"Old Indian Frank" seems
to be the only name he has, at least its about the only name McKinney people
know and have known for years and years. "Old Indian Frank" is probably the
oldest in point of citizenship of any person in town. He can recall the
childhood days of McKinney men who now are old and bent and scores of whom
have passed on to their reward.
Frank House is his real
name, and he came to McKinney when but eight years old, that being
seventy-nine years ago. No, he did not come to McKinney, but to the place
which was later to become McKinney.
Those early days were
rich in romance and tragedy and Indian Frank can recall many of them. But to
him they did not seem unusual nor so interesting as they do to the younger
generation, for he was brought up in those days of hardships—the days when
men knew but little law save the common law of right and justice.
Came From Oklahoma.
Frank was brought down
the "trail" from Oklahoma in the old Indian style of travel and for many
years after he reached here he says there were many Indians hereabouts. He
does not recall ever seeing an Indian kill a white man, but he does recall
seeing Indians kill one another. He recalled one murder among Indians which
occurred just north of McKinney. An infuriated Indian rushed up to his foe
and with one of the old time Bowie knives, so commonly carried in those
days, stabbed him to death so quickly that the victim hardly had time to
realize what had happened to him.
Recalls Early Merchants.
Indian Frank recalls the
first little stores that were ever established in McKinney. He recalls the
days of the "trading station" of George Barrett which might have been called
a store, and a little later the real mercantile establishment of Newsome &
Board, a firm composed of the late I. D. Newsome and Captain R. M. Board,
who now lives in McKinney. Captain Board was McKinney's first postmaster,
and the postoffice and mode of mail delivery in those days was quite
different from that of today. The old stage coach brought the mail down the
rough, dim roads and unloaded it at the little postoffice building. Captain
Board, like Indian Frank, has lived to see the contrast of today's progress
and that of the early days of our county.
Has No Children Living.
Indian Frank has no
children living now. His mother's maiden name was Bush. She was married a
second time. Frank's father was of a Chickasha tribe of Indians, as was his
step-father and mother. His last child, a boy who had reached young manhood
was killed some years ago out West.
Wants to Live Right.
This old Indian, now
eighty-seven years of age, is in reasonably good health, with the exception
of having trouble with an injured hip. So far as this reporter can
ascertain, he has never harmed any one, but has worked all his life. He
regrets that there is so much gambling during the past few years, and says
that he is strictly opposed to the evils so commonly indulged in by the
young people of today. He says that he knows gambling is wrong and that
during all his life he has never indulged in it. He is now living in the
southwest part of McKinney, on Rockwall street, but is seen about town
almost daily.
Surname Index
Recommended Citation:
"Frank House,
EARLY SETTLERS OF COLLIN COUNTY." Collin County, Texas History
and Genealogy Webpage by Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc., <http://www.geocities/genfriendsghl>
[Accessed Fri February 13, 2004 ].
