Table of Contents

Index

Volume List

Search All Volumes

Home

Page 87

The quarterly meeting of the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Historical Society convened in the Historical building, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at 10:00 A. M., January 26, 1940, with Judge Robert L. Williams, President, presiding.

The Secretary called the roll which showed the following members present: Gen. Charles F. Barrett, Judge Thomas H. Doyle, Mr. George H. Evans, Dr. Emma Estill-Harbour, Judge Robert A. Hefner, Gen. William S. Key, Col. A. N. Leecraft, Mrs. Blanche Lucas, Hon. John B. Meserve, Mrs. Jessie E. Moore, Hon. W. J. Peterson, Judge Baxter Taylor, Mrs. John R. Williams, Judge Robert L. Williams, and James W. Moffitt, the Secretary.

The following members had notified the Secretary of their inability to attend: Judge Harry Campbell, Dr. E. E. Dale, Judge Thomas A. Edwards, Dr. Grant Foreman, Judge Samuel W. Hayes, Mrs. Frank Korn, Mrs. Roberta C. Lawson, Mr. Jasper Sipes and Judge William P. Thompson, and upon motion they were excused.

The Secretary presented the minutes of the Board meeting held October 26, 1939, and upon motion of Hon. John B. Meserve, duly seconded the reading of the minutes was passed.

The Chair presented the report of the President, the Treasurer and Secretary showing in detail as to each party for whom votes were cast by ballot the result of such election to select five members of the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Historical Society for the ensuing five year term, certifying the result which showed that the following persons had received the highest number of votes: Judge Harry Campbell, Judge Robert A. Hefner, Gen. William S. Key, Mrs. John R. Williams and Judge Baxter Taylor.

Judge Thomas H. Doyle moved that the report of the committee on election be accepted, and that the following persons be declared elected as members of the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Historical Society for the ensuing five year term: Judge Harry Campbell, Judge Robert A. Hefner, Gen. William S. Key, Mrs. John R. Williams and Judge Baxter Taylor. Motion was seconded by Hon. John B. Meserve, which having been unanimously carried was declared to be adopted, and said named parties were then and there declared to have been so elected.

Mr. Scott P. Squyres, Secretary of the Oklahoma Memorial Association, appeared before the Board and presented the bust of Dr. I. N. McCash, President Emeritus of Phillips University, Enid, Oklahoma, gift of the Oklahoma Memorial Association and Phillips University.

Gen. William S. Key moved that we accept this bust for the Society, and instruct the Secretary to express the thanks of the Board to the donors for this gift. Motion was seconded and unanimously carried.

Judge Robert A. Hefner moved that the House Committee be requested to place same in the Flag Room, the space reserved for flags and statuary. Motion was seconded and carried.

The recent death of Hon. John B. Doolin, a member of the Board of Directors was announced and Judge Robert A. Hefner moved that a committee then and there be appointed to draft appropriate resolutions in his memory, to be published in the Chronicles and a copy to be sent to members of his family. Motion was seconded and unanimously carried.

The Chair appointed the following as the committee: Judge Thomas H. Doyle, Chairman; Judge Samuel W. Hayes, Judge Baxter Taylor, Mrs. Blanche Lucas and Judge Robert A. Hefner.

Page 88

The President read letters from Mrs. Anna Mae McNeill, the State Regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution; and Mrs. John E. Williams, State Museum Chairman of the D. A. R., asking permission to display their museum exhibits in the Flag Room.

Mrs. John R. Williams moved that the Secretary write to the Regent and explain that the Flag Room may not be available and the matter be deferred for future consideration. Motion was seconded and carried.

The Secretary presented the following list of applicants for membership in the Society:

LIFE: Francis Bartow Fite, Jr., Seattle, Washington; C. B. Goddard, Ardmore; Mrs. Robert A. Hefner, Sr., Oklahoma City; Mrs. Nathan R. Patterson, Tulsa; R. W. Simpson, Ada.

