McCURTAIN COUNTY and SOUTHEAS'f OKLAHOMA
HISTORY, BIOGRAPHY STATISTICS
A COMPLETE CHURCH, LODGE, SCHOOL PROFESSIONAL, BUSINESS AND TRADE DIRECTORY OF THE COUNTY
By W. A. CARTER
1923 IDABEL, OKLAHOMA
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\V. A. CAHTER A~D DAUGHTER. ROBBIE LEE
Preface Realizing that some effort should be made to record and preserve for the benefit of those to come after us, the salient features of our local history, I have undertaken the work, and while the finished product of my labor is not wholly what I desired, it will perhaps answer the purpose until such time as another, more capable, shall have perfected the work. The history of a locality. so recently settled and ·popu lated as ours, must perforce, be short; hence, to record the more prominent and interesting features of the early history three or four chapters have been found sufficient. Really, more time and attention have been given to recent \ events and present conditions, and this feature will doubt- less pro've more interesting to future generations, for the reason that late occurrences have happened so rapidly as to be almost kaleidoscopic. My 33 years' residence in this portion of the Territory and State have enabled me to relate many facts and events from first-hand knowledge, but where this was not pos sible, I have relied upon information derived from other sources, and where this information was conflicting, I have endeavored to reconcile the differences and get as near to the facts as circumstances would permit. I have persistenly refrained from "high-light" de scriptions and. exaggerated statements, confining myself to the facts as obtainable from the most reliable sources. The tendency of the modern writer is to exaggerate and elaborate, neither of which should find a place in history or biography. In closi:ag this foreword, I desire to thank my many friends for their kindly assistance, moral support and financial aid, without which-meritorious or not-the work could not have been possible.
CONTENTS Page Agriculture ····-······· ·····•················-················································ ···-···-·-··- 76 A McCurtain County River__ ·-·-·--·······-·····················································115 American Legion ...... ··-······· ...... ···-·· ...... ·····-· .. -.355 Banks . of the County.·-··-··-··········-················-·········································-···270 Bar Association ...... ····-···--·····-· ...... ~ ...... ······-·-····-·-··-···3 52 Ben McCullough Camp U. C. V., 17 48 ..... ••································-········-···267 Campaigning in McCurtain...... 197 Carpenter Gang ···-·················· ...... ·····-···················· .... ······················-······ 89 Chambers of Commerce ...... 245 Choctaw Lumber Company...... ••····-· _... 253 Citizens of Tomon·ow...... 327 Cc-mm3nt and Criticism ...... 171 Confederate Veterans ··············································································-·178 Death of Felker...... :...... 310 Dyer-Rev. James ...... 233 Directory-County Official ...... 363 Directory-Church ...... 366 Directory-School ...... 370 D~rectory-Lodge ...... 372 Directory-General ...... 374 Divis:.onE-Political ...... 62 Fruit Growers Association ...... 203 Funeral Cry ...... 127 Fulsome Training School ...... 167 Funeral Sermon ...... :...... 104 Government ...... ·...... 54 History-Early ...... 13 History-Later· ...... 21 Histor:cal Milestones ...... 41 History-Modern ...... 98 Historical Locallties ...... 134 Highways ...... 261 Histor:.cal Miscellany ...... 27 4 High Schools ...... 311 Hopkins, W. B ...... 314 Indian Sports ...... 85 Indians Relations to the Courts ...... 107 Manners. Customs and Character...... 91 Mosaic Law ...... 113 Merchants and Business Men ...... 121 Manufacturers ...... 215 Makers of History ...... 234 McElroy, Dr. S. A ...... 268 McCurtain County Today ...... 317 Med =cal Association -············· ...... 353 McCurtain County Educators ...... 9 CONTENTS-Continued Page Name and Location ...... 9 Newspapers of the County ...... ·-···324 Not Failure, But Low Aim is a Crhne ...... 277 Old Timers ...... 142 Old Missions ...... · ...... 109 Prohibition -···················································································•···············111 Public and Private Buildings ...... 263 Schools, Churches and Colleges ...... 257 Steambcating in Southeast Oklahoma...... 49 St. Etienne ...... 194 Statistics ...... 34 7 Spanish-American War Veterans ...... 248 Topography ...... 34 Transportation and Communication ...... 70 The Indian in English ...... 129 The Three Counties ...... 207 The Pact, and Other Poems ...... 226 Towns and Villages ...... 282 United Daughters of the Confederacy ...... 268 World War Soldiers ...... 264 Women's Clubs ...... 249 Wright, Rev. Alfred, and Wheelock Academy ...... 25 SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 9
Name and Location
HAT portion of Oklahoma "Lying and being situate" in the extreme Southeast part of the State, and having the good old State of Arkan sas for an eastern boundary, with Texas on the south, Choctaw County on the west and· LeFlore ·county on the north, and having about 1800 square miles of territory, has been designated by the organic law of the State as "The County of McQurtain." In naming the counties of the State, the Constitutional Convention sought to honor the names and memory of many of the noted Indians of the Territory, and among them was Green McCurtain, who for many years was Principal. Chief of the Choctaw Tribe, and for whom the territory above described was named. Many nations, states and countries have brought dis tinction to themselves, seemingly, in a natural course of events and ·without any great effort. For instance: Vir ginia is supposed to produce only gentlemen; Kei:itucky, moonshiners and feudists; South Carolina, rebels, and McCurtain County-well, let her record show. Suffi.~e it to say that her history is such as to obviate the necessity of any formal introduction. In the early part of the 19th century, the territory now embracing McCurtain County was ceded to the Choctaw Indians as a part of .the consideration for their lands . east of the Mississippi, and for many years peace and quiet reigned, except for an occasional homicide among themselves, and once in awhile an undesirable intruder from the nearby States. The topography of the county, and the fact that it was a horder territory, offered easy and desirable location for a variety of characters. The honest one-horse farmer of the Statetl found his ideal home in the rich valleys of the 10 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND mountain streams; the lumber and mill man could gloat his eyes on the tall, straight bodies of the pines I in un liminted forests; the hunter found his paradise; the trapper his fortune in furs; the pros~ector traversed the deep gorges and· scanned the rock cliffs of the hills- trying to locate a get-rich-quick scheme; the religious idealist was never molested in his propaganda ; and last, but not least by any means, the rough ·hill country of the north offered a safe retreat and rendezvous for such characters as could not remain in the States on ar.count of their repeated disputes with the officers of the law. · _
A Struggle for Life. Perhaps no other county in the State has experienced such a struggle to attain and maintain its place in the sisterhood of counties. About the beginning of the present century, a ·wealthy syndicate, composed largely of North Texas parties, undertook to buy a 1a~ge part of the terri tory now embraced in the county for a private game reserve. A strong lobby got busy in the halls of Con gress; advertisements representing that the lands were unfit for agricultural or other industrial purposes were sent abroad and, strange to say, there were a few citizens of the Territory who favored the scheme: However, Con gress had the good sense to turn it down, but could not repair the injury resulting from the erroneous advertise ments which were so largely instrumental in retarding settlement and development. A second difficulty that had to be over come, was brought about by the "Land Grabber," otherwise known as the "Grafter." The fullblood Indians of the five civil ized tribes, especially the Choctaws, have never liked the prairie country. They made their homes in the timbered districts, and when under the Atoka A.greement=- allotments in severalty was agreed upon, which allotments were of two classes-homestead and surplus-the Choctaw took his homestead in the country where he was borr1 and raised-in the land of forest and game-but the wiley SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 11 grafter induced him to take his surplus allotment in the western prairies, knowing full well that this part of his allotment would soon be alienable under certain condi tions, and that his homestead could not be sold for twenty one years. Especially was this scheme carried out with the Mississippi anJ Louisiana Choctaws. As a very large per cent of the county's population was composed of Indians, and as these homestead allotments were inalien able for twenty-on·e years, from date of allotment, it may be easily seen how this second difficulty retarc1 ~d develop ment. The only available titles to the lands were those of the half and less blood, the Choctaw Freedmen, inter married holdings and inherited lands, known as "Dead Claims.'' A third knock-out blo:w was administered by a ruling of the Interior Department when it required bond of a less,2e of a homestead allotment for more than one year. The purpose of this ruling of the department was to pro tect the Indian lessor, hut it played its part in retarding the development of the county, especially in view of the fact that at that time it was almost impossible to n1ake a solvent bond outside of a surety company. 'rhese features not only held back settlement and de velopment, but rendered financial conditions so precarious that county government was indeed burdensome. Taxes were high, transportation facilities ,vere meager and there were no roads. Under t.he Indian Territory political division, what is now McCurtain County embraced the counties of Cedar, Eagle, Bokhoma, a part of Towson and Neshoba. 12 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND
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Early History
INCE history is a record of the past, the history of a country scarcely over a hundred years old can not be very lengthy, but may be full of interest, especially when that country has made history as rapidly as has Southeast Oklahoma. For instance: our own country from the point of age, is a mere infant compared with the countries of the old world, but when we come to record the, deeds of men · and the events of tin1e, ancient history must suffer by con1parison. "Ancient history deals largely with qeeds of individuals redounding only to their own glory, while ours consist of acts and deeds :for the benefit and glory of the common weal. Ancient history records the ~cts and deeds of men who joined in the destruction of life and property and the _oppression of peoples, ours, of acts and deeds that sought the safety and protection of life and property and the perpetuation of peace and good will. The ancient P.eoples contented themselves ,vith what the gods provided, and if any advancements ,vere made in civilization or science, it was largely accidental. Whereas, our people, nurtured and cherished by the Goddess of Liberty, and actuated by the fear of God and love of our fell ow man, have never ,vaited for opportunity to arouse them by persistent knocking at the door of intellect, but have gone forth and accomplished great deeds in a scientific, artistic, r(lligious and political way of w~ich the sluggtsh ancients never dreamed." Only a hundred years ago l\'IcCurtain County \Yas a vast stretch of forestry, interspersed with patches of prairie. inhabited by herds of deer, flocks of turkeys and many other kinds of game and fur-bearing animals-a vertiable paradise for the hunter and trapper. Do,vn the southern slopes of the mountains on the north came rush ing the tumbling and limpid waters · of many streams in 14 McCUR';rAIN COUNTY AND
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MRS. ALFRED WRIGHT-1832. (Copied from Old Daguerrotype.) 16 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND which the festive bass sported .themselves without fear of the sportsman's formidable Douagiac or the presence of the enticing fly. Across the hills, through the long vistas of pine forestry, might be seen herds of deer leisurely browsing in grass up to their backs. On the adjacent slopes of the rushing streams ·were flocks of turkeys and quail that would rarely fly from the presence of the intruder. In the jungle~, of the larger valleys bruin had his habitat, and the scream of the panther and the bobcat were not uncommon. l.\{any ·scenes along the mountain streams where the destructive hand of man had not yet marred their natural beauty and grandeur, have been photographed, and while the camera may convey some idea of such beauty and grandeur, it cannot inspire the feeling of awe and reverence that comes to one ·when beholding the scenes as presented by the unerring h,anct of nature. In the ·timbered districts all over the county, may be seen eveidence of the one-time log cabin and Tom Fu1ler patch now overgrown with heavy timber. \Vhere the cabin stood, is indicated by a little mound, and the old rows of cultivation are yet indistinctly seen. These mounds have a significance other than the decayed remains of the cabin. In manv instances thev contain the M ~ . remains of the Indian dead, as it was their custom for a long time, after coming to their ne-w country, to bury their dead under the floors of the cabin in ,vhich they lived. Indeed~ it ,vas well up in the 19th century before they adopted the white man's manner of burial, and even then, the grave ,vas penned in and roofed over, as if they ·were determined that ,vate1· should never reach their dead. There is yet a superstition among the f ullblood Indians that the death of a member of a fan1:ly in a house is an ill omen, or, as they term it "Bad Luck," and they are not long about moving to another place, if it is only fifteen yards away. This accounts for the many cabins that the older fullblood families have arou~1d them. The Indians are strictly gregarious. It made little SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 17 difference with the white man, whether he was very near to another settler or not~ but the Indian either lived in villages or a very close settlement. The reason is obvious-mutual protection. For ages and ages, tribal wars were frequent, and nearly always in the nature of a surprise party of death and destruction. So this custom of living in villages and close settlements became fixed in their lives, as a means of protection. At the time of the coming of the Choctaws to their new country, there ·were some ten or twelve tribes of Indians occupying the State of Oklahoma, and parts of other States, but perhaps, with the exception of an occasional raid made by the Comanches, none of these tribes ever visited Southeast Oklahoma. If so, history does not mention it. We may, therefore, believe that our history begins with the removal of the Indians west of the Mississippi. Coming with, and in the ·wake of the Indians, were the missionaries of the different r2ligious denominations. With the help of their church organizations they finally established missions and mission schools all over the Indian Country. The first mission established in ,vhat is now McCurtain County, and one of the oldest in the State, was ,vheelock. This mission and school is no\v approaching the century milestone The stone church building, which is yet in a fair state of preservation. ,vas built in 1846, and \Ve hope to see it pass into the hands of the State or some historical or other benevolent society that it may be properly cared for and preserved for the benefit of posterity. At one time-1819 to 1829-McCurtain County \\·as a part of the territory of Arkansas. The journal of the legislature of that territory Rhows that county boundaries \Vere defined in the region which formed the Chocta \V and other southeastern nations. It was about this time that Major Bradford, ·with a company of riflemen, marched through southeast Okla homa expelling intruders. 18 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND
TO~(B OF HEY. ALFHED \YRIGHT, ,vnEELOCK ('J.;~IETEH.Y. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 19
In 1824, Fort Towson, near the mouth of the Kiamitia River, was established by Col. Arbuckle, and was con tinuously occupied as a fort till 1854. This fort was ingeniously located in a bend of Gates' Creek, with a high and precipitous bluff nearly all round it. However, later, Old Doaksville became the principal trading center, and a few white people and inter-ma~ried men and·women settled near there. Along in the Thirties, there came a change over the dreams of McCurtain County's maiden purity and sim plicity. Away to the east might have been seen a great caravan of Red People, preceded by a troop of soldiers, wearing the uniform of the United States, wending its way around foot-hills, across streams, through the jungles of the river valleys, over stony hills and transporting all of their worldly possessions on pack ponies and the backs of the squaws. In the rear of the column, came another small body of troops, watching out for, and keeping up the foot-sore and home-sick stragglers. This procession of red people traversing the continent, furnished one more of the many links in a long chain of evidence fixing a great wrong upon a civilized people rehearsing the world-old theory and practice that "Might makes Right." Longfellow in his "Evangeline" touches the chords of sympathy for a wronged people, but the treatment of the Arcadians by the English was not one whit worse than the arbitrary removal of the Indians west of the Mississippi. The manner in which the government and the people went about securing the eastern homes of the southern tribes and effecting their removal to the west, was any thing but creditable to a liberty-loving people. Anyone who has any regard for the right and justice must blush for his countrymen when he reflects upon their cruel acts of eviction and tyrany against these simple-minded and ever trusting people. It is always sad to sever home ties, even under pleasant conditions, then what must have been the feeling of the Indians when they were rounded up 20 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND
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:.,. --: - SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 21 like cattle and driven along V\1hat they afterwards called the "Trail of Tears?" going into the unknown country, leaving the home of their fathers, the graves of their dead, their hunting grounds for ages, their established places of worship and their historical council grounds. The Choctaws and Chickasaws lost more than 2000 of their number on the trail, and many of them died shortly after their arrival, by reason of hunger, cold and homesickness. But did the greed and avarice of his pale face brother stop .with the Indian's removal to the west? Vv e will let the records of the courts of Eastern Oklahoma and the many acts of individuals answer this question. The treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, September 30th, 1830, settled the destiny and destination of the southern Indian tribes. Within a few years after that date, most of them had migrated to their new home in what was afterward known as the Indian Territory, a land fully capable of yielding them a living without scarcely any labor. The extreme southeastern part of the new territory came nearer up to the standard of the old · home than did the prairie lands farther west. hence the greater number of them settled here.
Later History P TO the time of the Civil War, very few white people had made their way into . the Indian Territory. First came the missionary with his religious propaganda and civilizing influences, made practical by denominational schools, teaching the rudiments of an English edcuation and vocational training. And the effects of the works of these brave men and women who voluntarily left the ease and comforts of civilization to face the perils and hardships of a frontier life, are still apparent in the life of the Indian and his 22 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND traits of character. Then can1e the millwright and other artisans and physicians, on the invitation of the Indian governments, followed by the farmer on his own invita tion, ,vho operated solely on leased or rented lands. Not until many years after the war did intermarriage become popular. Prompted mostly, by the many advant 'ages obtainable by citizens in the tribes, which was given a foreigner under the Indian Marriage Laws, white men non-citizens-began taking Indian wives and not a few white women married into the tribes. However, such mar-: riages very rarely altered to any extent the habits, man ners and customs of the parties to the marriages. Most of them seemed to be satisfied that each should cling to the custom of his or her former life. The localities closely connected with the early history of the county and this part of the State, are, Eagle Town, Lukfata, Shawnee Town, Wheelock, Fort Towson and Doaksville, all of which will be given their description and historical connections in "Old Towns and Historical Lo calities." The Choctaw people had a government modeled after the State and National Govern1nent. Their Legis ture, called a Council, consisted of two houses; the Judicial department ,vas comi::osed of a supreme and inferior courts, and the Executive Department of a Principal Chief and such other officers as were necessary to enforce the law. The laws were few and very simple, but drastic. \Vhipping was the punishment for small offenses and the lash was laid on with a will. For murder, rape, arson and a repetition of larceny, the death penalty was administered. The accused was tried by jury and if cJnvicted, sentenced by the court to be shot. As there were no jails and no tond required, the con vict was released on h:s own reccgnizar.ce in order that he might arrange his worldly affairs and make his peace with God, to rear,pear on the day fixed for his execution, when he was r,l~ ced on his coffin in a sitting posture with a small piece of rarer pinned ir.omediately over bis heart
24 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND
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':{,;.;:·. };:~.. / .. :..:J;•,fa-',;· .,. ~ff;'. '-•~,'ll" ...-;,; . ' ' .. . ' ' .l 'ti e'"\, - t l ·. . . l"' ., ..., - .·' ~ : ;- . '. ' i .. :~~i' ?:} ~\'r'·- . ·,.,."4,·., ·;.. .::::;~·~:. ,, .,-~ ·tt ,,,j,~{ (.,.. ~...~- ,a, ·.,.ir.~ ;f 1>1~ .. -., ·.;if~;_ - ....'l. ~ SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 25 and the sheriff, or someone designated by him, with a rifle at short range ended the tragedy. The judicial district of which the territory of what is now McCurtain County, .was a constituent part, was composed of Bokhoma~ Cedar, Mountain and Eagle Counties, corresponding in size with our . present county commissioners' districts, with Alikchi as the court ground. The court house was usually a large log cabin, with smaller ones for camping purposes scattered around without any regard for uni formity as to place or kind.
