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 45
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After a youth spent in Ohio, M. A. Kelso went, in 1869, to Savannah, and in 1871 to Atch- ison county, Mo., where he lived on a farm. He studied in Amity College at College Springs, Iowa, but was forced to discontinue his course owing to difficulty with his eyes. His first independent venture was as a newspa- per man, and the establishment of the Atchi- son County Mail, at Rockport, Mo., in 1878, and he continued to be the editor of the same for one year when he sold out. He later started a paper at Tarkio, Atchison county, Mo., called the Tarkio Blade, which flourished under his management for a year, and, like its prede- cessor, was then sold. Mr. Kelso then began . the study of medicine under Dr. J. V. Beghtol, of Blanchard, Iowa, and then entered the med- ical department of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, from which he was graduated March 17. 1887. He began the practice of medicine in Ashton, Iowa, and in 1889 located in Clyde, Mo.
In January, 1893, Dr. Kelso located in El Reno, Okla .. and practiced medicine until the opening of the Cherokee strip September 16. when he came to Garfield county and took up a claim one and a half miles northeast of Enid. As evidence of his enterprise, it is only necessary to know that he was the tenth person at the land office, and his filing was the eleventh. He proved up part of his land, and lived thereon for four years, after which he removed to the town of Enid. Dr. Kelso still owns forty acres of his original claim, which is well improved, and well stocked with Poland-China hogs and fine cattle.
Mrs. Kelso was formerly Clara J. Kellum, who was born in Boston, Mass. In addition to his other interests. Dr. Kelso is a member of the Enid Investment Company and one of the board of directors. For two years he was on the board
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of health and superintendent of the board, and under President Cleveland was a member of the United States Pension Board. In 1888 he was a candidate for member of congress on the Dem- ocratie ticket, in a strong Republican locality, and, although he made a good showing, was of course not elected. He is a member of the Cen- tral Oklahoma Medical Association and formerly belonged to the Missouri Valley Medical Asso- ciation. Fraternally he is associated with the Masonic order at Enid, and is past master of Lodge No. 19. His wife is a member of the Baptist church.
Dr. Kelso is considered one of the best physi- cians and most enterprising citizens of Enid, and has won the confidence and esteem of the whole community for his many excellent traits of mind, character and attainment, and for his oft-evinced interest in the public welfare.
F REDERICK E. MCKINLEY. This gen- tleman is actively identified with the public affairs of Oklahoma as receiver of public ' moneys and special disbursing agent for the United States land office at Guthrie. He was born February 19, 1850, in Mayville, Dodge county, Wis., a son of Ephraim McKinley, and a grandson of James Stevenson Mckinley, who was also the grandfather of William McKinley, the President of the United States.
The American family of Mckinleys come from distinguished ancestry. being descended from Duncan Macduff, who was born about A. D. 1000, and who, on December 5, 1056. killed Macbeth, in whose mouth Shakespeare puts these words:
"Lay on. Macduff. And damn'd be him that first cries. 'Hold, enough! "
The line was continued through the Macduffs, earls of Fife, Mackintoshes and MacKinleys for twenty-five generations of Scotch Highlanders, the record being fully substantiated in the Scot- tish chronicles and histories of the Highland clans. Macduff, the celebrated thane of Shakes- peare, was the guide and chief of those who la- bored to restore King Malcolm III to his throne, which had been usurped by Macbeth.
James McKinley, the founder of the family in Ireland, was known as "James the Trooper." He went from Scotland to Ireland as guide to the victorious army of William III, at the battle of the Boyne, in 1690, and afterwards settled in the North of Ireland. One of his direct descend- ants, David McKinley, born in the North of Ire- land about 1705, emigrated to America, becom- ing a settler of Chanceford. York county, Pa., locating there probably before 1745, in which
year he was there granted a tract of land: HIe died in 1761. The exact date of his arrival in this country cannot be ascertained, as the records of New Castle, Del., where most of the early set- tlers of Pennsylvania landed, were destroyed by the British during the Revolutionary war. ITis son John, the next in line of descent, served in the war of the Revolution in 1778, having been a member of Captain Reed's company of York County Militia. He died in 1779, leaving chil- dren, among whom was a son, David, Mr. Mc- Kinley's great-grandfather.
