The Caddo Herald
September 15, 1899
Our Neighbors
A Herald representative was out west of Caddo last week and visited several live towns.
Boggy Depot was reached first about noon and dinner was had at the hotel of Mrs. Maurer, who with her accomplished daughter knows how to entertain travelers. Boggy Depot has two stores kept by C. P. Cobb and H. C. Hieronymus, one blacksmith shop, one church and a school house. This place was for a long time one of the most prominent business points in the country. Capt. G. B. Hester merchandised there for many years and by his honorable and good business habits attracted trade from a distance and made it one of the best business points in the territory. Owing to the fact that other towns have sprung up near it there is not so much business done there as formerly, but a railroad may someday go there and infuse life into the old town.
The next stop was Wapanucka, a lively town with bright prospects ahead. Already two railroads have been surveyed through the town and there is a probability that one or both roads will be built and they will have a boom sure enough. The town has four mercantile establishments, one church, and a school house. The school will be in charge of Mrs. J. J. Reed, assisted by B. J. Brandon. The town is surrounded by valleys of rich land and few towns remote from railroads have better prospects of growing than has Wapanucka. The Herald man spent the night at the home of Mr. A. A. Taylor. Mrs. Taylor and her charming daughter know how to dispense hospitality and make a traveler feel at home. It is a good place to stop.
Viola was next reached via Robinson’s store, which was passed about noon. At Viola I was met by Dr. T. J. Provine and excellent wife, with whom the writer had the pleasure of meeting before. Upon the return, an invitation to spend the night at the hospitable home of Mr. A. J. Addington, an old acquaintance, could not be foregone. Here was met Mrs. L. N. Turman, formerly Vinnie Ream of Ardmore, with her two beautiful little girls, who was named for her aunt, the noted sculptress of Washington City. After supper Mrs. Addington and her daughters presided at the piano and produced inspiring music. Both are beautiful singers.
The next morning Ego was reached where are two stores, two gins, and a blacksmith shop. It is a new town with bright prospects. From Ego home was reached by the way of Folsom which has a store, post office, mill, and gin.
Notes about this post:
I have yet to find a connection between Mrs. Maurer’s husband and my own. He was from a region of France that is very close to Switzerland where my husband’s ancestors resided, but I just can’t seem to link them. Give me a few more years and I might. Probably third cousins twice removed!
Charles Maurer (Choctaw)
from “Leaders and Leading Men of the Indian Territory”, 1891
Among the earliest white settlers in the Choctaw Nation were Charles J. Maurer and his father, both of whom were native born Alsatians from the Rhine district. Charlie was but four years old in 1850 when he arrived in Red River County, I.T., settling close to Pine Creek church, north of Clarksville. His father pursued his trade of wagon making at Doaksville, and in 1860 moved his shop to Boggy, at that period the most important trading post in the Indian Territory, being the center of commerce for the native and white settlers living within two hundred miles west, and the same distance north and south. Young Maurer when only sixteen years of age assisted in J.P. Kingsberry’s mercantile house, and in 1868 became a citizen through his marriage with Mary Freeney, sister of Clay Freeney, of Blue County, an extensive stockman. By this union Mr. Maurer has two children- Leonidas, aged sixteen years, and Cecil, thirteen. After an experience of some years in the establishment of G. B. Hester in 1884, he opened business in his own name at Boggy, and has ever since been steadily accumulating. He has three farms containing over one thousand acres under fence, three hundred and fifty of which are in cultivation. Besides this he is the owner of some 700 head of cattle and other stock. Mr. Maurer has never interfered in political or public matters and is much respected by the Indian people.
Viola was in Johnston County, three miles south of Bromide and became Springbrook in 1906.
Ego was the former name of Coleman.
Lavinia Ellen “Vinnie” Ream (1847-1914) was the sculptor of the statue of Abraham Lincoln in the U. S. Capitol rotunda, as well as many other famous works. She is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
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