
Chronicles of Oklahoma
Volume 9, No. 1
March, 1931
NECROLOGY
REV. CORTEZ STUBBLEFIELD
Page 112
Born January 12, 1848, at McMinville, Tennessee. Died November 6, 1930, at Miami, Oklahoma at which place he was buried.
Son of George W. Stubblefield and Susan Jane Stubblefield, nee Shamblin. His brothers and sisters were as follows: Claudius,
Aurelius, Eliziva, Javonia, Mahala, Mattie, all of whom are dead, and Elzina Stubblefield of Waco, Texas and Juanita Stubblefield
of Waco, Texas.
He was married twice, first to Miss Sallie Moore, of Waco, Texas, who died in 1883 at Little Rock, Arkansas. In 1886 he was
married to Miss Jessie Huff. To the first marriage the following children were born: Claud Stubblefield, Cora, Laura (all
of whom are dead); Maud, Ruth Roberts, of Chickasha, Oklahoma, and Lillie Colbert, of Oklahoma City. By the second marriage
the following children were born: Murrow Stubblefield, deceased, Hattie Stubblefield, deceased, Lula Mason, of Oklahoma City,
Brad H. Stubblefield, Miami, Oklahoma; Bruce S. Stubblefield, Sulphur, Oklahoma; Mattie Walker Miami, Oklahoma; Pat Stubblefield,
Greeley, Colorado, and Thelma Weisman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
When he was three years old his father removed from Tennessee to Tyler, Texas, traveling in a covered wagon. Later he moved
to
Moody, McLennan County, Texas, and then to Robinsonville in the same county, where he engaged in the mercantile business and
farming. In his early life Cortez Stubblefield was a farmer and stockman; then later he engaged in railroad contracting, grading
part of what is now the roadbed of the Santa Fe Railroad from Ardmore to Oklahoma City. On August 18, 1889, he was ordained
as a Baptist minister and thenceforward made that his life work until he was forced to retire about three years ago prior
to his death on account of his health and age. However, at intervals he preached occasionally in a wheel chair which continued
up to as late as August, 1930. From 1889 to 1891 he was engaged in missionary work for the Baptist Church in Indian Territory.
At the close of the latter year he accepted the pastorate of the First Baptist Church in Ardmore, Oklahoma, and continued
in that capacity until 1895 when he accepted the pastorate of the Baptist Church at Duncan, Oklahoma, and continued in that
capacity until 1900, when he engaged in general missionary work for the Home Board for a year, when he accepted the pastorate
of the First Baptist Church of Durant, Oklahoma, continuing in that capacity until 1909; when he accepted the pastorate of
the First Baptist Church of Ada, continuing in that capacity until 1915 when he again engaged in missionary work for a year,
and then accepted the pastorate of the First Baptist Church of Miami, Oklahoma, and continuing actively in that capacity until
1927 when he retired but remained as Pastor Emeritus of said church until his death. From 1912 to 1915, inclusive, he was
president of the Oklahoma State Baptist Convention, and at different times prior to that time he was secretary of said convention.
He came to the end as he had lived, bravely and fearlessly with his Christian faith unshaken. His crowning work was in his
ministry at Miami, during which period he saw that church take first rank among the strong churches of the state.

Page 113
EDWARD OUGHTEN McCANCE
Born on a farm in McMinn County Tennessee, September 16, 1874, and died on May 12, 1915, at Silver City, New Mexico,
where he had gone seeking climatic relief from tuberculosis, his home being at Mutual in Woodward County, Oklahoma.
Son of James Eli McCance and his wife Martha Jane Prophet McCance. His paternal grandparents were respectively William
McCance and Mary Moody McCance. His maternal grandparents were respectively Benjamin A. Prophet and Eunice Prophet, and his
great grandfather and great grandmother were Arnton Prophet and Jamimie Prophet. His ancestors were Scotch and English from
Alabama and Tennessee. His grandfather Benjamin A. Prophet was a captain in the Confederate Army, and his father a Confederate
soldier, a farmer and a merchant.
