PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Email: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net
The majority of T&T Readers are senior citizens, including myself, but there are some over 90. If awards are given out to the oldest, Tweed in Dallas, Texas would have to be on the list (along with several others). Tweed, through her daughter Helen, has been contributing to the T&T since 2001. Tweed was born October 1, 1915 in Ardmore and her mind is still sharp as a tack, remembering so much of early day Ardmore, even though she moved from Ardmore in 1935.
I remember one of Tweed’s first T&T contributions back in 2001:
“My name is Tweed Stonum Machock and I was born in Ardmore, Oklahoma in 1915 at 315 F. Street S.W. My earliest remembrance from my childhood is of Mrs. Byron Drew’s son Walter’s funeral. I remember standing on our front porch and holding my Mother’s hand as the military procession marched past our home. I recall band music and the flag draped casket. Walter Drew was killed in World War 1. (Funeral did not take place until 1921.) Many times when visiting Rosehill Cemetery and seeing the life size statue of Walter Drew I’m flooded with memories of my childhood days. Thank you for this newsletter, for I will write again.”
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WalterDrew1.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WalterDrew2.jpg
Thanks Tweed for all the Ardmore history you’ve share over the years, and her daughter Helen for emailing it in for her. It is appreciated by so many all over the U.S. And now a picture of the grand lady herself, may God’s blessings for you continue at 95½ years young!
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/TweedStonumMarch2009.jpg
I had a couple from Turlock, California come through town this week, seeking information on their family genealogy. They had a record stating their kin was buried at Nickel Hill by the Washita River near Ardmore. They asked everybody they could here, including their relatives, where is Nickel Hill. No one knew. So someone sent them to me. I didn’t remember anything on a Nickle Hill, but said, ‘Let’s check my website”. At the main webpage I entered Nickel Hill in the search engine box, and told it to do an EXACT search for those two words. Sure enough, two mentions, one in 2002 and one in 2005, spelling it Nickle. I found another mention in 2008 from Roy Barnes in Purcell, and he spelled it Nickel Hill. But all mentions, even one newspaper clipping, indicated Baum, Oklahoma was Nickle Hill at one time. Baum is about 6 miles north of Dickson on Highway 177. But this is not the end of the mystery. To top it off, the book Oklahoma Place Names does not list a Nickel Hill. So, Roy or someone, tells us more about this Nickel Hill.
BAUM. Formerly Boland. In Carter county, 3 miles east of Gene Autry. Post office name changed to Baum, September 21, 1894, and discontinued March 15, 1918. –Oklahoma Place Names 1965
I stopped by Money Services at #6 B NW last week to see if they still had the painting of Buster Ned. The lady told me they gave the painting to a relative, she couldn’t remember their name, right after Buster passed away.
A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST – from the September 27, 1997 T&T
About 9 miles east of Ardmore on Highway 199 is Dickson, Oklahoma. In 1973 the Town of Dickson voted to hire their first City Marshal to enforce the law. The primary factor leading to the hiring was the many speeders along the highway in front of the Dickson School. The first City Marshal was Roger Barraza from Laredo, Texas.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/barraza.txt
The first FBI agent assigned to Carter county was E. Alden Matthews in 1944. In 1963 the FBI office was at the Adams Building, 314 West Main.
We’ve had a freeze twice the past week during the night, and even though I covered up our tiny peaches on the trees, only time will tell if they made it through the nights ok. Doug Williams had his upside down tomatoes inside, plus his other new plants, so they will be fine. I’ve mentioned several times the past few years how my upside down tomato webpage gets so many Hits, but it seems the past week or so, the whole world had gone crazy searching out any info on growing tomatoes upside down. My tomato webpage now gets more Hits than any other webpage on my website. Anyway, here is Doug’s tomato plant.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WilliamsTomatosMar09b.jpg
Speaking of my website, after 7 years with one web hosting service, I’ve switched to another in Utah. I have copied the thousands and thousands of files (1.3 Gigs worth) to the new Host, so in a few days I’ll change my Domain Name Server numbers to point toward the new Host. To continue with the old Host would have cost me $90 a year, and the new Host for 3 years is $142. A big savings, plus I’ll have unlimited storage space, unlimited bandwidth, unlimited emails, and unlimited transfers, just about everything is unlimited. Speaking of emails, if anyone wants a free email address, let me know. Example: bobjones@oklahomahistory.net so if someone sends an email to bobjones@oklahomahistory.net, it is automatically Forwarded to your real email address.
