This and That Newsletter
Vol 13 Issue 624 Circulation 5,000 January 8, 2009
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: [email protected]
580-657-8616 (not a toll free number)
Mindy Taylor at Wilson sent in an interesting find this week, a newspaper clipping she ran across on R. P. (Rufus) Highnote. Mr. Highnote's detective agency advertisement is from the November 1, 1917 Healdton Herald newspaper. There has been several mentions of R. P. Highnote in past T&Ts through the years. It has been said he was killed at Wirt where he was a 'special night watchman'. I know Liz Freeman and I have talked about R.P. Highnote several times, but she hasn't found very much.
I did some googling and found where Highnote stabbed a man to death in Tarrant county, Texas............ "Charles T. HILLER died of knife wounds inflicted by R. P. HIGHNOTE buried Dallas. Sun 19 June 1881 pg 3 col 2 & 3."
And Hiller's death does not count the reported 19 notches in Highnote's gun. I also found where in 1905 he sued the railroad, he tried jumping off the train while it was going too fast, before it had slowed enough for a safe exit. He injured himself and sued the railroad.
According to Liz Freeman's research, Rufus P. Highnote was killed April 7, 1918 at Ragtown by Carter county deputy sheriff David Martello "Bud" Ballew.
If anyone has any info on Rufus Highnote let me know, and I'll pass it along to Liz. Here is the photo of Rufus Highnote found by Mindy Taylor in the 1917 Healdton Herald. http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/RufusHighnote110117.jpg
Roy Justice from over in Johnston county sent in a photo he took in 1983. He and his dad removed the boiler at Scotta's Nursery, which was used to heat the greenhouses during the worst winter months. The brick tower that's been talked about several times lately was part of the boiler system of Scotta's. Thanks Roy for clearing up the questions people had on the brick tower behind the Chickasaw Towers.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/ScottasBoiler1983.jpg
Last week I made the statement, calling the two (of four) men hanged at Ada in 1909 as 'outlaws'. They were Jesse West and Joe Allen, and Herman Kirkwood has challenged me and anyone else who can prove they were 'outlaws'. Seems through Herman's research he believes the two hanged men were fine outstanding citizens. I can see this turning into quite a debate, and everyone will want to attend the OKOLHA Spring 2009 Rendezvous at Ada in April to learn more. Jill and I are certainly planning to attend, and we hope to see many of you there on April 19th. April 19th 2009 will be the 100th anniversary of the infamous Ada, Oklahoma hanging. Plus I want to try a hamburger at Ada's Hamburger King or Lou's Dairyland. We tried a burger at Folgers at Ada in 2007 and was very disappointed after all the build up we'd received from Readers. Anyway, here's the scoop on OKOLHA Spring 2009 Rendezvous. Hope to see you there! Free admission, so make plans!
http://www.okolha.net/agenda_2009.htm
Talking about outlaws, check and see if any live near you.
This week state highway crews will start dismantling the old Caddo Creek bridge north of Ardmore on Highway 77. A new bridge will be in its place by summer.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/CaddoCreekBridge010409.jpg
Every once and a while Jill and I go for Mexican food when we're out running around. Last weekend we were in Pauls Valley, and we both agree, we had some of the best Mexican food ever. There are many great places to eat Mexican food in the area, but we don't think we have ever found any better than the Los Dos Amigos in Pauls Valley. Its located in a small strip mall just east of I-35.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/LosDosAmigosPV.jpg
Ten cheapest places to buy gas in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html
There are new postings. Check out the Oklahoma History Boards!
http://oklahomaroots.proboards83.com/
Q. What governor sometimes depended on astrology?
A. Henry JohnstonQ. How many square miles does Oklahoma contain?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"After losing all my pecans to the squirrels I had a 4x4 piece of "sheet metal" cut and then a hole cut in the center just large enough to fit around my tree about 5 feet up the trunk. The slit was then screwed together with a piece of metal made just for this job (Thank you to my brother in law). Well. It sure worked...There is no way the squirrels can jump from any other thing to get to my pecans and while I danced joy at watching my pecans ripen and thinking about the pies I will be making, the crows came in and ate everyone last one of them and they laughed at me while I shot streams of water up into the branches in protest. I give up... unless someone has plans for an automated scarecrow??? Let me know." -Licia Babb - FL [email protected]
Here is a link some of you may enjoy: Penny Postcards
"Butch, the bridge south of Wilson that Derek is talking about is a section line, but the temporary bridge was placed there recently on top of the old bridge so Mack Energy Company could gain access to a well they just drilled. The old bridge would not quite hold up to the 100,000 lb loads of your common drilling rigs in this day and time. Keep up the good work on the T&T!!!" -Travis Gorehttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/BridgeSouthOfWilson8b.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/BridgeSouthOfWilson8a.jpg
"Here's a funny story about out-smarting squirrels. While on vacation in Arkansas, we had a deer feeder behind our cabin. The squirrels would eat most of the food before the deer came in at dusk. The cabin owners were at wit's end wondering how to keep the squirrels out of the feeder. While cooking breakfast one morning, I was using a can of non-stick cooking spray for our eggs. A light bulb went off in my little brain. Why not spray down the pipe legs of the deer feeder and see if that would keep Mr. Fuzzy Tail away. We ran out and thoroughly sprayed down the pipes with several coats of the spray. We hung out at our window for just a few minutes before the little rascal showed up with several friends. He did his usual circle of the feeder, then took a flying leap onto the pipe legs. What followed was about a half day of us sitting at the window nearly peeing our pants with laughter. That poor squirrel tried for hours to climb the pole, only to slip and spiral down in total frustration. It would be a lot of work to keep the pole sprayed down, but it made for some great entertainment out our cabin window!!" -Kerry
"Butch, The bird in the photo at your bird feeder is a female Cardinal." -Sam Cottrell, Game Warden Retired, Bryan, County, Oklahomahttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/FemaleCardinal010109.jpg
"This huge Ditch Witch fell off the trailer on 12th street just north of Lowe's today and they were trying to keep it from turning over." -Doug Williams http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/DitchWitch010109.jpg
"A lot of information on Wild Women Cave!" -Larry
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~okmurray/stories/wild_woman_cave.htm
"Click on frogs to make them jump.... Move the 3 on the right to replace the 3 on the left."
