Benjamin Grant Doan (b. 6-8-1867 in Harrison County, Kentucky; d. 8-4-1919 in Homestead, Blaine County, Oklahoma---Buried in Plymouth Cemetery southeast of Fairview, Major County, Oklahoma) was the son of Richard Thomas "Dick" Doan and Mary (Asbury) Doan.

He married Rebecca Jane Sample (b. 1-14-1870 near Perry, Jefferson County, Kansas; d. 6-14-1925 in Homestead, Blaine County, Oklahoma---Buried in Plymouth Cemetery southeast of Fairview, Major County, Oklahoma), daughter of David A. Sample and Nancy Foley, on 9-12-1888 in Jefferson County, Kansas.

As a young man, he left Harrison County, Kentucky and went to Jefferson County, Kansas where he met and married Rebecca Jane Sample. Their first child, Fred, was born there and the young family then traveled by covered wagon to Oklahoma Territory settling in Mulhall where Richard and Addie were born.

When the Cherokee Strip opened for settlement on September 16, 1893, Ben made the run on opening day atop a grey mule named Betsy and staked a 160 acre claim approximately four miles south of the present site of Fairview, Oklahoma in what was then Woods County but later became Major County.

Benjamin stayed but the rest of the family returned to Perry, Kansas until he could dig a well and build a sod house. Living conditions were primitive and coyotes, rattlesnakes, bison, Indians and outlaws were plentiful. He farmed the ground and had to travel 55 miles to sell the crops and worked for others at 50 cents a week for extra money. Eventually, churches, schools and railroads were built.

The family lived in the sod house for five years then he built a two-room frame house. As the family grew in numbers to eleven children, he later bought 320 more acres and built a two-story house.

They had eleven children named Fred, Richard, Addie, Anna Eliza, Harry, Claude, Katie Ellen, Clarence Ray, Jessie Marie, Bessie Pearl and Edith Mae.