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 24

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 24

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Mr. Smith was born near Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois, January 6, 1858, the son of Charles H. Smith. His father, who served in an Illinois volunteer infantry regiment during the Civil war, was engaged in farming in Illinois for some years and then removed to St. Clair County, Missouri, where he located on new land. In 1881 or 1882 he moved to Eldorado Springs, Cedar County, Missouri, where he is still living in retirement. He is one of the well known and influential citizens of his community and has served as circuit clerk of Cedar County and as a justice of the peace for several years.

The boyhood of Horace A. Smith was passed on a farm in St. Clair County, Missouri, near Appleton City, where he secured his early education in the public schools and Stahl Academy. He had decided upon a career in the law, but lacked the means to secure a university training, and in order to supply this deficit began teaching school while still in his 'teens; thus working his way through college. He attended the University of Missouri, at Co- lumbia, during 1880 and 1881, and received his diploma and was admitted to the bar in the latter year. Mr. Smith at once engaged in practice at Eldorado Springs, Missouri, but in 1885 removed to Coldwater, Kansas, at that time a new town. Two years later he was elected county attorney of Comanche County, Kansas, an office in which he served for two terms, or four years, and during this time he secured some valuable experience in the carrying of the old county bond case to the Supreme Court, as well as in several notorious murder trials.

In 1891 Mr. Smith came from Coldwater, Kansas, to El Reno, Oklahoma, and practiced at the latter place until September 16, 1893, when he made the run for land, and choosing the vicinity of Perry, secured 160 acres southwest of this city. This he proved up as soon as permitted. In the meantime he opened a law office at Perry, where hundreds of attorneys had hung out their shingles, and some remained for several years, but only three of the original lawyers are still here, these being Henry S. Johnston, H. A. Johnson and Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith continued to be engaged in practice until 1901, when he was elected county judge of Noble County, and acted in that capacity during that and the following years under the territorial government. He was mayor of Perry at the time of statehood, and during his adminis- tration the city secured the Carnegie Library as well as the valuable city waterworks, and the city 's finances were placed upon a substantial basis. In the fall elections of 1914 Mr. Smith was elected county attorney of Noble County, and since assuming the duties of that office, January 1, 1915, has administered its affairs in an exne- ditious, capable and conscientious manner. He has always been a stanch republican, and at various times has been a delegate to state, county and congressional con- ventions of his party, where he is in much demand as a speaker. In fraternal affairs Mr. Smith is an Odd Fellow and a Mason, and was one of the organizers of the Odd Fellows Lodge at Ponca City.

On June 6, 1897, Mr. Smith was married in Kay County, Oklahoma, to Miss Mabel A. Dean, of Arkansas

City, Kansas, who until the time of her marriage had been a teacher in the public schools. She is well known in social circles of Perry, and a valued and popular member of the Tuesday P. M. Club. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are the parents of one son: Horace Adrian.

OWEN FREDERICK RENEGAR. One of the younger pro- fessional men of Cordell is Owen Frederick Renegar, who has been engaged in a general law practice here since he was admitted to the bar in 1913. Mr. Renegar is of Tennessee birth and parentage. He was born near Fay- etteville, Lincoln County, Tennessee, on June 23, 1892.

The Renegars settled in Virginia and North Carolina in early colonial days, and many of the name will be found in those states today, while at least three genera- tions of them have helped to develop the state in which the subject was born. His father, J. F. Renegar, passed his early life as a stockman and farmer in Lincoln County, and in 1905 came to Oklahoma and settled near Cordell. J. F. Renegar married Elsie Snoddy, the daughter of a prominent Lincoln County farmer and of the union there were four children: Owen F. was the first born; Carrie and Loris are living and Alton, the youngest, died in in- fancy.

Owen Frederick Renegar attended the country schools of Lincoln County and finished the common school work there. Soon after his parents decided to move West and this seemed to bring somewhat of a stop to school work for Mr. Renegar. He quit school work for about three years and followed the work of a printer in the emulation of Franklin. Soon he began to realize the necessity of a higher education and he entered Cordell Academy and finished high school and did some college work there, and was graduated therefrom. After gradua- tion he taught school for a while and was very success- ful in that field holding a number of good positions, among them superintendent of Cowden Consolidated School. All the time he was teaching he studied law and higher literary work attending school whenever he could and taking extension work and graduated from Potomac University, Washington, District of Columbia, in the law school and in the arts and sciences departments with the degrees A. B. and LL. B. He was admitted to the bar in 1913, since which time he has conducted a gen- eral office practice. He has thus far enjoyed a reasonable measure of success and his future seems well assured.

