11/16/2021
Please contact Francine Locke Bray if you can help in her search:
DAYS GONE BY by Francine Locke Bray
DO YOU NOW how the residents of Antlers crossed the Kiamichi River before the bridge north of town (on 271 North) was built? The answer is actually very simple – by boat, raft or FERRY. If by ferry, who operated the ferry? The ferry north of the present day bridge was known as the Locke Ferry and operated by a Chickasaw Freedman named Mack Hill. In 1916, the Locke Ferry was replaced by the new bridge in 1916. Frank Amend was the first person to cross it driving his automobile (Antlers News Record, 28 July 1916, p. 4). Who was Mack Hill? Mack was born ca. 1860 in either Doaksville or Fort Towson. His Dawes Roll record ( #4125) tells us his mother was Hettie Hill. Both Mack and his mother were slaves of Harriett Folsom. According to Mack’s obituary, his father was “North Hill who drove the carriage for the LeFlore family.” Mack’s obituary (Antlers American, 12/17/31) tells us that in 1886 Mack became “attached” to the Locke family. Victor Locke, Sr., following service in the Civil War, found his way to Indian Territory and subsequently Doaksville. Mack apparently followed the Locke family to Antlers and was present during the Locke-Jones war. We have been told that he was considered Victor, Sr’s., bodyguard and a close family friend. Mack married Caroline Spencer, a former slave of Thomas LeFlore. She is registered on the Dawes Rolls ( #3273) as a Choctaw Freedman. Mack and Caroline had several children and lived out their lives in Antlers. The final paragraph in his obituary reads, “Mack Hill was known as a good negro, and his devotion to the Locke family was no stronger than his devotion to principles of honorable life.” For several years I have been working on an anthology of Ben D. Locke’s writings. Amongst them we found a lengthy poem dedicated to Mack which we plan to include in the anthology. We also have a story our great-aunt, Mary (Dollye) Locke Archer, sent us as children that talks about stopping in at Mack and Caroline’s house when the river had flooded and they could not cross. Obviously, he was much loved by the Locke family. In 1931, Mack died from a paralyzing stroke suffered two years earlier. He is buried in the Locke Family Cemetery and we recently placed a memorial at his, Caroline’s and their son Jim’s graves. The picture below is one of two that we have of the Locke Ferry. We are able to use it, thanks to the Oklahoma Historical Research Center in Oklahoma City. They identify the operator as Mack Hill. If anyone knows of Mack and Caroline’s descendants, we would love to hear from them. Email: flbray@iupui.edu.
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