Ardmore, Oklahoma
Email: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net
11:11 PM 3/22/2022
Phone: 580-490-6823
If you’re looking for a certain article I wrote in a past issue of “This & That” you might find it faster by doing a “search” with your browser. With Netscape just click your mouse at the top at EDIT and then FIND and type in the word or words you’re looking for. If you use Internet Explorer, just click on EDIT and then FIND ON THIS PAGE to do a search.
Below is October 5, 2006 to October 26, 2006.
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October 26, 2006 Circulation over 5,000 Vol 10 Issue 509
Seems everyone enjoyed seeing the photos and stories last week taken from the 1976 Ardmore Shrine Club’s Rodeo Program, so here is one more I scanned from the Program Book:
Jim and Andy Roff established their 700 Ranch in Carter county during the early 1870s. To give you an idea how large the Roff Bros Ranch was, the City of Ardmore occupies the SW corner of the 700 Ranch property. As many of you know a replica of 700 Ranch sat for a long time next to the Hardy Murphy Coliseum. 1880 Ranch house built on the 700 Ranch, the first known man-made structure within the townsite. Built by Alva Buckingham Roff, the ranch house was located on the west fork of Anadarche Creek at what became the corner of G Street and 2nd Avenue, SE. It was a double log house, the two sections divided by the traditional “dog-trot” breezeway. The house is now located in the historical museum. The 700 Ranch was then in Pickens County, Chickasaw Indian Nation, named for Edmund Pickens, a prominent Chickasaw. The following is a full page coverage of the Roff Brothers and their famous 700 Ranch house published in the 1976 Shrine Club Rodeo Program. The original article appeared in the very first Rodeo Program published by the Shrine in 1962. Click Here
My T&T Readers never cease to amaze me after all these years. When I asked if anyone knew who all the stars were that performed over the years at the Ardmore Shrine Club Rodeo, Ardmoreite Don Lewis came through! But you will see at the end of the list a question Don has for everyone, so maybe someone will remember.
Ardmore Shrine Club Rodeo performers:
1962-Dan Blocker & Lorne Green http://bonanza1.com/
1963-Michael Landon & Johnny Crawford http://www.celebhost.net/johnnycrawford/
1964-Rex Allen
1966-Rex Allen
http://www.rexallenmuseum.org/
1967-Clu Gulager (born in Holdenville, OK) & George Lindsey http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0347656/ – http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0512357/
1968-Rex Allen
1970-Bobby Vinton
http://www.bobbyvinton.com/
1971-Rex Allen, Pedro Gongalez, and Jan Levy http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0327602/
1972-Connie Smith http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Smith
1973-Tanya Tucker http://www.tanyatucker.com/
1974-David Houston, Shoji Tabuchi, and Barbara Fairchild http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/houston_david/bio.jhtml – http://www.shoji.com/ – http://www.barbarafairchild.com/
1976-Red Steagall http://www.redsteagall.com/
1977-Jeannie C. Riley http://www.kanabel.com/jeanniecriley.html
1980-Charly McClain http://www.geocities.com/charlyofficialsite/
1983-Kelly Lang http://www.kellylang.net/
1987-Moe Bandy, Red Steagall, and Rex Allen Jr. http://www.moebandy.com/ http://rexallenjr.com/
1988-Red Steagall, Hank Thompson, and Keith Whitley http://www.hankthompson.com/ – http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2298656/bio
1989-Mason Dixon, Gene Watson, and Joe Stampley http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Mason%20Dixon:1927015425 – http://www.gene-watson.com/ – http://www.gatalent.com/Acts/Joe_Stampley/joe_stampley.html
1991-Moe Bandy, Red Steagall, and Stonehorse Band
1992-Nark Collie, Johnny Rodriquez, and David Winters Hit and Run Band
1993-Billy Joe Royal, John Conlee, and John Arnold Band
1994-Gene Watson, Tim McGraw, and Stonehorse Band
1995-Ronnie McDowell, Ricky Lynn Gregg, and Stonehorse Band
1996-Ken Mellons, Daryl Singletary, and David Winters Hit and Run Band
1999-Peggy Rains
2000-Dave Alexander
“That’s it from start to finish. Now I have a question, what year did Ricky Skaggs play here in Ardmore???? I know it was free and I know it was at Walker Stadium but I just can’t remember the year.” -Don Lewis
Just one little footnote here about the performers. I remember Tanya Tucker in 1973 very well. Sheriff Robert Denney assigned me to be her bodyguard every evening at the Hardy Murphy Coliseum after her shows when she was signing autographs in the south end. lol
Last week we had the location wrong on that old grocery store that’s being torn down. Its located one mile north of Highway 70 on Dillard Road. Click Here
Gary Simmons sent in a newspaper clipping this week about a school program for underweight children during the depression years (see the Mailbag below). Now I see in the news media where they are adopting programs for just the opposite purpose. I wonder what another 80 years will bring.
A Reader and her friend were talking about my ‘lost webpage’ mentioned in last week’s T&T. One said she can’t believe I didnt have mention of the silo with the tree growing in it north of Mannsville. Well, I may not have mentioned that particular piece of unusual history on that particular webpage, but as Gomer Pyle would say: “Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!” Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here
I always smile when I get an old fashion hand written letter in the mail from Mary Wilson in Lone Grove. Mary is a historian in every sense of the word. She does not have a computer, but she reads my T&T sometimes when Charlene brings her a printed one. This week Mary wanted to bring to my attention that Luke’s Music store on Main Street was there way before statehood. She enclosed a copy of an ad from an old 1940s Home Demonstration Cookbook she has in her possession. The ad reads: Luke’s Music Store, Est 1895, Ardmore and Healdton. Thanks Mary for letting everyone know that Luke’s Music Store began operation in 1895!
