I thought perhaps folks from the Magoffin and Morgan and even Johnson
Counties might enjoy this. I wrote it up several years ago with help as
shown in the article.
Bud Caudle
1905 TRAIN FROM KENTUCKYTo THE CHICKASAW NATION IN INDIAN TERRITORY
Early in 1905 (some say 1906) at least forty-two families in Morgan and
Magoffin Counties of eastern Kentucky sold their land, packed a few household
items and personal goods, loaded into wagons, and went to the nearest train
station. They chartered the entire train and went west to Ardmore in the
Chickasaw nation of Indian Territory. Before they could leave, they had to
cook up enough food to last their families through the long journey.
It took a week for the train to reach its destination in March of that year.
All available rent lands had already been rented out and most crops had been
planted. It was nearly impossible to find houses to live in. If a house was
found, several families shared. Many lived in tents and dugouts. A few had
relatives who had come to the area earlier and were taken in by them.
Several died in that first year, and during the second year many of the
families scattered throughout Oklahoma. Some settled at Wapanucka in 1907,
but a lot of them remained in the Ardmore area around the old Legate and
Hoxbar communities. A few even returned to Kentucky.
The families as named here sometimes include married children and their
families. The list was made from memory by Druzy Blankenship Lowe in 1963,
fifty-seven years after the train trip and when she was eighty years old.
Many names were forgotten, but those known to have come at that time were:
(1) Sherman Hiram Blankenship and wife Mary Ann Stepp Blankenship and their
sons Presley and Spencer.
(2) Farish Howard, his wife Risby Blankenship Howard, and their children.
(3) Thomas Perkins and wife Susie Blankenship Perkins and their children.
(4) Mander Perkins and family
(5) Washington Perkins and family
(6) Hayden Gullett and family
(7) Daniel Perkins and family
(8) Isaac Hammond and wife Rose Ann
(9) Brach Hammond and wife (perhaps Breckenridge Hammon & wife Kathleen
Cisco?)
(10)Clay Hammond and wife
(11)Jasper Adkins and family (went back to Kentucky)
(12)Kenny Hammond and family
(13)Joe Francis and family
(14)Kelly Montgomery, wife Martha Cisco Montgomery, Olie, and Ora
(15)John and Lou Phipps Montgomery (Kelly's parents)
(16)James Blankenship, wife Allie Cisco Blankenship and family
(17)Valentine (Volley) Adkins and family
(18)Cain Robinson, wife Angeline Jenkins Robinson and family
(19)Walker Williams and wife Octavia Lowe Williams
(20)Thomas McGuire and sister Margaret McGuire
(21)Flemming Williams and wife Pearl Robinson Williams (actually came single
with their parents. Married 1910 in Ardmore)
(22)Charles Williams and wife Abigail Montgomery Williams
(23)George Mayo and wife Mary Ann Robinson Mayo
(24)Robin Cisco and family
(25)The Risner family
(26)Sarah Montgomery and family
(27)James Aaron Lee (went back to Kentucky but returned to Oklahoma again)
(28)Eli Adkins and family
(29)John Milt Vance, wife Julie Adkins Vance, and daughter Myrtle
(30)Jerry Marr Caudle (widower of Victoria Adkins Caudle)
(31)Jim Adkins (brother to Eli?) and wife Josephine Hammond Adkins and
children Ed and Ada. Jim returned to Kentucky, but Josie and the kids stayed
in Oklahoma.
(32)James Harve McGuire, wife Margaret Patrick McGuire and son Boyd. James
Harve returned to Kentucky in 1907, leaving his family in Oklahoma. They
never saw him again. He died sometime in the 1960's and is buried in the
Gullett cemetery at Rockhouse, near Trace Fork in Morgan County, Kentucky.
There were more families, but this is all the names we can come up with at
this time. If anyone can think of more families in this group, please notify
Bud Caudle, 1014 W. Mansur, Guthrie, Oklahoma 73044, or e-mail me at
BnLFAMILY(a)aol.com