David Evander Shapard (Chapter 9) 1895-1897 The Shapard Family Moves to South McAlester, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory

 Chapter 9

THE SHAPARD FAMILY MOVES TO

SOUTH MCALESTER, CHOCTAW NATION

INDIAN TERRITORY

1895-1897

 

Shortly after Sumner’s engagement to Benetta Sanger, he had a heartfelt conversation with his mother and brothers about moving them from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to South McAlester, Indian Territory. Sumner’s grocery business was proving profitable and the town of South McAlester was new, fresh and exciting. A major selling point was that the town had the advantage of a quality school with exceptional teachers for David and Edwin, Jr. Moreover, the school board had just raised the money to expand the school from its 160 student capacity to double that number in the year to come. In addition, Sumner had rented a sizable house for about $12 per month, which was the going rate in South McAlester at the time, that had ample space for he and his bride, as well as, his mother and brothers. As it came to pass, Mrs. J. H. Shapard acquiesced, and after attending Sumner’s wedding on May 5, 1895, at Sherman, Texas, she, David and Edwin Jr., packed up their household belongings at Fort Smith, and moved to Sumner and Benetta’s home at South McAlester.

Interestingly, until Oklahoma statehood in 1907, by law, only Indians could own land in Indian Territory. Initially, in the early 1800s, they could use as much unoccupied land as they needed, by simply fencing in the acres they desired. There were no deeds, and property lines ebbed and flowed with use. Later, whites and other non-Indians began to intermarry with the natives and occupy land in the territory, legally passing it on to their mixed-blood children. By the 1890s, most of the large tribal lands of the nations were exclusively held by mixed-blood landlords, and some with barely a drop of native blood. Furthermore, since all whites and non-Indians were not citizens of the Indian Nations, they could not vote and were required to have a permit in order to rent land and work in the territory. Those not obtaining a permit were considered intruders, and, if caught, could be expelled from the territory by the U. S. Indian Agent. Those having a permit, who, after which, violated territorial laws could be expelled through the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and the Secretary of the Interior.

As towns developed upon these rented tribal lands, buildings and residences were constructed, the use of which was conveyed to the non-Indian occupant by the Indian landlord. As early as 1895, town lawsuits arose arguing that when a house or building was built on the tribal lands by the non-citizen then that structure should be considered his property, protected by the 14^th amendment of the U.S. Constitution in accordance with treaties, and that structure may be bought and sold by the non-citizen and could not be confiscated by the Indians. Leading up to statehood, land and property disputes had to find a resolution. Between 1897 and 1902, agreements between the Five Civilized Tribes and the Dawes Commission of the U. S. Federal Government broke up the common land ownership within the Indian Nations, giving each Indian citizen an individually owned, deeded piece of tribal property. In 1898, the Curtis Act allowed towns within Indian Territory the ability to incorporate and gave all townsmen, regardless of race, the right to vote. Thus, in 1895, when the Shapard family arrived at South McAlester, they would have not been able to own land, not been able to vote, and been required to have a permit in order to work and rent a house.

For David’s mother, the process of moving and getting established at a new residence created an unexpected expense. In order to pay her obligations, Mrs. J. H. Shapard took a second mortgage on her rent house on lot 5, block P, of the Fitzgerald Addition in Fort Smith, on May 25, 1895. In return she borrowed $250 from Mr. F. A. Curtiss, an investor from Connecticut, through his Fort Smith loan agent, Mr. George H. Lyman. The loan was contingent on a three year promissory note at 8% interest per annum. Records show that she fulfilled the terms of the note and satisfied the mortgage on February 25, 1898.

David’s mother found her connection to the community of South McAlester by joining the congregation of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. The church, located a mile away at (North) McAlester, held services every Sunday at 11 o’clock a. m. and 8 o’clock p. m., and Sunday school was held at 9:30 a. m. after the service. Rev. P. B. Hicks, the pastor of the church, also held evening prayers every Thursday at 8 o’clock p. m. Although the town of South McAlester was relatively new, numerous other churches had been established, including the Baptist “Refuge” Church, the Bowman Methodist Episcopal Church (North), the Christian Church, and the Presbyterian Church.

