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 6
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Jas Geury
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
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made such progress as hias Oklahoma during the last decade of the nineteenth century, and none enters upon the twentieth century with larger hopes of prosperity, development and progress. For its present standing and prospects due credit should be given Major Lillie.
J AMES GEARY, a leading real-estate dealer of Oklahoma City, has been prominently identified with the business interests of the place during its entire existence, having located here on the 22nd of April, 1889. Most of his life has been spent on the western frontier, and his history is of more than ordinary interest.
Mr. Geary was born near Arrow Rock, Saline county, Mo., January 4, 1844, a son of Michael and Mary (Lee) Geary, both natives of Ireland. llis paternal grandfather spent his entire life in that country, but the maternal grandfather, Dan- iel R. Lee, emigrated to the United States and became a farmer of Saline county, Mo. In 1823, when a young man, the father of our subject came to the new world with two brothers, one of whom settled in New York City, the other in New Orleans, but Michael returned to his native land. Subsequently he again came to America with another brother, who located in New Or- leans after settling up the estate of the first brother, who died there. On leaving New Or- leans the father of our subject came up the Mis- sissippi river and located in Saline county, Mo., about 1842. He followed farming near Arrow Rock until 1849, when he removed to St. Louis and turned his attention to civil engineering and contracting, being a civil engineer by profession. Hle built the first dyke from Lisparence street. St. Louis, to the Island, and also contracted to build the first eighteen miles of the Iron Moun- tain Railroad, but died during its construction in 1858. His wife died when our subject was quite small, leaving three children, the oldest being Mrs. Mary A. Conner, now a resident of Pueblo, Colo., and the youngest, Mrs. Ellen Byrne, of New Orleans, La.
Our subject was reared in St. Louis and at- tended its public schools, but his educational privileges were limited. After his father's death lie made arrangements to go to Pike's Peak. in 1859, but on reaching Leavenworth he decided 10 go to the place where Denver now stands. With General Larimer, of the firm of Larimer & Denver, he crossed the plains in the spring of 1859 with oxen. proceeding along the Arkansas river route to the mouth of Cherry creek. The sune year he helped survey a part of Denver, and during the remainder of the winter herded vattle. In the spring of 1860 he went to Santa Fe, N. M., where he was in the employ of the
government, teaming most of the time at that place until fall, when he returned down the Ark- ansas river to Leavenworth, Kans., and took a contract for boating wood across the Missouri river to the fort, with two others, A. C. Beckwith and William Neice, the former of whom was appointed United States senator from Wyoming.
At the outbreak of the Civil war Mr. Geary enlisted for three months in the Second Kansas Volunteer Infantry, and when his time expired joined the Buckskin scouts, under Captain Tough, serving in southern Kansas, Indian Ter- ritory and Arkansas. As couriers these scouts carried messages between Fort Gibson and Fort Scott, a distance of one hundred and eighty-five miles, going in pairs on mules or horses. As a scout under General Thair, Mr. Geary went on the Camden expedition in the spring of 1864. and there joined General Steele, but he soon re- turned to Fort Smith and later to Fort Gibson as special courier for the post under Colonel Phillips. After the close of the war, in the fall of 1865, lie went back to Fort Leavenworth, for the government, as assistant wagon master, but was immediately made wagon master, and as such made a trip to Fort Wallace with Captain Keough and Capt. M. V. Sheridan of the Sev- enth Cavalry. The former stopped at Fort Wal- lace, but with the latter our subject proceeded to Fort Morgan, on the Platte river, in 1866, after- ward returning to Fort Riley. He was wagon
master in charge of the headquarter train on the Hancock expedition against the Cheyenne, Arapahoe and Apache Indians. In June he re- turned with the expedition to Fort Riley, and from there went to Fort Union, N. M., with the Nineteenth Infantry, returning with the Fifth Infantry. Later he made a second trip to Fort Union. In December, 1867, he returned to Fort Harker, and in the spring of 1868 to Fort Larned, Kans., as master of transportation at that fort. Although quite young, he often had as high as thirty-five or thirty-eight trains under his charge.
