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 72
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N APOLEON WHITLOCK, a well-known and highly respected agriculturist of Yu- kon township, Canadian county, has been located here since the opening of Oklahoma. and now owns four hundred and eighty acres of excellent farming land.
Mr. Whitlock was born in Alabama, and is a son of Dudley R. and Mary (Wilkins) Whitlock. His grandfather was Lott Whitlock, of South Carolina, and his grandmother's maiden name was Reynolds. Dudley R. Whitlock was born in South Carolina, and the family is of Scotch descent. He was a merchant by vocation, and moved to Alabama and then to Arkansas, where he engaged in merchandising and farming. He married Mary Wilkins, who was born in Ala- bama.
Napoleon Whitlock was reared on the farm and remained at home until the twenty-ninth year of his age, when he went into the Chicka- saw Nation, in March, 1875. Ile followed farm- ing and stock-raising there, and on the Washita
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until -the opening of Oklahoma. Making the run April 22, 1889, into this country, he secured his present farm by buying a relinquishinent. He has met with success and increased his hold- ings to four hundred and eighty acres of land, three hundred and thirty acres of which is planted to grain. Besides attending to his gen- eral farming, he is extensively engaged in stock- raising. He is a man of sterling character and is well liked throughout this section, in which he is widely known.
Mr. Whitlock was united in marriage with Lucinda I. Campbell, who was born in Arkan- sas. She is a daughter of George W. Campbell, of Arkansas, and her mother was Lucinda Keys, who was born in Alabama. Two sons have blessed this union: George D., now at home; and Stand Watie, who is, married and lives at home. Politically our subject is a Democrat. He is an adherent to the Presbyterian faith.
A LLEN NORRIS is the owner of a fine farm in Logan county, consisting of four hun- dred and eighty acres, which he has put under a fine state of cultivation. The land lies on the northwest quarter of section 19. township 17, range 2 west, and is five and one-half miles from Guthrie. He was born November 16, 1842. in Fleming county, Ky., and is a son of I. B. and Anna (Hurst) Norris, both of whom are natives of Fleming county, Ky. His father who has at- tained the age of ninety-one years, has at that advanced age homesteaded a piece of land in Woodward county, Okla.
Mr. Norris was but five years of age when his parents moved to Buchanan county, Mo., mak- ing the trip by steamboat, and there they settled on a large piece of timberland, on which they continued to live for eight years. Next they moved to Atchison county, Kans., where they purchased land at $1.25 per acre. They resided there during the border ruffian trouble. About 1856 Mr. Norris was the means of saving the life of Rev. Pardee Butler, a noted free-state advocate, who had made himself obnoxious to the pro-slavery element. Falling into the hands of southern sympathizers, at Atchison, Kans., he was set adrift on two logs on the Missouri river, his face bearing the letters "horse thief." When Mr. Norris saw him, the old man was on his knees, praying. Mr. Norris called to him to break off a flagpole that was nailed to the raft, and use it to steer his frail craft to the Kansas side of the river. Having given these instructions, he rode ahead two miles and noti- fied his brother, who swam out to the old preacher and brought him ashore, then sent him forward to meet an appointment
When the Civil war began, Mr. Norris joined
the Union forces, becoming a member of Com- pany G, Eighth Kansas Infantry, under Col. John A. Martin. During the first two years he served mostly in Colorado, Wyoming and Ne- braska. In 1863 he accompanied his regiment to the south, where he took part in the Nash- ville campaign under General Thomas. Finally he was taken ill, and for three months was obliged to remain in a hospital, after which he was honorably discharged. Returning home, he purchased land in Atchison county and em- barked in agricultural pursuits, where he con- tinued for many years.
In 1889 he started for Oklahoma, arriving here in January, 1890. At once he homesteaded his present farm. The first year he had a fair crop, and, in fact, during all the intervening years he has had good crops. except during one very dry season. . He has planted an orchard of four acres, has erected a neat house and barn, and has many other improvements, which have greatly enhanced the value of the farm. Besides general farming, he raises stock and is engaged in the dairy business.
