Peter Conser was a success story that straddled the last half
of the 19th. Century and almost a third of the 20th Century in
Oklahoma Territory. His mother was Adeline Coinson, a
Choctaw who had married a white trader of French descent.
Before the Civil War he was left an orphan fending for himself
as Union forces invaded Indian Territory from the north.
During his long lifetime he accumulated wealth, recognition,
and prestige. His last home was donated to the Oklahoma Historical Society.

The Peter Conser House

by Lin Stone

Most of the pictures are clickable

Peter Conser was born in 1852 and died in 1934. His home remained in the Conser family until 1967 when his granddaughter (Mrs. Lewis Barnes) and her husband donated the house to the Oklahoma Historical Society.

The Society has renovated the house and returned it to a semblance of its native condition when Peter lived there. In spite of its age the foundation is sound and all the floors remain firm except for a small portion in the upper floor -- just behind the far left window you see behind the tree limbs. This portion of the house is now a very modern office with a computer and an abundance of historical research material.

The house is found 4 miles south of Heavener on Highway U.S. 59 as if you were heading for Broken Bow. I brought two missionaries there with me early one morning in October and the caretaker (Glen Hembree) simply waved for us to make ourselves at home, but be sure to sign the guest register. We waved back that we would be sure to do so, but first...

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When Mr. Hembree saw that we headed straight for the horse and carriage he came over and renewed the invitation more cordially. The carriage is in excellent condition and even today looks elegant. You will note in this picture that the boards of the barn run straight up and down, rather than across from side to side as Euromericans are more prone to do. This allows the wood to cure more thoroughly and to weather more uniformly. This process is especially useful in building barns using green lumber.

A yellow tom cat followed in Mr. Hembree's wake and proved to be our constant companion during the visit. He seemed always to know exactly where we were going next, and led the way, then disappeared until we were ready to move on again. Alas and alack, the tom cat never paused long enough to give us a good picture; actually he was the most entertaining thing there.

Inside the house everything is arranged very much as if Peter and family had just left. The beds are made, the fire place is clean and ready for the next load of wood. The living room is corded off to keep well-behaved visitors from disturbing anything, but picture taking is still easily possible.

The lumpy old beds remind me of the ones we had at home after we got rich. I wonder if Peter didn't long as I did to slip outside of a summer night and sleep on the softer ground where the gentle winds blew light dreams across a furrowed brow.

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In this era the cooking utensils you see here would have been an indication of great wealth for Euromerican settlers -- or Choctaw. For example, we didn't have anything this good until 1950 when Daddy got rich. To this day we have Native Americans living without running water or electricity.

That old coffee pot would be nearly black inside no matter how often it was scrubbed, while the iron skillets would be shinier than when they were new. Anyone coming in from outside would immediately smell the cornbread baking in the lower oven, and savor the ham being kept warm in the top. Fried potatoes would sizzle in one of the skillets, made tender with Pure Lard, probably manufactured by Rex. You will note that all the important condiments in the house were kept on top of the stove.

There is nothing ornate in any part of the house. Everything there is solid in value and purpose. Peter Conser may have been wealthy, but he must have also been aware that the more possessions you put into a house the less room for living remains in the house.

During the Civil War Peter was lucky enough to fall in with the prosperous Red River Plantation, owned by Robert M. Jones. Here there were beautiful crops, and safety from Federal troops. Peter absorbed the ways of prosperity and after the war set out north to the Hogden area with little more than a bag full of seed corn to his name. Working hard and planning well Peter began to accumulate prosperity of his own.

The Choctaw Nation had a band of lawmen called The Lighthorse. "In 1877, at the age of twenty-five, (Peter) Conser became a deputy sheriff in Sugar Loaf County. He was later appointed a captain of the Choctaw Lighthorse for the Moshulatubbe District. Conser served as a representative and senator to the Choctaw Council. He also owned a large farm, a blacksmith shop, grist mill, saw mill and a general store with a post office." Oklahoma's Frontier Indian Police.

The Lighthorse were the mounted police force of the Five Civilized Tribes. At previous times Lighthorse officials had acted as sheriff, judge, jury and executioner. By the 1870s much of that power had been removed, but the job was still dangerous occasionally. Peter Conser joined the force in 1877.

Papers available at the Peter Conser House related how Choctaw lawbreakers would be told to come in at the time of trial, and if convicted would be sent home to make preparations for their punishment. They would do everything possible to be back early enough for their punishment to be carried out on the assigned day. Capital punishment was carried out by shooting until the lawbreaker was dead.

Peter's first wife was a Choctaw. They had a daughter named Susan, and a short time later Amy (Bacon) Conser died, leaving Peter to raise Susan alone.

Peter married again, to Martha Jane Smith, and they had four boys and four girls. It was at this point that Peter built the two story house with its eight rooms. His wife helped to run a general store with a post office. Shortly after the house was completed Martha Jane died -- in 1894. When Peter married Mary Ann Holson she became the postmistress there too.

Prosperous and recognized for his abilities Peter served as a representative, and then as a senator to the Choctaw Council. He was noted there especially for his wisdom and organizational skills.

The Peter Conser House is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 A.M. through 5:00 P.M. The admission is free but if you enjoy the excursion as much as I did, there is a donation jar inside next to the guest register. The phone number there is 918 653 2493

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Lin Stone is an author, writer and photographer living in Noble Oklahoma.
He writes about adventures and he writes about the peaceable things of
this world for Share Your State. In his spare time Lin writes copy for
American Insurance Depot. You can have immediate, and free, reading
access to many more pieces when you send your little surfer scooting to
Lin's home page at http://www.talewins.com/StoneSoup.htm where he
keeps stirring up more good things for the soul.

***

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