Edwin Jr., also made many friends at the Methodist Episcopal Church South through his association with the Epworth League, which held meetings every Sunday at 4 o’clock p. m. In 1889, the Methodist church established the Epworth League which was a youth organization to encourage and cultivate Christ-centered character in young adults, through community building, missions and spiritual growth. The league focused on six areas of growth: spiritual life, social work, literary work, correspondence, finance, and mercy and help. Interestingly, Benetta’s brother Paul Sanger (1871-1934) was a member of the Epworth League during this same time, and would have attended meetings and fellowship gatherings with Edwin Shapard, Jr.

In addition to his commitments at school, church and the Epworth League, Edwin Jr., also acquired his first job at South McAlester. His brother Sumner employed him part-time at the Shapard Grocery Company as a stockboy to fill the vacancy left by Paul Sanger, who left for medical school, approximately, September of 1895. Edwin Jr., learned the grocery business from his brother, ran errands and assisted in stocking and maintaining the store. He worked after school and on Saturdays.

The fall of 1895, marked a monumental moment for eight year-old David Shapard, who, for the first time in his life, began attending school. He entered the South McAlester public primary school as a first grader. His brother Edwin Jr., was 15 years of age, and attended the high school at South McAlester. With the constant arrival of new residents to the town, both boys made friends quickly and appear to have acclimated well.

In early November of 1895, Mrs. J. H. Shapard received the sad news of the death of her younger brother William Clayton Hall (1854-1895) of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. In late October, William and his wife Mollie (Prigmore), along with two other couples went on a week long camping and hunting excursion at the Saline River in Grant County. On the third day, the men of the party went on a deer hunt. As evening approached, the men returned to the camp, save William. As the hours passed, his wife and friends became uneasy. They fired guns and blew horns to no avail and led a nighttime search in vain. The following morning word was sent to all the people in the vicinity of Mr. Hall’s disappearance. Although fifty men joined the search, the day passed without success. Saturday afternoon, 75 men assembled, forming themselves into a line, 100 yards wide, wading through the dense cane brakes and woods. After a short while, a gun was fired indicating that he had been located. William was found deceased, lying on the ground aside his gun with both barrels cocked. He was without injury and his face was calm and peaceful, as if he had lain down to sleep. He had suffered a history of a weak heart, and the excitement of the hunt had overstressed his body. His remains were taken by wagon to his home at Pine Bluff and the funeral was held the following day at the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church. It was said of William that he was quiet and unassuming man and had many friends.

For Thanksgiving of 1895, Sumner Shapard graciously presented the newly opened hospital at South McAlester with a gift of ten dollars’ worth of groceries. All Saints Hospital, the first public hospital in Indian Territory, had been built through the efforts of Bishop F. K. Brooke of the Episcopal Church. After the January 7, 1892, Krebs mine explosion that killed 100 miners and injured about 150 more, Bishop Brooke witnessed the lack of available medical care, and vowed to establish a hospital in the mining region of the territory. In May of 1895, the funds had been raised, and a ground breaking ceremony was held in South McAlester.  The hospital had three-stories; the lower story was stone and the upper levels were wood framed. The kitchen was well equipped with a large stove and a “heating barrel” to furnish hot water at all hours. Cows were kept on the hospital grounds for a constant supply of milk and butter. The hospital’s dining room was furnished with table linens, silverware and chinaware. Each patient room was well-lit, well-ventilated and spacious. Originally the hospital had 25 patient beds, however, at full capacity it could accommodate up to 75 beds. The patient rooms had been furnished by donations from J. J. McAlester and the Masonic lodge of South McAlester. The hospital charged patients one dollar a day, payable on the first of each month. Patients unable to pay would still be admitted to equal care, “as the liberality of the Christian peoples enables.” On October 29, 1895, All Saints Hospital saw its first patient. A short time later, in February of 1896, all of Bishop Brooke’s efforts were validated when another mine exploded at Krebs and the burned miners were able to be treated at the new hospital.

