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Vol 17  Issue 854 June 6, 2013

PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402 Email:  butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net Phone: 580-490-6823

Because of my 5,000 friend limit on Facebook I have been trying to go through and remove those who have passed away.  So far, with the help of others too, I’ve removed about 20 people.  The other day I thought of Ardmoreite Tom Arnold who passed away in Tulsa a couple years ago.  Tom stopped by several times over the years to share history on this family who owned a monument company on C Street SE.  The company is gone now, and I still wanted to share info how his grandfather started making grave covers in the 40s. Below is an email I received from Dan Holder back in 2004 when I was trying to find someone to make a grave cover for a family member, like the others in our family plot at Rosehill that were made by the Arnold family.

“Butch, The white grave markers were made by Arnold and Craddock Monument Co. There was no mold just some 2 x 6 boards. We used lathe and rebar to keep the concrete from cracking. The markers were made using white cement. That was how I worked my way through two years of M I T. That’s ‘Murray In Tishomingo’. Artie Arnold was the shop foreman that was responsible for carving the monuments, adding dates to stones already set in the cemetery and the white markers. They were built on the south side of the old sheet metal building and the best I can remember now they were built on the ground that was formed with an underlay. Boards were pinned in on the sides and then a step in another set. The next time I am in Ardmore I will go by the cemetery and see if that helps my memory. The vaults were built inside the building using forms built of wood and covered with a smooth sheet metal. These bolted together and before bolting we would use an oil to wet the sheet metal so the concrete would come loose without sticking. After the markers were poured and had partially dried they were rubbed down with a piece of grind stone. Usually they were set on top of a concrete vault that was underground. I had my FUN doing this from 1951 to 1953.” -Dan Holder

Below is a picture showing the two grave covers in the background how Tom’s family made them, and then the one in the forefront of a ‘modern’ one made today.  I wanted one exactly as the back two, so they would match the ones in our family lot, so I haven’t had one made, yet.

https://oklahomahistory.net/gravecover/GraveCover04a.jpg

Here is a close-up of the grave cover, and how you can see the chicken scratch mixed in with the white concrete. These were made by the Arnolds on C Street SE.

https://oklahomahistory.net/gravecover/GraveCover04g.jpg

This is an overview of the my Carmon family lots at Rosehill cemetery in Ardmore taken right after I had some work done on them, to raise several that had sunken down over the years.

https://oklahomahistory.net/carmon/CarmonLots081204.jpg

Tom Arnold’s grandfather, Lee Arnold, of Arnold Monuments on C Street SE here in Ardmore started the business. Tom said Mr. Arnold started out in the business in the 1940s making grave vaults and then eventually the grave covers I talked about above. After Mr. Arnold’s death, his son Artie Arnold continued making the grave covers at the monument company. But the grave covers pretty much came to an end after Artie died in 1972. Erie Taylor, an Indian employee, did make the covers a couple of years after Artie passed away, but then because of age and bad health, Erie stopped making the grave covers too.

This is a 1965 photo of the Arnold and Craddock Monument Company at 1309 C Street SE.

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/ArnoldMonuments1965.jpg

As a wee lad Tom Arnold helped his dad make the grave covers and he gave me a lot of insight into how they were constructed. The actual white finish is a mixture of white concrete and chicken grit. You don’t know what chicken grit is you say? That’s small pieces of broken up oyster shell. The chickens need the grit in their craw to help grind up the food they eat.

This week a Reader sent in two old photos she found in a box that belonged to her family. Neither she nor I can figure out the dates, but I think the first one was taken before statehood, and the second photo after statehood. What grabs my attention in the first pic is the center of the photo where the man is sitting on the side of the water well (I think there were 2 or 3) on Main street. I see some posts type things sticking up, used to tie the horses to so they could drink too. Maybe someone can give us better dates on these 2 time periods?

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/ArdmoreCirca1900a.jpg

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/ArdmoreCirca1915b.jpg

Rhonda Krohn took a couple pictures of Mountain Lake in northern Carter County. The first one is from last October when the drought was so bad.  The 2nd one was taken yesterday after all the rain the past couple days. Thanks Rhonda for sharing these with everyone.

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/MtLakeOct12.jpg

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/MtLake060413a.jpg

Here is a pic taken of Turner Falls just yesterday.  It’s so beautiful now after the rains!

https://oklahomahistory.net/turnerfalls/TurnerFalls060513.jpg

Years ago southeast of Ardmore was a county road called Red Everett Road there on the south side of the road was Red Everett’s grocery store back in those years. I had a request the other day wondering if anyone knows any of his kinfolk still living in the area.  Red Everett has passed away, but maybe someone knows how to contact his kinfolk?  Let me know.

