A standard history of Oklahoma; an authentic narrative of its development from the date of the first European exploration down to the present time, including accounts of the Indian tribes, both civilized and wild, of the cattle range, of the land openings and the achievements of the most recent period, Vol. III, Part 58

Author: Thoburn, Joseph B. (Joseph Bradfield), 1866-1941
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 660

USA > Oklahoma > A standard history of Oklahoma; an authentic narrative of its development from the date of the first European exploration down to the present time, including accounts of the Indian tribes, both civilized and wild, of the cattle range, of the land openings and the achievements of the most recent period, Vol. III > Part 58

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On March 8, 1888, Chief Burns was married to Miss Mamie E. Fisher, who was born at Springfield, Missouri, and to this union there have been born three sons and one daughter, namely: Harry H., who is a resident of St. Louis, Missouri; Pauline, who is the wife of Wil- liam A. Lincoln, of Springfield, Missouri; Kenneth C., a resident of St. Louis; and Charles F., who lives with his parents at Tulsa.

CLARENCE MCCASLAND. A superficial knowledge of educational conditions in the Nations of the Five Tribes before the attainment of Oklahoma statehood, among men who discussed these conditions, led to the general impression that illiteracy thrived as did wild animals of the forest before white men overran the Indian country. This idea was true to a degree in so far as it related to white settlers in some remote parts of the Indian country, and it is true also that the educa- tion of Indians was neglected to some extent. These statements are preliminary to the general assertion that neither the United States Government nor the govern- ment of the Five Tribes grossly neglected the dissemina- tion of knowledge among the young of the tribes. Not only were competent educators employed to con- duct the tribal academies and colleges, but district schools were organized and men and women placed in charge of them who had the proper sort of literary and pedagogical training. There teachers were paid mod- erately fair salaries. The plan of distributing them re- quired frequent changes of station, and it was not unlike the plan of "sending" in vogue in the Meth- odist Church, changes being considered necessary to the welfare of the communities and the general educa- tional organization. Rural schoolhouses usually were built and equipped by subscription, but they were neither too remote nor too meagerly built and equipped for the government to place teachers in charge of them. This work drew from adjoining states some of the best teach- ing talent and its importance led to the development of Jones Academy, near Hartshorne, into a normal train- ing school during a part of each year. The general superintendent of education had the privilege of grant- ing a temporary certificate to a teacher of good grade from an adjoining state, but later that teacher was required to complete a normal training course under di- rection of the government.

After having graduated from the Texas State Normal College at Huntsville and taught three years in the

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public schools of Texas, five years in the public schools of Louisiana (during which time he was president of the Caddo Parish Teachers Association), and one year in the public schools of Arkansas, Clarence MeCasland entered the teaching service of the United States Gov- ernment in Indian Territory, and he is a type of the educational missionary of training who did much to prepare the eastern part of Oklahoma for the ad- vantages of statehood. Under Superintendent of Edu- cation Ballard, Mr. McCasland Legan his service in 1905, near Grant, in what is now Choctaw County. The next year he was transferred to Hoyt, in what is now Haskell County, and the third year was stationed at Boggy Depot, in what is now Atoka County. His spe- cial training for this work was acquired in the normal department of Jones Academy, the superintendent of which institution at that time was Samuel J. Morley, who later was a banker at Hartshorne and under the administration of Governor Williams a member of the State Board of Public Affairs. The advent of state- hood was destined to put an end to the Federal School System of Indian Territory, and Mr. MeCasland re- signed shortly after statehood and became the first county court clerk of Atoka County, serving under Judge J. H. Linebaugh, who afterwards became judge of the District Court.

Clarence MeCasland was born in Miller County, Ar- kansas, August 22, 1875, and is a son of Andrew C. and Mattie J. (MeLemore) MeCasland. Andrew C. Mc- Casland was a native of Texas and before acquiring the education necessary to the practice of medicine was foreman of the Kelly Foundry at Jefferson, Texas, but during the greater number of his manhood years was a physician and surgeon in Arkansas. The paternal grandfather of Mr. MeCasland was a native of Tennessee and a soldier in the Confederate army during the Civil war, being killed at the bloody battle of Gettysburg. Mr. MeCasland's maternal grandfather, Y. L. McLemore, was for many years one of the best known Cumberland Presbyterian ministers in Tennessee, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. He was also one of those who went to California in search of gold in "the days of old, the days of gold," but returned to his ministerial duties and rounded out a long and useful life, passing away at the age of ninety years. Mr. MeCasland has one sister living, Mrs. Maude Bickham, of Vivian, Louisiana.

