This and That Newsletter
Vol 13 Issue 646 Circulation 5,000 June 11, 2009
PO Box 2
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net
580-657-8616 (not a toll free number)
Rick Feiler has a couple interesting items from his coin shop to share with everyone. This first one is a 1885 Morgan silver dollar made into a medallion by some Buick dealership. "You Can Bet A Million It's the Best Buick Yet" is on the obverse side.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/BuickMedallion09a.jpg
And on the reverse side: "When Better Automobiles are built, Buick Will Build Them".
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/BuickMedallion09b.jpg
This next item Rick has to share is a German belt buckle. On the back is inscribed CID1941. Maybe someone can tell us more about this inscription.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/GermanBuckle.jpg
If your ever in downtown Ardmore, Rick has a very impressive collection of coins and other collectibles on display inside his shop (located behind Citizens National Bank - West Main & A SW). Stop by for a history lesson.http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos8a/FeilerCoinShop.jpg
Another history lesson by Betty Carroll from her American National Bank radio spots:
"Once Upon A Time.... Reverend John H. Carr, a Methodist missionary found a patch of land 15 miles south of Durant in 1852 he thought would be an excellent location for an academy specifically for Indian students. He set up his tent in a grove surrounded by prairie grasses interwoven with colorful wild flowers. This inspired him to name the new school that would begin under the sponsorship of the Methodist Mission Conference and in conjunction with the leaders of the Chickasaw Nation Bloomfield Academy. It was renamed Carter Seminary in 1934 as a tribute to Charles D. Carter of Chickasaw and Choctaw descent, who represented the 4th District in Congress from 1907 to 1926. The school eventually relocated in the NW section of Ardmore when the federal government purchased the old Hargrove College in 1916 for the Chickasaw Indians. Carter Seminary was established and funded by the federal government to partially fulfill the treaty obligations of the United States to the Indian people. In 1952 the Bureau of Indian Affairs decided to make Carter Seminary a home-living community and to send the students to public schools." -Betty Carroll January 25, 1987
Next week I will have a big surprise for everyone, the audio recordings by Betty Carroll for listening too, just like we did in the 1980s on the radio.
The Woodford-Milo Reunion is being held Sunday, June 14, 2009 at the
Woodford VOL Fire station.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WoodfordMiloReunion2009.jpgA T&T reader wrote in this week inquiring what happened to the Hardy Murphy's 2 show horses, Buck and Silver Cloud, and their grave markers in front of the old locomotive 1108 at the Hardy Murphy Coliseum. The markers were moved a little to the south at the entrance to the coliseum.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/BuckAndSilverCloud060709a.jpg
Close-up of marker and inscriptions.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/BuckAndSilverCloud060709b.jpg
Last Saturday our chicken farm grew by 5 more bringing the total to 8. We traveled early Saturday morning north of Ada bought ($5.15 for the 5) Barred Rocks from Southside Hatchery. Now we have 3 Rhode Island Reds and 5 Barred Rocks. The lighter colored one in the photo is the Barred Rock rooster. A 4th Barred Rock hen is out of camera view.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/BarredRocks061009.jpg
The past few days we have really been busy (hard work) getting the little peep's chicken run fully enclosed with chicken wire to keep critters out and chickens in. But its all been worth, we already feel like they are part of our family and we get plenty of laughs from their sometimes crazy antics. We are learning each one's personality and starting to give them names. We have named the Rhode Island Red rooster Milo, while our Barred Rock Rooster is named Deese. I'm sure between the 2 roosters those 6 hens will know who rules. lol
This is the latest view of the coop and run.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/ChickenCoop061109.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/chickencoop.html
Jill is getting quite a variety of plants thanks to some T&T Readers. Perry Pearson from Wilson brought Jill 3 or 4 pineapple plants after wintering them in his hot house. Jill planted them in several locations around the property. She even shipped one of the pineapple plants to her twin sister, June, in California.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/PineapplePlant061109.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/PineappleCloseup.jpg
Kenneth Updike (another Wilsonite) gave Jill another Mexican Petunia. The first ones he gave us made it through the winter in our kitchen ok, but a week after Jill moved them outside this Spring, a hard frost took them out about a week later. So, Ken was kind enough to give her another Mexican Petunia.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/MexicanPetunia061109.jpg
And Shirley and Nathan Christian of Lone Grove gave Jill a Passion Flower Plant. An interesting story and history surrounds the passion plant.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/PassionPlant061109.jpg
I am still trying to find a good used gas push lawnmower. If anyone has one they'd sell, send me an email.
