A standard history of Oklahoma; an authentic narrative of its development from the date of the first European exploration down to the present time, including accounts of the Indian tribes, both civilized and wild, of the cattle range, of the land openings and the achievements of the most recent period, Vol. III, Part 32

Author: Thoburn, Joseph B. (Joseph Bradfield), 1866-1941
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 660

USA > Oklahoma > A standard history of Oklahoma; an authentic narrative of its development from the date of the first European exploration down to the present time, including accounts of the Indian tribes, both civilized and wild, of the cattle range, of the land openings and the achievements of the most recent period, Vol. III > Part 32

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Mr. Ebey was born in the State of Illinois, in the year 1863, and is a son of George W. and Matilda (Miller) . Ebey. His paternal ancestors came from Holland to America in the colonial era of our national history, and an ancestor of no little historic distinction was George Ebey, who was in the forlorn-hope company that, under Gen. Anthony Wayne, known familiarly as Mad Anthony Wayne, stormed Stony Point, New York, at the time of the War of the Revolution. The father of Mr. Ebey likewise was born in Illinois, a member of a sterling pioneer family of that state, where for many years he was engaged in the manufacture of stoneware and where both he and his wife continued to reside nutil their death. Two other children survive the parents- Hardin, who is a representative attorney and counselor at law at Dodge City, Kansas, and Mrs. Belle Tripp, whose husband is a clergyman of the Christian Church and now pastor of a church at Wichita, Kansas.

Mr. Ebey is indebted to the public schools of Illinois for his early education, which has been expanded to most liberal proportions through the manifold and varied experiences of a signally active and nseful career. As a young man he came to the West to make his own way in the world. and his character and anility have not only made possible large and worthy achievement but have retained to him the confidence and good will of those with whom he has come in contact in the various relations of life.

Coming to Oklahoma Territory in the pioneer epoch

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of its history, Mr. Ebey served as clerk of the United States District Court at Oklahoma City, under Judge Henry W. Scott, a brilliant young man of high profes- sional and literary attainments and one who had been appointed to the bench of the United States District Court in Oklahoma after he had made application to President Cleveland only for the subordinate office of United States attorney for the territory. Early fac- tional fights in Oklahoma City made Judge Scott the target of much criticism at the hands of Burton Brown, who was then editor of the Oklahoma City Times- Journal, and later on the part of Frank McMaster, editor of the Press and Democrat. This continued opposition to Judge Scott resulted in his having both Brown and McMaster haled into court, where they were found guilty of contempt of court and were sentenced to incarcera- tion in jail. They remained in such duress until Judge Scott was called to Guthrie, when they took advantage of his absence and procured their release through habeas- corpus action instituted in the county court, over which Judge S. A. Stewart presided. Upon his return to Okla- homa City, Judge Scott had the two editors again remanded to jail, but upon his second departure they were again released, by Sheriff Fightmaster. Judge Scott again had them incarcerated and issued an order removing the sheriff from office in the event that the belligerent editors were again released. By this time the two factional elements were at white heat, and Mr. Ebey, as clerk of the court, fearing violence against Judge Scott at the hands of his enemies, locked his chief's order in the safe, with the result that it was never served.

In 1896 Judge Scott was one of the big men from Oklahoma to the democratic national convention, in Chicago, and entered the caucus whose action resulted in the nomination of William Jennings Bryan for Presi- dent. Judson Harmon was at that time attorney gen- eral of the United States, and naturally was of the Cleveland rather than the Bryan type of democrat, so when Judge Scott arrived in Washington, from Chicago, his action in the convention met with disfavor in the department of which he was a representative. Conse- quently, upon his return to Oklahoma, he filed his resig- nation, which was accepted six months prior to the expiration of his term on the bench of the Federal District Court, Mr. Ebey at the same time tendering his . resignation of the position of clerk of the same tribunal.

At this juncture, as touching the formative period in the history of Oklahoma Territory, may consistently be reproduced the following extracts from an article that was prepared by Mr. Ebey for publication in the 1915 anniversary edition of the Daily Oklahoman:

