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Dublin Core
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Title
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Family Histories
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Oral History
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Oral accounts of various family histories
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Bristow Historical Society, oral history collection
Oral History
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Interviewer
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Regan Siler
Interviewee
The person(s) being interviewed
Linda Kay Herman
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5.4 August 15, 2024 OHP-0063 Linda Kay Herman OHP-0063 01:08:00 Bristow Historical Society - Oral History Archive Bristow Historical Society, Inc. bristowhistory Linda Kay Herman Regan Siler 1.0:|23(12)|54(17)|86(16)|103(3)|125(8)|146(13)|164(16)|188(9)|209(4)|231(14)|249(3)|272(9)|296(19)|320(8)|351(12)|374(17)|398(8)|425(14)|443(12)|470(7)|492(4)|513(7)|532(13)|548(3)|567(11)|586(14)|622(4)|645(4)|671(8)|688(16)|721(7)|738(11)|765(14)|795(10)|817(9)|836(18)|869(15)|899(16)|920(11)|950(7)|974(4)|992(7)|1019(3)|1042(9)|1072(8)|1098(9)|1119(20)|1146(4)|1172(14)|1195(3)|1224(11)|1237(6)|1257(11)|1267(11)|1305(10)|1320(12)|1344(11)|1367(4)|1381(18)|1404(11)|1436(5)|1456(8)|1480(8)|1498(4)|1518(6)|1538(16)|1555(11)|1590(10)|1606(5) 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/interviews/OHP-0063 Herman, Linda Kay.mp4 Other video 0 Birth Regan Siler 00:00
 ; This is Regan Siler with the Bristow Historical Society in Bristow, Oklahoma. This interview is part of the Historical Society's ongoing oral history project. The date is August 15, 2024 and I'm sitting here with Linda Kay Herman at the Bristow Library Annex. She is going to tell us a little bit about her life and her history living in the Bristow area. And I did forget to say, make sure your phone is off. Okay, alright. Can you please state your full name? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 00:30
 ; Linda Kay Herman.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 00:33
 ; Okay, and do I have permission to record this interview? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 00:36
 ; Yes, ma'am. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 00:37
 ; Okay. Can you tell us when and where you were born? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 00:42
 ; I was born at the Bristow Memorial Hospital, June 20, 1955. I was the 66th baby born in that hospital.
 ; Linda Kay was born on June 20, 1955. She was born at the Bristow Memorial Hospital. Linda says that she was the 66th baby born at the Bristow Hospital. Bristow Historical Society ; Linda Kay Herman ; Bristow Memorial Hospital Birth 0 84 Parents and Siblings Regan Siler 01:24
 ; Oh, really, you actually know that?! That's funny! Okay, well, can you tell us a little bit about the people in your family? Let's start with your parents. What are your parents full names? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 01:37
 ; Benjamin Hill ("BH") Herman [1/30/1923-6/11/2016] is my father. Martha Jane Thompson Herman [6/4/1929-4/11/2003] was my mother.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 01:43
 ; Okay. And I have it, now, did your dad go by BH? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 01:48
 ; Mm-hmm.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 01:48
 ; Okay, and I have his date of birth as 1/30/1923.
 ; Linda's parents were Benjamin Hill Herman and Martha Jane Thompson Herman. Linda has two brothers, Thomas Rogan Herman and Benny Taylor Herman. Benjamin Hill Herman ; Martha Jane Thompson Herman ; Thomas Rogan Herman ; Benny Taylor Herman Parents ; Siblings 0 134 Parents' Work Regan Siler 02:14
 ; Okay, um, what type of work did your parents do?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 02:20
 ; My dad had a body shop with his brother. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 02:24
 ; And what was the name, and what was the name of that? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 02:27
 ; I don't remember. You know, it's where Jim Cochran's used to be, I don't know.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 02:38
 ; Ralph Bird Motors (ph)?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 02:39
 ; No.
 ; Linda's father had a body shop with his brother. Her uncle did the motor work, and her father did the body work. He also worked at Cunningham Chevrolet for a while. Her father ended up working at the golf course for 20 years. He was the superintendent and golf pro. Jim Cochran ; Ralph Byrd Motors ; Cunningham Chevrolet ; Golf course ; Florida ; Bill Boerstler Work 0 291 Nearby Family Regan Siler 04:51
 ; Oh, okay, well, that's you've just, you've kind of, it's just between the golf course and the school and everything. Okay. That's neat. So, growing up, did you have a lot of families, family that lived nearby? And if so, who?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 05:12
 ; My dad's brothers, two of his brothers, lived here, but everybody on my mom's side lived in New Mexico or Amarillo, Texas.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 05:26
 ; Okay, so, like, I guess historically speaking, has your dad's side always been in the Bristow area? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 05:34
 ; Yes.
 ; Linda had family from her father's side here in Bristow. Her mother's side of the family lived in New Mexico or Amarillo, Texas. New Mexico ; Amarillo (Tex.) ; Bristow (Okla.) Family 0 339 Early Childhood Regan Siler 05:39
 ; Just ever. Okay, has your fam, okay, yeah, so, okay, well, let's talk about your early childhood. Do you remember any of your favorite toys or games that maybe you played when you were young?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 06:04
 ; Well, we played outside a lot, and we played tag and hide and seek. stuff like that.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 06:14
 ; So you were more of an outside kid?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 06:16
 ; Yeah, we didn't get to stay inside. We lived over here on Fifth and Elm and there was a lot of kids, and we had a lot that we could go up about two or three houses, and we'd all meet there and play football and ball and baseball and all that kind of stuff. I remember going to Trigalet's liquor store and standing at the door and asking Mrs. Trigalet if her kids could go somewhere with us.
 ; Linda Kay enjoyed playing outside as a child. She played tag and hide and seek. She played ball and rode bicycles with her friends. Linda Kay also had a large collection of Barbie dolls and accessories. Mrs. Trigalet ; Barbie ; eBay (Firm) Childhood 0 499 Chores Regan Siler 08:19
 ; That's funny. So did you have any chores that you were expected to do as a young person? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 08:25
 ; Um, when we were at the golf course, we did, well, let me back up. When we lived in town, we all had our own clippers, and that's how you did your edging on your sidewalk. Tommy, BT, and I would have our own and my dad would mow, and we'd have to go along and clip around the edge, you know, of the sidewalk. And we got to stay outside after dark, because we had street light and play. But when my mom whistled, we knew we better run, because it was time to come home. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 08:55
 ; My goodness!
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 08:56
 ; Yeah. And when we went to the golf course. Yes, we all had chores out there working because my brothers helped my dad and I helped my mom.
 ; Linda Kay and her brothers were expected to help with the yard work. They each had their own set of clippers and worked on edging along the sidewalk. They also helped out at the golf course when their family moved there. Thomas Rogan Herman ; Benny Taylor Herman ; golf course Chores 0 547 Friends Regan Siler 09:07
 ; Okay, okay, um, so I was going to ask that you, obviously, had friends that would come over and play. They would come to your house. You would go to their house, along with playing with your siblings. 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 09:20
 ; In the summer, Jill LeForce and I, Jill LeForce Farris, were real good friends. And in the summer, she would stay a week at the golf course with me, and then I got to come to town and stay a week with her.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 09:34
 ; Oh, fun! 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 09:34
 ; Oh, how fun!
 ; Linda Kay and Jill LeForce were great friends growing up. In the summer, Jill would stay for a week with Linda at the golf course and then Linda would go stay at Jill's house for a week. They also shared lunches during school. Jill LeForce Farris ; golf course Friends 0 602 Favorite Activities as a Child Regan Siler 10:02
 ; Yeah, yeah, um, did you have any favorite activities or hobbies as a young person?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 10:08
 ; I liked to play golf. I've always played, you know, since I was young. I let Rosemary and Myra Kemp taught me how to sew, and I'd go home with Myra Kemp on Sundays and after church, and she would teach Susan, and then [indecipherable] and I how to sew, and I still have my little apron I made. Oh, and I was a little girl, and we got to come to town and run up down Main Street, you know. I remember gas would be a quarter, and so we'd all pitch our money together and drive till we were almost empty, and then we just sit, sit somewhere and watch everybody else go by.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 10:50
 ; Park! Do you remember collecting anything as a child other than maybe, Barbies, that your mom got for you? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 11:01
 ; No, not really.
 ; Linda has always enjoyed playing golf, even when she was young. Rosemary LeForce and Myra Kemp also taught Linda how to sew. Linda would sometimes go home with Myra after church on Sundays. Linda still has the little apron she made. Golf ; Rosemary LeForce ; Myra Kemp ; Barbie Activities 0 662 School Regan Siler 11:02
 ; Okay. Um, well, let's talk a little bit about your school life. You attended school from start to finish in Bristow, right? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 11:11
 ; Yes.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 11:11
 ; Okay, um, do you remember having any particular influential teachers during that time?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 11:18
 ; Well, my first grade teacher, Mrs. Berry, I loved her to death. Her husband was the postmaster or mailman, whatever. And my mom said that I just loved her to pieces, that I cried every day in her class. I did my work and all that, but I really did like her, Mrs. Berry in first grade, and Mrs. Cunningham in sixth grade, and then the rest of - I loved Home EC. So, I loved my Home EC teachers in high school, because I loved to cook and sew.
 ; Linda Kay attended Bristow Schools from start to finish. She loved her first-grade teacher, Mrs. Berry. Linda also loved Home EC because she loved to cook and sew. She would walk home to eat lunch every day. Most of the time, Linda and her brothers walked to and from school. It was a long walk as the lake didn't have the cutover then. Bristow (Okla.) ; Mrs. Berry ; Mrs. Cunningham ; Mrs. Couches ; Edison Elementary School ; Thomas Rogan Herman ; Benny Taylor Herman School 0 813 Clubs and Organizations Regan Siler 13:33
 ; That's funny. Were you a member of any clubs or organizations in school?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 13:40
 ; Was in FHA or Home EC.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 13:48
 ; Who was your FHA teacher? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 13:49
 ; Mrs. Simpson.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 13:51
 ; Okay. 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 13:51
 ; And then I had a Mrs. Foster.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 13:53
 ; Okay,
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 13:54
 ; Pep club. I was on the boys golf team.
 ; Linda Kay was involved in FHA while in school. Mrs. Simpson was her teacher. She also was part of the pep club. Linda says they didn't have sports when she in school, so she played on the boys' golf team after school. She had to wear dresses to school until she was a senior in high school. Linda also helped Mrs. LeForce in the office as her office aide. She attended vo-tech to be a beautician but did not enjoy it. Future Homemakers of America ; Mrs. Simpson ; Mrs. Foster ; Golf ; High school ; Rosemary LeForce ; Drumright (Okla.) Clubs ; Organizations 0 906 Family Homes Regan Siler 15:06
 ; So, you were figuring out all the things you didn't want to do. Okay, yeah, um, so let's talk a little bit about the houses that you grew up in. So, where was your first house at? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 15:18
 ; At Fifth and Elm. 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 15:19
 ; It's where the soil conservation is right now, is that what that is? 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 15:19
 ; Fifth and Elm. Now is, what would you we had talked on the phone earlier, and I can't remember which house it was that you were you had told me.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 15:28
 ; Yes.
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 15:33
 ; That's where our house was.
 ; Linda started out living with her family in a house on Fifth and Elm. They then moved out to the golf course when her father worked there. The board moved a house from town out there and remodeled it. When her father left the golf course, they moved to a house on Sixth Street. Linda now lives on 10th and Ash. Sixth Street ; Alan Nichols ; Doug Nichols ; Kendra Raney ; Megan Blakeman ; Thomas Rogan Herman Home 0 1060 Grandparents Regan Siler 17:40
 ; Can you tell me what your grandparents names are, just so we'll have that.
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 17:43
 ; Loren Frank Thompson [2/13/1895-12/17/1964] and Madge Ingram Thompson [1/24/1900-12/2/1989].
 ; Linda's grandfather's name was Loren Frank Thompson. Her grandmother was Madge Ingram Thompson. Loren Frank Thompson ; Madge Ingram Thompson Grandparents 0 1068 Bedroom Regan Siler 17:48
 ; Okay, okay. So, did you have your own room growing up?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 17:56
 ; Yes, other than at Fifth Street, and I had to share a room with Tommy and BT. They had bunk beds, and then I had a bed of my own.
 ; Linda Kay shared a bedroom with her brothers when they lived on Fifth Street. They had bunk beds, and she had her own bed. After that, Linda had her own bedroom at her other homes. Fifth Street ; Thomas Rogan Herman ; Benny Taylor Herman Bedroom 0 1085 Meals as a Family Regan Siler 18:05
 ; And we already know you didn't spend a lot of time in the house. You were usually outside. Well, can you tell me what meal times were like in your family? Did you usually eat together every night? Or what did that look like? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 18:19
 ; My mom and my brothers and I usually ate, but my dad would be at the golf course till we moved out there, and then he would come in, you know, while we were at school, and eat around 1230 and he watched Days of Our Lives every day. He loved Days of Our Lives. He watched it till the day he passed away. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 18:39
 ; Oh, my goodness, I don't know if he'd want you to be telling that.
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 18:45
 ; And then, at night, we would all sit down and eat together at night time, yeah.
 ; Linda ate dinner with her family every night. For lunch, she would eat with her mom and brothers. Her father would be working at the golf course. He would come in about 12:30 everyday while Linda and her brothers were at school. He would watch Days of Our Lives every day and did until he passed away. Days of our lives (Television program) ; golf course ; Benjamin Hill Herman Meals 0 1131 Golf Course Regan Siler 18:51
 ; Okay, so did, I'm guessing your mom cooked the meals, especially since she was the the cook, yeah, like the golf course and stuff? Did you, were you part of the cleanup crew or did she teach you how to cook? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 19:02
 ; No, but she taught me. They'd have steak fries and different things out there, and I would help her. I told her later on that I didn't care if I ever washed another baked potato or cut a head of lettuce.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 19:15
 ; Oh, my goodness!
