A history of the state of Oklahoma, Volume II, Part 43

Author: Hill, L. B. (Luther B.)
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 810

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Thomas W. Mackey, of this sketch, being the eldest, and the war between the states having stripped the family of all their prop- erty, did not receive very much education, having to remain at home and work on the farm. What education he did get was re- ceived in the public schools of Webster county, Mississippi. At the age of twenty- one he left home and for the first two years went to school and worked alternately, part of the time working for his board morning and evening while going to school. So Mr. Mackey owes most of his education and the property he has accumulated to his own efforts. In early life he entered the employ of Bloomfield & Fried, general merchants of Starkville, Oktibbeha county, Mississippi. For several years he continued in their em- ploy and then engaged with J. W. Hays in Eupora, and from there came to the Chicka- saw Nation, Indian Territory, in 1891, where he remained two years. He then returned to Eupora and engaged with Doak & Bing- ham until 1896, when he was employed by Buchanan & Son of Eupora. In 1900 he moved to Winona, Mississippi, where he worked in the hardware store of Turner & Turner for one year.

On September 13, 1901, Mr. Mackey came to reside at Wetumka, where he has since remained in the development of an exten- sive business in the line of hardware, fur- niture and implements. The firm owns the store building in which they do business. It was built in 1902, is two stories high, of of brick and stone, and contains a floor space of 12,500 square feet, which is said to constitute more floor space than that of any retail hardware store in the state of Ok-

lahoma. Upon the incorporation of the concern, Mr. Mackey was elected its secre- tary and treasurer and it is largely due to his energy and ability that the house has attained its present standing. He is also president of the Mackey Hardware Com- pany in Henryetta, Oklahoma. In addition he also has considerable farming interests and is actively engaged in local public af- fairs. Having always taken a very active part in politics he has represented his town in several Single Statehood conventions be- fore statehood came. He is a "Henry Gra- dy" kind of Democrat, believing in a New South and that the "bloody shirt" should be referred to as little as possible. Mr. Mackey has also served as alderman of his home place.

November 25, 1900, he was married to Miss Kate Castle, of Lodi, Mississippi, daughter of Green and Albina (McClellan) Castle, a farmer of that place. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Mackey are: Robert Castle, Walter Gladney, Paul William and Marthy C. Mr. Mackey is a member of the Woodmen of the World, Wetumka Camp, No. 248, of which he is council commander.

LEO JOSEPH O'SHAUGHNESSY, M. D., a practicing physician of Wetumka, comes of an Irish family perhaps best known through its maternal representatives, his mother be- ing a grand-niece of the great southern statesman, John C. Calhoun. The Doctor himself is a native of Nashville, Tennessee, son of M. J. and Anna (Pyles) O'Shaugh- nessy. His father, who was a native of Ire- land, emigrated to America when quite a young man and in the city of Nashville be- came an extensive manufacturer of cotton seed oil. Prior to coming to Tennessee, however, he had been a resident of New- port, Kentucky, and while living there be- came connected with the interior depart- ment of the United States government. This appointment called him to Washington where he resided for some years, both in connection with his work and as a physician in the treasury department under General Spinner.

Dr. ('Shaughnessy received his early edu- cation in private schools of Huntsville, Ala- bama, and at St. Bernard's College, Colum- bia, also in that state. Later he attended St. Viateur's College at Kankakee, Illinois, and pursued his professional studies in the Medi- cal College of the Kansas City University, from which he was graduated in the class of

Ar Mackey.

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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

1908 with the degree M. D. His profession- al experience prior to the commencement of his private practice included a clinical course of two years in the Kansas City German Hospital and at St. Joseph's Hospital, also of that city. He commenced practice in Kansas City, but in 1908 removed to We- tumka, Oklahoma. His wife, before mar- riage, was known as Miss Clara Perrimen, of Charlevoix, Michigan.

LAFAYETTE WALKER, a corporation lawyer and a financier of substantial and growing reputation, in the community, is a resident of Holdenville, Hughes county, Oklahoma. He was born in Carroll county, Arkansas, November 21, 186%, and is a son of William and Mary (Ramsey) Walker. The blood both of Ireland and of France runs in his veins and the first American ancestors lo- cated in various southern states at an early period of the country's history. The pater- nal side of the family has been established in Tennessee for several generations, while his mother's forefathers long were residents of North Carolina.

