USA > Oklahoma > Portrait and biographical record of Oklahoma; commemorating the achievements of citizens who have contributed to the progress of Oklahoma and the development of its resources, V. 1 > Part 40
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with the practice of his trade, that of carpenter and builder. His wife, Mary ( Neff) Bryan, was born of Dutch ancestry in Rockingham county in 1803, and died there October 24. 1865. at the age of sixty-tliree. She became the mother of ten children, eight of whom attained maturity. and five are living. Mrs. Elizabeth Montgomery lives in Jackson township. Sullivan county, Mo .: Josephine L. is the widow of G. B. Slinker; J. M. forms the subject of this article : Susan is mar- ried to Jarvis Copner: and Mary F. is the wife of Rev. W. G. Slinker, of Mound Valley, Kans .. chaplain of the Kansas state senate.
Worthy of mention is the fact that the early members of the Bryan family were extremely re- ligious people, and all were associated with the strict and uncompromising early Methodist Church. William Bryan, the paternal grand- father's brother, was a prominent Methodist preacher in Virginia. Daniel Boone's wife, for- merly Rebecca Bryan, was an own cousin of our subject's father.
James M. Bryan was born April 16, 1832. in Scott county. Ill., which was then Morgan county. In his home neighborhood and in Man- chester of the same county he was educated in the public schools, and was early taught the dig- nity and usefulness of an agricultural life. Not wishing to rely entirely upon farming as a means of livelihood. he learned the carpenter's trade. and after he moved to Iowa, in 1855, and settled on an eighty-acre farm in Warren county, he varied his farming experiences with contracting and building. His farm was purchased from the government. the price paid for the same being Sico in gold. As an evidence of Mr. Bryan's industry, it may be stated that many of the build- ings erected by him in Warren county are still standing, and are examples of the reliable work of early days. During 1870 he lived in Baxter Springs, Kans., and in 1871 moved into Mar- shall county, the same state. There were but few . settlers in the county at the time and the land was crude and unimproved. Later he remained in Missouri a year and during his entire stay
was confined to his bed from the effects of a gunshot wound in the right leg. In the fall of 1872 he moved to Sullivan county, Mo., and there lived for ten years, at which time he took up his residence in Hall county, Neb., going from there to Boone county, Ark. Yet another change was made in the fall of 1885, to Hum- boldt. Allen county. Kans., he having traded his farm for city property. Later he made another trade, this time receiving in exchange a farm in the southwestern part of Harper county. Kans .. upon which he lived until he settled in Oklahoma.
April 22, 1889. Mr. Bryan made the run on the territory, and located on section 33, township 20, range 6. Kingfisher county. The family ar- rived in the fall, and at once began to as- sist in the development of the new land. The first crops were put into the ground in the fall, and in the spring of 1890 there was an unexpectedly good yield. Seventy acres were put under the plow, and wheat raised, and gen- eral farming conducted. An excellent orchard was planted and a vineyard, as well as a variety of smaller fruits. Since then improvements have been constantly made, including a commodious barn, which has recently been erected. Mr. Bryan was married in 1854 to Amanda J. Tice, of Illinois, and of this union there are three chil- dren: Allen M., who was born in Iowa, and came to Oklahoma at the opening of the territory. locating on a claim on the northwest quarter of section 4: Henry B., who is living at home, and is a Mason of the thirty-second degree; and Wil- liam B., at home.
While living in Missouri, Mr. Bryan joined the, Methodist Episcopal Church, and was a local preacher in the same. In 1879, in Sullivan county, Mo., he changed to the Church of Christ in Christian Union. He has been a minister since 1879. and was ordained at Pennville, Mo .. since which he has held many charges, and ac- complished considerable evangelical work. He organized the Lyon Valley Church in the school- house in Sherman township, and preached the first sermon in the township. afterwards serving as pastor of the church for two years. At the reunion in 1900, he preached to his old congre- gation. Of the fourteen original members. there has been no death in any family save an infant daughter. To Mr. Bryan belongs the distinction of having been the first Sunday school superin- tendent at Pleasant Hill. As a mark of appre- ciation, and as evidence of the esteem in which he is held. the sixty-eighth anniversary of his birth was celebrated by the citizens of his town- ship. one hundred and seventy-one coming to the farm to wish him Godspeed and many more birthdays. His life has been large in the scope of its industry and usefulness, and he is es-
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teemed by all who admire his many excellent traits and fine personality.
