OKGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of OKGenWeb State Coordinator. Presentation here does not extend any permissions to the public. This material can not be included in any compilation, publication, collection, or other reproduction for profit without permission. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ===================================================================== WALTER L. JACKSON Vol. 3, p. 1055-1056 Various means were employed by the Indians of Indian Territory during the early years of their occupancy of the territory to discourage the immigration of white men into that region, and some pioneer whites have related how they suffered many indignities and threats in attempting to make peaceable settlement in the territory. A notable case in point is that of the Jackson family. George Walter Jackson, a native of Johnson County, Arkansas, while moving in covered wagons with his family to the Indian Territory in 1894, camped his first night in the territory a half days drive toward the interior of the Choctaw Nation. Beneath a high and perpendicular bluff the family built its fires. They feared being disturbed by the Indians, and were not greatly surprised when, shortly after dark they heard noises on the bluff. But a minute later they were stunned by a narrow escape from death when a large boulder was precipitated into their camp from above them. Mr. Jackson and his sons, among them Walter L. of this review, seized their guns and prepared promptly for a fight. Other sounds came from the rim of the bluff, but they shortly ceased, and the silence was next broken by the advent into the camp of a pack of lean and hungry hounds that seemed to have just been released by the men in hiding back of the bluff. The dogs were frightened away and returned to their masters, who in the meantime had observed the guns in the hands of the white men. By twos the men of the little party kept guard during the night, the Indians retreating to their cabins in the hills. The Jackson family settled near the present Town of Graham in Carter County, leasing land from Jeannette MCDANIEL, a representative Indian citizen of that sections. The house they built was one mile from the spot where Bill DALTON, the notorious outlaw leader, had been killed a few years previous. This section formerly had been shelter and feeding place for the outlaws, and not far distant, in the Arbuckle Mountains, they frequently made rendezvous. In the foothills of the mountains, near Graham, stood a house with a large trap door in the floor through which the outlaws had access to the big cellar that would easily accommodate a dozen men. The influence of the outlaws was felt for many years in that part of the territory. Probably one of the last of them assassinated Harry WAYRICK while he was accompanying his sister-in-law to his mother's home, six miles distant. The outlaw, it later appeared, had made love to the girl, and she had assented to an elopement. Wayrick was shot from ambush and the broken-hearted girl rode home alone on her horse, while her pretended lover fled the country and never was heard of again. The elder Jackson picked up the body of young Wayrick and bore it home. The influence of bad men of the early days was reflected later in the actions of men at picnics and other public gatherings. At a picnic at Graham more than two hundred men engaged in a free-for-all fight the result of too much indulgence in "Long Horn," a form of beer, and many were seriously injured before order could be restored. Sober white men brought back a semblance of order by chaining some of the drunken ones to fence posts until they came to their senses. The early education of Walter L. Jackson was procured in a log school house near Graham. The building was of the most primitive order, and split logs formed the seats. His first teacher was William PAYNE. The county for years had been a cattle range and the schoolhouse bore the appropriate name of Roundup. Among the early activities of Mr. Jackson was his assistance in establishing section lines in that county, as a step toward bringing about passable highways. His father was a farmer, and he remained on the farm home until he was twenty-four, when he married and began life for himself. He farmed principally until he moved into Kingston in 1913 and entered the hotel business. His is the only hotel in the town and it enjoys a lucrative patronage. Mr. Jackson was married in 1904 at Ardmore to Miss Mabel CHESTNUT, whose father was a pioneer settler of Grayson County, Texas, and whose brother, C. C. Chestnut, is president of the First State Bank of Kingston and one of the wealthiest and most prominent men in Marshall County. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson have three children, Wilbur, Dow and Ernestine, aged nine, five and one year respectively. In Mr. Jackson's family he was one of eleven children, eight sons and three daughters. C. F. Jackson is a machinist in Seattle, Washington. Monroe W. and John S. are farmers at Hennepin, Oklahoma. Jeanie is the wife of Mr. STAPLES, a farmer at Graham. Joseph Jackson is a machinist in Seattle. Sidney is farming at Graham. Frank lives at Wilson, Oklahoma. Lena is the wife of Mr. MARTIN, a farmer at Graham, and Bud and Vida are still with their parents at Graham. Mr. Jackson is a member of the Baptist Church with his family, and is a member of the Odd Fellows order. Typed for OKGenWeb by: Vickie Neill Taylor November 2, 1998