Grady County: Chickasha

March 16, 1909

PARKER
Claude A. PARKER was born in Odin Ill, Jan 31st 1885 and died in Chickasha, Okla, March 16, 1909, Age 24 yrs 1 mo 16 days.
Claude spent most of his life in Odin but went to Oklahoma in December and was working for the Rock Island. R R. Co. as nightcheck-weighman at Chickasha. About 2:30 O'clock on the morning of March 16th, an engineer from one of the switch engines came into the office and asked Claude if he did not want to ride down to the yard on the engine with him, Claude said yes he would be glad to. He started to get on the engine and his foot slipped throwing him under the moving train, his left limb was cut off below the knee.
The best of medical aid was called, also his brother from El Reno, Oklahoma. An operation was thought best, so his limb was amputated above the knee, all was done that could have been, but he gradually grew worse and died at 11 o'clock that night.
His body was brought to Odin for burial accompanied by his brother Walter F. PARKER, and sister Mrs. John ZOLLAR. Services were held in the M. E. Church sunday afternoon, conducted by Rev. L. T. Henninger of Odin and Rev N. C. Sweeney Of Troy. After which his body was interred in Peaceful Valley.
Claude was one of Odin's best young men and was liked by all. He was kind and considerate son to his aged parents and his jolly laugh will never be forgotten by his friends.
He leaves to mourn his loss, a father, mother and three sisters, Mrs. J. B. REED and Mrs. Willard TYLER of Odin and Mrs John ZOELER of Oklahoma City, Okla, besides other relatives and host of friends.
Submitter's Note: I am not reseaching this line, I found this in some old papers. I posted it as it was written.
Submitted by Phyllis Curry sissy@renet.com

Chickasha Daily Express

September 2, 1930

County Farmer Found Dead At Home Of Neighbor
Officers Investigate Death of J. S. LONG;
No indication Violence. Authorities Inclined Believe Acute Indigestion Was Cause of Death.
With a post mortem examination Tuesday morning having failed to disclose any marks of violence, investigation of the death of J. S. LONG, age 33, Pocasset farmer, whose body was found at the home of Joe HENRY last Monday, awaited the apprehention of HENRY and results of chemical analysis of several bottles of brew, B. F. HOLDING, county attorney, revealed in his statement.
Missing from his home since Saturday night, Mr. LONG'S body was found lying in the yard at HENRY'S home Monday evening by Mr. LONG'S son, Paul LONG, and his brother-in-law, Mr. HODNETT of Oklahoma City. HENRY and his young son were not at home and Tuesday officers had found no trace of them.
Receiving the report of the two examining physicians, Dr. A. W. NUNNERY and Dr. H. A. CALVERT Tuesday morning, Mr. HOLDING asserted that he believed LONG had succumbed to acute indigestion and that HENRY, frightened when LONG became ill, fled.
LONG, who lived four miles east and a half-mile south of Pocassett met Mr. HENRY in Pocasset late Saturday and the two went to HENRY'S home, three-quarters of a mile west and a half-mile south of Pocasset, to have lunch. "HENRY had purchased several steaks and we found evidence that the meat had been cooked in the yard, near where the body was lying." said Mr.HOLDING. "Mr. LONG, I understand, was a temperate man and it may be that he was stricken with indigestion after drinking from the contents of one of the bottles we found or that he became poisoned from the meat.   "A pillow had been placed under the man's head where he was lying on the ground. A broken plate was found under the body and under one hand were his false teeth that he had removed. Due to the poor state of preservation, it was impossible to make an examination until after the body had been brought to Chickasha.
Dr. NUNNERY and Denver SCURLOCK, undersheriff, were called to the scene of the tragedy late Monday.   Alton PARISH and Clayton DUDLEY saw LONG and HENRY at the farm late Saturday, and verifed the statement that they had gone there to have lunch. Officers said there was no evidence of a struggle about the yard.
Funeral services for the deceased were to be conducted at the Rose Hill cemetery, where interment was to occur Tuesday afternoon. Mr. LONG is survived by his widow and three children.
Submitted by Belinda Upton  bupton@clnk.com

The Chickasha Daily Express

Apr 13 1952

PAYNE
Rites are pending for Mrs. Laura Elizabeth PAYNE, who died in her home, Saturday, Apr 12, 1952.
Mrs. PAYNE was born in Willow Springs, Mo. Jul 21 1879 to Susan E. FERGUSON and John Marshall HARRIS. She was married Dec 26 1897 to George Henry PAYNE at Mt. Home, Ark, and the young couple traveled with her parents and siblings to Oklahoma in 1898.
Survivors include Mr. PAYNE of the home; two daughters, Mrs. Ethel HOOD of Amber, Ok and Mrs. Edith GRIFFIN of Chickasha; three brothers, Elmer HARRIS of Wyoming, Howard HARRIS of Washington, and Wendell HARRIS of Idaho; three sisters, Mrs. Effie PARNELL of Calif., Mrs. Lillie PARRISH of Washington and Mrs. Maude PAYNE of Edmond; and one grandchild and one great-grandchild.
Services are being arranged by Brown Funeral home, and burial will be at Blanchard, Ok.
Submitted by Bonnie L Johnson  bonniej@southwind.net