The Washington times., 1925-11-18
7 RON TIERSNAN
now DRIVES
AUTO
Veteran Of Covered Wagon
Adventures Enthusiastic
Over New Car

p
portation has been enacted within
the ninety-year life span OF Captain
Joel Mulcy Hoback, one Of the few
surviving links between the roman
tic day Of the covered wagon and
the modern automobile.
Captain Hoback, who formerly
drove q covered wagon, now il an
enthusiastic motorist.
In 1916 when only ten years old
he drove four yoke of oxen as they
pIodded slowly westward with q
creaking prairie schooner In which
he and his parents migrated $50
miles to Winamac, Ind, then q
frontier town.
In crossing the Wabash river the
eight oxen became frightened, got
beyond control OF the child driver
and lunged away through shoulder
deep water. They nearly upset the
wagon but finally returned to the
east bank of the river at the battle
ground near Lafayette, Ind, whore
Harrison few years before had
defeated q large band Of hostile
Indians.
ne BuyS Au6O
Today. eighty years later, Cap
tain Hoback, erect, alert and with
the clear eye Of the frontiersman,
is enjoying transportation Of far
different type. After hesitating
for ten years ''to tackle the new
tangled gasoline rigs" he has pur-
chased Chevrolet touring car.
Goes like a scairt rabbit" said
Captain Hoback. Easy to drive,
too. / thought a body had to be
pretty good with machinery to han
die q car. Mebbe that was true
banker after a car-when was
only eighty years old--but 1t shorely
isn't true now. ! missed lot of
fun by waiting so long"
Captain Hoback drives frequently
In the vicinity Of Britton. Okla,
where he now resides. He has built
e garage for the car. The captain
rents out the large farm, which he
homesteaded after joining the land
rush from Oklahoma City in 1889.
had been prosperous and sue
cegsfu1 in Indiana and later Ar
kansas" he explained. 81 owned
two sawmills and a planning mill.
but lost them during the Cleveland
Smith, Ark. Learning Of the proc
lamation opening land in Oklahoma,
walked from Fort Smith to Okla
homa City. My dog, Old Pal, went
with me. / was broke. but that
didn't matter to Old Pal. It took
us nearly ten days. We lived Oft
the country. Antelope and deer
were as thick as crows in q corn
field.
Lost His Old Pal
During the excitement Of the
land rush / lost my Old Pal. A
man offered me a ride in wagon.
Old Pal was standing nearby when
the whistle blew as signal that
the rush was on. Guns were fired,
everybody shouted and lashed their
horses. The long race over the
prairie was thrilling. / staked one
OF the most valuable farms in the
State, but I lost Old Pal.
THAT was long ago and Of course
he's dead now" the old man added
wistfully. But would give. the
whole farm to have him back with
me now"
After living sixteen years on the
farm, Captain Hoback moved in
1905 to Dixon, Okla, where he was
pOSlHldSLSF, railroad agent, HldI Sinai
and mayor. He came to Britton in
1909. He has been married twice.
His second wife died in 1923. Dur
ing the Civil War he answered
Lincoln's first call and served
five years as a captain Of Company
II, 57th Indiana Volunteers. He
was reported dead at the Battle Of
Shiloh. The captain still has the
sword which he carried through the
war.
On the occasion Of his nintieth
birthday recently, Captain Hoback
entertained his friend, M. e. Trap.
governor Of Oklahoma, and 100
other guests including many pio-
neers and members of Grant Post
No. 1. G. A. r., of which he is the
only surviving charter member. In
the near future Captain Hoback
will test his newly acquired skill
as a motorist on tour to the
home Of his daughter, Mrs. Matte
Louisa Hale, at Heber Springs,
Avn11