Mr. Walker's early education was ob- tained in the public school and at Clark's Academy in his native county. He began the study of law under private tutors and was finally admitted to the bar of the In- dian Territory at Muskogee in the year 1892. He commenced the practice of his profession in that city, being first connected with the office of his preceptor, George E. Nelson. Subsequently he located at Hol- denville in independent practice and also closely identified himself with the finan- cial affairs of that city. He assisted in the organization of the National Bank of Holdenville, became one of its most active directors, and since 1904 has acted as at- torney for the United States treasury de- partment of the comptroller of the cur- rency. He is also the local attorney for the Frisco Railroad and the Pioneer Telephone Company, his professional business being largely confined to corporation law and the management of large vested interests. Mr. Walker's wife was formerly Miss Amanda M. Seitz to whom he was married in Car- roll county, Arkansas, and the four children born to them are: George E., William L., Mary and Abraham Walker.

WALTER LEVI ADAMS, one of the indus- trious farmers of Stuart, Oklahoma, is a native of Mississippi, born May 24, 1857, in Lafayette county, a son of John and Vol. II-15.

Jane (Norris) Adams. The father was a farmer and was born in Alabama, of an old, well established family of English descent. On the maternal side, Walter L. Adams was also of English ancestry. His early education was secured in the common schools of Mississippi, and his first venture in the business of life's real activities was in assisting his father on his farm. He went to Texas in 1818 and engaged in the calling of a southwestern farmer in Mon- tague county, where he continued for six years, during which time he extended his operations and added to his holdings.

He came to the Chickasaw Nation in the Indian Territory in 1885, to a point where the town of Cornish is now located. There he engaged in ranching and general farm- ing operations, having leased a large tract of land. Later, as the country settled up and fences were established, he devoted his efforts to farming only. He went to Roff, Indian Territory and there continued farm- ing for two years and in 1893 went to the Cherokee Nation, in the vicinity of Tahle- quah, removing to Stuart in 1896, where he assisted materially in the development of the town and engaged in farming and stock- raising. He is the president of the O. G. Rose Mercantile Co., of Stuart, and vice- president of the Trading Co., of Ashland. He was appointed magistrate by the county commissioners and served with much credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of the law abiding citizens. Politically, he supports the Democrat party.

In 1883, Mr. Adams was united happily in marriage to Miss Augusta Farmer, of Ala- bama, who is the daughter of Frank Farm- er. The children born of this union are as follows: Charles B., Frank H., Carrie R., David N., Ida Jane, John H., William L. and Levi L.

CHARLES ROSS ANTHONY, a merchant high- ly respected, doing business at Holdenville, Oklahoma, was born in Trenton, Tennessee, Angust 10, 1885, a son of Z. C. and Elvira (Pennington) Anthony. His father was a farmer and a native of Tennessee, and came from an old and respected family which traces its origin to Scotland. On the ma- ternal side the family is of Scotch and Irish extraction.

Mr. Anthony's education was obtained in the public schools in his native neighbor- hood: He accompanied his parents to south- eastern Missouri and to the town of Coot-

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er, where he attended the public schools and later the schools of Holdenville, Oklahoma. He also added to his good store of knowl- edge by attending the Indianola Business College. He first commenced his real ac- tivities of life at the age of sixteen as an employe in a minor position in the store of E. J. Scales, a general merchandise dealer, with whom he continued as a clerk for six years. He succeeded so well that at the termination of his clerkship, he purchased his employer's stock of goods and became proprietor himself, changing the name of the store to that of the "Anthony Store." This was indeed a rare commercial achieve- ment and has attracted wide attention. He is ably assisted in the routine work of the store by his brother, William N. Anthony, and by his sister, Miss Vanice Vivian An- thony. Mr. Anthony is a member of the Masonic order, advanced to the thirty-sec- ond degree, and also a member of the Knights of Pythias.

DALTON ELLINGTON Cox, a railway agent for the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Rail- way Company, at Calvin, Hughes county, Oklahoma, is a native of Illinois, born at Springfield, May 11, 1879, a son of Robert C. and Ida (Bell) Cox. The father is a business man of Springfield, Illinois, and is a native of New York state. On his moth- er's side, Mr. Cox traces his ancestry to Scotland, her father having been born in that country so famous for its rugged stock of excellent types of true manhood and wo- manhood.