The brothers and sisters of Edward Oughten McCance are as follows: John B. McCance and James Carl McCance, both of Mutual,
Oklahoma; Horace McCance, Galveston, Texas; Merideth McCance, Seneca, Illinois; Mrs. Hopson Burleson, Norman, Oklahoma;
Mrs. L. E. Bouquet, Woodward, Oklahoma; Mrs. Amos Johnson, Vici, Oklahoma; and Ella McCance, who died at Mutual,
Oklahoma, June 24, 1924, and Mabel McCance, who died at Mutual, Oklahoma, August 27, 1907.
Edward Oughten McCance having completed the highschool course at Woodward, Oklahoma, attended the A. & M. College at
Stillwater, where he graduated. Afterwards he read law under Temple Houston.
The father of Edward Oughten McCance removed from McMinn County, Tennessee, to Springfield, Missouri, where he lived for a
number of years, thence migrating to Western Texas, and from there to Mutual, Oklahoma, in the year 1894, where he maintained
his residence until his death.
Edward Oughten McCance married Miss Joe Duval on June 7, 1903, and as a result of this marriage the following children were
born, to-wit: Vena May McCance, and Edward O. McCance, Jr., both of whom in addition to the widow survive, all of whom reside
at Mutual, Okla.
Edward Oughten McCance founded the Mutual Enterprise, a weekly newspaper in 1902. He was a member of the Constitutional
Convention from District No. 5 and a member of the lower house of the State Legislature at the time of his death, elected
to both offices as a democrat.
HAMNER GEORGE TURNER
Born April 13, 1856, in the State of Texas, but brought in infancy by his parents to Memphis, Tennessee, where he grew to
manhood. Died in Checotah, Oklahoma, February 24, 1918, and buried there.
Came to Indian Territory about 1879 and located near Checotah, where he engaged in farming and stock raising.
In the latter part of 1879, he married Fannie X. Scott, a great niece of an Indian statesman and soldier, Col. D. N. McIntosh.
She was a daughter of Jim Scott and Lou Scott. To this marriage were born the following children: Harriet, Annie, George P.
M., Hamner G. Jr., Homer B., and Marguariete Turner. Only two of these children are now living, viz. Harriet Porter and Annie
Bell. Hamner G. Turner was not of Indian blood.
When the town of Checotah was incorporated in 1889, Hamner G. Turner was elected its first mayor.
Page 114
He attended the public schools in the city of Memphis through the twelfth grade. He had no other educational advantages except
that acquired by working on the News Scimitar, a Memphis Evening paper, which his father helped to found.
He was elected as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention from the 80th District, Checotah being the principal town of
that
district, at which time he was living on his farm near Brushhill, about fifteen miles west of Checotah. He returned to Checotah
about 1910, where he resided until his death.
His father, General George M. Turner, was a lawyer of distinction in the State of Tennessee, having been elected to the office
of Attorney General for the Memphis District and he served in that capacity during the late 80's and early 90's. He too came
to Indian Territory and located in Muskogee in 1897, where he practiced law until his death about five years later. He was
known as General Turner. He acquired this title because of having served as District Attorney General of Tennessee.
Hamner G. Turner's mother, whose name was Harriet Partwood Turner, never came to Indian Territory. She died in Memphis long
before any of the family came west. He had two sisters, Fannie G. Berry and Lilian Coffee, and one brother, Scott G. Turner.
Hamner Turner was regarded by his friends and neighbors as ruggedly honest. He took a prominent part in local democratic
politics and exerted considerable influence among his neighbors on local and public questions.
WILLIAM H. HARRISON
Born September 26, 1853, married to Scerild Jane McCaslin January 26, 1878, a white woman born in Springfield, Missouri. To
this union twelve children were born, six of whom are living Ida, Etta, Mable, Victor Van, Guy, and Vivian. In 1888 elected
sheriff of Atoka County, serving two years. In 1890 and 1891 elected representative to the Choctaw Council from said county.
District Royalty collector for two years, and National Agent of the Choctaw Nation for two years. Served as Deputy United
States Marshal for Western District of Arkansas, and later as Deputy United States Marshal for Eastern District of Texas when
said districts had jurisdiction over the Choctaw Nation. Later was United States Marshal under J. J. McAlester, Central District
of Indian Territory and United States Indian Police from 1885 to 1889. Elected to the House of the Choctaw Council in 1902
and served as speaker of the house. He was United States land appraiser in the appraisement of the lands of the Choctaw Nation.
