Volume 2 , Issue 7

Northwest Oklahoma Territory Pioneers

These were the Woods County Pioneers biographies taken from The Alva Pioneer, Souvenir Edition, January 1, 1904.

Besides those whose pictures are shown here, the county officers chosen at the first election Nov. 6, 1894, were: Joseph Porter, county attorney; James Walker, probate judge; W. S. Ross, county clerk; W. E. Oxley, county supt; J. H. Gilmore, county surveyor; A. E. Frazier, coroner; J. W. Lappin, J. J. Bishop and A. W. Stone, county commissioners; all the above were Populists, and their majorities were from 105 to 225.

W. D. Close -- Mr. Close was a native of Illinois. He enlisted in Co. D. 85th regiment II. Vol. Inf. when he was 17 years old, and was twice wounded at Jonesboro, Georgia, Sept 1, 1864. He came to Woods county, Sept. 16, 1893. He was one of the first Justices of the Peace in the county. He served as county treasurer from Oct. 1901 to Oct. 1, 1903. He was Justice of the Peace and county treasurer in Cowlitz county, Washington, 1884. He came to Alva in Oct. 5, 1893, with $10. In 1904 he had three farms and was comparatively free of debt.

A. J. Ross -- Mr. Ross was a native of Indiana. He came to Alva from Lincoln county, Kansas, soon after the opening. He practiced law. He was one of the first justices of the peace elected for the Alva township. He was nominee of his party (republicans) for probate judge. Sept. 1897, he bought the Alva Courier and he continued as its editor and publisher.

C. W. Hobbie -- Mr. Hobbie died in Alva, Aug. 20, 1902. He was in more than one sense, one of the first citizens of the town. He opened the first stock of groceries in a tent just north of the US Land Office on the afternoon of Sept. 16, 1893, and continued in business in Alva up to a few weeks before his death. He was Mayor in 1898, and Oklahoma commissioner to the Interstate Exposition at Omaha the same year.

Jesse James Dunn -- Dunn was a native of Illinois. He came with his parents to western Kansas in the eighties. He was a graduate of the law department of Kansas University. He came to Alva, Sept. 16, 1893, and opened a law office. He was always ready to give a liberal share of his time and assistance in city and county affairs of public interest. He was elected county attorney in 1896 and re-elected 1898, served four years and made a creditable record. Mr. Dunn is one of the best known lawyers of Oklahoma and was president of the Oklahoma Bar Association 1903. He was one of the ablest and most entertaining public speakers in the west. Cowgill & Dunn, lawyers, had a large acquaintance and lucrative practice back in 1904.

Dr. J. D. Karr -- He was a native of Illinois. He lived in Minnesota several years and came to Kansas in the early eighties. He practiced medicine and conducted a drug store in Medicine Lodge, Ks., a few years before coming to Alva at the opening. He, with his brother, Dr. W. A. Karr, opened the first drug store in Alva on southeast corner of the square. In 1904 he was still practicing medicine and continued his business. The people rewarded his public spirit by electing him mayor in 1897.

C. P. Green -- Mr. Green was a native of Ohio. He enlisted in the army at the age of 17 and served his country two years. He came to Pratt county, Ks., 1878. He came to Alva at the opening and the Strip and secured a good farm 11 miles southeast which he still owned in 1904. He was elected register of deeds 1898 and re-elected in 1900, giving splendid service in the office for four years. Mr. Green held numerous public offices of minor importance, and has for years been an officer and leader among the old soldiers. In 1904 he was Department Commander of Oklahoma. He and family lived in Alva since Dec. 1897. He was engaged in the hardware business.

James Matthews -- He was a Native of Ohio. He came to Wellington, Ks., 1874. He was in the hardware business there and at Harper and Kiowa until Sept. 16, 1893, when he came to Alva and engaged in the hardware business, and was still in it in 1904. Mr. Matthews always had faith in Alva and gave much of his time and means for the good of the city, and served three terms as mayor and was again elected a member of the city council.

