Indian Pioner Papers -      Mrs. W.B. Gibson

                                

Submitted by  Brenda Choate  bcchoate@yahoo.com 


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                    Garvin County Indian Pioneer Papers
                                      
Mrs. W.B. Gibson



Interview #8969

Field Worker: Maurice R. Anderson

Date: October 19, 1937

Name: Mrs. W.B. Gibson

Residence: Pauls Valley, Oklahoma

Date of Birth: August 19, 1873

Place of Birth: Missouri

Father: J.P. Jeter, born in Illinois

Mother: Sarah Rose, born in Illinois





Mrs. Gibson was born August 19, 1873, in Missouri.  J.P. Jeter 

and Sarah Rose, father and mother of Mrs Gibson, were born in 

Illinois.   They are both deceased.



I came to the Indian Territory in 1892, with my husband, W.B. 

Gibson.  Before we were married, Mr. Gibson and his father had 

come to the Indian Territory and settled at Pauls Valley.



They came from Arkansas, bringing horses and buggies, and started 

a livery barn about the time the railroad was built through here.  

W.B.Gibson went back to Arkansas and we were married in the Spring of 1892.  



Right after we were married we left for our new home at Pauls Valley.   

There weren't very many people living here at that time.  There was 

a subscription school and a Presbyterian Church.   John Bradley and  

C.J. Grant each owned general merchandise stores and Mr. Grant did 

banking business in his store.  The nearest furniture store was at 

Gainsville, Texas. Doctor Branham was the only doctor. Reverend Allen 

was the minister of the Presbyterian Church and this was the only church 

here at that time.  Jim Gwinn was the depot gent.



Corn was the main crop.  There was some cotton but nothing like there 

is now.  Zach Gardner owned the only grist mill and gin.  This gin and 

mill were located on the Washita River, east of Pauls Valley, and were 

operated by water power.  Court was established here in 1895.  Before 

court was established at Pauls Valley, it was held at Ardmore, Indian 

erritory, and at Paris, Texas.



There were deer, turkey and the black bear in this part of the country.   

Zach Gardner's home and its surroundings were beautiful.  On Sundays 

there would be lots of people drive out to see his place.  He had several 

deer penned up and he owned a fine flock of turkeys and chickens.  His home 

was painted white and there was a white picket fence around it.  Mr. Gardner 

was a Chickasaw Indian and had located here on the river along in the later 

sixties, and built the first grist mill in this part of the country in the 

early seventies.



The first Presbyterian Aid Society was organized in 1896, and I was one 

of the twelve members. 



When I came here what few stores and business houses were here faced the 

railroad track and the main street of Pauls Valley was called Smokey Row 

and believe me, it wasn't any place for a lady.   There were drinking and 

gambling places.  Our home wasn't very far from Smokey Row and I have heard 

guns fire several times at different times.  When I would ask my husband 

about it he would say, "So and so had a shooting scrape."  Pauls Valley 

was like most of the western towns.



It had its ups and downs.  This was a cattle and farming town.   There were 

some large farms around here and some large ranches.  Corn was cheap and there 

was plenty of it raised here.  There was plenty of water also, and as Pauls 

Valley was located on the main line of the Santa Fe Railroad, it made a good 

cattle town.  There were worlds of cattle fed and shipped from here after I came.



In 1898, J.M. Dorchester was appointed postmaster and served for a number or years. 

 In 1899, the telephones were put n the homes and Mr. Cam Gault was in charge 

of the telephone system.  When I came Pauls Valley was a shipping and receiving 

point.  The Indians from near Fort Sill would come here for their supplies that 

were shipped in.  Sometimes they camped for two or three days, waiting on supplies.  

The Government Agent would get a steer for them and they would hold a big barbecue.  

Several of the white people would go watch them.



I have lived in Pauls Valley since 1892.