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 19:16
 ; For a salad, because I was tired of doing that!
 ; Linda had a big part in helping her parents work at the golf course. She helped her mother cook. Linda and her brothers learned how to have a good work ethic. They learned how to respect adults and call them Mr. and Mrs. People still talk about Linda's mother's hamburgers and how good they were. golf course ; Thomas Rogan Herman ; Benny Taylor Herman ; King Kong (Motion picture : 1933) ; Benjamin Hill Herman ; Martha Jane Thompson golf course 0 1503 Community Activities Regan Siler 25:03
 ; Well, thinking about town life and growing up, what were some of your favorite community activities? And so I, for instance, like, maybe, you know, Western Heritage Day?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 25:15
 ; We loved Western Heritage days. We would dress up and we got to take a little cap gun downtown. I used to get mad at the boys because they'd have a pea shooter, and they'd shoot, you know, pea shooters at us, you know, and stuff like that, but we'd have a cap gun, and we'd be dressed all in our little western skirts or jeans and chaps and boots, you know. Mom always made sure we had a little cowboy hat.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 25:38
 ; So, that was a big deal for you guys. So, did you do the rodeo and all of that stuff, too? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 25:43
 ; Just go and watch. Yeah, we'd be downtown all day long. And parades, we were always in a parade. Tommy, I know one a parade, one time, he had his goldfish in a bowl, and he'd put it in a wagon, and he had us pulling his Bull Shoals or bust. I remember he won. You know, I don't remember what parade it was.
 ; Linda Kay loved Western Heritage Days growing up. Her and her brothers would dress up in their western gear and have a cap gun. Linda also loved the city pool as a child. It was called the Silver Plunge. She enjoyed day camp and also became a counselor when she got a little older. Western Heritage Days ; Thomas Rogan Herman ; Benny Taylor Herman ; The Silver Plunge ; Day camps ; Tommy Parish ; Larry Parish Community Activities 0 1667 Businesses Around Town Regan Siler 27:47
 ; Not that, not that stuck out to you anyway. Okay, um, do you remember some of the like, the biggest or most popular or your favorite businesses around town growing up?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 28:01
 ; OD Thorpe's Grocery [Thorpe's Food Store]. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 28:04
 ; Oh, no, that's not what I've heard of, OD Thorpe's [Thorpe's Food Store]. Where was that located? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 28:08
 ; It was right across from Community Bank. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 28:13
 ; Okay.
 ; Linda recalls some of the businesses that were around Bristow when she was young. Her mother shopped for groceries at Thorpe's. Linda said the owner always gave the children hot dogs to eat. She enjoyed going to Strong's Department Dry Goods and shopping for shoes. Linda's grandmother shopped for Linda at Stanford's. She bought Linda little dresses, shoes, socks and purses for church. Linda Kay enjoyed eating at Highway Cafe. Thorpe's Food Store ; Community Bank ; Strong's Department Dry Goods ; Bristow (Okla.) ; Wal-Mart (Firm) ; Turnpike ; Stanford's ; Highway Cafe ; Zane Goodwin ; Phyllis Holcomb ; Thomas Rogan Herman ; Benny Taylor Herman ; J& ; J Business 0 1864 Teenage Life Regan Siler 31:04
 ; Oh, that's funny. Um, well, as a teenager, where were where was the hangout? Where was the happenin', like, what did you do as a teenager? Where'd you hang out? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 31:13
 ; Well, we drove up down Main Street, and we'd go down to 7-11, which is Kum & ; Go, and then we'd go back up, and we'd go through Thurman's Motel trying to get caught, to go through there because you weren't supposed to, you know. Then there was a gas station where 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 31:30
 ; Trying not to get caught, or trying
 ; Linda Kay enjoyed driving up and down Main Street with her friends when she was a teen. She also would hang out at the gas stations. Linda and her friends would try to run the Depew girls out of town because they would try to get the Bristow boys. Main Street ; Kum & ; Go ; Depew (Okla.) ; Thomas Rogan Herman ; Benny Taylor Herman Teenage Life 0 2079 Family Car Regan Siler 34:39
 ; Oh, that's funny, um, do you remember your first family car?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 34:50
 ; Yeah, my dad always, always had a station wagon. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 34:53
 ; A station wagon.
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 34:54
 ; It was beige and had brown paneling down the side of it.
 ; 
 ; Linda says her family always had a station wagon. It was beige with brown paneling down the side of it. Linda says her mom was typically the one driving her places since her dad was busy working. Station wagons Automobile 0 2118 Vacations Regan Siler 35:18
 ; That was my next question is, did you ever get to go on vacation? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 35:22
 ; And it was either to Amarillo [Texas] to my mom's sisters or to Kansas, which was still on my mom's side, but they were big dairy farmers in Kansas, and we'd get to go up there and do the milking, and then they got electric milkers, and we just thought that was cool, you know, yeah.
 ; Linda Kay says that her family typically didn't vacation in the summers because that was the busy time at the golf course. When they did vacation, they would go to Amarillo, Texas or Kansas. They would visit family. In Kansas the family were dairy farmers, and Linda would get to help with the milking. Vacation ; Amarillo (Tex.) ; Kansas Vacation 0 2145 Learning to Drive Regan Siler 35:45
 ; So, do you remember who taught you how to drive?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 35:50
 ; Jack Snorgrass (ph). Pat Lewis's grandfather, he had no van, and he'd take Pat and I on Sundays out in the country and let us drive his old van. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 35:59
 ; So, it was just a family friend that taught you how to drive? Were your parents too scared? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 36:04
 ; No, my mom, she was good about it. She and I would go drive on country roads a lot and stuff. And then my cousin came up from Amarillo in a Volkswagen, and I wanted to drive the Volkswagen. It was a standard. She goes, teach yourself how to do it. So, I taught myself how to do that, you know.
 ; Linda says that Pat Lewis's grandfather would take her and Pat out in the country to practice driving. Linda's mother would also take Linda out driving. Linda's cousin came from Amarillo in a Volkswagen. It was a standard and Linda taught herself how to drive it. Linda's first car was a Ford Galaxie. Jack Snorgrass ; Pat Lewis ; Volkswagen automobiles ; Ford Galaxie ; Okemah (Okla.) ; Christmas ; Bill Wilkerson Drive 0 2258 Entertainment Regan Siler 37:38
 ; Yeah, exactly. Um, what sort of entertainment did you enjoy growing up? I know you said you were outside a lot or whatever, but did you, did you watch TV? And if you did, like, what was your favorite program?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 37:53
 ; I remember watching Big Bill & ; Oom-A-Gog on TV. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 37:57
 ; What? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 37:58
 ; Yeah, Big Bill & ; Oom-A-Gog. And it was a, I think it was on channel two in Tulsa. I got to go there when I was in Girl Scouts.
 ; Linda Kay remembers watching a show called Big Bill & ; Oom-A-Gog. It was a show about a robot. Linda got to go and be on the show when she part of the Girl Scouts. Her family also watched a lot of golf on television. Big Bill & ; Oom-A-Gog ; Television ; Tulsa (Okla.) ; Girl Scouts Entertainment 0 2311 Pivotal Historical Moments Regan Siler 38:31
 ; Do you recall witnessing any like pivotal events on TV? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 38:36
 ; I remember sitting in Rosemary LeForce's bed when Mr. President Kennedy got shot. I remember sitting and Jill and I'd sit and we watched all that, you know, and stuff and.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 38:51
 ; So, about how, how old would you have been? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 38:56
 ; Maybe, do you remember when he got shot? 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 38:59
 ; No, I don't. Well, so I guess, do you remember how you felt, like, how that made you feel at the time? Just, you were just, yeah.
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 39:10
 ; I just knew the president got shot.
 ; Linda remembers that she was sitting in Rosemary LeForce's bed when President Kennedy was shot. She was with her friend, Jill. Rosemary LeForce ; Jill LeForce Farris ; John F. Kennedy Historical Moments 0 2352 Music Regan Siler 39:12
 ; You were just interested in, in, in what happened. Um, did you enjoy listening to music growing up?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 39:18
 ; Nah, I didn't.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 39:20
 ; You didn't?! I can't believe how many people say that they don't, they didn't really listen to much music. 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 39:26
 ; Yeah, no. I mean, if I was in the car, you know.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 39:29
 ; So, you didn't have, like, a favorite artist or favorite record you listen to, or anything like that? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 39:34
 ; Well, I love Kenny Rogers. I love to listen to Kenny Rogers. And, you know, back then we played a record player a lot, you know. And I had an album and albums of different, you know, ones, but Kenny Rogers was probably my favorite.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 39:50
 ; Your favorite.
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 39:51
 ; I think because he looked like Dr Krug. And I thought doctor was very handsome.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 39:56
 ; Oh, that's funny.
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 39:58
 ; I used to tell Susie all the time, oh, I just look at him and think of Kenny Rogers.
 ; Linda wasn't big into music but did listen to some if she was in the car. She really loved Kenny Rogers. She thought he looked like Dr. Krug. Linda thought Dr. Krug was very handsome. Kenny Rogers ; Dr. Krug Music 0 2404 Medical Care Regan Siler 40:04
 ; Oh, that's a good one. Well, that's a good transition into what was medical care like growing up? Did you have a family doctor?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 40:13
 ; Yes, I had Dr. Norfleet (ph) and Dr. Chapman [Frank D. Chapman 1/26/1934-12/13/2020] and
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 40:21
 ; Did you go to the doctor much? Or did you guys typically handle things at home? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 40:26
 ; We didn't, I don't remember going to the doctor a whole lot.
 ; Linda Kay says her family doctors growing up were Dr. Norfleet and Dr. Chapman. She doesn't remember going to the doctor often though. Linda remembers when she had the chicken pox. Her mother said all she could get Linda to swallow was a peanut butter sandwich soaked in milk. Dr. Norfleet ; Frank D. Chapman ; Chicken pox Medical care 0 2473 Church Regan Siler 41:13
 ; Um, did you attend church growing up? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 41:16
 ; First Presbyterian Church.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 41:17
 ; First Presbyterian, um, that's the gray church, isn't it? Yes, yes. Um, so what was it like? What do you remember about attending church there can, like
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 41:27
 ; We, we went every Sunday, and, 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 41:30
 ; Like, your whole, did your whole family go? Or, 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 41:33
 ; Yeah, my dad, you know, never could go. He did after, you know, he retired and stuff. But my grandmother and granddad Thompson went there, and we would go, and we were all three in the angel choir, and my mom was in the choir. And it was a lot of fun going. There were a lot of kids, and we just walked from Fifth Street, you know, over there. And my grandparents were real big into the church.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 42:00
 ; And, so, that was where you had always gone?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 42:03
 ; Yeah.
 ; Linda attended the First Presbyterian Church growing up. Linda and her friends would walk there when she lived on Fifth Street. Linda was in the angel choir. First Presbyterian Church ; Loren Frank Thompson ; Madge Ingram Thompson Church 0 2523 Holidays Regan Siler 42:03
 ; Okay, okay, um, what were holidays like in your family? We can start with Christmas, because that's usually always the big one. Tell me what a typical Christmas was like at your house?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 42:17
 ; We pretty much got everything we wanted, but that would be the only time my mom would go out at Christmas, not birthday, Easter, any of that. But Christmas 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 42:28
 ; Was a big deal. 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 42:29
 ; It was a big deal. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 42:31
 ; And do you remember what it was like decorations like, tell me, like, what your house.
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 42:36
 ; My dad would always go buy two trees and drill holes and put branches into another tree to make it bereal full.
 ; Christmas was a big deal in Linda's family. Her mother went all out. Linda says her father would buy two trees and put them together so their Christmas tree would be really full. Linda would go to her grandmother Thompson's house for Thanksgiving. Christmas ; Easter ; Thomas Rogan Herman ; Benny Taylor Herman ; Thanksgiving ; 4th of July Holidays 0 2671 Child Dreams Regan Siler 44:31
 ; Sounds like they went on they, yeah, they went out with a bang on Christmas. Yeah. Well, that's neat, yeah. Um, as a child, do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 44:43
 ; Yes, I wanted to attend OU [University of Oklahoma] and be on the girls golf team, and then be a golf pro. And I didn't do any of that, other than play golf.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 44:53
 ; Well, I mean, you're, you're in the realm there. 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 44:57
 ; That's what, and I found my little deal that I wrote not too long ago in school for some class, and that's what I wanted to do, was go to OU and.
 ; Linda dreamed of attending OU and being on the girls' golf team and being a golf pro. She says she didn't do any of that other than playing golf. Christmas ; University of Oklahoma ; Golf Dreams 0 2707 Golf Regan Siler 45:07
 ; So, when did you, let's talk about the golf course more in depth, and like the effect that it had on your life. Obviously, it sounded like it was a very cool place to grow up, and you have a lot of good memories there. When did you actually start playing golf? Did your is your dad, the one that was instrumental in getting you to?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 45:26
 ; Yes, yes. I started as soon as we moved out there. I was in the fourth grade.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 45:31
 ; Fourth grade.
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 45:32
 ; And I started playing then. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 45:34
 ; Did you immediately love it? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 45:36
 ; Oh yeah. And my dad used to make us hit 100 golf balls in a circle whenever we'd practice.
 ; Linda Kay started playing golf when she was in the fourth grade and her family moved to the golf course. Her father made Linda and her brothers practice constantly. Linda loved growing up on the golf course and has great memories of her time living there. Golf ; Golf Course ; Florida ; Korean War ; Thomas Rogan Herman ; Benny Taylor Herman Golf 0 2899 Jobs Regan Siler 48:19
 ; Yeah. I mean, it sounds like it. Well, let's talk a little bit about your different jobs you've had during your life. I know we talked about that a little bit on the phone. I know you said you started at the drive in and that's how you paid for your car.