"A short rider forced into an appropriation bill by General J. B. Weaver in the dying hours of Congress made provision for the opening of Oklahoma to settlement without any provision for a government or surveyed townsites, so the people faced an unusual situation, almost primitive, upon their arrival. * * * It was decided to make a new survey and plat of the townsite (of Oklahoma City) and to select a committee of four- teen to conduct the survey and settle all lot disputes. The committee selected were: O. H. Violet of Cali- fornia, M. V. Barney of Chicago, C. W. Price of Colorado, M. H. Woods of Kansas, A. C. Scott of Kansas, W. P. Shaw of Missouri, J. B. Wheeler of Mich- igan, B. N. Woodson of Texas, W. H. Ebey of Illinois, J. A. Blackburn of Missouri, D. J. Moore of Kansas, D. E. Murphy of Indiana, C. T. Scott of Texas, and A. L. Mendlick of Wisconsin. The committee imme- diately organized by electing J. A. Blackburn presi- dent; O. H. Violet, vice-president; J. B. Wheeler, treas- urer, and M. H. Woods, secretary. P. J. Burns was

put in charge of the survey. So great was the crowd in attendance upon the committee's work that a detail of United States soldiers was in attendance. In the forenoon of Saturday, April 27th, the citizen surveyors sent, word that their survey was meeting with armed resistance. The committee proceeded to the place where the surveyors were, and, found them facing a formidable array of Winchesters. The committee, after parleying with the Main street and North Side claimants, decided that bloodshed would result if attempt was made to force the survey north. The people of the north side had adjusted themselves to what was known as the Seminole survey. It was agreed by the committee that the citizens' survey should stand up to Grand avenue. This agreement was reported to a mass meeting on the evening of the 28th, by General Weaver, on behalf of the committee, and was unanimously adopted. At this meet- ing articles of confederation were adopted for a city government. W. L. Couch was elected temporary mayor and an election ordered for city officers on May 1st."

The organization of the Democratic Territorial Con- vention and the selection of delegates to the National Convention in 1896 was largely in the hands of Mr. Ebey. Associated with him was Taz Upshaw, of Okla- homa City, who was a political leader in the early days. Chief of those opposing them in the organization of the convention were Edward L. Dunn, a pioneer Demo- cratic leader, and Judge J. R. Keaton, who aspired to the position of national committeeman. The result was the election of the Ebey-Upshaw slate and the election of Whit M. Grant, recently mayor of Oklahoma City, as national committeeman after the Oklahoma delegation had entered the national convention in Chicago.

Mr. Ebey took a conspicuous part in the campaign that resulted in the appointment of W. C. Renfrow, of Norman, Oklahoma, as governor of the territory, under the administration of President Cleveland. Col. T. M. Richardson, of Oklahoma City, who at that time was national committeeman, aspired to the appointment as governor of Oklahoma, and had he been appointed, Mr. Ebey, who was one of his strongest supporters, would have been named receiver of the United States land office at Oklahoma City. Richardson controlled the First Na- tional Bank of Norman, of which Renfrow was president, and Richardson's friends never believed there would be any contest between the two men; but they had not counted on the close friendship existing at that time between Leslie P. Ross, of Oklahoma City, then chair- man of the Territorial Democratic Central Committee, and Mr. Renfrow. Those directly interested in the territorial appointments to be made, went to Washing- ton, and among the number was Edward L. Dunn, who was a close political friend of Chairman Ross, and who was then secretary of the Territorial Central Committee. While Mr. Ross was supposed to be for Mr. Richardson, he would not give the push to put over his appoint- ment, and Mr. Richardson's friends were at a loss to know what was wrong. It was surmised that possibly Mr. Ross was grooming his fellow townsman, Mr. Ren- frow for governor and Mr. Ebey advised that Mr. Rich- ardson wire Mr. Renfrow, who was president of Mr. Richardson's bank at Norman and pledged to Mr. Rich- ardson, to come to Washington. Other counsel pre- vailed, and the party returned to Oklahoma, and upon their arrival home learned of Mr. Renfrow's appointment as governor.

One of the pioneer papers of Oklahoma City was the Press-Gazette, of which Charles Barrett, now of Shaw- nee, was editor for a time. The Oklahoman was founded about the same time, by the Rev. Sam Sinall, the evan- gelist. A few years later Mr. Ebey and associates bought the two plants and consolidated the papers, One

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by one his associates dropped out and eventually Mr. Ebey was owner of the Oklahoman, which is now the eading daily newspaper of the state. It was not a pay- ng proposition and the business was not to his liking, and he finally traded the plant and business to R. Q. Blakeney for a town lot and other consideration.

His interest in political affairs made Mr. Ebey one of the democratic leaders during the entire period of his residence in Oklahoma City. He was a delegate to many county and state conventions and frequently was chairman or secretary of the same. He renewed his activities upon returning to the territory in 1901 and was chairman of the committee on resolutions and head of the delegation from Comanche County that attended the first state convention after the organization of that county. He was a member of the notable state conven- tion, at Enid, that nominated William Cross for Con- gress. In this convention Thomas P. Gore, of Lawton, now United States senator, was a conspicuous figure, and his name was once placed before the convention as that of a candidate for Congress. Later it was withdrawn and Mr. Ebey changed the vote of the Comanche County delegation from Gore to Cross. This change marked the beginning of a new wave of sentiment in the conven- tion and resulted in the nomination of Cross.

