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 71

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 71

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Adam Bert Fair grew up at Agency, attended the public schools there, graduating from the high school in 1887, and soon afterward entered the University of Iowa. In 1893 he was graduated Ph. B., having in the mean- time pursued medical studies one year, and in 1895 was graduated M. D. from the medical department of the university. He took a prominent part in the student life of the university, was a member of the Irving Institute, a literary society, belonged to the University Band, was active in Young Men's Christian Association work, and also interested in athletics. In the past twenty years Doctor Fair has never abated his ambition for con- tinued acquisition of scientific knowledge. He has taken several courses at the Chicago policlinic and one post- graduate course at the West Side Post-Graduate School in Chicago, where he specialized in diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat.

His practice as a physician began at Danville, Iowa, in 1895, and he had a profitable business when he left there six years later. At the opening of the Southwest- ern Oklahoma country in 1901 he came to Lawton, but after three years in that city removed in 1904 to Fred- erick. The occasion of his location in that town was his appointment as health officer for what was then Southwest Comanche County, which was then being ravaged by an epidemic of smallpox. After strenuous efforts he succeeded in getting the plague well under control, and equal success has followed his efforts in building up a large general medical and surgical prac- tice. He is a member of the County and State Medical societies and the American Medical Association, and in 1912 was honored with the position of vice president of the State Medical Society. He also served as censor of the Fifth District Society, comprising the counties of Kiowa, Tillman, Comanche, Stephens, Jefferson, Greer and Jackson. He has served as city health officer at Frederick.

Doctor Fair is independent in politics, and in his home church, the Methodist, has served as trustee and steward since the society built it and was president of the build-

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ing committee. Doctor Fair is a stockholder in the Bank of Commerce at Frederick and has always allied himself with movements for local improvement. He was formerly a member of the Business Men 's Association at Frederick. In Masonry he is a past master by service of Frederick Lodge No. 249, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and belongs to Frederick Chapter No. 41, Royal Arch Masons, and Frederick Commandery No. 19, Knight Templars, of which he is now recorder. Other affiliations are with the Modern Woodmen of America, the Knights and Ladies of Security, the Royal Neighbors, the Modern Brotherhood of America, and he was formerly a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows.

On June 24, 1896, at Iowa City, Iowa, Doctor Fair married Miss Clara R. Harvat, a graduate of the col- legiate department of the State University of Iowa. She died October 22, 1911, leaving three children: Claude, Helen, and Robert, all of whom are attending school at Frederick. In September, 1912, Doctor Fair was mar- ried at Frederick to Miss Alma Boyd, daughter of J. M. Boyd, now a resident of Oklahoma City. Mrs. Fair was for several years a 'clerk in the Frederick postoffice, and is talented in vocal and instrumental music.

ROSCOE RIZLEY. Oklahoma is essentially a young and vigorous commonwealth, and in its field of professional and commercial activities, as well as in the domain of productive industrial enterprise, there are found enlisted a notably large number of progressive, energetic, able and loyal young men of high civic ideals and sterling attributes of character. Among such young men who are doing their part in upbuilding the high standard of the bar of the state Beaver County affords its due quota, and a prominent and popular younger member of the legal profession who has here found a desirable stage for his activities is Roscoe Rizley, who is engaged in active general practice at Beaver, the county seat. Further interest attaches to his career by reason of the fact that he is a native of this county and a scion of one of the sterling pioneer families of this section of the state.

Mr. Rizley can claim as the place of his nativity no sumptuous domicile, for he was ushered into the world n the little sod house, or dug-out, on the new homestead claim of his father, on Clear Creek, Beaver County, where he was born on the 5th of July, 1892. He takes just pride in reverting to the fact that he is thus a true representative of pioneer conditions in the state to which he pays high appreciation and unfaltering fealty, and the passing years will but add historic interest to the story le can tell relative to the conditions that compassed him hit the time of his birth.