In December of 1895, the South McAlester Chamber of Commerce received notice that the Choctaw, Oklahoma & Gulf Railway, who had corporate offices and machine shops located at South McAlester, were becoming disgruntled and considered relocating to Oklahoma Territory. The people of South McAlester recognized that the railroad’s interests were important, as the town existed because of them. To inquire of their grievances, a mass meeting was held between the Chamber of Commerce members of South McAlester and the directors of the railroad. The meeting commenced by electing Mr. H. H. Hathaway, who owned the South McAlester bottling company, as chairman, and Judge S. A. Wilkinson, who owned the ‘Wilkerson Brick’ and officed above the Shapard Grocery Company, as Secretary. Then Sumner Shapard, Judge S. A. Wilkerson and Mr. S. Crowl were appointed as a committee to inquire as to the grievances of the company, and report their findings at their next meeting. In the end, the railroad company’s concerns were satisfied and they kept their shops and offices at South McAlester. Sumner’s appointment to the committee, in a matter of this importance, clearly illustrates how much his peers had already come to respected him.

By late January of 1896, it was apparent, to the delight of the Shapard family, that Sumner’s wife Benetta was pregnant. This was going to be Mrs. J. H. Shapard’s second grandchild, the first being Lizzie's son, who was stillborn. A letter announcing the good news was quickly sent to Lizzie in Washington D. C., among other distant family members. About the first of February, Sumner and Benetta traveled to Eufaula, to visit her mother and share the joyous information in person. They stayed for a few days, no doubt also visiting Sumner’s friend and business partner, Mr. C. G. Moore.

By May of 1896, The Shapard Grocery Company was growing well, and Sumner was quickly becoming recognized as one of the leading citizens of South McAlester. As business boomed, so too did the cash flow coming into the shop. To protect his income, Sumner purchased a large burglar proof safe and had it installed at the store. Although it was a large investment, he had good reason, as crime was epidemic in Indian Territory.

In 1896, there were approximately 250,000 whites in Indian Territory, yet, tribal governments only had policing authority over their own Indian citizens, thus the non-Indian population was almost without government, and as such, the taking of life and property was rampant. Furthermore, an Act of 1895, confined the U. S. Marshals in Indian Territory to having only four deputies, making the deterrence of crime for the non-Indian population nearly impossible through lack of manpower. The lawbreakers were tough hardened characters fully aware of the lack of law enforcement and used it to their advantage. Individual ne’er-do-wells and marauding gangs of outlaws infested the territory, leaving a crimson path wherever they struck. Most notably, during this time, were the Doolin Gang, The Cook Gang, and the Dalton Gang. Members of these highwaymen carried colorful names, such as, “Verdigris Kid,” “Polka Dot Bill,” “Tulsa Jack,” “Zip Wyatt” and “Rattlesnake Bill.” They raided farms of men known to have wealth, often murdering the family while scavenging for their gains. Roads were particularly dangerous, and many ranchmen, mail hacks and businessmen were ambushed, being deprived of their horses, belongings and wares. Stores were also prime targets of these desperados, in an effort to relieve the shopkeeper of his inventory of guns, ammunition and other useful supplies. Most strikingly, this was the era of brazen train and bank robberies.

Although the territory was host to these outlaws, and numerous crimes did occur in the vicinity of South McAlester, the town itself remained relatively safe. This was in large part due to the U. S. courthouse and jail that had been established there about 1894, and the constant presence of U. S. marshals, deputies and other law enforcement. Sumner perhaps knowingly capitalized on this protection by locating his business directly across from the courthouse.

A day of great celebration occurred on July 6, 1896, for the Shapard family. For it was the day that Sumner and Benetta became parents to a beautiful baby girl. She was named Naomi Kertrude Shapard. As the first living grandchild, Mrs. J. H. Shapard adored the baby, swaddling and rocking her to sleep. David, at 9 years old, was curious to see her, yet, upon realizing she was too young to play with him, likely lost interest quickly. Although there were many late nights, over the weeks and months to come, tending to the needs of the baby, there were many loving and loyal hands to assist.

