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 91

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 91

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The first school attended by Lemuel W. Oakes was the Goodwater Mission, when it was taught by the Rev. Theodore Jones, a Presbyterian missionary, who came into the nation before the Civil war from Wisconsin. Later, and in another school, Mr. Oakes was a school- mate of Peter J. Hudson, now of Tuskahoma, who has been one of the leading men of the Nation for a number of years. Farming has been the principal occupation of Mr. Oakes. He moved to Hugo a few years ago, and for

six years has beeu justice of the peace, having been elected on the democratic ticket. He has taken an active and important part in politics since statehood, and has been one of the real factors in the agricultural develop- ment of the county. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Fraternally he belongs to the Masonic Lodge at Grant, which originally was Lodge No. 2, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Indian Territory.,

In 1879 he married Miss Lucy E. Smith at Goodwater. They are the parents of seven children: Mrs. Bessie Beardon, wife of a farmer near Hugo; Mrs. Lillie Spring, wife of a farmer near Hugo; Clarence A. Oakes, deputy treasurer of Choctaw County; Frank Oakes, who lives at home with his parents; Mrs. Mattie Collins and Mrs. Nola Tibbett, wives of farmers near Hugo; Mrs. Nona Baird, wife of a laundryman at Hugo. Mr. Oakes has five brothers and two sisters: Charles Oakes, a farmer living eight miles east of Hugo; Thomas E., whose farm is near Soper and he is president of the bank of that place; George, a farmer near Hugo; Samuel, a farmer, ginner, merchant, justice of the peace and postmaster at Frogville; J. E. Oakes, a farmer near Hugo; Mrs. Sarah Jeter, wife of a farmer living near Soper; and Mrs. Mary Hibben, wife of a farmer living near Frogville.

PERU FARVER. The Choctaw people are fortunate in having one of their national academies superintended by a young man of the Choctaw extraction. They are doubly fortunate in that the name of Farver is linked with that of Parker in Choctaw education. The destiny of a race depends upon its just and intelligent leaders, and in such men as Gabe E. Parker and Peru Farver the Choctaws have able representatives. When Gabe E. Parker was appointed by President Wilson as register of the treasury, Peru Farver, at that time principal of the academy and right hand man of Mr. Parker, was appointed as superintendent of Armstrong Academy. Add to the names of these men that of the Rev. W. J. B. Lloyd, missionary among the Indians for forty-five years, and there is formed a chain every link of which is the name of a man who has been instrumental in helping the Choctaw youth to tread the new trail of American civilization, as it wends to a greater progress, a higher development, a better citizenship.

Armstrong Male Academy was created just after the close of the Civil war, as a national academy for the education of Choctaw boys. Before and after the war it was located at the Choctaw capital, then called Chatah Tamaha. Here the principal chief came, the council met and the courts convened. Justice was meted out to the accused and the guilty here met their punishment. During the Civil war the academy was converted into a Confederate hospital. Later the capital was removed to Tushkahoma and Chatah Tamaha became Armstrong Male Orphans Academy. Among the early superintend- ents are found the names of the Rev. W. J. B. Lloyd, a Presbyterian minister and missionary, and Rev. C. J. R'alston, also a Presbyterian, now of Caney. The academy offered courses up to and including three years of academic or preparatory work until 1910, when it was changed to an industrial school, fitting the Indian youth to compete in industry with his white brother, rather than preparing him for a collegiate career. The aim is to prepare those who are to go out into life and earn a living, and at the same time to influence the pupils toward a higher education. Among the graduates and former students of the institution are found some of the most prominent and influential men of Southeastern Oklahoma.

The last name to be added to the list of those who

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HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA