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 48:33
 ; Started at the drive in theater, and then I went and worked for Edmond and Sherian [Slyman] catering, and I also helped them at the tabouli shop that they had. And I worked for, I was Corinne Dial's first employee at Little People School. And then I left there, and I went to the school in '79 and worked for the school for 41 years.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 49:02
 ; Forty-one years! So, you saw a lot of kids grow up in that time. 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 49:08
 ; Regan, kids to this day your age, hey, Ms. Linda Kay! I go you don't have to call me Ms. Linda Kay. You will always be Ms. Linda Kay.
 ; Linda's first job was working at the concession stand at the drive-in theater. Her next job was working for Edmond and Sherian Slyman's catering business. She also worked in their tabouli shop. Linda was Corinne Dial's first employee at Little People School. Linda then went to work at Bristow School in 1979 and was there for 41 years. She is retired now but has since started managing at the golf course. Drive-in theaters ; Edmond Slyman ; Sherian Slyman ; Corinne Dial ; Bristow Public Schools (Bristow, Okla.) ; golf course ; Brian Pinson ; Gary Graham Jobs 0 3051 Work at the School Regan Siler 50:51
 ; Yeah. Well, before we get off of that, I've got to circle back to the school. I know that. I mean, my gosh, 41 years, that's a long time. And this is probably a loaded question, because there's probably tons of stories, but what did you, what did you get out of that, being there, because I feel like you're, you're like, the, oh, I don't know, like the
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 51:16
 ; You see, a lot of personalities. Well, take you, for instance, your kids act just like you, you know, you see that, and they would come and go, Linda Kay, do you remember Regan when she was in school? Does Chad act just like she did, yeah, you know, or you know, they you just see a lot of it. I mean, I used to tell Judy Vice, I think we have seen grandparents now.
 ; Linda fell in love with a lot of kids during her time at the school. She felt so sorry for some of the children and wished she could take them home. She would even pick some children up for school when the parents had a hard time getting them to go. Bristow Public Schools (Bristow, Okla.) ; Judy Vice ; Debbie Ponder School 0 3466 Important Invention Regan Siler 57:46
 ; Well, to kind of change things up a little bit. What would you consider to be the most important invention during your lifetime?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 57:59
 ; Well, I'm gonna say it is the difference in golf clubs.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 58:05
 ; Of course, that would be your answer!
 ; Linda Kay believes the most important invention in her lifetime has been the change in golf clubs. She has her grandfather's golf clubs and they were all wooden shaft. golf clubs Invention 0 3555 How the World is Different Regan Siler 59:15
 ; Okay, that's a that's a fair answer. Well, how do you feel the world is different than when you were a child?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 59:24
 ; When I was a child, it was very enjoyable. People got along. You know, you weren't scared of anything. You left your doors open at night. Your windows up and all that. And I feel like life now, you're scared to death all the time. You know, you can't do, you're just constantly looking behind to see what's going on and 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 59:48
 ; Right, no, I hear that.
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 59:51
 ; Growing up as a kid was wonderful.
 ; Linda Kay feels like the world is different than when she was young. She said it was enjoyable then and people got along. She said they weren't scared of anything and left their doors open and their windows up. Linda also says that we lack discipline in children now. Discipline World 0 3640 Nation's Biggest Problem Regan Siler 1:00:40
 ; Oh, that's funny. Well, what this might be along the same line, but what do you feel our nation's biggest problems are, and how do you think they can be solved?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 1:00:51
 ; Oh, gosh, politics, I think this is our biggest problem, and to fix it, I don't know. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:01:01
 ; Wipe it all out and start over, maybe?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 1:01:04
 ; Something, but I, I wish the economy and stuff would be better, you know. And I know it'll never get back to 25 cents a gallon for gas, you know, like what it was. And, you know, go and buy a bill of groceries for $50 and you pay $200 now, you know, stuff like that.
 ; Linda Kay thinks that our economy is our biggest problem in America. She says groceries, gas and childcare are so high that it makes it tough for young families. Economy ; Coop's Nation 0 3768 Historic Events Regan Siler 1:02:48
 ; Yes, no, I understand. How have historic events affected you? For instance, well, like we talked about JFK getting shot, but like maybe the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, COVID, natural disasters. Have any of those things affected you in your life? Do you remember or can you think of? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 1:03:09
 ; No, I think about the bombing. It happened on my brother's birthday. And so I think about it every year. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:03:15
 ; Which one the Oklahoma City or?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 1:03:17
 ; Yes, the Oklahoma City bombing. So, I think about it, you know. And I was at school when that happened. I think when I really got to where I was watching my back a lot, even at school, is when Eisenberger [Scott Eizember]
 ; Linda Kay remembers when the Oklahoma City Bombing happened. It was on her brother's birthday, and she was at the school at the time. She says when she really started watching her back is when the police were searching for Scott Eizember. She says you have to be aware, but she doesn't live in fear. Oklahoma City bombing ; Scott Eizember ; golf course Historic Events 0 3878 Wisdom Regan Siler 1:04:38
 ; You definitely have to be aware today. Is there anything else that we haven't covered that you would like to share with us, or maybe any wisdom that you would like to share that you've learned through your life that you want to pass on for your great nieces and nephews to hear one day?
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 1:05:05
 ; Take care of yourself. Live a good life. Have fun and enjoy it and play golf!
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:05:14
 ; That's how she's gonna end this interview, play golf!
 ; 
 ; Linda Herman 1:05:17
 ; Play golf! Swing that club. It's good exercise.
 ; Linda finishes the interview with some wisdom. She says to take care of yourself and live a good life. She also says to have fun and enjoy it and play golf. Golf ; Bristow Train Depot and Museum ; Wisdom Wisdom 0 MP4 Linda Kay Herman, born on June 20, 1955, in Bristow, Oklahoma, shared her life story which included spending her childhood at the golf course her dad managed. She recounted her early life, including her favorite childhood activities, school experiences, and the influence of her parents and community. Linda discussed her career, which included working at a drive-in theater, catering, and working at Bristow Public Schools for 41 years. She emphasized the changes in society, particularly in discipline and economics, and her love for golf, which began in her childhood. Regan Siler This is Regan Siler with the Bristow Historical Society in Bristow, Oklahoma. This interview is part of the Historical Society's ongoing oral history project. The date is August 15, 2024 and I'm sitting here with Linda Kay Herman at the Bristow Library Annex. She is going to tell us a little bit about her life and her history living in the Bristow area. And I did forget to say, make sure your phone is off. Okay, alright. Can you please state your full name? Linda Herman Linda Kay Herman. Regan Siler Okay, and do I have permission to record this interview? Linda Herman Yes, ma'am. Regan Siler Okay. Can you tell us when and where you were born? Linda Herman I was born at the Bristow Memorial Hospital, June 20, 1955. I was the 66th baby born in that hospital. Regan Siler And how do you know you were the 66th baby? Linda Herman It says on my hospital certificate. Regan Siler So, it actually says that on your birth certificate? Number 66, huh? So, did you just find that out recently, or have you always known that? Linda Herman No, I found it out looking through my baby book for my birth certificate to get my driver's license that you have to have now. Regan Siler Right, right. Well, how funny. I wonder if they did that on every I wonder if they did that on every baby? Linda Herman I don't know. Regan Siler I wonder who number one was? Linda Herman Barbara Livesay. Regan Siler Oh, really, you actually know that?! That's funny! Okay, well, can you tell us a little bit about the people in your family? Let's start with your parents. What are your parents full names? Linda Herman Benjamin Hill ("BH") Herman [1/30/1923-6/11/2016] is my father. Martha Jane Thompson Herman [6/4/1929-4/11/2003] was my mother. Regan Siler Okay. And I have it, now, did your dad go by BH? Linda Herman Mm-hmm. Regan Siler Okay, and I have his date of birth as 1/30/1923. Linda Herman Yes. Regan Siler Okay. And then for your mom, I have her date of birth as 6/4/1929. Linda Herman Yes. Regan Siler Okay, alright. And then do you have any siblings? Linda Herman Yes, I have a older brother, Thomas Rogan Herman. He goes by Tommy. And a younger brother, Benny Taylor Herman, and he goes by BT. Regan Siler Okay, um, what type of work did your parents do? Linda Herman My dad had a body shop with his brother. Regan Siler And what was the name, and what was the name of that? Linda Herman I don't remember. You know, it's where Jim Cochran's used to be, I don't know. Regan Siler Ralph Bird Motors (ph)? Linda Herman No. Regan Siler That wasn't it? Linda Herman No. Regan Siler Was that another place that he worked? Linda Herman No. Regan Siler No? Linda Herman No. He worked at Cunningham Chevrolet for a while. And then he and his brother had their own body shop, and Taylor did the motor work, and dad did the body work. Then he went to the golf course, and was the superintendent and golf pro at the golf course for 20 years. Regan Siler So, how long has the this, I'm getting off track, but I know golf is like a huge part has always been a huge part of your life. How long has the golf course been there? Linda Herman They built it in 1922 and it opened in 1923. Regan Siler And did the, did the city build it? Or do Linda Herman The city has always, they own the land, and they have always, as far as I know, has owned the land, and they lease it to a board of directors. Regan Siler And it's been since 1922. Wow. Okay, so, and we'll go, we'll go back to golf, because I know that's a big, a big part of your life. Um, so your dad, he primarily worked, so how long would you say he worked in like that, being an auto body guy? Linda Herman Well, we moved to the golf course when I was in fourth grade, so Regan Siler So, you actually moved, you lived at the golf course? Okay. Linda Herman He was in the Air Force first. Regan Siler Okay. Linda Herman And him and my mom lived in Florida, but I couldn't. Regan Siler Okay. That's okay. That's okay. And then, so, did your mom work outside the home? Linda Herman Yes, she worked for Bill Boerstler in his business that he had. And then when we went to the golf course, she ran the pro shop and had a little restaurant where she cooked hamburgers for everybody. And thenwhen my dad retired, she went to work and was the secretary of middle school for 19 years until she retired. Regan Siler Oh, okay, well, that's you've just, you've kind of, it's just between the golf course and the school and everything. Okay. That's neat. So, growing up, did you have a lot of families, family that lived nearby? And if so, who? Linda Herman My dad's brothers, two of his brothers, lived here, but everybody on my mom's side lived in New Mexico or Amarillo, Texas. Regan Siler Okay, so, like, I guess historically speaking, has your dad's side always been in the Bristow area? Linda Herman Yes. Regan Siler For, do you know, like, how long? Linda Herman Ever. Regan Siler Forever? Linda Herman Yeah. Regan Siler Just ever. Okay, has your fam, okay, yeah, so, okay, well, let's talk about your early childhood. Do you remember any of your favorite toys or games that maybe you played when you were young? Linda Herman Well, we played outside a lot, and we played tag and hide and seek. stuff like that. Regan Siler So you were more of an outside kid? Linda Herman Yeah, we didn't get to stay inside. We lived over here on Fifth and Elm and there was a lot of kids, and we had a lot that we could go up about two or three houses, and we'd all meet there and play football and ball and baseball and all that kind of stuff. I remember going to Trigalet's liquor store and standing at the door and asking Mrs. Trigalet if her kids could go somewhere with us. Regan Siler Oh, that's funny. Linda Herman And but we just ride up and down Fifth Street on our bicycles and stuff. I think I had every Barbie doll, every bit of clothes that Barbie had, and always wanted to play with the trucks and stuff with my brothers, but my mom and my grandma made sure I had every. Regan Siler You had all the Barbie stuff. Linda Herman And I know something earlier, when you said something, I remember, I had the 55th, 57th Barbie Doll made when I was it was tattooed on her bottom. Regan Siler Please tell me you still have it. Linda Herman Oh no. I sold them all on Ebay. Regan Siler Oh, my goodness! Linda Herman All of her clothes and everything. Regan Siler I was a big Barbie fan, too, whenever I was young. I feel like I had, I was like, you I had the big house and all the Barbies and the clothes, yeah. Linda Herman And I really didn't want to play with it, but I did, because I knew my mom wanted me to. And something else growing up, the Trigalets, there was quite a few in their family, and they'd come down and they'd eat with us, and my mom would just put slices of bread all across the counter, you know, and just start putting mayonnaise and bologna. And she would always come to Annette and go, she'd go, Mrs. Herman, I didn't get any bologna. I'll have his mayonnaise. Because there were so many, mom had to make so many sandwiches. Regan Siler Like an assembly line, and forget a couple. Regan Siler Yeah, somebody would always just get a mayonnaise sandwich. Regan Siler That's funny. So did you have any chores that you were expected to do as a young person? Linda Herman Um, when we were at the golf course, we did, well, let me back up. When we lived in town, we all had our own clippers, and that's how you did your edging on your sidewalk. Tommy, BT, and I would have our own and my dad would mow, and we'd have to go along and clip around the edge, you know, of the sidewalk. And we got to stay outside after dark, because we had street light and play. But when my mom whistled, we knew we better run, because it was time to come home. Regan Siler My goodness! Linda Herman Yeah. And when we went to the golf course. Yes, we all had chores out there working because my brothers helped my dad and I helped my mom. Regan Siler Okay, okay, um, so I was going to ask that you, obviously, had friends that would come over and play. They would come to your house. You would go to their house, along with playing with your siblings. Linda Herman In the summer, Jill LeForce and I, Jill LeForce Farris, were real good friends. And in the summer, she would stay a week at the golf course with me, and then I got to come to town and stay a week with her. Regan Siler Oh, fun! Regan Siler Oh, how fun! Linda Herman And then during school, my mom would buy lunch meat and for one week, and I'd walk up 10th Street hill with her, because we, you know, we didn't want to eat in the cafeteria, and we would share lunches like that, you know. Linda Herman Yeah. Regan Siler So, you had a, you had a very,sounds like, a classic growing, growing