During his residence in Arkansas, Mr. McCasland was for five years deputy clerk of the District Court of Miller County, and while serving in that capacity studied law and was admitted to the bar. He did not begin the practice, however, until 1911, in June of which year he was admitted to the bar in Oklahoma. He practiced alone at Atoka until January 1, 1913, when he became junior member of the firm of Jones & McCasland, which firm has continued since that date. Before entering the practice of law he had organized the LeFlore-MeCasland Abstract and Realty Company, which a few months later was absorbed by the Atoka Abstract Company. Mr. MeCasland is serving his sec- ond term as city attorney of Atoka, a capacity in which he has given an excellent account of himself. He be- longs to the Atoka County Bar Association and the Oklahoma Bar Association, as well as to the Atoka Club and the local lodges of the Masons and Knights of the Maccabees. His religious membership is with the Chris- tian Church.

On August 5, 1900, at Rodessa, Louisiana, Mr. Me- Casland was united in marriage with Miss Antoinette Westbrook, and they have seven children: Clarence, born in 1901; Sybil, born in 1903; Stanton, born in 1905; D. Hayden, born in 1907; John Hickman, born

in 1909; Lahoma, born in 1911; Ney Antoinette, bori in 1913.

WILLIAM A. REDMAN is the present county treasure: of Pushmataha County, with residence at Antlers. H. is an excellent and painstaking official, and keeps al excellent set of books. He is one of the men who are strongly committed to economy in public affairs, and he is practicing what he preaches by doing the work 01 the office alone during half the time.

A historian frequently passes lightly over the physi cal development of the community in his eagerness to do justice to the romance and spirit of the other side of life. He seldom recalls that the builder of a historic old mansion, around which is a delightful spiritual at mosphere, was truly a factor in the development of that atmosphere.

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Out of the old Village of Charleston, Arkansas, came the man whose ideas of architecture, manifested ir the physical construction of buildings, made the once wayside Indian community of Antlers the modern towr of brick and stone it is today. For twenty years Willian A. Redman followed the profession of contractor and mechanic in Antlers and he has built more business blocks in the town than probably all other men of that profession combined. Constituting an important part of the business district, and bearing testimony to his re. liability and skill, are the Silverman, Cochran, Antlers Hardware Company, Horn, Jones, Butler, Moon, Word Brothers and Westbrook Brothers buildings.

When Mr. Redman located at Antlers in 1893 there were no schools of consequence outside the village, and white settlers were few. The day of progress had

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borI Ţ Gros begun, however, for such intermarried citizens as Major Farr, Victor M. Locke, Sr., and Dr. J. H. Miller and a of few other white men and educated Indians were develop- Gros ing the soil, the cattle industry and commerce in view of the era of greater development foreshadowed by the the coming of statehood. It was the year after Indian 3 st bom acac in t as a fights had ended and peace had been established between the the two Indian factions that once threatened to involve rif the entire Choctaw Nation in war. A troop or two of Indian militia gnarded the outskirts of Antlers when Mr. Redman arrived. For five years he engaged in farm- ing on land Felonging to Doctor Everedge, an early set- tler of this region who served under the tribal government as royalty collertor. On moving to Antlers he took up D the duties of his profession as contractor, and among the buildings constructed in an early day was the pub and Methodist Church, which replaced an edifice erected by the church during the early missionary period. seh

Mr. Redman's activities led him into public life and in

he became a member of the board of trustees of the Miss town. While a member of that board the present per- his manent water and electric light systems were installed. com He served also as a member of the board of school Gra trustees and took a hand in the development of a modern the S system of education. His next public office was that of county treasurer, to which the democrats elected him

Do in 1914. His official duties began July 5, 1915. He is an active member of the Baptist Church and affiliates with the Inderendent Order of Odd Fellows and the Woodmen of the World.