January 10, 1867, Mr. Norris was united in marriage with Miss Anna Millard, whose ac- quaintance he made in Atchison county. She was a native of Oswego county, N. Y., and ac- companied her parents to Kansas when she was eight years of age, and there received her school- ing. They have three children. The daughter, Adelle, is the wife of J. R. Speer, a farmer resid- ing on the northeast quarter of section 19, town- ship 17, range 2 west, and they have two children, Lloyd and Harold: Edmond is a phar- macist and conducts a drug store at Mulhall, "Okla .; he was one of Roosevelt's Rough Riders, and was in the battle of Santiago. Millard B. was also in the Spanish-American war, being a member of Company I. First Territorial Regi- ment, under Capt. H. C. Barnes: he has since homesteaded a tract of land in Woodward county. Okla. Our subject has always voted the Republican ticket, casting his first vote for Lin- coln in 1864. He has served as township treas- urer and has been a delegate to many conven- tions. In 1898 he was appointed assistant ser- geant-at-arms by the Oklahoma senate or coun- cil. He is a charter member of the McFarland Post, G. A. R., in Atchison county, Kans.
S YLVAN T. RICE enjoys the distinction of having opened the first store in Marshall, Logan county, and of having been postmas- ter for eight years out of the eleven since the opening of Oklahoma. He was born in Erie county. Ohio, and is a son of Wells S. and Emily C. Rice, natives of New York state. Wells S. Rice was a merchant, and when his son Sylvan
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was two months old he moved to Marshall county, Iowa, and engaged in the mercantile business, continuing the same until 1878. After the opening of Oklahoma he opened a store at Thurston and successfully conducted the same until his death in 1892. His wife died in Iowa in 1872.
S. T. Rice lived with his father until his twen- tieth year, and received a good education in the public schools. He also learned every phase of the mercantile business and was in every way fitted to make an independent start in the world. For a time he was employed by the United States Express Company, and later, for two years, mail agent on a mail car for the Iowa Central Rail- road in Iowa. He then began to interest himself in agricultural pursuits on his own farm of three hundred and fifty-four acres in Marshall county, Iowa. This farm was subsequently sold, and he was appointed deputy county treasurer at Mar- shall. Next he went to Pleasant Hill, Mo., and engaged in the marble business with marked success, but after a time sold out and started a mercantile business in Holland, Iowa. During the thirteen years of his residence in Holland he became identified with the best interests of the town, and his industry reaped a fitting financial reward. In Marshalltown, Iowa, Mr. Rice mar- ried Emma Gingrich, a daughter of Ephraim and Mary Gingrich, of that place. Of this union there are two children, Mabel, who is now a clerk for her father, and Wells E., deceased.
Mr. Rice made the famous run to Oklahoma when the territory was opened April 22, 1889, and located on section 3. township 19, range 4 west. To this original property he has since added. until, at the present time, he has three hundred and twenty acres. His land is all well improved, with fine buildings, fences and all the modern labor-saving devices. He built the first store on his own land, and after the site was laid out for the town the store was moved to it. The first pound of goods was sold July 25, 1889, and the record is still kept of the transaction. The store, started from humble beginning, is now the lar- gest mercantile concern in the town. A full line is carried of hardware, dry goods, implements and things in general demanded by the residents of a growing town. The store building is ninety- six feet deep, and is an ideal country meeting place and store.
For fifteen years Mr. Rice has been a Knight of Pythias. Politically he is a Republican and has been postmaster for eight out of eleven years. At one time, through a misunderstanding. he received his appointment from Washington by wire. The circumstances were as follows: Dur- ing the administration of President Harrison Mr. Rice was appointed postmaster of Marshall. When President Cleveland was elected the Dem-
ocrats of the district desired him to continue in the office, but through lack of information on the part of Mr. Ross, who had the distribution of offices the office was declared closed. This order Mr. Rice refused to honor, and, putting himself in telegraphic communication with Con- gressman Flynn, he in a short time received the appointment by telegraph, although some time later a Democrat was found to fill the office, but Mr. Rice was reappointed as soon as Mckinley was elected.
G EORGE BROWN is entitled to rank as one of the enterprising and successful ag- riculturists of the vicinity of Racine, Cana- dian county. His claim on the northwest quar- ter of section 9, township 13, range 6 west, of which he took possession on the famous 22nd of April, 1889, is but the nucleus of his present possessions. In 1893 he added eighty acres, in 1894 eighty acres more, in 1896 purchased a quarter-section, and the same amount in 1899. The land is devoted mainly to general farming and stock-raising, and is supplied with all mod- ern devices for successfully carrying on agricul- tural pursuits. There is a commodious house, also well-constructed outhouses and barns.