up in a small town. Linda Herman Yes. Regan Siler Yeah, yeah, um, did you have any favorite activities or hobbies as a young person? Linda Herman I liked to play golf. I've always played, you know, since I was young. I let Rosemary and Myra Kemp taught me how to sew, and I'd go home with Myra Kemp on Sundays and after church, and she would teach Susan, and then [indecipherable] and I how to sew, and I still have my little apron I made. Oh, and I was a little girl, and we got to come to town and run up down Main Street, you know. I remember gas would be a quarter, and so we'd all pitch our money together and drive till we were almost empty, and then we just sit, sit somewhere and watch everybody else go by. Regan Siler Park! Do you remember collecting anything as a child other than maybe, Barbies, that your mom got for you? Linda Herman No, not really. Regan Siler Okay. Um, well, let's talk a little bit about your school life. You attended school from start to finish in Bristow, right? Linda Herman Yes. Regan Siler Okay, um, do you remember having any particular influential teachers during that time? Linda Herman Well, my first grade teacher, Mrs. Berry, I loved her to death. Her husband was the postmaster or mailman, whatever. And my mom said that I just loved her to pieces, that I cried every day in her class. I did my work and all that, but I really did like her, Mrs. Berry in first grade, and Mrs. Cunningham in sixth grade, and then the rest of - I loved Home EC. So, I loved my Home EC teachers in high school, because I loved to cook and sew. Regan Siler So, what do you remember why you cried in first grade if you loved your teacher? Linda Herman No, just, I don't know, because I went to Mrs. Couches (ph) play school, because we didn't have preschool, pre K or kindergarten, we went straight to first grade, and I had never been anywhere exept with my mom. Regan Siler So that was a new set, mom, right? That was a new set up for you. Linda Herman Yeah, so. Regan Siler Well, she must have made a impact if you felt, you know you have that love towards her or whatever to feel comfortable, because it is hard. That's a big transition when you're used to, yeah, being with mom all the time. Linda Herman Stay with mom till you know you have to go to school. Regan Siler Right. Um, so do you remember how you got to school as a youngster? Linda Herman We walked. Regan Siler You always walked, okay. Linda Herman We lived on Fifth Street, so we just walked right up here to Edison. And then when we got older, we could walk home for lunch, but then we had to turn around, walk back. And then when we got in middle school and high school, my mom and dad were at the golf course, and mom couldn't come get us if they were busy at the golf course and the bus wouldn't take us, so we'd have to walk. We'd have to go all the way around the lake because it didn't have the cutover or the new housing addition then. So there was many times that we had to walk home. Regan Siler You definitely got your your exercise when you were young, didn't you? Linda Herman You know, y'all probably know if you have an older brother. Tommy used to make BT and I lay down in the back seat of his car when he got a car because he didn't want to see his brother and sister. You know in the car. I have to take my brother and sister somewhere. Regan Siler That's funny. Were you a member of any clubs or organizations in school? Linda Herman Was in FHA or Home EC. Regan Siler Who was your FHA teacher? Linda Herman Mrs. Simpson. Regan Siler Okay. Linda Herman And then I had a Mrs. Foster. Regan Siler Okay, Linda Herman Pep club. I was on the boys golf team. Regan Siler Oh, you were? Linda Herman Yes, we didn't have sports when I was in school, so after school, I would go out and play. And I did get to participate on the boys golf team when I was in school. Regan Siler So, they didn't have golf or anything like that when Linda Herman We had no sports. We had to wear a dress to school every day until I was a senior in high school. Regan Siler No sports? My gosh, you're not that old! Linda Herman Yeah, I'm almost 70! Well, we had no sports. Regan Siler Wow. Okay, um, so did you enjoy school? Linda Herman Nah. Linda Herman No. I didn't want to be there. I wanted to be out. Regan Siler You didn't? Regan Siler You would rather be out. Linda Herman On the golf course or, yeah, I went. I mean, I had fun, but I would, you know, if I had a choice, I would Regan Siler You wouldn't be there. So, did you have a favorite subject other than maybe FHA? Linda Herman I loved Rosemary LeForce, and I loved being her office aide. And I went to vo-tech in Drumright [Oklahoma] to be a beautician. I hated that. Regan Siler So, you were figuring out all the things you didn't want to do. Okay, yeah, um, so let's talk a little bit about the houses that you grew up in. So, where was your first house at? Linda Herman At Fifth and Elm. Linda Herman It's where the soil conservation is right now, is that what that is? Regan Siler Fifth and Elm. Now is, what would you we had talked on the phone earlier, and I can't remember which house it was that you were you had told me. Regan Siler Yes. Linda Herman That's where our house was. Regan Siler But now, is that the one that you were telling me about that they what was it they hauled in a bunch ofdirt. No, that was on Sixth. Okay, okay, so you, you go ahead start from Linda Herman So, I lived at Fifth and Elm, okay, in a little house there, and then my dad went to the golf course, and the board moved a house from town out there and remodeled it, and we lived in that house. Then when my dad left the golf course, we went to my grandparents house on Sixth Street, 508 West Sixth Street, and we lived there and take took care of my grandmother. My mom and dad took care of my grandmother. Then, I moved up on 10th and Asj, where I live now. Regan Siler Okay, so, but can you, it seems like you had told me a story about the house on Sixth. Linda Herman Yes. Regan Siler When they were trying, did your dad build that house? Linda Herman No, my grandfather Thompson. Regan Siler Okay. Linda Herman Built the house in 1922. Regan Siler So, tell me, tell me that story. Linda Herman Um, he built the house in 1922 and it was a little spring that ran through Sixth Street, and he hired a gentleman and paid him $1.50 a day to haul dirt in there to fill that spring in so he could build the house. And he built this house, and him and two bachelors lived in the basement, because it has a full basement with bathrooms and everything down there. And then he married my grandmother in 1923 and they moved upstairs and the bachelors moved out. Regan Siler Oh, my goodness. Linda Herman So, it's been in our family since 1922 other than my dad sold it to Alan Nichols, and then Alan sold it to his dad, Doug. And then Doug sold it to Kendra Raney and Megan Blakeman. And then my older brother Tommy bought it back from Kendra. Regan Siler Oh, okay, so it's back in the family! Oh, that's so neat. Linda Herman Yes. Regan Siler So, that house holds a lot of history for you. Linda Herman Oh, yeah. Regan Siler Can you tell me what your grandparents names are, just so we'll have that. Linda Herman Loren Frank Thompson [2/13/1895-12/17/1964] and Madge Ingram Thompson [1/24/1900-12/2/1989]. Regan Siler Okay, okay. So, did you have your own room growing up? Linda Herman Yes, other than at Fifth Street, and I had to share a room with Tommy and BT. They had bunk beds, and then I had a bed of my own. Regan Siler And we already know you didn't spend a lot of time in the house. You were usually outside. Well, can you tell me what meal times were like in your family? Did you usually eat together every night? Or what did that look like? Linda Herman My mom and my brothers and I usually ate, but my dad would be at the golf course till we moved out there, and then he would come in, you know, while we were at school, and eat around 1230 and he watched Days of Our Lives every day. He loved Days of Our Lives. He watched it till the day he passed away. Regan Siler Oh, my goodness, I don't know if he'd want you to be telling that. Linda Herman And then, at night, we would all sit down and eat together at night time, yeah. Regan Siler Okay, so did, I'm guessing your mom cooked the meals, especially since she was the the cook, yeah, like the golf course and stuff? Did you, were you part of the cleanup crew or did she teach you how to cook? Linda Herman No, but she taught me. They'd have steak fries and different things out there, and I would help her. I told her later on that I didn't care if I ever washed another baked potato or cut a head of lettuce. Regan Siler Oh, my goodness! Linda Herman For a salad, because I was tired of doing that! Regan Siler Right! Linda Herman But I didn't like being in there. One da I told my dad, I just want to be outside with you and BT and Tommy. Well, get out here. So, he had me pulling weeds off of a green and I was allergic to them, and I broke out, so I never got to do that anymore. Regan Siler So, that cured you of doing that. Linda Herman Yeah. So we never got allowance. We if we worked, then they would give us stuff to go to the movie or something like that, you know, yeah. Regan Siler Well, so looking back, do you, are you, I know you probably didn't love it at the time, but are you glad that your mom, you know, taught you how to cook? Linda Herman Yes, because I love to cook. I love to cook. I love to sew. Regan Siler I think sometimes it takes us as young people to have a little perspective or life before we realize, yes, to appreciate the things that our, we might not have loved at the time as kids or whatever, but that, I think, benefit us greatly as we're older. Linda Herman Yeah, yeah. Tommy and BT, they would get real upset with my dad, you know, out there working and have to go rake all the sand traps, you know, and stuff like that. But, you know, they look back now and, you know, they we, they taught us a lot. Regan Siler Work ethic, yes. Linda Herman And I, you know, I get real upset with some of these kids that just think, it's give me, give me, give me, you know. You gotta do what I had to do growing up, yeah. The golf course was a fantastic place to grow up, you know. And you learned it was Mr. and Mrs. and all that stuff. Regan Siler And you knew how to talk to people you got, yeah. Linda Herman And back when my dad did it, there was a lot of oil men and lawyers, and they had a lot of money out there, you know. And my dad was well taken care of by these gentlemen out there and stuff. But it was, I mean, I would have raised a kid out there for sure. Regan Siler Well, so do, I would think that, especially, being in that time frame that trying to care for a golf course was probably way harder, yes, than what it is today. Linda Herman Because they don't have, you know, my dad Regan Siler The equipment. Linda Herman He had to walk to mow the greens. Now they ride. You know, he did have a fairway mower to mow the fairways, but, yeah, he had to walk every green, some every day during the summer, because that grass just grows and grows and grows. Regan Siler So his job was probably 24/7 pretty much. Linda Herman Yeah, and we, we'd get up in the middle of the night with him and go change sprinklers. I do want to tell you a funny story. Regan Siler You go right ahead. Linda Herman One time it was my turn to go with him. Regan Siler And so did he take you to because you were helpful for him or because you wanted to go? Linda Herman So he wouldn't be by himself. It'd be like midnight, oh, one o'clock in the morning, you know? And we just, well, actually, I got two funny stories, but he said, he always called me Boo Boo. Boo Boo, you wanna go tonight? Yeah, I'd love to go to, dad. And so we went. We got up on number three, and there was a mother and a family of armadillos. He said, will you stay here with the flashlight and I'll go get something and come back? And I said, well, yeah, sure. I'm not afraid, you know. And they were having an all night drive in movie thing, and King Kong was on. Well, I sat there by myself, you know, about this time King Kong came on (rawr) and I was scared to death and started screaming, you know. Regan Siler How, how old were you at the time? Linda Herman I think I was around 12 or something, you know, like that. So, and then another funny story is, when we were out there, there were lovers lanes, and you could, where the housing addition is, you could drive up in there and park, you know. Well, somebody was always getting stuck, and they would come Mr. Herman, can we borrow the tractor, you know? Well, Tommy and BT and I would fight to see who got to go with daddy to see who was parking up in lover's lane. It was, you know, we had a tennis court and, so, you know, when it got dark, everybody would come to the tennis courts to play tennis. Regan Siler Well that sounds like a super fun, super fun way to grow up! Linda Herman You know, and you'd just sit there and watch and, you know, going, man, I wish they would ask me to play. Linda Kay, you wanna play tennis?! Regan Siler Well, that's cool. Well, knowing that your mom cooked and cooked out there, did you come away with, like, a favorite meal or a favorite recipe that she did? Linda Herman She did make the best hamburgers and people that Regan Siler Do we know why? Do we know what her secret was? Linda Herman She did nothing other than she, she would use her fingers to flip the patties. She cooked them in a broiler. She wouldn't cook them in a pan. She'd cook them in the broiler in the oven, and she'd toast the buns. You know, but she just would just buy regular old hamburger meat and cook them. And guys today still go, boy, I wish Martha was here so we could have a hamburger on the turn. Regan Siler Well, she definitely made an impression then, didn't she? Linda Herman They were the best hamburgers. I don't know, you know, what it was. It was just toasting the bun. And, I mean, it was a big burger. It wasn't those little buns. It was a big old burger. And she, she didn't do anything that I know of. Regan Siler So, can you replicate can you replicate it or? Linda Herman I probably could, yeah, I probably could. .Yeah, I, yeah, I probably could. Regan Siler Well, thinking about town life and growing up, what were some of your favorite community activities? And so I, for instance, like, maybe, you know, Western Heritage Day? Linda Herman We loved Western Heritage days. We would dress up and we got to take a little cap gun downtown. I used to get mad at the boys because they'd have a pea shooter, and they'd shoot, you know, pea shooters at us, you know, and stuff like that, but we'd have a cap gun, and we'd be dressed all in our little western skirts or jeans and chaps and boots, you know. Mom always made sure we had a little cowboy hat. Regan Siler So, that was a big deal for you guys. So, did you do the rodeo and all of that stuff, too? Linda Herman Just go and watch. Yeah, we'd be downtown all day long. And parades, we were always in a parade. Tommy, I know one a parade, one time, he had his goldfish in a bowl, and he'd put it in a wagon, and he had us pulling his Bull Shoals or bust. I remember he won. You know, I don't remember what parade it was. Regan Siler That's funny. So, did you, were you involved in any of, like, the county fairs or anything like that that were here? Linda Herman BT was, I wasn't. He had chickens. Regan Siler Chickens. Linda Herman Yeah. Regan Siler But did you go and, like, and enjoy it? Linda Herman Yeah, we'd go and ride rides, and, yeah, we did do all that. Regan Siler So, did they have, the pool was around at that time, wasn't it? Linda Herman The Silver Plunge. Regan Siler Is that what it was called? Linda Herman The Silver Plunge. Regan Siler I don't know if I knew that. Um, and so did you guys visit the pool quite a bit? Did you go to day camp? Linda Herman Oh, yeah, I went to day camp. I was a counselor at day camp. Yeah, I loved day camp. Regan Siler We're super happy that the pool has been revitalized and is back open. That's wonderful for Bristow. Linda Herman And the high tower, I just wanted to go off of it so bad. And Tommy Parish and Larry Parish were lifeguards. And I'd get up there and I just couldn't do it. You're not coming back down those steps! Linda Herman They made me jump. And after that, I love to swim, you know. Regan Siler Did you jump again? I mean, you got