J UDGE JOHN O. CASLER, justice of the peace and police magistrate, ex-officio, of Oklahoma City, is prominent throughout the territory. He has been most active in per- fecting the organization of the Oklahoma Con- federate Veterans' Association, of which he is major-general, and, by a number of literary pro- ductions founded upon events which transpired during the Civil war, has given an insight into characters and events which is most interesting and aids in perpetuating the memory of that noble body of men who were fighting for what they believed to be right.
Judge Casler was born nine miles west of Win- chester, Va., December 1, 1838, and is a son of . Michael and Mary Eveline ( Heironimus) Casler. The family is of German origin, and the name was formerly spelled Kessler, but the great- grandfather of our subject, upon coming to this country, Americanized it by changing to Casler. Hisother brothers who came to this coun- try maintain it in its original spelling. He set- tled at Frederick City, Md., before the Revolu- tionary war. John Casler. grandfather of our subject, was born at Frederick City, Md., but becanie a farmer of Morgan county, Va., and served in the war of 1812. He married Miss Jane Howard, who was born in Greencastle, Pa., and was a daughter of John Howard. Her grandfather was Peter Howard, of England, a wealthy ship-owner, who was a Quaker and set- tled in Philadelphia about 1740. Michael Casler was born in Morgan county, Va., and became a farmer and shoe manufacturer of Springfield, Hampshire county, Va. At the time of the war he went to Rockingham county, Va., where he remained until his death. He served one year in the Confederate army. in the Tenth Regiment of Virginia. He married Mary Eveline Heironi- mus, who was born in Frederick county, Va., where her father, Jacob Heironimus, was also born. He was a farmer and served in the war of 1812. Her great-grandfather, John Heironi- mus, was born in Germany, and settled in Fred- erick county, Va., when it was called Loudoun county, and was inhabited only by Indians. He was the first settler there. and served in the Revolutionary war. One of the Heironimus an- cestors, before the Reformation, was burned at the stake with John Huss. Mrs. Casler died in Virginia, leaving four children, all living at the present time.
Judge John O. Casler was reared in Virginia, . on a farm, and attended the Springfield subscrip- tion school and Academy until he was twenty years of age. In 1859 he came west to Missouri
and engaged in farming and stock-raising at Harrisonville, Cass county, but later located at Sedalia, Mo., before the first house was built there. He returned to Virginia in 1861 and en- listed in Company A, Thirty-third Virginia In- fantry, Stonewall Brigade, as a private. Begin- ning with the first battle of Bull Run, he was in nearly all of the battles until January. 1864, when he was made first lieutenant of his com- pany. There were only eight left of the brave men of his company who went to the front, and after the battle of Fisher's Hill, in 1864, but two were left. one of these being wounded. Our subject was then transferred to Company D. Eleventh Virginia Cavalry, as a private, and one month later, while scouting, was taken cap- tive by General Sheridan's cavalry, February 5. 1865. With the other captives, he was sent to Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Md., and held as son- tenced prisoner until the close of the war. May 2. 1865, he was released by taking the oath of allegiance. which he has never violated. He was among the first prisoners released after the war. Much broken down in spirits, he re- turned to his father's farm in Rockingham county, Va., where he learned the trade of a stonemason and bricklayer, engaging in con- tracting in that state until 1877. He then moved to Grayson county, near Sherman, Tex., and engaged as contractor until April 22, 1889, when he came to Oklahoma City. He located a lot and engaged in contracting and building. build- ing the first brick house in the city. It was located on the hill and was 14x14 feet in dimen- sions. In 1896 he was elected justice of the peace and has served in that capacity since, being re-elected in 1898. He is also notary public and ex-officio police judge, his office being in the city hall.