In early August of 1896, as Sumner’s business continued to grow, he was in need of another clerk at the store. On August 6, it was announced that he had hired Walter C. Grayson (1876-1959) to fill the position. Walter would have been an interesting employee for the Shapard Grocery Company, as he was the son of Captain G. W. Grayson and Anna Stidham of Eufaula. Capt. G. W. Grayson was one of the first settlers of Eufaula and was a quarter-blood Creek. As a boy he attended the Asbury Manuel Labor School before leaving the nation for higher education at Arkansas College. During the war, he served in the 2^nd Regiment Creek Volunteers for the Confederate States of America, reaching the rank of Captain. On July 29, 1869, he married Miss Anna Stidham, who was the daughter of George Washington Stidham, being one of the Creek leaders at the council which determined that the Creeks should have an alphabet. They would have nine children, many who died young. Capt. Grayson was appointed as the Treasurer of the Creek Nation for 8 years, and was a member of the House of Warriors for many years. He represented the Creeks at Washington D. C. for 45 years, and, in 1917, was appointed Chief of the Creeks. He was one of the most influential leaders of his Nation. He was writing a history of the Creek Nation when he passed away in 1920.

In mid-September of 1896, as the seasons were about to change, Sumner and Benetta’s two month old daughter developed a week-long bout of diarrhea. They contacted All Saints Hospital, where she was placed under the care of house physician Dr. Ebenezer N. Allen (1856-1927). Dr. Allen was an 1880 graduate of Kansas City Medical College and practiced for five years in Missouri and Kansas before coming to McAlester in 1885. He had established his practice before South McAlester existed and watched the town develop almost overnight. He was one of the founders of All Saints Hospital and was house physician for many years after the hospital was established. He was also the official surgeon for the Rock Island Railway Company, Choctaw line, attending to their injuries.

Upon examination, Dr. E. N. Allen diagnosed Sumner and Benetta’s daughter as having ‘cholera infantum.’ This was a non-contagious disease, often occurring between April to October, affecting infants who had been weaned off breastmilk. The symptoms were diarrhea, dehydration and decline. Cholera infantum was a prominent cause of death for infants in the 1890s. Unfortunately, for the Shapard family, this proved to be true, and despite their best efforts, Naomi passed away on October 1, 1896, after an illness of two weeks duration.

The following day, a grieving family consisting of Sumner, Benetta, Mrs. J. H. Shapard, Edwin Jr., and David boarded the Choctaw train and left for Fort Smith. They were met at the station by the director of the Birnie Funeral Home, where the body was placed in a hearse wagon. The family rode to the City Cemetery (later known as Oak Cemetery) where a small private service was held. After the interment, the family visited the grave of Rev. E. R. Shapard, in the same cemetery, before making their way back to South McAlester. On October 16, Sumner paid the funeral costs by check, totaling five dollars.

Word quickly spread around South McAlester of the devastating news, and upon the Shapard family’s return, they were greeted by a large group of friends who bereaved the loss of their child. The local newspaper ran numerous condolences to Sumner and Benetta, letting them know that their townsmen cared for them deeply. During this most difficult of times, they clearly had strong arms around them, as well as, their faith to help them heal.

The Shapard family had spent much time in the care of the congregation of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, as well as, Rev. P. B. Hicks, the pastor of the church. Price Beauregard Hicks (1861-1924) had a troubled youth, however out of those trials and tribulations came a new birth in Christ. Price joined the Indian Mission Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South in 1892. His first appointment was at Thackerville in the Chickasaw Nation of Indian Territory. In 1895, he was transferred to McAlester in the Choctaw Nation, and served there until 1897. Wynnewood, in the Chickasaw Nation, was his next appointment for two years. In 1889, he became the Presiding Elder of the Cherokee District and served in that capacity until 1903, when he was appointed to Wagoner in the Cherokee Nation. In 1906, he became the Conference Missionary and thereafter was superannuated. He was known to be a fiery preacher, full of spirit, one that even got the blacks delightfully roused.

Rev. P. B. Hicks was a great comfort to Mrs. J. H. Shapard, for although he never knew her husband, they were involved in the same missionary conference of the Methodist church. They would have known many of the same ministers and families and shared vast commonalities of which to talk. Rev. Hicks thoroughly enjoyed hearing the stories of the older missionary ministers and the kind of work they did.

On Christmas Eve of 1896, the Shapard family attended the 7 o’clock p. m. program at the Methodist Episcopal Church South. There was singing, speeches, sermons, music and distributing of gifts. Edwin Jr., was elected to the Committee of Distribution to ensure the items were delivered successfully. Mrs. J. H. Shapard used her talents as a member of the Committee on Decorations, to ensure the church was beautified in the Christmas spirit. David helped his mother decorate the church in whatever his little capacity could manage.