Mr. Renegar is a democrat and a Christian. He is a member of the Masons, Odd Fellows, and Woodmen of the World. He has already shown himself a leader in politics, and is the organizer and manager of the demo- cratic clubs of the Seventh Congressional District. Mr. Renegar is a member of the Commercial Club of Cordell, . and is a member of the County, State and National Bar associations.

Mr. Renegar is a young man filled with the vim and power to accomplish something in this world. He is progressive and believes in the motto: "Lead always when the opportunity is right and just; follow never without thorough consideration." He has accepted the call of the world: "Young man, show us what thou canst do."

EMERY W. KING, M. D. In the practice of medicine at Bristow since 1905, Doctor King is now one of the oldest established physicians of that little city. He has an excellent practice and has well and worthily won his place in professional life. He is both a physician and business man and a few years ago was honored by his fellow citizens with the post of mayor.

His birth occurred at Charleston, Coles County, Illinois, December 22, 1879. His parents are John and Susan

a. Mcleroy

1841

HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA

(Kelley) King, the former a native of Missouri and the latter of Illinois. They are now living in Charleston, where the father is a retired farmer. He still owns 220 acres of good Illinois land and has been thoroughly pros- pered in all his undertakings. At different times he has quietly exerted a considerable influence in local politics, though never as a candidate for public office. Both are active members of the Baptist Church.

Doctor King, who is the oldest of six children, spent the first nineteen years of his life on a farm. He had its discipline combined with the instruction of rural schools. In order to secure a more liberal education he attended the Southern Illinois Normal School two years, and was also a student in a private school at Aledo, Illinois. Like many successful professional men he preceded his active career by work as a teacher, and altogether taught three years. Entering the Hospital Medical College at Louis- ville, Kentucky, he continued his studies there until he earned his M. D. degree in 1905. Soon after graduating Doctor King located at Bristow, which only two or three years before had started its growth, and has been rapidly acquiring a fine practice and lending his aid to every publie spirited movement in behalf of the town 's welfare. He is a member of the County and State Medical soci- eties and the American Medical Association, and is affil- iated with the Knights of Pythias. As a republican he has done much in behalf of local organizations of the party. The only important office he has held was as mayor of Bristow one term. He has three times been a . delegate to state conventions of his party.

On December 23, 1905, Doctor King married Gertrude Rice. She was born near Carrollton, in Greene County, Illinois, a daughter of Fisher and Elizabeth (Bradley) Rice, who still live in Greene County. Doctor and Mrs. King have one child, Nadine.

HON. ALONZO MCCRORY. It has been frequently ob- served that politics is America's oldest pastime, and a great many men take as naturally to politics as others do to baseball. Since the pursuit is so well established among the activities of men, it is not surprising that its duties and responsibilities rest so lightly on the shoulders of the majority who are thus employed. That citizen- ship is a duty as well as a privilege is not so frequently exemplified as to be commonplace. The individual who assumes an earnest attitude for the public welfare has been sufficiently rare at all times. For this reason there is much promise for the future and commendation for what has already been accomplished by such an able young political leader as Alonzo McCrory, who is the present speaker of the House of Representatives in the Fifth Legislature. As a profession Mr. MeCrory is a newspaper editor and publisher, with residence at Ring- ling, in Jefferson County. He has gone into politics actuated by certain ideals and schemes the basis of which is the fundamental principle of service, and there are a great many who predict for him a splendid career as a public leader far beyond what he has already ac- complished, creditable though that is in every sense.

