County of the OkGenWeb/USGenWeb Project

Pittsburg County

Pittsburg County Biographies

 

Albert, Carl Bert (1908-2000) of McAlester, Oklahoma - United States Congress Biography

- WIKI - The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture

Cartwright, Wilburn (1892-1979) of McAlester, Oklahoma; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

United States Congress Biography

- WIKI - The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture

From: "ELEMENTARY HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA", - "BIOGRAPHIES" - 1924

Pg 305 - McALESTER, J. J

McALESTER, J. J. —J. J. McAlester was one of the early settlers in the Indian Territory. As a young man, he worked in a store at Stonewall. He started the first store in the city of McAlester, which bears his name. He mined the first coal in the McAlester district. From coal mining and other business enterprises, he became one of the wealthiest citizens of the state. At one time, Chief Coleman Cole of the Choctaw nation caused McAlester and three of his friends, Robert H. Ream, William Pusley and Tandy C. Walker to be placed under arrest and ordered shot at sunrise. It is related that the captain of the company having these men under arrest, was a Mason and did not believe in unnecessary bloodshed. Accordingly, McAlester and his friends were allowed to escape. Chief Cole thought McAlester and his friends should be put to death because they were selling coal. McAlester lived a very long life and was honored by the people of the State of Oklahoma by being elected a member of the first Corporation Commission and later Lieutenant Governor of the State.

Submitted by: Gloria Lodsdon Lucas

- WIKI - The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture

Enterprise, Oklahoma

John Aden "John Ade" WHITE was born in Polk County, Arkansas May 8, 1862, son of Serril "Pete and Matlian C. "Matilda" Bickle WHITE. He died May 17, 1931 at Quinton and is buried in the old Enterprise Cemetery.

 About 1885 he married Sarah Della MILLS in Polk County. Sarah was born November 13, 1867 in Polk County and died August 7, 1909 at Enterprise. She is a daughter of Thomas I. and Nancy E. (maiden name unknown) MILLS of North Carolina and Tennessee, respectively.

 John Ade and Della raised ten children at Enterprise on the family farm. Eleven children were born to the couple, ten surviving to maturity.

 1. Emmily 1886-1917 married Francis Marshall STOCKTON January 13, 1915, at Enterprise.

2. Edna 1889-1977 married Herbert Leonard "Hub" HEFLEY September 15, 1909 at Enterprise.

3. Grover Lee 1890-1916 was the first of this family born in Pittsburg County. He never married but had a lifetime Consort, Shug Griffin.

4. John Everett 1893-1971 married Syble Irene SIMMONS October 13, 1928 at Quinton.

5. Donna Belle "Bell" 1898-1990 married Jake Mack FARIELL (FARELL) about 1915 at Quinton.

6. Edger "Pud" 1900-1989 married Robert Hutton SPARKS about 1917 in Pittsburg County.

7. Chester Allen "Chez" 1902-1963 married Mildred May "Mib" ROBISON September 5, 1927 at Socorro, New Mexico.

8. Warren Cobby "Bob" 1904-1936 married Willie Belle KELLY December 11, 1922 at Enterprise.

9. Ned "Brown" (twin) 1905-1965 married Juanita MOORE in Amarillo, Texas.

10. Theodore "Blue" (twin) 1905-1951 married Nettie Nae HURST in Amarillo, Texas.

  Dalton Spicer, long time resident of Featherston, OK and friend of John E. White, John Ade's second son, says the old "John Ade White Place" is near near Bascomb, OK in Pittsburg County. He says he lived there for a time as a child.

  John Ade was a farmer and was very reluctant to let the girls leave the home. He discouraged all suitors. When he lost a girl, he considered it losing another hand for field and house work. Edna and Belle spoke often of the home life with John Ade and the boys. The women were expected to carry most of the load. When John Ade began a short courtship with a local widow, the girls vetoed the idea of marriage. The lady was Mam Griffin. She had several daughters, including Shug, long time friend and confidant of Man White. She and Man had a daughter, Dorothy, who later married a man named Weimer.

  Family members remember Edger, in particular, was set against accepting a step-mother in the house. That may explain stories that John Ade was very reluctant to bless Edger when she married Hutton. He probably expected her to stay home and be the woman of the house. At any rate, and for whatever reason, he never re-married. Everyone in the family remembers Mam Griffin so we must assume she and John Ade remained close friends.

  Sometime in the thirties, Edna, always frail, became very sick in Amarillo, Texas and the doctor questioned whether she would survive. Husband Hub, sent for John Ade to be with her before she died. Fortunately she survived and lived another fifty years. Hub got busy around the house and cleaned every crack and cranney before John Ade arrived. He paid close attention to the bath room, and it was shining when he finished. When one of the relatives asked why he had paid so much attention to the bathroom he said he wasn't sure how John Ade was going to feel about going to the bathroom in the house.

  John Ade stayed for some time and when Edna recovered returned to Quinton. At the time, the old Herring Hotel and the Santa Fe buildings were the tallest in Amarillo, towering to eleven or twelve stories. Back in Quinton, he told many stories about city life, including, toilets inside the houses, and a skyscraper on every corner.

  Many of the Whites suffered from lung problems. Bob, Chez, Brown, and Edger all died of lung or related diseases. Other Whites who remained in Arkansas suffered from like diseases. All the men were heavy smokers. My dad died some months after his right lung was removed when it was shown to be cancerous. Smelter workers, in general, suffered a higher rate of lung problems than others. John Ade, according to many sources, did not use any form of tobacco. Matilda Bickle White, smoked a pipe, not uncommon among country women of the time. Dad and aunt Edith found several old home made clay pipes in an old trunk that belonged to Matilda. Snuff was generally preferred by women but hard to produce, in good quality, at home. Since it had to be bought, it was considered a luxury and treated dearly. Cigarets didn't became popular, and acceptable, with women until the 1920's.

  John A. White, who resided three miles southeast of Quinton died last Wednesday, March 12 of tuberculosis. Mr. White was born in Polk County Arkansas in 1861 and died at the age of 69 years. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. B.P. Hewell and burial given in the Enterprise Cemetery.

  Mr. White came to the Enterprise neighborhood 40-odd years and reared a large family of children. His wife died years ago but he is survived by his nine children as follows; John White of Quinton, Mrs. Mack Fariell, Mrs. H.L. Hefley and Mrs. R.H. Sparks of Amarillo, Texas, Chester White of El Paso, Bob White, Grover White, Ned White, and Ted White.

 He was widely known in the Section and highly regarded.
 
 

Submitted by: Everett H. Turner