John Milton Oskison
John Milton Oskison was an influential writer and journalist born in 1874 in Vinita, Indian Territory, now part of Oklahoma. He graduated with a B.A. from Stanford University and later attended Harvard University. Oskison served in the military during World War I, achieving the rank of lieutenant. He began his literary career while at Stanford, gaining recognition for his short stories that depicted life in the Cherokee Indian territory, including the award-winning piece "Only the Master Shall Praise." His works often highlight the experiences of Native Americans and the impact of displacement due to encroaching American policies.
While Oskison's novels, including "Wild Harvest" and "Black Jack Davy," received mixed reviews, his final novel, "Brothers Three," was praised for its depth and character development. In addition to fiction, he published collections of Cherokee tales and wrote biographies of notable figures like Sam Houston and Tecumseh. Oskison passed away in 1947, leaving behind a body of work significant for its historical insight into Native American life and culture.
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Subject Terms
John Milton Oskison
Writer
- Born: September 21, 1874
- Birthplace: Vinita, Indian Territory (now in Oklahoma)
- Died: February 25, 1947
- Place of death: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Biography
John Milton Oskison was born in 1874 to John Oskison and Rachel Crittenden Oskison in Vinita, Indian Territory, now the state of Oklahoma. He received a B.A. from Stanford University in 1898 and attended Harvard University from 1898 through and 1899. He served in the North American cavalry and infantry and the American Expeditionary Forces in France during World War I, attaining the rank of lieutenant. In 1903, he married Florence Ballard Day, whom he later divorced, and he married the author Hildegarde Hawthorne in 1920.
Oskison’s Native American heritage was unknown when he gained popularity for his depictions of life in the Cherokee Indian territory of the United States. He began writing short stories in popular magazines while at Stanford University. In 1989, he won Century magazine’s 1989 prize for student writers for “Only the Master Shall Praise,” a short story set in the Indian Territory about the friendship between a cowboy of Cherokee and white descent and a white ranch hand. The story was particularly praised for its accurate dialect.
After spending a year pursuing literary studies at Harvard, Oskison moved to New York City to become a journalist. He was a writer and editor for the New York Evening Post and Collier’s Weekly magazine, writing articles and short stories focusing primarily on life in the American frontier. Oskison’s first novel, Wild Harvest: A Novel of Transition Days in Oklahoma, was the first of his novels to be set in the Indian Territory.
Oskison’s novels are less highly regarded than his short stories, which provide a more realistic portrayal of the tribal customs in Indian Territory and the impact of displacement on Native Americans as the United States government gradually encroached upon their territory. Critics argued that Oskison’s novels Wild Harvest and Black Jack Davy were contrived, with unconvincing plots and stilted characters. However, his final novel, the autobiographical Brothers Three, was better received and praised for its style, characterization, and fully developed plot. This novel tells the story of a white father, a Cherokee mother, and their three sons, who return to their farm in Indian Territory and find spiritual renewal by living on the land.
In addition to his novels, Oskison also published collections of Cherokee and American Indian tales and wrote biographies of Sam Houston and Tecumseh. He died in 1947. Oskison’s writings are considered important for their historical value.