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JAMES H. GORDON
Vol. 3, p. 1243-1244

In the years that marked the organization of Oklahoma Territory the
historic Old Dominion contributed to the future commonwealth an
ambitious young lawyer who was destined to achieve secure vantage
place as one of the representative members of his profession in
Oklahoma, and this young disciple of Blackstone and Kent has been
engaged in the practice of his profession at McAlester, the judicial
center and thriving metropolis of Pittsburg County, since 1890. Mr.
Gordon is thus entitled to recognition as a pioneer member of the bar
of this important city and county and his character and professional
status are fully demoted by his control of a law business which
extends throughout the state.

James H. Gordon was born in Madison County, Virginia, on the 3rd of
October, 1868, and is a son of Andrew J. and Lucy H. (WILLIS) Gordon,
the former of Scotch and the latter of English lineage. Andrew J.
Gordon was born and reared in Vermont and his wife was born and
passed her entire life in Virginia, so that their son may be said to
be a scion alike of the sturdy New England and the cavalier Virginian
stock. Andrew J. Gordon received excellent educational advantages
and, as a young man of high intellectual attainments, he removed from
New England to Virginia, in which state he became the founder and
owner of the Locust Dale Academy, which he bought up a high standard
as one of the excellent educational institutions of the Old Dominion
commonwealth, and as head of which, he continued his effective
pedagogic labors for thirty years until the time of his death, in
1880. He was a prominent and honored figure in connection with
educational affairs in Virginia, where he continued in active charge
of his academy until the close of his long and useful life. His
devoted wife, a woman of gentle and gracious personality, died in
1875. One son and two daughters survived Mrs. Gordon, the son,
subject of this sketch, being the youngest of the three.

James H. Gordon was about twelve years of age at the time of his
father's death and was but seven years old when his mother passed
away. He remained with his sisters at the old homestead until he had
attained to the age of thirteen years, and in the meanwhile pursued
his studies in the academy that had been founded and conducted by his
father and that is still continuing its effective work. After leaving
the Locust Dale Academy he attended for two years the Suffolk
Military Academy in Virginia, and later he became a teacher in the
academy which his father had founded. He finally matured his plans
for a future career, and, in consonance therewith, he entered the law
department of the celebrated old University of Virginia, at
Charlottesville, in which he completed the prescribed curriculum and
was graduated as a member of the class of 1890.

On the 20th of July, 1890, a few weeks after his reception of the
degree of Bachelor of Laws, Mr. Gordon established his permanent home
in the little Village of McAlester, the present vigorous county seat
of Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, and here he has since continued in the
active practice of his profession, in which his success has been a
result of ability, close application and hard work. He has here been
engaged in practice for a longer period than any other member of the
present bar of Pittsburg County, and his character and achievement
have given him secure place in the confidence and good will of his
professional confreres and of the community in general, the while he
has at all times stood exponent of civic loyalty and progressiveness.

The political allegiance of Mr. Gordon is given to the democratic
party, he is a valued member of the Pittsburg County Bar Association
and the Oklahoma State Bar Association, and both he and his wife hold
membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. In the Masonic
fraternity Mr. Gordon has received the thirty-second degree of the
Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, besides being affiliated with the
Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine and the
McAlester Lodge of the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks.

On the 4th of April, 1900, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Gordon
to Miss Bertha L. FREDERICK, of Litchfield, Illinois, and they have
two children, Margaret, and James.

Typed for OKGenWeb by Charmaine Keith, November 11, 1998.