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. 2 > Part 33
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The early life of all men who have attained prominence is of interest, and especially when their efforts have been so diverse and their use- fulness so great. Mr. Clark was born in Hamil- ton, Ohio, March 25, 1856, and is a son of Pat- rick Clark, a native of Ireland, who came to America about 1850. He settled in the vicinity of Hamilton, eleven miles west of the city, and engaged in farming up to the time of his death, at the age of sixty-eight years. The mother, Ann (Richards) Clark, was also a native of Ire- land, and a daughter of Patrick Richards. Mrs. Clark died in Ohio. She was the mother of seven children, five of whom are living, John R. being the eldest. Thomas is a merchant at Glencoe; Edward F. lives in Stillwater, and was a representative in the fifth general assembly; Richard A. lives in Jackson, Neb .; and Henry is in Cincinnati, Ohio.
On his father's farm near Hamilton, Ohio, John R. Clark received an excellent home train- ing, and was educated in the public schools and at the Normal school at Lebanon, Ohio, from which he was graduated in 1876. His education was acquired solely through his own efforts, for at the age of seventeen he began to teach school, and in this way paid for his higher education. After graduation he continued his educational work, and was principal of a school at Riley, Ohio, for several years. Subsequently he under- took the study of law in Lebanon, Ohio. In July of 1884 he settled in Winfield, Kans., and engaged in the real-estate business, and in ISSo located in Stillwater, at the opening of the town.
Mr. Clark's decision to make Stillwater his future home was a matter of considerable thought and planning, for while yet living in Kansas he had formed a company the preceding May, called the Stillwater Townsite Company. and their agent was sent on to plat the town before the opening. The drawing of lots oc- curred on the IIth of June, and a local govern- ment was at once formed. of which Mr. Clark was elected councilman, and he served as presi- dent or mayor for the first two years. He was a member of the original townsite board. and became chairman of the local board. Himself and brother Edward built the first store in the place and opened up a grocery business on the corner of Main and Ninth streets. The store
BRUCE WATSON, M. D. Perry.
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
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was run by Edward Clark, and his brother began the practice of his profession. In addition, he entered largely into the real-estate business, in which he has since been engaged most success- fully. In 1890 he conducted his affairs under the firm name of Neal & Clark, and was after- wards alone for several years.
In 1890 the firm of Clark & Swope was formed and in 1900 an addition was made which changed it to Clark, Swope & Johnson. The firm have handled nearly all of the city additions. . They bought eighty acres of fine land and laid out the college addition, which now constitutes the most beautiful part of the city, Mr. Clark evinced his usual public-spiritedness by erecting the first court-house in the town, located on Ninth street, and which he rented to the county for many years, and which he eventually sold. Many of the first buildings in the city were erected by him, and it is almost impossible to enumerate the many projects which his enter- prise has suggested and energy carried out. The firm of which he is a member handles the additions called Lewis, Sunnyside, Barnes, and Lowrey's first and second additions. They also handle insurance, abstracts, and loans, and own several farms in the country.
In Hamilton, Ohio, Mr. Clark married Sarah Moorehead, born in Butler county, Ohio, and a daughter of John Moorehead, who died in Ohio. As a member of the Democratic party, Mr. Clark has been conspicuously identified with the undertakings of his party, and has been a delegate to various county and territorial con- ventions. He was one of the organizers of the party in Kansas and Ohio, and also in Payne county, and has been chairman of the county committee. From its origin he was a member of the Territorial Democratic Committee until 1898, and for two years was secretary of the committee, and was also a member of the exec- ttive committee of the Territorial Committee. November 6, 1900, he was elected judge of pro- bate of Payne county. Fraternally he is asso- ciated with the Knights of Pythias and the Mod- ern Woodmen of America.
B RUCE WATSON, M. D. Numbered among the successful young physicians and surgeons of Perry is the subject of this sketch, who is a worthy representative of an honored old Scotch family. His grandfather, David Watson, was a native of the land of the heather and the thistle, his birth having occurred in Inverness. He grew to manhood there, and, after his marriage, removed to the United States, subsequently engaging in agricultural pursuits near Fredericksburg. Ohio.