Louis Miller -- Native of Pennsylvania. He came to Harper, Ks., 1884, and engaged in the furniture business until fall of 1893 when he located in Alva, succeeded the first furniture dealer and opened the first undertaking rooms in the city. He was a member of the city council 1899, and nominee for mayor on the Citizen's ticket 1901 in recognition of his "standing up" for the best interests of Alva for several years.

J. D. Share -- Native of Michigan. He located in Wellington, Ks., 1872, and engaged in the drygoods business until he came to Alva in Sept. 1895, where he was already interested with his brother, S. B., and they built the first brick business house in the city, afterwards adding two more brick rooms, making the buildings combined 75 by 150 feet. They also built the Alva National Bank block of four business rooms, with offices upstairs, and later the postoffice building. Mr. Share was vice-president of the first commercial club, and has always been active in furthering any enterprise for the general benefit of the city. He served one year, 1900, as a member of the Territorial board of Education for Normal Schools, and in 1901 was elected a member of the city council and was active in re-organizing Alva as a city of the first class, making its laws, among other things.

Hon. J. L. Pancoast -- Judge of the Sixth Judicial District. born Dec. 4, 1852, in Knox county, Ohio. His ancestors came to America early in the sixteen hundreds, and one of them signed, with William Penn and others, the original "Jury Concessions," March 3, 1676. As the family increased the branches drifted to different colonies, the Judge's branch went to Virginia. The family history shows a decided preferment for professional avocations, and many filled prominent public positions. The Judge's parents came to Kansas shortly after the close of the Civil War, where he grew up and got his education in the common schools. He taught school awhile and went to Wyoming, then to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he studied law with Judge E. D. Hoge. After being admitted to practice, Mr. Pancoast returned to Kansas and located in McPherson where he practiced law for five years. Then he went to Stevens county, where he was elected a member of the legislature, and afterward county attorney. In 1890 he moved to Guthrie and practiced law. When the "Strip" opened he located in perry. He served one term as mayor of the city, and on May 17, 1902, he was appointed Judge by president Roosevelt, and moved to Alva in August, 1902.

E. P. Kelley -- Clerk of the district court. He held several offices. He located in Guthrie in early days and was the city's chief of police for five years. He also held other public positions in that city. He was appointed clerk for the Sixth judicial district and located in Alva in 1902. He was a careful officer and a clever gentleman.

A. R. Museller -- He was a native of Illinois. He came to Wichita, Ks., 1886, and practiced law until 1899 when he was elected judge of the city court, which he held four years. Sept. 16, 1893 he located at Perry, Okla., and practiced law. In 1895 he was elected probate judge of Noble county, served two years. In 1898 he was elected county attorney and held that position two years. In Feb., 1902 he was appointed Register of the US Land office in Alva and moved here with his family. Mr. Museller had decided literary taste and was a frequent contributor to some of the leading magazines. As a public speaker he was well known all over the southwest as one of the best.

W. H. Cofield -- He was a receiver of US Land Office and Mayor of Alva. He was a native of Illinois and educated at McKendree College. He taught school and engaged in mercantile business, came west to Kansas in 1878 and engaged in real estate business. He came to Oklahoma Sept. 16, 1893, to Alva, Sept. 19, 1893 and opened an office and commenced the practice of law. He was appointed city clerk in 1897, elected to the same position 1899 which he held together with that of city attorney until 1901. He was elected Mayor of Alva 1902 and in April of of the same year he was appointed receiver of the US Land Office at Alva. He was filling both places very efficiently in 1904.

