PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF OKLAHOMA 1901
Biographies on this page:
Canon, John Morgan
Canon, Hugh R.
Carnahan, Mathias
Ebersole, George W.
Shrock, J. G.
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HON. JOHN MORGAN CANON.
From the time of his settlement in Oklahoma until his death nine years afterward, Mr. Canon was closely identified with the history of the territory, and no one took a deeper interest than he in its progress and the development of its material resources. As he took an important part in the organization of the territory, his name deserves to be perpetuated in its annals and will henceforth be associated with pioneer history.
A native of Uniontown, Pa., Mr. Canon in boyhood learned the business of manufacturing wagons and carriages under his father, John Canon, and at the Studebaker factory in South Bend, Ind. In 1854 he became a pioneer settler of Brown county, Kans., but soon returned to Pennsylvania, Where he remained for a few years. During the Civil war he acted as provost marshal. On again coming to the west, he settled in Jacksonville, Ill., but soon removed to the vicinity of Forest City, Mo., where he successfully engaged in business for a number of years. From Forest City he moved to Brown county, Kans., and his next important enterprise was the management of a mercantile establishment in Craig, Mo., after which he resumed farm pursuits.
From Missouri Mr. Canon moved to Kansas, this time settling for the second time in Brown county, fourteen miles from Hiawatha. In 1882, as the nominee of the Republican party, he was elected to the Kansas legislature, a position that he filled with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents. In 1884 he removed to a farm in Riley county, Kans., where he spent two years. During November, 1886. he preempted a quarter section of land in Comanche county, Kans., and spent several years on that place, meantime again serving as a member of the Kansas legislature, where his service was as creditable to himself as when the representative from Brown county.
At the time of the opening of Oklahoma, April 22, 1889, Mr. Canon was one of the many thousands of men who made the race across the line into the territory. He secured a claim in Kingfisher county, but after holding it for a few
days, gave it up and settled in Frisco, Okla. There he became president of the first city council, and was one of the most active workers in the campaign as to whether El Reno or Frisco should be selected for the county seat. For a time he served as deputy postmaster of Frisco, and later was made postmaster, but resigned the office in order to accept the position of councillor in the second assembly of Oklahoma, to which he has been elected by the people. When the assembly adjourned, he returned to agricultural labors. In the fall of 1894 he was elected county sheriff, on the Republican ticket. Again, in 1896, he was elected to that office by a large majority. This responsible position he filled from January 1, 1895, until his death, which occurred August 27, 1898.
In 1891 Mr. Canon received from Governor Steele an appointment as president of the first board of regents of the University of Oklahoma, and it is most fitting that his name should be as indelibly engraved in the hearts of the people of this territory as it is in the records and upon the cornerstone of the beautiful university building. He always endeavored to promote the permanent interests of Oklahoma, and was particularly interested in the progress of his county, thereby justly meriting the high regard in which he was held. Fraternally, he was a Mason, and in religion affiliated with the Congregational Church.
It was after his return to Pennsylvania from his first trip to Brown county, Kans., that Mr. Canon married Sarah E. Darby, who was born in Ohio, but grew to womanhood in Uniontown, Pa. She is still living in El Reno, which also is the home of her children, Presley C., Ruby A. and Hugh R. The elder son, Presley C., was appointed by the commissioners to fill the vacancy in the office of sheriff caused by his father's death. The family stands high in El Reno, having the esteem and respect of the best people of the city and retaining the regard of intimate friends and associates.
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HUGH R. CANON.
One noticeable feature of life in Oklahoma is the large number of young men who are prominent in business and professional circles, and among these mention should be made of Mr. Canon, of El Reno, an enterprising and progressive merchant, and a citizen whose public spirit cannot be questioned. Movements for the benefit of the city receive his cooperation and active support. In April, 1899, he was chosen to occupy the responsible position of school treasurer, and has since acted in this capacity with credit to himself and satisfaction to the public.
Mr. Canon was born in Forest City, Mo., October, 1876. His boyhood was passed principally in Kansas. Until he was eight years of age he resided in Brown county, and then, for two years, his home was in Riley county, after which he went with the family, in an overland trip, to Comanche county. He accompanied his family to Frisco, Okla., where he received good educational advantages. In September, 1894 he entered the University of Oklahoma, where he carried on his studies for two years. In 1896 he took a position as clerk in a dry goods store, but, after giving his attention to that business for six months, returned to his studies, being for a period a pupil in the El Rcno high school.