David McKinley was born in Chanceford, Pa., May 16, 1755. During the Revolution he served seven months in Capt. W. McCoskey's company, Col. Richard McAllister's regiment of York county (Pa.) Militia. He took part in the skirmish at Amboy, in July, 1776, and also as- sisted in the defence of Paulus Hook, now Jer- sey City, N. J. He afterwards served in the companies of Captains Laird, Reed, Holder, Ross, Slaymaker, Robe and Harnahan, and par- ticipated in the engagement at Chestnut Hill, in 1777. December 9. 1780, he married, in West- moreland county, Pa., Sarah, daughter of John and Hannah (Stevenson) Gray, by whom he had ten children. He died in Crawford county. Ohio, August 8, 1840.
James Stevenson Mc Kinley was born Septem- ber 19, 1783, and during the earlier part of his life resided on a farm in Mercer county, Pa. He subsequently became interested in the iron busi- ness to some extent, and after his removal to Lisbon, Ohio, was manager of a charcoal fur- nace several years. He belonged to the Presby- terian Church, in which he was an elder from 1822 until 1836. In 1805 he married Mary Rose, a daughter of Andrew Rose, Jr., and a grand- daughter of Andrew Rose, Sr., the latter of whom came to Pennsylvania with William Penn. and was afterwards one of the representatives of the thirteen colonies that met in convention be- fore the rebellion against Great Britain. He owned the land on which Doylestown, Pa .. now stands. Andrew Rose, Jr., was a soldier in the Revolution and moulded bullets and cannon balls for the colonists. The sons born to James S. and Mary (Rose) Mckinley were as follows: William, father of President Mckinley: James. who died in Moline, Ill .; Ephraim, father of F. E. Mckinley; John, who died in Ohio; and Benjamin, who now lives in California.
Ephraim Mckinley was born in Ohio, where he learned the trade of a carpenter and builder. In 1848 he removed to Mayville, Wis., going there to build blast furnaces, and was subse- quently engaged in the lumber business near Mitchell, S. D., where he entered government land. Removing from there to Illinois, he lived at first in Champaign, then in Ogden, where he
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died at the venerable age of eighty-two years. His wife, whose maiden name was Hannah Mc- C'rary, was born in Pennsylvania, and died in Ogden, Ill. She was of patriotic descent, her family having served in both the Revolutionary war and the war of 1812. They became the par- ents of seven children: James, now a resident of Dakota, who served in the Civil war in an In- diana regiment: Thomas, who served in the Forty-ninth Wisconsin Infantry, was wounded in battle, and died in Colorado. in ISTI: Pheris, who served in the Civil war in a Wisconsin regi- ment; Frederick E .; John, who died in Wiscon- sin; William, a druggist in Ogden, Ill .; and Arnold, who is also engaged in the drug business in Ogden. Both parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Frederick E. Mckinley attended the village school from 185; until 1865, leaving his books at that time to enlist. April 11, in Company K, Fiftieth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, which was sent north to Fort Rice to assist in quelling the Indian troubles. serving until June 14. 1866, when he was honorably discharged. In the spring of 1868 he was graduated from the May- ville (Wis.) high school, and immediately began the study of dentistry under Dr. Clark. The ensuing two years he served an apprenticeship at the trade of a wagon and carriage maker. In 1878 he removed with his family to Wellington, Kans., where he studied architecture under Pro- fessor Chadan. at the same time being engaged as a contractor and builder. In 1882 he went to Raton. N. M .. to accept a position as fore- man of bridges and buildings with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company. remain- ing two years. Going then to Williams. Ariz., he accepted a similar position with the Atlantic & Pacific Railway, now a part of the Santa Fe system. At the end of a year he settled in Al- buquerque. N. M .. and in 1885 was appointed missionary. under the Presbyterian Board of Home Mission. to the Albuquerque Indian School as master mechanic and instructor in architectural and practical mechanics. remaining thus employed five years. In 18co Mr. McKin- ley opened an architect's office in Albuquerque. and there practiced his profession three years. In 1893 he became interested in mining in White Oaks, Dolores and San Pedro, and operated in those places until 1807. He invente l and pat- ented a dry concentrator for use in placer mining. it being . constructed with crushers. screws. brushes, etc .. whereby the gold is taken out and separated from the dust and sand, securing much ยท better results than by using water. September 17. 1807. he was appointed to his present position in the United States land office in Guthrie.
September 14. 18;1. Mr. MeKinder married Ella Fell, who was born in Mayville, Wis .. Au-
gust 15, 1853, a daughter of John and Mary Fell, the former of whom was born in Manchester, Eng., in 1813, while the latter was born, in 1823, in Glasgow, Scotland. Mr. Fell was a cabinet- maker in Mayville, and a member of the local lodge of Freemasons. Mr. and Mrs. McKinley have three children, namely: Forrest, born April 24, 1874; Laurence, born October 4, 1890; and Arthur, born June 7, 1893. Forrest Mckinley is special agent in the general land office of Okla- homa. He married May Smith, of Chicago, and they have one child, Lillith.
