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. V, Part 111

Author: Thoburn, Joseph B. (Joseph Bradfield), 1866-1941
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 644

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. V > Part 111

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After the death of his father George M. Berry lived much with his older brothers, who looked after him, and for two years he attended the public schools of Arkansas City, Kansas. It was in 1879 when he eame to Pawnee, where his brothers, I. K., T. E. and A. A. Berry were licensed Indian traders. For a time he was also in the service of the United States Government engaged to teach the Indians how to break the prairie sod and raise crops. After a course in a business college at Lawrence, Kansas, he worked in a store and ou a ranch from 1880 until the opening ef Oklahoma in 1889.

In 1889 he settled on a claim in Lincoln County .. After three years he returned to Pawnee, and for eight years gave his time to farming. Since then he has lived in the City of Pawnee, but still owns a large amount of farm lands, ineluding three improved farms, and is an extensive grower of grain and stock.

In 1894 Mr. Berry assisted in organizing the Bank of Pawnee. Since 1899 this has been the First National Bank, and is the oldest bank of Pawnee County. Mr. Berry has been its vice president since it was incorporated as a national bank. The other officers are: C. J. Shapard, president; S. Thornton, cashier; and John W. Wilson, assistant eashier. The bank has a capital of $50,000, surplus of $10,000, and its total resourees are more than $400,000. The deposits average about $300,000.

Among other interests Mr. Berry has some oil holdings in the Cleveland field at the east end of Pawnee County. He has long been active in political and public life and is a loyal demoerat. At Pawnee he served on the city council several years, and was mayor of the town for two terms before statehood. For many years he was also treasurer of the school board. Mr. Berry repre- sented the eighteenth district in the Constitutional Con- vention, and was an influential member of several im- portant committees. He was elected a delegate to the Constitutional Convention by 200 votes, although the district was normally republican by 300. It is evidence

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of his popularity and ability, as well as the value of his public service, that he has never been defeated for any office for which he has been a candidate. During state- hood he has been state committeeman from Pawnee County, a delegate to a number of state conveutious, and secretary of the county election board. In public life, as in business and private affairs, he has a large circle of friends, and men place implicit trust in his integrity as well as his ability. Again and again he has sacrificed his own interests in order to do good to the community. Oklahoma has a. warm place in his affection. He first saw the country when he rode horseback from Arkansas City to Pawnee, before the building of rail- roads. In the early days he received mail for the Pawnee country. The mail was brought from Coffeyville, Kansas, by way of Pawhuska and when high waters did not interfere with the schedule it was delivered twice a week. Mr. Berry and his family are members of the Methodist Church.

At Perth, Kansas, in February, 1887, he married Miss Nellie Dowis. She is a native of Missouri. They have nine children: Roy, Jennie, Ethel, Elida, Everett, Margaret, Lesta, Catherine and Robert. The three older children are graduates of the Pawnee High School and also attended the University of Missouri at Columbia, and Elida is now a student in the Oklahoma State University at Norman. The son, Roy, lives at Pawnee, while Jennie is the wife of E. A. Holden of Clinton, Oklahoma.

HON. THOMAS S. JONES. This veteran lawyer of Guthrie has had a long and interesting career of experience in many fields. He was a boy soldier in the war between the states, rising to the rank of lieutenant in the Confederate army. He went out to Kansas in pioneer times, had a brilliant career as a lawyer and in politics in that state, and was one of the first members of his profession to arrive in the Town of Guthrie at the original opening of Oklahoma iu 1889. He has known all the leading figures in Oklahoma affairs from the beginning of white settlement and is himself one of the conspicuous features among the old timers of the state.

He was born in a log house which stood on a farm near, Richmond, Virginia, on August 17, 1838. His parents were Meredith and Julia (Coleman) Jones, both natives of Virginia and of Welsh stock. When Judge Jones was six months old he lost both his parents by death, and he was afterwards reared and attended school while living with his grandfather, Stephen Coleman. His preparatory education was acquired in the State Masonic Institute at Germantown, North Carolina. When only fourteen years of age he qualified and entered as a student the University of Virginia at Charlottesville, where he remained to complete his course in the law department. He was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court of Virginia.