In April, 1869, Mr. Geary and T. J. McAdams took a government contract to plow land and build houses for the Indians at Pond Creek, Okla. In that way he did the first building and farming in Oklahoma, but when General Hazen came the Indians refused to move that far north, claiming the water was bad, and our subject's contract was annulled. About this time Mr. Geary was married in Salina, Kans .. to Miss Harriet Bowan, a native of Virginia, whose father died in Iowa. They were among the first settlers of McPherson county, Kans., where our subject owned what was known as Geary's ranch. Ile conducted a frontier trading post, engaged in the cattle business, and laid out the town of Lake View, of which he was appointed postmaster by
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPIIICAL RECORD.
President Grant, being the first to fill that office in the county. He was also the first justice of the peace, his appointment being made by Gov- ernor Osborne. In the fall of 1874 he removed to Newton, Kans., where he was engaged in the grocery business for eleven years, and later car- ried on a large real-estate business. He organ- ized the Newton fire department, was chairman of the county Democratic central committee, was a member of the city council three terms, and re- ceived the nomination for county treasurer, pro- bate judge and county commissioner, but his party was too much in the minority for him to be elected.
April 22, 1889, Mr. Geary came to Oklahoma City, and located where Hotel Lee now stands. He organized and opened the first bank, known as the Citizens Bank, May 3, 1889, and was its president until selling out in July, 1892, to Cap- tain Stiles and others. Since then he has been engaged in the real-estate business. In connec- tion with Captain Stiles, in August, 1892, he laid out Maywood, now the finest residence portion of Oklahoma City. At present he is a member of the firm of Geary & Luke, prominent real- estate dealers, with office at No. 22 North Broad- way.
F RED G. MOORE, president of the Ex- change Bank, of Perry, is one of our most popular citizens. His beautiful home, situ- ated at the corner of Eighth and Iowa streets, is one of the finest residences in the north- western part of the city, and the refined tastes of himself and wife are manifested upon every hand. For neary fourteen years Mr. Moore lias been actively engaged in the banking business, and has met with marked success as a financier. He enjoys the confidence and high respect of the public, and always exercises great sagacity and foresight in all of his investments and busi- ness transactions.
Undoubtedly our subject derived much of his financial ability from his honored father, Thomas P. Moore, who established the first bank in Jefferson county, Kans., conducted the Holton Exchange Bank until 1883, and then, after or- ganizing the First National Bank, of Holton, became its president, and always has officiated in that capacity ever since. He was born in Belmont county, Ohio, February 20, IS39, a son of William Moore, a native of Pennsylvania, and grandson of James Moore, who was born in the northern part of Ireland, and came to the Key- stone state in early manhood. He chose for a wife, Isabella McBurney, who, like himself, was of the sturdy old Presbyterian stock. William Moore, their son, went to Belmont county at an early day, and there married one of its native daughters, Margaret Parr, daughter of a pio- neer, Thomas Parr. For several years William Moore followed the trade of a tanner, and then devoted himself to farming. In IS57 he re- moved to Washington county, Iowa, where he carried on a farm until his death, seven years later. Thomas P. Moore was reared in Olio, and for several years was a merchant in Wash- ington, Iowa. Since 1872 he has been a leading business man of Holton, Kans., where, as stated above, he has been at the head of banking enter- prises. In 1862 he married Annetta, daughter of Gordon and Elizabeth Mallett, and a native of Lee county, Iowa. Their two sons are following the father's footsteps. Scott R., the younger. being assistant cashier in the First National Bank of Holton, of which he is the president.
Since coming to Oklahoma Mr. Geary has taken quite an active and influential part in pub- lic affairs. He assisted in organizing the Demo- cratic party in the territory, has been a member of the county central committee, and was treas- tirer of the early Democratic clubs. He was appointed by Governor Steele as one of the three trustees to purchase and distribute $50,000 worth of supplies to the people of Oklahoma who were sufferers on account of failure of crops. He was made a Mason and Knight Temp- lar at Newton, Kans., and took the Shriner degree at Salina, becoming a member of Isis Temple. A. A. O. N. M. S., but is now connected with India Temple, in Oklahoma, of which he is conductor. He is also a member of the consist- ory of Guthrie. He is a prominent member of the Odd Fellows lodge and Encampment, hav- ing served as grand patriarch of the Grand En- campment of Kansas; grand representative to the Sovereign Grand Lodge: and captain of the Canton Newton. He also belongs to the An- . The daughters are named respectively, Annie P., sient Order of United Workmen, and at one Daisy L. and Cora B. time was connected with the Knights of Py- Fred G. Moore was born October 25. 1865. in Washington, Iowa, and received his education in the grammar and high schools of Holton. Kans., being graduated in 1882. He was an apt student, and, after taking a competitive examina- tion, in the following year he was honored by an appointment to the naval academy at Annapolis, Md. He continued there in training for three years, then resigning in order to enter the senior class at Princeton College, where he completed thias. Ile is a member of the City Club of Okla- homa, and is quite popular both in business and social circles, being a pleasant, genial gentle- man who makes many friends. His estimable wife is a member of the Episcopal Church, is president of the Ladies Guild, past worthy ma- tron and representative of the Eastern Star Chapter of the Masonic fraternity, and a past officer in the Daughters of Rebekah, I. O. O. F.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHIICAL RECORD.
