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 7

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 7

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Dr. John Powell Miller was born in Madison County, North Carolina, on the 19th of July, 1851, and is a son of Samuel and Jane (Jack) Miller, the former of whom was born in Buncombe County, North Carolina, in 1822, and the latter of whom was born in Greene County, Tennessee, in 1823, both families having been founded in America in the colonial days. Samuel Miller removed with his family to Texas in December, 1862, and there he passed the remainder of his life as a farmer and stock grower. He survived his wife from 1889 to 1907, his death occurring on the 30th of April of the latter year. The mother was summoned to eternal rest on September 28, 1889, both having been consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and the father having been a stanch democrat in politics. He was a scion of a sterling family that was founded in Penn- sylvania in the colonial era of our nationary history, and the original American progenitors came from Scot- land. In the following paragraph is given brief record concerning the children of Samuel and Jane (Jack) Miller.

William Elbert is a retired merchant and resides at Claude, Armstrong County, Texas; Robert T. maintains his home at Floydada, Floyd County, that state, and has large farm and stock interests in that section; Samuel Madison, who likewise was a substantial farmer in Texas, died at the age of fifty years, in Brown County, that state; James Anderson, twin of Samuel M., died in Johnston County, Texas, at the age of seventeen years; Doctor Miller of this sketch was the next in order of birth; Octavia Jane is the wife of James H. Keith, of Cleburne, Texas; Harriet Emily is the wife of Willis M. Armstrong, a prosperous farmer of Brown County, Texas ; Rev. Jacob Glance, a clergyman of the Methodist Epis- copal Church South, resides at Stamford, Texas; Margaret Cordelia is the wife of John H. Dortch, a retired farmer, and they reside at Dalworth, Texas; Mary Elizabeth, who died at Panhandle City, Texas, in the autumn of 1891, was the wife of Monroe Jack, who still resides in that state, a farmer by vocation; and Catherine Ann is the wife of William C. Dysart, a farmer of Collin County, Texas.

Doctor Miller was a lad of about ten years at the time of the family removal to Texas, where he was reared to manhood on the homestead farm, with the work and management of which he continued to be associated until he had attained to his legal majority. In the meanwhile he profited duly by the advantages of the local schools, and in September, 1872, he entered Mansfield College, in which excellent Texas institution he continued his studies three years. Thereafter he remained on the home farm until 1879, when he engaged in the drug business at Marystown, Johnson County, and incidentally devoted as much time as possible to the study of medicine. His

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business venture proved successful and in September, 1880, in consonance with his ambitious purpose, he was matriculated in the medical department of Vanderbilt University at Nashville, Tennessee, in which great insti- tution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1883 and from which he received his well earned degree of Doctor of Medicine. He then returned to Johnson County, Texas, where he served his practical novitiate in his profession and where he continued in successful general practice until 1889. He then removed to Claude, Armstrong County, but within a year he established him- self at Panhandle City, Carson County, where he remained until the autumn of 1892, when he came to Oklahoma Territory, his permanent home having been established at Cheyenne, county seat of Roger Mills County, in Sep- tember of that year. He was the pioneer physician of the county, and five years elapsed ere another representa- tive of his profession engaged in practice at Cheyenne. In the earlier years Doctor Miller encountered the most arduous labors and many trials in pursuing his humane mission over a wide area of thinly settled and wild country, but he placed no limitations upon his profes- sional zeal and devotion, so that it is but natural that he is held in the highest popular esteem in the community which he has served faithfully and with marked ability for many years. He has kept in close touch with ad- vances made in medical and surgical science and has given to the people of this section of the state the best that could be offered by a physician and surgeon of distinctive technical talent and of abiding appreciation of the dignity and responsibility of his exacting voca- tion. He has long controlled a large and representative general practice, and he maiutains his well appointed office on Broadway, in the business center of the town. The doctor is the owner of his attractive residence property, likewise on Broadway, and in addition to other local realty he has two valuable farms in Roger Mills County, one comprising 320 and the other 160 acres. During nearly the entire period of his residence at Cheyenne, Doctor Miller has served as health officer of the county, and though he is a stanch democrat in politics he was first appointed to this position, in 1892, by Governor Sea, who was elected territorial governor on the republican ticket. He assisted in the organization of the Roger Mills County Medical Society, was one of the early presidents of the same and still continued one of its appreciative and valued members, besides which he is identified with the Oklahoma State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. Doctor and Mrs. Miller are zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, in which he has served in official positions for forty years, his service having been in the capacities of steward, trustee, Sunday-school superintendent, etc. He is past master of Cheyenne Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; past high priest of Cheyenne Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; and affiliated also with Cheyenne Council, Royal and Select Masters, as well as with the commandery of Knight Templars at Elk City, Beckham County. He holds membership in the Cheyenne Camp of the Woodmen of the World and was formerly in active affiliation with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

