Bio of Caywood, Samuel. C. - Grady County, Oklahoma Transcribed by: Gene Phillips 18 Jun 2006 Return to Grady County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/grady/grady.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== SAMUEL C. CAYWOOD. For the past fourteen years Samuel. C. Caywood has been a strong factor in the agricultural and commercial development of Rush Springs and the surrounding country. He was born in Daviess county, Indiana, on the 2nd of February, 1861, being a son of Moses Caywood. His father was a Mississippian, born about 1808, who removed to Indiana quite early in manhood, where he engaged in farming and merchandising. For a number of years prior to his death he was a merchant at Washington, Daviess county, where he died in 1867. By his first marriage he was the father of several children but only the following two survive: Jemimah, wife of Robert Lucas, of Knox county, Indiana, and Mary, who married Willis Bicknell of Daviess county, that state. His second wife was Mary Culbertson, member of an old Indiana family who died in 1865, as the mother of the following: George, who died unmarried; Lue, who became the wife of a Mr. Thompson and died in Indiana, without issue; John, who died young; Henry, who resides in California; Annie, who married John Slawson and died leaving one child; and Samuel C., of this sketch, the youngest of the family.By the death of his father in 1867, when the son was but six years of age, Samuel C. Caywood was wholly orphaned, the mother having passed away two years before. A home was provided for him by his elder sister, Mrs. John Slawson, and he there enjoyed excellent educational advantages, attending the schools of both Olney and Greenville, Indiana. In the year 1876, then fifteen years of age, he drove through the country to Texas, in company with his sister and his brother, Henry, and located in the vicinity of Sherman, where he remained for six years, chiefly engaged in farm work. He then entered the employ of Robert Stephens, a cattleman, and rode the range in the country along the Brazos river for a year and a half, the ranch headquarters being the Triangle Bar near Wichita Falls. For five years he then traveled through the country as a successful salesman for the Steam Marble Works of Sherman, and with the profits of this period, in 1884, engaged in the marble business himself at Gainesville, Cooke county. But the cattle panic of that year ruined his bt1siness, and for two years thereafter he resumed farming in eastern Texas, going then to Tom Green county to engage in stock operations for another four years. The drought in that country caused his cattle to depreciate about one-fourth in value, and he departed much the worse for his experience. He next spent some time in Montague county, whence, in 1894, he crossed the river to Oklahoma, settling about five miles east of Rush Springs. At first he leased and conducted a farm with some success, after which he invested in the gin at Rush Springs, equipped it with modern machinery and appliances, added a corn mill, and gradually developed a prosperous and profitable enterprise. He has also well served his town in its public affairs, having been a member both of the council and school board. He is much interested in the fraternities, and has made remarkable progress in the 1. O. O. F. After being a member only two months he was made secretary of the local lodge, and a little later was advanced to the chair of noble grand, having also already been a delegate to the grand lodge of the state. Mr. Caywood is also a Woodman, and in his religious faith is a member of the Methodist church. First married, in Cooke county, Texas, on the 18th of November, 1884, to Miss Allie Martin, daughter of John Martin, a Texas farmer and pioneer, Mr. Caywood had the misfortune to lose his wife by death, June 30, 1899. The children of this union were Otto, Ethel (deceased), Harry, Belle, Monroe and Martin. The second marriage, September 5, 1903, was to Miss Lillie Spencer, daughter of Monroe Spencer, a pioneer farmer of Oklahoma. Mrs. Lillie Caywood was born in what was then Indian Territory, and is the mother of Melvin, Verdie and Finley. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Grady County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/grady/grady.html