Tillman Chance
By Wilma Chance Williams
Tillman Chance was born during the Civil War on October 24, 1860. His
father, who was born in German, came home from the war to see his family and
was killed by what was called bushwhackers when Tillman was about 3 years
old, and his mother died when he was seven years old. He had to work here
and there for a living picking cotton in the south. He came to Conway,
Arkansas near Little Rock and ran a ferry boat for several years on White
River.
Tillman had one brother and two sisters older than he was. When Teilman
was 21 years old he came to Westville, Oklahoma, but there wasn't any town
there, at that time, for he plowed corn where the town was built. He worked
for a family by the name of Dan Ross for six years. He then met his wife
Maggie Phillips. They were married on January 19, 1887. Tillman was twenty
seven and Maggie was fifteen years old. They moved 9 ½ miles north west of
Westville and built a log house and barn. They lived there for 10 years.
Their two first children died in 1888.
They had 10 children. James Chance, born March 17, 1890 and died January
27, 1961; Myrtle Chance, Born September 13, 1891; Ida Mae Chance, born March
2, 1894 and died December 16, 1935; William (Bill) Chance, born January 19,
1897 and died October 9, 1984; Tillman (buster) Chance, born September 2,
1902 and died August 5, 1973; John Chance, born July 26, 1906 and died
December 16, 1930; Mary L. Chance, born April 19, 1910 and is still living.
In 1894 they build a new home and moved, but before he moved to his new
home he set out 40 acres in fruit trees. Then after he moved he set out 20
more acres of apples. He built a big fruit dryer, bought apple peelers and
slicers and hired people to dry hundreds of pounds of apples and peaches and
hauled them to market. He made lots of money. Then in 1896 he built a small
store and a post office which was named Chance Indian Territory. He then
built a black smith shop and a molasses mill and hauled dried fruit and
barrels of molasses with wagon and team to Tulsa, Oklahoma. He worked
several hired hands day and night.
He had built a large dry goods and grocery store by then but in 1912 it
burned.
Tillman and Maggie helped everyone that they could. They belonged to the
Chance Methodist Church and were active in church work. During revivals and
meetings the preachers would stay for 2 weeks to a month at a time in their
home.
During the old times Westville picnic Tillman and Maggie would go by
wagon and put up a stand and sell lemonade and hamburgers. They would stay
for a week. He also put up stands at stomp dances and at Siloam Springs Old
Timers picnic.
The place that is named Chance, Oklahoma was named after Tillman Chance.
Someone sent me the above article, but I don't have the name of the book it
came from. There are other people in the book: E.P. Chandler Family by
Janice Chandler Vaughan and The D.P. Chambers Family by Paul Bryan Chambers,
Jr. There are also pictures of Tillman, Maggie, Mary, Bill, buster, Ida,
Myrtle and James Chance; Tillman and James in blacksmith shop
Linda Chance Moulton