Alfred \\7right-Wheelock Academy ( Hy Edntond J. Gardner, Condensed and Revised.) \ LFRED WRIGHT ,vas born in Columbia, Con necticut, March 1st, 1788. He joined the Pres byterian Church at an early age, and at once became interested in church work. In a short while after his conversion he was licensed to preach. At the age of 32, he was appointed missionary to the Choc taw Indians, who at that time occupied a part of Central MiRsissippi. He bade farewell to his home and friends, and praying for strength and courage, he began what he thought to be a great and important mission. His strug gles were many and difficult and often he would nearly give up in despair. Single-handed and alone, he went among a strange people, but he was a man of firmness and strong will as well as of kindness and love, therefore was not long in establishing a mis:~ion among the Choc taws in east-central Mississippi ~alled ''Mahew." He found the Indians a much better people than he expected, there being good and bad an1ong them the same as other people. He found a people capable of development, ,villing and anxious to receive instruction, quick to learn and do all kinds of work. However, he had to exercise great patience, for many u:nscrupulous white men had so often wronged them that they \Vere afraid to. trust anyone. Results were slow but he did not lose courage, 26 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND and after 12 years of constant Christian service, he suc ceeded in gaining their confidence and everlasting friend ship. When. the tribe emigrated from ~Iississippi to their
MISS KA~'l~ KNIGHT. (Former Principal nt ,vhee lock Acndemy.) nffw country, Alfred Wright came with them, completing the journey into this country in 1882. Worn out from the journey across the hills and rivers, through the jungles, often cutting their way, they at last came to the land of hope and promise. From long and constant association with the Choctaws, Mr. Wright had learned to speak their language. and he knew the sadness of their hearts, their great need of a Christian education and patient prepara tion for citizenship which he kne,v must come in the future. As soon as they crossed the line they began looking for a desirable place to stop. Water, good water was the first place to be considered in the selection of a home place. After a while they came to the place where Wheelock Academy now stands and pitched their tents on the hill just west of the little creek, on the banks of which there were holly and cedar trees and a bold spring of pure soft water. Shortly after their arrival, govern-
28 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND
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;.,.. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 29 ment employes and experienced workmen came and with the Indians, began the erection of buildings for shelter, school and worship. Alfred Wright's greatest desi:r:e was to educate the Indians, to bring them nearer to civilized life, to enable them to assimilate the speech, industrial life, family organization, social manners and customs, civil government and ethical standards of the white people, and to this end he bent all of his energies. A day school was started as soon as the building was completed, which f-0r a time was also used as a church building. But this building alone, did not meet the requirements, for many of the children were too far a\vay to attend, so the erection of a dormitory was decided upon and was soon completed, and a boarding school was opened, about the year 1839, and with a few interruptions, continued under the supervision of Mr. Wright until his death in 1853. As soon as the school was satisfactorily established, Mr. Wright planned and began the erection of a church build ing, the stone church, which is the only building that has stood the ravages of time and the elements, to mark the patient labor of a good and Godly man, which was completed in 1846. At, or perhaps a little before the coming· of Alfred Wright and his party of Indians, two traders-Wheeler and Locke-established a store, or trading post about a quarter of a mile east of the settlement, and it has been said that Wheelock gets its name from the compounding of these t\\?o words, but this is not correct, for it has been settled beyond all doubt that the school was named for Eleazer Wheelock, an eminent divine who was the founder and first president of Dartmouth College, and ,vho did much to maintain the college at Princeton, N. J., where Rev. Wright received his education. Upon the death of Rev. Wright, Rev. John Ed·wards, who was at that time superinfendent of the school at Spencer, a settlement on, or near, the Kimichi River, was .appointed to succeed him. He took charge in the year 1853, and continued until the year 1861, when with 30 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND others of the school, he moved to California. Rev. Ed wards was a native of New York; a graduate of Princeton College, and was ordained by the Presbytery of Indian Territory in 1853. · During the· Civil War the school and church buildings at Wheelock were abandoned to the mercy of those who chose to use them. At the close of the war, John Libby was living in the dormitory and began a school, but it is not clear whether he was a missionary or not, any TNay, he continued in possession and control of the buildings until 1866, when the dormintory caught on fire from some unknown cause and a strong wind from the west fired the other buildings and all three were burned to the ground. The Wright mission home for some years was used as a school building for subscription schools. The Hodge residence and all other buildings rotted down ; the stone walls of the old stone church were overgrown with bushes and trees, some of which were nearly a foot in diameter and served as a hiding place for rabbits and squirrels. Yet, it may be· said that the walls of the old church. was the only thing that brought Wheelock to life again. In 1882, Rev. John Edwards returned from California and resumed work among the Choctaws, locating first at Atoka. In the fall of 1883, assisted by others, he suc ceeded in re-establishing the Presbytery of Indian Terri tory, with 11 churches, 16 ministers and 385 communi cants. Plans for re-building the '"7heelock School ,vere begun at once. The site where the Hodges residence stood was selected for the main building, or dormitory, the school rooms building a little ways south of the main building, and in the year 1884, all the buildings were completed and school re-opened under the supervision of Rev. Edwards, who was in charge for two years when he resigned to take up church work ~nd was succeeded by a Mr. Robe. Under the management of Mr. Edwards, the old stone church was repaired and the parsonage built,
32 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND
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j - ' -~ -:.,. -,; Cl . ~ ~ ....,,,. 0 0 -y ~ .-y -0_, . ' % -< -z..... ,- -..; C SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 33 in the year 1886. He served the church until 1896, .when he again went to California, where he died in December, 1903. Mr. Robe had charge of the school for two years when he resigned in favor of his son, R. C. Robe, who was in charge for several years and was succe~ded by a Mr. Kelsy, or Kelly. During his time at the school, R. C. Robe kept the postoffice in one of the rooms of the dormitory until its removal to Old Fowlerville, 2½ miles west of Wheelock, when H. L. Fowler was made post master. In 1902, the town of Valliant was established and the old Fowlerville postoffice was moved there and called Valliant. The school at Wheelock was a mission school kept up by the Presbyterian Board of l\ilissions until the year 1895, when it was taken over by the Choctaw government and continued as a school for orphan Indian children. In 1898, or thereabout, it went under the supervision of the Interior Department. In 1887, Rev. E. B. Evans served the Presbyterian Church at Wheelock, and as the mem- bership consisted of the pupils of the school, principally, ·who lived at a distance, the servi~es were discontinued, but a few years later were resurned at Garvin, where another stone church building on a later style of archi tecture was erected. The first buildings of Wheelock '"·ere erected across the little creek west of the preis~nt buildings, and the old council house was still farther ,,rest. 34 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND
Topography
~ HAT portion of the county south of the divide between Red and Little Rivers is, or rather was, a heavily timbered land, sloping gently to Red River on the south. This slope is from five to fifteen miles in ·width, and extends ac:ross the county from east to west. The soil varying from a dark sandy loam near the divide to a red sand .loam midway to the rich bottom lands of Red River. There is scarcely an acre of this slope that is not highly productive, and as fast as _it becomes available by the removal of restrictions and otherwise, it is bought up by the bona fide home seekers and soon brought into a high state of cultivation. Geologists and soil experts have repeatedly said that nowhere in the south or southwest can such varied soil conditions be found as in McCurtain County. There are localities where, within a radius of a few miles, one may walk across broad strips of black lands, red sand and gravel, light and dark loam and a light hard pan. As we approach the eastern boundary of the county, the slope before referred to, gradually widens until it reaches from one river to the other. To the casual observer the land seems flat, but there is ample drainage and the soil is productive. East of Idabel to the county line, there are broad strips of what is commonly called "Red land." The soil is deep and composed of a red stiff dirt and sand, and in places mixed with gravel. The farms ·on this character of land are very valuable and highly productive. But for fertile and productive lands, those of the Red Riv~r bottom in the south part of_ the county have no superior and very few equals. As a matter of fact they are fresher, and being farther north than those of the lower Red River valley, are better adapted to corn and other grain. They are the coming hay field of the state; the natural home of alfalfa and all of the clovers. - SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 35
A home seeker, while looking over a hundred-acre farm of t1'1s land that was seeded to alfalfa, said to the owner, "I will give you a hundred dollars an acre for this field." It was the last of June and a gentle breeze was
Ht·1~s OF OLD FOHT '10\\-~0~-:\lA:\L\lOTH CHL\l~EY. OPl-:~l~G 1-ixt; FEET. passing over the level field, which was then ready for the sickle the second time that year. The undulating motion of the _sea of green appealed to the would-be buyer and he raised his offer to one hundred fifty dollars, when the owner said, ''No, why should I sell my farm for this price when it yields more than half that amount every year over and above all expenses connected with its cultivation and management? If you will show me where I can invest 36 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND the proceeds so that it will net me 50 per cent per annum and with an equal degree of safety, you may have the farm." Little River enters the county near the northwest corner, and runs south to a point a few miles north of the
RUINS OF :\IILITARY HOSPITAL. OLD FOR'r TOWSO~. town of Valliant, where it turns to the southeast and holds to that course until it reaches the west line of Arkansas; hence there is a good portion of the county west of this river. These lands are of a dark sandy loam, and to some extent rolling and subject to "wash." However, the sys tem of terracing has been inaugurated and the washing effectually stopped. These lands are especially adapted to fruits, melons, berries· and the legumes, but are pro ductive of all other crops of the south. North and east of Little River the lands are largely rough and rocky. But along the divide between Little River and Glover Creek, and between that creek and Moun tain Fork River, there is a great deal of productive "Table SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 37 Lands." \\rhile the valleys of the creeks and rivers in this part of the county are narrow, they are very fertile and many good farms have been opened up along th~ courses of the streams. The Texas, Oklahoma and Eastern Railway traversing
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"\Y ITCH HOLE~'."-- OLLI l>U.\K~Y l LLE. the county from Valliant near the western border, to the line of Arkansas on the east, passes along the foothills of the mountainous country on the north and may be said to divide the hill and bottom land districts proper. The water power of the mountain streams that have been mentioned, is practically unlimited, but has never been put to any use. In 1914 a Texas and Oklahoma Com pany was organized for the purpose of developing this nat ural asset of the county, and a preliminary survey of the Mountain Fork River was made with the special view of establishing an electric power plant that would serve all the southeast part of the state, but for some reason the enterprise was abandoned. 38 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND
A later and more complete survey made by a com pany organized at Hugo, developed the fact that the pri ~ary horse-power of Mountain Fork River is really far in excess of any previous estimate. This company com pleted maps of the river and its tributaries, located sites for principal and reserve dams, estimated the minimum horse-power under plans submitted to be 40,000, and a maximum of more than 100,000. Such power would be sufficient to furnish electricity for all purposes for the entire seoutheast part of the State and northeast Texas. However, several months have elapsed since this out burst of energetic enterprise, and nothing .tangible has come of it as yet. · The surface formations of the northern and eastern part of the county, indicate the presence of many of the valuable minerals, especially of lead, zinc and iron. While a systematic geological survey of the county has never been made by either the State or Federal Government, individual enterprise is making a start in developing the mineral resources, which will be more fully treated under "Resources." Other natural resources of this part of the county's territory have proven so attractive and remunera tive to the individual investor that he has not given his attention to this feature of the natural wealth. North of the township line between townships three and four, the basin of the Mountain Fork River for several miles, is so rough and· mountainous that the lands are unfit for agricultural purposes. Here, the State has established a park and game reserve. Many thousands of acres have been purchased on both sides of the river and it is an ideal place for that purpose. In townships two and three, from what is known as "The Narrows," on Mountain Fork, to the west line of the county, is an elevated plateau of fertile land on which there are many small but productive farms. This broad strip of land includes the villages of Sherwood, Bethel, Ida, Silver Creek and Old Noah, all agricultural communi-
40 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND
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'f.. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 41 ties. The land is comparatively free of rock, of a dark sand loam and very fertile. Above the Narrows a large .creek, known as Eagle Fork, flows into Mountain Fork from the northwest, draining the southeastern slope of another large plateau of fertile land, extending from the to,vn of Smithville on the east to Little River on the west. As a whole, the topography of McCurtain County offers a greater variety of soils, scenery, healthful loca tions for homes and varied opportunities for investment and industry than any other county of the State. The mountain streams of McCurtain County, and the region surrounding them, appeal to one from various sources. Beauty, romance, grandeur, usefulness and energy are blended in one grand kaleidoscopic scene that entrances the beholder. The minimum altitude-near the southeast corner of the county--is 300 feet, while the greatest elevation is in the Boktukilo hills near the northern boundary, where the township and range posts register over 1300 feet. The increase in altitude from the Red River north is gradual, and the average elevation may be placed at 800 feet.
Historical Milestones , Hf~ INITIAL MILESTONE in the history of Southeast Oklahoma was set at the signing of the treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1830, ·when, after many questionable acts on the part of the people of Mississippi and the United States Gov ernment, the Choctaw Indians signed away all rights to their lands in that state and accepted the lands tendered them by the Government in the new country west of the Mississippii River. In bands of fify, hundreds and even larger, they began moving into the new country, and ,vith them missionaries of the various religious denominations. 42 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND
Soon we find them in settlements and villages from the Arkansas line to the western prairies, with most of the settlements and villages in the timbered country. And here we find many of them with their slaves, clearing small farms, building cabins, raising cattle, hogs and horses, installing missions where they gathered for wor ship and where their children were taught the rudiments of learning. Most of the slave owners settled in the river valleys while those who did not own slaves made their homes on the uplands and contented themselves with small patches of cleared land for corn, beans and tobacco. The women did most of the work on these little farms while the men hunted and otherwise employed themselves. The weapons used in hunting by the men were the old breech-loading rifles with which they were adept marks men. The boys were trained in the use of the bow and arrow with which they were able to kill squirrels and other small game. Thus happily situated, they lived until the setting of the second milestone in the history of the new country, during which time, by reason of increased educational advantages, intermarrying with white men and women and the encouragen1ent of missionaries and ministers of the gospel, they made considerable progress.
The Second Milestone.
The Second Milestone of our history may be said to have begun with the Civil War. In 1862, the Choctaw Council, in session at Tushkahoma, passed the ordinance of cecession and cast their fortunes with the Confederate States of America. Besides the many reasons offered at the time for this action, we do not know what inducements were offered them by the Confederate States Government. The ruling class of the Choctaws was composed of men of wealth and this wealth consisted largely of slaves; their country was bordered on the south and ea.st by the States of Texas and Arkansas, which States had already ceceded; many of the other tribes had Joined the Confederate States; there was doubtless existing at the time, a feeling
44 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND
z 0 z~ ~ CJ <11. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 45 of resentment against the United States Government for wrongs, imaginary and otherwise, all of which served to tip the balance in favor rebellion. The result ,vas that many of them joined the Confederacy and made valiant soldiers for the army of the South. Some of the con sequences of this act of rebellion \vere the rigid terms of the treaty submitted to them in 1866, the gist of which was the abrogation of all prior treaties, and the fact that then and there began their training for future citizenship of the United States. Really, the Confederate Govern ment made heavier drafts upon their wealth and re sources than any- loss sustained through the action of the United States. After the war, a few years served to reinstate the country to previous conditions, for, aside from the terms of the treaty before mentioned, their country was not subjected to reconstruction in common with the southern states. But the extensive fa1·m owners of the river valleys found themselves without laror to cultivate their farms, and here began the influx of white people of all trades, callings and professions, a;1d in creased inter-marriage of the races. And here, also, began the race between law-makers and law-breakPrs, which continued, growing gradually worse until the Gov ernment was forced to take a hand in the affairs of the country. Yet, conditions ,vere so free and easy going that many people, whites and Indians, were loth to m1.ke a change. The Third Historical Milestone. The Third Historical l\lilestone begins with the 20th century and the .A.toka Agreement, a treaty entered into between the United States and the Indian tribes when~by the allotment of lands in severalty ¥:as provided for, al1d the way paved for statehood and Indian citizen~hip. Under this agreement, each and every Indian ·was to receive $1,040 in lands with minimum value of 25 cents per acre and a maximum of $6.50. So the number of acres allotted to each individual depended on the charactE:r and value of the land he allotte
48 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND
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Ho"'r was she to obtain her revenue for running a gov ernment? Her territory embraced 1800 square miles of forestry, the titles to which were vested in the Govern ment and in Indian homestead allotments, all exempt from taxation. Her people were largely tenants with a small amount of personal property. There were no school build ings, no roads or bridges, no public buildings nor any of th2 conveniences we enjoy today. The miracle was perforn1ed, and how, ,vill be · related in a chapter of this book ad dressed to the "Coming Citizens of McCurtain County."
Steamboating In Southeast Oklahoma EFORE any railroads were built in North Texas or Southern Oklahoma, the United States Gov ernment and the traders ,vho were wont to follow up the pioneer settlers, resorted to every means to get goods and supplies to the people of this country. The only means of transportation of such supplies was by wagon from the head of navigation on Red River, which at that time was Jefferson, Texas. At times boats could come up as far as Fulton, Arkansas. Time after time the effort to briI!g goods and supplies up as far as a point north of Paris, Texas, was made, but these efforts were only partially re,varded. At certain periods of the years, when the Red River was flush, they succeeded in running small steamboats up to that point, but never to such a degree of certainty as to. be relied upon. In the early part of the present century, spasmodic efforts were made to navigate the upper rivt.!r by com panies and individuals, but with no better success than attended the former trials. In 1900, 1901, and 1902, con ventions composed of North Texas and Southern Oklahoma men of means and ability, met in Clarksville, Paris and Denison, Texas, for the purpose of devising ways and 50 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND means of navigating the upper Red River. At that time, the United States Government was spending large appro priations inade by Congress in snagging and a~•edging the river bed from Fulton, Arkansas, to Denison, Texas, for it was still thought that the plan was feasible for at least six months in the year. This was before the days of active railroad commis sions, state or interstate, and freight charges by rail were exhorbitant. Therefore, the purpose ,vas more to bring the railroads to reasonable freight rates by a good show of water competition than for any prospect of success. About this time-1902-a number of business men of North Texas, Indian Territory and Arkansas, made a deal with the owners of the steamer "Annie P," a stern wheeler of perhaps 500 tons, to make the trip from Shreveport, La., to Denison, Texas. The trip · was a successful one, and considering the fact that her pilot had no chart of the channel, made in good time. The writer never learned what effect this dash of business energy had upon railroad freight charges, but just supposed that the roads "Carried on" as before-charging all the traffic would bear. In 1904, the writer, Ed Patterson and Lee Davis, of Durant, built, launched and operated a small steamer on the Kiamicha River, from Sawyer, on the Frisco, to the mouth of that river and for several miles above and below the mouth on Red River. Lumber and timber made up the cargoes of this haul, but a lack of facilities for discharging the freight at Sawyer and reloading on the railroad to gether with wagon haul competition, drove the little craft out of business as a common carrier at the end of two years. This little steamer had a capacity of fifty tons, and was so constructed that her maximum draft was not over 40 inches. She had a stern wheel and was driven by steam at the rate of 8 to 12 miles an hour. She pushed a barge of equal capacity and about the same draft. About the same time-1904-Whitener and Young of Detroit, rexas, brought the "Annie Tardy" up from Lake Bisteneau, under the command of Capt. Ted Parsons, an
52 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 53 old pilot of the lower Red River, and she 1nade several successful trips on the Kiamicha and Red River, but was finally snagged and sunk near Meggs' ferry, just south of Fort Towson. Red River is a treacherous stream of quicksands, shifting bars and caving banks, and it is next to impossible to make a correct and lasting chart of the channel. Changes in all parts of the river bed are continually occur ing. Perhaps in time, under a system of levees and jetties, such a channel may be made and maintained as will insure its navigation with small flat bottomed craft of light draft. At one of the conventions before referred to, held at Paris, the writer was asked to suggest~ or outline, a plan by which the upper river could be used for shipping freight to such an extent as would ~elieve the business of the upper river country :from the exhorbitant freight rates of the railroads. Having had some experience in steamboating on Red River, he suggested a plan of which the following is a synopsis : "A series-12 or more-of small, strongly built, stern wheel steamers, of a · capacity not exceeding a hundred tons each, built in such proportions as to insure a maxi mum draft of 36 inches and having a barge of like draft and capacity. Estimating 30 days for a round trip to Ne,v Orleans, one of the twelve steamers ·would arrive in the upper river every two or three days, with at least six car loads of freight. Should one of them get caught on a bar, or get into other trouble, the frequent passing of the others would insure relief. Used only for carrying freight, all fancy finishing and equipment could be sacri ficed to durability and strength and economy of manage ment. With strong cables and stauneh capstans, boats of this size can be cordelled over bars with 12 inchess less water than the boat is drawing. One reliable man could act as captain, pilot, mate and clerk. The crew could be limited to an engineer and a·ssistant, two firemen, a cook and a roust-about, with local help in receiving and dis charging freight." 54 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND
This plan was submitted to the secretary of the convention in detail after adjournment, but as there was never another· convention for such purpose, the matter ended here.
Government OON after the Civil War, white people began to move into the Territory. By this time the natives had learned that by leasing and rent ing lands to them, the road to an easy living was still open, and as there was no limit to land control, except where one citizen encroached upon the holdings of another, the non-citizen had no trouble in finding all the land he wanted to lease or rent, and here they lived for many years, in comparative peace, without practically any government. The Choctaw Indians had their government fashioned after our national government, but had no jurisdiction of the non-citizen. The white population increased so rapidly that Congress found it necessary to arrange for their con trol and government in some form. So in 1898, that body passed a law known as the ''Curtis Act," adopting the laws of Arkansas as applicable for that purpose. While there had been no courts in the Indian Territory up to this time having jurisdiction of non-citizens or their property, the Federal Districts .Courts sitting at Fort Smith and Paris exercised jurisdiction over all infractions of the criminal statutes and in civil matters between non citizens and between citizens and non-citizens. This was truly "Longrange Government" and these courts were troubled but very little with disputes concerning property or property rights. Many renegades fleeing from the meshes of the· Ia w in other states, found the conditions to their liking, and on their arrival in Southeast Indian Territory, resumed
56 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND
