later to be the first social worker in a hospital (the V.A. Hospital in Muskogee). [remainder of the article discusses her public office] [photo - it appears to have been taken in Congress]