the course. Returning home, he entered his father's bank, and soon was made assistant cashier, in which capacity he served until 1896, in the meantime serving for one term in the city council. In the spring of 1896 he came to Perry and established the new Exchange Bank, of which he has been the president ever since, his brother-in-law, Mr. McCandless, being his part- ner and the cashier. They conduct a general banking business, and belong to the Territorial Bankers' Association. Mr. Moore is a Repub- lican in politics, and is connected with the l'erry Commercial Club.
In Holton, Kans., the marriage of Mr. Moore and Miss Anna McCandless was solemnized in 1894. She was born in Iowa, and is a lady of good education and pleasing personality. With lier husband, she belongs to the Presbyterian Church, he being one of the trustees of the board of officers. They contribute liberally to worthy causes, and, in a quiet, unostentatious manner endeavor to aid and encourage those suffering afflictions, illness or poverty.
H JON. JAMES JOHNSTON HOUSTON, assistant secretary of the territory, was for two years president of the Free Home League, of which he was the organizer. That organization has accomplished much and is a live question in the affairs of Oklahoma to-day.
Mr. Houston was born in Newcastle, Pa., and is a son of David W. and Mary A. (Johnston) Ilouston. He is of Scotch-Irish descent. His great-grandfather John Houston, was born in Lancaster county, Pa., and was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, serving three or four enlist- mients, one as lieutenant of a Pennsylvania regi- ment and another as a sailor in the navy. He was taken prisoner and held on the prison hulks in New York city. Settling in Franklin county, Pa., he followed farming for many years, and then moved to Ohio, where he spent his last davs.
Jolin Houston, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Franklin county. Pa. David W. Houston was born in Ohio and was reared near New Wilmington, Pa., after completing a college education, he studied law, was admitted to the bar and practiced two years at Newcastle. Pa. In 1858 lie located in Garnett, Kans., where he was one of the first settlers, and practiced law. During the Civil war he enlisted in the Seventh Kansas Cavalry, recruiting a company in Anderson and Linn counties, and was mustered into service as a captain, but left the service as lieutenant- colonel of the Seventh Regiment. He served in Missouri and under Grant's command on the Mississippi river. Returning to Garnett at the close of the war, he continued his, practice.
Twice he was elected to the state legislature of Kansas, and was also appointed United States marshal for the state, continuing until 1873. when he was elected for another term in the legislature. He has since been engaged in the practice of law at Garnett. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and Loyal Legion. Religiously he is connected with the United Presbyterian Church. He married Mary A. Johnston, who was born near McConnells- burg, Pa .; her father, James Houston Johnston. was born in Lancaster county, Pa., and removed to the vicinity of McConnellsburg. Five chil- dren were born of this union: Grace M., of Gar- nett; James J .; Thomas W., a graduate of the Northwestern Theological Seminary of Kansas, and who has been a missionary in China for several years; Victor G., who is in the real-estate and loan business at Guthrie; and Florence E., a pharmacist of Edna, Kans.