The doctor's parents, Dr. J. M. and Elizabeth
Porter (Taylor) Watson, are still living, re- spected citizens of Dearborn, Mo. The father was born in Fredericksburg, Ohio, is a graduate of the Cincinnati Medical College. He has been engaged in the practice of his profession for about forty years, and for the past sixteen years has been the leading physician of Dear- born, Mo. He resided in Paris, Ky., until 1871, since which time he has dwelt in Missouri, being situated at Halleck for thirteen years. His wife was born in Fleming county, Ky., and her father, John Taylor, also a native of that state, was from an old Kentucky family. He was en- gaged in merchandising there for many years, and later went to Missouri, his death occurring in Kansas City.
Dr. Bruce Watson, born in Paris, Ky., Octo- ber 29, 1865, is one of the three children who survive of seven brothers and sisters. In boy- hood he was taken to Missouri, and in the pub- lic schools of Halleck and Dearborn he acquired his elementary education. Leaving the Kansas City high school when in his senior year, in order to accept a position as a bookkeeper with W. K. Ring Commission Company, he re- mained with the firm only three months, and then entered the University of Missouri, at Co- lumbia, where he pursued a literary and scien- tific course for about two years. Then for a year or more he conducted a mercantile business in Kansas City, and for the following twelfthmonth was similarly occupied in the town of Dearborn. For three years he was in the employ of the Famous Clothing Company, of St. Joseph, Mo., and later was with H. Ettenson, of the same place, for a period of two years. With his father, he seriously devoted himself to the study of medicine about seven or eight years ago, and in 1804 entered Barnes Medical College, in St. Louis, where he was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1807. Beginning his professional career in a very sensible manner, he practiced under the supervision of his father, whose long experience and marked ability in his chosen work were of inestimable benefit to the son. At the end of eighteen months spent in this way, the young man came to Perry and opened an office. Since March, 1899, he has been actively engaged in practice here, contin- ually adding to his laurels.
Dr. Watson made an important step in life when, in 1808. he married one of the accom- plished young ladies of Dearborn. Mo., Aiiss Maud Bryant, who is a native of Missouri, and is a daughter of Charles T. Bryant, for many years employed as agent with the Great West- ern Railroad Company, and now engaged in farming in the neighborhood of Blackwell, Okla. The doctor and wife have a little son, Paul Bruce by name.
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Fraternally. Dr. Watson is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights of Pythias. His political creed is stated in the platform endorsed by the Democratic party. Mrs. Watson holds membership in the Christian Church of this city, and is justly popular with the best local society of Perry and Dearborn.
Z ENO E. BEEMBLOSSOM, M. D. One of the well-known citizens of Oklahoma City is Dr. Beemblossom, who has built up a large practice which has come to him with- out effort, and which, indeed, he has not sought after, as for some time subsequent to his arrival in this territory he devoted his attention ex- clusively to agriculture and stock-raising. It was not long, however, ere his talents were brought to light and his services called into requisition.
The doctor's ancestors came to this country from Germany prior to the war of the Revolu- tion here. His grandfather, Abraham Beem- blossom, was born in Baltimore, Md., whence he migrated to Harrison county, Ind., at an early day, and there was one of the pioneer farmers. Later in life he removed to Iowa, where he died about sixteen years ago. Our subject's father, Philip Beemblossom, was a na- tive of Harrison county, Ind., and in 1841 went to Iowa. There he became a well-to-do and in- fluential agriculturist, raising live stock exten- sively and taking an active part in all local affairs. He was a Republican in politics, and was faithful in all of his relations to others. Death claimed him when he was in his sixty-fourth year, in 1886. His widow, whose girlhood name was Eliza Shepherd, was born in Indiana, and is still living at the old homestead in Iowa. Of their nine children, the following-named sur- vive: Thornton, Zeno E .. Theodore and Josephine (twins), and Thusa, wife of J. G. O. Hoppings, of Washington county. Iowa.
The birth of Dr. Beemblossom took place June 13, 1855, in Marion township, Washington county, Iowa, on the parental homestead, and there he learned the lessons of industry and re- sourcefulness which have been so useful to him in later life. He received a common-school ed- ucation, but made the best of his opportunities, and, after completing his studies in the local academy, engaged in teaching for several terms. In the meantime he took up the study of medi- cine, under the guidance of Dr. William Mc- Clelland, and in 1879 matriculated in the Keokuk (Iowa) Medical College, where he was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine two years later.
