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. IV, Part 39

Author: Thoburn, Joseph B. (Joseph Bradfield), 1866-1941
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 656

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. IV > Part 39

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CLARENCE WILLIAM TURNER. Although now retired from active participation in business affairs, Clarence William Turner still maintains his interest in matters concerning commercial and industrial operations at Mus- kogee, where for thirty years he was one of the best known figures in the hardware trade. He is one of the builders of the city, having watched its growth from a hamlet of several hundred inhabitants to one of the leading cities of the state, and at all times has cheer- fully and capably performed every duty of good citi- zenship.

Mr. Turner was boru in a residence at No. 96, Lake Street, in the City of Cleveland, Ohio, Jnue 18, 1857, and is a son of the late John E. Turner, who was a pioneer merchant of the Indian Territory. John E. Turner was born at Wickliffe, Ohio, August 15, 1824, and was a resident of Muskogee, Indian Territory, when his death occurred at a hospital at St. Louis, Mis- souri, December 10, 1898. He was a son of William Turner, the first white child born at Canandaigua, On- tario County, New York, in 1798, and was a son of John Turner, a native of England and the progenitor of the family in America. His son, William, became a pioneer of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and later removed to Allen County, Indiana, where he died. John E. Turner was reared in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and there married Julia Ayers, who was born at Bristol, Ohio, in December, 1828, and is now in her eighty-seventh year and a resident of Muskogee. She bore her husband three children: Clarence William, of this review; Effie, who is the wife of J. A. Kirkwood, a commission merchant of New Orleans, Louisiana; and Fred E., who is a retired merchant of Muskogee, Oklahoma.

John F. Turner was reared on the family homestead farm and secured his education in the country schools, remaining at home until he reached the age of twenty-one years, when he became a clerk in a general store at Wil- loughby, Lake County, Ohio. He became a member of the surveying party that surveyed the Cleveland & Erie Railroad, later the Lake Shore, and subsequently became a yardmaster for that line. In September, 1867, John E. Turner removed to Fort Smith, Arkansas, where he became a partner in the general mercantile firm of Buck- fey, Ayers & Co., his invested capital being $6,500. Goods for the firm were bought at Cincinnati, Ohio, and placed on a boat to be carried to Fort Smith. The boat sank and the goods were lost, but Mr. Turner had wisely carried insurance and these were replaced with a new stock, also bought at Cincinnati, which were placed on

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the Fort Gibson, a vessel which safely negotiated -the passage down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and up the Arkansas to Fort Smith. In 1869 Mr. Turner with- drew from the firm of Buckley, Ayers & Co. and was given one-third of the stock of goods which he took to Okmulgee, Indian Territory, and there secured a license entitling him to engage in merchandising. He remained in business at Okmulgee until 1875, when he sold out to his sou, C. W. Turner, and William Harvison. In 1877 John E. Turner removed to Muskogee and became a pioneer merchant. At that time Muskogee was a mere village, and less than 100 white people were in the terri- tory of the Creek Nation. The firm at Muskogee was first known as Turner & Parkinson, later as J. E. Turner & Company, and finally became Harsha & Spalding, to which concern the business was sold in the spring of 1898, in the fall of which year Mr. Turner died. He was successful as a merchant and amassed an estate worth $150,000. He was a republican in politics, but never took any active part in publie affiairs, save as a good citizen. Mr. Turner was both a Mason and an Odd Fellow.

Clarence William Turner was but ten years of age when his parents removed to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and thirteen years old when his father removed to Okmulgee. He obtained a limited education and very early matricu- lated in the school of practical business experience as a clerk in his father's store. In 1874 he took a course in Jones Business College, at St. Louis, Missouri, and in 1875, with Willian Harvison, bought his father's business at Okmulgee. In September, 1881, Mr. Turner sold out and in July, 1882, located at Muskogee, where he has since resided. On coming to this city he bought the hardware business of J. S. Atkinson, established in 1877, the first hardware business established in the Indian Territory. This enterprise Mr. Turner developed, under the firm name of the Turner Hardware Company, to large proportions, as both a wholesale and retail establishment, the line being hardware, implements, furniture and lum- ber, and after thirty years of continued success. Mr. Turner sold out his interests in 1912, the Muskogee Hard- ware Company succeeding to the hardware and imple- ment trade, Bass & Harbour to the furniture, and the George D. Hope Lumber Company to the lumber. The business, commenced in small quarters, grew until the building was destroyed by fire, in 1886, when Mr. Turner erected a large and commodious building on the site of the old one on North Main Street, This building was also destroyed by fire, in 1899, and replaced by the present Turner Building. Mr. Turner, since disposing of his interests in the business with which the greater part of his life was devoted, has given his time and attention to winding up the business affairs of the Turner Hardware Company, and to looking after his large real estate interests in the City of Muskogee, of which he is truly a builder.

