USA > Oklahoma > Portrait and biographical record of Oklahoma; commemorating the achievements of citizens who have contributed to the progress of Oklahoma and the development of its resources, V. 2 > Part 1
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
L 3 1833 02302 5205
PORTRAIT AND
BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
OF
OKLAHOMA
V. 2
COMMEMORATING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF CITIZENS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROGRESS OF OKLAHOMA AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ITS RESOURCES
CHAPMAN PUBLISHING CO. CHICAGO 1901
563
MOHAMDO
1742325
MR. AND MRS. M. D. HYDE, Hennessey.
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/portraitbiograph02chap_1
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
city, has been laid out by the Shawnee Realty Company, which he helped to organize, and of which he is the president. In the fall of 1899 the Shawnee, Oklahoma & Missouri Coal & Railway Company was incorporated, with Mr. Dexter as president and C. J. Benson as secre- tary and treasurer. This colossal enterprise, which covers a number of undertakings, has commenced the development of coal mines in the Creek Nation, I. T., and a railroad from Shawnee to Muscogee, thence to Fort Smith, Ark., has been surveyed and the work begun. One of the founders of the Shawnee State Bank. Mr. Dexter has been connected with the institu- tion ever since, having been a director of the National Bank, the successor of the first-named one. The limits of this article do not permit of a complete summary of his innumerable enter- prises, and, as is generally known here, he has aided the oil-mill, the compress works, and many of the industries which have been the making of Shawnee.
Ever since the organization of the Republican party Mr. Dexter has been a faithful adherent to its principles. While a resident of Nebraska he was initiated into Masonry, and has taken the Royal Arch degree. In his domestic life he has been especially blessed. In Iowa he married Miss Jane M. Flynn, a native of New York state, and their sons are influential citizens of Shaw- nee. Allen is engaged in buying and shipping live stock; Charles and George are in business with their father, and Roy is a leading carpenter and contractor of this place.
M. D. HYDE. One of the very desirable homes of Kingfisher county is in the possession of M. D. Hyde, a progressive farmer of Sherman township. He is a native of Indiana, his birth having occurred near Kendall- ville, Noble county, February 11, 1848. He is of English descent, and for some generations the Hyde family lived in New York state, prior to which worthy representatives of the line dwelt in New England. On the maternal side, also, Mr. Hyde is of English ancestry, the Furmans set- tling in New England at an early period, and John Furman, grandfather of our subject, was born in New York state.
Daniel and Hannah Furman (Hyde), parents of M. D. Hyde, were natives of Ohio, the for- mer's birth occurring in Cuyahoga county. He was, a pioneer of Noble county, Ind., and cleared a farm which was heavily timbered, chiefly with beech and maple trees. Later he located in Eaton county. Mich., where he had a similar task before him, but there, also, he developed a fine farm. Continuing to conduct it until 1880. he then went to Sumner county, Kans., and pur-
chased a farm in the vicinity of Oxford. At length, retiring from the active cares to which he had so long been accustomed, he attained the age of eighty-three years and then passed to his reward. His devoted wife died at their home in Kansas when in her eighty-first year. Of their six children, one is deceased. John, who served for four years during the Civil war, as a private of the Twelfth Indiana, is now engaged in oper- ating the old Michigan homestead.
The only representative of his family in Okla- homa is M. D. Hyde, who has been actively identified with its development for the past eight years. He was reared in his native county, and received a liberal education in the common schools. In the closing year of the Civil war, 1865, he went to Eaton county, Mich., where he continued his studies for some time in the public school. He was associated with his father in the management of the home farm in that locality until a score of years ago, when he engaged in farming near Oxford, Kans., and thus he spent twelve years. In 1892 he came to Oklahoma and bought a tract of land, on which there were slight improvements. This property, compris- ing a quarter section of section 29, Sherman township, now is highly productive and valuable. It is situated about one and a half miles east and a mile south of Hennessey, and the adjoining farm is owned and carried on by Mr. Hyde's only son, William.
The first wife of M. D. Hyde, formerly Miss Arilla Haddox, likewise was a native of Noble county, Ind., and her death occurred in Kansas. They were the parents of three children, namely : William: Mrs. Effie Antrobus, now of Hennes- sey; and Myrtie, who died when six years old. The lady who now bears the name of our subject was Miss Hattie Meredith prior to their mar- riage, and her birthplace is in Indiana. She is a lady of liberal education and is a member of the Christian Church.
