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Sallisaw,
Sequoyah County's Flourishing Capital
Sallisaw, the county seat of
Sequoyah County is now a city of 2,600 inhabitants, centrally located at
the Junction of the Arkansas Valley Railroad (now known as the Missouri
Pacific), with the Pittsburg & Gulf Railroad (now the Kansas City
Southern). The first mentioned road was built in 1887, while the other
was not completed until 1895. Soon after the arrival of the Valley Road,
Argyle Quesenbury and W. W. Wheeler, two white settlers, platted a
portion of their land into town lots and brought the Town of Sallisaw
into existence.
Mr. Quesenbury settled in that neighborhood in 1875, being perhaps its
first white settler. The citizens of Sallisaw regard him as the father
of their city, as he not only founded it, but has ever since manifested
a lively interest in its welfare, always taking the lead in all civic,
charitable and educational projects for the betterment of conditions.
When Sallisaw became an incorporated town he was chosen as its first
mayor and his administration was characterized by honest, efficient
business policies. He also manifested an interest in the religious
welfare of the community by donating sites for all denominations who
desired to build churches.
Mr. W. E. Whitsett is credited with having located the
first general store in Sallisaw. He had been a country merchant, located
at Old Childress Station, an inland division point on the Butterfield
Stage Line, which extended from Muskogee to Fort Smith, but upon the
arrival of the railroad, he moved his stock of goods to the new town of
Sallisaw. Messrs. Quesenbury and Wheeler had also been conducting a
country store, a few miles away, for several years prior to the birth of
the new town.
Charles O. Frye has also been closely identified with
the growth of the City of Sallisaw and the development of the industries
of Sequoyah County. He is a Cherokee by blood, was born in the Cherokee
Nation in 1854 and has resided continuously in that vicinity. He has
held numerous positions of honor and responsibility, both in the
Cherokee Nation and in the service of the Federal Government. During the
early eighties he was elected as a member of the Cherokee Senate and a
few years later he served as clerk of the Cherokee Commission, in its
negotiations with the United States. He has also served as deputy United
States marshal, and during President McKinley's administration he was
appointed as postmaster of Sallisaw. In every position he has been
faithful to the trust reposed in him.
W. H. McDonald was the first merchant to establish a
large general store in, Sallisaw, his location dating from the summer of
1896.
W. W. Wheeler erected the first substantial business house, using the
native stone in its construction, and it was occupied by Meyer & Wolf as
a general store. All the other business houses were of frame structure
until 1899, when the wooden buildings began to rapidly give place to
up-to-date brick and stone business blocks.
In May, 1.919, Sallisaw was incorporated as a first
class city, under the laws of Oklahoma and Mr. R. Kobel was chosen as
its first city mayor. In November, 1919, the city adopted the managerial
form of government and chose R. Kobel, C. E. Henderson and L. C. Moore
as its first Board of Commissioners.
In 1908 the city installed a system of waterworks and
electric lights and in 1912 built a sever system.
Among other industries, the city has a cotton compress, a
cotton oil mill, four cotton gins, an ice plant, a wholesale grocery,
two flour jobbers, two lumber yards, three banks, seven churches, a good
high school, two graded schools and a first class hotel.
Plans have been drawn and a contract awarded for a new
city hall. The American Legion is pushing the city hall proposition and
will occupy some of its rooms. The city also has a good courthouse and
numerous modern homes.
Sequoyah County, in addition to its thriving county
seat, has quite a number of smaller towns, the principal ones being
Muldrow, Vian, Gore, Gans and Marble City, all of which are convenient
local trading points for the farmers.
Soon after the Cherokees emigrated to Indian Territory,
one of the most important Mission Schools was established in the
northern part of this county by the Presbyterians, known as Dwight
Mission, which has done its full share, during the past eighty years,
toward educating and Christianizing the Indians.
Sallisaw |
Sequoyah County
Oklahoma Genealogy |
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