Indian Pioneer Papers - Index
Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Date: November 22, 1937
Name: Mrs. George Bundy
Post Office: Lawton, Oklahoma
Residence Address: 202 B Street, Lawton, Oklahoma
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Father:
Place of Birth:
Information on father:
Mother:
Place of birth:
Information on mother:
Field Worker: Ophelia D. Vestal
Interview #9269
White Bead Hill
In 1893 White Bead Hill was a small inland town located about fourteen miles west of Pauls Valley. This little town consisted of a few stores, a post office, a church and a school. The people were seemingly very happy, doing well here, raising good crops because of the rich soil.
Because White Bead Hill was so close to the Washita River many people had large herds of cattle.
Their ways of travel were by ox teams, mules and horses.
White Bead Hill was the name of a Choctaw Indian man. A white man named Sam Garvin married a daughter of White Bead Hill. In this family was born a boy and a girl.
Mr. Garvin was a big cowman. He owned the first general merchandise store in this little town. He built a nice home and was considered the wealthiest man in this locality. He would lend the farmers money, taking mortgages on their crops in time of need and would carry the mortgages for several years.
George Shull, a German, rented land from Sam Garvin. They bought and traded cattle together, being very close friends. One night the German dreamed that he and Sam Garvin were in Purgatory. Here he saw the devil and a big black kettle turned upside down. The German wanted to see what was under this kettle, so he tried to peep under it and the Bad Man caught him saying, "Don’t look under there, you’ll see Sam Garvin and he’ll have a mortgage on this place in fifteen minutes." When the dreamer told Mr. Garvin of his dream, Mr.
Garvin laughed and took it very good natured. He was a very good man and was liked by everyone.
The school house was built of logs and had two rooms. The seats were made of split logs resting on short logs at each end, something like benches. The church was of but one room, its seats being the same as for the school and kerosene lamps were used for lighting it.
The church at White Bead Hill would have preaching once a month.
Transcribed for OKGenWeb by
Sandi Carter SandKatC@aol.com December
2001.