Grove Beginnings...Part 3
Businesses and Homes in the Grove Town Plat
By Rose Stauber
Business in Grove in 1906 was centered in the area of Third Street and Main and near the railroad station. We haven't mentioned the railroad before, but the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad had bought the line built from Rogers, Ark., through Southwest City to Dodge out on Cowskin Prairie to Grove.
The line opened in 1900 and was important for moving passengers and cargo until trucks and cars took over the job. It was closed in 1940 and the tracks were removed. The right of way is still visible in various places across the prairie and on the east edge of town. The depot was located on the west side of Main Street about First Street. A turntable was located on the line so that the engine could be manually turned around and headed back to Rogers.
Two hotels are found on the plat. One was the Corey Hotel in Block 17 on the west side of Main Street. Charles H. Corey had a livery barn in Lot 1 valued at $400. His wife Nancy is listed for the frame hotel valued at $800 in Lot 2. Both Coreys were white. Two frame houses once owned by the Coreys are still on the property and owned by descendants. Charles was a Union veteran of the Civil War from Iowa.
The other hotel was owned by a long-time resident of the Grove area. William P. Mayes was the half-brother of the two Mayes who were chiefs of the Cherokee Nation. He had established a post office at Olympus, southeast of Grove, in 1885. It was closed and the mail sent to Grove in 1895. That could be when Mayes decided to move to the developing town. Mayes' hotel was on Lots 1 and 2, Block 16, and was a frame building estimated to be worth $1,800. He owned two frame houses in Block 16 and two box houses and a barn valued at $300 in Block 15.
In Block 16 William H. Doherty had a stone building valued at $4,000. Next door he and John H. Gibson owned a stone building worth $500 more. Next door to that the Citizens Bank of Grove was housed in a brick building estimated at $2,500. The cashier was a William M. Jones who is listed as an agent in a number of lot sales.
Four men shared equally in a brick store building estimated value $1,500. They were Samuel J. Salyer, John H. Gibson, William P. Mayes, and William T. Melton.
Finally, on Lots 8 and 9, Block 16, Mayes had 40 bearing fruit trees on each.
The Bank of Grove, incorporated, Walter E. Ross, cashier, had a brick bank building like the other bank, value $2,500, in Block 17. A blacksmith shop, stores, and stone foundations also were going up. Rebecca J. Broaddus had a $400 frame house on two lots. The holdings of Letha Tabler, widow of Dr. Peter Tabler, show that some of the area had been long occupied. She had five lots in Block 20 with two box sheds, a frame house on two lots and a barn.
Letha, a Cherokee, is said to be buried beside her husband in Olympus Cemetery, but her grave is unmarked. Dr. Tabler came from what is now West Virginia and served in the Union army. Letha was his second Cherokee wife.
Annie Snell had a box house, a well, and a barn on two lots in Block 27. Annie was the mother of William P. Mayes.
One of the persons living the longest in the Grove area was George M. Ward.The well-known Quaker minister, Jerry Hubbard, had held services at Ward's place over the years. Unfortunate with his wives, Ward had been married five times.
Edmond D. Carey is something of a surprise to find in Grove. The heir to Carey's Ferry owned lots 15 and 16, Block 35, which were occupied by three box sheds and two frame houses. The ferry was about two miles northwest of Grove on Grand River.
Sarah B. Cheek, a white and a widow, understood the rules of the game. She had the land in the name of her son, Pleasant J. Cheek, with herself as guardian. She bought lots 7 and 8 in Block 49. The Cheek family allotment was on the northwest corner of what became Grove. One lot of particular interest was contested. A later column will address this. The coming column will be about the founder of Grove.
Copyright © 2007 Rose Stauber
By Rose Stauber
Business in Grove in 1906 was centered in the area of Third Street and Main and near the railroad station. We haven't mentioned the railroad before, but the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad had bought the line built from Rogers, Ark., through Southwest City to Dodge out on Cowskin Prairie to Grove.