At Jefferson, Texas, in 1881, was solemnized the mar- riage of Doctor Miller to Miss Ruth Bockman, daughter of the late Michael Bockman, a substantial farmer of that state. Doctor and Mrs. Miller have two children- Thomas Madden, who holds a responsible executive posi- tion with the Collins Investment Company, at Oklahoma City; and Volina, who is the wife of Taylor Lee Miller, a representative dry goods merchant of Cheyenne.

J. R. PEARSON. In the development and improvement of the old Osage country, J. R. Pearson has for thirty-

five years supplied the important elements of individual enthusiasm and enterprise. He has spent most of his active career in this part of Oklahoma, and has had unusual opportunities for judging the country and for participating in its affairs, and there is probably no . citizen of Pawhuska who is considered more vitally and substantially related with local development than Mr. Pearson.

Born in Andrew County, Missouri, February 29, 1852, he has had a life of varied experience beginning with boyhood. His parents were William Madison and Delilah (Hunter) Pearson. His father was born in Kentucky, but was reared in Missouri, the grandparents having settled as pioneers in the northwestern quarter of that state. Grandfather Nathaniel Pearson died in North- ern Kansas at the age of ninety and William M. Pearson passed away May 30, 1912, at the age of eighty-nine, in Maryville, Missouri, and both had spent all their active careers as blacksmiths. Mr. Pearson's mother, who was born in Missouri of a pioneer family, died when her son was four years of age. The latter is now the only one living out of a family of four girls and two boys, and there were also two sons by his father's second marriage.

When he was thirteen years of age J. R. Pearson left home on account of incompatibility with his step-mother, aud thenceforth largely made his own way in the world. He lived a few years with his older sisters and then rambled from place to place, paying his way by day or monthly labor, largely engaged in railroad work in different sec- tions of Missouri.

It was in 1878, while still in search of a permanent home, that J. R. Pearson arrived in the Osage country. Here, on July 4, 1878, he married Miss Rosa Denoya, who was born in Washington Territory August 26, 1864. She died at her home in Pawhuska, January 26, 1913, at the age of forty-nine. She had come to Indian Territory with her parents in 1873, and received her edu- cation in the government schools. Her parents were Francis and Martha (Tessett) Denoya, her father a full- blooded Frenchman and her mother of part French and part Osage stock. Her mother died at Pawhuska May 23, 1913, in her eighty-fifth year, and it is said that she was the mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother to more children in the Osage tribe than any other living woman. She was twice married, the father of Mrs. Pearson having died about twenty-seven years ago.

In order to support his wife, Mr. Pearson for several years after his marriage worked at wages of fifty cents a day, but soon engaged in ranching and stock raising, and has lived continuously in what is now Osage County with the exception of a few years spent at Cedarvale, Kansas, where he was giving his children the advantages of the local schools. He and each of his children now have allotments of land amounting to 657 acres each, and he is one of the large property holders over Osage County. Besides his land he is a stockholder in the Pawhuska Oil and Gas Company, the largest corporation operating in that industry in Osage County; is also a stockholder in the oil and gas company of which J. W. Stroud is president; is a stockholder in the Citizens National Bank of Pawhuska. For a number of years he has also carried on an individual business as a money lender.

In 1908 Mr. Pearson erected what is considered one of the most attractive homes in Pawhuska, known as Pearson Heights, adjoining the city limits at the south- west corner. The house is itself a commodious and at- tractive one, and stands on a site that commands an extensive and beautiful view not only of the city, but of a large scope of surrounding country. The house is

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HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA

surrounded by 120 acres of well improved land, and that is the center of Mr. Pearson's continued interests in the stock business. He still keeps a large number of horses, and has some especially fine strains represented in this class of stock.

