Caddo- My Home Town

The Moon Mystery

Mention the Moon family, especially Molly Moon, and Caddo residents will eagerly tell you their stories. Many begin with “I remember sneaking out to see her…” or “My mom never knew, but I went to see Molly…”. One local told me that she remembers going into the mausoleum when she was fourteen. “I was too frightened to see much,” she said. “I can remember a glass covered casket, with a lady with long hair. It wasn’t skeletal remains, but skin covered. Looked kinda like dried to the bone. My mother would have killed me if she had known I was there!”

          Molly Moon, wife of successful Caddo retailer, W.J. Moon, committed suicide sometime in the fall of 1904 while W.J. was on a buying trip to St. Louis. He often went on buying trips for days or weeks at a time, sometimes alone, sometimes with employees. This news item is from a spring 1904 issue of The Caddo Herald: “W. J. Moon returned Sunday from St. Louis where he has been the past three weeks buying a large stock of goods for his mammoth store here. Mr. Moon always buys the best goods and his trade is always satisfied with the results of their dealings.”

          Moon’s store was the talk of the town and mentioned several times in the Herald. Here’s an item from July of 1899: “W.J. Moon will in a few days be ready to occupy his 50x100 foot brick building and has commenced work on another building of the same size, which will be built of brick.” He operated the largest general store in the area, selling groceries, dry goods, hardware and harnesses, and furniture. Of course, like most furniture dealers of the time, he was also in the undertaking business and sold a variety of caskets. He had just started construction on the Moon Hotel. He also owned a handsome residence considered an “ornament to the neighborhood”.

We may never know why Molly killed herself. We only know that W.J. was so devastated by her death that he built a brick mausoleum, had her remains carefully preserved, and placed her in a $500 glass covered casket. He even left her diamond rings and pins on her, and placed a gold watch on a chain around her neck. “You see, Grandfather Moon handled jewelry in his store and he always liked to see his wife wearing diamonds”, stated his granddaughter Valentine Moon Craig.   

John Clift, of the Denison Herald interviewed Valentine in 1977 and wrote an article about “The Legend of Molly Moon”, her untimely death, and her mysterious mausoleum. Valentine said she was never allowed to see her grandmother’s body. Her mother didn’t think it was right since she had never seen her alive.

At first Mr. Moon visited his wife daily to comb her hair and change her clothes and shoes. Later a caretaker took over the task of protecting her remains. The Moon mausoleum was open to the public for many years. The caretaker would take visitors to see Mrs. Moon and he would talk to her and wind her watch. After a rabbit died inside the mausoleum Mr. Moon decided to have a lock placed on the door. But the caretaker continued to unlock it for people. Years later vandalism forced Mrs. Craig to have it sealed entirely. Bars were placed on the windows and the door welded shut. Few people today realize that the sealed mausoleum also contains the remains of Mr. Moon. 

After Mollie’s death Mr. Moon married two more times. First to a woman from St. Louis, who didn’t last very long. Mr. Moon gave her some money and put her on the train back to St. Louis after only six weeks. He lived for a time as a boarder with the Keith family of Caddo. In 1909 he moved to Dallas and met his next wife, Lula Mae. According to her niece, he met Lula Mae at a party in Dallas. Lula was seventeen years younger than W. J. They operated a grocery store in Dallas for many years.

W. J. was plagued by misfortune. His two sons also met untimely deaths- the first in a car accident and the other in a gin accident. W. J.’s granddaughter, Valentine, was raised by her maternal grandfather, John Droke after the death of her mother and father. Mr. Moon died of cancer in 1923. This is his obituary from the Caddo Herald:

W.J. Moon Dies

“At his home in Dallas Friday morning at 8 o’clock. W.J. Moon died after an illness of eight months. The remains were brought to Caddo and interred in the Moon vault in Caddo Cemetery Saturday morning at 10. 

The funeral was had at the home of John Droke, conducted by Rev. W. B. Slack, assisted by Rev. L. W. Moore.

The remains were accompanied to Caddo by his wife, granddaughter, and several friends. Floral tributes attested friendship. The funeral was not largely attended because of a slight rain, and the fact that so few people knew about it.

W. J. Moon lived in Caddo about twenty-five years ago. For ten years he was one of the principal merchants of the town. He built two large bricks and the large Moon Hotel while here. He moved to Dallas in 1909 where he has since made his home. Jack Droke and family from Coalgate were here Saturday and Sunday.”

Yes, Mr. Moon’s third wife actually brought him back to Caddo to be entombed with his beloved first wife, Molly. 