A NDREW LEWIS MAY, whose home is on section 31, township 17, range 2 west,
Logan county, and his postoffice at Guth- rie, is a market gardener and melon grower. He is the man who started melon growing in the community, planting forty acres as early as 1890, and shipped the first carload ever sent out of Guthrie. He moved to Guthrie in January, 1890, engaging in business there for a short time, then rented the ground where John Massey now lives and put in melons. Although the early season was very dry, he raised a fair crop, which proved that melons would do well with a good season. Since then he has raised them, and planted fifty acres in 1899. In 1892 he had the best paying crop, clearing over $1,000 on forty acres. He moved to his present place in Novem- ber, 1890, on a lease, and began market garden- ing. He has put all of the improvements on the place, including a good storehouse and all nec- essary conveniences for carrying on his business.
Mr. May was born in Jackson county, Ind., June 27, 1835, and is a son of Reuben and Eliza- beth May. He was reared on a farm and re- ceived a good education, at an early day attend- ing the old log schoolhouse of his district. At the age of twenty years he began to teach school, following that work during the winter months and farming in the summer. He was married in Jackson county, September 14, 1854. and lived there until ISSI. when he moved to Reno county. Kans. In that place he improved a farm of over four hundred acres, which he planted to water- melons. Although he had a heavy yield, he was unsuccessful. as he paid $4,000 in freight, thereby entailing a loss of $1,000. He shipped the larg- est melons ever sent to Emporia, a lot consisting of five hundred and two melons weighing twenty thousand two hundred pounds. net.
Mr. May's first marriage was to May Kernic- man, who was born in Germany, and died in In- diana. Six children were born to them, namely: John B., who died at El Reno, leaving six chil- dren: Julia Ann. deceased, whose marriage with Bruce Parker resulted in the birth of one child : Alice, who is the wife of A. L. Nelson, of Reno
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county, Kans., and has four children; James A., who lives at Ilutchison, Kans., and is the father of one child; George C., of Hutchison, Kans .; and Roxy, who married Elmer Jay, has one child, and lives west of Guthrie. His second marriage took place October 9, 1879, in Jackson county, Ind., and was with Tabitha M. Cum- mings, a native of that place, their union result- ing in the birth of five children: Myrtle, a graduate of the Guthrie high school; Van R., Joseph, Guthrie and Ruth. He is a Democrat in politics and is an active worker. He served as justice of the peace one term, and never had a decision appealed. For one term he was county commissioner of Jackson county, Ind., and suc- ceeded in saving the county $2,000 by his eco- nomic administration. Ile was a delegate to the state convention in 1872, but was not a Greeley man. He joined the Masonic fraternity in Clear Spring Lodge No. 323 and later transferred his membership to Washington Lodge No. 13, at Brownstown, Ind., where he is to-day held in high esteem.
J OHN MARRINAN is chief of the fire de- partment of Oklahoma City, and to him too much credit cannot be given for the efficient service the department renders the city. Taking hold of it when it was in poor condition and with- out system, he formulated plans for perfecting an organization which would be a credit to the city, and although these plans caused some fric- tion, he put them through and created the best fire department in Oklahoma. It consists of four paid men and a volunteer corps of thirteen men. six of whom sleep at the station, making a night force of ten men. He caused to be erected a tower, which rises seventy-five feet above the sta- tion, and in this a night watchman is stationcd. enabling him to sec all over the city. There is a sub-station at the south end, with a hand reel for emergency use. The department is equipped with a first-class Halloway chemical engine, a combination Rumsey hose wagon, one of the fin- est types, also a hook and ladder truck, and everything about the place is in excellent condi- tion.
Mr. Marrinan was born in Frederickton, New Brunswiek, in 1855, and is a son of Martin and Mary (Reed) Marrinan. In 1868 he came with his father to St. Joseph, Mo., where the latter lived until his death. He received his education in the east and in youth learned the harnessmak- ing trade, which he followed for three years. In 1878 he went to Leadville, Colo., during the boom, and engaged in prospecting and mining for one year. He then went to San Luis Valley and drove stage from Sanderson to Barlow for six months, when he returned to St. Joseph, MIo.
