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 56
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95
James T. Witcher was reared on a farm and received a common-school education. On ac- count of ill health, in 1874, at the age of nine- teen years, he went to El Paso county, Colo., and he lived at Colorado Springs for two years, following railroading and ranching. In 1877 he went to northern New Mexico, along the Colo- rado line, and with Levi & Walson contracted and furnished ties for the Topeka, Atchison & Santa Fe Railroad. He remained along the line for four years. during the construction of the road from Tremont to Flagstaff, Ariz., and in 1882 came to the Cherokee Indian Nation. He began farming and cattle raising, leasing two hundred acres of land, and continued at that with fair success until Oklahoma was opened. He then brought one carload of stock to Kansas City, and took up the northeast quarter of sec- tion 12, El Reno township, Canadian county, Okla. Upon this property he has made many great improvements, putting one hundred and thirty acres under the plow and erecting sub- stantial farm buildings. He has a very good or- chard and also a small vineyard. In cattle he keeps nothing but Shorthorns of good quality, having from fifteen to twenty head; also hogs and some good horses. His principal crops are wheat, oats and corn. He also owns some valu- able real estate in the town of El Reno.
In 1883 Mr. Witcher was united in marriage with Virgie Pearson, and they are the parents of four children, whose names are as follows: Beulah, Grover C., Ruth and Addie. In politics he is an unswerving supporter of the Democratic party, and takes an active interest in party af- fairs, being well informed on all matters of gen- eral public interest. For two years he served in the capacity of school director. Fraternally,
36
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
he is a member of Et Reno Lodge No. 7, A. F. & A. M., and has passed through the various chairs to senior deacon. He is also a member of Keystone Chapter No. 9. R. A. M., and is a . charter member of El Reno Lodge, I. O. O. F.
F RANK B. HODGDEN .. The phenomenal prosperity which Enid enjoys is directly traceable to the character of her business men, universally noted for their progressive and public spirit. Frank B. Hodgden, a popular mer- chant of this place, has been materially identified with the upbuilding of Enid, and has neglected
The birth of F. B. Hodgden took place in Columbus, Ohio, October 6, 1864. He is the no opportunity of promoting her permanent wel- . eldest of four children, and with his brothers, Walter and Grant, is interested in a ranch in this county, dealing extensively in cattle. His sister is Mrs. Hallie D. Curram, of Enid.
fare. For two terms he served as a member of the city council, once representing the first and later the fourth ward. Politically he heartily en- dorses the policy of the Republican party, though he is not a politician in the ordinary sense of the word.
In tracing the ancestry of our subject it is learned that his great-grandfather, Benjamin Hodgden, was born in Bridgeport, Conn., in 1757, and in his prime was numbered among the substantial farmers of that state. Our subject's great-great-grandfather, Captain Halleck, was a hero of the Revolution. His family, who were English people, and members of the Society of Friends, settled in Connecticut at an early pe- riod. In his youth he was a sailor on sea ves- sels, after which he owned a whaler and was cap- tain of the same for years. Henry, grandfather of F. B. Hodgden, was born in Bridgeport, Conn., and in 1812, accompanied by two of his brothers, he settled in Delaware, Ohio. There he cleared, a farm and became well-to-do, for thirty-two years serving as a justice of the peace. He made an excellent record and was prominent in his community. When John Sherman was nominated for congress he was one of the con- gressional committee which had the matter in charge, and his own vote was cast for the great statesman. Politically he was a Whig and Re- publican, actively interested in the welfare of his party. He died at the advanced age of eighty- five years.
The father of our subject. Perry Hodgden, was born in Delaware, Ohio, in 1831. and was reared in that locality. In his early manhood he taught schools for a period, after which he en- gaged in merchandising in his native county and in Columbus, Ohio. In 1867 he embarked in business at Ellsworth, Kans., and continued as a merchant at that place until 1803, when he came to Oklahoma, and since has been associated with his son, F. B. He was honored with the position of county treasurer when in Ellsworth county, Kans, and served for one term as such, also officiating as register of deeds for a term. In
1862 he volunteered in Company I, One Inn- dred and Thirty-third Ohio Regiment, and served his term of enlistment in the Army of the Potomac, being honorably discharged with his regiment. He is a member of the Grand Arme of the Republic, is a Mason, and religiously is identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church. His wife, Phoebe E., a native of New York City, departed this life in Kansas three years ago. Her father, Theodore Buckbee, was a merchant in New York City, and subsequently was an agri- culturist of Delaware county, Ohio.