Mr. Turner has served several terms in the capacity of alderman of the city, but beyond this has not cared to hold office. He is a republican in his political views, but not a rabid partisan. Fraternally, Mr. Turner is a thirty-second degree Mason, a life member of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and a life member of the Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks. Mr. Turner was married in September, 1883, to Miss Tookah Butler, and to this union there have been born three children, namely : Tookah, who is the wife of Charles Bagg, of Muskogee; Clarence William, Jr .; and Marion E.

CLAUDE SMITH. The bar of Oklahoma is constantly being reinforced with trained men of legal talent, and a material addition of new blood is noted. The day of the shyster is past. The man who studies for a few

weeks and presumes to enter competition with trained men has no chance for any sort of success, and such are notably conspicuous today because of their absence. It is worthy of notice that many of the more recent ad- ditions to the bar of Oklahoma have been men of Indian descent, trained in the best schools in America, and equipped to take their place among the best talent of the day.

Claude Smith comes to the bar of Southeastern Okla- homa possessed of superior legal training. After spend- ing two years in academie work at Washington and Lee University, in Lexington, Virginia, he entered the law department in that famous and honored old institution, and was graduated duly with the degree LL. B. Then he entered the Yale Law School and passed a year iu post graduate work there. His training in a theoretie way as complete as it could be made, he returned to Oklahoma, was admitted to the bar, and is now in prae- tice to stay. He has a brilliant future before him and it is generally believed that he will fulfill the promise of today.

Claude Smith was born on March 26, 1891, at Jaek- son, in the old Indian Territory. His parents are W. T. and Louvina (Bohannon) Smith, of Caddo, Oklahoma. William T. Smith was born at MeMinnville, Warren County, Tennessee, on November 6, 1853, and is a son of George W. and Elvira (Gibbs) Smith. The children of George and Elvira Smith were as follows: Frank, who died in Tennessee; George W. who moved to Bennington, Indian Territory; John C., a merchant at Jackson, Oklahoma, who died in 1911; Mrs. Mary Northeutt, of Frisco, Texas; Mrs. Lou Smith Clark, also of Frisco, Texas; and William T., father of the subject.

William T. Smith came to the Indian Territory in 1882. He had left Tennessee at the age of nineteen, going to Colorado, but a little later left that state and came to the Indian Territory, locating on what was called Ten Mile Prairie and building the first house on that traet. It is on this prairie that the Town of Jack- son now stands. Here Mr. Smith opened up a store and began to trade with the people in that vicinity. He also was instrumental iu getting the first postoffice known in that region, and it was carried on in his store. The place was called Annette, Indian Territory, for a long while and was later changed to Jackson. After the establish- ment of the store at Jackson, Mr. Smith withdrew and settled at Bennington, there operating the famous "Red Store." But he later returned to Jackson, and there he married Louvina Bohannon, daughter of Edmund Bo- hannon and his wife, Louvina (Wall) Bohannon. The Bohannon family was prominent in Choctaw affairs through many years.

Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Ella Lee was born May 29, 1887. She was educated in Gray- son College, Whitewright, Texas, and Kidd-Key Col- lege at Sherman, Texas, and is a young woman of varied talents. She married Henry Edwards, assistant cashier of the Security National Bank of Caddo, Oklahoma, and they are popular and prominent in that place. Claude is the second and youngest child. In 1891 the parents moved to Caddo, and there Mr. Smith engaged in a wider sphere of mercantile activity than had previously engaged him. He retired in 1911.

