The Jesse chisholm room
Although Jesse Chisholm never even lived in Montague County, his life and his work managed to shape the county's history in a way that no other individual ever has.
Chisholm was born in Tennessee in 1805 or 1806, his father a Scottish immigrant and his mother a full-blood Cherokee. Around 1820, Chisholm settled near Fort Gibson in the Indian Territory and set up a very successful trading post. He also worked as a hunter, trader, and scout. He was fluent in fourteen Indian languages, making his trading post a favored spot for many different tribes throughout the territory. His linguistic skills also made him a highly sought after interpreter, and he worked alongside Texas President, Sam Houston, in several tribal councils. During the Civil War he worked first with the Confederates as a trader, and later was an interpreter for the Union.
Chisholm himself never herded cattle up the trail that bears his name; nevertheless the trade route he developed was the one followed by drovers and quickly became known as the Chisholm Trail.
Chisholm was born in Tennessee in 1805 or 1806, his father a Scottish immigrant and his mother a full-blood Cherokee. Around 1820, Chisholm settled near Fort Gibson in the Indian Territory and set up a very successful trading post. He also worked as a hunter, trader, and scout. He was fluent in fourteen Indian languages, making his trading post a favored spot for many different tribes throughout the territory. His linguistic skills also made him a highly sought after interpreter, and he worked alongside Texas President, Sam Houston, in several tribal councils. During the Civil War he worked first with the Confederates as a trader, and later was an interpreter for the Union.
Chisholm himself never herded cattle up the trail that bears his name; nevertheless the trade route he developed was the one followed by drovers and quickly became known as the Chisholm Trail.
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