ANNUAL: Mrs. Frances Fite Ambrister, Oklahoma City; J. P. Arnold, Tulsa; Hobart Boggs, Wilburton; Mrs. S. A. Bryant, Cushing; Mrs. Vinita R. Buck, Oklahoma City; H. F. Cameron, Bartlesville; Joe C. Campbell, Oklahoma City; John E. Cassidy, Oklahoma City; Ted H. Cassidy, Oklahoma City; Mrs. E. F. Cornels, Sayre; Thomas J. Darby, Tulsa; Prof. Ben C. Dyess, Stillwater; Edward Henry Eckel, Jr., Tulsa; E. E. Ehret, Tulsa; Frank Earl Eldred, Drumright; W. A. Evans, Aberdeen, Miss.; Rev. Robert M. Firebaugh, Hugo; R. F. Frank, Tulsa; Oscar Gardner, Hatfield, Ark.; Mrs. Harriet P. Gilstrap, Oklahoma City; Donald Gordon, Oklahoma City; Mrs. Lester B. Gum, Oklahoma City; Mrs. Mayberry S. Halsell, Durant; Mrs. Mamie S. Hammonds, Oklahoma City; Dr. Walter Hardy, Ardmore; Lester Hargrett, Washington, D. C.; Richard H. Harper, Albuquerque, N. Mex.; John Haskins, Durant; Mrs. J. C. Hawkins, Blackwell; Mrs. Jessie W. Hilton, Oklahoma City; Mrs. Emma Hufbauer, Newkirk; Charles E. Hutchinson, Oklahoma City; Mrs. Ellen R. Jacobs, Oklahoma City; Rev. Harrel Grady James, Talihina; Thomas Jensen, El Reno; Golda Kammerzell, Enid; Marvin Ernest Kaniss, St. Petersburg, Fla.; Judge H. B. King, Oklahoma, City; Eugene Kingman, Tulsa; A. E. Kobs, Mountain View; Ernest C. Lambert, Okmulgee; Richard Kelvin Lane, Tulsa; Miss Louie LeFlore, McAlester; Mrs. W. L. Lindhard, Muskogee; Joe W. McBride, Anadarko; Philip P. McBride, Minneapolis, Minn.; Mrs. W. T. McCauley, Okmulgee; Medford F. McKenzie, Mangum; George E. McKinnis, Shawnee; Mrs. James J. McNeill, Norman; Temple H. Morrow, Dallas, Texas; Cleveland Osgood Moss, Tulsa; Dr. H. D. Murdock, Tulsa; Clyde Musgrove, El Reno; Charles Arthur Naylor, Tulsa; Judge Monroe Osborn, Oklahoma City; Mrs. Merle Paynter, Ponca City; Dixie Robert Pike, Ada; Mrs. Nellie Reed, Nowata; Hubbard Ross, Fort Gibson; Mrs. G. W. Salter, Oklahoma City; Mrs. E. L. Sebastian, Oklahoma City; Eulah Mae Simpson, Oklahoma City; Dr. T. W. Stallings, Tulsa; William G. Stigler, Stigler; Mrs. Frances A. Tommaney, Oklahoma City; William Ernest Wells, Prague; Mrs. Louise Morse Whitham, Tulsa; Joseph Andrew Whitlow, Tulsa; Hugh Leon Williams, Oklahoma City; Mrs. C. P. Witten, Britton and Harriet A. Wright, Talihina.

Judge Thomas H. Doyle moved that these persons be elected to membership in the Historical Society. Motion was seconded and carried.

The Secretary presented the matter of printing pamphlets for circularizing purposes to increase the membership of the Society, and it appeared that the Harlow Publishing Company had submitted the lowest bid.

Gen. William S. Key moved that the Board authorize the printing of 5000 copies or more of this pamphlet under the direction of the President, to be paid for out of the private funds of the Society. Judge Robert A. Hefner seconded the motion which was carried.

The President presented a letter from Wm. Easton Hutchinson, of Garden City, Kansas, relative to Col. Sam N. Wood of Stevens County, Kansas, for whom Woods County, Oklahoma, was named, which was placed in the archives of the Society.

Page 89

The President presented letters from Dr. John Francis McDermott of Washington University, St. Louis, Mo., Vinson Lackey, of Tulsa and C. E. Chouteau of Oklahoma City, relative to the places and dates of the settlement of the Chouteaus in what is now Oklahoma. Same were on motion received and directed to be filed with the Secretary.

Judge Thomas H. Doyle moved that the rules be suspended and that the Secretary and all other employees be re-elected for the ensuing two year term. Motion was seconded and carried.

Judge Baxter Taylor moved that the rules be suspended and that the present personnel of the officers, including the President, two Vice Presidents, Treasurer, Research Director and the two Presidents Emeritus be elected, and so declared elected for the ensuing two year term. Motion was seconded and Judge Taylor put the motion which unanimously carried.

