David Evander Shapard (Chapter 8) 1894-1895 Sumner's Venture at South McAlester, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory

 Chapter 8

SUMNER’S VENTURE AT SOUTH MCALESTER

CHOCTAW NATION, INDIAN TERRITORY

1894-1895

 

For the next few years, a great deal of interest and influence on the Shapard family of Fort Smith centered around David’s brother Sumner. After Sumner’s employment ended with Lyman & Sherlock, he went to work, in 1893, as a full-time clerk for firm of J. Foster & Company of Fort Smith, dealers in wholesale groceries and cotton factors. Mr. Josiah Foster (1849-1912) came to Fort Smith in the 1880s, and entered the grocery business with Mr. P. T. “Thad” Reynolds under the firm of Reynolds, Foster & Co., In January of 1892, Mr. Reynolds dissolved his partnership with the firm; and, Mr. Foster and his other partner, Mr. R. A. Clarkson, continued to operate the original store, under the new firm name of J. Foster & Co., located at 11 & 13 North Second Street. Mr. Foster was very active in the Fort Smith community and business circles. He was a member of the school board, as well as, on the board of directors of Merchants Bank. He had a reputation of being a great encourager of young entrepreneurial men, inspiring them to establish businesses, cautioning them against the dangers and temptations often found in adulthood, and urging them to pursue the joys of unwavering friendship. As it came to pass, in the years to come, Sumner Shapard would just happen to be one of these young entrepreneurial men.

By late-1893, Sumner’s vast personal connections and knowledge of traveling in Indian Territory caught the interest of his employer. Soon, Sumner was promoted as a traveling agent for J. Foster & Co., and he ventured all over Indian Territory delivering orders to clients of the grocery house, as well as, soliciting new buyers. Sumner remarked of this time, “At [eighteen] I started traveling, selling groceries in East Oklahoma and West Arkansas most of it by buggy over the picturesque mountains of that section. This may not mean anything to you if you have never seen this country, but I want to tell you there is no prettier mountain scenery in the U.S. and I have seen most of it. To a young fellow with a gun it was paradise, Oh boy!” One of Sumner’s main accounts was at the town of Eufaula, in the Creek Nation, where he was well known since his youth. Eufaula had always been a special place for Sumner, mostly because of the life-long friendships he had cultivated. However, the one friendship there that surpassed all others, was that of Mr. Charles G. Moore.

Recall that in the summer of 1888, thirteen year-old Sumner received his first job at Eufaula, working behind the counter at Mr. Moore’s drug store. Over the years, Mr. Moore continued to be an incredible friend and mentor to Sumner; so much so, that after Sumner’s father died, Mr. Moore offered him an apprenticeship to learn the pharmacy business. Although Sumner was honored by the proposition, at the time it was not practical. Nevertheless, their friendship remained resolute and he visited Mr. Moore each time he frequented Eufaula.

Sumner spent Thanksgiving of 1894, at Eufaula, as the guest of Mr. Moore. And over the days that followed, an enthusiastic discussion arose, as the two men became inspired to form a partnership in a grocery business. They calculated that Sumner would run the store, due to his connections and knowledge of the business; and, Mr. Moore would be the silent financial partner, providing the initial working capital. The men further resolved that the developing town of South McAlester, in the Choctaw Nation of Indian Territory, would be the ideal location for their enterprise.

In September of 1890, the Choctaw Coal & Railway Company (later known as the Choctaw, Oklahoma & Gulf Railway) opened a public railway line from their coal fields in the Choctaw Nation, traveling northeast, to Fort Smith. “The Choctaw” as it became known, created headlines when it intersected the MK&T “Katy” Railroad, being the major north-south running railway though Indian Territory. This intersection, which occurred one and a half miles south of the town of McAlester, became a lightning rod of settlement for entrepreneurs, land speculators and businessmen recognizing the tremendous advantage of that area. The site was named ‘South McAlester,’ for obvious reasons, and continued to draw a steady stream of inhabitants and new businesses throughout the 1890s. In 1899, the community voted to incorporate in order to improve the overall governance of the town. Eventually the population of South McAlester over grew the original town of McAlester, known then as North McAlester; and, in 1907, an act of Congress merged the two towns into one, simply named McAlester.

