Osage County, Oklahoma, Obituary:  Emmett Marcum

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
The Hominy News - Progress
P.O. Box 38, Hominy, Okla 74035
Transcribed by Sharon Hamilton: sharkay@cccexpress.com
Return to Osage County Archives:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/osage/osage.htm
=====================================================================
                          USGENWEB NOTICE
                  Copyright.  All rights reserved.
             http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm       
=====================================================================
::A. J. Powell Memorial Cemetery--Hominy OK 
The Hominy News - Progress
Vol. 33, No. 30
Wednesday, July 25, 2001
Page 1

Emmett Marcum Dead at 95
(Photo)

Emmett Lee Marcum, Sr. died on Wednesday, July 18, 2001 in Tulsa.  He was 
95 years of age.

Marcu was born September 17, 1905 in Coalgate, Oklahoma.  His parents were 
James and Elizabeth Marcum.  On Dec. 23, 1923, he married Irene Shay in 
Blanchard.

Marcum and Irene farmed and sharecropped near Chickasha, then in 1929 
moved to west Texas.  It was, however, the time of the Great Depression 
and west Texas was in the middle of the Dust Bowl.  Marcum drove a school 
bus to support his family until they could return to Oklahoma.

Marcum and his family farmed and raised cattle near Chickasha, and in 1939 
relocated to Osage County, north of Hominy.  Marcum's parents and brothers 
and sisters Ernest, Ted, Classie, Esther, Elsie and Dovie came too.

Marcum became a successful rancher, owning and grazing cattle on the land 
that is now Dick Conner Correctional Center.  His family lived for 35 years 
in what is now the warden's home.  He later donated this land to the state 
to build the correctional center.

In an interview with Hominy News - Progress reporter Linda Wynn in 
September of 1997, Marcum told the story of his beginnings in the 
livestock auction business.

In 1947 Jake Ray put his community Livestock Sale Barns up for sale in 
Hominy and Pawhuska.  Although the barns were not in good condition, 
Marcum could see the potential.  He talked to his friend and banker R. R. 
Mullendore, and asked for a $3500 loan to start a livestock auction 
business.

Mullendore agreed to the loan, and became Marcum's partner in the venture.  
Eventually two more partners joined the enterprise with Mullendore and 
Marcum:  Howard Marlow of Blackburn, a dealer in horses and mules and 
Homer Savage of Hominy, a rancher and auctioneer.

The group's venture was a great success.  For awhile there was a sale in 
Pawhuska every Monday and a sale in Hominy every Wednesday.  The Pawhuska 
sale was sold after awhile and the group concentrated its efforts on the 
Hominy sale.

The cattle industry flourished in Osage County in the late 40's and early 
50's and Marcum and the Hominy livestock auction flourished as well.

Emmett and Irene celebrated 76 years of marriage.  Irene died in June of 
last year.

The Marcum's had six children, all of whom survive:  Betty Helm and Doris 
Holloway both live in Tulsa and June Henton lives in Alabama.  Jack lives 
in Stillwater, Harold makes his home in Lawrence, KS, and Emmett Marcum Jr. 
lives in Oklahoma City.

Services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, July 20, 2001, at the First Baptist 
Church in Hominy, with interment at Powell Memorial Cemetery in Hominy.  
The family suggests contributions may be made to the American Cancer 
Society or the Alzheimers Association.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Return to Osage County Archives:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/osage/osage.htm