Mr. Rizley is a son of Robert M. and Belle (McCown) Rizley, and he doubly honors his parents for the courage und determination which they manifested in enduring the hardships and vicissitudes incidental to establishing a home in a new frontier country. His father was born n Washington County, Arkansas, on the 16th of Novem- ber, 1861, at which time that state was the stage of nuch of the military conflict incidental to the early opera- lions in the Civil war, his parents having removed from Tennessee to that state in an early day. Robert M. Rizley was reared and educated in Arkansas, with such advantages as could be given to him by parents in very noderate circumstances. In 1885, as a young man of Greer bout twenty-four years, he came to Indian Territory, er at four years prior to the opening of the new Territory of Oklahoma to settlement, and he made the neutral strip home known as No Man's Land, in the western part of the erritory, his destination. On land twelve miles south of he present thriving town of Beaver he located on a tract

of land and turned his attention to farming and stock growing, the land duly coming into his possession and his title being perfected after the organization of Okla- homa Territory, in 1890. He has developed one of the well improved and valuable farms of Beaver County and still resides on his homestead, which is devoted to diversi- fied agriculture and to the raising of live stock. He is a republican in politics and has been active and influen- tial in public affairs in Beaver County, as shown by the fact that four years of effective service were given by him as a member of the board of county commissioners. His marriage to Miss Belle MeCown was solemnized in the year 1882, his wife having been born in Illinois, in 1864, and her death having occurred June 8, 1902, in a hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, where she had been taken for treatment. She had been a devoted wife and mother, was a woman of abiding Christian faith and practice, and she had the warm esteem of all who came within the sphere of her influence. Of the three children the subject of this review was the second in order of birth and is the only son; Alta, who was born on the pioneer homestead in Beaver County, January 27, 1887, is the wife of Oscar Gardner, a farmer of Beaver County, to whom she was united in wedlock on the 20th of January, 1908, their two children being Velma and Bernard; the younger daughter, Verne Elizabeth, born August 13, 1896, remains with her father on the old homestead.

After having availed himself fully of the advantages of the public schools of Beaver County, Roscoe Rizley gained through his own well directed efforts and industry the financial reinforcement which made possible the attainment of his ambition, Through his own resources he defrayed the entire expense incidental to the prosecu- tion of a full course in the Kansas City School of Law, where he applied himself with characteristic diligence and with that deeper appreciation that ever comes when desired objects have been gained through personal effort. In this institution he was graduated on the 7th of June, 1915, and after receiving his degree of Bachelor of Laws he immediately returned to his native county, where he was forthwith admitted to the Oklahoma bar and has since been in active and successful general practice at Beaver. He has already won his spurs and proved himself a careful and resourceful trial lawyer and well fortified counselor, so that his continued advancement in his pro- fession is fully assured. Mr. Rizley subordinates all else to the work of his profession, but takes a lively interest in community affairs of a public nature, the while he is found arrayed as a staunch and effective advo- cate of the principles of the republican party, in the faith of which he was reared.

ROBERT H. RICHARDSON. Almost universal is a natural inclination toward some one line of effort, and in the lives of many individuals this becomes so compelling an impulse that it must be followed, thereby bringing in- ward satisfaction and contented existence. Other talents may bring success in a practical way, but no man feels entirely free until he can pursue the path that nature indicates. Thus, for a time, the law, civil engineering and honorable public service absorbed the time and attention of Robert H. Richardson, the present able editor of the Democrat at Erick, Oklahoma, but jour- nalism was his secret ambition and the printing office training a coveted stepping-stone. He has shown him- self a man of versatility and in the profession that now .claims him he has displayed conspicuous ability.

Robert H. Richardson was born in Jackson County, Florida, December 18, 1869, and is a son of H. H. and Martha A. (Easterling) Richardson. The maternal an- cestry may be traced to Scotland, but the Richardsons

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came to America from England and for many generations have left an impress on the best citizenship of many states of the Union.