I finally got the doors on the newly built wood pallet shed painted, so my next project will be to get that chicken coop built I’ve talked about for a month now.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/PalletShed040609a.jpg
Several more T&T readers have submitted more info on area grocers the past week.
https://oklahomahistory.net/grocers.html
Ten cheapest places to buy gas in the Ardmore area……
https://oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html
Oklahoma History Boards!
http://oklahomaroots.proboards83.com/
Q. Where did the Chickasaw people live before their removal to Oklahoma?
A. Mississippi and Alabama
Q. What silent film star was once a deputy sheriff and a marshal?
A. (answer in next week’s T&T)
Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..“Butch-I am sure some of your readers are much more skilled at finding people on the Internet than me. Especially those who are involved in genealogy searches and have access to records. Recently, a 17-year-old Swedish youth made contact by email. A B-17 “Flying Fortress” on a bombing mission to Poland was attacked by German aircraft and made a crash landing, April 12, 1944, in southern Sweden, a neutral country. The ball turret gunner was killed by flak, the tail gunner, Sgt. Robert H. Brookman, 19, was wounded, as was the waist gunner. The youth’s grandfather, a Swedish soldier at the time, was assigned to guard the aircraft for one night. During the moonlit night, he found a wallet belonging to Sgt. Brookman hidden behind a stump 50 to 100-meters from the aircraft. The wallet that the grandfather, now 85, has kept these 64 years, had several items in it, some that indicated Sgt. Brookman and the other crew members had trained at Ardmore Army Air Field prior to being shipped to England. The young man found the Ardmore Army Air Field website http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons and asked that I identify the items in the wallet. One item was a receipt for sale of a bicycle to Sgt. Brookman by Sgt. Robert C. Surdam, a flight engineer on another crew, who possibly also trained at Ardmore. The grandfather wants to return the wallet to Sgt. Brookman if he can be located. Brookman was born in Hartford, Connecticut, enlisted as a single man in the US Army, Feb. 2, 1943. He is not listed on the SS Death Index. Surdam, born 1921, Binghampton, NY, is apparently still alive but has not been located through the sources available to me. If Robert H. Brookman can be found and his wallet returned to him, the youth’s grandfather will be a happy man. A great human interest story! Locating Robert C. Surdam will also add additional history as to what happened to crews after leaving Ardmore. Readers, please join me in locating these men, especially Robert H Brookman. Thanks in advance!” -Gary Simmons gsimmons@brightok.net
The Dickson All School Reunion will be held on April 25, 2009 from 11:00 A M till 3:00 P M. It will be held at the Dickson Cafeteria-Saferoom. This is a catered lunch. Paid advance reservations are necessary. Please contact Gene Conway at 580-223-4006 or 711 Osage, Ardmore Ok. or jjjordan@brightok.net for reservations.