The year 1897 started off with a bang. In early January, Sumner met with his mentor and business partner Mr. Charles G. Moore at Eufaula. At the meeting, Sumner expressed that he was ready for sole ownership of the business and offered to buy out Mr. Moore’s half.  The men settled on the sum of $1,800 to be paid to Mr. Moore in increments of $125 per month until satisfied. It was agreed that the business name would remain the same and the men thought it best not to inform the public of the dissolution of their partnership, so not to affect the business. There was no written contract, just a handshake between two honorable men.

Once back at South McAlester, Sumner decided that it was also time for a change in location as he was out growing the ‘Wilkerson Brick’ space. In mid-January, Sumner signed a contact on an upcoming space available in the ‘McAlester Block,’ being a massive two-story stone building constructed in 1895. The top floor was utilized as a courtroom and to house government offices. The ground floor had an elegant men’s barber shop operated by Sam Penn, a billiard hall, a store owned by C. E. Weimer called ‘The Racket’ that sold pharmaceuticals, general merchandise, shoes, etc., and Cottreaux’s confectionary shop that sold ice cream, candy and carbonated beverages.

As luck would have it, Mr. J. E. Cottreaux was vacating his space for a new location, and Sumner jumped at the opportunity to relocate to such a prime site. As soon as the space opened, Sumner and his employees and family all assisted in moving the contents of his store to its new quarters. By early February of 1897, the Shapard Grocery Company had its full stock beautifully displayed to excellent advantage at the McAlester Block. It was said his new space had a “metropolitan appearance.”

On January 9, 1897, Mrs. J. H. Shapard’s older brother, Sam Allen Hall (1848-1897) died at home at Swan Lake, Jefferson County, Arkansas. In 1891, he had been widowed by his wife Mary Thompson (1852-1891) leaving him with two children, a son Henry J. Hall (1878-1900) and daughter Mary Ellen Hall. His brother David Davis Hall (1856-1902), a bachelor, lived with him, and together they farmed a large property. Sam Hall’s remains were shipped to Madison Station, Tennessee, and were interred in the Hall family plot at Spring Hill Cemetery.

In mid-January, while Sumner was occupied with the business, his wife Benetta had a close call with grave injury. She had traveled by carriage to North McAlester with Mrs. Hathaway, whose husband was Mr. H. H. Hathaway, owner of the South McAlester Bottling Company and the South McAlester Mill Company. Upon their return, the horse started out at a lively gate and disobeyed the reigns, whereupon, they collided with a passing wagon with enough force to break the shafts. Mrs. Hathaway was ejected from the vehicle, landing on her head. Gratefully, neither Benetta nor Mrs. Hathaway were injured beyond a few scrapes, bruises and being momentarily stunned.

On February 25, as an ascending leading citizen, Sumner wrote an interesting article for a McAlester newspaper, in which he gave a vibrant description of the sanitary state of South McAlester in 1897; “…One reason that I am preaching good streets is because without good streets our sanitary condition cannot be good, but bad as they are, our sanitary condition could be vastly better. Look up and down Front street and see the trash, paper, old bottles, cans and other rubbish thrown from the doors of the business houses, ours not excepted. Go around to the back doors and look there, you will find decayed stuff of all kinds, hog wallows, slops and the like, the scent from which will make the whole town sick in the summer time. It is not only our business streets where this condition exists, even worse will be found around some of the homes, where the slops and everything else is emptied into the alley. Now let each individual do all he can to give us a good sanitary condition. Don’t dump everything into the ally or streets. Put it in a slop barrel and haul it off, lets have some pride about the looks of our town, and avoid as possible having any sickness in the town during the summer. Some one suggest a good feasible plan for working our streets, so that it won’t all fall on a few. Respectfully, S. S. Shapard.”

The Shapard family was elated in March of 1897, when Lizzie (Shapard) Jaynes came for an extended visit to see her mother and brothers and sister-in-law. Being her first visit to South McAlester, she was enthralled to see their home, Sumner’s business, and the amenities of this bustling boomtown. After a few weeks, it was time for her to return to Washington D. C. to join her husband. However, Lizzie and her mother rode the train to Eufaula, and there spent the last few days of her trip together, having some well appreciated mother-and-daughter time.