Reared in Kansas, F. B. Hodgden received a good education in the grammar and high schools of Ellsworth, and prepared himself for a business career in the commercial college of Lawrence. Kans. From his early years he had been em- ployed in his spare hours in various stores, and after graduating from his school course he em- barked in the grocery business. Later he con- ducted a livery, and sold agricultural implements in Ellsworth. For a short period in 1893 he was numbered among the business men of Chicago. Ill., but on the 16th of September of that year came to Enid. Buying a lot he put up a store building, 24x50 feet in dimensions and two stories in height. At the end of six weeks the building was ready for occupancy, and since that time the proprietor has conducted a thriving grocery business. For some years he has been a dealer in real estate and has assisted in building several business blocks. In the fall of 1900 he completed a substantial brick store, and thus he is steadily contributing to the upbuilding of the business section. As previously stated, he is en- gaged in the cattle business in company with his brothers, their ranch being situated about ten miles southwest of Enid, in addition to which they have a herd of cattle in Wood county. The young men are considered very enterprising, and in the National Association of Hereford Breed- ers, to which they belong, they are looked upon as authorities and judges of fine stock. At pres- ent they have a herd of fifty-four full-blooded Herefords, and raise about five hundred head of cattle each year. F. B. Hodgden is the owner of the Hereford bull De Forest, which took the first premium as a yearling at the World's Fair in Chicago.
While a resident of Ellsworth Mr. Hodgden was initiated into Masonry, and is a past master of the lodge there. He is now a member of Enid Lodge No. 19. A. F. & A. M .. and is a charter inember also of the local chapter. In Ellsworth
.
36t
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
occurred the marriage of Mr. Hodgden and Miss Agnes Long, a native of Michigan. They have three children, Burton, Frances and Perry, Jr. Mrs. Hodgden is a lady of social attain- ments, and her membership is held in the Pres- Isterian Church of this city.
J LOHN DEVEREUX, who enjoys a wide rep- utation as an attorney-at-law, is at the pres- ent time serving in the capacity of assistant district attorney, with headquarters at Guthrie. llis work has been mainly confined to the trial and conduct of cases in court, and to this de- partment of law he is extremely partial. He is thoroughly familiar with the rules of practice and is an excellent pleader.
Mr. Devereux comes of a distinguished line of ancestors. The family originated in Norway, and was identified with Ganger Rolf, or Rollo, when the latter conquered Normandy. For ser- vice, they were given land at Evereux, Nor- mandy, but left there with William the Conqueror and became established at Herefordshire, Eng- land, where many of the family now live and where the family were inscribed on the Honor Roll of Battle Abbey. The family name was De Evereux and was finally changed to Dever- eux. During the reign of King Henry II a part of the family went to Ireland and lived there until they came to America. The Earl of Essex, Robert Devereux, lost the carlship in the reign of Elizabeth. Robert Devereux, Viscount Here- ford, is the present head of the family in Here- fordshire.
.
John Devereux, the great-grandfather of our subject, was born in Ireland, and was sent to St. Omers, France, to be educated for the Catholic priesthood, but ran away and became a lieuten- ant in the English navy. He had a duel with a superior officer and left the navy, locating in Bertie county, N. C., where he married Frances Pollock, a daughter of Thomas Pollock, the last royal governor of North Carolina, and through her he acquired a large landed estate. He built up Wills Forest, his large summer home at Ral- vigli. Ile died in 1840 at a very old age. The Pollock family came from Scotland, and Gov- ernor Pollock's father, Cullen Pollock, estab- lished the family in this country, locating in Bertie county, N. C.
Thomas Pollock Devereux. the grandfather vi our subject, was born in Roonaroy House, Bertie county, N. C., and became a very promi- nent lawyer. He was the official supreme court reporter of North Carolina, and prepared the Devereux Reports. Succeeding to the owner- -hip of Wills Forest. he spent the latter years of his life there, dying in 1869. His wife, Catherine Johnston, was a granddaughter of Jonathan Ed-
wards, one of the first presidents of Yale College, and also a granddaughter of Thomas Bayard, of Delaware.
