This and That Newsletter
www.OklahomaHistory.net
Vol 25  Issue 1,283   Circulation 5,000      August 26, 2021
Ardmore, Oklahoma
My email address:  [email protected]
580-490-6823

"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us,
What we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal."

A Glimpse Into The Past

March 10, 1918

MONUMENT TO CITY'S LOYALTY - TRIBUTE TO WORKERS

Representatives of Many Trades, Contributing Time

Worked Far Into the Night to Complete Structure

Building Material Donated

With the dedication this afternoon at 4:30pm of the first War Savings Bank in the United States, Ardmore again goes over the top. A large force of workmen was engaged until a late hour last night putting the finishing touches on the building, located at the corner of Main and Washington streets. Tulsa has a similar bank, but it was opened in a store room. Oklahoma City made elaborate preparations for the dedication of her war bank tomorrow afternoon. It was a typical illustration of the Ardmore spirit that led the men behind the movement to strain every energy to complete the building in time for the dedication today, twenty four hours ahead of any other bank in the United States that is housed within its own walls.

At 4:30pm this afternoon Col. Sidney Suggs will call the citizens of the city and county to order and introduce the Chamber of Commerce Band, under the direction of George Bernard. The band will give a brief program of national and patriotic airs and the Rev. R.E.L. Morgan, pastor of Broadway M.E. Church, will pronounce the invocation. The Boy Scouts, Home Guard, civic and fraternal organizations will be represented by large delegations and actively participate in the dedication. The city, county, and district chairmen in charge of various war activities, several of whom have been called to Oklahoma City to be present at the conference of war workers which opens today, will be represented by proxy if unable to attend.

John Golobie of Guthrie, state senator, will deliver the dedicatory address, and James H. Mathers also will deliver an address.

July 1968
Uniroyal (now Michelin) recently announced plans to build a tire plant on a 37 acre site on the west edge of Ardmore. The average employee is expected to earn $7,000 a year (1,300 employees with a total payroll of 10 million dollars.) Uniroyal, which was known as the U.S. Rubber Company until 1967, was formed by Charles Flint in April 1892 by the merging of nine rubber footwear companies. One of the presidents of that company was Samuel Colt, 1901, nephew of the inventor of the Colt revolver. Colt expanded the company into rubber tires, although there weren't that many cars in those days.

July 1951
The mystery of the missing blond became more puzzling as additional evidence led officials to believe the woman was still alive, but confirmation is still lacking. The disappearance of Mrs. Millicent Walker, 38 year old X course girl from San Francisco, has set off a four state search from Oklahoma to California. Mrs. Walker along with an entire Murray County family vanished from the scene of a weekend tour of beer taverns.

July 1951
The economy axe fell at the Carter County Courthouse when four officers were ordered to reduce their personnel to conform with budget appropriations. Hardest hit was the sheriffs office. Jack Powledge was told to dismiss one deputy and one jailer from his staff. Part-time employees were eliminated from the Clerk, Treasurer, and assessor's office has by the county excise board.

July 1927
The State Attorney General's office has been directed to make an investigation into the affairs of the Carter County Sheriffs office by Governor Henry Johnston. Governor Johnston said he had been informed of several irregularities in the operation of sheriff Ewing London's office, and London was negligent in the discharge of his duties of his office. London said he is "ready for the investigation." London says he knows of two petitions for investigation of his office. "All of the partition petitioners are members of the Klu Klux Klan."

We're now over the $1,136,600.00 dollar mark. sometimes progress is slow locating people or their kin with unclaimed insurance money at the State Treasurers office in OKC but we are making a difference in people's lives.

I feel like we made another big step forward on connecting people with unclaimed insurance money. Imogene Gaddis of Mill Creek passed away a few months ago leaving behind over $23,800 in unclaimed money at the State Treasurers Office in OKC. She was never married, had no children and a few cousins, and all of them have passed except a cousin up by Tulsa. Thanks to some of you on here, I learned the name of her cousin and phone number. Gave her a call. She is going to file a claim in OKC for the money. Hope she gets that $23,800.. It took a while to find that cousin, but persistence paid off.

Plus another big one this week. Mary Elledge of Mannsville passed away leaving $49,400 in unclaimed insurance and I was able to get hold of her grandson in Perry who is going to tell Mary's son. Its been a good week. Thanks to those of you who helped! so the searching continues....

How long has it been since you checked your name or a family member's name? Its easy to do a search at the Oklahoma State Treasurer link below. I think every state in the union has a unclaimed property website through the respective state treasures website.
https://apps.ok.gov/unclaimed/

Q.  In 1977 at what girl scout camp in Oklahoma did 3 horrific murders take place?
A.   Camp Scott in Mayes County, south of Locust Grove.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_Girl_Scout_murders

Q.  Where was Oklahoma's first post office established?
A.  Answer in next week's newsletter

I've added several more stories since last week to my reserve deputy sheriff webpage.

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/reservedeputysheriff

Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....

Robert Hensley sent in some great photos this week. This first one is in the form of a question. Maybe someone recognizes this church? Or could this be a school?

http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos21b/MysteryChurch.jpg

Here are three photo's of a pecan grove with Nelson Pecans in Ardmore, Ok owned by M.P. Coffey, north on Brock Road from Highway 70. Photos are by Fonville studio, Ardmore, Ok. Photo's look to be in the late 1940s to 1950s.

http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos21b/NelsonPecanTreesLoneGrove1.jpg

http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos21b/NelsonPecanTreesLoneGrove2.jpg

http://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos21b/NelsonPecanTreesLoneGrove3.jpg
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Below is from This and That newsletter archives of August 27, 2009

A Reader sent in the class roster of both the Ardmore High Class of 1943 and 1944.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/AHSClass1943.html

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/AHSClass1944.html
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"I have acquired a photo from one of the those people which might be of some interest to your readers tying one of their relatives possibly to someone in this photo. My mother, Irma Akers, her sister, Thelma Akers, and her brother J.D. Akers are all in the photo. I will send the photo, the handwritten explanation of some of the others in the photo, which was on the back of the photo." -Ken Patrick, Email [email protected]
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WoodfordSchool1932a.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WoodfordSchool1932b.jpg
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"Hey Butch, a short story about Marutzky's bar on the edge of Wilson. When I moved back to Oklahoma in '76 Oliver's was all but shut down. I am not sure if he was still living at the time. But rumor in Wilson was he still bootlegged a little Whisky. I had a friend visit me form OKC. on a Sunday, who was a total boozer. I used to drink a little but nothing compared to him. He insisted I find a bootlegger where he could get a 5th of something. I called a friend in Wilson and he assured me Oliver's widow was still in business. So we drove from Lone Grove over to Wilson and down to the old house. He went up to the door and knocked, told her what he wanted and in a few minutes, he was back in car with a jug. The funny part to this story is, as I was backing out of their yard I glanced up and saw a sign in the window of her home. "God Loves You". I thought that quite funny after just buying a 5th of booze on a Sunday morning." -Ken @ Wilson
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/OllieBeerTavernGambling1961.jpg
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Anagram: THE MORSE CODE - HERE COME DOTS

See everyone next week!

Butch and Jill Bridges

"Friends Make Life Worth Living"
Ardmore, Oklahoma
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net

Oklahoma History Website #2 (backup website)
http://www.okiehistory.net/

Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Oklahoma Bells: http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
Bill Hamm's Cemetery Database
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/carter/cartercm.htm
American Flyers Memorial Fund - Administration Webpage
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/crash66.html
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/airbase/
Carter County Government Website
 http://cartercountyok.us

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