have been superintendents of Armstrong Academy is that of Peru Farver, an excellent representative of the Indian of today-progressive, cultured and refined, with high ideals, a man who would be influential in any com- munity or any body of men. Peru Farver, grandfather of Superintendent Peru Farver, was a full-blood Choctaw Indian, a slave owner, and the proprietor of a plantation on Little River, in what is now McCurtain County. Across the gulf of years that separate him from his grandson there have come many changes into the life and manner of living of the Choctaw people. From a group of isolated and wretched Indians, scattered over the prairies and in the woods of the new home, Indians still bleeding from the wounds of the forced western exodus, to the intelligent citizens of an influential and prosperous commonwealth in the greatest republic of all times, is, indeed, a far cry, and the record, within the few short years it has taken to accomplish this change, is one to stir the pride of any race or people. Slavery abolished, plenty suddenly replaced by want, then the succession of industry, climaxed with the dignity of honorable labor; sparseness in population supplanted by a multitudinous population of thrifty and capable people; the defects of commonalty in lands removed by the allotments in severalty-these all have contributed to the transformation of the Indian. But in the instru- ment by which all has been brought about, the con- trolling influence as well as the modifying medium has been education-education as advocated by the venerable Peter P. Pitch-Lynn, "the Calhoun of the Choctaws."'

It is in this connection that Peru Farver is known as one of the leading men of his people. He was born at Bonton, Indian Territory, February 8, 1888, and is a son of Sim and Helen (Bails) Farver. His father was a full-blood Choctaw Indian; his mother a woman of the white race from Kansas. She was a daughter of William J. Bails, a merchant of Bonton, and was educated in Bonton. There were three children in the family : William J., who is now assistant chief clerk at the Union Agency, Muskogee, Oklahoma; Lulu, who is the wife of Richard C. Denson, of Idabel, Oklahoma; and Peru, of this notice.

Peru Farver was educated at Armstrong Academy, where he was a student from 1902 until 1909, following which he went to the University of Chicago, but returned in the fall to teach in the academy. After three years as an instructor he went to the Agricultural and Mechan- ical College of Oklahoma, where he spent one year and then came back to the academy as principal. In 1913 he was appointed superintendent to succeed Gabe E. Parker, resigned, as before noted. Mr. Farver's time is devoted unreservedly to his duties as superintendent, and his zeal, energy and intelligent management have combined to make his superintendency a notable one, short as it has been. He is a member of Bokchito Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and a Master Mason, and in religious faith is identified with the Baptist Church.

THEODORE HUSTON HULL. Among the successful pro- fessional men of Bartlesville, there is probably no one more in sympathy with that public spirit which has con- tributed to the progress of the city than Theodore Huston Hull. Persevering and energetic in whatever direction his efforts have been turned, material success has come to him, and at the present time he is one of the members of the Washington County Bar.

Mr. Hull was born at Darbyville, on Darby Creek, Pickaway County, Ohio, November 20, 1851, and is a son of George and Elizabeth (Campbell) Hull. His father was born in the State of Vermont, February 22, 1809, and his mother at Adelphi, Ohio, in 1819, and they were

married in Pickaway County, Ohio, where they resided until 1853. In that year they removed to Louisa County, Iowa, where they lived for thirty years, and then changed their residence to Superior, Nebraska, where both passed away, the father December 15, 1885, and the mother in 1906. Mr. Hull was a saddler by trade and followed that vocation in Ohio, but after coming to the West engaged in agricultural pursuits and continued to follow farming and stockraising during the remaining years of his career. He was a sturdy abolitionist during the period of the Civil war, and was affiliated fraternally with the Masons. Five children were born to George and Elizabeth Hull, of whom two died young, the others being: Thomas L., who served three years in Company A, Seventh Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil war, and is now a retired resident of Los Angeles, California; Theo- dore Huston, of this notice; and Catherine J., who is the wife of William Riley, a resident of California.