Bob Cole sent in a picture of a cedar potting bench he made using some plans he found on the Internet. I know Jill is going to want me to make her one of these benches. Bob said he's made 4 of these, 2 using kiln dried fir and the other 2 were all cedar. The cedar does stain better and will last longer but about twice the price.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/PlantingBench08.jpg
http://www.rd.com/how-to-build-a-cedar-potting-bench/article18256.html
Ten cheapest places to buy gas in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html
Q. What epidemic hit Oklahoma in 1918?
A. Spanish FluQ. Who was the first woman from Oklahoma to serve in Congress?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"Butch-The Oklahoma Antique Aircraft Fly-In at Pauls Valley last Saturday was a well-attended event as evidenced by a good representation of antique aircraft, visitors and good food. Events such as this don't just happen! Many hours of planning, getting the word out and the facilities in order, preceded the event. Thanks to Glenn Smith, the volunteers, aircraft owners, Kiwanis Club and weather...that made the event successful. As an attendee of fly-ins at PV in days long gone, it was a refreshing and enjoyable day. Thanks for the resurrection...this one and that One!" gsimmons@brightok.net
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/FlyInPV60609a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/FlyInPV60609b.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/FlyInPV60609c.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/FlyInPV60609d.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/FlyInPV60609e.jpg
"Butch, I ate my first tomato tonight from my Topsey Turvie today and man was it good. There is no taste like homegrown, this thing is really producing and looks as good as my ground tomatoes." -Doug Williams
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WilliamsTopseyTurvey060909a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WilliamsTopseyTurvey060909b.jpg
Here's a challenge for some of your old-timers.
We at the Arbuckle Historical Society of Murray County in Sulphur are looking for any information we can find about FANNIE THOMAS, a 1/2 Chickasaw born in Woodford, Oklahoma Territory, in 1890, and enrolled on the Chickasaw Nation Roll on Oct.6, 1899. Her father's name was Folsom Thomas. The post office listed on the roll is Nebo, Indian Territory.
Our reason for our interest? Fannie Thomas-Schrivner, Harvey moved to Pennsylvania with her husband, and in 1920 Raymond Harvey was born. Four years later the family moved to Sulphur and Raymond attended school from the first through the eleventh grade, before moving to Oklahoma City.
Upon graduation, he joined the Army and spent time both in Europe and in Korea. During this time, he received over 25 medals for outstanding valor and leadership and in 1951 was presented the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Truman. In a listing of the 50 most highly decorated military, he is listed as the 20th.
We are presently putting together a permanent display of information and photos, and so hope your group can give us some reminisces. Thanks for your help and cooperation.
C. Roland Earsom, President-Emeritus
Email: ursm_17848@yahoo.com
"Butch, My site about old clocks is somewhat related. You might enjoy. -Max Gould
http://www.angelfire.com/bug2/maxfugue/index.html
"The old church and bell you have pictured in Watonga, Blaine County, is the old Presbyterian Church."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bellphotos/watongab.jpg
"I don't like the commercial bird houses so I decided to build me a purple martin house so today I did, I still have to paint and install the porch rails on but I am proud of this thing. It is 1 foot square and 2 feet tall it has 12 apartments with an attic penthouse.. And thanks to Scheryl for my tools to be able to build this." -Doug Williams
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WilliamsPurpleMartinHouse9ahttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WilliamsPurpleMartinHouse9b
"The Ardmore Graduating class of 1969 is having its 40th high school reunion on August 1st. Anyone is interested have them go to http://www.classmates.com and look for Becky Williams She is the co-coordinator."
"Jeanie Wolfgram was honored on her 75th birthday, Sunday May 24, with a surprise luncheon hosted by her brothers Johnny and Dennis Williams at Calvary Christian Fellowship Church in Ardmore. Jeanie, Johnny and Dennis Williams all grew up in Ardmore. Their parents were the late E.S. "Red Hot" and Ruby Williams. Jeanie is the mother of three children who also grew up in Ardmore: Debra Jean Burroughs, Cleveland, TX; Shelley Ann Landeros, Ardmore, OK and David Lee Butler, Ratliff City, OK. Ninety friends and family members came to Ardmore from Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma to participate in the celebration. Following church services everyone gathered in the fellowship hall and enjoyed a catered luncheon of "Sunday Salads" and all the fixins. Servers included nieces Kennda Miller, Oklahoma City, OK; Stephanie Strong, Weatherford, OK and sisters-in-law Sandra Williams, Gravette, AR; Brenda Williams, Weatherford, OK. The hall was decorated with "75" atop birthday bags and on the walls featuring lime green, hot pink, orange, yellow and other bright colors which was also carried out in the serving items. Eight dozen bright topped cupcakes were displayed as a huge "75" in lieu of the traditional birthday cake. Guests signed in on scrapbook pages which will be included in her 75th birthday scrapbook." -Brenda Williams bkw1953@hotmail.comhttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/Wolfgram75th.jpg
"Daddy always used those plastic Easter eggs that my brother & I would have from Easter for the 'nest egg'." -Kathi G. in Fayetteville, AR
"Years ago, (1951/1960) the Daily Oklahoman had a front page story about a "Birdman in the Arbuckles". They had a picture of him as well. He was holding a chickadee or finch on his finger tips up close to his face.