W. C. Douglass -- He was a native of Illinois. He came to Cowley County, Kans., 1872. He was postmaster at New Salem four years. He later moved to Pratt County and was postmaster at Sawyer 5-1/2 years. He came to Alva, Sept. 16, 1893, and engaged in the hotel business. He was appointed postmaster of Alva in the fall of 1897 and took charge Nov. 16th, and lafter four years service was re-appointed. His conduct of the office had been generally satisfactory to the people, and he has always been a public-spirited and progressive citizen. Mrs. Douglas has the distinction of cooking the first meal on the original townsite of Alva the afternoon of the memorable Run of Sept. 16, 1893.

Geo E. Nickel -- He was a member of Territorial Board of Education for Normal Schools. He was a native of Missouri. He engaged in business in Kansas and Colorado, and before coming to Alva, he was in the banking business at Amarillo, Texas. He came to Alva in August, 1897, and entered the Exchange Bank as a partner and cashier, which he had retained that position as of 1904. He was considered one of the best banking men in the west. In 1902 he was appointed, by Gov. Ferguson, a member of the Territorial Board of Education for Normal schools. Mr. Nickel is a progressive citizen who is always ready to give a liberal portion of his time and means for the good of Alva and Woods county.

Capt. E. G. Douglas -- Commanding Co. "I" and First Regimental Band, Oklahoma National Guards. Born at Winfield, Kans., 26 years ago; came to Alva at "Opening" and engaged in newspaper business up to Spanish-American war, at which time he enlisted in 1st Reg't U.S. volunteers. After his regiment was mustered out he returned home and accepted assistant Postmastership under his father. Assisted Capt. O. G. Palmer to organize Co. "I" Ok. Nat. Guard and was afterwards appointed Captain when Capt. Palmer was assigned to 7th cavalry. Co. "I" had won in competitive drill three second prizes and one first prize in the five years of its organization. In 1904 the First Regimental Band was organizied by Capt. Douglass and Prof. G. H. Wilkinson and has lately been equipped with new instruments and uniforms by the Government, amounting to several thousand dollars. These organizations were considered a credit to Alva. The company in 1904 had a full membership and all members were enthusiastic in keeping it up to its high standard as a military organization. They attended the dedication of the World's Fair Grounds at St. Louis in the spring of 1903 and were intending to make another trip in 1904 to the World's Fair.

R. H. Hahn -- Territoral (sic) Live Stock inspector; came here Sept, 16, 1893, and got a homestead a mile east of Alva, where he was residing in 1904.

Erskine W. Snoddy -- Is a Missourian, but came to Barber County, Kansas, in the eighties; was the first deputy US Marshal in this part of Oklahoma, having been appointed long before the country was opened for settlement. He selected a farm two miles southeast of Alva, but afterwards sold it, leased school land in the western part of the county and engaged in the cattle business; sold that around 1902 and located in Alva as a partner with his father, Col. Snoddy, in the practice of law which he had studied several years.

Capt. S. T. Carrico -- Born in Green county, Ill., 1840; attended school in a log school house until he was 18 years old; went to Chicago to Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College, graduated June 14, 1859, was clerk on lower Mississippi steamer L. M. Kennett, Capt. J. R. Keach, commanding during the fall of 1859 and spring 1861; was in New Orleans May 1, 1861, and witnessed review of the Louisiana Tigers. Washington artillery and other organizations; left New Orleans in May 1861, under the Confederate flag; arrived in St. Louis night of the capture of Camp Jackson; then went home and enlisted in Co. B. 61st Ills. Vol. Infantry, Nov. 1861. Resigned as captain, May 29, 1864. Out of his company none of the original officers were left except himself, and but 18 out of 83 who went in with him. He came to Harper, Kansas, in 1884; was postmaster 1885 to 18890. Came to Alva Sept. 16, 1893; was chairman townsite board No. 10, and had filled numerous positions since then of minor importance, and was during the 1904 era in the Loan Insurance and abstract business, south side square, Alva.

