The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-04-01
UNCLE GEORGE
HENRY BRUCE
CITY CLERK
ADM INISTRATlONS MAY COME
AND GO, BUT, LIKE TEN
NYSON'S LITTLE BROOK, HE
GOES ON FOREVER.


mont, among the green hills alonf
| the Connecticut river in the little
| hamlet of Post Mills, the subject o
this sketch was born. Just how many
years ago this interesting event took
place is not vouchsafed, however, il
was several seasons passed. yet he
seems to have found the fountain
of perpetual youth, and is as young
| in spirit as he was when he took the
advice of the eminent Horace Greeley
(another Vermonter), and hied him
to the west to grow up with the
country
AS his name suggests, he is OF
Scotch desceNt and, as there was
very little of what is modernly term
ed race suicide among the Scotch,
either at home or abroad, he was one
of large family Of sturdy sons and
daughters, who helped till the soil of
their native heath until they became
old enough to shift for themselves in
the world
In early youth young George con-
cluded that the west was the place
for him, and, acting upon this sug-
gestion we next find him in Mime
sofa, where he was working diligently
and practicing that New England fru-
gality that soon left him with few
dollars ahead of the game.
He drifted from the rigid climate
of the north to sunny Texas, where
the weather was more to his liking,
and here we find him when the coun-
try was rent asunder by the gigantic
war which forever abolished slavery
and was the means of revealing to
the survivors of that struggle the
great possibilities of the southland.
He had learned to love the south
and her institutions, and, when the
call to arms came, he cast his lot
with the people of Dixie, and enlisted
as soldier in the Eighth Texas
Cavalry and served throughout the
war with distinction. He was in many
battles with his regiment, and was
honorably discharged when the final
surrender took place and took up his
burden once more. During the war
he had brothers fighting in the Union
ranks, and in his case it can truly
be said that brother was fighting
brother in the greatest fratrcidal
strife in the worlds history.
After the war he returned to Texas
and lived there up to % years ago,
when he moved to Ardmore in the
Indian Territory. and has been here
ever since. For ten years after COM
ing here he worked at his trade as
saddler, part of the time in his own
shop, and fifteen years ago he was
elected city clerk,-a position he has
held ever since, under varied and
changing administrations, all of which
have recognized his ability, and were
glad of his advice and assistance in
handling the affairs of the city.
Uncle George Henry Bruce is known
to every man, woman and child in
this section of the state, and is uni
versally likeu by all. He is promi-
nent in Masonic circles, and holds
prominent office in that order 1t is
worth any ones time to spend the
afternoon with him, and hear him re.
count the stirring events that tran
spired in this city when it was just
emerging from the great fire, and the
manner in which the inhabitants
spent the long winter evenings by
frequent meetings of most cele-
brated order. now defunct.
Before the city was operated under
the present charter, his was an elect
i've office Since that time it has
been appointive. and every mayor un-
der our present charter, at the first
regular meeting of the board has
made his first official act that of re-
appointing Uncle George to succeed
himself, and their Appointment has
always given universal satisfaction to
all parties. regardless of politics or
factional differences. There is little
likelihood of anyone getting Uncle
Georges job as long as he desires
TO fill it. He knows more about
the affairs of the city than any other
man in it. and it has been fire.
quently remarked by citizens that if
the city could be put under a city
manager. he would be the one man
here who could fill the office with
satisfaction and credit to every citi-
zen. Besides his office as city clerk
he is secretary of the school board
and secretary to ohe board of trustees
of the Confederate home of this city.