Here is his obituary from the Durant Democrat (Caddo News section):

W.J. Moon Dead

            Friday evening’s northbound Texas Special from Dallas bore to Caddo the mortal remains of W. J. Moon, formerly one of Caddo’s leading merchants, but has resided in Dallas the past 14 years. The deceased passed away at his home, 3122 Hood St. in Dallas, Friday morning at 8:30 after a lingering illness of eight months. His wife, Mrs. Lula Moon and granddaughter, Miss Valentine Moon, were at his bedside at the passing. W. J. Moon was born in Alabama 60 years ago. He was a member of the Oak Lawn Methodist Church, Dallas and had been a worthy citizen of Dallas since 1909, going there from Caddo. He was esteemed by all who knew him. Many were the beautiful floral offerings that accompanied the remains here. He is survived by his wife, granddaughter, Miss Valentine Moon or our city, and grandson, Dooley Moon of Blanchard, Okla. Funeral services were conducted Saturday at 10am at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Droke by Rev. W. B. Slack. Rain was falling at the hour for the funeral but a large crowd was present to pay their last respects to the deceased. They followed the remains to our beautiful Gethsemane and placed them in the iron vault which he had built 20 years ago. He asked that his remains be returned to his old home and placed therein.

            After W. J.’s death, Lula Mae married and was widowed two more times.

            Valentine grew up, married, moved to Texas, and later retired to Caddo, where she died:

Molly Valentine (Moon) Craig, 93-          

          A graveside service will be held at 10am Friday in Gethsemane Cemetery, Caddo, for Molly Valentine (Moon) Craig, 93, Caddo, who died Wednesday, Dec. 1, 1999 in Caddo Nursing Home. The Rev. Wanda Johnson will officiate. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe A. Moon, Mrs. Craig was born Feb. 14, 1906 in Caddo. Her parents died when she was very young. She was reared by her maternal grandparents, J. M. and Lydia E. Droke, who were pioneer citizens of Caddo. She married James R. Craig, July 10, 1935 in Durant. She had attended Caddo Schools and was retired from the teaching profession. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Caddo and was a resident of Caddo Nursing Home for the past seven and one-half years. She loved flowers and animals. Memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, Caddo Educational Foundation, or Caddo Nursing Home.

Golden Acres

On Friday, October 5^th, Golden Acres Retirement Ranch in Caddo will celebrate twenty-five years of providing safe and affordable housing for senior citizens. Presently, we are trying to locate family members of former residents to honor them at our celebration. If you remember persons who lived at the Retirement Ranch and have information that would be helpful to us, please email goldenacresrr@sbcglobal.net or call the manager, Vesta Baker at 580-367-0358.

Veteran's Memorial

The Caddo Civic and Cemetery Club is searching for the names of all veterans buried in Gethsemane Cemetery. If you have an ancestor who served in any branch of service and is buried in the cemetery please contact the Civic Club at 580-367-2797, send me an email, or click on the comment link below and leave your information. Please try to contact them before September 10. The names will be placed on a memorial that will be erected at the cemetery. 

Let the tasting begin...

This year the Caddo Heritage Day celebration will include a Competition Chili Cook Off. Be sure to register early if you want to show off your chili cooking skills! There is a $10 booth fee.  First prize is $100. Cooking will take place from 8:00am to 12:00noon, and judging will begin at 12:15. Remember, Heritage Day is Saturday, October 6.( This competition is open to anyone and is not sanctioned by the ICS, CAST, Tolbert, or any other chili cook off membership organization at this time.) For a copy of the cooking rules, regulations and registration form contact Alvin Good at 661-623-1554 (cell phone).

Judge Freeny

Caddo Herald, December 19, 1924

Robert Clay Freeny Suddenly Dies Friday

At his home ten miles east of Caddo, Judge R. Clay Freeny died early Friday morning of a paralytic stroke. The remains were buried in Turnbull Cemetery near the home place, Saturday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock.

The funeral was conducted by Rev. R. C. Alexander of Stigler, who was the pastor of the Freeny church fifteen years ago and who is a friend of the family, assisted by Rev. M.A. Cassidy, pastor of the Caddo Methodist church.

The funeral was attended by a large concourse of people of the town and neighborhood, many of whom were friends of years of the family, and grieved at the loss of a friend.

Banks of flowers were silent tokens of the esteem in which the Judge was held, many tenders of sympathy came to the family and many voices joined in paying tribute to the sterling qualities of the deceased.

Judge Freeny was stricken Thursday morning, but was able to be brought to Caddo for treatment going home that evening. During the night he was so stricken again, and early morning ended his pilgrimage upon the earth.

Judge Freeny was well known in Caddo and Bryan county. With the coming of statehood he was elected county commissioner three times from the Third District, and many of the county’s progressive policies are due to his wisdom and probity.

He was a pioneer of the old Choctaw Nation, being a son of one of the emigrants from Mississippi who came here in 1832. At the time of his death he was 74 years of age, is survived by a wife, four daughters, seven sons, and numerous grandchildren.