Capt. R. A. Cameron -- Native of Illinois; Apr. 19, 1861, enlisted in Co. C, 11th Illinois Infantry; some months afterwards, on account of changes and consolidations, he joined the 110th regiment and was elected First Lieutenant of Co D, but in a few weeks the captain of Co. K resigned and Mr. Cameron was elected to the position, which he held until 1864 when he resigned and entered the Ohio University at Athens, and remained two years; then spent a year in the law department of Michigan University. Practiced law in Ohio and Missouri a few years; was a member of the Missouri legislature 1876; 1880 moved to Eldorado, Kansas, and 1885 to Medicine Lodge, Kansas, and 1888 held office of county attorney; came to Alva, Sept. 16, 1893, established a law office, and entered a farm two miles northwest. July 24, 1897, was appointed register US Land office at Alva, and filled the position efficiently for four years. The Flynn and Barnes fight in Oklahoma, and treachery of Cong. Grosvenor of Ohio, defeated his re-appointment. Cameron was also the Judge in the Old Opera House Murder of 1910.

W. J. French -- Native of Ohio; veteran of the civil war; went south in 1870 and was engaged in public work until 1893, when he was one of the first five men to reach Alva on Sept. 16, 1893. He engaged in farming and stock raising, and was appointed Receiver of the US Land office here in June, 1898, which position he ably filled for four years. He had a fine farm a few miles west of Alva and gave it his close attention, but was never too busy to take part in public affairs and stand up for Oklahoma.

A. T. Sniggs -- Is an old soldier who entered the army in 1862 and served three years; has held a number of important public offices; came to Alva from McPherson, Kansas, Sept. 16, 1893, and secured a fine homestead five miles south of Alva; sold it and moved to town; was elected representative of this district in 1900, and in the Sixth legislature passed the bill providing for the payment of $100,000 for our Normal College, together with an additional $8,000 for it, for which service our people will always feel grateful to him. In 1904 he was engaged with Crowell Bros. as a grain buyer.

A. H. Beegle --< Native of Pennsylvania; came to Kingman, Kansas, 1888; came to Alva, September 6, 1893, and engaged in the restaurant business; member of city council two terms, mayor in 1896; he is an old soldier and takes great interest in affairs of the old veterans and always stands up for Alva.

J. A. Stine -- Native of Pennsylvania; came to Missouri when a young man and lived there several years; thence to Harper, Kansas, where he was engaged in the drug business, and in the latter eighties moved to Amarillo, Texas. In the fall of 1894 he came to Alva and started the organization of the Exchange Bank, which was perfected Feb. 15, 1895, by the election of J. A. Stine, president; Geo. W. Crowell, vice-president, and Percy R. Smith, cashier; a few months afterward bought the old Alva State Bank and consolidated them, making the Exchange the oldest bank in the county, which was made a National bank, Oct. 1, 1899. Mr. Stine and family owned four banks and he was president of all of them. (First National of Alva, First National of Woodward, Bank of Ingersoll, and Waynoka State Bank.) He was also the first president of the Alva Commercial Club, which was organized in the fall of 1896, which position he ably filled for three or four years; and to the old "Push" club, as it was called. Capt. Stine, in the presence of several members of the club and other citizens, March 19, 1898, drove the locating stake of the Normal college. That stake still stands where the main tower of the Castle on the Hill once stood. He was also elected mayor of the city when it was organized as a city of the first class in May, 1901, and his name will always remain prominently in the history of Alva.

C. H. Mauntel -- Native of Indian; came to Alva five or six years ago and opened a law office; was elected county attorney in 1900 and served two years, after which he resumed the general law practice. He gave his official duties careful attention, and is one of the best educated and most sociable gentlemen in the county. One of the attorneys & witnesses in the Old Opera House Murder of 1910.