As a member of the Ada Commercial Club Mr. Ebey has been one of the most vital and resourceful figures in the furtherance of measures and enterprises that have inured to the general good of the community. He had charge of the campaign made by the people of Ada at Guthrie during the session of the Second State Legisla- ture, when the fight was won for the establishing. of the East Central State Normal School at Ada. After arriv- ing at Guthrie Mr. Ebey met his old friend of earlier days, Edward L. Dunn, who went to the legislature from Oklahoma County, and Dunn prevailed upon him to become chief clerk of the House of Representatives. He has served with characteristic efficiency and loyalty as a member of the city council of Ada, and as a promoter, director and executive officer he is interested in com- panies that are developing the natural-gas field near his lome city. In early days in Oklahoma City he was associated with those who dug the historic canal utilized in the establishing of the first water system in the present capital city and also with the establishing of the first electric-light plant. Until recently he was vice- president of the Oklahoma State Bank of Ada, and he holds membership organization of insurance under- writers. Mr. Ebey is affiliated with the Masonic frater- nity and the Knights of Pythias, and both he and his wife are zealous members of the Christian Church. He is widely known throughout Oklahoma and is honored as one of the really distinguished figures in the history of the state, as well as one of its pioneer citizens.

At Terrell, Texas, in the year 1892, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Ebey to Miss Tillie Harman, and their one son, Harmon, who was born in 1893, is now associated with his father in the real-estate, loan and insurance business.

WALTER L. JACKSON. Various means were employed by the Indians of Indian Territory during the early years of their occupancy of the territory to discourage the immigration of white men into that region, and some pioneer whites have related how they suffered many indignities and threats in attempting to make peaceable settlement in the territory. A notable case in point is that of the Jackson family.

George Walter Jackson, a native of Johnson County, Arkansas, while moving in covered wagons with his family to the Indian Territory in 1894, camped his first night in the territory a half day's drive toward the

interior of the Choctaw Nation. Beneath a high and perpendicular bluff the family built its fires. They feared being disturbed by the Indians, and were not greatly surprised when, shortly after dark, they heard noises on the bluff. But a minute later they were stunned by a narrow escape from death when a large boulder was precipitated into their camp from above them. Mr. Jackson and his sons, among them Walter L. of this review, seized their guns and prepared promptly for a fight. Other sounds came from the rim of the bluff, but they shortly ceased, and the silence was next broken by the advent into the camp of a pack of lean and hungry hounds that seemed to have just been re- leased by the men in hiding back of the bluff. The dogs were frightened away and returned to their masters, who in the meantime had observed the guns in the hands of the white men. By twos the men of the little party kept guard during the night, the Indians retreating to their cabins in the hills.

The Jackson family settled near the present Town of Graham in Carter County, leasing land from Jeannette McDaniel, a representative Indian citizen of that sec- tion. The house they built was one mile from the spot where Bill Dalton, the notorious outlaw leader, had been killed a few years previous. This section formerly had been a shelter and feeding place for the outlaws, and not far distant, in the Arbuckle Mountains, they fre- quently made rendezvouz. In the foothills of the moun- tains, near Graham, stood a house with a large trap door in the floor through which the outlaws had access to the big cellar that would easily accommodate a dozen men. The influence of the outlaws was felt for many years in that part of the territory. Probably one of the last of them assassinated Harry Wayrick while he was accompanying his sister-in-law to his mother's home, six miles distant. The outlaw, it later appeared, had made love to the girl, and she had assented to an elopement. Wayrick was shot from ambush and the broken-hearted girl rode home alone on her horse, while her pretended lover fled the country and never was heard of again. The elder Jackson picked up the body of young Wayrick and bore it home. The influence of bad men of the early days was reflected later in the actions of men at picnics and other public gatherings. At a picnic at Graham more than two hundred men engaged in a free-for-all fight, the result of too much indulgence in "Long Horn,"' a form of beer, and many were seriously injured before order could be restored. Sober white men brought back a semblance of order by chaining some of the drunken ones to fence posts until they came to their senses.