Last week I had a sad experience, the death of my uncle Ira “Jr” Bridges here in Ardmore. He passed away at the nursing home at the age of 91, he lived a long life. My memories with the Bridges side of my family was not really very many good ones due to the divorce of my father, R.V. Bridges, and my mother, Louise, when I was only 6 months old. I was only a few months old when my mother received a phone call from a lady who would not identify herself. She told my mother if she would go to a certain house in the 400 block of B Street NW here in Ardmore, there she would find my dad with another woman. It was raining that day and my mother had no car in 1949, so she got a taxi to take her to the house. She walked to the back and looked in the kitchen door and there sat my dad and this woman at the table with all kinds of food spread out on that kitchen table (my mother told me we barely had any food at home). My mother just turned around and walked home in the rain all the way back to the northeast part of town and never spoke to my dad again. My dad would marry that woman later. So as you can imagine, my mother never talked much about my father, so what I learned, I learned from different people during my growing up years. But my uncle Ira Bridges was always a good memory for me. Ira was one of the best relatives I could ever claim kin to and demonstrated on a day to day basis the Christian he was. I’m sure going to miss that man. Click Here
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“Hello Butch, I recently was loaned some pictures of the Coalgate tornado that happened between 1915 and 1918. What was that date? My husband’s grandmother was living there as a teenager at the time and had the gift of “reading the sky”. She could forecast the weather by looking at the sky, clouds, etc… She told her mother a terrible storm was coming, went in the house and put her new clothes on, then grabbed all the neighborhood kids who were playing outside and took them to the nearest cellar. The tornado hit only moments later.” -Mindy Taylor Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here
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“The William White 1950 customized purple Olds: My buddy William White was ahead of his time! He customized a 1950 Oldsmobile similar to the purple one in the picture below and we won Drag Races in Ardmore at the Airport in 57-59, Oklahoma City Fairgrounds, Wichita Falls and several other towns. William now lives in Lone Grove Oklahoma and I don’t know what became of this beautiful creation. He had “shaved” the body removing all chrome and leaded in the holes then painted the Olds a brilliant metallic purple. This was an amazing pre muscle car and the “hottest” dragster in Marshall County …maybe even in Carter and Bryan to but that would require several second opinions!” -Jimmie Martin, Newcastle Oklahoma http://jimmiedalemartin.com Click Here
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“Re: Skidboot the Wonder dog. Now THIS is a great dog!! In 1999 The White German Shepherd Dog Club, Int. had their annual National Specialty Show in Dallas and as the co-organizer I asked David and Skidboot to perform at our banquet…We had already seen them in action at the Terrell, TX Jubilee Days and were wowed then. Skidboot went on to to win the huge top prize on Animal stars and then he was on Jay Leno and on Oprah (to name a few shows). This dog is so incredible that only seeing him in action would truly explain how unique and wonderfully smart he is. And David is a hoot himself..what a pair. I know David has a pup out of Skidboot but it would be a miracle for that pup to turn out half as great as Skidboot himself. David told me back in 1999 that Skidboot had earned enough money for David to have 2 hip replacements (for David) and a few other important things. Skidboot and David performed at the Texas State Fair for many years and many other venues. David is a Farrier by trade. I was glad to see that Butch included a couple links for Skidboot. I imagine Skidboot must be rather old by now and he was going blind last I heard.” Click Here – Click Here
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“The Daily Ardmoreite, September 21, 1929- “Waging a campaign against underweight children, the Ardmore public schools will begin their second year of giving a mid-morning lunch of milk and graham crackers to children who are below normal in weight. Approximately 50,000 half-pints of milk were consumed last year at the four elementary schools where the mid-morning lunch was offered for the first time on a citywide scale. The practice resulted in the reduction of the average number of underweights from 22 1/2 percent in October to 9 percent in February. An improved physical condition resulting from the general nutritive program was shown in the greater resistive power developed during the year.”
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“From the Star Wars Movie series and through the magic of software, may I introduce my Granddaughter, Miss Skye Hembree, as “Queen Skye Amidala.” -Papa Dwane Stevens onmp@arbuckleonline.com Click Here
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“As a child of aged 8 or 9 when visiting my maternal great-grandmother in Gainesville, Texas, I remember several of my great uncles and aunts dipping snuff. However, I don’t remember the brand of snuff. Each dipper, women as well as men, used a small can as a spittoon as a receptacle for spit. The women usually kept their “spittoon” hidden under their apron whereas the men boldly displayed theirs. I believe using a makeshift spittoon was a rule established by my great-grandmother who was not a dipper.” Click Here
“There are two occasions in my life that I have observed an old Ford model condenser demonstrated for other uses than in the car. The first occasion occurred in the spring of 1939. At this time I was living on a dairy farm with my uncle and aunt Sims. Their farm was located about 10 miles southeast of Stillwater, Oklahoma about a quarter mile from the Cimarron River. This demonstration took place from the banks of the river. My first cousin about age 16 used an old Ford model condenser to kill fish. First, he threw fish bait into an area of the river, waited for about 5 minutes for the fish to arrive, threw the condenser into the water, and touched two wires to the a battery. We waited for about one minute before several fish floated to the river surface. He and his brother gathered the fish for dinner that day. The second occasion took place at Keene, California where I was living in 1945. I was fifteen at that time. I was visiting a friend of mine on a Sunday afternoon during the summer of that year. His father was working on an old ford. As I was watching him work on the engine of his vehicle, he asked me to hold a copper wire for him. As I grasped the wire he touched the coil with his end and sent a shock throughout my body. I jumped about one foot off the ground and yelled bloody murder because I got the electoral shock of my life. Good thing I had a strong heart or I would not be writing this tale today.” y the way in those days of yore the river water was pure enough to swim in. Not today, however.” Click Here
“Oh, I remember those Ration Stamps Days of yesterday quite clearly. Everybody living soul was issued a ration booklet that contained food stamps. I lived with my maternal grandparents during most of World War II in the state of Oklahoma. The food stamps allowed one to buy certain rationed foods. People who drove vehicles were issued booklets that contained stamps with the letters A,B,C, and D stamped thereon. The lettered stamps allowed the holder to buy a restricted amount of gasoline. In order to conserve gasoline my grandfather never drove more than 35 miles per hour. In addition to conserving gasoline the slow speed also help prevent blowouts with the used tires he was forced to use on his 1937 Pontiac. New tires were hard to find in those rationed days.” -Elmer G. West ewest1@satx.rr.com Click Here
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“I am attaching another photo of the Von Keller Hospital. Dr. Frederick P. Von Keller was born in Strassburg, Germany, studied engineering and medicine in Heidelburg, and came to Ardmore in 1894. He joined Dr. Walter Hardy in establishing the Hardy Sanitarium in 1911. The Von Keller Hospital opened in 1917. Dr. Von Keller died in 1941.” -Mark Coe Click Here