Though he came to Indian Territory from Arkansas, his

Mr. Redman was born in Dallas County, Texas, in 1860.

has He is a son of Captain John R. and Orlena (Smith) Redman. His father, who was an officer in the Con- sub federate Army, was a native of Tennessee but a citizen of Texas as early as 1858. Captain Redman died in is a 1892 at Alvord in Wise County, Texas, where many years Soe icar

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HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA

previously he had established a mill and cotton gin. The mother of Mr. Redman died when the latter was sevenl years of age.

uren He When Mr. Redman was quite a boy his father moved to Charleston, Arkansas, and there the son attended school and also gained his first experience in a business way working as clerk in a Charleston store. He went

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out of the store to learn the trade of mechanic and de- veloped from a journeyman carpenter into the profession of contractor.

In 1881 in Franklin County, Arkansas, Mr. Redman married Miss Susie Garner. They are the parents of eight children: Clarence Redman, who is engaged in the general merchandise business at Hanna, Oklahoma; Eugene Redman, in the cattle business at Hanna; Clyde Redman, a Western Union telegraph operator in Kan- sas City; Clara Redman, a teacher in the public schools at Antlers; Mrs. G. C. McIntyre, wife of a fariner in Western Oklahoma; William and Brancie, both at home in Antlers.

ROSS GROSSHART, M. D. The State of Missouri has contributed to the newer commonwealth of Oklahoma a goodly percentage of well fortified and specially success- ful representatives of the medical profession, and of this number a popular and successful physician and surgeon is Doctor Grosshart, who is engaged in active general practice in the City of Tulsa and whose status in his profession and as a loyal and progressive citizen well entitled him to recognition in this history of the state of his adoption.

The younger of the two children of Dr. J. Emory Grosshart and Anna (Meeks) Grosshart, the doctor was born at Papinsville, Bates County, Missouri, on the 28th of January, 1878, his father having died in the follow- ing year, at the early age of thirty-one years. J. Emory Grosshart was born in the State of Illinois but passed the major part of his life in Missouri. His widow, who is still living, is a native of the State of Kentucky, and the elder of their two children is Launia, who is the wife of John Hall, of Sand Springs, Tulsa County, Okla- homa. Dr. J. Emory Grosshart received excellent academic and professional education and was graduated in the Kansas Medical College at Kansas City, Kansas, as a member of the class of 1875, but death soon brought untimely close to his professional endeavors, as he was summoned to the life eternal in 1879, as above noted.

Dr. Ross Grosshart acquired his early education in the public schools of Shell City, Vernon County, Missouri, and thereafter attended one of the excellent normal schools of his native state. In 1899 he was graduated in the Kansas City Medical College, at Kansas City, Missouri, and later he fortified himself still further for his chosen profession by completing a post-graduate course in surgery in the celebrated New York Post- Graduate Medical School, where he was a member of the class of 1905.

Soon after receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine Doctor Grosshart engaged in the practice of his profes- sion at Rockville, Bates County, Missouri, where he con- tinued his successful labors until 1905. On the 11th of June of that year, after the completion of his post- graduate course in the City of New York, he established his residence in the City of Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he has since continued in successful practice and controls a substantial and representative professional business, in which he gives special attention to surgery. The doctor is actively identified with the Tulsa County Medical Society, the Oklahoma State Medical Society, the Amer- ican Medical Association and the Southwestern Medical

Association, the organization of which covers Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

In politics Doctor Grosshart gives unqualified alle- giance to the democratic party, and he is prominently identified with the Masonic fraternity, in which he has received the thirty-second degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, in the consistory at McAlester, this state. His ancient-craft affiliation is with Tulsa Lodge, No. 71, Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, and in addition to being affiliated with other York Rite bodies in his home city he here holds membership also in Akdar Temple of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. The doctor is a member also of Tulsa Lodge, No. 946, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

On the 4th of April, 1900, Doctor Grosshart wedded Miss Emma S. Staley, who likewise was born and reared in Missouri, and they have four children: Paul L., Alyne A., Jack S. and Ruth.

SHERMAN WASHINGTON HILL. A man whose business acumen and broad intelligence are meaning much to the making of Cherokee is Sherman Washington Hill, who is secretary and treasurer of the Oklahoma Abstract Company, in which organization he is a dominant factor. He combines with the abstract work a large amount of loan and insurance operations. He may indeed be included among Oklahoma 's business pioneers.

