McCurtain County, Oklahoma

Obituaries

W. J. Whiteman Dies in Paris, Texas, This Morning"

"Goodwater Citizen Was One of Most Prominent Men in Southeast Oklahoma for Many Years".

"After a long illness of six weeks, W. J. Whiteman, aged 64, pioneer McCurtain county citizen, and who had lived in Goodwater since 1893, died at the Sanitarium of Paris at 3 o'clock this morning. He had been ill at home for six weeks, and on Monday morning was taken to Paris in an ambulance of Coffey Funeral Home. Mrs. Whiteman was with him when he died."

"Funeral services will be held Thursday morning, August 23rd, at 10 o'clock at Pleasant Hill cemetery, Rev. J.G. Whitten, Methodist Protestant minister will officiate. Burial will be held under auspices of Goodwater Masonic Lodge, assisted by members of Idabel, Haworth, and Bokhoma Lodges."

"Funeral arrangements are in charge of Chappell Funeral Home of this city."

"Mr. Whiteman was born at Clarkesville, Texas in November, 1869, where he was educated and lived until 1893 when he came and settled at Goodwater, where he has lived ever since. He was one of the many young men who cast their lot with fortunes of the new country with nothing to fight the battle of life with but energy, integrity and determination, but he succeeded. He was married to Miss Mattie Harris, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Henry C. Harris about 1896 [2 August 1896]. Mrs. Whiteman is a sister of Bert S. Harris and W. C. Harris of Pleasant Hill. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Whiteman, seven of whom are living."

"Mr. Whiteman was a member of the Methodist Protestant Church, a charter member of the Goodwater lodge A. F.& A. M. No. 148, and was also a member of the Royal Arch, Indian Consistory No. 2, McAlester, Bedouin Templar, Shrine. Successful in business, he owned a store, considerable land, and was at one time a stockholder in the First National Bank of Idabel. He was appointed postmaster at Goodwater in December, 1894."

"He is survived by his wife; three daughters, Mrs. Carl Prewitt, Broken Bow; Mrs. John Dyer, Goodwater; Mrs. Will Barrick, Goodwater; four sons. Henry David, W. J., Jr., and Lee Whiteman, all of Goodwater. A daughter, Mrs. Beatrice Riddles, died three years ago and was buried in the Pleasant Hill cemetery. Mr. Whiteman is also survived by a sister, Mrs. Mary Lynch of Kentucky, and four brothers, Sam, Dan, and Henry Whiteman of Haworth, and Joe Whiteman, Goodwater.

Ran in the McCurtain Daily Gazette in Idabel, Oklahoma on Wednesday, August 22, 1934
Submitted by Kyle M. Condon