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 52
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Born and reared upon a Kentucky farm, in Fayette county, D. B. Jones did not have very fine educational advantages, but when he was
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seventeen years of age, in 1870, he removed to Lexington; Mo., with his parents, and for two years pursued his studies in the Kansas City high school. Later he equipped himself for the busi- ness world by taking a course of instruction in Spaulding's Commercial College. Soon after- ward he embarked in the live stock business, and at the same time devoted some attention to farm- ing.
In 1875 D. B. Jones returned to his native state, where he remained for about five years, in the meantime being united in marriage with Miss Katherine Smith, of Harrison county, Ky., the ceremony being solemnized May 25, 1876. They are the parents of two children, Ida and Clarence, both born in Jackson county, Mo. The daughter, who is an accomplished young lady and a graduate of the Perry high school, class of '99, became the wife of Bert Pratt, August 15, 1900.
From 1880 to 1893 Mr. Jones was a resident , a graduate of the University of Miclugan; of Jackson county, Mo., and for the past seven George C. is a graduate of the College of Physi- cians and Surgeons, of Chicago, and is living in Winchester, Ill .; D. D., Jr., is also a gradu- ate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, of Chicago, and is practicing with his brother in Perry. years has been a citizen of Perry. He made the race to this place when it was opened to settle- ment by the general public, but did not secure a lot in this town, as he had hoped to do. He soon, however, embarked in the hardware busi- ness here, and later dealt extensively in local real estate. He then became interested in the cotton and grain business, in partnership with Mr. Coyle, and established an elevator and cot- ton-gin here. For three years or more he was actively connected with the two lines of business, after which he returned to his former occupation of dealing in live stock, in which he meets with marked success.
The first quarterly conference of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church South, in this section, was held in Mr. Jones' house, his present home, which, however, then had but two rooms, and the meeting was conducted by J. M. Gross, the pre- siding elder. For a quarter of a century Mr. Jones has been a member and a steward in the denomination mentioned, and his wife and two children also are earnest workers in the church. In political faith he is a Democrat, and frater- nally he is identified with the Woodmen of the World.
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W ILLIAM B. BRENGLE, M. D. Previ- ous to locating in Perry, in 1893, Dr. Brengle led a somewhat eventful life, and more on the comprehensive order than falls to the lot of the average practitioner. In the pur- suit of a desirable permanent location he vis- ited various parts of the country, and became particularly familiar with conditions existing in the far 'west. The breadth of mind thus ac- quired and the general information stored up
for future application, have been of incalculable benefit to him in the later pursuit of his pro- fession.
To a certain degree the doctor inherits his particular aptitude for his chosen life work, his father having been a prominent physician, and many of his ancestors associating themselves with the professions. He was born in Win- chester, Scott county, Ill., January 7, 1853, and is a son of Dr. D. D. Brengle, a native ot Ger- many, and a graduate of Heidelberg University. He came to America and settled in Winchester, Ill., where for sixty years he was foremost in medical circles of his locality, and where he is living at the present time, at the age of eighty- three years. The mother, formerly Miranda Vivian Muir, was born in Kentucky, and died in Illinois. She became the mother of four sons and two daughters. All of the sons are physi- cians. Oscar is practicing in Australia, and is
The early education of Dr. Brengle was re- ceived in his native town, and he graduated from the high school in 1870. He later studied in the State University at Columbus, Mo., for two years, when he entered the Rush Medical Col- lege, at Chicago, and was graduated in 1879. His first field of practice was the town of his birth, Winchester, Ill., and subsequently located in Wellington, Kans., where he practiced until 1886. He then went to the far west, and for a year practiced his profession in Los Angeles. Cal., going thence to Seattle, Wash., where he lived until 1891. His next venture was in San Francisco, and in 1892 he went to Cripple Creek, where he combined medicine and mining, and opened a drug store.
The possibilities of life in Oklahoma appealed to the ambitious expectations of Dr. Brengle. and he made the run in September of 1893. and located in Perry. For the first three years he carried on a drug store, but this he sold in order to devote his entire time to his profession. In addition to a general practice, he makes a spe- cialty of the treatment of catarrh, to the ameli- oration of which he has given much time and study, and towards the better understanding of which he is able to contribute the results of val- table and satisfactory research. He is also interested in and successfully treats pulmonary disorders, and has special apparatus for the car- rying out of his methods. Since living in Perry. he has added to his own comfort and to the ap- pearance of the town by erecting a substantial
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residence. He is a great admirer of the noble friend of man, the horse, and is justifiably proud of his blooded stock.