A family of pioneers and patriots is responsible for Mr. Hill's origin. The names of Washington and Sherman in his patronymic rerresent no idle whims of christening decisions. Daniel Hill, his great-grandfather, was a veteran of the War of the Revolution, in which great and momentous conflict he served as an orderly sergeant under the immortal George Washington. He named his son for his beloved commander-in-chief. Born at Perrysville, New York, on August 11, 1826, John Washington Hill, father of the subject, remained in that native state "of his parents for some years but removed to Ohio while yet young. He married Emmeline Canfield and engaged in mercantile business, which he continued until the outbreak of the Civil war. when he enlisted as a private in an Ohio regiment. He served for about three years under General Sherman and nar- ticipated in numerous important engagements, including the Battle of Chickamauga. After the close of the war between the states, John Washington Hill established a foundry at Ashtabula. Ohio, remaining in that vocation and locality until 1871, when he determined to try a newer country. Going to Kansas, he located in Govern- ment land in MePherson County. His was an important part in the settling of that community. Organizing the McPherson Town-site Company he served as its secretary and treasurer, and his was the historic honor of laying out that town in 1872. He became more and more important as a public citizen as time rassed and for fifteen years served the young municiralitv in the capacity of justice of the peace. His useful life closed in the town for which he had done so much, the date of his demise being April 22, 1896. He is still vividly remembered, as a popular Mason, a loyal republican and a faithful member of the Congregational Church. During his long life John Washington Hill had been three times married. Before his union with the Miss Canfield ahove mentioned, he had lost his first wife, nee Nanov Hum- phrey, who had left him one child-John A. Hill, who grew to maturity. became a citizen of the commonwealth of Arkansas and closed his earthly career in 1913. Mr. Hill's first marriage had been of hut two years' duration-from 1847 to 1849. In 1852 his home was blessed by the coming of Emmeline Canfield Hill. a . native of the Buckeve State. To this marriage nine children were born, but none reached or passed the age

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of seven, except one, Sherman Washington Hill, the special subject of this article. The mother passed from earthly life in 1865, at the age of thirty-four. She is remembered as a woman of saintly spirit and religious devotion. In 1868 John Washingtou Hill took a third mate, Sarah Prosser and of this marriage two children were born, Fred P. Hill and Jessie L. Hill.

The natal day of our subject, Sherman Washington Hill, was October 3, 1864, and his birthplace was Ash- tabula County, Ohio. While still a child at the time of the family's removal to McPherson, Kansas, he was educated in the public schools of that place and later became a student at the University of Kansas. Mr. Hill is said to have been a good student, with some literary gift. His ambitions were educational and journalistic aud he was but nineteen years of age when he purchased a newspaper. This was The Record, of Windom, Kansas. For a short time he conducted the paper and then accepted a pedagogical position, the quality of his teaching being not a little enriched by his editorial experience. But the call of journalism again came to him with such insistence that he bought The Smoky Valley News, of Lindsborg, Kansas. For three years he edited this paper and during that time exerted a very considerable influence in republican politics. Turning again to the co-profession of teaching, Mr. Hill continued in its useful activities until he became interested in abstracting, which he continued for a few years in Kansas. In time he became interested in Oklahoma's future and determined to unite his own with it. In 1893 he participated in the opening of the Cherokee Strip and followed his father's wise example in the matter of taking up Government land. Mr. Hill's homestead was six miles southeast of Enid and on this new and promising farm he remained for three years. Trained by experience to adapt himself to opportunities and to combine them worthily, he served his newly chosen state in educational affairs by spending a few years here also as a teacher.

Being well fitted for public service, Mr. Hill acted as deputy register of deeds of Garfield County for two years and as deputy treasurer he served for three years in the same place. In 1903 a financial opportunity came to him with the recognition of the need of a bank at Lucine, Oklahoma. Mr. Hill opened a bank at this place and acted as its cashier for three years.

It was in 1908 that he began his present residence in Cherokee. At that time he organized the Oklahoma Abstract Company, which has ever since owed so much to his capable management. No citizen of Cherokee and of Oklahoma has its best interests more at heart. Mr. Hill is deservedly prosperous and holds an enviable position in the esteem of those who know him; and they are legion, for he has participated in important interests in various parts of this vigorous young state. His opinion in vital matters is highly respected and it logically follows that he has been chosen by his towns- men to represent them on the school board and the city council.

Mr. Hill has been twice married. On August 1, 1888, at McPherson, Kansas, Miss Amy E. Hunt became Mrs. Hill. She was a native of Illinois, 1867 being the year of her birth. She died in Garfield County, Oklahoma, July 23, 1896, leaving two sons: Virgil W. Hill, born in McPherson County, Jannary 18, 1890; and Joseph W. Hill, born June 3, 1892, in Kansas, This son is now a student in the University of Kansas, a member of the class of 1916.