For one term Mr. Hyde served as treasurer of his township, an office which he filled with abil- ity and to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. In his political creed he is, a Republican of pro- nounced views, and there is no question in his mind as to the wisdom which his party has mani- fested in dealing with the great issues which have come before the public during its existence.
M ILES W. ALLEN. The substantial and well-to-do citizens of Meridian have no better representative than Mr. Allen, who ranks high among the keen and progressive ag- riculturists and successful merchants of this sec- tion of Logan county. He was born in Clinton county, lowa, the son of William and Charlotte (Sams) Allen. His parents were both born and
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brought up in Ohio, belonging to families of prominence in that state, many of whom were active in the public affairs of the Union, one of the kinsmen of Mr. Allen having been Con- gressman Allen of Ohio, who was known far and wide as "Land Bill" Allen. He was specially noted for his championship of the homestead laws, that were later adopted by the congress of the United States.
Mr. Allen spent his early life in Camanche, Iowa, where he attended the city graded schools, obtaining a practical education, which has been supplemented by much reading of general lit- erature. At the age of nineteen years he went to Rooks county, Kans., secured a homestead claim, on which he lived until 1872. Obtaining a leave of absence then, he entered the employ of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Com- pany, with whom he remained two years. Going to Kearney county, Kans., he had charge of an eating-house there for a few months, and in the fall of 1874 returned to his homestead, and for two years worked hard to improve it. From 1876 until 1878 he was engaged in farming in Rice county, but was not at all successful in his ventures, so returned to Rooks county, where he continued in his independent occupation until 1889. Coming from there to Oklahoma, he joined the other prospective settlers of the new territory just on the border, near Otter Creek, but with two of his companions did not follow the suggestion of those who insisted that the race should start at noon, Washington time, not caring to swear that he did not enter before noon.
Mr. Allen secured a homestead on Bear creek. the northeast quarter of section 25, township 16, range I west, and although his claim was contested, made his home with but little diffi- culty, choosing to eject the occupant and his chattels rather than spend time and money at the courts, and made a success of his venture. Commencing at once to improve his property. he engaged in horticulture, agriculture and stock-raising, and has been exceedingly pros- perous in his labors, having now one hundred acres of land in cultivation, with a large orchard of most varieties of fruits, including the stand- ard and the smaller kinds. In 1895 he embarked in the mercantile business, opening a general store in Meridian, which is on the stage route from Chandler to Guthrie. a most favorable location, and has built up an extensive and lu- crative trade, being very popular with the resi- dents and the numerous travelers that pass through the town, his smile and joke adding much to the pleasures of the little assemblage that gathers so frequently at the old well near the door.
Mr. Allen was married, in 1874, in Kearney
county, Kans., to Miss Lucy E. Mudge, their union being the very first one solemnized in that county. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have four children, namely: John F., Milton W., Raymond R. and Charlotte M. John F. married, in 1895, Miss Grace Goodrich, of Oklahoma, and they have two children, Ethel and Miles E. Charlotte M. married, in 1894, David Johnson, and they have two children, Edna and Opal. Mrs. Allen was commissioned postmistress at Meridian in 1895, and is still serving, having proved herself a most faithful and trustworthy official. Mr. Allen is a Unitarian in his religious beliefs, but is not actively identified with any religious organiza- tion. Fraternally, he has belonged to the Good Templars, the Knights of Labor, the Masonic fraternity, and was a charter member of the Labor Union and Farmers' Alliance of Woods- ton, Kans., of which he was lecturer four years. Politically, he was born and reared a Repub- lican, but, having been induced to investigate the finance question by Jesse Harper, he made some pertinent inquiries of Senator Plumb, and was thereby drawn from the ranks of his own party to the Greenbackers; was later a Union Labor advocate; and now belongs to the Peo- ple's party, being quite active and influential in its work. He has always been greatly inter- ested in educational matters, and for more than a quarter of a century has been a member of the school board, first in Kansas, and more re- cently in Oklahoma. In the fall of 1900 he was elected a member of the sixth legislative assem- bly, representing the Eighteenth Representative District from Logan county. As a legislator he has served his district and the people of the territory with distinction, making an official rec- ord to be proud of.