over your fear? Regan Siler Oh, no! Linda Herman Yeah, I got to where I'd dive off it, you know, and all that stuff. Regan Siler Was there, were there any other type of activities I might not have thought to ask you about that, town activities, community activities that you enjoyed? Because, you know, a lot of things have changed. I feel like we do have people really trying to re, you know, revamp, keep Western Heritage Days going and stuff like that. Did they have any other like, you know, obviously, we have to Tabouleh Fest and stuff like that, now, was there any other types of festivals or anything back back then? Linda Herman Not that I can think of. Regan Siler Not that, not that stuck out to you anyway. Okay, um, do you remember some of the like, the biggest or most popular or your favorite businesses around town growing up? Linda Herman OD Thorpe's Grocery [Thorpe's Food Store]. Regan Siler Oh, no, that's not what I've heard of, OD Thorpe's [Thorpe's Food Store]. Where was that located? Linda Herman It was right across from Community Bank. Regan Siler Okay. Linda Herman It's a pot shop now. That when we lived at Fifth Street, we got to walk down there, and that's where we bought our groceries, and he would always give us a hot dog to eat while my mom was shopping. Regan Siler Oh! Linda Herman Everybody, all the kids that came in, always got a hot dog. Linda Herman Yeah. And we could go down there, my mom needs a package of cigarettes, and he'd give them to us, you know, and we'd walk back home. And I liked going to Strong's Department Dry Goods, and you bought a pair of shoes, and this big old chicken laid a gold egg, and there was a prize that you got when you got bought shoes, you know. And I don't, I hated going to the laundry mat at Fifth and Main because it was hot but we'd have to go, and we got to play outside while my mom was doing laundry. Regan Siler Well, that's cool. Regan Siler Well, it seems like, from, I didn't come to Bristow until around the early 80s, and it seems like prior to that, that Bristow was a really happening place, and which, you know, other people have told me that they feel like Walmart was kind of the downfall and the Turnpike. I guess maybe the change in Bristow. Linda Herman Yeah. Regan Siler But it does seem like, I feel like we're on an upswing now, and that things are things are happening and but, man, I mean, there was a lot of stores here. Linda Herman There was a place down that was, what was the name of it? My grandmother, Stanford's. That's where my grandmother's always went and bought my clothes, little dresses and shoes and socks and everything to match, patent leather shoes, you know, little purse. She always had me foo foo'd up going to church, and the boys would always steal my purse and ran and I'd start crying. Regan Siler Now, did you like dressing up like that? Linda Herman Yeah. Regan Siler Or were, you did, okay? Linda Herman I did it for my grandmother. I loved my grandmother. And yeah, no, I just match from head to toe all the time. Regan Siler I bet you were adorable. Linda Herman Little chubby thing. Regan Siler Did you have a favorite place to eat out, or did you primarily eat at home? Linda Herman Highway Cafe. Regan Siler Highway Cafe. Now, remind me where that was that on Linda Herman That's where Zane Goodwin is right now. Regan Siler Okay. Linda Herman And we'd go there every Sunday after church. And I remember there was a lady, Phyllis Holcomb was her name, and she wore bright red lipstick, and she waited on us, and she'd always let Tommy, BT and I have, instead of ketchup, she'd give us French salad dressing to squirt on our french fries instead of ketchup. Regan Siler Really? Linda Herman Yeah. And sometimes we'd go to J & ; amp ; J, which was down here between Fourth and Fifth Street, and I remember there was a black cat and it's eyes would go back and forth. Watch that cat going, okay, what's it gonna do? Regan Siler Oh, that's funny. Um, well, as a teenager, where were where was the hangout? Where was the happenin', like, what did you do as a teenager? Where'd you hang out? Linda Herman Well, we drove up down Main Street, and we'd go down to 7-11, which is Kum & ; amp ; Go, and then we'd go back up, and we'd go through Thurman's Motel trying to get caught, to go through there because you weren't supposed to, you know. Then there was a gas station where Regan Siler Trying not to get caught, or trying Linda Herman To get caught, but because you weren't allowed to go through there [indeciphperable] back on the main street. But then there was a gas station where Mainer is, and they would close, so we'd turn around there, and then go back down. Well, then they put the four lane in. So then we went out to the four lane, and then they put Stop N Shop and all that in, and so, we would go, and we turn around there, and then we'd go to Kum & ; amp ; Go and then come back up, you know, 7-11 then. And then we'd just sit in the gas stations that were closed, or stores, you know, with the all the doors open, or somebody's in a pickup, we'd sit and just watch and holler at people as they go by. Regan Siler And now it's just because it was like that, even whenever I grew up where, you know, you cruised main. Linda Herman Yes. Regan Siler You hung out, and now it just, town is dead. Nobody cruises. I'm like, we need to bring that back. That was a that was always, like, a really fun time to have a cool car and, you know, cruise and, but it's just, I don't know the kids nowadays, I guess don't think that's fun. Linda Herman We'd always try to run the Depew girls out of town because they were out here trying to get the Bristow boys. Regan Siler That's funny. Linda Herman Mainly, we were just, you know, I was a good girl. I didn't do, because I knew I'd probably get killed. Regan Siler Well, yeah. Linda Herman And we had the longest driveway because Tommy, BT and I, we'd always have, you know, we have to be home at midnight, and so we'd have to leave early because we had to go all the way around the lake and fun would only start like 1030 or 11 o'clock, and then you had to be home, and then you try to recreate that the next day. Regan Siler And it is, well, it wasn't the same, was it? Yeah, because thinking about that, you did have a lot that was a long way to to try to get out there. Linda Herman Yeah. Regan Siler So, was the was the lake there at that time? Linda Herman Yes. Regan Siler The lake was already there. Linda Herman The lake has always been there as long as I Regan Siler Okay, okay, but they just didn't, did when did it get, in relation to you living out there, when did it get redone, as far as like, having the nicer road around it? Was it like that? Linda Herman No, it was after. Regan Siler It was after that. Regan Siler I need to get the date of when that was all redone for for reference. Linda Herman Yes. We didn't have a cable. It was just loaded with trees all the way around it. Like the damn was loaded with trees. You couldn't see down in there or any of that stuff. Linda Herman Now when the lake would go down, like in the winter, it would get real low, and where the walk across is now, we could walk across that, but you had to climb up on boat docks and all that kind of stuff. And that's another funny story. We all went to town one day and we walked, and there's snow. We couldn't get around, you know, and we went to town and did what we had to, and we came back and we got across the dam there and my mom wasn't with us. Well, she got hooked on a nail on the boat dock and was hanging and we didn't notice. Regan Siler And you didn't even notice? Linda Herman One, one of us turned around and said, hey, mom, and she wasn't even there. She was back hanging on the boat dock. Regan Siler Oh, that's funny, um, do you remember your first family car? Linda Herman Yeah, my dad always, always had a station wagon. Regan Siler A station wagon. Linda Herman It was beige and had brown paneling down the side of it. Regan Siler So you were styling, weren't you? Um, so I guess, did both your parents usually take you places? Or was it usually your mom? Or, since your dad was Linda Herman Usually my mom. Linda Herman Dad never went like on a vacation in the summer, which we never went on a vacation in the summer, because that was the busy time at the golf course. Regan Siler Usually your mom, okay. Regan Siler That was my next question is, did you ever get to go on vacation? Linda Herman And it was either to Amarillo [Texas] to my mom's sisters or to Kansas, which was still on my mom's side, but they were big dairy farmers in Kansas, and we'd get to go up there and do the milking, and then they got electric milkers, and we just thought that was cool, you know, yeah. Regan Siler So, do you remember who taught you how to drive? Linda Herman Jack Snorgrass (ph). Pat Lewis's grandfather, he had no van, and he'd take Pat and I on Sundays out in the country and let us drive his old van. Regan Siler So, it was just a family friend that taught you how to drive? Were your parents too scared? Linda Herman No, my mom, she was good about it. She and I would go drive on country roads a lot and stuff. And then my cousin came up from Amarillo in a Volkswagen, and I wanted to drive the Volkswagen. It was a standard. She goes, teach yourself how to do it. So, I taught myself how to do that, you know. Regan Siler And didn't lose a, didn't tear anything up in the process? Linda Herman No, no. Regan Siler Do you remember what your first car was? Linda Herman A Galaxie 500 [Ford Galaxie 500], and I'd drive it like from here to Okemah [Oklahoma] and have to put a quart of oil in it. My car payment was $64 a month. And now you pay five and $600. Regan Siler Or more! I think there's people that probably pay more than that. Oh my gosh, a Galaxie. What is that?Who even makes that? Linda Herman I think Ford did. Regan Siler A Ford Galaxie. Linda Herman It was kind of a golden brown with a black top. Regan Siler I'll have to look that up. I'm not, I'm pretty familiar with cars, but I'm not familiar with that one. Linda Herman And when I was a senior in high school at Christmas, and yeah, my mom, they bought it and made the first payment. Wasn't new at all, but I didn't care, you know. Regan Siler So, is working at the golf course how you made your payment? Linda Herman No, I worked at the drive in theater in the concession stand for Bill Wilkerson. Regan Siler Do you remember, do you remember how much they paid for it? You don't remember? Linda Herman No, they hid it in the barn at the golf course with the golf carts and wrapped up the keys and gave them to me senior year at Christmas. Regan Siler Well, that's Linda Herman And then told me I had to pay for it! Regan Siler Well, you know. Linda Herman That's all right, hey, I got a car. Regan Siler Yeah, exactly. Um, what sort of entertainment did you enjoy growing up? I know you said you were outside a lot or whatever, but did you, did you watch TV? And if you did, like, what was your favorite program? Linda Herman I remember watching Big Bill & ; amp ; Oom-A-Gog on TV. Regan Siler What? Linda Herman Yeah, Big Bill & ; amp ; Oom-A-Gog. And it was a, I think it was on channel two in Tulsa. I got to go there when I was in Girl Scouts. Regan Siler What? So, what is that? Linda Herman It was Regan Siler Big Bill & ; amp ; Oom-A-Gog? Linda Herman It was a robot. It was a robot. There's a man there. And we got to go when we was in Girl Scouts, and be on the TV show. Regan Siler Oh, neat! Linda Herman Yeah. And we watched a lot of family shows, you know, together in the evening and stuff. But we watched a lot of golf on TV and stuff, so. Regan Siler Do you recall witnessing any like pivotal events on TV? Linda Herman I remember sitting in Rosemary LeForce's bed when Mr. President Kennedy got shot. I remember sitting and Jill and I'd sit and we watched all that, you know, and stuff and. Regan Siler So, about how, how old would you have been? Linda Herman Maybe, do you remember when he got shot? Regan Siler No, I don't. Well, so I guess, do you remember how you felt, like, how that made you feel at the time? Just, you were just, yeah. Linda Herman I just knew the president got shot. Regan Siler You were just interested in, in, in what happened. Um, did you enjoy listening to music growing up? Linda Herman Nah, I didn't. Regan Siler You didn't?! I can't believe how many people say that they don't, they didn't really listen to much music. Linda Herman Yeah, no. I mean, if I was in the car, you know. Regan Siler So, you didn't have, like, a favorite artist or favorite record you listen to, or anything like that? Linda Herman Well, I love Kenny Rogers. I love to listen to Kenny Rogers. And, you know, back then we played a record player a lot, you know. And I had an album and albums of different, you know, ones, but Kenny Rogers was probably my favorite. Regan Siler Your favorite. Linda Herman I think because he looked like Dr Krug. And I thought doctor was very handsome. Regan Siler Oh, that's funny. Linda Herman I used to tell Susie all the time, oh, I just look at him and think of Kenny Rogers. Regan Siler Oh, that's a good one. Well, that's a good transition into what was medical care like growing up? Did you have a family doctor? Linda Herman Yes, I had Dr. Norfleet (ph) and Dr. Chapman [Frank D. Chapman 1/26/1934-12/13/2020] and Regan Siler Did you go to the doctor much? Or did you guys typically handle things at home? Linda Herman We didn't, I don't remember going to the doctor a whole lot. Regan Siler That didn't stand out to you? Linda Herman No. Regan Siler So, you didn't have any, you don't recall you or any of your family having any, I don't know, like, outbreaks of anything, or Linda Herman I know I had chicken pox, was it chicken pox, real bad. And my mom said all she could get me to even swallow was peanut butter sandwich soaked in milk. Regan Siler Oh, my goodness. Linda Herman I remember her telling me that that, you know, I had chicken pox real, real bad, [indecipherable] Regan Siler So, nobody had any like serious illnesses or epidemics or anything? You didn't go through anything like that as a as a youngster? Linda Herman No. Regan Siler Um, did you attend church growing up? Linda Herman First Presbyterian Church. Regan Siler First Presbyterian, um, that's the gray church, isn't it? Yes, yes. Um, so what was it like? What do you remember about attending church there can, like Linda Herman We, we went every Sunday, and, Regan Siler Like, your whole, did your whole family go? Or, Linda Herman Yeah, my dad, you know, never could go. He did after, you know, he retired and stuff. But my grandmother and granddad Thompson went there, and we would go, and we were all three in the angel choir, and my mom was in the choir. And it was a lot of fun going. There were a lot of kids, and we just walked from Fifth Street, you know, over there. And my grandparents were real big into the church. Regan Siler And, so, that was where you had always gone? Linda Herman Yeah. Regan Siler Okay, okay, um, what were holidays like in your family? We can start with Christmas, because that's usually always the big one. Tell me what a typical Christmas was like at your house? Linda Herman We pretty much got everything we wanted, but that would be the only time my mom would go out at Christmas, not birthday, Easter, any of that. But Christmas Regan Siler Was a big deal. Linda Herman It was a big deal. Regan Siler And do you remember what it was like decorations like, tell me, like, what your house. Linda Herman My dad would always go buy two trees and drill holes and put branches into another tree to make it bereal full. Regan Siler Are you serious? Linda Herman Yes, because they just weren't real full. And he wanted a full tree. Then it sat for a couple of days so all the limbs could fall down like they should, and then he'd put the lights on it. Then we got to decorate. Regan Siler Man, he was into it, wasn't he? Linda Herman And he always decorated our house, put lights outside and everything. Linda Herman Then the old, neat ornaments, you know that, I don't know, they were just so neat. And then you had, Regan Siler I love that. Regan Siler Like, the vint, like the vintage, the vintage looking ones, yeah? Linda Herman And then, excuse me, um, tinsel. Well, my mom had to put each little piece. Well, Tommy and BT and me, just, just throw it, you know, and she'd get so mad at