This and That Newsletter
A Weekly Publication

www.OklahomaHistory.net

Vol 14  Issue 702      Circulation 5,000       July 8, 2010

PO Box 11

Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402

email address:  [email protected]

580-657-8616


In last week's Mailbag there was mention of Priddy's Chicken Salad and dressings and that Jerry Pattillo was bringing it back to Ardmore through his newly opened convenience store in the NE part of Ardmore on Highway 199.  This week Jerry sent in some great history on the Priddy's Chicken Salad business and its beginnings in Ardmore, and what eventually became of the business after changing hands.  But before we get to Jerry's news I want to share some history about the spot of land where Jerry has opened his Broasters Chicken business that very few people know and its connection to my family.

Back around 1920 my grandfather Stanley Carmon's brother, Abe Carmon, opened the first miniature golf course in Ardmore on the very spot where Jerry now has his business.  Abe Carmon and his nephew, Howard Heath, joined together in the new venture calling the business Chiquito Miniature Golf.

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/golf20.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos3b/golf20b.jpg

One more piece of history, Jerry Pattillo's dad lived just 3 doors east of where I was raised on 3rd NE (east of the Carmon Lumber Company), plus my grandfather built the red brick building where Priddy's Chicken Salad was located years ago at 2nd and H Street NE.  Interesting how how all these years Jerry and I have so many Ardmore connections.  Jill and I can't wait to make it over to his new business and try some Broasters Chicken. And now in Jerry's own words:


Pattillo's Broaster "Fried" Chicken and Pattillo's Salads
by Jerry Pattillo

"First, I want to thank everyone for coming out and supporting our grand opening with such enthusiasm and excitement. We are humbled and very appreciative.

I have had a lot of people asked me why I decided to do this. So, lets start with a brief history. There was a small restaurant in downtown Ardmore started in the late 1940's called Priddy's Grill. Priddy's made a salad dressing and on every table and at the counter the jars were placed with a spoon in them and everyone helped themselves to this dressing. It was called "Special Dressing with Parmesan Cheese." The Priddy's and Pattillo's were close friends and attended church together. In the late 1950's, the Priddy's decided to get into the food processing business and sold the restaurant to my dad and it became Doug's Grill. Then the Priddy's started making their Chicken Salad, Ham Salad, Pimento Spread and other salads and selling to grocery stores. Starting in Ardmore and surrounding towns, then branching out to Ada and Duncan. A couple of years after I finished college, Ron Priddy called me and asked me if I would be interested in working for them. That was in 1975. Ron later sold the business in 1981 to some investors and they promoted me to President. In 1983, we sold Priddy's to Sara Lee. They merged it with another salad company and moved the operation to Kansas. In 1990, I decided to start it up again as Pattillo's, just like it was with the original recipes and even packaged in the aluminum foil pans. I sold Pattillo's in 1996 to a company called Gilardi and they also moved it out of state. Therefore the people of this area haven't been able to get these products for 14 years.

Since then I have been working with other food companies, spending my weeks in airports and motels "no fun". I was also VP of Sales and Marketing at JC Potter Sausage for 8 years. I had some health issues this last year and decided I had had enough of life on the road. I have been doing business with Broasters Chicken for years and absolutely love the product and the company. My marketing strategy was to operate the Fried Chicken franchise and sell the salads. You will see Broaster's being sold at various places but very few are a fresh store. So, here we are.

We are in our second week and with any new opening your going to have a few hiccups along the way and we were certainly no exception. We had vent a hood issues with the amount of volume we are putting through it and had to address that and one of our Broasters pressure fryers was giving us some trouble. However, now both are resolved and things are going smoothly.

We are so appreciative of all the folks coming in and trying our chicken and our salads. We have run out of chicken a couple of times and it is simply because we marinate our fresh, never frozen chicken all night, bread it during the day and when we are out, we are out. We could go back and bread raw chicken, but I will not cut corners. If it isn't marinated properly, we won't serve it. Everything is fresh including the traditional 8 piece cut, tenders, livers and gizzards.

Just like the chicken, we make salads fresh daily. These are the original Priddy's then Pattillo's recipes to the ounce. However making them has also been a challenge. I am used to using industrial equipment and making 300# batches. So using more kitchen appliances and paring down to 40 or 50# batches was no simple task. We have them all, they are fresh and the people of this area haven't been able to buy them for 14 years. So you can imagine the reception we have had. It has been wonderful.

