James Harley Tuttle Jr. was born in 1859 in Grayson County, Texas. At the age of 17 he left Texas and found work herding cattle on the Washita River in neighboring Indian Territory. In 1850’s the Washita River ran through the land assigned to the Chickasaw Naton as their national domain, bounded on the north by the Canadian River and on the south by the Red River.
Mr. Tuttle worked for H.M. Smith, Later Smith & Tuttle would enter into a partnership, The Smith, Tuttle & Company, buying young steers and holding them until they reached marketable age, where they would be shipped to the best market.
J.H. Tuttle & Nora Agnes Bond November 1889
Nov of 1889 – Tuttle married Nora Agnes Bond – daughter of Mrs. Adelaide Johnson Campbell Bond (1841-1933) (Sister to Montford Johnson) and Michael Campbell Biological Father) – (James Henry Bond became her father after Campbell was killed in an accident.) Nora passed away 6 months later.
He married again in 1891, Carrie Matilda Campbell (1873-1936) daughter of a Charles L. Campbell (1843-1896) &Sally Humphrey Campbell (1852-1926). Sister to Adelaide B. “Addie” Campbell Johnson (Montford Johnson wife).
J.H. Tuttle & Carrie Matilda Campbell 1891
Carrie was a member of the Chickasaw nation, with whom he had 10 children. Molette Virginia “Virgie” Plomondom 1892-1942, Alma Nora Click 1894-1919, James Bond Tuttle 1896-1966, Charles Campbell Tuttle 1898-1971, Barbara Anne “Annie” Tuttle 1900-1922, Frederick Harley Tuttle, 1904-1904, Holmes Paul Tuttle 1905-1989, Sally Leona Roberts 1910-1981, Mary Jane Riley 1912-1997.
Tuttle is widely regarded as the founder of Tuttle, It is said that his name was one of three in a hat and since his was drawn out that is how Tuttle got its name. According to Grady County Archives, James H. Tuttle was described as “a fine representative of the men whose shrewd foresight and determined energy opened the way for the settlement of Oklahoma”
They lived just north of Tuttle about ½ mile from Silver City cemetery and South of the Chisholm Trail
Mr. Tuttle was numbered among the men of wealth in the Territory. Tuttle was the director of the Bank of Minco. He had a mercantile in Minco with his brother under the name of J.H. Tuttle & Brother.
Among his various business enterprises, Tuttle established the Citizens National Bank in Chickasha in 1892, which would become The First National Bank & Trust Co. in 1938. FNBT is one of the oldest community banks in Oklahoma with the main branch still at their historical location in Chickasha since 1931. He was instrumental in forming the 1906 the Farmers Union; they were instrumental in establishing a Stock company named Farmers Co-operated Co which established the Gin in Tuttle.
J.H. Tuttle family moved out of Tuttle in 1918 after his fortunes took a downturn and the family lost the ranch. Carrie moved with her children & resettled in Oklahoma City. Tuttle passed away in Texas November 1922
Reference Material from: *Tuttle Holmes book, Newspaper.com, Grady County Archives, Find a Grave.