Dalton E. Cox attended Lincoln school, one of the public schools of Springfield, his native city, immortalized by being the home- place of President Lincoln. Mr. Cox at- tended the public schools at Janesville, Wis- consin, and subsequently graduated from the high schools of Springfield. He commenced his business and commercial career by as- sisting, at odd times, in the Bressmer Dry Goods Company's house, at Springfield, this being after his graduation. He then held a position with the Chicago & Alton Railway at Bloomington, Illinois, as yard clerk and chief clerk to the train-master, J. E. Sum- ner, at Roodhouse, Illinois, later entering the passenger train service of the same com- pany in 1900.

After proving his ability with these var- ious roads and in numerous positions, Mr. Cox was employed by the Rock Island Sys- tem as bill clerk, and was located at Des

Moines, Iowa. On May 30, 1900, he was appointed as station agent at Valley Junc- tion, Iowa, filling such position until Sep- tember 14, 1904, when he was transferred to Newton, Iowa, remaining there until September 14,, 1907, then coming to Calvin, Oklahoma, as their local agent. In this community of the newly-made state, he is prominently known in its business and so- cial affairs. In his political views he is a supporter of the Republican party. Mr. Cox was married October 30, 1905, to Miss Flor- ence Woodcock, of Ruthven, Palo Alto conn- ty, Iowa. Mr. Cox's life illustrates the value of an early educational training and the faithful performance of every known duty, in the lower and humbler walks of life, which in the end, lead step by step, to better, more profitable and desirable positions in life's activities.

WILLIAM THOMAS ANGLIN, an attorney-at- law, practicing at Calvin, Oklahoma, was born in Martinsville, Virginia, June. 13, 1882, a son of John B. and Pocahontas (Houchins) Anglin. The father was a busi- ness man of Martinsville, a native of the Old Dominion state, and of an old estab- lished family of that state. On the ma- ternal side the family was also from Vir- ginia descendants and of Irish ancestry. William T. Anglin was educated in the pub- lic schools and also attended some of the private schools of his native state. Later. he had the advantage of attending Milligan College, at Milligan, Tennessee, gradnating with the class of 1902, with the well earned degree of B. S. He then entered the Uni- versity of Virginia, being in the literary de- partment for a year and a half, then in the law department of this most excellent edu- cational institution, and graduating in the class of 1905, with the degree of B. L. He then came to the Indian Territory, locating, first at Allen, in Pontotoc county, where he practiced his profession, coming to Calvin later, when he established himself perman- ently.

Mr. Anglin is chairman of the Republican county committee of Hughes county, and was honored by his party with the first can- didacy for the office of county attorney, but was defeated at the polls, owing to the min- ority of his party in the county. He was married to Miss Claude Agnes Reid, dangh- ter of J. T. Reid, of Allen, Oklahoma. One son blessed this marriage-Philip Reid An- glin.

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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

DAVID DANIEL BRUNSON, mayor of Coal- gate and senior member of the law firm of Fooshee and Brunson, was born in Rome, Georgia, November 29, 1873. In 1876 the family came to Texas, locating near Breck- enridge and it was there on the cattle ranch and farm that Mr. Brunson was reared and spent his youth. The parents again moved, this time settling at Amity, Arkansas, in which place, at the high school, he obtained his literary education. He chose law for a profession and entered the Cumberland Uni- versity at Lebanon, Tennessee, completing his course in the month of February, 1900, and receiving his degree of LL. B. In August, 1901, he located at Coalgate and be- gan a legal career which has marked him as one of the able, resourceful and successful members of the district bar.

It should be noted here that Mr. Brunson emanates from the Georgia family, his fath- er being Daniel T. Brunson, born in Lee county, that state in 1840 and now residing at Rock Creek, now Rosboro, Arkansas. Since the Civil war he has passed his life on the farm and the ranch, but during that great civil strife he was a member of the Fourth Georgia Infantry Regiment and served in Northern Virginia, under General Robert E. Lee, having fought in twenty- three battles of the war and being present with the command when it surrendered at Appomattox. Daniel T: Brunson was the son of Almarine Brunson, a wealthy planter of Georgia and passed his boyhood and early manhood in acquiring an excellent educa- tion. The father married Eliza Woodard and all of their seven children lived to years of maturity. For his companion through life, Daniel Brunson chose Sarah Frances Cheves, a daughter of Frank Cheves, a mer- chant and farmer in Georgia. By this un- ion fifteen children were born, and a remark- able feature of this family was the fact that there were three sets of twins. Those of this family surviving are : Frank A., of Ros- boro, Arkansas; L. C., of Midland, Texas; David D. and Mary E., twins, the latter wife of L. C. Hering. of Amity, Arkansas; Annie. who married Claude Hering, of Amity ; Thomas and Susie, twins, the former a grad- uate in civil engineering from the Univer- sitv of Arkansas and a resident of Rosboro and the latter a teacher in the Coalgate schools; Ida is also a teacher at Coalgate.

