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William Ervin KingInterview: # Field Worker: Maurice R. Anderson Date: February 24, 1937 Name: Mr. W.E. King Residence: Paoli, Oklahoma Date of Birth: December 19, 1863 Place of Birth: Texas "I came to the Indian Territory in 1882 near Limestone Gap in southeastern Oklahoma. I got a job cutting railroad ties and cut ties for six years. There were lots of Choctaw Indians there. Captain LeFlore who was United States Marshal there was a Choctaw Indian. I saw him bring in prisoners. He would brad shackles on them to take them to Fort Smith, Arkansas. I built a bridge over Buck Creek, near Limestone Gap and charged twenty-five cents for a wagon to cross and five cents for a single horse. I have made as high as twenty dollars a day. Everyone let their hogs run loose. We had dogs trained to drive the hogs. We would round them up and drive them eleven miles to the nearest market. I have gone hunting and have killed 20 to 25 squirrels in less than two hours. There was plenty of wild turkey and I have seen deer in big droves. In 1888 I moved to Paoli, Oklahoma, and farmed a few years. Raised lots of corn and ricked it up like cord wood. Made the run in 1889. I went to Purcell, Oklahoma, and stayed there all night at the river. The next morning when they gave the signal everybody ran and jumped into the river. We had an old wagon horse. I rode him and came out among the first. I got the place I wanted and put up a white flag and intended to stay, but I changed my mind and left. I never went back to see about it. I was in the store business selling groceries at Paoli, Oklahoma, for a few years. I have lived in and around Paoli since 1888. I have been a member of the I.O.O.F. for 32 years. I have a gold thirty year membership pin. I am the father of 11 children, six now living. I an now drawing the old age pension." |
Margaret Callie KingInterview: # Field Worker: Maurice R. Anderson Date: February 24, 1937 Name: Mrs. Callie King Residence: Paoli, Oklahoma Date of Birth: February 16, 1871 Place of Birth: Texas Father: Mother: Mrs. King relates, "I came to Oklahoma Indian Territory in a covered wagon in 1884. We saw very few Indians on the trip. There were no fences. All was wide open range. We settled four miles west of Whitebead. Mr. Cunningham built a ferry to cross the river at Whitebead. It was the only town for several miles. There were no railroads. We did all our freighting from Gainesville, Texas. It took several days to make the trip as we traveled by wagon. There was one mill on the river where we had our meal ground. All land that could be used for cultivation was planted in corn and vegetables. We raised everything that we could. We did not can anything. We didn't have any fruit of any kind. In 1890 we had to pay $5.00 permit to live in the community. Men worked for 50 cents a day. Groceries were cheap. We lived in a one room log house near Florence Chapel. The first church I attended was a little one room building at the Florence Cemetery. I don't remember the preacher's name. The school we had was a subscription school. It cost each family so much a month and the term was only three months a year. I have seen wild turkey come into our yard. There was plenty of wild game to hunt. I have lived in Garvin County since 1884." |