This and That
Newsletter
A Weekly Publication
Vol 14 Issue 700 Circulation 5,000 June 24, 2010
PO Box 2
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net
580-657-8616
One of the native Ardmoreites born before the turn of the century, is Lorenzo T. Love, known as L.T. Love. L.T. was born January 18, 1897 in Ardmore, Chickasaw Nation, the son of Lorenzo H. and Ruby Rebecca (Thurmond) Love. He was delivered in the world by Dr. Frederick P. Von Keller for the total fee of $10.00 and as was customary, this was in the home.
The Love family had moved to Ardmore in 1896 from Chattanooga, Tennessee. In 1895, 96,000 bales of cotton were marketed on the streets of Ardmore, and this is what brought the Loves to Indian Territory. Lorenzo H. Love was a cotton buyer and exporter, and his partner was his brother in law, T.A. Thurmond. He later built a cotton compress but sold it. In 1944 the compress burned and lit up the sky for miles around Ardmore. Lorenzo H. was born in Alabama and died in Ardmore in 1947. Ruby Rebecca was born in Louisiana and died in Ardmore in 1933. Their children, other than L.T. were Louise (Love) Porter, and Rebecca Love Entriken, a music teacher in Ardmore for many years.
L.T. went to school in Ardmore, then in 1919 served in the U.S. Navy during WWI. Upon returning to Ardmore, he went to work in the cotton business. In 1933 L.T. bought the Homer Hinkle Insurance Agency and has been in the insurance business for many years. He earned the distinction of having served in both world wars, being on active duty in the USAF in WWII.
L.T. married Elinor (Barron) Love from Chicago, and they had many wonderful years together. Elinor was born in 1902 her parents being James and Laura (Collyer) Barron, both from in Illinois. The Barrons had come to Ardmore in 1915 because of the old discoveries, and because of the impending war. Elinor had no siblings. L.T. and Elinor lived for many years in the large yellow brick home on the southwest corner of D and 3rd Street SW. The home was built by L.T.'s father in 1912. On the same property before 1912 was a frame home, also built by L.T.'s father and this home was moved to the northwest corner of D and 4th street SW. L.T. and Elinor have two daughters, Elinor (Love) Volker of Norman, and Sarah Ann (Love) Collins of Ardmore. L.T. Retired in 1961.
-from Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers book 1983
Q. The Green Corn
Rebellion was a protest against what war?
A. Took
place in rural Oklahoma in 1917 to protest WWI
Q. What was Alfalfa
Bill's real name?
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.....
"I remember that term Modern and also what is now called the living area was called the front room or living room.""Yes, I remember also when cabins were advertised as "modern" with the same meaning."
"Dear Butch. Thanks for having me on your mailing list. Every week there is so much about people, places and things that bring back memories of my life in Ardmore and Oklahoma. Last week there's a picture and write -up about Ted Spurgeon. I graduated from high school with him. But I didn't know that he was a B-24 pilot in WWII. I helped build those B-24's in Ft. Worth. ---So much nostalgia!!!!" -Wilda Stephens
"Butch, For you or any of your readers: someone please tell me what I can do to keep the squirrels out of my bird feeders. I have a pole with 4 different feeders attached & can not figure out how to keep those furry little fuzz balls from scurrying up the pole to eat from the feeders. I bought squirrel food to put out near the bird feeders, hoping they?d eat it instead, but they still go after the bird feed. My daughter-in-law told me that her dad sprayed his feeder poles with PAM and it keeps them away. But I?ve tried that more than once & it didn?t help. I refuse to put out more feed until I can find a solution to this small problem. Thanks for any help." -Kathi G., Fayetteville, Arkansas
Note: Kathi, a year and a half ago I put a PVC pipe around (over) my bird feeder pole (after painting it black). The squirrels finally gave up after a few days, because every time they started up the pole, they just slide back down to the ground. They couldn't dig their claws into the slick PVC. lol
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos9a/BirdFeeder010109.jpg
"John Brawley's great, great, great grandfather was a Sheriff in Pecos County, Texas around 1830 and these cuffs have been handed down through several generations. John P. Brawley, Jr., is 80 years old and lives at Lone Grove. His great, great, great grandfather, John Pryor Brawley, was born around 1800 and was Sheriff of Pecos, Texas (I think Reeves County) around 1830 when Texas was a republic. A pair of iron handcuffs, with a key, has been passed along through several generations and John, Jr., now has them. The cuffs are amazingly secure and quite tiny. I suspect they were used for teenage criminals, or very small men." -james clark
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/PecosHandcuffs062210a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/PecosHandcuffs062210b.jpg
Brawley family tree:
John Pryor Brawley ? born on or before 1800. Former Sheriff of Pecos, Texas
(Reeves County). Was Sheriff in approximately 1830 for Republic of Texas.