Claude Smith was graduated from the Caddo High School as a member of the first class graduated by that school, in the year 1908. His matriculation at Washington and Lee University followed in the autumn of the same year. His two years spent there were de- voted mainly to economies and history, and in 1910 ho entered the law department, as has already been said. During that year the young studeut experienced a diffi-

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culty with his eyes that made it necessary for him to give up his work, but he resumed his studies the follow- ing year, and in a year from then he was graduated from the law department. He took up practice in Caddo, but after a few months decided to add something to his equipment by means of a course of study in the Yale Law School. After his return he engaged iu practice in Durant, where he is now located, and where he is mak- ing excellent progress in his chosen profession.

In college Mr. Smith enjoyed a degree of popularity among his fellow students, and was a member of the Phi Delta Phi fraternity. He is a member of the Southeast- ern Oklahoma Alumni Association of Washington and Lee University, and of the Presbyterian Church. He is a democrat, active iu the interests of the party, and he gained some prominence in stumping Oklahoma in the interests of Robert L. Owen, candidate for the United States Senate, to which he was elected.

Mr. Smith has many warm friends throughout South- western Oklahoma, where he has been known all his life, and enjoys the confidence of the people in a degree that will win him many successes in his professional life.

HON. CHARLES W. BOARD. His membership in the Oklahoma Constitutional Convention and active partici- pation in the construction of many of the leading provi- sions of the state's basic law have given special value to Senator Board's work in the State Senate during thic Fourth and Fifth Legislatures. Senator Board identified himself with the old Indian Territory ten years ago, and is a farmer-stockman at Okemah. Without show or publicity he has been a consistent and earnest coutender for legislation of a progressive nature, such as is cal- culated to increase the value of the state's resources and the financial, educational and moral advantages of the people. Senator Board is one of those broad minded, level headed, charitable men of affairs whom his friends admire and trust.

Charles W. Board was born in Bates County, Missouri, in 1869, a son of Nehemiah and Elizabeth (Moorman) Board. His father, descended from a Virginia ancestry and a native of Kentucky, settled in Missouri in 1866, and for many years was known as a druggist and farmer in that section. Senator Board has three brothers and three sisters: J. W. is a physician and ranch owner at Dexter, New Mexico; A. W. is a telephone system owner and farmer at Hope, New Mexico; M. A. is a druggist at Okemah; and Misses Lucy, Annie and Euna are teachers and live at Okemah.

Senator Board received his early educational training in the public schools and later took academic courses in Butler and Appleton City, Missouri. Leaving school at the age of twenty-two, he became a farmer, and for the fourteen succeeding years combined farming and teaching in Missouri. On coming to Indian Territory, in 1905, he located at Okfuskee, a town now situated in the county of that name. For a few years he was a farmer and merchant, and now owns and operates a well improved ranch for agricultural products and stock near Okemah.

In 1906 Mr. Board was elected a member of the constitutional convention from the Seventy-third Dis- trict of Indian Territory. Besides his constructive work on subjects of more importance in that body, his idea was adopted by the convention in the creation of Okfus- kee and Okmulgee counties. In 1907 he was elected the first register of deeds of Okfuskee County, and was re-elected to the same office. In 1912 he had no opposi- tion in the democratic party at the primaries as candi- date for the nomination to the State Senate from the Twenty-second Senatorial District. He took his seat as a member of the Fourth Legislature, and became

chairman of the committee on privileges and elections and was a joint author of a revised election code adopted by that legislature. He was author of a law placing limitations on guardians in the interests of minor children and their estates. In the Fifth Legislature Senator Board was chairman of the committee on privileges and elections, and a member of the committee on ways and means, revenue and taxation, roads and highways, enrolled and engrossed bills, irrigation aud drainage, geological survey, legislative aud judicial ap- portionment and oil and gas. He was author of a bill establishing a system of cotton weighing, and with Senator McIntosh of a bill providing for the payment of election inspectors. He also assisted in the preparation of a bill relating to libel, designed to limit public speech during a political campaign. He was joint author of the home ownership bill, and gave close and studious attention to the consideration of some of the leading measures of the session, voting always in the interest of economy, efficient government and better administration of public affairs. As a resident of old Indian Territory he paid special attention to the matter of good roads legislation.

