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Saturday March 30, 2002 T&T Weekly Vol 6 Issue 258
Rue McClanahan is not the only famous person from Healdton. Healdtonite Sherri Buben Coale has been making national headlines the past few weeks as OU’s head coach for the women’s OU Basketball team. Friday night they won the Final Four. Now on to the National Finals!
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/sherric3.jpg
http://soonersports.fansonly.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/coale_sherri00.htmlBut there’s still one more famous Healdtonite… and I had the honor of meeting him this week for the first time! His name is Kenneth Eck, Healdton’s number one historian and preserver of the past. I wish we had a Kenneth Eck in every town in Oklahoma, working to preserve a part of history before it’s lost. Kenneth is a small man in stature, but he’s a giant when it comes to preserving Healdton’s history for future generations. I’m proud to meet him in person and call him friend. If you have any history to pass along to Kenneth Eck, his email address is [email protected]
Here a pic I took of the new Autumn Rose granite stone that will be used for the new memorial at the Ardmore Airpark in honor of those 53 men who lost their lives in training at the airbase during the 40s and 50s. The stone is now at Wilson Monuments in Lone Grove and will soon be engraved with the names of those who died. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/memrose5.jpg
Here’s some pics I took last weekend after doing some needed touch-up work around the present American Flyers Memorial at the airpark. Much more improvements are in the making. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/mem302a.jpg http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/mem302b.jpg http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/mem302c.jpg http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/mem302d.jpg
I went by Tuck Wilkinson’s nursery and landscape and picked up a couple of things, and saw some “tree art” on two trees in front of his business. Pretty neat how someone used a cloth material and padding, and tacked it to the tree. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/wilk302a.jpg http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/wilk302b.jpg
Does anyone here in the Ardmore area get the Waurika newspaper? The reason I’m asking is a friend here is needing your old copies for some very worthwhile research and archiving he is doing. If you live in Ardmore or the immediate area, subscribe to the Waurika Democrat newspaper, send me an email and let me know. We sure need to get hold of that newspaper. Thanks in advance. [email protected]
I saw a pretty unusually statue this week on the west side of Lone Grove. He looks so real, you do a double take just to see if you saw what you thought you saw. The gorilla statue is near the SW corner of Highway 70 and Cheek Road. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/gori3a.jpg http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/gori3b.jpg
Not only have I had a lot of new T&T requests the past month, but just this past week we had over 2,000 visitors to the webshots.com photo albums! Remember all T&T Photo Albums since February 2, 2002 including this issue can be found at this link…. http://community.webshots.com/user/MokaXprs
And photos before February 2002 can be found at this link…. http://community.webshots.com/user/oklahomahistory
I’ve been able to add three more counties to my list of counties with bell photos the past couple of weeks, thanks to several of you. I now have pic of at least one bell in Kay county, Seminole county, and Roger Mills county. Those 3 counties bring the total to 40 counties! Thanks! If you live in a county not yellowed in on the bell map, please ask around and see if there is a bell in your county, and let me know! http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/bellmap.jpg
Our Long Distance calling program is still doing ok, but usage has dropped a wee bet the past month. So far since March 1st our little group of Readers has talked over 7,300 minutes! Check out all their plans at the link below….. and start saving money on those long distance calls! http://www.worldxchange.com/agent/228072
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“Hi Butch. Have saw in the T&T a couple times you mentioned the Broadway Cafe and the good hamburgers. So today my wife and I drove down from Oklahoma City to check it out. And you were right on. The meat patty was thick and you could tell it was made by hand, not made by machine and frozen. I would, and will recommend it to everyone I know that might be coming it that direction. I saw the Otto Powell poster and I remember it well. It brought back old memories. It was a big laugh during election’s. I have saw Basil Ford’s named mentioned a couple times. I did not know him but had heard that name and it kinda rang a bell, then I saw that Ghost Riders In The Sky was sang at his funeral. That also rang a bell. I was a teenager and a story went there was a man who killed himself and left a note on his saddle horn for that to be played at his funeral. Wonder if that was Basil. Thanks for the tip about the Broadway Cafe.and for the T&T Weekly.”
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“Hi Butch. Just wanted to say how much we enjoy the T&T newsletter. Your reader, Bob Elliston, wrote about Swaki’s bakery. We remember it well. My husbands cousin Bud Hale, used to work in the bakery as a young boy. My husband, LeRoy Hale, would go into the bakery on his school lunch hour and buy one doughnut and maybe eat 3 or 4. Yes, Mr. Swaki looked like he ate them all the time. He was so big that he had to cut the bottom part of the steering wheel off in the 40 Ford panel that he used to deliver the bread in, so he could fit in the seat. What wonderful memories! I wonder if Mr. Elliston remembers the 2 movie theaters and going to the previews on Saturday nights? Having cokes at the drug store afterward or just sitting and watching the people stroll down the street? Most of the farm people only came to town on Saturday to get their supplies and attend the movies.” -Alleda and LeRoy Hale, Linden, CA
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“Hi Butch: Please add me to your list. I enjoy T&T very much. It is forwarded to me by my cousin, Vaden Martin, who lives in Ardmore. I was born and raised in Ardmore and it brings back lots of memories. You have written about alot of old restraunts that had good food and I have eaten at most of them. There is one that I haven’t seen mentioned and that is The Firemens Cafe. It was on South Washinton across from the City Hall and Fire Station. It was owned and run by E.H. (Jelly) Lightsey. He ought the place in the mid-40’s from a Mr Coe who ran it for many years. His wife continued to make home-made pies every day and we bought them from her. My Dad would get up every morning Monday through Saturday at 4am so he could get opened up to fix breakfast for his early morning route men. There was always a taxis waiting outside our house at 4:30am to take him to the cafe. My dad was a terrific cook and he worked at many of the restraunts in Ardmore. He was a cook in the new Priddy’s when it opened. I am sure there are many of your readers who remember the little white block cafe when the food was very good. Thanks for the work you are doing with T&T. I know it is very time consuming however it brings a lot of reading pleasure to lots of people.” -Frank Lightsey [email protected] here in “The Valley” of Texas
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“Butch, I was wondering if you or any of your readers have any info on the Eastern Cherokees who were listed on the Miller Rolls. I am researching for two of my siblings and their families who are of E. Cherokee desc. Apparently, in addition to the Dawes Roll, there was a Miller roll which was open past the 1907 date that the Dawes was closed. It listed E. Cherokees ( I don’t really understand why they were listed separately). The family I am searching came from NC (some of the E. Cherokees also came from Florida). I spoke to a lady in Talequah OK and she referred me to call a number in Cherokee, NC. I was told by someone in NC that in order to be eligible for the CDIB that is recognized in OK (if you are one the Miller Roll), one’s ancestors have to be listed on the 1924 Baker Roll. Don’t really don’t what the Baker Roll was for. I was sent a form to fill out, listing the ancestors, etc., but haven’t heard back. IF this family line is listed on the BAker Roll, does anyone out there know what to do from there in order to get a CDIB card for OK? Any info will be appreciated. Also, do you or any of your readers know if there has ever been an “open-enrollment” period for Chickasaw descendants whose family was listed on the Dawes Census but not the final rolls. The census and final rolls were 2 different things. Apparently, starting in the late 1880’s or early 1890s, a census was taken in OK, I.T., to determine how many Indians (of each recognized tribe) were living there. Then when the rolls closed in 1907 (or there-abouts) final rolls were determined and those names were listed in the Dawes Final Rolls and issued a “roll” number. Anyway, my great great grandparents were on the census, along with their 3 children who were at home at the time, but were not on the final rolls. Have not found where they were denied or rejected, just weren’t there. Have been told that they moved to NM in 1906 so that might be the explanation. I would like to find out if we can still apply and get a CDIB card since they were on the original census. I have a copy of that in the original hand writing…got it from NAIL in Ft. Worth TX. I have been told that there was an open enrollment period about 10 or 12 years ago and thought some of your readers might know if there are plans to have another one anytime soon. Hope so. Enough for now. (Aren’t you Glad? Haha). Butch, I appreciate your hard work. I know this helps connect so many people across the country, thru your weekly T&T. God bless you. Take care.” -Di
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“Greetings from Larry A. Bunch in Caneyville KY! I continue to enjoy your newsletter although I must confess I read it primarily to see if anyone from my area of the country (Lone Wolf, Oklahoma) writes in. Sure enough, got two pretty close! One wrote: — go on North about 23 miles and you get to Lone Wolf! and another: Hollis is where my wife was born, she lived West of Vinson, just short of the Texas line.” –Thanks, Larry
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“Thanks to you, Butch, we have enjoyed a great visit from three fine ladies from Ardmore..Re-connected thru T&T..The lady telling about Basil Fords funeral. Would like an E-mail about him. [email protected] Keep up the great work!!”
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“Some day soon, I plan to do some research on the Mail hack that ran from Ardmore to Durant during the war years. Is there any old people that worked at the Ardmore post office that you could interview about the mail hack. According to my sister’s memories, the truck originated in Durant in the early morning hours, traveled through the small towns delivering mail, and picking passengers. He stopped in Milburn post office, Tishomingo and other small towns en route to Ardmore. He waited until the afternoon train brought in the mail, and he left Ardmore about 3:p.m. and headed back the route with mail and passengers and ended up in Durant. I rode the mail truck to Ardmore many times.”
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“Hi Butch. You ask if anyone remembered Boundary Street. Yes, I do I remember when the carnival use to set up on the North side of Boundary, and also I remember on a few occasions there would be one of the old Traveling Medicine Shows come to town and that is where they would set up. My mother would always buy a bottle of the snake oil. Another wasted dollar. LOL. That would have to be 1939 to 1942 are so. Another little tid bit about those same years on up to about 1949 or so. Highway 77 coming thru Ardmore you had to turn east on roadway up to K. Street, then north on K. Street to 12th Ave Then west on 12th back to the highway. That strip from Broadway to 12th. Ave was dirt road. Our house was at 1201 8th Ave N.W When they built the highway on thru we had our house moved to 1329 10th. N.W.The old house was still there 3 or 4 years ago and still may be.This info just about tells my age Ha. Love reading the T&T Keep up the good work.”
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“Butch I really enjoy e-mails you receive. It brings back so many memories. When the people were talking about Cooper’s Dairy I sort of cringed. When I was a teenager my friend and I were riding around (she was driving). We decided to get some ice cream and when we drove up to park at the dairy the brakes went out on the car. She turned and went down the sidewalk and hit one of the concrete decorations and we just missed going through the plate glass window. What an experience. Then they were talking about lie soap – my mother used to make lie soap. We would stick our fingers in it and make a hole. She told us if we did that it would eat our fingers off. My, my the old days. You bring back lots of memories. Keep up the good work.” -Mary Atkinson Roberts [email protected]
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“You have shared a lot of information about “law-men” and it brought to mind a short, older man we knew many years ago at K Street Baptist church named Ed Newton. I was not sure whether he was indeed a legitimate law-man or whether he just tried to dress and act like one. He was a most colorful character and wonder if anyone remembers him or anything about him. Also have seen several mentions over the years of Bill Boyd’s Pak-a Sak but nothing so far about E-Z Way service stores. There were several owned by a man called “Gunner” Thompson. Just next door south from Colverts Dairy was one of his stores. Believe it is now a feed store and has been for some time. Many hours were spent there along with Wayne Payne, Wilcey (Wig) Yates and myself. Sundays when so many went to Lake Murray this was the place to stop because it was right on the way, and always looked forward to helping people who bought watermelons, because it gave an “excuse” to go into the cooler and help them pick out one. We really got a work-out by time we closed at 11PM! Met a lot of great folks though because Ardmoreites were friendly and that made it a great place to live and to work!”
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“This is a URL to get a free monitor test. Took about 4 minutes for me to download and I have a slow connection. Really good program to adjust your monitor settings. Works with any monitor.” http://www.construnet.hu/nokia/Monitors/TEST/monitor_test.html
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“Butch, A couple things that seem to keep floating around in the empty space under my hat. As I remember it, at the point just west of the Main & West Broadway intersection, north side, there used to be a Tom Cooper Dairy and ice cream store. It had big blue pillars in the front. Before my sis was old (or smart) enough to drive, my mom had to leave town for a couple days. One of her last instructions, “Leave my car alone!” What an invitation! My sis & her girlfriend, Betty, used a fingernail file, got the car started, so they could go to Cooper’s and get ice cream. Result – They managed to run into one of the pillars, and knock it down on the fender of the car. Also if I’m not mistaken, what is (I believe) now known as 12th st. N.W., west from hwy 77 used to be called Cooper, or Tom Cooper road. It was basically a dirt road, with the Cooper farm located on the north side before what is now I-35. I remember seeing a covered wagon, prairie schooner, going west on that road.”
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“Butch, There is a bell at the Gibson Baptist Campground by Hardesty, OK. I think it is the bell from the First Baptist Church in Guymon, Texas County. I will have to research it. let me look into it and I will get back to you.”
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“The only bell we can think of is located at the First Christian Church, 210 N. 5th here in Ponca City. The bell is located in a bell tower and I am not certain if it is visible enough for a good picture.”
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“There is a bell at the St. Anthony’s Catholic Church. The address is 515 South Morton here in Okmulgee. That is the only one that I can think of at this time.”
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“Butch, my mom lives in the Willowbrook Apartments that are there now. She’s lived there for awhile now. Someone once told me that there used to be a landfill there. I’ve also been wanting to tell you that when I was in High School we lived on 3rd Street NE (1909 3rd to be exact), so when you talk about the Carmon Lumber Company I get fond memories of living over there.”