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The Westheimer of Ardmore of the 1890s referenced last week was probably the same man who posted the attached flier,” ‘S. Westheimer & Co.’ distributed in Marietta, I.T.” The manufacturer mentioned was Carter Crume Co, Ltd. of Niagara Falls, NY. This flier was found in THE BOURLAND PAPERS in the Library of Congress, shelf DM4406. Since this document was not about the Civil War era, I did not include it in my 1,014-page book: BOURLAND IN NORTH TEXAS AND INDIAN TERRITORY DURING THE CIVIL WAR: FORT COBB, FORT ARBUCKLE & THE WICHITA MOUNTAINS, that is described on my website, www.bourlandcivilwar.com Patti Adkins-Rochette of Duncan, OK prochette@Juno.com Click Here
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“One of the many pleasures of living across the road from the Chickasaw Park here at Sulphur is the beauty of the visitors who come to visit my back yard.” -Joh Click Here
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“Butch, I was in Vermont a couple of weeks ago and the foliage was at it’s peak. We visited Adams Family Farm and this is a picture of a sugar shack where maple sap is turned into sugar. Thought you might like the picture.” -Nelda True, St. Louis, MO Click Here
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“Butch, as always—enjoyed This and That!–the poem, “Oklahoma Rain” was wonderful and those of us who grew up listening to the rain hitting the windows and roofs could not only relate but it gave us, just for a minute, a remembrance of our childhood. In moving around the world as an Air Force wife, I found that Paris, France had a daily shower (one year it rained 363 days) and it reminded me of Oklahoma and the long rains of autumn. —I remember one year, our jersey cow, was standing out under a cherry tree with the rain pouring down. I stood at the window and cried as long as it rained –worried about “Haskell”, the cow. When I was an adult, my mother mentioned that the cow was named after an old hi-school girlfriend of my dad. Haskell was a lovely blond with big brown eyes. —-Isnt memory a funny sort of thing? I loved the cow dearly and treasure the story of how she was named(by my mother) after daddy’s old girlfriend! Butch you really offer all us old okies a treasure chest of memories—thanks!” -Sammie Binkley
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“I came across your website and am writing in hopes that you may have come across some Ardmore information about two people who would have lived there from 1907 to 1921. Their names were Frank N. Preuit and Evelyn Bond Preuit. They moved to Ardmore from Greenville, TX, and Frank initially worked with a firm called Love & Thurmond. He became quite successful, and later had a business with an Ardmore man named R. F. McCrory that made him one of the most influential men in the area. So I hear, at any rate. It is said that movers and shakers wanted him to run for governor of the state, and he was considering it, but he was murdered 3 days after he and Evelyn moved to Pauls Valley in 1921. He was 39. A man named Peevey shot him 5 times in broad daylight in front of 300 people. Supposedly, Frank had had an affair with Peevey’s ex-wife, Susie, but Susie had divorced Peevey two years prior over claims of physical abuse. Ironically, Peevey was found “not guilty” at trial. We’re trying to find the transcript now. Evelyn never got over the anguish of losing Frank. I know this. She was my grandmother. She didn’t excuse the infidelity, but it was always her belief that the murder and perhaps even the affair was orchestrated by R. F. McCrory. There was a LOT of money at stake. Anyway, my sisters and I have been doing research, and I’m hoping to write a book about Evelyn’s life — which was truly fascinating even apart from the murder drama. She and her 8 siblings started one of the first magic lantern theaters in Greenville, TX, in the early 1900s. Their parents died, the kids were 19, 17, 16, 13, 11, 8, 7, and 4, and they needed some way to make money so they could hold onto the family home and could stay together. Ultimately, Frank and Evelyn took the two youngest girls with them to raise when they married. The couple lived in Ardmore for at least 13 years, probably from spring of ’07 until October of 1921 although from about 1914 to 1918 they may have had homes in both Ardmore and Pauls Valley. They were members of some country club in Ardmore, and surely very involved in local culture. I am writing in the hopes that you might have come across some information on any or all of the following: Frank Preuit, Evelyn Preuit, and/or R. F. McCrory. Thanks for any information you might have.” -Anna Clymer Imgrund in Plano, TX aci.5@sbcglobal.net
By the way, the country club in Ardmore with which Frank and Evelyn Preuit were strongly affiliated was called “Dornick Hills.” I was under the impression they were early members, if not part of a group of founding members. My information on their life in Ardmore isn’t solid yet, though. We would LOVE it if someone had pictures from 1908 to 1920 or ’21 of parties and galas given at the club and/or by club members. We could recognize our grandmother if we saw her, and thereby find a photo of Frank.
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“I believe my sister, Anna Imgrund, spoke with you the other day. We are desperately trying to learn something about our grandmother’s first husband, Frank N. Preuit (sometimes spelled Preuitt). He and my grandmother lived both in Ardmore and Pauls Valley from 1907-1921 when he was murdered. He “struck it rich” in the oil fields of Healdton/Ardmore sometime between 1914-1920. I have an article from the Daily Oklahoman in 1918 giving him credit as being one of the men who “so generously donated to the Ardmore Industrial Park.” I know his oil partner was R.F. McCrory. He was also partnered with Paul Frame on some oil leases. Frank Preuit was superintendent of the Love & Thurmond Cotton Compress at some point. Was that in Ardmore? The Preuits were members of Dornick Hills Country Club. That is about all the information I have. We are desperately trying to find anyone who may know anything about him (or my grandmother Evelyn L. Preuit). Would you please ask your fellow historians and readers to lend a hand? It would be so appreciated. Once again, thank you in advance for any help you may be able to provide.” -“Cissy” Cecelia Chesnutt cissychesnutt@yahoo.com
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“Butch, Just wanted to let your readers know about a worthy benefit coming up November the 11th. X TREME RACEWAY PARK’S address is 28204 US Highway 70, Wilson, OK. Driving Directions 2 miles West of Wilson on the corner of US Highway 70 & Santa Fe Road on the Northwest side of Roadway.” -JL Self Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here
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“Just wondering if any one has any info on Jim Chancellor who was a Deputy Sheriff of Carter Co. Any help will be appreciated.” -Brenda Chancellor sporty@pisp.net
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AUTUMN’S SONG
by Joh Gainey, Sulphur, Oklahoma
Let him who will sing songs to spring;
To blossom’s varied hues;
I give my praise to golden days
Of autumn’s misty dews.
To meadows cloaked in morning mists
Of gossamer and lace;
To fruit trees’ heavy-laden boughs
That strain against the brace.
Ah, give me golden autumn nights
With moons of mellowed glow,
And faintly to the ear the call
Of geese that race the snow.
The spring is but the harbinger;
A tune of vast portent,
While autumn sings fulfillment’s song
And leaves my heart content.
See everyone next week!
Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma
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October 19, 2006 Circulation over 5,000 Vol 10 Issue 508
Seems like everyone enjoyed seeing the photos and stories last week taken from the 1976 Ardmore Shrine Club’s Rodeo Program, below are a few more I scanned from the Program Book:
Roy M. Johnson was a pioneer Carter county resident before statehood. He’s been mentioned in past T&Ts. There was nice write-up about Roy Johnson in the 1976 Rodeo Program. Click Here
By the way, Roy M. Johnson holds the distinction of being the one and only Republican Carter county commissioner to serve in this county. He was elected in 1922 and represented District 1.
