Myrtie Lee Gillaspy was the second child, first girl, born to James Harvey Gillaspy and Sarah Jane Shackelford Gillaspy, lived a life most people would only read about. Her story begins March 7, 1886 in Lone Grove settlement in Indian Territory (now Carter County). Her parents had traveled from Wisconsin and Illinois to the new "free" land just sisty-six miles from Denton, Texas. She remembered in her later years that the whole family would ride in a wagon to Gainesville for their supplies twice a year.

In 1900 the family consisted of James and Sarah, both 47, Charley 17, Myrtie 14, Clara 14, Stella 10, Lester (Ted) 7, and Mary Catherine (Molly) 3. They lived in township 4, Chicasaw Nation, Indian Territory (modern day Johnson and Pontotoc counties). They lived on a rented farm and all the older children and parents could read and write according to the census. Myrtie's parents had been married for 18 years as of 1900. Some record indicates they were married in 1881 in Gainesville, Cooke County, Texas. That would have meant that they wed before coming to the Indian Territory. Perhaps Sarah's family the Shackelford's, were neighbors to the Gillaspys. We know this because her cousin, Dee Hampton, is in the 1911 photograph. We also know that the Shackelford's were visitors to family gatherings as late as 1950.

Another person of interest on the 1900 census in Township 5, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, was eighteen year old Press Sewell. He was working as a farm laborer along with two of his brothers. It is obvious that Myrtie and Press met during the early 1900's in or around these small towns. Myrtie did not record how old she was when she married, but we guess around 1904 (marriage info: SEWELL, B S 21 GILISPIE, METTIE 18 15 JUL 1904 CONWAY H©268 Chickasaw Nation by Linda Craig)when she would be 18, and Press, 23. The first record we might find is the 1910 census, but it can not be found at this time. On the 1920 census however, we find Press and Myrtie living in Allen, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma with six children: Lando Preston 14, Mittie Mae 12, Harvey Allen 10, Mary Ola 8, Cornelia 3 and Ella Bell a baby. The parents grived the lost of Leo, Cornelus, Della and another baby, still born. In a span of 15 years Myrtie had given birth 8 times, with two sets of twins. Harvey Allen had been a premature baby at 7 mos. but with the loving care he received, he grew up to be everyone's favorite uncle.

Shortly after 1920, the family moved to Kiowa, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. They had lived there before in September 1918 because that was where Press reported for the World War 1 draft registration. He was working as a driver for McAlester Elevator Coal Company. The registration card indicates his birthday as May 4th, 1881, he is 38 years old, white, native born citizen. The person conducting the interview checked medium neight, small build, brown eyes and dark hair. We know this to be true from the 1911 photograph standing next to Myrtie. In march 1921, Cora Lee was born in Kiowa, not quite two years later, Therrell Redwine was born. Twelve children in total for Myrtie and Press Sewell. After Therrell was born, Myrtie had difficulty with her leg. A nerve had been damaged and she walked with a slight limp the rest of her life. Sometime in the early 1920's, the Sewell family oved to Steedman, Hughes County, Oklahoma. On a cold winter day in 1926 while cutting down trees, a branch fell and landed on Press. Due to complications of the accident, he died shortly thereafter leaving a 40 year old widow, and eight children ranging in ages from 20 to 3. His date of death was February 26, 1926 and was buried in the Five Mile cemetery. The family was devastated. Myrtie's siblings gathered around her but the one person that could have comforted her most was her own mother Sarah, She had died in 1918 and was buried in the Five Mile Creek cemetery near Allen, Oklahoma.

We don't know who first moved to Harrah, Oklahoma. Molly Gillaspy Alexander lived most of her adult life in Harrah, Stella Gillaspy Cole also lived there and perhaps their father, Harvey Allen Gillaspy (he would be around 70 years old in 1930). The 1930 census indicates that Myrtie, at age 44 was a widow with seven children living on a rented farm ($6 a month) just outside of Harrah. Doc Sewell was working as a night watchman at a freight plant as of April 12th 1930. Mettie Mae cleaned houses for people, some as far away as Oklahoma City (20 miles). The town people knew and liked the Sewell family and granted them credit at the local store and butcher shop. The oldest of Press's children, Lando Preston, married Pearl McGlocklin and they lived on North street in a $7 a month rented house. Myrtie had her first grandchild, Ruthie Mae on January 5th, 1928. Many, many more were to come.

For Christmas one year Mittie Mae bought gifts for the entire family. (One of these dolls was given to me at the time of Mitt's death in 1961). I gave the "Charlie or Charleen" doll, depending on what the doll wore at the time, to Ruthie Mae shortly before she died in 1996 in Carson City, Nevada. Her sister, Lela Knowland in Tulsa now has it. Myrtie made all the children's clothes by hand. With the financial help of the older children, Myrtie kept her family fed, clothed and happy.