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“Knowing your interest in bells, I noticed in the latest Davis News I received that an old bell has been refurbished there in Davis and was to have tolled a couple of weeks back. If you check with the Davis News, they can tell you exactly where the bell is currently located there in Davis should you want to take a pic or two. Understand that the bell was donated by the old Methodist Church there in Davis many many years ago.”
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“Hi Butch: Here is a picture of Otto Powell’s card that he passed out when he ran for Sheriff of Carter Co.” http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/opowell.jpg
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“got knocked off the air last time i tried this subject. maybe a o l didn’t want me to send it. the oasis….. west main. parking lot was the site of physical confrontations on many a saturday nite. the green frog…. i think across the street from the oasis. bama ward owned and operated it. with that and her real estate business she raised two fine kids. doris and robert “tick” ward.everyone knows of the hamburger inn. but across the street was another burger place and i think jay butcher owned and operated. mr. butcher had only one hand but he could sure flip those burgers. just as good as “chock” did for earl brown.vernan’s cafe’ corner of 12th and E. across from the von keller hosp. this was old hwy 77 when it went trough town. vernon and dallas (suzie) cason raised two fine boys, jack and pete, while feeding good food to alot of hungry people. bo’s (walter beaudell) on lake murray drive was as close to a gourmet’ (?) place as ardmore had at that time. looking forward to your next t&t..”
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“I have just looked at the Community Webshots site and have the impression that you are maintaining the pictures of the Oklahoma County courthouses. If so, may I say you have done a good job — I’m impressed with your collection of courthouse pictures. If you are still maintaining the courthouse pictures on this site, and would like pictures of the “old” Lincoln County, Oklahoma courthouse, please let me know by return e-mail and I will send a couple of pictures to you. If you wish to use the pictures in your Website, you may need to resize them, but I’m sure you can handle that task. Pictures of the old Lincoln County, Oklahoma courthouse are attached. As I indicated in my previous message, this courthouse burned in Dec 23,1967. Two pictures are attached. One is a “summertime” view, and one is a “wintertime view”. Enjoy.”“The Clock Tolled Last Time Saturday Night. For 60 years the clock in the dome of the Lincoln County courthouse tolled the hours. At 8 PM Saturday it tolled for the final time. An hour later, flames had consumed the clock tower and the clock had fallen through the ceiling of the third floor. When the sun came up Sunday morning, the clock was a smoldering pile of crumpled metal. The big bell which had awakened local citizens from their slumbers and turned out church for six decades was shattered on the concrete floor”. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/lincocha.jpg http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/lincochb.jpg
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“The picture is of a bell in front of the Blackwell, Oklahoma Police Station (Kay county). I do not know anything about it.” http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/bpdbell.jpg
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“Butch, we have an old bell mounted in front of our church, First Baptist Church, 608 E Broadway, Cheyenne, OK. I can’t tell you the exact history of the bell but it was one that possibly hung in a belfry in our old church building – we found it in our church basement and mounted it as a permanent display in conjunction with our Centennial Celebration in 1996. Also, there is a bell at the Roll School House which is a renovated One Room School House in our local park (classes for 4th graders are conducted in April & May, September & October – 1910 era) .” http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/chebella.jpg http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/chebellb.jpg http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/chebellc.jpg
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“Hi Butch, Thanks for rerunning the pix from last weeks column. For some reason, I was unable to open any of them last week. I zeroed in on the bell pictures from Gage, because I lived there in the late “40’s, infact started first grade there in 1949. So, am curious if the pix came from someone living in Gage. I would like to be able to correspond with them. My 2 best friends were Leon Ashpaugh, and Rex Shafer. I went by to visit Rex about 10 years ago, but have not seen Leon since I left there in 1950.” [email protected]
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“Also you might share with your readers that VITA provides FREE tax assistance at Chickasaw Library. It is one of the ways that I volunteer and it is a help to lots of people. If there is an interest they can contact the coordinator, Cecil Tidwell at 580-226-4402.”
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“Dean found 2 programs that have really helped my computer.. takes off all the junk Window Washer Ad-Aware Highly recommend.” http://www.lavasoftusa.com/aaw.html http://www.webroot.com/washer.htm
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“hi butch, I took pictures of the rock creek bridge the other day in sapulpa okla. all the way across. It was raing that day, can be found up on my webpage.” http://www.worldisround.com/articles/9676 ————————————————————————
========================================================================Here are two more winners for my “History CD” this week! Over 3,770 files and 375mgs! [email protected] [email protected]
“People, people who need people are the luckiest people in the world,
We’re children, needing other children, and yet letting our grown up pride
Hide all the need inside, acting more than like children than children.
Lovers are very special people, they’re the luckiest people in the world,
With one person, one very special person, a feeling deep in your soul,
Says you were half, now you’re whole, with no more hunger or thirst, but first
Be a person who needs people, people who need people,
Are the luckiest people in the world.”-Originally made famous by: Barbra Streisand
From the Film: Funny Girl 1964Hope everyone is enjoying the Easter Holidays. Pray for the Middle East.
See you all next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday March 23, 2002 T&T Weekly Vol 6 Issue 257
I was out at the Ardmore Airpark this week looking at the American Flyers Memorial site. The harsh winter sure took its toll on it. Looks like the small tree on the south side of the monument will have to be replaced. I talked to Paul Mitchell and Doug Williams while I was out there, and we put together a plan to get the memorial back in good shape now that Spring weather is here. I did rid the memorial of weeds and put more wood chips down, so it looks much better. I gave Paul some weed killer and he’s got to work that end over the next few weeks. Plus we got some painting to do, some flowers to plant, and another weeping willow tree to set. The weeping willow tree in memory of stewardess Wanda Stonecipher didn’t make it through the winter either. But even with all this weather related bad news, I do have some good news too! The granite memorial stone arrived from the quarry and its at Wilson Monuments at Lone Grove now. This stone will momorialize those 53 men killed while in training at the Airpark in the 40s and 50s. So I’m predicting in 30 days everyone will see a big difference out there! Thanks to those of you who gave in the last drive to pay for this memorial. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/pledgepd.txt
And let’s not forget those of you who helped in the original drive to put the first memorial in place. We still have $2,242 from those donations in the bank that will be used to pay for more concrete picnic benches, some needed repairs and pay for more landscape work. I’ve talked to Tuck Wilkinson of Wilkinson Nursery and he’s going to work on the landscaping. Thanks to everyone who made the Memorial Park come to life. If you want to help with the dirty work out there, let me know! Anyone got a green thumb because I sure don’t? http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/account.txt
This week I stopped in at the Broadway Cafe on West Broadway and had them fix me another one of these delicious hamburgers. Jim Baker found not only those Tom Cooper Farms milk caps in the attic, he also found two 1937 Jersey Route Books. These are the book the milk route men used to keep track of the milk deliveries they made around the city. On page 111 was even my uncle, Ted Bridges, name. He was delivered by Ardmore Dairy Company, 813 West Broadway 1 quart of milk a week to his house on C Street Southeast at a cost of 12 cents a quart! I recognized a lot of names in those two 1927 books, including Sheriff Walter Colbert, the only Republican to serve as Carter County Sheriff (1929 to 1931). http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/milk37a.jpg http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/milk37c.jpg
Here is page 111 with my uncle Ted Bridges name…. and the quarts he’d bought in 1937. http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/milkted.jpg
A Reader wrote in to the Mailbag asking about a Apartment House that was located somewhere on West Broadway just east of the new Broadway Cafe. Actually there were two apartment houses in that area. One was called Poulter Apartments at 715 West Broadway, about where Dobson Florist is now located. It was there in the 30s, 40s and 50s. The other one was a little west from there at 801 West Broadway where “H” street intersects. It was located where the Quick Check is located now and it was called Drexel Apartments. So best I can tell, these two apartment houses was basically right across the street from each other. Both apartments housed 12 tenants.
Has anyone ever heard of Boundary Avenue in Ardmore? I hadn’t until this week. A couple of years ago a Reader asked about the whereabouts of Dubiel Arms Company of Ardmore. In the 40s it was located “D” Northeast and Boundary Street. Boundary street is the present day Monroe NE/NW in Ardmore (running east/west). Boundary avenue was changed to Monroe street in 1955. In the 50s and early 60s Monroe street was the city limits. I remember going to the circus on the north side of Monroe and Washington street (where Children’s Shelter and Baptist Enon Association is located now) because the north side of Monroe was out of the city limits. We also bought fire crackers on that same NE corner lot.
But there’s more. Boundary street also ran east to west north of 12th Northwest. Camp Joy Tourist camp was at 1400 Boundary NW, Hill Crest Cottages at 1425 Boundary NW. The New Deal Cafe was at 1501 Boundary NW where Northwest Blvd intersects. The Trolly Tavern at 1513 Boundary, the Log Cabin Cafe at 1517 Boundary NW. So Boundary was a pretty famous street. It’s sad the name was changed. Another piece of Ardmore history lost in 1955.
Fall of 1998 was when I first ran across the words to Grandma’s Lye Soap. I have always wondered what the song sounded like. This past week a Reader in Colorado sent me a cassette tape with the song written in the 30s on it! I loved it! The song was from a 45 rpm records…. remember those? I remember my great grandmother making lye soap each Fall using one of those big black cast iron pots with a fire under it in the her backyard. They say lye soap sure works great if you ever get poison ivy. Helps stop the itching while the Rus-Tox pills do their work.
“Do you remember grandma’s lye soap?
Good for everything in the home,
And the secret was in the scrubbing,
It wouldn’t suds and couldn’t foam.
Then let us sing right out of grandma’s, of grandma’s lye soap
Used for – for everything, everything on the place,
For pots and kettles, the dirty dishes, and for your hands and for your face.
So we’ll now sing the second verse.
Let’s get it with great exuberance, let’s live it up.
It’s not raining inside tonight.
Everyone, let’s have a happy time.
Are we ready? All together, the second verse.
Little Herman and brother Thurman
Had an aversion to washing their ears
Grandma scrubbed them with the lye soap.
And they haven’t heard a word in years.
Then let us sing right out of grandma’s, of grandma’s lye soap.
Sing all out, all over the place.
The pots and kettles, the dirty dishes, and also hands and also face.
(clapping fades)
Well, let’s sing what’s left of the last verse.
Let’s have a happy time, everyone.
The last verse, al-l-l-l together.
Ev-v-v-very one!
Mm-m-m-m. Thank you kindly, kindly,
M-m-mrs. O’Malley, out in the valley,
Suffered from Ulcers, I understand.
She swallowed a cake of grandma’s lye soap,
Has the cleanest ulcers in the land.
Then let us sing right out of grandma’s, of grandma’s lye soap.
Sing right out. All over the place.
The pots and – the pots and pans, oh dirty dishes
And the hands.”Here’s a pic of lye soap I have! http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/ranchman.jpg
Speaking of music to my ear, for the first time in mabye 15 years, I heard the bell ring at St Mary Catholic Church here about two weeks ago! Now you talk about sweet sounding music!!