May 4, 1954
RAMBLING REPORTER… George Norris Ed Sandlin, vice-president of the First National Bank, begged to differ with Tate Glenn and Bob Watkins about the location of the first Federal jail. He says it was never near Daubes on Main but on North Washington Street on a lot owned by Mrs. Vernon where Tom Wilkes’ cleaning plant now stands. The jail was in frame buildings back of the present building and were burned in the big fire of 1895. Ed says he well remembers the Annabelle fire-hose cart for he was No.2 nozzleman and helped to pull it quite frequently. He even remembered that Von Dollins was his supervisor, No. 1 nozzleman. Ed says that the L.L. Stowe fire engine was bought first and the Annabelle hose cart shortly thereafter.

I may have stumbled across another law enforcement officer who should be added to those Killed In The Line Of Duty.  If I am right on this one, it would make 3 people I found by accident while searching for something else.  (See below)

July 18, 1911
TRAGEDY AT ROFF MONDAY EVENING
About 7 o’clock yesterday evening a tragedy occurred at Roff that resulted in the death of Oscar Collins and will probably also end in the death of Pate Beauchamp. >From the best information obtainable, it appears that the two men, who until a week ago had been the best of friends, had some words over the matter of running the fire team through the streets at a high speed. Ed Bunyard was the driver at that time and Collins, who was both city marshal and deputy sheriff, thought the run was made for the purpose of irritating him. Bunyard was discharged and Beauchamp, who had been Collins deputy, was put in his place. He was guilty of the same offense, it is said, and Collins considered that it was a scheme to run matters over him. Yesterday while somewhat under the influence of liquor, he renewed the trouble with Beauchamp and a fight followed, in which Collins was knocked or thrown down. Beauchamp, it is said, grabbed him by the hair and hammered his head against the floor a few times. When they were finally separated, Collins went away swearing that no man could treat him in that manner and live. Everett Deacon took him home and he tried to get his gun but his wife and Deacon would not let him have it. He then went to Jones’ hardware store and securing a shotgun, went back to the store of the Brass Hardware Co., where Beauchamp was employed. As he approached the door Beauchamp shot him twice with a pistol. Collins went off a few feet and sat down a moment. Then telling the crowd that he was dead man anyway, he swore he would kill Beauchamp before he died. He again approached the door and fired a load of shot into his opponents abdomen. Beauchamp shot twice more and Collins fell dead. All four shots took effect. A bullet passed through each breast, one through his arm and the other struck him in the region of the stomach, although it was rather glancing. Collins is survived by a wife and a child. Beauchamp is a single man. Collins was ordinarily a peaceable man, although inclined to be quarrelsome when drinking. He was a man who feared nothing and of late had done some good work in enforcing the law. At the last city election he led the ticket. Both men were popular with the entire citizenship of Roff and Sheriff Mitchell states that the tragedy is deeply regretted by all. When news of the trouble reached Ada Sheriff Mitchell, Deputy R.E. Duncan and County Attorney Wimbish at once left for Roff, returning this morning.

Sept 16, 1911
WAS IT MURDER OR SUICIDE
This morning Deputy Sheriff Eli Morris phoned in word that John Pirtle, an Indian, the son of Joe Pirtle, had been found dead near his home, in the neighborhood of Hart. He had been shot in the right side of the head with a revolver and had evidently died instantly. Deceased was unmarried and about 22 years old. From the account given by Mr. Morris, it appears that Pirtle’s horse got away from him Tuesday night and Wednesday morning he caught another horse and started off to hunt the other, riding bareback. He had not returned by night and his family becoming uneasy, gave the alarm. The neighbors turned out and hunted all night and until noon Thursday before the body was found. Isaac Folsom, an uncle of the dead man made the discovery. The body was about a quarter of a mile from the home of the Pirtle’s. When found Pirtle was stretched out on the ground with his hat still on his head. His pistol was on the ground a short distance from his feet and one chamber was empty. There is some reason to think it was a case of suicide, but the fact that there was no sign of powder burn around the wound and that the gun was fully ten feet from his head would seem to disprove this theory. The manner in which his body was stretched out indicates that he might have been asleep and that the murderer had slipped his own gun from his pocket and killed him with it. Mr. Morris reached the scene of the tragedy late Thursday and has been working on the case ever since. The only clue thus far discovered is that three or four persons saw Pirtle riding along the road in company with a stranger on a big white horse. No one was close enough to identify the man, however, and no trace of him has been found since the killing.

https://oklahomahistory.net/maps/HartOKmap.jpg

34.713057, -96.901089 Hart Cemetery

I was posed the question this week as to when did Ardmore change Main Street to two-way?  I can not remember. I do remember the City removed the barricades at 7am Saturday or 7am Sunday morning for the first time (pretty sure it was Saturday). A friend of mine, Jerry (owned Jerry’s TV and Radio Repair at East Main and E Street) were one of the first there to try it out. He was in his car and I was in mine, and we both looked at each other, wondering. lol Maybe someone remember what year?