Mrs. John R. Williams discussed the matter of securing for the Historical Society, a set of maps of Oklahoma published by the Oklahoma State Highway Department in co-operation with the U. S. Department of Agriculture, showing section lines, railroads and other valuable data.

Col. A. N. Leecraft moved that the Secretary request the Highway Department to furnish the Library with a set of these maps, without cost to the Society, since the Oklahoma Historical Society is designated as a State Depository. Gen. William S. Key seconded the motion which carried.

The President delivered a book entitled Texas Jurists and Attorney Generals, 1836-1936, by Ocie Speer, the gift of Attorney Will E. Orgain of the firm of Orgain, Carroll and Bell of Beaumont, Texas.

Judge Thomas H. Doyle moved that same be accepted and that the Secretary be instructed to express to Mr. Orgain the thanks and appreciation of the Society for this gift. Gen. William S. Key seconded the motion which carried.

Judge Robert A. Hefner moved that Will E. Orgain, Esquire, be elected an Honorary Life Member of the Oklahoma Historical Society. Dr. Emma Estill-Harbour seconded the motion which carried.

The Secretary reported that Judge Thomas G. Andrews had presented to the Historical Library, the manuscript of his book "Judicial History of Oklahoma" covering that of the Indian Territory, Oklahoma Territory and the State of Oklahoma.

Dr. Emma Estill-Harbour moved that this gift be accepted and that Judge Thomas G. Andrews be thanked for this donation. Motion was seconded and carried.

The President transmitted to the Society a book entitled Geronimo, et al. by Judge Thomas A. Edwards, of Cordell, Okla., which upon Motion was accepted and the Secretary was instructed to express to Judge Edwards the thanks of the Board for this addition to the Library.

The Secretary read a list of the following transmittals from Dr. Grant Foreman: Manuscripts covering Presbyterian Missions and Missionaries in the Choctaw Nation, (gathered by Miss Sue McBeth, a missionary at Goodwater, Choctaw Nation in 1860), including letters from former missionaries to the Choctaw Indians, their wives, and children, and biographies of some of the early missionaries; the Muscogees or Creek Indians from 1519 to 1893; also an account of the McGillivrey family and others of Alabama, by Dr. Marion Elisha Tarvin, and also 20 pages typed; and Resolutions of the General Council of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians touching their relations with the government of the U. S., the state of North Carolina and with the Cherokee Nation West of the Mississippi River, and 11 pages in writing; also Biography of Joseph Rogers' family, with 11 typewritten pages and Chickasaw Commission to Dawes Commission, general outline upon which to enter into negotiations, with 5 pages

Page 90

typewritten and John Drew Papers, dating from 1821 to 1860, with handwritten 92 pages.

Hon. John B. Meserve moved that these be accepted and that Dr. Grant Foreman and all donors be thanked for this contribution. Motion was seconded and carried.

The Secretary reported that Dr. Berlin B. Chapman, of the Teachers College, Fairmont, West Virginia, presented to the Society thirty-two pages of photostat copies of original documents in the National Archives, Washington, D. C., having to do with the strip of country on the north boundary of the Kiowa Reservation, known as "Neutral Strip."

Mrs. Blanche Lucas moved that same be accepted and that Dr. Berlin B. Chapman be thanked for this contribution. Motion was seconded and carried.

The Secretary reported that the following pictures and photographs had been received from Mr. Reuel Haskell, Jr., of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Gov. C. N. Haskell, first Governor of the State; W. H. L. Campbell, first clerk of the State Supreme Court of the State; Geo. M. Nicholson, a Justice of the State Supreme Court of the State; Group picture of members of the State Supreme Court, 1909; Group picture of the members of the State Bar Association, 1912; James I. Phelps, Justice of the State Supreme Court; John B. Harrison, Justice of the State Supreme Court; William A. Collier, Justice of the State Supreme Court; Group picture of the members of the State Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1917; Judge R. L. Williams, third Governor of the State of Oklahoma and Col. Charles Lindbergh.

Judge Thomas H. Doyle moved that these be accepted and that Mr. Reuel Haskell, Jr., and all other donors be thanked. Motion was seconded and carried.

The Secretary presented to the Society a picture of Nelson Chigley, the grandfather of Mrs. Paul Lynch; a water color painting of flags that the area of Oklahoma has been under, and a group picture of St. Joseph's old school building and pupils of 1904.