He had hardly begun practice when the Civil war broke out with all its fury, and almost at the first he enlisted in the Confederate army as a private, and one year later was promoted to, lieutenant. He also served as an inspector on the staff of General Wise, and he made a brilliant record while with his gallant Virginia regiment.

In 1865 at the close of the war Mr. Joues came West and was one of the early settlers at Cottonwood Falls, Kansas. There he set up in practice as a pioneer lawyer, and soon found himself busied with his practice and with politics. His home was in Chase County, known at that time as a republican stronghold. In spite of that fact the young Virginia lawyer overcame all normal obstacles and was elected in 1867 county

attorney. Another test of his personal popularity and his influence came a few years later when he was elected by the people of Chase County to represent them one term in the state Legislature. While in the Legislature he served as a member of a number of important com- mittees including the judiciary committee.

Judge Jones in the course of the last forty years has seen much of the pioneer experiences. In fact he seems to have had a fondness for the frontier rather than for the settled districts of civilization, and this was indicated in 1873 when he moved out to a center of some of the wildest life of the West, Dodge City, Kansas. He came well recommended as a lawyer, and in a short time became a recognized leader in that community. He was much admired for his personal courage as well as his efficiency in the profession, and though a democrat he was elected prosecuting attorney of Ford County. He was elected on the law-enforcement platform, and the enunciation of such a policy in Dodge City forty years ago meant a great deal, and as he had been elected for the purpose of enforcing the law and clearing the city of its disorderly element, he never hesitated a moment to do all that his office and duty demanded.

After a number of years of practice at Dodge City, Judge Jones in 1889 participated in the first opening of Oklahoma Territory and established his home in Guthrie. Here he was made one of the first judges of the pro- visional court of Guthrie and was the first county attor- ney of Logan County to hold that post by election. For the past twenty years or more he has been in active practice at Guthrie, and still enjoys a large clientage. Judge Jones is an active member of the Masonic Order.

In 1865 he married Miss Mary G. West, who was born in Virginia. They are the parents of two children. Judge Jones' daughter Mary is the wife of Harmon Doolittle, a banker of Strong City, Kansas, and his grandson, Dudley Doolittle, has already made a dis- tinguished record and is the present congressmau from the fourth district of Kansas. Judge Jones' only son was Edgar W. Jones, now deceased. He took a promi- nent part in the early history of Oklahoma, served as private secretary to Governor W. C. Renfrow, was libra- rian of the State Supreme Court and also served four years as prosecuting attorney of Logan County and was a member of the Territorial Legislature. Edgar W. Jones attained the thirty-second degree in Scottish Rite Masonry.

EUGENE F. SCOTT. For nearly fifteen years Eugene F. Scott has been a practicing member of the Okla- homa bar. With a large private practice at Pawhuska, he also looks after the interests of several large cor- porations in that part of the state, and outside of his profession he has become distinguished as one of the most influential leaders in the democratic party.

A son of W. G. Scott, whose career as an old time Oklahoman has been sketched on other pages, Eugene F. Scott was born at Ocheltree in Johnston County, Kansas, May 4, 1881. From the age of four until 1901 his home was at Arkansas City, where he gained his early education graduating from the high school in 1898. He pursned his law studies at Arkansas City under the direction of Charles L. Brown, a prominent railroad attorney there, and was admitted to the bar in the District Court of Cowley County, Kansas, in 1901. Soon after his admission to the bar Mr. Scott moved to Cleveland, Oklahoma, and soon afterward came to Pawhuska. He was a partner with T. J. Leahy at Pawhuska until 1908, and from that year until 1913 was a member of the firm of Grimstead & Scott. Since the latter year he has been in practice alone. Mr. Scott is

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HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA

attorney in Osage County for the Midland Valley and the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroads. His work as a lawyer is largely in civil practice.

As a democrat he was chairman of the first Democratic County Committee when Osage County was organized and managed the first campaign of the party. He was also the first chairman of the city committee, and, con- ducted several of the local campaigns. For eight years he was a valued member of the State Democratic Commit- tee from Osage County, up to 1914. The only office in which he has consented to serve was as president of the city council of Pawhuska for three years. Mr. Scott also assisted in organizing as a charter member the Pawhuska Lodge of Elks and has served as exalted ruler of that order. He is a member of the general council of the State Bar Association, and president of the Osage County Bar Association.

