Chelsea, Oklahoma - circa 1904
Our Mission
The Mission of the Chelsea Area Historical Society is to actively promote the awareness of local history; to encourage the preservation of local historical locations and memories; and, to provide assistance with genealogical research. We strive to complete this mission through the collection and preservation of documents, photographs, and items reflecting our history for the education and enjoyment of present and future generations.
A town rich in history and culture.
It's Women's History Month....
"Aunt Sallie" Sallie Clementine Rogers McSpadden 1863-1943
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/5/137579202/published/sallie-rogers-mcspadden-1880-cherokee-female-seminary-graduation-photo.jpg?1648172951)
March is Women's History Month so the Chelsea Historical Society would like to honor one of the women of our founding.
Sallie Clementine Rogers was born December 16th, 1863, in Bonham, Texas, to Clement Van Rogers and Mary America Schrimsher.
Mr. Rogers had moved his family from their homestead during the Civil War. All of the improvements on the Rogers' original homestead were destroyed during the war. Eventually, Mr. Rogers returned his family to "Pleasant Valley" near the Verdigris River where they ranched and raised their family.
Sallie was the eldest living child of Clem and Mary Rogers. Sallie was 1/16th Cherokee and both the Rogers and Schrimsher families were involved in the Cherokee Nation and into Oklahoma Statehood.
She was schooled at the Cherokee Female Seminary where she graduated September 1880. (photo from Ancestry.com)
The Cherokee Advocate (Tahlequah) reported February 3rd, 1877 on the examination at the female seminary, with a vivid description of the days activities, during which "Miss Sallie Rogers read her composition "History of a Pin".
After graduating, Sallie taught the 1880 fall term at the district school at Oowala, located north of present day Claremore.
In 1881, Sallie went to the Cherokee Orphan Asylum, in Salina, as the high school teacher until June 1885.
The Indian Journal (Eufaula) reported February 21st, 1884 that Miss Sallie Rogers was one of several ladies who attended a very pleasant dance at the residence of Mr. Frank Musgrove which last all night.
An in August (21st) 1884, The Weekly Chieftan (Vinita) reported Miss Sallie Rogers was accompanied to the train station by a number of friends as she returned home from staying a number of days with Miss Zoe Morgan in Vinita.
Sallie Clementine Rogers was born December 16th, 1863, in Bonham, Texas, to Clement Van Rogers and Mary America Schrimsher.
Mr. Rogers had moved his family from their homestead during the Civil War. All of the improvements on the Rogers' original homestead were destroyed during the war. Eventually, Mr. Rogers returned his family to "Pleasant Valley" near the Verdigris River where they ranched and raised their family.
Sallie was the eldest living child of Clem and Mary Rogers. Sallie was 1/16th Cherokee and both the Rogers and Schrimsher families were involved in the Cherokee Nation and into Oklahoma Statehood.
She was schooled at the Cherokee Female Seminary where she graduated September 1880. (photo from Ancestry.com)
The Cherokee Advocate (Tahlequah) reported February 3rd, 1877 on the examination at the female seminary, with a vivid description of the days activities, during which "Miss Sallie Rogers read her composition "History of a Pin".
After graduating, Sallie taught the 1880 fall term at the district school at Oowala, located north of present day Claremore.
In 1881, Sallie went to the Cherokee Orphan Asylum, in Salina, as the high school teacher until June 1885.
The Indian Journal (Eufaula) reported February 21st, 1884 that Miss Sallie Rogers was one of several ladies who attended a very pleasant dance at the residence of Mr. Frank Musgrove which last all night.
An in August (21st) 1884, The Weekly Chieftan (Vinita) reported Miss Sallie Rogers was accompanied to the train station by a number of friends as she returned home from staying a number of days with Miss Zoe Morgan in Vinita.
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/7/5/137579202/published/sallie-rogers-john-thomas-mcspadden.jpg?1648173064)
December 1885, Sallie married John Thomas McSpadden.
The information and history of our town is rich in variety, importance, and culture. From agriculture including cotton and cattle to energy development of coal mines and oil rigs, Chelsea emerged as an important location for the growth and success of the Cooweescoowee District of the Cherokee Nation which progressed through Statehood and continues today.
Our people have been creative and resourceful from the beginning. They worked together building a working and thriving community their families should continue to take pride in.
PLACES & PEOPLE.....
The Sanborn Fire Insurance Company completed maps of towns of their insured providing a look at the business and dwelling locations. This map from June 1896 shows the Couch Building located at the corner of Olive Ave and Fifth Street. The street numbers changed prior to a Department of Interior Survey in March 1902, for reasons which are not known, making our main street Sixth Street.
