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Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Date: September 13, 1937
Name: Elmer Smith
Post Office: Oklahoma City
Residence address: 800 South Pennsylvania
Date of Birth: October 8, 1861
Place of Birth: Missouri
Father: Olin Smith
Place of Birth: Vermont
Information on father:
Mother: May Oliver
Place of birth: New York
Information on mother:
Field Worker:
Interview: #8511
 
I started sometime about 1890 with a buckboard and team trading in the east part of the state. I usually loaded up in Fort Smith and hauled my stuff back into Fort Smith. I carried piece goods for dresses and shirts, cheap jewelry and a few ready made dresses and men's pants.

I sold for cash when folks had the money and when they did not, I would take eggs and chickens. I have traded for watches too; I usually had several cheap watches and when I loaded up at Fort Smith I would make a wide circle south and west and come back into McAlester. Then I would go north and east back into Fort Smith. I hauled a big load of stuff, eggs and chickens, which I did not haul very far as I could always find some farmer who would trade for chickens and the eggs would be sold in the little towns. I used to make two trips each year, one in the spring and one in the fall. I used to come into Fort Smith in the late fall with as much as $500.00 clear which I thought was pretty good. Watches and dresses were always the best sellers that I had; sometimes in the fall I would get quite a bunch of furs and hides.

Submitted to OKGenWeb by Lynda Bell Canezaro <LBCane@aol.com> 05-2000.