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 59
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Mr. Beam was married to Miss Sarah A. Cil- ley, at Lowell, Mich. She died in 1875, leaving an infant boy and girl (twins), both of whom died a few days after the mother.
C LINTON STEEL, a public-spirited citi- zen of Reno township, Canadian county, Okla., who takes a deep interest in all that pertains to the general welfare of the county, is engaged in agricultural pursuits and stock rais- ing on his farm in that township.
Mr. Steel was born in Ohio, and is a son of Alexander and Sarah (Shafer) Steel. His grand- father, George Steel, was a native of Ireland. and his maternal grandfather, Adam Shafer, was of Pennsylvania birth. Alexander Steel was born in Ohio and became a very extensive land owner in that state, holding nine hundred acres
of land; also an extensive shipper of stock. llc continued in that line of business until his death.
Clinton Steel grew up on his father's farm, and upon reaching his majority went to work on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad as a brakeman. He continued at this for about fourteen months and then went back to his own farm, which had been given him by his father. He farmed there until September, 1889, when he came to Okla- homa territory and filed a claim to the farm hic now owns. He engages in general farming and raises considerable grain and stock, being known as one of the heaviest wheat growers in Shell Creek Valley. Two hundred and thirty acres are usually sowed to wheat and corn by this en- ergetic agriculturist, and his farm is well stocked with hogs, cattle and good horses.
In 1892 Mr. Steel was united in marriage with Julia Nesbor, who was born in Iowa and is of German ancestry. They are the parents of three children: Bertha M., Alexander and Harry. He is a Republican in politics. In religious belief he is a Lutheran and is very liberal in his support of charities.
W ESLEY S. POST, agriculturist and black- smith, living on section 23, township 17. range 4 west, Logan county, has lived in the vicinity of Crescent City since the famous run of April 22, 1889.
A native of New York state, where he was born in January, 1843. he is a son of Stephen and Ursula (Wells) Post, natives, respectively, of Pennsylvania and New York. The paternal grandfather was born in Vermont, and was a courageous soldier in the war of 1812, serving with Jackson in the battle of New Orleans. Stephen Post was the father of nine children. who are now scattered in their homes and inter- ests. Walter, when last heard from, was in the state of Washington, as is his sister. Mrs. Wealthy Dodge; Wallace is a farmer and lives in Oregon. and his sister, Morella, is living in California.
When a comparatively youthful lad Wesley Post left his home and went to Pennsylvania. and from there to Ohio, and thence to Illinois. where he began to learn the blacksmith's trade while living in Chicago. His apprenticeship. however, was served four miles east of the town of Beloit, Wis. Having perfected himself in his chosen calling he took a trip to the extreme west, visiting California and Oregon, returning to Wisconsin in 1864. He there married Rachel Beaucher, who died in 1865 in Wisconsin.
In 1867 Mr. Post went to Minneapolis, and thence to lowa, where he bought a farm in Worth county, combining his farm and black- smithing interests. Subsequently, however, he sold liis farm and trade interests and took up a
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MAJOR G. W. H. STOUCH, Darlington.
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claim in North Dakota, where for five years he instituted great improvements on his compara- tively crude land, and at the same time carried on a large and lucrative trade in the blacksmith line. Having disposed of his interests in Da- kota, he started for Oklahoma, but tarried for a year in Kansas until the opening of the territory. lle made the run for the northern line on horse- back, and, after locating on his claim, was mar- ried to Mrs. Mary Jane Banta Gray, a daughter of Jacob Banta, who was born in Kentucky. Her mother, Selinda (Wilder) Banta, was born in Vermont, and died in Illinois. By her former marriage Mrs. Post had five children, namely: Joseph Alexander, Charley H., Samuel Huston, Lilly J. and Nettie. Of the two sons born to Mr. and Mrs. Post, Stephen A. and Abraham, the latter died at the age of five years.
Mr. Wesley has a well-improved farm, fitted with all of the modern labor-saving devices, in- cluding good house, barns, windmill and excellent orchard. To some extent he still carries on his trade, but has now rented his farm. He has been a blacksmith for thirty-five years, and feels thor- oughly at home with anvil and hammer.