This map provides our first look at the beginning of our town and includes a Gun Smith, Hardware Store, two Drug Stores, seven (yes 7!) General Stores, a Meat Market, two Billiards Halls, two Grocery Stores, one Print Shop, two Restaurants, a Confectionary, three Blacksmith Shops, a Law Office, two Doctor's Offices, one Barber/Jewelry Shop, and the Chelsea Lumber Company (the only business listed by name). The Sanborn map also provides additional details and lists the population of Chelsea in June 1896 at 500 people, with no fire department (stating no steam or hand engines, and no independent hose carts), and lists the water facilities as "public and private wells and cisterns", and the prevailing winds from the southwest. The Couch Building, built by Marion W. Couch, was located on the southwest corner of 5th & Olive. It included the first Bank of Chelsea, organized in March 1896, as well as two General Stores and the Post Office. The second floor was used as a meeting hall for the Knights of Pythias. |
photo credit: The Chelsean 1914 John Ross McIntosh was born in 1866 in the Cherokee Nation near present day Pryor to John Grass & Celia Jane (Hendricks) McIntosh. John Grass McIntosh was the last Chief Justice of the Cherokee Nation. John Ross attended school at the Male Seminary in Tahlequah, and taught in rural schools. He spoke several languages and translated several books from Cherokee to English and English to Cherokee. John Ross married Maria L Sequichie in 1891 and raised two daughters, Beatrice and Ethel. Mr. McIntosh partnered with W G Milam doing business as Milam & McIntosh Hardware Company selling from fruit jars and stoves, to wagons and implements. Milam & McIntosh also partnered with ten other Chelseans in the formation of the Bank of Chelsea in 1896. Mr. McIntosh was elected to the Cherokee Council and served as Speaker of the House in 1897. Mr. McIntosh became the clerk for the Chelsea Board of Education in 1910 and remained in this position for many years. When the new elementary school was built on 10th Street around 1917 it was named in his honor – McIntosh Elementary. Mr. McIntosh continued his public service becoming the acting Post Master September 15th, 1923, and being formally appointed January 14th, 1924. Mr. McIntosh remained in this position until his death December 28th, 1935. Mr. McIntosh was an active Mason, and member of the Baptist Church of Chelsea, and the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce. Mr. McIntosh and his wife led active and involved lives in formation of Chelsea and many of their contributions are still notable today. They are buried in the Chelsea Cemetery. |
photo credit: dsouth321, ancestry.com The City Bakery “Fresh bread constantly on hand at the City Bakery. Ed South, proprietor.” (Chelsea Reporter 17 Jan 1901) It is currently unknown exactly when Ed South opened the City Bakery, but we do know he was a successful businessman serving wonderful cheeseburgers to multiple generations of Chelseans. June 26th, 1901, Ed South married Miss Sue Parks of Chelsea where they maintained their home and business. They had two sons, Edwin Clifford South and James C South. James died young and Clifford was the owner of South’s Radio Shop in Chelsea before he entered the Navy and moved with his family to San Diego, California. Mr. South had many years of ups and downs, and the Chelsea Reporter documents his purchase of Wyatt’s Bakery in 1909, enlarged his store room in 1910, installed a new lunch counter in January 1911, then sold the bakery to WH Prim in September 1911 due to his wife’s failing health. It doesn’t show when Mr. South purchased the bakery again, but in November 1912 the Chelsea Reporter again lists him as the proprietor of the City Bakery. The Claremore Progress printed March 24, 1921 reported “Hinton & South conduct the city bakery in Chelsea and furnish best supplies. They serve candy, confectionery, fruits and soft drinks and do a steady business.” In 1931, it is reported “Mr. C D Myers and son…. have opened the Ed South Bakery on Sixth Street and are now ready for business”. In 1938, Ed South added a new ice cream making machine in his bakery. There are consistent advertisements in the following years for Ed South’s City Bakery as late as December 1963. This is the date range available for research currently, so the actual time frame of Mr. South’s business is not fully known. Mrs. Susie South died April 2nd, 1950, Mr. Edwin Coleman South died October 1971. Both, as well as their sons, are buried in the Chelsea Cemetery. |
photo credit: Claremore Progress 25 Mar 2017 Jesse Bartley "J B" Milam was born in 1884 near Italy, Ellis County, Texas, to William Guinn & Sarah Ellen (Couch) Milam. William Milam relocated his family to the Cherokee Nation in 1887 and settled about six miles north of Chelsea. J B attended schools in Alluwe and Chelsea, then the Cherokee Male Seminary in Tahlequah, before graduating from Metropolitan Business College in Dallas, Texas in 1902. Mr. Milam began working at a very young age in his father's mercantile store and as janitor at the Bank of Chelsea. Upon returning from college, Mr. Milam became cashier at the Bank of Chelsea. Mr. Milam partnered with his future brother-in-law, Woodley Phillips to form Phillips & Milam Oil Company. They drilled their first oil well near Alluwe in 1904. Also in 1904, Mr. Milam married Elizabeth Peach McSpadden and raised three children, Hinman Stuart, Mildred Elizabeth, and Mary Ellen. In 1918, Mr. Milam was name President of the Bank of Chelsea and held this position until his death. Mr. Milam was active in the Cherokee Nation, being appointed Principle Chief of the Cherokee's by two Presidents, serving from 1941 to his death in 1949. Mr. Milam was instrumental in securing many pieces of Cherokee History which are included in the History Center in Tahlequah. Mr. Milam worked to secure historic properties such as the Murrell Home and the original location of the Cherokee Female Seminary to be maintained by the Cherokee Nation. Mr. Milam was active in many organizations including the Oklahoma Historical Society, Boy Scouts of America, and Sons of the American Revolution. Mr. Milam was a member of Chelsea Mason Lodge #84, a 32nd Degree Mason from the McAlester Consistory of Scottish Rites Masons, and a member of the Akdar Shrine Temple in Tulsa. A regular attendee of the Memorial Methodist Church in Chelsea, Mr. Milam entered a hospital in Kansas City, Missouri for treatment of heart ailments. Mr. Milam died May 8th, 1949. Mr. & Mrs. Milam are buried in the Chelsea Cemetery. |