Francis Daniel Culpepper

Male, #32259, (21 Oct 1859 - 10 Apr 1910)

Parent*Rev. Lewis Peek Culpepper (25 Aug 1816 - 4 Jun 1915)
Parent*Margarette R. Joyce Bateman (24 Jun 1833 - 29 Dec 1896)
Francis Daniel Culpepper|b. 21 Oct 1859\nd. 10 Apr 1910|p32259.htm|Rev. Lewis Peek Culpepper|b. 25 Aug 1816\nd. 4 Jun 1915|p32077.htm|Margarette R. Joyce Bateman|b. 24 Jun 1833\nd. 29 Dec 1896|p32249.htm|John Culpepper of Randolph Co., AL|b. 1 Oct 1772\nd. 13 May 1855|p31566.htm|Nancy Gillespie|b. circa 1778\nd. 25 Jul 1848|p31584.htm|Simon Bateman|b. say 1803\nd. before 1842|p27442.htm|Charlotte Brunson|b. say 1805|p27443.htm|

Birth*21 Oct 1859 Francis was born at Georgia on 21 Oct 1859.1 
 He was the son of Rev. Lewis Peek Culpepper and Margarette R. Joyce Bateman. 
Residence*1860 Francis resided at Randolph Co., Alabama, in 1860.2 
1870 Census*1 Jun 1870 Francis was listed as the head of a family on the 1870 Census at Opelika, Lee Co., Alabama. 
1880 Census1 Jun 1880 Francis was listed as a cousin in Orin Wilburn Albright's household on the 1880 Census at Luthersville, Meriwether Co., Georgia.3 
Marriage*8 Feb 1890 He married Mary Ellen Loter at Vernon, Wilbarger Co., Texas, on 8 Feb 1890. 
Photographed*say 1900 He was photographed say 1900 at Greer Co., Oklahoma.
Francis Daniel Culpepper
1900 Census*1 Jun 1900 Francis was listed as the head of a family on the 1900 Census at Duke Twp, Greer Co., Oklahoma.4 
Photographedcirca 1902 He was photographed Left to right: Matilda Margarette Culpepper, Otis Francis Culpepper, Mary Ellen Culpepper, Francis Daniel Culpepper, Rosa Mabel Culpepper, and William Lewis (Louis William) Culpepper in front of Mary Ellen (Loter) Culpepper circa 1902 at Greer Co., Oklahoma.
Daniel Culpepper family
Death*10 Apr 1910 He died at Greer Co., Oklahoma, on 10 Apr 1910.1 
Burial*circa 12 Apr 1910 His body was interred circa 12 Apr 1910 at Dryden Cemetery, Gould, Harmon Co., Oklahoma.1 
Biography* Francis Daniel Culpepper was known as "Dan." A granddaughter, Mrs. R L (Rita Boyett) Holland, wrote in a 25 Jul 1978 letter that the name on his tombstone is "Franklin Daniel Culpepper" but her mother, Mrs. Mary Ellen Culpepper Boyett, "remembers his [her father's] name as Francis Daniel.
      Dan seems to have been a high-spirited and adventuresome young man. His niece, Mrs. J. H. (Margaret Phillips) Dodd, in a 21 Aug 1978 letter, recalled a story about Dan when he was a teenager living at home: Mother [Mrs. J. H. (Julia Culpepper) Phillips] told us a story about Uncle Dan which made him a hero in our eyes. A man by the name of Hosey, about Uncle Dan's age, came by and asked Grandfather [Lewis P. Culpepper] for work. After talking with him for some time, he [Grandfather] decided to try him out. He was a good worker and he [Hosey] and Uncle Dan would hire out to other farmers to make money. Uncle Dan had a fine saddle horse he called Celam. Hosey would ride one of the other horses and they would go places and have dates together. About six months later, Uncle Dan got up one A.M. and Hosey was not there. He went to the barn looking for him and found that his horse Celam was also missing. He [Dan] quickly figured out that Hosey had stolen his horse and skipped out. He was very angry and set out to overtake him. He [Dan] took one of the horses and along the way would ask farmers if they had seen Hosey, describing him and the horse. Late in the P.M. he [Dan] would stop at a farmer's house, tell him about the horse thief and ask if he could leave his horse and borrow one of his so he could ride all night. The next A.M. he would check to see if he were on the right trail, tell his story and borrow a fresh horse for the day. Early on the third A.M. he came upon a farm house and saw a horse in the lot that looked like Celam. He whistled to him [the horse] and Celam stood up on his hind feet and answered him. Uncle Dan went to the door and asked the farmer if the man who rode that horse was there. The farmer said he was having breakfast and asked him in. When they got to the kitchen the farmer's wife said when the man heard your voice he ran out the back door. They looked out and Hosey was running as fast as he could headed for the woods. The farmer asked Uncle Dan if he wanted to go after him but he said no he just wanted his horse. They invited him to have breakfast and sleep for a while before starting home.
      Dan soon moved to Texas and became a cowboy there. Mrs. Otis Francis Culpepper wrote in a 24 Sep 1978 letter that "'Papa Dan' was a cowboy who helped with cattle drives from Texas to Kansas...." A niece, Mrs. S. B. (Mary Exa Culpepper) Crossman, wrote in a 24 Sep 1978 letter about her family staying with Dan and his family: I remember the cold winter, snowy nights and of the stories he told us about the heavy snow storms he drove cattle through this part of Texas. He herded cattle for years. I thought he was some kind of "hero." I was a small child I think about six years old. He must have had an adventurous life. I loved him dearly.
      Another niece, Mrs. J. M. (Iva Culpepper) Cline, wrote 20 Dec 1978: Uncle Dan was a cowboy and helped settle up part of Texas and Oklahoma. I used to hear him tell about the narrow escapes they had with Indians trying to steal their horses and cattle.
      Mrs. Charles (Margaret Whatley) Lee wrote 26 Nov 1978 that she had visited Alsie Rutland in LaGrange, GA and added: He said years ago a group of Indians passed through and stopped at his place and wanted something to eat.... He found out they were from Oklahoma and he asked them if they knew Daniel Culpepper and they said yes, they had been in his house many times and that was the last news he ever had about Daniel....
      Mrs. Otis Francis Culpepper wrote in a 24 Sep 1978 letter that the family had Dan's 1873 Winchester bought in Dodge City, KS.
      At age 30, in 1890, he married Mary Ellen Loter, and took up the more settled life of a farmer. A niece, Mrs. J. M. (Iva Culpepper) Cline, in a 20 Dec 1978 letter, recalled a story Dan told about the time: He told about when he and his pal [Charlie Carroll?] decided to settle down and get married. They got on their horses and rode off and was going to stop at the first town they came to. So I think it was Quanah [in Hardeman County, or perhaps Kirkland, in Childress County], Tex., I'm not sure. At the edge of town they say two beautiful girls drawing water for the cattle at the well. Each decided which one they wanted. They spent the night there, went to work on the farm and they married the women at the well soon after that. Uncle Dan and Aunt Mollie went to Greer County and filed on some government land, that is how he acquired all that huge farm land.... Seemed strange that they lived in a small house. Uncle Dan had all kind of expensive farm equipment that money could buy. He raised horses, cattle, and most everything else. My father [Thomas Jefferson Culpepper] was fascinated when he fould out how easy it was to farm with all that up-to-date machinery."
      Around 1900 Dan bought 160 acres near what is now Gould, OK. According to a daughter-in-law, Mrs. Otis Francis Culpepper, the family moved from Texas to Oklahoma in March of 1900 and lived there until Dan's death in 1910. Mrs. Culpepper continued in a 24 Sep 1978 letter: After his marriage, he was a farmer but not a rancher, as he only had 160 acres of land and that was not enough for a ranch as there was no open range here as late as 1900 when he came to Oklahoma.
      Mrs. Otis Francis Culpepper wrote in a 16 Oct 1978 letter: This area [Gould, OK] became Oklahoma officially in 1896 after which people could "file" on land and after 5 years residence & certain improvements were made on the land, could own 160 A[cres] of land for a little more than $14.00 the cost of the court proceedings proving they had fulfilled their part of the contract. By late 1897 when my Grandfather Fancher came here, almost all the land had been claimed.... Grandfather [Francis Daniel] Culpepper had to buy someone's "claim" to the land by 1900, but I don't know who he bought out.... Grandfather had a two roomed house, a half dugout that joined it (it had two rooms, I think) and a cellar that was entered from the half dugout. Both the families [Dan's and his brother Tom's] lived in this one household for about a year or year and a half, but were not there when Grandfather died.
      Mrs. B. J. (Kathye Culpepper) Garrett wrote, in a 15 Aug 1978 letter, that "Dan Culpepper and all of his children are or were members of the church of Christ (not to be confused with the National Council of Churches of Christ)." In a 18 Jun 1979 letter Kathye added that Charlie Carroll "was a roving cowboy before he married, he and Granddad [Francis Daniel Culpepper] were good friends. He was with Granddad when he died. My dad [William Lewis Culpepper] lived with the Carrolls until he joined the Army. One of the Carroll daughters lives in Wilmington, TX...." 

