Blount C. Straughan |
| Posted 2008-07-04 by Sharon |
| Wickenburg Sun, Wickenburg, AZ November 13, 1959 p. 1 B. C. Straughan, Former Banker and Mayor Summoned Blout C. Straughan, one of the builders of Wickenburg, died in the home of his son-in-law, W. R. Curry, in Phoenix Monday. Funeral services were conducted in the First Presbyterian Church here at 10 o'clock Thursday morning by Dr. Charles S. Poling. Burial was in Wickenburg Cemetery alongside his wife, who died in 1939, and a son who died previously. Mr Straughan, who had observed his 93rd birthday just a month ago, came to Wickenburg in 1917 from Kansas. Here he organized and was president of the Traders Bank of Wickenburg from 1922 until 1942. He was elected mayor of Wickenburg in 1924 and succeeded himself four consecutive terms. In 1927 he set up the town budget in such a way that he relieved citizens of all their town taxes. His bank was located in that part of the Wickenburg Mine Supply building where the machine shop is now located. He also operated a mortuary in the building where Snyder's Transfer is now located. At the time Mr. Straughan owned these buildings. When he decided to close the bank in 1942 and retire, he wrote each of his depositors a letter asking them to come in and get their money prior to a given date. Mr. Straughan was born on a farm near Morrilton, Ark., Nov. 2, 1866. His mother, a native of Kentucky, lived until she was 94 years old. The father, a native of Virginia, settled in Arkansas in 1830. Mr. Straughan was reared in Arkansas and had very little opportunity an education as his father died when the boy was 15 years old, leaving the boy as the head of a family of five. Realizing the need for an education, when he was 20 years old and had enough money to maintain the family, he attended Carlton College at Syracuse, 0h., for one year taking a business course. He moved to Kansas in 1891 where he remained for 27 years. During that time he organized and became president of the Traders State Bank of Arkansas City, Kan. He sold his interests there in 1917 to come to Arizona for the health of his son who died here several years later. Only survivors are son-in-law, W. R. Curry; a granddaughter, Mrs. John Holcombe; and three great-grandchildren, all of Phoenix. See Also: Find a Grave |
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