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
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introduction
Henry Clay Meigs
had two distinguished grandfathers - John Ross, for many years Principal Chief of the Cherokees, and Return Jonathan Meigs, another leader amoung the Cherokees and a descendant of Return Jonathan Meigs of Revolutionary War fame, a close associate of George Washington. Mrs. Meigs was the former Josephine Bigelow. They lived across the street from the Stockade and were important in the early political and social life of Ft. Gibson. The children born to this couple were: Carrie F., who married Richard C Adams; Annie Stapler, who married Frank Boudinot; Henry Clay, Jr; James McDonald; Alice Maude, who married E A Hill; and Josephine, who married James K Blake. Pg 83 <complete>Chief
William Potter Ross ... son of John Golden Ross of Scottish ancestry who was orphaned as a child along with his sister when his father was swept overboard on the voyage to America and his mother died of shock. ... John Golden Ross married Eliz Ross, the sister of John Ross ... William Potter Ross, the eldest son of John Golden and Eliza Ross, was born at the base of Lookout Mountain on the Tennessee River Aug 20, 1820 ... pg 84 William P Ross married Mary Jane Ross, daughter of Lewis Ross at Park Hill Nov 16, 1846. Pg 85 After his retirement, he was editor of the Indian Journal in Muskogee in 1875 and 76. He also edited the Indian Chieftain at Vinita and the Indian Arrow at Ft. Gibson and Tahlequah. Pg 87 -[pgs 84-87 are devoted to the life of W P Ross]Hubbard Ross
, a son of Chief and Mrs. William Potter Ross, was born at "Hunter's Home" (Murrell Home) Jul 18, 1867, coming to Ft. Gibson with his parents shortly afterwards. ... pg 88Reverend
James Young Bryce, one of he pioneers of Methodist in Indian Territory, came to Ft. Gibson as pastor to the Methodist Church there in 1868. His son, John Young Bryce, was five years old at the time. The latter follwed in his father's footsteps and also became a minister. Pg 90The first Methodist conference held in the Cherokee Nation was held at Ft Gibson in 1870. Reverend
James Young Bryce was host pastor. Years later John Bryce, the son of James Young Bryce, wrote a history of Methodism in Indian Territory, recalling this event. Pg 90 <complete>Andrew Lewis Rogers
brought his family to the Ft Gibson bottoms in 1871, settling in the area of present O.G.& E. plant. His wife, Cherokee America Morgan Rogers became a legendary figure in early Ft. Gibson. The couple had eight children - Connell, Andrew Lewis, Jr, Hugh Morgan, Otto, Paul, Clifford, Fannie, and Lucy. Mr. Rogers died in 1875 and is buried in the Ft Gibson Citizens' Cemetery. Pg 92 <complete> [Followed by a lengthy article about Cherokee American Rogers]Connell Rogers,
oldest son of Mr and Mrs Andrew Lewis Rogers came to Ft Gibson in 1871 with this parents ... He married Florence Nash, a sister of F H Nash, having two daughters by that marriage - Ella who married D E Castle, and Gertrude, who married Dr George Shirmoon. On the death of his first wife, he married Kate Cunningham, the daughter of a prominent Cherokee, J T Cunningham of Tahlequah. To this marriage, one daughter was born, Marion Sevier, who married John Lynch, [sons] Lewis Bryne, who was postmaster of Ft Gibson for 23 years, Howard Cunningham, and Connell, Jr. pg 94Lengthy article on Dr
Otto Rogers pg 94Paul Rogers
was quite a cowboy. ... cousin of Will Rogers ... Paul Rogers died in the bitter cold winter of 1902 while punching cows with Will Rogers pg 94In spite of the fact that the Katy Railroad had already reached Gibson Station, bringing lawlessness to Indian Territory, the order was issued that Ft Gibson be abandoned, and on Sep 25, 1871, the four companies of the Sixth Infantry left the post for Ft Hayes, and General
Hazen formally evacuated the fort five days later. Pg 95 <complete>The New Year of 1872 was greeted with the birth of a new community which was destined to play an important role in the area around Ft Gibson - for Muscogee came into being. As has already been indicated, many of the persons who had been associated with Ft Gibson were important in the early days of Muscogee. Pg 96 <complete>
As was true of any boom town, the criminal and lawless element followed the railroad which caused Muscogee to come into being, and the thriving little community immediately became the haven of this element. Sincere there was no law enforcement body that dealt with them, as the lighthorse dealt only with Indians, crime of all sorts invaded this community and spread to the surrounding territory. Pg 96 <complete>
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