I saw in the Ardmoreite obits last Sunday the death of Dr. Jabez Galt of Dallas, Texas. I do not recognize the Jabez Galt, but I would assume he was kin to Carter countian Kate Galt Zaneis, who was County Superintendent of Schools here around 1910. Kate Zaneis is the one who assembled a book with photos and descriptions off all county schools back then. Dr. Galt was not only a physician but a renown pecan grower in Mt Vernon, Texas winning many awards for his pecans. http://ardmoreite.com/stories/031702/obi_galt.shtml
Here is Jebez Galt’s website dedicated to his pecan efforts in Mount Vernon, Texas. http://www.pecanbiz.com/
I’ve run across another excellent website that will scan your computer for viruses, and its FREE! It will look for over 60,000 known virusus, and their DAT file is updated daily. The first time you use ActiveScan it will take about 10 minutes to download the program and DAT file to your computer, before the scanning can start. If you don’t have a virus scanner, or don’t keep your present virus scanner DAT files up-to-date, then for Pete’s sake, go here at least once a week and scan, scan, scan! If you forget where to get the scan done, I have a link at the bottom of my Home Page that will take you there! And your email friends will love you for keeping your computer virus free!! http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/
T&T Photo Albums since February 2, 2002 including this issue http://community.webshots.com/user/MokaXprs
If you want to save on Long Distance like a lot of us are already doing….. check it out. So far since March 1st our little group of Readers has talked over 5,600 minutes! http://www.worldxchange.com/agent/228072
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“Butch: Could you please run the following two items in the next T&T. My grandfather owned a farm just a few miles west of Marsden of Love County and I have a few questions that some one may just be able to answer. Plus the one about a clock. David (Dave) Rushing and Nancy Jane (Cloer) Rushing lived just to the west of Marsden, Love County on a farm. He died 02-09-1917 but do not know if they were still living in Marsden at the time of his death. Possibly his burial was in Gordon Cemetery. Some of his descendants say his burial was in a Healdton cemetery. Any one out there that may have information on my grandfather, David Rushing, please email me at [email protected] Thank you, Lavin Farrar. Ship’s Radio Room Clock: About a year ago some one was looking for this type of clock. I have a Chelsea clock that is made especially for the radio room. If this person is still interested, then email me. Thank you, Enjoy your T&T and look forward to Saturday to see what else is new in your area. Thank you.” Lavin Farrar, Nampa, Idaho [email protected]
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“Hi Butch, More great responses and memories in today’s T&T, especially regarding noodling and Fairview School. I’m attaching a map of the area, as I remember it, as of about 1937/38. But no guarantees of accuracy. An item today about musicians playing at community dances reminded me of the get-togethers that used to “happen” at some of the neighbors on any Saturday night, back pre-WWII. Mac and Crowder Ferris played terrific music (fiddle and guitar) ,and was always helped? by some of the other local “pickers”.A great time was always had by all, at least until the fight started, which didn’t always happen. And while old memories are flooding back, does anyone remember the fantastic smells emitting from Swaki’s (sp?) bakery in Sulphur? He was a huge man with a huge smile. And even before that, my grandparents had a neighbor, when they were living on a farm near Ada, about 1935, named Dewey Ogle. His brother-in-law would work for him in the hay harvesting time, and was a very hard worker. I can still hear my grandma talk about his lazy kid who would sit under the pecan tree and play his guitar while his dad was sweating in the hay field. “He will never amount to a plug nickle”, she would say. That kid’s name was Gene Autry. I guess he was working just as hard, but at a different trade. You just never know how some of these kids will turn out!!!” -Bob Elliston http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/fairsch.jpg
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“Butch, I was raised at Dillard, Oklahoma and was wondering if anyone has a picture of the old Dillard Post Office. I remember going in the Post Office to get the mail from Mrs. Lois Bulla. Not knowing the combination Mrs. Bulla would give me the mail always with a smile and comment about something (she lived right next door to us down by the Dillard Gas Plant). There never was a line to get into or waiting at the window. Service was with a smile. Found memories of by-gone days. Keep up the good work you are doing.” Jack Brown Tyler, Texas
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“Hi Butch: Sure enjoying T&T I’m trying to find any info on some post cards I have acquired from my grand mother who use to work in the court house in Taloga OK, they had her cleaning out the basement one time throwing stuff away, and she kept these post cards, all dated from 1907 to 1910, Some might have been 1901 I think it is a 1907 though, they where sent to a store named Briggs & Son in Taloga back then, some are made of Leather. I have around 127 I think. 25 are of Leather and the rest are paper. They are from varies venders on when they will be calling on them or be in there area, from shoe co., hat co., coffee co. and a post card co., some I think from a family member who seam to have moved off to Washington on congratulations on a new baby, another in Kansas on just getting back home been up there getting some one out of quarantine in a hospital there, some samples from the post card sales man with the Masonic Temple in Guthrie OK, pictures of the Indian Beef Issue, and some of varies Indians from a Photographer there in Taloga the studio name is Dedreck, one has an Indian girl name written on it is Minnie Chips, Cheyenne, to many here to type them all down. Thought you might be interested to come by and take a look being the historian you are? and any one else that might be interested. They have many names and companies listed, and I been looking around the net hopping to come across some of them still in existent today, but with no avail. Here is one picture of the leather post cards, front and back. all the stamps af fell off the leather, but the paper ones still have there stamps on them, 1 and 2 centers, boy thats been a while back. This is all I got scanned for now, my scanner started acting up some. have to get it going again and maybe get them all uploaded to webshots for every one to come and see. Black and White just so it will send faster for now. Better go for now, “KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK”
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“Butch, I’m looking for one of those old fashioned straw hats that use to be worn back around the turn of the Century. I want to use it for a Photo Prop. Any idea if one might be laying around in the greater state of Oklahoma needing a new home?” Jim Dover [email protected]
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“Hi Butch. Fairview school was located between Davis and Sulphur . You turn south on Dougherty road out of Davis and turn back east at the first intersection and go a mile and half. Nothing is left of it except for the play ground equipment and concrete colbert. Walter Hux family lives on that land. A picture of the school is hanging in the Davis museum. I knew that there was a Roady store not a School. That is very interesting.”
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“Butch – I bought this webtv for my Mother who swore she was way too old to ever learn the computer but, lo and behold found great pleasure in staying connected to her family and friends thru email. One of those friends gave her your address and being a computer novice she wrote to me & asked me to email and you with her address, which I did. She thoroughly enjoyed your issues and frequently wrote to people requesting information or to clarify points for them. I just wanted to thank you for her joy in reviving memories of her cherished past, the opportunity to talk with others who shared the same memories, and the sheer fun of it all. My mother died a week and a half ago and I need to have her removed from your mailing list.”
————————————————————————,br> “Butch: I have seen the sign that appears on St. Patrick’s day and am curious. I know that Erin Go Bragh means Ireland Forever but I am curious to know the meaning of Erin Go Brath–or is it simply a mistake in spelling?” http://www.goof.com/~pmurphy/irish_phrases.html
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“For the information that was requested about the course in Ardmore, I am assuming that was Dornick Hills Golf Course, you can find some really good facts in the book “The Story of Golf in Oklahoma” by Del Lemon in most book stores. It not only gives good history about the course, but also about Perry Maxwell (course designer) and also Waco and Opie Turner. It is a very interesting book!”
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“Question for you: There at the “point” where Broadway and West Main intersect…I’m not sure how far west from that “point”……..wasn’t there an apartment building in that area in the 50s? I remember several people living there that I knew. It was across the street from the Pontiac dealer, the Sac n Pac (owned by Bill Boyd) and was where Dodson’s Floral, the convenience store, the cable company are now……..Since you work at the courthouse and in your “spare” time… can you find out if there really WAS an apartment building or did I dream it? Thanks.”
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“Someone by the name of Bud wondered if anyone remembered Basil Ford? I certainly do! My girlfriend and I used to rent his horses. We had the biggest crush on him. I think every girl in Ardmore did. It was so sad when he died. I remember they played Ghost Riders In the Sky at his funeral.”
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“Butch, Im very interested in the latest finds on Coopers Farms Dairy. My father (Bennie Ricketts) used to deliver milk for them years ago. He got bit by a dog while on his route and had to take the painful rabies shots in the stomach. I would be very interested if his name comes up in the research. Also, does anyone know the whereabouts of Carla Ricketts who attended Ardmore High in the late 1960’s) Thanks in Advance.” -Jack Ricketts [email protected]
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“Hi Mr. Bridges, I was surfing Okla. and came across your site. Would you know about a Blue District, Boggy Depot, 1859, now in Bryan Co. I know it was in Indian Terr. and was Pickens Co. thats all, I have found, as of yet. I’m doing genealogy on my husbands family, Baker.” [email protected]
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“Hi Butch. Here is the url to some more of those old post cards if you won’t to look through them, it’s not all of them just went through and picked some of the more interesting ones.” http://community.webshots.com/user/shirleyp49
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“Hi Butch, The reading just keeps getting better it seems. I would like to ask if any of your readers might remember about the first Post Office in the area of Eastman, OK. It was west of the cemetery there. It was a very long time ago because it was before I was born and I am in my 60’s but someone may have heard of it. I understand my grandfather ran it and was paid by how many pieces of mail that he canceled. That sounds so strange now. His name was Newt Fox. If anyone has ever heard of this I would like to hear from them. My name is Nellie Fox Combe at [email protected]. Thanks.”
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“As a matter of fact, We have a bell out in the pond right in front of our house. We live on 8.5 acres of land right on the edge of the city limits of Seminole, Oklahoma (Seminole County). The pond is approx an acre big, stocked with TONS of catfish and perch and a few bass. We have this bell sitting down in the water right off our dock. When you ring the bell the fish come snapping at the water.. I might have a pic of that too. They have gotten so spoiled that all we have to do is walk for the pond and they start flipping the water for food. It’s quite a site. I am sending the pic of the bell and perhaps the fish pic if I can find it. IF you want other pics, you will have to give me a little bit to go and find one in our town or county. I am sure there is one.” http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/sembell2.jpg http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/semfish.jpg
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“They have a church bell at the Church of Christ in Blair, Oklahoma (about 7 miles north of Altus in Jackson County).”
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“Hey Butch, I don’t know if you are aware of it or not, but the Nazarene Church in Hollis, Ok., Harmon County had a bell attached to the back of the building. I pastored the church there a little over 30 years ago, and would ring the bell almost every Sunday morning. Also on special occasions. It has been many years since I was last there, but the bell was still there. However, they are currently in the process of putting up a new building. I think the new building is next to the old one, so it is a good possibility the bell is still there. Luck to you! Thanks for your newsletter. I really enjoy it!”
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“Try the First Christian Church in Waurika. I used to hear a bell on Sunday, although I have not heard it in some time. Also the Presbyterian Church in Waurika may also. The Presbyterian is no longer open as a public worship place.”
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“Butch, we have an old bell mounted in front of our church, First Baptist Church, 608 E Broadway, Cheyenne, Oklahoma (Roger Mills county). I can’t tell you the exact history of the bell but it was one that possibly hung in a belfry in our old church building – we found it in our church basement and mounted it as a permanent display in conjunction with our Centennial Celebration in 1996. Also, there is a bell at the Roll School House in Cheyenne which is a renovated One Room School House in our local park (classes for 4th graders are conducted in April & May, September & October – 1910 era).”
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“Just found you on the innernet. Great find it was too! My father, George Dent Vogel, was born in Marietta, Oklahoma in 1898. His father, George Alfred Vogel, was the telegraph operator there. His grandfather, Henry Clay Dent, was the post master. and he also owned several buildings in Marietta. Guess they were all out of there to other parts of Oklahoma by 1900. I have never been there, and at age 73, will no doubt ever go there, so it was wonderful to find the photos taken in current Marietta to look at. Thanks for the pleasure. Please add me to your newsletter.” [email protected]
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“Download the best anti-spam freeware software at http://www.abreuretto.com EmC – Email Control Release 8.13”
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“My wife (Virginia Gilstrap) has collected a few thoughts about Sid Gilstrap since he has been mentioned recently. “It has been interesting to read in T &T about my cousin Sid. My dad and his dad were brothers. We were closer in age to Sid’s brother Lynn (Hobo) so knew him best in our early years. Later we were the glad recipients of his book, “Precious Memories” and through that book learned more about Sid and his brothers, sisters, and early life. More also about our Grandpa “Little Jeff”. We went with Sid to the Ringling area and in particular to Cornish cemetery, and some of the places our grandparents had lived. My grandmother died the year I was born, so never knew her, although we did spend some time with our grandfather. We never knew a lot about his early life except he had been a “cowboy” in the truest sense of the word. We visited Sid and Mary shortly before Mary passed away. We later spent more time with Sid and his daughter Linda. He invited us to church one Sunday while visiting in Ardmore, and that was a special occasion for all of us. He was not a tall man physically but he certainly stood “tall” in all the ways that count. Wish you could have known him Butch. You would have enjoyed him and benefited from all he could have told you about himself and the Ardmore area. We have visited the burial site there in Ardmore and it would be hard to find a nicer and more beautiful monument anywhere. Thanks for the recent articles about one of our family’s favorite people.”
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“It was a long time ago. When writers were talking about Buck Garrett and Bud Ballew I kept thinking that they were witnesses at the wedding of one of my relatives but I wasn’t sure which one. In reading the Love Co. history book I found that it was August 19, 1921 when my uncle, George M. Roberson married Velma Matthews. They were married in the Carter Co. courthouse and needed two witnesses so they called in Buck Garrett and Bud Ballew. Now you know the rest of the story. My cousin who requested T & T last week is the son of the couple who married that day. Just a little bit of trivia regarding the famous lawmen. My uncle later became a deputy sheriff in Love Co.” -Frances Dunlap
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Hello Butch, I just love your newsletter; it gives me some insight of the area where my mother was born. I wish I could get all the back issues. I’m sure I missed a ton of information. My mother was born in Healdton. Her father worked for the oil company. Do you have any information about Jim Severline – he was with the oil company. His wife, Mary, was my grandfather’s sister. Later, my mother and her family moved to Cement and there she attended school for a couple of years before the family was brought to Ohio. My grandfather, Gilbert Vermett was originally from Ohio and my grandmother, Vida Emily Bradford Vermett, was born in Killeen, Texas. I think I have a photo of my grandparents while living in Healdton if you collect photos. I was delighted to read your mail from Kenneth Eck ( [email protected] ), Healdton, re: my e-mail about Jim Saverline. Kenneth is correct; that is the position he held. Jim was my grandfather’s brother-in-law. Jim’s wife, Mary was Grandfather Vermett’s sister. I have pictures of Jim, Mary and Grace. But I would love to have any information Kenneth has. I would really appreciate it if he would contact me by e-mail at [email protected] If Kenneth remembers Grace, then possibly he remembers Leo, Catherine and Lorraine Vermett (Lorraine is my mother). Thanks Butch, your This and That sure helps a lot of people.” -Nancy DeLong
http://www.brightok.net/~bridges/ttphotos/vermett.jpg
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“My name is Loretta Koons. I grew up in Mannsville, Oklahoma and would love to receive your newsletter. I went to school with Linda Jane Copeland, Lucille Hodges, Jerry Houser, Tex and Allen Marsh and five other children. There was a boy named Jimmy, one named Charles, one named Valley D. Lucas. I can’t remember any others right now. My father, John W. Koons and mother, Grace Marie Koons moved us to Ardmore about 1955 and then we moved to Oklahoma City. Now I live in the Houston, Texas area but Mannsville, Oklahoma will always be my home in my heart. My uncle was Alfred Koons. His name was Imogene. Samuel John & Mamie Ethel Faulk were my grandparents. I had a great uncle named Pryor Faulk who married a young girl whose last name was Bridges I think. He was the County Attorney in Madill, I think that was Marshall County. Well, enough of my rambling. I am very grateful to folks like you who maintain websites like yours.”
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========================================================================Here are two more winners for my “History CD” this week! Over 3,770 files and 370mgs!
