The First Eight Months of Oklahoma City.

CHURCH & HARRAH

One of the deservedly popular firms in the city is that of CHURCH & HARRAH, on California avenue. They are in the commission business, but they make a specialty of wholesaling and retailing flour, feed and coal.

WM. O. CHURCH

came from Meade Centre, Kansas, to Oklahoma. He was born in Illinois, near Alton, January 21, 1860. In 1872 he went to Little Rock, Arkansas, where he attended St. John's Cadet College for five years. He commenced life for himself on a farm near Little Rock, and after three years moved to Dallas, Texas, where he was associated with his father for ten years in the grain business. He was a resident of Kansas for some time before the opening of Oklahoma. He came in with the rush on the 22d, met

FRANK HARRAH

Mr. Harrah entered the railway mail service where he was a faithful servant for Uncle Sam for one year. He finally went to Sedalia, Missouri, and went into the Missouri Pacific shops as a rounder. Being of a mechanical turn he was rapidly promoted and in a short time ranked as one of the best mechanics in the shops. He left Sedalia to come to Oklahoma where he has been very successful. The firm has a large and growing trade and are rated as among the city's substantial business men.

DR. C. J. WYNCOOP

One of the busiest physicians in the city is Dr. C. J. Wyncoop, whose office on Main street is daily crowded with suffering humanity from all parts of the city and country. Dr. Wyncoop is an Ohio man and this probably cuts some figure in his being so wondrously successful in his practice. He was born November 23, 1840, at Spring-field, Clarke county, Ohio. In just ten years after he went to Iowa and located in Jefferson, Green county. He attended college in Ann Harbor, Michigan, and Keokuck, Iowa, graduating in 1865. He began the practice of his profession at home (Jefferson) where he remained until his removal to Atlantic, Cass county, Iowa, in 1868. In the latter place he formed a co-partnership with Dr. Montgomery and the firm of Wyncoop & Montgomery established one of the largest drug stores in the state. In 1872 Dr. Wyncoop moved to Beloit, Mitchell Kansas, where he acquired a lucrative practice. He be-came very soon the leading citizen of the place. He was proprietor of three grocery and dry goods stores and founded the First National Bank of Kirwin, Kansas, of which he was president for a long time. On June 1st '89, he came to Oklahoma City, and there, like in the other places he had lived, Dr. Wyncoop rose to prominence and popularity. He established the St. Joe Grocery, of which his children, M. O. and S. F. Wyncoop are the managers. The stock of this grocery is complete and one of the largest in the city. Dr. Wyncoop's practice is not con-fined to the city alone, but extends all over the country. His success is the result of hard study, strict attention to business and the faithful performance of every duty.

CITIZENS BANK

The Citizens Bank, on the south-east corner of Main and Broadway, was the first one to open for business in the territory. James Geary, Fox Winnie and L. A. Gilbert were in the city at the opening and on the 27th of April, it suddenly occurred to them to start a bank, and acting on the impulse they set to work and by May 30th they had a building up and were doing business. James Geary, the president, is from Newton, Kansas, where he was a banker for years. He was always one the foremost to take part in any enterprise that pertained to the city's advancement

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and good. L. A. GILBERT, the cashier is also from Newton. He is a young man of great financial acumen and is one of the most expert accountants in the south-west.

A. L. WELSH, assistant cashier, like the other officers of the bank, is from Kansas, (Newton.) He is a thorough, practical banker and is a pillar of strength financially. The bank's capital is $50,000. It does a general banking business and has unexceptional references. The directors are: Fox Winnie, James Geary, S. Leham, A. B. Gilbert and L. A. Gilbert.

THE BAPTIST CHURCH IN OKLAHOMA CITY

Arrangements were made to occupy Winningham Bro's hall on Grand avenue as a temporary place of meeting. Mrs. Alice E. Mitchell, Mrs. L. J. Perring and Mrs. Hull were appointed a committee to look up Baptist families and secure their co-operation. The first prayer meeting was held on Wednesday evening, July 24th, and on Sunday morning July 28th, the Baptist Sunday school was organized with M. L. Killebrew as a superintendent; Mrs. Perring, secretary; Mrs. Kay, treasurer. On November 2, 1889, the First Baptist church of Oklahoma City, was organized, and on November 16th the following officers were elected: Deacons, Kendall Elder and L. H. North; treasurer, W. H. Tompkins; clerk, L. H. North; trustees, I. N. Phillips, F. V. Brandom and T. M. Richardson. On February 5, 1890, Rev. W. H. Nichols was called to the pastorate of the church and on April 1, 1890, he commenced his pastoral work. The membership at the time of organization was seventeen and the present membership is forty-three.

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