Fredrick Glonar Countryman was born on 22 Jul 1866 at Ovid in Seneca County, New York (781, 782, 788). He was the second child born to George Washington Countryman and Amelia Alice (Kniseley) Countryman. At Fred Countryman’s birth, his father was 27 years old, and his mother was 21. Fred Countryman’s mother Amelia was a daughter of Elijah M. Kniseley and Abby Jane (Benjamin) Kniseley (771).

The 13 Jun 1870 federal census of Seneca County, New York enumerates the household of George W. Countryman and his wife, Amelia Countryman (524). George was 30 years old and Amelia (Kniseley) Countryman was age 24. The George W. Countryman household included four children: William L. Countryman, age 5 years; Frederick G. Countryman, age 3; Emma J. Countryman, age 2; and Samuel E. Countryman, age 10 months and born in August. All members of the household were born in New York. George W. Countryman worked as a stone mason. Amelia Countryman held real estate valued at $1,200 and a personal estate of $150.

In May of 1876, the George Washington Countryman family migrated from Seneca County, New York to Larned in Pawnee County, Kansas, arriving by excursion train on 10 May 1876 (760, 783). Fred Countryman was nine years old. George W. Countryman’s mother, Abby Jane (Benjamin) Kniseley, accompanied the family to Kansas. Fred Countryman’s father, George Countryman, went to Kansas a year ahead of the family. Fred Countryman would later explain that his father came to Kansas to find work as a brick mason and to acquire land near the developing railroads (760).

At about 12 years of age, Fred Countryman began herding cattle on the Bartlett and Badger Ranch in Edwards County, Kansas (760). Edwards County was adjacent to Pawnee County on the south, and the George W. Countryman family lived near the county line.

At the 1880 federal census, Frederick G. Countryman age 13 was living in his father’s household in the Garfield Township of Pawnee County, Kansas and working as a farm hand (362). His father, George W. Countryman was 41 years old and working as a brick mason. Amelia Countryman, Fred Countryman’s mother, was 33 years old. The census enumerates six children: William L. Countryman, 15 years old and working as a herder; Emma J. Countryman, 12 years old; Samuel E. Countryman, 11 years old; John V. Countryman, 9 years old; George W. Countryman, Jr., 6 years old; and Katharine Countryman, 4 years old. All of the children of George and Amelia Countryman were born in New York.

At the 1885 Kansas state census, the composition of the George Countryman household in the Garfield Township of Pawnee County, Kansas was unchanged from 1880 with the exception of an additional son, Charles E. Countryman who was two years old in 1885 (762). The 1 Mar 1895 Kansas state census enumerates Fred Countryman as 28 years old and living at Valley in Reno County, Kansas (785).

Fred Countryman worked on the Bartlett and Badger Ranch until 1887 when he entered an apprenticeship to a blacksmith at Great Bend in Barton County, Kansas, about 22 miles northeast of Larned (760). He ran in the Oklahoma land race of 1889 and staked a claim at the current location of Dover in Kingfisher County, Oklahoma. Later, he explained that there was a “little dispute about who the place belonged to,” so he sold to the other party and returned to Great Bend, Kansas, where he stayed until about 1891 (760).

On 16 Feb 1896, Fred G. Countryman and Maude Ellen Griffith married at Midway Station in Ellsworth County, Kansas (782). Midway Station was a rural railway station about half-way between Geneseo and Kanoplis, Kansas (790). Born on 25 Feb 1879 at Geneseo in Rice County, Kansas, Maude Ellen Griffith was a daughter of Michael John Griffith and Agnes Leticia (Livingston) Griffith. At their marriage, Fred Countryman was 29 years old, and Maude Ellen Griffith was age 16.

Between 1896 and 1899, Fred and Maude Ellen Countryman lived in Rice County, Kansas. Their first child, George Washington Countryman, was born on 4 Jan 1897 at Mitchell in Rice County, Kansas (787). A daughter, Amelia Alice Countryman, was born on 19 Dec 1899 at Galt in Rice County.

Before 1905, Frederick Glonar Countryman settled on land in Woods County, Oklahoma north of the Salt Fork River within Section 27 of Township 27 North of Range 9 West of the Indian Meridian (972). This land was about two miles northeast of the Great Salt Lake in Woods County. On 19 Mar 1906, Frederick Countryman was issued a patent for 160 acres of land in Grady County, Oklahoma (972). The land was described as the Southwest 1/4 of Section 27 in Township 10 North of Range 8 West of the Indian Meridian. According to the 1910 federal census of Alfalfa County, Oklahoma, Fred Countryman rented this property.