The following spring he returned to Colorado Springs, Colo., and entered the employ of the Colorado Midland as foreman of the team de- partment, having in charge over one hundred teams. After a period of one year he again located at Leadville, but stayed only one year, as he was taken with mountain fever and re- turned to Colorado Springs to recover. He then went back to St. Joseph, Mo., where he remainedl. until October, 1892, serving for five years in the fire department, first as driver of the steamer and subsequently driver of the hook and ladder at the Central Station.
In the fall of 1892 he came to Oklahoma City and soon located a claim in the Cheyenne and Arapahoe country, in Canadian county, but sold out in a short time. August 7, 1893. he was ap- pointed chief of the fire department of Oklahoma City by Mayor A. O. Mitcher, which official posi- tion he still fills. He called the meeting for the organization of the Territorial Firemen's Asso- ciation, which was perfected in the station-house in Oklahoma City in May, 1894. Not only was he the first vice-president, but he has also since been a very active member.
Mr. Marrinan was married in Oklahoma City, May 21, 1896, to Alice Garrison, a native of Min- nesota, and they have one son, John J. Frater- nally, Mr. Marrinan is a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a Demo- crat in politics.
J OIIN GILLIS McCATHRON has demon- onstrated his ability to master a profession after having passed the meridian of life, and has actively associated himself with the divers institutions and interests for the upbuilding and improvement of the country. Having taken ad- vantage of the opportunity offered by the open- ing up of Oklahoma to secure a satisfactory home, his expectations have been happily real- ized, and his straightforward and honorable ca- reer has won for him the approval and confidence of the entire community.
Born in Mansville. Jefferson county. N. Y .. September 28. 1839, he is a son of Samuel and Susan (Dunbar) McCathron, natives of New York state, and of Scotch ancestry. At a very early age John McCathron was taken by his parents to MeHenry county. Ill., where they lived six years, engaged in agricultural pursuits. Hle early showed an aptitude for farm work and readily mastered all of the details, thus becoming of valuable assistance to his father in the per- formance of his various and arduous duties. A diligent student at the public schools, his work there was supplemented by a course at the acad- emy at Milton of two years, after which he re-
D. B. LEARNED, Kingfisher County.
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turned to the home farm and worked there four years.
Mr. MeCathron decided to take up the study of dentistry as an end to his life work, and with this in view studied in 1884 with Dr. Miller, of Grand Island, Neb. This was followed by a course in the Scudder Medical School at Cin- cinnati, after which he resumed his agricultural interests for a year. He practiced first in Green county, Wis., and at the opening of the Civil war enlisted in the Third Illinois Cavalry, under Colonel Callahan. During a large part of his service he was engaged in the surgical depart- ment, and was for a time hospital steward. After his discharge at Minneapolis, in October, 1865, he returned to Green county, Wis., and began speculating in timber lands, and realized con- siderable therefrom. Being desirous of learning all that he could regarding his profession, he went to Janesville, Rock county, and made fur- ther researches in his chosen line of work, and at the same time practiced among the people of the county. In 1875 he became interested in the lumber business in the Black Hills of Dakota, and took a sawmill there and began operations. Returning to Nebraska, he practiced until 1886, when he moved to Kiowa county, Kans., where he practiced dentistry, with a great deal of suc- cess. In 1887 he went to the Panhandle country in Texas, and in Tim City lost nearly all of his means in real-estate speculations. In 1889. with a pocket lighter by about $9,000, he drifted to southwestern Missouri, and eventually, to Logan county, Okla. His claim here is on the north- west quarter of section 8, township 16, range I west, and to this he has added another quarter- section of land.
Dr. McCathron was married in 1859 to Martha Young, and of this union there are three living children : Charles B., Robert and Pearl. Mrs. MeCathron was born in 1842. in Onondaga county, N. Y .. and died in 1886. The doctor is a member of the Populist party and has figured conspicuously in its undertakings. He was elected to the office of justice of the peace while living in Nebraska in 1885. Dr. McCathron has very liberal ideas regarding religion, is evangel- ical in his belief and does not approve of many of the prevailing creeds of the day.
D. B. LEARNED. As early as 1630 one William Learned emigrated from Eng- land and settled in the northeast colony, presumably where Chelmsford or Waubbern now stands. He is the first of the name heard of in America, and from him are descended the present members of the family. The grand- father. Daniel, was a pioneer near what is now Millfield, Ohio, where he pre-empted land and
engaged in general farming for many years, and where he died at the age of nearly an hundred years. He was twice married, and raised a fam- ily which numbered twenty-four children.
