PO Box 2, Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402

Email: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net, Phone: 580-490-6823

Captain R.C. Wiggs

Captain R.C. Wiggs is a well-known in the Oakland neighborhood as anybody, having made it his home since 1876, at which time he moved there from Grayson County, Texas., though he is Tennessean by birth. He married his present wife, Miss Josie Lawson, April 11th 1886 and has one child Edna by her. He has two sons W.W. and H.B. Wiggs by his first marriage both of whom are engaged in farming and stock raising. Captain Wiggs has surrounded himself with all the comforts and even luxuries of life. His home, in the suburbs of the town, he is a revelation to the stranger, the house is large, well built and comfortable, surrounding it are extensive lawns, dotted here and there with huge trees lifting their giant arms skyward. In all, the Captain must own nearly 4,000 acres of land, and he says he doesn’t want to sell a foot of it, for which he can hardly be blamed, as his possessions embrace some of the most valuable land in the Chickasaw Nation.
-Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers book 1982

January 1935
The six-year drive of a huge herd of reindeer from western Alaska to the mouth of the McKenzie River is complete. It promises, food, clothing and transportation for possibly many generations of Eskimos. Recent reports have described the Eskimos of Richard Island, in the great river delta of northwestern Canada as starving. Carl Lowmen, the reindeer king of Alaska, says the herd will save the Eskimos.

January 1935
County officers were reconstructing details leading to a triple automobile accident near Lone Grove Monday evening. P.J. Rummel, Toledo Ohio was killed and five persons were injured, Robert Davis and Leonard Ellis, Blue Ribbon residents, are in the hospital. Claudius Baker and Kyle and Peggy Duncan were also in the hospital. Davis & Ellis’s vehicle, a touring car, ran out of gas to start the incident.

January 1959
Ragtown must have supported 20 big gambling joints at one time, and several small ones not to mention the liquor joints. During 1919 there were more than a hundred killings in Carter County with the majority of them at Ragtown. Now called Wirt, the village had two stores and a filling station. No joints but two churches.

January 1984
Lone Grove, Oklahoma’s Lori Simpler’s Christmas gift from her parents was a recording session in Nashville, Tennessee where she sang to original songs, “Someday” and “Nobody’s Baby Anymore.” Fourteen year old Lori Simpler taught herself to sing sitting on the living room floor in front of the stereo listening to songs by Barbara Mandrell.

https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos11a/someday.mp3

Here is an Irving, Oklahoma (Jefferson county) bell sent in this week from a Reader.

https://oklahomahistory.net/bellphotos/FirstBaptistChurchBellIrvingOKa.jpg

https://oklahomahistory.net/bellphotos/FirstBaptistChurchBellIrvingOKb.jpg

https://oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html

Q.  What Oklahoma State Park was the first listed on the National Registry of Historic Places?
A.  Lake Murray

Q.  What is Oklahoma’s official state meal?
A.  Answer in next week’s newsletter

Below is a flagstone marker I sandblasted this week.

https://oklahomahistory.net/bricks/DaisyGirlDogFlagstone.jpg

Below is from This and That newsletter archives of March 8, 2007

Some 1922 Ardmore Businesses:

• Chickasaw Lumber   400 West Main
• Fonville’s Photo Studio   9 1/2 West Main
• Carter County Printing Co.   7 1/2 South Washington
• Williams-Poe Grocers   125 North Washington
• Strasmick Jewel Shop  Princess Theater Corner
• Model Vulcanizing Co.  Barney Oldfield Tires   15 A Street NW
• Dr. Hancock, Optometrist
• First National Bank, 33 years in Ardmore
• Harvey Brothers Funeral Parlors   300 West Main
• Harlen’s Grocery   225 West Main
• McLaughlin Furniture Exchange,   203 5th NE
• Dr. F.L. Williams, Chiropractor,  (over Hamilton Shoe Store)
• Blue Goose Tea Room,  12 B Street NW
• J.F Buchanan, Tayloring,  5 West Main
• Cornwell-Chowning Lumber Co.  3rd and Caddo
• Budd Hoard Co. Largest clothiers in Southern Oklahoma
• Ardmore Abstract Co. Simpson Building
• C.P. Hall Outfitters, Caddo Street, 20 years.
• Solomon’s Butter Nut Bread, Solomon’s Steam Bakery
• Briarwood Barber Shop, Joe Steward,  117 North Washington
• Ardmore Wallpaper and Paint Co. opposite Hotel Ardmore
• E.H. Ellison Plumbing   30 North Washington
• J.C. Penney Co.  313 stores, opposite post office, N. Washington
• Ardmore Pharmacy in the Simpson Building
• Whiteman and Simpson Co. hats, shirts, suites
• Ardmore Hotel, 100 rooms with bath, 50 without. J.C. Clopton, Manager
• M.M. Wallis, successor to Joe Curtis Dry Cleaning
• Peoples Building and Loan, George Selvidge, Manager, 8 West Main

