PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
Email: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net, Phone: 580-490-6823
I mentioned last week about finishing up a project I started over a year ago at Healdton, Oklahoma. In the Spring of 2015 when I learned of a police officer killed in the line of duty there in 1930, it sadden me that not only did no one remember his death, but no memorial was ever erected for his death in the line of duty either. So thanks to 12 donors I received enough money to purchase a granite memorial. Last Friday Wilson Monuments in Lone Grove set the memorial at the Healdton Oil Museum in Healdton. Hopefully we will never see another Healdton police office’s name inscribed on the memorial, but if the unthinkable happens someday, there is room for other names to be inscribed below James Hutchison’s.
Below is a picture I took of the memorial the next day.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/HealdtonMemorial091716a.jpg
A granite plaque attached to the memorial to recognize the 14 people who made it possible.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/HealdtonMemoriaDonorsl091716.jpg
An overall view of the Healdton Oil Museum. You can see the law enforcement memorial at the far right in the picture.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/HealdtonOilMuseum091716.jpg
A webpage I created back in August 2014 on the Hutchison death.
https://oklahomahistory.net/hutchison.html
And of course everyone knows me, when I saw the bell from the old Dundee School west of Healdton on display at the museum, I had to take a pic of it too!
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16b/HealdtonMuseumBellDundee.jpg
August 1932
Government wolf trappers in Carter and Love County continue to wage destruction and the reports made to the government record 12 less raiders in the two counties. R.L. Thomas stationed in Carter County says he had caught and killed seven wolves and one bobcat.
August 1956
It came From outer space. Geologist don’t think so, but they don’t know whether it is either. Trace Barker, I Brock farmer, found what he thought was a meteorite buried in the Criner Hills. Barker gave it to Edwin Taliaferro to check it out. He called on some geologist. The experts said the porous ball of heavy metal isn’t a meteorite. Taliaferro invites anyone to drop by his place and try to identify it.
August 1956
Heat exposure and thirst was ruled the cause of death by a Coroner’s hearing for Zepherlee Stevenson, a thirty-six-year-old Milo woman. Her body was found 7 miles east of Pooleville in the Arbuckle Mountain foothills. She had been missing for 15 days.
August 1988
Carter County taxpayers now own Southeast Quality Engines. The county was the only bidder to purchase $38,000 of equipment and $80,000 worth of property in two separate sales.
A memorial stone I sandblasted this week for Jerry Holley Sr. who died last April.
https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/JerryHolleyPaver.jpg
You can find current gas prices for a particular Oklahoma town by entering the name or zip code in the GasBuddy search box.
http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/
Q. What is the origin of the largest ancestry group in Oklahoma?
A. Year 2010
14.6% German
12.6% Irish
9.6% American (most Oklahomans who cite American are primarily of English, Scottish, and Welsh ancestries)
8.2% English
7.1% Mexican
2.4% French
2.0% Dutch
1.8% Scottish
1.7% Italian
1.2% Scotch-Irish
Q. We know there are 77 sheriffs offices in Oklahoma. Make a guess at how many total law enforcement agencies are in Oklahoma?
A. (answer in next week’s T&T)
From This and That newsletter archives of September 21, 2002:
Dentist Dies of Poisoning
The Daily Ardmoreite
Friday, February 7, 1936
Ardmore, Oklahoma
Dr. J. C. Collier of Lexington, Oklahoma passes away at Countyline
COUNTYLINE, Feb 7. -(Special). Funeral services were held at Lexington for Dr. Jesse Claude Collier, 60, Lexington dentist, who died in a Countyline, Oklahoma hotel room Wednesday afternoon of poisoning. According to Dr. Guthrie of Countyline, who was called to the hotel by attendants who found the dentist unconscious, death was due to poisoning. Collier had been in the Countyline community, Dr. Guthrie said, for several months, driving back and forth to Lexington. He lived two hours after he was found in his room. No definite reason for his drinking the poison was known, Dr. Guthrie said. The incident occurred in the Stephens county section of Countyline.
