Oglesby is located in Washington County, about 15 miles southeast of Bartlesville.
In the late 1800s, cattle drives were standard between Missouri and Kansas. Ranchers drove the cattle between the Twin Mounds in the southwestern corner of Washington County. Cattle drives often went through the area around what is now Oglesby. Carl Greenwood was one of several ranchers involved in the cattle drives.
The Greenwoods were among several prominent families in the area that helped build the economy. Other families that played a significant role in growing the area's population and economy were Tyner and Rodecker.
Near the turn of the century, the oil industry exploded around Bartlesville and Ramona. People flocked to the area, the number of families increased, and development started. With the increased travel from residents and travelers, Oglesby became a crossroads.
Frank Gougler, from Pennsylvania, moved his family to Oglesby in 1900. They rented from the Tyner family and opened the first sawmill on the Caney river. They built a toll bridge across the river just west of the Hogshooter settlement store. Frank Gougler sold the bridge to the county when Oklahoma became a state on November 16, 1907.
Time Before Oglesby
Hogshooter Creek: Named after a Cherokee Indian with the same name became the site of the Hogshooter Settlement in the late 1890s. John D. Jordan built the first store in the area on the east bank of the creek near the current town's north edge. In 1900 Jordan sold the store to Dr. Stevens, the town's first doctor.
Residents petitioned to have a post office, submitting several names for acceptance, including Oglesby.
Dr. Stevens wife, Clara, was in charge of the store, and the post office, established on November 13, 1900. In 1903, Dr. Stevens moved to Ramona. The store eventually became the Rodecker home.
After Dr. Stevens left, Tom Oglesby built a store and moved the post office to his store. Mr. Savage became the first appointed postmaster, and the first carrier was John R. Stallsworth. The post office operated until August 1933.
The building still stands today.
Founding of Oglesby
When you research, the history of Washington County H.B. Rodecker is often mentioned. He operated drug stores in multiple areas, including one in Oglesby. In 1898 he married Miss Emma L. Coleman. Emma was one-sixteenth Cherokee Indian and the daughter of James and Nancy Coleman. Emma's Indian allotment of land was seventy acres.
In 1904 Bert Rodecker began laying out the town.
On December 30, 1908, a plat map of Oglesby was filed with the county. On the map, Emma recorded her donation of land to the community.
After living in the area for thirteen years, Bert Rodecker moved his family to Ramona, purchasing the Bass Drug Store.
Over the decades, the town's layout has not changed much other than the state and county's normal renaming of streets and roads.
The Firehouse
Moved on skids right behind the new fire station, you will find the original building used as the fire station.
When speaking with the Fire Chief, Daniel W. Cunningham, he showed me a picture of the old fire truck.
Residents reported that the store, the school, the original firehouse, and one private residence are all that remains of the town's original buildings.
Sports
Oglesby Base Ball Team 1906.
Image provided by Bartlesville Area History Museum Archives.
Cemeteries
Residents in Oglesby spoke of two different cemeteries where locals have laid to rest over the years. The first one, located closest to town, is the Oglesby (Steel Camp) Cemetery. The second one, located about 4 miles south of town, is the Tyner Cemetery.
Tyner Cemetery
Reuben Bartlet Tyner, "Little Rube," and his wife, Roxie Ann Pearson, lived on the Tyner homestead that was part of the land allotments from the Cherokee Nation.
Over time, the Tyner family became involved in many areas of Washington County and donated a part of their holdings to the Tyner Cemetery near Oglesby. Oglesby residents are in the Tyner Cemetery, including members of the Tyner family and visitors to the area that died. Still, an active cemetery dating on gravestones dates back to over a decade before Oglesby founding in 1900.
Starting as a rancher, Reuben Tyner eventually moved into farming. During the early years, he operated a ferry over the Caney River.
Unknown dates, one of the earliest deaths was the child of Ruben B. and Mary A. (Rogers).
The Tyner Family plots are located in the northeast corner of the cemetery.
