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TIERNAY & WALKER
Vol. 3, p. 1882-1883

One of the thoroughly reliable, enterprising, progressive and
energetic newspapers of Kingfisher County, and one that is wielding a
distinct and forceful influence in assisting the wheels of progress
and in securing for the people a greater degree of prosperity, is the
Hennessey Clipper, which is published at Hennessey by the firm of
Tiernay and Walker. This concern, founded in 1913 by Frank G. TIERNAY
and Miss Mabel WALKER, has met with a satisfying degree of success
from the start, and in 1914 removed all opposition by purchasing the
only other newspaper published at that place.

Frank G. Tiernay, the senior member of the concern, has passed his
entire life, with the exception of three years, in connection with
printing and journalistic work from the time when, as a lad, he
received his introduction to stick and case. He was born April 26,
1874, at Fredonia, Louisa County, Iowa, and is a son of Patrick J.
and Julia (FAHEY) Tiernay. Patrick J. Tiernay was a native of New
York, born in 1824, and was a farmer and mechanic all his life. He
lived at various points during the course of a somewhat diversified
career, and died in 1898, at Quincy, Illinois. Mr. Tiernay was
married in 1859 to Miss Julia Fahey, also a native of New York, born
in 1830, who died in 1884. They were the parents of four sons and
three daughters: John J., Helen, Mary, William, Anna, Frank G. and
Henry, all of whom are still living.

Frank G. Tiernay received his early education in the public schools
of Burlington, Iowa, to which city his parents removed when he was a
small lad. When he was fifteen years of age he expressed a desire to
enter the printing business, and accordingly was taught the trade.
From that time forward he worked as a journey man at various places
and with numerous newspapers until 1900, in which year he became
editor and part owner of the Herald, at Belle Plaine, Iowa. In 1908
he came to Oklahoma, where he purchased the Press-Democrat, at
Hennessey, of which he continued as editor and owner until 1910, that
year marking his entrance upon the real estate field. However, the
constant call of the craft was not to be denied, and after an
experience of three years in realty affairs he returned to journalism
in 1913 when he purchased a half-interest in the Hennessey Clipper,
in partnership with Miss Mabel Walker, under the firm style of
Tiernay & Walker. Mr. Tiernay is personally a democrat, but the paper
maintains independent policies, and seeks to give to the readers a
fair and unbiased presentation of all matters of interest and
importance. Under wise management both subscription and advertising
departments are flourishing, and the Clipper is rapidly assuming the
proportions of a necessary adjunct. Mr. Tiernay is unmarried.

Like her partner, Miss Mabel Walker, junior member of the firm,
learned the printing business when but a child and has been its
active devotee throughout the course of her active career. She is
also an Iowan by nativity, having been born on a farm in Grundy
County, February 14, 1876, a daughter of Rigdon B. and Rachel (DEW)
Walker. Rigdon B. Walker was born December 5, 1842, at Rock Island,
Illinois, a son of Amos and Mary (ABBOTT) Walker, natives of
Kentucky. Mr. Walker went in young manhood from Illinois to Iowa,
where he engaged in farming in Grundy County, later went to Reno
County, Kansas, in 1882, and in 1895 came to Oklahoma and bought land
seven miles north of Enid, where he continued to farm and raise stock
until his death in 1901. When the Civil war came on Mr. Walker was a
resident of Illinois, and enlisted in Company C, One Hundred and
Second Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he served
two years. He was seriously wounded at the battle of Resaca. After
the close of the war, in 1865, he was married at Monmouth, Illinois,
to Miss Rachel Dew, who was born in 1840, at Zanesville, Ohio,
daughter of Hiram and Bettie (WESTON) Dew, natives of the Buckeye
State. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Walker: Ransom, Robert,
Maude, Mabel, Oliver and Julia, of whom Robert is deceased.

Miss Mabel Walker received the foundation for her education in the
public schools of Reno County, Kansas, and was but fourteen years of
age when she entered the office of the Sylvia Banner, at Sylvia,
Kansas, to learn the printing trade. In 1895 she removed with her
parents to Enid, Oklahoma, where she worked as a printer, as she did
also later at Chickasha, on newspapers. In 1911 she became editor and
manager of the Hennessey Clipper, in 1913 purchasing it with Mr.
Tiernay. In the year following all opposition was removed when the
Clipper absorbed the Press-Democrat. Miss Walker is a newspaper woman
of marked talent, and, while pre-eminently a business woman, has her
full share of the feminine graces, attractions and accomplishments.

Transcribed by: Dorothy M. Tenaza, July 18, 1999.

SOURCE: Thoburn, Joseph B., A Standard History of Oklahoma, An
Authentic Narrative of its Development, 5 v. (Chicago, New York: The
American Historical Society, 1916).