R OBERT ANIOL, an honored veteran of the Civil war, resides on his valuable home- stead, just outside the boundaries of Nor- . man, the county seat of Cleveland county, in which place he was one of the first merchants, continuing as such for two years. In times of war and of peace he has borne a patriotic part in the history of this nation, and is entitled to a prominent place on its roll of honor.
A son of Anton and Mary Aniol, and of French descent on the paternal side, Robert Aniol was born June 9, 1837. The mother died when he was about ten years old, and three years later the lad determined to come to America. Leaving his birthplace, a point situated about thirty-six miles east of Warsaw. Poland, he pro- ceeded to Canada, and thence to Milwaukee. Wis. For two years he worked on farms in that locality, and later went to St. Louis, where he was employed as a clerk in a wholesale mercan-
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tile house .. Then going to Osage county, Mo., he worked in a large milling establishment until the Civil war began.
Robert Aniol was one of the three men of that county who had the courage to vote for Abra- ham Lincoln in 1860, and those were days that tried the souls of men in that portion of the state. Following out his patriotic principles, the young man was one of the first volunteers who responded to the president's call for de- fenders of the stars and stripes. Enlisting May 14, 1861, in Company G, Twenty-sixth Missouri Infantry, he stood at his post of duty until he was honorably discharged, June 9, 1865. Among the many battles in which he took part were Is- land No. 10, Corinth and siege of Vicksburg, and all of the engagements of the march to the sea, under command of Sherman. At Winches- ter, Va., he was serving as sergeant of a com- pany, and would have been kept a prisoner had he not happened to be in the clothes of a citizen, owing to which fact he was paroled, it being supposed that he was a resident of the town. While on the march near Iuka, Miss., he acci- dentally stumbled and was scratched by a com- rade's bayonet, from which wound, in conjunc- tion with the hardships and privations he was then undergoing, blood-poisoning resulted. On another occasion, when General Early's forces were repulsed near Washington, D. C., Mr. Aniol received a sunstroke, from the effects of which he has never entirely recovered. Man- fully remaining with his regiment, and never going to the hospital, he finally was mustered out at Washington.
For about eight years subsequent to the close of the war, Mr. Aniol was employed in the car- shops at Jefferson City, Mo., and then, in Kan- sas City, he worked in the car-shops of the same corporation. Then he accepted a better position with the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad, at Sedalia, Mo., and was employed by that com- pany for seven years. During this period he was located at different points, and in 1872 went to Denison, Tex., where he resided until 1884. and meantime was connected with the Houston & 'Texas Central Railroad for seven years, still making his home in Denison. Promoted to the position of car inspector, he lived at Greenville, Tex., for a few months, and for five years was similarly engaged at Savanna, Choctaw Na- tion, I. T., for the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad. For two years he was a merchant of Lehigh, I. T. On the day that witnessed Okla- homa's opening to the white settlers, he endeav- ored to secure a claim, but failed, and, instead, staked some lots in Norman. May 1, 1880, he commenced building a store, and by the 20th had it ready for his stock of merchandise, which he removed from Lehigh. Thus he certainly
was an energetic merchant of the new town, and for two years carried on a flourishing trade in dry goods, groceries and other lines. Selling out, he located on his present farm, and since has sold a portion of the two hundred acres which he owned here.
August 15, 1877, Mr. Aniol married Frances, daughter of Edward and Ellen (Ryan) Synnott, of Denison. She was born in Macomb county, Mich., and was eight years old when she was taken to Will county, Ill. Her father was born in Ireland, and her mother in New York, their marriage being celebrated in Lockport, Ill. Charles, eldest child of our subject and wife, is engaged in railroading and now lives at Shaw- nee, Pottawatomie county. He and his next younger brother, Robert, are married. The lat- ter is a well-known real-estate man of Norman. also transacting a large abstract business. Ed- ward T., the third son, was born in Savanna, I. T .; and William V. and Francis X. are na- tives of Cleveland county; Francis X. is de- ceased. Mr. and Mrs. Aniol were reared in the faith of the Catholic Church, and always have given liberally to its work.
