Thomas H. Vaughn. In real estate and loan circles of Pauls Valley a name that has come to be prominently known is that of Thomas H. Vaughn, whose operations have been centered here since 1913, but who for a number of years previously had carried on activities in this part of Oklahoma. He was born at Huntsville, Arkansas, May 31, 1874, and is a son of T. J. and Jora (Kenner) Vaughn, and a member of a family which originated in Germany. One of his early ancestors emigrated to Virginia and later to Tennessee, the home of the great-grandfather of Mr. Vaughn, who spoke only the German language.

T. J. Vaughn was born at Nashville, Tennessee, in 1842, and was eight years of age when he accompanied his parents to Huntsville, Arkansas, where he was reared and educated. After his marriage he became a farmer and raiser of stock until 1905, when he came to Maysville, Oklahoma, and established himself in business as a merchant, but did not have extensive experience in this direction, as his death occurred in 1907. During the Civil war Mr. Vaughn enlisted in an Arkansas regiment in the Confederate army and on one occasion was taken prisoner, but was exchanged shortly, the period of his service covering four years. He belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was a democrat politically. Mr. Vaughn married Miss Jora Kenner, who was born in Madison County, Arkansas, in 1849, and who resides at Maysville. They became the parents of nine children, as follows: Myrtle, who married Ed Buren, a farmer of Howell County, Missouri; Ed, who resides at Maysville and is engaged in farming; Thomas H.; Eva, who died in October, 1915, was the wife of J. A. Ard, residing on his farm three miles northwest of Pauls Valley; Ben, who is a farmer and resides at Maysville; Joe, who is a contractor and builder of Houston, Texas; Stella, who is the wife of B. L. Gooch, a salesman in Maysville; Albert, who is a farmer and resides at Maysville; and Clarence, who is manager of the Minnetonk Lumber Company, of Maysville.

Thomas H. Vaughn attended the public schools of Huntsville, Arkansas, being graduated from the high school there in 1895, and his first employment was that of bookkeeper for the sawmills in Madison County, Arkansas, being thus engaged for one year. At that time he entered Indian Territory, locating at Lexington, where he remained for eight months, and in the summer of 1898 removed to Bradley, Indian Territory, where in the fall of that year and the spring of 1899 he was engaged in teaching school. In the summer of 1899 he removed to Ninnekah, where he taught school for two years, and then became principal of the school at Purdy, a position which he retained for one year. On January 1, 1903, Mr. Vaughn removed to the present site of Maysville, where he was put in charge of the townsite real estate proposition, continuing to make Maysville his home until March, 1913. In January, 1903, the Indian allotment of land began and Mr. Vaughn commenced the leasing of these lands, his operations including about 5,000 acres for cattle ranches. As restrictions were removed and the Indians began to disappear, Mr. Vaughn was compelled to devote all his time to looking after his landed interests, although in the meanwhile, for five years, he had extensively engaged in the handling of cattle. In the spring of 1913 he came to Pauls Valley, to be more centrally located, and here has rapidly risen to a place among the leading and influential men of business. He still owns 2,000 acres in Garvin County, other land in McClain County, and city property in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma City and Maysville, although he has disposed of great amounts of land in the last named place. He is treasurer of the Lucky Strike Oil Company and has numerous other business interests, and in every way is accounted a straightforward, reliable man of business, acute, keen, capable and with a comprehensive knowledge of land values. Politically a democrat, while living at Maysville he was almost constantly a member either of the city council or the school board. His religious affiliation is with the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Vaughn joined the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in Arkansas in 1896 and has continued as a member of that order to the present time.

Mr. Vaughn was married May 5, 1900, in Garvin County, Oklahoma, to Miss Martha Cypert, daughter of W. M. Cypert, a farmer of Purcell, Oklahoma, and to this union there have been born three children: Thomas, born February 17, 1903, now attending school; Blanche, born March 25, 1905, also a student in the Pauls Valley Public Schools; and Louise, born August 25, 1912.