Sequoyah’s burial site may have been located
-Sequoyah County Times March 8, 2001
From the files ofYour Sequoyah County Times
25 years ago
(From the March 8,2001, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —Hastings Shade, the vice-chief of the Cherokee Nation and a descendant of Sequoyah, said he might make a trip to Mexico after a researcher claimed the inventor of the Cherokee alphabet is buried in a cave near Sara Rosa.
Dr. Charles Rogers, a Brownsville, Texas, physician, said he thinks he may have solved the mystery of where Sequoyah is buried. Historians have always suspected Sequoyah was buried in Mexico in the early 1840s, but the exact spot was not known for more than 150 years. Rogers said he is encouraging Shade to visit the cave where Rogers believes Sequoyah was interred.
Sequoyah, who is best known for creating the Cherokee alphabet, became one of the most important people in Oklahoma history, was a resident of Sequoyah County before it was a county. Although no one knows what he looked like, a portrait of Sequoyah hangs in the sate Capitol and a statue is displayed in the nations capitol.
In recent reports, Rogers said he believes Sequoyah could be buried in a rock-covered grave in a cave near the lost village of Sara Rosa. Rogers said a 96-year-old woman directed him to the suspected gravesite by describing a water spring, a creek and the cave. She drew him a map, he said.
Rogers also reported he was told a stone in the cave which could bear the written name of Sequoyah was removed from the cave by a family two generations ago in fear that the grave would be vandalized.
50 Years Ago
(From the March 4,1976,1975, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —The CB Shack, specializing in citizens band radios, is now open for business in Sallisaw, manager Murel Copeland announced Tuesday.
He and Corky Thompson will install the CB units, which include such brand names as Royce, Cobra, Hy-Gain, Fulcomm, Midland Bowman and X-Tal.
In addition to CB radios the CB Shack has in-dash and under-dash radios and tape players.
75 Years Ago
(From the March 9,1951, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —City Manager Fred E. Johnston said today that the Board of City Commissioners took no action at their regular meeting Wednesday to remove the parking meter stands from the sidewalks. It had been the general supposition over town that the city would act immediately to force the Magee_ Hale Park-O-Meter Company to remove the posts that they installed in the business district in Sallisaw on an illegal contract that was declared void by Judge E.G. Carroll.
Several local business men said they felt this proved true the statement published in the Fort Smith Times Record to the effect that the city would continue to play ball with Magee_Hale by drawing up a new contract with them should the impending referendum election be given a negative vote.
Local business men were quick to point out that apparently from the article the City Commissioners will not negotiate with any other company in an effort to save the taxpayers money by securing a lower price but would continue to give the Magee-Hale Company a price advantage.
100 years ago
(From the March 5,1926, issue of the Sequoyah County Democrat) —Justice of the Peace James McLaughlin yesterday dropped the charge filed on Feb. 1, 1926, against June Mahan, well known citizen of Moffett, charging adultery. The woman named in the original case was Stella West. The charge was filed by County Attorney Harry D. Pitchford, upon complaint entered by Martin Miller. When the case was brought into court, the evidence introduced did not appear to be sufficient to justify holding the two parties named. The witnesses for the state were not positive enough in their statements and the evidence appeared to be hearsay and neighborhood gossip.
—Music lovers hereabout will be delighted to learn that Sallisaw will have an opportunity to listen to the Fort Smith Symphony Orchestra, Sunday afternoon in the high school auditorium. The orchestra is being brought here under the auspices of the First Methodist Church and the proceeds derived from the concert will go to their building fund.