M AJ. GEORGE W. H. STOUCH, who is the efficient agent for the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians, with headquarters at the Darlington Agency, was born in Gettysburg, Pa .. in 1842. He is a son of Leonard Stouch, a native of the same town, but for years a resident of Kentucky. The earlier part of the major's life was passed in Gettysburg. When fourteen years of age he accompanied the family to Kentucky, where he spent the next five years. November 30, 1861, he enlisted at Washington, D. C., in Company B. First Battalion, Eleventh United States Infantry, and he joined his regiment on the 28th of December at Perryville, Md. His promotion was rapid. February 26, 1862, he was appointed corporal: May 6, 1863. he was promoted to be sergeant major for gallant con- duct at Chancellorsville; June 8. 1864, he was promoted to be second lieutenant in the Third United States Infantry, and on the 31st of De- cember, 1864. promoted to be first lieutenant. lle was made a major and chief commissary of subsistence. United States Volunteers, June 9. 1898, and was promoted to be a major in the Twentieth Infantry, United States army, August 30. 1898.
The history of his service is as follows: He remained in camp with his regiment at Perrys- ville, Maryland, from December 28, 186!, to March 8, 1862. On the toth of March, the regi- ment, with others, was organized into what was afterward known as General Sykes' famous bri- gade of regulars. The brigade crossed Long
Bridge the same evening and camped near Alex- andria, Va. From this nucleus the army of the Potomac was formed. Major Stouch was with the regiment at the siege of Yorktown, and about the time the enemy evacuated that stronghold he was prostrated with a severe case of malarial typhoid fever and was sent to the hospital at An- napolis, Md. He reported for duty September 3, 1862, but had a relapse, and was sent to Fair- fax hospital, near Alexandria. He returned to service February 18, 1863, and joined the regi- ment at Camp Potomac, near Falmouth. He was with the regiment at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, where he received a severe wound in the left wrist on the evening of July 2. He was in the hospital at York, Pa., from. July 9, 1863, until January 8, 1864, when he was sent to the headquarters of the regiment at Fort Inde- pendence, Boston Harbor. June 8, same year, he accepted a commission in the Third Infantry. and three days later joined his command at Fort Hamilton, New York harbor. From that time until his retirement, December 15, 1898, he served continuously with this regiment, being in the departments of Missouri, Dakota and the Gulf until January 16, 1893. During these years he performed various duties, such as those of quartermaster and commissary of the post, judge advocate and other duties that come into the life of an army officer. In 1871-72 he was recruiting officer at Wheeling, W. Va., and Fort Columbia, N. Y. January 16, 1893, he was made Indian agent at the Sisseton Agency, South Dakota. for the Sisseton Sioux. February 28. 1894. he was transferred as acting agent for the northern Cheyennes at Tongue River Agency in Montana. November 16, 1897, he was transferred as acting agent for the Crows at the Crow Agency in Montana. June 30, 1898, he was relieved as In- dian agent and appointed major and chief com- missary of the United States Volunteers, and was assigned to duty as chief commissary and purchasing commissary in the department of Col- orado July 21, 1898. He was retired from active service December 15. 1898. and on the last day of March, in 1899, he was relieved from duty as chief commissary. December 19, 1899. he was appointed agent for the Cheyennes and Arapahoes, which responsible position he fills with the greatest efficiency.
This is a brief outline of a long and honorable career, which if fully described, with all its ex- citing scenes and incidents, would fill a volume. He has been a careful and painstaking official. accurate in every detail, and fitly supplements a record as a brave and daring soldier with that of faithful performance of the duties associated with a life of peace. He has membership in sev- eral associations at York, Pa., such as the Royal Arch Masons and the Grand Army of the Re-
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public, and is also a member of the Loyal Legion Commandery of Colorado. In 1869 he married Miss Augusta Wantz, at York, Pa. They have two children. The daughter, Florence, is now in the Philippines with her husband, Capt. James H. McRea, of the Third United States Infantry. The son, George L., is a veteran of the Spanish- American war and saw active service in the Phil- ippine Islands.
J AMES A. NICHOLS, residing on his farm in section 33, township 13, range 7, is one of the leading agriculturists of Canadian county, and by reason of his interest in public affairs is well known in that county.
