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
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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
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ticeMber 1934 Mr. Babb has ben actively engaged 4n
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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.