In politics he is a republican. In Masonry he has been through both the York and Scottish Rite branches as far as he could go, and was one of the first men in the Osage country to take the thirty-two degrees of the Scottish Rite Consistory. He is a member of the Con- sistory at Guthrie and the Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Oklahoma City, and belongs to the various other branches represented at Pawhuska. To Mr. and Mrs. Pearson were born a large family of eleven children: Claude, who died at the age of four years; Cartona, who died at seven years; October, who lives at Pearson Spur in Osage County, and is married and has five children; Della, who died at the age of six years; Madeline, wife of Robert E. Wynn, living in Osage County, and the mother of four children; Cordelia, wife of Frank R. Kent of St. Joseph, Missouri, and the mother of two children; Lillian, wife of J. P. Compehaver of Inde- pendence, Kansas, and the mother of one child; Bertha, wife of Grover Badey of Osage County, and the mother of two children; Catherine V., Joseph W. and Rosa V., all living at home with their father.

LUCIEN ALBERT PELLEY. Since 1908 Mr. Pelley has been a resident of Altus, has been an active and suc- cessful member of the Jackson County bar for the past four years and even for a longer time has been a very influential figure in the political life of Jackson County.

Born in Casey County, Kentucky, April 25, 1881, he was reared from the age of seven principally on his father's farm in Bates County, Missouri, and while there had the benefit of country schools. He also finished the junior year in the State Normal School at War- rensburg, and subsequently took a business course at Sedalia, Missouri. He has had to pick and choose his own opportunities for the most part, and with an ambi- tion to become a lawyer, went through considerable practice and experience before reaching that goal. Mr. Pelley came to Altus, Oklahoma, in 1908, and during 1909 was deputy county clerk of Jackson County. He finally accumulated a sufficient sum to put him through law school, and in 1911 was graduated LL. B. from the law department of Cumberland University at Lebanon, Tennessee. Returning to Oklahoma, he was admitted to the bar in the same year, and is now well established in his profession, looking after a large and growing civil and criminal practice, and his offices are in the court- house at Altus.

He represents an old southern family, and his fore- fathers were prominent farmers and stock breeders in Kentucky. It was his great-great-grandfather who emi- grated from England and established this branch of the Pelley family in Virginia, and out of that state his great- grandfather moved into Casey County, Kentucky, where he was numbered among the pioneer settlers. Mr Pelley's grandfather was widely known over his section of Kentucky as Doc Pelley, was born and reared and spent all his life in Casey County, where he was well known as a stock raiser, and for fifty years owned and operated the largest mill in that section of the state. His death occurred before the Altus attorney was born. The latter's father is Z. T. Pelley, who was born in Casey County, Kentucky, in 1853 and is now in business in Kansas City, Missouri. He moved from Casey County to Bates County, Missouri, in 1888, and since 1912 has lived in Kansas City. His career has been largely that of a farmer and stock raiser, but after selling his place

in Bates County, Missouri, he spent several years as a traveling salesman. He is an active member of the Christian Church, and for many years has held some official position in his home church. Z. T. Pelley mar- ried Miss Dolly Ermine Mayes, who was born in Casey County, Kentucky, in 1863. Lucien A. is the oldest of their five children. Wilma, the next in age, is the wife of James M. Dillard, who is an attorney and formerly served as county attorney of Jackson County and is now living at Carlsbad, New Mexico. Zula T. is a deputy county clerk of Jackson County, Oklahoma. Carl Estel is a rancher at Craig, Colorado, and the next younger brother, Cecil Alton, is associated with him in that industry.

Lucien A. Pelley is a democrat in politics, is a deacon in the Christian Church at Altus, is a member of Altus Lodge No. 62, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and is past grand of Altus Lodge No. 134, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is also past chief patriarch of the local encampment of Odd Fellows. He also belongs to Altus Lodge No. 1226 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Professionally he is a member of the County and State Bar Association, and takes much in- terest in the work of the local Commercial Club, and is a member of the large Cumberland Alumni Association found in the State of Oklahoma. As a democrat he is a member of the Young Men's Democratic Club, has regu- larly attended the County and State Democratic conven- tions of recent years, and is a candidate for the office of county attorney of Jackson County.