Senator Board was married in Appleton City, Mis- souri, in 1893, to Miss Gertrude Raybourn. Their four children are: Guy, aged twenty-one, a graduate of the Okemalı High School; Raymond, a student in the Oke- mah schools; and Mary E. and Gertrude. Senator Board has affiliations with Okemah Lodge No. 234, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, has taken the fourteenth degree in the Scottish Rite at Guthrie, has been throughi all the chairs in the local lodge of Odd Fellows, and is a past chancellor in the Knights of Pythias. He has like- wise held the official honors of the local camp of the Modern Woodmen of America and belongs to the Oke- mah Lodge of the Royal Neighbors.

HON. JAMES AUSTIN MARSH was born on Sunday, the nineteenth day of August, in the year 1855, in a log cabin. The house presented a neat appearauce and was comfortably warm in winter when the huge fireplace four feet in width was filled with burning logs. The base of the chimney was built of huge flat sandstones laid in inud; the arch above consisted of dressed stones of smaller size fitted with a wedge shaped or keystone. The hearth, so redolent with memories of corn pone, pop corn, the fry- ing pan, the iron pot swinging above the fire, the andirons, the encircling familiar family faces, the social circle, the stories, laughter, singing and the childish frolic; tho hearthstone, the center of the home, emblematic of sacred security, was made of the choicest smoothest stones to be found; the chimney top or flue was built of sticks and the cracks plastered with mud; the chairs were home made, straight backed, hickory bark or split bottomed; the beds had one post, aud only one side rail and one end rail which were stuck in cracks or bored holes of the wall which formed one side and one end; either slats or cords were used to support the bedding. Table ware was scarce and hard to procure so when company came, it was often necessary for more than one to use the same plate, bowl, knife, fork or spoon.

Mr. Marsh thinks those were great days, fully equal to these days, and the children of those days were as smart in their way as the children are now. He insists that progress so called, is only relative; that people had to acquire as much useful knowledge then as now; that while we have learned some things and eujoy the benefits and advantages apparent, of much that was undreamed of in those days, yet we have lost in propor- tion to our gain; we have forgotten as much that was useful then as we have learned that is of benefit for life

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as it is lived today; there was happiness then the same as now, there was wisdom, ability, love and life as intense, and then as now all was swallowed np in death.

Born on a farm in the deep forests of the Ozark foothills Mr. Marsh became one of a large family of pioneers who literally hewed homes ont of the forest wilderness. He remembers when wheat bread was a rarity nsnally reserved for Sundays when the minister was the honored gnest, or for weddings, or other special occasions. Oxen were theu the motive power and the saddle horse or the ox cart the means of travel, scarcely comparable in speed and comfort to the rail or the anto cars of today bnt equally as reliable and fully as usefnl to the people who used them. In yonth he was acenstomed to teeming wild life in forest and stream; deer, wild turkeys, foxes, 'coons, and timber wolves were plentiful, and crops had to be gnarded with watchfnl care both day and night or the prospect of biscnit and even cornbread wonld disappear like a landscape in a fog. Cattle and hogs roamed at will and secnred practically their own living, except in severe winter weather, when the provident farmer wonld feed flock of sheep or herd of cattle corn fodder, wheat or oat straw, or timothy hay, and give his hogs corn. The average owner let the porker "root hog or die" but felled a few forest trees for the cattle and sheep to browse on. The bark and bnds of the twigs snfficed to keep life in the gaunt bodies of horses as well. As between the eat- ing of meat or a vegetable diet, there was often no choice, becanse a store of bacon and dried beef or wild game was at times the only available food.

Started to school by his parents at the tender age of four, Mr. Marsh formed a life long habit of stndy, which with the aid of the country school teacher who often resorted to physical operations as well as mental exercises in his earnest if misdirected zeal in the name of education. Later he entered the academy of the country town, finishing its course with honor in spots. Theu a smattering of science was imbibed at that world famous institution, The Rolla School of Mines, chemistry, geology and assaying being the leading subjects of in- qniry.

