This story tells of a family who were not indigenous, but their family history intersected with the Cherokee and other tribes. It provides valuable information that may be useful to others.
Francis, Oklahoma was a freight diversion on the Frisco line. It had a roadhouse, car repair, railroad building, Harvey house, the usual small town stores and one large business, the Frisco Mercantile Company. This area had been Choctaw as part of the 1830 Treaty of Dancing Rabbit, then in 1837 the Chickasaw were added. Their headquarters are today in nearby Ada. After the civil war the Comanche and other tribes begain raids in the area. Outlaws came too, like gun-for-hire “Killin’ Jim” Miller. With the railroads came more settlers. In those days the Dawes Commission was still completing its work on the “Final Rolls of the Five Civilized Tribes. In 1907, Indian Territory became the state of Oklahoma.
“My wife had a married sister living near Francis, and one day received a letter inviting us on a visit and telling that the F. Merchantile were closing out, and thinking we might buy us in on this.
After talking it over, and letting the changes multiply in our minds, till they looked very alluring, my wife wrote her a letter and went to investigate, leaving me and oldest boy Otto to follow if desirable. And to my surprise in her second letter, she wrote: “Come …. I with Jacob Henson, my sister’s husband’s help have rented an empty store building and am selling merchandise gotten for cost or contract, from the F.M. Co.”.
And the very next day, I and my son Otto, beside me, started, old Mike hitched to our buggy, for Francis. Stopping the first night in McAlister, the next day about noon, at a farmhouse on the bank after crossing a creek, we stopped for dinner on a very nice spot of green grass, about four foot high. And thought, what a fine chance for old mike to fill up. And letting the bridal rains fall to the ground, turned him loose. But that old so and so didn’t take a single bite, but started walking back for Arkansas, watching me if I would come. And when he seen me start, he began to run. I seen he would not let me get hold of him, so I went back to the buggy, put the boy in the best place, some eats in his reach, then explaining that I did not know how long I might be gone, but for him not to get out of the buggy till I got back to him, under no conditions. I then run to where I thought I would strike that creek quickest. Finding it, I crossed, walked far enough so I believed old Mike could not see me, got to that farmhouse and asked for help. They were real nice about it. Advised for me to stay out of the way until they had hold of him, and then after getting on his back, I gave old Mike a chance to show me how fast he could gallop. I found Otto was ok and soon we were on the way again for Francis, and some very busy days. “