GEORGE B. POPE. A progressive and enterprising citizen of Hydro, Oklahoma, is George B. Pope, who came to this city in 1901 and who has here been engaged in the banking business since 1908. He was elected presi- dent of the Hydro State Bank in 1909, and is now president of the First National Bank. He has always manifested a deep and sincere interest in public affairs and is serving his second term as city councilman. The . Pope family came originally from Scotland and members of the name were pioneers in Indiana, Missouri and Kansas.

George B. Pope was born at Emporia, Kansas, January 7, 1873, and he is a son of John Pope, whose birth occurred in the vicinity of Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1833. John Pope removed from the Hoosier state to Missouri as a young man and at the outbreak of the Civil war enlisted for service in the Union army as a private in the Fifth Missouri Cavalry. He served for a period of four years, during which time he participated in many important battles marking the progress of the war, at one time he was taken prisoner and was later exchanged. He was a pioneer settler in Emporia, Kansas, after the war, and although he was a contractor and builder by trade he devoted his attention to farming for many years. He helped build the first brick building ever erected at Atchison, Kansas, and he was at Wichita, Kansas, when that city was nothing but an Indian trad- ing post. In 1880 he removed with his family to Cald- well, Kansas, and that was before the railroad was built. He came to Oklahoma in 1893, and took up a homestead in Garfield County. In recent years he has lived retired at Enid, Oklahoma, and there he and his devoted wife are held in high esteem by their fellow citizens. At Maryville, Missouri, Mr. Pope was united in marriage to Miss Susan E. Bishop, who was born in Tennessee, in 1843. It is interesting to note that the Bishop family was driven out of Tennessee on account of sympathy with the Union cause during the Civil war. Mr. Bishop hired a yoke of oxen and removed the house- hold goods to Indiana, he and the children being com-

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pelled to walk most of the way. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Pope, as follows: Capitola is the wife of J. P. Clapp, a merchant at Hillsdale, Okla- homa; Robert R. is a merchant at Hillsdale; George B. is the subject of this sketch; William is a rural mail carrier at Hillsdale; and Katy is the wife of H. C. Lacy, cashier of the Bank of Hydro.

Under the invigorating discipline of farm life George B. Pope grew to maturity and he attended public school and high school at Caldwell, Kansas. He came to Okla- homa with his parents in 1893 and proved up a claim on the. Cherokee Strip. Subsequently he removed to Carrier, this state, and there entered into the general mercantile business, also having charge of the postoffice before the railroad was built. In 1901 he came to Hydro and here was most successfully engaged in the implement business until 1908, when he turned his attention to bank- ing. For one year he served as vice president of the Hydro State Bank, now the First National Bank, and at that time it was capitalized at only $5,000. He was made president of that institution in 1909 and is still serv- ing with the utmost efficiency in that capacity. He is possessed of remarkable business acumen and much of the bank's success is traced to his good judgment. He is a republican in politics and is now serving his second term on the city council. While a resident of Garfield County he was a member of the school board. In a fra- ternal way Mr. Pope is affiliated with Hydro Lodge No. 230, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is past master; Weatherford Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Weatherford Commandery, Knights Templar; Valley of Guthrie Consistory No. 1, thirty-second degree; India Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Oklahoma City; Hydro Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star; and Hydro Lodge, Modern Woodmen of America.

Mr. Pope has been twice married. In 1898 he married Miss Zue Carrier, a daughter of S. E. Carrier, a farmer prior to his demise. She died at Eureka Springs, Arkansas, in 1900. For his second wife Mr. Pope mar- ried, at Leavenworth, Kansas, Miss Pearl Orr, a daugh- ter of William Orr, now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Pope have two children: Eugene, born October 24, 1908; and Olive, born December 20, 1910. In religious faith the Popes are devout members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and they are popular factors in the social life of Hydro.

