© Susan B

Submitted by: Jack Durham

Submitted by: Jack Durham

Ethel Love McCune (Evans)

Submitted by: Jack Durham

I, Ethel McCune Evans, was born in 1891 at Hope, Indian Territory. I was the youngest of five children, four girls and a boy, born to Henry P. McCune, a native of Ohio born in 1854, and Altha (Addington) McCune, a native of Arkansas born in 1860. Their children were Birdie (McCune) Goines, Ed (Henry Edgar) McCune, Goldie (McCune) Wright, Maudie McCune, and Ethel (McCune) Evans. They lived several years in Montague County, Texas, and then moved to Indian Territory.

In 1892, during the time my father was helping construct Ft. Sill, he took suddenly Ill and died of sunstroke.

In 1894, my mother was married to J. J. Stewart, and one son, Glen, was born to them. In 1897 our mother passed away, she, our father, and our brother Ed are buried in Ft. Sill Military cemetery.

After our mother's death, our half-brother, Robert A. White, brought us with him to Washita County where he homesteaded on a quarter section of land. He was only 22 years of age and single, so it was quite an adventure for him.

We made the journey from Ft. Sill to a farm one mile south and two miles west of Old Port Town, N.E.1/4 of 7-8-20, in a covered wagon along with the Jim Walker family, who were our neighbors. They homesteaded on the southeast quarter of the same section.

We brought our cows and other livestock. Although I was only six years old, I can remember the names of our milk cows (Muley and Dolly). We and the Walker family lived in the Port School dugout while our homes were being prepared. Our homes were dugouts also, as they were very popular in those days. Fuel was scarce, and the children's job was gathering cow chips for fuel. We were lucky that it was not far to water, and it was very good water.

After moving to our home, we walked about two miles to the half-dugout school. It was first used in 1892 and called Big Elk school, as it was near Big Elk Creek. That name was later changed to Rock Front school.

Because of difficult circumstances in raising small children, our brother (Bob) thought it would be better for us if we were in an orphans' home, so he took the three younger children to the Buckner's Orphans' Home, Dallas, Texas, in March, 1899.

While on his way back from Dallas to the farm, at what is now Port, Oklahoma, Bob worked at Marietta, Indian Territory, for a few months where he became ill and died in the fall of 1899.

My sister Birdie, who remained with the Walkers when we went to the orphans' home, was married to Henry Goines in 1900 and lived on a farm he homesteaded. They also proved up the Bob White farm and received the patent in 1904.

In 1907 I came back to Port and made my home with my sister, Birdie. I attended school at Rock Front in a two-room school building. I finished the 8th grade there and went to the Chickasha Business College.

In 1914 I married Andrew (Dan) Evans, the son of James A. Evans and Eliza Evans, who were also Washita County Pioneers and lived in the Rock Front District. This farm, S.W. 1/4 29-9-20, is still in the Evans family. There were two children born to us, Joe Allen Evans and Anna Eloise Evans. There were three children born to Joe, Perry Wayne, Loretta Jo, and Marian Allene, all of whom finished high school in Dill City. Three children were also born to Eloise, Ethelene Pearl, Jackson Laverne, and Janifer Kay. Eloise adopted two children in the 1960's-Angie and Paul.

After our marriage, we farmed two years near Port and one year northwest of Elk City near Berlin. In the spring of 1918 we purchased and moved to a farm 17 miles west of Cordell, W ˝ W ˝ 35-10-20. This was our home until the death of my husband in 1961 when I moved to Dill City where I reside today. This farm still remains in the Evans family.

In the mid-20's a highway to be called 41, now 152, was proposed and constructed along the south side of this farm. In 1927 a cotton gin, owned by L. E. Brooks of Cordell, was constructed north of the highway on our farm. About the same time a small town known as Forty-One sprang up. It consisted of two stores, filling stations, a blacksmith shop, café, feed mill, garage, gin, and several houses. Most of this is gone today, but the location of Forty-One is still carried on the official Oklahoma maps.

Since my life began at Hope, Indian Territory, Nov. 2, 1891, I have witnessed many changes. Much progress has been made, not only in Washita County but in our state and nation. Cars, tractors, machinery, electricity, appliances, and many other mechanical inventions and conveniences have become commonplace. There have been hardships and disappointments, but also many hours of happiness in my lifetime, and I am thankful to have had the opportunity and privilege to serve in some small way in the development of Washita County to make it what it is today.