H. Clay McGrath -- Native of Illinois, came to Barber County, Kansas, in the early eighties.One among the first to reach Alva, Sept. 16, 1893, secured the farm that is now the southeast quarter of the city, was the first elected sheriff of the county all of 1894, re-elected 1896; first to offer 40 acres of land for the Normal college and campus, but on account of delay in receiving his patent from the government, J. T. Fryer gave 40 acres of his land for the college and Mr. McGrath paid him for half of it. Mr. McGrath was a splendid officer and citizen. He sold all his property here and in 1909 was living at Larned, KS.

James P. Renfrew -- Farmer, school teacher, editor, native of Iowa, but lived in Missouri most of his life, came to Barber County, Kansas, 1887, and to Woods County Sept. 16, 1893, locating on a farm north of Alva. Was first treasurer of Woods County elected by the people in 1894, which office he very excellently filled for two years; was nominee of his party (populist) for territorial councilman 1898; he published with E. Madison as partner, the Alva Review from May 1899, to May 1902; in July 1902, started Renfrew's Record, which he still published in 1909.

Fred Hardy -- Native of Illinois, says he came west in the early eighties with short pants and has been panting like the mischief ever since to keep up with the band wagon of progress and prosperity of Alva and Woods County. But Fred not only kept up with it but got in on the spring seat and now rides serenely. He came here Sept. 16, 1893, and got a farm 14 miles southeast of Alva; was the first elected register of deeds in 1894, remained in Alva after term expired, and was elected councilman when Alva was made a city of the first class May, 1901; In 1909 he was deputy register of deeds.

L. D. Williams -- Native of Ohio, came to Harper, Ks., in 1883, came to Alva, Sept. 16, 1893, and was about the first to open a restaurant in a tent. The county commissioners appointed Mr. Williams the first trustee of Alva township, and at the first election of town trustees on May 7, 1894, he was one of the number, and at the organization of the board he was elected chairman, hence he was the first mayor of Alva; was re-elected trustee in 1895.
The other officers elected were: J. D. Scott, John C. Roberts, S. B. Share and Wm. Whitworth, trustees; J. H. Boughan, Jr., clerk; E. Rall, treasurer; J. d. Carwile, justice of the peace; W. H. Dunkin, assessor; and Fred B. Jones, Marshal.

J. D. Scott -- Native of Mississippi, spent many years in Kentucky, came to Kansas in 1876, came to Alva day of the opening and engaged in the general merchandise business. Was re-elected as town trustee and made president of the board, or mayor, for the year 1895. In 1909 he was in the hardware business here.

S. B. Share -- Native of Michigan, came to Harper, Ks., about 20 years ago and engaged in the mercantile business; came to Alva in the spring of 1894 and opened a large general merchandise store; served two terms on the city council, years of 1894-5; always very liberal and enthusiastic in furthering the interests of the city. In 1909 he was of the firm of S. B. Share and Bros. large department store.

Eugene Rall -- Native of Michigan, came west when young man, came to Alva at the opening and engaged in the grocery business, first city treasurer and has served three terms as such, member of city council and school board, chairman of Democratic county committee, and nominee of the party for territorial councilman. Was cashier of Woods County Bank, sold his stock and became president of Alva State Bank; after two years sold his interest in that bank and around 1909 was elected president of the Bank of Commerce.

J. L. Miles --

Native of Indiana, he was in Alva nearly two years since 1902. He was an agent for Wells-Fargo Express Co.

Albert J. Powell -- Native of Kansas, he was in Woods county and Alva since 1893. His business was in contracts for excavating and cement work.

C. B. Keith -- A native of Kentucky, he filed on the southwest quarter of section 28, township 26, range 15, west, on January 20, 1894. He had lived in Republic county, Kansas, since 1878.
Like most all other early settlers of Oklahoma, he came here without any money and what was worse, without health. He had not done a days work for two years, owing to pulmonary trouble. C. B. has made a success. In addition to the splendid home he has built up for his family on the homestead, he has added other land to his farm, and bought real estate in the city and erected a comfortable home thereon at No. 29 Center street where he once lived, sending his children to school, and was himself engaged in the sale of fruit and ornamental trees. But that for which Mr. Keith is most thankful is the fact that he has regained his health. C. B. was one of the executive committee of the Populist party who in 1894 chose a name to be voted on in the election of that year for "M" county. This committee consisted of Clark Hudson, chairman, Jesse J. Dunne, C. B. Keith, G. W. Hall. The committee agreed to the name "Woods" in honor of the late Sam Wood of Kansas fame. The populists won in the contest and "M" county became Woods county.

