James Riley Wilson could not have realized that, years in the future, he would inadvertently have a hand in the creation of Colcord, a community of 800 located in southeastern Delaware County. During the summer of 1901, Wilson who lived near Thomasville, Missouri, 20 miles from the Arkansas border, had decided to join his brother. In Indian Territory. Selling his farm and loading his worldly possessions into two wagons and a buggy, James, his wife, two daughters and a son, followed trails southwest across the Boston Mountains to a farm area about 10 miles west of Cherokee City, Arkansas, as the crow flies.
The location where he chose to settle was in a region that held a great degree of historical significance to Northeastern Oklahoma. Cherokee Indians, the “old settlers,” had moved into the region in the early 1830s, followed by some of the survivors of the Trail of Tears during the summer of 1839. Many had stopped there after receiving “bread money” and establishing homes and farms. Later, in the 1840s, the Hildebrand/Beck mill was constructed further south on Flint Creek. During the ebb and flow of the Civil War in Indian Territory, the mill had been taken over by Union troops and used as a prison for Confederates. After the war in 1878, the mill would be the scene of the killing of Polly Beck and the accused Zeke Proctor would be at the center of another historic incident, the Goingsnake Massacre.
This history may have made an impression on James Wilson, but after his arrival he became more concerned about traveling all the way to Cherokee City for supplies and mail. So, in the spring of 1902 he and his wife opened a small grocery store and later added dry goods. The venture proved to be successful and, since the nearest post office was at Cherokee City, Wilson acquired the necessary signatures to apply for one at the store. His application had indicated that the post office be named Ross for his son. But apparently James penmanship was difficult to read because when the approved application was returned the post office had been designated as Row. Despite the mix up on the name Row filled a need for the surrounding area. In addition to Wilson’s store and the post office, Row boasted a barber shop, corn and grist mill, blacksmith shop, small hotel, and a millinery store. There also was a school house that doubled as a church on weekends. The community thrived in the early decades of the 1900s, but that would soon change.
In 1915, Charles Albert Burbage had been employed to carry mail from the post office twice weekly to its 85 rural customers. As time passed, Charles began acquiring land and in the early 1920s when an announcement was made that a state road, Highway 116, would be developed one mile south of Row, the enterprising Burbage designed a 65 acre town plat adjacent to it. The road would connect U.S. Highway 59 with Gentry, Arkansas and Burbage saw considerable economic possibilities for a new community. Time passed, the community grew as he anticipated and became known as “Little Tulsa.” In the meantime, an Oklahoma City millionaire, Charles Colcord had purchased a large ranch west of town. Colcord, a pioneer who had participated in both the Unassigned Land Run of 1889 and the Cherokee Outlet Run of 1893, later amassing a fortune in oil production and was a founding father of Oklahoma City More pertinent to Little Tulsa was the fact that he employed numerous members of the community at the ranch. Consequently, to honor him, citizens of the community of Little Tulsa renamed it Colcord.
By this time it seemed obvious, because of its prime location on Highway 116, that Colcord would grow, but that Row would not. Consequently, members of the Colcord community petitioned to have the Row post office moved to Colcord and, after considerable resistance, it was moved February 1st 1930. Row residents contended that it was “stolen in the night,” but in reality moving after closing and before opening was a United States postal regulation designed to prevent any interruption in service. After that, most of Row’s businesses also moved which might be considered to be James Riley Wilson’s contribution to the development of Colcord.
In many respects Colcord mirrors other communities in Northeastern Oklahoma but there is one unusual exception that sets it apart the Talbot Library and Museum. Previously, reference was made to Cherokee settlers and some of the unique history involving pioneers in the region surrounding Colcord. Through the efforts of the Virgil Talbot family and community members that legacy is continually being reinforced. Established in 1987, the museum includes several outbuildings of historical interest and the library provides outstanding opportunities for historical and genealogical research involving early settlers. Another unique opportunity for reflection and study involving Echoes From The Past in the Cradle of Oklahoma.
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