He had made his home at Boggy Depot, Ardmore, and near Caddo. In the days of the Choctaw government he was many times elected county judge of Blue County, of which Caddo was the county seat. In his office he adjudicated the estates of the Choctaw deceased from time to time.

Judge Freeny was a progressive Choctaw, gathering his education from the Indian school at White Bead and from the early Christian Missionaries, who visited the country in the early days. In middle life he accepted the teachings of those Missionaries and became a consistent Methodist, helping at all times to support the cause and to build churches that his people might worship the true God.

One looking now upon the broad fields fertile with the fruits of nature can hardly realize it, but Judge Freeny was the first man to stick a plow into the black waxy land soil of northern Bryan County- the first to realize that such land would prove responsive to tillage. Prior to his pioneering, the prairies were thought by the Choctaws to be good for nothing but grazing, on which vast herds of cattle found rich sustenance. In the early days the Choctaws would make a clearing perhaps on the edge of the prairie where they would be close both to the pasture for horses and cattle and to the cleared land on which was raised wheat, corn, and cotton. Hogs ran wild in the woods and cattle were branded and turned loose on the prairies. They have witnessed the transition from this method to modern farm homes, modern fields and machines, well-built and progressive towns.

         The home of Judge Freeny was the gathering place of many people on many occasions. Rarely was a meal eaten in his home by the family alone- always some guest, some wayfarer, some cattleman, some rancher, somebody passing was cordially entertained.

It was deemed then a privilege to entertain the wayfarer, stranger or friend. Usually from tow to twenty guests partook of his bountiful hospitality. None were ever turned away hungry or cold or weary. The church nearby built largely by himself, benefited by his largess. The itinerant preacher always found welcome shelter and support from him. Many old timers will remember the pleasant hours spent under his hospitable roof. Judge Freeny was a man of strictest (can’t read) and probity. His word always was good, could be depended upon. He was never known to utter a sentiment not in keeping with the highest sense of honor and integrity. His name was a synonym of the best in men.

The funeral was attended by several hundred people- people who loved him for his goodness, for his charity, for his manhood. Many silent tears were shed at the passing of the man who had been such a help to humanity. Their tears were greater tributes to him than would have been columns of eulogies and banks of flowers.

To his sons and daughters he has left a name which they can be proud to wear, which means much in human life. It is untarnished and noble. Truly he was a nobleman among primitive people.

Thus passes a man born of  the forest between two civilizations. A mixture of the best blood of red and white, reared under frugal, primitive, stern realities, conquering a wilderness and building  n empire out of the primeval, in the building of which this man had a prominent part. He witnessed the transition of his people from roving, primitive, untutored sons of the forest to honorable, civilize, patriotic American citizens. 

Attended the Freeny Obsequies:

Mr. and Mrs. Dan Oakes and children from Soper.

Mrs. Sylvester Mullens of Ardmore.

Mrs. Rube Freeny of Ada.

Henry Freeny and family of Blanchard.

Ben Freeny and family of Alex.

Mrs. Edna Freeny of Bromide.

(can’t read) Freeny, Kerens, Texas

Dee Freeny, Wilson, OK

Mr. and Mrs. Pete W(can’t read), Bokchito

Walter J. Turnbull and Sam Maytubby, Jr. of Durant

Caddo City Cemetery

I can't remember if I've ever posted this before, but recently some of you asked me if Caddo has two cemeteries. Here is the answer: yes and no. There are two, but they adjoin each other so I suppose the only difference between them is in bookkeeping.  The original Caddo City Cemetery was opened about 1872. The land was donated for human burial purposes by a rancher who owned land adjoining the Indian allotment of Mrs. Ella Bilbo, originator of the Gethsemane Cemetery. The Caddo Civic and Cemetery Club was organized in 1903 for the purpose of owning and operating the Gethsemane Cemetery. The cemetery has expanded over the years and blended with the older one.

Burials in the City Cemetery, for which information is known, are listed below. Many, many other interments are lost to time for want of identifiable headstones. The same is true of the Gethsemane cemetery. Fires, vandalism, weather, and age have damaged or destroyed some of the older headstones and wooden markers. (You may view some of the existing headstones on Find A Grave.)

From the Bryan County Historical Society records:

Hail, Major, 7/01/1886-12/28/1096 “Our brother”

two stones- no data

four wooden posts- no data

wooden monument- no data

Ballard, Lucy Estell, wooden monument, no data

Cole, Tanner- “Grandad”

Cole, Sarah- “Grandmother”

Boatman, Carl Vernon- “Brother”

Boatman, Laurance “Sister”

Boatman, Joseph William- “Papa”

Boatman, Dora-1888-1907

stone, but no name

Boatman, Billy F.

Boatman, Dora Stella-3/26/1881-8/13/1947- “Mama”

Bowen, A. W.-3/16/1912-3/27/1912, dau./ A. A.