[email protected]
[email protected]“It is never too late to learn what is always necessary to know”. Lucius Annaeus Seneca (4 BC – 65AD); Roman philosopher and statesman.
See you all next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday March 16, 2002 T&T Weekly Vol 6 Issue 256
On Thursday the site where I keep my photos stored, OklahomaHistory.net, was changing to another Server and something went wrong. It has taken longer than they predicted, but they are assuring everyone, and me, that the site will be up very shortly. I will upload the photos below to the site as soon as it’s back up. You may want to save this T&T a little while longer, until the photos come online. Also you can go to the webshots.com Photo Album to see the photos. Even the webshots photos takes an hour or so to come online, once I upload them. Strange. http://community.webshots.com/user/MokaXprs
I noticed this week a realtor had a For Sale sign in front of 1224 Bixby Southwest. That house was built by my grandfather Stanley Carmon back in the 20s. He bought the lot from C.A. and Myrtle Sessions on January 21, 1921 for $1,250. Stanley took out a couple of mortgages from B.A. Simpson at 8% interest for two years to build the house. The house is located in Highland Park Addition Number 1. I found this information in the County Clerks Office in Deeds Records, Deed 46 Page 257. And there’s an interesting story behind it: Stanley Carmon built the house on the assumption he and his wife Addie would move from 1001 3rd NE to the new house on Bixby. My grandmother Addie Carmon told him he could move over there by himself, because she wasn’t moving from 3rd Northeast. Needless to say, they never moved to Bixby Southwest. hahaha https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/1224bixh.jpg
Joh Mann wrote in a couple of weeks ago about her stomping ground, Fittstown, Oklahoma. She found a webpage with some info on Fittstown’s old 1930 McLish School. The school is all wood and still being used!! You know, it wouldn’t surprise me if that old school didn’t have a big bell! http://www.coachesaid.com/new/readart.asp?xID=56&xID2=8&xText=02_reeder3.txt
Ardmoreite Neta Gibson gave me some old photos of Hoxbar school this week. Her mother went to Hoxbar school and that’s how Neta had those historical photos. Hoxbar was a town of 150 people back in 1897 when it was being surveyed by United States Surveyors for record. Oscar Jones and J.H. Harrison started the survey on November 20, 1897 and completed it November 29, 1897. The following is the field notes of these two surveyors as taken from the “Field Notes” surveyor book at the Carter County Clerks office.
“Field Notes of the survey of the subdivision lines of Township No 5 South, Range No 2 East of the Indian base and meridian in the Indian territory as surveyed by Oscar Jones and J.H. Harrison, U.S. Surveyors. Page 515. General Description. This township consists of newly all rolling land, a small portion nears the center being level land. The soil is classed as 2, 3, and 4th rates. About 2, 3, of the township is timbered the remainder, prairie. The timber consists of oak, hickory and pecan and are of fair quality. The township is well watered by man small branches which flows in a southerly direction. The roads are many which lead to Ardmore. A large part of the township is fenced for farming and live stock raising. The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe RR enters the township in Section 20 and leaving in Section 6. In Section 8 is located a coal mine which has been well worked, but owing to the poor quality of the coal has been abandoned. Hoxbar Post Office is located in Section 36 and consists of one store and several houses. The estimated population is about 150. Signed: J. Scott Harrison, U.S. Surveyor”
Here is the Surveyor Field Notes book at the County Clerks Office https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/hoxbarb.jpg
Here are the photos Hoxbar class of 1910 that was submitted by Neta Gibson
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/hoxbara.jpg
Back of the photo listing most of the students in the pic by Neta’s mother.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/hoxbarb.jpgHere is the photo of the class of 1907 at Hoxbar.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/hoxbarc.jpg
Back of the photo listing names of most of the students by Neta’s mother.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/hoxbard.jpgNeta Gibson found what is probably the only remaining remnant of Hoxbar, Oklahoma. An old well with the date 1917 on it in a field where the town once stood. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/hoxwell.jpg
The Broadway Cafe is now OPEN for business! The owners, Jim and Brenda Baker, have a complete line of vittles that will please any hungry mouth. I had them fix me a hamburger Thursday, and it was delicious! It was just like a home cooked burger with a big ole piece of hamburger meat too! And the price is right too, $2.25 for a homestyle hamburger! You can even order the famous Burnt Onion Burger too! If you’re down near 813 West Broadway (next door to CableOne), stop in, and try some home cooking.
Here’s a pic of that big ole burger they fixed me this week. My camera was not in focus so its a little blurry, but you’ll get the picture, and get hungry! https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/bwhamb.jpg
Here’s some pics I snapped this week of the new Broadway Cafe, Phone 580-224-2964
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/bwcafe2.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/bwcafe3.jpg
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https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/bwcafe5.jpgWhile Jim Baker was up in the attic of his new cafe the other day doing some remodeling, he found some true pieces of Ardmore history! In the 40s the building was known as Ardmore Dairy Company. Jim discovered in the attic some new milk bottle caps, including some from Tom Cooper Farms. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/milkcaps.jpg
I did some checking and found that 813 West Broadway has a lot of history behind that number.
1937 Guy Carson Grocery
1946 Tom Cooper Farms Dairy (later they moved west two blocks)
1949 Jay Roberts Electric
1957 B&H Auto Supply – Roy Bennett and Monte Hignight – Phone 2061
1960 still B&H Auto but their number changed to CA3-2061
1985 Arnapa Auto Supply
During the 60s and 70s Perkins Sporting Goods was next door at 815. Around 1985
Ardmore Magnavox and Edwards Music store was at 815 West Broadway.For several years in the early morning hours each St Patrick’s Day, before day light, somebody (some even thought a Leprecaun) would put a banner up on the front lawn of the court house that read: “Erin Go Brath”. It was always a mystery to everyone. I had lots of people ask me” “What is that sign?” “Who did it?” “What does it mean?” “What should we do?” along with a lot of looks by passerbys. Seems no one really knew where the sign came from. This year I think most of the questions were answered. On Friday the “Erin Go Brath” sign showed up in the courtroom of Judge Tom Walker along with donuts, fruits of all kinds and other treats including green apple juice! He held his gala Irish affair and recognition of old Ireland for a couple of hours early Friday morning. I think everyone in the court house including the Annex Building showed up eat some goodies and try some of that green apple juice. It was just a come and go thing, but everyone had a lot of fun and laughs and fellowship. And I know after so many employees typing their fingers to the bone and shuffling paperwork all week, it was really appreciated. Here’s some pics I snapped.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/stpatty1.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/stpatty2.jpg
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https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/stpatty5.jpgA Reader sent me pics of three more bells this week. The bells were in Ellis and Woodward counties, counties I had no pics of bells before. That brings the total to 35 counties of which I have at least one bell pic. I hope to have a pic of a bell in every county in Oklahoma before year’s end. If you know of a county that has a bell, of which I don’t have a photo, let me know and you’ll get a free History CD. The map below will tell you which counties I dont have photos. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/bellmap.jpg
On Monday March 11 around 5:30pm we had some excitement near my house. A car accident at the intersection of Stanley and “E” Southwest. This was just right down from my house, so I grabbed my camera and went down there. One person was taken to the hospital in the ambulance. As I stood there and watch the EMS crew load the injured person in the ambulance, I couldn’t help but think of the thousands of patients I took the hospital back in the 70s and 80s. Accidents can happen so fast, in the blink of an eye. Wear your seat belts. I can not count the people who would be alive today had they had their seat belts on.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/act311b.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/act311h.jpgThe Heartland Share Program posted their menu for March. The food basket is filled with a lot of goodies. You can check out the details at http://www.heartlandshare.com
March 2002 Menu $15 (plus sales tax Oklahoma Only) plus $1 Transportation Cost: Bacon – 1 LB. Tyson Chicken Thighs – 1 LBS. Ham Steak – 12 OZ. Ground Beef – 1 LB. Pollock Fish Fillets – 1 LBS. Potatoes – 6 or 1 bag Brocco – Slaw Mix – 1 bag Red Peppers – 2 Onions – 4 Red Delicious Apples – 4 Tangelos – 5 California Naval Oranges – 5 Bananas – 4 Kraft Velveeta Shells and Cheese
If you want to save on Long Distance like a lot of us are already doing….. check it out. So far this month our little group of Readers has talked over 3,500 minutes! http://www.worldxchange.com/agent/228072
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“Hello Butch, I just finished reading tonight’s edition of the This & That. I am so glad I got in on this mailing list. I grew up at Marsden in Love County and lived and worked in Ardmore so I recognize an awful lot of these names and events that people write in about. The person talking about the Theaters there brought back a lot of memories. When my husband and I were newly weds our big Sat. night out was to eat a hot-dog at the little hole in the wall next to the Globe and then watch the Western movie. That must have been all they showed there-Westerns. The Hamburger Inn, the original one on the east side of Washington, was another popular place for my brother and I. When we were kids we could get a really good hamburger for .10 or .15 or we could get some big old wieners at the A&P on main for our lunch. The outhouse and rooster sure brought back memories too. We had a nice outhouse that the WPA built, and I had to be escorted to it as a small fry because we had a mean fighting rooster that would jump on my back and flog me if he had a chance. We probably made a pot of dumplings out of him, I don’t remember. lol lol The Bull Durham sign on the wall was interesting. I don’t remember it, but that was my introduction to smoking when I was about 13. I learned to roll my own. What kids wouldn’t do then I thought. It wouldn’t hold a candle to what they do or know today would it? Remember Duke & Ayres? That was my first town job. Mr. Hackett was the manager. Pay was $16.00 per week and 2% commission. When I first started there, it was 8 hours 6 days pr week and no breaks. We girls found out they got 15 min. breaks in Texas where our District company was and we petitioned until we got a break too. One in the AM and one in the PM. I guess I have rattled long enough. I wrote last week and just as I was finishing up, I got kicked off the Internet. Thanks for the good reading every weekend. This is great!!!!!!!” -Nellie
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“Butch , for the person who wrote and wanted to know about doing genealogy or history research in Ardmore, there are several places to go. The museum there has a genealogical dept. and I have found them to be most helpful. There are a couple of other places and they will direct you to them. I have also been down town to the records building and you are allowed or were at that time to research the orginal records in the basement. Many of them were so dusty and very old. I always found the people there to be most helpful and very neighborly. My family was raised in that area and my grandfather was one of the orginal oldtime cowboys. I also remember almost every weekend in the summer meeting many of our other relatives there and the men folks would go GRABLING, I think it is mentioned in your past newsletter as noodling. I remember one time when my dad went into the river and dove down and was gone longer than usual. When he came up it was very evident that he was hurt. He had stuck his arm in one of the holes and the big fish had clamped down on it. He lost most of the skin from that arm. i remember thoes huge big catfish and the fish fries that the family had. I never learned to like fish tho. I still am very interested in the area and people there. My grandmothers maiden name was Key and my grandfather was Bowling. My grandfather and uncles played for many dances in the area in the early 1900’s. I enjoy your newsletter so much and it brings back many fond memories.” [email protected]
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“Dear Butch, I must say that this issue, (Vol 6 Issue 255), of T&T was great! But, it seems to be better every time I read it. Maybe that’s because it brings me closer to my “roots” with every memory your readers share. Volume 6, Issue 255 contained a mesmerizing comment from Bob Elliston about a Fairview School which burned down around 1936. He said it was located about half way between Davis and Sulphur. Could you please put me in contact with Bob, so that I can find just where this school was? Is it on private property now? Would I be allowed to visit the site? I was born in Ardmore, (at the Hardy Sanitarium, just as you were), but I spent all of my school years in Davis. I NEVER HEARD of a Fairview School and would love to hear ALL that anyone has to share about it. Also, would love to know if any of your readers remember Roady School, northwest of Woodland School. I taught school there for a year, in 1966, with special permission from the State of OK, because I had not graduated college yet, and there was no one else who wanted the job!!! Drove there recently to find the old school building gone, but the foundation and a few buildings still there…Doesn’t matter. I have my memories….Oh, the beautiful families of that community will be with me FOREVER. Thanks, Butch, for This and That. It brought me a cousin I never knew I had. And, it has brought other distant relatives much closer… Such a blessing in all our lives…And you are the one who brought it all to us. Susan Nance [email protected]
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“Butch, I really enjoy T&T..Do any readers remember, Basil Ford? The Veasey brothers doctored together..Lyman took my tonsils out when I was three..Hopson was older and more dignified..”Bob Bullocks” was the best place to eat in the forties..Priddys had the best salad dressing..Haven’t heard anyone mention the “City Drug Store”, owned by the Vickers..(Ira & Grace)..A sweet little lady from San Angelo, told me about T&T..Thank goodness!! Happy Trails.” -Bud
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“Halito Ardmore Oklahoma, It is me again. LOL Butch, in 1991 I received my Ph.D. from Columbia University in New York, in Criminal Sociology. Due to my educational background I am very familiar with tests which measure one’s intelligence quotient. The test that you posted is very flawed. Here is why. If you notice, when you first register for the test they ask what level of education you have attained. I took the test several times under different names. My lowest score was when I used my english name and stated I had a graduate level education. I scored 129 on that test.My hightest score was when I posted that I had a highschool education and I scored 136 on that one. They give different tests for different educational criteria. I as well would like to interate the test if very poorly constructed. What a person scored on that test is nonconclusive and should not even be considered. If you take your personal score and add 15 points to it you will have a more accurate idea of where your basic reasoning powers actually reside. Just thought this might help with some of your friends that might have taken the test and been insulted by the outcome.”