In Albion, Neb., Dr. Brengle married Grace Little, born in North Henderson, Ill. Of this union there is one child, Vivian. In politics the doctor is a stanch Republican, and has never deviated from the straight and narrow path bounded by Republican principles. His fraternal relations are with the Knights of Pythias, the Red Men and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is popular among the residents of his adopted town, and has gained the confidence and good-will of all who appreci- ate his skill and devotion to the best tenets of his profession.
J. F. CORDELL. It is doubtful if any man in the city of Perry is more deserving of a partial relaxation from the arduous re- sponsibilities of business life than is Mr. Cor- dell. Since coming to Oklahoma he has specu- lated somewhat, and evinced commendable in- terest in the welfare of his adopted town, but has otherwise lived in the comfortable sur- roundings of his handsome home, one of. the finest architectural examples in the city, an ex- istence somewhat remote, by reason of its peace- ful nature, from the more thrilling memories of the past.
The ancestry of the Cordell family is traced back to St. John Cordelle of France, the latter- day descendants having dropped the final "e." The paternal great-grandfather came from Lor- raine, France, and settled in Virginia, to which state his descendants have since given alle- giance. J. F. Cordell was here born in Loudoun county, September 27, 1838, and there also were born his father, Adam, and his mother, Susan (Slater) Cordell. The former was, during the years of his activity, a farmer, and the latter was a daughter of Samuel Slater, a farmer. The Slater family is of German descent, and the great-grandfather was a soldier in the Revolu- tionary war. There were eleven children in the family of which J. F. Cordell is a member, he being sixth and the only one in Oklahoma. A younger brother, Jacob, who is now living in Virginia, was, during the war, in the Loudoun Rangers, Union troops, and was severely wounded at the battle of Leesburg.
The early life of Mr. Cordell was passed on his father's farm in Virginia, and his education acquired at the early subscription schools. When fourteen years of age his boyhood days were filled with sorrow on account of the death of his mother, and he was early thrown on his own responsibilities. He prepared himseit for future independence by learning the carpenter's
trade, and later learned to be a shoemaker. This combination of labor furnished a variety of oc- cupation, for during the summer time he built houses and during the winter made shoes. In 1859 he removed to Ashland, Ashland county, Ohio, and followed his trades until the breaking out of the war.
Few have a war record as prolific of interest and adventure as that of Mr. Cordell. April 17, 1861, he volunteered in Company B, Sixteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and during the first three months of the service participated in the battles of Philippi, Laurel Hill, Rich Mountain and Garrick's Ford, and was mustered out Au- gust 18, 1861. After a short time spent at home. he re-enlisted, September 10, in Battery D, First Ohio Light Artillery, for three years, as a pri- vate. Later he was promoted to be corporal and chief of cassine. January 5, 1864, he again enlisted for three years at Strawberry Plains, in East Tennessee, and was raised to the rank of gunner. He was mustered out at Cleveland, Ohio, July 15, 1865. He was with General Nel- son in the engagement at Piketown, in eastern Kentucky, then returned to Louisville, through to Munfordville, Ky., thence to Columbia, Tenn., the battle of Shiloh, siege of Corinth, Iuka, and in Nashville, Murfreesboro, Munfordville, at which latter place General Wilder surrendered after a four days' engagement. They had only five thousand and fifty men against Bragg's sixty-five thousand soldiers. After being pa- roled and exchanged, he returned to Louisville, and was in the battle of Knoxville, August 3, 1863. They then marched sixty-five miles to Cumberland Gap and captured it with all its equipments, and returned to Knoxville. Then followed the battle of Marysville, after which they returned to Knoxville. The siege lasted for twenty-one days, after which he took part in Longstreet's charge, repulsed the rebels, and followed them up the valley. Then followed the battles of Bean's Station, Lenore Station, and the conflict on Strawberry Plains, when they were relieved by Sherman's men. He then marched one hundred and fifty miles to Lexing- ton, Ky., and returned home for a thirty days' furlough. Upon returning to Knoxville, he marched with his regiment to Buzzard's Roost, Ga., and helped to take Dalton. The battle of Resaca followed, and the battles of Cartersville, Lost Mountain, Burnt Hickory, Zera's Church, Blaine's Cross Roads, Little Kenesaw Moun- tain, Lovejoy Station, Chattahoochee River, bat- tle of Decatur, and the siege of Atlanta, which lasted from July 20 to the 22nd, and in which McPherson was killed.