In 1904 he married Miss Dolly Johnson, who died in 1907, leaving two children, William J. and Violet. Il 1913 he married Miss Roxie James of Boonville, Mis- souri.

WILLIAM S. HEWITT. Twenty years of purposeful participation in business affairs has marked the career of William S. Hewitt in Oklahoma. Since his arrival here, in 1895, he has been variously engaged, his activities having included operations in freighting, agriculture and merchandise, and connection with various enterprises of a business and financial nature, and in each line of effort he has shown himself capable, energetic and trust- worthy. Mr. Hewitt is the grandsou of a preacher of the Latter Day Saints, who was twice married and traveled all over the Southwest, living at different times in Missouri, Kansas, Indian Territory and Texas. His death occurred in Indian Territory, while the grand- mother of Mr. Hewitt died in Kansas.

Richard H. Hewitt, the father of William S. Hewitt, was born in Illinois, January 7, 1844, and was reared on the frontier, his entire life being passed amid exciting scenes and marked with many interesting incidents. His first venture on his own account was the operation of a ranch in Nebraska, where his property was destroyed by a roving band of Pawnee Indians, and in 1863, with his brother William, they began general freighting for them- selves from Marysville, Kansas, to their ranch twenty- eight miles east of Fort Carney. About the year 1867 he went to Marshall County, Kansas, where he filed on a tract of eighty acres of land, which he continued to eultivate until 1894, and for seven years also engaged in merchandising and in couducting a hotel. This latter property was destroyed by fire in 1876 and he returned to his farm in Marshall County, but about the year 1893 moved to Blue Rapids, Kansas, where he made his home for two years. On April 19, 1895, he and his son, Wil- liam S., filed on their present farm in Pawnee County, a tract of 120 acres in the southwest quarter of section 28, adjoining Jennings on the East. But the father bought out the man who was ou this farm. On first coming here Richard H. Hewitt was engaged for several years in freighting. The farm is now conducted by the son, William S. Mr. Hewitt, Sr., was married in September, 1868, to Miss Nancy J. Strange, who was born in Missouri in 1850, and to this union there have been born two children: William S .; and Hettie, who is the wife of William Dexter, of Marshall County, Kansas.

William S. Hewitt was born on his father's farm in Marshall County, Kansas, July 23, 1869, and was there reared to farming pursuits and educated in the district schools. From the time of his arrival in Oklahoma until his marriage, a period of about three years, he was en- gaged in freighting from Sapulpa and Perry to Jennings

and following this again engaged in farming and stock raising. On coming to Jennings he became a clerk in the general store of Todd & Bishop, but after a few months resigned and entered the employ of A. E. Ansley, a general merchant and hardware and implement dealer. He was with Mr. Ansley on and off for about five years, and during this time was also employed as a clerk in the postoffice for several months, as well as in a bank and drug store for a short time. In 1907 Mr. Hewitt was made manager of Spurrie's Lumber Yards and held that position until May, 1915. His chief contribution to the upbuilding of Jennings has been the laying out and development of the Hewitt Addition, a tract of seven acres which is almost entirely built up. Every enterprise of any importance has received his support, and he is considered one of the energetic and capable men of the community who has been a factor in the life of Jennings since his arrival. Mr. Hewitt is a repub- lican, while his fraternal connections are with the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of the Maccabees, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Blue Lodge.

On July 31, 1898, Mr. Hewitt was united in marriage with Miss Lillie Belle Wharton, who was born February 13, 1887, in Jefferson County, Kansas, daughter of A. E. and Sarah (Butcher) Wharton, who are now residents of Hallett, Oklahoma. Mr. and Mrs. Hewitt have been the parents of three children: Harry Glenn; Ralph W., who died when 21/2 years old; and Ruth.

