Editor’s note: This is one in a series of columns about Fort Gibson through the years. If you have photos or stories you would like to share, send them to lmcmahan@muskogeephoenix.com or call 684-2926.

We ran across an article in a 1987 issue of the Fort Gibson Times stating that John Nix was the first postmaster of Fort Gibson, having opened the doors of Indian Territory’s first post office on Feb. 28, 1827.

However, the story is only partly correct.

The first postmaster of Fort Gibson — Catonment Gibson at the time — was Gen. John Nicks, the late Dub West wrote in his “Fort Gibson Gateway to the West.”

West’s account is supported by several other sources.

While the Times article says Fort Gibson had the first post office in the territory, West says this was the third one.

In an article in a 1926 issue of the Chronicles of Oklahoma, J.Y. Bryce lists Fort Gibson as much further down the list and states his source as the first assistant postmaster in Washington, D.C.

In a 1930 article for the Chronicles, Carolyn Thomas Foreman wrote that the first post office was started Sept. 5, 1824, and not in Fort Gibson, but at Miller Court House.

An article about the U.S. National Cemetery (at www.cem.va.gov/pdf/ftgibson.pdf) says Nicks, who is buried there, was the first postmaster for Fort Gibson and the second postmaster in Oklahoma.

First, second or third, Nicks was an interesting person.

Nicks had been appointed the official sutler (storekeeper) for the fort in 1824, and it was here he met his wife, Sarah Perkins.

Nicks had served 13 years with the U.S. Army and had been discharged with the rank of lieutenant in 1821. He was appointed sutler at Fort Smith, Ark., later that year.

There, he was elected to the territorial legislature.

In 1824, he was assigned as sutler at the new military post in Fort Gibson.

Sam Houston had visited Cantonment Gibson in 1830 and headed back to the fort from the east in 1830 with a large stock of goods, apparently hoping to take Nicks’ place as sutler.

He had heard rumors that Nicks was going to be replaced and had applied for his job.

Houston had already reached the Verdigris River by the time he learned Nicks was not being fired.

In July, Houston notified Col. Arbuckle that he was bringing a large stock of liquor with him and most of it would be stored with Nicks.

The next summer, the president of the United States received a complaint that Arbuckle had allowed Nicks to distribute large quantities of whiskey over the last three years.

In their letter, Peter A. Carns and W. Duval complained to the president that Nicks “is a habitual drunkard.”

The men threatened to take their allegations to Congress if the president took no action.

Carolyn Foreman said Carn’s complaint came after Arbuckle had seized a large shipment of liquor belonging to Carns.

Nicks died of pneumonia a few months later.

Reach Liz McMahan at 684-2926 or lmcmahan@muskogeephoenix.com.