Rowell, Melvurdie F.-10/01/1883-12/19/1912, wife/W.H. (Francis)

Horton, Viola- 4/29/1887-1/20/1919, wife/J.M.

Miller, Inamay- 10/01/1902-10/23/1902, dau/ G. & L.

Miers, infant- 8/18/1914-9/4/1914, inf./A.L.

Miers, infant- b. and d. 9/5/1911, inf./A.L.

Miers, A.L. 1870-1931

Whisenhunt, G. L.- 2/04/1863-8/27/1905

Ellis, William George Robert- 10/01/1912-1/17/1913, son/W.W. & K.I.

Potter, Govenor- 9/01/1912-5/29/1918

wire fence enclosure, no monuments

Lame, Theodore P. 1/02/1878-3/29/1966, M: 1898

Lame, Wilma Etta Gilbreath- 10/06/1880-12/24/1965

Lame, Ardeana- 6/04/1912-9/30/1913

Lame, Daniel W.- 4/05/1910-5/14/1911, son, T.P. & W. E.

Lame, Willie Lester-11/10/1902-7/20/1909, son, T.P. & W.E.

Privette, Pvt. Lee- died 1890

several other Privette family members are buried here also, in unmarked graves

rock fence, large cedar growing inside, N. end of cemetery

two concrete slabs with no names, N. end of cemetery

Floyd, Hattie- 2/26/1871-4/01/1904, W./Mills/South

CDs on stone, is probably a footstone

These names are taken from the Caddo Star Newspaper:

Cox, Charlotte, 2 year old daughter of Hugh, died Nov. 14, 1874

Mr. Greer died Dec. 28, 1874 and is believed to be the first adult to die from sickness at Caddo.

Lunney, B. M.- 24 years, died Feb. 7, 1876. Canadian by birth.

In metal fence in southeast corner:

Childers, Vernon, 1924-1941

Childers, Thelma, 1904-1939

Watson, William David, 1850-1920

Samuel Gompers

I was reading an obituary in the Caddo Herald and I noticed a column next to it entitled, “Late News Notes”. Here is the first one:

“The body of Samuel Compers passed through Caddo Sunday morning. At Durant a ten-minute stop was made and several parties viewed the remains.”

Well, pardon my ignorance of American history, but I didn’t know who Samuel Compers could be or why anyone would want to see his body. My first thought was that he was some returning war hero, but then I checked the date again and it was December, 1924- a little late for that. So I Googled his name and discovered that he was the founder of the AFL. He helped form the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions in 1881 and then in 1886 it was reorganized into the American Federation of Labor, with Gompers as its president. You can read more about him at Wikipedia or by using Google.

W. H. Ainsworth

Caddo Herald

June 30, 1911

A Pioneer Dead

At his home in Caddo Saturday night at 9:40 Capt. W. H. Ainsworth quietly breathed his last. The funeral occurred Sunday afternoon at five o’clock, internment in Caddo cemetery.

Mr. Ainsworth had been ill the past few weeks and had gone to Mineral Wells in the hope of improving, but came back about two weeks prior to his death, which was rather sudden, though his immediate friends and family did not have much hope that his life would be extended a great while.

Deceased was 76 years and 4 months of age, having been born in Chickasaw county, Mississippi in 1835. He came first to this country in 1862, then went to Texas, and came to Caddo again with the railroad which was completed through here in 1872. He did some of the work on the railroad and assisted in building the bridges across Blue and Red rivers. He went in business in Caddo in 1874 and continued until 1903, when his store building burned. He was actively interested in several enterprises, owning considerable property.

Mr. Ainsworth is survived by his wife and several brothers, nieces, and nephews. The funeral was conducted by Rev. Hodges, and was attended by a large crowd, many of whom had known the deceased for thirty years.

Captain Ainsworth was a good man, an honest man. In the early days before banks were established it was the custom for merchants to keep money of citizens in their safe, no receipts being given; and to his store came many deposits, yet none ever complained of not getting back all that they put in.

Requests

I have a few more requests. Most of these are from people who have contacted me through the websites:

1. Looking for information about Mollie Moon, especially her maiden name. She was the wife of W. J. Moon, merchant in Caddo. She died in 1904.

2. Need a good photo of the old Blue County Courthouse in Caddo. It was also the Bilbo Inn.

3. Searching for a photo of Pauline Amsel, killed in Durant in 1914. She attended the Presbyterian Women's College.

4. Need information, and photos about early Caddo merchants from 1900 to 1930.

Also want you to take a look at this interesting Bells of Oklahoma page, not just because a couple of our bells are on it, but because it also has a request.

Great BBQ!

Had a wonderful time at the Buffalo Trail BBQ. This is an annual fund raiser for the Town Restoration Association of Caddo. If you didn't attend, you can mark your calendar for next year!