William Davidson Hume, conducting a real estate, loan and insurance business and also closely identified with the oil industries through the handling of oil and gas leases, was born November 12, 1864, in Jefferson county, Tennessee, a son of David Patterson and Rebecca (Thomas) Hume. The father devoted his life to the occupation of farming and William D. Hume remained on the home farm to the age of twenty years, gaining intimate knowledge of farm life and methods through actual experience in the work of the field. He supplemented a public school education by study in the business college at Knoxville, Tennessee, and with this equipment started out to make his own way in the world.
For a time Mr. Hume was associated as salesman with a wholesale jobbing house at Knoxville, there remaining for about five years, when he resigned his position to become connected with one of the largest stove manufacturing concerns in Nashville, Tennessee, becoming a representative of the Phillips & Buttorff Manufacturing Company. He occupied the position of sales manager for more than a quarter of a century and during that period his business activities covered the states of Virginia, a part of West Virginia, North and South Carolina, Mississippi, a part of Alabama, Georgia and Texas. While thus engaged, the company which he represented sent him to make the pioneer trip for the house into the territory known as the “Old Oklahoma,” and immediately after the famous “run” which occurred at Lawton, Oklahoma, during the year 1893. He visited many of the towns, traveling either on horseback or with horse and buggy. He was thus one of the pioneer traveling men in the state and as a result of his report of conditions the firm which he represented began doing business regularly in the territory, sending out traveling salesmen at stated intervals.
Mr. Hume made his home in Dallas, Texas, from 1888 until 1910 and during that period was married to Miss Allyne Graber, the wedding being celebrated September 27, 1899. In 1905 Mr. Hume organized the First State Bank of Dallas, which was chartered N o. 7 under the new state banking laws. He became vice president and cashier of the institution and continued its conduct until the year after the panic of October, 1907. During this panic the First State Bank was known to have a greater percentage of cash on hand than any other bank in the city and went through this trying crisis with flying colors. On account of the ill health of members of his family, however, Mr. Hume disposed of his banking interest in Dallas. and after spending a year looking after the business situations in various parts of the country, he decided upon Muskogee and took up his abode here in May, 1910. He soon afterward opened a real estate and insurance business and through the intervening period a large portion of his realty business has been the handling of his own properties. He also places city loans, makes, rental collections, cares for investments, conducts a bond brokerage business and has a large clientage in insurance, handling liability, plate glass, burglary, fire and tornado insurance. In the last few years he has become identified with oil development in the southwest and in the fall of 1916 organized the Cumberland Oil & Gas Company, of which he is secretary, treasurer and general manager. This is a close corporation, being composed mostly of a few of his. friends and business associates. Mr. Hume is also the president and general manager of the Southern Home Building Company, chartered under the laws of the state and is practically in control thereof.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Hume are members of the Presbyterian church, in the work of which they have taken active and helpful part and Mr. Hume has served as its treasurer. He belongs also to the Masonic fraternity. He finds his recreation largely in travel, and whenever opportunity offers, makes trips to Colorado, Michigan or the Thousand Islands, visiting various resorts.