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“OOOHHH, man, Did this weeks issue stir up some good memories, and peaked some big interest. Where can I find more info on Deputy sheriff W.E. Landrum. I tried the archives of the ardmoreite website, doesn’t go back that far. Noodling-former state representative from Tishomingo, Kenneth Converse(deceased) was big on noodling in Blue river. The national Enquirer even did a story with pix on him noodling at one time. Growing up in Milburn, if you didn’t noodle you missed a lot of fun, and skinned hands and arms. I have tried the Cranmore Molasses, and they are good, but my favorite is the molasses I buy at Cracker Barrell stores when I am in Norman or Denton. Delicious… As far as the cows, having grown up on a dairy, I thought the cows looked real good. That is a trait of the guernsey and jersey breed, although we had some of each, we had mostly holsteins. Then about Gage. We lived there in the late 40’s when my dad worked for the CAA(now the FAA). I started 1st grade there in 1949. My best friends were Rex Shaffer(?) and Leon Ashpaugh, but those stories would fill up a column or two for you. But in late 1950, we moved to Milburn, Okla. Good memories. Thanks, Butch, for all you do for us.” Jerry Landrum [email protected]
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“Greetings from Larry A. Bunch in Caneyville KY! Here is a hospital bill from 1948 for my wife when she was 9 years old. Don’t know how much the Doctor’s visits were.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/pittmanc.jpg
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“I couldn’t help but write you this am. I am having a problem with email and my mail for about 3 days is somewhere in the system. God only know where it is and in that mess of mail is my T&T for this week. But in the meantime I was going through your home page and read about your first experiences with computers. I got my first one in 1983. It was for the church where I was secretary. It was a IBM one floppy 5 1/4”. It had a 10 Meg hard drive. I was in tall cotton. I had software for a Word Processor, and also for Data Base. My mind slips when I try to remember the names but they were Top line. I books and taught myself. I was convinced I needed one for my self. I called Comp USA in Dallas and had one made for my specs. It was a Hundayi. You know like the car. They called it their “off road machine”. It was fast. It had a “Turbo” feature that you could rev it up to 10 mhz. I’ve had several since but that was my pride and joy. Cost about $1500.”
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“i meant to write you earlier but didn’t get time, this week while searching the attic of the building i’m working on i found some old tom cooper milk bottling caps that had never been used , they had never been crimped on a bottle, we found two old calenders about ’41 or so one was tom cooper dairy and one was ardmore dairy we also found old soda fountain promotion or merchandising kit with posters that were still in the box but what i think was the most interesting was two old (1937) milk man route books that have like a ledger of there route and it has on each page like the persons name, address then how much milk they get and how much they owe . milk was selling for 12 cents .. ted bridges name was in there…i’ve got it all here at home and some it fragile but when i get more time i’ll try to bring it so you can look at it.”
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“Hello Butch, I am sending you this picture of the Ft Arbuckle Baseball Team from back around 1916. My father, Doc Slaughter, gave me this picture and could not remember everyone in it. My father would have only been about 2 yrs old at the time this photo was prob. taken. My Dad told me that the young man holding the bat in the back is Sam Myers (second son to W.H.H. and Mary Jane ,(Molly Brawley,Myers. The first one in second row (facing the pic on your left) is Charlie Myers, third son of W.H.H. and Mary Jane Brawley Myers, the man next to him “looks to me like”, Bill Myers ,(youngest son to W.H.H. and M. Brawley Myers), who married Pearl Hobbs, but I am not sure of this. The young man in the front in the middle is,Thomas ” Tom” Anderson, who married Mamie Myers, youngest daughter of W.H.H. and Molly Brawley Myers. My Uncle, Bill Slaughter, of Pauls Valley, says Murphy Box, Perrin “Britches” Grant, Lestie Randolf, and, “Booger Red” Morris, are prob. in this pic but could not say which ones they are. The man, second from your right facing the pic “could be”, “Booger Red” Morris, as he does resemble another pic I have of him, but not real sure of that either. This team would play baseball about 3/4 of a mile south of the old Ft Arbuckle Store that my Grt Grandparents, W.H.H. and Molly Myers had at that time. It is said that people would come in wagons from all over that country to watch them play. It is said that they were a heck of a baseball team. I wonder if any of your readers would know of this great bunch of guys and of their baseball team. If you do post this, perhaps someone will recognize someone in this pic or know something about this team and will be able to elaborate on it. I would love to find out more. Thank you ahead of time for reading and hopefully posting this on your wonderful newsletter. As many others do, I enjoy your newsletters so much and look forward to reading them each Saturday. Feel free to give my e-mail address to anyone with any information.” [email protected] https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/arbuc16b.jpg
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“Hi Butch, Just wanted to mention a few things brought to mind by recent letter in T & T. No one has mentioned the Roxy theater on East Main owned by Herschal Gilliam who later had the Globe. Also, Otto Powell never did win the race for Sheriff. People voted for him as a joke because they thought he was funny. He drew big crowds at the “Speakings.” One year he placed in the runoff and it scared the voters enough that it was the end of his running. But then some people actually thought he might make a good sheriff. On the outhouses: Dub Scott of Union Valley (SE of Ada) left $100,000 to the Union Valley Baptist Church. The church sat where the Union Valley School once stood. Dub Scott had attended school there and married one of the teachers. The only stipulation was that the outdoor privy be maintained. It was left over from school days. It stands beside the road near the church and the last time I passed there it had a new coat of white paint. Randall Christie is the pastor and his wife, the former Susie Skidmore, is from the Ardmore area.”
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“Info on old church bell at Park Hill, Oklahoma (east of Muskogee)” http://www.rootsweb.com/~okgenweb/pioneer/ohs/ross-bell.html
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“Hi Butch! Just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the T&T each week. I had to write this time because Minnie Lou Whittington’s post about the outhouse and the roosters cracked me up! My grandparents used to live in Gene Autry and had a small house on the side of the hill overlooking the General Store. They had an outhouse in back. My sister and I had gotten a blue colored Easter chick one year and left it with my grandparents since we had no place to keep a chicken. We named it Linda. Linda turned into a mean ugly white rooster, (we think it was his name that made him so testy!) and would wait outside the outhouse for any one unlucky enough to be caught inside when he was on the prowl. One night Linda was the unlucky one and caught my grandfather in the outhouse. When Gran’daddy emerged, Linda jumped on him from the top of the outhouse and flogged him about the head and back with his wings and sharp-as-a-razor claws. Linda was the main entre the next day at Sunday Dinner. (and no, my sister and I were not there to partake!) Thanks again so much. T&T makes my day!”
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“Hi, Butch Went to Blue River yesterday and took some Photos of the River. Just wanted to see want you thought. Check out these photos I uploaded to Webshots!” Johnston County, Oklahoma:
Blue River, Tishomingo OK:
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“I noted that in last weeks t and t someone stated that the Top Hat was on the east side of the highway. I didn’t say that, I said it was across the street from Randolph’s saddle shop. that was true, It was located across Myall street from Randolphs, that is to the north but still on the west side of the highway.”
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“Butch, The writer extolling the virtures of Bullock’s Steak House got it right about their great food. But he made one small error tob Boykin. Bob wasn’t Bullock’s son, he was his grandson. I remember well the first day Bob came to KVSO. What a fine young man he was! Do you know if Bob is still on radio anywhere in Ardmore?” James Lewis, Nashville [email protected]
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“I understand that at one point, the Greater Southwest Museum in Ardmore had copies of a book titled “Indian Territory and Carter Co. Pioneers, 1840 – 1982. Patty V. Norton was the author and according to a message board on Ancestry.Com, Ms. Norton died before completing Volumne 2. I would be interested in knowing if that book is still available and what the cost is. Can you direct me to a phone number or address?” [email protected]
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“Also, if Bud has some time to write a more detailed account of those folks he spoke of in last weeks T&T, I would love to read the stories he has to tell about those characters.”
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“I am DeLisa Ging, and I teach English at Northern Oklahoma College. Can you refer me to any credible websites or sources about the prisoner of war camps in southern Oklahoma? My grandfather, Alvin Powell, was ranch foreman for the Horseshoe Ranch at Hickory, Oklahoma. His ranch housed Polish prisoners, and I was looking for more information than I already have. Thank you for your time.” [email protected]
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“So glad I learned of your program. please keep it up. I am 1250 miles away and so glad to have a touch of home. Puny Sparger has been a hot topic lately. He was a great baseball fan and during each home game you could hear his yell “you can’t beat Ardmore” all over the north part of town. I was pleased to hear about the ice house. went to school with Ted Pylant also. He worked so hard hauling ice that when he went into the Marines they should have made him a poster boy (i am not sure they didn’t) Hello to Ken Bacon… I read your book! cuz’n ken delashaw sent it to me. Good Work. back to work….. thanks again.” [email protected]
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“Butch, With all that was written about the various clubs in town I almost forgot one of my real favorites. It was called the Castle Club and I went there every Saturday night for about two years while I was attending Murray College in 1960 till 1962.. Two of the members of the band that played on Saturday nights attended Murray during the fall of 1959 till spring of 1961. They were from Ardmore. Melvin “Moe” Knight and Frank Thomason. The lead singer was Guy T Ledbetter and had Cox on the drums. They had a good band and we had a lot of fun in those days with the group. I am not for sure how many years they played together because after Murray some of the group went on to other schools. I moved to Oklahoma City and never returned to the Castle Club.”
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“Butch, I don’t know if I ever thanked you for getting me in contact with the Westheimer’s. That was very kind of you. I am curious if you know of anyone in the Ardmore area that I can contact about getting some photos taken of the course there. I personally only have two pictures of the course, but would obviously like more for the book I am working on. I am getting some information from the course itself, but it is going to be photocopies essentially, so photo wise that won’t work. Thanks again for your help.” [email protected]
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“Gage, Oklahoma, Ellis County Bell — Gage Church of Christ Bell Located north of RR tracks and west of the downtown area — Children as well as adults are intrigued by the old cast iron bell on display in front of the Gage Church of Christ building. The church building was built in 1902 with a belfry in it. The old bell hung in the bell tower until about 1960, when members of the church had it torn down. The bell is very heavy. The belfry had deteriorated, due to old age and church members were afraid it was becoming dangerous. Children were always wanting to ring the bell, which was done by pulling on a long heavy rope. “Church bells have been used over the years for many things. Early bells summoned soldiers to arms as well as Christians to church. There are many old customs connected with the use of the church bells, At one time in history, the bell was rung for the dying and later it was rung after a death. “Bells were used as time pieces. Not everyone had a watch or clock, as we do today, so one hour before church services, they rang the bell to remind people it was time to get ready for church. There are people in the Gage congregation today, who remember when the bell rang for that purpose. Church bells are becoming a thing of the past, but will always be a part of our history. Visitors in Gage often stop to examine the old bell, which was re-mounted on a cement slab not long ago.” -Linda Wagner
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/gagebell.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/gagebel2.jpg
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“Shattuck, Oklahoma, Ellis County Bell — First United Methodist Church. Located on the SW corner of Olive & 7th St.”
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https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/shatbel2.jpg
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“Woodward, Oklahoma, Woodward County Bell — Located on the SW corner of Oklahoma Ave. & 8th St.”
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/woodbell.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/woodbel2.jpg
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“I have found this old picture made Feb. 20, 1953. Look to the left where the trees are and that is where the Western Inn is in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. Notice the road to the right, and it was a dirt road at that time. I think it is paved now, don’t remember. Left to right: Wanda Sneed, Anita Robinson, Wilma Jane Alexander, Larry Warden and Anna Erwin. If you can use this somewhere, please feel free to do so.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/tishrd53.jpg
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“We were talking about website evaluators, this seems to be a pretty good one to use. Part of the service is free.” http://websitegarage.netscape.com/
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========================================================================Here are two more winners for my “History CD” this week! Over 3,770 files and 370mgs!
blankea@swosu@edu
[email protected]“I believe there are angels among us,
Sent down to us from somewhere up above.
They come to you and me in our darkest hours,
To show us how to live, to teach us how to give
And guide us in the light of love.”https://oklahomahistory.net/misc/angels.wav
-Written by Oklahoman Becky Hobbs and sung by Alabama, 1993
http://www.beckyhobbs.com/becky2.htmSee you all next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~
Saturday March 9, 2002 T&T Weekly Vol 6 Issue 255
This week I received an surprise letter in the mail! It was from Ruby Billingsley in Lone Grove, Oklahoma. Enclosed was a copy of her grandmother’s doctor’s charges back in 1956. Her five day hospital stay was at $3.00 a day for doctor visits! Reminds me of 1970 when I worked for the ambulance service and we charged $22.50 to take you to the hospital. Prices have sure changed over the years. Ruby’s grandmother’s doctor was Lyman Veazey, M.D. (1904-1988) whose office was in the Bowman Building on Stanley SW in 1956. Phone 180.
This is the letter I received this week from Ruby Billingsley:
“Dear Butch, I really enjoy your weekly history on the net. I can relate to a lot of the places talked about. My hometown is Ravia, but live in Lone Grove now. I can’t hardly wait till Friday night to read this week’s this n that. History was my favorite subject in school.
I have been going through some things at my mother’s. She has had to move in with us now. This is a copy of my grandmother’s hospital bill from 1956 I wanted to share with you (didn’t know how to send it over the internet). Also noticed the 3 cent stamp on the envelope.