Born in Fayette County, Texas, September 10, 1878, Alonzo McCrory was educated in the Texas public schools and was a student in Baylor University at Waco, for two years, 1896-98. He did not complete his college course, but took up a business career, and in 1903 moved to Durant, Oklahoma, and for a time manufactured soda water, extracts, syrups, etc. In 1904 he became book- keeper in a general mercantile establishment at Comanche, Oklahoma. December 1, 1905, he removed to Cornish, Oklahoma, and continued the mercantile business as secre- tary of the firm of Bennett & Spragins. He sold out his interest in that business in 1909, and on the 18th of

June of that year founded the Cornish News, which he published there until May, 1914. At that date the Town of Cornish was moved bodily to the new site of Ringling, and the newspaper went along, changing its name at the same time to the Ringling News.

Mr. MeCrory represented Jefferson County in the Fourth Legislature, having been elected practically with- out opposition after over 500 representative citizens of the county had signed a petition offering support in the race. He came into the Legislature with an unusual equipment gained both by observation of practical poli- ties and by a close study of politics as a science. He had participated in county and state conventions of the demo- cratic party, and for a time was clerk of the County Court at Cornish. He was president of the first demo- cratic club organized in Cornish after Oklahoma became a state. As a member of the House in the Fourth Legis- lature Mr. McCrory was chairman of the Judicial and Senatorial Redistricting Committee, and was author of a bill, which never became a law, that provided for de- creasing the number of district judges from thirty-one to twenty. When he returned to the House in the Fifth Legislature he was elected speaker after a brief cam- paign, the other candidates having withdrawn from the contest. He accordingly obtained this much coveted honor without prejudice, and has used his office with one idea to secure the utmost efficiency from the body over which he presides and also to maintain an effective har- mony among the members and between the Legislature and the governor. Among important measures that have claimed Speaker McCrory's attention was the one amend- ing the bank guaranty law so that the guaranty system would be on a better and more substantial basis.

Mr. McCrory is a son of A. S. and Clara (Wier) Mc- Crory. His father, a native of Tennessee, was a Con- federate soldier under. Gen. Sterling Price. His mother, a native of Mississippi, was of Irish and Dutch descent. Among the father's ancestors were two Irish boys who came to America and participated as soldiers in the Revolution. A. S. McCrory died in 1913, and his widow now lives at Waelder, Gonzales County, Texas. There were seven boys and five girls in the family. A. W. McCrory, the oldest, is a stockman and farmer at Waelder, Texas; Mrs. Sallie Johnson is the wife of a stockman and farmer at Jeddo, Texas; Mrs. Maggie Galloway is the wife of a farmer and stockman at Mc- Caulley, Texas; William is a stock raiser at Flatonia, Texas; Mrs. Katie Miller is the wife of a farmer and stockman at Waelder; Sam Houston, nicknamed "Pug" and who named himself Sam Houston when four years of age, is a teacher and stockman at Flatonia; Mrs. Cora Fike is the wife of the second assistant superintendent of a tramway company at San Antonio; Mrs. Bessie Cowan is the wife of a stockman and farmer at Waelder; Marshall E. is a bookkeeper at Waelder; and Dorsey is a farmer and stockman at Waelder. Speaker McCrory was married July 26, 1902, to Una B. Cochran of Fayette County, Texas. Their four children are Staton, aged twelve; Lucile, aged nine; Claude, aged six; and Harry Lee, aged four. Mr. McCrory is a member of the Ring- ling Lodge of Woodmen of the World, and is a member of the board of directors of the Cornish Orphans Home, a state institution.

His political career has been primarily characterized by straightforwardness and an absolute integrity in all his relations. At different times he has been offered sup- port in politics during county seat fights and other con- tests that would have compromised him, and has rejected all such overtures and his success is entirely due to methods eminently fair and above board. He is a fine type of young man with wide experience, unusual execu-

1842

HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA

tive ability, unassuming, and ambitious only for the good service he can perform.

WILLIAM PENN HICKOK. Worthily in the front rank of his important aud difficult profession, William Penn Hickok, of Taloga, has won his own way to his present position. His early years were devoted to widely dif- ferent vocations, but from youth he was determined upon a career in the law, his success in which has evidenced the fact that he made no mistake in the choice of an occupation. Mr. Hickok was born at Guilford, Nodaway County, Missouri, February 23, 1862, and is a son of James E. and Olive L. (Bowen) Hickok.