“Howard’s Grocery Store on E Street N.W. and 6th. Gene and Georgia Howard were the owners and sold out in about 59 or 60. Both the Howard’s have pass on but their sons still live in Ardmore, Steve Howard lives in Ardmore and Mike Howard lives at Dickson which I’m sure they will be able to give you the correct address and the date the store was sold.” -Virginia
“Hi Butch, I just recalled one. Knight’s Store. It was on the road between Milo and Graham, NW corner of the road that passed by the McCrory ranch house a mile or so South. While visiting my uncle’s ranch, I was in Knight’s store a number of times in the 1930s, one room as I recall, looked like it had been there a long time. No building there last time I passed there. People today don’t realize how important such a memory can be – about a time when a lot of rural kids were limited by how far they could walk or ride someone’s horse.” -Bob McCrory
Keeton Grocery. “I just always knew it as Chuck & Louise Keeton’s store. It was located on the SW corner of 6th street and Lake Murray Drive, directly across from Hardy Murphy Coliseum. It was a small one main room with a side room where he put feed and pops. Dad paid his bill twice a month when he received his check. I feel sure it was there for at least 50 years or more. Chuck’s brother that we knew as Lem Keeton had his store on the corner of 9th street and Lake Murray Drive but I don’t how long it was there. You sure bring back some wonderful old memories. Thanks so much.” -Letha Blevins Fair
“Butch I remember a couple of stores from the late 20s and early 30s that are not on your list. One was on the corner of 2nd and H Street NW ran by a man by the name of Whitney. We lived a block north of there when I was growing up. Another is out of town in the Lone Grove area. NW corner of Prairie Valley road and Newport road. This was run by an elderly couple by the name of Roach. I was taught to call them by Grandpa and Grandma by my parents. Remember the red soda pops which I always knew I would get when visiting the store. Another was ran by Homer Beatty at the SW corner crossroad of Oil City and Dillard road. Sure brings back memories. Enjoyed the article of the old timer stores.” -Troy Seedig
“Robert Hensley’s letter about the Hensley cafe across the street from Pratt’s, reminded me of my uncle LESTER HARRISON. He owned the little tin building, vegetable stand just south across an open space from the cafe. He lived at 918 A Street NE, and would walk to and from his vegetable stand everyday. The stand had a dirt floor and in the winter time, a small open gas heater provided just enough heat. His family lived fairly well for many years from the profits of the stand.” -Dennis Lavers
“Well the purple martins have arrived and sure enough the hummingbirds were close behind–Saw the first one yesterday, April 2th. An update on the hummingbird situation– Friday evening the second hummer arrived both are females– able to tell due to the lack of bright coloring.” -Rick SW of Ardmore
I have been transferring OLD 78rpm’s using my MacBookPro, Audacity software and my Stanton T.90USB turntable to change them to AIFF & mp3 files. I ran across this 1949 Sinatra song, called “The Huckle Buck” that I thought your T&T readers might enjoy.
MAYBE someone out there remembers this Fad dance step that originated as far back as the 1920’s and was a bit risqué. From some of the stuff online that I have come across, it might be right up there with dirty dancing. Our generation isn’t the only ones to create that type of dancing. I think I read online that Chubby Checker speeded the song up in tempo. From the video I saw it seemed a lot like the twist. Maybe some T&T readers might have some interesting stories to share about the “Huckle Buck!” IF SO… have them send me some links, stories and how to’s of the Huckle Buck.
http://www.pbpartnersllc.org/mp3/OLD78rpm/hucklebuck.mp3
Does anyone out there feel brave? Remember back to ’49, Frank Sinatra & The Huckle Buck? If you know HOW TO Huckle Buck, make a video, send me a copy! Thanks! -Linda McGill Wagner http://okielegacy.org
Comment: You spoke of Oklahoma’s space astronaut, Gordon Cooper, this week in T&T. I found this in the Oklahoman archives dated May 20 1963
Comment: Here’s another article about Cooper and Space
http://olive.newsok.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=RE9LLzE5NjMvMDUvMjAjQXIwMDEwMg==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom-okl
Comment: here’s another front page article from the Oklahoman dated May 20, 1963http://olive.newsok.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=RE9LLzE5NjMvMDUvMjAjQXIwMDEwMA==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom-okl
“Hi, Butch, I know these have nothing to do with Ardmore or Oklahoma, but I think they’re cool. I got these from my uncle in Little Rock. He was digging through some old shoe boxes of photos and found these two photos of Bobby & Ethel Kennedy that were taken from the campaign trail in Laporte, Indiana. Wow!! What a piece of history.” -Kathi G. in Fayetteville, Arkansas
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/bobby_&_ethel_kennedy.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/ethel_&_bobby_kennedy_laporte_indiana.jpg