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Last week I talked about needing to borrow a hard drive to do some ‘repair’ work on my computer at home. Several of you wrote in offering to help, and I appreciate every one of you. And in the true form of my amazing T&T Readers, one in Illinois wrote me within one hour after my T&T went out last Thursday evening, to say he had a drive he wasn’t using and I could have it for free if I wanted it. Within 72 hours after last week’s T&T, I had a brand new 80 gig Seagate drive in my hands! My T&T Readers never cease to amaze me! Thanks John Trusty!
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Here’s a website where you can download 1,000s of full-text books for free. I noticed many books have history as the theme, etc. on the website.
http://www.fullbooks.com/
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“A friend of mine has an old Colt .45 and he has heard that it belonged to a Carter County lawman around the turn of the century. Professionally engraved on the back strap is the name “W.R. Light” and on the inner strap of the butt is engraved the name “Holt” (no first name). He thought these may have been the names of an Ardmore Chief of Police or an Assistant Chief. Have you ever heard of anybody with these names involved in Carter County law enforcement in the late 1800s-early 1900s?”
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“Hey Butch! Man I enjoy your site. I grew up in Healdton and now teach in a public high school in Maryland. My dad forwards me your issues. In the last one, you took a picture of a burger from the Kingston Burger Shoppe. My fifth period class came back from lunch and I just on the spur of the second pulled it up and showed it to them. They got a real kick out of it and we had quite a conversation later on about the best burgers they’ve ever ate.”
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“Butch, One of your readers asked about a movie made in Pittsburg County. I grew up in McAlester and was about 5 or 6 years of age when that movie took place. My father had a live radio show at the time and was able to get he, my sister, and a young man my sister sang with to perform at a banquet held in the Aldridge Hotel for the cast of this movie. My sister, who still lives in McAlester, has pictures of her and her singing partner, Kenny Minyard, taken with Chill Wills, the star of the movie. I cannot recall the name of the movie. She was about 11 and Kenny was about 12, so the movie would’ve been around 1951, give or take a year or two. Next time I talk to her I?ll try to get some more info. By the way, Kenny Minyard has been for many years one of the top rated radio personalities in the large market of Los Angeles.” -Rusty
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“Hi Butch, As always I enjoy your editions of This and That. Last Saturday, February 24th was a wild wind storm wasn’t it? In your photos from Madill and Kingston I notice blue skies. You were lucky. That day my wife and I drove to Sweetwater, Texas. The winds were kicking up when we left OKC about 10am and by the time we got south of Lawton they were howling, but not very much dust… yet. As we got west of Wichita Falls, TX the sky rapidly changed to brown. The first two attached photos were near Seymour and Haskell, Texas, sometimes we had near zero visibility where plowed fields were blowing across the road. It was a harrowing trip that took about 90 minutes longer than the normal 4 hours and 45 minutes. By the time we got to Abilene the winds had diminished enough the visibility was more like 2 miles and that evening in Sweetwater it made for an interesting sunset as seen in the last photo taken from the second floor of the Holiday Inn Express. The next day was gorgeous and our return to OKC was normal. It sounds like the married life agrees with you. We’ve managed 26 years of it here and are still going strong. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” -Earl in OKC
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/DustStormHaskellTX7b.jpg
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“Butch, as a native of Love County who has resided in Nashville, Tennessee for 39 years, I recently visited the Love County Historical Society Pioneer Museum in its new home just south of the Court House in Marietta. I was greatly impressed and hope anyone with a connection to Love County will put it on their “to see” list. Items from early Love County homes, businesses, and organizations are beautifully organized and identified. The museum is open each Friday from 10 to 4 and at other times by appointment. I was told that additional hours will be added spring and summer. If you haven?t visited the museum, please do so. I’m certain you will find it well worth your time.” -Tom McAnally, Nashville, Tennessee mcanally@comcast.net
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“Glad to see the bridge pictures — here’s one of my favorites, the Mannsville Bridge on the way to Norton Cemetery (north of Mannsville, OK).” -Claire
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/NortonBridge7a.jpg
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“Butch, I was a young Game Warden in Carter county in the winter of 1971. Blue River had just been designated a trout stream along four scenic miles of stream in Johnson county. I had fished it a couple of times with great luck and lots of fun. I had a friend who liked to fish and he and I had conversed a few times about fishing and hunting. His name is Preston Jameson. Preston was a news anchor at a Wichita Falls, TX. television station. I called him and told him about the beautiful new trout stream and he got really excited. We planned a trip there for the following weekend. We packed up our camping and fishing equipment and headed for the river. The weather man must have been miffed at us for not inviting him, because he sent cold weather and snow. The fishing was great, however, and the scenery, wonderful, as we managed to get our limit of 6 each day. Preston was filming the entire trip, in between shouting with glee as he caught a beautiful stringer of rainbow trout. When the TV viewing audience saw the beautiful footage, they came to Blue River in droves. We sold several hundred trout stamps to people the next week end from across the Red River. The original fishing area started with just four miles of stream, but the Oklahoma Wildlife Department now owns or manages several more miles along the Blue River, along with pristine wilderness Rainbow and German Brown Trout fishing on the beautiful Mountain Fork River below Broken Bow Lake dam in McCurtain county. I invite your readers to take advantage of the wonderful angling opportunities of Blue River Public hunting and fishing area and the Mountain Fork trout fisheries.” -Rome Ingle, Tulsa
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Some mail from this week’s MAILBAG…..