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A Reader asked me this week “what is a Harvest Moon”. The Harvest Moon is no ordinary full moon — it behaves in a special way. Throughout the year the Moon generally rises about 50 minutes later each day. But near the autumnal equinox (Sept 22, 2016), the day-to-day difference in the local time of moonrise is only 30 minutes. The Moon will rise around sunset that night — and not long after sunset for the next few evenings. That comes in handy for northern farmers who are working long days to harvest their crops before autumn. The extra dose of lighting afforded by the full moon closest to the equinox is what gives the Harvest Moon its name.
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“Hi Butch! and greetings from upstate New York…. We have a large contingent of Amish families all around this area where I live and I love to buy the wonderful baked goods and fresh produce that they sell along the roads and at flea markets and such. They also make beautiful furniture and quilts. Someday I hope to be able to purchase some of these items for my home. I have friends who have had work done on their homes by the some of the local Amish men and the work is superb.. you don’t get much better than this. I love to go for rides on the weekend out in the countryside where they live and watch them do farming work with teams of horses, it’s amazing. I have also gone by homes where the women were outside washing clothes by hand and hanging them out to dry while young children played in the yard nearby. On Sundays I have seen many families in their dress up clothes driving down the road in their horse drawn buggies probably heading to church services. I would think that they must live an awful hard life, but their work ethic and close family ties are something to be admired.”
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“Butch: The Hilltop Cafe was Evelyn’s Chicken In The Rough during the 1950’s. They had really good chicken in a basket, served with honey, a roll and fries. They also put a “fingerbowl” on the table to dip your finger’s in and remove the grease from the chicken as you ate it. I had never seen a “fingerbowl” the first time I ate there and tried to drink the water, but realized it was not for drinking as it was rather warm One of life’s embarrassing moments. Also, Rick’s Roost was just down the hill from the Hilltop Cafe, and also on the east side of the highway. Rick’s was a popular hangout during the 50’s.”
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“Butch, our little town of Grandfield, Oklahoma keeps getting smaller all the time. But until about 3 or 4 years ago we had a small barber shop. The barber died. Also the Bell Refinery was located here for many years. When it left here the town went too. Also my husband’s family are descendents of the Whittingtons from Ardmore (Whittington Hotel people).” -Minny Lou Whittington, Grandfield, Oklahoma
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“Butch, I saw in your 9/14 T&T where someone mentioned a couple of my former teachers at Washington School on 5th NE in Ardmore. Eula Galt Sherman was my 2nd grade teacher. I never knew her maiden name until I read it in your column. Also, Lily Chandler Cox was my 3rd grade teacher…ditto for her maiden name. Mrs. Sherman was a wonderful teacher, very strict, but we learned a lot. Every morning we started our day with a scripture reading by one of the students and the Lord’s Prayer. Some of our assignments were to learn verses as well as whole chapters in the Bible. One of them was the 23rd Psalm and the 100th Psalm, both of which I remember in full to this day. The 100th Ps. is pretty lengthy and would have been especially so for a 2nd grader but we learned it and recited it individually in class. She also made special hats for our fall carnival. You could buy those hats for about a dime and then wear them during the evening’s activities. I remember getting to buy a hat one year and was so proud to own it. Mrs. Cox was also a great teacher. Years later I was working at Memorial Hosp in the Xray Dept when she came in for some tests. I told her my maiden name and she said that she definitely remembered me. I don’t know if that was good or bad (haha). Was it because I was a good student or trouble maker? I remember a substitute teacher we had one time (probably more than once) when I was in Mrs. Cox’s class…a Mrs. Davis. She was a retired teacher and had a granddaughter, Susan Davis, at