us, just go sit down! Just go sit down! You don't need to do it! Regan Siler We, me and my brother, my dad loved tinsel, too. It wasn't until I was older that I realized why my mom didn't like it is because it's so messy. Linda Herman Yes, yes, but mom had to put each little piece, you know. But it was wonderful. And everybody came to my grandparents house, and there were so many presents. Regan Siler And was that at Sixth Street, okay? Regan Siler But a magical, wonderful memory. Linda Herman You couldn't even see the fireplace and all that because everybody's presents were there, and it was just like a mad house. But we had a blast. Linda Herman Oh yeah, yeah. Regan Siler Well, that's neat. Linda Herman But we'd always meet at my grandmother Thompson's for Thanksgiving and stuff. But any other holiday we really didn't, you know, go away. Regan Siler So, it wasn't a it was mainly Christmas, so not even, like, Fourth of July or anything? It wasn't as big of a deal as what Christmas was? Linda Herman No. Regan Siler Sounds like they went on they, yeah, they went out with a bang on Christmas. Yeah. Well, that's neat, yeah. Um, as a child, do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up? Linda Herman Yes, I wanted to attend OU [University of Oklahoma] and be on the girls golf team, and then be a golf pro. And I didn't do any of that, other than play golf. Regan Siler Well, I mean, you're, you're in the realm there. Linda Herman That's what, and I found my little deal that I wrote not too long ago in school for some class, and that's what I wanted to do, was go to OU and. Regan Siler So, when did you, let's talk about the golf course more in depth, and like the effect that it had on your life. Obviously, it sounded like it was a very cool place to grow up, and you have a lot of good memories there. When did you actually start playing golf? Did your is your dad, the one that was instrumental in getting you to? Linda Herman Yes, yes. I started as soon as we moved out there. I was in the fourth grade. Regan Siler Fourth grade. Linda Herman And I started playing then. Regan Siler Did you immediately love it? Linda Herman Oh yeah. And my dad used to make us hit 100 golf balls in a circle whenever we'd practice. Regan Siler A hundred golf balls in a circle? Linda Herman Circle, so you could get your distance of where you were going, like, you'd have a hole out there, so you would know how far to hit it in that circle to get close to the flag pin. Regan Siler Okay. Linda Herman You know, and stuff like that. He made us practice constantly. Practice makes perfect. Regan Siler Right. Linda Herman And to this day, don't ask me to go hit a ball practicing, because I won't do it. I tell those guys, I'll be on tee box waiting and I'm not practicing. I'm not hitting any balls. I give golf lessons. I will not I just. Regan Siler You won't do it. So, where did his love of golf come from? Linda Herman When he was in the service in Florida, he took it up and would play. And then he got called back into the Korean War and he was married to my mom, and she thought he was going to the base every morning. Oh, no, he was going with all the captains and everything, to the golf course, playing golf every day. And she thought he was on base working. So, that's where, you know, in Tommy and BT, they play, but not like I do. Regan Siler Not as much as what you do. So, tell me more, so how long were, how long did you guys actually live out there and and run it? Linda Herman I think my dad was out there around 20 years. Regan Siler But how long did you live actually live out there? Linda Herman The whole time. Regan Siler The whole time? Oh my gosh, okay. Linda Herman Yes, yes. Regan Siler So, that was, that was your whole entire childhood. Linda Herman And they would have parties in the big room there, and we wouldn't be allowed to come, so Tommy and BT and I'd lay in the window sills and watch them in there having fun and everything. But it was a great place to grow up. I learned a lot. I learned a lot of respect. Regan Siler Did you, did you feel like at the time, being a young person, I know we talked about, you know, that's where you've learned, like, your work ethic, and did you always love that part, or as a kid that that, did you wish maybe you didn't have to do some of that stuff? Linda Herman Yeah, no, I was fine being out there. Regan Siler Well, that's good. Linda Herman I was great. Regan Siler That's good. Linda Herman It was great. Regan Siler And that was probably even a fun place to have your friends out? Linda Herman Yes, yeah, we just get in a golf cart and get to ride around. And, you know, we just, it was a great place. Regan Siler Great place. Linda Herman I would raise anybody out there. Regan Siler Yeah. I mean, it sounds like it. Well, let's talk a little bit about your different jobs you've had during your life. I know we talked about that a little bit on the phone. I know you said you started at the drive in and that's how you paid for your car. Linda Herman Started at the drive in theater, and then I went and worked for Edmond and Sherian [Slyman] catering, and I also helped them at the tabouli shop that they had. And I worked for, I was Corinne Dial's first employee at Little People School. And then I left there, and I went to the school in '79 and worked for the school for 41 years. Regan Siler Forty-one years! So, you saw a lot of kids grow up in that time. Linda Herman Regan, kids to this day your age, hey, Ms. Linda Kay! I go you don't have to call me Ms. Linda Kay. You will always be Ms. Linda Kay. Regan Siler It is like that I've had, I have a hard time even when I run into teachers now, I'll always say, Ms. so-and-so. You don't have to call me that. That makes me feel old. I'm like, but that's who you are to me. Linda Herman But now that I've retired from school, I kind of did nothing for a couple of years, and I'm back at the golf courses manager. Regan Siler Back at the golf course. Linda Herman I have made my circle. Regan Siler You have and how, how is that for you? Are you? Linda Herman It's good. I love it. You know, I see now a lot of things that my mom and dad had to put up with that is ridiculous, if people would just think, you now. But you know how days and times are now. It's all about them. And it's been hard because I'm a woman. They don't want me telling them, hey. Regan Siler How to do things. Linda Herman How to do things, and, you know, on the golf course, mainly. My employees are wonderful that work for me. They'll do anything. Regan Siler So, maybe like a like you're saying kind of a level of disrespect, maybe? Linda Herman Yes, you know, they don't, you know they don't want me to tell them, if you don't want to do what I'm saying, then leave. Regan Siler Right. Linda Herman They don't like me telling them that I'm telling you to leave. Regan Siler Yeah, that's unfortunate. Linda Herman Yeah, and the board, Brian Pinson and Gary Graham, the board out there is wonderful. They support me wonderfully. Regan Siler That's good. Yeah, you've definitely come full circle, haven't you? Linda Herman I've made my circle, and I feel like I've in my mom and dad's footsteps and stuff. Regan Siler Yeah. Well, before we get off of that, I've got to circle back to the school. I know that. I mean, my gosh, 41 years, that's a long time. And this is probably a loaded question, because there's probably tons of stories, but what did you, what did you get out of that, being there, because I feel like you're, you're like, the, oh, I don't know, like the Linda Herman You see, a lot of personalities. Well, take you, for instance, your kids act just like you, you know, you see that, and they would come and go, Linda Kay, do you remember Regan when she was in school? Does Chad act just like she did, yeah, you know, or you know, they you just see a lot of it. I mean, I used to tell Judy Vice, I think we have seen grandparents now. Regan Siler Like there's the generations of kids. Linda Herman Yes, you know, but so many different personalities. It was a good place to work. You know, I fell in love with a lot of kids. There's a lot I would have taken home with me if I'd had the room, because I felt so sorry for them. Regan Siler Yeah, yeah. Linda Herman Some of those kids, the only meal they get is at school, and that just broke my heart. I probably spent more of my own money on stuff for kids. Regan Siler Yeah, that's a rough thing to have to witness and not really have any, any control to fix. Linda Herman Yeah, it's not their fault, you know. Regan Siler Do you have any like I say, I'm sure you have tons of stories, but does anything in particular stick out to you that, I don't know, meant a lot to you or that would, success, I don't know, just any, any particular stories that stand out to you, that I guess you can share without, yeah, with maybe not mentioning names. I don't know. Linda Herman Yeah, no, there was a lot that I, you know, when you'd have to keep kids from parents. That just broke my heart, but I knew it was the best thing you know for that. Regan Siler Have you had any kids that are adults now come back to you and tell you, thank you for loving on me? Regan Siler Well, I could see, I guess that's what I was trying to say earlier, is you seemed to me like you would be the, the soft place to fall for a lot of kids that maybe don't have that, or maybe even that do, but just are having a rough time, or, you know, whatever that that you were kind of the soft place to fall for them. Linda Herman Yes, yes. And then I have some that kind of go, do they still had the time out box? Like a three-sided thing that Mrs. Vice would have him sit in, you know, to cool down and all that. But no there, you know, they'll and they'll tell their kids, hey, she was in school when I was there, and she was the sweetest thing. And we love Ms. Linda Kay and, you know, and stuff like that. Linda Herman Yes. Regan Siler The person that that kind of loved them no matter what, you know. Linda Herman Yes, and they would, you know, they would, they would just come and sit in my lap and let me love on them and, and they needed that. Regan Siler Now you're going to make me cry. Linda Herman Today's time, you can't do that. I Regan Siler I know. Linda Herman That was very hard to do. Regan Siler I know. Linda Herman My last few years, I had to watch who I touched. Regan Siler Everything has changed. Linda Herman You know, I would know Regan's not gonna matter if I love on Chad. Regan Siler Cale, it's Cale. Linda Herman But, you know, it was that's, you know, if you just really have to watch. Back then I could have loved on every one of them, and thank you, Linda Kay, for, you know, so and so came home today and said they got to sit in your lap. You loved on and they were crying, you know. Regan Siler But to me, that seems like that would be, and I think, especially, in the elementary that's a, can be a tough time for kids that, to know that you had that loving effect on them, to show them kindness and love in times when they need or, you know, just a hug. My boys, Cale and Luke, like I know, Cale was a, he still is, you know. Love him to death, but he was a tough he was a tough kid to get through school. And sometimes he would just have, yeah, rough days, you know. And to be able to hug a kid like that and tell him it's going to be okay, that makes a huge difference. Linda Herman Right, you know, and I'd had to have parents call and go, Linda Kay, is there any way you can come get so and so and take her to school with you? I can't get her in the car and she'll go, if you'll come. Sure, you know, and I'll go do it and, you know. Regan Siler And that's the stuff that I don't think, well, I know, like a lot of people don't, I think it's easy to, I don't know, lump teachers in education. It's education is kind of a mess right now. Different sides saying different things. But I think that's an aspect of it that regular people don't see unless you're in the education system, that there are people that go way above and beyond what their job title is, as far as just caring about the kids and taking care of them, and that's how I see you. I think you gave 41 years to Bristow kids. Linda Herman I did. I really did, and it's, to me, it's not the school system, it's the other things you have to deal with that is hard. And I was, I was done. Regan Siler Yeah, you know, do you, I understand being done, especially in this time period that we're in. But do you miss it? Linda Herman At times I do, especially, being around the little kids, you know. The adults and stuff, no. Regan Siler Yeah. Linda Herman That you dealt with every day. Regan Siler Right. Linda Herman You know, it's always our fault. Regan Siler Right. It was time for a new chapter for you, or maybe an a new old chapter. Linda Herman Yeah, yeah. And I had wonderful bosses, you know. And I was, you know, I told Debbie Ponder, I said, I'm sorry, but I'm done, you know, it's time for me to get out, so. Regan Siler Yeah, and I bet that was a that was probably a tearful Linda Herman It was very hard. Regan Siler A tearful goodbye. You do something, I mean, honestly, hardly anyone stays at anywhere that long. It just doesn't happen in this day and age. Linda Herman And used to I was up and ready to go to work, and it was getting to where I had to make myself get up to go to work, yeah, you know. And I knew, you know. Regan Siler Wanted to go out on a good note. Linda Herman Yeah, yeah, yeah, so. Regan Siler Well, to kind of change things up a little bit. What would you consider to be the most important invention during your lifetime? Linda Herman Well, I'm gonna say it is the difference in golf clubs. Regan Siler Of course, that would be your answer! Linda Herman The change in golf clubs. I mean when you go from persimmon trees shafts in golf clubs that, you know, think hitting a golf ball with a wooden shaft. You would think that that would bust when you would hit two steel shafts, metal shafts, flex shafts, and all that kind of stuff. And the ball goes so much farther. There's so much in stuff that has been Regan Siler Like evolution in the Linda Herman Yeah, in a golf club, you know. I have my grandfather's golf clubs, and they were all wooden shaft, you know. And just to think, you know, the difference in that and now. Regan Siler Why does it not surprise me that she answered with a with a golf Answer? But no, I think that's a great, a great perspective. Linda Herman Yes, so. Regan Siler And golf balls you said? Linda Herman And golf balls, yes, you know, it's just the difference in what they've have invented and discovered in golf even, you know. Regan Siler Okay, that's a that's a fair answer. Well, how do you feel the world is different than when you were a child? Linda Herman When I was a child, it was very enjoyable. People got along. You know, you weren't scared of anything. You left your doors open at night. Your windows up and all that. And I feel like life now, you're scared to death all the time. You know, you can't do, you're just constantly looking behind to see what's going on and Regan Siler Right, no, I hear that. Linda Herman Growing up as a kid was wonderful. Regan Siler Carefree. It was very carefree! Linda Herman Now, I mean, these my nieces, great nieces and nephews, what are they going to have to deal with when they're five now, and when they get 20? Regan Siler And you feel different, I'm sure, towards, towards them, and how you watch them, or how, you know, any kids, just because. Linda Herman I mean, we got wore out. I don't know if you did. I'm still alive. Regan Siler Oh, yeah. Linda Herman Whip that butt. Linda Herman You know, it's not going to hurt them. That's, you know, that's the problem now, you know, there's no discipline because they're afraid to discipline that someone's gonna call and turn them in or. Regan Siler Yes. Regan Siler Right. Linda Herman Something like that. Regan Siler Oh no, there was no lack of discipline in my house. Linda Herman I still have ears. Regan Siler Oh, that's funny. Well, what this might be along the same line, but what do you feel our nation's biggest problems are, and how do you think they can be solved? Linda Herman Oh, gosh, politics, I think this is our biggest problem, and to fix it, I don't know. Regan Siler Wipe it all out and start over, maybe? Linda Herman Something, but I, I wish the economy and stuff would be better, you know. And