Obit Index
Updated: 07 Apr 2013

Frank Canton
alias Joseph Horner
b 1849 d September 27, 1927

Daily Oklahoman
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
September 28, 1927 page 1

General Frank M. Canton - picturesque frontiers man, veteran law enforcement officer of the Old West, colorful soldier of fortune, first adjutant general of the state of Oklahoma, and prototype for the fictional western heroes of Novelists is dead.

Few that would attend the funeral knew that the true name of the man they honored was Joe Homer and that his "picturesque, colorful" history included a criminal career marked by convictions for bank and highway robbery, desperate jail escapes and indictments for cold-blooded murder.

Frank Canton Of Old West Fame Is Dead

Former Adjutant General Was Picturesque Figure Before Statehood
Was Hero In Book
Work In Enforcement He Saw Service From Texas to Alaska

Frank M. Canton, 75 years old, picturesque frontiersman and law enforcement agent of the old was soldier of fortune and for nine years adjutant general of the Oklahoma national guard, died Tuesday afternoon at 4:45 o'clock, at the home of his daughter, in Edmond.

Services will be at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon, at the Hahn funeral home. Services at Rose Hill cemetery will be in charge of the Masonic lodge. [Frank is buried at Fairlawn Cemetery with his wife, Ann and daughter, Ruby]

His death, which had been expected for many weeks was due to the infirmities of his advanced age and remarkably active life, and brought to an end one of the most colorful and romantic careers. Interwoven with the history of Oklahoma territory and the early formative period of the state.

Frank, Ann and Ruby are buried at Fairlawn Cemetery, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

cemetery stone photo courtesy Tea4Two

http://books.google.com/books?id=-OVbppVUWDAC&dq=%22frank+canton%22&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=QICl7_c9ka&sig=1uozDZ98Atcu6KnBS73EOIWBsxM&hl=en&ei=gEe1SaKxMoueMpO7pN8E&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=7&ct=result#PPA7,M1

Josiah Horner better known as Frank M. Canton, was a famous American Old West lawman, and at one point in his life, an outlaw. While in Nebraska, he officially changed his name to Frank M. Canton and vowed to give up his outlaw ways.

Frank M. Canton was well known as the Adjutant General of the Nation-al Guard of Oklahoma, appointed to this position directly after Statehood in 1907, by Charles N. Haskell, the first Governor of Oklahoma.

A native of Virginia, he had gone as a child with his parents to Texas, and later worked as a cowboy on one of the first cattle drives north up the Chisholm Trail through the Indian Territory to Abilene, Kansas, in 1869. His work in charge of cattle drives later took him farther west, and his career as a peace officer began with his appointment as deputy sheriff in Custer County, Montana, while employed as field inspector for the Wyoming Stock Raisers' Association with headquarters at Miles City, Montana, during a "cattle rustlers' war" in that region. He settled at Buffalo in 1880, was elected sheriff of Johnson County in 1882, and was reelected in 1884. Shortly after the opening of the Cherokee Outlet, he came to Pawnee where he was commissioned deputy sheriff by Rank Lake, first elected sheriff of Pawnee County, Oklahoma Territory, who had formerly sewed as a deputy under Sheriff Canton in Wyoming. During the gold rush to the Klondike in 1897, Canton went to Alaska in the employ of the North American Trading and Transportation Company with headquarters at Circle City where he was appointed Deputy United States Marshal. On his return to the States two years later, he accompanied a Government relief train to China with supplies for the Americans during the Boxer uprising.  Canton traveled to Oklahoma, and became a respected U.S. Marshal under Judge Isaac Parker, based out of Fort Smith, Arkansas. He worked with other famous lawmen such as Heck Thomas, Chris Madsen, and Bill Tilghman during that time. In 1895, Canton joined a posse that tracked down Bill and John Shelley, who had escaped from the Pawnee jail and barricaded themselves in a cabin across the Arkansas River.

General Canton served with honor in the position at the head of the National Guard of Oklahoma in the three succeeding administrations of Governor Charles N. Haskell, Lee Cruce. and Robert L. Williams, until failing health caused his retirement.

Daughter, Ruby Cantan [1885~1928], a beautiful and talented young woman who had specialized in music under the instruction of Rudolph Ganz in Chicago, continued her college courses, and was appointed Librarian at Central State Normal School at Edmond, by Governor Haskell in 1908. Subsequently she studied in the Library School of the University of Chicago, and upon her return to her post at Edmond, was the first to teach library science in Oklahoma. She studied further during summer vacation at different times in Columbia University. Pittsburgh University, and Carnegie Tech at Pittsburgh, and traveled aboard in 1926. She was an active member of the American Library Association in the state, and served as President of the Librarian's department in the Oklahoma Educational Association before her death in 1928. A special collection of books in Evans Hall at Central State College is known as the Ruby Canton Library, and a beautiful stained glass window has been dedicated to her memory.
 in Central's proposed "Y" Chapel of Song at Edmond.

After the loss of Ruby, Mrs. Canton began her own work in the public service of the State. She was a devoted member of the Christian Science Church and of the Eastern Star. She was appointed by the Board of Director of the Oklahoma Historical Society on November 15, 1930, as guide in the splendid new Historical Building, a position that she held continuously for over fifteen years until failing health caused her retirement. Her commanding presence and her never failing interest, enthusiasm, and knowledge of the Museum exhibits on Oklahoma history made her especially fitted for her work in the Historical Society. Hundreds of thousands of visitors from over the state, the nation, and foreign countries to the halls of the Historical Building during her long service will always remember Annie M. Canton's striking personality and the fine welcome she extended in the work that she loved, to the honor of the Oklahoma  Historical Society Oklahoma City.
 

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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