Washington Sc. My first grade teacher was Mrs. Roberts (Dr. Boyd’s daughter); 4th grade I had Juanita Arrington; 5th was Carolyn Zumwalt; and 6th Louise Thomison. I remember all of these teachers vividly and have nothing but happy memories from school. Was honored to see not only Mrs. Cox when I was at Memorial Hospital, but Mrs. Roberts, Mrs. Arrington, and Mrs. Zumwalt as well. Mrs. Zumwalt’s husband was the hospital accountant when I first worked there. They all remembered me. Mrs. Zumwalt was one of the reasons I decided to go back to college after my children were born and work toward a teaching degree – the profession I am now in. I had the pleasure of telling her that. She said it “made her day” to know that she had such a positive influence on at least one of her students. We didn’t have a lot of money when I was growing up and I sometimes felt a little “dowdy” compared to some of the other students (even at Washington), but Mrs. Z always managed to compliment me on something every day. She also “made my day”…many, many times! I often wonder about some of my schoolmates from Washington…Ida Mae Wilson (heard she is in NY): Mary Thomason (I believe she is a teacher); Beverly Lewis; Linda Owen(s); Barbara Coleman (see her occasionally); Janice Patton; Linda Priddy (of Priddy’s Fine Foods); Shirley Higginbotham; and that Stanley Bridges – don’t know what happened to him but heard he is quite popular on the Internet. Butch, your column helps us share our memories of the “good old days” and keep those happy times alive in our hearts. Thanks for all you do.”
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“Seeking information on the “mail hack” that originated in Durant, Oklahoma picked up the mail, delivered it to all the small post offices en route to Ardmore. The pickup had a contract with the U. S. Post office to pick up and deliver mail as far as 1940 through the war years. In the afternoon, the “mail hack” would leave Ardmore with the afternoon mail and retrace his morning route back to Durant. The pick up was equipped to carry passengers also. The price for adult to ride was 25 cents and for a child that occupied a seat was 10 cents. Anyone who may have a picture of the vehicle, or who may remember the “mail hack” or any descendents of the driver, I would appreciate their memories.”
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“Butch, the Con Tike was a restaurant at the Clayton House Motel, the motel is still there under the name Economy Inn Motel at 1212 S Commerce.”
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“Dear Butch, I read with interest about Moran’s grocery in NE Ardmore. I do have fond memories of the Morans’, and really appreciated them being so good to us school kids from Washington School. I remember every bit of information the writer told about in the last issue of T&T. I also remember the Colvert’s milk bottles, and only just this past week saw one in an antique store. I must find out why they made those in the bronze color in the late 50’s or early 60’s. When I was a small boy in the late 40’s, I remember that Colvert’s milkman made his rounds with a horse drawn cart. I am positive that research will prove me to be correct on this matter. You would put your money in a bottle as well as a note to the milkman to inform him of your order on your front porch unless you wanted to do business with him personally. He also carried other Colvert’s products on his delivery truck. Those were the days to live in. Life was a slower pace. I also remember kids would say they were going to Kings’ Lake, and would invite me to go along. They would tell of seeing cotton-mouth snakes in the lake, and I just had to go see for myself, but being only a small boy at the time, I quickly found out that I could not go along with the others. There used to be a two story house on 3rd NE called the Kings’ place, and it was later used a as nursing home which was ran by Mr and Mrs Sloan. Later, Woodview nursing home was built closer to the street. History is a great interest to me, and I do enjoy it so much. Keep up the T&T.”
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Hi Ya Butch! Can I pick your brain? My husband remembers hearing it in the late 50’s – early 60’s. He was raised in Oklahoma so it may be just a short lived local song?? All my husband remembers of the song is this…
“99 miles across the Turner Turnpike
Some say it’s a hundred and two
But it’s not too far across the Turner Turnpike
When the hangman’s waiting for you.”