District 1 County Commissioners:
Robert F. Scivally 1907-1912
G.W. Young 1913-1920
Roy M. Johnson 1921-1922 (R)
A.C. Holman 1923
Mort Wood 1923-1924
Jeff O’Brian 1925-1926
Jess D. O’Brian 1927-1928
Jesse Kirby 1929-1932
R.C. Surber 1933-1936
J.C. Holden 1937-1948
Paul Hartsill 1949-1958
Huss Standifer 1959-1986
Boise Harris 1987-1990
Joe McReynolds 1991-2003
Bill McLaughlin 2004 to present
We’ve also mentioned Max Westheimer a few weeks ago and how he and Dave Daube in the 1890s were partners in a dry goods store when they first came to Ardmore. This is a photo of Mr. Westheimer. Click Here
Also in the 1976 Shrine Club Rodeo Program is a picture of the old Stromberg-Carlson Plant that used to be at the Ardmore Airpark. Some of you wrote in saying you worked for Stromberg-Carlson years ago. Click Here
This is a 1976 group photo of the members of the Carter County Sheriffs department. A few are still living, most are past on now. But I remember everyone of them like it was yesterday. As I look over the pictures, so many things flash back in my mind when I see each one’s face. I was working on the ambulance that day in 1979 John Sigler’s wife, Della, called for us to take him to the hospital. John had been ill for a some time, and this would be his last ride. When I was closing the back doors of the ambulance, John looked at me and said, “Don’t spare the horses Butch”. I knew what he meant. Click Here
My webshots albums went over 200,000 visitors last week. Devils Den photos still leads the pack in the most looked at photos followed by Brown Springs. And I have gone over the 10,000 photos mark in my collection of pixs over the years. So many I cant even burn them to a CD anymore (over a gig in size). I now have to use a DVD to archive my T&T photos. Click Here
Speaking of statistics, the Carter County Assessor’s website topped the 1 million mark in page views last week. With over 32,000 parcels of land online, its one of the most visited websites in this county. Click Here
Somehow this webpage got lost several years ago when I changed web hosting services. I had not seen it in 6 or 7 years, so I’m sure many of you have not either. So enjoy! Click Here
For those of you familiar with Pawhuska, Oklahoma I received a special request by email this week regarding a brick making company that used to be in Pawhuska. Below is the email from Chris:
“Butch, I enjoy your site, and you have been very helpful in the past in the hobby of brickcollecting. Need information on Pawhuska, Ok. Small burg north west of Tulsa, Ok. in Osage county. With respect to brick industry or brick making. Have tried many search engines, and can come up with only a website that verifies the location, just west of town, on the north side of hwy 11. Any ideas or info will help and be appreciated. Thanks.” -Chris Wolford IBCA#1141 tinman_2_54@yahoo.com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Brick_Collecting/
Ernest Martin wrote in this week asking if I had a photo of the old Von Keller Hospital that was located just west of the old Seventh Day Adventists Hospital. When I was looking through the 1976 Shrine Club Rodeo Program, there was a photo of it just before it was torn down. Click Here
I heard through the grapevine an old grocery store in western Carter county is going to be torn down. I hope I have this right, but its located on Dillard Road. Click Here
Here’s an unusual item that’s been in my family for many years. I do not even know what it is called. I was planning on putting it on ebay, but I dont know how to list it. Its some kind of motorized advertising or announcement box. I guess the motor inside rotates each of the 12 advertisements so anyone standing in front of it can read them. You can read on one of the mechanical arms on each side, the words “Pat Feb 27 1923”. It comes with a brown canvas cover and stands 26 inches tall. Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here
Utilities have been really climbing the last few years. My electric bill has tripled in 3 years. Three years ago it was $30 for the month of September 2004. In 2005 my electric bill was $54 and now this year for September it is $96. Ouch! Below is a link to some help and great tips on how to cut your heating bill and more this winter. I like the one about the “window heat grapper box” and may build one myself. You’ll find it in the jrwhipple.com link, click on “solar heater” on the left hand side. Click Here
More energy saving tips. Click Here
If you want to know what time it is a certain city (has to be a big city) just go to google.com and type in: time cityname such as: time Denver or time Baghdad or whatever Click Here
For those of us in the Angel Food Program, this Saturday morning October 21st is pickup day. Click Here
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“The Beatles charted in his 1964 USA tour a plane Lockheed Electra L188C to AFA , which crashed in april 1966 (I know you site American Flyers Memorial ). I would like receive any information about that American Flyers Airline experience with The Beatles in 1964 (and 1965) from any former AFA employee in Ardmore. Thanks you.” -Alejandro Flores. Beatles searcher and anthropologist in Santiago, Chile aafpla60@hotmail.com
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“Butch, In 1966 I was a Senior in High School in Burkburnett, Texas. I worked part time for a FH. My father was a Mechanic for American Flyers Airline. and had just come home that Friday morning for his weekend off. Sometime that evening he received a call about the American Flyers airplane crash near the Ardmore Airpark and was told to return to the field. Near the same time I received a call from the FH stating that OK Highway Patrol was requesting ambulances from all over to respond. It took about 90 minutes for us to arrive at the scene of the plane crash. The survivors had been transported and we helped work recovery. We worked most of the night. In early AM my partner took the ambulance back to Burkburnett. Dad had a dorm room, with 2 single beds. We went back out to the site Sat morning and stayed until mid afternoon then went back home. It’s been over 40 years and my memory may be incorrect, but I think I remember it being foggy and rainy. In late 1966, I went back to the site and made a couple minutes of 8mm home movies. By 1971 I moved to Macon, GA. In 1990 I put all our film on VHS. I gave the one tape I made to my parents and never got around to making another. In 2003 I moved to Ga and still have a number of boxes in the garage. I will look for the film. If you would like a copy of this couple of minutes film please let me know.”
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“Hello Butch, I want to thank all those kind T&T readers who sent me tips and advice for turning off the auto-response in my Outlook Express e-mail. I hope that I have managed to block the annoying auto responses. Would the poet who wrote “O Chickasaw” send me a copy of his wonderful poem. I managed to lose my copy of it! I thought that was one of the most beautiful poems I’d ever read.”” -Lou Harper luharper@brightok.net
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“For over twenty years, Jeremy Francis Gilmer was an Army Engineer for the United States of America. In 1861 he left to support the Southern cause of the Civil War, where he acted as Major of Engineers in the Confederate States of America Army. This site boasts a great collection of Gilmer’s Civil War maps, engineer drawings of military construction, manuscripts and much more. While the original maps are at the library at University of North Carolina, visitors can browse this digital collection of over 150 maps to learn about the geography of our country during its most divided time.” -Charles Kessler Click Here
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“I have two things to request from your Readers.
#1. I have put up a webpage on Freewebs.com to gather information about my mothers family. We just had our family reunion this past Saturday and I offered to help with history for our next year’s reunion and thought of no better place to get info out is through your wonderful newsletter.
My great-grandfather was Frank Marion Hill his father was James Madison Hill and we believe they come from Gladsen, Ala. James married Elizabeth Downing. Frank married Maranda Casandra Jones we believe from Texas. Frank and Maranda lived around Marietta, Ok having 7 children: James Madison “Jim”, William “Will” Dewey, Euycltus Lee (Or Lee Henry), Frank Marion, Jerry Jones, and two daughters that died in infancy. Will and Jerry didn’t have children. We know that Frank worked in the cotton business as a buyer for a company in Ardmore. I have also heard that my grandfather Lee was part of the posy that shot the bank robber in Marietta, in the book Baa Baa Black Sheep. My web page is found at www.freewebs.com/taartn if anyone has any information or stories please go to the site and blog your information. And please pass the address along to anyone that might know about our family. On the Blog or Story page please write the date, the person you are writing about and your name and a way to contact you if you don’t mind my contacting you if I have any questions. I thank you Butch most of all and each of you for any history you can help us with.