In April of 1897, Sumner had a major business misstep, for failure to consult with his old business partner. As it happened, Mr. J. E. Cottreaux, who owned a confectionary, was greatly indebted to the Shapard Grocery Company. In an effort to force payment, Sumner, without Mr. C. G. Moore’s knowledge, had a levy placed on Mr. Cottreaux’s business property and followed through with a seizure of that property, consisting of a marble soda fountain, marble top tables, ice cream freezers, showcases, and general outfit of a confectionary. The property was sold to satisfy the debt. However, prior to the sale, Mr. Cottreaux sent notice to Sumner that the property seized was not his property but that of his parents, Joe and Philomena Cottreaux, and they were entitled to its immediate possession. To his detriment, Sumner ignored this notice and had the property sold. After the debt was satisfied, the Sumner offered to return to Mr. J. E. Cottreaux any unsold property, yet, he declined. Instead, Sumner and Mr. C. G. Moore were served with a $520 lawsuit from Mr. J. E. Cottreaux’s parents for the wrongful seizure and sale of their property. Mr. Moore was dumbfounded, as he knew nothing of the happenings until he was legally served. Sumner assured him that he had it under control and not to worry. At the trial, the jury determined that Mr. Moore was still an active partner in the Shapard Grocery Company, due to there having been no public notice of dissolution, nor business name change, nor had Sumner financially finished buying him out. Furthermore, the jury found against Sumner and Mr. Moore for the full sum of $520, plus court costs, etc. Both Sumner and Mr. Moore decided to appeal the ruling by filing a motion for a new trial. This was overruled. However, both men persisted, and were finally granted a new trial in 1899.

Sumner’s accruing legal fees, on top of his normal business expenses, while being the sole proprietor of his company was having an effect. In order to float his business through this rough patch, on April 29, 1897, Mrs. J. H. Shapard mortgaged all of her property in Fort Smith, being lots 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, for $2000 at 8 percent interest. It should be noted that this was a very risky financial move, as many of these lots were still encumbered by first or second mortgages: lots 2 and 3 had two mortgages from the Fort Smith Building and Loan Association, from 1891, totaling $850; lot 5 had a Deed of Trust, from 1892, to G. H. Lyman for $250; and lot 6 had a Deed of Trust, from 1894, to G. H. Lyman for $300. Sumner backed the loan assuring his mother that he would raise the money to pay her back. The joys of starting and owning a business had now become encumbered with lawsuits, debt collectors and financial strain on family and friends.

Sumner consulted with Mr. Moore at Eufaula about the situation. To help alleviate the financial strain, Mr. Moore graciously allowed Sumner to halt his monthly payments of $125, per the terms of the partnership buyout contract. At present, Sumner had only paid him $500 of the $1,800 agreed. Additionally, Mr. Moore advised Sumner that he should solicit a new partner to raise some quick capital and help offset expense.

In early June, Sumner petitioned Mr. W. S. Ambrose to invest as a half-partner in the Shapard Grocery Company. Mr. Ambrose was the manager of the Choctaw Ice Company of South McAlester, that delivered ice to homes and businesses for food preservation, etc., as well as, having large cold storage facilities for railroad perishables. The ice company was highly profitable, and Mr. Ambrose was well compensated. As an investment, Mr. Ambrose purchased Sam Penn’s barbershop in January of 1896, hiring a manager to run the daily operation. This barbershop was located in the same building as the Shapard Grocery Company.

As it turned out, Mr. Ambrose was ready for another investment and agreed to pay Sumner $1,800, dispersed in monthly increments, in return for a half interest in the grocery company. The timing could not have been better, as that month, Sumner had two pending lawsuits from the Cottreaux debacle. However, as an equal partner with differing vision, Mr. Ambrose requested that two initial investments be made; first, was to run a large bold advertisement daily on the front page of the newspaper, and second, was to update and enhanced the store. Sumner obliged, and the company invested in the newspaper’s premier ad space for their marketing campaign. Then the entire store was rearranged and all new shelving was installed. They also updated the quality of their stock of groceries, desiring to be second to none in the Southwest. Finally, the trade name was changed from the ‘Shapard Grocery Company’ to ‘S. S. Shapard & Co.’ Whether Sumner’s new location, new partnership, new strategy, new inventory, and new store appearance would prove to be successful was conjecture, however, one thing was for certain, he was either going to be a shooting star or a falling star, and only time would tell.