Died June 7, 1919, at his home in Durant, and buried at Atoka, Oklahoma. Etta is now Mrs. R. S. Neblett, residing at McAlester,
Oklahoma; Ida is Mrs. A. B. Camden, residing at Durant; Mable is Mrs. William Thorpe; Victor V. Harrison, resides at Durant;
Guy Harrison resides at Seminole, and Vivian is now Mrs. B. G. Stratton, residing at Enid, Oklahoma.
He was the son of Zadock Harrison, of the Oklafalya clan, and Elizabeth Ellis, daughter of John Ellis, a white man who transacted
business between the Choctaws and United States Government prior to their removal to the Indian Territory. John Ellis' wife
was a daughter of Mosola-tubbe, a chief and distinguished leader among the Choctaws not only in Mississippi but also in the
Indian Territory. The Harrisons were descended from the ancient "Iksa" of the kings. (Leaders & Leading men of
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the Choctaws & Chickasaws by O'Beirne, pp. 82 & 129). His father Zadock Harrison was educated in the Choctaw Academy in Scott
County Kentucky, of which Richard M. Johnson, afterwards vice president of the United States, was superintendent. (See Oklahoma
Chronicles Vol. 6, p. 472). William H. Harrison was a member of the first Legislature of Oklahoma from McCurtain County.
CHARLES H. CARSWELL
Among the men of prominence who have been identified with the history of Oklahoma since the opening in 1889 will be found
the name of Charles H. Carswell and we learn of his death with sorrow. Charles H. Carswell was born in Salem, New York, November
7, 1854 and died at the University hospital, Oklahoma City, January 13, 1931. In his youth he attended the public schools
in the town of his nativity but when he was fourteen years of age the Carswell family moved to Kansas and we find his pursuing
his studies in the Kansas State Normal at Emporia. He took up the study of law and was admitted to the bar and began the practice
of his chosen profession at Cotton Wood Falls in that state. He afterwards moved to Kansas City, Mo., and resumed the practice
of law in that city. While in Kansas City he became acquainted, and associated with many men who were prominent or else became
prominent in both law and public life. When Oklahoma was opened in 1889 Mr. Carswell joined the migration west and located
in the newly organized town of El Reno. He soon became recognized as a man of ability, learned in his profession, and a remunerative
law practice soon came to him. At the election held in the fall of 1892 he was elected to the Territorial Council (Senate)
and represented his district in the second Territorial Legislature which met at Guthrie in January, 1893. He was recognized
in that body as the outstanding legal authority and was chairman of the Committee on Judiciary and was also the chairman of
the Committee on Railroads and Corporations.
In 1897 he was elected County Attorney of Canadian County and served two terms. Upon the opening of the Kiowa and
Comanche country he located and continued the practice of law in Anadarko where he made his home until his death. In 1892
Governor Renfrow appointed Mr. Carswell Worlds Fair Commissioner to represent our Territory at the Columbia Exposition at
Chicago.
Mr. Carswell was united in marriage to Miss Allie F. Smith at the home of the bride at Eldorado Springs, Missouri, January
2,
1894. To this union were born two children: Miss Helen Carswell of Oklahoma City who served as Chief Clerk to two governors
and
was also secretary to two pardon and parole commissions and Miss Kathleen, now Mrs. William V. Mountain of Guthrie and Tulsa.
Mr. Mountain is a civil engineer, is now assistant general manager of the largest gas company in the state. Mrs. Carswell
preceded her husband in death many years. Mr. Carswell was buried in the Anadarko cemetery January 15, the funeral services
being conducted by the Masons. He had long been a member of that fraternity, being a charter member of the Masonic lodge at
El Reno.
While Charles H. Carswell was a lawyer all his life and tried his last case only a few days before his death, yet he was a
lover of nature and was always interested in agriculture and stock growing. He owned farm land, a herd of cattle and other
stock. He had a ranch in the
Page 116
Wichita reservation before the opening of that country in 1901 and spent all his spare time looking after his stock. In his
school days he had made a special study of ornithology and if he had a hobby it was the study of birds.
The writer was a friend of Mr. Carswell for more than forty years, knew him as a lawyer and served with him in the Territorial
Legislature, and in all these years of our acquaintance I never heard his honesty or his integrity questioned. He is one man
of whom it can be truthfully said, "He was a lawyer and an honest man."
D. W. P.

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