F. P. Alexander -- The first Register of the US Land Office in Alva, came here from Greenville, Texas, and had the office open and ready for the transaction of business when the settlers arrived on Sept. 16, 1893. He was three times elected to the legislature of Texas, and was one term speaker. His public service in Alva was highly satisfactory during the four years he was register. From Sept. 1897 to Aug. 1901, and has practiced law, and was the nominee of the Democrats for probate Judge in 1900. He went to Lawton in Aug. 1901, and has since then, in 1904, he had resided there.

J. W. Coman -- Native of Mississippi, came to Alva at the opening, and was clerk in the US Land office for Major R. H. Allen, receiver. Mr. Coman held this position until the death of Mr. Allen on Nov. 9, 1895, when a few days afterward Mr. Coman was appointed to that office, which he filled with credit to himself and the satisfaction of the people, until his successor W. J. French, was appointed in June, 1898. He moved that fall to Harrison, Ark., where he had since been engaged in the mercantile business as of this 1904 article.

H. M. Bickel -- Born May 19, 1845, at Newkirk, Ohio; ran away from home to enlist in the army in the winter of 1861-62; found a loafer, who, for a consideration, said he was 18 years of age, and as his legal guardian, reluctantly consented to his being enlisted. He was seriously wounded at the battle of Shiloh before he was sixteen years old, and he then thought that he had made a mistake when he had run away from home. Law graduate Iowa State University. Democratic candidate for congress in the Seventh Kansas district in 1884 and received 63 per cent greater increase of votes than the increase of his leading opponent, Judge Peters. Held the office of receiver of Public Money at the US Land office at Larned, Ks., during Cleveland's first administration. Settled in Alva day of opening. First US Court Commissioner in Woods county and first to open and record the District court records in Alva. First to build a double front, two story business block in Alva and first to build a mill in the county.

Geo. W. Crowell -- Native of North Carolina, came west in his youth with his parents and lived several years near Pittsburg, Ks. Came to Attica, Ks., in 1884 and engaged in the lumber business; came to Alva, Sept. 16, 1893, and opened the first lumber yard. Was appointed a county commissioner of the First District by Gov. Renfrow, chosen chairman of the board by the other two members. Mr. Crowell's service on this board during the formative period of the county's affairs was especially attentive, and has proved more and more valuable as the history of the county is recalled. He served in the office faithfully and creditably until Jan. 10, 1895. Geo W. Crowell is a liberal, public spirited, pushing citizen whose assistance in every public enterprise has been of great and lasting benefit to Alva, and he has served the city well as councilman and treasurer. He was vice-president of the First National Bank, and president of Crowell Bros, Lumber Co., with yards and elevators at several different towns; dealers in lumber, coal and grain.

J. E. Fritzlen -- Settled 8 miles northwest of Alva on Sept. 16, 1893, was appointed county commissioner for the second district, and served the people faithfully and well until Sept. 1894, when he resigned on account of his personal affairs demanding all of his attention. In 1904 he was living at Kiowa, but still had land and cattle interests in the this county in 1904.

G. H. Alexander -- First Probate Judge of the county. His photo was secured in 1904 from one of his friends in Alva, but could not learn anything of his history. He made a good officer. The first jury trial ever held in the county was before Judge Alexander on Oct. 23, 1893, and Urbie Weston was fined $5 and costs for disturbing the peace.