T. J. Brawley ? son of John Pryor Brawley. Born approximately 1830. Brother was
J. T. Brawley, a wagonmaster who escorted settlers from South Texas to Nebraska
territory.
J. L. Brawley ? son of T. J. Brawley. Born Feb. 4, 1869. Wife was Texas Brawley.
John Pryor Brawley ? born at Marsden, Love County, Oklahoma 1901. Wife was Lucy
Richardson.
John Pryor Brawley, Jr. ? born 1929 ? presently lives at Lone Grove, Oklahoma.
NEW BOOK IN THE IMAGES OF AMERICA SERIES: "MEDICINE PARK - OKLAHOMA'S FIRST RESORT" NOW AVAILABLE
We posted information last week in the newsletter about the new Medicine Park history book from Arcadia Publishing's Images of America series. "Medicine Park - Oklahoma's First Resort" by Medicine Park author David Lott. However, Lott's website wasn't fully set up for taking orders just yet. NOW it is. Known as the ?Jewel of the Southwest,? Medicine Park?s colorful history and formative years come alive in the book through text and vintage images of the area. The book contains approximately 22,000 words of text history and over 200 photographs. It is NOW available thru www.medicineparktradingcompany.com
--
David C. Lott
Lawtonka Media & Creative
PO Box 343
Medicine Park, Oklahoma 73557
(580) 529-2500
(580) 574-1406 cell
Web:
www.lawtonka.com
www.cobblestonegazette.com
www.medicineparktradingcompany.com
www.twitter.com/davidlott
Email: dlott@lawtonka.com
"Hi Butch, I was wondering if you would mention in your newsletter that there will be a reunion on Saturday, July 24 for anyone associated with the (now closed) Springdale School out on Springdale Road. The reunion will be held at the school itself from 4pm to 8pm with a catered meal from Cattle Rustler's. The meal will cost $10/person or $4 for kids under school age. Anyone wanting to eat at the reunion will need to mail their money to Gary Scott at 3220 Meridian, Ardmore, OK 73401. Also, if you or any of your readers have any old Springdale pictures (especially 1960's and before) I would appreciate a copy of them so I can put them in a slideshow that we are going to have. I should also mention that there is a Springdale Facebook group. To find it just search Facebook groups for Springdale Warriors. If anyone has any questions they can leave a message there or they can email me at belliott@se.edu Thanks for your help in getting the word out." -Brett Elliott
"Graduated in 1975 and our senior class went to Turner Falls. Several classmates thinking they were pulling a harmless prank decided to throw me in the Blue Pool. Little did they know, I couldn't swim that great and when I realized I couldn't touch bottom I started to panic and nearly drowned. Luckily, one of the teachers swam to my rescue & they managed to get me out of the water without taking in too much water. I looked like a drowned rat and felt utterly humiliated, but now I laugh about it. It was a lot of fun, though, regardless of the "near-death" experience. :-) -Kathi G.
"Butch, to conserve water (even though you do have a well) you can purchase at Lowe?s or Home Depot, rain barrels ($69), that you are able to attach your drain spouts from your house's rain gutters that will collect rain water and even have a spigot attached that you can use your water hoses directly from the barrel. I intend to get one for myself whenever I get the tax credit back for my new house. I?m all for saving water."