Family

Mary Ellen Loter (14 Feb 1871 - 28 Jan 1916)
Children

Charts Descendants of Joseph Culpepper of Edgecombe Co., NC (Six Generations)
Descendants of Francis Daniel Culpepper of Greer Co., OK
Last Edited 7 Jul 2008

Citations

  1. USGenWeb Archives.
    http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm
    Dryden Cemetery, Harmon Co., OK, Submitted by Jeanette Coaly:
    F. D. Culpepper, 18 Oct 1860 - 10 Apr 1910, Father
    M. E. Culpepper, 14 Feb 1871 - 26 Jan 1915, Mother.
  2. P 811 (Francis D. 8/12 GA in hh of Lewis P. Culpepper).
  3. 1880 Federal Census, United States.
    ED 81, Page 188A (5), Family 89, Luthersville, Meriwether Co., GA
    Ormin Albright, Self, M, Md, 26, AL, Farming, GA/NC/GA
    Emma (Culpepper) Albright, Wife, F, Md, 19, Keeping House, GA/GA/GA
    Kettie Albright, Dau, F, S, 2, --- , GA/AL/GA
    Nellie Albright, Dau, F, S, 1, --- , GA/AL/GA
    Dan Culpepper, Other (Cousin), M, S, 20, Laborer, GA/SC/GA.
  4. 1900 Federal Census, United States.
    ED 81, Sheet 2A, Pg 71, Gen.com Im-3, Dougherty, Duke, Greer Co., OK
    Daniel F. Culpepper, Head, M, Oct-1858, 41, md-9 yrs, AL AL AL, Farmer
    Mary E. Culpepper, Wife, F, Feb-1871, 29, md-9 yrs, Ch 5/5, TX TX TX
    Maggie Culpepper, Dau, F, Jan-1892, 8, S, TX AL TX
    Odis F. Culpepper, Son, M, Mar-1894, 6, S, TX AL TX
    Rosa M. Culpepper, Dau, F, Oct-1893, 5, S, TX AL TX
    Mary E. Culpepper, Dau, F, Dec-1897, 2, S, TX AL TX
    Louis Culpepper, Son, M, Jan-1900, 4/12, S, TX AL TX
    William A. Pearce, Boarder, M, Jun-1825, illeg, M, UN, ME ME ME.