Mr. Brown is among the numerous settlers from other shores who have early recognized the possibilities of the newly opened territory. Born near Wiel, Switzerland, May 15, 1841, he is a son of George and Kathrina (Eglie) Brown, who conducted a farm in the valleys of Switzer- land, and were industrious, well-conditioned peo- plc. While assisting his father in his many and arduous dutics, the son received a fair education in the public schools, and carly displayed habits of thrift and enterprise. When eighteen years of age he was apprenticed to a carpenter, and re- ceived for his services three francs a week at the start, but during the last year of his appren- ticeship his compensation was three francs a day. After serving his apprenticeship he engaged in contracting until he decided to try his fortunes in America. He was married in Switzerland, but his wife dicd shortly after his arrival in the new world. Their son, Frank Brown, is at present living near Prescott, Ariz.
In 1869 Mr. Brown came to America, arriving in Boston after a voyage of thirteen days. Soon afterward he went to New York, thence to Pitts- burg, where he was employed for a year with a concern that manufactured washing machines. He received $3 a day. The next venture was an agricultural undertaking, conducted upon land leased in the Cumberland mountains. After a year Mr. Brown went to Chicago, where he worked for a short time, and where he married Kate Schwartz, also a native of Switzerland.
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Miss Sc'twartz had arrived in America in 1868, and was employed in caring for her brother's house and interests.
From Chicago Mr. Brown moved to Manis- tee, Mich., where he carried on contracting and building for six years, after which he took up his residence in Osborne county, Kans., and farmed for one year, going then to Arkansas, where he bought eighty acres of land, and for six years engaged in agricultural pursuits. After selling his farm, he bought three hundred head of cattle and started to drive them to Colorado April 5; in May he arrived in No Man's Land, where he remained, owing to hot weather, until the opening of Oklahoma. After taking up his land he built a sod house, which served as a residence for about a year; tlen a fine house was erected, 16x24 feet in dimensions. Mr. Brown is a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
To Mr. and Mrs. Brown were born three chil- dren: Henry, who is living at home; Ida, who is the wife of Joseph Bruhwiler; and Rosa, who is at home. In politics Mr. Brown is a Demo- crat, but has never been an office-seeker.
R ICHARD F. CAFFREY, the popular county clerk of Oklahoma county, has served in this capacity since January 8, 1897, and has discharged his duties in such a manner as to win for him hosts of new friends. He was born at Poplar Grove, Boone county, Ill., August 25, 1869, and was the oldest of six children born to Christopher and Margaret (Hayden) Caffrey. Capt. Christopher Caffrey was born in Navan, county Meath, Ireland. Jan- uary 12, 1839, and came to the United States in 1849, settling near Troy, N. Y., where he at- tended school. In 1856 he removed to Illinois, and there remained until the Civil war broke out. when he returned east. During 1861 he en- listed, for three years, in Company A. First Vermont Cavalry. While taking part in an en- gagement in Virginia, he received a charge of buckshot in his side, had his horse shot from under him, and was taken prisoner and sent to the famous Libby prison, where he remained until exchanged a short time before the close of that deadly struggle.
In 1863 Captain Caffrey went to California, crossing the great plains in a wagon. While there he operated a shingle mill and engaged in quartz milling, in which occupation he was also later engaged in Nevada and Mexico. Return- ing via the Nicaragua route to New York in 1866, he was there joined in marriage with Miss Margaret Hayden. He again went west, settling first in Boone county, Ill., and later in Black Hawk, Colo., in 1871. There he was employed as an assayer for the Boston and Globe Smelting
Company. During the great Leadville excite- ment of 1878, he went to that new town and em- barked in mining, continuing there until the opening of Oklahoma, April 22, 1889. He par- ticipated in the run to the territory and took a homestead in Boone township, Oklahoma county, where he improved a farm and made a home. He was captain of the Rocky Mountain Rifles and acted as scout and aide on General Reardon's staff during the Ute war.
