After the completion of the Carter
County courthouse in 1910 one of the first three county commissioners did not
live to see its completion due to a heart attack he suffered at home in 1909
near Woodford, Oklahoma in northern Carter County. Allen Speake represented
District 1.
The Daily Ardmoreite, Wednesday
December 8, 1909
ALLEN W. SPEAKE LIES A CORPSE
County Commissioner and a Good Citizen Succumbs To Heart Failure Allen W. Speake,
secretary of the board of county commissioners, died at his home at Woodford
this morning at 3 o'clock. He has been a sufferer for several weeks with typhoid
fever and pleurisy, developed a few days ago. He was reported better Monday and
his physician, Dr. Dow Taylor, stated that if no complications arose he would
soon be well. But this morning at the hour named and when death was least
expected his heart gave way and death followed. The news was telephoned to this
city at once. When it was known this morning that Allen Speake lay a corpse, a
gloom was cast over the entire city. He is an old time citizen, had been a
faithful officer of the county and was reckoned among the most useful men of
this state and county. He has gone through all the hardships of the early
settlement of this country and leaves a devoted wife and family. He was about 48
years of age. Funeral services will be held at his home tomorrow at 1 o'clock
p.m. All the county offices have closed and will remain so until after the
funeral. District court adjourned this morning until Friday morning. Judge
Carney, who is special judge here and who did not know Mr. Speake personally
said from what he had heard of the man that he was a good and useful citizen, a
faithful officer of this county, and he approved the motion to adjourn court
until Friday morning. All the county officials and many citizens of this town
will attend the funeral. He was a member of the Elks and of the Woodmen of the
World and committees from these two fraternal societies will be sent to attend
the funeral. Mr. Darden and Mr. Scivally, the other members of the board of
commissioners were here this morning, when the news came. They were saddened and
were at a loss to know what to do without the counsel and advice of Mr. Speake
on the commission. Mr. Darden stated only last night that he did not know how to
appreciate Mr. Speake until he had been detained at his home on account of
illness. Not only has his family suffered an irreparable loss, but the county
and state has lost one of its best citizens. He was absolutely honest, was a man
of good judgment, he was fearless in the duties of his office and Carter county
can ill afford to do without his services.
After Mr. Speake's death and before the
completion of the courthouse in 1910, a black granite memorial was placed on the
inside wall at the front entrance. That was 105 years ago and all during this
time the words sandblasted on the memorial have been very difficult to read as
they blended in with the black granite. This week the lettering was highlighted
with white paint and the improvement is like the difference between day and
night. Below is a picture I took showing the memorial before and after.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/SpeakeMemorialBeforeAfter.jpg
Below is an old photo of the Milburn,
Oklahoma school.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/MilburnSchool.jpg
We have a Hamburger Inn in Ardmore,
but I didn't know until this week there was one in Mangum, Oklahoma too years
ago.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/HamburgerInnMangumOK.jpg
Below is an interesting website on
old Oklahoma bridges some dating back before statehood in 1907.
http://okbridges.wkinsler.com/
Blue River north of Tishomingo sure
is beautiful this week after all the rains.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/BlueRiver042215.jpg
Someone sent in this link to the
Dover, Oklahoma train wreck of 1906.
http://www3.gendisasters.com/oklahoma/13081/dover-ok-train-wreck-sept-1906
Thanks to Paul Tucker using his
website making program, the Carter County Sheriff has a new and improved
website. It is now keeps with the theme of the entire Carter County government's
website and download speed is much improved.
http://cartercountysheriff.us/
http://www.cartercountyok.us/
The warmer weather has me outside
sandblasting a few pavers.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/SchonesPaver.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/DannyHudsonPaver.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/Bridges236.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/RobertsRock.jpg
I saw this week where John Hinckley
made the national news again, seeking more freedom to move around more freely
and no longer incarcerated at the mental facility where he has been
kept since 1981 after his assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. Hinckley was born at
Ardmore's Hardy Sanitarium in May 1955, maybe the last child
born there as that facilty closed that month and the new Memorial Hospital was
opened on 14th NW.
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/hinckley/HBIO.HTM
I'm still stuck at the 177 pounds for
over 2 weeks. I am thinking I may stop taking TruVision for about a week and
see what happens. One person told me I may have reached my "optimum weight".
Anyway if anyone wants to try it
give me a holler. "I'll meet you at the mailbox." Join us and check
it all out at the link below.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/truvision.html
http://butch.truvisionhealth.com/
As I mentioned in last week's
newsletter, I installed the OKie Power Saver to help keep my electric bill as low
as possible when I crank up the air conditioning this summer. Ever since I
installed the unit I've had no need to even turn the a/c on. But I know those
high temps are coming, and I'm ready to combat that sky high electric bill. I
have created a webpage to tell more about the OKie Power Saver at the link
below.
http://www.OKiePowerSaver.com
Q. This Oklahoma city got its
name from the Creek word "Rekackv". Originally known as a "bedroom"
community to its much larger neighbor city, it experienced rapid growth from the
1960s on, and by 2012 was one of Oklahoma's largest cities by population. What
is the name of this city?
A. Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Q. Where was Cedar County,
Oklahoma?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)
From This and That
newsletter archives of April 17, 1999:
Seems like everyone has heard of the
Dionne Quintuplets of Canada. But in the 1930s here in Oklahoma were four famous
quints. They were the Key quintets...... daughters of Mr and Mrs F.M. Key of
Hollis, Oklahoma. They made many appearances, were on the front page of the
newspapers even as young adults and even served in the armed services together.
The quints were Leota, Roberta, Mona and Mary Key. I wonder if Hollis, Oklahoma
has any info on them? They moved to Oklahoma City around 1940. I did a search on
the Net and found nothing.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/428334614532908727/
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"...in 1924 of William Sides age 28 while
moving a whiskey still from the Blue River with revenue agents. A man named
Bishop Reed as helping. The man standing is Fred Hunt the County sheriff.
William Sides is the one with his arm on the steering wheel. The man with the
gun is a revenue agent. The pic was taken in Tishomingo, OK"
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/TishomingoMoonshine.jpg
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"When I was a small girl and lived on the
farm in Frederick, OK. We had a large dinner bell outside the house. When the
thrashing crews were there, I always got to ring the bell for them to come in
and eat. This was when neighbor helped neighbor, going from farm to farm until
it was finished. We also rang the bell when there was an emergency for my uncle
to come in from the field. All of my family is dead now, but we donated the bell
to the Museum there at Frederick in my uncle's memory where it hangs outside on
a large pole. I just wanted to share the story of my bell with you."
----------------------------------------------------
"Here is another item of possible interest
for some of your readers. This is a newspaper clipping from the Daily Ardmoreite
~ 1946. It list the names of the candidates for the queen of beauty for the
Ardmore senior high school yearbook."
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/ArdmoreQueens1946.jpg
----------------------------------------------------
A couple of weeks ago, courthouse
maintenance employee James Lindsey painted the four clock faces, and they look
more beautiful then I've ever seen them! If you are nearby, go by in the evening
hours after dark and see these magnificent illuminated clocks in the courthouse
dome in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/PaintClockHandsLindsey.jpg
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Gas prices today in the Ardmore
area......
http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/index.aspx?mss=152754
Non-ethanol gas (pure gas) stations
in the Ardmore area.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/puregas.html
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"Butch, your piece in T&T about Route 66 sent me back into memory
lane. In 1945 I rode my motorcycle from Southern California to Ardmore mostly on
Route 66.
Further back in 1930, 6 years old, lived in OK City, my grandfather visiting us,
watched 3 blocks away counting cars that went by on Hiway 66. I remember him
exclaiming "a car a minute, sat here an hour & 60 cars". Picture - me on my
motorcycle 1945 here on B Street NW in the block where I live now, where I was
born." -Best, Bob McCrory
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15a/McCroryMotorcycle.jpg
"About the "Orphan Train" mentioned in last week's
newsletter. Somebody is mistaken about any coming
through Ardmore during World War II. I lived there. That didn't happen. The
story I read about the "Orphan Train" is that during the depression there were
poor orphans in New York. These were put on trains and taken out West. Whenever
the train stopped at each town, people who wanted a child would come and adopt
one or more. There was a responsible chaperon along with the children. Some
people needed another child to help on their farm. Childless couples wanted a
child. Some took them out of compassion. Another interesting thing in the book I
read was about the "Harvest Houses" (no connection to the orphan story) that
were at many railroad towns. Several years ago we stopped at a restaurant in
Hugo, Oklahoma. Many years before, the building that the restaurant was in, had been
a "Harvey House". I think the restaurant is still there beside an old RR track.
However, very few people are as old as I am with these remembrances. I enjoy you
Newsletters." -Wilda Stephens
Ret. Army MSG Don White, Ardmore High school Class of 1955 has
written a book recounting his tours in Vietnam. The title is "No Body Armor".
I highly recommend reading it.
http://www.amazon.com/No-Body-Armor-Donald-White/dp/1483400492
"Butch, I am looking for more information on the name Pennington Creek in
Tishomingo. I am trying to find out if anyone knows for sure how the name came
about. One version was that it was named after Edward Pennington who was caught
on Pennington Creek after committing a murder in Kentucky. I am hoping to learn
more if any of your readers has anything. I do know that there was a family by
the name of Able Lane Pennington living in Tishomingo at one time but do not
know when nor the relationship. As you know I have been looking for the
connection for my ancestors for a number of years. I have learned that my great
grandfather Alonzo Charles Pennington 1854 Missississippi was a Baptist Minister
in Marshall, Johnston, Carter and Jefferson Counties. He was married to Susan F.
Cross-Fowler-Pennington 1863 Louisiana in Van Zandt, Texas and moved into the
Indian Territory in 1904. One of his son's J.B. Pennington was a teacher and
helped start a number of schools throughout Oklahoma. I believe Alonzo's father
was F. Pennington, Franklin, Francis or William born abt 1813 in Alabama. His
nickname was Willie and married in 1833 in Montgomery, Alabama to Nancy Ann
Jackson also from Alabama. Franklin's father may have been John L. Pennington
married to Francis Smith and his father to be Able Pennington Sr. married to
Sarah Sweeten. Able Lane Pennington is believed to be the brother of John L.
Pennington but their were several Ables in the family. My direct e-mail is
mikey403@msn.com and I would very much like to hear from anyone who may
have any information. Once again Butch I really enjoy reading your T&T
newsletters and hearing about back home." -Mike Pennington
See everyone next
week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
