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Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Date: February 24, 1937
Name: Mr. W. E. King
Residence: Paoli, Oklahoma
Date of Birth: October 7, 2867
Place of Birth: Missouri
Father:
Mother:
Field Worker: Maurice R. Anderson

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.

Submitted to OKGenWeb by Brenda Choate September 2003