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WILLIAM H. EBEY
Vol. 3, p. 1053-1055

The work and influence of Mr. Ebey, who is now engaged in the
insurance and loan business in the City of Ada, Pontotoc County,
touch most closely much of the important history to the pioneer days
in Oklahoma Territory, as well as the record of development and
progress since the admission of Oklahoma as one of the sovereign
states of the Union. Many facts that are of great and enduring value
and interest as pertaining to Oklahoma history have been by him
furnished for publication in this work, and those who have the
publication in charge accord to him definite recognition of his co-
operation and interest, even as the present and future citizens of
the state must needs owe him a debt of gratitude for his
contributions, which are of authoritative order.

The activities of Mr. Ebey as an official of the United States
Government, as a business man and as a leader in the ranks of the
democratic party were those of a man on the firing line in the battle
to establish civilized and progressive communities on the wide
stretches of territory that had for years been the grazing ground of
the buffalo and the cattle herds of the great representatives of this
line of industry in the Southwest when the ranges were still open and
untrammeled. Mr. Ebey was the first secretary of the Oklahoma City
Commercial Club and when the same was succeeded, a few years later,
by the chamber of commerce he became the first secretary of the
latter organization. In 1892, during President Cleveland's term, he
was appointed clerk of the United States County of the Third Judicial
District of Oklahoma Territory, with headquarters at Oklahoma City.
Prior to coming to Oklahoma Mr. Ebey had been for a time engaged in
the newspaper business, and he was one of the early representatives
of the Associated Press in Oklahoma, being succeed in this position
by Frank MCMASTER, a pioneer newspaper man of Oklahoma City. After
maintaining his residence in Oklahoma City for a period of seven
years Mr. Ebey passes a few years at Terrell, Texas. He then returned
to Oklahoma and established his residence at Lawton, the present
judicial center of Comanche County, being virtually one of the
founders of the town, shortly after the opening to settlement of the
Kiowa and Comanche Indian country. He afterward spent a year in
California and upon his return to Oklahoma he established his
permanent home at Ada, the thriving and attractive little city that
is the county seat of Pontotoc County. Here he has developed a
substantial and important insurance and loan business, a line of
enterprise in which he gained his initial experience when a young man
and just after he had completed his studies in the public schools.

Mr. Ebey was born in the state of Illinois, in the year of 1863, and
is a son of George W. and Matilda (MILLER) Ebey. His paternal
ancestors came from Holland to America in the colonial era off our
national history, and as ancestor of no little historic distinction
was George Ebey, who was in the forlorn-hope company that, under Gen.
Anthony WAYNE, known familiarly as Mad Anthony Wayne, stormed Stoney
Point, New York, at the time of the War of the Revolution. The father
of Mr. Ebey likewise was born in Illinois, a member of a sterling
pioneer family of that state where for many years he was engaged in
the manufacture of stoneware and where both he and his wife continued
to reside until their death. Two other children survived the parents-
Hardin, who is a representative attorney and counselor at law at
Dodge City, Kansas, and Mrs. Belle TRIPP, whose husband is a
clergyman of the Christian Church and now pastor of a church at
Wichita, Kansas.

Mr. Ebey is indebted to the public schools of Illinois for his early
education, which has been expanded to most liberal proportions
through the manifold and varied experiences of a signally active and
useful career. As a young man he came to the West to make his own way
in the world, and his character and ability have not only made
possible large and worthy achievement but have retained to him the
confidence and good will of those with whom he has come in contact in
the various relations of life.

Coming to Oklahoma Territory in the pioneer epoch of its history,
Mr. Ebey served as clerk of the United States District Court at
Oklahoma City, under Judge Henry W. SCOTT, a brilliant young man of
high professional and literary attainments and one who had been
appointed to the bench of the United States District Court in
Oklahoma after he had made application to President Cleveland only
for the subordinate office of United States attorney for the
territory. Early factional fights in Oklahoma City made Judge Scott
the target of much criticism at the hands of Burton BROWN, who was
then editor of the Oklahoma City Times-Journal, and late on the part
of Frank McMaster, editor of the Press and Democrat, This continued
opposition to Judge Scott resulted in his having both Brown and
McMaster haled [sic] into court, where they were found guilty of
contempt of court and were sentenced to incarceration in jail. They
remained in such duress until Judge Scott was called to Guthrie, when
they took advantage of his absence and procured their release through
habeas-corpus action instituted in the county court, over which Judge
S. A. STEWART presided. Upon his return to Oklahoma City, Judge Scott
had the two editors again remanded to jail, but upon his second
departure they were again released, by Sheriff FIGHTMASTER. Judge
Scott again had them incarcerated and issued as order removing the
sheriff from office in the event that the belligerent editors were
again released. By this time the two factional elements were at white
heat, and Mr. Ebey, as clerk of the court, fearing violence against
Judge Scott at the hands of his enemies, locked his chiefs order in
the safe, with the result that it was never served.