Butch. Remember the 95 year old lady, Naomi Estes, from Minn. that wrote you? Well I found a picture of her Dad, Charley Jones, that was an engineer on the train that was at the Coliseum and now is at the Depot Station. He was killed on the train! I can’t remember the complete situation of the wreck or fire that took his life as I was a very small girl when it happened! The pic is VERY OLD and dark but maybe you can see it! Hopefully someone can fill me in on the situation concerning his death and the train wreck or train fire! -Betty Dighton
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19a/CharleyJonesTrain.jpg
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I well recall and actually was a part of two things mentioned in last week’s newsletter. I grew up just about a football field from Prairie Dog Town. Our house was just outside the Magnolia/Mobil Camp. The water tower is not in use but still stands today. We lived almost under that tower. Ol Keck protected Prairie Dog Town. After he passed the holes in the ground and cattle didn’t jive. D— L——— had the cattle and poisoned the little rodents. The other subject I was privileged to be a part of was the beer train wreck. The Southeastern types came running from Durant and us guys from Carter County went running to the wreck. We all carried cases of that darn 6 point beer and when the cases ran out we carried sacks full of beer. Finally guys called Marshals showed up and they charged us under the table $1 per sack of beer. -Vince
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Butch, Thanks for the info on the Adblock Plus software. I have downloaded it and looking forward to a reduction in the ads that annoy and distract us. I appreciate the fact you check these things out before you recommend to your readers. I always look forward to your weekly mailing. Keep them coming!!
Jerry Summy, Horntown
https://adblockplus.org/
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Hi, I came across a photo you posted which includes my grandpa. My grandpa is Warren Billingsley. I donated that exact photo to the Marietta Museum. It’s the photo with Elmer Koscheski, Horace Allen, Sheriff Clyde McGill, ??? Jones, my grandpa Warren Billingsley, and Wesley Liddell Sr.
Pretty neat seeing that online! -Carla Danger
https://oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos14b/ElmerKoscheski.jpg
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We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. -J.K. Rowlin

See everyone next week!

Butch and Jill Bridges“Friends Make Life Worth Living”PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443

https://oklahomahistory.net

Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
https://oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
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