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From: "Kevin D Clapp" <>
Subject: Re: [LOCKE-L] Victor M. Locke research
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 12:18:21 -0600


Hello "RambleNanc" (for lack of your name, lol!), and everyone else,
too!

Been getting behind on all of my lists, and just now saw a couple of
messages concerning Victor M. LOCKE. Thought I would throw my two
cents in, since he was a relative of mine - he was my
great-Grandfather's brother!

Victor M. (either Moreau, or Murat) LOCKE
Born: 1 AUG 1846 in Decatur, Meigs County, TN
Died: 5 JAN 1929 in Antlers, Pushmataha County, OK
Buried: 7 JAN 1929 in the LOCKE Family Cemetery, located in Antlers,
OK.
Married: 1871 in Skelton Depot, Lukfata, Indian Territory (now
McCurtain County, OK), to Susan P. McKinney.
Victor was the son of:
Benjamin Franklin LOCKE and Mary SHARP.
Victor's Brothers and Sisters (in order of birth) were:
Harriet Jane LOCKE, b. 27 SEP 1841;
Sarah Catherine LOCKE, b. 20 DEC 1843, d. 28 MAR 1920;
Susanna Alberta LOCKE, b. 9 JUL 1848, d. 18 NOV 1879;
Benjamin Franklin LOCKE, Jr., b. 28 MAY 1851, d. 13 FEB 1900;
Elisha Sharp LOCKE (my g-grndfthr), b 14 JUN 1854, d. 29 JUL 1913

only *one* "William" LOCKE in my LOCKE family, who was Victor's
Uncle - he was born in VA in 1783, died in TN in 1835.... and, the
LOCKE family was originally from England, and came to the States by
way of Virginia)

The three LOCKE boys, Victor, Ben, and Elisha, left TN shortly after
the Civil War to come to OK. All three married into the Choctaw Tribe
(Listed in the 'DAWES' rolls). Victor was a Merchant/Businessman who
owned a Mercantile/General store in Antlers and a Sawmill outside of
town, Ben was a Dr., and Elisha was a Farmer/Rancher. Ben caught
pneumonia on a trip 'east' and died. Victor 'founded' the Town of
Antlers, provided land for the new settlers, and helped draw up the
Town Charter and platt (map of streets, etc.). Elisha and his wife,
Jane Elizabeth ("Janie") DAVENPORT, owned one of the largest (at that
time) ranches in the Antler's area, and bred/raised/sold fine cattle
and Janie sold milk, cream, butter, and cheese.

Victor LOCKE was active in the politics of the times, and had several
rivals for positions. As a result of very heated exchanges, the LOCKE
family were part of several political 'wars' with other factions -
including shoot-outs in the town church, AND a 'siege of his home at
one point - where Federal Troops were dispatched to the area, along
with Choctaw Tribal Lawmen, to 'settle' the situations down and
maintain peace. Here is a reference to the church shoot-out:

"Indian Pioneer History Project for Oklahoma
Archives and Manuscripts Division
Oklahoma Historical Society
Indian Pioneer History Collection
Volume 82. Pages 222-224
Date: 13 July 1937
Field Worker: Jennie Selfridge
8089

(URL: http://www.rootsweb.com/~okgenweb/pioneer/ohs/
selfridgejennie.htm)

(entire text)
"MAYHEW CHURCH AND COURT GROUNDS
Four or five miles northeast of Boswell, Oklahoma
[now Choctaw Co.]

The old Mayhew church was located northeast of Boswell four
or five miles.

This church was established in 1836 by Cyrus Kingsbury, a
Presbyterian.
This location was also used for a court ground. All that was
left of the old original Mayhew was torn down in 1934. The
first home, that of Kizzie Baptiste and Mrs. James, was also
torn down. This home was the stage stop on the old Military
Road.

The second location of the Mayhew court ground was just west
of the present Mayhew school. To this location was moved the
old steel jail house which Governor Jones built to put the
Crowder gang in. This jail was first built on the Pushmataha
court ground, which was located one-half mile east of the
present town of Sunkist. The Duncan boys moved it to its
present location in 1903.

The Crowder gang consisted of George, Bill, and Josh Crowder.
Josh Crowder killed one of the Jones boys before [223] Wilson
Jones became Governor.

Dick Locke, father of Victor Locke, also had trouble with the
Jones family. The fought a battle in the church at Antlers,
and using the words of Dr. Lynch, "the church was shot to
thunder." About this time or a little later Tom Hunter ran
for Governor of the Choctaw Nation and was elected. He was
opposed to the Atoka Agreement, and when he went to take
over the capitol at Tuskahoma the Department of the Interior
sent troops to keep him out. Solomon Homer finally stole the
seal of the Choctaw Nation, and McCurtain was installed as
Governor.

The old steel jail is constructed of solid steel strips which
are welded together. Outside of the steel structure is another
structure of pine logs, and over this a frame structure. It
would have been impossible for a person to have escaped from
the jail. There was room in it for sixteen prisoners. The
prison spaces were lettered from left to right, A, B, C, and
on through P, P being to the left of A. On the floor at each
prison space there is a large steel ring welded into the wall,
and a chain welded to this ring. In this manner the prisoners
could be fastened hand and foot to the wall. [224] The only
opening is the door which is located in the west end of the
jail. The jail is being used at the present time as a granary,
and the inside is still in perfect condition.