Richard F. Caffrey (or Rich, as he is called by friends) was reared on the frontier, and received his schooling in the Central City and Leadville public schools, but gained his education princi- pally through experience in that practical and liberal school of a western frontier life. He en- gaged in mining, in which he was quite fortu- nate. For eight years he served as clerk and deputy in the county clerk's office in Lake county, Colo., serving under both Democratic and Republican administrations, and holding the position, not through political influence, but on account of his ability. During the 1885 session of the Colorado legislature he served as page. From all of his former employers he holds the highest endorsements. In 1892 he resigned his position on account of an accident that injured his back and left him in his present condition.
Mr. Caffrey was one of the organizers, and for ten years a member, of the famous Leadville Zouave Drum and Drill Corps, one of the best- drilled organizations in the United States. The corps traveled with the Uniform Rank. K. of P .. and the Grand Army of the Republic over a large part of the United States, giving exhibi- tions in many of the largest cities from Boston to San Francisco. For eight years he was sec- retary and treasurer of the corps. In 1892 he came to Oklahoma and filed on land adjoining his father's place in Boone township, where he still resides. In 1896 he was nominated on the Populist-Democratic fusion ticket for county clerk and was elected to the office by a good majority. In 1898 he was re-elected for a second term. In 1900 he was re-elected for a third term by a larger majority than he received before. having no opposition for the nomination. These various elections testify to his popularity as a public officer.
In 1897 the Oklahoma county taxes were raised twenty-three per cent and the next year twenty-four per cent, but Mr. Caffrey refused to place the increase on the tax rolls, believing it to be very unjust. He tried in every way possible to bring the matter before the United States supreme court, in which effort he received the support of the board of county commissioners and Judge J. R. Keaton, who acted as attorney. The territorial supreme court refused to allow an appeal from that court and issued a man-
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damus to eompel him to add the tax inerease, but he again refused, and was eonfined in the county jail one hundred days until the United States supreme court granted him bond in the 1898 case, and then the territorial eourt allowed bond in the 1897 case. The ease was not deeided on its merits, the United States supreme court holding it was not within their jurisdiction, for the reason that Mr. Caffrey did not have a per- sonal interest to the amount of over $5,000, al- though it amounted to $56,000 to the taxpayers. The territorial supreme court issued another mandate, holding that he was still in eontempt and ordering him baek to jail. Mr. Caffrey and the commissioners then made a compromise with Harper S. Cunningham, attorney-general of the territory, agreeing to add the tax-raise on valu- ations of 1897 and 1898 for territorial purposes only, amounting to about $6,000; thereby saving the taxpayers over $50,000 and gaining a vietory for the county, even though they did not secure all they wished. The firm stand Mr. Caffrey took in this matter won for him the admiration of all. The taxpayers presented him with a handsome gold-headed eane, as a token of their appreeia- tion of his disinterested services.
The homestead owned by Mr. Caffrey com- prises one hundred and sixty aeres, the north- east quarter of seetion II, township 11, range 2 west. The principal industry followed on the farm is the raising of thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle.
In local affairs, socially as well as politieally, he takes an active part. He is a member of the Oklahoma City Club and a charter member of the Oklahoma Library Association, also aets as a trustee of St. Joseph's Church. Politically he is a Populist.
A. B. BAIRD. M. D. Just six years ago Dr. Baird took up his residence in Oklahoma City, and, establishing an office. embarked in a practice which has steadily grown in im- portance. He is thoroughly imbued with the spirit of modern methods in the diagnosis and cure of disease, and neglects no means of im- provement and progress in his chosen field of labor.
On the paternal side, Dr. Baird is the grand- son of James Baird, who was born in County Derry, Ireland, and at an early day settled near Pittsburg, Pa., where he engaged in agriculture, and later located in Hartford. Ky., where he died at the advanced age of eighty-seven. In his native land lie was identified with the Orange- men, for lie was of Scotch descent, and, like his aneestors, was a strong exponent of the Presby- terian creed. Our subject's father, Col. Alexan- der B. Baird, a native of Hartford, won his title
by gallant service during the Civil war, when he was in command of a Kentucky regiment. Like all of his relatives, he was a loyal friend to the Union, and, though he was known as a Douglas Demoerat, he formerly was an old-line Whig. He won distinetion in legal eireles, was engaged in practice for many years in Hartford, and was county judge and eounty commissioner of Ohio eounty, Ky. He attained the ripe age of sev- enty-two years.
