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 88
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stock raising until 1889, when appointed indus- trial teacher and farmer at the Indian school, which position he resigned in 1892. When the commissioners came west to purchase land from the Indians, they failed to come to any agree- ment until Mr. Murie had talked with his people. The commissioners mentioned him especially in their report. In 1891 he became lieutenant of police at the agency and served as such two years, when he was made interpreter. Later he engaged in the butchering business for J. H. Sherburne & Co., two years, and in 1897 entered the Arkansas Valley Bank as interpreter, but resigned the following year to become assistant bookkeeper and interpreter for the First National Bank, which position he has since so creditably and acceptably filled.
Mr. Murie married Miss Mary, daughter of Joseph Esau, who was an extensive stock dealer and belonged to an old and prominent Pawnee family. Mrs. Murie was born in Ne- braska and educated at the Pawnee school. She is the mother of four children: Wallace, Caro- line, Nora and Peter.
Fraternally Mr. Murie is a member of the Masonic Lodge No. 17, of Pawnee, and the Knights of Pythias; and religiously is an Episco- palian. In his political affiliations he is a Repub- lican. He has done much to advance the interests of his people, and takes a great interest in perpetuating the traditions and folk lore of the Pawnees, being connected in this work with Miss Alice C. Fletcher, he interpreting them to her through interviews with old members of the tribe.
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M ISS ALICE V. BEITMEN. Throughout the length and breadth of Oklahoma county there is no lady better known and none more popular than the efficient county superintendent of schools, Miss Beitmen. Iden- tified with the history of Oklahoma since its opening, she has been an important factor in the promotion of its educational progress. She was one of the first teachers in the Oklahoma City public schools and secretary of the first County Teachers' Association in this county, of which she has since been an active member and at one time served as president. Three other associa- tions for teachers in various parts of the county number her as a member. She is warmly inter- ested in the Territorial Teachers' Association. belongs to the National Association of Child Study and the National Education Association, attending the convention of the latter in Wash-, ington, D. C., in 1897. The teachers' institute and the institute for colored teachers have re- ceived the impetus of her encouragement. In the organization of the Territorial Association
of County Superintendents in 1897, she was deeply interested, and was elected its first secre- tary, which office she has since filled.
The prominence which Miss Beitmen has at- tained, through her efficiency in educational work, renders a sketch of her life peculiarly in- teresting. Remotely of German extraction, her father, David N. Beitmen, was a native of Penn- sylvania, and grew to manhood near Piqua, Miami county, Ohio, where he engaged in build- ing. He was an early settler and a prominent architect of Pontiac, Ill., where he had the con- tract for the state reformatory buildings and many other substantial blocks and private resi- dences. He died at fifty-seven years of age. His wife, Frances, was a daughter of Jacob Ullery, who went from Ohio to Pontiac, Ill., and after- wards settled at Pleasanton, Kans., where he died. His brother, Henry Ullery, was a noted preacher in Ohio, and another was a United States marshal in Cincinnati. Mrs. Frances Beitmen is now living in Perry, Okla. Of her children, Belle lives in Pontiac, Ill .; Charles is a student in the College of Physicians and Sur- geons in St. Louis; William is a farmer near Britton, Okla., and Thomas, who graduated from the normal school at Valparaiso, Ind., is farming near Perry, Okla.
In her native town of Pontiac, Miss Beitmen received a high-school education, subsequently attending the Cook County Normal School at Chicago, Ill., and gaining a thorough prepara- tion for her chosen life-work. She began her career as a teacher in Livingston county, Ill., where she taught a country school for four years, afterward becoming principal of the Dana schools. The latter position she resigned in order to accept that of first assistant in the high school at Odell, Il1. In 1888, on account of her mother's failing health, she accompanied her to Eldorado Springs, Mo. While at the Springs Miss Beitmen was appointed assistant principal of the schools there. At the opening of Okla- homa, in 1889, she joined her brother, Charles, at Britton, and filed a claim on a quarter-section adjoining his claim, while another brother, Wil- liam, took an adjoining quarter on section 19. All of these claims were proved up in due time.
