Indian Pioner Papers - Frances Walner

submitted by Brenda Choate  bcchoate@yahoo.com

************************************************************************
USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE:  These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced 
in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or
persons.  Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must
obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative
of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of
this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives
to store the file permanently for free access.

http://www.usgwarchives.net/
***********************************************************************
                                      
Frances Walner



Interview #

Field Worker: Maurice R. Anderson

Date: March 2, 1937

Name: Mrs. Frances Walner

Residence: Wynnewood, Oklahoma

Date of Birth: 1866

Place of Birth: Mount Vernon, Indian Territory

Father: 

Mother: 





Story told by Mrs. Frances "Stewart" Walner, born at Mount Vernon, 

Indian Territory in 1866.  



I was married to John H. Walner in 1883.  He was the son of Doctor 

Wm. Walner, who bought the Sherley Ranch north of Cherokee Town 

or Wynnewood.  



Dr. Walner owned nearly all the buildings in Cherokee Town, with 

the exception of the government stage barn.  In speaking of Dr. 

Walner, I only knew him a few years.   He died in 1884.  I believe 

he was born in Richmond Virginia and was just a young man when he 

came to the Indian Territory.  He married Miss Susan Carter, a 

Chickasaw Indian.



Dr. Walner lived at Mt. Vernon for a while.  It was at Mt. Vernon 

that I met his son, John H. Walner, whom I later married.  Dr. 

Walner owned a large ranch at Paoli, Indian Territory.  He was in 

the mercantile business at Caddo, Oklahoma with Capt. Welch.  He 

died at Cherokee Town and was buried at Paoli.



His son-in-law, James Dulin, operated the ranch at Paoli for Dr. 

Walner.  I remember James Dulin, called "Jim", quite well.  He was 

a fine cattle manager.  Also a heavy drinker.



My husband, John H. Walner, owned a grocery store with his father, 

at Cherokee Town.   After his father's death he operated this 

store until the Santa Fe Railroad came through.  The railroad 

missed Cherokee Town, so about five miles south of Cherokee Town, 

they started a town and called it Wynnewood.  My husband built the 

first store there.  That was in 1887.



The grass was waist high where the town stands today. 

 

In 1888 I have seen car after car loaded with corn, shipped away.  

It was only worth ten cents a bushel.  I have seen corn piled up on 

each side of the road for miles.  Lots of people used it for wood.



John H. Walner was a United States Marshall.  He died in 1905 and is 

buried in the Wynnewood Cemetery.



Speaking of James Dulin, I have heard my husband say that James "Jim" 

Dulin, used to live on Blue Creek about twelve miles west of Caddo, 

Oklahoma.  In 1878 Mr. Dulin moved to Paoli, Indian Territory, taking 

with him about four hundred head of cattle, several horses and about 

one hundred and fifty or two hundred head of hogs, which I believe Dr.

 Walner was half owner.  Mr. Dulin settled on Dr. Walner's ranch at 

Paoli, Oklahoma.  Later in life James Dulin was the owner of about 

four mile square of land in the Washita River bottom, south of Paoli, 

Oklahoma.



Mrs. Frances "Stewart" Walner now lives at Wynnewood, Oklahoma.