I have searched the Oklahoman's archives on the internet and have come up with nothing. Has anyone ever heard of this man? I was living in Texas when this story came out and cant find anyone who has ever heard of him." -Ken @ Wilson updke@att.net
"Golly Butch, I must be getting feeble minded! I'd meant to tell you last week that I have at least 6 of those "Ace-Of-Drinks (2 for 5 cents) bottles and even meant to take a picture of a couple of them to show you the symbols on the bottom, but I forgot! I still haven't taken the pictures and yet I set them in the middle of the floor in my shop so that I have to walk around them every time I go in or out (which is several times a day). On the bottom of one is the symbol for the glass company "Owens-Illinois" (located in Akron, Ohio I think), while the other is marked "mTc". I don't remember which company that was but I think they made mostly dairy bottles (quarts, pints. 1/2 pints, 1/2 gallons and gallon bottles). I've seen that symbol on many milk bottles made in the 1940s, and I just imagine that these bottles (Ace of Drinks) were made in the '30s and '40s. I do NOT know what company(ies) may have sold the product nor do I know what the drink was. Possibly an artificially flavored fruit drink (orange, grape, etc.)." -Roy K. in Perry, OKhttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/AceOfDrinksBottle.jpg
"We decided to cook some fried green tomatoes tonight and man were they good, of course if you see me you already know that Scheryl is a great cook. You need to try these." -Doug Williams http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/WilliamsFriedGreenTomatoes.jpg
"The five Sisters of Mercy who traveled from Sacred Heart, which was located in Shawnee, Oklahoma, traveled over rough terrain in covered wagons, which were known as prairie schooners at that time. Sacred Heart was actually between Konawa and Maud. Closer to Konawa. It was quite a distance from their to Shawnee, particularly in the days of horse drawn vehicles. I think the Sisters from Sacred Heart moved to Shawnee quite a few years after that." -Wes Leatherock
"After searching through piles of paper records I found a copy of a letter I'd sent out about 15 years ago concerning my quest for info on my great-grandfather, William Harvey Burdick. Some of the information was taken from pages of my great-grandmother's hand written family history (in her bible) and some had been gathered from the Internet. I have done very little additional checking on the 'net' itself (I'd spent many hours previously) so there could have been additional info added subsequently but over the years have sent other inquiries as I found other folks who might have information that I had not discovered. No, I didn't check death records of Oklahoma (nor Louisiana, Arkansas, or New Mexico) because the family information based on info given out by his widow (Belle Burdick) was that he'd died in Texas. Here is a copy of that notice that I'd given out back in the '90s. Sometimes my memory amazes even ME!
My name is Roy Kendrick, presently living in Perry, Oklahoma and I am on an awesome hunt: My great-grandfather was born July 14, 1853 (one source said 1861) in Pike County, Illinois to Andrew Burdick and (his wife?) a woman who's named is unknown. Andrew Burdick supposedly was of English descent (some say Scottish and Irish). We do not know when nor where they died nor where they were buried. They probably had other children but we have no proof of this. Their son, William Harvey Burdick married Nancy Isabelle Greer on March 11, 1877. She had been born April 21, 1861 in Loma, Illinois and is of Dutch descent. Their children were:
William (Willie) A. Burdick born March 11 - 1878 died May - 3 - 1945
Myrtle May (lived 4 months, 2 days) born May 16 - 1879 died Sept - 18 - 1879
Georgie M. (lived 13 months, 4 days) born 5 / 25 / 1880 died June 29, 1881
Harvie (lived 4 months, 7 days) born Sept. 24, 1894 died Jan. 31, 1884
Martha Elizabeth (born in a covered wagon at) Stonewall, Chickasaw Nation, I. T.; on May 24. 1886, and died on September 15, 1970 in Lynwood, Los Angeles, Ca. (social security number 573-78-9653) according to Social Security Death Index.