I have been going through school censuses in Johnston county. I was told that before there were counties there were lots of records kept in Ardmore by the County Clerks Office. I wonder if anyone is allowed to search those records? I love searching for family history. Thank you for your weekly this n that and keep up the good work.
I believe my grandmother passed away in 1958. She is buried at Troy. I have lots of family buried there. It is ok if you would like to share this with your readers. Thank you.” signed: Ruby Billingsley, Lone Grove, Oklahoma https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/veazey6.jpg
A Reader here in Ardmore had a political souvenir given to him about 1952 by Justice of Peace Puny Sparger. The reason for letting me scan it was to show Readers that Puny spelled his name, “Puny” as seen on the letter opener. The letter opener reads: “Puny Sparger Your Justice of the Peace”. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/punylo2.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/punylo3.jpg
Puny’s Justice of the Peace office was located on the landing between the first floor and second floor of the courthouse around 1951 or 1952. In this office there were a different kind of “I do” spoken than on the 2nd and 3rd floors. The DA has an office located there now. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/2ndland.jpg
This week the widow of my uncle Paul Bridges who died overseas in World World II placed a paver memorial brick at the War Memorial on Main Street in Ardmore. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/bridgusa.jpg
The Daily Ardmoreite:
December 28, 1909 – Ardmore City Lake to be the largest body of water in the state
January 3, 1910 – Photo of George Selvidge, owner Peoples Building and Loan
January 3, 1910 – Photo of Ardmoreite Lee Cruce for Governor
January 5, 1910 – Court House site ready for building
January 7, 1910 – Deputy Sheriff W.E. Landrum resigns to run for office of sheriffThe past couple of weeks I been getting a lot of emails with virus attachments. Hardly a day goes by now that I don’t receive an email with a virus attached. If you don’t have a virus checker, there is a 99% chance you already have a virus on your computer. Here is a a great FREE checker! http://www.grisoft.com
I had about 15 T&Ts bounce back last weekend…. all from Readers with the @home.net address. I read in the paper several times where @home was going to close, and I guess they did March 1. Hopefully those with @home email addresses will get hold of me with their new email addy when they get one.
Last week I talked about an IQ test you can take at emode.com’s website. A lot of you took the test and emailed me, saying you did better then you thought you would! Two Readers wrote to say they made a 127 on their test. I don’t think I’ll try to match wits with those ladies! hahaha http://www.emode.com/tests/uiq/
If you want to save on Long Distance like a lot of us are already doing….. check it out. http://www.worldxchange.com/agent/228072
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“Butch, When I read your article on Noodling I thought I would send you this photo, I don’t have a date but I’m guessing early 1950’s (the little girl on the far left is my Mother-in-law). Beware Noodling is a dangerous practice! My husband’s grandfather, Simeon Stark, (father to the little girl in the picture) was a “Noodler” and in 1957 was bitten on the arm by a beaver who was in the hole rather than a cat fish. Unfortunately the wound turned bad and he died from blood poisoning as a result. My husband’s cousin Jimmie, from Oklahoma sent me this wonderful story about Noodling I thought I’d share it with you. He writes:…… “I can remember Frank better than the rest when you sent the picture it sure brought back some memories when my dad and Sim noodled the Washita river south of Tishomingo Okla . Back at that time we were not scared of any thing.. I remember one time they were working the brush piles on the Washita just east of I 35 North of Ardmore and they found a brush pile and was noodling. My dad said I think we found a big one and uncle Sim dove down and stayed a long time and he came back up and told my dad he is a big one, and my dad put his feet in one hole and Frankie and I put our bodies in a couple more holes and unck Sim went in to git him, that fish came out right by me and Frank and he just keep coming by me and Frank and when he went down stream he left a wake that went from bank to bank and that was when Sim and dad made me and frank git on the bank Sim said that it could have swallowed us both and called us a snack. Sim said he had to be 10 or 12 foot long. We never thought that fish got that big.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/catstark1.jpg This second one is Henry Stark on the left and Simeon Stark on the right, sons of George D Stark and Hattie Rogena Corder. The man in the centre is believed to be the brother of Samantha (Napier) Smallfield. I don’t have a date for this photo but the fish sure are impressive. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/catstark2.jpg Kind regards and thanks for the wonderful newsletter.”-Maureen in New Zealand
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“Hi Butch. This T&T I think is the best thing that has come along since sliced bread. There were three articles in this weeks that I have first hand knowledge of. The service station across the hyw. from Evelyn’s Chicken In The Rough that had the talking bird was operated by C.A ( Bub ) McGee. It was an Apco Station. The bird was a Hill Minor. His name was Scrappy. Bub also bought another Miner bird and his name was Phil. Now for the funny part. Scrappy had a voice that sounded like a man, Phil’s voice sounded like a woman. (Have to use your imagination here.) You could put the cover on the cages and they would start talking and would have you laughing and in tears. The Junior Goodson fight at the Avalon Club is a fact. He and Bob Kirkpatrick were floor bouncers and they both got cut up pretty bad. Bob and his wife owned a place on 12th. ave. just on the west side of the place that had Fried Pies.But was named Kirkpatrick’s Cafe. Bob and his wife divorced.She sold it. Later it was called the 12th.Street Lounge. On the Waco Turner poject at Dornick Hill’s Golf and Country Club. Also a true story I was working there for A.B.Craighead He was the greens keeper. My salary was $0.75 per hour When Mr. Turner started his project my salary along with the other guy’s working were raised to $ 1.25 per hour.Among us guy’s working there the joke was How Many Barrels Of Money Waco would open that day. I don’t remember the exact year but it was between 1950 &1954. I went into the Army in Jan.1954 Otto Pal did run for sheriff two or three times. Mr.Enoch Watterson may have the details.They ran for the office I believe twice.Enoch was the sheriff for several terms. I knew Enoch fairly well. The person that mentioned The Tivoli Theater. Do you remember the Ritz. It changed name to the Park Theater. and the Paramount that was on the south side of main across from the Park Theater.Then how about the Globe Theater that was on the east side of Washington and on the North side of Main. Mr. Bridges keep up the good work it is fantastic.”
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“Butch, That is not the back wall of the theater. It is the north wall of the old SPORTS CLUB now the Soup Kitchen.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/tivwall.jpg https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/soupkit2.jpg
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“Dear Butch, I was delighted to read your mail from Kenneth Eck, Healdton, re: my e-mail about Jim Saverline. Kenneth is correct; that is the position he held. Jim was my grandfather’s brother-in-law. Jim’s wife, Mary was Grandfather Vermett’s sister. I have pictures of Jim, Mary and Grace. But I would love to have any information Kenneth has. I would really appreciate it if he would contact me by e-mail at [email protected] If Kenneth remembers Grace, then possibly he remembers Leo, Catherine and Lorraine Vermett (Lorraine is my mother). Thanks Butch, your This and That sure helps a lot of people.”
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“Hi, My niece is coming over with her digital camera and she is going to take pics of all my bells. I will email the pictures to you. I have some interesting iron bells.”
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“Butch, I remember Puny Sparger..He wasn’t puny at all..Big man..He ran Tinys Cafe on Main..There are a million stories that could be told about what happened at the “wagon yard” behind Daubes Dept. Store..Quite a gathering place..Shorty Sloan patrolled it on foot of course..Bloody Caddo was also on his beat..That night stick was hard and he would use it often..R.D. Richards may have been one of Waco Turner’s Drillers..Does anyone know if Waco was a brother to Roy J. and Ray Turner? I watched the building of Lake Murray and thought if I ever got to be big enough to operate a Fresno, I’d be set for life..I played *-ball and snooker with Junior Goodson..He was the bouncer at the Wagon Wheel on 70E.. Does anyone remember: Little Dan the Whiskey Man? Happy Trails.” -Bud
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“Hi Butch. I don’t recall Otto actually winning an election. He was a “burley” person and I recall the stuff about him being illiterate. I never saw him without a pair of over’alls on, blue ones, not the ones with stripes. As I recall, he actually lived a little south of Wilson, “in the country (as if Wilson isn’t country?)” and he did “plough his way to town”. He wanted to be sheriff, but never made it. I have wondered all of these years what kind of an office holder he would have made.”
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“Butch, since it has not been mentioned in your ramblings, I have to say that one of the best restaurants in Ardmore was Bullock’s Steak House. It was located on the southeast corner of Broadway and Commerce. It was directly behind the service station that was operated by Charles Buckholtz. Bob Bullock was the proprietor, and one of the nicest gentleman that you could know. His son has been a DJ for several years for KVSO radio (Bob Boykin). Saturday mornings were great for coffee and conversation. Charles Buckholtz’s brother (Everett Buckholtz) operated the Texaco station on the northeast corner of that same intersection. Another great place to eat was Charlie’s Big Little Place just west of the old Hotel Ardmore. Charlie Priddy was the owner. He was always good for some interesting twists on the art.”
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“According to the IQ test, I’m as smart as Bill Gates!!!! So why am I not just as rich!?”
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“Really enjoyed the mail about noodling. My son just sent me a wonderful web site that some might be interested in checking out. It is a great article about noodling.” http://espn.go.com/outdoors/general/columns/suttonkeith/1336494
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“Butch: This is a very interesting picture – I would be interested to know just when it was painted. I took this picture (see attachment) in June 1994 with a 35mm Canon camera.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/souppic2.jpg
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“Butch; The way I remember it – The building that KVSO was originally in was a residence when I was a kid and before KVSO was established. I remember the house being referred to as “Home Beautiful” – When I was in elementary school I had a friend by the name of Elmer Moore that lived in that house. When KVSO station was located there, the road was commonly referred to as “KVSO ROAD”. I have no knowledge of when the building was built but I’M sure someone knows.” -Ernest
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“For more than a year I have been trying to get copies of probate records from the Johnson County Judge. Apparently, the lady in charge looks at genealogy requests as the lowest priority. At least that is what the receptionist intimated when I called and found her on vacation. The archives are in a different building making it more difficult to retrieve information. Couple that with the low priority and you get NO priority. I know that another Carman researcher, Cynthia K. Roberts, has copies of the records and was hoping that she might be willing to make copies of her copies. Unfortunately, the e-mail address I have for Cynthia no longer works. Perhaps someone out there can help me get in touch with her. Maybe one of you has copies of the records yourself. If you do, I will gladly pay for all copying and shipping costs as well as anything you feel is appropriate for your time.” Ray W. Justus 1331 West Folley Street Chandler, AZ 85224-7511 (480) 963-4811 [email protected]
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“Years ago, but after Dr. Boyd’s death, and I was still in the drug business, I found a homeopathic company that made the same pills that Dr. Boyd made for Poison Ivy. They have always sold well, and my daughter- in- law and son who bought the store from me, still sell quite few bottles during poison ivy season. We believe in them, and my wife, always a poison ivy victim, has aborted many a case with them. The company makes all kinds of homeopathic remedies, but none work as well as the poison ivy pills. My wife had surgery and was in the hospital, back in the days when Dr. Boyd was still alive, and had poison ivy all over her. One of the nurses, whispered to me, “If you will go get some of Dr. Boyd’s pills we will give them to her. I did and they did, and they did the job.” -Kenneth Eck, Healdton, Oklahoma
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“Hi Butch, Haven’t written in awhile, but the bit in today’s T&T about noodling, brings to mind a couple related incidents I thought you may be interested in. In about 1937 we lived on a farm four miles north of Sulphur, and four or five of my folk’s friends came to help harvest about 40 acres of oats, mowing and baling. After the day’s work was done, all the men would go down to the creek and go swimmin’. One of the men was a big Choctaw Indian named Otis Lumpkin, and he decided to catch a catfish for supper, by noodling in the bank barehanded. He was groping, with just his nose out of the water, when suddenly he rose up out of the water and threw a big water moccasin up on the bank.Needless to say, we didn’t have fish for supper that night. A couple years later, when I was in fourth grade at Washington School in Sulphur, a man named Pete Vanderslice came by the school to visit a teacher friend of his ( Pete had been the principle of the old Fairview school that burned down about 1936, about halfway between Davis and Sulphur). He had caught a huge catfish down on the Washita River south of Davis. The head had been cut off and was lying on the back floor of his 1936 Chevy.The seat had been removed, and the body of that ol’ fish was laying with it’s tail curled up on one side and the bloody end against the other side. Pete said that he was sure that the fish was Old Black Joe, a notorious killer fish that had spiked and killed a black man a couple years before, who was attempting to put a rope through it’s gills, under water, while noodling. That was the biggest freshwater fish I have ever seen. It must have weighed 125 pounds or so. Keep those T&Ts coming. I really enjoy all of them.” -Bob Elliston
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“Butch, I finally found the picture of Boscoe that I promised to send to you. This was taken at the Gene Autry Roping Club arena. We were celebrating Boscoe and Clyde’s birthday. I don’t remember the exact date but probably around 1978 or 79. It is (left to right) Boscoe, Frances Woodward, Clyde Walker and Peggy Russell. I may have another picture too. Will see if I can find it. You also had an email from someone about the motels in Ardmore during the 50’s and it listed “Star Courts”. My grandparents Clarence and Shirley Cummings owned it. Then when they passed away my dad and aunt, Louie Cummings and Lavina Hann, ran it. I have some pictures of the store and rooms that I will send to you. We lived in one of them when I was born.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/boscoe4.jpg
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“Hi Butch. I was going back thru and reading the T& T again. I had commented on the article on the Junior Goodson Fight. The person said he thought that it occurred maybe in the 60’s. I would put the time between 1950 & 1954. One of my very close friends Virgil Kirkpatrick was the son of Bob Kirkpatrick that was trying to help Junior. That is where I got the info that Bob also was cut up bad.I lost touch of Virgil after I was drafted in to the Army Jan.1954.”