John Devereux was born in Bertie county, N. C., and was graduated from Yale College with the degree of A. M., being a classmate and friend of Chief Justice Waite. He was a large planter and owned Roonaroy, with its thirty thousand acres, divided in several plantations. During the Civil war he entered the Confederate army as a private in Company A, Forty-third Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, and was promoted to be adjutant, with the rank of cap- tain. In a picket's charge at Gettysburg he was wounded. He served through the Stonewall Jackson campaign in the Shenandoah valley. and surrendered with General Lee at Appomat- tox Court-House.
The results of the war cast ruin over his plan- tation and left it in a desolate condition. Being unable to operate it successfully, he sold all his lands and removed to Wills Forest, Raleigh, which was his summer home until he died at the age of seventy-six years. He was a member of the Episcopal Church. He married Margaret Mordecai, who was born in Raleigh. Her great- grandfather was Jacob Mordecai, who was born in Ghent. Holland, and came to America about 1710, settling in Raleigh, where he was a banker. Moses Mordecai, her father, who was born in Raleigh, N. C., became an attorney-at-law and for many years served as president of the State Bank of North Carolina. He married Margaret Lane, who came of a well-connected family of that period. Mrs. Devereux now resides in Ral- eigh, N. C., and is the mother of eight children. as follows: Annie; Thomas Pollock, an attorney- at-law of Raleigh, who served in the Forty-third North Carolina Infantry of the Confederate army during the Civil war: Mrs. Ellen Hillsdale: Mrs. Catherine Johnston Mackey, of Raleigh: Mrs. Margaret Ash, of Wilmington, N. C .; John. our subject: Laura of Raleigh; and Mrs. Mary Win- slow of St. Louis.
John Devereux was born at Wills Forest. Ral- eigh, N. C., January 24, 1855, and attended pri- vate school until he was twelve years of age. He then clerked in a dry-goods store for three months, after which he served as cashier and bookkeeper until he was twenty years old. He then entered. upon the study of law under the direction of his brother-in-law, and was admitted to the bar January 1, 1876. He practiced law for himself in Raleigh until 1894. serving as division counsel for the Seaboard Air Line Railroad from 1882 until 1894, when there was a change of management. Deciding to come west, in the spring of 1894 he located in Guthrie, Okla .. where he has since been engaged in practice. Hle was associated with Col. Thomas S. Jones
362
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
until January, 1 99, when he was appointed as- sistant district attorney. He has been very suc- cessful in practice and stands high in the esteem of his fellow citizens of Guthrie.
March 25, 1893, at Raleigh, N. C., Mr. Dever- eux was united in marriage with Isabel Suther- land, who was born in London, England. Her great-grandfather was William Sutherland, who established the grain business at London and Belfast, which the family has conducted since. Her grandfather, John Sutherland, was born in Wick, Scotland, and followed the grain business. William Sutherland, father of Mrs. Devereux, was born in Wick, Scotland, and was a grain merchant in Waterford and London, residing in the latter city until his death. He married Ann Brown, who was born in Limerick, Ireland, and was a daughter of Rev. Alexander Brown, an Episcopal minister of Limerick. She died in Waterford, Ireland, leaving three children : Alex- ander, who for many years followed the grain trade in Ireland and England, and is now a resi- dent of Boston, Mass .; Mrs. Annie Crawford, who lives in Cork, Ireland; and Isabel, the youngest. Our subject is a member of the Terri- torial Bar Association. In religious belief he is an Episcopalian.
H ARRY E. CONNELLY, who is well and favorably known in Canadian county, is a progressive business man and agricultur- ist. Within the past few years he has become well off in this world's goods by paying strict attention to his varied financial enterprises, and at the same time lie meets every obligation de- volving upon him as a patriotic citizen.
Born December 24, 1868, Mr. Connelly is in the prime of early manhood. His birthplace is in Parke county, Ind., where his parents, John D. and Mary J. (TenBrook) Connelly, were residents for a number of years. His father was engaged in merchandising at Annapolis and Rockville during our subject's boyhood, and for a long period he also served in the capacity of postmaster.
When Harry E. Connelly was in his seven- teenth year he accompanied his family to Cowley county, Kans., where they located a quarter sec- tion of land. After spending about four years on that homestead young Connelly went to Wichita, where he was interested in the book business for sonte three years and laid the foundations of future success by diligence and industry.