Image of Tyner family provided by the Bartlesville Area History Museum Archives
Oglesby (Steel Camp) Cemetery
For centuries a common expression about death is "bury them where they die."
The first graveyard in the area resulted from a property line dispute between Alexander Davis and Darb Hosley. Davis was buried where he died.
Three additional graves were added, thought to be relatives of Davis.
These graves were moved to the Lizzy Henderson allotment when survey crews determined they were on a right-of-way. Early names for the cemetery were Davis, Henderson, and Steel Camp Cemetery.
In 1914 the cemetery was deeded to the Washington County Commissioners. In 1953 the county deeded the cemetery to the Cemetery Association. Additional land was sold to the Association, providing a right-of-way.
Many of the children in the cemetery died from the diphtheria plague that ravaged Oklahoma between 1920-1925.
You can find the best story of the early beginnings of the cemetery in Talking Tombstones. You can purchase the book from the Delaware Tribe of Indians gift store or their online gift store.
Murder in Oglesby
The first significant story about Oglesby started in the store and involved the first mail carrier, John Stallsworth.
On July 30, 1908, Charles Hobbs went to the Rodecker store to purchase items. Stallsworth, drinking, approached Hobbs and asked him his name.
According to the Bartlesville Weekly Examiner account, Hobbs answered in the affirmative. Stallsworth then extended his hand as if to shake hands. When Hobbs raised his hand, Stallsworth shot him just over his heart, killing Hobbs almost instantly. From newspaper accounts, the attack was unprovoked.
The court case for the murder was held on November 13, 1908, before Judge Brown. At the hearing, Stallsworth pleaded guilty and accepted the sentence of "hard labor during the rest of your natural life" handed down by Judge Brown.
Other accounts of Stallsworth's time in prison include being paroled after five years and killing a second individual. I was unable to verify either of these accounts.
Schools
The first recorded school for the area near Oglesby was located a few miles west of Hogshooter Creek in early 1881. The school, operated by Miss Ada Gordon, was in a simple log cabin on the Davis farm and operated for a few months, after which Miss Gordon married S.C. Miller.
It was almost a decade later, in 1892, before the next recorded school was established in the area. A small log cabin along the Caney River, near Carters Ford, was used for the schoolhouse with classes taught by Annie Eaton.
In 1894, Joseph Gott donated the land the Assembly of God Church used to build a school.
Oglesby School photo from Tuesday, October 18, 1921. Image provided by Bartlesville Area History Museum Archives.
Image provided by the Bartlesville Area History Museum Archives
On March 30, 1938, Oglesby and the school were changed for all times.
On this Wednesday morning, the town was devastated by two different storms—a high winds storm from one direction and a tornado from another.
The two storms converged near the home of Mrs. Collins. The high winds blew out many of the windows in town, and the tornado destroyed five homes and severely damaged the school. Mrs. Collins's home, already heavily damaged by the wind and then destroyed by the tornado, caught fire.
Sixty-six students were attending the school that morning. Four of those sixty-six students were slightly injured, and the others escaped with no injuries.
School resumed at homes that were not damaged.
The newspaper article mentioned that the WPA funding for an addition to the school had been approved.
Oglesby School Today
Bibliography
[1] A History of Washington County [book]/auth. Teague Margaret
[2] Chronicles of Oklahoma - Vol. 26. - p. 219.
[3] Family Histories of Washington County Area, Oklahoma [Book]. - [s.l.] : Walsworth Publishing Company, 2007.
[4] Oklahoma Place Names [Book]/auth. Shirk George H.
[5] Talking Tombstones [Book]/auth. Cranor Ruby.
[6] The Story of Frank Pierce Gougler [Book] / auth. Gougler Judy.
Credit: Newspapers.com
Credit: Bartlesville Area History Museum Archives
Credit: Debbie Neece of the Bartlesville Area History Museum Archives for her assistance in researching the history of Oglesby and providing images and documents for review.
The following books can be purchased at the Bartlesville Area History Museum Archives. 1. Family Histories of Washington County area, Oklahoma 2. History of Washington County and Surrounding Area