67. William Jacob 'Jake' PYLAND
was born on 3 May 1865 in Polk Co, AR. He appeared on the census in 1900
in Centre, Polk Co, AR. He appeared on the census in 1900 in Centre, Polk Co,
AR. He appeared on the census in 1910 in Pittsburg Co, OK. He appeared on the
census in 1910 in Pittsburg Co, OK. He appeared on the census in 1920 in LeFlore
Co, OK. He appeared on the census in 1920 in LeFlore Co, OK. He died on 23
Feb 1953 in Seminole, Seminole Co, OK. He was buried on 25 Feb 1953 in LeFlore
Co, OK. Works Progress Administration - Indian-Pioneer History Project for
Oklahoma - W. J. Pyland Interview (#6749), dated July 16, 1937:
Mr. Pyland was born in Greene County, Arkansas, May 3 1865. He
owns a little store about seven miles east of Talihina and six miles
west of Whitesboro, on what is now called Upper Road. This road is
one of three roads leading from Talihina to Whitesboro.
He quotes: "I am of Irish descent. I came to the Indian
Territory in 1887, which was fifty years ago. My occupation was
hunting and trapping fur bearing animals. The first night that I
spent in what is now called Oklahoma was at the old Council House at
Tuskahoma. It was a wonderful sight as there was a trial of some kind
going on. I suppose there were three or four hundred Indians there,
and I never saw so much barbecued beef and goat in my whole life. The
Indians were very friendly to me, and offered me any amount of meat
that I wanted. The sheriff would not allow me to go in to court. I
am not sure who the Governor was but I think it was McCurtain.
There was just one road leading through the valley then, and that
was the Arkansas to Strington road.
Some of the Indians' homes were built of logs, but the most of
them were built by driving four posts in the ground and putting a
brush top on.
I remember one time I was trying to find a man by the name of
Kennedy. I rode up to a house, and asked a boy who was about eighteen
years old, where he lived. He wouldn't say anything, but only shook
his head when I asked. It made me very angry but there wasn't
anything I could do about it. As I was leaving I took a chew of
tobacco and offered him a chew. He seemed pleased about the tobacco,
and then he walked five miles and showed me where Mr. Kennedy lived
without saying a word. It was the hardest thing in the world to get
information of any kind. As a rule when you rode up to the house the
Indians would go out the back door, and you would hardly ever find the
man of the house at home. He was usually hunting or fishing.
The Indians were very queer about their food. I came to an
Indian camp on the bank of the Kiamichi River late one afternoon. As
I sat around waiting for the man folks to come in, I noticed some of
the women kept digging something out of the fire and covering it up
again. I decided to find out what it was. It was these Terrapins of
which we see so many in the summer time. They said that they were
fine to eat, after they were toasted."
1900 census notes 5 children, 3 living.
Jake did not move permanently to OK until 1900 and built his
country store six miles east of Talihina, LeFlore County, OK. After
Jake's death his son Edward B. Pyland continued to operate the store
until 1974.
He was married to Mary Elizabeth 'Mollie' WHISENANT on 18 Sep 1889
in Polk Co, AR. Mary Elizabeth 'Mollie' WHISENANT
was born on 18 May 1868 in AR. She died on 3 Apr 1946 in OK. She was buried
on 5 Apr 1946 in LeFlore Co, OK. William Jacob 'Jake' PYLAND and Mary Elizabeth
'Mollie' WHISENANT had the following children:
+251 i.
Oad Ervin PYLAND.
+252 ii.
Edward Benjamin PYLAND.
253 iii.
Ernie PYLAND was born in 1893 in AR. He died before 1900 in OK.
254 iv.
Ernia PYLAND (Private).
255 v.
Mollie PYLAND (Private).
256 vi.
Julia PYLAND was born on 5 Nov 1901 in AR. She died on 7 Apr 1913 in
OK. She was buried on 8 Apr 1913 in LeFlore Co, OK.
257 vii.
Marvin PYLAND was born on 15 Nov 1904 in OK. He died on 30 Nov 1993 in
Tulare Co, CA.
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