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FRED MERSHON
Vol. 3, p. 1271

From the time of his arrival in what is now Sequoyah County,
Oklahoma, in 1903, Fred Mershon has been one of the most helpful of
its citizens and during a large part of this time, ever since the
acquisition of statehood, in fact, has been the incumbent of public
office, in which his fine abilities have been used in the furtherance
of measures for the general welfare. He is the father of the public
school system of the country, having for many years been engaged in
educational work both in Texas and Oklahoma, and since January 1,
1913, has been clerk of the District Court.

Mr. Mershon, was born February 21, 1867, in Wise County, Texas, and
is the son of Fred L. and Frances (LAWLEY) Mershon. the family is of
French origin, the progenitor in America coming to this country long
before the outbreak of the American Revolution. From New Jersey some
of the name moved to Kentucky subsequent to the winning of
independence, and it was in that state, near Bowling Green, that Fred
L. Mershon, the father of Fred Mershon was born. As a young man the
father joined other adventurous souls and went to the new country of
Texas, where, in Wise County, he met and married Frances LAWLEY, a
native of the Lone Star State. They became the parents of three
children, of whom Fred was the youngest, and when he was only one
year old the mother died. Later, Fred. L. Mershon married Mary REED,
who bore him seven children. At the time of the Civil war, Mr.
Mershon enlisted in a regiment of volunteer infantry from Texas, and
fought gallantly as a soldier in the uniform of the Grey. His
military career finished, he returned to the peaceful pursuits of
farming and raising stock, in which he continued to be engaged during
the remaining years of his life, rounding out a career of usefulness
and passing away in Wise County at the age of sixty-three years. He
was a highly esteemed member of his community, serving with
distinction in several public offices, including that of county
treasurer of Wise County, which he held for four years, and was a
devout member of the Christian Church.

Fred Mershon was reared on his father's farm in Wise County, Texas,
and attended the county schools where was laid the foundation of his
education. After completing a high school course, he attended for
some time Acock's Military School, at San Antonio, Texas, where his
days as a pupil closed, although he was not to quit the school-room.
Instead he continued therein as an educator, having begun teaching at
an early age, and for twenty-one years was engaged in work as an
instructor. His career in this field was commenced in Texas, from
which state he came to what is now Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, in
1903. For years of successful work he was principal of the schools of
Vian, Oklahoma, but with the coming of statehood, in 1907, was
elected the first county superintendent of schools for Sequoyah
County, an office in which he served for a little more than five
years, and in which capacity he efficiently organized and put into
smooth working order the present excellent school system of the
county. In 1910 he was honored by an election to the position of
president of the Oklahoma State Teachers Association. His services
were again called into public requisition in 1912, when he was
elected clerk of the District Court of Sequoyah County. He entered
upon duties of this office January 1, 1913, and here again brought
into play ability and rendered such acceptable service as court clerk
as to merit a re-election in 1914, by virtue of which he is now
serving his second term in this office. Clerk Mershon is a stanch
democrat in politics and fraternally is connected with the Knights of
Pythias and The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In church
faith he is a Methodist, belonging with Mrs. Mershon and his children
to the Sallisaw Methodist Episcopal Church South.

Mr. Mershon was married in 1897, to Miss Connie Cleo WAITE, a native
of Texas, and to this union there have been born five children, as
follows: Lena, Robbie Ray, Frederick Joseph, William Sequoyah, and
Frances Eunice.

Typed for OKGenWeb by Jean Owens October 29, 1998.