Milo F. Graham. The Citizens National Bank of Okmulgee represents not only large financial resources but also some of the best business and financial talent of that city in its officers and directors. The principal officers of the bank are: D. M. Smith, president; M. F. Graham, vice president; R. deSteiguer, vice president; Crittenden Smith, cashier. Other directors are Ed Hart, J. L. Fuqua, L. W. Duncan, H. C. Beckman and Bluford W. Miller. The Citizens National is capitalized at $100,000 and at the close of the year 1915, had a surplus of $20,000. Its total resources aggregate over $900,000 and according to a recent statement the deposits totaled nearly $750,000.

The vice president of this bank, M. F. Graham, has been a resident of Okmulgee a number of years, and throughout that time has been identified with its banks, and came to Oklahoma with considerable banking experience gained while a resident of his native State of Missouri. He was born at Millville, Missouri, July 14, 1875, a son of Fletcher J. and Elizabeth A. (Fowler) Graham.

His father was born in Carroll County, Missouri, in 1838, and his mother in Ray County of that state in 1840. She is now living at Richmond, Missouri, while the father died there in 1913. At the outset of his career Fletcher Graham was a country merchant at Millville, Missouri, until his store was destroyed by the northern bushwhackers. He then joined General Price’s army and was wounded in the critical Battle of Pea Ridge. He was shot through the head and in the hip, and lay an entire day on the battlefield without attention, being given up for dead by his comrades. As a result of the wound he lost his left eye. After getting his honorable discharge from the Confederate army he again resumed merchandising at Millville, and continued to sell goods in this locality for fifteen or twenty years. At the same time he conducted a large farm and stock ranch. He became a director and one of the organizers of the Exchange Bank of Richmond, one of the old established institutions of that city. He moved his family and home to Richmond about 1885, and lived there until his death. In his later years he was still active in business, and gave practically all his attention to the management of his farm and stock. He was a democrat in politics, and was a deacon in the Christian Church at Richmond at the time of his death. He was a Knight Templar Mason and a man whose influence counted for a great deal in the building of the community. There were five children: Frank Ely, who is unmarried and lives at Richmond with her mother; Forest M., who conducts the old homestead in Missouri; Mary William, wife of J. E. Hill, now deputy county clerk of Ray County, Missouri; M. F. Graham; and Fletcher, who died when four years of age. The mother of this family was one of seven girls who were taken prisoners by Federal soldiers in 1863 charged with making underwear for the southern soldiers. She . was held in a prison of war in Iowa for a year before being released and was well treated while thus a prisoner.

M. F. Graham had his home on the farm and in Richmond with his parents until he had finished high school in 1898. He spent three years in the State University at Columbia, taking a literary course, and while there became a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. After one year of farm work he became assistant cashier of the Ray County Savings Bank at Richmond, and it was after two years of experience with that institution that he looked for a newer and broader field in old Indian Territory.

On coming to Okmulgee Mr. Graham became bookkeeper in the Citizens National Bank, but after two years was elected cashier, and two years later became vice president, his present post. Throughout this period he has been actively associated with his fellow officers and directors and has done much to make the bank what it is today. In the meantime he has acquired some interests in the oil fields of his home county and has some good property elsewhere. Besides good farm lands he is associated with John Cain in the ownership and operation of a grazing ranch in Pittsburg County containing 2,500 acres of rough land, suitable to pasturing.

Both in Missouri and after coming to Oklahoma Mr. Graham has taken an active part in local and county politics. He is a democrat and a deacon in the Christian Church at Okmulgee.