During all of these engagements the artillery of which Mr. Cordell was a member did most effectual work. After the battle of Jonesboro,
ZACHARIAH HAGIN, Payne County.
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
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they returned to Decatur, in pursuit of Hood, who ran around them, and they followed to Al- toona Pass, and Rome, Ga., capturing two pieces of artillery, and taking the train at Dalton for Nashville, and then to Pulaski, Tenn., where he remained until they found Hood was coming in on the Savannah Pike. The line was headed off at Columbia, Tenn., and a three days' fight ensued. At the battle of Franklin, Hood's army was demoralized, thirty-two stands of colors were captured, and twelve generals and line officers were killed. After the battle of Nashville, which lasted for two days, Hood was entirely used up, and followed the remnant back to Tennessee. Mr. Cordell then assisted in the capture of Fort Anderson, and took ninety-one guns unspiked, and at the battle of Town Creek, N. C., captured three hundred and seventy-five prisoners and two pieces of artillery. They helped to take Wilmington, N. C., and repulsed the enemy at Goldsboro, and at Raleigh witnessed the sur- render of Johnston. They then marched to Greensboro, and assumed charge of all the guns and ammunition. Mr. Cordell was twice wounded. Once, when on the way to Fort Fisher to visit his family in Loudoun county, he was captured by General Mosby's men, but succeeded in making his escape at sundown, and before 10.40 that night had walked twenty- eight miles to the home of his sister.
After the war, Mr. Cordell went back to Ash- land, and for a time was foreman for William Walston, a shoe dealer. and continued in the occupation until 1868, when he located at Pleas- ant Hill, Mo., and went into the shoe business for himself, in which he was interested for eight- een years. At the same time he had stores at Butler and Harrisonville, Mo., and was also traveling salesman for Appleton, Noyes & Co. In 1888 he traded out his business for lands and real estate in `Cass county, Mo., and Sumner county, Kans. April 22, 1889, he came to Okla- homa and settled on a claim three miles south of Oklahoma City. After proving up at the end of two years, he clerked in Oklahoma City for a time, and then retired to Missouri to look after his interests there. In September of 1893 he came to Perry, which has since been his abid- ing place. His residence was constructed in 1808, and he is also the possessor of a house in Wellington, Kans.
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The first wife . of Mr. Cordell was Jane Thomas, a native of Ashland, where she died. Of this union there were two children, William, a business man of Ashland, and Mrs. Mary C Moore, also of Ashland. By his union with Frances Stoneburner, Mr. Cordell had one child. now living. John F .. of Kansas City. The third Mrs. Cordell was formerly Rozella Boles, a na- tive of Missouri, and a daughter of T. J. Boles,
a veteran of the Civil war. Three children are the result of this union, Orville McKinley, Er- nest Dewey and Teddy. Mr. Cordell has taken an important part in the undertakings of the Republican party, and has a firm conviction as to the justice of its principles and issues. He has been a delegate to various county and terri- torial conventions, and has served on the school board with credit to himself and to the com- munity. As a member of the building cominit- tee, and chairman of the same, he was instru- mental in securing the erection of better buildings. He was made a Mason in Perry, and belongs to Chapter No. 15, R. A. M., and Com- mandery No. 5, K. T. He is also associated with the Grand Army of the Republic at Perry, being officer of the day, and is past commander in Missouri. In religious affiliation he is a Lu- theran, and contributes generously toward the support of the church.
Z: ACHARIAH HAGIN. The ancestry of the Hagin' family is Irish, and the first member in America was Greenbury Hagin. the father of Zachariah, who, upon coming to the United States during the latter part of the last century, settled in Kentucky. He was an indus- trious and worthy citizen, and an enterprising farmer, and fought with courage in the war of 1812. He was with Jackson at the battle of New Orleans, and had quite an interesting war record. His wife, formerly Etta George, was a helpmate to her husband and a devoted mother. When her son Zachariah was nine years of age, the family removed to a farm in Washington county, Iowa, and from there to Hardin county, same state, where they remained until 1856. The father died in North Dakota in 1887, at the age of over one hundred years.