Charles Harvey Burdick was born Sept. 9, 1884 and died in Washington State (in the 1970s I think).
Martha Elizabeth Burdick married my grandfather, Ernest Chasteen Kendrick on October 23, 1904 in Lindsay, Indian Territory and had six children including my dad, John Chasteen Kendrick and his identical twin brother William Chester Kendrick on September 23, 1907 in Lindsay, I. T. (they each weighed about 2-1/2 pounds at birth).
William Harvey Burdick was a cowboy and a peace officer in Texas and in Indian Territory in the 1880s and later. I am told (no proof) that he was a U.S.Deputy Marshal working out of Texas and that he may have also been a Texas Ranger (I could not find him listed on those rolls). During the first Oklahoma land run (in 1889) he went out of the territory to make a 'legitimate" run and staked his claim in downtown Oklahoma City on 2hat is now known as 15 North Robinson where they built Oklahoma City's first 'skyscraper', the Colcord Building (it's still there and has been recently renovated). It's just four blocks south of the Federal Building that was bombed last year [note: remember that this was written after the Murrah Building was bombed by Timothy McVeigh). My great-grandfather sold his claim (for a year's wages, $100, to a fellow peace officer, Charles Colcord and went back to being a deputy marshal with his buddy, Bill Tilghman.
According to my late aunt Fay (Kendrick-Newell) Henning, "In 1890 the Burdicks were living in Henryetta, Creek Nation, I.T. (where the coal mines were) and Grandad Burdick along with son Will, lay on the roof at night with loaded rifles to keep the Indians from burning down the house 'with Granma and mama inside' "). As the years went by, William Harvey (Bill) Burdick decided he didn't like the cold Oklahoma winters so he would leave his wife with their daughter Martha's family (my grandmother Kendrick) and head south to Texas in his car (an open "touring" vehicle) with the top down and an old cut-off cow horn beside him in the seat. As he would approach the land of an acquaintance, he'd blow through the horn 'like a bugle' to communicate with friends. One signal meant 'my family's fine, how's yours?', and he would do this all the way to his destination (wherever that was).
So far as I can determine, he died on December 30, 1940 (one record says that he died in 1941). His widow Nancy Isabelle (Belle) Burdick died March 25, 1951 and is buried in the Britton Cemetery on North Western Avenue in Oklahoma City (along with her son-in-law Ernest Chasteen Kendrick and grandson, William Chester Kendrick.
We are searching for ANY other records of his life and exploits; where he may have lived; where he died and is buried; and any photos or likenesses. We don't even know what he looked like! Who knows? He may have even had another family somewhere. ANY information would be appreciated. Roy Kendrick antqmall93@yahoo.com phone 580-572-8434
And that's where that story ended! I know a few other facts that I've learned over the years but the main ones were covered in the above correspondence." -Roy K.
"Butch, I read with interest in the June 4 T&T your quote from The Daily Ardmoreite article of January 30, 1902, regarding U.S. Deputy Marshal Ben H. Colbert. My dad had a connection with Ben Colbert from that period, which I will explain.My dad, Larkin Eugene "Pete" Williams (1880 - 1962), knew and on occasion spent time with the well known outlaw of the period, Bert Casey, a friend from his teenage years. Dad wasn't an outlaw, but he knew Casey was an outlaw and in his youth that didn't bother him. In fact, by chance Dad was with Bert Casey, Joe Mobley, and Walter Swofford, on morning of January 15, 1902, when Caddo County Sheriff Frank Smith and deputies George Beck and Bill Briggs attempted to arrest Casey. After the sudden onset of a blue norther, Casey and associates were at the time warming themselves by the fireplace in a vacant farmhouse, located somewhere midway between Anadarko and Apache. The result was a gunfight and tragedy for Sheriff Smith and Deputy Beck. Both lost their lives. Deputy Briggs got away and sounded the alarm, resulting in a manhunt and the eventual arrest of Dad and Joe Mobley near Maxwell, in Indian Territory. The man making the arrest was none other than A. A. "Gus" Bobbitt, by then an ex-U.S. Deputy Marshall, but still the law enforcement officer at Maxwell. Bobbitt would later be ambushed and killed by Jesse West.
