Updated: 07 Apr 2013

Daily Oklahoman, The 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 
July 13, 1956

Dr. Robert Rritton Buford, prominent pioneer editor and civic leader of McIntosh county, died at his home in Eufaula, Oklahoma, July 13, 1956, at the age of seventy-seven years. Funeral services were held at the First Baptist church in Eufaula, with the Reverend Marvin Gennings, pastor of the church, officiating. The Buford family with a lineage traceable to the feudal days of France and England came to this country in 1Ci3,5, settling in Virginia. One branch of the family migrated to Tennessee, then to Louisiana and finally into East Texas in 1835, where Dr. Buford's father, John Christopher Buford, was born. As a young man, the father engaged in farming on his own account in Texas, and he was active in that connection until his death. He was but eighteen years of age when he enlisted in the Texas infantry under his father Captain W. R. Buford, for service in the Civil War, and participated in many of important battles of that conflict, serving the entire four years.

In 1867 in Sulphur Springs, Texas, John Christopher Rnford married Bliss Elizahth Askew a native of Georgia. Robert Britton Buford was born in Sulphur Springs, Texas, April 23, 1879. the sixth of a family of ten children. His early education was received in Sulphur Springs, Texas. Later he enrolled as a dental student at the University of Tennessee at Nashville. Young Dr. Buford came to Eufaula as a practicing dentist in 1899. He returned to Dental school and received his I). 1,. S. degree in 1905, returning to Eufaula to continue his practice.

On April 16, 1906 he was married to Miss Marcella Fossick of Sheffield, Alabama, daughter of Thomas Lancelot and Mary Ellis (O'Reilly) Fossick. the former a native of England and the latter of Mississippi. Mr. Fossick operated a stone quarry during the greater part of his life. In 1909 Dr. Buford gave up his dental profession and became editor and owner of the Indian Journal, a stock publishing company, which was owned by the merchants of the town. Dr. Buford purchased all of the news-paper stock in a short time. He continued his activity on the Eufaula paper until 1944 when he retired from the business. The Indian Journal. the oldest Oklahoma newspaper with continuous publication, recently celebrated its 80th birthday, May 31, 1956. Dr. R. R. Buford was publisher for the longest period. One of the highlights of his newspaper career was his successful fight over a long period of years in making Eufaula a better city and a more prosperous community.

He achieved this mainly by constantly boosting civic activities in both his news and editorial columns. Keenly interested in politics and active in religious and civic organizations, Dr. Buford served his community well.

In 1910 he was appointed County Treasurer of McIntosh county to fill an unexpired term. He was chairman of the McIntosh County Exemption board In World War I, now referred to as the Draft Board. In 1934, he was named county administrator of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, and in 1936 he was named a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, .which nominated President Roosevelt for a second term. Dr. Buford recently resigned as chairman of the County Excise Board in Eufaula after serving the past twelve years and he was a director of the State National bank of Eufaula at the time of his death. He was a fifty-year member of the Eufaula Masonic lodge, and a charter member of the Lion's club of Eufaula which was organized in 1919. He was also n member of the First Baptist church and served as deacon for many Fears. On April 16 of this year, he and his wife celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Besides his wife, Marcella, he is survived by two sons; John Buford, Checotah, publisher, Robert B. Buford Jr., Eufaula ; a daughter, Margaret Buford, Eufaula; a brother, M. Z. Buford, Terrell, Texas; a sister, Mr8. J. C. McDonald, Sulphur Springs, Texas; and two granddaughters, Lynn and Margaret Ann Buford, Checotah.

photo courtesy Marti Graham, January 2009
 

Sources:  good faith fair use of sources stated above

Compiled, transcribed and submitted by Marti Graham, Oklahoma County, OKGenWeb Coordinator, February 2009. Information posted for educational purposes for viewers and researchers. The contributor is not related to nor researching any of the above.

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