In Rockingham county. Va., Judge Casler was united in marriage with Martha E. Baugh. who was born in that county. They are parents of five children, as follows: Charles, an expert pressed brick-laver of Dallas, Tex .: Lillie, wife of Charles Harwood. a contractor of Oklahoma : M. Howard. a printer; Lucy, wife of Frank Baxter, chief clerk in the Choctaw, Oklahoma & Gulf Railroad offices in Oklahoma City: and Mary Virginia, who is at home. The judge built a fine residence at No. 404 Chickasaw street. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. He belongs to the United Con- federate Veterans' Association, and was the or- ganizer and a charter member of Oklahoma City Camp in 1892. He organized nearly all the camps in the territory. now twenty-five in num- ber. lle organized the division in the territory in 1807, and was elected major-general. having been re-elected ever since. He is on the staff of Lieut .- Gen. W. 1. Cabell, of the Trans-Mi-
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sissippi Department. In 1895 he was made a member of the board of trustees of the Confeder- ate Memorial Institute, raising money to build the museum in Richmond, Va. He has written some works of much literary merit, eliciting much favorable comment and being widely read. His drawings of peculiar old southern characters are true to life and edifying, showing long and close association with them. His book. "Four Years in the Stonewall Brigade." is profusely illustrated, and contains some five hundred pages. It is intensely interesting and has met with a large sale. He is also author of the romance, "Lillian Stuart," a romance of the war in Mosby's Confederacy in Virginia. He is a very active worker in political affairs and is affiliated with the Democratic party.
R HODES CLEMENTS is the largest land- owner in Union township, Kingfisher county. Upon coming to the territory in the fall of 1891, he located on the northeast quar- ter of section 18. upon which there were no im- provements, and he lived for some time in a log cabin. The land was covered with dense timber, which be at once proceeded to clear, and im- proved to a high degree. In addition to his orig- inal possessions he made the purchase of the south half of section 13. Center township, and the northeast quarter of section 17. Union town- ship. At the present time he owns six hundred and forty acres of land. some of which is rented. On the homestead is a good brick house, crected in 1804, and an excellent orchard. wherein are grown numerous kinds of large and small fruits. In addition, he devotes considerable time and at- tention to the raising of cattle, and usually has fifty head.
Mr. Clements is a native of England, and crossed the sea to America with his parents in 1855. He is a son of Samuel and Mary Clem- ents, natives of England. Samuel Clements set- tled in Lake county, Ill., and during the war enlisted in the Ninety-sixth Illinois Infantry, and died in the service. In 1864 the mother took her family and went to Jackson county. Kans., settling on a farm there. In 1880 Mr. Clements went to Kingman county, Kans., where he re- mained until he staked his fortunes in Oklahoma.
Mrs. Clements was formerly Ida Kasebear, and she became the mother of five children: Martha, Almyra, Perry, Andrew and Roy. The children are all at home. In politics Mr. Clem- ents is a Republican all the time, and never strays from the straight path bounded by Republican principles. He is the best type of a self-made man, and has turned to the greatest possible ad- vantage his opportunities here, and in the other localities where he has resided. He is still the
possessor of his land in Kansas, and at the pres- ent time has it rented out. He is interested in all that tends to improve his locality, and enjoys the confidence and esteem of all who are privi- leged to know him.
M ILBY E. WHIPPLE. By his well-directe 1 efforts during the past decade Mr. Whipple has secured a competency and a high po- sition among the farmers of Logan county. He is yet in the prime of life and has many ambitious plans for the future, which, judging by the past. will be rounded out and fulfilled if years and health are bestowed upon him. He is a son of George W. and Emeline (Gold) Whipple. the former a prominent agriculturist of Logan county. The mother died January 25. 1873. leaving two children, Milby E. and Benjamin F., the latter a druggist by occupation.
Mr. Whipple was born on a farm in Decatur county. Ind., November 12, 1865, and continued to make his home in that locality until he was twenty-two years of age. He attended the pub -- lic schools and also pursued a course of study in Moore's Hill College, in Indiana. When only eighteen he began to teach in Indiana. In 1888 he went to Greenwood county, Kans., where he had charge of three different schools, and at the same time was engaged in farming during a portion of each year. As a teacher he ranked among the most successful, holding, at the close of his school work, a first grade certificate. In 1892 he came to Oklahoma and about a year later took up a homestead in the Cherokee strip and developed a fine farm during the six years the place was in his possession. For one term he also taught school there. He assisted in organ- izing the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Associa- tion, the second one established in the territory. and served as its territorial secretary until No- vember, 1899, when he resigned in order to give his attention to personal business matters. How- ever, he is still one of its directors. Under his fostering care the association attained a notable place as to the volume of business transacted. .
