Okey, Claude W., abt. 1878-1923

OKEY, JACKSON

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 4/27/2017 at 21:12:41

From the Hawarden Independent, February 1, 1923:
Dr. C. W. Okey, who formerly was a dentist at Hudson but who has been in Canton for some time, was taken to the hospital for the insane at Yankton Jan. 22nd. His spine became infected which led to his serious mental trouble.

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From the Hawarden Independent, May 31, 1923:

Dr. C. W. Okey of Hudson died at the state hospital at Cherokee Tuesday and the remains will be brought to Canton for burial. Dr. Okey enlisted in the Spanish-American War and was stationed at Chickamauga, Ga. While he was in the service he was taken sick with a severe case of typhoid fever and he never entirely recovered from its effects. About two years ago his spine became affected and last year he spent a great deal of time in the Akron hospital. Last fall his mind was affected and he was taken to Yankton and later he was removed to Cherokee because of his long residence in Iowa, which was at Hull. His parents and wife were with him at the time of his death and he recognized them to the last.

[The same obit was published in the Sioux County Index (Hull), June 8, 1923.]

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News notes in area newspapers show him living in Hull until at least 1897, and in Hudson, S.D. between at least 1899-1919. He served in Company E of Hull, 52nd Regt. Iowa National Guard in 1899. He graduated from the Keokuk Dental College in 1906 (Rock Valley Bee, April 27, 1906). He passed the South Dakota dental exam in March 1907 and opened an office in Hudson (Rock Valley Bee, March 8, 1907). He also had something of a reputation as a musician, competed in gun club shooting contests, and sold real estate. He was married to Mabel Jackson of Canton on Nov. 14, 1911, at Sioux Falls, SD (Hawarden Independent, Nov. 23, 1911).

His parents were Mr. and Mrs. George Okey, and a sister is Mrs. Mollie Okey Harrington of Sheldon.

The 1920 U.S. census has Claude W. Okey, age 42, born in Iowa, occupation dentist, living on a farm in Garfield Township, Sioux County, with his wife Mabel S. (age 37), born in South Dakota of Norwegian parents.