Commencing the practice of his chosen pro- fession at Weaver, Iowa, the doctor soon re-
moved to Table Rock, Neb., where he found a better field for his skill, and, during his six years' stay there, not only built up a large and paying practice, but also carried on a drug store. In 1887, owing to his father's failing health, he returned home and cared for his parent during his last illness. Subsequently he was located at Crawfordsville, Iowa, until Oklahoma was opened to the public. He arrived in Orlando. Logan county, on the memorable 22nd of April, 1889, but, failing to secure a claim, went to Win- field, Kans., whither he had shipped his goods, and in May bought his homestead in Oklahoma township, Oklahoma county, from the two con- testing parties to the tract of land. Subsequently he purchased a quarter of section I and a quar- ter of section 12, and thus owned a large and very valuable country-seat. He stocked his farm plentifully with high-grade Shorthorn cattle and Poland-China swine, usually keeping about one hundred head of cattle, and buying and sell- ing extensively. He made substantial improve- ments and had one hundred and twenty acres of land under the plow when he sold out in 1900. He planted and maintained a large orchard and vineyard, and the buildings upon the place are substantial and well kept. He proved himself to be a thorough, practical farmer and business man, and stands high in the opinion of his neigh- bors.
The wife of the doctor enjoys the distinction of having been the first white woman on Deep Fork creek, as she arrived here on the 26th of May, 1880. Their marriage took place in 1878, prior to which time she bore the name of Flor- ence Shepherd. They have three children, namely: Hubert, Jay and Estella.
The doctor is a stalwart Republican, and in Jowa, as well as since coming here, has occu- pied various township offices of local importance. He is now serving as a school director and mani- fests the deep interest which he always has felt in the cause of education. He was a member of the Iowa State Medical Society and was the sec- retary 'of the Washington County Medical So- ciety. Since coming here he has become a mem- ber of the Oklahoma County Medical Society.
W ILLIAM BECKER. In the temple of Fame of the United States a special place of honor should be given to those sons by adoption who proved their patriotism and love for the land of their choice by loyally defending the Stars and Stripes. Not yet twenty years of age, William Becker, who had lived in the United States but six or seven years, enlisted at the first call for volunteers in the spring of 186t. and remained in the ranks until peace was restored to the Union, being mustered out of the
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service in June, 1865. In the meantime he had participated in many of the important campaigns of the war, acquitting himself of his arduous duties with zeal and commendable bravery. At first, he had enlisted in the Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on the three months' cali, after which he belonged to the Twenty-second Ohio Battery, Light Artillery. Among the cele- brated battles in which he was engaged were Shiloh, Corinth, Iuka, Stone River, Perryville, Cumberland Gap, siege of Knoxville, and many others. At Cumberland Gap, he and a small detachment of Burnside's army met with a great victory, as they captured over four thousand Confederates. The severe hardships which the young man, in common with his comrades, suf- fered in the arduous campaigns in which they were concerned affected his health for some time after the close of the war, and thus several of the best years of his life were devoted to his coun- try.
Born May 25, 1841, William Becker is a na- tive of Hanover, Germany, his parents being Charles and Annie (Meack) Becker, of the same province. When thirteen years of age, he sailed from Bremen to Baltimore, with his parents and three brothers and sisters, the good ship "Anna Long" taking about forty days to make the voy- age. The parents located upon a farm near Columbus, Ohio, and there spent the rest of their days. They contributed two sons to the Union cause, the only two who were old enough to enter the service. The elder, Charles, was a private in the One Hundred and Eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
After coming to America, William Becker aided his father on the farm near Columbus, and learned the carpenter's trade of his senior, who was a practical builder. From that time to the present, he has devoted much attention to that line of business, and numerous buildings in Kansas and Oklahoma attest the thoroughness of his work. For several years he was employed at his trade in Knoxville, Tenn., and in 1871 located near Council Grove, Kans., where he bought a farm. Later he invested in local town property and engaged in contracting and build- ing in that vicinity until the opening of Okla- homa. April 22, 1889, he settled in Oklahoma City, where he erected a number of buildings on his own account, and also was employed by local business men. Since 1804 he has lived in Shaw- nee, and continues his chosen calling of contract- ing and building. He owns a good quarter- section farm, fifteen miles northwest of this place, across the boundary, in Lincoln county.
