Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Date: June 14, 1937
Name: Anna Ethell Brown (Mrs.)
Post Office: Lone Wolf, Oklahoma
Residence Address: RR 5
Date of Birth: August 17, 1877
Place of Birth: Noble County, Ohio
Father: Orlando Ethell
Place of Birth:
Information on father:
Mother: Mary Foster Ethell
Place of birth:
Information on mother:
Field Worker: Ethel B. Taskitt
My maiden name was Anna Ethell and I was born in Noble County, Ohio, August 17, 1877.
My parents were Orlando Ethell and Mary Foster Ethell, both of Ohio.
I was married to W. M. Brown who is now dead, and I continue to use his name.
In 1890 I moved with my parents to Kingfisher County. We came in a covered wagon and farmed for a living. The country about there had begun to settle up and there were two churches in our community. The Baptist church and the Presbyterian Church and each one had a very good wooden building.
The district schools were also good and the people were progressive.
In 1901 when the Kiowa Country opened up, my husband, Mr. Brown, registered and drew our claim which is a half section extending along the foot of one of the Wichita Mountains. This is the NE 1/4 and SE 1/4 of Section S2-R-19-T-5.
Soldier Peak is the name of the mountain and the name comes from an encampment of soldiers in an early day at the spring on the south side of the mountain. This spring is called Soldier Spring.
When we settled on this farm there were two men both up in years who were hunting for the Lost Mine in Devil's Canyon. My husband assisted them some and sharpened their tools as he had blacksmithing tools on the farm.
The names of these men were Himer and Harvey. One of them lost his mind and was sent to Fort Supply and I suppose he is yet there. The other one I do not know about.
We rather lost interest in the story of the Lost Mine as my husband's health failed, but I had a young brother living with us who with other boys of the community roamed over the mountains all the time. One evening, as they came down on the west side of soldier Peak into Devil's Canyon, they came upon an old digging which had peculiar rocks about it. They broke off a piece of rock and brought it home. We knew little about ore but we thought it contained something and kept the piece. My son, Lester Brown, now has the piece of rock and we have exhibited it to different persons who tell us that it contains gold and other metal.
My brother's name is Charley Ethell and the other boy was Herbert BARG. We did not know what we should do about this find at that time, but I shall be glad to give any information in my knowledge as I know that the old Lost Mine is somewhere in Devil's Canyon.
There is a very peculiar spot on my farm which I do not understand. The place is near the foot of the mountain and in wet weather the water will come to the surface in this way. It seems to bubble to the top, yet is not the force of the water which makes it bubble as there seems to be little force.
The earth is such that the hand can be pushed out of sight, but this is not sand, it is soil and produces vegetation. I now have Sudan grass growing upon it.
There is a white substance deposited upon the surface which resembles the scrubbing powder, Sapolie, more than anything else of which I can think.
I have this substance for scrubbing and find it to be good. I would appreciate any information you would give me about this place. It is located upon the section numbers which I have given and is owned by me.
Submitted to OKGenWeb by
Submitted to OKGenWeb by Brenda Choate
<bcchoate@yahoo.com> 04-2000.