This and That Newsletter
Vol 13 Issue 636 Circulation 5,000 April 2, 2009
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: [email protected]
580-657-8616 (not a toll free number)
I have been noticing the farm ponds around our area south of Lone Grove continuing to turn in to mud holes for the lack of rain water. One large pond just a few hundred yards southeast of our place his turned into a dry hole, as best I can tell from the road. I wish Buster Ned was still alive, I'd be seeking him out to do a rain dance like he did when I was a teenager.
A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST from the March 6, 1999 T&T:
"In the 60s and 70s Ardmore had someone better then a meteorologist when it came to predicting rain. He was a full blood Choctaw Indian by the name of Buster Ned. I never personally met Buster Ned, but I'd see him around town many times during those years. Buster Ned had within him, this uncanny ability to predict rain. One of the signs he used for forecasting came from the hoot owl. There were other signs he'd look for, but the hoot owl proved to be the most reliable. In the late afternoons, around 4pm, if he heard the hoot owl on the land he lived on near Durwood, Oklahoma, he knew it would rain within two or three days. He was renowned throughout the area and respected by all. Buster Ned was quoted many times by Daily Ardmoreite columnist "Mac" McGalliard on when it would rain. People would seek Buster out for a prediction. Buster was born to Frank and Elizabeth Parker Ned in the Marshall county community of Simpson, Oklahoma March 9, 1924. Here is a pic taken of a painting of Buster Ned that hangs in the Money Services business, #6 B Street Northwest, here in Ardmore." -Butch Bridges
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/BusterNed.jpg"One of the most colorful figures living in the Ardmore area is Buster Ned, a leader and member of the Choctaw Tribe. Buster still lives a stone's throw away from where he was born March 9, 1924 in Simpson, Oklahoma. This is an old community, primarily settled by Choctaws before statehood, and lies in the Yellow Hills, 12 miles Southeast of Ardmore. Buster's family lived in the same home (of his parents and grandparents) for about 80 years until it burned in 1981. Buster grew up in childhood speaking only the Choctaw language. The Chickasaws and Choctaws can easily converse, but there are differences in their languages. Only at age 8, in 1932, when he was sent to school did he learn English. After 1937. there was a period of decline in the following dances and games. The younger children were not being taught the language or the old customs. Buster married a lovely lady, Wanda Vaughn Ned. They have three daughters; Deborah Jean, Chandra Lynn and Kristina Marie." -taken from the 1983 Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers Book
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/BusterAndWandaNed.jpg
Ardmore, Indian Territory, December 5, 1893. Jim Ables, convicted of horse stealing and sentenced to five years by Judge Bryant of Paris, Texas court is the man who five years ago shot and killed Captain John Miller. Miller was 1/16th Indian by blood and had a record of having killed his 32nd man. At his death he was 72 years old. His hair was raven black, and his general appearance was that of a 40 year old boy. Captain John Miller is buried in Dibrell cemetery at Jimtown, Oklahoma in Love county. Captain John Miller was the last person to be buried in the Dibrell cemetery. -The Guthrie Daily Leader, Dec 7, 1893. Taken from the 1983 Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers Book
I guess many of you are tending to your newly planted gardens or about to start gardening this Spring. We have no garden yet, but will soon, we hope. We have tiny fruit on 3 of our 7 fruit trees. Looks like the Harvester Peach tree is really going to have plenty even though we just planted it less then an year ago. Of course that will depend on the deer and their appetites for sweets.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/HarvesterPeach040209.jpg
This week Doug Williams sent a pic of his newly planted tomatoes. Looks like there is going to be some great eating when his tomatoes are ripe. There is nothing like a home grown tomato.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WilliamsTomatosMar09.jpg
I've had so much interest in my shed made from wood pallets the past month, I created a new webpage along with details of the construction. The webpage takes all the pictures and info I've posted in the past few issues of T&T into one place.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/palletshed.html
Several more T&T readers have submitted more info on area grocers the past week.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/grocers.html
Ten cheapest places to buy gas in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html
Oklahoma History Boards!
http://oklahomaroots.proboards83.com/
Q. Who was Oklahoma's first astronaut?
A. Gordon CooperQ. Where did the Chickasaw people live before their removal to Oklahoma?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"Hey Butch! Its time for the Carter County March of Dimes annual BBQ lunch! To be held on April the 17th 11:30am-1:00pm under the courthouse pavilion (weather permitting, if it is raining or cold, look inside the courthouse). For $5.00 you will get a BBQ sandwich, potato salad, baked beans and a drink....PLUS the friendly atmosphere! Also, we will be delivering (within Ardmore City Limits ONLY) for no additional charge. ALL PROCEEDS GO TO BENEFIT THE MACH OF DIMES. Call Jammey Howard @ Carter Co. Assessors Office 580-223-9594 or you can email pre-orders to: [email protected]
"I am starting to do research on a book about the Henderson family, a prominent Chickasaw family from around the Berwyn( Gene Autry) area of Oklahoma. C. W. Henderson actually started the town of Lou which eventually became Gene Autry on the banks of the Washita river, when Gene Autry was formed he started a bank and had assets of $25,000.00 back before statehood ,which was a huge sum of money. Any family history, links to or photos of the Henderson family you might have would be appreciated. I can scan photos if that is all you have and would get them back to you promptly and they they would be saved forever.
