Chronicles of Oklahoma
By James Shannon Buchanan, Oklahoma Historical Society
Oklahoma Historical Society., 1893, p 247
April 23, 1970
 Mr.
Mountcastle was one of the few men who enjoyed the absolute
confidence of Judge Williams, under whom he served as United
States Commissioner for twenty years. Of all men in high public
office in the State and Nation with whom Mr. Mountcastle was
acquainted, without doubt, Judge Williams knew him best and gave
to him more of his trust than to any other man.
He was chosen to serve on the Board of Directors at the
request of the late Judge Robert L. Williams, whose signal
service to the Historical Society, the State of Oklahoma, and to
the United States of America is well-known.
In later years, he served in the State Legislature from Muskogee
County, the 18th and 19th sessions, and was elected Speaker
pro-tem of the latter by that body. Mr. Mountcastle was a true
patriot of Ft. Gibson. Although he resided in Muskogee for many
years he never changed his voting precinct, the Town Hall, in
Ft. Gibson.
He was admitted to practice before all State and Federal Courts,
including the Supreme Court of the United States, and was a
member of the County, State, and American Bar Associations. He
was a charter member of the Frank Gladd Post of the American
Legion. His Masonic Affiliations consisted of Membership in
Alpha Lodge #12, his hometown Blue Lodge at Ft. Gibson. He was a
32nd degree mason and Shriner (Beduoin Temple) Muskogee, and was
a member of the Royal Order of Jesters. He was an active
life-long member of the Baptist Church.
It was my good fortune to enjoy Mr. Mountcastle's friendship and
affection for over 57 years. He was an intimate friend of
members of four generations of my family. His loss to the State
of Oklahoma, to Muskogee County, and to Ft. Gibson is
irreparable to those who depended upon him for so long a time.
His close friends and associates in our Historical Society, his
colleagues at the Bar, and his fellow citizens who were his
clients and friends perhaps will welcome more knowledge of his
origin and background.
Robert Milligan Mountcastle was born in historic Jefferson City,
East Tennessee, March 17, 1888. He died at Muskogee February 11,
1970; aged 81 years and 11 months. He was the son of W. H. and
Maude C. Mountcastle, whose forebears were pioneers in Eastern
Tennessee. After finishing local public schools, he graduated
from Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City in 1909, with a
B.A. degree. He was a stellar baseball player at Carson Newman
and throughout his life was an ardent follower of the sport. In
1912, he received his L.L.B. and Doctor of Jurisprudence degrees
from the University of Chicago. Here he had been a classmate of
another former colleague
In early summer, 1912, Mr. Mountcastle arrived in Oklahoma City
an of our Board of Directors the late Honorable Kelly Brown,
who, as a fellow student, enlisted Mr. Mountcastle's interest in
far Oklahoma.
In early summer, 1912, Mr. Mountcastle arrived in Oklahoma City
and was one of 208 attorneys admitted to practice in this state
between May and August of that year. And, I believe that the
distinguished veteran attorney, Mr. Roy Fry of Sallisaw, is the
sole survivor of this large roster of Oklahoma attorneys who
began their practice in 1912.
After his admission, Mr. Mountcastle, together with his widowed
mother and only sister, settled in Ft. Gibson, and there entered
the first of his two law partnerships in his career. His second
partnership with our colleague, Mr. Q. B. Boydstun, was at the
suggestion of Judge Williams in 1919, in old Ft. Gibson. This
partnership continued until 1928, when Mr. Boydstun was elected
to the State Legislature. Judge Mountcastle's first law partner,
like Mr. Boydstun, was also a distinguished and able attorney
who came to Ft. Gibson in 1909, from his native state of Ohio,
Earl H. Ort-
Mr. Mountcastle, a life-long Democrat, was a leader in political
affairs in Oklahoma. He was a friend of Eastern Oklahoma's
long-time Congressman, W. W. Hastings, who in January, 1917,
tendered to Mr. Mountcastle the office of Postmaster of our
city. He served in this capacity, by means at least, throughout
World War I, although in January, 1918, he volunteered as a
private in the United States Army. Before the War ended he had
attained the rank of sergeant and continued to serve overseas
until he was honorably discharged in May, 1919. Upon his return
to Oklahoma, former Governor Williams, then Federal Judge at
Muskogee, appointed Mr. Mountcastle United States Commissioner,
in which office he served the United States and the citizens of
Eastern Oklahoma until 1939.
As an admirer and observer of his conduct and effort as a
citizen and lawyer for over fifty years, it is my pleasure to
attest that the long considered judgment of the Muskogee County
Bar was that no lawyer consistently worked longer and harder in
preparing his cases and no lawyer came to court better prepared
than Mr. Mountcastle. His good habits inspired our younger
attorneys. His energy and industry, as well as his business
ability, earned for him the confidence and respect of citizens
and top leaders in business and financial circles throughout
Oklahoma.
No citizen of Muskogee County regarded our land and other
natural resources better than this great lawyer. He was the
owner of two fine bottom farms and a considerable amount of
improved pasture land in eastern Oklahoma. He husbanded these
land resources intelligently and successfully.
In departing this life, our good friend is survived by his wife,
Margaret Haney Mountcastle, with whom he was united in marriage
in Ft. Gibson on October 15, 1931. They together developed one
of Oklahoma's finest historical ornaments, their home at the top
of the Garrison in old Ft. Gibson.
Mr. Mountcastle's long and active professional and business
career convinced his neighbors that here was a man of high
principle who in early life bad been taught that the best way to
help others and the community at large, is to do one simple duty
in one's proper sphere. Many will affirm that he was correct in
this. We cannot rise in this world without helping cithers to
rise. Just as it became a maxim to our friend, it all comes back
to ourselves first. We ourselves must affirm before we can teach
others.
Mr. Mountcastle became a member of the Board of Directors of the
Oklahoma Historical Society on October 28, 1943, and as its
records disclose, he faithfully attended the quarterly meetings
of the Board and contributed greatly to the success of the
Society. May his good name and worthy deeds be held forever in
respectful remembrance.
Oklahoman Archives, The
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
February 19, 2002, p28
Mountcastle, Margaret, 93, services Wednesday Foster-Petering
Sources: good faith fair use of sources stated above
Compiled, transcribed and submitted by Marti Graham, Oklahoma County, OKGenWeb Coordinator,
December 2008. Information
posted for educational purposes for viewers and researchers. The contributor is not
related to nor researching any of the above.
I believe in random acts of kindness and I believe in sharing genealogy. If you have copies of
photos, obituaries, wills, biographies, or stories relating to any of these families or other Oklahoma County families, would you consider sending them my way for publication at this site?
I always welcome comments and corrections.
I live outside the Oklahoma City area, I cannot personally do any research for you. However I will try to direct you to someone who may help you if you can't find what you want here.
Please understand ALL information on this site was contributed by people like you. If it's not on the site,
I don't have it. Thanks
|