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“A barber shop in Ardmore, OK. It may have been on Washington Street. Does anyone know these people or who owned the shop? I have 3 other photos of this business.” -Barbara Warthen Wallace
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/barber9.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/barber9b.jpg
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“Butch, see if you could find a picture of the old Ferry that ran on Red River.” https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/reedferr.jpg
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I am enclosing my great-grandfather and family picture for you. From left to right it is Simon Pittman, Barbara Pittman Sampley, Adino, Alice Pittman Edwards and Mary Jane Gross Pittman. Adino Griffin Pittman came to Baum, Oklahoma (northeast Carter county) in 1901. Baum at that time was named Nickle Hill. Adino became the first postmaster. Adino was also a Methodist minister. He died in 1940 and is buried at the Lone Cedar Cemetery in the White Hills east of Baum. He was the namesake of his grandfather Adieus Adino Griffin who was the first sheriff of Pickens County, Alabama.”
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/adino.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/adino2.jpg
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/baum3.jpg
“Young School near Baum, Oklahoma 1935: The names on the back of this old picture are: Mable McLaughlin, Pearl Cavner, Carrie Setliff, Hattie Cavner, Adolf Garner, Ollie Sadler, Zelda Brock Hudson, Mable Sadler, Floyd Sadler, Zelma Carrell, Thelma Roundtree, Murel Skinner, Chambless Carrell, Oather Roundtree, Clint Carrell, Elvie Edwards West, Charlie Harlie (Doc) West, Kiness Croskell, Ruby Edwards….. Rozetta Patton, Nadine Cowan, Opal Cavner, Ona Kirby, Jessie Johnson, Linda Jane Garrett, Lucille Cavner, George Pittman, Margaret Cavner, lorene Billings, Aubrey Duncan, Jessie McClure, Willie Blain, Johnny Stephens, Marvin Billings, Edd Billings, Jim Shells, Ed Vineyard, Frank Roundtree, John Cavner, Newt Skinner, * Connie Bell Young, Lucy Cavner, Euniece Roundtree, * Evelyn Young, Edgar Vineyard, * Tullie Vineyard, * James Roundtree Jr., Urcia Roundtree, Wilma West,**Juanita West, Berniece Roundtree,***Reginald West, Tommy Gene Roundtree, Linden West,*******Loy Wynn, * Mike Croskell,* Lon Cavner.
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/youngsch.jpg
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Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..I have two public shows coming up that I hope you might be able to attend.
1) On September 23, I?ll be singing at the Prairie Rose Chuckwagon Supper in Benton, Kansas. The delicious supper will be served at 6:30 followed by my show. For more information, call 316-778-2121. Hope to see you there.
2) On October 29, I will appear at the Gospel Jubilee in Ponca City, OK. My friend Glenn Parks will be there with his banjo. Show starts at 6:30. For more information, call 580-765-4730. The Gospel Jubilee Theater is located on Highway 60, east of Ponca City. Hope you can join us for some great gospel music.Les Gilliam
?The Oklahoma Balladeer?
A. L. Baker Studebaker cars and trucks. 100 East Broadway, Ardmore. 1946
At the link below are 10 more scans of old photographs this week including James Edward Mansfield as a baby, Bogie at age ll years, Lillie Dixon, and 9 unknowns. -Robert Hensley
https://oklahomahistory.net/postcards
Shine On Harvest Moon
By Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth – 1903
Shine on, shine on harvest moon up in the sky,
I ain’t had no lovin’ since January, February, June or July
Snow time ain’t no time to stay outdoors and spoon,
So shine on, shine on harvest moon,
For me and my gal.
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore Oklahoma
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
https://oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Bells of Oklahoma
https://oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
Carter County Courthouse Paver Project
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/pavers
Ardmore High School Criterions Online
http://www.ArdmoreCriterion.com/
Oklahoma Bells: https://oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
Bill Hamm’s Cemetery Database
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/carter/cartercm.htm
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 Government Website
http://cartercountyOK.us/
All previous issues of This & That can be found on my Website.
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