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STEPHEN A. HORTON
Vol. 3 p. 1211-1212

The career of Stephen A. Horton, one of the thoroughly learned and
capable members of the Oklahoma bar, well illustrates what may be
accomplished by the following out of an honorable purpose with firm
determination and manly self-reliance. His only resource when he
began active life was natural ability, but he possessed immense will
power and ambition, and was enabled to make the most of every
opportunity that arose. His home training had been an admirable one,
and very early in life he learned the value of self help, as well as
the homely virtues of frugality, industry and fidelity. He set
himself a high ideal, and in a practical, common-sense way, has
directed his every effort toward its attainment, with the result that
now, in the strength and vigor of manhood, he has achieved a most
gratifying success in his profession, and has a first place in the
confidence of his fellowmen.

Mr. Horton is a Texan by nativity, born in Hunt County, February 6,
1871, a son of Stephen M. and Mary M. V. (BRIDSONG) (sic) Horton. His
father, a native of Alabama, followed school teaching in that state
until the beginning of the Civil War, at which time he enlisted in an
Alabama regiment of volunteers and served four years under the stars
and bars of the Confederacy. With the defeat of the Lost Cause, like
many of his fellow-Southerners, he migrated to Texas, there to
endeavor to gather together the broken and scattered threads of life,
and continued as an educator in the Lone Star State until the time of
his death, in 1908. Mrs. Horton, who was born December 25, 1839, in
Panola County, Texas, still survives and makes her home at the old
place in Hunt County.

The early education of Stephen A. Horton was secured in the public
schools of Hunt County, and Calhoun College, at Kingston, Texas. He
was but sixteen years of age when he left the parental roof and took
his place among the world's workers, first entering the cattle
business in West Texas and then the mercantile business at Wheelock,
Texas, where he spent eight years, from 1888 to 1896. From early
youth, however, it had been Mr. Horton's ambition to enter the legal
profession, and while pursuing his duties in the marts of commerce or
discharging his duties in the livestock field, he devoted his nights
to the study of law, and it has been this element of determination
and perseverance that has made him a lawyer of high standing not only
before the State Supreme Court, but before the highest Federal
tribunal. He took his examination for the bar in 1896 and was
admitted to practice by the District Court, and in the following year
was admitted by the Supreme Court of the Sate of Texas. After
practicing at Wheelock for a short time, Mr. Horton went to the
Panhandle country of Texas, from whence he came to Oklahoma City in
1903, where he was admitted to the Supreme Court of the Territory of
Oklahoma, and upon the advent of statehood was admitted to the
Supreme Court of the State of Oklahoma. Here he practiced alone until
1904, when he became a member of the firm of DAVIS & HORTON, a
partnership which continued until 1905. In 1909 he was with W. O.
MITCHELL, as Mitchell & Horton, and from May, 1912, to January, 1913,
was with A. M. MUNDEN, as Munden & Horton, but since the latter date
has practiced alone, and has a large and profitable business in the
higher courts not only of the state but of the country. He has
probably as complete and extensive a law library as there is to be
found in the state. Ever studious, industrious, conscientious, and
alive to the interests of all his clients, thorough in the
preparation and complete in the presentation of all his cases, fair
minded and honorable in his methods of trial, he has become
recognized as a most capable and successful practitioner, a safe
counselor, and a lawyer thoroughly learned in every branch of his
calling. He maintains membership in the various organizations of the
profession, and is fraternally connected with the Blue Lodge and
Chapter of Masonry, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the
Knights of Pythias. Mr. Horton's religious affiliation is with the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South. A republican in politics, in 1907,
he was a candidate for the nomination for county judge of Oklahoma
County on the republican ticket, but was defeated by Judge James R.
Lewis. Mr. Horton's offices are located at Suite 1014-1017 Colcord
Building.

In 1891, Mr. Horton was married to Miss Ida J. TAYLOR, of Robinson
County, Texas, and she died in 1899, leaving three children: Roland,
born in 1894; Grace, born in 1896; and Lynn, born in 1898. In 1907,
Mr. Horton was married to Miss Dora CUMMINGS, of Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma, and to this union there has come one son: Ralph, born in
1911. The family home is at No. 1012 North Shartel Avenue.

Typed for OKGenWeb by Jacque Hopkins Wolski, October 26, 1998.