Texas

Jaensch, Joseph William – Obituary

Joseph William Jaensch was born on September 11, 1917 in Eatonville, Columbia County, Washington. He was born to Charles Franklin Jaensch Sr. and Josephine (Reichmuth) Jaensch. When he was a youngster the Jaensch family moved to Enterprise (Alder Slope) where he grew up and attended school until WWII when he joined the Army Air Force and flew B-24 bombers. He was in training at Marfa, Texas when he met his future wife, Irene. After the war was over he lived in El Paso, Texas as this was where Irene’s family was from. Mr. Jaensch passed away March 18, 1953 as … Read more

Hotchkiss, M.E. Mrs. – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Mrs. Hotchkiss Dead Wife of Well-known Stock Buyer Answers the Last Summons Mrs. M.E. Hotchkiss died at her home in Enterprise Friday morning after an illness of over 11 weeks. The body was taken to Elgin Saturday morning and the funeral was held at Elgin Sunday afternoon under the auspices of the Rathbone Sisters’ Lodge of that city. Florence Wheeler was born in Tellico, Texas, January 9, 1870 and was at the time of her death, 31 years, 11 months and 11 days of age. In 1887 in company with her parents she came to Elgin, … Read more

Biography of Malcolm E. Rosser

During a period of eight years Malcolm E. Rosser has been successfully engaged in the private practice of law in Muskogee and prior to that time was prominent as a public official of Oklahoma. He served for two terms as judge of the fifth judicial district of the state and at one time was Supreme Court commissioner. He is a western man by birth, training and preference. Arkansas is his native state, his birth having occurred on the old homestead farm near Fayetteville, in Washington county, January 16, 1870, his parents being William E. and Virginia Frances (Hudson) Rosser, the … Read more

Biography of Walton Elan Bass

Walton Elan Bass, who came to Muskogee in April, 1916, and is here a prominent figure in connection with loan interests, holding the office of loan examiner in connection with the Farm & Home Savings & Loan Association of Missouri, was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, July 10, 1878. His parents were William Ambrose and Usa Dissa (Anderson) Bass, the former a dry goods merchant. Walton E. Bass pursued his early education in the public schools and afterward attended the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, from which he was graduated with the class of 1899, having pursued a mechanical and … Read more

Biography of Judge Charles Wheeler

Judge Charles Wheeler, judge of the city court of Muskogee, was born in Three Rivers, Michigan, November 11, 1856, and is a son of Ransley and Electa (MacOmber) Wheeler. The father was a miller and farmer and active business man. The son obtained a country school education and afterward attended the preparatory department of Hillsdale College, where he pursued the regular four years college course, graduating in 1882 with the B. A. degree. Later he became a student in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. His law studies were pursued in an office in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and later in … Read more

Biography of Clyde C. Cantrell

Clyde C. Cant. a native son of Oklahoma and a representative of one of the pioneer families of the state, is an alert, energetic and enterprising young man who is making wise use of his time, his talents and his opportunities. He is now serving as postmaster of Haskell and is proving a popular and efficient public official. He was born near Pryor, in Mayes County, Oklahoma, January 12, 1894, and is a son of Walter A. and Cora D. (Gortney) Cantrell, the former a native of Illinois and the latter of Indiana. When fourteen years of age the father … Read more

Biography of Warner E. Williams

Warner E. Williams. While now one of the great trunk railway systems of the country, the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad was largely developed as a Kansas corporation. The main offices of the company at Kansas are at Parsons, where 2,200 of its employes reside. The different lines of the road converge and diverge from that point in six directions: To Hannibal and St. Louis, Missouri; to Kansas City, Missouri; to Junction City, Kansas; to Joplin, Missouri, to Denison, Texas; and to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. For several years the general manager of the system with headquarters at Parsons was Warner … Read more

Biography of C. H. Fortner, M. D.

C. H. Fortner, M. D., has long enjoyed a well-earned reputation and position in the medical profession at Coffeyville. He entered practice with a thorough and comprehensive training and his fine talent soon attracted to him a patronage that has grown steadily in volume and importance, while his participation in progressive movements has made him one of the community’s most valuable and valued citizens. Doctor Fortner represents an old Indiana family. His ancestry goes back through several generations to some Fortners who came from Germany, and the family has lived in this country since colonial times. His grandfather, Aaron Fortner, … Read more

Biography of Joel H. Rickel

Joel H. Rickel. Among the citizens of Chanute, one who had had a most interesting career is Joel H. Rickel, a resident of this city since 1896, and now the owner of a carriage and repair shop and the owner of a valuable farm. Mr. Rickel is a veteran of the Civil war, and had been a prominent figure in Grand Army circles, being a past commander of several posts in Kansas and a past department commander of the State of Kansas. He was born in Ashland County, Ohio, December 8, 1844, and is a son of John S. and … Read more

Biography of Alexander Sondheimer

Alexander Sondheimer, banker and merchant, recognized as one of the representative and progressive business men of Muskogee, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, May 11, 1873, and is a son of Joseph and Johanna Sondheimer. His youthful days were spent in St. Louis and in Muskogee, for he was but six years of age when brought by his parents to this city. His father had first visited Muskogee in 1867 and, pleased with the city and its prospects, he brought his family here in 1879, so that Alexander Sondheimer pursued a part of his education in the schools of Muskogee. … Read more