Shortly after coming to Oklahoma City, Miss Beitmen opened a select school for young ladies. Her success in the enterprise was of such a character that attention was drawn to her as a superior educator, so that when the public schools of Oklahoma were first established she was asked to become one of the staff of teachers. In 1891 she became principal of the third ward school. At the opening of the Emerson school. she was made its principal. In 1894 she re- ceived, unsolicited, the nomination for county superintednent of schools on the Populist ticket.
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The election returns gave her a majority, but the official count defeated her election by thirty votes. Though urged to contest the election, she declined to do so. In 1896, while attending the Cook County Normal School, at Chicago, she was again nominated by the Populists, with the endorsement of the Democrats. She ac- cepted the nomination, immediately resigning as principal of the Emerson school, and entered actively upon campaign work. In the election she led the ticket, and was elected by a majority of four hundred and seventy-seven votes. In 1898 she was re-elected by a majority of about five hundred votes, and is still acceptably filling the office. Under her capable and energetic management, many improvements have been made in the country schools.
For four years Miss Beitmen was president of the Territorial Reading Circle Board, in which capacity she urged the organization of teachers' reading circles throughout Oklahoma. A course of study for institute work was also adopted, covering a period of three years, at the end of which time diplomas were to be given. A school library has been established in every school dis- trict of the county. A teachers' special library has been started, with Miss Beitmen as custo- dian. The funds for this library were raised by entertainments. District schools have been graded and diplomas given on graduation, forty- five having graduated from these schools since she became superintendent. Every department connected with the schools has been advanced. Work has been systematized, teachers have been encouraged to better qualify themselves for their responsible calling, and the welfare of pupils has been carefully considered.
Besides her connection with educational ac- tivities, Miss Beitmen has other movements at heart. She is a charter member of the Library Association of Oklahoma City and is a firm be- liever in the value of free reading-rooms. At one time she was an officer in the Order of Re- bekahs, of which she is a charter member. She is also identified with the Woman's Relief Corps. Connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Epworth League, she is a worker in each. All in all, her interests are varied and im- portant, and her reputation is that of a success- ful educator, a progressive worker and a con- tributor to movements whose importance is beyond question.
J OHN A. KELSCH. This well-known and thoroughly enterprising citizen of Okla- homa is of sterling German stock, and pos- sesses the numerous admirable qualities of that race. His father, Nicholas Kelsch, was a native of Germany, and when he was seventeen years
old emigrated to the United States. Settling near Millhausen, Ind., he engaged in farming there for some years. His aged father died at Lawrenceburg, about sixty miles distant. Later the younger man became one of the carly settlers of Peoria, Ill., where he was employed in a distil- lery for a period. Subsequently he purchased a quarter-section farm, situated sixteen miles west of Peoria, and there continued to cultivate the place until 1882. He then removed to Reno county, Kan., where he bought and improved a homestead, and is yet living. He is hale and well. though he has attained the advanced age of eighty-six years. His brother, Michael Kelsch, of Effingham county, Ill., died when in his ninety-seventh year. By his first marriage. Nicholas Kelsch had five children, all but one of whom survive. Adam, who served in an Illi- nois regiment during the Civil war, is still a resi- dent of the prairie state. Eleven children were born to Nicholas and Frances Kelsch (the sec- ond wife), and nine of the number are yet living. The mother is in her seventy-seventh year.
The birth of John Adam Kelsch took place in Peoria, Ill., December 28, 1856, and until he was fifteen years of age he lived upon a farm. He then went to Peoria, where he worked for an elder brother six years, in the meantime thor- oughly mastering the details of the brick-manti- facturing business. In the spring of 1881 he located in Wichita, Kan., where he engaged in the same line of business in partnership with his brother Benjamin. They were very successful, and for ten years manufactured four million bricks annually. They then dissolved their partnership, the brother going to El Reno, where he embarked in the same line of business on his own account, while our subject went to Wichita Falls, Tex., and entered into the employ of Miles O'Riley, with whom he remained until January 12, 1894, when he located in Oklahonia City. He had previously come to this locality the day the territory was opened to white set- tlers, but did not find property which he consid- ered desirable, and therefore went to Texas. Since the beginning of 1894 he has conducted a brick yard here, leasing the same for the first three years, and then purchasing eleven acres of fine brick clay lands. The plant is known as Kelsch's West End brick yards, and is well equipped with up-draft kilns, a forty-horse power steam engine and other modern machin- ery. The capacity of the plant is twenty-five thousand bricks every ten hours, and a fine trade has been built up by the energetic proprietor. In 1899 he embarked in another enterprise. the Southwestern Marble & Granite Works. at No. 226 Reno avenue, but sold his interest a year later.
