SIMON PETER TREADWELL. The admission of Oklahoma to statehood and the division of counties under the new constitution caused an unwonted political interest and a realignment of political parties in the newly formed counties along the 98th meridian, part of which had been in the old Oklahoma and part in the Chickasaw Nation. With the formation of the new county of Jefferson, and the prospects of an entire new set of county officials with the adoption of the constitution, candidates came forward in numbers of two or more for all the offices. The shrievalty was an especial prize, and in the primaries of the Democratic party were six competitors. The plurality vote at the primary and the winner at the polls in the following September was Simon Peter Treadwell, who was elected by a majority of 472 votes and on November 16, became the first sheriff of Jefferson county. Sheriff Treadwell has been an active and vigilant officer, and since his incumbency has been called into service by the commission of two murders and numerous minor offenses within the county.

    Mr. Treadwell was born in Searcy county, Arkansas, October 22, 1856, son of William Treadwell, a stockman and farmer who had settled in that county in 1845, and died there in 1891. The grandfather wasWilliam F. Treadwell, an Englishman, who died in Wayne county, Tennessee; in his family besides William, were Daniel, who died in Tennessee; Dock, who died in Arkansas; Stephen, who died in Tennessee; Amos, who died in Arkansas; Bettie Maupin, who died in Arkansas; and Nancy, who married Daniel Stricker and died in Arkansas. William Treadwell, who followed farming during his active career, married Malinda, daughter ofWilliam Harness. She died in 1884, leaving children: Mary J., wife of G. W. Jackson, of Searcy county, Arkansas; William Jr., who died in Arkansas; Thomas, of Oklahoma; Malinda, wife of Winfield Cotton, of Searcy county; Simon P.; Lucinda, wife of J. E. Treece; Maggie, wife of Mark McCaslin, of Searcy county;Dina, widow of N. W. Dorsey and a resident of Salt Lake City.

    Simon Peter Treadwell grew up at a time and under circumstances when educational opportunities were most limited, and he carne to man's estate with scarcely a common school education. When twenty years old he became a clerk in the store of G. B. Greenhaw in Marshall, Arkansas, and after ten years in that work could see no brighter prospects that would justify continued labor, so he brought his family to Indian Territory. For three years he rode the range as an employe of the once noted cattle firm of Belcher and Belcher. Their cattle, marked by the familiar brand, ranged from the home ranch in Montague county, Texas, to a broad stretch of country north of Red river, their leases for grazing probably covering 60,000 acres of range. Having acquired a few hundred dollars' capital by 1889; Mr. Treadwell decided to embark in the cattle business for himself. He collected a herd of 200 heifer yearlings, and leased a pasture for them twenty miles east of the present town of Ryan. He kept from two hundred to five hundred head running his lease, and he also did some farming to produce feed for his stock. During the last two years of his experience as cattleman he was in Washita and Caddo counties. Before the opening of the country to settlement he sold off his stock and retired permanently from the business. Having disposed of his stock, he became a resident of Ryan and was engaged for a time in the grocery business as a member of the firm of Henderson and Treadwell. From this he withdrew to conduct his canvass for the office of sheriff. Besides his larger political activity in the county, Mr. Treadwell has served on the common council of Ryan. He is a Master Mason and a Woodman of the World. He married in Searcy county, Arkansas, February 13, 1881, Belle Stephenson, daughter of J. W. Stephenson, a farmer and settler from Tennessee. Mrs. Treadwell was born in Arkansas in 1860. They have the following children: Hugh, Seth, Pearl, Frank, Fred, Floy and Bennie.