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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: May 18, 1937
Name: Charles F. Howe
Post Office: Sulphur, Oklahoma
Date of Birth: August 1, 1877
Place of Birth: Missouri
Father: Harvey. M. Howe
Place of Birth: Illinois
Information on father: born February 17, 1837
Mother: Harriet Richardson Howe
Place of birth: Woostershire, England
Information on mother: born December 25, 1841
Field Worker: John F. Daugherty
Interview # 4082

Life of a Pioneer Man told in an interview by Charles F. Howe, Sulphur, Okla.

My father was Harvey. M. Howe, born February l7, l837, in Illinois.  He was a schoolteacher.

My mother was Harriet Richardson Howe, born December 25, 1841, in Woostershire, England.  There were five children in our family.  I was born August 1, 1877 in Missouri.

Father decided to make the "Run" in 1889.  He was tired of teaching and so he came to Oklahoma and staked a claim, April 22, 1889, near Orlando, north of Guthrie.  In November he moved us here on an immigrant train.

There were all kinds and classes of people living here.

The people in our community built a log school house and as there were no teachers they persuaded father to teach.  The Government allowed $90.00 for a term of three months. Father taught for three terms. He was the first postmaster at Orlando.  He was recommended by Governor C.M. BARNES and appointed by President William McKinley.  He served four years, resigned and moved to Sulphur.  He bought a bank building in Orlando for twelve dollars a month and five years in which to pay.  The building cost about $2,000.00 and it was sold to Father for $720.00.  This was bought from Joe MCNEAL.

The people in this section of Oklahoma raised wheat.  They had good crops, and they sold this wheat for thirty-five and forty cents a bushel.  Many fattened hogs on it and sold them at three and a half cents per pound.  But the groceries they bought were just as low in price, accordingly.  Coffee was twelve pounds for a dollar.  Eggs were five cents a dozen.  Binders sold for $125.00.  Now the same binder sells for $275.00.

Everybody rode in farm wagons.  There were very few buggies and surreys.  If one happened to own a buggy, he was considered very wealthy.  There were many cattle in those days.

The first creamery in the state of Oklahoma was established at Orlando.

I was married at Newkirk.  My wife was Myrtle BAILEY who was a teacher.  We moved to Sulphur in 1906 and have lived here since.  My father and mother are buried in Sulphur.

Transcribed for OKGenWeb by Gilliam  <gilliam@brightok.net>  August 1999.