In 1896 Judge Scott was on of the big men from Oklahoma to the
democratic national convention, in Chicago, and entered the caucus
whose action resulted in the nomination of William Jennings BRYAN for
President. Judson HARMON was at that time attorney general of the
United States , and naturally was of the Cleveland rather than Bryan
type of democrat, so when Judge Scott arrived in Washington, from
Chicago, his action in the convention met with disfavor in the
department of which he was a representative. Consequently, upon his
return to Oklahoma, he filed his resignation, which was accepted six
months prior to the expiration of his term on the bench of the
Federal District Court, Mr. Ebey at the same time tendering his
resignation of the position of the clerk of the same
tribunal.

At this juncture, as touching the formative period in the history of
Oklahoma Territory, may consistently be reproduced the following
extracts from an article that was prepared by Mr. Ebey for
publication in the 1915 anniversary edition of the Daily Oklahoman:

"A short rider forced into an appropriation bill by General J. B.
WEAVER in the dying hours of Congress made provision for a government
of surveyed townsite, so the people faced an unusual situation,
almost primitive, upon their arrival. * * * It was decided to make a
new survey and plat of the townsite (of Oklahoma City) and to select
a committee of fourteen to conduct the survey all lot disputes. The
committee selected were: O. H. VIOLET of California, M. V. BARNEY of
Chicago, C. W. PRICE of Kansas, W. P. SHAW of Missouri, J. B. WHEELER
of Michigan, B. N. WOODSON of Texas, W. H. Ebey of Illinois, J. A.
BLACKBURN of Missouri, D. J. MOORE of Kansas, D. E. MURPHY of
Indiana, C. T. Scott of Texas, and A. L. MENDLICK of
Wisconsin. The committee immediately organized by electing J. A.
Blackburn president: O. H. Violet, vice-president; J. B. Wheeler,
treasurer, and M. H. Woods, secretary. P. J. BURNS was put in charge
of the survey. So great was the crowd in attendance upon the
committee's work that a detail of United States soldiers was in
attendance. In the forenoon of Saturday, April 27, the citizen
surveyors sent word that their survey was meeting with armed
resistance. The committee proceeded to the place where the surveyors
were, and found them facing a formidable array of Winchesters. The
committee, after parleying with the Main street and North Side
claimants, decided that bloodshed would result if attempt was made to
force the survey north. The people of the north side had adjusted
themselves to what was known as the Seminole survey. It was agreed by
the committee that the citizens' survey should stand up to Grand
avenue. This agreement was reported to a mass meeting on the evening
of the 28th, by General Weaver, on behalf of the committee, and was
unanimously adopted. At this meeting articles of confederation were
adopted for a city government. W. L. COUCH was elected temporary
mayor and an election ordered for city officers on May 1st."

The organization of the Democrat Territorial Convention and the
selection of delegates to the National Convention in 1896 was largely
in the hands of Mr. Ebey. Associated with him was Taz UPSHAW, of
Oklahoma City, who was a political leader in the early days. Chief of
those opposing them in the organization of the convention were Edward
L. DUNN, a pioneer Democratic leader, and Judge J. R. KEATON, who
aspired to the position of national committeeman. The result was the
election of the Ebey-Upshaw slate and the election of Whit M. GRANT,
recently mayor of Oklahoma City, as national committeeman after the
Oklahoma delegation had entered the national
convention in Chicago.

