Howard Courant
January 22, 1931
DEATH OF A PIONEER OF OLD BOSTON DAYS
John A. Oliphant, Early Citizen of This County, Later Prominent In Oklahoma, Died Last SaturdayDispatches tell of the death of John A. Oliphant, prominent citizen and ex-Police Judge of Tulsa, Oklahoma, died the 19 (?) inst. at the age of 83 years. He passed away at a hospital in Los Angeles, after quite a long illness. His home for more than 23 years had been at Tulsa, Oklahoma, but since the death of his wife two or three years ago, he had lived with a daughter most of the time. He is survived by three married daughters. His wife died some time ago, and a baby daughter died in the early years of their married life.
Mr. Oliphant was born in Missouri in 1848, served in the Union Army in the Civil War while yet a young boy, came to Kansas in 1879, and was with the Osage Mission party that founded the town of Boston in Old Howard county times in 1871. He studied law and engaged in practice, and at the division of Howard county he located here at Howard City, where in 1880 he married Miss Martha Greer who was a primary teacher in the Howard schools. He took a short law course at Ann Arbor, and continued to practice in Howard till about 1885 when he removed to Pratt, Kansas, later going to Texas. At the first opening of Oklahoma he "made the run" and settled at Gruthrie. Later when the strip opened he settled at Perry and was elected to the Territorial legislature and afterward was appointed receiver of the U. S. Land Office at Mangum. In 1904 he moved to Tulsa and made it his permanent home.
Mr. Oliphant prospered and engaged in many activities. He was an independent oil producer, real estate operator, newspaper owner, and dabbled in several other lines and accumulated some valuable city properties.
Mr. Oliphant is remembered by many of the pioneers of Howard and Elk County, though it has been at least 45 years since he removed from this city. The burial was announced to be at Tulsa.
Note: His biographical data is on the Genealogy board.
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