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THOMAS C. HARRILL
Vol. 3, p. 1280

Every man is a leader or a follower. He must serve in the ranks or
wear the shoulder straps of authority. Which he does in the battle of
life depends largely or chiefly upon himself. There is always room at
the top, and if he has the qualitities to make a good officier or a
commanding general, he will find his way to his proper position in
due time without much extraneous assistance, if any. The truth of
these remards is exemplified in the career of Thomas C. Harrill,
banker, famer and prominent citizend of Wagoner, Oklahoma. Mr. Harris
(sic) was born in Rutherford County, North Carolina, November 17,
1863. His parents, William H. and Drucilla (MCBRAYER) Harrill, were
both of Scotch-Irish lineage, their respective families going to
North Carolina originally from Virginia. Mr. Harrill's mother was
related to General Nathaniel GREEN of Revolutionary fame. His father
was a Confederate soldier who surrendered with Generl Lee's army. He
was a farmer of small means, and reared his family in his native
county, where the brothers and sisters of the subject of this sketch
still reside.

Thomas C. Harrill, owing to poor school advantages incident to the
reconstruction days after the Civil War, received but a meager
education. At the age of twenty years he left the parental home to
begin the battle of life for himself. Going to Texas, he was there
variously employed for a few years, and then as a young married man,
went to Ardmore, Indian Territory, whence he came to Wagoner, January
4, 1894. Here he has since resided. At first, for a short time he was
a salesman for a house dealing in wroght-iron ranges and he then
engaged in the cattle business, to which was susbsequently added
farming. Success attended his efforts, and he has long been numbered
among the most extensive farmers and largest cattlemen of Oklahoma,
owing several large farms. When the Citizens State Bank succeeded the
City National Bank of Wagoner, Mr. Harrill became a large stockholder
in the new institution and has served as its president from its
organization. He aided in organizing state banks at Locust Grove and
Inola, Oklahoma, and is director in both and president of the former.

Since Mr. Harrill came to Wagoner he has been a leader among the
founders and builders of the city. His influence has reached even
beyond its limits and in state affairs also he has been prominent. A
staunch friend of education, he was a prim mover in organizing the
first public school at Wagoner, which was the first in Indian
Territory for whites. He has held several positions of honor and
trust, no elective offices. In politics he has long been active as a
democrat. He was a member of the first democratic committee for
Indian Territory, and continued a member of this committeee into
statehood, and since then has been a member of the Oklahoma State
Democratic Committee - a period of eighteen years. Of this committee
he has served as chairman. He is a thirty-second degree Mason and a
noble of the Mystic Shrine.

Mr. Harrill was marred in Texas, April 15, 1891, to Miss Alice
THOMPSON, a native a that state, and daughter of James R. and Lucebra
(EDWARDS) Thompson, her parents being Kentuckians. Mr. and Mrs.
Harrill have three children, Thomas C., Jr., Alice, and Katherine. A
leader among men, Mr. Harrill has left his impress for good on his
city, county and state. He was a strong advocate of "State Bank
Guarantee" and of the "Grandfather Clause" in franchise legislation.
Whenever an important movement is set on foot to promote the progree
and prosperity of the city or county, or their advance along moral
lines, his fellow citizens know that they have in him a wise
conunsellor and guide, if, indeed, he is not its originator.

Typed for OKGenWeb by Marti Graham, January 4, 1999.