Selling his farm for $3,000, in the fall of 1899, Mr. Whipple invested $5.000 in his present highly improved property, northwestern quar- ter of section 3. township 17, range I west. Po- litically he is a Republican and takes an interest in public affairs. In 1897 he received the nomi- nation for commissioner of the third district for Noble county, but was defeated by a small fusion majority. Fraternally he belongs to Perry Lodge No. 9. K. of P. February 27, 1880, at Eureka. Kans., he married Miss Cena A. Olson, who was born in Neosho county. Kans,, and is a daughter of Andrew and Hannah (Olsen) Okon, carly settlers of that portion of the state.
R. J. NEWMAN, Darlington.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Z EBULON IL. COLLINS, one of the later settlers of Oklahoma, comes of a family which has an enviable record for integrity and patriotism. He is in the prime of early man- hood and is making a success of his agricultural enterprises here. In every respect he is a self- made and self-educated man, for his advantages in youth were limited. and he has long been de- pendent upon his own resources.
The paternal grandfather of our subject was John C. Collins (or Collings, as the surname formerly was spelled. it appears). He started westward from his old home in Pennsylvania at an early period, and became one of the fron- tiersmien of Scott county, Ind., when that section of the country was a wilderness, with more red men than white ones. The Indians were very troublesome at times, and both himself and his brother Richard were active participants in the fight at Pigeon Roost. The brother and all of his family, with the exception of one little girl, were massacred. He lived in a log cabin, which had but one door, and when the Indians attacked him he bravely fought for his home and loved ones, his wife loading his guns, until a well- aimed shot from the wily foe, through the win- dow, shattered the lock on his gun. In despera- tion, Mr. Collins opened the door and rushed into the midst of the redskins, who were so as- tonished at such an assault that seven of them were knocked down by the butt of his disabled gun and rendered senseless.
In that historic log house occurred the birth of our subject's father, Karns Hoagland Col- lins, and in that vicinity he grew to manhood, devoting his energies to the tilling of the soil. When the Civil war came on. he enlisted in the Sixty-sixth Indiana Infantry, and served faith- fully for three years and three months. On one occasion he was captured by the enemy. but for- tunately was among the prisoners exchanged thirteen days subsequently. He then returned to his regiment, and fought under the leadership of General Sherman. He never fully recovered from the effects of his severe army life. and dur- ing all of his later years his efforts to acquire a living and competence for his family were greatly handicapped. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Clark, was a native of Wash- ington county, Pa., and in 1842 she went to Clark county, Ind., with her parents. Two of her brothers enlisted and fought during the Mexican war, and one of these. Ephraim Clark, was killed while thus serving his country. The other, George Clark, and two of the remaining brothers, were heroes of the Civil war, one giv- ing his life for his native land, and another re- voiving severe wounds on a southern battle- field.
Zebulon Hoagland Collins was born in Scott
county, Ind., August 29, 1866, and spent fifteen years of his life on a farm in that section of the Hoosier state. He then accompanied his par- ents to Pottawatomie county, Kans., and there aided them in the cultivation and development of a homestead. In 1880 he was married and embarked upon an entirely independent career, managing a good farm and by well-applied in- dustry gradually accumulating a competence. In 1898 he came to Logan county, where he bought the quarter-section of land which he has since cultivated and improved. The place, which is a valuable one, is situated in section 22, town- ship 16. range 4 west, and the substantial house, fences, baris, the orchard and well and other im- provements bespeak the enterprise of the owner.
For a companion and helpmate along life's journey Mr. Collins chose Caroline, daughter of John Bah, one of the first settlers of Pottawat- omie county, Kans. His homestead. near Ha- venville, was his place of abode for many years, and until his death some ten years ago. His widow, Lorena Bah. is still living, her present home being in Holden, Kans. Both she and her husband were born in Germany. Six chil- dren bless the home of our subject and wife, namely: Anna Florence, Otto, William, Irvin, Fay and Ray. They are promising young peo- ple, and the sons are of great assistance to their father in the arduous labors of the farm.
R. J. NEWMAN carries on a general mer- cantile business at the Darlington In- dian Agency in Canadian county, and is widely known as an enterprising and reliable tradesman. From Kingman county, Kans .. he came to Oklahoma in July, 1889, and has since been identified with the development of this por- tion of the territory, contributing to its progress and advancement through his personal devotion to business and the high standard of his citizen- ship.