Sumner returned home to Fort Smith and informed his mother of his intended business venture with Mr. Moore. He also revealed that he would have to leave Fort Smith and move to South McAlester to establish his interests. The news was a bitter sweet moment for the Shapard family. Within the week, Sumner had packed his belongings, resigned his position at J. Foster & Co., and arranged a residence in Indian Territory.

Nearly Sumner’s entire youth had been shaped by the opportunities and experiences in Indian Territory and the missionary life of his parents. They had molded him into a fine and talented young man. He had been equipped in life with a strong Christian intellect, likable personality and unwavering work ethic. He, like his father, seemed to fearlessly adapt to the adventure of change. More than all else, he carried the confidence of a good name and the honor and dignity that it bestowed. In the life of all young men of worth, when the winds of maturity begin to blow, they summon a conviction of self-reliance and bravely spread their wings, discovering for the first time their ability to soar. In December of 1894, at nineteen years of age, Sumner Shapard boarded ‘The Choctaw’ train, independently spreading his unbound wings for opportunities eighty miles to the southwest, in Indian Territory.

By the time Sumner arrived in late 1894, South McAlester was booming, and being reputed as the best town in the Territory. It was the time of the telephone, telegraph, electricity and steam, and all that innovation found a home at South McAlester. In January of 1894, the streets had been improved and were lit by electricity. In April of 1894, the South McAlester Board of Commerce boasted of the new bottling factory and ice company with warehouses for cold storage and considerable machinery; as well as, a two-story, 50 foot by 100 foot, hotel being built near the future site of the proposed $3,200 union train depot. Because the town was situated near the center of Indian Territory, a federal courthouse and jail had been established there, drawing a large number of attorneys, judges, and law enforcement to the area. In January of 1895, it was reported that, almost every day in the town, a new house commenced in construction. The sound of the saw and the hammer were constant. Adding to the allure of the town, in 1895, South McAlester became home to the first public hospital in Indian Territory. With the flood of people, the town was in need of all kinds of businesses, especially good grocers.

Sumner wasted no time in declaring his interests to the community. On December 14, 1894, he publicly announced that in January he would be going into the family grocery business at South McAlester. He signed a lease for a space in the two-story brick building, that was being constructed by Judge Wilkinson, across the street from the courthouse. Unfortunately, construction became delayed, so on January 15, 1895, The Shapard Grocery Company opened for business at a temporary location. A month later, his original space was ready, and by February 15^th, Sumner had moved the grocery store to the ground floor of the “Wilkinson Brick” on Front Street. Later that year, Judge S. A. Wilkinson moved into one of the upstairs rooms and attorney W. B. Rutherford’s law practice occupied the other.

To prosper in the grocery trade, Sumner had a grand task ahead of him, as he was far from being the only vender of groceries in South McAlester. His competition, in 1895, was: Kali-Inla Grocery owned by P. A. Vance, J. W. Allen & Co., Banner Grocery, Mitchell & Williams, Felton & Co., and Cole Grocery Co. Most of these stores, however, were also “dry goods” stores, not dealing exclusively in groceries; thus, Sumner’s store was specialized to provide better and fresher groceries. Interestingly, by 1896, all of the competitors, except Kali-Inla Grocery, either went out of business or sold out to other proprietors, clearly showing the volatility of businesses in boomtowns where fortunes could be made and lost overnight.

To combat this unpredictability, Sumner also ventured beyond South McAlester to establish a broader client base in the neighboring towns, like Eufaula. One advantage, was that his groceries and country produce arrived at South McAlester directly by train, and did not have to be shipped at a great distance overland by wagon; Therefore, his product was fresher and prices remained competitively low, as the shipping costs were minimal. Sumner reported that Shapard Grocery Company had 35% of its business from out-of-town clients. At the time, it was common for merchants to have repeat customers from 10 to 40 miles away, and as time went on that distance widened.