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“Butch; I want to thank your Readers for their help with the molasses project. Several people recommended Cranmore’s Grandpaw’s Pure Mild Molasses. I wrote a letter to them and they sent me a case. This morning I had some on biscuits–not bad, a lot like honey. I am sending some to my dad Monday and I am sure he will enjoy it. For the folks out of the area that may want to obtain some, you can order some from Floyd Cranmore, 9255 Filmore Rd. South, Coleman, OK 73432. Ph 580-443-5627 They also have honey!!” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/cranhon2.jpg
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“Butch, your picture of the old outhouse reminds me of the one my folks had. They also had a rooster that loved to catch you in there and would jump you when you came out. We kept a supply of rocks or dirt clods to pelt him with so we could get back to the house. My older brother finally killed him with a rock he threw at him. Also here in Grandfield, Oklahoma last night we had some terrible cold wind. All day we had had some misty rain. Guess what? It froze and we were without electricity from about 10:30 last night til 4:50 this morning. The lines are still coated with ice.” -Minnie Lou Whittington
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“I was glad to read about my buddy, Sid Gilstrap. He gave me an autographed copy of his book, and it is a cherished possession. Those of us who attended church at the Maxwell Avenue Church of Christ with Sid and Mary for many years have great memories of them both. We have a tree in front of the building planted by Sid and dedicated to his Mary!”
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“Butch, I was raised on that high school cheer and that is the way I learned the names of the Five Civilized Tribes plus Seminole. I guess it was still in use in 1920 because that is when my Dad was an outstanding athlete at Ardmore High School.”
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“Here is what I am searching for….. old pictures of the Big Beaver Dance hall located in Osage County — Old Burbank Oil field which might contain a photo of the Old Booster Stations (Carter nine & Big Beaver Creek) that were located in the oil field. The Oklahoma pipeline Corp. was the actual owner of the stations until the oil played out in Osage & Kay counties.” [email protected]
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“Butch, just opened up the article you have on the internet about the Ardmoreite Bldg. My grandfather, J.B. White, made the plans for it. When it was almost ready to open my uncle, Latham White, who was also one of the architects, had to go up to the top floor to check on something and he took me. There was already Masonic decorations up there and I remember a very large chair and lots of beautiful maroon velvet. I also remember attending movies in the auditorium in later years. My Uncle Don told me of an incident while it was being built but I have never been able to look in the old copies of the Ardmoreite to prove it. He said that the balcony strength was questioned. My grandfather sent for the steel man from Oklahoma City and he assured him it would support a crowd. Papa went to John Easley, the Ardmoreite editor, and a good friend and told him he was going to test it and Mr. Easley told him it would be printed in the Ardmoreite. They put full dry cement bags on the floor and had all the men who worked on the building to stand on that. A photographer from the Ardmoreite came and took a picture which was printed in the paper. I would like to be able to secure a copy of the paper.” [email protected] https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/whitejb.jpg
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“Hate to see Kriet’s store go out of business. I worked there in the toy department (White’s Auto Store) in 1947. Made $21 per week. Mr Yerby was manager. Elizabeth Minzes and I worked on the mezzanine floor.”
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“My old memory works better when I read the T&T each weekend. Your Grandpa Bridges had a cafe just north of the Tivoli Theater ((Tivoli is the new name). Ira Bridges”s cafe was named Yellow Jacket. The folks that charged their meals and were not able to pay their debts. because of depression, often called the “Yellow Jacket Cafe , a place where you got stung!! Many times in those years the group I buddied with could put their pennies together to come up with 10 cents, the cost of admittance to the theater. One kid could pay the 10 cents charge to get in. Then he would go behind the stage, open the rear door and let the rest of the gang in free thru the back door!! !Lots of fun when we didn’t get caught. We enjoy all your T&T stories. Recently I enjoyed the Gilstrap News in T&T. Your dad, “Battleship” and your uncle “Junior” played High School football with Sid. Sid’s younger brother, Lynn sold papers as did Sid I left Ardmore in the early 40’s, so I do recognize many T&T stories (history) regarding Ardmore tales “back-then”. -Doyle Bridges
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“Butch, enjoyed your recent This and That regarding the renovation of the Tivoli. For those of us growing up in Ardmore in the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s our greatest source of entertainment was going to the Tivoli preview on Saturday night. For thirty five cents we could sit in the back of a beautiful theatre with a ten cent sack of pop corn and forget our troubles for two hours. For some of you newcomers its hard to realize that in the late 30’s Ardmore had Seven theatres: Tivoli (which ran lst run movies), Ritz (ran B movies and Westerns on Friday and Saturday), Paramount (reruns); and then there was the Temple theatre located in the present Ardmoreite building (you could go to the show on Saturday mornings for a nickle), the Fox located across the street from Martin’s Drug Store on East Main; the Globe, located I believe, next to Stolfa’s hardware and the Jewell theatre located East of the railroad track. What thrills we used to have going to the Ritz on Saturday Afternoon watching a Buck Jones western two times and a Gene Autry serial all for one thin dime. To bad those days are gone forever.”
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“Hi Butch. Enjoying T&T, I seen that a few where concerned about the health of those cows, I been around these kind some in my day and they look in good health to me, they are Jerseys, as one did say, or Guernsey, I do not remember which they look close to each other….. they are for milking, of which I have milked a few, and the neighbors having some of the same, and no mater how much you can feed one there ribs show through as in the pictures you posted, and even in there faces the bones show, you CAN’T get one to look any better than these do this brand of milk cow that is, thanks for being concerned.” -Old Milk Man
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“Do you have any Bells in Ellis county (Gage, Oklahoma)? In Gage, Oklahoma, Ellis County there may be a possible Bell sitting at the Gage Church of Christ. I found a picture of it in “History of Northwest Oklahoma” when I was looking for something else at the Oklahoma Historical Society. I haven’t been to Gage yet to take a picture of this Bell to see if it still exists, but I will sometime. On pg 2 of the History of Northwest Oklahoma (printed around 1996), it states…. “Church Bell Historic Site In Gage — Gage Church of Christ Bell — Children as well as adults are intrigued by the old cast iron bell on display in front of the Gage Church of Christ building. The church building was built in 1902 with a belfry in it. The old bell hung in the bell tower until about 1960, when members of the church had it torn down. The bell is very heavy. The belfry had deteriorated, due to old age and church members were afraid it was becoming dangerous. Children were always wanting to ring the bell, which was done by pulling on a long heavy rope. “Church bells have been used over the years for many things. Early bells summoned soldiers to arms as well as Christians to church. There are many old customs connected with the use of the church bells, At one time in history, the bell was rung for the dying and later it was rung after a death. “Bells were used as time pieces. Not everyone had a watch or clock, as we do today, so one hour before church services, they rang the bell to remind people it was time to get ready for church. There are people in the Gage congregation today, who remember when the bell rang for that purpose. Church bells are becoming a thing of the past, but will always be a part of our history. Visitors in Gage often stop to examine the old bell, which was re-mounted on a cement slab not long ago.”
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========================================================================“When I find myself fading, I close my eyes and realize my friends are my energy.” -anonymous
Here are two more winners for my “History CD” this week!
[email protected]
[email protected]See you all next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Ardmore, Oklahoma~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~
Saturday March 2, 2002 T&T Weekly Vol 6 Issue 254
I was looking around the old Tivoli theater this week. Crews are busy inside re-modeling and getting ready to open it to local talent shows and entertainers. I’m anxious to see some local talent, we have some gifted singers and musicians right here in this area. When I walked around to the back, I saw an interesting piece of the past painted on the back north wall. https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/tivwall.jpg
My sister in Oklahoma City sent me an unusually email this week. She had taken an IQ test on a website and wanted me to do it to. Her results were 118. I thought what the heck. So I went through the whole test, didn’t cheat, didn’t ask anyone for help, didn’t spend excessive time on any one question, kept moving, etc. At the very beginning of the test I was asked what I thought my IQ was… I answered 114. Bill Gates is a 160 (I think it said at the beginning). Anyway, some of the questions I had no idea what the correct answer was, so I just guessed. There are some really difficult questions too, many multiply choice, questions Bill Gates himself would probably miss. But at the end, my score was 117, just one short of my sister. Now I’ll never hear the last of it. After I completed the IQ test, and gave me the results, they asked if I wanted to pay $14 for the complete report? I do think I’m smart enough to pass on the $14 charge. hahaha. If you want to test your IQ, go ahead. It’s not a joke, but a real test. http://www.emode.com/tests/uiq/
I walked into the Electric Motor Service Company at 808 “K” street NW (580-223-8940) this week and there on the wall was a poster of the most infamous candidate for Carter county sheriff of recent times. His slogan back around 1960 “A country Boy Who Plowed His Way To Town” was on the poster. He hailed from Wilson and his name was Otto Powell. The story goes that he couldn’t read or write, but could sing like a song bird. He ran for sheriff several times and even won it one year, but they wouldn’t give it to him. Guess I’ll have to check that rumor out soon, unless someone here knows the whole story. As I watched the owner spool that copper wire on the turning machine to make the fields for electric motors, it reminded my how right out of high school I did the same thing when I worked for Pace Electric on “A” and 4th NW. The owner of Electric Motor Service is Donnie Callaway, stop in and see him sometime, he’ll be happy to show you the poster! And if you ever need work on an electric motor, he knows his stuff, and his prices are resonable too.
Last week I saw an old friend at the courthouse, Steve Henson. I’ve known Steve since 1969 when his mother worked in Inhalation Therapy at Adventist Hospital. When I saw Steve my mind flashed back to the days when Steve noodled in our area creeks and rivers. For those of you in other states who do not know what noodling is, it’s hand fishing for flathead catfish. That’s right, these guys groop around the river banks with their hands, reaching their arms around in the holes where catfish may be hiding. When they wiggle their fingers in front of the catfish, the catfish reaches out and trys to swallow the noodler’s entire arm. Some people say only a crazy man will noodle. They stick their arms in those holes where not only a catfish may be hiding, but also snakes, beavers, turtles, and other dangerous critters. All I know is noodling will separate the men from the boys. There are only four states where it is legal to noodle: Oklahoma, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Mississippi. I think Oklahoma is having their annual noodleing tournament in July at Bob’s Pig Shop at Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. http://www.bullymag.com/7.9.01/okie-070901.html
Here is an excellent website on Oklahoma noodling, but be patient, it takes time to load. http://www.okienoodling.com/
A friend at the courthouse is looking for an English Bulldog. If anyone in this area know of any for sale, let me know.
Since I now have bell photos from 33 counties in Oklahoma on my bell page, I’ve made a map showing where those counties are located. Also it shows how many bells in each county. I started “collecting” my bell photos in the Summer of 1998, and thanks to help from many of you, my photo album of bells has continued to grow. If you or anyone you know lives in the non-yellow counties, and know where a bell is, send me some email! I hope to have all 77 counties by year’s end!! https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/bellmap.jpg
I received an email this week from my friend Jim Baker here in Ardmore. Most of you will remember Jim was the person several weeks ago who loaned me a 1975 aerial photo of 3rd and “A” Street NE to scan. Jim is the grandson of Freeman Baker who started Cashway Lumber Company. Jim and his wife Brenda are opening a cafe on West Broadway in a week or so. The cafe will be located next door west of CableOne. I’m always looking for a new place to eat a hamburger for that first time, so I can hardly wait for them to open up! If fact, I’m going on record right now…. ordering an old fashioned burger and fries and Dr Pepper! Hurry up Jim, I can almost taste that burger now!!
I went to the “quitting business auction” of Kriet’s Western Auto on Main Street last Saturday. It was originally called White’s Western Auto. A lot of people gathered to try and buy a piece of this Ardmore history. I started to wait around and try for a new clothes dryer but didn’t know when those items were coming on the auction block. I’m in the market for clothes dryer.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/kriet2.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/kriet3.jpg
http://www.ardmoreite.com/stories/021502/loc_kriets.shtmlNeed an easy to use label printing program? One that prints mailing labels? If you can put your mailing list into a .TXT file, which most programs will do, then point this program to that txt file and let the printing begin! This one’s Free too! http://www.sente.co.uk/senlab01page.htm
If you want to save on Long Distance like a lot of us are already doing….. check it out. http://www.worldxchange.com/agent/228072
SOME LETTERS FROM THIS WEEK’S MAILBAG
“Butch, first off thoses cows are Jerseys and they definitely look underfed. Hell you can count their ribs.”
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“Butch, please do go back and check on those cows. They are certainly in poor condition. I don’t believe the owner is feeding them nearly enough. Their bones shouldn’t show through as they do in your pictures. I have raised cattle in the past, and these seem to be in bad shape. Thanks for caring.”
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“Butch, Some ask about the Orphan’s Home in Cornish. The big building is still there but it is frame not brick. My cousin , Bonnie Wallace, married one of the boys, Charles Hughes, who lived in the home. They moved to Bakersfield, Calif. and were married more than 50 years. Charles (Chock) passed on two years ago last Christmas and Bonnie passed away last Chirstmas. I attended the funeral.” -Edgar Wallace, Abilene Tex.
