The Sugg Family

Kay Sugg Best

My great great grandfather John Absolem Sugg b: June 1, 1835 Alabama d: Feb 16, 1901 Center, Ok buried Old Moss Cemetery, came to the Ada, Indian Territory area about 1895 after his wife Emma P. Roane Sugg, died in a wagon accident in Cook Co., TX.,  to be near his two daughters that were already in the area.

John Absolem was a Lt in the Civil War serving in the Confederate Army through out the war. I have a photo of him in his confederate uniform The Children of John Absolem Sugg & Emma P. Roane Sugg were Sarah Maude b:1868 d:1939 married Dr. Miller Woodson Ligen, Mary Julia b: 1870 d: 1904 married John C. Blanford, William Andrew Roane b: 1872 d: 1951 married Mary Olive Clark, Wirt Adam b: 1875 d: 1877 died young, Laura b: 1878 d: abt 1969 married Dr. R. F. King, Emma Catherine b;1879 d: 1966 Married Judge James W. Bolen, Simeon Archibald b: 1883 d: abt 1971 Married Josephine Stratton, Blake Cromwell b: 1885 d; 1889 died young, Harbord Presnel b: 1888 d: 1979 married Burnice Gray

Mary Julia was a widow with a small child living in the Ada area & John Absolem brought the younger children & lived with Julia until he got established.

John Absolem had a private school at the old town of Center thinking the railroad would go through Center instead of Ada. He taught school until his death in 1901. I have several letters in my possession that were written by the family during that time. The letters were given to me in 1979 by the son and daughter of H. P. Harbord Presnal "Pres" Sugg.

My great grandparents William Andrew Roane "Rory" Sugg b: March 20, 1872 Bell Co., Tx d: August 23, 1951 Ada, Oklahoma was the oldest son of John Absolem & Emma Roane Sugg. Roane or Rorie with his wife Mary Olive Clark Sugg came to Stonewall Indian Territory where their first son was born Charles Clark Sugg b: November 17, 1899 d: December 29, 1942 Oklahoma City, Ok buried at Seminole. Charles married Opal Mae Black July 25, 1923 Wewoka, Ok The second son my grandfather William McKinley Sugg b: November 15, 1901, Ada, Indian Territory, OK
d: December 27, 1971, Wichita, KS buried Goddard, Ks William McKinley married Mary Gladys Thurman December 12, 1923.in Ada, Oklahoma. Mary Gladys was b: July 7, 1905 Fayetteville, Washington Co., Arkansas d: April 4, 1943 Ada, Oklahoma, buried Rosedale Cemetery. William or Bill as he was called, & Gladys had one son my father William Roan Sugg b: 1924, Ada, Oklahoma Bill married a second time to Mrs. Maryland Land & had a second son Allen McKinley Sugg : b 1951 William Andrew Raone "Rory" Sugg was very involved in the growth of Ada & remained in Ada until after his wife died then moved to Seminole to live with his oldest son Charles. He was involved in the roundup of the men that shot Gus Bobet, served as court clerk for Pontotoc Co., and also involved in the group of men that got the state seal from Guthrie to Oklahoma City, to make Oklahoma City the State Capitol. He was one of the original members of the First Methodist Church in Ada. Rory had studied law on horseback while working for the four six's ranch, herding cattle into Kansas as a young man. He had also taught school for a while as both of his parents were teachers, but he was not happy being a lawyer or teaching school, he enjoyed being a cowboy more. This was against the family wishes in choosing to not be a professional lawyer or teacher. When there was trouble he was one of the first to go look for the outlaws or what ever, he was a man of high morals & high standing in the Pontotoc Co., area. He believed in what was right & had no understanding for wrong. Rory was a good friend with Chief Bacconrine of the Osage Indians & remained close with the Chief until his death, he visited the old Chief quiet often. He had gotten to know the chief while herding cattle to Wichita, & later years had helped the Chief reserve the mineral rites on the Osage land, which became one of our richest oil booms in the state.

Dado as I called Rory, still packed his side arm under his coat until a short time before he died in 1951. I remember Dado as being a grand old man that always had a silver dollar in one of his watch pockets for me as I sat on his knee, while he told me stories of days gone by. I am sure some of them were true, but maybe added a few things to make them more interesting for a little blond headed girl that he loved very much. He always wore a three piece suit, with a hat, he was tall and thin with the blackest eyes that I ever saw. He had salt & pepper hair and always a smile for me. In his later years he did accounting in Seminole & some real estate. His younger brother H. P "Pres" Sugg was in real estate for many years in Ada. H. P was also a state legislator for one term. I remember passing out his cards when I was in grade school at Lawrence. Uncle Pres was the last of the Sugg family in the Ada area, there were so many great great aunt's and uncles that I remember. it is sad there are not any left after so many being there for so many years.