Following is one of the Biographies and Stories which where gathered by Charles Sumner McKamy in the 1950s for publication in a Crawford County History Book. Unfortunately he passed away before the book was published.
Lenora Elizabeth Price, widow of Joseph H. Price, who was born in Oblong, Illinois and attended school there, later attending the Terre Haute Commercial College, completing a course in telegraphy, and in 1885, accepting a position with the I. & I. S. Ry. Co. at their Wabash River office. In the following year, he was transferred to Dietrich, Ill. and from there to Sullivan, Indiana. In January 1887 he came to Robinson where he worked for the company until September 1900 when he accepted the position of Deputy County Clerk under Charles O. Harper, Clerk.
In 1890 he was married to Miss Lenora Elizabeth Titus and to this union there were born five children, viz.: Three sons, Miles, Joseph and Morris, and two daughters, Madrid and Frances, all born in Robinson and all educated in the Porum, Oklahoma High School. Miles taught school and read law in Porum and passed his law examination in Oklahoma City and was admitted to the bar there. Immediately after that, he enlisted in World War II where he remained in the service for about three years, after which he came back to Porum and married a girl in Enid, Okla. Where he practiced law and ran a newspaper "The Porum Journal" for about one year when he was killed by lightning, leaving surviving him his widow and one child, Francis. Francis married and is now living in Alabama where her husband is now serving in the Army in the Aviation Field.
Joe graduated in business college and also in a medical college in the University of Oklahoma, after which he practiced medicine in the Veterans Hospital at Marion, Ill. and at Sheridan, Wyoming, and from there going into the Army in World War II, afterwards serving as an accountant for the Midland Valley Railroad when he married a girl from Tennessee. He was killed while in the service driving from a Veterans Hospital at Danville, Illinois, in an automobile accident, leaving his widow and two children.
Morris went to Business College after which he was employed as an advertising representative of the Chicago Tribune for six years when he was killed in an automobile accident at Rock Island, Illinois. He was considered one of their best advertising men and the family was honored by the attendance of Col. McCormack who came from Chicago to Robinson via airplane to the funeral. He was married to Miss Geraldine Davids of Lawrenceville, Ill., who died within a year after their marriage.
Madrid was married to H.E. Sullivan of Newkirk, Okla. Where they live with their four children and where I spend my winters, while my permanent home is and has been for years at 203 N. King St. in Robinson.
Francis married H.T. Mount of Oblong, Illinois, living now in Calumet City near Chicago where Mr. Mount is employed with the Whiting-Indiana Mfg. Co.
I attended College at Merom, Indiana, afterwards teaching school in the county for five years before my marriage to Mr. Price.
An autobiography as written in September 1953 at the request of Mrs. Price by the Rev. T.J. Wheeler, to-wit:
"Joseph H. Price was born on a farm near Oblong, Illinois March 15, 1864, son of Jonas H. Price who was a Baptist Minister of Palestine Baptist Association in the early 1860s and 70s. He attended business college in 1882, following this he served as Railroad Agent at Robinson for thirteen years and as Deputy County Clerk for some twenty years and one term as County Treasurer of Crawford County.
He was married to Lenora Elizabeth Titus in 1890. He, with his family, spent twelve years in Oklahoma. Both Mr. and Mrs. Price united with the First Baptist Church of Robinson in 1890, under the ministry of Eld. D.H. Clements, and faithfully cooperated in all activities of church life. While not fully ordained to the Gospel Ministry, he was gifted in public speaking and often supplied the pulpit and especially in his home church. He was also gifted with pen and crayon and his work along this line was always affective.
At the time of his death, he was 70 years of age, and some two years before his death he had written out his own funeral sermon, requesting that I, if living, read same at his funeral. This was done following his death on Jan. 1, 1938. This unusual message made a great impression upon people attending.
I have known Mr. Price since young manhood and as a citizen and Christian character, he was outstanding in Crawford County.