In 1889 the Connellys came to Oklahoma, the father filing a soldier's claim, and for about a year our subject lived at the new home, which is situated on section 34, township 13, range 6. 111 the spring of 1800 he bought for $75 the farm which he now cultivates and which he has mate-
rially changed for the better within the past decade. It is located on section 28, township 13. range 6, and thus is not distant from the parental homestead. In the fall of 1899 he entered into partnership with N. W. Britt, and since that time has conducted the business known as the Cana- dian county nursery. The venture has been a successful one, and Mr. Connelly is now consid- ered an authority on the subject. He is a charter member of the Southwestern Nursery Associa- tion and has been of material assistance to hiis colleagues.
In political faith Mr. Connelly is a stalwart Republican. In 1896 he was a candidate for the office of township trustee, and on several occa- sions he has been sent as a delegate to various conventions of the party. At this writing he is serving in the responsible position of chairman of the township central committee and is care- fully looking after the interests of his chosen party.
The marriage of Mr. Connelly and Leona Bourne was solemnized on New Year's day, 1898, at the home of her parents, in Delphos, Kans. She is a native of Calumet county, Wis., and was brought to Cloud county, Kans., when she was an infant. Her parents, Daniel and Amelia (Spencer) Bourne, are still living in Del- phos, where they are held in high esteem by the inhabitants. Mrs. Connelly received a good edu- cation, and in the winter of 1895-96 shie was employed as a teacher in this county, at which time she made the acquaintance of our subject. They have two children, a little son and daugh- ter, named, respectively, Bessie and Walter.
P ROF. JAMES J. DUNCAN, the efficient and honored superintendent of the school for Arapahoe Indians, at Darlington. Cana- dian county, has been very successful in his chosen field of labor, and has been recognized as one of the leading educators of the west for a number of years. Possessing a genuine love for the noble work, and having carefully prepared himself by systematic study, he won commen- dation from all concerned when he first started out in his profession.
A native of Louisa county, Iowa, he is a son of Hon. F. A. and Mary A. (Shaw) Duncan, who resided upon a farm. In his boyhood our subject lived in the country and attended the district schools. He was an apt student, ambitious for a wider career than that of the agriculturist. and after being graduated in the academy at Wash- ington, Iowa, he entered Monmouth (111.) Col- lege. He carried off the honors of his class at the academy, and, desiring experience, he com- menced teaching when he was but nineteen years of age, and continued to devote a portion of hi-
.
1
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
363
time to this practical work while he was in the college.
In 1891 Prof. Duncan was tendered the posi- tion of teacher of agriculture at Knoxville (Tenn.) College, and during the three years of his connection with that well-known institution he further qualified himself for his duties by taking a course of training in the Agricultural College at Ames, Iowa. While there he became acquainted with James Wilson, president of the experimental station, and who subsequently be- came secretary of the interior. Mr. Wilson had been a friend and colleague of the young man's father during the eight years of the latter's ser- vice in the Iowa house of representatives and senate.
For the past six years the professor has de- voted his attention to the educating of the In- dians, and has met with gratifying success in this difficult task. For a period of three years he was a member of the faculty of Fort Lewis Col- lege, and thence he went to Pottawatomie, Kans., where he acted in the capacity of superin- tendent of an Indian school for about a year. Coming to Oklahoma in 1897 he was principal teacher in the school at Chilocco for six months and in 1898 he accepted the office which he has since creditably filled. that of the superintend- ency of the Arapahoe Indian school at Darling- ton. He has won the respect and esteem of all of the students, who appreciate the genuine inter- est which he always manifests in their future success. Under his tactful, practical methods they are making rapid strides toward that greatly desired outcome -- good citizenship. Feeling the truth of the wise saying that "the proper study of mankind is man" he has given his best talents to the solution of the problem presented by the red race, and his hopeful views are, in them- selves, inspirations to those with whom he has dealings.
F. S. SEWARD. To Mr. Seward is due the credit of a large part of the early develop- ment of Okarche. He started the first mercantile enterprise there, and completed the first building in the embryo town. In this he conducted a flourishing hardware business for three years, and at that time built a larger struc- thre, 25x120 feet in extent. With the growing demands of an increasing population, he felt justified in enlarging his stock. and added thereto a complete line of agricultural imple- ments, also dealing in real estate and farm lands.