http://www.funstufftosee.com/frogleaptest.html
"Wild Woman cave is east of Nebo about 3 miles. Wagon Wheel Cave is south of the pool below turner falls about 1/4 mile and a climb up about 75 ft. It is a large opening about 7ft in almost a perfect circle, thus the name wagon wheel. Bitter Enders is a cave I don't know anything about, but.... the cave where all the water comes down Honey creek and over the falls is the one I spent a lot of time in. One of the descriptions a fella wrote about going down into mud and sliding down and down until you hit the water. It was ice cold and we had to use old small inner tubes that we blew up by mouth to float down to the room where the water went under the ledge and outside. You could see the outside light coming from under the water. It may be called Bitter Enders but I never knew the name of it. It is about 3 to 4 miles due West of the falls and the water comes out from under a large ledge. Opening is couple of hundred feed west of that. Straight down for at least 60 ft, then the steep mud slope into the water. The mud slope is about 50 to 60 ft long at about a 30 to 40 degree angle. Went back into that cave in late 60's after they built the freeway and a rock the size of a small house had come down from the roof. Probably due to all the dynamiting for the highway. Swore I'd never go into it again. Killed a trophy sized coon tail rattler with a rock and took him back and park service came to the house and skinned him and he was on display in the nature center for several years. It was lying at the entrance to the cave "Bitter Enders" and I almost got nailed by him." -Larry Ogwin
"Who was Hayim Solomon? This information is a bit of American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) history I was not aware of and certainly didn't learn in any of my history classes."HayimSolomon.pps (must have Power Point to view)
The Sling Shot Man http://uk.youtube.com:80/watch?v=9ieWrWLjii0
1975 Jukebox http://hfm3.com/jukebox/jukebox.html
"Just today I was in one of my store-rooms and took a plastic basket off the top of my wood stove that was made to heat the copper or galvanized wash-boilers that were used for clothes (and sometimes for making lye soap). I also have a couple of the 'boilers' with their lids. That type of stove is built low so that you don't have to lift the boiler too high when it's heavy with water and suds. I also have three old wringer-type washing machines (two with round tubs and one with square). Reminds us of the 'good-old-days' doesn't it. I also have one of the small wood stoves (not complete) that was used in the hen house to keep the chickens warm, especially when there were lots of baby chicks present." -Roy, Kendrick, Cherokee Strip Antiques, Perry, Oklahoma
Song: Boa Constrictor
Artist: Johnny CashI'm getting swallowed by a Boa Constrictor
By a Boa Constrictor by a Boa Constrictor
I'm getting swallowed by a Boa Constrictor and I don't like snakes one bit
What do you know he's swallowed my toe oh gee he's up to my knee
Oh my he's up to my thigh oh yummy he's up to my tummy
Oh fiddle he's up to my middle oh glum he's mashing my lungs
Now look here snake I don't look good with this long tail on me
It's all about I can say sneak except give me a break sneak
My torso's cold and it's startin' to mould Boa Constrictor how much can you hold
Oh yes he's up to my chest oh heck he's up to my neck
Nearly all in he's up to my chin oh dread he's swallowed my...excuse mehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROVHNcSzFCo
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net
Nashobish Ikana
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402Save on long distance calls, just a couple cents a minute!
http://www.CheapLongDistance.org
Oklahoma Bells: http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
American Flyers Memorial Fund - Administration Webpage
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/crash66.html
Official American Flyers Memorial Website
http://www.brightok.net/~wwwafm
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Base Website
http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons
Mirror Site of the Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/airbase/
Carter county schools, past and present
http://community.webshots.com/user/oklahomahistory
Carter County Government Website
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/
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