Nowata Co., Oklahoma - Bio for Mary C. Bezion
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Submitted by:  Vivian Brinker      vivianb@coffeyville.edu
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MUSKOGEE AND NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA:
Including the counties of Muskogee, McIntosh, Wagoner, Cherokee,
Sequoyah, Adair, Delaware, Mayes, Rogers, Washington, Nowata, Craig,
and Ottawa. Vol. II.

by John D. Benedict

1922
The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago 
Page 400

MARY C. BEZION 

One of the pioneer citizens of Nowata county is Mrs. Mary C. Bezion,
residing on her farm two miles southwest of Delaware, hale and hearty
at the age of seventy-three years. A native of Kansas, she was born in
Wyandotte county, on the 14th of April, 1849, a daughter of Jim and
Nancy (Washington) Secondine. Her father, who was chief of the
Delawares, was born in Ohio. He was with General Fremont during the
Mexican war and his picture has been preserved in the archives at
Washington, D.C. Mrs. Bezion was but fourteen years of age when her
father died. Her mother was half Wyandotte and half white, and was a
native of Upper Sandusky, Ohio. She was married to Jim Secondine in
Kansas and her death occurred while residing in the Cherokee Nation,
thirty-nine years ago. 

Mrs. Bezion received her education in the schools of Kansas and is a
very intellectual woman. She came to Indian Territory with the first
Delaware emigrants and located at Grand River, where she resided but
a short time. Subsequently she removed to Coodys Bluff and from there
came to her present home, two miles southwest of Delaware, where she
has one hundred and ninety-eight acres, a fine home and oil holdings,
from which she draws royalties. Although she rents her farm to a
tenant, she still resides on it, and administers all of her own
affairs. Mrs. Bezion has met many prominent people and when just a
girl was introduced to President Lincoln and his wife in Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas. President Lincoln presented her with a ring
which she treasured greatly, but which she lost in a fire in later
years. Her father was much respected by President Lincoln. In 1902
Mrs. Bezion went to Washington, D.C. and for seven weeks was the
guest of President Roosevelt at Oyster Bay. The late Senator Quay
was her cousin and while east she was also his guest. She was feted
and greatly honored and is the proud possessor of a beautiful brooch
given her by President Roosevelt. She made for him a wonderful
beaded buckskin coat. 

Mrs. Bezion has been married three times. Her first husband was
Charles Armstrong and she has a son by this marriage, Solomon, who
is fifty for years of age and is engaged in farming near his mother.
Thompson Smith was her second husband, and Stephen Bezion was her
third husband. He died five years ago. Mr. Bezion was a Delaware of
French extraction. He was farmer of note and was well known
throughout the county in fraternal circles, being affiliated with
the Woodmen of the World and the Knights of Pythias. 

Mrs. Bezion is a great lover of history and takes a deep interest in
the traditions of her people. Among her treasured possessions is a
picture of the first Delaware Baptist church, erected at Alluwe,
Nowata county, and she had the distinction of being the first person
baptized in the New Cherokee Nation. Although she is seventy-three
years of age Mrs. Bezion is enjoying the best of health and in 1922
expects to make a trip to Canada to visit friends. 

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USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE:  These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced
in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or
persons.  Persons or organizations desiring to use this material,
must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal
representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb
archivist with proof of this consent.

The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb archivist to store
the file permanently for free access.

Submitted by:  Vivian Brinker      vivianb@direct-net.net
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