The early education of Walter L. Jackson was pro- cured in a log school house near Graham. The building was of the most primitive order, and split logs formed the seats. His first teacher there was William Payne. The country for years had been a cattle range and the schoolhouse bore the appropriate name of Roundup. Among the early activities of Mr. Jackson was his as- sistance in establishing section lines in that country, as a step toward bringing about passable highways. His father was a farmer, and he remained on the farm home until he was twenty-four, when he married and began life for himself. He farmed principally until he moved into Kingston in 1913 and entered the hotel business. His is the only hotel in the town and it enjoys a lucrative patronage.

Mr. Jackson was married in 1904 at Ardmore to Miss Mabel Chestnut, whose father was a pioneer settler of Grayson County, Texas, and whose brother, C. C. Chest- nut, is president of the First State Bank of Kingston

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and one of the wealthiest and most prominent men in Marshall County.

Mr. and Mrs. Jackson have three children, Wilbur, Dow and Ernestine, aged nine, five and one year respectively.

In Mr. Jackson's family he was one of eleven chil- dren, eight sons and three daughters. C. F. Jackson is a machinist in Seattle, Washington. Monroe W. and John S. are farmers at Hennepin, Oklahoma. Jeanie is the wife of Mr. Staples, a farmer at Graham. Joseph Jackson is a machinist in Seattle. Sidney is farming at Graham. Frank lives at Wilson, Oklahoma. Lena married Mr. Martin, a farmer at Graham, and Bud and Vida are still with their parents at Graham.

Mr. Jackson is a member of the Baptist Church with his family, and is a member of the Odd Fellows order.

JERRY ASHLEY, M. D. A continuous practice of twenty-two years constitutes Doctor Ashley one of the pioneer physicians and surgeons of the old Oklahoma Territory and the new state. Since 1908 he has been identified with the growing community of Fletcher in Comanche County. While his professional work has been an important service in any community where he has lived, he has also identified himself closely with the civic and social progress of the state.

The Ashley name is of Irish descent, and some of the prominent pioneers in the State of Kentucky were Ash- leys. Doctor Ashley's father was J. S. Ashley, who was born in Kentucky in 1817, and from that state in 1844 removed to Lamar County in Northeastern Texas, where he was an early settler, and continued to live in Texas all the rest of his life. He died while on a visit at Moral, Oklahoma, in 1900. He was a prosperous farmer, and lived retired for several years before his death. As a democrat, he was elected and served as county com- missioner of Lamar Delta County, was for many terms a justice of the peace, and his ability as a fluent speaker, and the possession of an education much above the aver- age standards of the time made him a prominent factor in politics and in civic affairs. He was a member of the Christian Church. J. S. Ashley married Mrs. Margaret (Campbell) Marrs, who was born in Hickman County, Tennessee, in 1833, and died at Pecan Gap, Texas, in 1897. Doctor Ashley was the oldest of their four children. The daughter, Docia, died at Princeton, Collin County, Texas, after her marriage to J. C. Highsaw, who is still living at Princeton, a farmer; Nannie is the wife of James Bagwell, a farmer and stock man at Floydada, Texas; Jesse L. died in infancy.

Born in Delta County, Texas, December 1, 1867, Dr. Jerry Ashley attended the common schools at Pecan Gap in Delta County, the high school at Spanish Fort, Texas, and in 1891 entered the University of Tennessee medical department at Nashville, where he continued his studies until graduating M. D. with the class of 1893. He at once removed to Southern Oklahoma and located for practice at Orr in Love County, and in the next fifteen years built up a large practice. In 1908 Doctor Ashley came to Fletcher in Comanche County and was one of the first members of his profession to serve that community. Dotcor Ashley is a member of the county and state medical societies and the American Medical Association, and is a physician of most excellent attain- ments.

He also served as mayor of Orr three terms, and in 1908 was elected a justice of the peace, and is at present serving as an alderman in Fletcher. In politics he is a democrat. a member of the Christian Church, is past grand in Fletcher Lodge No. 520, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, affiliates with the order of the Rebekahs at Sterling, Oklahoma, with Camp No. 413 of

the Woodmen of the World, with Fletcher Camp of the Modern Woodmen of America, with the Woodmen Circle, with the Royal Neighbors, and has taken the encampment degrees in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

On January 3, 1897, at Orr, Oklahoma, Doctor Ashley married Miss Pearl Cobb, of Honey Grove, where her father, C. R. Cobb, is still living, a prosperous farmer. Mrs. Ashley died May 6, 1915, after the birth of three children: John S., who is a junior in the high school at Fletcher; and Una and J. Shelton.