Oklahoma; Eula, the youngest, resides in Rosboro with the parents.

David D. Brunson was admitted to the bar at Lebanon, Tennessee and at Murfrees- boro, Arkansas, and tried his first case in Amity where defended a young man for shooting his grandfather, a singular and rare occurrence even in Arkansas. He was admitted before Judge Clayton of the Fed- eral courts of the Indian Territory and has been identified with general practice at Coal- gate and other points in his judicial district since. Soon after his advent at Coalgate he formed a partnership with George A. Foo- shee, the style of the law firm being Fooshee and Brunson which has proven a formidable one,

As a citizen, Mr. Brunson took a warm, personal interest in achieving Statehood and identified himself early with the Democrat- ic party of the Indian Territory. He has been a delegate to every Democratic con- vention of the commonwealth and was a member of the platform committee in the convention of 1908, at Tulsa. He spoke on the political issues in the campaign prelimin- ary to the first state election and added his mite to the influence which secured the adop- tion of the constitution. He was identified with the question of public education in Coalgate and when serving as city attorney, drafted the ordinance submitting the prop- osition as to whether the city schools should be organized under a separate system, which prevailed. The question was submitted in May and a nine month's school was held the same year. He was mayor of Coalgate when the waterworks system was installed, as well as when the school houses were built, he negotiating the sale of the bonds which constructed the one and erected the other.

As a firm Fooshee and Brunson are the at- torneys of the Rock Island railroad com- pany, the Oklahoma Central Railroad Com- pany at Coalgate and for the First National Bank of Coalgate as well as for like institu- tons at Tupelo. Mr. Brunson is also attor- ney for The Murow Indian Orphans' Home; of Coal county. In fraternal affairs, Mr. Brunson is connected with the Masons and Elks. He was married October 5, 1904, to Miss Mattie Hering, daughter of Robert and Kitty (McDonold ) IIering. There is no issue by this union.

PATRICK GREENAN. county treasurer of Coal county and a resident of and property

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owner in Coalgate, where he has passed his active business life, was born in Braid- wood, Illinois, March 17, 1872. His fath- er, James Greenan, was born in Ireland and reared in Ayrshire, Scotland, and there married Elizabeth Girvin, who is now a resi- dent of Coalgate. In 1869 the parents em- igrated from Scotland and established them- selves in the state of Illinois. The father was a coal miner and brought his family to its final destination, Lehigh, Oklahoma, in 1881, and passed away at Coalgate, in 1889, aged forty-four years. The children of their union are : Jennette who married John Cre- ber and died in Coal county, leaving one child; Patrick, of this sketch; John, of Greenwood. Arkansas; and Francis and David who still remain at home.

Patrick Greenan, or "Patsy" as he is uni- versally known, also became a coal miner at the tender age of nine years. He began with a boy's job and passed through the var- ious stages of the miner's vocation and when he abandoned it, after fourteen years ser- vice, he was an expert in the pit. His educa- tion was obtaned by lamplight after work hours and at night schools, until he was twenty-three years of age, when he took a course in Central Business College, at Se dalia, Missouri. From Lehigh, the family came to Coalgate in 1890 and in 1896, Pat- rick embarked in merchandising, as a clerk for J. B. McDougal and Company, and af- ter learning the business thoroughly he en- gaged in business on his own account, the firm being Cardwell and Greenan which made itself well known during the eight years it existed. Selling his interest in the business he was employed by the Coalgate Company, in charge of its implement depart- ment and continued with the company until November 17, 1907, when he resigned to take up his official duties as treasurer of his coun- ty.

On the approach of Statehood, Mr. Green- an made the campaign for the treasurer's office and defeated his opposition in the pri- mary and defeated the Republican candidate and Socialist candidate as well, being de- clared elected by more than seven hundred majority. Mr. Greenan in his secret society affairs, is a member of the Masonic order ; is past master of the Blue Lodge. No. ? 11, and is on the road to the thirty-second degree, being a member of Albert Pike Lodge of Perfection, No. 2, of Mcalester. He is an

Elk and is fully abreast with the times in which he lives. He erected his own home in Coalgate and is half-owner of the building in which the business of Cardwell & Son is conducted.

