Bio of Fuqua, Frank - Stephens County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 18 Jun 2006 Return to Stephens County Archives: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ok/stephens/stephens.htm ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm ========================================================================== FRANK FUQUA. The upright and able citizen, Frank Fuqua, is honored with the fatherhood of Duncan, Stephens county. He came to the town site when it appeared like any other portion of the prairie, and, with his companion, W. H. Breedlove, erected one of the first business structures and among the first houses, thus laying the foundation of the community. He was also chosen the pioneer mayor of the place, and his fellow townsmen insisted in placing him in the municipal chair for three terms. It was in February, 1891, that Mr. Fuqua cast his lot with the unmarked spot, which has developed into such a prosperous community, and with Mr. Breedlove built a gin in the hollow about two blocks east of the electric power house. The machinery for the plant was hauled from Texas. He afterwards built what is now known as the Union and Farmers' gin, operating it for two years. At that time Mr. Fuqua sold his interest and entered into the mercantile business with R. J. Allen (Royall Jonathan Allen, later Mayor of Duncan, until he resigned to be the representative to the OK constitutional convention.) , continuing thus until the close of 1907, when he sold out to devote his time more closely to an invalid wife. Mr. Fuqua was born in Stewart county, Tennessee, on the 10th of January, 1858, and quite early in his life, his parents removed to Metropolis, Illinois, in whose public schools he received the bulk of his education. In 1876, a young man of twenty-three, he located in Cook county, Texas, and was first employed by Reasan Jones, an honored Pioneer of that section, whose daughter he afterward married. Ginning and farming were the chief occupations of his later years. In 1891, still with only limited resources at his command, Mr. Fuqua left near Valley View, and became one of the strongest factors in the founding and growth of Duncan. Whatever has come to him in the way of profit, he has earned through the legitimate channels of trade and not through speculation. He has aided in the substantial building of the town by the erection of two business houses on Main street and also residence On East Main street. His public record has also. been most meritorious and further evidence of his faithful and high citizenship. While mayor the bonds were floated for the erection of the water works and he issued the call far the voting of bonds to insure the building of the public school of Duncan. At the present time he is chairman of the School Board, interested in all beneficial public movements, and a Democrat combining the straight forward honesty of the old school with the progressive tendencies of the new. For several years he served as chairman of the Duncan Board of Trade; in Masonry is a member of the chapter, and is a leading worker in the Baptist church, in which he is a deacon. Theodore J. Fuqua, the father of Frank was born near Richmond, Virginia, in 1822, and by occupation was a carpenter and builder. He was educated and reached maturity in the Old Dominion, and when a young man removed to Tennessee, where he learned his trade and married Margaret Lowe. After several years of married life in Stewart county, that state, the family home was transferred to Metropolis, Massac county, Illinois, where the father busied himself at his trade until his death in 1882. His wife had preceded him several years, and they are both buried at Metropolis. The following were their children: D. N., a resident of Duncan; Frank of this sketch; James M., of Dunklin county, Missouri; Marcellus, of Memphis, Tennessee, and Edward F., of Dallas, Texas. In 1878 Frank Fuqua married Elvira Jones, who died in 1891 without surviving issue. In 1893 he married Miss A. Jones, daughter of Maston C. Jones, a Texan and the issue of this union are, Nolan, now fourteen years of age, and Herbert, aged twelve. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Stephens County Archives: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ok/stephens/stephens.htm