May 10, 1897, Mr. Canon entered upon the duties of a clerical position in the Citizens' State Bank of El Reno. He continued to act in the capacity of a bookkeeper there until January I, 1900, when he tendered his resignation in order that he might embark upon an independent enterprise. Buying out Mr. Menger's shoe store, he energetically set about the task of supplying the public with high-grade goods in his line, and is meeting with gratifying success. Having been identified with the boot and shoe business since his boyhood, he is thoroughly familiar with all of its details. His well-equipped store on the corner of Rock Island avenue and Russell street speaks of the excellent judgment of the proprietor. Reared in the faith of the Republican party, he is a stanch adherent to its principles and is as devoted to the success of his party as he is to the progress of his home city.
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MATHIAS CARNAHAN,
a prosperous and successful farmer residing on the northeast quarter of section 6, El Reno township, Canadian county, Okla., is a native of Armstrong county, Pa., and a son of David Carnahan, who was born in Westmoreland county, same state, while the grandfather, James Carnahan, was a native of Ireland and an early settler of Pennsylvania. About 1855 the father, who was a farmer and mason by occupation, moved to Jackson county, Iowa, where he died in 1864. He was a Presbyterian in religious belief. He married Sarah Ringle, also a native of Pennsylvania and a daughter of John Ringle, a pioneer of that state. By this union eleven children were born, six of whom are still living, namely: James, a resident of Chicago, 111.; Mathias, our subject; William, a resident of Wisconsin; David, of Iowa; Robert, of Colorado; and Ellen, wife of Harvey Lair, of Bremen, Ind.
Our subject was only ten years old when, with his parents, he removed to Jackson county, Iowa, and there he grew to manhood and was educated in the common schools. He remained at home until 1865, when he moved to Indiana, where he was married, in 1868, to Miss Elsie Crumpacker, a daughter of John Crumpacker, and to them were born eight children, namely: Mary, now the wife of Henry Lassen; John, a farmer of Cheyenne county; Albert; Marion Ida, deceased; Edwena; Ella; Emily, and Lena.
Mr. Carnahan continued his residence in Indiana until 1877, when he removed to Nuckolls county, Neb., and later made his home in Sew-ard and Butler counties, same state. Selling his interests in Butler county, in 1893, he came to Cheyenne county, Okla., locating five miles southwest of the city of El Reno. He bought two hundred and twenty-two acres of raw land on section 21, El Reno township, Canadian county, one hundred and eighty acres of which he has placed under a high state of cultivation, and he also took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres in the vicinity, and this he also
has improved. In 1895 he bought his present farm east of El Reno, which he has since greatly improved by the erection of a good frame residence and substantial outbuildings. He also has good wells operated by wind pumps, and is well equipped to irrigate his land. Though successfully engaged in general farming, his specialty is the raising of potatoes, five hundred bushels a year being his average crop. He has owned and operated several threshing machines, and for twenty-eight seasons engaged in threshing throughout Iowa, Nebraska and Oklahoma. Bringing his outfit with him from Nebraska to Canadian county, Okla., and having the only one in the locality at that time, he was very successful in its operation. He raises considerable fruit, having a fine orchard upon his place. Mr. Carnahan has prospered through his own unaided efforts, being enterprising, energetic and industrious, and is today the owner of three hundred and eighty acres of valuable farming land besides property in the city of El Reno. In his political views he is a Populist.
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GEORGE W. EBERSOLE,
one of the men who fought so bravely for the preservation of the Union during the Civil war, and a prominent farmer of Canadian county, his home being on section 34, El Reno township, was born in Knox county, Ohio. His father, Jacob Ebersole, spent his entire life in that state, and is one of the leading farmers in his community. He also was one of the pillars in the Methodist Episcopal Church for several years. The grandfather, John Ebersole, was a native of Pennsylvania and an early settler of Ohio, where in the midst of the forest he cleared and improved a large tract of land. He died at the advanced age of one hundred and one years upon the farm which he had entered from the government. He also entered land in Iowa. The Ebersole family was founded in America by four brothers, natives of Germany, who located here prior to the Revolutionary war. Our subject's mother, who bore the maiden name of Harriet Worthington, was a native of Virginia and belonged to quite a prominent family of that state. In early Hie she removed with her parents to Ohio. She was a very active and influential member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and served as a local preacher. Her children were Mrs. Elizabeth Stevens; George W., our subject; John, who was living in Dakota when last heard from. and Sheridan, of Independence, Kans.
