John Milton Oskison facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Milton Oskison
|
|
|---|---|
Oklahoma Historical Society photograph
|
|
| Born | September 21, 1874 in or near Vinita, Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory |
| Died | February 25, 1947 (aged 72) Tulsa, Oklahoma |
| Alma mater | Willie Halsell College, Stanford University |
| Genre | novel, biography |
| Subject | Oklahoma, Texas, Native Americans |
| Spouse | Florence Ballard Day Hildegarde Hawthorne |
| Children | 2 |
John Milton Oskison (1874–1947) was a Native American author, editor, and journalist. He wrote stories about the challenges faced by people with mixed heritage, like himself.
A Young Writer's Journey
John Milton Oskison was born in 1874 in the Cherokee Nation. His father was English, and his mother was part-Cherokee. He grew up near Vinita, Oklahoma.
John went to Willie Halsell College in Vinita. There, he became friends with the famous humorist Will Rogers. After that, he attended Stanford University. He was the first Native American student to graduate from Stanford in 1898. While at Stanford, he led the Stanford Literary Society.
He then studied at Harvard for a year. But his writing career took off quickly! His short story, "Only the Master Shall Praise," won a big competition. This helped him become a professional writer.
Becoming a Journalist
After college, John became an editorial writer for the New York Evening Post. In 1903, he married Florence Ballard Day. The next year, another one of his short stories, "The Greater Appeal," won the Black Cat Prize.
In 1907, John started working for Collier's Weekly. By 1910, he became their financial editor. This meant he wrote about money and business for the magazine.
Later Life and Works
John Oskison served in World War I with the American Expeditionary Force. This was a group of American soldiers sent to fight in Europe.
After the war, in 1920, he was still in France. He and his first wife separated. When he returned to the United States, John married Hildegarde Hawthorne. She was also a novelist, meaning she wrote books.
John decided not to go back to Collier's. Instead, he became an independent writer. He wrote four novels and a biography about Sam Houston. He also wrote a history book about Tecumseh. During the Great Depression, he helped edit a project about Oklahoma.
When he passed away in 1947, some of his writings were not yet published. His daughter later gave his papers to the University of Oklahoma. These writings were found again in 2007 and then published for everyone to read.
Honors and Recognition
John Milton Oskison has been honored in several ways:
- In 1995, Stanford University started the John Milton Oskison Writing Competition. This contest is held every year.
- In 2008, a crater on the planet Mercury was named after him!