H. H. Richardson was born in 1826, in Georgia, and died in 1871, at Campbelltown, Florida. Following his marriage to Martha A. Easterling, who was born at Social Center, Georgia, in 1834, he moved to Jackson County, Florida, where he engaged in farming and raising stock during the rest of his life. For many years he was identified with the Masonic fraternity. Of his children but three reached maturity, James N., Elizabeth B. and Robert H., the last named being the only survivor. The mother of the above family died in 1890, at Bir- mingham, Alabama.

Robert H. Richardson attended the public schools and in 1886 was graduated from the high school of Marianna, Florida, following which he applied himself to the study of law for eight months at Montgomery, Alabama, in the meanwhile giving attention to the study of civil engineer- ing and making practical use of his knowledge along this line in Alabama, Texas and Iowa, until 1890, with- out determining to make this profession a life career. On the other hand circumstances so arranged his life that in that year he was able to enter a printing office at Cerrillos, New Mexico, and after becoming proficient in this trade he followed the same over New Mexico, Texas, Colorado and California. In 1898 he went into business for himself at Breckenridge, California, where he edited the Breckenridge Bulletin for one year.

In 1901 Mr. Richardson enlisted in the United States army and with his regiment went to the Phillipine Islands, serving three years, being attached to the adjutant-general's department. During this time his newspaper talent only slept and shortly after his return, in 1904, he became connected with a newspaper at Jack- son, California, remaining there six months, and after- ward, until 1907, worked on other papers in that state, and during two subsequent years worked on Texas papers, in 1909 buying the Kemp News, which journal he edited with vigor and ability for three years. In 1912 Mr. Richardson removed to Sweetwater, Texas, where he again invested, purchasing a one-third interest in the Sweet- water Reporter, which he retained for five months and then disposed of it and moved to Kaufman and for one year was associated there with the Kaufman Daily and Weekly Post.

Mr. Richardson then became interested elsewhere, con- ducting a newspaper at Winona, Texas, for six months, and for the same length of time, the Times at Chandler, Texas. In 1914 he came to Oklahoma and was conuected with the Leader at Ryan until April 1, 1915, when he leased the Democrat at Erick and has had charge of all departments of the paper ever since. Democratic in politics, it has been established for eleven years, during which time its fortunes have fluctuated as have those of many other publications, but under Mr. Richardson 's control and editing it has made rapid strides forward in public popularity and circulates all over Beckham County and also has a list of outside subscribers. Mr. Richardson recognizes the fact that he is conducting a modern newspaper, and realizing from a wide experience that the general intelligence of the present day demands much of a newspaper, it often being the single intel- lectual resource at hand, leaves no stone unturned to satisfy his readers.

In Jauary, 1909, Mr. Richardson was married, at Neches, Texas, to Miss Bertha E. Conerly, who is a daughter of O. F. Conerly. Mr. Conerly owns a valuable farm iu Anderson County, Texas, but makes his home with Mr. and Mrs. Richardson. They have four children : Robert H., who was born January 26, 1910; Elizabeth, who was born May 20, 1911; Owen Lester, who was born

September 11, 1913; and Wilson Ewing, who was born in March, 1915. Mr. Richardson and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and he is superin- tendent of the Sunday-school.

Always a democrat iu his political views, he has done yeoman work for his party in his newspapers, his trench- ant pen loyally assisting his party's candidates. At the same time his editorial ability is exercised in other directions than political, and his advocacy of civic re- forms, his calling atteution to worthy charities and his appeals for educational and religious progress for the city have met with general approval. Fraternally Mr. Richardson is both a Knight of Pythias and an Odd Fellow. He is a member, in the former organization, of Kemp Lodge, of Kemp, Texas, of which he has served two terms as chancellor commander; and as an Odd Fellow belongs to the lodge at Erick and is past noble grand of the lodges at Kaufman and Chandler, Texas. He longs also to the Praetorians.