Theodore H. Hull was reared on the home farm in Louisa County, Iowa, whence he was taken as a child of two years, and in 1866 went with the family to Mount Pleasant, Henry County, where he subsequently became a student in Mount Pleasant Wesleyan University. Owing to ill healthı, he quit this institution at the end of his sophomore year, and took up telegraphy, at which he spent five years in the employ of various railroads as operator and station agent. Mr. Hull was married in 1874, to Miss Frances M. Curtis, who was born August 18, 1856, near Muscatine, Iowa, daughter of Seth Curtis. After his marriage Mr. Hull located at Lenox, Iowa, where he was employed in the bank of G. L. Brooks for several years, and in 1882 was elected clerk of the Dis- trict Court of Taylor County, Iowa. While thus engaged, during the next six years, he was given the opportunity of studying law, which he grasped eagerly, and applied himself so closely to his studies that at the expiration of his third term, in 1888, he was admitted to the bar, before the Supreme Court of Iowa. He shortly there- after went to Kansas City, Missouri, where he became attorney for the Lombard Investment Company for six years, and then returned to Ohio and handled collections for Aultman & Taylor Machinery Company, at Mans- field, eight years. Returning to Kansas City in 1902 he was engaged in business as a general practitioner for a year or so, and then spent two years as auditor for a telephone company at Shawnee, Oklahoma. Mr. Hull next accepted a position promoting mining machin- ery at Kansas City, but after one year went to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and for one year was with the Holmes Commerce Company, manufacturers' agents, and in 1906 took up his residence at Bartlesville, which has since been his home, his field of labor and the scene of his success. For about one year after his arrival Mr. Hull served in the capacity of United States deputy clerk, and in 1907, with the acquirement of statehood, he was clected justice of the peace and served in that capacity until January 1, 1915. Mr. Hull has been a life-long republican, and from boyhood has been and is now a member of the Christian Science Church. His fraternal connections include membership in the Blue Lodge and Chapter of Masonry, including a master's degree, the Order of the Eastern Star, of which he was worthy patron in 1910-1911, and the Knights of Pythias.

Mr. and Mrs. Hull have been the parents of four children, namely: LeRoy, born July 23, 1877, entered the United States navy in 1892, rose rapidly in the ranks, and died in the service in 1910; Harriet, a grad- uate of Mansfield (Ohio) High School, class of 1895, who married Dr. Frank B. Collins, a dentist of Bartles- ville, and has a daughter, Frances; Hugh Blaine, born April 15, 1880, attended a Philadelphia art school, and

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HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA

was a resident of California, where he was located at San Francisco in connection with work on the great expo- sition, and intends to become a civil engineer in railroad building in the Philippine Islands and South America, married Mrs. Jean Irle, a magazine writer; and Minnie, born July 15, 1882, a graduate of the Mansfield (Ohio) High School, class of June, 1900, was married at Bartles- ville, in 1907, to Chas. E. Wells, an attorney, has two children, Lavon and Lois, and lives at Shawnee, Okla- homa.

REV. JOHN VANDEN HENDE. For nearly ten years Father Vanden Hende has been rector of St. John's Cath- olic Church at Bartlesville. His earcer as a missionary priest in old Indian Territory began in 1899, soon after his ordination, after a long course of preparation for his duties in Belgium, of which country he is a native.

John Vanden Hende was born at Renaix, Flandres Ori- cntale, Belgium, October 9, 1873, a son of Desire and Adele (Debonnet) Vanden Hende. His mother died in Renaix about 1883. From Reuaix the father moved to Brussels, and about 1892 came to America, loeating in New York City, where he died in 1903. His first busi- ness venture in the old country was as a manufacturer of cotton goods. He failed in that, and then made a living as an organist at St. Martin Church in Renaix and as a music teacher. The present bishop of Okla- homa, Rt. Rev. T. Meerschaert, learned the elements of music from Desire Vanden Hende. After going to New York Mr. Vanden Hende devoted himself to church music and choral soeicty work. There was a family of seven children, four daughters and three sons, and one other of the sons is now a priest at Chazy, New York.

Father Vanden Hende was edueated in St. Anthony College at Renaix, at St. Boniface College, Brussels, the Seminary of Algiers in Algeria, and the American Col- -lege of Louvain. He was ordained a priest in July, 1899, and arrived at Muskogee, in old Indian Territory, in October of the same year, where he began his work as an assistant. In 1901 he was made chaplain of St. John's Indian School, and in 1902 his work was trans- ferred to Antlers among the Choctaw Iudians. During 1903-'04 he was assistant priest at Kingfisher, and during 1905-'06 had charge of eleven missions with headquar- ters at Hydro. In 1906 he became rector of St. John's Church in Bartlesville.

When he arrived at Bartlesville the members of the parish were worshiping in a small brick church 33x40 feet. Tn 1910 Father Vanden Hende remodeled and en- larged the church to dimensions 33x115 feet, and in 1912 St. John's Parochial School was built, while a substan- tial rectory dates from 1907. All these are brick build- ings. The parish at first eompreliended both the coun- ties of Nowata and Washington. In 1912 Nowata County was made a separate parish, having at that time a church and an organized congregation. Today the parish of St. John includes the whole of Washington County, of which Collinsville with its new church is a mission. There is a membership of about 150 families in the parish, of various nationalities, Irish, Polish, Mexieau and German.