As stated above, Mr. Aniol cast his first presi- dential ballot in 1860, and, strange to relate, his frequent changes of residence and other things prevented his voting for just a score of years. Since 1880, however, he has loyally given his support to the Republican party. For two terms he served as a member of the city council in Denison, and in 1895 was elected treasurer of Cleveland county, in which responsible office he served for two terms, to the entire satisfaction of all concerned.
A NDREW J. ARNOLD. Mr. Arnold is for- tunately engaged in a line of business for which there is a continually growing de- mand, and in the conducting of which he has been unusually successful. As the largest hard- ware merchant in the town of Jefferson, Grant county, he has catered to the necessities of a large portion of the surrounding agriculturists. and carries the largest line of supplies in the county.
A native of Virginia, Mr. Arnold was born in 1849, and is a son of A. T. and Serilda (Thomp- son) Arnold, also born in Virginia. Their son, Andrew, was reared to agricultural pursuits under his father's able instruction, and fitted for future life and work by having good educational advantages at the public schools. In 1869 his independent nature asserted itself, and he started out in the world for himself. settling in Saline county, Mo., where he conducted a farm until 1878, when the same occupation was continued in Harper county, Kans. At Anthony of the
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same state Mr. Arnold conducted a livery busi- ness for ten years, after which he farmed for four years, or until the opening of the strip.
Mrs. Arnold was formerly N. M. Howery, a daughter of G. W. and Virginia Howery, of Benton county, Mo. The marriage occurred in 1874, and of this union there have been two children, Floyd and Viola, who are living at home. September 16, 1893, Mr. Arnold made the run with the vast army of other home- seekers and located a fine claim on the southeast quarter of section 25, township.26, range 5, which he improved, and upon which he lived for five years. At the end of this time he sold the farm and moved into the town of Jefferson, and organized the first bank in the place, known as the Jefferson Bank. Owing to the close con- finement incident to the management of the bank, Mr. Arnold decided to engage in an oc- cupation that would admit of more relaxation and outdoor exercise, and so bought out the hardware and implement business which he has since conducted with such gratifying success. To meet the demands of his customers he is obliged to carry a six thousand dollar stock. which is handled in one of the best buildings in the town.
In politics Mr. Arnold is associated with the Democratic party and has filled several impor- tant local offices within the gift of the people. In the spring of 1894 he served as assessor of Rock Island township, where Jefferson is lo- cated, and in the fall of the same year was elected county commissioner of the third district, and re-elected in 1896. In religious matters the Arnold family have been quite active, and are helpful members of the Baptist Church. Mr. Arnold is regarded as one of the town's most enterprising citizens, and has won the respect and esteem of all who appreciate his upright methods of conducting business.
R EV. THOMAS H. DAY. The territory of Oklahoma knows no more ardent advo- cate of truth, justice and humanity than is embodied in the life and tireless efforts of Mr. Day. After years of ministration in the Baptist Church in different parts of the country, he came to a field of large possibility in 1800, and in Paul's Valley, Chickasaw Nation, acted as a missionary to the inhabitants. Used at all times to conducting services under cover, he here met with a new experience, and in the absence of shelter, preached his mission of good-will and kindliness under the swaying branches of trees, in the sky-covered cathedral known to primitive man. His words of exhortation fell upon the ears of men who constituted largely the frontier element, and who came from long distances, and
were heavily armed with Winchesters. As they sat on the grass and listened, their horses were tethered near by to eat the luxuriant grass, and the scene was such as to inspire the best efforts of this eloquent teacher of men. As they went home through the woods, the congregation, act- ing upon their natural and untrained impulses, killed whatever. game came in sight, and often generously remembered the preacher in the sub- sequent distribution of spoils. While condemn- ing an unwitting desecration of the Sabbath, he could not other than recognize the fact that. though of warlike and rough appearance, these children of the plains were nevertheless large of heart, and conscious of the good being wrought in their midst.