Hon. W. J. Peterson moved that they be accepted and the Secretary and all other donors be thanked for same. Motion was seconded and carried.

The Secretary reported that Mrs. Frank Korn had presented enlarged photographs of herself and her late husband, Frank N. Korn.

Judge Thomas H. Doyle moved that they be received and Mrs. Korn thanked for same. Motion was seconded and carried.

The Secretary reported that Mr. Ray Phelps had presented to the Society a framed portrait of his father, the late Rev. G. Lee Phelps, missionary to the Indians for 37 years.

Judge Thomas H. Doyle moved that this portrait be accepted and Mr. Ray Phelps thanked for same. Motion was seconded and carried.

The Secretary reported that the portrait of J. B. Abrahm, painted by Frank Easton, had been presented to the Society by George Limerick.

Mrs. Blanche Lucas moved that it be accepted and Mr. Limerick thanked for same. Motion, was seconded and carried.

The Secretary reported that Mr. John Easley, of Ardmore, had presented the portrait of Dr. Walter Hardy, painted by Renfro.

Judge Robert A. Hefner moved that same be accepted and Mr. John Easley be thanked for same. Motion was seconded and carried.

The Secretary reported that Mrs. Safie Reed had presented the framed photographs of Rev. and Mrs. J. R. Rogue and Dr. and Mrs. J. H. Moore.

Col. A. N. Leecraft moved that these photographs be accepted and that Mrs. Sofie Reed be thanked for same. Motion was seconded and carried.

Page 91

The Secretary reported that Mrs. Marcus B. Brewer had presented to the Society the picture of Theodore Roosevelt speaking in Muskogee, April 5, 1904.

Dr. Emma Estill-Harbour moved that this picture be accepted and Mrs. Brewer thanked for same. Motion was seconded and carried.

The Secretary reported that a group picture of the wives of the legislators, 1939, had been received, a gift of the Ohoyohoma Club.

Hon. W. J. Peterson moved that the Ohoyohoma Club be thanked for this group picture. Motion was seconded and carried.

The Secretary reported that the photographs of Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Post, father and mother of Wiley Post, had been presented to the Society by Mrs. W. F. Post.

Col. A. N. Leecraft moved that these be accepted and, Mrs. Post thanked for same. Motion was seconded and carried.

It was reported that the work on the inventory of the holdings and property of the Society was making progress and that further report will be made at the next meeting.

The Secretary reported that all officers had filed written reports covering respective departments and their work during the preceding quarter.

Hon. W. J. Peterson moved that the Chair fix the date of the annual meeting for the membership of the Society to be held at Tulsa, and upon receiving a second put the motion which carried.

Gen. William S. Key moved that the President be authorized to fix the date and to appoint the necessary committees to arrange for the annual meeting at Tulsa. Motion was seconded and carried.

Hon. John B. Meserve moved that the meeting of the Board which would regularly be held in April of this year, be dispensed with, as the annual meeting of 1940 will be held about the time of the regular board meeting. Motion was seconded and carried.

The Secretary presented the report of the WPA Project, S-233, for indexing and cataloguing newspapers, Indian Documents, etc., which shows that in addition to the newspapers already indexed the following are being indexed: Taloga Advocate, Lawton Constitution, Norman Transcript, Daily Ardmoreite, Hobart Chief, Coalgate Courier, Walters Journal, Daily Oklahoman, and the Chandler News.

The report of Dr. Grant Foreman on the disposition of the County Records, and the geographical distribution of the membership of the Historical Society, was presented and accepted and continued for consideration at a future meeting. The Board expressed regrets on account of the illness of Mrs. Grant Foreman, and the hope of her speedy recovery and restoration to good health.

The Secretary was instructed to write letters to Judge Samuel W. Hayes, Mrs. Frank Korn, Judge William P. Thompson and Mrs. Roberta C. Lawson, members of the Board of Directors who were detained by illness, and to convey to them the sympathy of the Board and the hope of speedy recovery.

Judge Thomas H. Doyle reported the recent death of Judge James S. Davenport, a member of the Criminal Court of Appeals, also an ex-officio member of the Historical Society. The Secretary was instructed to write letters of condolence to his widow and daughters.

Hon. W. J. Peterson moved that the meeting be adjourned subject to call of the President.

Judge Robert L. Williams, President
Presiding.          

James W. Moffitt,
          Secretary.

Return to top

Electronic Publishing Center | OSU Home | Search this Site