Quotes by Joe Davis

I came to the Indian Territory with my father and mother in 1892. I was 11 years old, we came through on the Santa Fe train from Texas to Pauls Valley, Indian Territory. On arriving at Pauls Valley, my father bought 2 horses and a wagon, we loaded up our household things, that my father has shipped through. It was not much, we had 4 chairs, table, homemade bedstead and a few other household things.

I went to school at this log school house. A white woman was my teacher, I do not remember her name. My father had to pay her one dollar a month for me. Us kids that went to school did not have desks, we used slates and set on the hued down logs for seats.

Sunday, that was our fun day. After Sunday school a group of boys that lived around Purdy, would meet at my house, nearly all owned saddle horses. We would go out on the prairie, there was not very many fences then. We would rope calves and have our rodeo, riding these calves on Sunday was when I learned to ride.

When I was at the age of 15, I was not afraid to try any wild broncs or did I not care how big the steers were. We boys would make up $5.00 purses for the best rider for that day. I have won several times.