The oil boom was going on during the 1930s in east Texas. Myrtie's brother, Ted Gillaspy, may have been the first to go there seeking work. It's not known if Myrtie moved to east Texas, around Joinerville, but Doc, Ola, Neeley, Ella and Cora lived a short time in east Texas. Doc married 14 year old Bobbie Lee Hunnicutt (b. 12 Sep 1920 in Coleman, Texas) around 1935. Bobbie had three sisters, Ruth, Edna and Patsy. The four Hunnicutt sisters and the Sewell sisters made life long friends. Ella Sewell Caraway often said that Bobbie Lee was her best friend. Cora Sewell and Patsy Hunnicutt were also the best of friends, even after the Sewell sisters moved back to Harrah. Doc and Bobbie lived the rest of their lives in the Joinerville area. They gave Myrtie her next grandchild, Harley Allen born 27 November 1935 in Gregg County, Texas and two years later had Marvin Dean (Buddy) in 1937. Not to be outdone, Cornelia (Neeley) married a man named Ginn in 1935 and produced Carole Jane Ginn forn 19 July 1936 and two years later came Teddie Ray Ginn. Thier sister, Ola married a man named Smith that lived in the Houston area, but had no children and died in 1945. Mettie Mae married a Shawnee indian gentleman named Floyd Bradley (Shortie) and lived their adult lives in the Harrah area. While Mitt and Shortie did not have any children, several of Lando's children, Ruthie, Lela and Bobbie Gene were frequent visitors. After Neeley divorced Ginn, Janie and Teddie Ray often stayed with Mitt. All of Myrti's grandchildren can relay the stories of Mitt and her kitchen "antics". Shortie adored all his nieces and nephews. He taught almost every one of them to drive a car and ride a horse, either Beauty or Champion. He loved all animals.

In 1933, James Harvey Gillaspy died in Harrah. His obituary stated that he had been living with his daughter, Mrs. Sewell. He had been a true pioneer in the early settlement of southern Oklahoma. He had had six children with Sarah Jane Shackelford and all had lived long lives. Charley married Maggie Cannon and Clara married Walter Ford and had moved to Texas with their spouses. Stella married Victor Cole and lived in California for some time then returned to Harrah. Molly married Ken Alexander of Harrah, and Lester Lee married Bessie Alexander. They all attended their father's funeral. Grandpa Gillaspy was put to rest next to his wife, Sarah, at Five Mile Creek cemetery near Allen, Oklahoma. In the 1950's Mitt and Shortie made headstones out of cement for all the family members. I believe those markers are still there in Allen. (Ola Smith's headstone that Mitt and Shortie made is still standing in Memory Lane cemetery in Harrah).

Ella and Cora were the last two daughters to get married. Cora married Lewis Lester Jilge on August 9th, 1937 and Ella married Benjamin Caraway. Neeley had remarried for the third time to Ernest Kimball. Ella had two daughters, Dorothy (b. 1941) and Cindy (b. 1954), and lived her adult life in southern California. The Caraways had moved to California when Dorothy was around five. (According to Patricia Jilge, Dorothy was a Bitter and Grandma scolding her.) Nelley and Ernie had moved to California first and beckoned Ella to come be with her. The Kimball's had three daughters, Linda (b. 1947), Ernest Kay (b. 1949) and Mary (b. 1951) all born in California. Cora and Lewis moved to various Oklahoma cities to find work during the 1940's, but eventually ended up in Harrah as of 1947. Cora and Lewis had three daughters, Barbara Lee (b. 1938), Patricia Ann (b. 1940) and Sharon Kay (b. 1947). They lived next door to Mitt and Shortied at one time, just east of Jaworkski Cheverolet dealership in downtown Harrah next to the railroad tracks. Myrtie had taken a trip to California during the 1940's. Doc and Bobbie were frequent visitors to his mother's home in Harrah, and I believe that she may have visited them in east Texas. Lando's wife, Pearl, had died when their children were small and his family had moved in with Myrtie until he remarried. He was divorced at the time of his death in 1954 (buried in Memory Lane cemetery next to Pearl). Therrell had joined the army and wrote several letters to his mother while being stationed in Arizona. Ella had those letters sent and received by Myrtie. He married maybe once that we know of, to Lorene. He had no children. He died a lonesome death in 1983 in Oklahoma City. He too is buried in Memory Lane cemetery.

