Has anyone done any work on Walt Hocker and Jake Hocker? I've come across them several times in the mid-1890s. In January, 1894, Walt was aboard a train assaulted by two drunken crew members described at another posting on this board. Then, according to the Chickasaw Enterprise, in May, 1894, Walter E.Hocker, James E. (Jake?)Hocker, and James Martin were exonerated of a "shot while trying to escape" manslaughter charge resulting from the shooting of W. W. Jolly. But, Walt really hit the news when the August 30, Purcell Register reported him shot by Bill Christian. According to that article, a posse composed of Deputy Sheriff Jim DeFord, of Oklahoma County and Deputy Marshals of the Southern District of Indian Territory, Hocker, Jim Martin, Matt Cook, Ben Goode, Bob McNamara, Edward H. Scrivenr and Charley Worley and Tom Noah, jumped Bill and Bob Christian about 6 miles west of Purcell. Tom Noah, (who was Scrivner's posse man) shot Bob Christian's horse and Deputy DeFord captured Bill Christian's horse. The outlaws then retreated into the thick underbrush of a ravine and the deputies spread out in a surround to search the area. While advancing, Jim Martin fired off his rifle and the outlaw brothers bolted, emerging between Hocker and Ben Goode. Hocker began exchanging shots with Bob Christian, possibly wounding him, but with his attention occupied, Bill Christian was able to slip behind and shoot him, the ball passing through the body under the shoulder blade and exiting under the opposite arm. Both outlaws then mounted the wounded deputy's horse and made their escape. It appears from other articles that Hocker survived. And, the same issue indicates that Hocker's brother, Judge (an honorific used for both judges and attorneys) J. W. Hocker, arrived home (Purcell?) from the Seminole country.

FYI: Chickasaw Enterprise, Jan 25, 1894: "The appointees under U. S. Marshal J. Shelby (Sheb)Williams of Paris, as so far learned are Walter E. Hocker,Purcell; Dave Hooker, George E. Tucker, David Wilson and S. T. Lindsay, Ardmore. Marshal Williams is considering the best interests of the area in weeding out many old deputies..." It also appears James E. Hocker, is actually James W. "Billy" Hocker, Walt's older half brother, had acted in the role of U. S. Commissioner, as according to the Purcell Territorial Topics,May 22, 1890, based on a warrant sworn to by Deputy Mat Cook, Hocker examined William Partridge for the alleged murder of Thomas Ribbling. However, by the time the shooting of Jolly and the incident with the Christian gang occurred, James E. was no longer Commissioner; Joe B. Thompson had been appointed for Pauls Valley and Purcell.
I would still like to know the fate of Walt Hocker. News articles indicate that a week or so after receiving the terrible wound he got during the Christian fight, that he was recovering. Then, he drops off the map...and no one seems to know what happened to the man.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Tower,

It has long been a source of conjecture as to whether or not deputy U. S. Marshal Walter Emerson "Jake" Hocker survived a terrible wound received August 23, 1895, when a ball fired from the rifle of the outlaw Bill Christian penetrated just above the heart then passed through the upper part of the lung and exited below the opposite shoulder blade. A byline a week later said the young man was recovering and in good spirits and then all further reports on Jake's condition ceased, leaving historians unable to affirmatively state Jake's fate. Recently discovered documents suggest that Hocker did survive his wound, as, in December, 1895, some four months after the injury, Paul's Valley number one bad man, John Stevenson, filed civil suit in the Southern District Court of Indian Territory against J. S. Williams, then Marshal of the Eastern District Federal Court at Paris, Texas and Stevenson's attorneys attempted to add the Purcell deputy, Walter E. Hocker. The surviving documents do not describe the cause or relief sought, but in May, 1896, the case was decided for Williams. This tantalizing piece of information set off a new search.
But, quite by accident the answer was found in articles describing the 1937 Purcell Golden Jubilee, when who should be named as visiting and then writeing from Elk City, Oklahoma but W. E. "Jake" Hocker? Discovery of this information brought about a check of Beckham County, where Elk City is located, and in the eastern section of the county is a small town called Hocker, which it was found was named for Walter E. Hocker, an Elk City banker and former United States Marshal. Further checking reveals that Jake Hocker did not die until September 30, 1939 and was interred in Fairlawn Cemetery, Elk City, Oklahoma next to his wife, Martha Malone, and one child, Malone.

Need a little info about Mr. Hocker of Purcell, was he by any chance an attorney?

