The following is a transcript of a history written by Zella Mae Cochran Hogan in the mid to late 1980s. The transcriber is her grandson, Darwin Lloyd Stull. Transcription made from the original 24 April 2016. Punctuation and capitalization taken from original.
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Zella Hogan Cochran
Kate Frank Manor
Muskogee, Ok 74401
682-5464
In 1895 an Aunt of mine came to Indian Territory to teach in the Indian Boarding Schools Miss Alice Robertson established. Early in 1900 Miss Alice established a photographic studio in Muskogee and hired my two Uncles to run it. This brought my Grandmother, Sarah Palmer, to make her home in Muskogee.
Grace and Albert Cochran, my parents, came to Muskogee, I. T. in 1901 bringing with them three daughters and one son. My two older Sisters were born in South Dakota, and my brother and I were born in Siloam Springs, Ark. I, Zella, was born February 11, 1898. Our trip to Muskogee was in a wagon with a friend, Otis, Hogan. Mr. Hogan was willing to bring us since he was familiar with the trip, having hauled apples and prior visits. One year later The Hogan Family move to Muskogee.
About 1905 Miss Robertson was appointed Postmistress and closed her studio. In 1910 she built her home—Sawokla— a creek word meaning ?the gathering place?. In 1913 she opened a cafeteria for working women only. I was hired to help make salads and serve with my pay being fifty cents a day. The men wanted to eat there too. She soon opened at 3rd and Wall serving three meals a day open to all. This site furnished many gallons of coffee and countless sandwiches served to troops passing through on the Katy. I was helping before and after school.
During this time we moved and our friend, Otis Hogan, became our neighbor. His Son, Huston, attended St. Josephs and I was in public school; therefore our chances to meet were delayed. It was later revealed that once when I was visiting his home to offer food and condolences on a family death, that he saw me and told his Father that he was going to marry me. Soon he called for a date and in time
we were going steady. Many Sunday afternoons we spent riding in a horse drawn buggy through the outskirts of Muskogee. We often passed a farm west of town with a hilltop and a beautiful view. He would remark that someday he planned to own that place. Uncle Sam interrupted our courtship, and Huston served in both Germany and France. During this time I worked in Washington, D. C. in the Finance Department. War and Washington behind us we both returned to Muskogee and began making wedding plans. Miss Alice insisted that we be married at ?Sawokla?. With a background of dogwood blossoms the ceremony took place April 21, 1920. While on a short honeymoon trip I broke out with poison ivy—needless to say the groom wondered what was wrong. We started a Chick Hatchery business in 1922 and expanded to one of the largest in the state. Early in 1949 the farm site mentioned earlier was for sale and soon became our property. In 1950 we moved to the farm and raised Charloais cattle and kept a large flock of laying hens. We were both active in 4-H Club Work, served on the school board, and worked for Bethany Presbyterian Church. I had joined in 1907 and Huston after our marriage. We entered marriage with great hopes for a long life together and continued these goals for the next fifty three years until Huston?s death in 1973.
Our Daughter, Juanita, was born April 23, 1923 and our Son, Clarence, Nov. 25, 1928. Juanita was married to Lt. Bill Stull on Nov. 10, 1942—the same day he received his Wings. They had two sons and though Juanita battled cancer for nine years she died in Jan. 1963. Both Sons are happily married and have produced five great grandchildren. Bill remarried and we consider his wife Carolyn and him to be members of our family. Clarence graduated from OU Engineering School and was
commissioned in the Marine Corps in June 1951. He married Jeanne Moorer, his childhood sweetheart and they also had two Sons. One is married and both men are Electrical Engineers and live in the Dallas area. Clarence served thirty years in the Corps and retired in May 1981 as a Colonel. He and Jeanne live in Arlington, Tx.
I now live in Kate Frank Manor, Apartments for Older Persons. I have made many new friends, and still spend much time working with the Church, Home Demonstration Club, and the AWBA. I often visit my Son and his family, and my Sister who lives at University Village in Tulsa. I, too, am trying to be helpful and happy.