The Hickok family is one which dates back to the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts, where it was founded at an early day by William Hickok, the emigrant ancestor, who came from England. His son, Aaron Hickok, removed from Massachusetts to Connecticut, and the latter's son, James, fought in the Revolutionary 'army as captain of a company in a Connecticut regiment. James Hickok's son, also names James, went to Ver- mont, where his son, David Nicholas Hickok, the grand- father of William Penn Hickok, was born in 1806. From that state the grandfather moved to Pennsylvania as a pioneer farmer, fought throughout the Civil war as a Union soldier, was once wounded, and returned to his agricultural operations and finally died at St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1892, to which point he had moved with his family just before the war.

James E. Hickok, father of William Penn Hickok, was born in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, in 1833, and there passed his early years, receiving a common school education and being reared as a farmer. He was mar- ried in Pennsylvania, and after marriage moved to Fayette County, Illinois, that community being his home and the scene of his agricultural activities until 1860. In that year he took his family to Nodaway County, Mis- souri, and in 1869 moved on to Andrew County, in the same state. His next location was Peabody, Kansas, where he resided from 1879 until the spring of 1883. Up to that time Mr. Hickok had been engaged in farm- ing, but on removing to Sumner County, Kansas, he embarked in merchandising and met with more or less success there until his retirement in 1901. Two years later he went to Anthony, Kansas, and there his death occurred in 1905. As a business man Mr. Hickok was straightforward and honorable in his dealings with his fellows. He was a professed Christian and lived his religion every day, being a devout member of the Baptist Church and a member of the board of trustees for many years. His political support was given to the principles and candidates of the republican party. Mr. Hickok married Miss Olive L. Bowen, who was born at Colden, Erie County, New York, in 1839, and she survives and makes her home in Sumner County, Kansas. There were eight children in the family, as follows: James E., who died in Anderson County, Kansas, at the age of twenty- one years; Luella B., who is the wife of W. G. Rupp, a contractor and builder and brick and tile manufacturer of Trinidad, Colorado; William Penn, twin of Luella B .; Charles D., who is engaged in the banking business at Ulysses, Kansas; Esther C., of Argonia, Kansas, widow of J. C. Colin, formerly a school teacher for a long period, superintendent of schools of Sumner County, Kansas, for a number of years, and postmaster at Argonia at the time of his death; Mary A., who died at Oqnawka, Illinois, as the wife of James W. Gordon, an attorney of that place; Hadassah, who died in child- hood; and Galen R., who is engaged in the real estate and farm loan business at Satanta, Kansas.

William Penn Hickok received his early education in the public schools of Missouri and Kansas, to which

latter state he accompanied the family when he was seventeen years of age, graduating from the Peabody High School with the class of 1880. He had been reared as a farmer's son and remained on the home farm until reaching his majority, at which time he turned his attention to mercantile lines, conducting a store at Harper, Kansas, for three years. His next venture was iu the line of real estate at Harper, and while thus engaged for three years found the leisure to pursue his legal studies, having decided to follow the law as his life work. In 1889 Mr. Hickok went to Fort Supply, Indian Territory, where he became teacher at the army school, a position which he retained for three years, then partici- pating in the opening, in 1892, of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Reservation for white settlement, when he secured a homestead of 160 acres. He proved up on this land and sold it for a satisfactory consideration in 1897, having in the meanwhile continued to teach school and to devote what time he could to his legal studies. In December, 1898, Mr. Hickok came to Taloga, having been admitted to the bar of the state September 13 preceding, and here has continued to practice in civil and criminal law to the present time. His practice carries him into all of the courts, his admission to practice before the Supreme Court having been granted January 10, 1902, and his clientele is representative of the largest interests in this section of the state. In the fall of 1898 he became the candidate of the democratic party for the office of county attorney of Dewey County, a position which he retained for two terms, or four years, having been re- . elected in 1900. He has served also as a member of the town board and the town school board, and at present is the incumbent of the office of town treasurer. Fraternally Mr. Hickok is connected with Taloga Lodge No. 179, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Taloga Chapter No. 54, Royal Arch Masons; Taloga Council; Taloga Commandery, Knights Templar; India Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, Oklahoma City, and Consistory No. 1, Valley of Guthrie, having attained the thirty-second degree of Masonry; and with Taloga Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is past noble grand, and the Modern Woodmen of America of this city. His professional affiliation is with the Dewey County, Oklahoma State and American Bar associations, while his numerous business connections include the treasurership of the Taloga Oil Company, Inc.