George W. Ebersole was reared to agricultural pursuits upon the home farm, and acquired his education in the common schools. Prompted by a spirit of patriotism he enlisted in Company A, Twentieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which was assigned to the Third Brigade, Third Division, Seventeenth Army Corps. The first important battle in which he participated was that of Fort Donelson and was followed by the battles of Shiloh, Vicksburg, Raymond and Champion Hill. At Vicksburg he lost his hearing from the concussion of a shell, and has never fully recovered from the effects of the same, while during the Atlanta campaign he was wounded July 22, 1864, and was confined in a hospital at Marietta, Ga., for six weeks, rejoining his regiment at Atlanta in time to take part in Sherman's celebrated march to the sea. He also took part in the grand review at Washington, D. C., and was discharged at Louisville, Ky., July 15, 1865. He has just cause to be proud of his army record, for his company was never defeated and never known to retreat, although it entered the service with one hundred and twelve men and had only sixteen when mustered out. Mr. Ebersole received a medal for veteran service from the state of Ohio.
In 1866 Mr. Ebersole married Miss Sarah Welsch, also a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Nathan Welsch, a prominent attorney of Mount Vernon, that state, who died at the early age of twenty-eight years. They have an adopted son, William Keffer, who was reared by them from the age of six months and is now successfully engaged in farming in El Reno township, Canadian county, Okla. He married Wilhelmina Roe and has one child, Rowland.
In the spring of 1866, Mr. Ebersole moved from his native state to Tama county, Iowa, where he lived on his grandfather's farm three years. The following three years were spent in Adams county, same state, and in 1872 he removed to Barber county, Kans. His wife being the first white woman to locate in the county, on that account she was given a lot in Medicine Lodge. There our subject owned and successfully operated a ranch of two hundred and forty acres, which he improved from wild prairie, and in connection with general farming engaged in cattle raising, but during the water spout on Medicine river in 1885, he lost $6,000 worth of property in one hour, thus being left without house or home. In 1887 he started for Beaver county, Okla., with one horse and $2 in money, but being unsuccessful in that locality, when this section was opened for settlement, April 22, 1889, ne became one of the homesteaders and located upon his present farm on the following day. He filed his claim, but it was contested for three years before he received the deed. Here Mr. Ebersole began life in a dug-out, but in 1892 built a good frame house, has planted an orchard, set out a small vineyard, and placed fifty acres of his land under a high state of cultivation. He has won quite a reputation as a market gardener and his products command the highest prices and are eagerly sought by the people of El Reno. He raises all kinds of vegetables and watermelons.
In his labors Mr. Ebersole has always been ably assisted by his estimable wife, who has indeed proved a true helpmate to him. He is a member of El Reno Post No. 13, G. A. R., and is a Republican in politics. While a resident of Barber county, Kans., he served as coroner for two years.
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J. G. SHROCK
is a pushing and energetic dealer in general merchandise at Okarche, and though still a young man, possesses in a marked degree the confidence and respect of the community. He was born in Hickory county, Mo., in 1869, and has had a more varied and extensive experience than usually belongs to his years.
J. J. Shrock, the father of the Okarche merchant, is now living at Lafayette, Ind., near which city he has farming interests. He has carried on a milling business for many years, and stands well among the business men of his section. The Shrock family came from Switzerland nearly two hundred years ago and settled in Pennsylvania near the present city of Johnstown. They have always been honest and hardworking people, and many of them have occupied important positions. Rachel (Hirshberger) Shrock, the mother of the subject of this article, was born in Pennsylvania, is the mother of ten children, two of whom are now residing in Oklahoma. Mr. Shrock has a brother working for him in the store. A sister, Mrs. David, who is now doing missionary work in the territory, expects very shortly with her husband to take a charge in Syria.
J. G. Shrock was reared to manhood in the Indiana home, and enjoyed the usual common-school advantages. At an early age he applied himself to trade and became a carpenter. He was a very successful workman, and was engaged in this line for several years. In 1895 he made a brief visit to Okarche, but did not locate here permanently at that time. He spent a year more in Indiana and came back to Okarche in 1897 to open up a furniture and undertaking establishment which, under his fostering care, became at once a pronounced success. The next year he added a full stock of general merchandise, dry goods, groceries and similar goods, and now carries a fine stock, aggregating in value more than $8,000. February 15, 1900, he moved into the new Thompson building. It has more than three thousand feet of flooring, and with good light and ventilation is one of the most pleasant stores in the place.
In 1896 Mr. Shrock and Miss Amelia E. Littweller were united in marriage. She is a daughter of Peter Littweller of Okarche, and is a worthy helpmate to her husband. They have a pleasant home, and their future is bright. Mr. Shrock has made rapid progress in his business and exhibits those qualities of mind and heart that make for success in any calling.