In Peoria. Ill., October 19, 1880, Mr. Kelsch
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married Frances, daughter of John Linnemann, a native of that city, in which place her father was engaged in the dairy business. The only child born to our subject and wife is Edna, who was graduated from the city high school here in 1899, and from the local business college in 1900.
Mr. Kelsch built a modern, attractive residence on West Reno avenue in 1897, and has sur- rounded his family with many of the luxuries, as well as the necessities of life. He is a men- ber of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Woodmen of the World, the Sons of Her- man, and St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church. Politically he is identified with the Democratic party.
F. J. McGLINCHEY, who has had a most interesting business career, located in Oklahoma City at the opening and is now a leading dry-goods merchant of that place. He was born at Calais, Me., October 7, 1855, and is a son of John and Mary McGlinchey. His grandfather was a dry-goods merchant of St. John, New Brunswick, and his father, who was born in that city, followed the same line of business, removing to the state of Maine, where he died. His wife, Mary, also died in Maine. They were the parents of five sons and one daughter. All of the sons engaged in the dry- goods business, an occupation in which the fam - ily engaged for some generations back.
F. J. McGlinchey, the fourth youngest of the children born to his parents, was eleven years of age when he went on a coasting trip in the West India trade, and he continued in the coast- ing trade until he was nineteen years old, attend- ing_school whenever possible in the meantime. He also clerked some and at the time he left the sea was serving as second officer of a three- mast schooner. In 1876 he came west to Chi- cago, Ill., where he was employed by Marshall Field & Co. as clerk for one year, and he then went to the Black Hills. For a time he pros- pected in mining and later worked in the news- paper office of Charles Collins, who was his benefactor for some years. He served as the first postmaster of Sturgis City, and later was editor of the Bismarck Champion.
Mr. Collins owned the town site of Brule City, opposite the White river, and our subject went there with him to build a railroad, but they ceased operations, as it was not proving the success they had predicted. While there they organized Brule county, S. D., and our subject · served as clerk of the court. He located in Kan- sas City in 1880, and as traveling salesman for Bullene, Moore & Emery, traveled in Missouri for some years. Subsequently he became iden-
tified with the W. B. Grimes Company, and in the meantime engaged in a successful real- estate business.
On the Saturday before Oklahoma was opened to settlement Mr. McGlinchey decided to make the run. On the 22nd of April he arrived in Guthrie on the third train and immediately lo- cated a lot. Edibles and drink were luxuries, and all suffered more or less from pangs of hun- ger. Water at first sold at ten cents per cup. but was later reduced to five cents, and lemonade was also dispensed to the thirsty at a propor- tionate price, the quality of which may readily be imagined from the reputed ratio of one lemon to a barrel of water. The wind storm that oc- curred the next day discouraged Mr. Mc- Glinchey, who gave up his lot and departed for Oklahoma City. After his arrival here he sent for a car load of groceries, which arrived just as all other provisions were exhausted. They were piled on the grass in Main street, and in two hours they were sold, and orders taken for three more car loads.