Zachariah Hagin was born in Kentucky in 1835, and spent his boyhood days on his father's farm. He had fair educational advantages at the public schools, and carly evinced a deter- mination to shift for himself. In 1856 he went to Minnesota, and from there, in 1858, to Ne- braska, where he farmed until the breaking out of the war. He served his country as a member of Company A, First Dakota Cavalry, and served for three years, three months, and one day, or from February 8, 1862, until May 6, 1865. The greater part of his service was spent in doing frontier duty with the Indians. After being mus- tered out in Vermilion, S. D., he continued to remain in the state until 1870, after which he removed to Cloud county, Kans., and purchased a farm, which he eventually sold, after taking to his residence in Oklahoma.
While living in Dakota, Mr. Hagin was mar- ried, in 1865, to Eliza J. Oliver, a daughter of
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Lewis and Catherine Oliver, farmers of Dakota. Of this union there have been six children, of whom the sons are, like their father, prosperous farmers and men of good standing in the com- munity. Lewis is living just south of his father, on a well-improved claim, which he secured at the opening in 1889. William has a home west of his father, also on a well-improved claim. Frank married Iva Hatcher and farms a tract west of the homestead. Rosie married Woodson Davis, a farmer of Payne county. Clara and Sadie are living at home.
The claim of Mr. Hagin is located on section 8, township 18, range I east, Payne county, and is fitted with many modern devices for comfort and convenience. There is a fine house of one and a half stories, containing seven rooms, and the land is resourceful and well fenced. In reli- gious circles Mr. and Mrs. Hagin are promi- nent and are associated with the undertakings of the Baptist Church. The meetings of the church are held in the schoolhouse, which is located on Mr. Hagin's farm. Mr. Hagin is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic at Mulhail. He is respected for his many excellent qualities of heart, and for the generosity which impels him to such active interest in the all-around develop- ment and well-being of the locality.
JAMES F. DENTON. In his capacity of banker and reliable and enterprising citizen, Mr. Denton has made a perceptible impres- sion upon the growth of his adopted town of Blackwell. A native of Bath county, Ky., he was born in 1841, and is a son of William and Catherine (Barber) Denton, who were born in Kentucky. The father died in Eik county, Kans., in February of 1886, and the mother died in Kentucky.
The early life of Mr. Denton was of an un- eventful nature, and his duties on his father's farm were interspersed, as opportunity offered, with attendance at the district school. His twen- tieth year was the opening of the real responsi- bility of his life, when he enlisted in the Union army at Olypion Springs, serving his country for sixty days. At the end of that time he re- enlisted in Company D, and served until the close of the war, participating in the battle of Shiloh, the siege of Corinth and Frankfort, and considerable guerrilla warfare. He was dis- charged in February of 1865.
After the war, Mr. Denton returned to his former home in Kentucky, but soon removed to Christian county, Ill., where he lived on a farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits for six and one-half years. In 1871 he removed to Elk county, Kans., where he continued his farming interests, and attained to considerable
prominence in the community. He was a stock- raiser and a large land-owner. At the present time he owns one thousand and seven hundred acres of land in Elk county, a portion of which he rents. While living in Kansas he was a di- rector of the First National Bank of Howard.
Since coming to Oklahoma, Mr. Denton has spent his entire time in Blackwell, and has fron: the first been interested in the Bank of Black- well, of which he was made president September 14, 1900. The capital stock of the bank is $20,000, with an average deposit of $60,000. He devotes his entire time to the affairs of the bank. and he is regarded as in every way fitted for the responsible position.
Mis. Denton was formerly Elizabeth Baird. and her marriage to Mr. Denton occurred March 27, 1865. She is a daughter of H. and Jane Baird, who were born in Kentucky. Of this union there have been two children, George W. and William H. At the time of the opening of the territory the sons of Mr. Denton made the run from the state line and secured two good farms south of Blackwell.
In line with his general interest in the up- building of the city, Mr. Denton has erected a handsome residence which is a credit to the locality in which it is situated. In politics he is a Republican, and has great faith in the issues and undertakings of his party. He has never been an office-seeker, being content to leave to others the manipulation of the political machin- ery. In the Methodist Episcopal Church he is an active worker and generous contributor, and is noticeably prominent in local religious mat- ters. He is regarded as a man of unswerving integrity, and disinterestedly ambitious for the general advancement of the city.
