Charles Francis Colcord - Oklahoma Years

Oklahoma Years

Then the Oklahoma land run was announced. According to one account, Charles made the run on April 22, 1889, then traded his $66 investment in a team and wagon for a shack and lot. By the end of the excitement, a noisy tent city had sprung up, and Colcord was its leading citizen, with his lot becoming Lot Number 1, Block Number 1, Oklahoma City. Another source indicates that Colcord first staked a claim in Hennessey, then immediately sold his claim and arrived in Oklahoma City on April 23, 1889.

In either event, as Oklahoma boomed he served for two years as Chief of Police, then Oklahoma City's first Sheriff (essentially the army left what was a territory, declared it a state, and gave Charlie the stockade and a gun.) He later became a deputy US Marshal for five years (appointed by President Grover Cleveland), serving with Bill Tilghman. He worked hard to control a lawless, wild area, fighting Bill Doolin, Bill "Tulsa Jack" Blake, the Dalton Gang, Richard "Little Dick" West, and others. He personally rounded up five members of the Dalton Gang and supervised their hanging.

He also participated in the 1893 Cherokee Strip land run and built a home there. During the run his horse ran into the horse of an old friend, Sheriff George Parker of Lincoln County, when George's mount stepped into a prairie dog hole. George said "Stay down, Charlie, that's a corner lot!" and Charlie staked his claim where he fell. In six hours Perry, Oklahoma had a population of 15,000, and Colcord was appointed marshal.

In 1898 he returned to Oklahoma City and established the Colcord Investment Company and the Colcord Park Corporation, the latter of which developed Delmar Gardens southwest of downtown. He organized and headed the Commercial National Bank of Oklahoma City, was vice president of the State National Bank, president of the Oklahoma City Building & Loan Association, and director of the Oklahoma State Fair Association.