James W. (Wilkerson?) "Billy" Hocker, (sometimes listed as James E. in foreign newspapers) was the eldest son of Dr. Phillip Hocker. He was living in Gainesville, Texas when the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe railroad was built through Indian Territory. Hocker was acting as an attorney for the Santa Fe and at the same time was in partnership with a George C. Eisenmayer who, in April, 1887, decided to set up a store in the new depot town of Purcell while Hocker continued maintenance of the Texas end of the business. Then, in July of 1887, Eisenmayer, who was elderly, got sick and died and Hocker moved up to take over the business. The first mention of Hocker at Purcell appears in a November 1887, advertisement for "J. W. Hocker and Company"”Hardware. In March, 1888, Grove E. Chase, Sheriff of Pickens County and U. S. Indian police constable removed the stock of goods formerly owned by J. W. Hocker & Co. to Gainesville where they were to be sold for the benefit of his creditors. This was probably in response to the probate of the Eisenmayer estate but it put a damper on business in the Hocker store. However, within two years, Billy Hocker recovered from earlier business problems and erected a two story building at the corner of Main and Canadian, the site of the old tent store. Things really began looking up for the young entrepreneur when he rented the lower floor, set his offices up in the upper story and began concentrating on his law practice. The 1890 Purcell City Directory lists J. W. Hocker as U. S. Commissioner. Exactly when this appointment came is not known but an issue of the Territorial Topics for the same year describes an examination conducted by Commissioner Hocker. But, Billy Hocker's sense of fairness involved a major quirk in that he refused to convict bootleggers believing whiskey drinking was the fault of the consumer, not the seller. This practice brought him afoul of the administrative Court and in 1891 Hocker tendered his resignation, preferring to defend rather than prosecute such offenders. Hocker was also active in local politics serving on the school board and as an alderman before statehood, an issue on which he was a strong proponent (he later served on the constitutional convention.) In fact, in the year before statehood became reality, his views caused three assassination attempts were on his life. Two were by shotgun along the lonely stretch of road between Byars and Purcell and the third was by a pistol wielding man at his office. Though once wounded, Billy survived all three attempts and continued speaking on the question. Because of his demonstrated courage, Billy was, after Statehood, assigned the onerous task of convincing farmers and ranchers to allow the county road system to proceed, a task he accomplished through personal appeal or direct action as circumstances dictated. Billy continued to live in Purcell until his death in 1935, where, as a partner with Albert Rennie and Y. E. Taylor, Billy was a prominent attorney, specializing in railroad cases. Billy was also a very proactive civic leader in the community, being responsible for the first and second telephone companies locating in Purcell and responsible for the first concrete bridge across the Canadian River.

The 1900 Federal Census shows a Walter E. Hocker born about 1869 in Missouri living in Oklahoma City where he was employed as an inspector for the American Cotton Company. This would put him in his mid-20s at the time of the Christian Gang fight. Could be the same man.

quote:

Originally posted by Tower:
Has anyone done any work on Walt Hocker and Jake Hocker? I've come across them several times in the mid-1890s. In January, 1894, Walt was aboard a train assaulted by two drunken crew members described at another posting on this board. Then, according to the Chickasaw Enterprise, in May, 1894, Walter E.Hocker, James E. (Jake?)Hocker, and James Martin were exonerated of a "shot while trying to escape" manslaughter charge resulting from the shooting of W. W. Jolly. But, Walt really hit the news when the August 30, Purcell Register reported him shot by Bill Christian. According to that article, a posse composed of Deputy Sheriff Jim DeFord, of Oklahoma County and Deputy Marshals of the Southern District of Indian Territory, Hocker, Jim Martin, Matt Cook, Ben Goode, Bob McNamara, Edward H. Scrivenr and Charley Worley and Tom Noah, jumped Bill and Bob Christian about 6 miles west of Purcell. Tom Noah, (who was Scrivner's posse man) shot Bob Christian's horse and Deputy DeFord captured Bill Christian's horse. The outlaws then retreated into the thick underbrush of a ravine and the deputies spread out in a surround to search the area. While advancing, Jim Martin fired off his rifle and the outlaw brothers bolted, emerging between Hocker and Ben Goode. Hocker began exchanging shots with Bob Christian, possibly wounding him, but with his attention occupied, Bill Christian was able to slip behind and shoot him, the ball passing through the body under the shoulder blade and exiting under the opposite arm. Both outlaws then mounted the wounded deputy's horse and made their escape. It appears from other articles that Hocker survived. And, the same issue indicates that Hocker's brother, Judge (an honorific used for both judges and attorneys) J. W. Hocker, arrived home (Purcell?) from the Seminole country.

My grandfather, Albert Rennie, was law partner of J. W. Hocker of Purcell. I have some of the office stationery but that's the only firm connection I've established. I'm starting a biography of my grandfather and would like to document this connection. thanks if you can help!

J. W. Hocker was indeed a law partner of Albert Rennie, specializing in railroad law. You'll find some information in the history of McClain County available through the McClain County museum, Purcell, OK.

Thanks for the information and the cordial e-mails. I'll follw up at the McClain County Historical Society Museum. Thanks again.

DAR

The Oklahoma Historical Society has acquired a large collection from the Great Grandson of JW Hocker. I am not sure of everything in the collection, but it is large.

Hey, thank you. I've been trying to find a surviving member of the family but this is great news.

quote:

Originally posted by Tower:
Hey, thank you. I've been trying to find a surviving member of the family but this is great news.

That is valuable information. I shall contact Bill Welge or Chester Cowen immediately to learn the nature of the collection gift. Undoubtedly there are artifacts from his law practice with my grandfather. Thanks for the tip!

PS: I just talked to Bill Welge. The Hocker donation is still in off-site storage but will be available for cursory examination (before cataloging) within the next 90 days or so.

DAR

This message has been edited. Last edited by: David A Rennie,