James Johnston Houston was born October 18, 1857, and was reared in Kansas, receiving a public-school education. He also attended the high school at Leavenworth, Kans., until 1875. and then entered the University of Kansas. where he remained until the close of the junior year. In the meantime he had taught school one year, and in 1878, when just twenty-one years old, he was elected registrar of deeds of An- derson county. During a portion of his term he also filled the vacancy in the office of county clerk, and later became deputy county treasurer. He then engaged in the real-estate and loan bus- iness at Garnett, and later carried on a mercan- tile business. there until 1890. During this time lie served two terms as mayor of Garnett, and was clerk of the school board. In ISco he en- tered the First National Bank of Garnett as teller and bookkeeper and served in that ca- pacity until one week before the opening of the Cherokee outlet. In September, 1893, he lo- cated at Perry, Okla., and engaged in the real- estate business and the practice of law with his father, who was there during the fall. His father cared for the legal work and our subject for the real-estate business. He was very active in the upbuilding of Perry and was a very popu- lar citizen of that place. In 1895 he organized the Territorial Free Home League, the object being to further the fight for free homes, and they have since hield several large conventions. He was elected president for two terms and in 1897 made a report to the governor, which was included in his report to the legislature. The report shows a deep study of the conditions existing in Oklahoma, and brought about much good for the order. In 1897 he asked to be re- leased from the presidency of that organization. He was elected on the county Republican com- mittee, the city Republican committee, the sena-
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
torial Republican committee, and the territorial Republican committee, of which he served on the executive committee. April 1, 1898, he was ap- pointed assistant secretary of the territory by Hon. William M. Jenkins, and removed with his family to Guthrie.
At Garnett, Kans., Mr. Houston married Mary E. Parks, who was born in Indiana, reared in Iowa, and is a daughter of Oscar Parks, a retired farmer of Garnett. They have two chil- dren: Mary Louie and James Parks. Mr. Houston is a member of the Sons of Veterans, and was captain of the Post at Perry, also served on the colonel's staff of the Sons of Veterans of the territory. He is a member of the Odd Fel- lows. Religiously his wife is connected with the Presbyterian Church.
J
EAN H. EVEREST is a leading attorney and prominent citizen of Oklahoma. This distinction and prominence are the result of his perseverance, coupled with the ever com- mendable traits of character, strict integrity, good judgment and a highi sense of duty and honor. In his profession he ranks high, is a dili- gent and careful pleader, and has achieved especial success in land contest cases. Besides his private practice, he is attorney for the Okla- roma Building and Loan Association. He is also vice-president and a director of the Bank of Commerce, which he assisted in organizing.
The Everest family is of English descent. William Everest, our subject's grandfather, was born in Vermont, and from there moved to Crown Point, N. Y., later removing to the vicin- ity of Ionia, the same state, and engaging in farm and mercantile pursuits until his death. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. His son, the late Harvey W. Everest, A. M., L.L. D., was born at North Hudson, N. Y., May 10, 1831. When sixteen years of age he began to teach school. The removal of his parents to the West- ern Reserve of Ohio gave him good educational advantages in that vicinity, and lie attended the following schools in order: Geauga Seminary, Western Reserve Elective Institute (now Hiram College), Bethany and Oberlin Colleges, all of which are in Ohio except Bethany. Upon his graduation from Oberlin he returned to Hiram College as head instructor, succeeding James .. Garfield, his former associate and friend. In 1864 he was called to the presidency of Eureka College, Illinois, remaining there until he be- came pastor of the Springfield (Ill.) Church of Christ, eight years later. From 1872 to 1874 he was a professor in the Kentucky University. Later he was pastor of the Church of Christ at Normal, Ill., for a year, and then returned to the
presidency of Eureka College, which institution owes him its life and breadth of influence. From 1881 to 1886 he was president of Butler Univer- sity, at Indianapolis, Ind., resigning to become chancellor of Garfield University at Wichita, Kans. When the university closed its doors in 1889 he accepted a pastorate at Hutchinson, Kans. In 1891 he was made president of the Southern Illinois Normal School at Carbondale, Ill. Six years later he was honored by an ap- pointment as dean of the Bible department of Drake University, which position he filled until his death, May 21, 1900.
As an author Dean Everest was well known. His "Divine Demonstration" is a text book on Christian evidences in our colleges. The two more recent works, "Science and Pedagogy of Ethics" and "The New Education," rank high as philosophical productions. He was a frequent contributor to the leading papers of his denon- ination. As a lecturer upon educational and re- ligious themes, he was sought for addresses in almost every section of the country. During the World's Fair he was chosen to deliver an address before the parliament of religions.