In July 1950, after being ill for quite some time with cancer, Myrtie Lee Gillaspy Sewell died at the age of 64. She is fondly remembered for her sugar cookies, her lavender scent, her long gray hair she kept in a bun and her loving arms. She was a Methodist all her life and taught songs from her past to all her children. Several of her children played the piano and guitar, Doc played the mandolin, Neeley played the piano, and Ella played the guitar. Myrtie had made a loving home for all her children, taken care of her father in his later years, tended her grandchildren and had "loved the man of her life" as she told many of her family. She is buried in Memory Lane cemetery which is appropriate, because she will never be forgotten.

Picture taken around 1911

Front: L-R: Lester Lee (Ted) Gillaspy, Clara Gillaspy Ford holding Herman Ford, Pres Sewell, Myrtie Gillaspy Sewell holding Harvey Allen (Doc) Sewell (b. Oct. 1909), Lando Preston Sewell, Dee Hampton-Grandma's cousin, Mary Catherine (Molly) Gillaspy Alexander, Mittie Mae Sewell (b. Nov. 1907), Stell Alexander-Molly's son, Charley Gillaspy, Ralph Gillock-cousin Rose Gillaspy's son, Jess Cannon. Maggie's sister, Stella Gillaspy Cole, Grandma Gillaspy (Sarah Jane Shackelford) and Maggie Cannon Gillaspy-Charlie's wife.

Obituaries
James Harvey Gillaspy
James Harvey Gillaspy, 89 year old, father of Mrs. Myrtie Sewell, suffered a stroke of paralysis last Friday, and passed away Sunday afternoon. He had been living with Mrs. Sewell since last January. The funeral services were held Monday at Steedman, 16 miles east of Ada, his old home. The deceased is survived by one siter, Mrs. Mary Keller, Oklahoma City, and two sons, Charlie, of Fort Worth, Texas and Lester of Henderson, Texas and three other daughters, Mrs. Walter Ford, Granite, Okla; Mrs. Victor Cole, Anadarko, Okla; and Mrs. S. K. Alexander, Harrah. The sympathy of the church and community is extended to the bereaved ones.
[Source: Harrah Herald ]

Myrtle Sewell
Mrs. Myrtle Sewell Passes Away, Friday, July 7
Mrs. Myrtle Sewell was born at Lone Grove, Okla., March 7, 1886 and departed this life July 7, 1950 at Harrah, Oklahoma at the age of 64 years and 4 months. Death was due to cancer. Mrs. Sewell was a member of the Methodist church, joining early in life. Mrs. Sewell better known as "Mother Sewell" to all her friends, lived a true Christian life. Her husband passed away in February 1926. Mrs. Sewell and her children came to Harrah in September 1926 and has made Harrah her home. She leaves to mourn her going her seven children: L. P. Sewell of Harrah; H. A. Sewell, of Henderson, Texas; T. R. Sewell of Oklahoma City; Mrs. Floyd Bradley, Harrah, Mrs. Ernie Kimball, Downey, Calif., Mrs. Ben Caroway, of Bell, California; Mrs. Lewie Jilge of Harrah; two brothers, Charley Gillaspy, Ft. Worth, Texas; Ted Gillaspy of Wheatland; 13 grandchildren, 2 great grand children. Numerous other relatives and a host of friends. Rev. Gloyd Lukehart, conducted services. Tuesday afternoon at the Harrah Baptist church. Burial was in the Harrah cemetery.

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WILLIAM PRESTON (PRESS) SEWELL
Born, raised, married and died in Indian Territory, my grandfather’s short life did not span any further than this area; but his children and grandchildren have spread his name throughout the states of Oklahoma, Texas, California, Washington and elsewhere. According to his WWI registration, he was born 4 May 1881 in Indian Territory. (His grave marker indicates 1883.) His parents were W. H. Sewell and Mary Hart that were married in Montague County, Texas on 23 Aug 1877. No evidence has been uncovered that either one were of Indian blood, but the high cheek bones and dark complexions on their children, do indicate the possibility. Press (as he liked to be called) had six siblings: Sam Houston Sewell [unk], Wallace Sampson Sewell [1878-1942], Joseph Calvin Sewell [1883-1949], Loretta [1887-1934] (Lottie) Sewell Lambert, James [Jim] Sewell [1892-195?] and Virgle Sewell [1895-?]. The Sewell family has a reunion each year the first Saturday in June in Ardmore, earlier years it was held in Ada.