Mr. Marsh procured a substitute to take his place on his father's farm during the last year of his minority, while he spent the time in school, as teacher in winter and student in summer. It was by money earned as country school teacher that he was enabled to attend a term of school at Salem, Mo., under the tutelage of that famous educator, Professor Lynch, and also to take a conrse in the above named branches at The Rolla School of Mines. Quitting the schoolroom at the age of twenty- five, Mr. Marsh fell a victim to "wanderlnst." Arriv- ing in the spring of '81 in the mining camp called Rosita in Colorado, he labored. in varions capacities, chopping cord wood, drying concentrated gold and silves ores on a floor made of two inch gas pipes throngh which live steam was forced, until as the argonant would pnt it he had sufficient money for a "grubstake." The Inst for wealth, possibly sudden and bonndless riches, by the facinating process of discovering some of the hidden treasures in the kindly bosom of mother earth, drew him to heights of the snow capped peaks of the Rockies where the very elements seem to conspire together with the dangers of nnderground searchings to compass destruc- tion. Two years of camp life, part of which was spent in solitude were filled with labors at times almost frantic, in the effort to uncover a Leadville or a Comstock lode. Failure marked him for her own along with the great majority of all who seek wealth by any other than the slow and tedions process of daily earnings carefully hoarded. Railroading in California during 1883, carpen-

tering in Oregon during the following year, then back to his old home in Missonri where the drng business was followed for another year, then a country store and post office for seven years, when the "wanderlust " again sent him to become a pioneer in the "new country" Oklahoma, where he participated in the most exciting and snecessfnl race for the promised land sinee the time of Moses.

Born and reared ou a farm, Mr. Marsh shared the common handicap of the average boy, of being educated away from the only business with which he was from childhood familiar, farming. After gaining a homestead in Oklahoma nothing was more natural than that he shonld "settle down "' as every homeloving weary traveler should do, and begin life over again amid the familiar objects and dnties of farm life after eleven years spent in learning the ups and downs of other pursuits.

As a result of his success Mr. Marsh will embody in a book his experience with alfalfa, which is now in preparation, advanced sheets of which have been snh- mitted to authorities of national repnte, and prononneed the best extant on the subject.

During his quarter of a century of residence in Okla- homa Mr. Marsh has served five years as postmaster, three years as special agent working under the U. S. Department of Agrienlture and is now the representative of Kingfisher County in the lower house of the Okla- homa Legislature.

Mr. Marsh is a professed Christian but does not be- long to any church. He is a member of the Oklahoma. Anthors' Club, holds membership in the Masonic lodge of Kingfisher and also the Kingfisher Commercial Club, the Farmer's Institute of Kingfisher County and the Okla- homa Dairymen's Association, also by the will of his uncle, Colonel A. J. Seay, he is a member of the military order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

CHARLES W. RICHARDS. Like other of the progressive counties of Oklahoma, Carter County has signalized its civic loyalty and popular appreciation of true valnations by enlisting in the service of its public schools the inter- position of an able and vigorous chief executive and a corps of efficient assistants-the teachers in the various schools of the county. He whose name introduces this paragraph is giving a most effective administration in the office of superintendent of the public schools of Ard- more, the metropolis and county seat, and has proved himself one of the able representatives of the pedagogic profession in this favored young commonwealth.

Charles Walter Richards was born at Sumach, Murray County, Georgia, on the 10th of October, 1877, and is a scion of stanch old southern stock on both the paternal and maternal sides. He is a son of William M. and Mary (Hawkins) Richards, the former a native of Georgia and the latter of Tennessee. The father, who was born in 1852, has been a resident of Georgia during virtually his entire life and has there been actively and success- fully identified with the great basic industry of agricul- ture. He and his wife still maintain their home at Sumach, that state, and he is one of the substantial land- holders and representative agriculturists of Murray Connty-a citizen of very high standing in the com- munity. He has always been zealous in his advocacy of the cause of the democratic party and takes lively inter- est in the questions and issues of the day. He has long been affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, and served many terms as master of his lodge. For the past thirty years he has been a deacon of the Baptist Church, of which his wife likewise is a devoted and zealous member. Of their children the eldest is Charles W., subject of this sketch; Freling was born in 1879 and died at Sumach, Georgia, in 1899; Warren B. is actively identified with

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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: 656

Author: Thoburn, Joseph B. (Joseph Bradfield), 1866-1941
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 656