HOTELL, THOMAS fSTER (DR.)
IOTJSIWU5M
,,-8346
8346.
INTERVIEW.
HOWELL. DR. THOMAS P
372
- 8Form A-(S-149)
BIOGRAPHY FORM
WORKS 'PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION
Indian-Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Field "Worker's name
Maurice R. Anderson*
193
This report made on (date) August 50, 1957
Dr. Thomas P. Howell.
1.
Name
2.
Post Office Address
Davis, Oklahoma.
31. Residence address, (or location) Three miles east of Fort Arbuckle.
4.
DATE OF BIRTH:
5.
Place of birth
6.
Name of Father
Month
Day
Year 1849.
Hagiatotm. Ohootaw Nation.
r»flitrtn ff.
Place of birth North Carolina,
Other information about father
7.
Name of Mother
phnd»
Other information about mother
Place of birth Mississippi.
Deoeasad.
Notes or complete narrative by the field worker dealing with the life
and story of the person interviewed. Refer to Manual for suggested
subjects and questions. Continue on blank sheets if necessary and
'attach firmly to this form. Number of sheets attached
4
.
HOWLL, DR. THOMAS P.
IKFSRVXSW.
8346*
maurloe B« Anderson,
field Worker*
An Interview with Dr« Thomas ?•
Howell, of Davit, Oklahoma,
I wea born at Xagletown, Eagle County, la tht
Ohoetaw Hatlon^ln 1849.
X attended the Cumberland University at Lebanon,
Tennessee, later graduating from the Medical Department
of the Untrerslty of Maryland•
I was one of seventeen
students selected from the great body of medical students,
to act as Interne in the University Hospital at Baltimore* By remaining throughout the summers of the two
years t served In the hospital, I received what amounted
to four years of practical experience* This proved Invaluable to me when X returned to the Indian Territory
to take up the work of a general praotltloner In the
aewly settled country.
I left Washington and cams to Memphis by rail,and
deoided X would take a boat from there*
There were many
emigrants taking the water way to the Golden West. I
made the acquaintance of many of those homeseek:er#* Like
all very young doctors, I had had my name and professional
title printed upon my brand new trunk which X brought
with me from Washington*
....
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, !»• THOUAS P.
XHTSRTCW*
/
8346*375
to s e l l their corn to th« government Jit Fort S i l l ,
for one dollar a bushel*
Ifct l i f e of a oountry doctor at that tine was
very hard im thle newly settled country.
Paula Valley
was just far enough from the Texas line to be a
rendezvous for outlaws of every description*
In the
running fights between outlaws and pursuing officers
and law-abiding citizens, many were wounded and the
ooentry doctor had to lend his assistance to the wounded
of either party*
country
there were so few doctors In this
that even the outlaws couldn't afford to be
careless and uae them for targets in their free-for-all
shooting scrapes.
There was l i t t l e money In the country in those days*
That was how I happened to start a ranch*
I had to
aeoept cattle as pay for professional services; i t was
a choice of settle or nothing*
I started my ranch a few
• l i e s east of Fort Arbuckle in 187ft, on Wild Horse Creek*
Ike two-roosi log house I had built s t i l l stands*
I had
i t aoved a short distance later end had the home I now
live in
put on the spot where the log house did stand*
HOWXLL, DR. TBWttS P.
INTJRVISW.
8346*
0, J, Grant and myself established the first
sank In Pauls Valley* C, J, Grant, Noah Lael, Perry
froaan and myself owned the first bank In Davis. Doctor
Sherley owned a general store at Cherokee Town when I
earns to Pauls Valley*
After the soldiers were sent to Fort $111 from
fort Arbuckle, the government established a school for
negroes* Mr* Tom Grant sought Fort Arbuekle from the
Ohlokasaw Governor for $50 t G0, after the soldiers left
there.
My father, Oalvin H, Howe11, came from North Oaroilna
at an early date and married Rhode Pltohlynn, the sister
of Colonel Peter P, Pltohlynn, who wss the first governor
of the Chootaws. &Jy uncle was a large slave owner, and
on account of the speeches he made trying to keep the
Choc taws out of the wtar, he was forced to go to Washington
to saver his life, and he lived there the rest of his life.
I still live on my ranch that X started in 1876.
Most of it is out up Into farms.