Mr. Nichols was born in Columbus, Ga., Feb- ruary 1, 1844, and is a son of William and Sarah (Fields) Nichols. , His mother died when he was less than a year old, and the earliest thing he can remember is the city of Atlanta, whither his father had moved. He next remembers when his father drove back to his native county, John- son county, N. C., then moved to Greensboro, and later to Salisbury, N. C., where he died when our subject was fourteen years of age. There the latter soon took up the trade of a tinner, and after completing his apprenticeship worked as a journeyman at Darlington, S. C. After the Civil war broke out he enlisted in Green's State Bat- tery, Light Artillery, and went to Morris Isle, where he remained until the fall of Fort Sumter. He was mustered out, and after a long interval of . time enlisted in Palmetto Sharpshooters, in Longstreet's Brigadc. He saw service in Vir- ginia and Tennessee, and was taken a prisoner at the battle of Knoxville, near Bean Station. Then sent to Louisville and held for about two months. he was paroled and his army life ended.
Going to Madison, Ind., on November 10. 1864, he was married there to Mary E. Snod- grass, a native of Jefferson county, Ind .. and a daughter of George K. and Marion (Scott) Snod- grass. She had received a fair education and was an instructor in a school. Soon after his marriage he moved to Livingston county. Ill .. and rented land for one year. He did well, but gave up that line of work and accepted employ- ment in a tinshop in Fairbury, Ill. One year later he moved to Forrest and lived there for a few years, working at his trade. At length. buy- ing the shop, which was destroyed by fire a few months later, he was unfortunate in losing all that he had. He went to Polk county, Mo .. in 1872, and rented land and raised two crops. Then moving to Bolivar, Mo., he hired out at his trade. and after one year started a shop of his own. Hc continued there until 1877 and made consider- able money, but lost most of it by going security for others. In 1887 he went to Summer county,
Kans., and opened a galvanized iron cornice shop at Caldwell. He did well for the first year. and then his trade grew dull and he gave it up. During the following year he was out of em- ployment, with the exception of a little work he did in Nevada, Mo. April 22, 1889, he made the run from the northern line, and was in the neighi- borhood of Kingfisher, but got no claim. Then returning home he and his wife went on a pleasure trip through the Cherokee strip. When he got back to Caldwell he heard of the laying out of a town site at Reno City. He came here and lo- cated the place where he now lives, consisting of one hundred and three acres. He carries on general farming, and has his farm well stocked. raising thoroughbred Hereford cattle, thorough- bred chickens and a high grade of hogs. He. has made all of the improvements on the place and is very successful.
Mr. and Mrs. Nichols have four children: George W .; a tinner by trade, who is married and lives in Kansas City ; Leo A., a tinner at Yukon, Okla .; Marion L., an electrician in New York City; and Charles A., who is a farmer and lias a claim in Washita county.
In 1864 Mr. Nichols cast his first vote for Lin- coln and has always voted the Republican ticket. In Polk county, Mo., he was the Republican nominee for county treasurer, but was defeated by the fusion ticket. In 1896 he was the nominee for the territorial council from the Fourteenth senatorial district and was again beaten by the fusionists, although he cut the previous major- ity of six hundred and seventy-five down to four hundred votes. He was the first trustee of his township. Starting in life with but little educa- tion, but possessing the desire to learn, he has taken advantage of all his opportunities, and now has a good library, well read, which would be a credit to any home of culture. He has been closely interested in the growth of this commu- nity, and has made speeches through the dis- triet, especially during the campaign of 1806. At Forrest, Ill., in 1868, he became a member of the Odd Fellows order and has filled all of the chairs. He became a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen at Bolivar, Mo., filled all of the chairs, and was a representative to the grand lodge.
H. B. MCKENZIE, M. D. The paternal grandfather of II. B. Mckenzie, William Mckenzie, was born in Scotland, and came to America with his parents. Settling in North Carolina, they were planters, and success- ful in their line of occupation. Their son grew to manhood in his native state, and during the war of 1812 fought with courage and distinction. After the war he took up his residence in Ten-
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nessee, about 1813, and identified himself with the very early history of that state. The condi- tions then prevailing there were very crude, and residence there was. fraught with considerable danger, owing to the ever-present red-men, who still thought the country theirs by right of pos- session. And here this ambitious pioneer hewed his way through the wildness and desolation of his surroundings, became a planter and success- ful citizen and reared a family, who succeeded to his enterprise and steadfastness.
