J. J. McAlester
Encyclopedia
James Jackson McAlester (October 1, 1842 – September 21, 1920) was an American
Confederate Army soldier
and merchant. McAlester is the founder of McAlester, Oklahoma
as well as a primary developer of the coal mining industry in eastern Oklahoma. He served as the United States Marshal for Indian Territory
(1893–1897), one of three members of the first Oklahoma Corporation Commission
(1907–1911) and the second Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
(1911–1915).
and worked as a trader to the Indians.
On August 22, 1872, he married Rebecca Burney (born 1841 in Mississippi - died May 4, 1919, in Oklahoma) a member of the Chickasaw Nation
, this made it possible for him to gain citizenship in and the right to own property in both the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations. Using the knowledge he had gotten from Weldon, he was able to make many lucrative coal claims in the area and to establish what eventually became McAlester Coal Mining Co. His trading company, J. J. McAlester Mercantile Company, was the company store for the miners since much of their pay was issued in the form of scrip
redeemable only at J. J. McAlester Mercantile.
McAlester House
, J. J. McAlester's home in McAlester is on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma
.
He was elected as Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma, and during his tenure McAlester had the occasion to serve as"acting governor of Oklahoma, during the absence of Governor Lee Cruce
from the state, as evidenced by a pardon he issued in 1915 in the case of Sibenaler v. State (1915 OK CR 45).
He died on September 21, 1920 in McAlester. Rebecca Burney predeceased him. They had four children, including a set of twin girls, all born in Indian Territory:
J. J. McAlester, his wife, and three of their four children, are buried in Oak Hill Memorial Park in McAlester. Liza McAlester is buried in North McAlester Cemetery.
in the 1968 novel True Grit
by Charles Portis (and the subsequent 1969 and 2010 feature film versions).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Confederate Army soldier
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
and merchant. McAlester is the founder of McAlester, Oklahoma
McAlester, Oklahoma
McAlester is a city in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 17,783 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pittsburg County. It is currently the largest city in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, followed by Durant....
as well as a primary developer of the coal mining industry in eastern Oklahoma. He served as the United States Marshal for Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
(1893–1897), one of three members of the first Oklahoma Corporation Commission
Oklahoma Corporation Commission
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission is the public utilities commission of the state of Oklahoma run by three state-wide elected Commissioners, assisted by over 400 employees...
(1907–1911) and the second Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
The Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma is the second-highest executive official of the state government of Oklahoma. As first in the gubernatorial line of succession, the Lieutenant Governor becomes the new Governor of Oklahoma upon the death, resignation, or removal of the Governor...
(1911–1915).
Biography
He was born in Sebastian County, Arkansas on October 1, 1842. He grew up in Ft. Smith, Arkansas. After the defeat of the Confederacy he returned to Ft. Smith where he met engineer Oliver Weldon who gave him details of the location of coal deposits in the Cross Roads area of Indian Territory (now the McAlester area of Oklahoma). In 1866 he went to the Choctaw NationChoctaw Nation of Oklahoma
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is a semi-autonomous Native American homeland comprising twelve tribal districts. The Choctaw Nation maintains a special relationship with both the United States and Oklahoma governments...
and worked as a trader to the Indians.
On August 22, 1872, he married Rebecca Burney (born 1841 in Mississippi - died May 4, 1919, in Oklahoma) a member of the Chickasaw Nation
Chickasaw Nation
The Chickasaw Nation is a federally recognized Native American nation, located in Oklahoma. They are one of the members of the Five Civilized Tribes. The Five Civilized Tribes were differentiated from other Indian reservations in that they had semi-autonomous constitutional governments and...
, this made it possible for him to gain citizenship in and the right to own property in both the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations. Using the knowledge he had gotten from Weldon, he was able to make many lucrative coal claims in the area and to establish what eventually became McAlester Coal Mining Co. His trading company, J. J. McAlester Mercantile Company, was the company store for the miners since much of their pay was issued in the form of scrip
Scrip
Scrip is an American term for any substitute for currency which is not legal tender and is often a form of credit. Scrips were created as company payment of employees and also as a means of payment in times where regular money is unavailable, such as remote coal towns, military bases, ships on long...
redeemable only at J. J. McAlester Mercantile.
McAlester House
McAlester House
The McAlester House is an historic house located at 14 East Smith Avenue in McAlester, Oklahoma. Named for its builder and first owner, the colorful J. J. McAlester, for whom McAlester was named, it began in 1870 as a 4-room log house in what was then Indian Territory. J. J...
, J. J. McAlester's home in McAlester is on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma
National Register of Historic Places listings in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, United States...
.
He was elected as Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma, and during his tenure McAlester had the occasion to serve as"acting governor of Oklahoma, during the absence of Governor Lee Cruce
Lee Cruce
Lee Cruce was the second Governor of Oklahoma. Running against Charles N. Haskell in 1907 in the Democratic primaries, Lee would not receive the party's nomination for Oklahoma's first Governor...
from the state, as evidenced by a pardon he issued in 1915 in the case of Sibenaler v. State (1915 OK CR 45).
He died on September 21, 1920 in McAlester. Rebecca Burney predeceased him. They had four children, including a set of twin girls, all born in Indian Territory:
- Liza McAlester, 1873–1874
- Sudie McAlester, 1873–1959
- James Burney "Bunn" McAlester, 1875–1937
- William Berry McAlester, 1879–1937
J. J. McAlester, his wife, and three of their four children, are buried in Oak Hill Memorial Park in McAlester. Liza McAlester is buried in North McAlester Cemetery.
Legacy
J. J. McAlester's store served as the basis for the store visited by U.S. Marshal Rooster CogburnRooster Cogburn (character)
Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn is a fictional character who first appeared in the 1968 Charles Portis novel, True Grit.The novel was adapted into a 1969 film, True Grit, and from that a 1975 sequel entitled Rooster Cogburn was also produced...
in the 1968 novel True Grit
True Grit (novel)
True Grit is a 1968 novel by Charles Portis that was first published as a 1968 serial in The Saturday Evening Post. The novel is told from the perspective of a woman named Mattie Ross who recounts the time when she was 14 years old and sought retribution for the murder of her father by a scoundrel...
by Charles Portis (and the subsequent 1969 and 2010 feature film versions).