#2. The second thing I need help with is: I am trying to find postcards or photocards of cowgirls from the early 1900’s. Cowgirls from the 101 ranch and other rodeo shows etc. I have looked on the web, and on ebay and on deal (what ever that other site is) and haven’t had much luck. I did find a site that had 3 for sell but they were asking almost $150.00 for them (each) so they were way out of my price range. If anyone has any that they would sell or allow me to copy please contact me through Butch. Again thank you ahead of time help. And thank you Butch. You are doing such a wonderful thing with your newsletter. You need to get it on paper and out in the stores…you are a valuable resource for our Oklahoma history….hope you know that.” -Annette Nickles taartn@tds.net http://www.freewebs.com/taartn
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“I live right in the middle of Texas and was raised in Wilson. When your subject this week was the famous Colvert Dairy I just had to join in, my brother-in-law was a route sales man over 5o years ago and my wonderful niece is always telling all of us that; HER DADDY IS THE MILK MAN. It has always been a fond memory of that wonderful company.” -Dee Pate in Eastland, TX
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“Hi, Butch: Enjoyed reviewing your Hamburger Highway page reviewing some good hamburger places in Oklahoma. It seems you have done quite a bit of traveling and sampling burgers around southern Oklahoma. I am sure that the places you note have some good tasting hamburgers. I simply laugh at what most places call a hamburger. They have no idea how to prepare one ! It seems ashamed that you have omitted the one place in Oklahoma that knows how to prepare and cook what is a “real” hamburger. Folgers on east main street in Ada, is a very small cafe which has been cooking hamburgers for four generations now. If you will just look up “hamburger” in any encyclopedia, You should locate a picture of the Folger’s burger. When you are ready to discover what a real hamburger is, give them a visit.” -Larry Johnson in Konawa, OK
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“Cuz, my fondness memories in life are from when I was growing up in Oklahoma especially around the Bridges clan, my friends, and kids my age that I meant in all the small towns in and around Davis and Ardmore. Caddo was one of my favorite places as Mom’s Dad lived just north of the old salvage yard across from the open markets. The vendors would always say there goes Old Rattler Prater’s grandkids to get him and take him home for dinner. Also the visits with Grandma Havely over by the school east of the railroads was always a treat as well.” -Poss
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“I took a picture of the old filling station across from the Drive In Movie that was operating in the fifties but I have misplaced it. Should be saved as a historic site by the liquor store owners association.” -Jim Martin http://jimmiedalemartin.com
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“Thank you for the Colvert story and pictures. When I was just a soda jerk at Wade Drug, here in Healdton…. we really enjoyed dispensing Colvert’s products. Mac McCharen was our delivery man and we looked forward to him coming into the store regularly to deliver the products. He was such a jolly fellow and a good friend to all of us jerks. In those days Colvert Co. would do anything for their dealers. I remember they painted a huge picture of their name and products on the side of our building at no cost. (*this was later on when I owned part of Taylor Drug) But back to the soda jerk days –we really liked to be called fountaineers or Fizzicians instead of jerks. Ha. One time Colvert took all of the fizzicians in Ardmore and the surrounding area to OU for a fountain seminar. They taught us how to make everything look more appetizing, how to make whipped cream for toppings, how to keep down waste of material. Just a better way to make everything we served more acceptable. How to improve our participation in customer relations etc. It was an all day seminar and my good friend Bill Raper who was working at that time either at Langston Drug or Cantrell McKnight….not sure which……was the only other participant from Healdton. The Colvert Brothers took us up there in a caravan of cars and we had a great meal at a restaurant on our way back to our homes. . Most of us had never been treated so royally. I would like to remind you that Bill Raper was the father of Linda Lambert, who lives in Healdton, but at that time he was single and very young. We were presented a diploma, which made us feel better about our job, and just a little more important. Not just a soda jerk, but an important cog in the business of the drug store.” -Kenneth Eck
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“Butch, does anyone remember the P-38 fighter plane that crashed northeast of Hennepin OK. during world war two? I can remember it well, I was in grade school in the old Homer school and our teacher, a Mr. C. L. Drennan took us over to see it. We talked about it for weeks!!” -James Singleterry
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Skidboot the wonder dog from Quinlin, Texas Click Here – Click Here
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“Butch, I’m trying to help a friend locate the family of her biological father. His name was Louis Hill and he married Vivia Dickey in Foss, Ok on Dec. 1, 1934. They divorced in April of 1937 and was not seen again. If anyone has any information on this man or his family it would be greatly appreciated.” -Karen Piece at mamakaren@hotmail.com
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Oklahoma Rain
by Wayne Pierce (Healdton graduate)
October 2006
Tis for those I shall surely cry,
Who ne’re trod an Oklahoma lane,
If you are less fortuante than I,
And walked in the Oklahoma rain.
Each droplet is a blessing true,
Erasing from the heart all pain,
Purges depths of the soul anew,
This regenerating Oklahoma rain.
Er’re my time has breathed it’s last,
Just scattter my ashes on the plain,
So I may catch a glimpse of my past,
As my Lord sends the Oklahoma rain.
And when the angel approaches me,
With the message, “I can not remain”,
Then let my soul release to Thee,
Soaring thru the Oklahoma rain.
See everyone next week!
Butch Bridges Nashobish
Ardmore, Oklahoma
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October 12, 2006 Circulation over 5,000 Vol 10 Issue 507
Many of you will remember the Colvert Dairy when it was in full operation on South Washington here in Ardmore. Some of you have even wrote in over the years to share stories and photos. The more I think about it, the more I believe I have never tasted a better milk since. The Colvert name started out in England as Calvert over 500 years ago. It would be in late 1917 the Colverts would come to Ardmore and open their business. In the 1976 Shrine Club Rodeo Program there is a full page dedicated to Raymond Colvert Sr. and the beginnings of the Colvert Dairy Company. Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here
T&T Reader Nellie Combe of Shawnee sent me an email last week telling about a story in the September 29, 2006 issue of the Shawnee News Star newspaper. The article tells about the 1903 bridge along with pictures and how it still makes life so much easier for those who live near Wanette and Byars, Oklahoma area. The bridge is known to the locals there as ‘the escape’ because it allows them a quick getaway other parts of the state. It was originally a bridge for the railway, but when the railroad abandoned the bridge in 1960 local residents made a push to turn it into a bridge between Wanette and Byars. They efforts were successful, and they threw a BBQ at the bridge to celebrate with 1,000 people attending! Click Here
A Reader called this week telling about a WWII airplane that crashed in eastern Oklahoma near the town of Moyers, Oklahoma. Moyers is just a few miles north of Antlers. What made this 1943 crash so different was the plane was British airmen. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_20000221/ai_n10579674
Grover Wells came through again with a great set of pixs this week. They are of the old Fort Washita before its restoration in the 1960s. Ft Washita is located east of Madill, Oklahoma. Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here Click Here
We had eggs “over easy” this week, and in one of the egg shells was 2 yolks! So I guess they were twins, but dont know if they were boys or girls. lol I think its pretty rare to find two yolks in one egg these days. Click Here
Last weekend I had a terrible time installing an antique light fixture in my house that has been in my family since the 1940s. The mounting holes in the fixture were 4 inches apart, and the holes in the junction box in the ceiling were 3 1/2 inches center to center. I knew what I needed, just a simple bracket I call a flat surface mount that has been used for many years to mount lights to surfaces. So I was off to every store in town it seemed, and nary a one did I find. Most sales people didnt even know what I was talking about. But one man said he thought they were sometimes found in ‘ceiling light mounting kits”. But even after searching around town for that, nonetheless I couldnt find any of these simple brackets. If anyone knows where there are some in Ardmore, I hope you’ll tell us. Even if you only know what the true name for these brackets are, let me know. Click Here – Click Here
Here’s a pix of that antique light. It looks great, so I guess the 5 hours it took to mount it was worth it. Click Here
We’re moving right along with replacing broken markers in the Confederate section of Rose Hill Cemetery. Doug Williams picked up 7 new markers this week I had poured and he will be setting them in a few days. I think we’ve pretty much made what I call the easy ones…. ones where the info was easy to read and available to go on the new marker. So far we’ve replaced 48 markers and now to work on the hard ones….. ones where the date and/or some info missing and unreadable. This will require research, and I hope some of you will helps us with finding the missing dates and all. One of the things that troubles me is the confederate info that is unreadable. Like it may read on one of the lines: “Co B Tex Inf”. And part of the letters are unreadable. Anyway, one by one, maybe we can replace a few more as the info becomes available. I am estimating we’ll have 60 markers finished by November 11th.
