0. K.
J. WARREN KEIFER.
The above is the most used form of
expression in the Com-
mercial world, and is used in the United
States oftener, perhaps,
in conversation, than any other purely
arbitrary expression in the
English language.
It has no classic origin or derivation;
it has no linguistic,
Greek or Latin, root: it cannot be
claimed for it even the dig-
nity of an American slang birth:
nor is it an abbreviation of an
established expression or form of words
properly found in any
language. Its universally accepted
meaning is well understood,
yet not until recently has any
dictionary or lexicon given it a
place, or undertaken to tell its
significance. It is used to attest the
accuracy, genuineness, or approval of
whatever it is placed upon.
It is not usually used in composition,
or in connection with other
words, or phrases. Its meaning is so
ample and complete that it
defies misunderstanding, and requires no
qualifying words to
explain or amplify it. It is used,
literally, around the world.
Not only the business men in banks,
mercantile houses, private
business offices, insurance companies,
etc., in America, use 0. K.
to avouch the correctness of statements,
accounts, bills of all
kinds, etc., but the American and
English legations, consuls, etc.
in all countries where they are found,
especially in all parts of
the world in which ships enter and
depart, use the same 0. K.
to express their approval of all
official business documents or
papers. In all the principal and
subordinate departments of our
government, 0. K. is now in more or less
common use by offi-
cials and clerks to attest their
approval, satisfaction or the ac-
curacy of whatever they favorably pass
judgment upon. Its use
extends to wherever the English language
is used, but
more particularly in connection with
trade and commerce. It
has no synonym; nor no substitute; it
stands unique, and alone,
(35O)
O. K. 351
for its use. Its meaning is -All
Correct. Its origin came from
the mis-spelling of the two words- all
correct.
The origin of the expression - if it may
be so called - was
in the exciting Harrison political
campaign of 1840.
According to the then custom of
organizing and attending
political meetings, Whig and Democratic,
the people went in pro-
cessions, sometimes for long distances,
to the appointed places
where they were to be harangued by the
orators. Great rivalry
existed between parties to hold the
largest meeting at a given
place, and to have the greater numbers
in the processions, the
most persons on the same wagon drawn by
the most horses, and
the most flags, and banners, on which
were usually mottoes sup-
posed to be the most expressive and
catchy, especially in the mat-
ter of attracting the populace and
expressing the sentiment of the
people.
A notable Whig convention was held at
Urbana, Champaign
County, Ohio, September 15th,
1840, which General William
Henry Harrison, the candidate for
President, addressed (it is said
for two hours) and at which Hon. Moses
B. Corwin (cousin of
Thomas Corwin) of Urbana presided. In
the grove of John A.
Ward (father of the now famous sculptor,
John Q. A. Ward of
New York City) twelve tables were set,
each 300 feet long, from
which the people were fed barbecued
oxen, sheep, etc., with cider
(the popular beverage of that campaign)
and all in abundance.
Addresses were made during the day and
evening by Ex-Gov-
ernor Metcalf of Kentucky, (in a
buckskin hunting shirt, it is
said), Arthur Elliott, a Mr. Chambers,
of Louisiana, and Richard
Douglas, of Chillicothe.
An enthusiastic Whig farmer from Jackson Township,
Champaign County, rigged up a wagon,
drawn by many
horses, with a platform thereon to
accommodate his neighbor-
farmers, to join a procession and to
attend this convention. A
banner was suspended over the platform
on which Was rudely
printed the inscription: THE PEOPLE IS
OLL KORRECT.
According to the recollections of some,
who pretend to re-
member, the inscription was: THE FARMERS
IS OLL KOR-
RECT.
352
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
The material part, however, is the last
two words, and their
mis-spelling.
Democratic newspapers seized on the bad
spelling of this in-
scription and displayed it as an
evidence of the ignorance of the
Whigs and the supporters of General
Harrison. Samuel Medary
of Columbus, Ohio, famous then for his
zeal in publishing cam-
paign-democratic literature, and in
assaults on the Whigs, made
much use in his paper of this farmer's
illiteracy. Democratic
orators carried this banner-motto around
on hand bills and ex-
hibited it to their shouting hearers,
much to the disgust and cha-
grin of the Whigs.
One Daniel Leffel, a typical early-time
tavern-keeper, an
unusually, even for that time,
enthusiastic Whig and supporter
of Harrison, the proprietor of the Sugar
Grove tavern, located
just west of Springfield, Ohio, on the
National Road, thought it
best to ward off the odium heaped on his
party by the rustic
farmers illiteracy by accepting the
situation and making the most
of it. So, before the campaign ended, he
caused the letters O. K.
to be painted immediately over a front
door of his Sugar Grove
tavern, in large capital letters, and
thence forth gave it out, that
they meant that his tavern was "Oll
Korrect."
This is, with little doubt, the first
place these two letters-
O. K. - were used with the artificial
meaning they now so uni-
versally possess. From this use, with
this meaning, at first lit-
tle by little locally, matters were O.
K.-ed, until now millions use
the expression without doubt as to its
meaning, or question as to
the propriety of its use, or without
inquiry or knowledge of its
origin.
Dan Leffel built better than he knew -
so the Jackson
Township farmer. 0. K. has come to
stay.
Whatever of local differences there may
be as to the details
of the farmer's banner-inscription, or
as to the great Urbana-
Harrison convention, there is a
concurrence as to the mis-spelling
of the words -all correct, and
that they were, on the banner,
spelled "Oll Korrect."
The Sugar Grove House (thus inscribed)
was used as a way-
side tavern - a stopping place for
movers using the National
Road as a throat to pass to the great
west -some "cheer" was
O. K. 353
dispensed there to local and other patrons - stories of gambling, etc., etc., have been told as a part of the entertainment furnished - for about forty years, and only ceased when the mover and cattle-driver ceased to move, or drive, by ordinary road, as in the good old times. Dan Leffel is dead, and some question whether his life and character were such as to secure for him an 0. K. for the better world. However, this may be, his use of the letters 0. K. will go on so long as the English language is written. |
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The House (shown above) a few years ago, with the pictur- esque land around it, passed to the ownership of the Ohio State Masonic Home. The stately buildings of this Home, where practical, fraternal charity is now dispensed, overtowered the old tavern. It was spared until 1901, then torn down to further clear and beautify the Masonic Home grounds. The originally in- scribed letters "0. K." remained above the door about sixty 23 Vol. XIII. |
354 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
years and until the brick upon which they were painted were re- moved and scattered by the destroyer. Atttempts have been made to otherwise account for the origin of 0. K. as so generally used, on suppositions, and theories, and probabilities, but only the foregoing has any real founda- tion. O. K. is found in the Century Dictionary where it is said: "The origin is obscure; usually said to have been originally used by Andrew Jackson, seventh President of the U. S., as an abbre- viation of All Correct spelled (whether through ignorance or hu- morously) Oll Korrect: but this is doubtless an invention." Another speculation there refers the use to "Old Keokuk," an Indian Chief, who is said to have signed treaties with the initials, "O. K." These suggestions as to a definition are all inventions, born of a desire to find a plausible origin for the much used expression. |
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