D. B. Learned was born in Athens county, Ohio, in 1858, and is a son of Samuel, a native of New Jersey, and who migrated to Ohio with his father, Daniel, at a very early day. He was a farmer during the years of his activity, and died in Illinois at the age of sixty-three years. His wife, Susan (Koons), was the mother of nine children, eight of whom are living: Dr. A. J., of Millfield, Ohio, who was a veteran of the Civil war; Melissa, wife of Wesley Welling; Clarissa, married to William Overholtzer: Michael, a resident of Perry county, Ohio: George W., liv- ing in Michigan; Kate, the wife of Walter Dun- can; D. B .; and John, who is in Michigan. Mrs. Learned died at the age of fifty-three years.
At the public schools and at the Normal school at Mount Auburn Mr. Learned received excel- lent educational advantages, which he turned to good account later on by teaching school for several years. In 1880 he moved to Mecosta county, Mich., and ran a sawmill there. The following July his portable mill was entirely de- stroyed by fire, and in the face of such a loss he returned to Ohio and assumed charge of the mill in the Hocking valley coal district, continuing the same until the strike in the valley. He then engaged in teaching school in Ohio until 1889. April 14th of that year he started with a party of others from Athens, Ohio, and made the run from the west of Turkey Creek, and secured his present claim at 12:55 p. m., of the 22nd of . April. He covered the distance hence with a heavy team of horses and wagon, and also a breaking plow in the wagon, and, the very day of taking posses- sion, broke a little piece of land and planted some corn and melons. Mrs. Learned arrived on the claim October 23. and spent the winter here. The following spring Mr. Learned planted his general crops, and at the same time added many im- provements. He now makes a specialty of corn and wheat, and raises some stock. The orchard of eight acres is planted with a variety of trees which have so far borne fruit in abundance.
In addition to his farming interests, Mr. Learned acts as agent for the Champion Machine Company and is president of the Central Okla- homa Telephone Company, at Hennessey. Ile is also a stockholder in the Farmers Milling Company at Hennessey. In politics he adheres to the faith of Jefferson, and has never been aught but a Democrat. For the entire time since coming to Oklahoma he has served on the school board, and was the first clerk of Cimarron town- ship before the division of the township. In 1896 he was elected member of the fourth gen- eral assembly and was the author of several ini-
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portant bills for the amelioration of the condi- tions of liis locality. Among other bills was one introduced providing for the burial of soldiers, who died in poverty, by the government. Fra- ternally Mr. Learned is associated with the An- cient Order of United Workmen, of which he has been overseer for some years.
In 1882 occurred the marriage of Mr. Learned to one of his former pupils, Hattie D. Rivers, of Athens county, Ohio. To this couple have been born eight children: Alpha E., Earl Alva, Maud F., Lena J., Michael R., Kenneth V., Benoni C., and an infant son born December 21, 1900, and as yet unnamed. The children are all at home, and the five youngest were born in Oklahoma.
J. W. PERRY. While devoting most of his time to general farming, Mr. Perry has, since taking up his residence in Union township, Kingfisher county, made a specialty of horticulture, to the best development of which he has given much study and research, and has made practical application of the knowledge thus gained.
Born in Franklin county, Ill., in 1851, Mr. Perry was reared in Williamson county, Ill., where he grew to manhood, and derived his edu- cation from the public schools. At the age of twenty he undertook to provide for himself, and with this object in view, settled in southwestern Missouri, where for two years he engaged in general farming, and for the following four years continued in the same line in Crawford county, Kans. Going from there to Kingman county in 1883, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, upon which improvements were at once commenced, including houses, barns, and orchard.
That farm was disposed of in 1889, at which tinte Mr. Perry made the run from Big Camp, Buffalo Springs, a distance of eleven miles from the Oklahoma territorial line, and secured the claim upon which he has since lived. The filing was made on May 10, and he at once began to break the land, and at the present time one hun- dred and thirty acres are under the plow, and de- voted to the natural requirements of farming and fruit-raising. The farm is fenced in, and there are three wells, two of which are used. The orchard was planted with reference to future en- largement, twelve acres being but the nucleus. It contains seven hundred apple trees, one thou- sand peach trees, besides many other kinds of large and small fruits. In 1899 the apple crop exceeded three hundred bushels of a fine grade of apples, which went to supply a constantly in- creasing market trade. The house in which the family resides is located in the midst of a fine grove of shade . trees, all of which have been
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