•-~ ·.·'.;~ C'I ,...,~ l -0 0 ~ C) w. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 57 their occupation of theft and robbery, not only with profit to themselves, but under conditions surrounded by ro mance and the excitement of frontier life. Horsethief "Runs" were established through the Terri tory from the southeast tcr the north and northwest. Horses stolen at one end of the line were run through by relief stations to the other, and frequently handled and sold for the thieves by men who were thought to be honest and respectable. However, the Curtis Act establishing district and com missioners' courts throughout the Territory, and putting in force the statutes of Arkansas, checked these gentry in their career of outlawry. Along in the 80's the better element of the people began to enforce the horse and cow theif law of the Texas frontier-·execution without trial or the benefit of clergy-and if there ever was a place and a time where and when mob law was excusable, it was in the Territory from 1870 till the passage of the Curtis Act. The nearest trial court to what is now McCurtain County was held at Antlers. A commissioners' court for the trial of misdemeanors and prPliminary hearings in felony cases was held at Goodwater, in the eastern part of the county, Judge G. A. Spaulding presiding. Later, this court ·was moved to Garvin, on the Frisco Railroad. \Vhile the Curtis Act did not bring all the relief desired. from long range government, · many people were satisfied with the conditions, especially was this the case with the farmers. There was no limit to the size of the farm; land rent was nominal;· no taxes to pay; no pesky game la,,,s, and no personal restraint as' long as the indi vidual kept to the moral code, other than the prohibition laws, ..vhich then, as now, was the bone of contention between the law-maker and the law-breaker. Indeed, it is doubtful whether or not the question ot statehood, which began to be agitated about this time, would have gotten the endorsement of the majority vote 58 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND had it been referred to the people~ including the Indians. The politician and the office-seeker knew this, and the first opportunity the people had to vote was for delegates to draft a state constitution. The Constitutional Convention met at the city of Guthrie in 1907, and having the constitutions of forty-five states as guides and precedents, upon which to base their work, succeeded in drafting an organic law representative of advanced political theories of popular government. Per haps one of their most arduous duties was the fixing and defining the boundary lines of the various counties of the state. Selfish and political interests asserted their sway, and this feature of their work was completed only by com promises and concessions. It is here that the history of McCurtain County proper may be said to begin. After establishing her boun daries as fix~d at present, Idabel was named as the county s_eat until such time as the vote of the people should decide otherwise. In 1918, a vote of the county was taken on the question of bonds to build a court house and jail "at Idabel," and the proposition was ratified by a good majority. Of course, the location of the county seat was almost, if not directly, involved in this election. The fight was a strenuous one, but not bitter, and the minority quietly acquiesced. In April, 1907, after the approval of the constitution by the President and his proclamation ordering an election for its ratification or rejection, the various state and county officers were voted for at the same time. At this election, party lines were sharply drawn, and inasmuch as a Republican had been elected as delegate to the constitu tional convention, it was thought that McCurtain would elect the Republican ticket, but the result was a com plete Democratic victory, and so the county has voted . ever since. As 1907 was an off year, the officers elected held over 60 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND - -... - :,...- SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 61 until the election in 1910. The first officers-elect of the county were as follows: . Wm. H. Harrison, Idabel, Representative. T. J. Barnes, Idabel, County Judge. Tom Graham, Valliant, Sheriff. C. J. Ste,vart, Haworth, Distrtct Clerk. W. L. Ray, Goodwater, County Clerk. P. K. Faison, Garvin, County Superintendent of Schools. Tom Mills, Valliant, Tax Assessor. E. B. Herndon, Register of Deeds. Robert Steel, Idabel, County Attorney. Charles Wilson, District 1; E. Blue, District 2; Bob Short, District 3, Commissioners. The Judicial District at this time was composed of Marshall, Bryan, Choctaw and McCurtain Counties, ,vith J u~ge J. M. Richardson presiding. On the ,vhole, taking into consideration the conditions confronting the Commissioners' Cotirt, the public affairs of the county have been satisfactorily administered. The county embraces a large territory, the greater part of which at that time was sparsely settled; there were no roads or bridges ; no court house or jail ; a very small per cent of the real estate was taxable; personal property valu ations were low, and the population of the county was small. Out of these conditions, a fund sufficient to defray the county's and our pro rata of the state's expenses, had to be raised. And at the same time, on account of prohi bition enforcement, the expenses of the courts alone con sumed the funds raised by taxation. Thus ·we may see what the county's legislators had to contend with in solv ing the financial problem of "Running" a county govern ment. Long-term county bonds were i~sued; road and school districts bonded themselves for roads, schoolhouses and bridges, until the people seemed obscessed with the spirit of public improvement. Every proposition submitted to the people for bonds 62 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND was promptly met and approved, until in 1919, when the Commissioners' Court proposed bonds to the amount of $365,000 to build eleven bridges across the different streams of the county. This proposition was so palpably exhorbitant that the people promptly repudiated it. Many citizens who were strong advocates of public improvements at almost any cost, refused to support the measure. In 1918, bonds to the extent of $125,000 were issued, known as Courthouse and Jail Bonds. The result is a splendid structure of brick and stone at the county seat, having all the modern features and conveniences. Good roads running all directions through the county have been, and are being built; nearly every school district is pro vided with a neat and modern school building, and the bonded indebtedness that has made these improvements possible, is being promptly liquidated. County Political Divisions 1rr.71..::~~::.i~ HE political divisions of the county consist of three commissioners' districts, eight justice townships and twenty-seven election precincts. Commissioners' district number one contains a little over 1,000 square miles and is therefore much larger than many of the counties of the State. This district is comprised of all that portion of the county north of Little River, except that part of it west of the range line between 23 and 24, and south of the township line between 3 and 4. At present, W. B. Lam bert of Broken Bow, represents this district. District number two lies in the southeast part of the county and while not so large as number one, is much more densely populated. It embraces all the territory between Red River and Little River from the east line of the county to a point on Little River three miles east of the town of Garvin, thence south along the section line to 64 · McCURTAIN COUNTY A~D I. •, 1,~. '.. \,() :'· :: ),-1 ~, J ,'11l,..-, . . ~ .. .,. ' - ..- ., SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 65 Red River. C. J. Townsend of Idabel, is the present com missioner from this district. District number three is situated in the southwest part of the county and is second in point of size. Begin ning on Little River where the range line between 23 and 24 crosses that stream,. it extends directly north to the ·township line between 3 and 4, thence west 18 miles to the west line of the county, thence south along the county line to Red River, thence down said river to the west line of district two. G. G. Merry of Valliant, is the com misoner from this district at present. Each district has one commissioner and together, they are called the County Commissioners' Court. They meet at the court house in the county seat on the first Monday in each month for the purpose of transacting all such public business of the county as may need their attention. This court has jurisdiction over public roads and highways, supervision of bond issues and bonded in debtedness of the county, approval of bills and accounts against the county and their payment, and to enact such local legislation as is not in conflict with the State laws, needed in the. county for the promotion of local welfare. Formerly, the commissioners ·were paid by the day for services actually rendered, but under later statute, they are paid an annual salary~ and are supposed to give prac tically all of their time to the county's business and in terests. Notwithstanding this fact, there is one instance of patent neglect: there is about $60~000 worth of im proved road working machinery lying around in different parts of the county exposed to the weather and consequent rust and deterioration. Can we blame the farmer who leaves his tools and implements exposed to the weather when the example is set by those who are supposed to care for the public property? The Justice Townships. The Justice Townships are named as follows: Frisco, White, Kirk, Fowler, Wilson (the four last named in 66 :McCURTAIN COUNTY AND honor of four pioneer citizens of the county, J. R. White, J. W. Kirk, Rafe Wilson and Hose Fowler), Sulphur, Eagle and Mountain. Each township has two justices, and in most instances, two constables. In amount, their juris diction does not exceed $200; in territory, the entire county. This last feature of the law frequently works a hardship on a party defendant. A party may. sue his neighbor in the north part of the county before a justice 60 miles away and compel him to attend, or take defalut judgment. Frisco Township lies in the southeast part of the county and extends from the county line where it touches Red River, up the river to the range line between 24 and 25, to Little River, thence down the river to the county line. However, recently, a separate justice district has been carved off the north of Frisco from its west boundary along the township line between 7 anq. 8 east to the county line. Frisco Township takes in America, Bokhoma, Ha worth, Duval and Harris. Court is held at Haworth and Bokhoma. The recently established district embraces Midway, Odell and Goodwater. White Township extends from Red River along the western boundary of Frisco to Little River, thence along the river to the east line of Kirk Township, thence south along said line to Red River, thence down the river to the place of beginning. It includes the City of Idabel, and the villages of Shawneetown and Kullituklo. Court is held only at Idabel. Kirk Township extends from Red River along the west boundary line of White, north to Little River, thence up the river to where it is crossed by the township line between 5 and 6, thence south along the range line between 21 and 22 to Red River. It embraces the towns of Garvin and Millerton. Court is held at both these places. Wilson Township, the smallest in the county, ex tends from a point where the range line between 21 and 22 touches Red River, north along said range line to the town ship line between 5 and 6, thence west to the county line, 68 l',kCl;RTAIN COUNTY AND .....-; SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 69 thence south to Red River, thence down said river to the place of beginning, embracing the town of Valliant. Fowler Township consists of two geographical town ships. Beginning where the town ship line between 5 and 6. crosses the range line between 21 and 22, its eastern boundary runs north along said range line a distance of 12 miles to the township line between 3 and 4, thence west to the county line, thence south along the county line to a point six miles west of the place of beginning, thence east to the range line. . The villages of Rufe and Alikchi are in this township, but court is held only at Rufe. Sulphur Township. Beginning at the northwest cor ner of the county, the north boundary extends along the county line 18 miles to the range 1ine between 24 and 25, thence south along said range line 21 miles, thence west 6 miles, thence south to Little River ( with an offset to the east, of one mile, extending through township 5), thence up _Little River to where the town ship line between 5 and 6 crosses the range line betvveen 21 and 22, thence north along said range line to the place of beginning. In thi~ to,,vnship are the village of Ida, Bethel, Mt. Zion, Glover, Boktuklo, Golden and the town of Wright City. l\rlountain Township. Beginning at the northeast corner of the county, the east boundary exte~ds sout '1 24 miles along the county line to the tovvnship line bet,.,veen to-wnships 4 and 5, thence west along said township line to the range line between 2t1 and 25. thence north to the county line, thence east · to the place of beginning. Em braces Smithville, Watson, and HochatO"wn. J. P. court at all places. Eagle Township. Starting at a point on the east county line where it is crossed by the Little River. the south boundary extends west along the river to te range line tetween ranges 23 and 24, thence north along said range line (less 1 mile offset through township 5) to midway of township 4, thence east 6 miles to range line between ranges 24 and 25, thence south 3 miles to town ship line between townships 4 and 5, thence east along 70 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND said line to the east county line, thence south along the county line to the place of beginning. Broken Bow, Eagle town, Luktata are in this township. Election Precincts. There are 27 election precincts in the county, the voting places of which are as follo,vs: Beginning in the southeast, Bokhoma, Haworth, Pleas ant Hill, Pollard, Idabel; north, south and west, Garvin, Millerton, Valliant, Wright City, Rufe, Golden, I-lolly Creek, Broken Bow,-two voting places-New Eagletown, Hochatown, Watson, Smithville, Bethel, Ida, Campbell, Odell, Cisco, Midway and Ringold. Transportation and Communication ACK OF the means of transportation has been one of the greatest handicaps to the progress and development of the county. Before the completion of the A. & C. Branch of the Frisco Railroad in 1902, there were no markets closer than twenty to fifty miles, and the only means of travel were wagons, buggies or on horseback. For many years we were truly a frontier people. The only roads were the old military traces out of Arkansas through Eagletown to Doaksville, and from Northeast Texas through the territory now composing the county to the same point. There were a few very poor excuses for wagon roads leading across Red River, and by-paths from one settle ment to another. The community with a weekly mail was considered fortunate. After the completion of the above-named railroad, trading points were established at Bokhoma, Haworth, Idabel, Garvin, Millerton and Valliant from east to west, respectively, through the county south of Little River. All that part of the county north of Little River was still without markets or roads. Weekly and semi- 72 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND ,- :,.... :..- .- .:.. .... 't' !" t';1- -.. ·• t~ ,.~, 1'.. ' -~ . t • • ··4-;. '. ' : SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 73 weekly mail routes were established out of Idabel, Garvin and Valliant to the territory north of Little River, which, in a way, served the settlers until the building of the T. 0. and E. Railroad in 1908-9. This railroad, built by the Choctaw Lumber Company from Valliant, on the Frisco, a distance of 28 miles to Broken Bow, for its own use and purposes, reached a part of the county where it was so badly needed for public uses, that it was at once made a common carrier, even before it reached Broken Bow. Recently, April, 1921, the T. 0. & E. has been com pleted to DeQueen, Arkansas, where it connects with the Company's DeQueen Eastern at that place, and furnishes means of travel and transportation to that part of the county heretofore almost isolated. Near Wright City on this road, Spur No. 1, runs north across Glover River, to, or near the village8 of Bethel and Ida. The Choctaw Lumber Company has left this spur intact as a branch of the T. 0. & E. Railroad. Thus all parts of the county will be served ,vith shipping facilities and means of travel and_ communication, except perhaps, the northeast part, the people of which do most of their trading and mail business across the line in Arkansas. Two splendid highways have been completed reaching out north from Wright City and Broken Bow acro.;s a low range of mountains that form the divide bet,veen their slopes on the south and the plateau on the north. These highways offer comparatively easy transportation of the farm products in the region north of the range of hills to points on the T. 0. & E. Railroad. The Bankhead Highway as surveyed from the eastern border of the county in a south-west direction to the western border, will certainly be con1pleted within the next two years, which with the State, Williams and other highways, will furnish ample means of land transportation, travel and communication for the county. Since Statehood the mail facilities of the county have been increased wonderfully. Many villages now have daily 74 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND :,...i 8 1/. ...,, . 0u 00. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 75 1/. ' ,.... ~ , ~ • . 1/. • ;...i 0 -,.-. 0 -~ ~ 0 ~ ,.,,~ $,. ~ '-':..,., .. 0 t'Yf'' -;.,. ~ -11 ',,~ .... :::= ~ ...... ~ ,I ~- ,.,.if1 -..,r. -~ i,-::i -~ 0 z,., -~ z -~ ~..... -~ -.... 76 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND mail service, while the most remote of them have at least tri-weekly n1ails. Nearly all railroad towns have four mails a day. Telephone Systems have been installed in all the towns along the railroads, and in many of the inland towns. Rural routes extend into all parts of the county. The liberal and public-spirited citizenship of the county, in voting road and bridge bonds, together with the liber ality of the Federal Government in aid of building public highways, has made it possible for McCurtain County to provide a system of roads and bridges second to none in the State. Agriculture c,:::::::.;;;;r=~~ OR many years after the coming of the Indian, and even after the white settler began to move in, the crudest method of farming was the rule. The Indian leaFned, and brought with him from his home in the east, the one-horse plow and the hoe method, and is disposed to cling to it up to the present. The white immigrant was very little in advance of the Indian. The little Hall & Spear turning plow, or a twisting shovel for breaking his land iri the spring, a home-made single stock for the "Scooter" and a big old "Eye hoe," constituted the bulk of his farming implements. What small grain they raised ·was harvested by the old "A.rm strong" power. Usually the farming tools were left in the field where the last ,vork was done until the next spring, or until the owner moved to another farm. There· f ore, it is not a very strange thing that a large per cent of McCurtain County farmers leave their valuable farm implements out in the open ,vhen not in use, even to this day, thus verifying the fact that habits as well as traits of character may be handed down from father to son. Corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes and cotton were the staple crops. All farmers except the Indian and the "Squa\\T-men" were tenants. One-third of the grain and SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 77 one-fourth of the cotton was the standard for rents. Once in a while, wh_en a farmer had a little money ahead, he could secure a real bargain in rentals by paying the rent in advance. Lease contracts ran from two to five years on the prairie lands, and from five to ten years on the timbered lands. A market for cotton was found in North Texas. The surplus corn was fed to hogs and fur nished bacon for the following year. Sorghum was not only a standard article of food, but found a good market in the hill country, where it was used for purposes not approved by the Federal Government. Along the Red River valley there were tenants and owners who farmed extensively, and with some improve ment over the prevailing methods. They were closer to market and the river bottom lands were opened up for cultivation earlier by the wealthier class of Choctaws. who were also slave-owners. It should be remembered that the axe and the cross cut saw were the forerunners of the plow in southeast Indian Territory. The lands were covered with heavy timber ,vhich had to be removed before the plow could be introduced. It may therefore be readily seen why im proved implements were not in demand. The arguments held at the c~mmunity blacksmith shop on Saturday afternoon as to the virtues of the "Jumpin' and the Cuttin'" coulter, or the "Rooster Comb," were interesting and no less instructive than the con tentions as to the best methods of cultivating corn. In the discussion of the latter question, what was known as "The Seven Furrow System," always won out, and for obvious reasons. In the vernacular of an "Old Timer," that system was described as follows: "\Vhen yo cawn gits about half lag high, take yo turnin plow and bar it off; then in five or six days, take a scooter, sock it down deep close to the cawn and run round it; wait a};lout two weeks and take yo turnin plo,v and wrop it up to about the first jint, and then in two or 78 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND 7◄ 0 00 -'l. ~ --~,.··_· 00 . . '· ~-~- 0- ~-:tJ;~·{;.'!'· ,,_ u ,-!J;,...;.. .. ~.., ... ./"J -- "/. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 79 three weeks thow out the balk with a heel sweep and let her go. Then in the fall when you go to pull it down you'll find yurs as ·big as a coon." As to the best method of cultivating cotton, they were practically of one mind. "It should be planted as soon as all danger of frost is over, and allowed to take a sweat in the grass." This last essential was very con venient, for about this time fish were biting, turkeys were gobbling and venison was getting in fine condition, and now as we look back over these good old times, we scarcely blame them for allowing cotton to "Sweat in the grass." However, the corning of statehood, the enactment of laws protecting the game, the great and sudden increase of immigrants and the duties and responsibilities of citizen ship, wrought a great change in agricultural methods, and the farmers awoke to the fact that the good old slipshod methods of farming and an easy living were things of the past. They were now to meet sharp competition, new methods, work roads, pay taxes, serve as jurors and many other things that citizenship has come to require of men. Some of them loaded their hosehold goods on the old prairie schooner and sought new fields, while many of them remained, and are now numbered among our best citizens. The very nature of things made the use of improved and labor-saving machinery impracticable for the McCur tain County farmer in the earlier days. But as these natural handicaps are being removed, there is a steady increase of the use of improved farm machinery. One of the conditions precendent to the use of improved and labor saving implements on our farms is land conditions. We cannot afford to s,vap old Kit and Beck for a tractor on most of the farms. Nor can we exchange the single row planter for the check-rower, until the farms have been cleared of roots and stumps. Perhaps more of this kind of \\·ork could have been done on the farms ere this, but more than fifty per cent 80 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND Cl Cl ....C:.· .....-J ~ ..-:- -~ .....~.. ...... __ ,.,,,, - SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 81 of the farmers were tenants and they were not wealthy to begin with. For many years the landlords and mer chants encouraged a larger crop in cotton than any other crop, which required twelve months in every year. Grad ually the mistakes of the past have been seen and are being corrected. A campaign of agricultural education has been in augurated within the last five years that must eventually reach the grass roots of farm intelligence. State schools of agriculture have been established; the common schools are teaching the rudiments of agriculture; the Federal Government has dotted the states with agricultural experi ment stations; the local, State and Federal governments have combined to supply the counties with agents whose duty it is to advise with, and instruct the farmer in all up-to-date methods of farming and stock-raising; the Federal Government is compiling and sending out bulletins, treating exhaustively of everything pertaining to farm work and life: business men's organizations are interested in better farming conditions, and the boys and girls of f.1e county are encouraged and instructed in farming t!nd stock-raising and all affairs connected with domestic life and economy through their various clubs. At first, this plan of educating the farmer was hotly resented by many of them. They considered it an un called-for interference and intrusion by "Book Farmers," and would have none of it. But the government and the educational institutions have persevered until the prejudice and resentment is about all removed, and now the McCu1· tain County farmer is earnestly seeking more light in his time-honored calling. The great majority of the farms in the county are small-just what the owner and his family can cultivate and harvest, with varying amounts of hired labor. The leading crop has always been cotton, and this feature of our farming has been justly condemned. Yet there was reason in the farmer's apparent madness, for our means of transportation have been so limited; the markets far 82 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND ,,i~:· :< >.. , :-:,i:. ,• 'P"'1 C'I ... ~ . ,,,,~· 'P"'1 -·~•-1.·. I ~ 1-4 ~ ~ ~ z~ ;.J 0 0 I ~ ~z z 1-4 ~ ~ N ~ ~ 0:: ~ z ~ ,~ ~ 8 ~ ~ CJ ~ -~ < t?' I . \ I ... }·~----~-"'"- Il_ ' \ . ,~ "\ . ,., r.n 0 ~ 1-3 ~ ,~.. Y, - " ./" ~ . r ~ .• ·• _.·1<,1/.·•~<1 · ··•_.· if_r_,,-_~lt.A (;- ~11 1 , "•• .'T'-,, . . f trJ ~iltf,!.J.6. ;: ~- l ~!''~t·· 1~ .•.·I-;;;, · , {'. > :_;!. -.. -~, ··~---.·.. . •• ,., ~ 00 '·~¥.' t lr-.; •. >-3 ! f ?f.. . :~.•_.. ,,, ~-- •-,;;,, :-. .. ;1. . • • . ; ·,:: .,·"'..!~"'..,, ':i(J': f. t· ... r"t~·, . 0 - • ,it '\ ··~. ~ . ,...... ,, .. ,·1,. ,~'';_'.,~ ;:,._~~'it-::~. ~ . '..,...,, ,' ·~~ .. ~ > '!:-'('•'"'-""· ::z:: 0 ~ > ,, ~· ,,."!'"'-.,,,,,'~ :J..t-•,.~ ' ' ,'"'\,..... ,J.lt'J:J'.' ~ ~ ...... ~ 'f i... • ..,: , , -~-~~~/\~~'..~,.-.·. ~~_:m -~·-·. -~~-·~ . , ~. ,:'"-. . ,. ' -~·~\:,_':~--lat~'-·· ..... t' .. '\f\ ~;,,.. ~,\ "':~~t .. ·,· ... ·.,::... -,~,,. ' - , 00 .A PHIZE \VINNINU BOAH~-COCNTY FAIR-W::!1. ~ 84 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND off and uncertain ; the grain fields north and west of us, with which we could not compete, and make a living, -and the position taken by the banker,- landlord and merchant, that the big end of ~he crop should be cotton, added to which was the fact that cotton was always cash at some price for six months in the year, when other produce was not, mitigates to some extent, the farmer's error in raising cotton first, last and all the time. Recently, a county-wide campaign has been launched for variation and rotation in crops. Farmer's clubs have been organized and pledges have been signed to cut down the acreage in cotton to fifty per cent or more of the normal crop, and to plant and cultivate such crops as will give the county an all-year business season. Nearly all farmers and business interests are behind this movement, and serving -as an earnest of good faith is the experience gained from the terrible blow inflicted by the so-called readjustment of prices during the cotton season .of 1920. During the year 1915, N. T. McAlister, agent and lect urer for the agricultural department of the Frisco Rail road, compiled and published statistics showing that many thousand dollars more than the value of the cotton crop were· sent out of the county for food and feed stuff for that year. Frequently, a liberal sowing of adversity yields a harvest of prosperity, and we may reasonably expect it in the case of the McCurtain County farmer. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 85 Indian Sports Indian Ball. :~ .-~----... ~ RIOR to .statehood, the territory embraced by . : .~ McCurtain County consisted of five counties ~ under Choctaw government. Ball playing was l!/K-~V~:.£.-~~ the principal sport, and the games were at tended by Indians and white people alike from all these counties. Usually, one county challenged another, and they would meet on common ground for the game. The goals posts about l 2 feet high and 8 inches at the base-were set up 200 feet apart. Any number of players to the side rarely ever less than twelve. The one and a half inch rubber ball was never touched by the hand, except when the umpire~ or judge, tossed it up midway between the goals, as in basket ball. The players used hickory sticks well seasoned, about three feet long, tapering from the hand to a flat end below the hand-hold and twisted into a cup-shape, securely fastened with deer skin thongs. The player is supposed to scoop up the ball in this cup-shaped stick. and if the field is clear, or if he is a very swift runner, he may run toward his goal and approach it as nearly as his opponents will allow him, and then throw the ball at the goal. If he strikes the post, his side has scored, but if he misses, the struggle for the ball is renewed. It is rough if not dangerous sport, more so even than our football. Imagine 24 athletes tied up in a knotty scuffle for and over a very small ob!ect, pulling, kicking and beating each other with sticks, and sometimes using knives. Of coul'se, much of this is against the rules of the game, but a losing side becomes desperate and defies the rules. At a 4th of July picnic in Garvin, of this county, in 1907, was played -the last game of Indian ball by local players. On this occasion, after about four hours of strife between the players, they emerged from the contest with 00 OJ a= ("') 0 C: ~ > z~ 0 0 C:z ~ ~ z> t:1 OLD HUNTERS. Left to right, stnnding-,T. R. \Vhite, Uol>t. Short, Judge Steel, Robt. Steel, John Denison, .John Stevens. Sitting-Dr. McCaskill, .r. D. Light:--ey, George Steel, Jerry Howland, \V. II. Marshall. Only 5 of the 11 now living. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 87 skinned heads, bloody faces, sprained limbs and torn cloth ing. But the great crowd who had assembled to witness the game, had four hours of fun. Spearing Fish. Many old camping sites along the banks of the moun tain streams of the county are mute witnesses to the Indian fishing parties of many years ago. During the summer and fall seasons of the year, when the waters were low and clear, large parties were wont to assemble ,for a week's fishing. The Indian spurned the three and four pronged gig, using only the spear and arrow, and he rarely missed his quarry. Men and boys alike enjoyed the sport, and it is said that the old men never instructed the boy as to the deceptive depth of a fish in clear water, but allowed him to find this out by experience, while the old fellows chuckled over his poor marksmanship. For fishing in daylight, a desirable place was baited and the fisherman secreted himself on the branch of a tree immediately over the baited place, while at night the fishing was confined to the shoals and the fisherman carried a lighted pine torch. When the boys drove an arrow into a large fish but did not reach a vital spot, the fun began. If the fish was able to reach deep water before ·other arrows were driven into him, he was safe, but if he stayed in the shoal water, they usually captured him. Athletics. Contact with civilization seems to have destroyed the Choctaw's love for strenuous athletics. Even wrestling, racing and jumping are indulged in only ~Y the boys and very young men. As a result of this physical inactivity corpulency begins with most of the men and women before they reach middle age. Boxing is, and has always been eschewed by the Indian. Pugilism is not in his line. Many of them are good wrestlers and swift runners, as these features of athletics are needed in their ball games. 