Mrs. Lucy L. (Morris) Easton. One of the best known newspaper women of Oklahoma is Mrs. Easton, proprietor and editor of the Chattanooga News. She and her husband were pioneers in the Cherokee Strip, and while they have one of the fine farms in the vicinity of Chattanooga, Mrs. Easton has shown her exceptional enterprise and qualifications as a leader of opinion by her work in the journalistic field. The Chattanooga News was established by Colonel Bayne in 1905, and has been under the proprietorship of Mrs. Easton since 1911. It is an independent paper in politics and has a substantial circulation in Comanche, Cotton and Tillman counties, with a weekly issue. The plant and offices are on Third Street and Mrs. Easton owns both the building and the grounds.

Mrs. Easton has been in the newspaper field for the past nine years. For five years she published the Advocate at Geronimo, Oklahoma, and for three years of this time also published the Leader at Faxon. She is the state editor for the National Mizpah, the official organ for the Order of the Eastern Star in the State of Oklahoma. She has been a member of the State Press for nine years, and second vice president twice, and twice was on the executive board. She is also a member of the National Editorial Association.

Born near Junction City, Kansas, Mrs. Easton is a daughter of the late James B. Morris, who was for many years one of the most prominent and influential citizens of Junction City, Kansas. He died there in 1893, after a very successful career as a farmer and stock man. His estate comprised 930 acres of land near Junction City, several hundred head of cattle and other stock, and his name is one that is still spoken with respect and honor among the old settlers. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. The children who survive him are: Charles W., now engaged in the real estate business in Colorado; Abraham Lincoln, a farmer at Wreford, Kansas; William, a contractor and builder at Oklahoma City, who is a member of India Temple of the Mystic Shrine in that city, and whose wife, Sarah, is now past worthy matron of Oklahoma City Chapter No. 10, of the Order of the Eastern Star; Mrs. Easton, who is a twin sister of William; Katie, wife of Austin Hazenbook, a contractor under the United States Government; Charles, a painter in Denver, Colorado; Nancy, wife of A. W. Conover, of Junction City, Kansas; and Benjamin Franklin, who owns a valuable farm on which oil has been discovered, near Rumford, South Dakota.

The early years of Mrs. Easton were spent in and about Junction City, Kansas, where she attended the country schools, the Morris schoolhouse, near Wreford, and the high school at Junction City. For seven years altogether she was a teacher, and her work in that profession was then near Mankato, in Jewell County, Kansas, in the Morris school, at Dry Creek, and at the Olson school, and other places in Kansas.

In 1889, at Junction City, she married Mr. Frank B. Easton, who was born July 15, 1866, at Maysville, Kentucky, was reared and educated in that city, and in the schools of Rowan County, Kentucky. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Easton lived on a farm for two years near Junction City, then spent about three years at Geuda Springs, Kansas, and in 1893 participated in the rush for settlement in the Cherokee Strip. Mr. Easton secured a claim of 160 acres on Chilocco Creek, two miles east of the Indian Reservation, and situated in the Gray Moret School District. He improved that land and cultivated it until 1901, when he secured another quarter section near Geronimo, Oklahoma, and transferred his operations as a farmer upon the new location until 1908. In that year they removed to West Cache, Oklahoma, five miles north of Cache, and bought 160 acres on which they carry on diversified farming and stock raising. They own another farm of 160 acres at Post Oak, three miles west of the first mentioned farm. Both their places comprise a large amount of rich soil, located in bottom’ land.

Mr. Easton in politics is a republican, is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, is a past master by service of Chattanooga Lodge No. 349, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and is also affiliated with Faxon Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows., Chattanooga Camp of the Woodmen of the World, the Brotherhood of American Yeomen at Faxon, and Chattanooga Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. Four children comprise the family of Mr. and Mrs. Easton: Ben. W. is now a sergeant at the United States military post at Fort Riley, Kansas, is employed in the government printing and bindery works, and is affiliated with Junction City Lodge of the Masonic Order; James Chrichton is a farmer near Junction City and a member of Tinney Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, in Oklahoma; Walter Blair lives at home with his parents; and Dorothy is now in the fifth grade of the public schools.

Mrs. Easton among other activities is prominent in fraternal affairs. She is past grand Electa of Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, and for three years has served on the finance committee of the grand chapter, and is still on that committee. She has served as matron of Chattanooga Chapter of the Eastern Star, and in April, 1915, instituted a chapter of this order at Geronimo and one at Devol, Oklahoma. She is also a past grand of the Rebekahs, a member of the Brotherhood of American Yeomen and of the Royal Neighbors at Faxon.