Montford Johnson, who was born in 1843 to Charles N. Johnson (English) and Rebekah Courtney (Chickasaw), moved in 1878 to an area which would become known as Silver City, I.T. Several of the relatives moved with him and a large ranch was established. The Bonds and Campbells were among those relatives.
The Chisholm trail was beginning to operate in the area. Late in 1878 Mr. C.L. Campbell established a small store for the benefit of the drovers and the people in the area.
Store at Silver City Picture taken in 1887. In picture Charley Morrison, Walter Harding, H.M. (Bunt) Lindsay, Lon Gray, Walter Morrison, John Pinkey, Bill Nelson, John Hennessey, J.D. Lindsay, F.E. Clayton, W.L. Sawyers (picture identified by H.M. Lindsay of Anadarko) Picture from Thelma “Chincie” Ross Collection.
A post office was established in the store in May 1883. Phillip A. Smith was postmaster. An article in Cheyenne Transporter, reported on December 13, 1883, that the post office at Silver City was being supplied out of the Darlington office. It was carried once a week by M.H. Bull, the deputy postmaster. In about a year, the mail service was increased to twice a week. office at Silver City was being supplied out of the Darlington office. It was carried once a week by M.H. Bull, the deputy postmaster. In about a year, the mail service was increased to twice a week.
The first school building in Silver City (which made it the first in the future Grady County) was built in 1887, it was 24 feet by 36 feet, with a log being used as a front doorstep. Miss Callie Graham taught during the session of the school in the new building. In 1889 Meta Chestnutt arrived to teach school. She would later move to Minco and open the El Meta Bond College.
Silver City School 1919-1920. Pictures from Thelma “Chincie” Ross collection
Also in town was the Cornett Hotel, a Blacksmith shop and a couple of houses. About ½ mile north of Silver City a cemetery was started on the Tuttle Ranch. A legend says that a drover coming home from selling his herd was killed and buried by Indians. People in Silver City knew about his death and started the cemetery. Later members of the ranching families were buried in the Silver City Cemetery with the last burial in 2005. The Cemetery is on the National Register of Historical Places and is open to the visitors to this date.
Pictures of Silver City Cemetery, Tombstones of Tuttle & Campbell. The Genealogical listing of all buried in the cemetery.