PHINEAS F. WRIGHT. The vital spirit that has ani- mated those who have pushed forward the inarch of development and progress in America from the early colonial era through the stages that have marked the advance of civilization as the star of empire has led its westward course, has been distinctly shown in the character and achievement of Phineas Finch Wright, who became a settler of Oklahoma Territory in the year that the first section of the former Indian Territory. was thrown open to white settlement and who has done well his part in connection with the marvelous civic and material development and upbuilding of a great and prosperous commonwealth. That he proved well equipped for such pioneer activities is specially interest- ing to note in view of the fact that he was reared under pioneer influences, his parents having established their home in the wilds of Wisconsin wheu that state was still under territorial government. Mr. Wright, who has but recently compassed the psalmist's span of three score years and ten, is senior member of the representa- tive firm of P. F. Wright & Son, engaged in the hard- ware and agricultural implement business in the Village of Wakita, Grant County, and his valued co-adjutor in the control of the substantial and prosperous enterprise is his elder son, Fred C., who is an alert and progressive business man.

Mr. Wright was born at Potosi, Grant County, Wis- consin, on the 1st of April, 1845, and not until three years later was Wisconsin admitted as one of the sovereign states of the Union. He is a son of Phineas and Amanda (Finch) Wright, the former of whom was born in the State of New York and the latter in the Province of Ontario, Canada. The father of Mr. Wright became one of the influential pioneer settlers of Grant County, Wisconsin, where he obtained land and reclaimed the same to cultivation, besides which he identified him- self also with other important lines of enterprise that tended to foster the development and prosperity of the community. He owned and operated a flour mill and was also concerned to a considerable extent with the lumber industry of Wisconsin in the pioneer days, both he and his wife having continued their residence in the Badger State until their death.

Phineas F. Wright, the immediate subject of this re- view, attended the common schools of his native county until he had attained to the age of fourteen years, and he early began to assist in the work of his father's flour mill. The great lumber industry was then at its height in Wisconsin and young Wright soon became identified with work in the timber forests and the operation of sawmills, with which line of enterprise he continued his association until he had attained to the age of twenty-

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Henry Schmale and family

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six years. Thereafter he was for a few years engaged in the general merchandise business at Whitehall, Trem- pealeau County, Wisconsin, and while a resident of that place he became active and influential in local politics and served two years as sheriff of the county, his allegiance having been given unreservedly to the repub- lican party, to the cause of which he has given his stanch support during the long intervening years.

In 1881 Mr. Wright removed with his family to Win- field, Cowley County, Kansas, where he continued to be engaged in the mercantile business until 1885, when he became one of the founders of the Town of Bluff City, Harper County, that state, where he established himself in the general merchandise business and where he re- mained thus engaged until 1889, when he became one of those progressive and ambitious men who took advan- tage of the opening of Oklahoma Territory to settlement, the formal organization of the territory having occurred in the following year. Mr. Wright was one of those who "made the run" with the great throng that pushed for- ward into the new territory to enter claims for land on the memorable 22d of April, 1889, and he obtained a homestead claim 101% miles southeast of Hennessey, in what is now Kingfisher County. He reclaimed and im- proved this land, perfected his title to the same, and after the lapse of two years he made an advantageous sale of the property. He then returned to Bluff City, Kansas, where he continued to be engaged in the hard- ware business until 1895, when he came again to Okla- homa Territory and became one of the pioneer settlers of the new Town of Wakita, Grant County. He erected the second business building in the town and became one of the first merchants of the place, so that all of pioneer honors are his in connection with this now thriving and progressive village, which is the trading center for an extensive district of an important and prosperous farming community.

Mr. Wright has from the beginning been one of the most influential and honored citizens of Wakita, and his hold upon popular confidence and esteem is shown by the fact that he served for a long period as a member of the village council and thereafter gave a number of years to specially effective service in the office of mayor of the town. He has been liberal and public-spirited in giving his co-operation for the furtherance of all meas- ures and enterprises that have tended to advance the social and material progress and prosperity of the village and county, and through his well ordered activities as a business man he has achieved substantial success. Dur- ing virtually the entire period of his residence at Wakita Mr. Wright has here been actively engaged in the hard- ware and agricultural implement business, and in asso- ciation with his older son he controls a trade that extends throughout the wide area of country normally tributary . to Wakita.