"Your article last week about water well pumps couldn't have been better timing for me. I e-mailed you awhile back about the details on getting your well drilled. The drillers down around Eufaula Lake are higher due to the prevailing rockier country. I got mine drilled last week... $22.50 per foot. Went 160' deep and I have water standing within 8' of the surface. Doesn't smell or taste bad, so I'm hoping for the best....sulphur and iron are common around that area so I hear, and many wells aren't fit to drink from. I'll be pump shopping pretty soon, so your pump info will come in handy!"
http://www.bestnest.com/bestnest/RTProduct.asp?SKU=LIG-14942364
KID'S CARS ARDMORE 1930s - OTHERS
"Transportation for most kids in the 1930s was varied - walk - roller skates - bicycle - horse - and for the favored few maybe a motor bike or a home-made something. In the days before rural electricity, washing machines could be had with a small gasoline engine - which sometimes wound up in kid projects. Nothing compared with getting a car.
I loved old cars, antique guns, old anything - but I didn't graduate into hot-rod cars or modern guns. I'm still of a 19th century mindset. I was a pretty good mechanic and could fix most anything, make it run at least for a while.
Somehow I got a Model T Ford at about 14 (1938) for $15 dollars. As I recall my Grandmother was a major contributor making it possible. No car license, no drivers license, no insurance I was living a teenage dream. As I recall kids could get drivers license at 14 that was limited to driving back and forth to school - not that anyone was affected much by that limitation. Full license at 16. In the depths of the depression law enforcement was sparse, interested in real lawbreakers. I do recall a couple kids getting tickets.
Fifteen dollars was about the going price for a Model T if its engine didn't sound too bad, radiator didn't leak much and the tires looked like they would get you home. For a Model A $25. Next I bought a stripped Model T truck for $5, no papers, very bad tires I expected to sell for more. After couple months I sold it for $5 just to get rid of it.
By now about 1940, best car was a 1925 Studebaker originally owned by John Ringling of the Ringling railroad, owned by Ringling's ex-bookkeeper here. In great mechanical shape, a hard top convertible (in modern terms) open above the doors without windows, bought it for $18. Driven daily until recently but had always sat out so we took off the bad top and had a roadster. Tires were a major issue, all worn well into the white fabric breaker strips. It was a heavy car and used a tire common to trucks so we found a tire now and then for fifty cents or a dollar with only a little fabric showing. "We" was a partnership with a schoolmate. Painted green with black fenders we were envied by most of the high school.
Sale to another high schooler brought it to its sad end at Lake Murray. I should mention that when the lake was made there were section line roads that ran into the lake, now handy for launching boats. A trailer with the boat was backed down close to or into the water, etc. Studebaker was parked on one of these inclines, probably slipped out of gear and slowly rolled down into Lake Murray - where it remains to this day.
My Grandfather had a Model A coupe kept in pristine condition, easily the best Model A in town. Sometimes I would drive him to his office over Collier Bros Furniture, SE corner B and West Main, then drive to high school and have limited use of the car till I picked him up at 5 o'clock. I was proud to be driving such a fine car, so I gave it great care.
Care can be in several forms. A day with no school, I was driving it with a couple other kids toward Lone Grove, West of Ardmore. Behind a very decrepit Model A two-door creeping along, I started to pass. Its left rear wheel came off and ran up under my right front fender behind the wheel, bending it up about a foot. I confronted the other driver, an almost pitiful man, wife and small child, obviously at the bottom of resources. Almost at least, he gave me his last $1.50 to pay for the damage. We put his wheel back on for him.
I had visions of a huge body shop bill of $20. Studying the damage, it was all a gentle bend with the running board/fender support broken away from the frame of the car. Bought one from a junkie for a dollar, bolted it up to put the fender back like it had always been. One place was rough at an old body putty repair that I concealed with some quick-dry lacquer. All in about two hours. Fortunately my Grandfather never knew. Some days later he saw the rough area which I explained probably some of the kids had stepped on that area when we were hunting.