STERLING PRICE SMITH. As an educator Mr. Smith has unusual qualifications and experience. He is a man of liberal education, was admitted a number of years ago to the Texas bar, though he has practiced very little, is a practical surveyor, and his varied associations with men and affairs are a splendid foundation for his work as superintendent of the city schools of Grandfield.

His father was a Confederate soldier and named his son, who was born near Burleson, Franklin County, Ala- bama, August 14, 1862, in honor of the great Confederate leader under whom the father was at that time serving. The Smith family came from England, and grandfather Frank Smith was a soldier under Francis Marion in the Revolutionary war. F. M. Smith, father of the Grand- field school superintendent, was born in Georgia in 1828 and died at Garner, Texas, in 1896. The year following his birth, in 1829, his parents removed to Calhoun County, Alabama, and he grew up there and married. He was a farmer by occupation, lived for a number of years in Franklin County, and finally established his home at Garner, Texas. In 1861 he entered the Con- federate army with an Alabama regiment, was with Price in his campaign in Mississippi, was with Johnston

at Corinth, and after the reorganization of the Con- federate army was under the command of Lee in Vir- ginia, and participated in all the battles and campaigns leading up to Appomattox. In politics he was a loyal democrat. The maiden name of his wife was Jane Schencks, who was born in Alabama and now lives in Garner, Texas. To their marriage were born twelve children: Floyd, who died at the age of eight years in Calhoun County, Alabama; Laura, wife of John Wil- liams, a farmer in Franklin County, Alabama; Flora, whose husband is J. M. Sullivan, a farmer at Garner, Texas; Maggie, who married P. M. Inzer, a druggist at Savoy, Texas; W. L., who is a farmer near Mineral Wells, Texas; Sterling P .; Kate, who died after her marriage to Mr. Davis, a farmer now living in Franklin County, Alabama; Fannie, wife of Thomas Hefrin, who is in the employ of the Government at El Paso, Texas; Frank, who died at the age of three years; and Mary and Elizabeth, both of whom died early in childhood; and Dena, wife of Gus Bumgarner, a farmer at Garner.

Sterling Price Smith attended the public schools of Franklin County, Alabama, also the Burleson Academy, and for three terms was in the high school at Honey Grove, Texas. In 1891 he graduated Bachelor of Science from the Central College at Sulphur Springs, Texas, sub- sequently took two years work in the Texas Christian University at Waco, this university being now at Fort Worth, and was graduated A. M. in 1897. In the mean- time he had followed teaching for a number of terms, read law, and in 1899 was admitted to the Texas bar. For four years Mr. Smith was county surveyor of Fannin County, Texas. In 1907 he removed to Mill Creek, Okla- homa, was a teacher there one year, was superintendent of schools at Lindsay one year, principal of ward schools in Paul's Valley for two years and then for one year was principal of schools at Stratford, Oklahoma. Mr. Smith came to Grandfield to take the superintendency of the city schools in 1913. Though Grandfield is a comparatively new town, it has an excellent public school system, and Mr. Smith is at the head of a corps of six teachers and the total enrollment in the schools numbers 310. Mr. Smith has never found any work quite so attractive as school work, and is not only ambitious for the best attainments as a school executive but also for continued advancement in individual scholarship. He was engaged as a teacher for one summer term in the Ada Normal School at Ada, Oklahoma, and has been taking special studies through that institution and received a diploma in 1913. He also spent one summer term in the University of Chicago and is now working on his tenth college credit. He belongs to several of the school associations, is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South and was formerly identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.

On August 25, 1897, Mr. Smith was married at Savoy, Texas, to Miss Frankie Chenoweth, whose father, Thomas Chenoweth, is now a retired property owner at Sabinal, Texas. To their marriage have been born four children: Sterling D., a junior in the high school at Grandfield; Leta Mae, a sophomore in the high school; Elizabeth, in the sixth grade, and Jennie Lou, who is in the fourth grade of the public schools.

A. C. BRADSHAW. It is nearly fifteen years since A. C. Bradshaw came into the western part of Oklahoma Territory and was first known to the people of what is now Roger Mills County as a teacher. He has since extended his interests to various other affairs, has per- formed much official service and is now proprietor and editor of the Leedey Times at Leedey.

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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