Mr. Seward was born in Grant county, Ky., and is a son of Oliver Seward, who came from an old Virginia family, and who was engaged for the greater part of his business life in general farming. He was mich interested in the politics
of the Democratic party, and was an all-around good citizen. His useful and busy career was closed by death at the early age of thirty-eiglit. . His wife, nee Louisa Hayes, was born and edu- cated in Kentucky. Her father, R. W. Hayes, prominently identified with the old Ironside Bap- tist Church, and an influential character in the carly days of Kentucky, died. from milk poison- ing. To Mr. and Mrs. Seward were born five children: Lulu, the wife of Henry Dennis, of Missouri; William Johnson, deceased; F. S. Seward, of Okarche, Okla .; P. Z., of Payson, Ill .; and Oliver, who died in infancy.
Mr. Seward left Kentucky when about seven years of age and went to Missouri, where he re- ceived a good home training on his step-father's farm, and studied diligently at the public schools. The majority of his education was acquired in later life, through the medium of books and gen- eral observation and experience. Mr. Seward's first experience in the hardware business was as a salesman in 1883, in Hurdland, Mo., where he remained for several years. With the open- ing of Oklahoma in 1889, he went to the town of Guthrie and was in a hardware store there for three years. On April 19, 1892, at the opening of the Cheyenne and Arapahoe reservation, he came to this place and opened a store, the first hardware store in Okarche.
In politics Mr. Seward has been prominently identified with the Democratic party. While liv- ing in Missouri, during Cleveland's first term. he was in the railway mail service, and from 1888 tintil 1892 he served as postmaster of Okarche. He was married in 1888, in Missouri, to Dora Cockran, and they have one daughter, Pauline.
Mr. Seward is highly esteemed by the commu- nity in which his lot is cast, and has ever shown an interest in the various enterprises for the up- building of his town. He is a self-made man. who has seen and taken advantage of the oppor- tunities that have come his way, and has thus arrived at a competence and a standing in his locality.
In the spring of 19oo he erected a residence of eight rooms, one of the finest homes in this sec- tion of Oklahoma, and equipped with all mod- ern improvements. Through the exertions of Mr. Seward and E. A. Humphrey, a new bank has been organized as The Merchants and Farm- ers bank, with a capital stock of S10,000.
W J. NEWLAND. The homestead of this enterprising citizen of Canadian county may well be quoted as an apt illustration of the possibilities of Oklahoma agriculture. He come to the county in 1801, settled on section 11, 19 Reno township, and has passed through the privations of pioneer life with most credita-
364
1
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
ble restilts. He was living in Lafayette county, Mo., before his advent in this region, and being western born and bred. took readily to the free- dom and ease of frontier life. He was born in . Sullivan county, Tenn., and his father, F. P. Newland, has been a resident of Sencca, Kans., for the last thirty years. His mother, Ellen (Hickam) Newland, was born in Scott county, Va. She has had nine children, six of whom are now alive, and three are in Oklahoma: W. J .; John G., of El Reno: and I. H., of Enid.
Mr. Newland was reared in Edgar county. Ill., and in Kansas. When he was sixteen years old he went to Sullivan county, Mo., and lived there and in Harrison county for some four years. Following this, he removed to Lafayette county, of the same state, where he became a well driller of more than local reputation. He put up wind- mills, dealt in pumps, and handled everything that had to do with the water supply business. Having måstered the subject, he was able to afford the state geologists much valuable infor- mation. His sphere of operations was exten- sive, and for months his income was sometimes more than Saco a week. In I891 he sold out everything except one drill and came to Okla- homa. Buying one hundred and sixty acres of wild land near El Reno, he at once began to improve it, and now has good buildings and wells of water, an orchard and a vineyard. From time to time he has added to his first investment, and now owns four hundred and forty acres of land. He is working into stock-raising each year to a greater extent, and already has a herd of cattle of which any stockman might well be proud.
Mr. Newland and Miss Nannie George, a na- tive of Kentucky, were married in 1884. They have three children, Jesse, Edna May and Ger- trude. They form a pleasant family group, and the Newland home is the center of some warm friendships.
RA PACK, a well-to-do farmer of Yukon township. Canadian county, Okla., located on a farm in section 35, township 12. range 6. was born in Kentucky, November 18, 1842. He is a son of Cornelius and Nancy (Evans) Pack. bis paternal ancestry being of the oll Virginia blue-blood stock. His father was a farmer in Kentucky, and there he was reared. At the age of nineteen years Ira Pack went into the Union army and participated in many hard-fought bat- tles, being at Bull Run, Winchester. Cross Keys, Cowpasture Mountains, Martinsburg and many others. He served in the army three years and two months and never was wounded.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.