Bricks completed…..

https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/EDuboseMarker.jpg

https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/NDuboseMarker.jpg

https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/StephenJunePaver.jpg

https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/HomeSweetHome.jpg

https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/

Q.  How many miles of shoreline within Oklahoma?
A.   Approximately 55,646 miles

Q.  Originally constructed in 1972 and opened in 1974, the Underground is a system of tunnels beneath downtown Oklahoma City. What was its original name and who was it named after?

A.  (answer in next week’s T&T)

From This and That newsletter archives of June 10, 2000:Leon, Indian Territory, July 5, 1902: About 25 miles Southwest of Marietta, Oklahoma along the Red River is Leon, Oklahoma. Before Oklahoma became a state (1907) a former Ardmoreite, Dave Putty, had moved to Leon to operate a barber shop there in Leon. This particular afternoon there happened to be a picnic going on in town and Dave Putty, being intoxicated, decided to crash the party. Deputy Marshal W.E. McLemore out of Ardmore was attempting to arrest Putty, he resisted arrest, and was shot once in the head by Marshal McLemore. Dave Puddy died instantly.
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“I notice another of your readers seems annoyed that Ardmore’s Civic Auditorium has been renamed “Heritage Hall”. I try to keep up with local news and events, but I was totally unaware of the name change until I attended a graduation ceremony there recently. Imagine my surprise when I looked at the doors and saw a big “HH” etched into them! Who, in their infinite wisdom, was the decision maker behind this? I think your next poll question should be if your readers like the new name or not? If enough folks don’t like it, maybe we can send the results to our city leaders and get it changed back. I don’t want to sound like a complaining old hag, and I’m all for change and progress, but some things (especially landmarks like this one) need to be left alone!!!!!”
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Gas prices today in the Ardmore area……

http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/index.aspx?mss=152754

Check gas prices by town or zip code anywhere in U.S.

http://www.kmov.com/traffic/gas-buddy

Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..

“Hi Butch, Last weeks letter from Deb Holmes about the Dillard Grocery brought back a lot of memories for me. I grew up living across the road from that store. I even remember playing on it as it was being built. I’m not sure if the year but I’m guessing about 1948-49. I remember Mike and Peggy Dixon running the store and Mrs. Dixon, Mikes mother there also. I remember Mrs. Dixon made ceramic decorations that she gave to the neighbors. There was a little room on the South side of the store with a bed, chairs and table, and a small cook stove. The Dixons were great people. They sold the store to W. A. “Dub” Taliferro about 1953-54. All the young boys in Dillard used to gather at the store, drink pop and tell lies so Dub got some of the men together and built us a baseball field on the hill behind the store. In his spare time he would come up and “coach” us. After traveling over a good part of the world, I came back to live across the road from that old store. It is really a shame to see the condition it is in now.” -Lance Straughn
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/DillardGrocery.jpg


“Kerry Tully,  My name is Les Gilliam. I grew up in Gene Autry and knew Ozella and Cecil Crosby, and their daughter Cecile. Could you tell me how you are related to them. As you know, it was Cecil’s idea and his relentless efforts that got the town’s name changed from Berwyn to Gene Autry. Cecil’s sister Mrs Jackson was my 7th/8th grade teacher and her son Buddy (Lamar) is one of my long time friends.

Now to the picture. When Gene Autry moved from Oklahoma to Chicago and became a big star on the National Barn Dance, he hired an accordion player, Pee Wee King. Later Gene and PeeWee were co-owners of Golden West Publishing Company. In 1945 when PeeWee was on tour with his own band, The Golden West Cowboys, and the famous comedian, Minnie Pearl, he wanted to see the name named for his former boss and business partner.