Mr. Ebey took a conspicuous part in the campaign that resulted in
the appointment of W. C. RENFROW, from Norman, Oklahoma, as governor
of the territory, under the administration of President Cleveland.
Col. T. M. RICHARDSON, of Oklahoma City, who at that time was
national committeeman, aspired to the appointment as governor of
Oklahoma and had he been appointed, Mr. Ebey, who was one of his
strongest supporters, would have been named receiver of the United
States land office at Oklahoma City. Richardson controlled the First
national Bank of Norman, of which Renfrow was president, and
Richardson's friends never believed would be any contest between the
two men; but they had not counted on the close friendship existing at
that time between Leslie P. ROSS, of Oklahoma City, then chairman of
the Territorial Democrat Central Committee and Mr. Renfrow. Those
directly interested in the territorial appointments to be made, went
to Washington, and among the number was Edward L. DUNN, who was a
close political friend of Chairman Ross, and who was then secretary
of the Territorial Central Committee. While Mr. Ross was supposed to
be for Mr. Richardson, he would not give the push to put his
appointment, and Mr. Richardson's friends were at a loss to know what
was wrong. It was surmised that possibly Mr. Ross was grooming his
fellow townsman, Mr. Renfrow for governor and Mr. Ebey advised that
Mr. Richardson wire Mr. Renfrow, who was president of Mr.
Richardson's bank at Norman and pledge to Mr. Richardson, to come to
Washington. Other council prevailed, and the party returned to
Oklahoma, and upon their arrival home learned of Mr. Renfrow's
appointment as governor.

One of the pioneer papers of Oklahoma City was the Press-Gazette, of
which Charles BARRETT, now of Shawnee, was editor for a time. The
Oklahoman was founded about the same time, by the Rev. Sam SMALL, the
evangelist. A few years later Mr. Ebey and associates bought the two
plants and consolidated the papers. One by one his associates dropped
out and eventually Mr. Ebey was owner of the Oklahoman, which is now
the leading daily newspaper of the state. It was not a paying
proposition and the business was not to his liking, and he finally
traded the plant and business to R. Q. BLAKENEY for a town lot and
other considerations.

His interest in political affairs made Mr. Ebey one of the
democratic leaders during the entire period of his residence in
Oklahoma City. He was a delegate to many county and state conventions
and frequently was chairman or secretary of the same. He renewed his
activities upon returning to the territory in 1901 and was chairman
of the committee on resolutions and head of the delegation from
Comanche County that attended the first state convention after the
organization of that county. He was a member of the notable state
convention, at Enid, that nominated William CROSS for Congress, In
this convention Thomas P. GORE, of Lawton, now United States senator,
was a conspicuous figure, and his name was once placed before the
convention as that of a candidate for Congress. Later it was
withdrawn and Mr. Ebey changed the vote of the Comanche County
delegation from Gore to Cross. This change marked the beginning of a
new wave of sentiment in the convention and resulted in the
nomination of Cross.

As a member of the Ada Commercial Club Mr. Ebey has been one of the
most vital and resourceful figures in the furtherance of measures and
enterprises that have inured to the general good if the community. He
had charge of the campaign made by the people of Ada at Guthrie
during the session of the second State Legislature, when the fight
was won for the establishing of the East Central State School at Ada.
After arriving at Guthrie Mr. Ebey met his old friend of earlier
days, Edward L. Dunn, who went to the legislator from Oklahoma
County, and Dunn prevailed upon him to become chief clerk of the
House of Representatives. He has served with characteristic
efficiency and loyalty as a member of the city council of Ada, and as
a promoter, director and executive officer he is interested in
companies that are developing the natural-gas field near his home
city. In early days in Oklahoma City he was associated wire those who
dug the historic canal utilized in the establishing of the first
water system in the present capitol city and also with the
establishing of the first electric-light plant. Until recently he was
vice-president of the Oklahoma State Bank of Ada, and he holds
membership organization of insurance under-writers. Mr. Ebey is
affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the Knights of Pythias,
and both he and his wife are zealous members of the Christian Church.
He is widely known throughout Oklahoma and is honored as one of the
really distinguished figures in the history of the state, as well as
one of its pioneer citizens.

At Terrill, Texas, in the year 1892, was solemnized the marriage of
Mr. Ebey to Miss Tillie HARMAN, and their son, Harmon, who was born
in 1893, is now associated with his father in the real-estate, loan
and insurance business.

Typed for OKGenWeb by: Vickie Neill Taylor November 2, 1998.