This is an example of one of the dozen or so that is unreadable and we are searching for the important info to put on the new marker. Click Here
Here is a current listing of the markers replaced so far along with pixs. Click Here
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“Hello, I was reading thru some of the postings on your sight and came across the post about the glider room. My grandfather, Jess W. Wilson, took over the glider room from Dutch Wilson after he returned home from World War II. I have an old invitation from one of the dinners there. I was wondering if it was still intact? My understanding from my father is that it was located underneath Lincoln Bank. I was also wondering if they allowed people downstairs to look at it? Any information would be helpful. Thank You.” -Cory David Wilson
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“Does anyone remember the Lime tree that was on the S.W. corner of Caddo and Fifth N.E. by the viaduck in the 1950’s in Ardmore ,Oklahoma?”
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“Looking for old news papers 1903-04 Pawhuska Oklahoma and or any old records from the Pawhuska area with the same date. I am looking for a Louis Pryor and a Addie Bass or a Bass girl , living with Louis Pryor and his mother Mary . Please help. Thank you for your time.” knyghtryder1@yahoo.com
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“I would like for you to share this “Lamburger” from SW Colorado with you T&T readers. It had the greatest flavor… not strong. It was lean, juicy, and 1/2 inch thick. So…oooooooooo good, I didn’t even need mustard, mayo or other stuff to hide the flavor.” NW Okie Click Here
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“Butch, we had another photo session at the Dolese Rock Crusher in Big Canyon south of Dougherty, Okla. last Saturday 09-30-06. The Dolese Company has been extremely accommodating to us for the last several years by allowing our group of Railfan Photographers access to such a scenic area. The area is private Dolese property and normally kept closed all the time since quarry operations there ceased many years back. They opened the gates for us at 7:00AM and some of the group stayed until dusk. Many thanks to the Dolese Bros. Company, George (employee from the Davis quarry) and Earl Coll (Operations Manager for the Davis quarry) who stayed with us and helped us during our session. I’ve attached a few photos from the session. Tell your readers that they can see this scenic area from the comfort of Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer. It passes through two times a day on it’s round trip between OKC and Fort Worth, Tx.” – Dwane Stevens Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here
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“I heard about a Mrs. Busby that had her children stolen from her. According to the story she found a son (Stephen Busby) living in Thackerville, Okla. The story of her search was published in the Ardmore paper in 1920. Have you any information about this story. Thanks.” -Wayne Gilland
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“We lived at Bromide during the Washita flood of fifty and when the waters were receding my Uncle Carl Schultz of Connerville, cousins Kenneth and Tommy Dale and I went to the banks of the river and hand caught Buffalo and catfish by the ton. We threw them in the pickup bed and gave them to people all over the Connerville and Bromide area on the way home. The fish were stranded in shallows outside the banks and would have ran out of water soon … so they became dinner to a lot of folks.Some of these fish were as long as I was tall then. I was thirteen at the time. The website I built for Bromide.” -Jimmie Martin in Newcastle, Oklahoma Click Here
————————————————————————- “Hello Butch, I’d like to appeal to your readers. If anyone out there knows how to turn off Auto Response in Outlook Express, please have them e-mail me with the information. Thanks.” -Lou Harper in Thackerville, Oklahoma luharper@brightok.net
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“Butch, here is another copy of the Panoramic View of Lone Grove. This picture is from a 35mm slide, that has been cropped to eliminate most of the sky and the hood of the car. It is a wide photo 1499 x 586 pixels. I have no idea where that slide is. I cropped it during the scan. I think most of those building are gone except the last building on the left. The house with the gray roof. That is where your uncle Ira Bridges and family live when I was going to school at Lone Grove in the 40’s and 50’s. I used the previous photo in a website.” C B Segler in Oxnard, California www.relges.net/cheekroad Click Here
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“Hi Butch. It was Darla Thompson who won the rodeo queen race in 1976. She was a Little Okie when younger. She still lives in Ardmore.” Click Here
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“Butch, In the wichita wildlife refuge area by Fort Sill Okla and surrounding area when I was stationed there in 1956-1957 and again in 1961-1964 I heard the legend about the area supposedly the Spaniards had dug a cave into the wall of a canyon and put an iron door on it and had put all the gold that they had collected in there and before they could transport it to the coast they had a running battle with the Indians all the way to Mexico as evidenced by a trail of armor guns etc from there to mexico that archaeologist have discovered. One person alleged that he had found it marked it and went to get transportation to haul the gold out but could not find his way back again.” -Paskell in CA
———————————————————————– “I appreciate your help. I have since found out it was an iron door instead of an iron gate, and has been found and lost by a number of people over the years. Some say the iron doors are in a cave, some say a mine. The best source I have found so far is from “A Guide to Treasure in Oklahoma,” Volume 1, by Mary L. Carson.”
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When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin’ turkey-cock
And the clackin’ of the guineys, and the cluckin’ of the hens,
And the rooster’s hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it’s then’s the times a feller is a-feelin’ at his best,
With the risin’ sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock.
-James Whitcomb Riley 1896
See everyone next week!
Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma
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October 5, 2006 Circulation over 5,000 Vol 10 Issue 506
I was visiting with Karen Volino, Carter County Court Clerk, this week and she has a special request for some help with a project in her office on the second floor. As most of you know court records were hand recorded in big heavy Ledger Books from before statehood and up to 1997 when Karen’s office started converting over to computers. And some of these old books are beginning to really show wear and tear from daily use. This is the situation with 4 books she has in which the indexes to probate cases are recorded, starting in 1908 and going to 1997.
Karen and I talked about how these four books could be recorded using a digital camera, then burned to a CD and put on the Public Access computer in her office. So I did a test using my 7.1 megapixel camera and the results turned out fine. Here is what the test looked like I did this week. You can see how the books are coming apart after years of use. Click Here
I reduced the size of the pix in the above test, but this is the actual pix as it came from my camera, only I cropped it down for easier download and viewing. But this will give you an idea of the clarity. Click Here
These four books are valuable pieces of history, and Karen makes every effort possible to see they are protected and last, but they are just deteriorating from age. It is Karen’s hope someone will come forward and volunteer to help her office record these irreplaceable books for future generations. Of course the books cant leave the courthouse, so the recording will need to be done at her office. We estimate there are about 200 or 300 pages to take pictures of, so it shouldnt take very long to get the job done. I guess about the only pre-requisite is you know a little about taking pixs with a digital camera and a few hours to volunteer!