Dad did not have a gun that day in the farmhouse in Caddo County and did not participate in the gunfight with Sheriff Smith and his deputies, though he would become the first man tried for murder in Caddo County. In his trial in July 1902, his lawyers made the case that that he did not have a weapon and did not fire a shot, and was there only by happenstance. They also said that Dad persuaded Casey not to go after Deputy Briggs, saying that he had seen Briggs shot and that he was dead, probably saving the deputy's life. The jury decided Dad could not be guilty of murder but was guilty of manslaughter in the 2nd degree. He was sentenced to 3 years at hard labor at the Kansas State Penitentiary at Lansing, which was by agreement between the Territories, the U.S. Government, and the state of Kansas the place where convicted criminals of the Territories were sent to serve their sentences. At his sentencing the judge told Dad that with good behavior he could get out in 30 months, and that is what happened.
Hard labor was indeed hard. Dad was assigned to work in the prison's coalmine, where after about six months he was injured in a cave-in, suffering a broken leg that would cause him to walk with a slight limp the rest of his life. After the accident, the warden took Dad out of the coalmine and assigned him to work in his home, helping his wife with housekeeping duties.
It was after Dad had been in prison a little less than two years that Deputy U.S. Marshal Ben H. Colbert comes into the story. When I obtained Dad's prison records from the Kansas Historical Society, I was surprised to see two letters in his file, both written by Deputy Marshall Colbert. The first letter was written from Ada, in June 1904, just seven months before Dad was was released. Mr. Colbert asked the warden for Dad's release date, because, he said, "I have several Live Bench Warrants for him." It almost sounded like Mr. Colbert was about to 'round up the usual suspects.' The warden provided Mr. Colbert the information he requested, but in January 1905, just three weeks before Dad was released, Mr. Colbert wrote back to the warden, this time from Ardmore, acknowledging the information provided as to Dad's release date and thanking the warden for his "courtesy." But by this time the situation had changed. Mr. Colbert said, "The United States Attorney has concluded not to apprehend the defendant; therefore we will not want him." I don't believe Dad ever knew there was even a possibility he could be arrested again.
Dad went on to live the life of a model citizen, marrying and raising nine children to be model citizens too, and he never mentioned his time in the Kansas State Prison to his wife or his children. But there were people who knew, and they would drop hints from time to time, to Mom and even to some of his children.
After Dad's passing in 1962 my siblings and I decided to find out what had happened in Dad's life that he chose not to share. And we did find out, and it is a fascinating story. I have now written the story of Dad's life, including his involvement with Bert Casey, in much greater detail than I have presented here. In addition I have included many other stories that involve Dad and his ancestors and describe how his ancestors emigrated from England and, over generations, his family came to live in Indian Territory in 1886. It is entitled, "My Father's Branch: The Lineage, Lore, and Life of Larkin Eugene Williams" and it is available on www.amazon.com .
What happened to the others that were involved in the fight with Sheriff Smith and his deputies? Joe Mobley was tried and sentenced to 8 years in prison, which he served. He died years later when a truck he owned fell off a jack onto him near Pauls Valley. Walter Swafford was killed in shootout with deputies on February 21, 1902, just eight miles south of Wewoka. Bert Casey was in that shootout too, but managed to escape again. It wasn't until prisoner Fred Hudson, along with another prisoner, Ed Lockett, were released from jail at Guthrie for the specific purpose of infiltrating the Casey gang and capturing or killing Casey, that Casey met his end. Marshal Bill Fossett was behind that deal. Casey and gang member Jim Sims were both killed in an early morning shootout around their campfire, after Hudson and Lockett got the drop on them and they resisted.
Butch, I have included copies of the two letters from Ben H. Colbert and a transcription of each. One was handwritten and is not easily read by everyone."
Doyle W. Williams dwwilliams@sbcglobal.net
Fort Worth, Texashttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/BenColbertLetter1904.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/BenColbertLetter1905.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/BenColbertTranscriptions.pdf
"Dear Friends, This message is primarily for folks in Kansas and Oklahoma. This coming Saturday night, June 13th my Silver Lake Band and I will be appearing at the Quail Valley Fun Barn in Winfield, Kansas. We would sure like for you to join us for some great food and an evening of our music for your listening and dancing pleasure. Supper at 6pm and dance 7pm to 10pm. Please call Marilyn Alberding at 620-222-2154 to make reservations and get the discounted price. Hope you will join us." -Les Gilliam ?The Oklahoma Balladeer?
I wished I had known about this years ago. Peeling the cooked potato was the least desirable part in making a potato salad. No need for a peeler.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4W0qIPJmoo
Before I got in this business I was in the chicken business. -Chubby Checker
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443Save 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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