As a 20 year-old popular entrepreneur running his first business in a new town, Sumner was living his best life. The town was full of activity, new people, pretty girls and adventure. He was traveling often in his buggy delivering groceries, between South McAlester, Eufaula and Fort Smith, and everywhere in between, making new clients, as well as, making new friends. Early in 1895, Sumner befriended 21 year-old Paul Sanger (1874-1933) of South McAlester, and, in March the two young men traveled to Eufaula together, visiting acquaintances.

Sumner and Paul had much in common. They were about the same age and had spent most of their lives in Indian Territory. Paul was born in Fort Smith and, as a child, had moved to Muskogee, Creek Nation, near Eufaula, where he was raised. He had just graduated from college at the McIntyre Institute of Tennessee in December of 1894, and moved to South McAlester where his family had just relocated from Eufaula. Paul desired to be a physician and had been accepted to medical school at Fort Worth, Texas, for the fall term of 1895. Until school started, he needed to earn some money. From December 1894, until January 1895, Paul gained temporary employment as a teacher at the high school. After that position, it appears that Paul began clerking for his friend Sumner at the Shapard Grocery Company.

As fate would have it, Paul had a sister! Miss Benetta Sanger (1876-1962) was described, in 1895, as being a very popular, charming, interesting, refined, cultured and accomplished young lady, with many friends and admirers. Sumner was instantly smitten with her, and they began courting. Love worked its charm, and the young couple soon announced their engagement. Sumner’s sister Lizzie and her husband Mr. W. B. Jaynes were thrilled by the announcement, and arranged a charming wedding venue for them at their former hometown of Sherman, Texas. On May 5, 1895, twenty year-old Sumner married nineteen year-old Benetta Sanger. The beautiful ceremony at the Methodist Episcopal Church South was attended by Sumner’s mother and his brothers, Edwin Jr., David, and sister, Lizzie Jaynes, among other family and guests.

Benetta Sanger (1876-1962) came from a very lively, and, at times, scandalous family. In 1860, her father, Stephen Smith Sanger (1838-1903), and his two brothers Fenton M. Sanger (1836-1890) and Edwin E. Sanger (1841-1929) were living in the Creek Nation. Benetta’s father married her mother, Emma Laura Bailey (1842-1912) on June 3, 1860, at Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the happy couple returned to make their existence in the Creek Nation. Unfortunately, war came to their doorstep, and in January of 1863, Benetta’s father and his two brothers joined the 2^nd Creek Regiment Mounted Volunteers of the Confederate States of America. Stephen S. Sanger became a Quartermaster Sergeant and his two brothers, Fenton and Edwin, became captains in the regiment. All three brothers were mustered out of service in July of 1863.

After the war, Benetta’s parents moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas, where her father engaged in the mercantile business throughout the 1860s and 1870s. Benetta was born on January 14, 1876, at Enterprise, Arkansas, about 5 miles south of Fort Smith, Arkansas. Circa 1877, Benetta’s family moved back to the Creek Nation, in Indian Territory, and settled at the town of Muskogee, where her father established a general merchandise store, selling dry goods, clothing, hats, stoves, furniture, saddles, books, medicine, paint, sewing machines, hardware, tinware, etc.

About that same time in the 1870s, Benetta’s uncles, Fenton M. Sanger (1836-1890) and Edwin E. Sanger (1841-1929) also moved back to the Creek Nation. Their much younger half-brother George P. Sanger (1862-1933), of Little Rock, Arkansas, also joined them. Edwin E. Sanger lived near the town of Eufaula, where he established a grist mill and cotton gin, and raised cattle. Fenton M. Sanger became a very successful and wealthy cattle rancher and owned a large ranch at Wealaka, near the town of Sapulpa, about 40 miles from Muskogee. Fenton employed numerous cowboys in the operation of the land and livestock, including his half-brother George P. Sanger.