We are at 315 Sam Noble Parkway. You would be surprised the number of people that don't know where SNP is located, so let me give you some simple directions. Go north on Washington and turn on what used to be called Highway 199, like your going to the Vo Tech School. We are about 1/2 mile from Washington, on the north side of the road. You can't miss the Broaster's Chicken signs. We also have a drive thru. So you can call ahead at 226-3744 and we will have it ready for you.

Thanks and come see us for a free sample of both the Broaster's Chicken and Pattillo's Salads."
  -Jerry Pattillo   [email protected]
 

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/PattilloGrocery062910.jpg


Over ten years ago I had the pleasure of meeting book authors of the old west Elmer and Lauretta McInnes of Canada.  Some of you will remember Elmer and Lauretta came to Oklahoma then researching Bud Ballew for a book they were writing.  In 2008 Elmer and Lauretta published their book on Bud Ballew:  "Bud Ballew, the Legendary Oklahoma Lawman"

This week I receive an email from the McInnes asking for your prayers for the area of Canada they lived has been hit by terrible flooding.  In Lauretta's own words:

Here in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada, I, personally have not been affected, but many friends and members of my community have lost everything. Please review the bullet items printed in red on the City of Yorkton web site at http://www.yorkton.ca to consider what you or a group you belong to might be able to offer. Thoughts and prayers are also needed! Thanks for your time.  -Lauretta

Lauretta and Elmer McInnes  [email protected]
216 Roslyn Ave.
Yorkton, Sk
S3N 1P4
306-782-0057

About five years ago I put on my website a photo of Lt McKerson (the owner of the famous McKerson BBQ that used to be on East Main.  I seemed to have lost that photo.  Does anyone have a copy of it they downloaded?  I sure would like to have it back.  Here is a pic of the BBQ stand.

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos4a/McKersonBBQ.jpg

Now if someone out there has the photo of Lt McKerson I scanned a few years ago, and will send it to me, it will be appreciated!

Since our neighbors across the road about 3 weeks ago killed the 2 or 3 turkeys that came to our back yard to eat everyday, we hope the same fate does not happen to the lone deer.  She comes up every morning and evening to eat corn we put out in the back yard for her.

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/Deer070410a.jpg

Q.   In frontier days what was another name for buffalo chips ?
A.   Prairie coal

Q.   Where was Oklahoma's 1938 prison riot?
A.    (answer in next week's issue)

Gas prices today in the Ardmore area......

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html

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

"People are always asking if there is any one still alive who would know Lt. McKerson's Barbecue sauce recipe and if we can get a copy of the recipe?"
"I am looking for a pic of Foot Dillard. I did a search on your T&T and found the note below from his grandson in 2008. It says there is a pic enclosed, that I guess he sent you, but the pic is not on your website. Do you have the photos anywhere?"
 
March 20, 2008:  "My name is Steve Dillard and my great grandfather was Josiah Hamilton Dillard, for whom the town of Dillard, Oklahoma was named.
 
Josiah Hamilton Dillard was the Constable of Hewitt Township, Carter County, from about 1907 to 1911. In the Spring of 1911 Josiah was named Deputy Sheriff of the western part of Carter County by the legendary US Marshall Buck Garrett.
 
It was during this time that Josiah would become known mostly by the name by which Buck always like to call him, “Foot Dillard”. Josiah would go on to hold this deputy sheriff position for three-and-a-half years. A photo of his badge, which is now in my possession, is attached.

 

On December 8, 1914 Josiah resigned as Deputy Sheriff of Carter County in order to run for office in the town of New Wilson. By the start of 1915 Josiah was elected as Justice of the Peace for New Wilson, a position he would hold for the next two years. In this capacity he was referred to by the title Judge Dillard.

 

Buck and Josiah remained close friends for all their remaining years. In 1927, Buck even served as a pall bearer at Josiah's funeral.

 

In my genealogy work I have written a chapter on the life of Josiah Hamilton Dillard which includes information about his time as a lawman and a judge in and around Carter County. Should you decide to include any such write-ups in your files on the life of these deputies please let me know. I will be proud to share something of Josiah's life with you.

 

Josiah's daughter, Vella Emily Dillard, was married to another Carter County deputy, William Con Keirsey, who was killed in the line of duty in Wirt, Oklahoma on 11 December 1930. His partner, Vern Cason was wounded in this gun battle. I noticed you have these two officers already listed in your records.

 

William Con Keirsey had a son, Dillard Con Keirsey, who went on to become a police officer. He joined the Austin, Texas police department, where he served for 23 years before retiring as a Captain. He wrote an article that appeared in the 1983 publication, Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers, Volume 1, 1840-1982, where he talked about his family and the murder of his father, William Con Keirsey.