With Mr. Dowden, under the firm name of the Dowden-McGlinchey Mercantile Company, he built a frame building 25x140 feet, and en- gaged in the wholesale grocery business. Six months later they incorporated under the laws of Missouri, with Mr. Dowden as president and our subject as secretary and treasurer, it being the first incorporated company to operate in the territory. Their trade extended all over Okla- homa, coming from as far east as Indian Terri- tory, west as far as it was settled and south from the Texas line, the wagons being lined up similar to those at the markets in large cities. Eighteen months later our subiect sold out to Mr. Williamson, the firm becoming Dowden & Williamson, and is now Williamson, Halsell & Frazer, the largest wholesale grocery establish- ment in Oklahoma. Mr. McGlinchey then em- barked in the dry-goods business, and has since continued with marked success. He recalls many of the exciting incidents which happened just subsequent to the opening, one of which regards the irregularity of Grand avenue. The St. Louis & San Francisco railroad stationed men to pro- tect their desired right of way, but their plans met with decided opposition, and both sides secured civil engineers and had the land sur- veyed. A meeting was called by the citizens after many threats had been made, and it came to a question of fight or compromise. The latter course was decided upon, and A. C. Scott ap- pointed the two engineers and one other to report the matter to a temporary mayor and council who were chosen for a week. Matters were adjusted satisfactorily, but the irregularity in Grand avenue is a permanent reminder of the dispute. Our subject built the MeGlinchey
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building, two stories high and 25x140 feet, one of the modern and best equipped buildings in the city. In it is located his store, and also the office of the Bradstreet Mercantile Agency, the only office of that firm between Kansas City and Texas. He also owns other valuable property here.
Mr. McGlinchey was united in marriage with: Jessie Klein, who was born at Harrisburg, Pa., and is a sister-in-law of Captain Delancy, who was the first receiver of the land office in Okla- homa. They have one child, Mary. He was one of the five organizers of the Commercial Club, and served as its first vice-president and is still an active member. He is one of the enterprising spirits of the city and takes an earnest interest in all public improvements. In politics he is independent.
C SCAR G. LEE, a prominent real estate owner of Oklahoma City, now has under process of construction Hotel Lee, on the corner of Broadway and Main streets, which, when completed, will surpass any other hotel in Oklahoma, both in point of size and in all its appointments. He was extensively engaged in buying and selling real estate at Shawnee for a number of years and held a high rank among the citizens of that place, erecting many fine busi- ness blocks and residences there, and contrib- uting very largely toward its upbuilding.
Mr. Lee was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, Decem- ber 4, 1863, and is a son of J. M. and Marie (Essex) Lee. His paternal grandfather came from Virginia, and was a brother of Green Lee of Indiana. He himself was an early settler of Indiana, where he was a farmer and stockman, but later established his home in Mahaska coun- ty, Iowa, and continued farming and stock rais- ing. In time he became the largest stock-dealer in his section, driving his stock to the Mississippi river, where they were shipped. He died at the age of fifty years. J. M. Lee was born in Bar- tholomew county, Ind., and became a farmer and stock dealer of Ottumwa, Iowa. from which point he shipped extensively. In 1889 he settled in Kingfisher county, Okla., and embarked in farm pursuits, also at one time served as county treasurer of Kingfisher county. At this writing he makes his home in Indianapolis, Ind. His wife was born near Columbus, Ind., her father a Pennsylvanian by birth, having been an early settler of Indiana. J. M. Lee and wife were the parents of seven children, namely: O. G .: George, who lives in Trenton, Mo .; Harley, of Kingfisher, Okla .: Burnum, who is, in the em- ploy of his oldest brother in Oklahoma City; Harker, of Kingfisher; Mrs. Melda E. Majors,
of Ottumwa, Iowa; and Mrs. Nellie Bracken, of Kingfisher.
When a boy Oscar G. Lee attended the public schools at Ottumwa, Iowa. From the age of fourteen to twenty years he assisted his father in buying and shipping cattle. Settling at Cold- water, Comanche county, Kans .. in 1884, he purchased government land which he improved, but one year later sold out and removed to Col- orado. He and a few friends started Boston (then Baca) county, and laid out a Government town site sixty miles south of the Santa Fe Rail- road, building up the town to fifteen hundred inhabitants. At first success crowned his efforts. but after a-time a drouth ruined his business and he lost his all.
At the opening of Oklahoma, Mr. Lee came here to begin anew. April 22, 1889, he entered the territory, but found everything taken. He came to Oklahoma City April 23, purchased a lot for $2, and two days later sold it for $65. He then purchased another lot for $200, which he subsequently sold for $1,200, and from that time on he has engaged in buying, improving, renting and selling property. In 1894-95, when the Choctaw Railroad was being built. he went to Shawnee and bought the first lots that were sold on Main street. Soon he became the larg- est lot owner in the town, buying and selling many lots and building and selling many resi- dences. He identified himself with all improve- ments and did much toward local development. He took the lead in securing the Choctaw, Oklahoma & Gulf railroad shops for the town, built and owned the Shawnee National Bank building, the three-story Oakland Hotel, and ten store buildings.