Biography of M. C. Ware

Among the leading farmers and stockmen of Washington county is numbered M. C. Ware, who resides on a well improved and valuable ranch near Bartlesville and is recognized as one of the large landholders and substantial citizens of his community. He was born in Collin county, Texas, October 11, 1857, his parents being James and Nancy (Howe) Ware, who became pioneer settlers of the Lone Star state, residing in the home in which their son M. C. was born, until called to their final rest. The father, a native of Arkansas, passed away in 1904. The mother’s demise occurred in … Read more

Biography of Charles E. Vann

Charles E. Vann, one of the well known residents of Muskogee county, living at Webbers Falls, has long been identified with farming interests in this section of the state. He is a native son of Oklahoma, his birth having occurred near Preston, Texas, in Chickasaw Nation, on the 12th of November, 1863. He is a son of John S. and Elizabeth (Fields) Vann, both of whom were members of the Cherokee Nation. They had a family of five children, but Charles E. is the only one now living. In what is now Muskogee county Charles E. Vann spent the period … Read more

Biography of John Martin Bell

One of the representative agriculturists of Rogers county is John Martin Bell, who is engaged in farming eight and one-half miles southwest of Chelsea. A native of Texas, he was born in Russ county, on the 28th of October, 1859, a; son of John and Sarah Selesta (Harnage) Bell, both of Cherokee extraction. Upon the outbreak of the Civil war, Mr. Bell’s sympathies being with the south, he enlisted in the Confederate army and his death occurred while he was spending a furlough in Indian Territory. Mrs. Bell died in 1886. In the acquirement of his education John Martin Bell … Read more

Biography of Frank Lee

From the year which brought statehood to Oklahoma, Frank Lee has been a member of the Muskogee bar and is regarded as one of the strong and eminent representatives of the profession in this part of the state. He has engaged in the practice of law altogether for thirty-five years and his professional career has been marked by continuous progress and constantly developing power. Born in Stockwell, Indiana, December 9, 1864, he is a son of Captain Smith Lee, who served with the Boys in Blue in the Civil war, becoming a member of Company I, Eleventh Indiana Cavalry. After … Read more

Biography of Starkey Brent Dawes

Starkey Brent Dawes, since 1889 a representative of the Muskogee bar, now confining his attention largely to the practice of law as relating to lands and minerals, is a native of Tennessee and a son of Starkey and Amanda (Butler) Dawes. His father was an educator connected with the schools of Tennessee and afterward of Texas. The removal of the family to the Lone Star state enabled Starkey B. Dawes to pursue his high school education in Gainesville, Texas, and later he took the State Normal School course in Texas. His law course was that given by the Texas University, … Read more

Biography of Herbert George House

Herbert George House, conducting a bond business and fire insurance agency, has won many clients, by reason of his thoroughness, his progressive methods and his unfaltering enterprise. Muskogee has reason to class him with her representative citizens, recognizing his value as a factor in the commercial and financial development of the city. Mr. House came to the southwest from Ohio, his birth having occurred in Cardington, that state, on the 3d of September, 1870. His parents were Richard Johnson and Mary June (Cook) House, the former a banker, now deceased. Herbert G. House became a student in the University at … Read more

Biography of W. W. Wood

W. W. Wood, an enterprising and progressive agriculturist of northeastern Oklahoma, owns a farm of one hundred acres situated six and a half miles southeast of Delaware, in Nowata county, where he has made his home for the past twenty-eight years. His birth occurred in southern Texas on the 2d of February, 1882, his parents being Edward and Senna (Dickson) Wood, both of whom were natives of Missouri. In 1894 the family home was established in Nowata County, Indian Territory, and here the father spent his remaining days. The mother is still living at the age of seventy-two years and … Read more

Biography of Millard Collier

One of the representative agriculturists of Nowata county is Millard Collier, who since 1904 has been residing on his present place, two miles north of Nowata. A native of Texas, he was born on the Miller Brothers’ ranch, twelve miles southeast of Waco, on the 22d of June, 1877, a son of Charles and Reddie (Hottenger) Collier. His parents were married in Texas and his mother died when he was six years old. In later life the father went to Indian Territory and rented land fifteen miles northeast of Nowata, engaging in farming to the time of his death on … Read more

Biography of Ralph Randolph Hibben

Ralph Randolph Hibben. Parsons is the home and headquarters of a number of men who have given many years of faithful service to the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway Company. One of these is Ralph Randolph Hibben, Assistant Fuel Agent for this road, and for almost a quarter of a century had been continuously identified with the Coal Department of this company. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the International Railway Fuel Association of America. He is of English, Irish stock originally, his ancestors on his mother’s side coming to America with William Penn, and … Read more

Biography of Robert Garner Emmert

Robert Garner Emmert of Muskogee, a partner in one of the large life insurance agencies of Oklahoma was born in Humboldt, Kansas, October 21, 1873. His education was largely acquired in Mount Carroll, Illinois, and he initiated his business career by becoming identified with a building and loan association as a salesman. At the same time he sold life insurance and for years conducted a life insurance business in Colorado and in Texas. In 1904 he came to Muskogee, where he joined his brother in establishing the firm of Emmert Brothers, general agents for the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company … Read more