In 1892 Mr. Day entered a homestead on the northwest quarter of section 21, township 8, range 4 east, which is still in his possession, and under good cultivation. At the present time he is pastor of the Bethel Grove Church, which. was organized by himself in 1893. He also has under his care the churches at Center Valley, Canadian and Spring Hill, to each of which he devotes one Saturday and Sunday during the month. These churches are included in a series which constitute what is known as the Friend- ship Association, of which Mr. Day was one of the organizers in 1893, and which has grown from a list of five or six churches to from thirty to thirty-five, with a membership of eighteen hundred. During 1898 and 1899 Mr. Day served as moderator of the association, having held the same position while residing in Arkansas, and while associated with the Fayetteville Associa- tion. The Friendship organization wields an extended influence for good, and is a very strong and intellectual body.
The early life of Mr. Day differed somewhat from that experienced by the average farm- reared youth, and there was more of work and more of tribulation than falls to the lot of many. He was born in Hardin county, Tenn., April 14, 1846, and is a son of William and Sarah (Johnson) Day. The rudiments of education were derived at Professor Payne's private school at Savannah, Hardin county, Tenn., and when very young he was deprived of the care and solicitude of his father. When he had attained his tenth year, the courageous-hearted mother took her eight children, of whom Thomas H. was the seventh, to Washita county, Ark., where she purchased a claim, and kept the children to- gether. The oldest son started out in the world for himself, and settled in Kansas, and died in Kansas City a few years ago. When thirteen years of age, Thomas H. was converted and baptized by Rev. John Yeager, and at that carly age had every intention of devoting his life to the ministry. When fifteen years old, the war
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broke out, and he enlisted in Company G, Third Arkansas Cavalry, and was first under fire at Corinth, Miss. He subsequently participated in the battles of Holly Springs, Murfreesboro, Franklin, Chickamauga, Kenesaw Mountain, Knoxville, Dalton, Atlanta, and from there to Tennessee, where there were many important battles. His military record was remarkable in that he was never wounded, captured, or laid up in the hospital for repairs. In October of 1864, Mr. Day returned home on a furlough and did not again return to the service.
After the restoration of peace, Mr. Day en- gaged in farming on rented land in Arkansas, and at the age of twenty-three was united in mar- riage, October 4, 1868, with Annis Maria Kelt- ner, of Benton county, Ark., and a native of Mississippi. Her parents, Andrew J. and Ma- tilda (Hedgepath) Keltner, took her to Greene county, Mo., when she was quite young, and later settled in Benton county, Ark. The mar- riage took place in Prairie Grove, Washington county, and in this county Mr. Day subsequently lived for twenty-five years. During the war Mr. Day had somewhat strayed from his original in- tention of devoting his life to the service of the church, but in 1878 he had reconsidered his de- cision and began to preach, and was ordained in the fall of 1878 at Weddington Gap Baptist Church. For many years he was successful to a large degree, and accomplished much good and baptized many. At the same time he was drawn close to nature and the original occupa- tion of man, for he carried on a farm which he had purchased . in Washington county. Here were born and reared seven children, of whom Laura is the wife of Arthur Carter, of Lind, Wash .; William Edward is now a justice of the peace at Remus, Pottawatomie county: Felix is unmarried: Thomas is married and has a farm in Pottawatomie county; Mary is the wife of James Wall, and lives at Weatherford, Okla .: John and Ella are at home.
Recently Mr. Day has rented his farm and moved to Tecumseh, where he has purchased a residence, in order that he might educate his children and devote his entire time to the min- istry.
W ILLIAM M. DURHAM, county treasurer of Pottawatomic county, was born in DeKalb county, in Middle Tennessee. February 19, 1854. His father, James E. Dur- ham, was a farmer and surveyor by occupation, and at the time of his death, when his son was but four years of age, was serving his country as mustering officer and drill master. The mother, formerly Ann Winn, remarried after her hus- band's death, and when William M. was about
thirteen years of age he ran away from home to escape the unkindness of his step-father. As early as this he had an ardent desire for the ac- quisition of knowledge, but his step-father would not allow him to go to school. In Wilson county, Tenn., this enterprising and ambitious youth began to fashion his own life, and worked a crop on shares for a year. He then went to Warren county, Tenn., and for two years worked for his share of the crops, and went to school for about four months. A later venture was assist- ing to take a drove of horses and mules to Mis- sissippi, and upon arriving there was so satisfied with the prospects that he remained until 1877. He here engaged in general farming and stock- raising, with considerable success, and January 20, 1875, married Miss S. E. Baskin, a native of Montgomery county, Miss.
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