Agricultural interests of Washington county find a leading representative in Charles C. Ketchum, who is the owner of a desirable farm in the Wayside district and is also engaged in teaming in the oil fields, both enterprises being capably and successfully conducted. He is one of Oklahoma’s native sons, his birth having occurred near Nowata, on the Verdigris river, on the 13th of March, 1894. His father, a member of the Delaware tribe, removed from Kansas to Indian Territory in an early day, first locating on Lightening creek, about fifteen miles southeast of Nowata, whence he removed to the present site of the town, while later he took up his home on the banks of the Verdigris river. There he resided for a period of twenty-five years, becoming the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land, which is now the property of his heirs. At one time he filled the office of United States marshal and he also acted as government interpreter for the Delawares. His remains were interred in a cemetery at Dewey and in his demise Oklahoma lost one of her honored pioneers.
Charles C. Ketchum attended the country schools at Coodys Bluff for three terms and later took up farming pursuits, being now the owner of one hundred and seventy acres of well improved and highly cultivated land, situated a half mile west of Wayside, in Washington county. He engages in stock raising and expects to enter the dairy business in the near future. He has seven oil wells on his place, all being good producers, and for the past eight years he has done teaming in the oil fields, keeping for this purpose some very fine horses. He has never been afraid to extend his interests as opportunity has offered and is an alert, enterprising young business man, whose plans are carefully formulated and promptly executed.
On October 17, 1911, Mr. Ketchum was united in marriage to Miss Bertha Florence Scovel, a daughter of Sidney and Fannie (Briggs) Scovel, natives of Illinois, who came to Indian Territory during the pioneer epoch in its development. They are now residing at Woodward, Oklahoma, where the father is engaged in farming. Mr. and Mrs. Ketchum have become the parents of two children: Mildred Pearl, born May 25, 1912; and Abraham Lewis, born January 3, 1914. Mr. Ketchum worthily bears an honored family name and his sterling traits of manhood have established him high in the regard of all with whom he has been associated.