Volume 10 , Issue 6

Oklahoma Historical Society

According to the Oklahoma history book, A Standard History of Oklahoma, published in 1916 by Joseph B. Thoburn, The Oklahoma Historical Society was organized at Kingfisher, Oklahoma, May 27, 1893, during the course of the annual meeting of the Territorial Press Association.

Mr. William P. Campbell, of Kingfisher, a member of the Kansas Editorial Association, had assisted in organizing the Kansas State Historical Society, in April, 1875. Campbell discussed the advisability of organizing a similar society in Oklahoma and closed the meeting by moving that the editors assembled in their annual association meeting proceed to organize the Oklahoma Historical Society. The motion prevailed and Mr. Campbell was chosen as the first custodian of the society's collections. Two days later, the custodian of the newly organized historical society issued the following "Circular No. 1," which was widely disseminated over the territory:

• Kingfisher, Okla., May 29, 1893. -- "At their annual meeting in this city, May 27, the editors of Oklahoma created a department in connection with the association, to be called the Oklahoma Historical Society, of which the undersigned was elected as secretary and custodian to serve for the ensuing year.
  
  "The object in establishing this department is the collection of newspapers, books and periodicals, productions of art, science and literature, matters of historic interest, etc. It is especially desired that publishers send regularly two copies of their publications to be filed and bound at the end of each year.
  
  "While this is designed as an Oklahoma institution, anything of the nature suggested will be thankfully received from any source, and will be given a proper place among the exhibits.
  
  "For the present, headquarters will be at Kingfisher, where a suitable building has been secured for the storage, safe care and proper exhibition of contributions.
  
  "Those feeling an interest in laying the permanent foundation for one of the most important institutions of Oklahoma are requested to forward as early as possible and as often as they secure them, any articles that my seem of historic interest, beautiful, instructive or curious. Address, prepaid, W. P. Campbell, Historical custodian, Kingfisher, O. T.

William P. Campbell... William P. Campbell was a native of St. Joseph, Missouri. He was a newspaper publisher in Kansas for many years. He came to Oklahoma in the early 1890's, settling at Waukomis. He was serving as deputy register of deeds of Kingfisher county at the time of the organization of the Oklahoma Historical Society. He had been in active charge of the work of the Historical Society since 1904 and had been tireless in his efforts to build up its collections.

When the third legislative assembly convened, in January, 1895, Governor Renfrow gave the society a cordial endorsement in his message and recommended that reasonable provision be made for the support of its work. Up to this time the collections of the society had been housed in the Kingfisher county courthouse and the work of caring for the same was done by the custodian who also met the necessary expenses. With the endorsement of the governor, the society asked for a small appropriation for support during the ensuing biennial period.

Though the historical society had been organized for nearly two years, and actively engaged in collecting newspaper files, books, documents and other data, it had not taken the precaution to secure articles of incorporation. A meeting of the society was called to convene at Perry on 13 February 1895, for the purpose of arranging to incorporate. It was then found that, on 16 March, an association identical in name and purpose had been organized at the university, at Norman, -- it had filed articles of incorporation as "the Oklahoma Historical Society," January 21, 1895.

The collections of the society were shipped from Kingfisher to Norman and were installed at the university, after which Mr. Campbell, who, up to that time, had been custodian in charge, and to whose active efforts the collection was almost solely due, was informed that his services were no longer needed. later, William T. Little, of Perry, was appointed as custodian, a position which he held until the summer of 1899, when he resigned.

When the Fifth legislative assembly was considering the item of an appropriation for the Oklahoma Historical Society, a proviso was inserted, giving to the governing board authority to move the collection away from the university in case it was deemed advisable in order to place it where it would be more secure. Nine months later, it was moved to Oklahoma City, where it was offered fireproof quarters in the newly erected Carnegie Library.

This was a most providential change, as the building in which it had always been quartered at the university was destroyed by fire fifteen months later. Sidney Clarke served as custodian for a time, as also did Mrs. Marion Roc. In 1904 Mr. W. P. Campbell, the real founder of the society and its first custodian, was asked to take charge of its collections again and it had been the center of his interest and activities ever since.
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