On the maternal side, Dr. Baird is a deseend- ant of a hero of the Revolution, his great-grand- father Barnett having served in that struggle with the colonial army, though his ancestors were from the mother country, and had carly set- tled in Maryland, thence removing to Virginia and later to Kentucky. His son, Thomas, grandfather of the doetor, was born near the old town of Hartford, Ky., which place he founded, laying out the site on his own prop- erty, where Fort Hart had formerly stood. Two of his sons were soldiers in the Union army and a third son served in the Confederate forees dur- ing the Civil war. His daughter, Sally M., mother of our subjeet, was born near Hartford, and is still living, her home being in Lexington, Ky. Six of her eleven children survive. Clinton T., who resided in New Orleans, died August 11, 1900. The five daughters are living in homes of their own.
The birth of Dr. Baird took place in Hartford, August 3, 1858, and his education was obtained in the public schools and Hayward Academy. Under the direction of Dr. J. T. Miller, he took up medical studies, and later was a pupil of Dr. S. D. Gross. After pursuing a three years' course in Jefferson Medical College, he was graduated in March, 1880, and, having ranked high in a competitive examination which he took just after that event, he received an appointment to act as house physician in the hospital. His health having become somewhat impaired by his indefatigable labors, he returned home, and. after a brief period of recuperation, commenced practicing among the people who had known him a lifetime. He became president of the board of pension examiners, and also acted in a like capacity in the Ohio County Medical Asso- ciation. In 1804 he resigned and came to Okla- homa City, where he has built up a large practice, his specialty being gynecology. He belonged to the Kentucky State Medical Associ- ation, and now is prominently connected with the Oklahoma Territory Medical Association. In 1884, in 1888, and again in 1898, he took special courses in Jefferson Medical College.
The doetor is interested and active in every- thing which pertains to the welfare of his town. Ile is a director in the Oklahoma City Light and Power Company, and belongs to the City Com-
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mercial Club. Fraternally, he is connected with the Masons, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Anci nt Order of United Workmen, and formerly was a Knight of Pythias also. Polit- ically, he is a Democrat, and for years made a point of being present at conventions of the state and county, in Kentucky.
The modern residence of the doctor, which was built by him, and is located at No. 403 Main street, is presided over by his estimabie wife, formerly Miss Ida M. Duke, who was born in Hartford, Ky., as was her father, Thomas S. Duke, before her. Her grandfather, Captain Duke, a veteran of the war of 1812, also served in the Mexican war, and there won his title. The Dukes were early and honored settlers in Baltimore. Thomas S. Duke, who was engaged in the saddlery business at Hartford, died in 1898. His widow, Mrs. Eliza C. (Miller) Duke, resides in St. Louis. Mrs. Baird was graduated in Hartford College with the degrees of Bache- lor of Sciences and Bachelor of Philosophy. The only child of our subject and wife is named, in honor of his grandfather, Alexander Duke Baird.
A. J. CORKINS, the popular and efficient agent of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad at Guthrie, has been actively engaged in railroading for the past eighteen years, and has made numerous friends wherever he has gone. He is a worthy representative of a good old New England family, and is of Eng- lish-Scotch extraction. His father, Henry Cork- ins, was a native of Eastport, Me., and for many years was engaged in building and contracting in Hartford, Conn. In the '4os he removed to the wilds of Cedar county, Iowa, where he con- tinued to reside for the rest of his life, with the exception of a brief period passed at his old home in the east. He was one of the pioneer farmers and builders of Iowa. and took an im- portant part in the early history of the state. In 1880 he retired from active labors, and thenceforth made his home in Des Moines, where he passed to his reward in 1899. His widow, who still lives at the old home in Des Moines, was Miss Janet Wylie prior to her mar- riage. She was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, and removed to Connecticut with her father, James Wylie, when in her girlhood.
A. J. Corkins, who is an only child. was born in Hartford, Conn., May 3, 1864. When he was about two years old he was taken to Cedar county, Iowa, and for the ensuing six years lived upon his father's farm. Then he went to the town of Clarence and received an excellent grammar and high school education there. When he was about fourteen he took a position as a clerk in a general store in the village, and for
three years devoted himself to the mastering of business principles. In 1880 he accepted a sim- ilar place in a Des Moines store, but, being am- bitious, he determined to enter a more promising field of effort, and, as the first step toward his goal, he began learning telegraphy in the office of the Western Telegraph Union.
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