“Butch, I have been looking at your Ardmore website and was wondering if you might be able to help me in the search for a grave. My husband’s great-great grandfather (Frank Price) is said to have died and been buried in Ardmore. He died in 1897/1898. Oral family history states he died and was buried in Ardmore. His wife’s name is Sophia Jane Moore and he had at least one son named Frank Martin Price. Family history says Frank and Sophia had a farm (don’t know if they owned it or were “renting”) in the Ardmore area. I’m not sure when the farm was sold. There is the possibility Frank might have been buried on the farm. If this is the case, his grave is now on private property. Is there any possibility you might be able to help in the search for either the farm location and/or his grave? I have searched the web and have had a friend search at Ancestry.com for Frank’s information, without any luck. Please let me know if you will be able to help or if you can point me in the right direction to be able to find the location of the farm and/or the grave.” -Eva Price txmedicswife@gmail.com
“Butch, what’s the name of that long distance service you were selling a few years ago? I’d like to sign up with them again. I’m going to be in Germany for several months and I want to be able to forward my phone calls to a cell phone number in Germany.” http://www.CheapLongDistance.org
“When we got home Wednesday evening we saw this fire in the hills south of Gene Autry. A guy that lives just west of this picture told me it had been burning for 2 days. We need rain bad.” -Doug Williamshttps://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/GeneAutryFire040809.jpg
“Here is a very interesting thing a friend sent me, it is a link to the newspaper that was published in Berwyn Oklahoma back before statehood. Really fun reading.” -Doug
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/OKCARTER/2004-07/1091310891
“Hello Cuz, Well, it’s a sad time for our Families as the last remaining Prater sibling passed away this last week in Dallas, Texas. Frank Prater (Mom’s brother) who was a POW in WWII in China the same time Dad (Paul Bridges was MIA in Europe) was the last of his Family to leave this good earth. His children and grand-children will truly remember who he was as will I. All the Praters in Ardmore and Davis were close to the Bridges Clan there in Ardmore in the ’30s and ’40s. Your Dad, R.V. Bridges, and all the other Bridges brothers with maybe the exception of Donald would have remembered him if they were still around today.
Please run a short piece in your next T&T as there are a number of Prater nieces and nephews who subscribe to your weekly newsletter that need to know that Frank has passed away and this would be the only way we can get the word out to them.
Love from our Family to you and Jill. Only a couple of more months and we’ll be heading your way so get the bunk-house ready.” -Poss in Korea bridgesford42@hotmail.com
The Daily Ardmoreite10-21-1917Slacker Cases To Trial Here The United States court, for the eastern district of Oklahoma will convene tomorrow, forenoon at 10 o’clock, at which time the “slackers” cases will be called. There are more than 200 men held for trial. U. S. Marshall Enloe will arrive Sunday with sixty or more of those under indictment. The remainder are out on bond. Sheriff Buck Garrett has arranged to care for these extra prisoners. There are now about forty prisoners in the county jail, including seven charged with conspiracy, sedition and draft resistance. In the United States district court room, extra chairs have been placed but there will be little room for spectators. It is the intention of the court officers to have the prisoners kept in confinement in the front rows of the courtroom, and then with those out on bond and the witnesses, as well as large number of deputies and guards, also lawyers, there is scarcely any accommodation for visitors. It will be remembered that these prisoners are those arrested in connection with armed resistance to the draft made in Seminole, Pontotoc and Hughes counties. There was for a few daysm in the section, great excitement. Railroad bridges were burned, officers shot and some of the slackers killed. The United States grand jury at McAlester investigated the charges for several weeks and returned indictments against those who are to be arraigned in federal court here tomorrow, totaling over 200. Judge Ralph Campbell stated that the trials will be completed before adjournment.
For I remember it is Easter morn,
And life and love and peace are all new born. –Alice Freeman Palmer
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore Oklahoma
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443https://oklahomahistory.net
Save on long distance calls, just a couple cents a minute!
http://www.CheapLongDistance.org
Oklahoma Bells: https://oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
American Flyers Memorial Fund – Administration Webpage
https://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
https://oklahomahistory.net/airbase/
Carter county schools, past and present
http://community.webshots.com/user/oklahomahistory
Carter County Government Website
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/
All previous issues of This & That can be found on my Website.
Feel free to forward this free newsletter. Mailouts: over 1,600.
To be removed from my T&T mailings, just send me an email.
I do not sell, trade or give my mailing list to anyone for any reason.