Here is a pix I took of the 4 books, as you can tell a couple are really getting in bad shape. Click Here
If your interested in helping with this worth while project, send an email to Karen or me. Court Clerks Website
A T&T Reader recently lent me their 1976 Ardmore Shrine Club Rodeo Program. The Shrine Club rodeo that year was held on April 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th and Vic Owens was Rodeo President for the 15th Shrine Club Rodeo in 1976. The Shriners brought Red Stegall to Ardmore that year as the entertainer at the Rodeo. There were four area young ladies running for the rodeo queen: Darla Thompson of Mannsville, Barbara Ann Phillips of Ardmore, Cathy Logan of Ardmore, and Ruby Faye Cox of Marietta. I dont know who won that year, maybe someone will remember. Click Here – Click Here
I hope some of you write in and share who was the entertainer for any particular year you might remember. I would like to make a list of all the famous entertainers the Shrine Club brought to Ardmore during their rodeo years. There has been no one since who has brought such famous names to Ardmore year after year.
Last Saturday at noon, Gary Ayers of Missouri dedicated the memorial marker for Civil War veteran, George Bowling, who is buried at Newport Cemetery. Pat Sanford gave an oral history on George Bowling and his life. There is a nice group in attendance, and everyone had a good time. Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here – Click Here –
After leaving the cemetery we stopped at the Newport Grocery. In the early 1900s Newport was a thriving little community, but like so many towns back then in Carter county, after the oil boom, it fell by the wayside. About the only thing left now is a cemetery, a few homes, and the Newport Grocery. We stopped in the Newport Grocery today after hearing from several people that its owner, Shirley, made a great hamburger. Well, turns out those people were correct, its one of the best hamburgers I’ve eaten in this county. Here is a pix I took of that $2.19 burger. So dont judge a book by its cover, here’s a pix of the Newport Grocery, but inside is a hamburger just like Mom would make! Click Here – Click Here – Click Here
Just a couple blocks of Lone Grove on the east side of Newport Road is what looks to be a cannon someone made from old pipes and wheels. Interesting. Click Here
Here’s a pix I took this week of the site where the Bowman Building on Stanley SW used to stand. Click Here
Last week I saw an interesting site when looking to the south. Two planes had created an “X” with their contrails. An another plane seemed to be heading to the X but missed the spot. lol Click Here
The 4 O’clocks my cousin Carol Jean Cole in Ft Worth gave us a month ago are putting out their first blooms! For those of you who wrote in wanting seeds, I’ll try to get you some. Click Here
And I’ll soon have moon flower seeds. The seed pods have appeared. Click Here
“Contrails are condensation trails (sometimes vapour trails): artificial cirrus clouds made by the exhaust of aircraft engines or wingtip vortices which precipitate a stream of tiny ice crystals in moist, frigid upper air. Contrary to appearances, they are not pollution as such.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contrail
Because of my mention of the AOL problems I been having with my newsletter going through, several of you wrote in this week with solutions:
“I want to tell you about AOL, since I’m a AOL subscriber: We adjust SPAM controls ourselves. It’ll let about everything through unless you adjust it. They have to go to SETTINGS…Low, Med, High SPAM controls are available… AND ANOTHER SETTING…SEPARATE…Can give you a window that tells you every time you sign on that you have spam or not…and you open that window, see the subject lines or NOT…also adjustable…and you can delete if it’s “iffy”, or you can read it, AND you can save it to your regular mail if it’s identifiable, such as “THIS AND THAT”. It’s all up to the subscriber. I have mine set to LOW, since my website e-mail is directed to my AOL account and I have to have it on low, but you can tell them that it’s FULLY adjustable. If they have an old, old version of AOL, they might have to upgrade to have full features, but it’s well-worth for the added protection and control!”
“Hi Butch, I have AOL and have no problem receiving your wonderful newsletter. I think the problem may be that some folks have their spam filter set to HIGH instead of MEDIUM. With all the viruses and worms that went around a while back many people went overboard with the spam filters.”
“I never have a problem getting T & T on AOL. When you changed your ISP, the first T & T following the move went to my spam folder. All I did was to add your correct E-mail address to my address book, which took it out of spam. Some things the account holder have to do manually. AOL isn’t capable of reading minds to know what we don’t want to show as spam.”
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“Does anyone remember the flood of 1950 on the Washita? For about 24 hours Davis was cut off on the north, west, and south. I was one of the last ones to drive out going to County Line to work. Bout got washed off the road, too. It was a dumb stunt, but I was young and foolish.” -John
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“Wonder if anyone knows what this Platt National Park Centennial Medallion is worth?” Click Here – Click Here
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“Friends: Here is the newest Williams boy. Scheryl and I are some proud grandparents. His name is Zan Gabriel Williams, born 10-2-2006 and he was 19 1/2 inches long and weighed 6 lbs and 15 ozs. Mother, father and son are doing great.” -Doug Williams dougwilliams@cableone.net Click Here
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“Butch; I checked the CD you’d sent me with your interview concerning Madge Hunter’s telling of the 1927 bank robbery at the Billings Bank. Madge was 98 years old at that time and your interview was held on November 13, 2004.” -Roy in Perry, OK Click Here – Click Here – Click Here
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“Hi Butch. I ran across some beta software which I am testing. It allows you to record your own voice to a slideshow of photos. I tested it using photos of my grandparents, Frank and Lora Floyd.” -Richard Henry
SnapGenie lets you tell the stories behind the pictures! Create audio photo albums for your friends and family allowing them to hear your voice while watching your photo slideshow! The following SnapGenie show is now ready for viewing:
Show: Floyds
By: Richard Henry
Click Here – Click Here
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January 21, 1915
Prof. Dayton amused the theatre-going public of Wilson last Monday night at the Ezy Theatre with rope tying and cabinet tricks. It is a class of amusement that is old, but never fails to entertain when done as cleverly as Prof. Dayton.
February 4, 1915
Pro. Murphey’s dog and monkey show at the Yale this week was a hit, especially with the youngsters. We noted several of the grey headed youngsters who seemed to be enjoying the show as well as the little fellows.
February 11, 1915
The Ho-Ko-Do Medicine Company playing at the Yale this week is giving a good show. They have some good vaudeville talent with them, and the show is extra, thrown in with the regular picture program for good measure, without extra charge.
March 4, 1915
The Empire Comedy Company playing at the Yale the balance of this week is one of the best that has appeared in Wilson. It is refined and at the same time amusing in the highest degree. The musical part of the program is exceedingly good. The prices during the show are .10 and .30. They are advertising to give away a real live baby. Considerable curiosity is being created over this announcement.” -Mindy Taylor
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Butch you had a lady ask about a marshal in Ada named Chapman a couple of years ago Look what I found today. -Paskell
Ada Evening News, March 18, 1907
“Deputy Marshal Chapman was in Stonewall today.”
Ada Evening News, April 4, 1907
Deputy U.S. Marshal Chapman took a Negro, R.L. Walter, to the Ardmore jail this morning. He was charged with larceny.
