Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Date: July 5, 1937
Name: Wesley C. Woods
Post Office: Whitesboro, Oklahoma
Residence Address:
Date of Birth: 1871
Place of Birth: Indian Territory
Father: Steve Woods
Information on Father: born 1823 and died 1889
Mother: Eliza Dukes
Information on Mother: born 1830 and died 1865
Field Worker: Lawrence A. Williams

Mr. Woods was born in Indian Territory in 1871. He is one-eighth Choctaw Indian. He has never been out of the Kiamichi Valley but once in his life. He finished the third reader at Kunlleychola School, now called Lennox, five miles east of Whitesboro. The name Kunlleychola means High Springs.

His father, Steve Woods, was born here in 1823 and died in 1889. He was a stage coach driver for five years. He fought in the Civil War.

His mother, Eliza Dukes Woods, was born in 1830, and died in 1865. She was a sister to Governor DUKES. She and Mr. Woods were married in the year of 1849.

Life and Customs. I can still see the small tom fuller corn patches that we used to have. When I was a boy most all of our food consisted of corn and meat. There was never more than four or five acres in a patch. The way we planted was to put a fish under each hill. The first corn mill I ever saw was at the Bohanan Trading Post. It would be very amusing for folks to see now. It was made of a large block of wood about two feet through and five feet high. This was set in the ground like a fence post. It was hollowed out until it would hold about one gallon of corn. Then they had a piece of log that would fit in this hollowed piece. It was stood on end and fastened by poles running across the top. There was a tongue attached to the smaller log to turn it by. Sometimes they would hook a mule to it and sometimes they would pull it by hand.

The implements that we used to farm with were very crude. Our plows were made of small trees that had a small limb running up for a handle, and another one running down for a plow. These were always pulled by oxen.

Bohanan Trading Post was built by Sam BOHANAN in 1882. It was one mile west of Whitesboro on what is now called Bohanan Creek.

Tribal Laws We had our form of Government that was very strict. On the first offence the criminal received one hundred lashes; on the second, three hundred; on the third, he was shot.

I saw three hug the blackjack. I called it that because that was what it was called back then. There was a stopping(?) tree that stood in front of the old Wade County courthouse used for a whipping post. They would have to take off their shirts. A deputy would hold to each hand while another deputy would use the bullwhip.

Outlawry Midwied(?) Wells was shot and killed at the Wade County courthouse for killing Charley Onubbie and stealing his daughter. Wells went to Onubbie's house late one evening and asked if he could stay all night. Mr. Onubbie's daughter had decided to go visiting for the night and they let him stay. The next morning when she returned their home was burned and her father killed. Mr. Wells was afraid that she would tell so he kidnapped her and took her with him. Governor McCurtain was notified. He sent a scout after him. He trailed him two months before catching him. He was brought back, tried and killed.