Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Date: January 10, 1938
Name: James Singleton Babb
Post Office: Poteau, Oklahoma
Residence Address: Poteau
Date of Birth: September 9, 1881
Place of Birth: Riley, Yell County, Arkansas
Father: John P. Babb
Place of Birth: South Carolina
Information on father: farmer
Mother: Mary Babb nee Bledsoe
Place of birth: Tennessee
Information on mother:
Field Worker: Gomer Gower
Interview: 12704
Interview with James Singleton
Babb
Poteau,
Oklahoma
James Singleton Babb
was born near Riley, in Yell County, Arkansas, on September 9,
1881. His parents were John P. and Mary Babb, nee Bledsoe.
In his boyhood he
attended the public schools at Hartford, Arkansas, and later was
a student at Ouachita College at Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
In May 1906, Mr. Babb
moved from Boynton to Howe in LeFlore County and engaged in the
mercantile business in partnership with a brother, in which
business he continued until the later part of 1911, at which
time he disposed of his interest.
In the early part of
1912 he announced as a Democratic candidate for the office of
Court Clerk of LeFlore County, having as his opponent Mr.
H. S. Pilgreen.
The election resulted
in a tie but upon a recount, it was found that Mr. Babb
had won by three Votes and he assumed the duties of the office
on January 1, 1913, and served two consecutive terms or four
years, in capacity of court clerk.
Mr. Babb's close
contact with court matters while he served as court clerk
inspired him to take up the study of law, which he did under Mr.
T. T. Varner, the dean of he legal fraternity in LeFlore County
and upon the expiration of his second term as Court Clerk, he
retired to his farm, which was located three miles' west of
Heavener and actively engaged in farming, putting in all his
spare time in qualifying himself for admission to the bar. He
was admitted to the bar early in 1919 and entered upon the
practice of his profession and was appointed by D. C. McCurtain,
then county attorney, as assistant county attorney and served
in that capacity until January 1923. In the meantime, in the
campaign of 1922 he had been the successful candidate for the
office of County Attorney, he was a successful candidate in the
race for state representative and was reelected to that office
in the campaigns of 1930 and 1932, serving his county as state
representative for six consecutive years or until January 1,
1935.
He actively assisted in
electing the Democratic candidate for delegate to the
Constitutional Convention and was secretary of the county
election board which canvassed the first election for state and
county officers and the adoption of the State Constitution. Ho
recalls the exceeding joy of the people when President Theodore
Roosevelt issued the proclamation which converted the Indian
Territory into the State of Oklahoma. The event was celebrated
throughout the county by large gatherings of people who
congregated to hear the glad tidings from the lips of
noted orators.
Mr. Babb remembers that the members of the election board had
met in the upper story of a stone building at Poteau, Which
served as the county courthouse at that time, to be facIpadiness
to ce4vaas the returns' on the day following the election. Th
hours were pass• ing and no one appeared with returns from the
precinct boxes. Becoming impatient with the delay, the members
of 'the board went to the front of the luilding to ascertain
the-cause of the delay. Looting eastward
4A
they saw a footman approaching tram th top of the hill east of
the court house, who lead a,lo hickory pole on his shoulder, to
which was eusended a allot•bOx. Upon
• the arrival of this tired rootman with is carefully guarded
ballot•box, it was found that was a member of
the precinct election board at Monroe, village about eight miles
distant, as the .crow flies) d he had walked that distance. He
was the first precin t eleotionboard to make its returns to the
county elect On board.
Since hie retirement as state rep sentative in
17 BABB, .U1= S GLUON INIthaVIEW P--
12704 —
7
- 5 .1
ticeMber 1934 Mr. Babb has ben actively engaged 4n
*
the practioe of-hit profession partnership with
his son, Irl, under the firm n of Babb and 1i‘bb.
Mt. Babb is now, as he has .ver been, a itaunch ' Democrat.
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