The line opened in 1900 and was important for moving passengers and cargo until trucks and cars took over the job. It was closed in 1940 and the tracks were removed. The right of way is still visible in various places across the prairie and on the east edge of town. The depot was located on the west side of Main Street about First Street. A turntable was located on the line so that the engine could be manually turned around and headed back to Rogers.
Two hotels are found on the plat. One was the Corey Hotel in Block 17 on the west side of Main Street. Charles H. Corey had a livery barn in Lot 1 valued at $400. His wife Nancy is listed for the frame hotel valued at $800 in Lot 2. Both Coreys were white. Two frame houses once owned by the Coreys are still on the property and owned by descendants. Charles was a Union veteran of the Civil War from Iowa.
The other hotel was owned by a long-time resident of the Grove area. William P. Mayes was the half-brother of the two Mayes who were chiefs of the Cherokee Nation. He had established a post office at Olympus, southeast of Grove, in 1885. It was closed and the mail sent to Grove in 1895. That could be when Mayes decided to move to the developing town. Mayes' hotel was on Lots 1 and 2, Block 16, and was a frame building estimated to be worth $1,800. He owned two frame houses in Block 16 and two box houses and a barn valued at $300 in Block 15.
In Block 16 William H. Doherty had a stone building valued at $4,000. Next door he and John H. Gibson owned a stone building worth $500 more. Next door to that the Citizens Bank of Grove was housed in a brick building estimated at $2,500. The cashier was a William M. Jones who is listed as an agent in a number of lot sales.
Four men shared equally in a brick store building estimated value $1,500. They were Samuel J. Salyer, John H. Gibson, William P. Mayes, and William T. Melton.
Finally, on Lots 8 and 9, Block 16, Mayes had 40 bearing fruit trees on each.
The Bank of Grove, incorporated, Walter E. Ross, cashier, had a brick bank building like the other bank, value $2,500, in Block 17. A blacksmith shop, stores, and stone foundations also were going up. Rebecca J. Broaddus had a $400 frame house on two lots. The holdings of Letha Tabler, widow of Dr. Peter Tabler, show that some of the area had been long occupied. She had five lots in Block 20 with two box sheds, a frame house on two lots and a barn.
Letha, a Cherokee, is said to be buried beside her husband in Olympus Cemetery, but her grave is unmarked. Dr. Tabler came from what is now West Virginia and served in the Union army. Letha was his second Cherokee wife.
Annie Snell had a box house, a well, and a barn on two lots in Block 27. Annie was the mother of William P. Mayes.
One of the persons living the longest in the Grove area was George M. Ward.The well-known Quaker minister, Jerry Hubbard, had held services at Ward's place over the years. Unfortunate with his wives, Ward had been married five times.
Edmond D. Carey is something of a surprise to find in Grove. The heir to Carey's Ferry owned lots 15 and 16, Block 35, which were occupied by three box sheds and two frame houses. The ferry was about two miles northwest of Grove on Grand River.
Sarah B. Cheek, a white and a widow, understood the rules of the game. She had the land in the name of her son, Pleasant J. Cheek, with herself as guardian. She bought lots 7 and 8 in Block 49. The Cheek family allotment was on the northwest corner of what became Grove. One lot of particular interest was contested. A later column will address this. The coming column will be about the founder of Grove.
Copyright © 2007 Rose Stauber
posted by Editor | 1:46 AM
1 Comments:
The series of Grove history is fascinating and hopefully can,in the future, be compiled into a book. Thank you for publishing Ms. Stauber's writing and thank you Ms. Stauber for researching and writing the story.
I grew up and went to school for 12 years in Cherokee, Alfalfa County, Oklahoma. The County Historical Society solicited short stories from anyone who had families that settled and lived in the County. The HS then edited, compiled and published the stories along with many pictures of early day buildings, both city and farm, and other artifacts submitted by Alfalfa Countians. They have since published a second edition that makes for excellent reading.
Perhaps that would make a worthy project for the Delaware County Historical Society.
Will Winder
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