GEORGE G. LAMOTTE. One of the most interesting as well as one of the most efficient business partnerships in Oklahoma is that of LaMotte & LaMotte, the constituent members of which are Mr. and Mrs. George G. LaMotte of Pawhuska. Since their marriage and in the course of five years on a partnership basis they have engaged in the leasing of Osage lands for farming and grazing purposes, and they probable handle as much land under one ownership as any other one firm or individual in the state. Their holdings under lease run to more than 400,000 acres each year, and with such a vast pasturage it is easy to understand that they are among the largest producers of cattle and other livestock for the market in the state. Mr. LaMotte is a young business man well known through his relations with the public service and in other affairs, and Mrs. LaMotte is undoubtedly one of the business women in the Southwest. She has a talent for getting large things accomplished in a large way, and is equally at home in the handling of business and in the brilliant social circles of the national capital, where she spent several years with her former husband, Congressman McGuire.

Mr. LaMotte was born at Hayward, at that time one of the lumber centers of Northern Wisconsin, on March 13, 1880, a son of Frank and Elizabeth (Limry) LaMotte. His father was born near Montreal, Canada, of French parentage. He grew up in that locality, became identi- fied with the lumber industry, and followed the call of the lumber woods into Wisconsin and Minnesota. He died when his son was about twelve years of age. The inother was born at Green Bay, Wisconsin, spent all her life in that state, and died at Hayward in 1902. Through her Mr. LaMotte has a portion of Chippewa Indian blood in his veins. He was the oldest of four sons, his brother James being a resident of Wisconsin, Edward of Oklahoma, and Lloyd in Kansas.

His early boyhood was spent at Hayward, Wisconsin, where he attended the public schools, a Government school at Tomah, Wisconsin, and also the high school there. Mr. LaMotte gained his higher education and business training in the Haskell Indian School at Lawrence,

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Kansas, where he spent four years. During that time he was prominent both in the social and athletic life of the college, was a member of the noted Haskell Indian football team, and also served as secretary of the super- intendent, H. P. Peavis of the Haskell School. He spent portions of two seasons on the road with the Wheelock Indian Band, playing the bass solo instrument. After the activities of his college career, he was for one year in the offices of the Santa Fe Railroad at Topeka, and was then with the Rock Island at Kansas City. A part of the time was spent on the road with different musical organi- zations, and this and other activities account for the fact that though still a young man Mr. LaMotte has seen perhaps as much of the people and cities of America as anyone. From Kansas City he moved to Pawhuska in 1905, and here became identified with the Osage Townsite Commission. He entered the Civil Service, and up to 1910 was identified with the Osage Agency.

Mr. LaMotte was first married in 1904 to Louise Bay- hylle, who died in 1908, leaving one child, Georgia. In 1910 Mr. LaMotte married Mrs. Anna (Marx) McGuire. They soon afterwards started their unique business part- nership of LaMotte & LaMotte. Mr. LaMotte is a democrat in politics, and takes much interest in party affairs, though he is essentially a business man and his large and varied interests demand his entire attention.

Mrs. LaMotte is a native of Illinois, but was reared and educated in Southern Kansas and from an early age has been remarkable for her intense activity and vigor of mind and charm and social character. When a girl she held the responsibilities of postmaster at Sedan, Kansas. She went into Oklahoma at Pawnee about the time the strip was opened, and not only displayed a keen ability in competition with men and business affairs, but was from the start an attractive figure in social circles. He has a large acquaintance over this and other states, and when she went to Washington she quickly proved her ability as a social leader.

JUDGE JOHN M. HAYES. The Hayes family, of which Judge John M. of this review is the local representative, had its origin in Ireland, and the first of the name to come to America was William Hayes, great-grandfather of the subject. He was a surveyor in his native land, and coming to America settled in New Hampshire, the family home being near historic Concord then and for many years thereafter. He was occupied in his pro- fession when the Revolutionary fires, long smouldering in the hearts of the Colonials, burst out vigorously, and he was soon fighting in the ranks of the Colonial army with the rank of colonel. His record was a brilliant one throughout the long struggle for American independence, and many tales are told of his nerve and daring in en- counters with the enemy.

The son of Colonel Hayes was also named William and was the father of the subject of this sketch. He was born in New Hampshire, and was educated at Dartmouth. He was a man of considerable talent in a literary way, and was long prominent in governmental affairs of his native state. He served thirty-six years as a member of the New Hampshire Legislature, and was a life-long democrat. He served through the War of 1812 with the rank of colonel, and in 1850 left his native state and came to Illinois, where he bought and operated a large farm for some years.

