Among the progressive and wide-awake young business men of Haskell is numbered John McLemore, a native son of Oklahoma, who has been an important factor in developing the oil fields of this section of the state and also has financial and real estate interests. He was born at Arthur, near Duncan, Oklahoma, March 9, 1892, of the marriage of Albert and Lizzie (Ligon) McLemore, the former a native of Dade county, Missouri, while the latter was born in Illinois. The father came to this state in territorial days, establishing his home near Duncan, in what was then known as Indian Territory, in 1888. There he followed agricultural pursuits until 1896, when he removed to Tahlequah, where he resided until March, 1898, and then made his way to Stonebluff, in which town he was assassinated on the 16th of March, 1909. The mother passed away on the 31st of January, 1912.
John McLemore was reared and educated at Bacone, three miles north of Muskogee, and was sixteen years of age at the time of his father’s death. In partnership with his brother he continued to operate the home farm until March, 1916, when he came to Haskell. In this locality he also engaged in farming but subsequently disposed of all of his stock and on March 15, 1919, purchased an interest in the Creek Land & Loan Company, which had been organized by Frank R. Glascock and his two daughters, Nellie C. and Sarah S. He and B. K. Williams now own that concern. He also owns about six hundred acres of land, which he leases profitably. He is a stockholder and director of the Haskell National Bank, also has large oil holdings, and it was largely through his efforts that the Stonebluff oil field was developed. He displays marked business sagacity for one of his years and through the capable management of his interests has already advanced to a substantial point on the highroad to success.
At Muskogee, Oklahoma, on the 8th of November, 1912, Mr. McLemore was united in marriage to Miss Grace Hendrickson, a daughter of Andrew and Mary (Morgan) Hendrickson, natives of Kentucky and pioneers of Kansas and Oklahoma. Her father was one of the early agriculturists of Okmulgee county and there passed away in April, 1914. Her mother still resides on the home farm. Mr. and Mrs. McLemore have become the parents of four children : Helen May, who was born August 19, 1913 ; Ernestine, born April 30, 1916 ; Margaret N., born April 27, 1918; and Hilda Jean, born October 23, 1920. Mrs. McLemore is a native of the Blue Grass state and was born May 6, 1892.
Mr. McLemore is independent in his political views, reserving the right to vote according to the dictates of his judgment, and he has been called to public office, serving for two years as mayor of Haskell and giving to the city a businesslike and progressive administration. He attends the Christian Church and fraternally is identified with the Elks lodge at Muskogee, of which he is a life member, and he is also a prominent Mason, belonging to the commandery and the Shrine at Muskogee, while in the consistory at McAlester he has taken the thirty-second degree. He is a young man who has not yet reached the zenith of his powers, but in the development of his talents he has established himself in a foremost position in business circles of Haskell, and judging by what he has already accomplished the future holds for him unlimited possibilities.