I know it'll never get back to 25 cents a gallon for gas, you know, like what it was. And, you know, go and buy a bill of groceries for $50 and you pay $200 now, you know, stuff like that. Regan Siler It just makes it very, the times we're living in now are very hard, very hard to make it. And yes, I know I've said, like for my kids, who are young adults, it's very hard to get started in life, because it's just a whole different. Linda Herman And I have a niece that wants to go to work, but child care is so expensive. If you don't have a good job, all your money's going to child care. Regan Siler Yeah, you're paying someone to Linda Herman If you don't have a family member and when I retired, I said I wasn't babysitting. Regan Siler Right, right. Linda Herman I've eaten my words there. Linda Herman Well, you know, I'm not going to do it every day. You know, just stuff like that. I just wish it would just get better, you know. Regan Siler Right. Regan Siler I can't disagree with you. Linda Herman You don't get to go and do like you did back then, because you used to be able to go on a tank of gas, and now it takes a tank to get halfway there. Regan Siler Well, I saw a meme, and it kind of makes me laugh, because it's true, like, I don't leave the house much anymore, because every time I do, it cost me $300. Linda Herman Yeah, yes, you know. And my little great, great nephew, he'll kind of okay, okay, you take me Coop's, you take me to Coop's? And you go, and it's 20 bucks by the time you leave Coop's with candy, slushes and but I do it, you know. Regan Siler Oh, yeah. Linda Herman Why should they get left out? Regan Siler Yes, no, I understand. How have historic events affected you? For instance, well, like we talked about JFK getting shot, but like maybe the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, COVID, natural disasters. Have any of those things affected you in your life? Do you remember or can you think of? Linda Herman No, I think about the bombing. It happened on my brother's birthday. And so I think about it every year. Regan Siler Which one the Oklahoma City or? Linda Herman Yes, the Oklahoma City bombing. So, I think about it, you know. And I was at school when that happened. I think when I really got to where I was watching my back a lot, even at school, is when Eisenberger [Scott Eizember] Linda Herman Eizmeber, all that happened. And we were on lockdown for such a long time, and you were just constantly, you know, just to walk to the cafeteria 25 yards now, you were just kind of Regan Siler Yeah, that was like, that was that manhunt was a major, major thing. I can remember being, I was younger, and being like, you're nervous to be outside in the country when that's nothing you ever thought of, never even considered being outside in your yard or doing anything, but like you say, you're always kind of looking over your shoulder. Regan Siler Eizember? Linda Herman And even, like when I'm at the golf course and I'm by myself, you know, I'm not scared. Regan Siler You just have to be aware. Linda Herman But you have to be aware, and like I told the guys, more than likely it's going to be somebody I had in school, and I'm going to say, what in the heck do you think you're doing, you know? It's Ms. Linda Kay, you're not gonna hurt me and stuff like that. But I shouldn't have that outlook. And I still have, you know, in my mind, you've got to watch, you know, on stuff like that. Regan Siler You definitely have to be aware today. Is there anything else that we haven't covered that you would like to share with us, or maybe any wisdom that you would like to share that you've learned through your life that you want to pass on for your great nieces and nephews to hear one day? Linda Herman Take care of yourself. Live a good life. Have fun and enjoy it and play golf! Regan Siler That's how she's gonna end this interview, play golf! Linda Herman Play golf! Swing that club. It's good exercise. Regan Siler Absolutely. Linda Herman And I've tried and tried to get my nieces and my nephews to play, and I think I might have one. He told me the other day he wanted to play golf. He's only five, but we'll see. You know, I Regan Siler Well, maybe you need to teach me how to play golf. Because I am, I honestly, I am, I love sports, but I have never in my life played golf. I haven't, and I'd probably like it. Linda Herman I gave Boston Raney, Blakeman, whatever, lessons last summer. He and another little boy, and they're big baseball players, you know, and I think they got so sick of me saying, put your feet together. Put your feet together. And but I played against Boston in a tournament last summer, and he we were on this same group, but on different teams. And he would say, Linda Kay, and I'd go, I can't tell you, you're my opponent. I can't tell you what Regan Siler We mean business! Linda Herman When we're on this team, golf tournament, or money, or whatever. And so he got to where he'd just look at me, and I just, you know, do this with my eyes, so he knew he was doing it right. But I love that little boy. If he sticks to it, he'll be a good little golfer. Regan Siler Oh, well, that's good. Maybe I need to come out and visit the golf course, and you can take me for Linda Herman There you go. Regan Siler A around and see if I like it, because I feel like at some point me and my husband are going to have to, you know, when he ever quits working so much, find a hobby. It seems like that might be one that doesn't kill you in your old age. Yeah, that's actually good for you without, like, really messing something up, you know. Linda Herman And if I don't hit a good ball, I just take off walking, so I still get more exercise, you know. But I was also going to tell you, if you want it, I have a picture, and I think it is opening day at the golf course. Regan Siler Oh, yes! Linda Herman And back then, the men played in dress pants and shirts and ties. Oh, white shirts and ties, and there's all these men standing around. It's either six or nine green and we think it's opening day. Regan Siler That would be amazing. Is that something that you would want us to copy, or you would want to donate to the museum? Linda Herman We'd have to copy it. Regan Siler Okay. Linda Herman We have it up in the pro shop. Regan Siler Okay. Linda Herman We found it when we were cleaning some stuff out, and we believe it's opening day. Regan Siler Okay. Linda Herman And they opened in '23. Regan Siler We have a pretty quality scanner down at the depot, so maybe we bring it down there, and we could make a copy of it. That's, yeah, that's awesome. That's the kind of stuff that we love to preserve. Linda Herman Yes. So, and we had two copies, and if I can find that other one you call can have one. Regan Siler Okay. Linda Herman But, yes, we do have one there in the pro shop. And, okay, yeah, we think that's. Regan Siler Yeah, that's awesome. Okay. Linda Herman Yeah. Regan Siler Well, we appreciate you taking the time to visit with us today. Your interview will become an important part of our oral history archive for the museum. We appreciate you very much and thank you. Linda Herman Thank you. video 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/ohms/render.php?cachefile=OHP-0063_Linda_Kay_Herman.xml OHP-0063_Linda_Kay_Herman.xml
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Linda Kay Herman
Description
An account of the resource
Linda Kay Herman, born on June 20, 1955, in Bristow, Oklahoma, shared her life story which included spending her childhood at the golf course her dad managed. She recounted her early life, including her favorite childhood activities, school experiences, and the influence of her parents and community. Linda discussed her career, which included working at a drive-in theater, catering, and working at Bristow Public Schools for 41 years. She emphasized the changes in society, particularly in discipline and economics, and her love for golf, which began in her childhood.
Identifier
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OHP-0063
Date
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2024-08-15
Format
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video
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https://www.bristoworalhistory.org/files/original/b14c56c09a7cfcbc92f5ee46fa4ac340.jpg
c9f78e8be95dacfaa261fba8f2905668
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Family Histories
Type
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Oral History
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral accounts of various family histories
Source
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Bristow Historical Society, oral history collection
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Interviewer
The person(s) performing the interview
Regan Siler
Interviewee
The person(s) being interviewed
Linda Root
OHMS Object
This field contains the OHMS Hyperlink (link to the XML file within the OHMS
Viewer)
https://bristoworalhistory.org/ohms/render.php?cachefile=OHP-0074_Linda_Root.xml
OHMS Object Text
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contents of the OHMS object searchable in Omeka
6.0 July 1, 2025 OHP-0074 Linda Root OHP-0074 00:38:27 Bristow Historical Society, Inc. bristowhistory Linda Root Regan Siler 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/interviews/OHP-0074 Root, Linda.mp4 Other video 0 Birth Regan Siler 00:00
 ; This is Regan Siler with the Bristow Historical Society in Bristow, Oklahoma. This interview is part of the Historical Society's ongoing oral history project. The date is July 1, 2025 and I'm sitting here with Linda Root at the Bristow Library Annex. She's going to tell us a little bit about her life and her history living in the Bristow area. Can you please state your full name? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 00:24
 ; Linda Rose Root. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 00:26
 ; Okay. And do I have permission to do this interview? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 00:29
 ; Yes, you do.
 ; Linda Rose Root was born on June 3, 1953. She was born in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Bristow Historical Society ; Bristow (Okla.) ; Bristow Library Annex ; Linda Rose Root ; Sapulpa (Okla.) Birth 0 38 Parents and Siblings Regan Siler 00:38
 ; Okay, um, let's talk about the people in your family. Let's start with your parents. What are your parents full names?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 00:48
 ; Rosemary McGuire and Clifford James McGuire.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 00:53
 ; Okay, and I have, I have your mother as Rosemary Simmonds McGuire?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 00:58
 ; Yes.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 00:58
 ; Okay. And her birthday is 1/29/1926 and then I have your dad as 9/24/1912. 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 01:08
 ; Yes.
 ; Linda's parents were Rosemary Simmonds McGuire and Clifford James McGuire. Her mother's date of birth was January 1, 1926. Her father's date of birth was September 24, 1912. Linda's mother was a homemaker and later worked as a caretaker for the elderly. After getting out of the army, her father worked for the Corps of Engineers. Linda has five full siblings and two half siblings. Linda grew up in the Kellyville area. Rosemary Simmonds McGuire ; Clifford James McGuire ; army ; Corps of Engineers ; Kellyville (Okla.) ; Bristow (Okla.) ; Western Heritage Days Parents ; Siblings 0 154 Early Childhood Regan Siler 02:34
 ; Right, right. Okay, well, let's talk about your early childhood and your home life. I'm just going to ask you a few fun questions about that. Do you remember any of your favorite toys or games that you played when you were young?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 02:49
 ; Oh, my goodness. I think one of my favorite things was listening to my mom talk about her life growing up in England. But also, we were, we played games constantly. I mean, kick the can, softball, baseball. We were country kids, so we were outside all the time.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 03:09
 ; Right, that's, that's the general consensus from people from that time period, is that you were outside all the time. So you, you mentioned your mom was from England?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 03:18
 ; Yes.
 ; One of Linda's favorite things to do when she was younger was listen to her mother talk about growing up in England. Linda says that she was a country kid and was outside playing all of the time. She played kick the can, softball and baseball. England ; Rosemary Simmonds McGuire Childhood 0 202 Mother from England Linda Root 03:22
 ; Yeah, I didn't know she had an English accent until I started school and the kids told me.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 03:28
 ; Really?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 03:29
 ; You just, 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 03:30
 ; That's what. 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 03:30
 ; You don't pay attention. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 03:31
 ; That's just how mom sounded.
 ; Linda's mother grew up in England. Linda did not realize her mother had an accent until she started school and the kids told her. She came over after the war on the Queen Mary in 1947. She had met Linda's dad when he was stationed in England. Rosemary had worked for the RAF, the English Air Force making parachutes. Linda had a sister that was born in England. Rosemary Simmonds McGuire ; Queen Mary ; Air Force ; Staten Island ; Bristow (Okla.) ; Kellyville (Okla.) ; Oklahoma City (Okla.) Mother ; England 0 288 Chores and Hobbies as a Child Regan Siler 04:48
 ; Wow, that's cool. Um, well, kind of back to your childhood. Did you have any chores you were expected to do as a youngster?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 04:58
 ; Oh, yes, we all had a chore. I did switch off with my brothers because I would rather be outside than doing the dishes. I was always an outside person, but I got drug back in.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 05:10
 ; So, since you had a big family, did you have friends that would come over and play, or did you just typically play with your siblings? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 05:17
 ; Well, both.
 ; Linda and her siblings were expected to help with chores around the house. Linds says she often tried to switch off with her brothers because she would rather work outside than do the dishes. Linda enjoyed horseback riding as a child. She grew up close to Heyburn Lake, so she also enjoyed swimming. Heyburn Lake (Okla.) Chores ; Hobbies 0 353 School Regan Siler 05:53
 ; That sounds fun. Okay, well, can you tell me a little bit about your school life? Where did you first attend school?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 06:02
 ; Kellyville [Oklahoma].
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 06:03
 ; Kellyville.
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 06:04
 ; From the first grade through eleventh grade, and then we moved and was traveling after I married my husband. He got drafted, and so we were in the service. Moved eight times. Ended up in Germany and did a almost a year in Germany. And when we came back was when we came back to Bristow.
 ; Linda attended Kellyville Schools from the first grade through the eleventh grade. She then got married and was traveling around with her husband. Linda says that Jeff Holcomb was an influential teacher when she was in high school. She also thought the world of her first-grade teacher, Mrs. Williams. Kellyville (Okla.) ; Kellyville Public Schools ; Germany ; Bristow (Okla.) ; Clifford James McGuire ; Jeff Holcomb ; Tom Holcomb School 0 431 Clubs and Organizations Linda Root 07:11
 ; 4H, of course, Home Economics. I think I enjoyed 4H as much as anything, because it was kind of hands on. We did a lot of trips and stuff on that. Bristow didn't have a lot of extracurricular activity going, or not Bristow, Kellyville at that point. But, I was in, oh, let's see, I did speech. I was in a play. I was in a couple of plays. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 07:42
 ; So, it sounded like you probably enjoyed school.
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 07:45
 ; I did.