On October 10, 1945, my buddy William Colclasure and I saw this elongated automobile park up by the railroad depot, on which appeared the town Gene Autry. We road our bikes down to investigate and there was Pee Wee and his band and Minnie. We knew them from listening to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio. Some of the band teased us by asking why we were on bikes and not horses. After that the group moved on down to the center of town and decided to take a picture. They gathered up a lot of us kids for the picture which you found among Ozella’s things. You will find me in the front row wearing the cardigan sweater, khakis and a ball cap. William is the kid to my right. On the far left you will see the tall guy in the cowboy hat. That is Doug Autry, Gene’s brother who was touring with Pee Wee at the time. The man
wearing the business suit and dress hat was a mystery to me for a long time, and I will explain that below.This picture you found appeared in the February, 2002 issue of Reminisce Magazine, connected with a story about Don Davis, who played steel guitar for Pee Wee for many years. Elvin Sweeten, who is the Director of the Gene Autry, OK Museum, passed it on to me. Shortly thereafter, I used the picture on the cover of my Country/Western album “Special Memories”. Not long after my album was finished, my brother was showing it to his dentist in the Tulsa area. The dentist’s assistant said that the well dressed man in the picture was her uncle Hardy Murphy. Hardy Murphy was a long time Ardmore Rancher and Business Man that we think helped Gene Autry buy the ranch west of Berwyn, resulting in the changing the name of the town.

Well, I must have bored you with this lengthy explanation. If you want to, pull up my website www.lesgilliam.com for more info. My phone numbers are there, so you can call if you like. Thanks again for helping to bring back a lot of “Special Memories” for me.”  -Les Gilliam
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/GeneAutry1945.jpg


“I’ve been saying a lot of prayers recently, for the folks up in Moore, and for sparing us down here (missed us by that >< much). Oklahomans have an amazing spirit. Instead of waiting for the govt. to come save us, WE dig in and help each OTHER. Found this interesting graphic of tornado tracks:

http://wattsupwiththat.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/tornadotracks_56_years.jpg

-Dan Major, Norman, Okla.


“An all Graham School reunion is planned for Friday, June 7 and Saturday, June 8, 2013 at the HFV Wilson Community Center ? 625 E. Main St. ? Ardmore, Ok.  Payments will be taken at the door on both nights if you have not already sent in your payment. Tell anyone who attended Graham School to please attend!

Friday ? June 7 ? 6:00 PM ? meet/greet, refreshments, conversations with laughs and music. Casual attire.
Saturday ? June 8 ? 4:30 PM ? conversations and dinner will be served at 6:30 PM. Sunday attire.

If you have pictures and/or year books, please bring them and make sure your name/address are on each one. For further info, please go to Facebook ? Graham Bearcats page or Kenneth McGee. Hope to see all Bearcats in attendance!”


Hello Everybody:
With scarcely a pause, Thursday began on the heels of Wednesday’s unceasing excitement, greeting Winstar’s early morning risers with tantalizing aromas, great food selections (steaming on the free buffet), glitz and glitter, artful sights, and enterprising sounds of nonstop activity.

Global Catering’s buffet breakfast greets recipients with quadruple serving lines and multiple serving counters, expectedly at the 7:30 regularly scheduled opening. Already, before the timely opening, breakfast-teer early-birds eagerly form a line, at the Global Center welcoming desk; requirement is simply a Passport Card, Valid Identity, and a healthy appetite. As always, Jo and I waited with bells on, a big appetite, and first in line at one of the many computer stations checking Cards and Identity; today, we were accompanied by daughter and son-in-law guests, Schahara and Rusty Hudelson. Rusty, an accomplished pianist, soon joined The Highrollers on stage, giving Mike a rest on the keyboards; Rusty was well-received with the great Floyd Cramer specialty, ‘Last Date.’

Wednesday’s performance was a shining example of The Highrollers’ versatility: a Sons of the Pioneers classic, ‘Tumbling Tumbleweeds’; the Ray Charles sound alike, ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’; Patsy Cline reminiscence of ‘Only You,’ and Leanne Rimes sound of ‘Blue’; a Glen Miller replica of ‘In The Mood’; Cash and Carter fun tune, ‘Jackson’; great drum pacing and piano interludes; last but no least impressive, the Grateful Dead melody, ‘Ripple.’ If you live not too far away to pat your foot to these great star sounds, and if you can attend, remember: I told you so! These talented people can not only duplicate the voices and sounds of once great stars but can sometimes go them one better; The Highrollers are stars in their own right. I do not give them more personal credit here, but they are always meeting and greeting guests; therefore, if in the area, you can meet the troupe and enjoy them as do regular guests.