T HOMAS A. VAUGHN, who for some time was a well-known business man and agri- culturist of Kingfisher county, is now a member of the Kerfoot, Miller & Vaughn Wholesale Dry Goods Company, of Oklahoma City. He was born in Andrew county, Mo .. in 1854. His father, Thomas Vaughn. a na- tive of Kentucky, went to Missouri in 1818. and settled in Clay county. He spent all of his active life in Clay and Andrew counties (where he was largely engaged in farming and stock-raising), except during the war, when he lived in Nebraska and Iowa. In 1892 he died. at the age of eighty-four years, in Colorado. whither he had gone to live with his son. He married Hannah Brown, who became the moth- er of the following named children: George, a merchant at Wray, Colo. : Enos, a lumber dealer in Wray, Colo .: Thomas A .; Sarah, the wife of J. T. Pennington of Durango, Colo .; Eliza, the
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wife of Thomas Lloyd, of Wray, Colo .; and Mattie J., the wife of Samuel Harger, a merchant of Wray, Colo.
The early days of Thomas A. Vaughn were spent in Missouri, and he was educated in the Stewartsville (Mo.) Seminary, after which he taught school in DeKalb, Andrew, Gentry and Nodaway counties for seven years. A mercan- tile venture was next undertaken in Maryville. Mo., for seven years, a specialty being made of groceries. In 1886 he went to Kansas, and opened a general store at Fargo Springs, which he conducted for two years, subsequently con- tinuing in the same line at Liberal, Kans., for one year.
In 1889 Mr. Vaughn made the run on the famous day of April 22, riding a horse named Prince, which is still in the possession of the family. He was fortunate in securing the claim upon which he has since resided, and filed his claim April 25, of the same month. The first improvement was a log house, after the erection of which he returned to Kansas, and brought his family and household goods in August, 1889. The further improvement of the place was at once begun, and one hundred and thirty acres put under the plow. In 1894 he erected a com- modious and comfortable house, which by many is considered the finest farmhouse in the terri- tory. It is 18x40 and 24x30 feet in dimensions.
In the fall of 1889 Mr. Vaughn, moved his store from Liberal, Kans., to the town of King- fisher, and opened up with a complete line of general merchandise, which enterprise he con- ducted until 1898. . At the same time he lived on the farm, and superintended its management. He made a specialty of cattle, and usually had as high as four hundred head, among them many Herefords and some registered stock. Mr. Vaughn also leased one and one-half sections of land for farming and grazing, and of this three hundred and fifty acres were devoted to wheat and one hundred acres to forage and corn. Alto- gether about five hundred acres were devoted to farming, the balance to grazing. On the place is a good orchard, which contains one thousand fruit-bearing trees of all kinds. one thousand grape vines, and other small fruits in proportion. The buildings are of the modern and up-to-date kind.
The firm of which Mr. Vaughn is a member was the first wholesale dry-goods house estab- lished in the territory. They are located on the corner of First and Robinson streets, Oklahoma City. Through energy and wise judgment, they have built up a large trade and at this writing have a day and night force engaged in the filling of orders.
In 188t occurred the marriage of Mr. Vaughn and Lucy Saunders, who was born in Nodaway
county, Mo., and is a daughter of William Saun- ders, an early settler from Kentucky. To Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn have been born three chil- dren: Blanche, Lulu, and Byron. Mr. Vaughn has been very successful since taking up his residence in the territory, and is accounted one of the most enterprising citizens of his locality.
J. I H. WEDEMEYER, president of the Lion Mercantile Company, the largest dry-goods establishment in Oklahoma, is one of the most enterprising and progressive business men of Oklahoma City. He was born in. Racine, Wis., September 20, 1859, and is a son of Henry F. and Katherine (Pelke) Wedemeyer. His father was born in Hamburg, Germany, where he learned the trade of a glazier, and when a young man he came to America. For a time he engaged in the sugar refining business, but after his marriage he settled in Racine, Wis., where he became a lumberman. Subsequently he became a merchant of that city, in which occupation he continued until his retirement. He died when seventy years and six months old. His wife, Katherine Pelke, was born in Osnabrueck. Ger- many, and died in Racine, Wis. They had four daughters and one son who grew to maturity and are now living.
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