We know quite a bit about the Larrances. The family was from England. The name was originally spelled Lawrence but sometime in the late 1700s it was changed. The Larrances of Vermillion County, IL were Quakers. They migrated from Virginia to Tennessee and on to Illinois. Frederick Canada "Pete" Larrance was named after his maternal grandfather Frederick Canaday. Isaac Larrance and Frederick Canaday were very prominent in early Vermillion County, Illinois. Today several Larrance and Canaday families still live there. The 1900 Census of Vermillion County lists Isaac Larrance, Pete's brother. Brother Isaac's children are all reported as being born in Kansas and Pete's son F.C. Jr. was born in Kansas. I think that their father Isaac Sr. moved the family from Illinois to Kansas. Later, Isaac Jr. moved back to Vermillion County and Pete moved his family on to Stroud in Indian Territory.
Pete, his wife Matilda, daughter Maude and son F.C. Jr. (Fred) can be found in the 1900 Census of Indian Territory in Stroud. Pete is listed as a merchant and I think he worked at a hardware store there. They came to Lawton, Comanche County, Oklahoma by wagon in the summer of 1901 for the Land Lottery of the Wichita-Caddo and Comanche, Kiowa and Apache Lands. Mary Larrance tells the story of her grandfather, Fred, at about 16 years of age selling water in early Lawton for 10 cents a bucket. Fred would later on become a mayor of Lawton.
Pete opened a hardware store in early Lawton and later a steel fabricating business named Larrance Tank Corporation. The operation of Larrance Tank went to Fred after Pete died and on to Earl after Fred died. Although no longer family owned, Larrance Tank is still in operation today.
Excerpt from the book "'Neath August Sun - 1901"
"Mr. F.C. "Pete" Larrance worked on the first police force under Heck Thomas, and Deputy Marshal under Painter and with C.C. Hammons for two years.
On July 27th Fred Larrance arrived in Lawton. They were owners of the Larrance & Son Transfer from Stroud to Lawton. On July 28th rode to Marlow on horses after the first carload of nails for McCrady Hardware Company, located in a tent where the Rock Island passenger depot now stands. It took four days for the trip. The first nails were sold by E.O. Flood from a wagon for ten cents a pound.
The next trip was to Apache to bring back the first oil in barrels for the Waters-Pierce Oil Co. Moved M. S. Simpson from the depot and hauled lumber for him to build his first building. Moved Jacobson's from depot - stock of one trunk.
All prisoners were taken to Fort Sill to the jail. Post Office was in a tent on the court house square. The court house was built of wood on the southwest corner of the square with the jail on the northwest corner. County officials ordered a big steel safe and when it came it was too big and they couldn't get it in the court house. Fred Larrance helped remove the side of the courthouse to get the safe in.
One of the first cars in Lawton was a big bus of 17 passengers, owned by Fred Thompson. This was often hired by picnic parties, but always a team of horses had to be sent out to pull it in.
On Sunday before the lot sale the Larrances were camped near what is now the Frisco depot. There was Mr. Frederick Canada "Pete" Larrance, wife Matilda Larrance and son, Fred C. Larrance, Jr. That Saturday Rev. Irwin, Presbyterian minister, secured a large round tent. The Larrances helped raise this tent and Sunday school was held there. Close by this was a big tent dance hall - just across the street from Goo Goo Avenue. Center of Goo Goo Avenue was 4th Street and F. The farthest east one went the tougher the territory.
Fred Larrance now manages the Larrance Tank Corp., and still owns the family home once on Goo Goo Avenue, but now 703 F."
This picture was taken at the offices of Larrance Tank
Corporation in Lawton. This is left to right Earl Larrance, Fred Larrance, Jr.,
Fred Larrance and Austin Parker.
This is a picture of Earl Larrance and his wife, Ruth Dunn and their two
girls, Ruth and Mary. Ruth, Mary and Ruthie had flaming red hair.
Earl Larrance as a child. Earl was born prematurely and
was not expected to live. Wanting an heir to succeed him, his father named this son
Albert Earl instead of Frederick Canada. Later when another son was born he was named after his
father and become known as Fred Jr.
This is a picture of Earl Larrance and his wife, Ruth Dunn. Earl,
a Baptist, married Ruth, a Catholic, and was immediately disowned by his family.
Because of this marriage, Fred Larrance was asked to leave the Baptist church.
The first time they saw each other after the marriage, Earl's mother slapped
Ruth. It wasn't until the first child was born before Fred Larrance would speak
to his son, Earl again. It wasn't until the second child was born that all was forgiven.
This is Earl and Ruth's oldest daughter.
This is a picture of Frederick Canada Larrance with his
children and grandchildren and other relatives. This picture was taken
about 1945 at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.
Patrick Earl Herring, Sr.
E-Mail: imaherring@yahoo.com
Last Updated: 11/17/2004