John Frederick McCullough. The successful salesmanship of fire, life and accident insurance involves the possession of qualities and attributes not possessed by the ordinary individual. This is one of the most difficult vocations in which a young man may engage and also calls for the expenditure of great energy and tireless persistence, but the rewards are commensurate with the labor involved, and the successful insurance man has in his possession a business which places him among the substantial men of his community. Of the men who have built up prosperous enterprises in this line at Oklahoma City, John Frederick McCullough is an excellent example. He came to this city in 1908 and for several years was connected with an established business, but for the past three years has been at the head of an agency of his own and has developed it to important proportions.

John F. McCullough was born at Urbana, the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, March 13. 1882, and is a son of Albert Carl and Fanetta Cecelia (Shaw) McCullough. natives of Illinois. The eldest brother of Albert Carl McCullough served three years as a soldier during the Civil war, and was afterwards clerk and connected with the clerk’s office of Champaign County, Illinois, continuously for twenty-five years. He was later state auditor of Illinois for sixteen years, retiring from that office in 1912, and his death occurred in June. 1914. On Mr. McCullough’s mother’s side, his ancestors, the Blakes, date their residence in America back to the arrival of the Mayflower, being of English origin. On his father’s side, his people came from Scotland and settled in Pennsylvania during the early days of the state’s settlement.

John F. McCullough was educated in the common schools of Champaign County, Illinois, and in the year 1901 graduated from the high school at Urbana. As a lad he was reared amid agricultural surroundings, and his boyhood was spent on the home farm, but subsequently he turned his attention to the baker’s trade and followed that successfully for one and a half years. Later he spent five and a half years in the mill supply business, and in 1908 decided to try his fortunes in the West and accordingly came to Oklahoma City, where, January 1, 1909, he engaged in the insurance business. The greater part of Mr. McCullough’s experience was obtained with the firm of A. C. Farmer Company, of which he was in charge of the insurance department for three and one-half years, at the end of which period he embarked in business on his own account. He has at this time a local agency for the Aetna Life Insurance Company for Oklahoma City, and also looks after the interests here of several of the leading old line fire insurance companies. Mr. McCullough is a rare type of the real live wire in a business way, meeting people on terms that appeal to them, and being a “mixer” of the highest degree. He has succeeded in gaining the implicit faith of the public in his business character, while his numerous friends trust him without stint. His offices are situated at Suite Nos. 914-15-16 Herskowitz Building.

At Brooklyn, New York, May 7, 1905, Mr. McCullough was married to Miss Caroline Anna Clist, daughter of Albert and Martha (Taylor) Clist, natives of England. Two children have been born to this union: John Milton, July 4, 1907; and Ruth Clist, January 9, 1909. Mr. and Mrs. McCullough are members of the Wesley M. E. Church. He is a Master Mason, belonging Siloam Lodge No. 276, of Oklahoma City, to Cyrus Chapter, No. 7, K. A. M., Oklahoma Commandery, No. 3, and India Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. The McCullough home is located at No. 1205 West Twenty-ninth Street.