In 1884, Benetta’s father suffered dire financial misfortune, through his poor business practices. For some time, he had been avoiding his creditors, causing the debts of his mercantile firm to accumulate and eventually surpass $19,000. Mr. Sanger bore many lawsuits from those to whom he owed, resulting in the confiscation of his assets and the closure of his store. As it came to pass, many of the creditors were Indians, and, in an effort to protect their interests, the Department of the Interior became involved. In 1885, they removed Mr. Sanger from Indian Territory, only allowing him to return in order to “use every available means to collect monies due him here and pay it pro rate to his [Indian] creditors.” In April of 1886, Mr. Sanger finalized the payment of his debts and removed his family from Indian Territory, for a fresh start in El Paso, Texas. He initially entered the grocery business, before establishing himself as a vender of coal from the Creek Nation coal mines. Benetta and her siblings attended the public school at El Paso and from all accounts were talented students.

Back in the Creek Nation of Indian Territory, a terrible event befell the Sanger family, sending shockwaves throughout the region.  On September 21, 1890, George P. Sanger (1862-1933) had been working the cattle on his half-brother Fenton M. Sanger’s (1836-1890) ranch. About 9 o’clock in the evening, George returned to the tent in which he lived, only to discover his wife and his brother Fenton engaging in adultery. A terrible fight broke out, and Fenton grabbed a shotgun, muzzling George, who quickly drew his own revolver. Two shots rang out, both from the revolver. One ball passed through Fenton’s body, killing him instantly. George was arrested for murder, and tried in the Federal Court at Fort Smith, Arkansas. The trial was one of the most highly publicized and hotly-contested murder cases of its day in Indian Territory. As it came to pass, in June of 1891, after all the facts were weighed, George Sanger was acquitted of all charges and set free.

Benetta’s father went to Indian Territory to settle his late brother’s estate, before returning home to El Paso, Texas. Unfortunately, Mr. Sanger continued his habit of poor business practices, and once again, he began accumulating lawsuits from creditors. In August of 1894, he closed his coal business in El Paso, and moved his family to Eufaula, Indian Territory, where his son Ward H. Sanger (1864-1929) had operated a store since about 1892. There he attempted to establish a general mercantile store at Eufaula, under his son’s name of Stephen S. Sanger, Jr., however he was immediately served with a $1000 lawsuit from a creditor, causing the closure of his store after only one month in operation.

After their bust at Eufaula, Mr. Sanger moved his family, circa January of 1895, to the boom town of South McAlester. While there, his daughter Benetta married Sumner Shapard. Mr. Sanger reported that Sumner was “one of the best men he ever knew.” The Sanger family remained at South McAlester only about a year, until Mr. Sanger followed his brother Edwin E. Sanger (1841-1929) to Oklahoma City in 1896. There he engaged in the retail coal trade, peddling coal to individuals and businesses in Oklahoma City, El Reno and other neighboring communities, as well as attempting to start a cotton gin and grist mill. Once again, Mr. Sanger fell into unethical business practices, and, in November of 1898, fled Oklahoma City, returning to El Paso, Texas, where he re-established his original coal trade. Unfortunately for him, in February of 1899, a sheriff from El Reno, Oklahoma Territory, tracked him to Texas and arrested him for embezzlement in his business dealings in El Reno. Only a few years later, in 1903, Mr. Stephen S. Sanger died at his son’s home in Yukon, Oklahoma.

Benetta’s father was clearly the black sheep of their family, as all of his children became highly respected and beneficial members of their communities. Of his seven children, his sons Fenton M. Sanger (1868-1951), Paul Sanger (1871-1934) and Stephen S. Sanger, Jr. (1874-1927) became physicians; his son Edwin E. Sanger (1884-1968) became a dentist and was the Mayor of Yukon in 1922; his son Ward H. Sanger (1864-1929) became a traveling salesman; and both of his daughters Benetta Sanger (1876-1962) and Emma B. Sanger (1880-1957) married well. The former married Mr. Sumner Shapard (1875-1935), and the latter married Mr. George Bass (1878-1971).