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A B C D E F G H I J K L M Mc N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Date: January 26, 1938
Name: Frank Atkinson
Post Office: Hominy, Oklahoma
Residence Address:  
Date of Birth: 1889
Place of Birth:  Kansas
Father:   Isaac Atkinson
Place of Birth:  England
Information on father:
Mother: Eva Campbell
Place of birth:  Illinois
Information on mother:
Field Worker: Charles H. Holt
Interview #: 12829

Interview with Frank Atkinson Hominy Oklahoma

I was born in Kansas in 1889 and my father came to the Territory in 1893 and made the Run. He staked a claim at Newkirk and moved the family from Kansas to Newkirk shortly after he staked the claim, but it was not long until the claim was contested and he lost it. Then we moved to seven miles south of Ralston and purchased a claim. Household goods, a tent, small turning or sod plow, and a pin-break-trip cultivator were brought from Kansas.

There was no house built on the claim south of Ralston so the family lived in the tent until logs were cut off the place and hauled to a small sawmill to be sawed into lumber; then a frame house was built.

Soon after arriving south of Ralston an older brother, who was large enough to help in the work, got his leg cut badly when a horse ran into a wire fence with him, and had to be crippled for almost a year. He had to stay in the tent while the house was being built. 

There was no school nor church, so a tent was secured and set up for a school and church in the neighborhood. This was my first school and the teacher who taught in the tent was John Boyle. By the second year lumber was bought and a box school building was built near our place.

Just a short way from our place on the Arkansas River, the Pawnee Indians had a camp were they held Stomp Dances often and they could be heard dancing all night.

Our market was Red Rock and corn and cotton were the principal crops. The mail was gotten at Pawnee. 

Some of the old timers were the Wilker family, Hockendorn family, and the Pryon family.

We lived on this farm seventeen years, then moved to the Osage where we now reside.

Transcribed for OKGenWeb November 2002 by Vicky (Nye) Dennis.

Feb 2005 email updated to: vickyd@alltel.net
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SUBMITTER NOTES: Frank Atkinson is my great grandfather his full name is: 

Francis (AKA Frank) Raymond Atkinson he was born on June 24, 1889 in Clay County, Minneapolis, Kansas and died on March 29, 1970 in Hominy, Osage Co., Oklahoma. He married Lilly Ethel Brannon on June 12, 1914 in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. She was born on March 16, 1895 in Bornat, Hickory County, Missouri and died on October 22, 1973 in Perryton, Texas.

The parents of Frank are: Isaac A. Atkinson born on January 11, 1849 in Syracuse Onondaga, New York (Per his obituary and 1850 – 1920 census records) He died on March 31, 1935 in Hominy, Osage County, Oklahoma. He married Eva Adella Campbell on September 28, 1871 in Sycamore, Dekalp County, Illinois. She was born on November 18, 1853 in Darlington, Wisconsin (Per her husbands’ obituary) and died on July 09, 1945 in Ralston, Pawnee, Oklahoma.

In the above interview my great grandfather Frank Atkinson said his father was born in England. It was not his father but his grandfather Isaac Atkinson b. 1807 in England that married Mary Ann Putnam on June 06, 1840 in the District of Kensington , Paddington, London, England (Volume 3 page 252). That was born in England.

Isaac Atkinson and family was in the Steerage compartment, onboard the ship Delta. There were a total of 326 passengers on the ship Delta. He (Isaac) with his family embarked from London their designation was the U.S. Their Native Country was Great Britain. The New York Port records show the arrival date as August 24, 1848. His age was 42 years, his occupation was a farmer. The other family members traveling with him were Wife Mary Ann (Putnam) Atkinson age 37, Daughter Mary Ann age 7, Matilda age 5, Jane age 3, Elizabeth Born at Sea.