18/09/2024
Here's an article I wrote revolving around an article shared with me by Larry Adair. I, and many of us, have known Larry in many guises; teacher, School administrator, State Rep. and still others. No matter how famous and important Larry has become, I will always remember he and his brother Joe as my Dad's survey crew all those many years ago. But this story takes into consideration an Adair that was State Rep. many, many years before Larry was even thought of, but still a pretty big influence on many of us Adair kin that followed - Frank Adair.
The Expense Report
History is the collection of the events that shape the events to follow. So much of this history goes unrecorded and forgotten, some is recorded in diaries, newspaper articles and legal documents that also remains forgotten until it is stumbled upon years later by the prying eye of a researcher or historian.
These sources can provide not only the facts of events that occurred in the past, but also provide context and insight into the people and personalities that have shaped the world in which we live.
Local politics and political thought are among the things that get lost to time. The nuances and collateral issues that drive campaigns and elections are often victims of the passage of time, reducing context and understanding of the shaping of policy and politics ina particular place.
An old newspaper article from the Adair County Sentinel, dated July 10, 1908 and entitled “Ought To Hold ‘Em” summed up one thought on the subject:
A farmer over in the Greasy neighborhood is said to have the following sign hung at his gate. “Mr. Candidate – I am very busy; don’t look for me. You will find the ax in the woodshed, the hoe hangs on the garden fence, the w**d scythe has just been ground. Take your pick of the tools, and if you can convince my wife you are really in earnest about saving the country, you can depend on my vote on election day.”
Although the article had a light-hearted tone, such was the sentiment for neighborhoods all over Adair County for the years and decades to follow. Many a candidate for elected office navigated their way through this sentiment. Twenty-years later, one of those candidates published a similarly toned article about his race for State Representative.
The Adair family of the Piney community is fortunate to have plenty of historians in its ranks, keeping and trading the stories of the members of that family from the early days of the Cherokee Nation to the present time.
One of those Adairs who has had many a story told about him was Frank Adair, officially known as Francis Clark Adair or F. C. on many documents in the courthouse and other official records. Frank was a well-known figure of his day, serving on the Cherokee Nation Council in its waning days before statehood and was the first sheriff of Adair County. He served in several governmental positions, both elected and appointed. He was involved in business and banking throughout the county and was a respected farmer and cattleman as well.
A good part of the story about Frank Adair can be found in those dusty old records, dates of his service as an official and the duties performed while in office. But many of the stories were handed down as what is called oral history in it highfalutin’ terminology, but better known as family stories.
The Frank Adair of the family stories paint the picture of a real character – a prankster, irreverent and a man with a quick witticism and a ready laugh. He was said to be left-handed, both shooting left-handed and playing the fiddle that way.
It is accurate to say Frank Adair was …colorful.
Recently, one of those family historians passed along a great newspaper find to me, one that illustrates that humor often present in any story about Frank Adair.
In as much as he served in many political offices, the highest rank achieved being two non-consecutive terms in the Oklahoma legislature, he also experienced political defeat.
After his losing bid for re-election to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in the summer of 1928, the following article appeared in the pages of one of the Adair County newspapers:
Frank Adair Files Campaign Expense Account
Each Candidate in the State of Oklahoma according to law, is required to file with the State Election Board an itemized account of the expenses of his campaign and the following is supposed to be a correct account of the campaign expense and experience of Frank Adair who made a race for Representative.
“Lost 1349 hours of sleep thinking about the election. Lost two front teeth and a whole lot a hair in a personal encounter with an opponent. Donated one beef, four shoats and five sheep to a country barbeque. Gave away two pair of suspenders, four calico dresses, $3 cash and 13 baby rattlers.
Kissed 26 babies, kindled 14 kitchen fires, put up four stoves, Walked 4078 miles, fixed 19 flats, cranked a ford 13 hours and 20 minutes, shook hands with 9,508 persons.
Told 10,101 lies and talked enough to make 1,000 volumes in print. Attended 16 revival meetings and was baptized 4 times by immersion. And twice some other way. Contributed 50 cents to foreign missions. Got dog- bit 30 times and was defeated by 117 votes.
August 21, 1928
Losing the primary election had not affected Frank’s humor, it would appear.
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