It’s a fun place! Jo and I thoroughly enjoy our midweek visits; however, this week was almost a disaster. I don’t know exactly how Jo came out, but I was a loser: down and out, depressed, forlorn, and ready to ‘set my bucket down.’ Suddenly, I hit a nice jackpot. I was already down about $90 and of the opinion the Casino had my number and was determined to ‘clean my plow’ and get even for my late run of good luck last week. Well, you have heard my remarks on how “God hates a quitter.” Hitting the jackpot and immediately enthused, I moved to an adjoining machine; hitting another but smaller jackpot, I moved to another adjoining machine, hit a small return and called it a day. So, for the second week in a row, I managed to drive out of Winstar’s free parking garage a slight winner. Sometimes you have to keep your eye on the ball, your head on straight, place your best foot forward, put your shoulder to the wheel, and work in that position. Hey, I tried every position and was about to quit a loser — but I finally got my act together! Just goes to prove my favorite adage! Even if I had quit a loser, I still would have partaken of enough food and soaked up enough music to soften the blow. Life is a gamble, right?

In any event, the win restored my confidence; who knows, I might even try The Green Machine next time? (But it can swallow a $100 bill quicker than you can say: Jack Robinson, The All-American Boy.) Still, it displays $500 and $1000 stops on all five reels. I have seen it pay off several times, but not to me. Jo has hit it a couple of times for $500, but not me. Hey, it doesn’t like me; but I can live with that. I still live by the following particular mindset: nothing ventured, nothing gained. We’ll see!

Until next time,

Ben Winter


“Butch, in regard to the photo submitted tin this weeks mail bag by Kerry about a photo Oct 29 1945 at Gene Autry OK… the XA probably has something to do about the radio show that was purportedly emanating from Melody Ranch or the Flying A Ranch of Gene Autry near Gene Autry (Berwyn) after it was renamed.   The only one I could recognize in the photo is the guy in the middle of the photo in the white hat, as Hardy Murphy, who was quite a promoter and showman of those days.  Always enjoy your newsletters and the info in them.”  -Steve Douglas
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/GeneAutry1945.jpg


“Here’s another photo of places on West Broadway. My husband’s grandparents, Sam & Flora Goldner, owned Goldner’s Greenhouse at 1003-1009 West Broadway. I remember helping to make bows for the flower arrangement. Fun times in the early 1960’s.”  -Jadean Fackrell
PS: I also thought it interesting that “Flora” means flower and she’s in the flower business.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/GoldnersFlowerShopArdmoreOK.jpg

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/SamAndFloraGoldnerArdmoreOK.jpg


“Butch: Kerry wrote in and sent a picture taken at the XA Trading Post in Gene Autry in Oct 1945. I have the same picture on my office wall. The occasion was that Minnie Pearl, Pee We King and other stars came into town from Gene Autry’s ranch a couple of miles away. Cecil Crosby (with coat, tie & hat) is the guy pictured at the far left of the picture and I believed he owned the Trading Post. Ozella Crosby is not in the picture. The two small girls to the far left and behind Cecil are Clydean and Louise Haney, and I (Richard Haney) am the small boy to his left. A great picture from a long ago time.”  -Richard Haney
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos13a/GeneAutry1945.jpg


“Butch, I just want to tell everyone about the Jackson’s, that I had made some rash comments about, concerning the Gordon Cemetery. Last year and this year, on Memorial Day, my whole family went to the cemetery to decorate my grandfather’s and great grandparents’ graves. The cemetery was fenced to keep the critters out and the whole cemetery cleaned and mowed. It was great. Thanks to the Jackson family, the cemetery is a pleasant place to visit and to pay our respects to our ancestors. I have been going to Gordon Cemetery for 25 years and the Jackson family has improved the condition of the cemetery immensely. Jackson family, thank you again.”   -David and Susan Willingham, Terry and Valerie Martin, Michael and Wendy Willingham, Gregory and Tammy Willingham and John Wayne Willingham and of course our 11 grandchildren.


“Last weekend I was in an elevator in San Diego and a lady heard me talking and asked what part of Texas I was from and I told her Southern Oklahoma and a man in the elevator asked me if it might be Ardmore. His name was Ray Rogers and he said he went to school in Ardmore while his Dad was at the Airbase. He had warm memories of his years here and would have graduated in 1960.”  -Charlene



“Live every day as if it were your last, because one of these days, it will be.”

See everyone next week!

Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore Oklahoma
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443

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Ardmore High School Criterions Online
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Oklahoma Bells: https://oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
American Flyers Memorial Fund – Administration Webpage
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Official American Flyers Memorial Website
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Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Base Website
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Mirror Site of the Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
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Carter county schools, past and present
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Carter County Government Website
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Ardmore School Criterions
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