While a resident of Knoxville, Tenn., Mr. Becker married Alvina, daughter of George Thurmer. She is a native of Leipsic, Germany, and lived in Morgan, Tenn., during the first part
of her residence in the United States, thence removing to Knoxville. Her father departed this life in Kansas. Mrs. Louisa Mech, eldest child of our subject and wife, lives in Council Grove, Kans. William G. is a clerk in the Shaw- nee postoffice, and Charles is a dealer in live stock here. Emma Camille, the youngest of the family, resides at home and is a clerk at the Grand Leader dry goods store. Mr. Becker is a charter member of the Shawnee Post of the Grand Army of the Republic. In his religious belief he is a Lutheran, and in political creed ad- heres to the Republican party.
W GALEN DICKSON. The ancestry of the Dickson family is interestingly inter- woven with some of the most romantic events of English history, and by marriage one of them, at least, has stood within the shadow of a crowned life, whose persecution, woes and tragic fate have wrung the hearts of succeeding years, in an impassioned appeal for sympathy and pardon. It was given to Samuel Dickson, the great-great-grandfather of these latter-day de- scendants, an Irish nobleman from County Cork, to marry Lady Jane Hornsby, Duchess of Marl- borough, and maid of honor to Mary, Queen of Scots. This distinguished scion of an illustrious house came to America about 1726, and, readily grasping the existing opportunities, became a planter on a large scale in Virginia. He amassed much of this world's goods, and his success in the land of his adoption more than compen- sated for the exile from Ireland, which he left owing to political troubles.
His son, Enoch N., was born in Virginia, in the vicinity of Jamestown, and subsequently fol- lowed his father's example and became a planter. He later removed to Rutherford county, Tenn., which was the scene of his death. His son, the next in succession, William Riley Dickson, was born sixteen miles below Jamestown, November 30, 1800. Trtie to the traditional occupation, he also became a planter, and had large possessions in Virginia and Tennessee. His later ventures were in the north, whither he removed in 1841. to Black Leg Diggings, on the Wisconsin and Illinois line. He later ran a smelter at White Oak Springs, and at Snake Hollow, Wis., and in 1850 rounded out his adventurous life by en- gaging in mining on the Una river, which he reached by crossing the plains with mule teams, via the Platte route and southern pass. Here was terminated his industrious life in 1860. He married Rhoda T. Johns, who was born in Mur- freesboro, Tenn., and was an own cousin of President James K. Polk. Her grandfather. James T. Johns, was born in Wales, and brought his family to America and settled in Tennessee.
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He served in the Revolutionary war. His son, . in the drug business. After one year his busi- Abner Johns, was but two years of age when his father brought him to America, and he was reared on the plantation in Tennessee, and later became the owner of a large plantation.
The father of W. G. Dickson, E. N. Dickson, was born in Murfreesboro, April 22, 1834, and when seven years of age went with his father to Wisconsin. He received a fair education in the public schools, and worked in the lead mines in Veta Grand and Shullsburg, Wis., and near Ga- lena, Ill. Later he served an apprenticeship as mason and carpenter, and for the five following years clerked on the steamer that plied between St. Louis and St. Paul. He afterwards located in Shullsburg, Wis., where he worked as a con- tractor. During the Civil war he volunteered eight different times in Wisconsin and Illinois, but was rejected each time. In 1876 began a series of changes in search of a desirable per- manent location, and in quest of the same Mr. Dickson lived successively in Grand Island, Neb., where he remained for a year, then in Law- rence, Kans., for the same length of time, and later in different cities of the state until 1883, when he located in Nevada. Mo. There he en- gaged in agricultural pursuits until 1900, when he came to Shawnee, his present home. On the maternal side, also. Mr. Dickson is of distin- guished lineage, his mother, Lydia J. Moody, claiming kinship with Lady DeBois, of Eng- land. The great-great-grandfather. Cook Moody, came from Greenoch, Scotland, and settled in Nova Scotia. There was born his son, Archibald, who became a coaster, and man- aged a sloop on the Nova Scotia coast. He sub- sequently settled in Kane county, Ill., and spent his remaining years in the peaceful occupation of farming. His wife was formerly Lydia Young, of Nova Scotia, and whose great-grand- father, Joel Young, came from England. Mrs. Dickson is the mother of seven children: Eu- gene C. was drowned near Fort Scott in 1885, when twenty-eight years of age; W. G. is a draughtsman and president of the Shawnee school board: Emory died at the age of six months; Jesse F. is a carpenter and builder in Shawnee: Jennie is living in Shawnee; Arch- ielie is also in Shawnee: and Laureame, wife of Herbert Warbinton, is residing on a sugar plan- tation in Louisiana.