In 1873 Mr. Wright wedded Miss Lottie Brush, who was born in Wisconsin, in the year 1855, a daughter of Benjamin and Mary Brush. Mrs. Wright was sum- moned to the life eternal, and is survived by two children, Florence and Fred C. Florence, who was born April 29, 1875, is now the wife of Dr. Charles W. Middleton, and they have one child, Jack Wright Middleton, who was born December 20, 1910.

Fred C. Wright was born at Whitehall, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, on the 7th of November, 1878, and acquired his early education in the schools of Kansas, after which he completed a thorough course in a business university at St. Joseph, Missouri, in which institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1895. As already noted, he is now junior member of the firm of P. F. Wright & Son, of Wakita, and in addition to being thus concerned with the hardware and implement

business he is also the owner of the Wakita electric light plant, of which he has had control since 1913 and which he maintains at a high standard of efficiency. On the 12th of January, 1912, he married Miss Cora Palmer, of Lyndon, Osage County, Kansas, she being a young woman of exceptional talent and gracious per- sonality. Mrs. Wright completed her musical education in the City of Berlin, Germany, and has fine ability as a pianist and vocalist. She is a daughter of Thomas J. Palmer, concerning whom specific mention is made on other pages of this work. Mr. and Mrs. Wright have two children-Lois Janet, who was born May 4, 1913, and Robert Hardy, who was born February 3, 1915.

The second marriage of Phineas P. Wright was solemnized at Anthony, Kansas, on the 23d of November, 1897, when Miss Kate Lewis became his wife. Mrs. Wright was born in the State of Ohio, on the 18th of May, 1874, and in the same state were born her parents, Elisha and Rachael (Chamberlain) Lewis, who removed to Kansas when she was a girl. Mr. and Mrs. Wright have three children-Ollie E., who was born March 27, 1899; Lewis Wayne, who was born August 30, 1901; and Geneva Ruth, who was born July 16, 1911.

HENRY SCHMALE. One of Pawnee County's most sterling, upright and honored citizens was the late Henry Schmale, who had lived in Oklahoma since 1893 and had gained a large amount of material prosperity and the esteem of hundreds of friends and business associates before death took him on May 12, 1916.

During his residence in Oklahoma he was primarily a farmer. In that occupation he showed the characteristic German industry, enterprise and good judgment. He had a long and active career, served as a young man in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71, but after coming to America more than forty years ago became one of the country's most loyal citizens, and was first and last devoted to the land of his adoption.

He was born in Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, August 27, 1845, and was therefore in his seventy-first year when he died. His parents Henricus and Mary (Weifen- bach) Schmale spent all their lives in Germany. On both sides the respective families had been German farmers for many generations. Henricus Schmale was one of the substantial tillers of the soil in Hessen-Darmstadt, now known as the Grand Duchy of Hesse.

The oldest of five children, the late Henry Schmale was the only one to come to America. His elder sister, Mrs. Maria Deling, is still living near the old German homestead, the wife of a prosperous farmer. The younger sister, Mrs. Sophia Stein, is also the wife of a German farmer. The son George resides upon the old farm and occupies the house in which the children were born and reared. Fred was a farmer in that district until his death.

The late Henry Schmale spent his first twenty-eight years on the old homestead with his parents. He at- tended the excellent schools of his native land up to the age of fourteen and as a youth served an apprenticeship at the trade of shoemaker in the City of Darmstadt. He became a skilled workman. In the meantime he was also. called upon to serve his country in accordance with the laws of the Fatherland, and it was to his honor that he served faithfully and well in the German army during the Franco-Prussian war.

Mr. Schmale came to the United States in 1873. He soon went west and remained a few months in Muscatine, Iowa, but in June, 1874, returned to New York City. There he found employment as a journeyman at his trade for about five years. Industry was the keynote to his success in life, and he was pre-eminently a man of action, willing to get success only as a result of personal

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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