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“I am pretty sure Elmer Leroy Baker was County Supt of Schools in the forties. I have several of his books around here somewhere, one of which is about an Indian pursued to Alaska (as I remember it) – I will dig that one out and read it again. His books were for sale in the courthouse. The school supt office was in the southwest corner of the first floor. I think he was followed in office by Omer Rowe. Randolph Bates was county Engineer and was in the Northwest corner of the first floor. There was a big photostatic machine across the hall where important documents were photographed and reverse image copies were made (like negatives). Joyce Shoffner (sp) was a wonderful blind lady that had a concession stand in the middle of the building. She sometimes bought an Ardmoreite from me as did a number of people in the courthouse. I bought forty of them two for a nickel and sold them for a nickel each. I had to keep the ones I did not sell so I sometimes had a long afternoon getting rid of the last few papers. I was well treated by everyone in the courthouse – sometimes they would buy the last couple of papers so I could go home. It was really great to get a dime for a paper sometimes – a really good tip.”
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“Mention of the all night singing at the McAlester Baptist Church brought back memories of family members who are long gone now. I don’t remember the all night singing, but I do remember hearing a lot about it. My dad, his sister, my grandma, and three of her sisters used to go every year and sing. My dad played guitar, my grandma played 5 string banjo, and one of the great aunts played piano. They all sang. Seems they had contests and the Patrick/Caudle family took quite a few prizes. Wish I could have heard them.” -Bud Caudle in Guthrie
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“Thanks Butch for the latest T&T. I wrote a book about my growing up on the bank of Hickory Creek. The name is:” Straight from the Mules Mouth”. All poems are true stories of my up bringing and carrying ons. I lived two miles west of Ardmore, on Hwy. 70 about a half quarter from Minters store. Anyone interested in the book e-mail me at: [email protected] For several years Camp LaGrande sponsored our basketball program at Plainview. Rube and his wife went to the games. Rock Crossing was a wonderful place. Diving bluffs, rope swing and a cable. Rode our horses there and spent the night many times. Down there one night we heard someone running a horse up the road..He slid to a stop, jumped off and told us to gather up he’d seen a panther as long as a wagon tongue. Guess we were making too much noise around the camp fire to suit him. We didn’t leave. Oh yes, I need some of Dr. Boyds sugar pills. Thanks again.” -Bud Roller
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“I saw your newsletter where there was some confusion over ‘Tiny’ v. ‘Puny’ Sparger (aka, GW Sparger). Well, he was my great-grandfather, and while I’ve heard him referred to as both Tiny and Puny over the years, from what my father tells me (and the headstone, I suppose), he was typically called Puny. However, the confusion is probably warranted; apparently, that generation or so of males in the Sparger family went by ‘diminutive’ names — an uncle was called ‘Little John’, and a cousin was called ‘Shorty’. All three were over six feet tall.”
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“Butch, I was reading the list of restaurants mentioned south of Ardmore along 77 and I remember all of them but I didn’t see Evelyn’s Chicken in the Rough mentioned. It sat just south of the Phillips 66 station owned by Herbert Mason. It too was a popular place. The station across the hiway west had a talking bird that would whistle at all the women it saw nearby. Things have sure changed around that area since the 1950’s.”
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“Butch, All this talk about the Club Avalon brought to mind that I believe this is the place where Junior Goodson had his famous fight with two guys, one of which at least had a knife. As I recall Junior got cut bad across the stomach, but won the fight and then drove himself to the hospital. I don’t know if Junior is still around, but he was a friend of my folks back in the 60’s and 70’s. I believe the fight occurred maybe in the 60’s.”
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“Butch, After viewing the pictures of the “outhouse”, I believe this was not built for Ladies and Men. There was no partition, and only one door. The wall is just down on the left front. This was just called a “two-holer”. I’ve seen several in my day. Sure glad I got indoor plumbing now!”
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“Hey, Butch! I’m looking for an old Carter County church called the Gospel Methodist Church South. It existed in 1913 and was probably in Springer, Glenn or Berwyn. The pastor at that time was James A. Eskew or Eshew. Do any T&T readers have any information on the church or the pastor? Thanks.” -Robin Grattet Centennial, Colorado
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“Butch, we really enjoy T & T each week. Keep up the good work. My memory has had some lapses since I arrived in Ardmore on 9-1-53, so I went to the library to look at a l955 city directory (52,53,54 are missing) to refresh my memory. In 1955, it lists 38 restaurants, 42 service stations, 19 barber shops, 54 churches, 23 beauty shops and 59 groceries and meats. Caddo Street was a busy place with the B & Marys Place, Blue Front Bar, Budweiser Bar, Cooks Bar, Midway Bar, other bars in town were the Santa Fe Tavern 100 C SE, Stag Bar 121 E Main, Billies Tap Room 111 E Main, Ethels Place 315 E Main, Ford Inn 17 N Washington, The Palace 5 B SW, Rendezvous 1106 77S, and the Top Hat Inn 1123 77S. Someone placed the Top Hat on the east side. It was located on the NW corner of Myall and the highway, just across north from the saddle shop. The Cattle Club, as I remember, was out by the sale barn and Jims Alibi was out just south of LaHoma Courts. The tourist courts listed were the Anglers Motel, Ardmore Court, Camp LeGrande, English Village, Modern Motel, Scottys Ranch House Motel, Star Courts, Stonewood Motel, Tower Motel, Triple D and the Westward Motel. Milton Scott had the Corral Restaurant and Scottys Ranch House Motel. Later owners called it the Corral Restaurant and Motel. Someone asked about the Skelly station on North Commerce. It was located between the Corral Restaurant and the Westward Motel. Later info shows the address as 1701 N. Commerce. In 1955 it was operated by Osborn and known as Osborn Service Station and he also operated Osborn Oil Company delivering in bulk. I vaguely recall that the driver of the truck may have been Jake Hollenbeck but am not sure of this. Behind the service station was a root beer stand. As I recall, Mrs. Osborn ran that in the summer months. The directory lists Weber Root Beer on 77N. Those city directories contain a bundle of information and the Library has most all years going back into the teens. One last tidbit–Brooks Foodliner was listed at Broadway and the Super Highway. Butch, if you ever want something checked in one of those directories, let me know and I will attempt to locate it for you.”
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“I knew ole’ Sid Gilstrap, he came in the lumber yard for years. I got the pleasure of reading his book several years ago. He loaned it to me but when I got finished I had to give it back to him cause someone else was wanting to read it. Sid was a real good hearted man. I always think he died of a broken heart cause he always seemed healthy. Then when Mary passed away it wasn’t no time till ole’ Sid joined her.”
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“I remember one of Healdton’s local doctors, Dr. E.R. Barker, always put coal oil in his radiator as antifreeze….in those days your only alternative for antifreeze was either denatured alcohol, wood alcohol or glycerine. All were corrosive, and as suggested the coal oil was better on your system. However Dr. Barker, making a call down by Zaneis, got his car overheated and it caught fire due to the coal oil in the radiator. He never did use it again after losing his car. I remember that a number of people thought that that was the thing to do. I can’t remember when we first started using the Ethylene Glycol type antifreezes such as we have today.”
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“You had a reader ask if you had anything on Jim Saverline. I remember him as Supt. of one of the oil companies…..I can find out if necessary, which one, I remember the family, but I was just in grade school at the time. He was President of the Dundee School Board in 1923, his son George was a football player, and listed as on the student council, Editor of the school news. The Dundee Gusher. and other activities. I also remember Grace Saverline….I think she was about the age of my sister who went to school in Healdton but Grace, of course, went to Dundee. I can dig up some more probably if your reader needs it.” -Kenneth Eck, Healdton, Oklahoma
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“Nice piece of work on this recent T&T. The bell that rang in Davis was at the Methodist Church. As kids we would jump up on the steps and then over to the ringer and make the bell toll just before Sunday School each Sunday. I have fond memories of those days – we never passed up a chance to make the bell toll even going to and from school.”
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“Hello Butch, Thanks for the memories. I remember when KVSO radio station was built. I also remember “Battleship” Bridges. I must say that I was very surprised to hear that he was your Father. I would ride my bicycle to the station just to see and hear the entertainment. I also would see Earl Mann and L. Beard play and sing on their program. Mr. Beard would ride a bicycle to work at KVSO and carry his guitar with him. Mr. Beard was known as the “Yodeling Cowboy”. You could go to KVSO and view the entertainment through a glass window. This must have been in the late 30s.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/rguitar2.jpg
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“Dear Butch, I have been reading some of the letters in your article.Would you please ask if anyone knows the Williams family that lived in Wilson Oklahoma in the 1930’s? My name is Linda Novak. Mr Williams was on the police for either Ardmore or Wilson.They had a son die in WWll.Thank you.” [email protected]
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“I just finished reading your latest edition, would like to thank you for your efforts, this is really good reading. I was just wondering if there is any interest out there in oil drilling industry in the forties and fifties. I have some nice size and plain pictures of WACO TURNER’S Drilling Rig with his crew of roughnecks. My husband used to drill for him many years ago. Just about everyone knew Waco Turner back then. He was a good man to work for and he paid ten cents an hour more than the other companies. Some time later, he started a project at Dornick Hills Country Club updating the greens and a lot of dirt work was being done. At that time we were in the trucking business and doing the work for him. I don’t remember what went wrong, but someone ruffled him, so he said, “I,ll go build my own golf course.” So he did and Falconhead was his baby. He was a good man.” [email protected]
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“Dear Butch, I remember an explosion on F St.S.W. when I was very young, about 1920 or 1921. I was sitting in our porch swing with my mother and school children were walking home from Third Ward school. At the time I must have been about 5 or 6 years old, for my mother died when I was 8 and not too long after Mama died I was sent to Houston to live with my Aunt Helen and Uncle Harry Stonum because of my illness with asthma. I know my older sister Lena and neighbor kids Jean McLennon, Bert Tate, and Shelby Downard were all together walking home when one of them saw a penny in the bottom of the big iron-covered manhole in the middle of the street. Bert Tate, who lived next door to my home, ran home and got some matches to hold over the manhole to see better. The match fell into the manhole and there was gas escaping and consequently an explosion. I can remember the noise, the kids running in all directions, and seeing Jean McClennan running towards her house, clothes on fire. My Dad ran across the street and threw her to the ground and my sister Lena ran up toward our porch. I remember Lena and Jean had long, long curls. Lena was a brunette and Jean was a blonde. They both had been begging their mothers for ages to let them have their curls cut off and have short hair. After the explosion they both got short hair cuts, because of their burnt hair. Several years later I moved back to Ardmore and my Dad had remarried and I went to Ardmore High School. I remember hearing about the incident again. There had been a lawsuit against the city because of the gas leakage. Everything was so different then: the Charleston Era had come and gone. I wouldn’t take anything for having my roots in Ardmore, Oklahoma. My beginnings and years spent as a small child and then later my high school years are so deeply embedded within my heart, that my memories, some very sad ones, but also most endearing ones, have sustained me for many, many years. These memories have given me strength that I probably would have lacked had I not been privileged to say “I’m from Ardmore, Oklahoma.”” -Tweed Stonum Machock
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“Hi Butch, I was totally astonished to see the bell in my front yard in your newsletter. I have been fascinated with bells for years and have a collection of small bells in my home. I have had the plantation bell for ten years now. We used to communicate with our kids across the pasture with it, before they got a phone. 1 ring was a call to come chat. 2 rings meant they had a call and when the bell kept ringing it was a call for help. Since I am visually impaired it sometimes came in handy. I enjoy the newsletter and all the stories very much.”
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Hi Butch! I still read your T&T, just to keep up with everybody. I see that you went through my hometown of Fittstown. I grew up in that small town and miss it very much. Did you go and see the school? I believe it is a historical site. I think it is the largest wooden building in use in Oklahoma. The school looks like a huge house. It really is pretty cool. Both the high school and grade school have one hall with wooden floors. The cafeteria I ate in was once an old house. I think they built a new cafeteria last year. The town has an old cement, Olympic sized swimming pool that is fed by Byrd’s Mill Spring. In the summer we used to run our heaters in our cars to try to get hot enough to stand the ice cold water in that pool. It never worked. There was no “getting used” to that water. You just had to hold your breath and jump in. I still have to go “home” to get wild mushrooms. I love fried wild mushrooms, but I haven’t had any luck finding them in this area. I know they are around here, but people don’t like to tell of their spots where they find them. Next month will be the month they start popping out. I’ll keep asking until somebody will share!!! Until then, I guess I’ll be going back to Fittstown to hunt mushrooms (which is really the fun part anyway).”
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========================================================================The weather predictors are saying Oklahoma will be blanketed with snow this weekend. Snow is so beautiful, makes everything so white and clean. In a few hours we’ll know! If I do get snowed in, I’m going to put together a “knocked down” oak wood filing cabinet I bought. I’m sure it’s going to be easy too, just follow the directions. haha. I remember my grandfather Carmon ordering items to sell in the lumber yard…. he called it “KD” when he talked to the salesmen. That meant it came “knock down” and we had to put it together once we had it. Another thing I remember from the 60s and the lumber yard. Linoleum flooring had not been out too long, and my grandfather stocked it for kitchen floors, etc. For some reason he called it manoleum instead of linoleum. He’d get mad at me when I corrected him on it. I wish I could talk to him, I have a thousand questions.
Here are two more winners for my “History CD” this week!
[email protected]
[email protected]“Friendship is like a puzzle,
Each friend you have is a piece,
Some are on the border,
Some are near the center,
Each brings out a piece in us,
That makes us who we are.”
http://www.lolfun.com/flash_laughs/friendship_puzzle/index.cfmSee you all next Saturday!
Butch Bridges
Lone Grove, Oklahoma~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Oklahoma History
Online since April 6, 1996
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Feb 8, 2032
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A Home Grown Home Page
“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us,
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