IV. Galen Dickson was born April 25. 1859, and was reared in Wisconsin, near Shullsburg. From a bov he learned the carpenter's trade under his father's able instruction, and when seventeen years of age went to Nebraska, where he completed his early education. From 1877 until 1883 he practiced his trade in thirty-five different counties in Kansas, and then went to Hoover, Vernon county, Mo., where he engaged
ness went up in smoke, and after the disastrous fire he returned to the sure remuneration which followed the industrious application of his car- pentering trade. In Vernon county he con- tracted and built until 1889, when he removed to South McAlester, which was then in process of building, and was employed with the con- tractor that erected the Kala Iula building. In 1893 he engaged as patternmaker in the shops at McAlester, I. T., and has continued in that capacity ever since. In 1897, when the shops were completed in Shawnee, he transferred his headquarters to this place.
At Fort Smith, Ark., Mr. Dickson married, December 2, 1894, Lulu Brown, a native of Ve- rona, Miss., and a daughter of Thomas Brown, of Alabama. Thomas Brown was a merchant at Verona, and in 1887 removed to Fort Smith, where he still resides. His wife, formerly Ca- milla Grace Ratcliff, was born in Georgia, a daughter of John Ratcliff, who was a planter at Verona. Mrs. Brown died at Fort Smith. The Ratcliff family is of English descent. To Mr. and Mrs. Brown were born eleven children, six of whom are living: Guy, a merchant at Fort Smith; Lulu; Effie, now Mrs. Kellar, who is living at Fort Smith; Lucy, Mrs. Patterson, of Texarkana, Ark .; Fred, a farmer at Theodore, Tex .; and Nathan J., who is living at Shawnee, Okla. To Mr. and Mrs. Dickson has been born one child, Galen Nashton.
In the spring of 1899 Mr. Dickson was elected to fill a vacancy in the second ward school board, and after a year of service was made president of the board. At the election in 1900 he was re-elected, and will serve as president for two more years. His efforts along educational lines have been of marked benefit to the com- munity, and he was instrumental in securing the erection of the high-school building. In na- tional politics Mr. Dickson is a Democrat. He is a member of the Christian Church, serving on the board of trustees, and as superintendent of the Sunday-school. Fraternally, he is associated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and with the Red Men.
A NDREW JORDAN HASWELL. The
pleasant home of Mr. Haswell is situated onthe southeast quarter of section 32, town- ship 10, range 3 west, Cleveland county. Within a few years this enterprising young man has ac- cumulated valuable property and has won a place of esteem in his community.
A son of Henry M. and Mary R. (Jackson) TTaswell, he was born in Granville county, N. C. July 2, 1864, and when about four years of age removed with the family to Pettis county, Mo.
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On farms near Lamont, Mo., and in Grayson county, Tex., he was reared to maturity, in the meantime thoroughly mastering agriculture in all its departments. After living in the last- named state for a year or more, he arrived at his majority, and, leaving home, went to the Chick- asaw Nation, where he rented land and devoted his energies to its cultivation.
April 22, 1889, Mr. Haswell made the race into Oklahoma, but was not successful in secur- ing a desirable claim. Not daunted, he soon bought his present homestead for $350, which left him with little for improvements. Cheered by the thought of a future home, he steadily labored, year by year, constantly adding to the value of his farm, and at last reaping a golden re- ward for his efforts. During this period his shelter was a humble dug-out, and he lived alone for seven years. In 1895 he built a commodious barn, 30x40 feet in dimensions, and about two years later erected a good house, 14x30 feet, with a wing 16x16 feet. In 1899 he purchased eighty acres of land in section 20, same township, and in the following year became the owner of another quarter section of land, this being lo- cated in the southeastern quarter of section 6, township 10, range 2. Thus, year by year, he has made material progress, and justly ranks among the thrifty business men of his community.
For a wife Mr. Haswell chose Miss Cora L. Bishop, an orphan, who was living in Cleveland county. Their marriage took place June 21, 1806, and one little daughter blesses their hearts and home. Junie Belle, as she is called, was born on the homestead April 26, 1897. Mrs. Haswell's parents, Samuel and Antoinette Bishop, died when she was young, and, conse- quently, she remembers little of her family his- tory. She is a native of Arkansas, and, like her husband, possesses a fair general education. He uses his ballot in favor of Democratic nominees, and is a member of the Norman Lodge of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In all of his dealings with others, he is noted for his in- tegrity, and among his neighbors his word is a perfect guarantee of good faith.
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