Obit of Blakely Sr, Fredrick Claude - Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Transcribed by: Jeanne Casey 17 Jul 2005 Return to Oklahoma County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/oklahoma/oklahoma.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== Blakely Sr, Fredrick Claude The Oklahoman 30 Apr 1943 F.C. Blakely, State Pioneer Service Set Frederick C. Blakely, pioneer Oklahoma druggist and cattleman, died Thursday morning at his home in Britton following a week's illness. He was 86 years old. A pioneer druggist, state line operator, postmaster, civic leader and one of the first Hereford cattle owners in the state. Blakely came to Oklahoma from Mississippi in 1875 when the state was Oklahoma Territory and settled at Fort Reno. In 1883 he moved to Rush Springs where he lived until 1912 when he came to Oklahoma City. Five years ago he made his home in Britton and has lived there since that time. As Rush Springs' druggist and one of its principal landowners, Blakely donated the land for the townsite and the Rush Springs cemetery and served as postmaster there for many years. Two hundred acres of land where Oklahoma College for Women is now located at Chickasha was one of his original land holdings in the state Stage Coach Operator He owned and operated a stage coach line from Parr near Purcell to Fort Sill and saw his land at Rush Springs divided by the Rock Island railroad when the line was first built through that section of Oklahoma. Blakely was one of the first owners of Hereford cattle in Oklahoma and participated in the largest cattle drive ever made over the famed Chisholm trail to Kansas City. Since moving to Oklahoma City he has been connected with the Retailers Fire Insurance Co. for the past 22 years. Last January he and Mrs Blakely celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary. They were married at Tishomingo in 1883 under Indian law by the Dawes Commission, which was the only recognized civil authority in the territory at that time. Members of his family related Thursday that the marriage license for that Indian Ceremony was purchased for $30. Services Saturday He was a charter member of the Masonic lodge at Rush Springs, a member of the Eastern Star and of the El Reno Royal Arch Masons. The Siloam Masonic Lodge will hold a service at his funeral. Services will be at 10 a. m. Saturday in the Britton Methodist Church with Rev O.W. Fontane, officiation. Burial will be in Rush Springs under the direction of the Street and Draper Funeral Home. Surviving are his wife; five daughters, Mrs Nellie Parks, Mrs. Laura Gregg, Mrs Homer Etheridge, all of Oklahoma City; Mrs E.C. Fryman, Britton; Mrs John Grady, Wichita, Kan.; two sons, Fred C Blakely Oklahoma City, and Paul M Blakely, Los Angeles Calif; 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Oklahoma County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/oklahoma/oklahoma.html