Any help would be appreciated. Also would you send this email on to any body that might have information on the Henderson's."
Doug Williams [email protected]
Ardmore, Oklahoma
580-223-0947 home or 580-220-9052 cell
"Just looked at your site re: Rose Hill Cemetery and found it most interesting. In row 18 of the Confederate Section I note a Aaron C. that should be Aaron G. and also observe INF when it should be ART (he was in McComa's Battery from Giles County)."http://www.oklahomahistory.net/VeteranMarkers/VeteransMarkersRow13-18.html
"I ate at the new Corner Cafe at the SW corner of 12th and E Street NW in Ardmore for lunch and had a fantastic burger and fries. Just thought you might want to check it out. It's in the old Nuthin but Chicken building." -Greg
"Butch, my sons sent me some digital pics of this weekend spring snow storm up in NW Oklahoma. Woodward and Ft. Supply got 2 ft of snow while Alva got 12 inches and 5ft drifts in places. I have put the digital to a movie on my youtube.com/okielegacy site under Oklahoma videos. -Linda Wagnerhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFrrAaNfA5U
"Butch, there was a grocery on west of the Page Grocery on Oswalt Road (Love County) across from Boone's Propane. It was called Montgomery's Grocery. I had my first Dr Pepper there about 70 years ago." -jim
"Butch, Since you have gotten such a response regarding grocery stores of all varieties, I thought I would add a couple more that were not exactly stores, but supplied a lot of kids with food, drinks and candy. During the late '30's while I attended Lincoln school, there were a couple of stores nearby.
Just across the ally to the west of the Lincoln school ground was a place operated by Mrs. Howard. They had candy and hot dogs and chili dogs. We were not allowed to cross the ally during recess, but they were busy in the morning and at lunchtime.
Just across Stanley was a place sitting a bit off the street ran by Mrs. Edwards. They had basically the same things as Howard's did, but it was a bit more difficult for the kids to get to as they had to cross Stanley. For a while, there was a walkway underpass (tunnel) under Stanley at that location, but eventually I think it was filled in.
It has been quite a few years since I was by that location, but assume that the school is still there." -Virgil Harris
Solid Potato Salad - The Ross Sisters (1944) Aggie, Maggie and Elmirahttp://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=-mVpGmoES3w
The Ross Sisters parents were VEDA CORDELIA LIPHAM and CHARLES ADOLPHUS ROSS.
Real names of the Ross Sisters:
Betsy Ann Ross
Veda Victoria (Vickie) Ross
Dixie Jewel Ross
...all born in Texas
"I lived next door to Wes and Florence Henderson on Elizabeth Drive back in the early 60's thru the mid 70's and they were wonderful people. Wes ended up losing his leg to diabetes but I think he continued to work at the police department for a while even after that." -Greg DeBerry
"One of your readers mentioned one the ladies that worked at the Tivoli. My aunt's mother-in-law's sister, so no blood relative, worked at the ticket stand outside the entrance for the Tivoli's last several years before the Carmike 5 theater was built out at I-35 and Highway 70. Her name was Ruth Winters."
"Butch this is a old feed grinding barn at Gene Autry on the old Mock Ranch on the east side of Gene Autry. The grinder was mounted on the concrete slab and was run by a big engine with no muffler. My Grandfather Frank Rountree would grind load after load of hay with Buck Conway. The hay would go down the chute by the way of the big augur in the top of the barn and fall out of the bottom in the trough. It was fun to be able to climb the ground hay and close the chute and send the hay down to the next hole. They would grind the entire barn full of hay and there were troughs at the hole in the bottom of the chute, The men would put the cow feed in the troughs with a pitchfork to feed the cows. A lot of hard work, no wonder my Grandfather could not hear very good after grinding hay for that long." -Doug Williamshttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/MockRanchGrinder.jpg
Also here is a picture of the town sign at Pooleville, Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/PoolevilleSign040109.jpg
"Butch, I sent you some photos recently of Lake Scott King which is just NW of Ardmore and just north of my house. I was back up there late this afternoon and there were lots of white Pelicans on a little island out in the lake. When the lake level gets low, as it is now, these islands and rock ridges start to appear and the birds really love them. I've attached two photos of the Pelicans, one photo is cropped from the first. If you look close you can also see some Buzzards in the trees in the background. There were also some geese and some Cormorants up there today." -Dwane Stevens Photo 1 Photo 2
"Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children." -old Native American Indian proverb
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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