March 20, 1900, Mr. Greenan was happily united in marriage in Coalgate to Miss Ann Jane Farrimond, daughter of James Farrimond, a mine operator and a man of English birth. Mrs. Greenan was born in Lancashire, England, January 1, 1881. Their children of the marriage are Evelyn Frances, James and Roland.

JAMES R. PERRY, one of the pioneer mer- chants of Coalgate where for the past sev- enteen years he has been a citizen, and where his entry into business was marked by a most humble and unassuming begin- ning, was born in Davidson county, Tennes- see, July 22, 1861. His father, Rufus Perry, was a native of that county and was reared and educated there. Rufus Perry, born in 1839, was the son of Captain Thomas Perry, descended from a pioneer ancestor of the state and his people were of the farming class. Thomas Perry died from the effects of an accident about 1863. His second wife was Bettie Joiner and their children were: Ruf- us; Frances, wife of Rufus Carman, who died in Grayson county, Texas; Margaret, wife of Richard Cuffman, of Tennessee. By his first marriage Thomas Perry was the father of Benjamin and Bettie Perry, who passed their lives in Tennessee. Bettie be- came the wife of John Webb.

Rufus Perry was educated but sparingly and devoted his rather short life to farming. He married Harriet Bruce, a daughter of J. Wesley Bruce, a descendant of the Scotch Bruce who founded the family in America in the early history of our country. They lived in Tennessee, in pioneer times and Mr. Perry joined Company H, 44th Tennessee Infantry in the Confederate army and par- ticipated in the battle of Shiloh and all oth- ers in which his regiment was engaged un- til he was taken sick with fever and died in the service at Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1863. The dramatic closing of his life was one of the pathetic pieces of the family history. He left his family with little for support and when the mother died the son, James R., was his sister's companion and support during single life. The widow of Rufus Perry sur- vived until 1875 when she passed away, the mother of Adeline, widow of Lee Bruce, of

QR Perry

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HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

Coalgate, Oklahoma, and James R. of this memoir. For her second husband, Mrs. Per- ry had married S. L. Bruce and by him was the mother of John L., a merchant of Coal- gate and Mary W., wife of George W. Ever- ett, of Sparta, Tennessee.

The free schools of the country where James R. Perry was reared gave him the knowledge of books. He began his business career at the age of twenty vears when he came to what was then Indian Territory learning the blacksmith's trade together with that of wagon-making. He also learned the carpenter's trade, making his home for a time in Stringtown. His last work as a tradesman was done on the Choc- taw capitol building, at Tushkahomma, after which event he established himself in Le- high and was for seven years a clerk in the store of the mining company of that place. In April, 1892, he came to Coalgate with a capital of one hundred and fifty dollars, and joined his cousin in a mercantile venture. The firm of Bruce & Perry did a general business two years when Bruce sold out to M. L. Elzey and Elzey & Perry was the style of the firm the following four years, when it dissolved and since 1897 Mr. Perry has conducted the business under his own name.

As a contributor to the substantial growth of Coalgate, Mr. Perry has erected one of the best residences of the place and also erected his store building, one of the most valuable within the city. He owns a valu- able property near the town and as will be noted by what has already been said, has steadily forged his way to the front rank, from the original investment he made when he started at Coalgate seventeen years ago. He has served as city treasurer, having been elected by the Democratic party. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, belonging to Albert Pike Lodge of Perfection, No. 2, and Indian Consistory, No. 2, of McAlester, Ok- lahoma. He is now senior warden of Lodge No. 211. He is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Mr. Perry was united in marriage Feb- ruary 5, 1888, to Mary C. Simmons, a daugh- ter of W. P. and Isabella (Castilla) Sim- mons, of Jasper county, Missouri. Mrs. Perry is a native of Tennessee, born in Brad- ley county, April 28. 1867. The issue of this marriage was: L. Connor, born January 17.

1889 ; Marguerite, September 13, 1892 ; Irene, November 11, 1897; and James Gordon, March 1, 1906. Those deceased are : Pauline, born August 8, 1895, died October 28, 1896; and James Rufus, born August 4, 1900, died January 4, 1901.

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A history of the state of Oklahoma, Volume II, Part 43

Author: Hill, L. B. (Luther B.) Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 810

Author: Hill, L. B. (Luther B.)
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 810