The “Green Corn Revolution had, as its home, Allen, Oklahoma. Allen’s history never fails to amaze. Nor do the farmers of 1915. As usual they were living in hard times. Most were tenant farmers working tiny patches of land and, of course, they couldn’t make much money on those little tracts. The farmers were for all practical purposes “failed” capitalist but in the politics of the day had embraced socialism and come to believe that all their problems had been brought on them by outside forces — such as government and banks. These people wanted the government to open up free stuff to them, such as free land and other free stuff — like free money. The new president (Woodrow Wilson} hadn’t noticed.

This party promised the moon but really brought nothing but misery to these farmers. Land kept going up and these farmers were getting squeezed out fast. The very center of this radicalism was right here in Allen, with a lot of members hailing from Seminole, Ada, Konawa, Coalgate, Stonewall and other nearby towns. When President Wilson signed the draft law in 1917, violence broke out. It was on the South Canadian River near Allen where the Little River joins the big Canadian. A “loud” farmer named John Spears raised the red socialist flag over the bluff just outside of Allen on July 27th and called for a march on Washington. The story went nationwide.

On August 2nd, Seminole County Sheriff Grill and a deputy rode over to Sasakawa to see what was happening. But they were ambushed by five party members and were lucky to escape with their lives. Next, a big revival was held on a sandbar near Allen (where the Little River and South Canadian join) and the gospel preached had a lot more to do with politics than it did religion. While there are no reports of anyone getting “saved” on the sandbar, there were other results. The phonelines were cut to Francis and the big railroad bridge across the Canadian was set afire and destroyed.

So Bob Duncan, Pontotoc County Sheriff, led a posse of 25 deputies into the river war of phone line cutting and bridge burning rebels and brought back 10 captives. The Ada News had several stories of local shootouts. Some in Stonewall and Francis. The governor then rushed 60 men to Konawa. A town threatened to be seized by the Green Corn Boys. W.T. Cargill, The Green Corn party secretary, was shot down and killed in the Konawa fracas. Another Green Corn guy was shot dead north of Allen. The larger force had soon captured 450 of the Green Corn Boys and were removed to McAlester by train. 150 were tried and found guilty and imprisoned The march on Washington? Never happened. The activist who were going to sustain themselves by eating the “green corn” which was in season. They never did go. If you want to read up on this happening well just look online. It’s all there in the Spring 1999 Chronicles of Oklahoma.

Wayne Bullard, DPh wayneBullard@gmail. com