 

I have also included a photo of Josiah Hamilton Dillard and his sons taken around 1920. My grandfather was Josiah's son, Douglas High Dillard."  -Steve Dillard  [email protected]

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/FootDillardAndHisBoys.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/FootDillardBadge.jpg


"As a kid I ate lots of burgers at the original Hamburger Inn on the east side of Washington. If I recall, adding the lettuce and tomato to the regular fried-onion burger made it "educated". I can remember the waitress taking orders and yelling to Chock, the cook, "fix one - and send it to school". She had codes for other things like chili, etc., but I can't remember them."
"Hi Butch, I sure enjoyed the article about volunteer road-building in 1919. Such writing! - it was worth the read just for a glimpse at how differently people wrote then, not to mention the article on the road itself. Here is a link to almost all Oklahoma road maps including those 1919 roads, and almost every year since then: Don't forget to look at the cover pictures too." -Don Loving

http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/hqdiv/p-r-div/maps/state-maps/index.htm

"Turner Falls Park, Davis, Oklahoma July 4, 2010."  -Doug Wiliams

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/turnerfalls/TurnerFalls070410a.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/turnerfalls/TurnerFalls070410b.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/turnerfalls/TurnerFalls070410c.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/turnerfalls/TurnerFalls070410d.jpg

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/turnerfalls/TurnerFalls070410e.jpg


"1950 Devils Den sign."  -Doug Williams

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/DevilsDenSign1950.jpg


Picture of the bell at the Five Civilized Tribes Museum in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  -Cecil Elliott in OKC

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/FiveCivilizedTribesMuseumBell.jpg


Pawnee Bill's real name was Gordon W. Lillie

The paragraph just below is from Wikipedia:
In 1936 the Lillies celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Taos, New Mexico. In September of that year they attended a local celebration in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While driving back to their ranch that night, Gordon lost control of their vehicle. May died as a result of her injuries and Gordon never fully recovered. He died in his sleep in 1942.

Pawnee Bill Museum in Pawnee, Oklahoma

http://www.okhistory.org/outreach/homes/pawneebill.html


"Reference the Reader who inquired about the 1940's hair style: The chignon and the style she mentions were different. The chignon used a donut shaped "rat" - round with a hole in the center. It was placed on the back of the head. The hair was pulled through the hole then wrapped around the rat and hair-pinned. Some women wore the chignon high on the back of their head but others often wore it lower. The effect was a round "bun". The referenced hair style used a long tube-like rat. The hair was combed straight down the back. The rat was laid on top of the hair, one end behind each ear and bobby-pinned into place, making a "U". The hair was then lifted up over the rat, covering it, and tucked and hair-pinned along the inside of the rat against the head. This style was always at least along the collar and sometimes lower in the back. I would think that some research on women movie stars of the 40's might produce some pictures. Hope this helps." -Leta McCurry

http://freelancersfashion.blogspot.com/2008/08/hairdos-3-all-rolled-up.html


"Butch: Regarding your question about area sulphur wells: On the north end of the Goddard Ranch there is an artesian well. I remember as a teenager my Dad, W. A. Broughton, took me to see it. There was then an old wagon road which ran right by the well. It was faint but could be clearly seen. Dad said old timers used to go from the surrounding area to Sulphur to "take the waters", for medicinal purposes. As I recall it smelled faintly of sulphur, and there was an old pipe sticking up which allowed the water to flow. I would guess it is about 12 miles south of Sulphur, west of the Highway. That was about 55 years ago." -Dan Broughton
"Butch, I really enjoyed the article from Doug Williams in last week's T&T. C. W. Henderson was my great grandfather. The "mad dog bite" was one tale I had not heard. Thank you Mr. Williams for sharing. C. W.'s wife, Louisa or Lou, a Chickasaw Lady, was my great grandmother of course. Gene Autry was first named for her - Lou. Family lore has it that C. W. started the town by opening a bank with $25,000.00." -Deloris Lantrip

Henderson Cemetery north of Gene Autry:

http://www.oklahomahistory.net/henderson/


"Hi Butch. I've been following the topic about getting rid of ants for a while now. So I just had to share what I'm doing out here in south east Arizona to rid our property of the pests. I went to the local hardware/lumber store and asked Rick for advice last year because we had several red ant beds on our one acre that were huge. He suggested Amdro but told me not to follow the directions for dispersal that were on the label. Instead of putting the product around the ant mound, as the directions called for, he told me to sprinkle it on the ant trails to and from the mound and not in excess. Believe it or not, it worked as he said it would. Within a week after treatment of the beds they were all gone and there were dead ants everywhere. So far so good for this year as we have no active beds. This stuff works for me but it might be the strategy of putting it on the trails instead of the mounds. This stuff is listed as working for fire ants too. Hope this help some folks deal with the critters." -Kim Collins, Long time Okie and former Ardmoreite
"Butch, tonight's history of Berwyn is excerpts from the 1906 newspaper The Berwyn Light." -Doug Williams

