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Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Date:  October 26, 1937
Name:  J. M. Ward
Post Office: Chickasha, Oklahoma
Residence Address:314 Penn Avenue
Date of Birth:  October 27, 1863
Place of Birth:  State of Texas
Father:  W. M. WARD
Information on Father:  born Indiana died at the age of 78
Mother:  Mary J. WHITE
Information on Mother:  born So. Carolina died at the age of 72
Field Worker:  Jasper H. MEAD

I was born October 27, 1863, in the state of Texas seventy-four years ago. I lived in the state of Texas until I moved to the Indian Territory in 1900.  The first place I landed when I got to Oklahoma was at Lindsay.

Lindsay in 1900 was what I would call a very small "burg"; two or three stores, a blacksmith shop and a livery stable.

The Rock-Island and Frisco Railroads met at Lindsay.  The Rock-Island coming from the west and the Frisco coming from the east;  they had a very small depot which set at the north end of Main Street.

There was quite a bit of farming around Lindsay because it lies right in the valley of the Washita.  The principal crops were corn, cotton, and broom corn.

There was also a great deal of ranch land around Lindsay and lots of cattle.  A man named STORY and Lee JINKINS were big ranch owner and the ranch work around there paid in the neighborhood of $25.00 per month with board and room.  I was a farmer when I was at Lindsay and I hired what labor I needed for 15 cents per hour.

We had a small one-room plank school-house which was also used for a church house.  Children in those days didn't have time to go to school much, because they had to work.

Our main water supply came from dug wells; these wells were very shallow because the land is so low and the water level is so close to the top of the ground.

There were not any Indians around there to speak of; once in a great while you could see one, but if you did he was as tame as anyone else.

There wasn't any big wild game around Lindsay but there were plenty of quail and rabbits.

I have lived in Chickasha since 1914 and had been a railroad man until the strike, then I went into the restaurant business, but I am retired now and receive the old age pension.

Transcribed and submitted by Gay Wall <t31892@wind.imbris.com>, November, 2000.