The present Mrs. Sherman Washington Hill is a native of the Bluegrass State and was born in the City of Newport, on November 2, 1877. She is a daughter

of Isaac N. Horner and wife, of Enid, Oklahoma. Her marriage to Mr. Hill occurred on January 20, 1907 Their home is now brightened by the sunny charm of a little daughter, Mary Frances, born January 17, 1913.

HENRY CLAY NASH, M. D. It is peculiarly fitting that the memory of such a man as the late Doctor Nash of Antlers should long be kept green in the community which he so faithfully and unselfishly served. In his business activities he was a stockman-farmer, and a highly competent and skillful physician. But more than all else he was distinguished for his unflinching courage in pursuing the course which he thought would redound to the highest welfare and good of his chosen people, the old Choctaw Nation, among whom he lived and worked and from one of whose principal families he selected his faithful wife.

The Choctaw Nation thirty years ago, then an entity under governmental rule peculiar to itself, possessing and enjoying a peaceable and unique life, welcomed the vivacity and ambition of young white men from the states who brought unstinted ideas of true progress and reform. Only occasionally did minor factional differ- ences disturb the serenity of a people who had learned to be happy in a foreign land. It is a significant fact of history in this old natiou that many young men came here in that period as teachers and as such disseminated learning of the right character among Indian children.

It was in this period that the late Henry Clay Nash entered the nation, coming over from Texas, from where he had obtained a decree in the Sam Houston State Nor- mal. He taught for a few years in the neighborhood Indian schools, mostly in that section of the nation now embraced in Pushmataha County. He became the friend of some of the leading Choctaw men of the day, and this friendship continued until his death. The strength of this friendship was disclosed at the end of his life, when it became necessary for his widow and their children to sacrifice a major portion of their fortune to settle out- standing obligations he had made in an effort to save a few hundred of the Choctaw people from heavy finau- cial loss at the hands of corporations that were seeking their property. Lumber companies had executed con- tracts for timber with Indians for terms of from five to twenty-five years, and many of these contracts did not afford proper remuneration to the Indian. Doctor Nash undertook to reestablish their rights, and to do so insti- tuted suits against lumber companies involving the con- tracts. The task was expensive, and he paid most of it ont of his own pocket. He probably would have brought the matter to a successful termination had he lived another year.

In making the sacrifice incident to financial settlement after his death Mrs. Nash was compelled to sell her valu- able and valued allotment at The Narrows, a scenic watering place of note in Indian history, situated near the picturesque Village of Smithville in McCurtain Connty. Here she had hoped at no distant day to estab- lish a permanent home, set in the midst of the beautiful Kiamichi Mountains on an elevation above the old domain of the trapper and hunter, and near by a living spring of healing mineral water that for several genera- tions had been a favorite watering place of her people. Besides this she lost much other property and money of the estate, but these sacrifices were made with unflinch- ing sense of duty of suppressed emotion, qualities that are characteristic of and peculiar to the true born Choctaw.

While Doctor Nash's activities in the Choctaw country enabled him to accumulate a comfortable fortune, he always remained mindful of his country's interest. Long before statehood he took a lead in the organization of

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the democratic party, and it is said that probably no other man helped to form as many democratic clubs in the Choctaw Nation. As partial reward for these activi- ties and in appreciation of their high regard for him his friends sought in 1912 to have him appointed United States marshal of the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The fortunes of politics are involved in mystery, but it may be that death alone defeated the efforts of his many friends. In endorsing Doctor Nash for the appointment Judge Robert L. Williams of the Oklahoma Supreme Court said: "He has resided in the Choctaw Nation for over thirty years During all that period he has been an active and prominent citizen, enjoying the people's confidence and esteem. He has had wide and varied experience as a business man . .. Also he has been an active worker in the democratic party organiza- tions of the Territory prior to the erection of the State, and since the erection of the State, he has been active in the affairs of the democratic party in that portion of the State."

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Author: Thoburn, Joseph B. (Joseph Bradfield), 1866-1941 Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Chicago, New York, The American Historical Society Number of Pages: 660

Author: Thoburn, Joseph B. (Joseph Bradfield), 1866-1941
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 660