Occa Jefferson Cunningham Freeman Martin

Occa Jefferson Cunningham was a mother, businesswoman, and political candidate. She was also an advocate for the development of the Central Arizona Canal project.

Born in Oklahoma City on July 12, 1891, Occa (often referred to as "Boca" within the family) was the third of four children to Jefferson William ("J.W.") Cunningham and Mary Susan (Kirkland) Cunningham.

Occa's parents had moved from Texas to Oklahoma with their two-year-old son, Foster, as a part of the first Oklahoma Land Rush in 1889. After locating in Oklahoma City, the family lived in a tent while J.W., a carpenter and contractor, constructed the family residence. In May 1889, the couple had their first daughter, Oklahoma Belle, who became renowned as the first child born in Oklahoma City after the opening of the territory to settlement. The family later moved to Shawnee, Oklahoma, where Occa's younger sister, Mary Myrtle, was born in 1893.

On June 20, 1915, Occa married Orland Estmer Freeman, a banker living and working in Drumright, Oklahoma. The ceremony was conducted at the First Christian Church in Oklahoma City, with her sister Oklahoma Belle and her sister's husband, Lawrence Cheever, as witnesses. Occa and Orland had a daughter, Ruth Elaine, in 1916.

Citing health reasons, Occa and Orland moved to Bisbee, Arizona, in 1918. In Bisbee, Occa joined her younger sister, Mary Myrtle, who, with her husband Alonzo M. Moore, operated a grocery store. After working initially as a banker, Orland acquired another grocery store with his brother-in-law. Later, Orland bought out his brother-in-law, thereafter operating the store as Freeman's Grocery. The store was located at 501 Tombstone Canyon Road in Bisbee. In 1924, Occa and Orland had a son, Orland Estmer Jr.

Orland and Occa ran the grocery until the mid 1930s, when the Great Depression made the store unviable. After Occa and Orland sold their grocery, Orland worked in Bisbee as an auditor for the State of Arizona Banking Commission until he retired in the early 1940s.

In 1943, Occa and Orland moved to Oklahoma City where they helped Occa's older sister, Oklahoma Belle, operate Cheever's Floral Shop. Shortly after their son's return from World War II, Occa and her family returned to Bisbee, staying briefly before settling in Phoenix, Arizona. Occa's husband, who suffered from chronic hypertension, died in November 1946.

In 1954, Occa married Walter C. Brown. The officiant did not sign the marriage certificate (for reasons unknown at this writing). The marriage was short lived, with a divorce decree entered nine months later. The judge, a long-time family friend, restored Occa's surname to Freeman.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Occa advocated for the Central Arizona Project ("CAP"), meeting with lawmakers in Arizona and Washington, D.C. President Johnson signed the Act authoring the CAP in 1968. The entire project cost more than $4 billion to construct. Also during this period, Occa ran for office in Arizona (the specific office unknown at this writing). Additional facts about these subjects will be added as the information is developed.

In 1955, Occa married Lloyd Martin, the couple living in Phoenix. Occa's son and his family moved to Phoenix in 1961. Occa died on February 10, 1969. She was buried at New Zion Cemetery outside of Chandler, Oklahoma, next to her first husband and on land first owned by her first husband's father. Her headstone lists surnames of her first and last husbands, Freeman and Martin. She had been a member of Eastern Star since 1920 and a member of the Garfield Methodist Church in Phoenix.

Scott Day Freeman, grandson, wrote this memorial on April 7, 2014. It was last updated on October 9, 2019, with the following information:

The husband of Occa's sister Mary Mrytle, was a veteran of the Spanish-American War. Occa and Mary Mrytle became active in the women's auxiliary of the United Spanish War Veterans, holding various offices in the organization, including the women's auxiliary department president in 1933. She attended the national convention in Milwaukee in 1932.

Occa Jefferson Cunningham Freeman Martin

Occa Jefferson Cunningham was a mother, businesswoman, and political candidate. She was also an advocate for the development of the Central Arizona Canal project.

Born in Oklahoma City on July 12, 1891, Occa (often referred to as "Boca" within the family) was the third of four children to Jefferson William ("J.W.") Cunningham and Mary Susan (Kirkland) Cunningham.

Occa's parents had moved from Texas to Oklahoma with their two-year-old son, Foster, as a part of the first Oklahoma Land Rush in 1889. After locating in Oklahoma City, the family lived in a tent while J.W., a carpenter and contractor, constructed the family residence. In May 1889, the couple had their first daughter, Oklahoma Belle, who became renowned as the first child born in Oklahoma City after the opening of the territory to settlement. The family later moved to Shawnee, Oklahoma, where Occa's younger sister, Mary Myrtle, was born in 1893.

On June 20, 1915, Occa married Orland Estmer Freeman, a banker living and working in Drumright, Oklahoma. The ceremony was conducted at the First Christian Church in Oklahoma City, with her sister Oklahoma Belle and her sister's husband, Lawrence Cheever, as witnesses. Occa and Orland had a daughter, Ruth Elaine, in 1916.

Citing health reasons, Occa and Orland moved to Bisbee, Arizona, in 1918. In Bisbee, Occa joined her younger sister, Mary Myrtle, who, with her husband Alonzo M. Moore, operated a grocery store. After working initially as a banker, Orland acquired another grocery store with his brother-in-law. Later, Orland bought out his brother-in-law, thereafter operating the store as Freeman's Grocery. The store was located at 501 Tombstone Canyon Road in Bisbee. In 1924, Occa and Orland had a son, Orland Estmer Jr.

Orland and Occa ran the grocery until the mid 1930s, when the Great Depression made the store unviable. After Occa and Orland sold their grocery, Orland worked in Bisbee as an auditor for the State of Arizona Banking Commission until he retired in the early 1940s.

In 1943, Occa and Orland moved to Oklahoma City where they helped Occa's older sister, Oklahoma Belle, operate Cheever's Floral Shop. Shortly after their son's return from World War II, Occa and her family returned to Bisbee, staying briefly before settling in Phoenix, Arizona. Occa's husband, who suffered from chronic hypertension, died in November 1946.

In 1954, Occa married Walter C. Brown. The officiant did not sign the marriage certificate (for reasons unknown at this writing). The marriage was short lived, with a divorce decree entered nine months later. The judge, a long-time family friend, restored Occa's surname to Freeman.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Occa advocated for the Central Arizona Project ("CAP"), meeting with lawmakers in Arizona and Washington, D.C. President Johnson signed the Act authoring the CAP in 1968. The entire project cost more than $4 billion to construct. Also during this period, Occa ran for office in Arizona (the specific office unknown at this writing). Additional facts about these subjects will be added as the information is developed.

In 1955, Occa married Lloyd Martin, the couple living in Phoenix. Occa's son and his family moved to Phoenix in 1961. Occa died on February 10, 1969. She was buried at New Zion Cemetery outside of Chandler, Oklahoma, next to her first husband and on land first owned by her first husband's father. Her headstone lists surnames of her first and last husbands, Freeman and Martin. She had been a member of Eastern Star since 1920 and a member of the Garfield Methodist Church in Phoenix.

Scott Day Freeman, grandson, wrote this memorial on April 7, 2014. It was last updated on October 9, 2019, with the following information:

The husband of Occa's sister Mary Mrytle, was a veteran of the Spanish-American War. Occa and Mary Mrytle became active in the women's auxiliary of the United Spanish War Veterans, holding various offices in the organization, including the women's auxiliary department president in 1933. She attended the national convention in Milwaukee in 1932.