John Vincent Blackard, Jr. One of the most popular officials of Sequoyah County, John Vincent Blackard, Jr., has won the favorable opinion and regard of his fellow citizens by six years of faithful service in the office of county clerk, a position which he has held for two terms. His entire life has been passed in the county, where the family to which he belongs has always been known for its integrity and the good citizenship of its members, a reputation that is being fully maintained by the incumbent of the county clerk’s office.

John Vincent Blackard, Jr.,* was born on his father’s farm in the vicinity of Muldrow, Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, September 28, 1885, and is a son of John Vincent and Nellie (Babb) Blackard. His grandfather, paternally descended from sturdy Scotch ancestry, was born in North Carolina, and as a young man turned his face to the West, finally locating in the vicinity of Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas. There he was engaged in farming until the Civil war, when he enlisted for service in the army of the Confederacy, and subsequently met a soldier’s death on the field of battle. His son, John Vincent Blackard, Sr.,* was born on the home farm in Johnson County, and grew up in the vicinity of Clarksville, adopted his father’s vocation of farmer and stock raiser, and established a home of his own when he was united in marriage with Miss Nellie Babb, who had been born in Tennessee and brought as a child to Arkansas. Not long after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Blackard removed to what is now Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, settling on a farm near Muldrow, where the father engaged in farming until 1898. In that year he moved to Muldrow and has since been engaged in the successful conduct of a general store. He is a democrat in his political views, a substantial and influential member of his community and a citizen who takes an active part in civic matters. He and the mother, who also survives, are members of the Methodist Church, and are the parents of eleven living children.

John Vincent Blackard, Jr., was reared on the home farm until he reached the age of fifteen years, receiving his early training in the district schools. In 1898 he accompanied the family to Muldrow, where he was duly graduated from the Muldrow High School, and at that time adopted the vocation of educator, teaching for one year in the public schools and for a like period in the high school at Muldrow. On June 7, 1909 he became deputy county clerk of Sequoyah County, a position which he held until January 4, 1913, when he entered upon the discharge of his duties as county clerk, having been elected to the office in the previous fall election. In the fall of 1914 Mr. Blackard was reelected to succeed himself and is now serving his second term, which expires in January, 1917. As a public official he has rendered an acceptable service as well as a commendable one, meeting the most sanguine hopes of his numerous friends. Six years has he stood behind the desk in the county clerk’s office and his long experience has made him thoroughly familiar with all the details of its duties. Courteous in manner and accommodating in disposition, Mr. Blackard Is deservingly a popular public official. In politics he is a democrat, following the family allegiance and fortunes; his fraternal connection is with the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, while his religious faith is that of the Methodist Church.

Clerk Blackard was married in 1910 to Miss Beatrice Boaz, who was born in Oklahoma, and they have three living children, namely: Nellie Belle, and ’Willoughby and Wilson, twins.