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“Sorry, but your reader is too young. Westminster United Presbyterian Church was indeed located on NW 25th Street in OKC just a few blocks west of Walker. Boy Scout troop 102 met in the basement. The church moved to 44th and Shartel sometime after 1943.”
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“Thanks to whoever sent the article on Murrell Askew. He is my ancestor from his sister we got our Choctaw blood. I enjoyed the article will send it around maybe some of the family will pool their money for a new tombstone.” -Fay Johnston
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“Hi Butch. I just read ur T&T. The reference to Antlers being about an hour’s drive east of Ardmore is in error, unless you drive over 100 MPH. Antlers is 100 miles from Ardmore. It used to be part of my territory when I worked for Lumbermens Millwork. Keep up the good work Butch. I love your News letters.”
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“”Antlers is just an hour’s drive east of Ardmore”…. I don’t think I’ll ride anywhere with you! It about 120 miles from Ardmore to Antlers.”
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“I remember the flood of 1957 very well. I was supposed to travel to Denver from Ardmore on the Santa Fe Chief but would have had to change trains in Kansas. This really terrified me as I was traveling alone on my way to work at the YMCA camp in Estes Park. Because of the flood, my parents had to take me to Wichita Falls to catch a train which went directly to Denver. I left in the afternoon and didn’t sleep a wink on that train because of both excitement and fear. All went well even though I did have to take a taxi to the bus station in Denver and go to Boulder where a Y bus picked us up for the trip to Estes Park. It was a wonderful summer and I still have fond memories of the YMCA of the Rockies. In fact my husband and I have vacationed there three times.” -R. Helms
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“I wonder how far your fartherest subscriber is? Have you checked? TimBukTu????”
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“I am trying to locate a map and legends about a place called Iron Gate or Iron Door. There is supposed to be a legend that there is some type of treasure buried behind the iron gates, which are located behind some rocks. These may be in the Wichita (Washita?) (Quichita?) Mountains of Oklahoma. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated. I found your This and That News for May of 2005 doing a web search on “iron gates.” I believe the white rocks from someone’s yard in Wilson may be from Arkansas. When my grandmother came to Oklahoma as a teenager in a covered wagon she brought several white river rocks with her from near her home in Arkansas. They were smoothed by the water and had holes in them just like the ones in your photographs.”
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“Dear Butch, As always we so enjoy your newsletter. It especially brings great joy to my Mother, Tweed Stonum Machock. Mom enjoyed the picture of the moonflower in the last issue. On the night that her Papa Tweed died in Gladewater, TX.,1934, at the Sun Oil Camp, she and her sister Florence noticed from inside his room that the moonflower was blooming. It had never bloomed before. So the Moonflower has always been very special to our family.” -Helen Tweed
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“Hello Butch…..I am Dottie Cude Biddick living in Arkansas now…..my friend Mona in California sent T&T to me many months ago and I finally signed up this year….I enjoy all the articles about the wonderful state of Oklahoma…and you cover it quite well…..the reason I am sending this is I want to thank Dwane Stevens for the beautiful photos of thunderclouds he took and sent to you …..I printed them out…..they remind me so much of Ardmore…..and the wonderful years and the wonderful friends I had and I have there……I saw these clouds alot…..Thanks Dwane and thanks to you Butch for presenting them.” -Dottie Click Here – Click Here
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“Butch, there were a couple of references in T&T about moonflowers. The writers were discussing different genera. Brugmansia/datura grows in a bush or shrub form; all parts are poisonous, but it is spectacular in bloom. Various hybrids have blossoms of many colors. Another specie – Ipomoea alba – is a vine with white flowers. It is in the morning glory family but the fragrant blossoms open at dusk, and is sometimes called evening glory. Often you can watch the movement as the bud unfurls quickly in five seconds or so. It is usually grown from seed as an annual but may be perennial in semi-tropic areas. Here is a pictorial description.” -Elizabeth Dyer Click Here
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“Butch, Has anyone written or called you on identification of any of the band members (referred to as the Lefties)? In looking at that picture the gentleman in the middle with the guitar and cowboy hat looks a lot like Punkin Thompson? Did you know him? He was from Mannsville and had a band for quite a long time.” Click Here
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“Butch, I am looking for some information on the Rollins Cemetery near Mannsville. Does anyone know who is the caretaker and how to contact them. I am looking for some information on a Charlie Collins that is supposedly buried there. They say that the headstone has no dates so thought maybe someone might could help me. Thanks!” bjf15612003@yahoo.com
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“Hi Butch, I wanted to invite your T&T Readers to the 2nd Annual Honobia Bigfoot Festival in Honobia, Oklahoma on Oct 6, 7 and 8. (Honobia is east of Antlers, Oklahoma in LeFlore county.) Our first year was a great success with well over 3,500 in attendance and we’re expecting an even bigger crowd this year. You can hear Bigfoot stories, eat Bigfoot food, get in on the Bigfoot rock throwing contest, the biggest foot contest or see who will win this years Bigfoot Festival Queen. We also have over 50 vendors selling every type of Bigfoot paraphernalia imaginable. If you make it to the festival be sure and look me up at the First Aid booth.” -Karen Pierce. Vice-Pres, Honobia Bigfoot Organization
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“Hello, I was reading thru some of the postings on your sight and came across the post about the glider room. My grandfather, Jess W. Wilson, took over the glider room from Dutch Wilson after he returned home from World War II. I have an old invitation from one of the dinners there. I was wondering if it was still intact? My understanding from my father is that it was located underneath Lincoln Bank. I was also wondering if they allowed people downstairs to look at it? Any information would be helpful. Thank You.” -Cory David Wilson
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“Thought you might like a picture of the youngest Bowling ancestors in attendance at the George Washington Bowling family gathering at Newport Cemetery. Brothers, Cody Lynn and Brandon Dion Henson, and Taylor Jo Boggs. Cody and Brandon are the sons of Dustin and Candice Henson, who live in Aubrey, Texas. Taylor is the daughter of Dwayne and Jennifer Boggs who live in Collinsville, Texas. They are also the grandchildren of Gayle Lyons, Prosper, Texas and greatgrandsons of Joe and Pat Sanford of Garland,Texas. The oldest in attendance was Roy Bowling 95, who is a grandson of George Washington Bowling.” -Pat Sanford Click Here
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“Dear Butch: I working on my family genealogy and am looking for some family of John and Dora Holman Ball. Would anyone have any information for me? My dad Ernest E. Robb (Ardmore HS, Class of ’38) was working on this before he died in 2000. Dad was the grandson of Rufus & Louisa Holman Hendon who lived in Ardmore for many years. If anyone can help, please email. -MaryAnn Robb VanVeen jacvanveen@hotmail.com
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Baptist in Virginia rejoiced in the vote by the Virginia General Assembly adopting Thomas Jefferson’s “Act to establish religious freedom.” The support of the declaration guaranteed “That all men shall be free to profess and….. maintain their opinions in matters of religion…” -Published by Northwest Baptist Church of Ardmore in the 1976 Shrine Club Rodeo Program Click Here
See everyone next week!
Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma
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