Berwyn
Berwyn is located on the trunk line of the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway, ten miles north of Ardmore, the metropolis of the Chickasaw Nation, and 90 miles south of Oklahoma City. The town has a population of 600 or 700, a good school, two churches, fine secret orders, 12 substantial stone buildings, and is surrounded by as fine farming country as can be found in the southwest. The land produces an average of 60 top 80 bushels of corn per acre, ½ to 1 bale of cotton per acre; potatoes and all feed stuffs yield abundantly and this section is especially adapted to stock raising.

City Official Directory
Recorder—T. J. CARSON
Mayor—GEORGE MURRAY
Treasurer—HILL MASSEY
Assessor and collector—R. B. MEEK
Marshal—A. S. GILLIAM
Councilmen—F. W. FISHER, J. P. TAYLOR, JOHN. W. MASSEY, J. L. WILLIAMS, J. W .JONES

Churches
M. E. Church South with W. R. BROCK, pastor
Women’s Home Mission Society meets first Thursday afternoon of each month at 3:00.
First Baptist with REV. BRAD HAYES, pastor

Berwyn Commercial Club meets Friday evening of each week at 7:30. The officers are; J. P. TAYLOR, president; H. S. SUGGS, vice president; T. L. ALLISON, secretary; CHARLES BOHNKE, treasurer.

Items
The moving picture show which exhibited here on Monday and Tuesday nights of this week was not a success. The attendance was exceedingly small and the performances poor. The proprietors claimed that the machine was a new one and they had not had time to adjust it and get it in proper working order, but the opinion seemed to prevail generally among the few spectators that the machine was all right it if only had somebody to operate and understood their business.

Berwyn Light
Berwyn, Indian Territory
Thursday, January 25, 1906
T. L. ALLISON, editor and proprietor
Vol. 1

Advertisements

The First National Bank of Berwyn, C. W. HENDERSON, president; F. W. FISHER, vice-president; CHARLS BOHNKE, cashier

Every day is bargain day at the The Big Racket Store; A. J. FOSTER, prop.; Berwyn

Had you heard that I have bought Messrs. SHELTON and C0.’s entire stock of goods at Berwyn and will continue business as the same old stand… R. B. MEEK

N. F. ARNOLD, general repair shop at Berwyn. All kinds of repair work done promptly and cheap.

The Cottage Hotel, J P. MORAN, proprietor.

SUGGS & MURRAY for groceries, hardware, stoves, etc. Highest market price for country produce.

G. C. & S. F. Railway time table

For sale: four room house with good orchard. DREW DODSON, Berwyn.

One million eggs wanted at once and will pay the top market price. JOHN HARDY & Son

CHARLES H. ESKEW, notary public, office at W. H. ESKEW’S drug store in Springer

J. W. FIELDS, physician and surgeon at Springer

Stop at MRS. LEWIS’ Boarding House

ARNOLD & ELLRIDGE Mercantile Establishment at Springer

Berwyn Livery Stable, A. W. GAINES, proprietor

Hotel Berwyn, opposite depot, R. H.MCCARGO, prop.

G. E. BROWN & Son, tonsorial parlor at Berwyn

LON’s Restaurant and Meat Market

F. COOK will sell your groceries at Berwyn

HOWARD MCKINNEY, physician and surgeon, office at J. W. MASSEY & BROULE Drug Store

JAMES WHITFIELD, M. D., physician and surgeon, office at SPARKS & Bros. Drug Store, Berwyn

JOHN MASSEY, notary public, office at J. W. MASSEY’s & Bros. Drug Store at Berwyn

The Chickasaw Lumber Co., L. A. HENDERSON, manager at Berwyn



"Adulthood is the ever-shrinking period between childhood and old age."  -Thomas Szasz, MD

See everyone next week!

Butch and Jill Bridges
Nashobish Ikana
PO Box 11
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402

Save on long distance calls, just a couple cents a minute!
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Ardmore High School Criterions Online
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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/
Ardmore School Criterions
http://www.ArdmoreCriterion.com

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