At the home of his parents in Terre Haute. Ind., where he was born. Mr. Newman remained until he was fifteen years of age. His father and mother were Jasper and Nancy ( Ross) Newman. On starting out for himself he secured a clerk- ship in a general store at Saline City, Ind. Ris- ing to a position of responsibility, for four years he had entire charge of his employer's business. In 1885 he settled in Harper county, Kans., and soon secured possession of the Norwich hotel. in Norwich, of which he was proprietor and man- ager for three years. When the news came that Oklahoma was to be thrown open to settlement he was quick to see the possibilities of business in the new territory, and accordingly closed out his interests in Kansas.
Coming to Oklahoma Mr. Newman settled at
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old Reno City and opened a store in partnership with 11. V. Clements, carrying a stock of notions and furniture and also doing business as under- takers. After one year he moved to El Reno, where he carried on the same lines, but more ex- tensively. However, after a year he again sold out and accepted a position with E. F. Mitchell, in filling government contracts at Fort Reno. In 1893 he became. manager for Mr. Mitchell in the latter's store at Darlington. When Gus Thelen bought out Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Newman continued to have full charge of the business until the building and stock were destroyed by fire in September, 1896. He then rebuilt for himself, since which time he has been successful. and has carried a well-selected stock of general merchandise. He is a Republican, but not an office-seeker, having his hands full of his busi- ness matters.
November 7, 1900, Mr. Newman was united in marriage, in Cincinnati, Ohio, with Jennie Mollenkoph, who was born in. Chillicothe, Ohio, and is a daughter of Louis and Jennie (Smith) Mollenkoph, natives, respectively, of Germany and Ohio. Mr. Mollenkoph is now manager of the wholesale hat establishment of Albert Mayer & Brothers, in Cincinnati. Mrs. Newman is a graduate of the Kindergarten Normal School of Cincinnati, Ohio, and for three years prior to her marriage she held a position in the govern- ment service as kindergarten teacher.
P ROF. W. S. CALVERT, former principal of the Mulhall school, and now county super- intendent of Logan county, has divided his life about equally between agriculture and educa- tional work. He has a great love for both de- partments of usefulness and has prospered in both. Under his auspices the local schools have steadily advanced. and the students, with the general public, are interested in them as never before.
A son of Noding and Gabrella (Skidmore) Calvert, our subject was born in Carroll county. Mo., August 27, 1858, and passed his early years upon the old homestead there. After leaving the country school, he attended the normal depart -. ment of the Carrollton high school, and when nineteen he commenced teaching in the schools of his own county. In 1878 he went to Russell county. Kans., where he bought land and en- gaged in its cultivation, and for three years he devoted a portion of his time to teaching in the common schools, Then, selling out, he located in Vernon county. Mo., and engaged in farming on the property which he had purchased there. For two and a half years he taught schools in that locality, and for six months he was a partner in a mercantile establishment at Virgil City, also
serving as postmaster. A desire to try his for- tunes in the far northwest led him to dispose of his financial interests in Missouri, and. going to Linn county, Ore., he not only carried on a farm, but also served as principal of the Sweet Home school for two terms. In 1885 he returned to Kansas and, buying some farm land in Russell county, gave part of his time to agriculture and the remainder to teaching. At the end of two years he went to Ozark county, Mo., where he was similarly occupied, and the same may be said of his residence in Barton county, Mo. In that county he dwelt near Milford, and taught in the country schools three terms, after which he served as principal at Newport. He was hon- ored by election to the office of justice of the peace in Milford township, and during the two years of his, incumbency no appeal was made from his judgments, as they gave general satis- faction. In 18go he became a land-holder in Jei- ferson county, Mo., and during a period of three years officiated as principal of the Victoria schools.
Wherever he had dwelt, Professor Calvert had been active in the ranks of the Democratic party, but was not an office-seeker, and when he was urged to become chairman of the Jefferson county central committee he declined the honor, and though his many friends wished him to allow his name to be placed in nomination for the county superintendency of schools and for repre- sentative in the legislature-at a time when nomination was equivalent to election-he re- fused. Having placed his farm in fine order, he planted over two thousand fruit trees, and now, nine years later, they are bearing splendid crops annually. After placing good buildings and other improvements on the farm, he exchanged it for a fruit farm in White county, Ark., but for many considerations, health being the moving factor. he removed to Oklahoma five years ago. and settled on section 20. township 18, range 2 west, four and a half miles southwest of Mulhall. Here he has instituted valuable improvements. greatly increasing the beauty and desirability of the property. He raises cattle and live stock and is making a success of the undertaking.
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