Mr. Hickok was married September 15, 1895, at Taloga, to Miss N. E. Shumate, daughter of the late Balus Shumate, a farmer of the locality of Taloga. Three children have been born to this union, namely: Charles B., a graduate of the class of 1914, Taloga High School, and now a teacher in the public schools of Dewey County; Gordon W., a freshman at Southwestern State Normal School, Weatherford, Oklahoma; and Galen J., who at- tends the public schools of Weatherford.

JOHN F. KROUTIL. A lad of about ten years at the time when he accompanied his parents on their immigra- tion from Austria to the United States, the career of Mr. Kroutil has shown in a most significant and emphatic way how great are the opportunities afforded in our great republic for the achievement of large and worthy success on the part of a young man who has the will to dare and to do, and who, dependent upon his own exertions, has the energy and self-reliance that make for personal independence and prosperity. Far from the Fatherland, now involved in the most horrible warfare known in the history of the world, Mr. Kroutil pursues the even tenor of his way under the benignant con- ditions of peace, and has secure status as one of the influ- ential and representative business men of Oklahoma, he

traintil

1843

HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA

and his elder brother, Frank L., having been residents of Oklahoma since the year the territory was organized aud having kept pace with the marvelous advancement that has here been made under the territorial and state regimes. They are now interested principals in what is undoubtedly the most extensive and importaut enter- prise of its kind in the State of Oklahoma, the subject of this sketch being president and his brother secretary and treasurer of the Yukon Mill & Grain Company, at Yukon, Canadian County.

From the status of a young man without more than nominal financial resources, Mr. Kroutil has risen to that of executive head of the largest and most modern flour mills in Oklahoma, the products of which are shipped to many distaut states of the Union, as well as into Cuba, and in connection with which has been developed a grain business of extensive volume. The Yukon Mill & Grain Company dates its organization back to the year 1902, and within the intervening period its business has had an almost phenomeual expansion in scope and import- ance. The original mill purchased by the Kroutil brothers at Yukon „was a modest establishment with a daily capacity for the output of only seventy-five barrels, or one carload of flour a day. At the present time the splendid plaut, with the best of modern equipment and facilities, has an output capacity of 1,200 barrels a day, the equivalent of twenty carloads. The average daily business has attained to the noteworthy aggregate of nearly $10,000, and the flour and other mill products are of the highest grade. The mill is a substantial brick structure of four stories and of modern design archi- tecturally as well as in the matter of providing the best facilities for the purpose for which it was erected. The mill elevators are of large capacity and the facilities for storage are adequate to meet the demands of the enormous business controlled. From this fiue milling plant products are shipped throughout Oklahoma and also into the states of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missis- sippi, Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Ten- nessee, New York and Connecticut, the substantial and widely disseminated trade affording the most effective voucher for the specially high grade of the products. By the way of the City of New Orleans the company ships flour to Cuba, and this export trade is constantly increasing. In addition to the central elevator at Yukon the company maintain also and own well equipped ele- vators at Union, Oklahoma, and other points in the state. The officers of the company are as here noted: John F. Kroutil, president and general manager; Anton F. Dobey, vice president; and Frank L. Kroutil, secretary and treasurer. The Kroutil brothers became residents of Oklahoma in 1890, and they have been closely asso- ciated in their business activities during the intervening years. The subject of this review acquired at Ponca City, Kay County, this state, his initial experience as a buyer of grain, and there he was soon joined by his elder brother, Frauk L., their residence and business operations having there continued for six years. In 1902 they purchased a sawmill at Yukon, and from this nucleus has been developed the fine milling plant of which mention has already been made. In the earlier period of their residence in Canadian County the brothers were associated in the development and management of a farm, but their ambition and progressiveness soon led them into broader fields of industrial enterprise. They came to Oklahoma Territory from David City, Nebraska, in which state they had previously been engaged in agricultural pursuits. They were born near the city of Prague, Austria,-Frank L. in 1872, and John F. on the 16th of May, 1875,-and thus both were boys at the time of the family immigration to America

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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