The present judge of Nowata county is R. M. Godfrey, who has been a resident of Nowata since 1914. He was born at Stockport, Ohio, on the 3d of June, 1887, a son of George N. and Effie L. (Scheetz) Godfrey, the former a native of Ohio. The progenitor of the Godfrey family in this country was Daniel Godfrey, who came to America from England at an early day and upon the out-break of the Revolutionary war enlisted for service under George Washington’s command. The paternal great-grandfather, Prince Godfrey, was born in Maine and removed from that state to Ohio in 1821, locating near Stockport, in which community the family resided for many years. His son was Samual B., likewise a native of Maine, who married Catherine Ellison of Ireland. The mother of R. M. Godfrey died in 1894, while his father is still living on the old family farm at Stockport. He is fifty-eight years of age. R. M. Godfrey also has one brother, J. A., who is engaged in the mercantile business in Newark, Ohio.
In the acquirement of an education R. M. Godfrey attended the Ohio public schools and after graduating from the high school at Bloomdale, spent three years at Marietta College, taking a general course. Subsequently he took up the study of law in the office of H. L. Pearson at Fayetteville, Arkansas, and after two years in that connection was admitted to the bar. Previous to this, however, he taught school in Ohio, Arkansas and Missouri. For three years Judge Godfrey practiced in Fayetteville, but in May, 1914, came to Nowata, where he continued in the active practice of his chosen profession for two and one-half years. He won an enviable place among his professional brethren in the state and in 1917 was appointed to the office of assistant county attorney. In May, 1918, he was appointed county judge of Nowata county to fill the unexpired term of F. A. Calvert, and at the next election he was elected to the office which he has since held.
In 1910 was celebrated the marriage of Judge Godfrey to Miss Grace Rowles of Missouri and one child has been born to their union: Rollin Edwards, three years of age. The religious faith of the family is that of the Presbyterian Church and Judge and Mrs. Godfrey are active in its various charities.
Since attaining his Majority Judge Godfrey has been a stanch supporter of the Democratic Party and the principles for which it stands. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons, having attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, and he also belongs to the Odd Fellows and Elks. Judge Godfrey has been influential in many ways tending toward the development and improvement of the community and he is active in all civic affairs, being a member of the Nowata Lions Club, which body he is now serving as secretary.