Dr. A. W. Hayes was born in New Hampshire, and like his father, had his education at Dartmouth College. He came to Illinois with his father in 1850, and they located at Buda, Berrian County. When the Civil war came on he enlisted in a New Hampshire regiment in

the capacity of an army surgeon, passing through the conflict until November, 1864. The young surgeon, then but thirty-two years old, died suddenly as a result of illness, and his wife survived him only a few hours. Both were interred in the same grave, and their burial place is at Buda, Illinois. His wife was Sarah M. Webb, also of New Hampshire birth, and she left one child John M. Hayes, then an infant.

Judge Hayes was reared on his grandfather's farm in Illinois, and was graduated from the Buda High School in 1879. He entered a law school later and in 1883 was graduated with the degree LL.B. He established himself in practice in Coles County, Illinois, continuing there until 1901, and winning various professional and political honors in the time of his service there. In 1901 he came to Oklahoma, settled on a farm in Karva County and practiced law at the same time. For some time he owned and edited the Sulphur Democrat. During the first years of Oklahoma's statehood he was an attorney in the land department, and in 1911 he came to Cleveland and settled down to the practice of his profession. Judge Hayes has been a democrat all his life.

In 1886 Judge Hayes was married to May Shepherd, a native of Burrage County, Illinois, and the daughter of a Buda (Illinois) merchant. She had her higher education in the Geneseo Normal School of Illinois and for some years was occupied as a teacher in her native state. She is prominent in the social activities of Cleveland, and is president of the Mothers' Club of the city. To Judge and Mrs. Hayes have been born three children: Harold, Ophelia, and John M. Jr.

HON. SCOTT FERRIS. The representative of the Fifth Congressional District of Oklahoma in the United States Congress, Hon. Scott Ferris, is also known as one of the leading legal lights of Lawton, Oklahoma, his home city, and as an agriculturist has been identified with the development of Comanche County during the past decade. In each capacity he has shown himself capable, painstaking and thoroughly informed, and al- though he is still a comparatively young man he is gen- erally accounted as one of Lawton's leading citizens.

Mr. Ferris was born November 3, 1877, at Neosho, Missouri, and is a son of the late Scott and Anna M. (Thorp) Ferris, and a member of a family which, orig- inating in England, emigrated to the United States and settled first in Delaware and later in New York. Scott Ferris, the father of Congressman Ferris, was born in 1842, at Mount Morris, near Rochester, New York, and as a young man came to the West, locating at Neosho, Missouri, in 1866. There he followed agricultural pur- suits with success until 1902, in which year he took up his residence at Walter, Oklahoma, where he died two years later. He was an active democrat in his political views, and fraternally was connected with the Masons and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Mrs. Ferris, who was born at Mount Morris, New York, in 1847, died at Walter, Oklahoma, in 1905. They were the parents of three children, namely: Thomas, who is in the Govern- ment Indian Service and resides at Lame Deer, Mon- tana; Scott, of this review; and Anne, who makes her home with her brother at Lawton.

Scott Ferris received his early education in the public schools of Neosho, Missouri, where he was graduated from the high school in 1897, and following this at- tended the University of Missouri for one year. He then enrolled as a student in the Kansas City School of Law, being graduated therefrom in 1901, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws, and almost immediately took up his residence at Lawton, where he has continued in active practice, his law office being located at 406 D Avenue.

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As a lawyer he early attracted to himself an excellent professional business, and in the meantime became ac- tively interested in democratic politics, being elected a member of the last Territorial Legislature of 1905-06. In 1907 he became the candidate of his party for Congress, as representative of the Fifth Congressional District of Oklahoma, and was sent to that body, where he imme- diately demonstrated his fitness for public service of an exalted character. His excellent services gained him repeated re-elections, and at the present time he is serv- ing his fifth consecutive term. In this time, Mr. Ferris has served on many important committees, and the work that he has accomplished for the benefit of his constit- uents has been of a nature to give him prestige as one of Oklahoma's most helpful public servants. At the present time Mr. Ferris is chairman of the important Public Lands Commission. In 1911 he was appointed by Speaker Champ Clark as one of the two members of Congress chosen as members of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institute.

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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: 644

Author: Thoburn, Joseph B. (Joseph Bradfield), 1866-1941
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 644