The first wife of Dr. Everest was Sarah Har- rison, who was born in Ohio and died in Kansas in 1892. Her grandfather was a native of Eng- land and became a pioneer of Lake county, Ohio. Mrs. Sarah Everest left three sons, namely: Claude H., cashier of the Bank of Com- merce in Oklahoma City; Jean H .; and Herbert H., who is engaged in the lumber business in Houston, Tex. The second wife of Dr. Everest was Mrs. Jennie Rogers, of El Paso, Ill.
Jean H. Everest was born in Eureka, Ill., De- cember 11, 1864, a son of Dr. Harvey W. and Sarah Everest. Under the care and training of his cultured parents he grew to manhood, well fitted, intellectually, to cope with life's respon- sibilities. He attended Lexington University and later, Eureka College, where he remained until the close of the sophomore year. In 1883 he graduated from Butler University with the degree of A. B., and in 18844 he was awarded the degree of A. M. Upon leaving college he be- came superintendent of schools at McPherson. Kans., and during the two years he occupied that position he prepared for the bar. In 1887 he was admitted to the bar at Lyons, Kans., where he had settled the previous year. While at Lyons he was a member of the firm of Ever- est Brothers, dealers in real-estate and loans. In May, 1880, he came to Oklahoma and settled in Frisco, Canadian county, but soon he re- moved to Kingfisher, and in August, 1800, he located in Oklahoma City. In all respects he is an enterprising citizen and a capable lawyer. Politically he is a Republican. In religion. he follows the doctrines of the church in whose
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faith he was reared. He is now a trustee of the Christian Church in Oklahoma.
The marriage of Mr. Everest took place in Peoria, Ill., and united him with Edith, daughter of John M. Kirkbridge, a merchant, and book- keeper for the internal revenue collector at Peoria, Ill. Mrs. Everest was born in Eureka, Ill., and died in Oklahoma City in September, 1893, leaving four children, namely: Robert K., Philip M., Jean W. and Raymond B. Socially Mr. Everest is connected with the Oklahoma City Club. He is also a member of the Territory Bar Association and, in fraternal connections, is identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Woodmen of the World.
H ENRY E. ASP, solicitor for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad in Okla- homa, is prominent in the politics of the Republican party, of which he is a national com- mitteeman. Possessing essentially a legal mind, lie is well versed in the law, and is said to pos- sess the finest law library in Oklahoma. His familiarity with the intricacies of jurisprudence is acknowledged by all acquaintances. As an attorney, he has met with unqualified success, but his business is now confined to the legal charge of the interests of the road he repre- sents.
From Sweden, John H. Asp, father of Henry E., came to America, soon after his marriage, and settled in New Boston, Ill., but later moved to Toolsboro, Louisa county, Iowa, where he followed the blacksmith's trade. At the first tap of the drum in 1861 he volunteered in an lowa regiment of engineers, and served until after the siege of Vicksburg was lifted, when he died. His wife, Christina, died in Illinois, leav- ing three children: John, a builder in Iowa; Mrs. Charlotte Pease, of Washington; and Henry E., who was born in New Boston, Ill., and was only one year old when his mother died. He was taken into the home of a widow and after his father's death was taken into his guardian's home, with whom he continued until lic was sixteen. He then began to work in a brickyard. Later he learned the manufacture of woodenware in a pail factory. Up to that time he had been in regular attendance at school, with the exception of a period of two years. At the age of nineteen he graduated from a busi- news college at Rock Island, Ill., and then took up the study of law under E. S. Torrance, of Winfield, Kans., afterward a judge there and. now a judge in San Diego county. Cal. In 1877 he was admitted to the bar, after which he practiced in Winfield, Kans., until 1883.
At that time he became interested in railroad construction fronı Beaumont to Anthony,
Kans., on what is now a part of the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad. He also aidcd in building a railroad in Michigan. During the last year of the work of the Fitzgerald & Ma- loney Construction Company in Kansas he was their general attorney. For fourteen months, beginning in 1885, he served as county attorney, and later was attorney for the road. In 1889 he became identified with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad as local counsel, and in 1890 came to Guthrie as their solicitor. For the first two years he was associated in practice with W. P. Hackney, who was also a solicitor for that road, but since 1892 he has been solicitor for the road throughout the territory, the duties of the office requiring his entire time. He has his office in the Victor block on Harrison street.
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