Other First Officers of County --

A. O. Nichols, register of deeds; W. P. Kendall, sheriff; Percy R. Smith, county clerk; O. R. C. Randall, county atty; M. R. Gillette, county treasurer; L. S. Proctor, county surveyor.

First Townsite Board --

H. F. Northcutt, H. C. Jones and John A. Moe. The townsite office (in what was then and in 1904 Capt. S. T. Carrico's building, south side of the square) opened on Oct. 2, 1893, and Orrin R. Cowgill was number 1 to apply to file on a town lot, (where opera house once stood in 1904) but Miss Petra Paulson had filed a contest because Mr. Cowgill was only 18 years old, and the board rejected both their applications and referred it to the Washington office. Miss Paulson afterwards won the lot.

Geo. W. Vickers -- He was for several years in the 1880s a resident of Southern Kansas, where he was a surveyor and attorney; came to Alva from Coldwater, Ks., Sept. 16, 1893, and opened a law office; in the first election of 1804 he was the nominee of the Republicans for representative for this (then the 20th) district, and in the count tied his opponent, B. B. Bain the Populist nominee; They cast "lots" and Mr. Vickers won, and was re-elected in 1896. Mr. Vickers did valiant work for our Normal college and this part of Oklahoma and will always be remembered by all the old timers. In 1904 he was living at Hobart.

J. P. Gandy -- Came from Broken Bow, Neb., to Alva, Sept. 16, 1893, and got a farm two miles south of town; a few weeks afterwards he started the Alva Star, sold that and opened a meat market; was elected territorial councilman by the republicans in 1894, and again in 1898. Mr. Gandy did faithful and effective work in the legislature for our Normal college and all western Oklahoma, for which service he has thousands of warm friends. In 1904 he was living at Ft. Supply, Ok., where he was US Deputy Marshal. J. P. Gandy, Republican, and Geo H. Coulson, Populist, candidates for territorial councilman in this 10th district, had a contest and Mr. Gandy was seated, for the reason that Mr. Coulson was then a member of the Kansas legislature, and it was claimed not a resdient of Oklahoma.

Geo. H. Coulson -- Is an old pioneer of the west and came from Harper county, Kansas, to Woods county in 1894; has held many important public offices, among them being representative in Kansas, county clerk of this county 1896 to 1898, and territorial councilman 1900 to 1902; he was a faithful and efficient officer. In 1904 he was in the nursey business at Cherokee.

R. E. Bray -- R. E. Bray, Populist was elected councilman in the 12th district; and T. T. Boyer, Populist, was elected representative in the 23rd district, both districts then taking in a part of Garfield county. H. R. Walling, Populist, was elected representative in the 19th district, Grant and part of Woods.

L. W. Moore -- Native of Kansas, lived in Iowa several years and returned to Kansas, was appointed register of deeds in Barber county in 1882 to fill an unexpired term, elected to that office in 1882, and re-elected in 1884, serving over 4 years; came to Alva, Sept. 16, 1893, was the first notary public appointed in the county, nominated by his party (republican) for register of deeds in 1896, but was defeated at the election. In 1904 he was still a notary public and abstracter, and was a fine officer.
Mr. Moore and family moved to their claim 5 miles southeast from the center of Alva, March 16th, 1894, and having an office in town L. W. traveled this distance to and from Alva, every day, since March 16th, 1894, except about once a year when he and family would run up into Kansas for a few days to visit his and his wife's relatives. In making these trips from his home to his office and return he has traveled 30,420 miles. He has never missed a day on account of storms and only one-half day on account of sickness. As regular as the sun rises and sets he makes his trips and is one among the first to open his office in the morning and the last to close in the evening.

C. W. Dicks -- Lived near Karoma, 45 miles southeast of Alva, was appointed county commissioner for the third district, and gave his attention to the affairs of the county until his successor qualified in Jan. 1895. In 1904 the Pioneer newspaper was unable to learn the whereabouts of Mr. Dicks.
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