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RUFUS S. HENDON
Vol. 3, p. 1229-1230

The present county assessor of Carter County is one of the old
settlers of Southern Oklahoma and Indian Territory and in many varied
relations he has performed a quiet, faithful and diligent service,
whether acting for himself or for the general public. No better man
could have been found in Carter County for the present office than
Mr. Hendon.

The Hendons come originally from England, settled in Tennessee, and
from there moved to Alabama, where at least three generations of the
family have lived. Mr. Hendon's grandfather was Alexander Hendon, who
was born in Tennessee about 1808, and in early manhood moved to
Walker County, Alabama, where he was a farmer and planter and died in
1900. Rufus S. Hendon of Ardmore was born January 28, 1863, also in
Walker County, Alabama. His father, Joseph W. Hendon, was born in the
same County of Alabama in 1836, was reared and married there, but in
1869, after the war, in which he served with an Alabama regiment of
infantry during the last three years in the Confederate army, he
moved to Sulphur Springs, Hopkins County, Texas, and in 1870 to Black
Jack Grove. He was a school teacher, a mechanic, also a druggist, but
in 1873 moved onto a farm near Black Jack Grove. In 1879 he
transferred his home to Cooke County, Texas, and in 1880 to St. Joe,
Montague County, where his death occurred in 1881. He was a active
member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and belonged to the
Masonic fraternity. Joseph W. Hendon married Sarah J. REID, who was
born in Alabama in 1836 and died at Burneyville, Indian Territory, in
1891. Their five children were: Savannah, now deceased; Rufus S.; J.
E., who is a merchant at Dustin, Oklahoma; and Lucy, who married Mr.
MARSHALL, a farmer, and lives in Greer County, Oklahoma.

The early education of Rufus S. Hendon was limited to the public
schools of Texas until he was thirteen years of age. Thereafter until
1900 he was in the main identified with agricultural pursuits. He
lived in Cooke County, Texas, but in 1881 moved to Leon in Indian
Territory. In 1891 he went to Poolville, Indian Territory, was a
farmer in that locality, for four years kept books for I. E. Harmon &
Bros., was postmaster and merchant there five years, but in August,
1900, came to Ardmore. In the county seat of Carter County he was
first employed as bookkeeper for the Cold Storage Company one year,
then for two years was in the same line of work for D. P. HALL, the
furniture merchant. In 1912 he became deputy county assessor, served
through 1913, and on November 6, 1914, was elected as chief of that
office. In the meantime, in September, 1914, he has been appointed to
fill out the unexpired term of A. S. CLARKSON, deceased. After his
election he took up his duties in January, 1915, for a term of two
years. His offices are in the courthouse.

For many years Mr. Hendon has been actively interested in party
affairs of the democrats, has done much to help his friends, but only
recently entered a campaign for his own election. He is recording
steward of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and is now
affiliated with Ardmore Lodge No. 31, A. F. & A. M., having formerly
been affiliated with both the Modern Woodmen of America and the
Woodmen of the World.

In 1892 at Elk, now called Poolville, Mr. Hendon married Miss Louisa
HOLMAN. Her father, J. T. Holman, lives at Ardmore and is a brick and
stone mason. To their marriage have been born four children: Joseph
E., who was graduated in June, 1915, with the degree LL. B. from the
law department of the Oklahoma University and is living at Ardmore
with his parents; Wilford R., who is now at Kerrville in the
mountainous district of Western Texas for the benefit of his health;
Mabel, a junior at the Ardmore High School; and Cecile, a freshman at
the high school.

Typed for OKGenWeb by Charmaine Keith, October 17, 1998.