The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-04-11
DURANT DIES
AT 100 YEARS
FOUNDER UF IODIAN TER
RITOEf CITY PASSES
AWAY
MANY YEARS APREACHER
Became a Christian and
Taught His Own People


Durant J. T., April 11.-Rev. Dixon
ID Durant, founder Of the city Of Du-
rant died at 2:30 O'Clock a; 10 :. t..-.::=.,a
in this city yesterday afternoon. The
funeral services and ipterment were
held this afternoon before vast au-
,dience. Cause Of death, senility. His
age was 100 years
Dixon Durant was .bor min the town
of Dur5nt Miss, and when about is
y ars of age emigrated, with his
father, Fisher Durant, to Indian Ter
ritory walking from vlcksburg Land
ing, Mss. to Bennington, where they
FIRST located
Thirty-seyen years ago Dixon Du-
rant built the FIRST house in this town.
and part Of this house still stands to
mark the opening Of this city from a
wilderness to its present proportions.
Here he fenced his lands. here he titled
the SOIL and here, from the laws then
existing in the tribe CT the Chootaws
allowing a member OF the tribe to take
as much Of the land held in common
as he could utilize, he took his birth
right.
IN the year 1872 the Missouri, Kan
sas and Texas railroad was built
through his lands and the town OF
Durant irst b~came reality a. cut
his pasture up into lots and sold them
to eager buyers He did likewise with
his cultivated ground. and now, where
once stood the humble abode of this
old Choctaw and his fields, there
stands city Of 1000 inhabitants.
And he made Dursnt what it is
today. The poor man who came here
in search of d home for his family
found haven OF rest, for Dixon Du-
rant gave to the poor ground upon
which to build a home, and many a
man Of influence in Durart today re
ceiyed his first start toward inde-
pendence through the charitable deeds
OF this man
Dixon Durant was man nearing
the hundred mark in his age, and was
probably the Oldest Choctaw living
Bern in an era when an educated In
dian was unknown. breathing an at
mosphere of Ignorance and hearing
naught Of the Bible and the Savior OF
men until after 16 years of age And
yet since that time this Choctaw has
not only educated himself and become
converted to the faith of the true
Christian. but has led hundreds OF HIS
more ignorant brothers in blood 10 the
feet OF the Savior
-Four years he has been a preacher
of the gospel, going among his people
teaching the greatness OF God, exhort.
ing them to travel in the true path ana
light Of the s1vior, and leading them
TO a higher and better plane Of civili-
zati1n sai tne results Of his work
among his own people Is ample proof
that his life hss not been lived in vain.
AID his Christian duties were per
formed without money and without
price, He never took a collection In
a church and at a meeting OF the min
istry ln Texas al one time when asked
for the donation from his church for
the general cause he explained his at
tltuae "a this respect and gave from
his personal means an amount sunici-
ent 10 place the people OF his district
IN good standing
The greatest that can be said OF any
man would not be misquoted when ap
piled TO Dixon Duraut He lived his
ufe. aned Il with kindly deeds and
words. rose from Ignorance to a teach
er among his people. turaed not the
right hand Of fellowship from the low
Iiest Of his brothers IN blood, forever
taught genueness, peace ana the love
Of Christ, and his last breath breathed
forth q prayer TO God fer the protec-
ton Of his people.
His liie from day TO day was lived
as close 10 ~ laws OF God as his I'M
5crstandmg would allow him. He
owed no urn just debt whose head
rested uneasy over ITS payment and
his word wa better than many mems
bends