Why does Madill have such an unusual street grid?

Madill has an unusual street grid. Half of the town runs northwest to southeast, while the other half runs southwest to northeast. No part of Madill runs the traditional north to south and east to west like most cities and towns. It is an unusual layout, but why?

When Madill was being platted in 1900, the streets east of Highway 70 (First Street) were laid out parallel and perpendicular to the Frisco Railway Line. The railroad runs from northwest to southeast, so the streets east of Highway 70 align with the railroad and run the same way. However, the streets west of Highway 70 are laid out parallel to and perpendicular to a different focal point. What is that point of origin?

The first street to be platted west of Highway 70 was Lillie Boulevard. From Highway 70, it was platted to run in a northwesterly direction from Highway 70. Then every other east-west street was platted to run parallel to Lillie. The north south streets were platted to run perpendicular to Lillie. Again, the question is why?

Theansweris,JudgeIsaac Overton Lewis. Who is Isaac Overton Lewis, and what does he have to do with the street grid of Madill?

Isaac Lewis was born at old Fort Washita, Chickasaw Nation, on November 14, 1856. He was the son of William Leander Lewis and Elzira (Eliza) Love Lewis.

William Lewis was born in 1823, in Holly Springs, Miss. where the Chickasaw people were located before the removal to Indian Territory. William’s father had immigrated to the United States from Wales. William accompanied the Chickasaw people to Indian Territory during the Indian Removal and he arrived in Pickens County around 1848-1850. At some point during this time, William Lewis met and married Elzira Love of the well-known Love family who were prominent in the early days of the Chickasaw Nation.

After their marriage, William and Eliza Lewis moved toFt.WashitawhereWilliam was a stationary engineer (machinery and boiler operator and blacksmith). It was here that Isaac Lewis was born. Other children were also born to William and Elzira. Isaac was an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation as his mother, Elzira was 1/8th Chickasaw.

At some point while the family was at Ft. Washita, Eliza died. After Eliza's death, William took the kids to the Love family in Colbert. William then moved to Texas in search of employment and the children stayed with the Love family.

When Lewis was twelve years old, he left the Love family and moved to Texas to be with his father. After about two years, Lewis became unhappy and ran away from home. He found a home withaMr.IngrahaminCollin County, Texas.

Lewis’s educational opportunities were limited, and he went to school for only about thirty days in his lifetime. He stayed with. Ingraham for approximately two years, and then moved to Coleman County, Texas and got a job working at a ranch. After a few years, he returned to the ChickasawNationandbegan working for Judge Overton “Sobe” Love, then a ranchman at Love’s Bend. Over the next few years, Lewis worked at ranches at Cornish, Fort Arbuckle and Ardmore.

He continued in this business until about twenty-eight years of age, and then married and started to study law with H.C. Pottreff, of Ardmore, Indian Territory. Hestudiedwithhimforabout two years and was admitted to the Chickasaw Nation Bar in 1889. He then started his own practice of law in Ardmore.

In1890,Lewiswaselected clerk of county court of Pickens County and served two, two-year terms in that capacity. Then in August of 1894, he was elected county judge of Pickens county and held it foroneyearwhenheresigned and was appointed attorney general of the Chickasaw Nation. He was then re-elected attorney general and served two years. He was thereafter elected district judge of PickensCountyandheldthat position four years.

Most importantly, as Attorney General for the ChickasawNation,Isaacwas a spokesman for the Chickasaw people and he made numerous trips to Washington D.C. to lobby on their behalf with Congress and the President. There he worked with Overton 'Sobe' Love, who also was a high ranking official in the Chickasaw Nation. Isaac also worked with the Dawes Commission. At the conclusion of this work, Lewis’ official services for the Chickasawnationended,and settled in Oakland where he practiced law.

When the Frisco Railroad began to lay a line into the country the railroad went two miles east of Oakland. The residents of Oakland imploredLewistohelpsecure the passage of the Frisco line through Oakland, but when the railroad bypassed Oakland, they blamed him believing that he had not done enough to get the Frisco to come to Oakland. Because ofthatresentmentandhostility Lewis moved just outside of Oakland and built a new, largetwelveroomhomesouth and a bit east of the town on about three hundred acres he owned south and east of Oakland.

Shortly after the railroad began laying the line through the county, Lewis organized the Madill Town Site Company with W.N. Taliaferro. In1900,thegroupthenbegan to lay out the town of Madill. With W.N. Taliaferro, Lewis purchased a half interest in the town site and commenced to plat and sell lots. Soon afterward he formed a partnership with George E. Rider, he resumed his law practice. The firm of Rider and Lewis became the local representative of the Frisco Railroad.

Lewis was first married to Miss Rebecca Jones, of Texas, on April 5, 1885. Together they had two children: Claudie E. and Quincy H. He was again married in 1890 to Miss Mary L. Yeargain, of Texas. They had five children: William C., Delia E., Alta, Fitzhugh Lee and Lillian Madill. He was a member of Oakland Masonic Lodge. He established a livery business in Madill, on August 1, 1901, with William N. Taliaferro. He also owned a hotel in Madill. Additionally, he owned the town of Francis, Indian Territory, and owned twelve hundred acres surrounding that town. Francis was about nine miles northeast of Ada.

In 1907, Lewis ran for election for the office of County Judge. He lost the election to J.W.Faulkner. Thenin1910, Lewis ran again for the office of County Judge. Faulkner beat Lewis by 34 votes. Then in 1912, Lewis ran for the Oklahoma Legislature but was defeated again. In 1913, Lewis ran for Justice of the Peace in the town of Madill and was elected. He served as Justice of the Peace until 1921 when he was finally elected as County Judge of Marshall County. He served as County Judge for five, twoyear terms. He was defeated for re-election in 1930 to George Sneed.

Upon leaving office as County Judge, Lewis went to work for the State of Oklahoma at the Oklahoma Historical Society in February of 1931. Sadly, just a few months after taking the job with the Historical Society, Lewis suffered a stroke. He never fully recovered from the stroke and he died on December 21, 1931 at a hotel in Madill.

Judge Isaac Overton Lewis, along with W.N. Taliaferro, was largely responsible for the founding of Madill.

Now, what does this have to do with the street grid of Madill? Well, the large twelve room house Lewis built south of Oakland, after he was effectively run out of town because of the Frisco Railroad dispute, sat at the far west end of Lillie Boulevard. As Madill was being platted, and roads were built, Lewis had Lillie Boulevard run from the square to his house. Then when the rest of the streets west of Highway 70werelaid,theyrunparallel and perpendicular to Lillie Boulevard. Thus,IsaacOverton Lewis was responsible for the unusual layout of Madill. All because he wanted a road from his house to the square.

Thus, one half of Madill was aligned with his home. History is sometimes strange, but it is always fun.