Press’s personal information begins with the 1900 federal census. Six of the children are located in the present day northwest section of Marshall County: Township 5, South Range 4 East, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory. Wallace and Press were working for Abner Edgmon, Joe Calvin was working for McSimpon Farm adjacent to Edgmon’s. Lottie is living with Charles and Mary Burton in Township 5, SR, 3 East; and James is living with the Cox family near the Burton family. Both Lottie and James are recorded as orphans on the hand-written census documents. Virgle and Sam Houston cannot be located at this time. None of the children found in the 1900 census could read or write. We can only conclude that their father either died or abandoned them; their mother, Mary Sewell [1856-1941] Mollie as she liked to be called, re-appears in the 1910 federal census with James and Virgle living with her and her new husband (married in 1903), W. P. (Shorty) Geasland [1856-1938] in Holford, Marshall County, Oklahoma.

Another person of interest on the 1900 census in Township 4, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, was fourteen year old, Myrtie Lee Gillaspy. It is obvious that Myrtie and Press met during the early 1900s in or around these small towns. Myrtie did not record how old she was when she married on the 1930 census, but we found their marriage license [#1041 - C. M. Campbell, Clerk of the United States Court] recorded in the Southern District, Indian Territory dated July 13, 1904. The marriage took place on 15 July 1904 by F. Stanford. Both bride and groom reported they lived in the Conway, I.T. area at the time and were 21 and 18 years of age. Myrtie was indeed 18 in 1904, but we believe Press may have been older than 21. It has been my observation that people did not keep track of how old they were from year-to-year and sometimes guessed their current age but knew what month and day they were born.

The next record we might find is the 1910 census, but it can not be found at this time.

In September 1918 according to the WWI registration, the family had residence in Kiowa, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma and Press was working as a driver (horse or truck unknown) for McAlester Elevator and Coal Company in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. He was medium height, slender build, brown eyes and dark complexion with no physical impairments, white, a natural born citizen and married. He was able to read and write.

On the 1920 census we find Press and Myrtie living in Allen, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma with six children: Lando Preston (14), Mittie Mae (12), Harvey Allen (10), Mary Ola (8), Cornelia [Neeley] 3, and Ella Bell a baby. The parents grieved the lost of Leo, Cornelus [twin to Cornelia], Della [twin to Ella] and another baby, perhaps still born. In a span of 15 years, Myrtie had given birth 8 times, with two sets of twins. In 1921 and then again in 1923, Myrtie and Press had two more children: Cora Lee Sewell [my mother] and Therrell Redwine Sewell. Myrtie had difficulty with the last delivery and had a pinched nerve in her leg which resulted in a limp the rest of her life.

Sometime around 1924, the Sewell family moved to Steedman,(a) Oklahoma. On a cold winter day in 1926 while cutting down trees with his sons and other men, a branch fell and landed on Press’s head. Due to complications of the accident, he died shortly thereafter leaving a 40 year old widow, and eight children ranging in ages from 20 to 3. William Preston Sewell, in his early-to-mid forties, was buried in Five Mile Creek Cemetery (b) in February 1926 near his deceased children and Myrtie’s mother, Sarah Jane Shackleford Gillaspy [1853-1918]. Myrtie lived the next twenty-four years taking care of her children and grandchildren. When asked by a granddaughter why she did not remarry, her comment was that Press was the love of her life and no man could ever take his place. It’s good to note that he was a true pioneer during perhaps the most difficult of times in Oklahoma history, yet he found a loving wife and adoring children. He will not be forgotten!

All of Press and Myrtie’s children are gone now, but some of their grandchildren live on: Lela Knowland, Teddie Ray Ginn, Barbara Green, Patricia Finney, Lyn Young, Erna Kay Kimball, Mary Kimball, Dorothy Dana, Cynthia Caraway, and Buddy Sewell; over thirty great-grandchildren and scores of great-great-grandchildren all with ancestors that started in Indian Territory, Chickasaw Nation 1881

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(a) STEEDMAN: Formerly Blackrock. 11 miles NE.of Ada. First known as Ford Switch. Post office changed to Steedman Jan. 19, 1910 and discontinued Feb. 15, 1932. Named for E.L.Steed, an Ada buisnessman.

(b) From Ada past the Homer store (Happyland), go east on Highway 1 toward Allen 5.3 miles (Pontotoc county) Turn right and go ½ mi., turn right again and go 1.4 mi. to cemetery sign-Five Mile Cemetery

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Written by Sharon Ferguson, March 2009 (email: jferguson37@cox.net)

Special appreciation goes to Joy Lynn (Joe Calvin Sewell’s granddaughter) for the pictures and stories of her family. Her and her handsome husband tried for years to find Joy’s mother’s biological parents. She and her other siblings had been given up for adoption by their father. The family that adopted her was truly magnificent individuals; but that is Joy’s story to tell.
All of the above submitted by: Sharon Ferguson.

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