Indian Pioner Papers - Everet Peer Baker

Submitted by Brenda Choate  bcchoate@yahoo.com

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                    Garvin County Indian Pioneer Papers
                                      
                             Everet Peer Baker
                                      
     Interview #1029
     Field Worker: Maurice R. Anderson
     Date:
     Name: Mr. Everet Peer Baker
     Residence: Pauls Valley, Oklahoma
     Date of Birth: January 10, 1852
     Place of Birth: Middle Fork, Washington County, Arkansas
     Father:
     Mother:
     
                                      
     I came to Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, Indian Territory in 1871.  When I
     came here the government had a trail from Fort Gibson, Kansas, to
     Fort Arbuckle, Oklahoma.  I crossed the Canadian River at Young's
     Crossing and crossed the Washita River at Zack Gardner's Mill east
     of Pauls Valley and crossed Rush Creek at Tom Wait's Ranch about
     one mile southeast of Pauls Valley.  I crossed Wild Horse Creek at
     Courtney Flat just north of Fort Arbuckle.  There was a trail from
     Fort Arbuckle to Fort Sill, Oklahoma.   I do not remember its
     route.  I believe it was in 1872 or 1873 that they moved the
     soldiers from Fort Arbuckle to Fort Sill.  I believe F. Sherdan was
     the name of the commanding officer at Fort Arbuckle.
     
     The stage coaches they used here were four horse stages, they were
     Concord coaches.   Their schedule time was eight miles per hour.
     If they happened to be late they would go faster until they made up
     their lost time.  They would change horses at every stage stop.
     Their stops were Elmore City, Tussy, Rush Springs, Caddo, Fort
     Sill, Post Oak Grove, Tishomingo on Pennington Creek, Governor
     Harris's Ranch, Mill Creek, on Rock Creek at Sulphur Springs,
     Chiggly Sandy Camp, Cherokee Town Crossing north of Wynnewood,
     Miller and Green Store on Rush Creek at Pauls Valley, White Bead
     Hill, Beef Creek Camp where Maysville, Oklahoma is today, Erin
     Springs, Frank Murray's Ranch, Rounds Creek Camp, Twin Sandy Camp,
     crossed Chisholm Trail near Rush Springs, 16 Mile Beaver Camp,
     Cache Creek, and Fort Sill was the end of state line.
     
     I stayed at Pauls Valley a short while and I went to Anadarko,
     Oklahoma, and stayed there about three years.  I was working for
     William Shirley, who owned a trading post there.  I did general
     work for him.  I helped bale the first hay that was put up around
     there.  Mr. Shirley owned a Buckeye Bailer and a Buckeye mowing
     machine.  We hauled it to Fort Sill and sold the hay to the
     government.  It was prairie hay.  Our camp was on Cache Creek near
     Fort Sill.  We cut hay around Anadarko and east of Anadarko.  We
     would bale it up and then haul it to Cache Creek, where we had a
     big corral fixed to keep our mules in.   The government had some
     soldiers there to guard our mules as we were hauling hay for the
     government.  I remember one Saturday at noon a Comanche Indian
     named Queena Vida, who was a friend of Mr. Shirley came and told
     him that the Kiowa Indians were going to raid us that night and
     take our mules and horses. Mr. Shirley sent me up on a hill to
     watch for the Indians and they started loading up at sundown.  We
     left there and at 11 o'clock we were 20 miles from there, crossing
     the Washita River at Black Beaver Ranch near Anadarko, Oklahoma.
     We had 40 mules and horses, eight wagons.   This ranch was known as
     Shirley Trading Post.
     
     I returned from there to Pauls Valley and did some farming in
     1878.  I went to Lehigh, Oklahoma, close to Atoka, and started a
     livery barn, later I sold part interest to Mr. Bandy.  Then we put
     in a barn at Pauls Valley, one at Whitebead Hill, 5 miles west of
     Pauls Valley now, one at Rush Springs and one at Fort Sill.   They
     were called Baker and Bandy Stables.  I owned half interest in a
     stable at Norman.  Mr. Roundtree was my partner there.
     
     First mill in this part of the country was Zack Gardner's Mill, on
     the Washita River, east of Pauls Valley.  At Cherokee Town
     Crossing, Wynnewood there was an old cotton wood log store that
     belonged to Dr. John Shirley, stage stand, blacksmith shop, two
     dwelling houses and a four  room log house called a hotel.  There
     was a toll bridge.  For two horse wagons it costs 25 cents, for 4
     horse wagon, 50 cents, for six horse wagon, $1.00 and for horse
     backers, 10 cents.
     
     I never drove a stage coach but have ridden in them.  The fare was
     10 cents per mile.  Lots of things that have happened I can't
     remember.