88 i\1cCURTAIN COUNTY AND \. p 0 ....,..-; z .-4 if.. r < SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 89 The Carpenter Gang rr,;~.~---...-c-n, HE MOST thoroughly organized gang of thieves, perhaps, that ever operated in any country was that of the "Carpenter Gang," who drove their nefarious profession through the southern part of the Indian Territory from 1890 to, and for awhile, after the passage of the Curtis Act making provisions for law administration in the Territory. This bunch of thieves was called "The Carpenter Gang" for the. reason that it was headed by a man named Carpenter, who had succeeded in collecting about him a dozen or more of the toughest characters of the then tough country, and the chief cause of the success of their operations was the fact that they had coadjutors all along the line of their "Thief Runs." lVIen who would handle and sell the stolen property and were never suspected until they grew bold and careless. Their "Run" was east and west through the southern counties to, and beyond the Washita River, thence north into Kansas and New Mexico. In the prairie districts west, where stockmen kept close watch on their cattle and horses, they were not so bold, but all along the country bordering on the Red River and in the valleys of the Kiamitia, Little River, the Boggies and Blue, where the one-horse farmer and small stockman lived, they would collect and drive off herds of cattle and horses. In 1896, or '97, after the establishment of courts all through the Indian Territory, deputy marshals began to make it warm for them, and finally, they were over taken and hemmed in on one of the Boggies and several of them were killed. What was left of them disbanded, and the country had surcease of wholesale thievery, but not altogether along individual lines of theft. 90 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND ::r: E--1 p 0 r:fJ. ' r!• ,,,~, ''/, , "'~"., ~:: __ ., ~~, '"~.'l:' .,,, -i{, ~ ,.. ,.' SOUTHEAST O:(LAHOMA 91 Manners, Customs and- Character HILE there are many people in Southeast Okla homa from all the Southern States, the ma jority of them are from Arkansas. These people located in McCurtain County largely for the same reason that the Choctaws did-familiar sur- roundings, forestry, game, fish and beloved hills. Indeed, when the county wa·s first organized, immigrants from Arkansas were so numerous that when a venire was sum moned for the first term of the district court held in the county, the Prosecuting Attorney in examining a . juror on his voir dire, would say, ''Mr. Smith, I'm quite sure you are from Arkansas, but will you please state what county," The people of the rural districts are kind and hospit able. "You'ns is welcome," means .i ust what it says. While many of them can not be charged with thrift and thorough knowledge of domestic and political economy, they are industrious and good providers. Many years prior to statehood, the only· source of amusement for the young and old was dancing. Not the "Turkey Trot and the Bunny Hug," but real live dancing the Virginia reel and the quadrille. Farther west, in the stock country, where the festive covvboy was wont to hold forth, it was the custom of the farmers and the cowboys to hold joint picnics lasting from three to five days. At these picnics there were no n,1erry-Go-Rounds, no Speelers, no Fakirs nor any of the latter-day attractions, but the Greased Pole ,vith the $5 geld ~iece on top ,vas there; the Gander with the Greased N eek and hanging by his feet, and another $5 ,vas there; the tournament with a dozen rings and its prizes; the good old darkie with a bushel hamper of eggs and ¥tith his head through a hole in a ,vagon sheet as a target for the boys with the eggs, was there, but the greatest attraction ,vas the big brush 92 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND _ arbor, covering forty feet square, or more. There was room for four big sets with the musicians on- a raised platform in the center. The ground was packed down hard and covered with a sprinkling of sa:\vdust. The boys wore high-heeled boots with their trousers stuffed in, large belled spurs on their heels and a silk handkerchief around their necks. While all the boys present on these occacions were not cowboys, the plow boys affected his dress and general style. The girls were dressed in calico and ging ham adorned with a great deal of ribbon of various colors. At these picnics the Indians and white people mixed and mingled freely, and the Indian girls were nearly all dressed in some shade of red. And now when the sets were all formed and the prompter from his high perch called out, "Honor Your Partners," the dance was on in earnest, and to such good old tunes as "Eighth of January," "Snowbird in the Ash Bank," "Turkey in the Straw," etc. When the 16 couples were in rhythmic motion, the gay colored picnic dresses of the white girls mixing with the flashes of red worn by the dusky Indian maidens presented a kaleidoscopic scene never to be forgotten. Game was plentiful and the streams were full of fish. Farm work, no matter how badly needed, was often sus pended when a hunt or a fishfry was proposed. Among the noted hunters of the county may be men tioned th~ names of John and Bob Bea_vers, Uncle Rect Jacobs, Martin Wood and others. On a hunt for and with a Kansas City party camped in the northwest part of the county, along in the '90's, John Beavers is credited -rnith having killed 63 turkeys, 18 deer arid 2 bears in one week's time. The people in those days were not affected by finan cial panics. They lived at home and largely off the boun tiful supply of nature. Their religion, in the main, consisted of adherence to the Golden Rule. The Bible, according to their own SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 93 interpretation, was their moral and spiritual guide. It was this orginal and independent interpretaton of the moral code that led many of them to beleve that the manu facture, sale or barter of whiskey was no violation of that code, and that legislation making it a crime had no moral or scriptural precedent or support. Of course, there were orthodox religionists, and when the preacher came he was made welcome and provided with a place to preach. As evidence of independent thought and action the fallowing occurence will illustrate: On one occasion services were being held in a log school house, when the preacher remarked that he smelled tobacco smoke, and he hoped the smoker would desist until after service. One of the congregation looked around, saw who was smoking and reported: "That's Uncle Jack Gridley. He's been down to Dollarhide~s sto' and got some o' that three-year-old home-made tobacher, and he's jist now a-tryin' it, so if you don't vvant to start somethin', you'd better let him be." The old question, on being· introduced, "What mout be your business," after statehood, was changed to "What's your Graft?" The rural districts are responsible for three new ,vords for the English vocabulary: "Cy-fog-gle"-To loaf about with no definite object or purpose. "Hon-swog-gle"-To cheat or swindle. "Py-root-ing"-Visiting another community for the purpose of hunting, fishing, eating, drinking, dancing, fighting, etc. Other than in the railroad tO"wns, the white people have no church buildings, nor have they ever had. But the Indians have their church buildings in every commu nity. They are close adherents to their different creeds, but all of them are of one mind as to houses of worship. Each denomination has its quarterly and annual meetings, 94 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND ~/ ! : ,, I. .,, c.,,• t . ' ";i 'i,1·1~:/ ;, i (., I~ ; :.,\ -;~ ' ~ ~ ,,,~~•~J ~ f, , ~;),'j· .,~~,{ ,- "A/f' . ~\ .,;.,, ,f ••.·, '~ ,i, ,t ,I •~ . ~ I ._) ..,,,), . .. ' 1·.. •· ,,W ;·,~.f', ~; ' ;4.,I •.. ·V,: . ... /'{ ,.i:'' j '. '•i~);, •f:', <.i.( , , I ♦ :,: 1 ,. 1.,;,;,r? , ·• •,\'. i~p'II f.: 1 ti!).''. :t,' ,, ( t•: . , 'A·. J'. ,:',!I- . ~- , ---~\;•' ' ) ; j: . ,,•• '···(.' ..;.. \~ ,;: .. ...;. ' .-;;~. -~~- •· . . ·. •fiir)'~ , ~ '.i I, .':~p:,, - ·. 1.i+:~ ·' ~~l ..;. );/\ ---: ,:.:, '... . , '1 ~ , . .'•, 1 SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 95 at which great crowds assemble, coming from all parts of the county to attend the services that are always con ducted in their own language. The Choctaw Indians, as a rule, do not like to patronize the white schools. Teachers who have not made it a study, do not understand Indian children, nor do the children understand the teacher. Hence their attendance at the public school is largely due to the compulsory attendance law. Time and the gradual amalgamation of the races will finally cure this defect and other social barriers which the Indians themselves are largely re sponsible for. "Exact Copy," is one of the characteristics of the Chocta,v child, especially is this the case in drawing or writing. Correct and legible handwriting is also generally characteristic. They will not hurry in their work at schoo_l or el sew here. As a rule, they are easily controlled, obedient and tractable, but slow to take an active part in general school work. However, when one of them becomes interested in athletics, he generall leads his classes. The white children of the rural districts, when under the supervision of a competent teacher-the teacher ,vho is looking for something more than four o'clock .and the clerk's warrant-usually make better progress than the children of the to,vn and cities. \Vith them, failure to make two grades in a term, is the exception rather than the rule. One of the admirable customs of the rural districts is that of making the school house the community center. It is used for every social purpose except dancing, and many communities are sparing no pains to make the buildings and grounds more attractive. A custom more recently prevailing in all the rail road towns is that of "Trades Day," one day in every month set apart for trading, bartering and selling. A get-together day, when people from every part of the county assen1ble in town for that purpose. 96 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND ...... -::-. .... Q,)- C) a 0 ...... 0 ~ ...... c., 0 ~ - -- SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 97 While this custom has proven beneficial to the people of the county and a splendid advertising medium for the business men of the towns, it is a custom that hikes back to primitive days for its origin; back to the time prior to the coinage of money, when commerce was carried on, even between individuals, by barter and trade. Its recent re-adoption by the towns of the county has proven to be very beneficial, for under the strain of readjustment of trade and the deflation of money following the late war~ it has provided a means of exchange, and to some extent, taken the place of money. Tacitly, mutually and without pre-arrangement, Satur- day afternoon has come to be a half-holiday. The custom of "Taking Saturday afternoon" has come upon us so gradually, so imperceptibly, that we have to reflect back to realize that it has truly become a half-holiday. Except merchants and business men, very few people work Satur day afternoon. The old custom of working on the. farm "from sun to sun" has given place to 8, 9 and 10 hours a day. The McCurtain County farmer seems to reason that if the carpenter, the miner and other laborers can live on 8 hours' work, he can do so too, and he is right, for there is as much demand for brain work as for muscle on the farm. 98 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND Modern Hi~tory r-7::,;;;::~" INCE the Civil \Var, events and conditions lead ing up to the present are familiar to the Okla homa school boy and the older citizens of the State, but the greater part of our population having immigrated to the country after statehood are not conversant with what transpired during this period. Owing to the situation of that part of the territory now embracing McCurtain County-having the State of Arkansas on the east and Texa8 on the south, serving as buffers to the invasion of the Union forces-the devasta tion of the Civil War vvas not so great as that in other parb,; of the Indian Territory. As has been previously stated, the Choctaws allied them~elves with the Con federacy, and being so far south the Union forces never reached their part of the country. However, their losses One of the effects of the Civil \Var was the spread of the "Western Fever." Heretofore, only such people as might be solicited became residents of the Indian Territory, such as Millwrights, Physicians, Preachers, School Teachers and skilled labor, but with the lax administration of the law, following the war, people of an callings, trades and professions began to pour into the Indian country, espe cially the southern part. Many of these immigrants were undesirable, but the Indian was anxious to lease his landR, and the character of the proposed lessor was rarely ever inquired into. Thus the country began to · fill up with small farmers, many of whom now constitute our olde8t and best citizens. Under the Choctaw law of "Holding in Common," each Indian had the right to hold, fence and cultivate all the land he wanted, provided that he did not approach the holdings of another nearer than a quarter of a mile. As grazing permit8 -vv·ere not allowed by the law, individual Indians would lease large tracts of land to cattle owners who would fence and use it for a number of years, paying the lessee a small per capita tax on the cattle grazed. Soon, however, the Choctaw Council passed laws prohibiting the fencing and leasing of grazing lands to "Non-Citizens." Then the Indian citizen changed his tactics and would claim the cattle ~1nd other stock as his own, and t~nder a bill of sale duly recorded in the Indian courts. The writer does not reme1nber, during his t)"l1\': residence in the Indian country, a single instance in ·which the full-blood Indian took advantage of the bill of ~ale to defraud his ,vhite friend, but the same cannot be said of the half-breed and intermarried men. Under the last arrangement, in which the Indian claimed the stock, he need not enclose them, but had the right to free grazing in common ,vith all others. It ,-vas features like thi~ .iuggling ,vith the Choctaw statutes-that brought thei1· laws into contempt and disrepute, even among themselves. As, for example, in 1890, while riding along with an Indian friend who had large cattle holdings and immense pasturage. I asked him why he did not comply with the Ia,v as to wire fencing and put up the blinds required? 100 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND ,JI ; ·:~ ~ ,: !.. \11.·;i \I 4. ltf <}/;~ 1,j ,,I \,,;,', ;, ,':,,· t,,,, .. , -+i.;i AI !• l I· ,£ ) ,;;} •.' •• > M't.. J ''f,;, ' - ✓1 .< ·;~I I ',t_ ) .. ; : ;;=~ ' f ;,~·~·~- ~ ·,;,-,,·.·_,., "'-;: ~ , . ( \. ;. }' , . .! T.- SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 101 He said he had, and pointed to the three-foot clap-boards which the wind had blown _off and strewn along the pas ture fence, with the further remark, "The law says you must put them up, but it does not say that you must keep them up." Thus we find, even among the pioneers, obedience to the letter but not the spirit of the law. Under the Choctaw Law, all white persons. except such as had been invited by the Government to come into the country, as before stated, and intermarrieds, who had married under the provisions of the local law, were "Intruders." But each intruder-the writer among them seemed always to have a citizen to whom he looked for protection against eviction. J. Woods Kirk, a Vir ginian, who married into one of the best Indian families of the country, was an example of a true friend of the intruder. Robert Love, a quarter-breed Indian, owner and operator of a large river farm, now known· as "Shawnee town," was another. Many wealthy fullbloods would give their protection to tenant farmers or white men whom they liked and respected. Finally white men began· moving into the country and squatting on lands without contracting with individual Indians or permission of the Government. This brought about the enactment of the "Permit Law," by the councils of all the tribes. When a tenant was cultivating land for the usual rents, his landlord paid the permit-$5.00-but the squatter and the long-lease tenant had to pay for themselves. In some instances, they refused to pay, and as the Choctaw laws had no _jurisdiction of them the Federal Government was called upon to remove them. Many of them were escorted to the borders and expelled from the country, only to return, probably the next day. As time passed, the intruder grew bolder and began to repudiate the permit law altogether. Later, he began to clamor for recognition by the Federal Government, and kept it up until the passage of the Curtis Act in 1898. This Act of Co!}gress wrought radical changes in the affair~ of the Indian country. The i:eople of the Choctaw 102 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND '·' -:,;,... ~ ~ ---' ~ ~ 'f.:. =, -- - ~ y ~- ::.:: • -:,... _,. -..._, ..._,. ~ ~ ;,,; ::: ~ :,...... _.y -;. ...~ ~ :,.... -_, ...... :,,: -_, -:,,: ..:... -r. 'f,-~"4,.,? ,.. ,,., ;, ',., ,. ~ ;~,.:.• SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 103 Nation began to experience the trend of affairs and condi tions that had been going on for some time north of them. The Curtis Bill provided that all Tribal Courts should be abolished; that the supervision of the Indian schools should be given to a supervisor · to be appointed by the Secretary of the Interior, and that the Tribal Government should cease after the year 1906. The abolishment of the Choctaw Courts was heailed with joy and delight by many of the halfbreeds and less blood and the intermarried men for several reasons. Many of them were under indictment for violation of minor statutes, such as holding stock for non-citizens, the punishment for which was the lash, and by the white man's tactics in court, had postponed the trial and evaded punishment from term to term till the situation didn't look good to them. About this time the white people began to take a little interest in schools for their children, many of whom had never seen inside of a school house. A crude system of schools was organized by the Federal Government under which little red school houses began to dot the prairies and fores ts. Among other things provided for in the Curtis Act was that of allotment in severalty, and from this time on events and conditions will be considered under the head of "Recent History." 104 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND A Funeral Sermon NE of the most zealous Choctaw preachers of the county was the late John Garland, a direct descendant of Gov. Leflore, the first Chief of the Choctaw people in their new country. All of his life, up to the last six years prior to his death, according to his own words, he was ·steeped in sin and degradation, even having the blood of many of his tribes men upon his hands. But John was converted under the sledge-hammer eloquence of preachers of the old school. preachers "·ho held to the doctrine of a literal hell, and who had no compromise to make with sin, and he carried this doctrine into the pulpit when he began his ministry. A few years after John began preaching he was called upon to preach the funeral of one of his old friends and associates, and while I am not able to give his exact words on this occasion, I am sure the fallowing as an excerpt of his sermon is correct : "My friends, we have met today to pay the last sad respects to our departed friend, who is here in his last home before us, and it grieves my heart to know that he is no longer one among us. "I have learned from my Bible that there are no circumstances or conditions under which a man, especially a preacher, should lie, not even for his best friend, dead or alive. I have known this man 3ince my boyhood; was intimately associated with him in many of his misdeeds, and was his full partner in sin for many years. I saw him a short time ago when he was in health and full of life, and talked earnestly with him about his spiritual condition. He laughed and turned me aside with some foolish and profane remark, and now I find his body here and his soul gone to meet its reward! But will it be a reward, or will it be a punishment? God in Heaven only knows ! I do not know whether or not he ever repented SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 105 and obtained forgiveness for his many sins. I only hope! I can only pray ! "He, like all of us, had ample time to repent, and ample warning as to what would be his condition if he didn't repent. I don't know! It grieves me not to know! But this I do know, if my Bible be true, if he did not repent of his sins before he died, he is just as certainly in hell, right now, as I'm standing before you. Let us hope, and let us pray!" The name of the deceased is omitted in this narra tive, but it is true, nevertheless. The audience left the church profoundly impressed, marveling over something new, something original in funeral preaching. If funeral sermons are preached for the benefit of the living (Surely we do not hope to benefit the dead), would it not be the course of wisdom for the learned and educated divine to emulate the example of this true Son of Nature in his strict adherence to the Sublime Virtue Truth-in their discourses over the remains of the departed? 1-l 0 ~ ~ n (j c::: l;:o 1--3 > zI-I (j 0 c:::z ~ ~ z> t::, HLEOHTA11BI, 105 YEARS OLD, AND AN ENGLISH SOLDIER, ,YHO "rENT Or'I' FRO:\I BROKEN Bo,v TO SEE HIM IN 1018-THIS VERY OLD INDIAN ,YORKS EYI~HY DAY. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 107 The Indian's Relation to the Courts ITT:-~~n ONDITIONS make it almost impossible for the Indians to take any active part as jurors or otherwise in the administration of the law and justice. While there are a few with English education called upon to serve as jurors and in other offi cial capacities, as a rule, lack of knowledge of English and their own peculiar views, bar them from such service. From the force of his education and training for generations the Indian has inherited the belief that he may destroy his enemy, and when he is put upon trial for murder ·the white juries before whom he is tried seem. to take this trait of his character into consideration, as there has never been an Indian sentenced to death in Southeast Oklahoma since statehood. As witnesses and parties to suits in court, they de mand interpreters, for the fullblood Indian will not speak the white man's language if he can avoid it. " Is it fair to the Indian who doesn't know a word of English, to be tried by a jury that has little or no knowl edge of his religion, traditions, nature and habits? Does the constitution in its provisions, "The accused shall have his accusers face to face," contemplate rendering the accusation in words of which the accused is wholly ignorant? It is true that the proceedings are interpreted for him, but the languages are vastly different, especially in the construction to be put upon words and phrases, as one word in Choctaw may mean s~veral different things, while in court language and legal phrases it usually re quires a great many words to express one thing or idea. However, these questions touch only_ a theory, in practice,. our courts are absolutely fair in the administration of the law, and this without regard to race, color or previous conditions. 108 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND -.r.: - SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 109 Old Missions ~ ERHAPS the oldest mission in ·this part of vvhat is now Oklahoma was instituted by the Rev. ~ Cyrus Byington immediately upon the arrival ~_,.__V~CL-~~ of the Indians from Mississippi1 at Eagletown near the western boundary of Arkansas. From best in formation to be obtained, Rev. Byington was a mixeJ breed who had been educated in the colleges of the Eastern States, and is the head of a large family by that name now scattered throughout the old Choctaw Nation. One of his descendants was a practicing lawyer before the Choctaw courts of the nation, and ,vas said to be a shrewd and successful lawyer. Soon after the establishment of the Stockbridge l\1is sion at Eagletown by the Rev. Byington, Rev. Alfred Wright began his missionary work at Wheelock, a full account is given in his biography and the history of this interesting locality. It appears that in the course of a few years the work at \Vheelock absorbed that of the Stockbridge Mission. However, in the early days of Rev. James Dyer's ministry the locality of Eagletown was sup plied with ministerial work by him . even up to his death a f P✓\\' years ago. 110 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 111. Prohibition , HE Federal Government from the first, realized the fact that prohibition and its enforcen1ent, ~Nas the safeguard of the Indian, and acting upon this conviction, the manufacture, introduc tion and sale of intoxicating liquors have been prohibjted since the earliest settlement. Indeed, one of the conditions to the admission of the State to the Union was, that no liquor should be made, introduced or sold in the eastern half (Old Indian Territory) of the State. During the first state administration the politician and his anti-supporters, did their utmost to nega~ive this pro vision of the Enabling Act. Finally they settled upon a plan and the legislature enacted a law providing for the sale of ,vhiskey in small quantities by county agencies. The sales were to be made upon the prescription of a reputable physician, and as the law could not discriminate between Indians and white people, every one who could get sick, could get whiskey. This law was soon repealed, for it was vicious in many ways. Often the applicant for a prescription would feign sickness, and frequently the physician would write a pre scription knowing that he did not have a lawful patient. One of its worst features was the monopoly of purchase. The brand selected for the dispensaries was "Sunny Brook," and sometimes it was nearly all "Brook." After the repeal of the State Dispensary Act, straight prohibition laws were passed fixing penalties within the jurisdiction of the County Courts, and now began a series of prosecutions that came near bankrupting the county. Of course, the accused, in nearly every instance, elected to be tried by jury, and this entailed a heavy expense. The difficulties in the way of conviction were numerous and obvious. While perhaps the sentiment of a large share ot the people was in favor of prohibition enforcement. yet 112 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND they did not give the officers of the la-w such support as would insure convictions. Therefore the per cent of convictions was small, but sufficient at least to prevent the situation from growing any worse, until such time as the Federal Government under Nation-Wide Prohibition, took charge of the enforcement laws, which has been a great relief to the county. The race between the whiskey maker and the "Whiskey Breaker" has been, and is yet, a close one. The farmer, backed by a large fallowing of "Personal Liberty" ad herents, and a still larger following of those who "Pass the Jar," still pursues his vocation and finds a lucrative market for his goodR. The latter holds his place by Federal appointment, is generally a non-resident of the county, and is therefore in a position to neither ask or grant any favors. Hence the end is not yet. The prime object of the Government in prohibiting the manufacture, introduction and sa]e of intoxicating liquors into the Indian Territory was to protect the Indian fron1 its consequences, and many hu!ldreds of thousands of dollars have been expended in prohibition enforcement for their protection, and yet there are those among us who are skeptical as to whether or not any good has been accomplished. The Indian sober, is peaceable and quiet, slow to anger and respects the law even more than the white man. But an Indian drunk, with few exceptions, is a menace to l~w and order, and had it not been for the protection thro~ around them by the Government their numbers would have been worse decimated than what they are. However, if the status quo can be maintained by law enforement under the present legal machinery, until such time as the introduction of hygiene and physiology into the common schools, and the erection of social and business barriers against the inebriate shall have done their work, the politician and the fadist will lose one of the rungs of their political ladder. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 113 The Mosaic Law , , HOSO shedeth man's blood. by man shall his blood be shed." This. in effect, is the Choc taw Law. Can the races advanced in civili zation consistently criticize it? Deep in the recesses of McCurtain County's forests is a beautiful but lonely spot that will go down in local history as the place of the last legal execution of an Indian convicted of murder. The event was graphically described by David A. Fowler, of Millerton, who at the time was a deputy sheriff. Mr. Fowler has forgotten the unfortunate Indian's name, but said that he would never forget the tragic details of the execution as it occurred at the district court grounds at Alikchi, in July1 1902. The condemned man had been regularly tried by a jury of twelve of his tribe, before District Judge James, convicted and sentenced to be shot on the - day of July, 1902, then released without bond that he might arrange his worldly affairs and make his y.Jeace with God, ·when he should appear on the day and date fixed for his execution. Pron1ptly upon the hour, he presented himself to the sheriff. In an open place where the July sun beamed down with all its fierceness, and around which was sta tioned a strong guard, the condemned man, ·who was a large and perfect specimen of physical manhood, was walked oncP. around inside the circle bet\veen two men having hold on each of his arms, then hoodwinked and marched around once more and to the center. Here he was made to sit flat on the ground, the two men pulling on his arms in opposite directions. His shirt was opened in front and pinned back so as to expose his entire chest. A cross was made on his breast immediately over the heart, and the sheriff at a distance of fifteen or twenty feet, resting his rifle on a pole put up for that purpose, 114 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND fired the fatal shot. But from nervousness or some other cause, he missed the cross, the bullet striking the body some two or three inches below and passed through. All this while, the two men holding his arms outstretched, and now they forced him back to the ground. Imme diately, a large Negro man, who was standing by ready with pail of water and cup, leaped upon his chest and as the dying man would open his mouth in ·an attempt to breathe, the Negro would empty a cup of water therein, thus finishing the horrible job by strangulation. Dr. Spencer of Valliant was present and gave it as his opinion that the man was strangled to death, as the wound was not necessarily fatal. A short while after the death of the man, United States authorities arrived on the ground for the pur pose of forbidding the execution, but they were too late. A great ·crowd had assembled to witness the vindi cation of the majesty ( ?) of the law, but when the death struggle. and strangulation required the supreme effort of the three strong men to accomplish it, they turned away weak and trembling at sight of the horrible tragedy. When it was over, the body was turned over to the friends and family of the deceased, and they carried it a way for Christian burial. While this execution was an exception to the rule, as the rifle bullet usually sped true to the heart, it was a horrible example of the savagery indulged in not only by the Indian but by the so-called civilized and en lightened people as well. It is true that the Federal Government had no au thority to interfere in the execution of their laws, and the Choctaw Law of "Life for Life" is still an unre pealed statute, yet it could, and did, exert such an influ ence as rendered the law practically inoperative thereafter. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 115 A McCurtain County River The first dim rays of the morning light Pierced the black shadows of the southern slope Of one of McCurtain's many mountain sides And reached the vallay below, Heralding the coming of a new day. The early songsters awoke to greet its coming With their many songs of love and joy. The first rays of sunlight stealing Through the shadows of the pines at the mountain's Top, revealed at the base in the edge of the Valley a spring, pillowed in a bed of moss and ferns Like some new-born babe wrapped in its Silken folds and tucked away in its cradle. A spring whose bubbling waters sounded in Rhythmic tune and perfect harmony with The music of the birds. And now as the sunlight dispels the dark Shadows of the valley, revealing the Multitudinous thousands of vari-colored Flowers, its waters seem to grow brighter As if to lend color to the gala occa~ion. New birds join in the song, each seeming To vie with all other things in more varied And sweeter notes. Out across the valley and from the mountain Sides beyond, countless numbers of flowers Nod obesiance to this new-born babe of the Mountain. Thus Nature, in one grand and continuous Summer festival celebrates the birth of McCurtain County's most beautiful river. Stealing down the valley as if in sorrow It bids good-bye to its youthful cradle, A tiny rivulet, and hovering near it are the Fragrant flowers and dark green ferns 116 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 117 ,,., ~t·· : ·}: -~ ,)~:(· . '~I" ~.' . ··,· .. .;~ "rj 0 118 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND Fondling and nourishing it with a Mother's care and affection, while above, The giant pines stand guard over its Youth and beauty. Passing the outlet of the valley, it is Joined by a smaller stream, and together They wend their way between the mountains Gathering other rivulets to their ranks, Ever growing in power, volume and momentum Until turning a point at the base of the Mountain, it slips into a beautiful basin, And like a child tired of play, it sleeps, Only to awaks and play again. Soon, it is out of the basin and speeding Again upon life's race as if in fear it would fail To reach its goal before the end of its Allotted time. Plunging down the gorge between two mountains Like youth in the age of indiscretion, It is hurled from one position to another And often its very existence seems in question, Though soon we find it in the valley below And all is quiet and serene again. Like man, it passes from conflict to peace And quiet, only to be rushed again into Conflict, ere the rest has served to heal The wounds of the last battle. Yonder on its glossy banks, under the Magic spell of its beautiful waters That glisten like the jewels of a royal crown, Lovers forget the angry words spoken on The mountain tops and pledge anew their Love and fidelity. A little farther down, a barefoot boy With hook and line, anxiously awaits the Expected prize catch, while in the valley Below, its murmuring waters soothe an Aching heart that mourns a love forever Lost. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 119 And thus it travels to its destiny; To the place that man calls its end, A silent witness to love, romance and Tragedy; a mute confidant of all who know It; a gem of God's great creation that Shines with the brilliancy of a thousand Gems, until we find where the hand of man Has robbed it of its beauty and marred its Splendor. And now as if in senile age, with measured step It passes on; its debth is greater; its Murmurs less frequent; its ripples less Musical•, as it appro~ches. the twilight Of its existence-the place where some skilled Artisan has designated upon a map- "The Mouth of Mountain Fork River." 120 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND ~~ -'~' -"lo""" -~ ~ 0- ~ z ~- E-1 :,,; ;..i ,...0- ~ ..,, 0 z~ v~ rJJ. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 121 Merchants and Business Men EFORE the construction of the A. & C. Branch of the Frisca Railroad, there were not over a dozen merchants in the territory now com prising McCurtain County. Robert Love. at Shawneetown, Wood Kirk at ·old Garvin, Louis Merry at Glover, J. W. Costilow at Lukfata, Sampson Jefferson at Hochatown, Clint Clark at Valliant, and a store at Watson, Smithville, Bethel, and two or three stores at other points, constituted the commercial world of what is now Mc Curtain County. Most of _the merchants bought their goods at Clarks ville and Paris, and hauled them through in ox and mule wagons across Red River to their respective stores, while other;, bought their goods at points in western Arkansas. Some of them did a fairly good business, while others sold goods as a sideline to farming and stock raising. Many of the farmers and stockmen would go to Clarks ville and other points on the Texas and Pacifc Railroad for their supplies, therefore the merchants kept only such goods as would supply the immediate wants of the people, which were very limited. There were no high-heeled shoes and silk stockings, no fit-form suits or panama hats, and no one lived out of tin cans, or rode in automobiles. There were no high schools, and very few common schools, no banks, no movies, and even the preacher took Paul's advice and went forth on his Godly errand without purse and without price. The mercantile business at that time was not nearly so systematic as at present. Indeed, there was very little system in or about any kind of business. As one of the merchants, an Ex-Choctaw Governer, expressed it in reply to a question by a drummer as to his per cent of profit, "I don't know what you call it, per cent, I buy it hat for one dollar, I sell it for three dollar. I buy it shoe for two dollar, and sell it for five dollar." 122 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND . a: 0 p:i z f;a;l ~ 0 ~ p:i cfz 1-j 0 m ~ 1-j ;.:; p:i z~ ~ p:i ~ z< 0.... 8 z~ 8 00. ....~ ~ SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 123 Only once have the merchants of the county fallen from the high estate of doing an equitable and honest business, based upon a reasonable per cent profit, which was during and subsequent to the late World War, at which time they, and all others did business upon the plan "That they were entitled to all they could get, and would lose a great deal by not asking it." For many years after statehood that branch of our little commercial world that has become a necessity, was not conducted on a safe, sound and -legitimate plan. The conditions ·peculiar to the rapid development of a new country, the many and plausible opportunities for specula tion and a crazy desire .to strike for wealth while the iron was hot, created a pressing demand for money. These conditions were taken advantage of by many of the banks, who took paper that was not sound, and risks that were not safe, and the losses from such risks were protected by usurious rates of interest. However, the State came to the rescue with the "Guaranteed Deposit Law," and banking soon settled down to a safe, sound and legitimate system of business, and today the people are proud of their banks and bankers. At present, the merchants and business men of the county will compare favorably with the same class of men anywhere. Merchandising and all classes of business have been brought to a standard of honesty and reliability. The customer of today doesn't go into the store with the expectation of being swindled. The dealer sells him the article he wants and tells him exactly what he is buying. This standard of honesty and fair dealing between the merchant and t~e customer has broken up the old hag gling over prices, and established confidence. Every town of any size in the county has its chamber of commerce, composed of public-spirited, charitable and progressive men of all business and professional callings. Men who are able and willing to forego immediate selfish ends in order to better community conditions; men who contribute liberally to public welfare purposes, and are 124 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND ~ .,.~.... C ~ ~ .....~ ..; ~ ~ ,,.,' ~ ~ .,: ~ .,:~ ~ 0,_. :.-' .,: I i ~ ,I lf2 I ~, ... I ~ .....:-..;: E,-. .-_, , ; / SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 125 considerate of those in their employ; men who are able to see that the final success of the individual is largely dependent upon the success of the community and the county. While there is yet room for improvement in the business conditions of the county, the spirit of fair dealing and considel'ation for others seems to have rooted itself firmly in the business world, and under a close observance of a proper code of ethics, will continue to improve. When the old-time Indian came to the store to buy goods and groceries, he was never in a hurry. When he had bought one article he paid for it before he bought another, and always examined everything very closely. It was the same way with him when he offered anything for sale.· If he was selling beef steers to a buyer, they were all lotted and one steer at a time was sold, paid for and then driven out of the lot ancl became the property of the buyer. They didn't seem to like the general average rule of buying and selling. 126 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND ' : \. I,# -, ~.,· ', .,..;,;;~ ~-r~":.' .. ,· ,._-i• ,•,,ct- /)tr\. HEHBEHT IUSESHOOVER'S TO:\IB IN CE:,\IETI~RY ~EAR IDA. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 127 The Funeral Cry NE of the most ancient customs of the Choctaw Indians and one that is to some extent followed to this day, is the Funeral Cry. When a mem ber of the family dies, he is quietly buried ,vith some or all of his personal belongings, at which time the stoicism of the Indian is apparent, for it is not often that any tears are shed at the burial service. On the day of the burial, the head of the family cuts and trims nicely, 28 little sticks which he lays up in the cracks of the log cabin, as representing the 28 days of the moon month. Every morning he takes down one of these sticks until there are only seven remaining, and then he sends out invitations to his kinsmen and friends to come to the Funeral Cry, which is to be on the day the last stick is taken down. Each kins1nan and guest is required to bring with him a specific amount of certain foods or provisions. One is alloted so much meal, another so much flour, and another so much beef, and so on. This request is strictly complied with. The congregation of relatives, friends and even the stranger, meet at a grove near the grave of the late deceased~ ·where a circular place has been cleaned of all shrubs and grass, in the midst of ,vhich a table is spread for the immediate family. At intervals around this center table is arranged the table for all other kinsmen, and ~till outside of these are tables for friends and visitors. Before the feast is spread, some relative of the de ceased rises and begins an oration, telling of the good qualities of the deceased, of his courage and prowess, and as he proceeds he grows more and more eloquent and im passioned, vthen the cry starts. Then begins a copious flow of tears-something of which the Indian is very sparing-accompanied by a low wailing and moaning that forces the on-looker to join in the cry. When this has 128 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND gone on for some time, the feast is spread, and certain ones of the deceased's relatives are appointed to wait upon the inner table, and others are selected to wait on the other tables. So the alternate ceremony of feasting, crying and wailing is kept up for two or three days. The intrusion and curiosity of the white .people have tended to lessen the frequency and publicity of the Funeral Cry as well as many other ancient customs and ceremonies of the Choctaw Indians. Many people regard the funeral cry of the Indian as a relic of barbarism, but really it is a like ceremony to that of some of the Christian denominations, except that the latter confine" themselves to fasting and prayers for the dead, leaving off the feastng and wailing. If it is not convenient, or if weather conditions are such that the cry cannot be held at the grave of the deceased, the relatives and friends repair to the church, where the feast is spread and candles are lighted around which they assemble in prayer and weeping, dividing their time between the candles and the :festive board and local oratory. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 129 T.he Indian In English (As He Understood English.) Whiteman Laws No Good. OW THE State Government decided to make the dipping of stock for the destruction and pre vention of ticks compulsory. Jefferson Hotub bee, a Choctaw, gave his individual experience to a local paper as follows: "Got one cow, have to dip ever fourteen days to kill it two ticks. Inspector says, good for cow, kill it tick. Cow she is ducked, good thing 8he swim to get out live. Tick he cause heap trouble. Inspector say soon kill all of 'em, so cow git fat on grass, 80 hide it bring more money. Whiteman at Peachland 8ay to me 'join the Anti Dip Club.' I say to him, what the use, dip before, dip now,. dip next time. Anti dip club no help last time, what the use, co,v she be dipped just I come Monday, see Agent, he say for Indian dip like whiteman, tick no good he say. I guess I dip, kill two ticks dead as hell. This hell of a country whiteman make." You See It? Under this head, an Indian advertised his lost pony, as follows: "Losted, in this country I think, one red pony, look like he's 13 feet high, ·one eye broke out, he come to my house last week. I didn't see it any more. One side behind blowed in (hip knocked down), you see it, tell 'bout it, maybe so I give it five dollars." Anent Profiteering. For many years, even afterstatehood, digging snake root and other medicinal herbs in the hill country of the county was a distinct industry, white people and Indians alike made it a business for profit. 130 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND At one of .the inland villages, Indian John and his ex tensive family of children were accustomed to market the. results of their week's labor to a certain herb, hide and fur buyer, and one morning during the late war, John came trudging in with several bags of snakeroot on his back, followed by his numerous progeny who were also heavily laden. When the whole lot was deposited on the store porch, they buyer said to John : "A nice lot, John." "Yas, look like it right smart." "How much do you want for it?" " 'Bout dollar and a quarter, I think." "The war he's on." "Why, man, snakeroot's worth only 35cts ; that's the old ·price." "You sell it coffee old price?" "No, coffee is worth three times the old price." "Maybe so snakerooi, to~." "Well, I don't want it at that price." "All right, you don't want it, spec so I find it damn fool will take it." Yakin Okchaya (Living Land). Kullitucko, Aug. 10th, 1883. Joe Briarly, On Sunday, July number three (third Sunday) Choc taw peoples have it largest meeting at Yakin Okchaya, my boy Dukes, he want to go this meeting bad. You let it this Dukes have one pair vests and charge for me. Your Frent, STEWART MITCHELL. Symptoms Described. Fowlerville, June 20th, 1888. Dr. Denison, My good Frent, I want one botls good medison I am sickly I am weak & I am six days for hot breast and plenty warm on belly. L ....\.YMON BACON. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 131 Like Lazarus. Kullitukle, July 6th, 1889. J. W. Kirk who live at Garvin, I am poor man I am same like Lazarus I lie your gate and dog he done lick it my sore now. Heap white man come to choctaw nation steal it heap hog and cow head from choctaw people but dont give it much for church. Big meeting Kullituklo I want 1 sack flour 1 dollar coffee 1 dollar sugar feed it this people. ARON HOMA. He Talked Too Much. The treaty of 1866, between the Federal Government and the Choctaw trtbe of Indians provided for the adoption of the Choctaw freedmen as citizens, the provisions of which treaty was not carried out until as late as 1885. Of course, when the Negro became a citizen, he was subject to the local, or Choctaw law, the violations of which en tailed a punishment of either whipping or shooting, as there were no jails in which to serve out punishment for misdemeanors. A certain Negro was convicted of larceny and sentenced to receive 36 lashes with the usual seasoned hickory, on his bare back. The court ground was crowded with Indians, Negroes and white people to witness the punishment as the Negro had bragged that no switch would ever make him cry out from pain. When the time came he was stripped to the waist and securely tied to the tree. The judge stood by to count the blows, and the sheriff proceeded to lay them on. The first lick puckered up the skin on his shoulders, he flinched. The seco·nd blow brought blood, and he squirmed and wriggled. The third had a bloody effect and the victim groaned aloud, which set the Indians to smiling. At the fourth blow the Negro cried aloud, "O Lordy, 0 Lordy," at which the Indians rolled on the ground in fits of laughter. Before the pun ishment was finished the Negro fainted. He was released and told to come back at a certain time and receive the remaining number of lashes. There is no record of the 132 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND fact that the Negro ever came back. The Indian always took his punishment, no matter how severe, without even groaning, and the Negro was sure he could do the same; but the Indians knew he would not. "Corne." During the regime of John Burke as sheriff of the county, he received the following letter from a prominent Indian who lived near Eagletown: "Moun1;ain Fork Church, Isaac Wombee, School trusty to Sheriff. Havin' big meetin', look like four mans he make heap trouble, drunk, Come." In Hock. Upon receipt of his per capita payment, an Indian bought a fine pair of horses, buggy; and harness, and drove into town. Immediately, he found some white mule and proceeded to fill up. The police put him in jail and the next morning the· mayor's court got what he had left and released him. Straight way he wrote his wife as follows: "Put it bosses in stable, didn't git it out, Send it money." Survival of the Fittest. Along in the '80's when the Choctaw courts were held at Kullituklo, t'wo Indian boys were put upon trial for the murder of a very old Indian by the name of Achubbie. The evidence established the fact that the boys, who were drunk, went to the old man's cabin where he lay in bed too feeble to offer any resistance, and shot him. There seems to have been no motive or provocation other than a desire to kill. The jury empaneled to try the !!ase, reported a verdict of not guilty, giving as their reason or excuse that the old man was "No good, too old, tum boys loose, maybe so he grow up make it good mans." He Fished Somewhere Else. In Territorial days many of the cases of law infraction that occurred in this part of the Territory were taken to Paris for trial. Federal Judge Bryant, who presided over SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 133 the court at Paris, was wont to spend a part of his vacation fishing on Mountain Fork River, this county, where lived an Indian of some note, who was also a judge of one of the tribal courts, and who could speak ,English fairly well. The two judges were well acquainted and quite chummy. It happend that the Indian judge was called before the Federal Court as a witness, and at once demanded an interpreter. Judge Bryant, knowing that he could speak English, told the bailiff to take him to .i ail and keep him there until he would talk. After spend ing a night in jail, the Indian decided to talk, and so testified in English. When the court ·was through ,vith him as a ,vitness, he approached the rostrum and said to the judge, "Judge·you come it Mountain Fork and fish some more?" "Yes," replied the judge. "When you come, you talk Choctaw or you go to jail." The Federal .Judge movecl his fishing grounds. Snak£root as a Side*line. Court ,vas called one morning during a tern1 at Kullituklo. and the Indian judge proceeded to f!ound his docket. In the first case called~ that of a young man charg€d ,vith fighting, an Indian lawyer ,vho had been retained in the case, ·was absent, and the court asked those present if any of them had seen him. One of them replied, "I ~ee it on road, look like he dig it snakeroot." The court recessed until 1 o'clock, when the lawyer was seen coming leisurely along with a flour sack stuffed full of the coin of the realm. On being asked why he stopped to dig snakeroot, he replied, "I kno\v boy he no ~ay, so I dig snakeroot maybe so buy coffee.'~ 134 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND Historical Localities Old Doaksville. rr;~~'7 OME three or four miles south and east of the town of Swink, in Choctaw County, is the site of the first settlement of southeast Indian Territory, known as Old Doaksville. The Doaks were two brothers who were Indian traders that settled among the Choctaws and Chickasaws many years before the Indians left Mississippi, and must have had inside information from the department that the immigration from that State to the new country was only a matter of a few years, for they came over in 1821, bringing their stock of goods up Red River, and when the tribes came a few years later, they were on the ground and ready for business. Hence \Ve may safely say that the Doak brothers were Oklahoma's first sooners. However, they were followed many years later by a class of sooners the latchets of ,vhose shoes they were not worthy to loose. One of the objects of interest to the tourist, and superstition to the Indians and old settlers, near Old Doaksville~ is the "Witch Holes." They consist of a connected series of holes of water some distance below the earth's surface with underground drainage to a nearby creek. The fact that the flow of water from this drainage never increases or diminishes, and the further fact that the holes of water have never been fathomed, and that they never rise or fall, seem to have instilled into the minds of the early settlers a supernatural feeling con cerning them. However, it is known now that they are, or constitute a great under-ground spring of unknown depth, with ample drainage at the topmost rim of the water to take care of all subterranean or surface water that may flow into them without any perceptible change in the drainage flo\\~. 136 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND r . ,.# •. • ~• ':( . ~ / i'..,_~-. ,-, . fi-~ t.#' • ,., .... ,. ... ~t---:~/ ~·-~~ a~-·?~",k·.-,.,,~--~ ' ..0-1->·Z ·::ft•~ -'11 ..:l .... 0 1 ~ ~ 0 r./1 ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ I ~ 1/. i::J C) :-fl ~ -.....~··~ . . h. ... -·-- ~ ... ,__ j . ~.... ,.,. . ,t ,.,, ,, ...... ·' SOUHTEAST OKLAHOMA 137 Eagletown. This historical village is located on a hill about a mile east of Mountain Fork River on what is known as the old Military road, which passed through the county from the Arkansas boundary in a southwest direction to Fort Towson. After months of hard travel over mountains and across many streams, a few of the Indians were anxious to end their journey, and settled at the first desirable place they found in their new country, which was given the name of Eagle town, or rather, "Eagle," to which the word "Town" was afterwards added. Later, on a high hill, on the west side of the river, Chief Gardner built a mansion in which he resided for many years. On this road, in the river bottom, stands the largest tree in the State. It is a cypress tree, and measures 42 feet around ;3 feet from the ground and its top is level with the surrounding hills. The tree is now showing signs of decay. It has forks about 30 feet from the ground, and in its many huge branches are homes for swarms of bees. Lukfata. A village situated on the old military trail, near the geographical center of the county, it is beautifully located on a level plain near the banks of the mountain stream of the same name. It ·was here that the Federal Government established a supply depot for the Indians who settled in the extereme eastern part of their country. Authorities do not agree as to the meaning of the word "Luk-fata." Some state that the station was named for a prominent Choctaw family of that name-the name of Lukfata does not appear in the official roll of the tribe-while others claim that the word means literally,. "chalk dirt." For. many years Lukfata was the only postoffice in what is now McCurtain County. Wheelock. It seems that as the caravan of Indian immigrants under the guidance of U. S. troops made their way across the southern part of the territory to which they had been 138 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND assigned, small companies of them would drop out from the main body and make settlement at intervals along the trail, and Wheelock coming next to Lukfata, was the last settlement east of Fort Towson. which was the tenta tive end of its journey. However, it never acquired the name Wheelock for several years later. A philanthropist of that name who resided in one of the ·eastern States, and whose sympathy had been aroused in behalf of the Choctaws, and who was a zealous Presbyterian, selected the place to erect an academy for the education of Indian children. He endowed the instution with sufficient means to make it successful until such time as the Federal Gov ernment could come to its rescue, since which time the tribal and Federal governments have made it one of the best Indian schools in the State. Historical Objeets. It is here that the oldest church building in the State is located. It was built of stone, quarried near its site, in 1846, and notwithstanding the fact that it is approach ing the century mark, it is in a fair state of preservation at present. There ii an unfortunate circumstance in con nection with this historical building. The land on which it is situated, is the allotment of a~ individual, and its existence depends on his will or that of future owners. Surely there is patriotism enough in the State and among prominent Indian families to save this relic of her past history. Allen Wright, an old and learned Indian mis sionary of Presbyte~ian faith, is buried in the cemetery at this place. Many of his deeds are recorded on his tomb. About one-half mile west of Wheelock is the old residence of Governor Leflore, a large double log house, the flooring and ceiling of which ·was rived out of \vhite oak and dressed by hand. Fort Towson. The old fort by this name is situated on the east bank of Gates' Creek, about one mile north and east from the present town of Fort Towson on the Frisco Railroad. Only 140 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND - ..,. ,:... :... ..... :... :::.. :,.,: SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 141 small bits of the wall of the fort and two of the mam moth stone chimneys remain standing. There was never any wall on the north and west sides, as none was needed. The precipitous bluff on these two sides extending down to the waters of the creek, is about 150 feet. The level plain along the east side, where Uncle Sam's boys in blue \Vere wont to have their drills and military exercises~ is now a large and beautiful meadow on which many cattle and horses graze. The chimneys of this old fort alone are worth going to see. They are about ten feet wide, three feet deep and at least six feet from the stone floor to the arch, and form a part of the partition wall bet-ween the continuous run of rooms. A whole steer could be roasted at once in one of them and leave ample room for baking and boiling. The old well, from which the occu pants of the fort took their water, is still intanct. It is about ten feet in diameter, walled up with stone, and its depth cannot be ascertained by peeping in. Historical Objects. Between the old fort and Doaksville, the trading point of the fort, is situated the object of greatest interest to the tourist, the old cemetery. The people of the preRent town of Fort Towson still use the cemetery, or rather the south end, but unfortunately have neglected to keep up the anicient graves. Many of the oldest graves are over run with weeds, bushes and briars and the inscriptions can scarcely be deciphered. Among the oldest that can be read is that of "Tryphenes," (no other name), who died in 1832; Marie Cegra ve, 1833; Col. J. H. Nail, 1837; David Fulsom, 1846. These last two were the heads of extensive families in the Choctaw Nation. The inscriptions are all on native stone, hence erosion has effaced the oldest ones. Granny Turnbull, who has recently died, was the last of the Indians who had any recollection of the old fort days. She was nearly a century old at her death in 1919, but retained a remarkable memory and intellect. U nf ortu nately, her many stories of hardships, trials and heart- 142 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND aches as well as pleasures and profits of the tribe and the few white people of the frontier, which have not been pre served, would be very interesting to the people of today. Shawneetown. Another branch of the old military trail made a detour to the south and struck Red River at what is now known as Shawneetown, thence to Old Garvin, a northwest course, intersecting the main trail at or near Wheelock. On this branch of the road, about five miles south of Idabel, is the old village of Shawneetown. The village is located at the edge of the river bottom and ,vas for years a trading point. Later, the village and the adjoining rich bottom lands came into the possession of Robert Love, a mixed breed Indian, who opened one of the finest farms in the territory. By his industry, business methods and upright ness, of character, Robert Love accumulated a large property and won the love and respect of all who knew him. He was the grandson of Col. Jones, a prominent and perhaps the wealthiest member of the tribe. When the Choctaws came to this country, Shawneetown was occu pied by a few members of that tribe, but they soon abandoned their holdings and drift~d to other parts of the territory. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 143 ,J A:\IES R. KNIGU'r-BE'l'H'l•~L. Old-Timers James R. Knight. A farmer, real estate dealer and citizen of McCurtain County, who lives on his farm near the mountain village of Ida, is a man the details of whose life experiences, especially the latter part, would alone, present a fair picture of the historical development of Southeast Okla homa. Clerk, cowboy, merchant, stockman, editor and office holder, are a few of his various occupations during his residence in Oklahoma and the Indian Territory. In the early days of statehood, Southeast Oklahoma, par ticularly the mountainous regions, was a rendezvous for 144 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND all kinds of lawless characters, and it is largely due to the efforts of such men as Jim Knight, Tom Graham, Cliff McDonald and other pioneer citizens of that region, that they were driven from the country. After the county was cleared of these obectionable characters the northern and western parts began a rapid improvement and settlement. The towns of Smithville, Sherwood, Bethel and Ida, while they were old settle ments, put on new life and growth. Mr. Knight estab lished himself on a farm near Ida, that had been the home of his wife's fan1ily for generations, and it was here that he received his commission as deputy sheriff. During hiH service as deputy he was repatedly threatened with death by thieves and robbers, and more than once narrowly escaped the assassin's bullet. Mr. Knight likes to relate in detail the encounters between the officers of the law and the outlaws of the early days of the county's history. Of one period he says, "Conditions became unbearable. Posses were organ ized by the sheriffs of four counties consisting of fifty men, hurried into the mountains and mobilized. They searched the recesses of the mountains and the country surrounding the principal ranches and towns. It was an arduous, exciting and dangerous campaign. Every day a few suspects were arrested until about thirty were held. One pitched battle occurred in which a robber was killed, and another battle was fought in a storm on the moun tain in which a posseman was killed by mistake. Two posses, blinded by the storm, mistook each other for out laws. At another time the officers came upon the robbers in a rock fort in a canyon and the robbers shot and killed four horses belonging to the officers. They were in trenched in an impregnable position, but the officers cap tured six horses in the encounter. The expedition lasted four weeks, bringing to a summary end the robbing of stores and postoffices, the stealing of horses and cattle and other features of outlawry. There was not sufficient evidence to eonvict any of the suspects under arrest, but SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 145 their arrest and detention served a good purpose. After this. while lawlessness was not entirely suppressed, it was no longer conducted on an organized basis. The cattlemen became members of the Texas Cattle Raisers Association which furnished the Kiamichi region a line of detectives whose activities brought about many arrests and several convictions." From the fore going as an incident in the career of J. R. Knight, and the further fact of his excellent citizen ship, public career, qualifications as a writer and loyalty to the principles of demorcracy, it may be seen, as stated at the beginning of this article, that he is closely linked up with the history of his county and State. J. R. Knight was born at Rienzi, Miss., in 1868, a son of R. K. and Violette (Aughey) Knight. His father was a teacher for forty-seven years, the last few years of which was spent in the schools of Caddo, Indian Territory. Among his pupils at this place were boys who are now among the foremost men of the State. R. K. Knight :\IT~S VIOLET1'A KNIGHT-BEHEL, DAUGHTER OF .JAitES R. KNIGHT. chairman of this committee he sought the enactment of laws placing the enforcement of the game laws in the hands of the sheriffs, thus abolishing the long-range fea ture of government in the appointment of deputy game wardens from different parts of the State. In this he failed, but subsequent conditions proved the correctness of his position. In 1905, at Wheelock Academy, Mr. Knight married Miss Agnes Beatrice Battiste, an Indian girl of French descent, whose father was for a number of years judge of Neshoba County in the Choctaw Nation. Mrs. Knight died January 5th, 1911, leaving one child, Violetta, who is at present in Randolph-Macon College, Lynchburg, Va. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 147 Two of his sisters, ·Miss K. K. Knight and Miss Elizabeth, have been identified with the educational interests of the State since girlhood. Mr. Knight is a member of the I. 0. 0. F., the M. W. A. and other fraternal orders. He is always active and alive in the development of his country, and through his great love for his wife and daughter, :is a true friend of the Indians, and an advocate of the brotherhood of man and the milk of human kindness. It is his greatest desire that the old mountain farm in the bend of west Glover near Ida, will be the most picturesque, remunerative and independent. place in the world, for it is the home of four generations of his wife's family. The place is an ideal quarter-section with some hill land, but mostly creek bottom, threaded by the silvery Glover Creek, skirted by high pine-fringed bluffs on one side and fringed by oak, holly, cedar and walnut on the other, with many springs and natural parks surrounding it. Aside from the resi dence, there are the necessary barns and other buildings, fruit trees from three to forty years old, English and Japanese walnut trees, and a spacious garden fringed with mint, sage, asparagus and rhubarb, all of which give the place an air of beauty and comfort almost beyond com parison. It is the wish of Mr. Knight that his only daughter, Mary Violetta, shall keep and continue to improve this place and hand it down from generation to generation, holding it as an oasis in the desert of human trials and troubles, so that the wayfaring man may find cheer and comfort on his way, and depart again, with a greater faith in all that is good ... But while J. R. Knight came to the Indian Territory in the early days, he also made adventures into other lands. These adventures include working through a "Sugar Rolling," cutting out roads in the swamps of ~ouisiana, making a winter garden on the Texas coast and serving as acting vice-consul under Wm. C. Burchard for the Islands of Ruatan, Bonaca and Artila, off the coast of 148 McCURTAIN· COUNTY AND Spanish Honduras, and holding do,vn a pre-emption claim in Colorado. But the work of which he seems proudest is that of aiding in securing the best class of citizenship for his locality, and in this work, the efficiency, morale and loyalty of the citizens of northwest McCurtain attest the success of his efforts. Edmond J. Gardner. Edmond ,J. Gardner was born at the old Gardner home near Wheelock, in 1877, and is a descendent of a. family of five brothers who came over from Mississippi in 1832 and settled in different parts of the county. He is a half blood Choctaw. His boyhood was surrounded by conditions and circumstances that were not conducive to morality and good citizenship, for when he was 13 his family moved from the old home to a farm on Red River, and just across the river was lots of bad whisky and no lack of characters to peddle it along the border. His schooling consisted of a few months in the common schools of that period, in which he reached the third grade. After coming to man hood he realized that an education was essential to his success in life, and he adopted as his slogan, "Knowledge, and not money, shall be my aim," and on this precept he has shaped his life. No opportunity to improve his mind has ever been neglected. He mastered the principles of arithmetic and English grammar alone, and by a persistent course of reading good books, magazines and newspapers became versed in current knowledge and events. His first appointment to public office was that of postmaster at Clear Creek, which was followed by his ~ppointment as clerk and treasurer of Towson County under Choe ta w government. In 1901, he moved to the town of Valliant where he began business as a photographer, and while his business was scarcely sufficient ~o support a growing family, he clung to his slogan and put away 10 per cent of his earnings for books and magazines, which he called his "Instruction Fund." In 1906, he was elected mayor of the town, but prior to hiB election a:; mayor had served as SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 149 town clerk and had also been reappointed as county clerk of To-wson County. During this period he began the study of law and soon o~ened an office under the firm name of Gardner & Cochran, the last named being Judge . E. E. Cochran of Idabel. In a short while he abandoned the practice of law, giving as his reason theref9r, that it would not har~onize with his conscience. In 1910, he was ap r.ointed assistant postmaster at Valliant and served for four yearg_ During his leisure hours while serving as · aRsistant postmaster he worked out a new system of shorthand, a complete phonetic alphabet consisting of 67 characters, with a name for each, and invented a writing machine operated with 5 keys used for the phonetic alphabet. In 1915 he opened a watchmaker's and jeweler's ::-;hop in his home town, and is probably the only Choctaw who ever learned that trade. Mr. Gardner is the present postmaster of Valliant, having been appointed by President llarding upon the recommendation of both Democrat$ and Republicans. In politics he is a Republican, a mentber of the Methodist Church. and of the Masonic and Odd Fellow orders. Robert J. Buchanan. Robert J. Buchanan \Vas born in 1847, died in 1919. He was a solider in the Confederate army but unfortu nately. none of his children have any record of his enlist ment, service or discharge. He came to Indian Territory in 1899, and settled south of Millerton, this county. where he lived until his death. l\ir. Buchanan raised a large family-four girls and four boys-most of whom are residents of McCurtain at present. "Uncle Bob,'' as he \Vas called by all who knew him. was a splendid citizen, a good neighbor and served his district one term as com m1ss1oner. David A. Fowler. David A. Fowler was born in Montgomery County, Ala., in 1867, came to Indian Territory with his father's 150 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND family in 1879 and settled near Wheelock, where he has lived ever since, and in what ,vas then known as Towson County. He later married into the Choctaw tribe and be came a citizen of that nation, filling several public posi tions up until statehood. Shortly after the county organi zation he was elected justice of the peace of his township on the Democratic ticket and served in that capacity for ten consecutive years, until his health began to fail, when he moved west, but soon returned to his old home, where he says he intends to spend the remainder of his life. Mr. Fowler has given 20 years of his life to the public service, and is held in high esteem as a citizen and public officer. Ile is a member of the Bapth;t Church and in his later days is giving religiouH matters much of hiH time. W. .J. Whiteman. W. J. '\Vhiteman of Goodwater, thb~ county, was born at Clarksville, Texas, in November, 1869, where he was educated and lived until 189a, when he came to the Indian Territory and settled at Goodwater, where he has lived ever since. Mr. Whiteman was one of the many young men who cnst their lot with the fortunes of the new country with nothing to fight the battle of life hut energy, integrity and determination, but he has signally suc ceeded. It is very rarely that a genial, hospitable and liberal man, such as Mr. Whiteman. succeeds financially, but he has proven an exception to the rule. Three years after coming to Indian Territory, he married Miss Mattie J. Harris, from which union there are eight children. Mr. Whiteman is a member of the Methodist Protestant Church, member of the Goodwater Lodge A. F. & A. M., No. 148, Royal Arch, Idabel Indian Consb.;tory No. 2, McAlester, Bedouin Templar, Shriner. Besides his well-equipped farm, he does a splendid merchandise busi ness at Goodwater, and is a stockholder in most of the banks of the county. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 151 Ellen Kanitobe. Ellen Kanitobe, Choctaw, born in Mississippi 98 years ago. Lives three miles east of ldabel, and walks into town without the aid of a stick and picks up flying samnles of cotton on the streets. Stooped and small, but very active for one of her age. Colonel Carter. Colonel Carter, Negro, born a Choctaw slave in Indian Territory. The Colonel doesn't know his age, niether does anyone else~ but he is well over 80. When served recently with summons in a suit on account, he remarked to the constable, "Well, all dey can do iH to git jedgment agin me, and I got lots o' dem." I-Te is an inveterate Rmoker. Hleohtamhhi. l-Ileohtambbi, aged Choctaw, born in Mississippi and came over with his tribe in 18B7. Said to have been about 18 years old at that time. lfleohtambbi (pronounced as Leahtombee) lives about three mile~ northweRt of Broken Row and walks to town when he feels like it. While he, nor anyone else knows his correct age, he is well past the century mark, as his appearancp indicates. His skin resembles parchment, his voice quavers, has lost his sur plus flesh peculiar to Choctaws after passing middle age, and his hair is very white, which never occurs with Indians until well advanced 1n age. Robert Love. Robert Love, an early and much respected citizen of the Chocta\\· Nation, was born at Philadelphia, Penn., in 1860. He ,vas a descendant of the Choctaw tribe, and soon after the Civil \Var came to his people and settled in what is now McCurtain County. As one of the heirs of Col. Jones, a very wealthy Indian, he inherited what is known as the Shawneetown farm on Red River, in this county, and proved himself a successful planter and mer chant. He later married Miss Kate D. Devor, from which 152 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND marriage there are several children now residents of the county. He died at Clarksville, Texas, in 1904, leaving a vacancy in the business field of McCurtain County that was seriously felt and only filled by the subsequent rush of settlement and development of the country. William A. Coleman. William A. Coleman was born in Red River County, Texas, in 1862, raised on a · farm and had only the ad vantages of the common schools. In 1880, when he was 18 years of age, he came to the Indian Territory and settled at what is now Pleasant Hill, in this county, and for many years pursued his occupation of farming. Later, he married Lou Anna Morris, who was of Indian blood, and became a citizen "f the Choctaw Nation. To his farming operations he very soon added the mercantile business and was considered successful in both lines of business. Mr. Coleman was the father of a large family of children. kind and indulgent, clever in business, loyal to his friends, and a progressive citizen. Prior to his death, in Decrmber, 1915, he had accumulated consider able pror-erty, and was one of the most prominent men 1n McCurtain County's financial world. W. Sam Davis. W. Sam Davis, born at Atkins, Arkansas, October 8th, 1882. Had the common schools and two years in high school, supplemented by a business course, came to Indian Territory in 1895 and worked a year at Eagletown. In 1895, went back to Sevier County, and in 1906 moved to Valliant and with Duncan Nash started the Valliant News, then again moved to Eagletov{n where he taught school for several years. In 1912, he was elected to the State Legislature on the Democratic ticket, and served for two years. and in 1914 was the county's delegate to the State Democratic convention. Mr. Davis has been in public service in some capacity nearly ever since statehood, and his services have always been satisfactory. At present, SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 153 and for the past several years, he has been engaged in the mercantile business at Eagletown, and is well liked and respected by all who know him. John R. White. John R. White, late of this county, was born in Red River County, Texas, in November, 1858. He was raised on a farm just across the river from his adopted county and State, attended the neighborhood schools until he was large enough to ride to Clarksville, a distance of ten miles to school, which he did all the time he could be spared from the farm. After reaching his majority, he married Miss Lena Simpson, a native of the Indian Territory, and moved to Idabel in 1903, where he entered the mercantile 154 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND business and proved himself one of the successful mer chants of the new country. In 1911 and 1912, his health began to fail and he ,vent west with the hope of regaining it, but soon lost hope and returned to his home in Idabel, where he died in August, 1914. The same vim and de termination to succeed that made Mr. White, when a boy, ride ten miles to school every day, characterized his after life and brought success to his efforts as a successful business man. Rev. A. S. Williams. Rev. A. S. Williams, born near Bethel, this county, in December, 1868, educated at Spencer Academy, with one term at Roanoke College, Virginia. He was licensed to preach in 1888, and he began active service as a Metho dist minister in 1894. Was appointed Presiding Elder of the Choctaw M. E. Church in 1921 and re-appointed in 1922. His district comprises practically all of the Choctaw and Chickasaw countries. In connection with his minis terial duties, he acts as agent for the American Bible Society. Rev. John Crane. Rev. John Crane is a native of 'Texas, having been born near Paris in 1856. His education was limited to the common schcols of Texas and one year of theological train ing in an eastern college, with a short time at Waco. He is a missionary Baptist, and has probably organized more churches of that denomination in southeast Oklahoma than any other Baptist preacher. H~ carries his 66 years ·well, and is still active in his chosen work. George T. Victor. George T. Victor, the subect of this sketch, was born in Choctaw Nation in 1880. Attended the local school~ of his tribe and later had three years at Armstrong Acedemy. After leaving school, he served as deputy clerk under W. J. Fisher, who was then· County Clerk of Bokhoma County. When about 21 he married Louisa Lawataya SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 155 (La-wa-ta-ya), by whom was born Frank J. After the death of his first wife, he married Nancy Forbes, by whom he had three children, Georgie, Deb. Jones and Wilma. Since the organization of the county he has served as court interpreter a great deal of the time. His first notary commision is signed by Gov. Haskell, and he has been commissioned by every succeeding governor since statehood. H. C. (Cliff) McDonald. (By J. R. Knight.) Cliff McDonald discovered An1erica in Alabama on the top side of a half century ago. After attaining his majority, he roamed around over the central west, digging coal, running cattle, mauling rails and working in the harvests. Later, he re-joined his father's family in Polk County, Arkansas, and settled down to farming. In 1905, he came to LeFlore County, Choctaw Nation, and in 1907 was appointed deputy sheriff, under Sheriff Noble of that county and assisted in running down the robbers and thieves that infested LeFlore, Pushmataha and McCurtain Counties just after statehood. In 1908, he came to Mc Curtain County and was at once appointed deputy sheriff by Sheriff Graham, and has held the office under Burk, Holman; Felker and Jones, successfully. M-r. McDonald has made a fearless but kind and considerate officer, often settling cases between neighbors out of court by fiendly arbitration. He is a me1nber of the Baptist Church, of the Odd Fellows Order, of the anti-horsethief association, a live wire in the Democratic party, and was a member of the legal advisory board during the late war. He is also the father of a large family and husband of one of the best women in McCurtain County, a fine neighbor and a good citizen. Men like l\'IcDonald should have a few flowers handed to them while alive as a mark of appreciation of their value as a citizen. 156 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND .... 0 ~ SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 157 Judge John C. Earl. Judge John C. Earl, the subject of this sketch, is one of the pioneer lawyers of Southeast Oklahoma and Mc Curtain County, and is now a resident of Idabel. He was born in Flanklin County, N. C., in November, 1850, and after finishing the common schools, had a Literary Course in the University of North Carolina. He took up the gtudy of law before his majority, and was admitted to the bar in 1871 at Morrilton, Ark., and while here, served a term as circuit judge. In 1898 he moved to Poteau, Indian Territory, "'here he practiced his profession in the Federal Courts until 1902, when he moved to this county and settled at Garvin, then a thriving town on the Frisco. He invested his earnings in town property, which for several years brought him a splendid revenue. In 1909, he moved to Idabel, the county seat, and notwithstanding his 72 years, is still active in his work as a lawyer. William J. Old. William J. Old, editor, owner and publisher of the McCurtain Gazette, a semi-weekly newspaper published at Idabel, Okla., is a native of Arkansas. He was born September 28th, 1860, at the town of Serey, and raised· to manhood in that town. His education consists of com mon and high school training, supplemented by hard work and close study in the newspaper world, which is said to be the greatest common education to be obtained. Imme diately u~on leaving school, he entered the old Beacon office at Searcy as an apprentice, and before many years was out in the work on his own account. W. J. Old learned early that business methods must be applied to the publica tion of a newspaper if he was to support a growing family and succeed in the business, hence he began eliminnating all of the old-time "glory and honor'-' features peculiar to newspapers o-,. that day, and to substitute strict business principles, and is therefore one ot the few who have succeeded in the newspaper field. He came to Idabel in 1909, and soon after bought the office of the Gazette from McCURTAIN COUNTY AND I i': :.,.,,, ,_,- ~ '·'.... ~ .:, ~ ....'·' ., .,, ' ,,..... '·'....' ' ;,; ...... '·'..... :,... ,..,...... - -..~ :...- ;.,. ---: -;.,. - ;, /.- -·1. -. -..--'. \ SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA . 159 M. L. Henderson, and has built up one of the best equipped newspaper and job printing offices in this section of the State. When asked, "To what do you attribute your suc cess in your chosen work?" he replied, "To business methods, close attention to my business and square dealing to every one." One of the many admirable traits of char acter of W. J. Old is his loyalty to his friends. They always know where to find him. J. w. Greely, Sr. Mr. Greely is a native of Knox County, Mo., an Okla homa boomer and Panama Canal builder. He came to Oklahoma early in 1889, made the "Run" and located a homestead four miles south of Oklahoma City. During the years 1894 and 1895 was employed in railroad and harbor work in the Republic of Mexico, after which he received a commission from the U. S. Government and went to work on the Panama Canal in the engineering and construction department. He is a member of several benev olent organizations. Before leaving his native State, he was married to Miss Mary Duck, from which marriage two sons and two daughters were born. The boys, J. w-., Jr., and Thomas J., were overseas fighters in the late VVorld War. J. W. now lives in McCurtain County, was a member of the 90th Division, and all Oklahoma know of the valor of this great section of the U. S. Army in France. Thomas J. was a member of the 36th Division, and was one of the many thousands who made the supreme sacrifice. One of the daughters, Mrs. Henderson, died in Panama, and the grandparents now have her two sons with them; the other daughter, Mrs. Wintringham, is a resident of Chocta,v County. Mr Greely lives on his farm .i ust north of Idabel, and is regarded as one among the county's best citizens. His ideal statesman and soldier is Col. Roosevelt, and as long as he pays homage at the shrine of this illustrous Amer ican, he will remain safe, sane and sound. 160 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND Rev. J. L. Overby. Rev. J. L. Overby, of Haworth, Okla., is a native of Arkansas, born in Lamar, June 15th, 1864, and after com pleting his school, took course at Ewing Academy. He began his work in the ministry of the Methodist Protestant Church in Lincoln County, Oklahoma, in 1903, and moved to McCurtain County in 1914, where he took charge of the Haworth Circuit of the Methodist Protestant Church, and by his untiring efforts succeeded in paying off the indebt edness of the church at Haworth and Redland, and ·estab lished the church at Macedonia. At present he is pastor of the Pleasant Hill Circuit, which was formerly a part of the Haworth Circuit. J. Ed Harris. J. Ed Harris, of Harris, in this county, was born near Ultamathule, in what was then Eagle County, Choctaw Nation, on August 5th, 1854, and is therefore in his 69th year. Mr. Harris' father was one of the Mississippi emi grants and settled in the eastern part of what is now this county. He came of one of the oldest and best Indian families. In 1866, he· moved down on Red River and began clearing up and putting in cultivation a farm that is now among the best in the county. During the time of the Choctaw Government he served his people in many public capacities. Under conditions that existed in the country during his youth, his education was of course limited, but was sufficient to enable him to compete in the business "'-orld, in which he has been a success. At one time he was sheriff of Red River County and at other times represented his county in the councils of his nation. Quintus Herndon. Quintus Herndon was born near Wilton, Ark., in May, 1861, raised on a farm and had the benefit of the common schools of his State. He came to McCurtain County in 1887 and married a daughter of John Pebworth, a native. Shortly after his marriage he moved to the place where SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 161 he now livh .. and with the exception of a few years, when he was eng. 