Having sold out the greater portion of his interests in Shawnee, in March, 1899, Mr. Lee returned to Oklahoma City and engaged in the real-estate business. In June, 1899, he drew up plans for the Hotel Lee, which were perfected in minor details by Win. Gall, the architect. In August the foundation was built on the lots which he had purchased in 1892, and on which small stores were standing. The building fronts one hundred and forty feet on Broadway and one hundred and ten feet on Main, is six stories high. including basement, and is constructed of pressed brick. It is arranged for seven stores, with one hundred rooms for hotel purposes, thirty of which have bath room connections. The im- provements are modern throughout, making the hotel by far the finest in Oklahoma and the equal of any in the Southwest. It is equipped with an elevator, steam heat, light from its own electrical plant, and a laundry. Mr. Lee owns much va !- uable property here and does considerable build- ing for the purpose of selling. He is a man of strong personal characteristics, and is held in
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the highest esteem by the citizens of Oklahoma City.
At North Haven, Conn., Mr. Lee was united in marriage with Miss Adelaide M. Murray, who was born in New York City and is a daughter of the late Dr. Murray of that city. She received a superior education in eastern schools. In ad- dition to possessing literary ability, she is an accomplished musician and a fine vocalist. She is an active member of the Episcopal Church. Our subject is a strong Republican, and was the first county clerk of Pottawatomie county, being appointed by Governor Steele. He held that office ten months, and then resigned to go to Oklahoma City, where a week later he was ap- pointed chief of police. In 1893 he represented Oklahoma as a member of the Secret Service Force of Four Hundred for duty at the World's Columbian Exposition. Resigning as chief of police to accept that position, he went to Chicago and served in an efficient manner until Septem- ber, 1893, receiving a high recommendation from Chief Bonfield. He resigned to return to Oklahoma at the opening of the Cherokee strip, remained there a few days only and then came back to Oklahoma City. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias.
J OHN WILLIAM OFFIELD, who was formerly engaged in the wholesale mneat business in Oklahoma City, disposed of his large interests here in 1900, and January I, 1901, returned to his farm, fifteen miles northwest of the city, where he now gives his attention to farming and the stock business.
Mr. Offield was born in Livingston county, Mo., June 12, 1860, and is a son of Jesse and Jane (Gann) Offield, and grandson of Lewis Offield, who was born in Virginia, but spent most of his life in Illinois. Jesse Offield was born in Virginia, and located in Illinois with his father, taking up the trade of a blacksmith. Sub- sequently he settled in Missouri, and followed his trade there until his death, in 1860. His wife was born in Tennessee; her father, Abraham Gann, who was a farmer in that state for some years, removed from there to Missouri, and finally settled in Kansas, dying near Louisville, in that state. Mrs. Offield is now living in the Indian Territory. Of her five children, four are living, one of them, Thomas, residing in Okla- homa City.
John William Offield lived in Missouri until he was sixteen years of age, meantime working upon the home farm and attending public school. In 1876 he settled near Louisville, Pottawatomie county, Kans., where he worked upon a farm one year. The following winter he spent in Mis- souri, and in 1877 went to Collin county, Tex.,
where he engaged in farming one year. He then farmed in Wise county, that state, until 1879, when he went to western Texas and em- barked in the cattle business on a ranch sixteen miles north of Seymour. . In 1886, at Mobeta, Tex., he was struck by lightning while riding on the plains. His horse was killed and fell upon him, rendering him unconscious for a pe- riod of ten days. He was found lying face up- wards, and his man rode to the government post for assistance. He was thought to be dead, and a coroner's jury summoned. This is a distinction which, happily, has been experienced by but few men, and it received wide newspaper notice throughout the country. Fortunately, he was discovered to be alive before too late, and was taken to Fort Elliott (now Mobeta), Tex., and placed in the hospital. He regained conscious- ness in ten days, and by careful nursing was fully recovered within two years, a deep scar on the head being the only evidence left of his terrible misfortune. He was wearing a new, heavy, tan- colored felt hat, which was riddled. as if torn by a shell, and this he still has in his possession
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