Henry Garwood, Sr. The first drug store and the second business house established at Beggs in Okmulgee County was started by Henry Garwood, Sr., who for the past fifteen years has been very closely identified with that flourishing town and is now, besides being proprietor of the Garwood Drug Company, one of the leading capitalists of the village, has done a great deal of constructive work in many ways, and his position as a leading citizen is well indicated by the fact that he served several years as mayor. He was born in Pennsylvania, January 8, 1854, a son of James S. and Susan (Smith) Garwood. His parents were natives of New Jersey. His father, who was born in Port Republic of that state was for many years an active railroad man, and had first learned the trade of blacksmith. He died in New Jersey about 1875 at the age of sixty, while his wife passed away in Brooklyn, New York, at the age of eighty-three. Their six children were: Helen C., who lives in Kansas City, Missouri, is the widow of Dan P. Stewart, who died at Springfield, Missouri, while serving in the office of sheriff; Henry; Rebecca, wife of C. D. Reed, who lives in New Jersey and for forty-six years has been connected with the Erie Railroad; Joseph Summers of New Jersey; W. D., who died at Amarillo, Texas, in 1915; and Millard of New Jersey.

Henry Garwood lived in his native town until ten years of age. His parents then went to Scranton, Pennsylvania, and later to Phillipsburg, New Jersey. After acquiring his education in the common schools, he found railroad work under his father with the Morris & Essex Railway. About 1870 the family moved out to Utah Territory, and for a year and a half Henry Garwood was fireman on a railway locomotive out of Ogden. Returning to Scranton, Pennsylvania, he continued as a locomotive fireman for eight months, and then came to Springfield, Missouri, and became a fireman with the Frisco Railway. He did that work at a time when the Frisco locomotives still used wood as fuel. After two or three years ho was promoted to engineer, and his service as a locomotive engineer aggregated about thirteen years altogether. In 1883 he left the Frisco and was with the Memphis for two years.

In November, 1886, Mr. Garwood having resigned from the railroad business, engaged in the drug trade at Thayer, Missouri, and for the past thirty years has made that his chief line of business. In 1897 he was for eight months in the drug business at Newburg, Missouri, spent two years at Springfield, and two and a half years at Fairplay, Missouri, and on May 1, 1901, arrived at Beggs, Oklahoma.

This town started just about that date, and he was one of the men who supplied enterprise to the new community. For fifteen years he has conducted the drug business which he established as the pioneer institution of its kind, but his son Henry, Jr., now has active charge of the Garwood Drug Company. In 1911 he built the present drug store, a two-story brick, 25x100 feet, at the corner of Main and Choctaw Avenue. He also constructed the brick building on the opposite corner, occupied by the First National Bank and the postoffice, this being also a two-story brick, 90x25 feet. These are two of the most substantial and attractive business structure’s in the town. In 1902 Mr. Garwood put up a home of his own, built from native rock. His interests are now of a varied nature, and extend to farming, cotton gins and other enterprises.

Always an active man, Mr. Garwood suffered a severe affliction recently when as a result of blood poison his right leg was amputated just above the ankle on August 25, 1915. In politics he is independent, though usually he has voted in support of the republican candidate in national affairs. His service as mayor of Beggs was for two years before statehood, and since statehood he has been a member of the village board. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order, in the lodge, chapter, commandery and temple of the Mystic Shrine, with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights of Pythias.

On December 11, 1879, he married Miss Mollie M. Moore who was born May 12, 1864, in St. Louis County, Missouri. To their union were born four children: Millard F., who died at the age of one year; the second died in infancy; Henry, Jr.; and James M., who died when nineteen years of age. Henry Garwood, Jr., who was born in Rogers, Arkansas, January 17, 1883, has developed into a capable young business man and is now assuming many of the heavier responsibilities formerly carried by his father. he married Natta Clark, and they are the parents of two sons named James and Henry, Jr.