'ged in the mercantile business at Lukfata and Kullituk o, where he has resided ever since. Mr. Herndon has ..aised a family of 8 children, the most of whom are now grown and well established in life. As a citizen, he stands among the first in the country he has helped to develop, and as a. neighbor he is kind, considerate and accommodating. There are hundreds of men in Mc Curtain County who can testify to the many acts of kindness and accommodation they have received at the hands of Quintus Herndon. John T. Beavers. John T. Beavers is a native of Randolph County, Alabama, where he was born in May, 1858. While com paratively a young man he immigrated to Arkansas and a few years later moved to this county, where he has lived on or near Mountain Fork River ever since. Uncle John, as he is familiarly known, is an intermarried and lives on his farm in a little valley near the river, in what is known as Beavers Bend. In response to the question, "What has been your chief occupation during your long life?" his reply was, "I have been a hunter all my life." And this is literally true. He related an incident that occurred on a hunt when he, his brother Bob and Uncle Rex Jacobs were camping on Bear Creek. "We separated, each going his own way, with his gun, knife and dog. A short way from camp I sighted a full-grown bear and in my anxiety for a shot took long chances, and only succeeded in wounding him when he made fight. Then began a mixup of bear, man, knife and dog, and for a while it was doubt ful who would be the victor in this hand-to-hand conflict. Finally I won, but it was the hardest fight and the closest call of my hunting experience. My faithful dog, without whom I could not have won, was left dead on the battle ground." His best count in one year, shortly after com ing to Indian Territory, was something over 300 deer, 162 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND twice as many turkeys and several bears. Th~te are many noted hunters in the county, but the three named in this sketch are perhaps the oldest and most successful. J. A. Franklin. J. A. Franklin, one of the oldest and most interesting characters in McCurtain County, is he whose names heads this sketch. Born at Eagletown, in this county, in March, 1832, and is now 91 years old, and aside from chronic rheumatism is hale and hearty. He is a quarter-breed Indian and was raised an orphan among the Choctaws. In his youth he must have been a tough nut, as he states that he has been tied to the stake and whipped for fight ing and disturbing the peace several times. After state hood he was used for several years as an interpreter in the courts of the county. He speaks the Choctaw language fluently and is an entertaining talker. Mr. Franklin holds the record as a marrying man, having now his 8th wife. He is not quite certain how many of these have died and how many have been divorced. J. A. Ford. J. A. Ford of Haworth, was born in Columbia, Tenn., in 1844, and enlisted in the Union Army at Nashville, Company D, 10th Tennessee Regiment, under Gen. Thomas, and served during the war. Was honorably discharged at Nashville in 1865. Except his snow-white hair and beard, his 79 years sit lightly on him. J. H. English. J. H. English, of Sherwood, in this county, was born in Henry County, Georgia, in 1845, raised on a farm, and what education he obtained was from the common schools of those days. He enlisted in the Confederate service on the · 14th of February, 1863, at Cave Springs, Ga., and remained in the army until he was discharged at Green ville, N. C., in May, 1865. Mr. English moved from SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 163 Arkansas about the time of statehood, and has lived con tinuously on his farm near Sherwood, surrounded by his children and grandchildren. He served the village as postmaster for many years, is a good citizen and loved and respected by all who know him. Robert Hinds. Robert Hinds, of Idabel, is a native of the State of Arkansas, born in Sevier County in 1846, raised on a farm, and educated in the common schools. When a boy he was with his father in the Confederate army, and after the war, took Horace Greeley's advice and went west to the cattle ranches, where he worked until coming to what is now McCurtain County in 1877. For many years he served as deputy U. S. marshal through this portion of the Territory. He is the only white man now living in this county that was here in the early days when he came to this locality. W. S. Williams. W. S. Williams, of Bokhoma, this county, was born in Georgia in 1846, and came to the ,.rerritory in 1903, and settled near Bokhoma where he now principally re sides, but spends much of his time with his children, who live in different parts of the county. Mr. Williams has the distinction of having been one of the United States census enumerators for the three last census. W. S. Parsons. \i\l. S. Parsons, of l\iillerton, this county, was born in Kentucky in 1851, had a little training in the public schools of the State, but no higher educational advantages. He came to the Indian Territory in 1870, and after roam ing over the country, like most youths who came here in the early days, he settled at Wheelock in 1881, and soon after married Miss S~san Gardner, who was a niece of Governor Gardner. Mr. Parsons is a well preserved man of his age, and bids fair to continue as one among the best citizens of McCurtain Conunty for many years. He 164 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND acquired the habit of selling goods as a sideline to his farm and stock industry, in the early days, and keeps it up to this. day. Wm. S. Penny. Wm. S. Penny, of Idabel, born in Sevier County, ~~rk., in 1854, common school training, raised on a farm and foil owed that occupation all o:f his life until the last eight or ten years he has been in the transfer business in Idabel, and as a side issue to his main business, still keeps it up. He came to the Indian Territory in 1890, having married Miss Maggie Holman before leaving his native State, and settled in what is now McCurtain County. J. E. (Jerry) Row]and. J. E. (Jerry) Rowland was born at Hope, Ark., in August, 1875, and raised on a farm in that State where he had only the advantages of the public schools. He came to Idabel in 1904, and opened up a hardware busi ness soon after. At that time there were no churches, schools, government or other social institutions in the new country, and Mr. Rowland, with others of his neigh bors, was repeatedly called on for help by community builders to establish these adjuncts to civilization, and he always responded liberally. In 1898, he volunteered his services in the Sapnish-American War, and after six months' service was honorably discharged. In 1917 he was elected on the Democratic ticket to represent the county in the Sixth Legislature, where he proved himself the friend of the common people and the public schools. He is a reliable business man and a public-spirited citizen. B. .C. Harris. B. C. Harris, or, as he is known to his many friends, Burt Harris, was born in Mceurtain County in 1877. He is a son of Henry C. Harris, who was also born and raised in this county. His father was a direct descendant of the Pytchlin family of the Choctaws, and true to his ancestry SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 165 was among the foremost in the public affairs of the tribe. Henry C. Harris was born in 1834, on a newly settled place situated on the road from Ultama Thule to Eagletown, near Rock Creek. When the ordinance of cecession was passed by the Choctaw Council, H. C. Harris, James Dyer, Sr., and many other prominent Choc taws took up their arms and entered the service of the Confederacy. Burt Harris had the advantages offered by the Indian schools of the country and afterward~ a thorough business course at Paris, Texas. However, he has spent most of his life on his splendid farm near Pleasant Hill in this county. Mr. Harris, who is .iust now in the prime of life, is regarded as one of the best citizens of the county. Rev. Russell Thomas. Rev. Russell Thomas, born near Boktukilo, Indian Territory, in 1870, of full-blood Indian parents, and edu cated at Spencer Academy on the Kiamitia River. Russell Thomas has lived a life of piety and morality and has proven a worthy example to his people. He began his ministry in the Methodist Church in 1895, and now has charge of five churches in McCurtain County. A. M. Darling. A. M. Darling, of Garvin, this county, was born in Oshkosh, Wis., in July, 1850, and spent most of his early life on the frontier of Minnesota. He received only a common school education, but by association and per sistent effort, mastered the practical features of civil engineering. Mr. Darling came to McCurtain County in 1904, and is now in the employ of the Choctaw Lumber Company as surveyor and estimator of timber. Dr. Charles A. Denison. Dr. Charles A. Denison, of Idabel, Okla., the pioneer physician of McCurtain County, was born at Lexington, Tenn., on the 20th of August, 1861, and was educated in 166 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND the common schools of the State. In 1883 he began the study of medicine, after moving to Red River County, Texas, and ,vas licensed to practice in 1888, when he moved in to what is now McCurtain County. The doctor was asked if he had any regrets for having cast his lot with the pioneers of this country, to which he replied, "No, indeed," and from the remainder of his answer, it was easy to see that he longed for the flesh pots of Egypt. His means of getting over the country was on horseback and in a buggy, and many a long ride has he taken over the hills and across streams to visit his patients. ,vhat would a doctor of today think of riding 40 miles, the distance from Shawneetown to Hochatown, to see a sick man? He might go, but the patient couldn't entertain the tax assessor for several years afterward. He was the first regularly licensed physician to practice in this part of the country, and for many years, the only one, and he had very little trouble in collecting his bills. Dr. Denison retired from the practice of medicine in 1910, and has since that time resided in Idabel 1Nhere he has business interests that require much of his time. At his farm home, near old Shawneetown, he frequently entertains the McCurtain County Medical Association and others of his old friends. Jarnes H. Crook. James H. Crook, of Idabel, a native of Tennessee, came to Texas in 1872, and settled with his father's family at Davis. In 1898 he moved into the Indian Terri tory and bought out a small mercantile business at Alikchi that was owned by John Woodward. The district court house and grounds of the Choctaws were located at Alikchi, and Mr. Crook was present at the last legal execution of a Choctaw convicted of murder under the Choctaw la,v. The victim was William Goins, of whose tragic end description is given else,vhere. Mr. Crook has been with the Choctaw Lumber Company for the past twelve years. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 167 Mary Violetta · Knight. Mary Violetta Knight, only child of J. R. and Agnes Knight, was seventeen years old on the 3rd of November, 1922. She is a graduate of the East Central Teachers College at Ada, Okla., and is at present attending the Randolph-Macon Woman's College at Lynchburg, Va. She bears the distinction of being the only child on .the Choctaw roll (roll number 568), "New born," under the Act of Congress, April 26th, 1906. Since the death of her mother in 1911, she has made her home with her aunt, Miss Kate Knight, at Ada, but greatly enjoys an occasional trip to the old home place in the mountains of McCurtain and a visit with Daddy. Fulsom Training School S a local writer has well observed, "This institu- 1 tion is in a class by itself." Located in the : little town of Smithville, in the northern part of the county, along the foothills of the Ozark range, it is an ideal place for an institution of this kind. The fact that it occupies the most accessible point in a mountainous territory of over four thousand square miles, and the further fact that hundreds of children who live in this territory are enabled to Teceive a thorough mental, moral, religious and physical training that they probably would never have enjoyed, alone justifies the founding and building of the school. The climate is cool and de lightful; the country surrounding is well drained and healthful; the social life is enhanced by bringing the school and the comm unity together on special occasions and the _discipline, while firm, is kind and considerate. The school was established by, and belongs to the M. E. Church, South, and while it is a denominational school, it is free from sectarianism. The local manage ment of the institution is directed by an Advisory Board 168 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND ~... i,-, ~ ;...~ ~ ....~ ...... rn 0 ~ Cl ~ 0 ....,v ....~ ~ :,,; ..,,- SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 169 composed of seven citizens of the community, the Super intendent, Indian Missionary, the Presiding Elder of the district and the Bishop. The dormitories are comfortable in every respect, well-lighted, well-heated and well-ventil ated. The buildings are supplied ,vith pure fresh water from a deep well. There is a good sewer system that insures convenience and sanitation. The work done in the school is constructive and high grade, preparing many boys and girls to find themselves in a larger and more useful life. rrhe school gives a gen eral training which prepares those who desire to go fur ther in educational work to do so successfully. It also gives special training which enables the boys and girls who return to their homes to live more valuable lives and to be leaders in their communities. The campus, comprising 20 acr0s, lies just north of the town, is higher than the land on which the town is built, and along the east side is a beautiful natural growth of elm, oak and pine. The buildings are grouped near the center of the campus and are all new, modernly built and comfortably furnished. The personnel of the f acuity are products of some of the best institutions of the country. William B. Hubbel, the superintendent, takes his degree of A. B. from Hendrix College, and the degree of A. M. from Columbia University. In 1916 he was ordained an elder in the M. E. Church, South. After having served as business manager for Hendrix College for eight years, he resigned in 1918 and volunteered for war service, and served in the home camps for several months, then spent nine months in France in the Army Educational Corps. W. H. Bryant, principal and professor of Latin and Modern Languages, is a young man of fine Christian char acter. He also took his degree of A. B. at Hendrix Col lege with honors in 1920. During the year 1920-21 he was principal of the public schools of Warren, Arkansas. Having worked his way through school, Mr. Bryant is in 170 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND sympathy with every young man and woman who is trying to get an education. Mrs. W. B. Hubbel, Professor of English and House hold Arts, took her degree of A. B. in 1913, and in 1914 did special work in the department of Home Economics at Columbia University. Besides other and extensive work in different colleges, she has taught in the public schools of Little Rock. She is active in church work and very much interested in education. C. E. Nesbit, Teacher of Bible and Director of Re ligious Education. Mr. Nesbit took his degree at Hendrix College with honors and under difficulties, working, teach ing and preaching to pay his way as he went, giving an example of what one can do if he has the wit and determi nation to do it. Pier~e K. Merrill, Professor of l\1athematics and Phys ical Director, is a product of Conway High School and Hendrix College. He is active and proficient in athletics, having won three letters in football, three in baseball and two in basket-ball, and has served as athletic director in various high schools and colleges. Miss Ione May Liller, graduate of Central College (Mo.) Conservatory, is Teacher and Director of Vocal and Instrumental Music. She has a splendid soprano voice and served as soloist in the First Methodist Church of Lexington, Mo. She is a young woman of splendid Chris tian character, and is in full sympathy with the activities of the young people. Mrs. C. E. Nesbit, Superintendent of Grammar School and principal Librarian, comes from the Hendrix Academy and Southern Methodist University. She has broad ex perience as a teacher and loves rural work, of fine Chris tian character and always helpful to those around he1·. Mrs. Ida B. Merrill, of the University of Arkansas, Superintendent of Girls' Home. Aside from Mrs. Merrill's broad and extensive experience in educational and church SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 171 work, her face is a reflection of all the Christian virtues which eminently fit her for the position she holds in this model school, and the institute is fortunate in having her services as a matron. Comment and Criticism A Social Problem. NE of the social problems confronting the people of our county is _that of bringing about closer relations and more congenial associations be tween the country women and the women of the towns. There is a feeling of restraint upon one side and a timid shyness on the other, and as a matter of fact, there are no grounds for either, when common sense and a fell ow feeling prevails. Unfortunately, the women of the country have not had the educational advantages of their town sisters, neither have they the modern conveniences, comforts and other surroundings that tend to cast a refining influence about the home. But what of that? When a woman has common sense, and even a limited edu cation, backed up by virtue, honor and integrity of pur pose, may she not feel sure of her social position? When men meet each other, there is a hearty hand shake and unmistakable friendly greeting but not so with women. There is a "better-than-thou" look upon the town woman's face and the timid .~hyness of the country woman will not permit her to break the ice. Daily social contact with her kind has relieved the town woman of timidity and also that kindly feeling for her timid, em barrassed country sister, while the lack of social contact with the latter prevents her from making advancements necessary to form acquaintances and friendships. There was a time when the country woman of the southland held the whip-hand over her town sister and practically ignored them socially, but this was before the days of commercial supremacy, when the planter was the 172 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND aristocrat, ,vhen the merchants were called tradesmen, lawyers shysters and doctors pill-rollers. The sons of the towns and- cities were urged by their parents to pay court to the farmer's daughter. But the pendulum has swung and the only hope for this regretable condition is Chris tian kindness, charity and a deeper love for our kind. The woman-Moses who is to lead her sisters into the light of these virtues cannot come too soon. Our Public Schools. The higher iµstitutions of learning-public schools under the control of the State, are handicapped by political influence, fads and frills. F,requently, the heads of these institutions and members of the faculty owe their appoint ment to what is known as a · "Political Pull," and are selected without much regard for fitness and qualifications. After they are installed they are seized with the i.dea of making their school the first in the State, and here begins the introduction of endless fads and frills. The student body is swamped with new ideas, new departures from the regular course to such an extent that ninety per cent of them can not master the entire course with any degree of credit to themselves within the prescribed time, though the institutions turn them out as the finished product. In short, the institution sacrifices character for reputation and the young men and women of the State are the losers. The to,vn and city schools, except perhaps the political influence, are afflicted the same ,vay. In high school, there is tendency to get the pupil by his or her course of study regardless of proficiency. In the towns and cities, the pupil is allowed and even encouraged to fritter away his time from the time he enters school until he "Goes Through" high school, in fads and frills, especially ath letics. Physical training is fine for the boy and girl, but many of our schools are exceeding the bounds of reason with this feature of school work. The high school pupil is allowed to overlook science, current events and litera ture and dabble in art and flirt \vith music-two pro- SOUTHEAST OKLAH01\1A 173 fessions that can only be mastered by special_ courses of study. In addition to these objectionable features, the modern public school allows the pupils too many liberties. There is not enough respect for lai-.v and order. There is a happy medium between the old "Birch Rod" school master and the modern "Fad and Frill" school marm. There are t--~o other objections to modern schools. The "Grade a Year" system, by which the girl or boy who would forge ahead is held back to one grade per term because his classmates are too• indolent to keep pace with him, and the over-crowded condition of the average school. Very of ten there are fifty and sixty pupils of various grades in one room. Tl1e rural schools owe their lack of efficiency to several causes. The principal ones are the inefficient teacher and parental and public indifference. In many instances the teacher is an inexr=erienced high school product who uses this high and respectable calling as a means to an end. If a male, he only teaches to get the means to study· law or medicine. If a female, for money to buy a trousseau, and both of them are only looking for four o'clock in the afternoon and the clerk's warrant every twenty-eight day8. It would be distressing to the \\1 hole-hearted educator to visit• the rural ccmmunities and \\1 itness the lack of interest in the public schools. The earnest teacher ·who organizes the "Parent-Teacher's Association," or kindred organization, and who goes to the houses of his patrons beseec:~ing thEm to send their children to school, doesn't get much encouragement. As a remedy for the evils in the higher institutions of learning, there should be an elimination of politics, fads and frills, and a strict adherence to a course of study that will prerare the student for his place in the world's affairs. For the common schcols, increased respect for law and order, use every means possible to create an interest in the success of the school, employ only teachers who are willing to work for the good of the State as well 174 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND as for their own interests, and are community builders as well. Except, perhaps, in a few instances, the salaries paid teachers are commesurate with the services rendered, but if a better salary was offered it would bring better talent into the educational world. The money necessary to conduct the public school3 has. not kept pace with the better schools, better condi tions~ beth=·r housing and equipment and increased population. With reference to athletics in the schools, under the slogan "Physically Fit, Mentally Alert and Morally Cleau/' no obectiong can be found, but the first feature of this slogan is wrongfully directed in the average school. U,v reason of the spirit of competition between schools and colleges, onl~r such of the students as nature has endo·wed with physic~} advantages are· selected for intensive train ing, while fhe stooped-shouldered, thin-chested boy3 and girls are left to their own devices for physical development. Retrospective. In the first chapter of this book the statement is made that "The History of l\icCurtain County is such that it needs no formal introduction," and this chapter treats of the reason why. The geographical location and body social of any given country has never failed to lend color to its indi vidual and co~lective history. Neither has the leven of morality and intelligence ever failed to bring order out of chaos. The location of McCurtain Caunty-bordering upon two States-and its natural topography, made for it in the early days, a convenient and comparatively safe retreat for questionable characters from the adjoining and other States. and many such characters took advantage of the fact. For years and years this class of people lived in the wilds of the territory now composing Southeast Oklahoma, SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA without scarcely any restraint of government, morais or religion. Their descendants were brought up in a state of illiteracy, without moral or religious training. The deadly gun was not the last, but the first resort in any emergency. To live without work, to thrive on the sweat and labor of others, to them, was commendable. It is to be understood that this arraingment does not apply to the majority of the people ,vho lived here at that time, for no government can prosper with a corrupt majority, but only to the class that sowed the seeds for the destruction of life and property. When ,ve have added to this class of disreputable characters an immigration of undesirables who came in after the organization of the state and county govern ment, who took advantage of the welcome ~xtended them by a trusting people to tramp under their drunken feet the rights and property of others to rob, steal, burglarize and to kill on the slightest provocation, and who by the aid of illicit traffic in whiskey were enabled to rob the Indian out of his meager patrimony, to generally defy civil government and who had contempt for moral and religious sentiment and influence, is it any wonder that in the struggle for the survival of the fittest, for the establish ment of law and order, over 500 homicides were com mitted from 1907 to 1920? It may be safely and truthfully estimated that in 90 per cent of these killings the deceased got just what was coming to him. Like Gideon's enemies, the undesirables turned against each other, and ,vhile the law-abiding citizen deplored the general state of affairs, in most cases he said Amen! to the individual deed. Thees numerous homicides were not the result of the lack of law enforcement, but of drunkenness, mutual criminality, bad men, who were blots upon civilization, and men to whom the restraints of law were as gall and wormwood; men whom society could well afford to lose, even under the deplorable conditions in which they were removed. 176 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND A very large per cent of the killings in the county since statehood has been among and between the Indians, traceable directly to drunkenness. Aside from the fact that the Indian seems to inherit the belief that he has a right to destroy his enemy, when under the influence of whiskey his homicidal inclinations are not confined to his particular enemy. But in nearly every instance of killing by an Indian, an Indian was the victim. There is only one case in the records of the county where an Indian is charged with killing a white man. Financial wrongs do not worry an Indian, but are soon forgotten, and this class of wrongs being about all the v,rhite man ever perpe trates againHt him, he doesn't hold the grudge that he uHually doe8 for other wrongs. There never lived in any country a more peaceable, tractible and law-abiding people than the Choctaw Indian, when Hober. Only twice in the 17 years of local government has law enforcement been frustrated by mob violence. In 1 !)10, a negro charged with murder was forcibly taken from the custody of the officers ana hung. And again in 1 !ll 7, when a negro charged with rare was on trial. the horrible details of the crime so inrensed the people who were present at the trial, that he was shot to death at the courthouse door. When Clayton Thompson, the wholesale murderer of the community north of Wright City, and the cowardly slayer of Sheriff Felker in August, 1822, ,vas placed in jail, it is probable that his death from "'rounds inflicted by Deputy Richard Jones at the time, was all that saved him from the vengeance of an outraged populace. While McCurtain County, by reason of these num erous homicides, has acquired a reputation of lawlessness, the accusation is untrue. At no time has the peaceable, sober, law-abiding citizen ever been in danger of his life except in an effort to enforce the law against such char acters as those above described, or in defending himself from an attack by those who held the law as naught. After all, our county in its struggle8 for better condi- SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 177 tions and for the supremacy of the law has only followed precedent after precedent, only r~peated the history of nations and states since the beginning of civilization. Life, property and the blessings of liberty of our own nation were purchased at the expense of the best of American loss of life. We owe to the sacrifice of human life, the unity and happiness of the greatest country on earth, which was reunited and cemented \\1 ith the blood of brothers. We are indebted to the sacrifice of life and blood for Christian civilization that is today the light of the world. In fact, all through the annals of hh,tory, adversities have proven a blessing. Within the past few years, vigorous pro~;ecution of criminals, public sentiment, perHistent enforcement of the prohibition laws, the steady removal of illiteracy through a wonderful system of school8, teaching morality and citizen~hip, the establishment of ~hurches whose benign influences have had their effect, and the natural reaction that always comes in the wake of excesses, have combined to bring -order out of chaos, to establish law and order, to separate the gold from the dross and to make of l\1cCurtain County a country which anyone may be proud to call home. From a melting pot of all kinds of char acters, McCurtain has emerged with colors flying, and has taken her place in the galaxy of counties of the State to which her natural advantages and splendid citizenship entitle her. The good things of life perpetuate themselves. The things that are worth while continue through the ages. The simple virtues of an honest people forever stand un adorned upon their immaculate pedestals. Storm and stress, fire and famine, war from ,,rithout and strife from within, can never destroy those better things that have been honestly built upon the rock of political and religious liberty. Therefore, it is with admjration and pride that we have witnessed the passing into history of conditions that for a time, like a hoar frost, blighted the prospects and progress of a community and a country. 178 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND Confederate Veterans Capt. W. S. Ray. Capt. W. S. Wray was born in Orange County, North Calolina, in 1844, and while a boy his family moved to Tennessee and settled near the old Shiloh Church, after wards made famous by the battle of Shiloh, fought between the armies of the Civil War. Capt. Ray left McNairy County, Tenn., with the first Confederate company organ ized there, while he was not yet 17. His command was the 15th Tennessee Regiment, Infantry. His first service was in Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky, engaged in the battles of Belmont and Shiloh. Later, he was placed under SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 179 Capt. Smith as a scout, and served with that officer in West Tennessee for more than a year, and while in this service was in the battles of Okolona, Paducah and Fort I Pillow. In 1864 Capt. Ray was transferred, with others, to Johnson's army which was then near Dalton, Ga., and had part in all the battles of the Georgia campaign from Dalton to Lovejoy Station. After Hood's return from Tennessee, he rejoined the 16th Tennessee Cavalry, where he served until he was parolled at Corinth, May 15th, 1865. In 1908, he moved to Idabel, this county, and lived here until his death in October, 1920. Capt. Ray was a man whom to know was to love, and the State and county lost a good citizen and a Christian gentleman, at his death. I-Iis descendants are today among the best citizens of McCurtain County. Dr. J. D. Bledsoe. Dr. J. D. Bledsoe, Idabel, born in Carroll County, May 31st, 1838, educated in the common schools and had one year in college. He enlisted in the Confederate army in Anderson County, Tenn., in June, 1861, Company G, 55th Tennessee Regiment, under command of Gen. Joseph E. Johnson, and served during the war east of the Mississippi River. At the battle of Atlanta, he was wounded in the right hand, resulting in the loss of the thumb and index finger. Was taken as a prisoner at Tiptonville. He was discharged at Nashville in 1865. Dr. Bledsoe is still active but his eyesight has failed to such an extent that he cannot read very well even with a reading glass. He has not practi~ed his profession since coming to Oklahoma in 1907. J. C. Hutcheson. J. C. Hutcheson, of Haworth, was born in Mississippi in 1842, enlisted in the Confederate service at Clarks ville, Texas, in 1862, in Company F, \Vhitfield's Regiment, 180 l\1cCURTAIN COUNTY AND and served in the army of Tennessee. He was at home on furlough when peace was declared in 1865, and never received a formal discharge. However, he is pensioned by the State Government of Texas, as that State has been his residence for more than a half century. He spends much of his time with his children in this State, among whom is Pat Hutcheson of Haworth. ·The old fellow doesn't get about very lively, but he is jolly and com panionable. W. S. Brookes. \V. S. Brookes, of \ralliar.t, Okla., an old Confederate solider and a member of the First Arkansas Cavalry, enlisted in the Confederate service in 1864, when a mere boy. When Gen. Lee surrendered in 1865, he went to SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 181 Helena and surrendered with his batallion. Mr. Brookes is the father of our fellow-townsman, F. M. Brookes, who for many years was the efficient. court clerk of McCurtain County. He is a well-preserved man and is now in splendid health, active and takes great interest in current events. He is loud in his praises of Oklahoma for her generous support of the old heroes of the Southland, and compli ments the author of this work for his interest and efforts in trying to preserve the salient features of the country's history. Mr. Brookes was born in Yallabusha County, Miss., in 1847, and is now in his 77th year. Claiborn M. Woods. Claiborn M. Woods was born September 18th, 1841, in Sabine Parish, La., enlisted in the Confederate service at Mansfield, La., with Company B, April 1st, 1862, Col. Landry's Regiment, Allen Thomas' Brigade, Buckner's Division. Was discharged at Natchitoches, La., in 1865. Mr. Woods carries his four score of years easily, and doesn't fail to speak his appreciation of his adopted State's care for the old soldiers of the South. M. D. Waddle. M. D. Waddle, born in Cobb County, Georgia, in October, 1840, raised on a farm, and at the age of 21 volunteered for service in the Confederate army in Cal houn County, Alabama, in 1861, by enlisting in Company I, 25th Alabama Infantry, Withers Division. He was in the Army of Tennessee under Hood, and was in the battle of Shiloh. Mr. Waddle is in his 83rd yEar, and having had a leg broken ·when a boy, he limps a little and carries a cane, but he is still active and alert. Like many others of his old comrades, he lives with his children, some of whom are in Texas, but he claims Oklahoma as his home. 182 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND C. Reed . ' .. ' ' ' • I. ~ / C. Reed, was born August 14th, 1844, near Columbia, Ga. Was a member of Terrell's Artillery, an independent company, subject to the orders of Gen. Lee. Captain of hjs company was Edgar G. Dawren, of Sparta, Ga. He enlisted in Columbia, Ga., at the age of 17, April 26th, 1862, and surrendered at Greensboro, N. C,, April 26th, 1865, thus giving three years of boyhood to his country and the ·cause that he believed was right. Notwithstanding his 78 years, Mr. Reed is still active and spends his time with his children who delight in catering to his comfort and enjoyment in life. He makes his home with his daughter, Mrs. James H. Crook of Idabel, and is a member of Ben McCullough Camp, U. C. V., No. 1748. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 183 W. G. Fail. W. G. Fail, born in Alabama in 1839. Had one year at the University of Alabama and three years at the Universit;·· C'f Virginia, which at that time was a military institution, anu considered the best school in the United States, except W t~t Point. He enlisted in infantry in 1861, but later joined Company D, Cavalry, Hagan's Regi ment, under Joe Wheele:r' s command. Mr. Fail has devoted p1·actically all of his time to the school room since the end of his army service, and now, with his children and his good wife, is enjoying the fruits of a well-spent life-a ripe old a re and a clear conscience. 184 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND C. N. Robertson. C. N. Robertson was born in Wade County, North Carolina, August 13th, 1845, raised on a farm till he was 18 years old and then entered the Confederate army, enlist ing at Camden, Ark., in the artillery service. :.1 May, 1862, Blocker's Battalion, Trans-Mississippi DP~artment. After a three years' term of service, he was discharged in Louisiana in ~iay, 1865. Mr. Robertson lives in Idabel but spends much of his time among his different children in Oklahoma and Texas. He is a member of Ben Mc Cullough Camp, Idabel, Okla., and for his age is very active and alert. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 185 B. R. Jacobs. B. R. Jacobs was born in Pike County, Ark., in 1840, raised on a farm and has followed that occupation all of his long and interesting life. He came to McCurtain County in 1898 and settled upon Lukfata Creek where he lived for several years, then moved over on Mountain Fork River near Hochatown. He is the father of eleven child ren-8 boys and 3 girls-only 5 of ,vhom are living. His services as a Confederate soldier were confined to the campaigns west of the Mississippi and included the battles of Elkhorn, Wilson's Creek, or as otherwise known, Oak Hill, and other battles. He was discharged at Washington, Ark., in April, 1865. .Notwithstanding his 83 years of life Mr. Jacobs is·' still active and frequently walks 20 and 30 186 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND miles a day on his visits from one of his children's home to another. He is of medium height, strong and active, iron gray hair worn in long curls about hs shoulders, and is a jolly companion and especially interesting in his many reminiscences of forest and stream. Uncle Rect is known better as one of the oldest and most successful hunters of Arkansas and Oklahoma. He and his wife, who is near his age, have broken up housekeeping and live with the families of their children. Patrick Henry Crenshaw. Patrick Henry Crenshaw, of Broken __Bow, was born near Athens, Ala., in 1849, a direct descendant of the American patriot, Patrick Henry (great grandson); must have had the blood of his ancestor coursing through his veins, for he joined the Confederate army by enlistment in Company K, 6th Regiment, Arkansas Regulars, and was under heavy artillery fire before he was 13 years old. He was in all the hard-fought battles of Tennessee and Georgia, under Bragg, Johnson and Hood. After being honorably discharged· from the army at Greensboro, N. C., he came home and began the study and practice of law. 1 During his residence in Arkansas, he served one term in the Legislature of that State and two terms as district attorney in 16th Arkansas circuit. After moving to this State, he joined the ranks of Oklahoma teachers, and until the last three or four years, has followed that profession. He and his estimable wife, who is still teaching, now reside in Broken Bow, and spend a great deal of their time at the home of Mrs. W. S. Paden, who is their daughter. Garrett Igo. Garrett Igo, the subject of this sketch, was born at Ashline, Ky., November 17th, 1840. Moved to Texas before the Civil War, and resided in that State until 1906, when he moved to McCurtain County, Okla. He SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 187 GARHETT IGO entered the Confederate service at an early age as cavalry man and fought his first battle at Wilson's Creek, near Springfield, Mo. After this battle his command was ordered into the .Indian Territo1~y to take old Fort Arbuckle, which at that time was in possession of the Federal troops. The fort surrendered without firing a gun. On leaving the old fort his command encountered · on the southern slopes of the mountain a Comanche force of 300 warriors under the command of ---. Sixty of the Indians, including the chief, were killed, and the remainder took to the mountains for protection. He next found himself at Clarksville, Texas, where he joined Whitfield's First Texas Legion, and was transported east of the Mississippi River, 186 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND miles a day on his visits from one of his children's home to another. He is of medium height, strong and active, iron gray hair worn in long curls about hs shoulders, and is a jolly companion and especially interesting in his many reminiscences of forest and stream. Uncle Rect is known better as one of the oldest and most successful hunters of Arkansas and Oklahoma. He and his wife, who is near his age, have broken up housekeeping and live with the families of their children. Patrick Henry Crenshaw. Patrick Henry Crenshaw, of Broken __Bow, was born near Athens, Ala., in 1849, a direct descendant of the American patriot, Patrick Henry (great grandson) ; must have had the blood of his ancestor coursing through his veins, for he joined the Confederate army by enlistment in Company K, 6th Regiment, Arkansas Regulars, and was under hea'vy artillery fire before he was 13 years old. He was in all the hard-fought battles of Tennessee and Georgia, under ·Bragg, Johnson and Hood. After being honorably discharged- from the army at Greensboro, N. C., he came home and began the study and practice of law. During his residence in Arkansas, he served one term in the Legislature of that State and two terms as district attorney in 16th Arkansas circuit. After moving to this State, he joined the ranks of Oklahoma teachers, and until the last three or four years, has followed that profession. He and his estimable wife, who is still teaching, now reside in Broken Bow, and spend a great deal of their time at the home of Mrs. W. S. Paden, who is their daughter. Garrett Igo. Garrett Igo, the subject of this sketch, was born at Ashline, Ky., November 17th, 1840. Moved to Texas before the Civil War, and resided in that State until 1906, when he moved to McCurtain County, Okla. He SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 189 May, 1861, enlisted in Company G, 8th Tennessee Infantry, Cheatham's Division. He served one year in Northern Virginia, then went into Tennessee. Was wounded at the battle of Murfreesboro in 1862, and again at the battle of Resika, Georgia, in 1864. He was one of President Davis' escort from Greensboro, N. C., to Washington, Georgia. His long beard is snow-white but he is still straight and gets around Ike a boy. A. W. Gladden. . A. W. Gladden enlisted in the southern army in South Carolina in 1862, and served most of the time east of the Mississippi. He was a member of Company B, 4th Cavalry, Col. Rutlage, Gen. Wade Hampton. Was in the battle of 190 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND Port Royal and many other hard-fought battles. Surren dered at Greensboro, N. C., and was parolled at Chester, S. C. Mr. Gladden moved from Arkansas to this county in 1906. He is regarded as one among the best citizens and is still active for a man of his age. W. O. Carter. W. 0. Carter, a native of Louisiana, born in Natchi toches Parish in January, 1846. Received a common school education and enlisted in the Confederate army in April, 1863, at the age of 16, in Company E, 2nd Louisiana Cavalry. He served the remainder of the war in the trans Mississippi department under Col. Vincent in General SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 191 Taylor's command. He fought in the battles of Mans field and Pleasant· Hill, La., and all the other battles of that State. He aided in the organization of Ben McCul lough Camp of Idabel, and is still a member of the camp. Robert \V. Jones. Robert \V. Jones was born December 8th, 1841, at Washington, Hempstead County, Ark. Enlisted in the Confederate service in March, 1861. In May, 1861, went to Little Rock, thence to Fort Smith. His regiment was organized with John R. Gratiot as Colonel, and known as 3rd Arkansas. Was in the battle of Oak Hill, Mo., August 10th, 1861, and after the battle was changed to the 2nd 192 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND Arkansas Regiment, which was disbanded in Benton County in September, 1861. Re-enlisted and went across Missis sippi River; was in the battle of Corinth, Miss., October 4th, 1862. Surrendered at Vicksburg, July 4th, 1863. Was parolled and afterwards exchanged and sent back west of the rver. Discharged at Marshall, Texas, latter part of May, 1865. The roster of Ben McCullough Camp at Idabel shows his rank in the army of the South. Mr. Jones is still active for his age, and it is to his efforts, to some extent, that the old - soldiers' pensions have been increased in the State. He has put in the most of his time since coming to Oklahoma in the State's ser vice as justice of the peace, and ~s regarded as one of the best in the county. F. S. PATTERSON, A. McCURTAIN COUNTY VETERAN. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 193 C. J. Stewart. C. J. Stewart, born in Johnson County, Ark., January 28th, 1848. Attended common schools and afterwards completed high school work. Enlisted in the Confederate service at Clarksville, Ark., in September, 1864, in Company C, Hill's Regiment of Cavalry, Fagan's Division. Fought his first battle at Pilot Knob, Mo., and was later in the battles of Franklin, Boonville, Independence, Grand Prairie and Utonia. From Missouri he went south into winter quarters. Was discharged at Marshall, Texas, in May, 1865. On coming home he entered and attended Franklin College one year. Moved to Oklahoma, or rather Indian Territory, in 1897 and took charge of the Poteau High School. Came to McCurtain County in 1901. Elected 194 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND District Clerk at the election for statehood and served three years. Since that time he has been regularly engaged in school and church work. Mr. Stewart has always been a zealous supporter of the prohibition cause and is outspoken in the denunciation of crime and immorality. Mr. Stewart was appointed State Pension Commis sioner in January, 1923. St. Etienne r;::====:~~::::;:i MONG the 90,000 Oklahomans -referred to in the following graphic description of the hellish battles of France during the late war, were ----~~--' many lads from the towns, hills and valleys of McCurtain County who never returned to their native heaths. . "Four years ago Sunday the old First Regiment of Oklahoma National Guard received its baptism of fire at St. Etienne. It was on the morning of October 8, 1918, that those citizen soldiers of Oklahoma went down into the valley of the shadow amid the chalk hills of the Cham pagne. Accompanying them in that whirlwind charge were other Oklahomans fighting under the flags of other regi ments in the Panther Division. There was the end of more than two long years of intensive training. The weapon fashioned beneath the skies of San Benito and on the field of Bur-Sur-Aube first flashed in battle at St. Etienne. Lads who never before had heard the growl of unfriendly cannon were hurled against the troops of Prussia, who since the early Autumn of 1914 had lain behind their guns in the Champaign sector and shot down the flower of France. But those troops for the first time met in battle grips the spirit of Oklahoma, and when the bugles sounded truce after days of murderous fighting the Sooners had cut their way through the teeth of death itself to the banks of the Aisne. Death swung a fearful scythe at St. Etienne. Many SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 195 an Oklahoma laddie \Vho followed the flag of his country on that wild· October morning is sleeping quietly today in the bosom of France. The companies from Chandler and Wewoka were decimated. Every commissioned officer of the Wewoka contingent was a casualty. The other com panies of the regiment suffered but little less. Hardly a village in Oklahoma failed to deck itself with crepe when the casualty lists of that fatal field reached home. But more heroic valor was never displayed on any field of battle than was shown by these lads from the villages and farms of Ok~ahoma. Of the 90,000 men from this State who answered the call of mobilization, only three won the Congressional n1edal for bravery and two of these wore the uniform of the Oklahoma National Guard. Pr3:ctically every odd that is known to modern warfare ·was against the boys from Oklahoma at St. Etienne. Their orders were ambiguous and never fully understood. No barrage preceded their desperate advance. No machine gun backed them in their hazardous enterprise. · No hand grenades were furnished as they" :rushed into the welter of death. They had nothing-nothing but stark courage and their rifles. Like those of the French at Eylau were their orders "Advance and die." N·o regiment in the entire Amer.ican contingent fought under more adverse circumstances, few suffered heavier casualties, and none advanced farther under fire. Waterloo and Balaklava never witnessed more desperate courage than that dis pla·yed by the soldier boys of Oklahoma at St. Etienne. The sons of Oklahoma served in practically every division that crosse~ the seas to France. They served in every line of duty. And of all that number who heard their country's call, not one has given the State a record of which it might be ashamed. They were heroes, all. At St. Mihiel. at Sedan, and in the wilderness of the Ar gonne, they covered the name of Oklahoma with imper ishable glory. And the bravest that ever marched to battle from Marathon to the Meuse were no braver than those who fought or fell at St. Etienne. 196 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND JOSEPH OKLAHOMBI, McCURTAIN'S WAR HERO SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 197 -Campaigning In McCurtain , HE Democrats of l\tlcCurtain have never for saken the ways and precedents of the fathers. They still enjoy a politicaI,.scrap and the spoils of victory. In elec_tion y~ars, when the crops are off the farmers' hands, business a little dull and the political bee begins to hum ar~und the ears of the embryo candidate, whispering his honeye4 1Nords, such as, "Many are called but few are chosen," and '.'You are one of the few," the arena for the contest is cleared, and the war of words is on. The publishers of the county news papers chuckle with a degree of satisfaction felt only by publishers in a campaign year, for they see in the near future their usual biennial harvest. ·The customary method of campaigning is the "Col lective Drive," but occasionally a "Stillhunter" shows up in the ranks of the candidates and causes no little uneasi ness among his opponents. Anent "Stillhunting," it is said of John M. Post, who peld the office of county assessor for twelve years, that h~ had reduced that mode of campaigning to a science. . Qanvassing the county on horseback, he was said to disrqount just before · arriving at the house of the elect~r i~ or~et · to convey the im pression that he was still .tog :p0qr to make the canvass otherwise than on foot. Th~t he would help the women with their milking (for. the women do the milking). The boys with their chores; .that his account at the grocer's • . _,.t • for apples, candy and che.wing gum was the biggest item ~ ~ • .~. • "I/ ' -t ... ' in his campaign expenses.'~::' If he happened at Sunday school or.. church, he would~·.take an active part, or, if a .....,. • -, ~ ...... t.. .• • dancing party, he would· ~~~~~~ttE:!1U •' ,.__ . ,, .. ··.,_, . . ,·•,--,.-:_ SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 199 the county was flooded with card3, posters and photo graphs. The mission of the posters was to notify the electors of the day and hour when the candidates would address them on local issues and personal aspirations. After the campaign began to warm up, and the issues between the candidates were clearly defined, large crowds would greet the party at every schoolhouse, and with few exceptions these campaigns have been conducted by the candidates with the best of feeling for each other, and the greatest respect for their audiences. The Republicans have not made a systematic cam paign since 1910. Had they done so in 1920, perhaps there would have been as great a surprise in the county as there was in the State, when they. captured the lower house of the Legislature and the U. S. Senator. The politicians say that the cause of this sudden shifting of political faith was due to business depression consequent upon the "Readjustment" of conditions, while the rural voters say that it was on account of the manner in which the poli ticians treated their old and tried friend and servant Senator T. P. Gore in the primary election. The result of the elections of 1920-22, rather vindicates the position of the rural voter. In 1914, the Socialist Party cast a large vote, but only succeeded in electing a few. minor officials in dfferent parts of the county. This party has had no ticket in the field in recent. elections, but in the earlier years of state hood-1912 and 1914-they were strong enough to force an informal coalition of the Democrats and Republicans. A Love Feast and a Glass Eye. Many amusing incidents in connection with cam paigning in the county are stored away in the memories of the old timers. In the campaign of 1910, the Democratic Central Committee held a meeting in Idabel, at which many of the faithful, in addition to the committeemen, were present. Among the visitors was a local politician of Garvin, who was the unfortunate owner of a beautiful 200 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND ;~;,. ~·~- ~ . ' Jli;.4 . ' i-:; . ~· ' -~· \~,J i ...... ··•'· ...-~- _.9·., ~t"' ,~4 . ··.~,~- -~ ~ )~ SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 201 glass eye. During the deliberations of the committee a dispute arose and hot words and blows followed. The Garvin politician was struck in the back of the head and the glass eye went spinnng across the room. He imme diately withdrew from the melee to search for his lost eye. Meanwhile, peace was restored, the ludicrous inci dent of the glass eye created a general laugh and a love feast followed. During the same campaign a large party. of candi dates made a tour of the north part of the. county. At Hochatown, a beautiful village nestling at the foot of the mountains on the east side of the ]1Iountain Fork River, the candidates were so well entertained and the scenery was so fine and inspiring, they were loth to leave. How ever, the appointments were out for Smithville and other places, and with an ample supply of the means of their late entertainment, they proceeded up the river to Sher wood, taking in the beautiful scenery along the river, making speeches, singing and discussing politics. Sher wood, at this time consisted of a small farm and ranch, the main attraction being a bold ~pring of soft limpid water. The spring was a barrel Runk about two-thirds of its length in the ground, at the bottom of which the water came bubbling up out of the white sand and found an outlet through a hole at the top of the ground. It ,vas surrounded by dense shade trees and a plat of soft green grass, and here the party stopped for lunch, water being of fist importance. When many ::>f them had drunk, a good old home-made candidate remarked, "Boys, I'll sho,v you how we do it in Tennessee." Placing his hands upon the rim of the barrel, he put his head deep down into the spring. But his head was heavy and his biceps weak, therefore his feet and legs were soon straight up. His friends went to his rescue, remarking incidentally, "A Tenneseean always wants it all, or none." Campaigning in McCurtain has developed one fact in connection with success. The candidate must "Blow his own horn." The capital I's must .~hoot out of his mouth like bullets out of a rapid-fire gun. 202 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND z C -E--t ~ -C) 0 f.h 00 ~ -....,.,. 0 E--t ~ -- z SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 203 McCurtain County Fruit Growers Association N the year 1920, the business men and farmers of Broken Bow and vicinity came to the con cl us ion that something should be done to pro mote the agricultural and horticultural inter- ests of the county, something that would insure the county more than a three months' business season in each year, which is all that can be expected from growing cotton alone. Acting upon this conclusion they got to gether and organized the "McCurtain County Fruit Grow ers Association," an organization that, while young, is dem onstrating the wisdom and foresight of the men who backed the entertprise with their money and efforts. The Association was at first capitalized at $5,000, but later raised to $10,000. The Texas, Oklahoma and Eastern Railroad runs through the county east and west, and north of this road lies thousands of acres of land awaiting development in fruit and berry farms of the best and safest quality in the South or Southwest. This land is cheap, and its prepa ration for cultivation in fruit and berries is easy and inex pensive. The lands are what is known as the cut-over lands of the Choctaw Lumber Company, and the company is now putting it on the market at a very low price and on terms that anyone can afford to pay. The fact is, that if a bona fide farmer can make proof that he means business, price and terms are arranged to suit him. The Association bought 280 acres of this land and decided, first, to try out 100 acres in strawberries, Ind selected the farm in what seemed to be the roughest part of the tract, the berries were put out in 1921, and about 5,000 crates of berries were harvested during the season of 1922, although a very unfavorable season on account of the extreme wet weather. 204 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND z 0 -E-1 ~ C)- 0 u:. 00 ~ ...:.. ' T.. .~~~ ~:~'-=F .zC -.,,,. 'f,; I - ~ ~ - ./ ~ _,. : .,· .. 4 ~ .,,_.,, .. J' -,, , - SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 205 -...... ,. -.,:.. 206 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND The cost of producing the first crop of berries was about $75.00 per acre, which included preparation of land, setting and cultivation of the crop. The Klondyke variety only have been planted up to date, but Mr. I. T. Murrah, the manager, announced his intention of putting out other varieties in the next two years. Much of the land in this part of the county, from which the merchantable timber has been taken, is gravel and loose rock in rich dirt underlaid with a heavy clay subsoil, rolling, but not to such an extent as to cause wash ing. It is in the same latitude, practically the same alti tude and the same character of soil as that of the fruit and berry farms of Arkansas, on the east. Those of the farmers who have put out orchards of apples and peaches are well pleased with results. But there are others who believe that fruit trees can be brougl1t to perfection with out spraying, fertilizing and cultivating, and such as these fail, of course. The example and efforts of the Fruit Growers' Asso- ciation have become infectious. The farmers around Broken Bow are obsessed with the id~a of diversified farm ing, of having a business season of 12 months in the year, of arranging their industry so as to get the full benefit of the public schools for their children, and of dealing a death blow to the annual credit system. As the results of the Association's experiments become better known, the great tracts of land in the northern part of the county, now lying idle, will be the best paying farms of Southeast Oklahoma. There is one feature of agriculture, or rather horti- ·culture, that hes never been demonstrated in the county, that of grape culture. The lands in the hill country are peculiarly adapted to this industry. The streams all run southward and the sunny southern slopes will make ideal vineyards. The dominant plan of the McCurtain County Fruit Growers Association is to lead the farmers out of the old "one crop method" to abolish the annual credit sys- SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 207 tern, to co-operate in marketing farm produce, to have all-season c1·ops and to bring to the fore a part of the territory of our county that has hertofore been over- looked. A region that offers a home to thousands of men who are renting other men's lands at a price and on terms that anyone can afford to buy a home. Ten · years, or less time, will demonstrate that the leaven put into the agricultural bread of McCurtain County by this institution of enterprising men has borne results. The Three Counties ONCERNING the wealth, resources, natural and industrial, prospects and economic advantages of the three counties embracing extreme South east Oklahoma, J. R. Knight, ex-representative, of Ida, has the following .to say in the local newspapers: Idabel has a Chamber of Commerce that is largely a McCurtain County institution and has done the whole county good by advertising McCurtain County and enter taining visitors. We should have a three counties organization of this kind, embracing the County of Pushmataha, Choctaw and McCurtain. We are in the same Senatorial, Judicial and Congressional district. We are next door neighbor, our interests are identical and we like each other; (note how independently we vote in our District Judges and State Senators races). Why not form a business working team for our common good? An editorial in the Ada Evening News, says: "In some places the Chamber of Commerce is made up of members of both the town and rural districts of the county. The county being the unit. In Western Texas they go even farther than that, and have a Chamber of Commerce embracing several counties. This is a good plan, for it brings all classes together in a united effort to advance the interests of all classes at once. The in- t,:) 0 00 ~ n 0 c ~ 1-3 > z1-4 0 0 cz 1-3 t-< z> t:, PICKING BEHHIES-O.N 100-ACHE BERRY FARM-FRFIT GRO,YEHS' ASSOCIATION. SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 209 00 210 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND 8 z.... 0 ~ 00 : SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 211 terests of town and county are identical and what is for the advantage of one class is for the advantage of all. Co-operation is the keynote of prosperity." In these three counties we have wholesale grocery houses at Idabel, Valliant and Hugo and we have bottling works at Broken Bow, Valliant, Idabel, Hugo and bakeries scattered all over the district. There is a good chair factory at Smithville and another at Eagletown. Mighty good lime is burnt at Fort Towson and there is a patent medicine manufacturing concern there also. When we need anything in this line we should look close to home. There are lots of good things kicking around our own back yard ; look for them. The Broken Bow bottling works in an "ad." in the Broken Bow News, says : "If you are real patriotic you will demand home-made products as far as possible." That is very true and if you have common horse sense you will do so. When you go into a store and buy canned tomatoes that are put up in Maryland or California, when you could get the same put up close to home or buy the same from a next door neighbor's surplus stock, you are committing a crime and paying tribute to "lost motion." The idea of railroading carload after ·carload of corn, tomatoes, beans, etc., all over the lTnited States. If we buy closer to home both the consumer and producer are benefitted. It is estimated that one-third of. the value of all com modities in the United States go for freight and we are troubled with car shortaie all on account of buying long distance stuff and paying tribute to "lost motion" and still we are· considered civilized. Let us quit it, let us look around home for what we need and we will all prosper. In this district of three counties, we have wonderful resources and very much to be proud of. The Fulsom Training School at Smithville is in a class by itself, the greatest institution of the kind in the State. The training is spiritual, practical and thorough. It helps youth to get 212 McCURTAIN COUNTY AND ;4~i~'.- .t: ' - - SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA 213 their educational foundation on solid ground. Any boy or girl who is willing can work his way through. This institution is a great asset to Southeastern Oklahoma. It is an inspiration and a benediction of solid practical worth one hundred per cent good. It was named in honor of that grand old Choctaw Missionary, Willis Fulsom. Peace to his memory. The court house at I