The first appearance of Warren L. Thayer
in Oklahoma was as a harvest man. About fifteen years ago he took
up a Government claim in Harper County, and his prosperity and
influence has been steadily growing ever since. He is now one of
the leading citizens and business men of Laverne.
His birth occurred February 27, 1880, at Union
City, Michigan, a son of Robert M. and Frances M. (Blosser)
Thayer. His father, who was of Scotch parentage, was born June 17,
1855, at Jackson, Michigan, and was a lumberman until he came to
Oklahoma in 1901. In that year he took up a claim in Woodword
County and became active in the organization of Ellis and Harper
County. He now owns and operates a large stock farm seven miles
from May. Robert M. Thayer was married in 1877 and his wife was
born November 30, 1854, at Logan, Hocking County, Ohio, a daughter
of Abraham and Miriam (Graffis) Blosser, who were natives of
Pennsylvania and of Dutch stock. Mrs. Thayer had a college
education and is an active member of the Methodist Church. Their
children are: Warren L.; Goldie, who was born March 23, 1888, and
is now the wife of Bert B. Waltman, a railway official in Denver,
Colorado: Pearl Blanche, who was born August 3, 1891, and is now
the wife of Bynum Bouse, a rancher at Des Moines, New Mexico;
Ernest Blaine, who was born May 7, 1894, and now lives at Laverne,
Oklahoma; and Katie Lorena Thayer, who was born July 16, 1896, and
is now the wife of W. T. McNeil of Beaver City, Oklahoma.
At the age of seventeen Warren L. Thayer
completed a high school course at Knoxville, Tennessee, and at the
age of twenty-one graduated A. B. from the Ewing and Jefferson
College in Blount County, Tennessee. It was with this education
and preliminary experience that he came to Grant County, Oklahoma,
and spent his first season in the harvest fields. He also taught
school one term. Then in 1901 he settled on his claim of
Government land in Woodward County, and by hard work and good
judgment has become one of the extensive farmers of that section,
having a large tract under cultivation. For one year he was
connected with the Spearmore State Bank of Laverne, but is now
engaged in a prosperous life insurance business at Laverne. He is
also interested in oil properties in Oklahoma and Texas as a
promoter and developer, and having read law in the intervals of
his business pursuits was admitted to the Oklahoma bar in 1916 and
is now prepared to practice his profession. Mr. Thayer is a member
of the Masonic Order, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks,
the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Politically he is a republican.
On January 12, 1910, at Coleman, Texas, he
married Miss Sallie May Smith, who was born at Alvarado, Texas,
January 8, 1887, a daughter of Thomas and Emma (Quinn) Smith,
natives of Texas. Mrs. Thayer is a granddaughter of Deaf Smith, a
pioneer scout and frontiersman in Texas, a historic character in
the Texas Revolution, and his name is indelibly impressed upon
Texas geography in Deaf Smith County, which is now the largest
county in area in the United States. Mrs. Thayer completed her
education in a Texas college. They have three daughters: Helen,
born January 19, 1911; Dorothy, born August 24, 1918; and Virginia
Pauline, born February 16, 1916.
[Source: A Standard History of Oklahoma, Volume V; by
Joseph B. Thoburn; copyright 1916; Transcribed by Andaleen Whitney].
Howell Llewellyn Begle
BEGLE, Howell Llewellyn, physician;
born Saginaw, Mich., Feb. 12, 1877; son of Charles A. and Sarah
(Griffith) Begle; educated in public schools; U. S. Military
Academy, 1895-96; University of Michigan, degree of B. S., 1900;
Medical Department, University of Michigan, M. D., 1905;
post-graduate course at University of Vienna; married Jackson,
Mich., June 29, 1907, Isabell Parnell. Began practice at Calumet,
Mich., 1905, as physician in hospital of Tamarack Mining Co., and
after travel abroad located in Detroit. Director The Yielding
Cement Co. Republican. Congregationalist. Member Wayne County and
Michigan State Medical societies, American Medical Association.
Office: 32 Adams Av. Residence: 51 Gladstone Av. [Source: The Book of Detroiters.
Edited by Albert Nelson Marquis, Copyright, 1908, transcribed and
contributed by Christine Walters.]
Ralph H Booth
BOOTH, Ralph H., president
The Jackson Citizen Co., Jackson, Mich.; born, Toronto, Can.,
Sept. 29, 1873; son of Henry Wood and Clara L. (Gagnier) Booth;
educated in public schools of Canada and Detroit; married at
Chicago, May 23, 1906, M. Mary Batterman. Removed with parents to
Detroit, Apr., 1881; began active career with Detroit National
Bank, Jan., 1888; with The Detroit Tribune as cashier and later
business manager, 1892-95; removed to Chicago, June 25, 1895; with
Chicago Journal as secretary and manager, and later became editor
and publisher until Apr. 1, 1904, when returned to Detroit, as
editor and publisher The Detroit Tribune, later president and
publisher The Grand Rapids Herald; now president and publisher The
Jackson Citizen-Press; director Pressed Steel Sanitary
Manufacturing Co. Republican. Member Reformed Episcopal Church.
Clubs: Detroit, Country, Detroit Boat, Y.M.C.A. Recreation:
Outdoor sports. Office: 450 Franklin St. Residence: 433 Jefferson
Av. [Source: The Book of Detroiters.
Edited by Albert Nelson Marquis, Copyright, 1908, transcribed and
contributed by Christine Walters.]
LaVerne C. Brown
LaVern C. Brown, coal and coke
shipper; born, Tompkins, Mich. (Jackson), Apr. 26, 1879; son of
John J. and Julia A. (Buck) Brown; educated in Ann Arbor (Mich.)
High School; married at Detroit, Oct. 3, 1903, Mayme Chaterine De
Clark. In retail grocery business at Detroit, 1897-1900;
bookkeeper for coal firm, 1900-1904; has been member of firm of
J.P. Moran & Co., wholesale dealers and jobbers of coal and
coke, since June 1, 1904. Recreations: Fishing. Office: 1002
Penobscot Bldg. Residence: 712 Sheridan Av.
[Source: The Book of Detroiters.
Edited by Albert Nelson Marquis, Copyright, 1908, transcribed and
contributed by Christine Walters.]
Clarence Conely
CONELY, Clarence, wholesale lumber;
born, Jackson, Mich., Aug. 6, 1860; son of John D. and Ruth (Fell)
Conely; educated in Jackson High School; University of Michigan,
graduating degree of A. B., 1884; married at Chicago, 1895, Miss
Charlotte Brooks. Came to Detroit 1880; engaged in civil
engineering, 1882-84; entered lumber business with the Parsons
Lumber Co., 1884, later with Morley & Co. and Smalleys &
Woodworth; was manager of the Vinton Co. for several years;
assisted in organizing firm of Conely & Bailey, wholesale,
dealers in white pine and Norway pine, Apr., 1907, in which still
continues. Independent Democrat in politics. Episcopalian in
church affiliation. Member Psi Upsilon. Recreations: Hunting and
fishing. Office: 58 Newberry Bldg. Residence: 58 Medbury Av.
[Source: The Book of Detroiters. Edited by Albert Nelson
Marquis, Copyright, 1908, transcribed and contributed by Christine
Walters.]