Upon an adjoining farm in Tennessee, the son of William, Hugh Mckenzie, a native of North C'arolina, cleared his land of the dense primeval forests, and carried on agricultural pursuits dur- ing all the years of his activity. Ilis useful life was terminated in 1887, at the age of eighty-one years. His wife, formerly Rebecca Cole, was born in Virginia, and moved with her parents to Lincoln county, Tenn. She died in 1867, the mother of eleven children, six sons and five daughters, of whom H. B. is the youngest. Four brothers and one brother-in-law were in the Civil war, and all served in the Confederate army. William B. served in the Eighth Tennessee Reg- iment, as did all of the brothers. John died in Virginia: James was killed at Murfreesboro; and Hugh lives in Bowie, Montague county, Tex.
II. B. Mckenzie was born in Lincoln county, Tenn., October 24, ' 1852. The years of his youth were passed in his native state on his father's farm, where he received an excellent home training and learned to be a model farmer. llis opportunities for acquiring an education were confined to the instruction received three years after the war, when he attended Oak Hill Institute for three years. He then began the study of medicine under Dr. E. Y. Salmon, at Lynchburg, Tenn., and entered the Nashville University, where he remained for seven months in 1872-73. In the spring of 1873 Dr. Mckenzie went to Woodville, Jackson county, Ala., where he practiced medicine until 1874, then going to Belleville, Tenn., where he lived for two years. In 1876 he took up his residence in Lynchburg, Tenn., and remained there until 1879. when he went to Bedford. Tex., and practiced medicine until 1800. While living in Texas, he entered the University of Tennessee, at Nashville, and graduated with honors in 1887. In 1800 Dr. Mc- Kenzie located in Henrietta, Tex .. where he re- masined until 1893, and on September 16th of that year made the run with others similarly in- "lined and located in Enid. Okla. His practice began under primitive conditions, a tent sufficing For office and residence. He was the first physi- vian on the premises, and had the first case of antetries in the Strip. He was called to attend the first case requiring medical attendance, the
patient being a woman who had fractured her leg while jumping from a train.
May 20, 1875, in Moore county, Tenn., Dr. Mckenzie married Ellie Holt, a native of west- ern Tennessee, and a daughter of D. B. Holt. a merchant in Tennessee and Texas. During the Civil war Mr. Holt served in a Tennessee regi- ment, was severely wounded at Holly Springs, and died in Texas. To Dr. and Mrs. Mckenzie have been born four children, viz .: Edna, who is a graduate of the Henrietta high school, and now is a teacher at Enid: Walten H., who is attending the University of Oklahoma; Hugli F .; and Bir- die. Dr. Mckenzie is greatly interested in the cause of education, and served as first treasurer of the board of education. For four years he was a member of the pension board as medical exam- iner, serving under Cleveland during 1893-97. In politics he is a Democrat. He is a charter member of the Garfield County Medical Associa- tion, and was second president of the same. He also is a charter member and the first treasurer of the Central Oklahoma Medical Association. and still holds his original position with the or- ganization. Fraternally he is associated with the Woodmen of the World, the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Red Men, and the Home Forum. With his family holding mem- bership in the Baptist Church, he is a deacon in the same, and was moderator of the first Baptist meeting held here, and a charter member.
R EV. D. I. LANSLOTS. O. S. B. The his- tory of Rev. Father Lanslots, the populir and scholarly pastor of St. Joseph's Church, in Oklahoma City, possesses much of interest. even to those who are not numbered in the flock of which he is the affectionate shepherd. He is in the prime of life and activity, yet already has had such experiences and arduous labors as fall to the lot of few workers in "the world's broad field of battle."
A native of Sprundel, Holland, he was born February 11, 1859, and when in his tenth year he commenced attending school where the French language was spoken and taught. At eleven he entered the college in Herenthals, Belgium, and when fourteen he was admitted to the order of St. Benedict, at Afflighem, near Brussels. When he had completed the classical, philosophical and theological courses he was ordained a sub-dea- con in 1880 and the same year was sent to Chit- tagong, Bengal, where he engaged in missionary work among the people of eastern India for some eight years. June 12, 1881, he was installed as assistant pastor of the cathedral at the town mentioned, a place to the east of Calcutta. Dur-, ing the four years of his service there he aided materially in the building of a large or-
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phanage school, after which he organized a miis- sion at Burrisal, in the same province, and later succeeded in building a church at that point. Under his teaching he had the satisfaction of seeing many souls converted from Buddhism and Brahmanism to Christianity, and in order to better reach the people he spent the little leisure time which he could snatch from his duties in translating important writings and books into the language of the natives.