FRENCH S. E. AMOS. In his official capacity as pri- vate secretary to Governor Cruce Mr. Amos maintained his headquarters in Oklahoma City, his home being at Vinita, Craig County, where he is publisher of the Vinita Leader. He has been a prominent figure in edu- cational activities in the State of Oklahoma and was a inember of the original faculty of the University of Okla- homa, his deep and abiding interest in the civie and material welfare of the new commonwealth being shown

alike by his valued contribution to his publication and by his having been the organizer of the Oklahoma State Historical Society, of which he was the first president and of the archives of which, under state control, he continued the custodian.

Mr. Amos was born at Fairview, Marion County, West Virginia, January 1, 1871, and is a son of Luther J. and Paulina (Evans) Amos, representatives of fine old South- ern families. The father continued to be one of the successful agrieulturists and live-stoek dealers of West Virginia until 1880, when he removed with his family to Texas, his residence in the Lone Star State having con- tinued until 1889, the year when Oklahoma Territory was opened to settlement. The proclamation of the President of the United States for the opening of nearly 40,000 square miles to settlement was issued on the 29th of March, of that year and designated high noon of the 22d of the following month as the time of the formal opening of this vast territory. It has consistently been written that the opening of the territory to settlement was marked by the immediate entrance of 50,000 immi- grants, and one of the number who appeared at the date of opening was Luther J. Amos. His original location was at Britton, Oklahoma County, and later he became the owner of the first exclusive boot and shoe store in Oklahoma City, the present metropolis of the state. He is now a member of the elergy of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and is pastor of the church of this denomination at Gilroy, Santa Clara County, California, both he and his wife being zealous in all departments of religious activity in their community.

He whose name initiates this artiele attended the pub- lie schools of West Virginia until he was nine years of age, when, in 1880, the family removed to Texas and established a home at Lampasas, the judicial center of the county of the same name. In this embryonic city Mr. Amos completed the eurrieulum of Centenary Col- lege, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1888 and from which institution he received the degrees of both Bachelor and Master of Arts. For the ensuing four years he was a valued instructor in his alma mater, at the expiration of which, in 1892, he resigned his position to assume that of one of the members of the first faculty of the University of Oklahoma, which, as the date implies, was founded under the territorial government. After three years of successful work in this institution Professor Amos resigned his post, to accept that of co-principal of Willie Haskell College, at Vinita, Indian Territory. After one year of effective serviee in this pedagogie capacity he became editor of the Vinita Leader, a weekly paper that had been established in 1895, and which, under his effective management has be- come one of the important newspapers of the state and of which he is editor and publisher.

When Hon. Lce Cruce became governor of Oklahoma, through election in 1910, Mr. Amos was appointed his private seerctary, a position of which he continued the valued incumbent until the termination of the guberna- torial term, in January, 1915, when he returned to Vinita and resumed his personal supervision of the paper which he has made an effective exponent of loeal interests and of the cause of the democratie party, of the principles and policies of which he has ever been a stauneh advocate and supporter.

While he was a member of the faculty of the Uni- versity of Oklahoma Mr. Amos effeeted the organization of the Oklahoma Historieal Society, of which he became the first president. It was most fortunate that the new organization was soon able to add to its embryonic arehives a valuable collection of newspaper files and other material of historic interest that had been collated

John Smith

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HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA

by William P. Campbell prior to that time and that was an integral part of the nucleus around which is being assembled the excellent and enduringly valuable collection of the historical society. Mr. Campbell was chosen custodian of the Oklahoma Historical Society, and of this position he has since remained the valued incumbent, the historical society being now under the control of the state government and being supported principally by contributions on the part of the commonwealth.

While a student in Centenary College, Texas, Mr. Amos became editor of the college paper, and in this service he acquired his initial knowledge of and predilection for the newspaper business, or the so called profession of journalism, as an exponent of which he has proved both versatile and successful as well as a director of public sentiment and action. His literary and historical appre- ciation is shown by the fact that he is an avidious col- lector of old books, and of his more ancient publications in this line he has several that were printed and pub- lished about the middle of the fifteenth century.