The 1910 federal census of the Beard Township of Alfalfa County, Oklahoma enumerates the household of Fred Countryman, 44 years old and working as a farmer (778). Both of Fred Countryman’s parents were reported as born in New York. Fred Countryman’s wife, Maud Countryman, was 32 years old and born in Kansas. Both of her parents were reported as born in Ohio. Six children were living in the Fred Countryman household: George Countryman, 13 years old and born in Kansas; Cornelia Countryman, 11 years old and born in Kansas; Lewis Countryman, 10 years old and born in Kansas; Paul Countryman, 10 years old and born in Oklahoma; Frank, 4 years old and born in Oklahoma; and Dorce Countryman, one year old and born in Oklahoma.

In Apr 1913, the Fred G. Countryman household migrated from Alfalfa County, Oklahoma to Fairview in Major County, Oklahoma (760). Fred and Maude Countryman remained residents of Fairview for the remainder of their lives.

At the 14 Jan 1920 federal census of Fairview in Major County, Oklahoma, Fred Countryman was 59 years old and working as a blacksmith in a shop that he owned (748). His wife Maude Countryman was 40 years old. Fred Countryman reported that he was born in New York as were both his father and mother. Maude Countryman reported both parents as born in Ohio. Seven children were living in the Fred Countryman household: George W. Countryman, 23 years old working as a blacksmith; Louis Countryman, 19 years old; Frank G., age 13 years; Doris G., age 11; Agnes L., age 9; Fannie L., age 5; and Georgia W. Countryman, 1 year old. The census enumerates George W. Countryman as born in Kansas; all other children were born in Oklahoma.

The 1930 federal census enumerates the Fred G. Countryman household on 22 Apr 1930 as Fred G. Countryman, 63 years old, and born in New York (780). Both of Fred Countryman’s parents were recorded as born in New York. Fred Countryman’s wife, Maude Countryman, was 51 years old and born in Kansas. Both of Maude Countryman’s parents were born in Ohio.  At their marriage, Fred Countryman was 30 years old, and Maude Countryman was 17 years old.Also living in the household were three children: George W. Countryman, 33 years old and born in Kansas; Fannie L. Countryman, 16 years old and born in Oklahoma; and Georgia W. Countryman, 11 years old and born in Oklahoma. The census enumerates Agness Montgomery, a daughter of Fred and Maude Countryman, and her husband Cyril E. Montgomery with the Fred G. Countryman household. Agness Montgomery was 19 years old and born in Oklahoma. Cyril E. Montgomery was 24 years old and born in Oklahoma. At their marriage, Agness Montgomery was 19 years old and Cyril E. Montgomery was 24 years old. Fred G. Countryman held real estate valued at $1,500.

The 7 May 1940 federal census of Fairview in Major County, Oklahoma enumerates the Fred G. Countryman household (779). Fred Countryman was 73 years old and born in New York. His wife Maude E. Countryman was 63 years old and born in Kansas. Fred Countryman responded to supplemental questions to state that his father was born in Holland and that his mother was born in New York. Fred Countryman was working as a Blacksmith. Fred Countryman completed school through the 8th grade. He owned the property he lived in and Fred and Maude Countryman were living in the same house in 1935. The census enumerates the household of Fred Countryman’s oldest son, George W. Countryman at the adjacent property.

Fred Countryman retired as a blacksmith in 1943, but maintained a shop behind his home in Fairview, Oklahoma where his oldest son, George Washington Countryman continued the trade.

Fredrick Glonar Countryman died on 11 Nov 1948 of injuries he incurred during an assault and robbery at his blacksmith shop behind his home in Fairview, Oklahoma (782, 786, 788). His remains are buried in Lot 18, Block B in Fairview Cemetery, Major County, Oklahoma (786).

Notes and Comments

The 1870 federal census enumerates Fredrick Glonar Countryman as Frederick G. Countryman, three years old and living in the George W. Countryman household (542).

The 1895 Kansas state census on 1 Mar 1895 enumerates Fred G. Countryman as 28 years old and born in New York (785). Apparently two other persons with the surname Countryman were living in the same household; however, the census only recorded their initials. Fred G. Countryman did not marry Maude Ellen Countryman until 16 Feb 1896. The other household members are more likely his siblings. A three year old male may have been a child of a 22 year old female with first initial F.