In 1889 Father Lanslots returned to Europe. and, as he had done on his way to the far east, he visited Rome, and this time was admitted to the presence of the Pope, with whom he had an interesting interview. After traveling consider- ably through Europe, he took a position as pro- fessor of philosophy at his alma mater, Afflighem College. In 1892 he crossed the Atlantic, land- ing in New York City, and from there he came west to take charge of the spiritual interests of the Osage Indians in Pawhuska. Okla.
On New Year's day. 1894. Father Lanslots was installed as pastor of St. Joseph's Church, in Oklahoma City, by the bishop of this diocese. This church not only has the honor of being the first one in number of members in this territory, but also erected the first house of worship in this city. From a congregation of thirty who assem- bled in a store on California street the second Sunday after the territory was opened to the white man, the church has steadily grown, and on the 8th of September. 1889, the present edi- fice was dedicated. The first pastor, Rev. C. F. Scallan, who also had charge of churches at Ed- mond and Deer Creek, was zealous and efficient. and his earnest labors brought an abundant har- vest. He was succeeded in May, 1890, by Rev. F. G. DeGroote, a native of Belgium, and, going to U'tah, he died there a few years later. The new priest hereundertook the enterprise of build- ing a residence for the pastor, a parochial school and a mission church at Conception, eight miles (listant, in which locality numerous Catholic fam- ilies were living. He was not permitted to wit- ness the fulfilment of his plans, however, for it was deemed best to send him on a mission to Aukland, New Zealand, while the work here was placed in the hands of the Rev. Hilary Cas- sal, from the Sacred Heart Monastery. The school, which is in charge of the sisters of mercy from the Sacred Heart, is flourishing. and during the eight and a half years of its existence has played an important part in local history. AAbout one hundred and twenty-five children are in regular attendance. The church at Conception was dedicated December 8, 1892, and in the fol- lowing year Father Cassal's place was taken and temporarily occupied by Father Leo, the present prior of Sacred Heart Abbey, and he, in turn, was succeeded by the subject of this review. The
congregation of St. Joseph's bought two and a half acres of land of the Fairlawn Cemetery . I .- sociation for a Catholic graveyard, and the Si -- ters of Mercy have bought a block of land adjoining the city, where it is intended that a young ladies' seminary shall be erected. The Sisters of St. Francis secured a block north of the Emerson school and erected a hospital, with accommodations for fifty to sixty patients.
Father Lanslot is beloved by his people, andl justly so, for he takes a sincere interest in the welfare of each and every member of his parish. His zeal for the progress of the church is un- doubted, and whatever accrues to her good is his highest ambition. All of the scholarly powers of his mind are directed toward her extension and dominion, and he has accounted it but a pastime when he has turned to authorship and written ecclesiastical works, such as his "Life of St. Benedict," in Flemish; "Meditations for Every Day of the Year," and "Illustrations and Explanation of the Mass and Ceremonies," both written in the Flemish language, and the last- mentioned also in English. Besides, as already stated, he wrote several works in the native tongue of the Bengalese, while in India. The degree of Doctor of Philosophy was conferred upon him by the Abbott of the Benedictines, in Rome, Italy.
M' ICHAEL KARNER. In the southwest- ern quarter of section 22, township 17. range I west, Michael Karner owns a highly cultivated farm, upon which he located in 1896. He is a native of Austro-Hungary, being born in Koenigsdori May 4, 1858, and is a son of John and Anna (Schiller) Karner.
Mr. Karner possesses a good German educa- tion, and during his early days he worked upon his father's farm. Shortly after his marriage in 1881 his father gave him about twenty acres of land, though he was obliged to pay the other five brothers and sister $366 each. As he says he did not care to go to the poor house, he sold his farm and embarked for the United States. and, after a voyage of seventeen days, landed in the city of New York, near which city he at once obtained a job on a farm. The following year he worked on a farm in Faribault county, Minn .. during which time he saved his hard-earned money to send back to his wife, who paid off his debts. Ile then spent four months near Hanni- bal. Mo., where he continued farming, but, going to Lawrence. Kans., at the end of the period. tried farming there. In the hope of obtaining a home, he went to Mitchell, 1. T., but, not liking the place, then went to Mapleton, Iowa, where he worked on a farm a short time and then on railroad construction. He was in Towa about a
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