Something else parents didn't know -- now and then at night we would drive down country roads, one of us sitting on each front fender and shoot rabbits by car lights with our .22s. At the time either the Model A or the Studebaker or some other kid's car.
If a kid had any car that would run you were envied by those who had to walk. Kid judgment of cars was, would it run and not much else - although the gas it used, appearance and how fast it would go were factors. Speed was a major factor in judging parent's cars - and we tried them out when we got a chance. Model As got about 20 miles per gallon max. Model T about the same but nobody knew because Model Ts didn't have a speedometer. Gas in Ardmore was about 17-19 cents a gallon, out on the edge of town 12 -15 cents. People complained that gas was always cheaper in Davis.
Not exactly a kid car, during WW2 I bought a 1924 Studebaker for $35 in great condition. A gas hog, with gas rationing I had to convert it to run on kerosene, not rationed and 10 cents a gallon. Cheap reliable transportation for several months, sold it for $40 when I got transferred. Details of my kerosene conversion make a story in itself - for another time.
Shifting gears here -- there were some spectacular cars around Ardmore - but not for kids.
Here are some I remember and lusted after --
Cadillac 1931 16 cylinder seven passenger sedan with 25000 miles on it traded in on a 1940 Oldsmobile. Paid $7500 new, owner had used it for summer trips with his large family. Sold for $300 to a man for his son couple years older than us who soon lost his life flying a light plane.
Marmon 1930 16 cylinder coupe, much used, trade-in. Olds - Cadillac dealer was King Motors on Broadway across from the then Post Office.
Lincoln 1930 Victoria Coupe, beautiful condition, owned by prominent Ardmore man, became a delivery car for local butcher. It was seen often with a huge insulated box mounted on the back.
Auburn 1934 12 cylinder Victoria Coupe, had 12000 miles on it, owned by a lady, chauffer driven, serviced at my Dad's station, then SE corner B street and Broadway. Fantastic green, chromed wire wheels, with every conceivable luxury of the day. I once had the opportunity of backing it off the rack after an oil change.
Pierce Arrow 1928 Victoria Coupe, owned by friend's dad who bought it after years of storage, like new, very low mileage. I drove it quite a bit. I recall how wonderful a car it was to drive and how some things about cars have not improved much over time.
Pierce Arrow 1914 seven passenger touring car was stored in a garage on a street I walked by often to and from high school. It had 7000 miles on it, right front wheel jacked up, sat there for years. Steering wheel on the right with hand levers outside. No front doors, one entered rear door and walked between front seats to drive it. I heard it went in scrap drive for WW2. All the above had aluminum bodies and probably suffered the same fate.
Mercer 1914 Racers - two of them, beautiful condition, were stored in a garage on Hinkle street, few doors West of A St. I went in and looked at them several times over the years and were there till around 1949. In mid '50s I told a man in NY about them and he came to Ardmore to try find them but they had disappeared.
A high school teacher had a pristine Model T, another had a 1927 Whippet, a neighbor had a real nice 1925 Star pickup he drove every day as a carpenter. The city of Ardmore had two 1914 Seagrave fire trucks up to around 1941, replaced by new Seagraves.
My Father refused a 1934 Packard coupe, biggest straight 8 engine, because it needed brakes, muffler was blown out and it was such a gas eater. Customer of his offered it for $85.
Gotta stop somewhere. I could go on with vehicle technical details and features but probably interesting only to a few old mechanics like me." -Bob McCrory
"I read this today about the 1909 Ada hangings and thought it might be of interest."
http://newsok.com/ada-filmmakers-spotlight-infamous-1909-hangings-in-documentary/article/3470142?custom_click=rss
"Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves.? -Dale Carnegie
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
Save on long distance calls, just a couple cents a
minute!
http://www.CheapLongDistance.org
Ardmore High School Criterions Online
http://www.ardmorecriterion.com/
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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