Fred Countryman recalled Midway, Kansas (760):

It was out in the jungles, called Midway - just a section house, in the middle of a 17,000 acre cattle ranch. The Pacific Railway leaves Wichita and at that time connected with the main line of the Missouri-Pacific that went through Geneseo, and they wanted to extend it to Kanapolis and went right through those hills and in order to do that they had              and the ranchman specified what it was to be in the way of a depot and they put that depot there and called it Midway, just half way between Genoseo and Kanapolis and stationed a section boss there, and it went both way, down to Genoseo and up to Kanapolis.

Woods County, Oklahoma was created within the Oklahoma Territory from part of the Cherokee Outlet on 16 Sep 1893. Alfalfa and Major Counties were created from parts of Woods County on 16 Nov 1907. Township 27 North of Range 9 West of the Indian Meridian was within that part of Woods County that became Alfalfa County.

The 1910 federal census of Alfalfa County, Oklahoma enumerates Maude Ellen (Griffith) Countryman as Maud Countryman, Louis Countryman as Lewis Countryman, and Doris Gladys Countryman as Dorce Countryman.

At Fairview in Major County, Oklahoma, the Fred G. and Maude Ellen Countryman family resided at 201 South 3rd Street.

Sources

362. George Countryman Household. 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Garfield, Pawnee County, Kansas, 4 Jun 1880. Enumeration District: 369, Roll T9_392, Family History Film 1254392, Page 55.1000, Image 0763. (Images: Ancestry.com. Image on file)

542. George W. Countryman Household, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Ovid, Seneca County, New York, 13 Jun 1870. Roll  M593_1093, Page 119A, Image 243, Family History Library Film 552592. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. (Images: Ancestry.com. Image on file.)

748. Fred Countryman Household, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Fairview, Major County, Oklahoma, 14 Jan 1920. Roll T625_1472, Page 11A, Enumeration District 158, Image 179. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. (Images: Ancestry.com. Images on file.)

760. Recollections of Fredrick Glonar Countryman, Fairview, Major County, Oklahoma, ca 1938. (Originals and images on file.)

762. George Washington Countryman Household, 1885 Kansas State Census, Garfield, Pawnee County, Kansas. Roll KS1885_105, Line 8. (Images: Ancestry.com. Images on file.)

771. Elijah M. Kniseley Household, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Varick Township, Seneca County, New York, 13 Sep 1850. Varick, Roll M432_597, Page 65, Image 132. (Images: Ancestry.com. Image on file.)

778. Fred Countryman Household, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Beard, Alfalfa County, Oklahoma, 20 Apr 1910. Roll T624_1242, Page 3A, Enumeration District 0002, FHL microfilm 1375255. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. (Images: Ancestry.com. Images on file.)

779. Fred G. Countryman Household, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Fairview, Major County, Oklahoma, 7 May 1940. Roll T627_3310, Page 21B, Enumeration District 47-10. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. (Images: Ancestry.com. Image on file.)

780. Fred G. Countryman Household, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, Fairview, Major County, Oklahoma, 22 Apr 1930. Roll 1914, Page 18A, Enumeration District 0010, Image 703.0, FHL microfilm 2341648. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. (Images: Ancestry.com. Image on file.)

781. Fred Glonar Countryman Memorial Book, Speece Funeral Home, Fairview, Major County, Oklahoma, 22 Aug 1948. (Original and images on file.)

782. Obituary, Fredrick Glonar Countryman, Major County, Oklahoma. 1948. (Original and image on file.)

783. Connelley, William Elsey. A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans. Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1919.

785. Fred Countryman, 1895 Kansas State Census, Valley, Reno County, Kansas, USA, 1 Mar 1895. Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, Kansas; 1895 Kansas Territory Census, Roll v115_127, Line 25. (Images: Ancestry.com. Image on file.)

786. Gravestone, Fred G. and Maude Ellen Countryman, Fairview Cemetery, Fairview, Major County, Oklahoma. Find A Grave Memorial 79193293. (Images: Find A Grave, Image on file.)

787. Gravestone. George Washington and Anna Frances Countryman. Fairview Cemetery, Major County, Oklahoma. Find A Grave Memorial 27846210. (Images: Find A Grave. Image on file.)

788. Fredrick Glonar Countryman Family Sheet. Fairview, Major County, Oklahoma, ca 1940. Handwritten by Fredrick Glonar Countryman. (Original and images on file.)

790. Plat Book of Ellsworth County, Kansas. Northwest Publishing Col, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1901. (Images: Kansas Historical Society. Images on file.)
URL: http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/209378

972. Patent Issued to Fredrick Countryman, Grady County, Oklahoma, 19 Mar 1906, 160 acres. Accession Number: OK1690__.318, Document Number: 572. General Land Office Records, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior. (Images: Bureau of Land Management. Image on file.)

Revised 24 Nov 2019.