Several branches of my husband’s family migrated from Missouri to Oklahoma in the early 1900’s. A couple arrived just before statehood in the 1900-1905 time frame, while others arrived shortly after Oklahoma became a state in 1907.

John Houston Sturgell was one of those who settled in the new state of Oklahoma. Houston, as he was called by the family, was born 15 April 1882 in Barry County, Missouri, the son of Abijah Houston Sturgell and Martha Susannah Alberty.

He married Della Brooks on 12 November 1902, also in Barry County. Their sons, Louis and Luther, were both born in Missouri in 1904 and 1906, respectively. However, the family first appears together in the 1910 census of Lincoln, Caddo County, Oklahoma, which was just under 400 miles away from Cato, Barry County, Missouri where the family had lived.

Houston was my mother-in-law’s uncle, but I don’t know too much about him or his family. However, his youngest brother, Andrew Herman Sturgell, known as Bud, shared some family pictures with me back in the 1980’s. I have no idea who wrote “Hermon Sturgell & and mother Martha Huston place” on this photograph. However, Bud Sturgell was born in 1898 and Martha Susannah Alberty Sturgell died 10 July 1916 in Barry County.

John Houston Sturgell Home, Caddo County, OK

Houston Sturgell’s family eventually moved on to Chickasha, Grady County, Oklahoma. However, the 1910 census and Houston’s 1917 World War I draft registration card place his residence in those years in Caddo County.

Bud Sturgell looks to be an older teen and Martha died in 1916 so I believe this photo dates from around 1914-1916. They must have made a visit or perhaps even lived with Houston’s family for a short time.

This looks like true frontier living in early Oklahoma!