Indian Pioneer Papers - Index

Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Date: July 9, 1937
Name: Anna Watkins
Post Office: Sulphur, Oklahoma [should be Sapulpa]
Residence Address:  
Date of Birth:  February 22, 1870
Place of Birth:  Pulaski County, Missouri
Father:   
Place of Birth:  
Information on father:
Mother:   
Place of birth:   
Information on mother:
Field Worker: Fife Dawes
Interview #6568

Mrs. Watkins was born in Pulaski County, Missouri, February 22, 1870.

She came by train from Missouri to Red Fork, in September, 1888. She rode in a mail hack from Red Fork to Sapulpa.

She came to Sapulpa to help her sister, Mrs. Tony Antone, who kept a few boarders at Tony Antone's stockade, which was located two and one half blocks northeast of the Frisco Depot.

The stockade was the home of the Antones. Some of their boarders and roomers were United States Officers looking for outlaws, and some of the boarders were soldiers, and others were outlaws.

She knew the Dalton boys, Bob, Emmett and Grant before they became outlaws.

Sometimes loggers stayed at Antones. They got their logs in the Deep Fork bottom and logs were loaded onto the train. The tracks were located west of the freight depot.

Fifty soldiers came through and ate their meals at Mrs. Antones. They were looking for outlaws.

Mrs. Watkins was married to James Watkins in 1889. Mr. Watkins dug water wells around here.

Mr. and Mrs. Watkins lived in a tent when they first came to Sapulpa. They next lived in a log cabin on James Sapulpa's place. In 1893 Mr. Watkins made the Cherokee Strip run, but failed to get a homestead.

When Mrs. Watkins first came to Sapulpa the Indians raised sofka corn, Indian corn, sweet potatoes and peanuts. The Indians at times traded these things to Mrs. Antone for coffee and flour.

The early settlers here then raised cotton, corn, cane and oats. The seasons were better then and crops were unusually good.

The people could go to almost any place and get hay. The grass grew from three to three and one half feet in height.

Mrs. Watkins knew a Creek Indian named John Sapulpa.

Mr. Watkins used to go out two and three miles northwest of Sapulpa and kill turkey, deer and prairie chickens, which were plentiful then.

When Mrs. Watkins first came to Sapulpa there were only two business places there. One was a blacksmith shop run by George Wilson and a grocery and drygoods store. But this store was mostly a meat market. This store was located about three blocks northeast of the freight depot. It was run by Manuel Blosser and was later sold to H. C. Hall.

Their first doctor was Dr. Artman. The second doctor was Dr. John Eldridge.

The white settler who lived closest to Mrs. Watkins when she first came was 'Pap" or James Watkins who lived seven miles southwest of Polecat Creek.

Mrs. Waktins remembered an Indian Court held in Sapulpa. A Creek Freedman was up for trial. The trial was held in a one room box frame house, looked between Park and Water Streets.

Mrs. Watkins has always lived in Sapulpa since her arrival here in 1888. She is now in business operating a care of North Hickory Street.

Submitted to OKGenWeb by Brenda Choate, August 2001.