By J. M. Hall

© Karolyn Kay Garland 1997

Page # 52

He was not married when he came to Tulsa. We can testify he was one of the best early day boosters we had in Tulsa. In trying to locate any enterprise that would be for the building up of Tulsa no man here did more to locate this enterprise than Dr. Kennedy. He always was enthusiastic. I can imagine I see him making an earnest plea before the Tulsa Commercial club to raise money to secure the payment of a bonus to the M. K. & T. railroad, in 1902, to have them run their line through Tulsa. He certainly was one of the live boosters. Tulsa today owes much to Dr. Kennedy for helping to lay the foundation by planing and building and boosting for our wonderful city of today.

The old timers will always remember him and his brother, Jim, for the big barbecue dinner in 1921 at Dr. Kennedy's pioneer camp. And they will never forget the good time we had together. It was here in 1921 that the Pioneer Association was organized. Doctor Kennedy was our first president. Recently the association has obtained a charter. A new set of by-laws will be presented at our next meeting for adoption which are more liberal than the old by-laws. The attendance at our last meeting at Dr. Kennedy's camp was the largest meeting we have had.

Dr. Kennedy practiced medicine here so long he probably knows more of the old pioneers than anyone in Tulsa. He can call the father and mother by their given names and all the children as he welcomed many of them into this world.

He loves his home and family and has given all his children good educational advantages. Joe, the youngest son, will graduate from Harvard this year.

3,200 thankful hearts went out to you for the fine memorial Chimes you placed in the First Presbyterian church. 3,200 men, women, boys and girls will always remember you if you mention the First Presbyterian Endowment Fund in your will.

"UNCLE BEN'S" ERROR

"Uncle Ben" Bozier represented the Caruth-Burns Hardware Co of St. Louis in this territory before Tulsa was located and afterwards was a regular caller on the new town. He made trips to McAlester when there was only a shack for a hotel. He got in late one night there and the clerk was forced to put him in a bed with another man. Uncle Ben was always considerate so he undressed in the dark and quietly slipped under the covers. The figure next to him turned slightly and a woman's voice asked. "How long have you been in colonel?" Uncle Ben dressed in record time and, with the clerk's assistance, found his correct bed.

FIRST POLICEMEN AND EARLY OUTLAWS

When Dr. Leo Bennett was Indian agent about 1889 Tulsa had no peace officer other than the United States marshals and the Indian light horsemen Doctor Bennett appointed a number of Indian policemen for the various towns in the Creek Nation.

Shawnee Hardridge was named the first policeman for Tulsa, subject to the orders of the Indian agent. Although a small fellow, he was brave. Almost the first day he was on duty a message was received from Neosho, Mo., to be on the alert for a man who had shipped a team, a wagon and several extra head of horses to Tulsa.

Before the message was turned over to Shawnee the man had unloaded his outfit at the stockyards and started north. Shawnee pressed a big Dutchman into service and the two took the trail after their man, They overtook him on the north side of Bird creek, beyond Skiatook.

Shawnee rode alongside the wagon and saw two men on the seat. He jerked our his six-shooter and commanded the men to throw up their hands. A shot delivered in lightning-like fashion was his answer. The bullet dropped Shawnee's horse, piercing its head. Shawnee shot almost as quickly and killed the man on his side in the seat. He turned for an instant to look for the Dutchman, and saw he was already on his way back to Tulsa. In this interval the second man escaped.

The dead man was buried in Tulsa and the horses and wagon returned to the man in Neosho from whom they had been stolen. The remaining horses were placed in the McElroy livery barn and never claimed.

CREEKS SLEW EACH OTHER

There were spasms of outlawry all through Tulsa's early years. After the Creek Civil war in 1882 two factions remained. Wesley Barnett, and others were on one side. Opposed to them were Muddiloca, Mee Fixico, Big Bird and others who favored strict law enforcement. This latter group was made up of men considerably older than their opponents.

Some of the younger element had committed