Perhaps as foreshadowing of what was to come, Sumner Shapard witnessed, in late June of 1897, a peculiar celestial event that was recorded in the local newspaper. “Sunday night at 12:35, great balls of fire were seen in the northwest heavens. Messers, S. S. Shapard, Tobe Ramsey and Prof. Castle have all contributed their statements to the Capital reporter. There were several small balls that were seen when they approached within a short distance of the Earth. The largest ball must have been a foot in diameter, and in its decent it lit up all that part of the town northwest of Union depot. Several other people saw the meteoric display and there is no question about it, as the gentlemen are well known for their truth and veracity, and are not given to pipe stories of visions. There is no doubt that a meteor will be found as several of the parties are searching for it who saw the fiery ball fall and located the place.”

On July 5, 1897, Benetta took 10 year old David Shapard on a special trip. They boarded the Choctaw train at South McAlester and rode it to Fort Smith, Arkansas. They then went north into the mountains of northwest Arkansas, to a resort town called Winslow. The area was unbelievably beautiful, with lakes, streams and dense tree cover, and was a popular vacation spot as it was easily accessible by train. Benetta and David spent many weeks at Winslow, likely joined by other family members.

Back at South McAlester, Sumner was growing out his first mustache. Apparently, his friends reveled in teasing him about its “modest, yet, captivating appearance,” so much so, that he shaved it off. A few days later, Sumner was at work and had a somewhat terrifying experience. He was moving inventory and flipped over a sack of bran, exposing a large coiled up snake that had been resting under the bag. Sumner rubbed his eyes, not believing what he was seeing. Slowly the reptile uncoiled revealing the beautiful, yet, unmistakably pattern of the venomous copperhead. The snake lifted its arrow-shaped head towards Sumner, who sprang back over the counter like a chased deer. There he located a weapon and dispatched the serpent. The copperhead was 29 and a half inches in length and as beautifully patterned as a snake could be “when out on dress parade.” Sumner believed that the creature either came up through a hole in the floor or had been a stowaway in a bunch of bananas.

Unfortunately, by late August, S. S. Shapard & Co. was hemorrhaging money badly. Their ad campaign was not pulling in the clientele they needed, and their store rebrand fell flat. It was stated of the people of South McAlester, during this time, that; “There are most all phases and grades of society here. Some ‘tony’ and some otherwise – mostly otherwise.” Unfortunately, S. S. Shapard & Co.’s, rebranding may have focused on appealing to the less common “tony” customers, and missed out on the patronage of the ‘mostly otherwise.’ Regretfully and sadly, Sumner realized his business had failed. In September, he consulted with his old partner Mr. Moore about the situation. He looked at the state of the finances and realized that the company had $2,000 of debt. Always the mentor to Sumner, Mr. Moore requested that Sumner turn over to him the inventory and property of the store. In return, Mr. Moore would pay the $2000 debt and Sumner and could walk away. Sumner agreed, and about September 1, 1897, it was announced that Mr. C. G. Moore of Eufaula had purchased Sumner’s share of the S. S. Shapard & Co. grocery. Gratefully, Mr. Moore was able to sell the grocery business a month later, recouping the money he spent on satisfying the debt, to Mr. Jessie Griffin & Co., who became its successor.

As soon as Sumner was out of the grocery business, he accepted a job at Fort Smith as a bookkeeper for a newly established Berry & Echols Dry Goods Company. Sumner’s rush to find employment was not only his obligation as the provider of the family, but also because his wife was expecting a child in the spring. Sumner immediately moved to Fort Smith, while the rest of the family remained at South McAlester until they could comfortably move back to their home on Lexington Avenue. Overall, the citizens of the town regretted losing Sumner, as he was an enterprising and accommodating businessman. For the Shapard family, the experience of South McAlester was a great rise and a great fall, with lots of bumps in between. It was an interesting and emotional foray, but it was not home. Lizzie stated it best in a letter to her mother, writing; “I was very much surprised to hear of your change in business, but on your account, I am very much pleased, for I know your heart has always ached to be back in our dear old home…”