Mr. Amos has been an influential force in the councils and activities of the democratic party during the period of his residence in Oklahoma and has made his newspaper an effective advocate of the party cause. In Craig County he had the active supervision of party interests through two vigorous campaigns, each of which resulted in decisive victories for the party of which he is a repre- sentative.

At Vinita, where he resumed his residence after his retirement from the office of private sceretary to the governor of Oklahoma, Mr. Amos is affiliated with the lodges of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and with the camp of the Modern Woodmen of America. He has been twice married and has one daughter, Veva Rookh.

WILLIAM S. CORBIN, D. O. Having long since passed the experimental stage, osteopathy, which rests upon the theory that most of the diseases and ailments of man- kind are traceable to some subluxation of some part of the skeleton, or to pressure, obstructing some of the vital fluids and forces of the body, has become a sane and widely recognized factor in the lessening of human suffering. Thorough training in his profession and eighteen years of practice have made William S. Corbin, D. O., one of the leading practitioners of osteopathy in Oklahoma, and as he is the only regularly practicing osteopath at Chickasha he enjoys a representative and lucrative practice. He is also part and parcel of the commercial and industrial life of the city, being a member of the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma National Bank of the Chickasha Ice and Cold Storage Company, and his influence has always been exerted in behalf of the development of the social, educational and commercial life of the community.

Doctor Corbin was born in Adair County, Missouri, May 23, 1874, and is a son of Newton and Mary Ellen (Holloway) Corbin, who now live at Kirksville, Missouri, aged respectively seventy and sixty-six years. The father, a native of Virginia, was a pioneer settler of Adair County, where he passed many years in agricultural pursuits up to the time of his retirement. The mother's family has produced a number of professional men, among them her brother, Judge William Lawson Hollo- way, who was recently re-elected for a third term of seven years, as a member of the Supreme Court of Mon- tana. There were nine living children in the family of Newton and Mary Ellen Corbin, namely: Dr. William S., of this notice; Dr. M. E., a graduate of the American School of Osteopathy and of a medical college in Cali- fornia, and now engaged in a successful practice in

Spokane, Washington; Dr. P. T., a graduate of the American School of Osteopathy, and now successfully engaged in practice at Anadarko, Oklahoma; Orel B., who is engaged in farming in Montana; Mrs. Eva Elmore, who is a widow and lives on a farm in the vicinity of Gibbs, Missouri; Mrs. O. D. Shipman, the wife of a farmer at Brashear, Missouri; Mrs. Clyde Payne, the wife of an agriculturist at Brashear, Mis- souri; Mrs. W. W. Martin, who is the wife of a practicing physician of Kirksville, Missouri; and Miss Beatrice, who resides with her parents and is a teacher in the public schools of Adair County, Missouri.

Doctor Corbin received his graded and high school education in Missouri and then entered the American School of Osteopathy, located at Kirksville, Missouri, from which he was graduated in 1898. At that time he was about $1,000 in debt, but some idea of his subse- quent success may be gained from the fact that he was soon cleared of his indebtedness and was also able to furnish the money for the professional education of several of his brothers and sisters. Shortly after leaving school he began the practice of his chosen profession in Mills County, Iowa, and when he left there, seven years later, had what was said to be the largest practice of any osteopath in that part of the state. In 1906 he com- pleted a post-graduate course at the American School of Osteopathy, and in that same year located at Chickasha, where he has continued to make his home and his field of labor. He is a member of the American Osteopathic Association, of the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association, of which he is a past president and at present a trustee, and of the Southwestern Osteopathic Association. His office, located at No. 312 First National Bank Building, is unexcelled in equipment, including the most practical apparatus thus far discovered. He has continued to be a close and painstaking student, whose tendency is toward the best possible acquirement in his chosen calling. His fraternal connections include membership in the Masonic Blue Lodge at Chickasha.

Doctor Corbin was married in 1900, at Clarence, Mis- souri, to Miss Mary Florence Elliott, and they have three children: Willie Faye, aged thirteen years; Damon Elliott, who is ten years old; and Margaret Jewell, the baby, born in 1915. Doctor and Mrs. Corbin and daughter are members of the Christian Church.

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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