JOSEPH S. HOPPING. It has been but natural that sterling pioneer families of the contiguous State of Kan- sas should have given to the new State of Oklahoma a very appreciable contingent of representatives of the younger generation, and he whose name initiates this article has the distinction of being himself a pioneer of Oklahoma, where he established his residence in the year that marked the opening of Oklahoma Territory to set- tlement and where he has so brought his powers to bear as to achieve distinctive success in material lines, as well as to aid definitely in the furtherance of civic and indus- trial development and progress. He is now engaged in the real estate, loan and banking business in the City of Tulsa, where he makes a specialty of farm loans on mort- gages and at reasonable terms, his fairness being on a parity with his recognized maturity of judgment as a financier and man of affairs. He has been a prominent figure also in banking circles and enterprise and is a loyal and respected citizen who is well entitled to repre- sentation in this history of Oklahoma.

Joseph S. Hopping claims the Sunflower State as the place of his nativity and is a representative of one of its early pioneer families. He was born on his father's. farm in Douglas County, Kansas, on the 11th of June, 1864, and is a son of Rev. Joseph W. and Jane (Shields) Hopping, the former of English and the latter of Scotch lineage. Joseph W. Hopping was born in Sangamon County, Illinois, on the 20th of January, 1822, and died on the 5th of October, 1880. His wife was born in Ful- ton County, Illinois, on the 29th of February, 1832, and was summoned to the life eternal on the 14th of July, 1898. From the foregoing data it appears that the family of which Joseph S. Hopping is a scion has achieved pioneer honors in three of the sovereign states of the. Union, and he himself has well upheld the family honors along this line. His parents were reared and educated in Illinois, where their marriage was solemnized on the 27th of July, 1854, and of their seven children four are now living, the subject of this sketch having been the sixth in order of birth.

Rev. Joseph W. Hopping became through his own application a man of broad intellectual ken, both he and his wife were devout members of the Dunkard Church, and he served for a long period as a minister of this benign religions organization. In the autumn of 1854, a few months after his marriage, Rev. Joseph W. Hop- ping and his young wife went forth on the overland journey from Illinois to the prairie wilds of Kansas, and they were numbered among the first settlers in Linn County, that state. The tract of Government land which there became the family homestead was covered to a. considerable extent with timber, and the sturdy pioneer from Illinois literally reclaimed his farm from the wil- derness, the while he zealously served as a preacher of the gospel in the pioneer community. He, and his wife endured their full share of the vicissitudes and priva- tions that fell to the lot of the pioneers in Kansas, but losses through drought and grasshopper scourge did not dishearten them, and they eventually gained a fair degree of prosperity, the closing years of their lives having been passed in Wilson County, Kansas, and their names merit-

THE FORMER HOME OF J. S. HOPPING AND FAMILY, BUILT IN 1890

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ing high place on the roster of the honored pioneers of the Sunflower State.

Joseph S. Hopping acquired his early education in the pioneer schools of Kansas and was but sixteen years of age at the time of his father's death, so that heavy responsibilities early fell upon him. He continued to work on the home farm and to aid in the care of his mother until 1889, in the spring of which year he availed himself of the opportunities afforded by the opening of a portion of the Indian Territory to settle- ment, and he was among those who came to the present Payne County, Oklahoma, in that year, prior to the formal organization of the New Oklahoma Territory. He entered claim to a homestead and on the same erected a log house, the roof of which was provided with shingles that were made on the farm, this being the first hewed log house in that section to be provided with this evidence of opulence, as most of the roofs of the primitive homes were of clapboard and sod construction. Mr. Hopping instituted the reclamation and improvement of his land and eventually perfected title to the same. After residing about ten years on this pioneer farm he removed to Chan- dler, the present judicial center of Lincoln County, and there engaged in the farm loan business, in connection with which he developed also a general banking business. Prosperity attended his well-ordered and honorable en- deavors, through which he was able to give needed assistance to many worthy and enterprising farmers, and he continued his operations at Chandler until April, 1903, when he removed to Okmulgee and there effected the organization of the Bank of Commerce. He served as vice president of this institution until 1909, when he became its president, a position of which he continued the incum- bent until 1912, though he had established his residence in the City of Tulsa in 1909. He sold his interest in the bank at Okmulgee in 1912 and since that time has given the greater part of his time and attention to the management of his large and substantial business in the extending of loans upon approved farms, of which line of enterprise he is now one of the leading representatives in the City of Tulsa. On May 17, 1915, Mr. Hopping organized the Produce National Bank, one of the strong banking institutions of the state, of which he is presi- dent.

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Author: Thoburn, Joseph B. (Joseph Bradfield), 1866-1941 Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Chicago, New York, The American Historical Society Number of Pages: 660

Author: Thoburn, Joseph B. (Joseph Bradfield), 1866-1941
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 660