Interview #
Field Worker: Maurice R. Anderson
Date: March 2, 1937
Name: Mrs. Frances Walner
Residence: Wynnewood, Oklahoma
Date of Birth: 1866
Place of Birth: Mount Vernon, Indian Territory
Father:
Mother:
Story told by Mrs. Frances "Stewart" Walner, born at Mount Vernon, Indian
Territory in 1866.
I was married to John H. Walner in 1883. He was the son of Doctor Wm. Walner, who
bought the Sherley Ranch north of Cherokee Town or Wynnewood.
Dr. Walner owned nearly all the buildings in Cherokee Town, with the exception of the
government stage barn. In speaking of Dr. Walner, I only knew him a few years.
He died in 1884. I believe he was born in Richmond Virginia and was just a
young man when he came to the Indian Territory. He married Miss Susan Carter, a
Chickasaw Indian.
Dr. Walner lived at Mt. Vernon for a while. It was at Mt. Vernon that I met his
son, John H. Walner, whom I later married. Dr. Walner owned a large ranch at Paoli,
Indian Territory. He was in the mercantile business at Caddo, Oklahoma with Capt.
Welch. He died at Cherokee Town and was buried at Paoli.
His son-in-law, James Dulin, operated the ranch at Paoli for Dr. Walner. I
remember James Dulin, called "Jim", quite well. He was a fine cattle
manager. Also a heavy drinker.
My husband, John H. Walner, owned a grocery store with his father, at Cherokee Town.
After his father's death he operated this store until the Santa Fe Railroad came
through. The railroad missed Cherokee Town, so about five miles south of Cherokee
Town, they started a town and called it Wynnewood. My husband built the first store
there. That was in 1887.
The grass was waist high where the town stands today.
In 1888 I have seen car after car loaded with corn, shipped away. It was only
worth ten cents a bushel. I have seen corn piled up on each side of the road for
miles. Lots of people used it for wood.
John H. Walner was a United States Marshall. He died in 1905 and is buried in the
Wynnewood Cemetery.
Speaking of James Dulin, I have heard my husband say that James "Jim" Dulin,
used to live on Blue Creek about twelve miles west of Caddo, Oklahoma. In 1878 Mr.
Dulin moved to Paoli, Indian Territory, taking with him about four hundred head of cattle,
several horses and about one hundred and fifty or two hundred head of hogs, which I
believe Dr. Walner was half owner. Mr. Dulin settled on Dr. Walner's ranch at Paoli,
Oklahoma. Later in life James Dulin was the owner of about four mile square of land
in the Washita River bottom, south of Paoli, Oklahoma.
Mrs. Frances "Stewart" Walner now lives at Wynnewood, Oklahoma.
See bio of Dr. William
M. Walner
