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Indian Pioneer Papers - Index

Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Date: December 25, 1937
Name: Sam Brooks
Post Office: Chickasha, Oklahoma
Residence address: Chickasha, R. 1
Date of Birth: January 25, 1884
Place of Birth: Indian Territory
Father: William H. Brooks
Place of Birth: Canada
Information on father:
Mother: Ellen Fitzpatrick
Place of birth: Indian Territory
Information on mother:
Field Worker: Jasper H. Mead
Interview #9490

My name is Sam Brooks; I was born January 25, 1884, on Roaring Creek southeast of Alex, fifty-four years ago.

I lived on Roaring Creek until I was sixteen years old; Alex, forty-five years ago was a very small place. It had a post office, grocery store, blacksmith shop, and a small school house; the grocery store and post office conducted by a man by the name of Red Alexander; the people took the first part of his last name and called the place Alex and that’s how it got its name.

There were no railroads in Alex, forty-five years ago; it was just a very small island place. There were a few Indians around Alex but they never did give any trouble, they were just like other people.

The main water supply came from dug wells, springs and the Washita River. The river was used mostly for stock to drink out of; the Texas cowboys were always glad when they reached the Washita River because they knew they would get plenty of water.

In those days we had what they called the wooden pumps; they were made out of hollow logs and worked something like the iron pumps of today.

“Red” ALEXANDER, the man whom the town was named after also had a big ranch; it was covered with tall grass and lots of cattle. The last herd of cattle I helped drive up the old Chisholm Trail to Kansas City was thirty-seven years ago. I have ridden the trail several times and have had some good times and some bad ones.

The kind of laws we had were United States Marshals; their names were Uncle Tom BURK, Hoover and John SWAIN. John Swain was killed by a man named VENSON in Purcell.

There were plenty of deer, antelope, turkey and prairie chickens between Chickasha and the place where I was born. I have seen the time when you could drive from where I was born to Chickasha and not have to open but two gates.

I have lived in and around Chickasha for twenty years; I am a common laborer by trade, own my property and am employed at the Prairie Cotton Oil Mill at the present time.

Submitted to OKGenWeb by Sandi Carter [First cousin twice removed] <SandKatC@aol.com> 02-2000.