Dr. Lynch has witnessed several whippings at the old court
ground. The whipping tree has been cut down. It stood just
a little south and east of the store and jail house. Judge
Everidge, the Choctaw judge, would some times adjourn court
to play poker. Solomon Homer would usually defend the Indians.
After the jury found a prisoner guilty of a crime the judge
would instruct the deputy to lay on the lashes. One deputy
stood on each side of the tree and held the prisoner, while
ten men lay on the lashes. They were each given ten sticks,
and the sheriff stood by to take up the sticks as they used
them.

Comment: This court ground was visited by Jennie Selfridge in
September of 1936. The remainder of the information was
obtained from Dr. Charles Lynch, Federal Building Ardmore,
who was a pioneer physician around Mayhew.

Fieldworker.
- -----------------------------------------------------------
Abstracted and submitted by Sharron Ashton 02-99"


Although I am diligently working on this branch of the LOCKE family, I
am having trouble documenting facts concerning, and descendants of,
Victor. I believe I saw a message stating that Victor LOCKE was at
one time a Chief of the Choctaw Tribe - to the best of my knowledge
(gained from several sources), it was NOT Victor M. LOCKE that was
Chief, but rather his SON - Victor M. LOCKE, *Jr.*. Anyone with more
accurate info, PLEASE feel free to correct me!

Also, PLEASE contact me with further info on Victor M. LOCKE, Sr. and
his family, as I am trying to fill out my Family History on this
particular branch, AND trying to contact living descendants of Victor
M. LOCKE, Sr.! To the best of *my* limited knowledge, Victor and
Susan only had three children:
Victor M. LOCKE, Jr, b. 23 MAR 1876, Indian Territory, d. 1 MAR 1943;
Mary A. "Dolly" LOCKE, b. 3 FEB 1879, Indian Territory, d. 11 DEC
1957, Antlers, OK
"Unkown Infant" LOCKE, b. Mar 1892, Indian Territory, d. 21 AUG 1894

So, your mention of:
> Doing research of Sarah Susan Caroline Locke Oyler (my
great-grandmother)
> married in Randolph Co., IN in 1868. I am told her father was
Victor Locke,
> chief of the Choctaw Tribe. Census records indicate her father was
more
> likely William Lock from NC/IN ...

Since Victor M. LOCKE, Sr. did not marry until 1871, it seems doubtful
that your Sarah could have been his daughter. Also, it would be
absolutely impossible for Victor M. LOCKE, Jr. to be her father, since
he was not born until 1876.

I searched all through *my* LOCKE info, and found:
1. using the name "SARAH" and "LOCKE":
"Sarah Catherine LOCKE" who was Victor M. LOCKE, Sr.'s sister, who
married a Dr. Marion Colombus Clark, in approximately DEC 1861. (no
further info on her - dead end in my research.)
2. using the name "SUSAN" and "LOCKE":
"Susan LOCKE" who was Victor's 1st cousin (no further info on her -
dead end in my research.)
3. using the name "CAROLINE" and "LOCKE":
No information found.
4. using the name "WILLIAM" and "LOCKE"
"William LOCKE" who was Victor's uncle (not the father of Susan LOCKE,
above), born in VA in 1783, died in TN in 1835 (no further info on
her - dead end in my research.)

Now, I *DO* know that there ARE descendants of Victor M. LOCKE in
Indiana - just not sure what relation or generation they are. I have
tried to contact them using email, but have had no responses. One is
named Francine Brey, and the other is named Victor Locke (Possible
bro. to Francine Bray - desc. of Victor M. LOCKE Sr.). So, don't give
up your search. The info I have in *my* Family History is NOT
complete by any means - just because I don't have further info on your
"Sarah Susan Caroline Locke Oyler" in IN, or a "William Locke" in NC,
that does not mean that they aren't related in some way - it just
means that I have no info as of yet linking them to my line.

Just a couple of 'tidbits' that I have found on Victor M. LOCKE, Sr.,
that I have been unable to definitely document:

Victor's Indian (Choctaw) name was 'Glohoke'.

Victor was also known as "Uncle Dick" (also referred to as "Dick"
Locke in the above mentioned church shoot-out)

(Source:"THE ROSTER OF CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS" 1861 - 1865 Volume IX
Jones, O. -to- Lofftus, Archibald, M253-255 -- M253-288, Edited By
Janet B. Hewett)
"TENNESSEE: Locke, V. M. 3rd (Lillard's) Mtd. Inf. Co. I"

"Funeral services held in the Catholic Church, his wife & children
were
Catholic. His remains interred 'in the private burial ground on his
estate
in the western part of Antlers on Monday, 7 JAN, 1929.
Headstone reads: V. M. Locke Died 7 JAN 1929 Pvt. 3 Tenn. Cav. C.S.A
(note: Deathdate conflicts with 'known' date of 5 JAN 1929)"

Anyway, thought I would drop you a line and let you know what I have,
and ask for everyone's help in tracking down more info and
descendants.

Hope some of this has helped!

Kevin Clapp

----- Original Message -----
From: <>
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 1999 7:07 PM
Subject: [LOCKE-L] Locke research


> Doing research of Sarah Susan Caroline Locke Oyler (my
great-grandmother)
> married in Randolph Co., IN in 1868. I am told her father was
Victor Locke,
> chief of the Choctaw Tribe. Census records indicate her father was
more
> likely William Lock from NC/IN ... but I do know there is a Victor
chain out
> there and don't know if we plug into it. Anyone that could help me
or would
> like to compare notes ... please respond! THANK YOU

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