Ad V. Coppedge, the pioneer lawyer of Delaware county and the first county attorney, has also been connected with every important constructive measure that has led to the up building, development and progress of this section of the state. He became a resident of Grove in 1963 and throughout all the intervening period has taken active part in shaping the county’s up building.
Mr. Coppedge was born on a farm in Missouri near the Arkansas line, January 26, 1870, the old homestead being situated at Thayer. His parents were Houston Harrison and Tennessee Martha (Bledsoe) Coppedge, and the mother, a native of North Carolina, is still living at Grove, Oklahoma.
The father, who was born in Virginia, served under John S. Marmaduke as a Confederate soldier for three years during the Civil war. He was wounded and was paroled at Vicksburg. In early manhood he began teaching and following his marriage he turned his attention to general farming. In 1879 he removed to Dade county, Missouri, where he carried on general agricultural pursuits to the time of his death. His political endorsement was always given to the democratic party and he was, one of the active workers in its ranks. He was also a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and he died in that faith on the 9th of January, 1895, when fifty-two years of age.
Ad V. Coppedge, spending his youthful days’ under the parental roof, began his education in the public schools near his father’s home but when a lad of only eleven years he put aside his textbooks for a time and assisted in the farm work. He was ambitious, however, to acquire an education and utilized every opportunity toward the accomplishment of that purpose. When seventeen years of age he became a student in Ozark College at Greenfield, Missouri, providing the means for his tuition and other necessary expenses during his college days by teaching school. He also attended Morrisville College at Morrisville, Missouri, and for eight years was a teacher in Dade county, Missouri, spending two years of that period as principal of the schools at Everton. He likewise filled the position of superintendent of public instruction in Dade county for one term, from 1895 until 1897.
It was after his marriage and the birth of his eldest child that Mr. Coppedge became a law student in the University of Missouri, from which he was graduated in 1899 with the LL. B. degree. He then entered upon the general practice of law in Dadeville, where he successfully followed his profession for four years, when he removed to the Indian Territory, settling at Grove, where he has since remained. He became the first lawyer of this place and in 1907 was elected the first county attorney of Delaware county, assuming the duties of the position on the 16th of November, of that year: With his induction into office he had to take up nearly one hundred old United States cases, some of long standing and some of great importance. As rapidly as was consistent with justice he disposed of these cases and took care of new ones as they arose, never allowing a large amount of . business to accumulate on his docket. While he was the incumbent in the position some one wrote : “Delaware county is the only one in the first judicial district that has any money in the court fund, though the levy for that fund has not at any time been large and the law is vigorously enforced under his administration.” He made so creditable a record in office that he was reelected in 1910, and in 1913 upon his retirement from-the position he reentered the private practice of law, with which he has since been engaged, a most liberal clientage being accorded him, his name figuring in connection with most of the important cases tried in the courts of his district.
It was on the 12th of August, 1895, while a resident of Missouri, that Mr. Coppedge was married to-Miss Nettle Buchanan, a native of Dade county, Missouri, and at the time of their marriage a resident of Everton.
She is a daughter of Bramentus and Nancy (Gaunt) Buchanan, the former a farmer by occupation. At the time of the Civil war, however, he put aside all business and personal considerations and joined the Federal army in defense of the Union. In politics he had always been a republican.
He was a native of North Carolina and died at Everton, Missouri, in 1905. while his widow is still a resident of that place. Mr. and Mrs. Coppedge have become parents of four children: William Hugh, born June 3, 1896, and now a teacher of manual training at Oklahoma City ; James B., born . August 3, 1900, who was graduated from the University of Missouri with the Bachelor of Arts degree and who served in the World war ; Lucile, who was born October 11, 1905, and is attending high school; and Marjorie, who was born December 29, 1907.
Mr. Coppedge became a member of the’ Masonic fraternity at Greenfield, Missouri, and he also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is a past noble grand. His religious faith is that of the Presbyterian church, and along strictly professional lines he has membership with the State and American Bar Associations. He is fond of gardening and is a chicken fancier and finds recreation and interests along those lines. During the World war period he acted as government appeal agent, was secretary of the legal advisory board, was food commissioner, and took active and helpful part in all the organized work for the support of the government. There is no phase of substantial up building in the county with which he has not been connected and from the beginning of his residence here be has been regarded as a most public-spirited citizen and one whose activity is of -marked worth, his labors at all times being highly resultant.