 ; Linda was involved in 4H while in school. She said it was very hands on, and they took a lot trips. She was also involved in Home Economics. Linda was in a couple plays while in school. Her favorite subject was English. Linda did not enjoy math and joked that she then ended up in real estate. 4-H clubs ; Home economics ; Bristow (Okla.) ; Kellyville (Okla.) ; Real Estate Clubs ; Organizations 0 489 Childhood Homes Regan Siler 08:09
 ; Well, can you tell me a little bit about the house that you grew up in? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 08:11
 ; Oh, I don't know what to say. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 08:12
 ; Did you, so in this house on your acreage, is that where you lived from the
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 08:18
 ; We lived in on a farm, a large farm, up until I was, like, in the third grade, and then we moved to the Heyburn Lake area because my dad worked there at the project office, and he bought a house and had put on that property. It's five acres and
 ; Linda says that she lived on a large farm until she was in the third grade. Then her family moved to the Heyburn Lake area. Her father worked there at the project office. He bought a house and had it put on that property. It was five acres of land. Linda lived here until she married. Heyburn Lake (Okla.) ; Clifford James McGuire Home 0 529 Mealtimes Regan Siler 08:49
 ; Too many, too many kids. Um, what were mealtimes like in your family? Did you guys eat together every night?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 08:58
 ; Every night. My mother was a wonderful cook. My daughter would attest to that. You know, she, she was always baking, and of course, we milked cows. We had fresh milk and all of that. But, you know, when I came home from school, there was always cookies or something like that. She was just really into baking and cooking, and she was a wonderful cook.
 ; Linda says that her family ate together every night. She says her mother was a wonderful cook and was always baking. Linda says her mother made roast beef and Yorkshire pudding every Sunday. Linda still makes some of her mother's recipes. She says that her mother's stuffing recipe is always in great demand for the holidays. Rosemary Simmonds McGuire ; England ; Yorkshire pudding Mealtimes 0 623 Community Activities Regan Siler 10:23
 ; Well, that's neat. Well, I know you'd mentioned Western Heritage Days, so I wanted to ask what, I know that you were in Kellyville, but you were in Bristow a lot. So, what were some of your favorite activities in the Bristow area, for instance, like Western Heritage days and such?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 10:40
 ; You know, Western Heritage Days was so fun when I was a kid. I mean, you got the cap guns, and they had the shootouts, and it was, it's a good memory that I have of Bristow. Also, we the movies. We had movie theaters here. I think there was at least two that I remember. And Kemp's Drugstore had the best sodas that I have ever drank. We always, that was our treat. That was our treat on Saturdays, when we came to shop, we would get to go to Kemps and get a soda or the Highway Cafe that was here.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 11:13
 ; I hear about that a lot.
 ; Linda says that Western Heritage Days was a big part of her childhood. She also enjoyed going to the movie theaters here in Bristow. She says Kemp's Drugstore had the best sodas that she ever drank. Linda and her family also came to Bristow for the county fair. Western Heritage Days ; Kemp's Drugstore ; Highway Cafe ; Bristow (Okla.) ; Kellyville (Okla.) ; County Fair Community Activities 0 716 Bristow Businesses Regan Siler 11:56
 ; Okay, um, well, do you remember some of the biggest or most popular businesses around Bristow when you were growing up?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 12:04
 ; Woolworths.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 12:05
 ; Okay.
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 12:05
 ; Was here.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 12:06
 ; And tell me what Woolworths was. 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 12:08
 ; It was like kind of variety store. It was in the area where I think the gym is at on between seventh and eighth. Let me think Safeway. I remember the manager at Safeway, because when I was little, but my parents were shopping, and I had gone over to where the comic books was at, and was looking through all of those. Well, with as big as our family was, they loaded up and took off and left me there, and I believe it was Norma Chadderdon's dad that was the manager, and he came over, and I realized they were gone, you know, I was starting to look for them. And, so, he picked me up and was walking around the store with me. Of course, they came right back.
 ; Linda remembers Woolworths being a popular store during her childhood. She says it was a variety store. She also remembers Safeway, the five and dime store, Shamas Dry Goods Store and JC Penney. She says the building that JC Penney was in is the building where she later put Root's Hometown Furniture. Woolworth's ; Safeway ; Norma Chadderton ; Kemp's Drugstore ; JC Penney ; Shamas Dry Goods Store ; Highway Cafe ; Bristow (Okla.) Businesses ; Bristow (Okla.) 0 858 First Job Regan Siler 14:18
 ; Right, right. Did you have a favorite hangout as a teenager?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 14:25
 ; Oh, goodness. I went to work as soon as I could, because that was my goal was to work. I worked at Howard Johnson's on the turnpike while I was still in school. Worked summers there.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 14:40
 ; So, how old were you when you started working? Do you remember?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 14:43
 ; Oh, goodness. I worked for an aunt that had a concession stand there at the lake. I worked for her when I was really young. We ran the firecracker stand. We were just active. We were always out and doing something.
 ; Linda worked at Howard Johnson's on the turnpike during the summer while she was still in school. She says she worked for an aunt that had a concession stand at the lake when she was really young. Linda and her family also ran the firecracker stand. Howard Johnson's ; Heyburn Lake (Okla.) Job 0 899 Train Depot and Bristow Businesses Regan Siler 14:59
 ; Right, right. Do you have any particular memories of the train depot, by chance?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 15:09
 ; I remember going to it. It wasn't something that we went to all the time, you know, but we, I'm pretty sure there was, like, a large parking lot down in that area that we always parked at when we came to town. And, of course, we would spend the day in town when we came. I sound really old.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 15:30
 ; No, but it's really interesting to hear how Bristow used to be, and it was a very booming.
 ; Linda remembers occasionally visiting the train depot in Bristow when she was young. Linda says Bristow was booming and that it seemed like all of the families came to town on Saturdays. She remembers Rexall Drug, the shoe shop and Lyon's Cafe all being in Bristow. Train Depot ; Rexall Drug ; Anthony's ; Lyon's Cafe ; Bristow (Okla.) Bristow (Okla.) ; Train Depot 0 973 Clothing Regan Siler 16:13
 ; So, in a family, in a large family like yours, did you, did you get new clothes? Did your mom make your clothes?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 16:22
 ; Both.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 16:23
 ; Hand me downs? I'm sure. 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 16:24
 ; Yeah. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 16:25
 ; Okay. So, did you get them around, did you get to come to town and buy them, like before school or?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 16:31
 ; Yes, like the JC Penney's and Shamas.
 ; Linda had both hand me downs and new clothing as a child. Her mom also made some of her clothing. New clothing was usually purchased at JC Penney's or Shamas Dry Goods Store. Rosemary Simmonds McGuire ; JC Penney ; Shamas Dry Goods Store Clothing 0 993 Family Car and Vacations Regan Siler 16:33
 ; Okay, okay, um, do you remember your family's first car? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 16:38
 ; No.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 16:41
 ; It must have not stood out to you. 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 16:42
 ; I don't, I don't remember that. I mean, I can't even tell you what they drove, to be honest. Okay, have to sit and really think about it.
 ; Linda does not remember what her family's first car was. As far as family vacations went, Linda and her family always stayed pretty close to home. They would visit the lake. Linda's aunt had a really nice place by the lake that they would visit. Her aunt always had fireworks. Heyburn Lake (Okla.) ; Clifford James McGuire Car ; Vacations 0 1033 Learning to Drive Regan Siler 17:13
 ; Right, okay. Do you remember who taught you how to drive? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 17:19
 ; My dad.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 17:20
 ; Your dad did. And do you remember your first car?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 17:24
 ; Yes, Fury III [Plymouth]. I learned to drive on in a pickup, a standard shift, and before I could drive, I had to learn how to change a tire and take care of all of that.
 ; Linda says that her father taught her how to drive. She learned to drive in a standard shift pickup. Linda says that her father made her learn how to change a tire before she could drive. Her first car was a Plymouth Fury III. Clifford James McGuire ; Plymouth Fury III Drive 0 1067 Entertainment Regan Siler 17:47
 ; Okay, what sort of entertainment did you enjoy growing up? Did you have a TV? Did you get to watch TV?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 17:56
 ; Yes.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 17:56
 ; Okay. Do you remember any programs, specific programs you enjoyed?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 18:00
 ; My goodness, of course, I watched what my parents said that we watched, and there wasn't that many.
 ; Linda says that her family did have a television when she was growing up. She remembers watching Lawrence Welk with her parents. Television ; Clifford James McGuire ; Rosemary Simmonds McGuire Entertainment 0 1101 Music Regan Siler 18:21
 ; So, did you listen to music much as a youngster? So, what was your favorite kind of music during that time? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 18:28
 ; Well, when I was younger, I listened. My siblings are talented. I mean, I had a brother that played the piano. I've got two brothers that played the guitar. I picked around on both. Never kept with them, but there was always music, my dad played. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 18:47
 ; So, you had your own music.
 ; Linda says that her family was big into playing music. She had a brother that played piano and two brothers that played guitar. Linda says music was always played at family get togethers. Music ; Guitar ; Piano Music 0 1134 Pivotal Moments in History Regan Siler 18:54
 ; That's cool. Do you remember witnessing any pivotal moments in history, like on TV?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 19:04
 ; I remember when Kennedy was shot, President Kennedy, and that happened while I was I think it was in fifth grade, and everybody was just shocked. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 19:15
 ; Do you remember how you felt at that time? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 19:18
 ; However, I knew it was something that was very important that had happened, and of course, we all cried, you know, and went home my parents were very upset about it. That was probably one thing that stood out more so than anything when I was young.
 ; Linda remembers President Kennedy getting shot when she was in the fifth grade. She remembers everyone being shocked. Linda says her parents were very upset about it. History ; John F. Kennedy History 0 1181 Medical Care Regan Siler 19:41
 ; So, what was medical care like for you growing up? Did you have a family doctor? Did you try to handle things at home? How did, how did that work? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 19:49
 ; We had a family doctor. We didn't go real often. I think I was taken, I hurt my arm, and when I was, like, in the third grade, and Dr. Joseph out of Sapulpa was our doctor at that point. And then Dr. Gebetsburger [ph] later.
 ; Linda says that her family did use a doctor for medical care. She hurt her arm when she in the third grade and Dr. Joseph from Sapulpa was her doctor. They later used Dr. Gebetsburger as a family doctor. Medical care ; Dr. Joseph ; Sapulpa (Okla.) ; Dr. Gebetsburger Medical care 0 1206 Church Regan Siler 20:06
 ; Okay, did you attend church growing up? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 20:09
 ; Yes, Sunrise Baptist Church.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 20:11
 ; And was that in Kellyville?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 20:12
 ; Over it's out in the country by Heyburn Lake.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 20:16
 ; Does it still exist? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 20:18
 ; Still there.
 ; Linda and her family attended church when she was growing up. They attended Sunrise Baptist Church which she says is out in the country by Heyburn Lake. Church ; Sunrise Baptist Church ; Heyburn Lake ; Heyburn Lake (Okla.) Church 0 1221 Holidays Regan Siler 20:21
 ; Oh, okay, alright. Well, tell me a little bit about the holidays in your family, for instance, like, tell me what a typical Christmas was like growing up when you were younger.
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 20:33
 ; Oh, my goodness, we always got a package from my grandmother in England, so that was always exciting. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 20:40
 ; Oh, I bet.
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 20:40
 ; It's different. My mom always tried to make a big deal out of it. She grew up during the war, so they were rationed and didn't have the ability to get a lot of presents. So, she always made a big deal out of holidays for us.
 ; Linda says her mother always made a big deal of the holidays for Linda and her siblings. She made a big meal, and they had a tree and stockings. Linda says they also received a package from their grandmother in England. That was always very exciting. Holidays ; Christmas ; England ; Grandmother ; Rosemary Simmonds McGuire Holidays 0 1301 Childhood Dreams Regan Siler 21:41
 ; Um, as a child, do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 21:45
 ; Not really. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 21:48
 ; You didn't have any big dreams? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 21:51
 ; Well, I had goals of doing something.
 ; Linda says that she had big goals for when she grew up but didn't know what she would do. She says that she never would have dreamed of ending up in real estate and owning a furniture and appliance store. Dreams ; Real estate Dreams ; Goals 0 1327 College Regan Siler 22:07
 ; Okay, did you attend college?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 22:10
 ; I went to Tulsa Junior College after we got back to the States. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 22:14
 ; Okay, and did you enjoy that experience? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 22:16
 ; Yes.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 22:16
 ; Okay, um, and I guess, did you receive an associate degree there?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 22:21
 ; I didn't not. I just specialized in some some classes.
 ; Linda attended Tulsa Junior College. She specialized in some classes and even took some for real estate. Tulsa Junior College ; Real estate College 0 1353 Husband, Richard Allan Root Regan Siler 22:33
 ; Well, I remember you telling me you were flipping houses before flipping houses was cool. Okay, well, let's talk about your spouse. Can you tell me what his full name is?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 22:46
 ; Richard Allan Root.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 22:47
 ; And his date of birth I have is 5/17/1948.
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 22:50
 ; Yes. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 22:51
 ; And then he passed away in 2019?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 22:55
 ; Yes.
 ; Linda was married to Richard Allan Root. He was born on May 17, 1948, and passed away in 2019. They met while working together at Howard Johnson's. They dated for four months before they were married. Husband ; Richard Allan Root ; Howard Johnson's ; Oklahoma State University Husband 0 1428 Wedding Regan Siler 23:48
 ; Okay, okay. And I have down that you were, you got married on April, April 11, 1970 at the Blue Bell Church in Kellyville?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 23:58
 ; Mmm-hmm.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 23:59
 ; Okay. What was your wedding like?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 24:04
 ; It was nice. My mom did my wedding dress, and she was a seamstress, and my best friend was my maid of honor, and his best friend from college was his, his best man. But it was, it was everything's big in my family, because there's so many.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 24:23
 ; Right, right.
 ; Linda and Richard were married on April 11, 1970. They held the ceremony at the Blue Bell Church in Kellyville. Linda's mother made the dress. Her best friend was the maid of honor and Richard's best friend from college was his best man. Linda's cousin Preach McGuire performed the ceremony. Wedding ; Richard Allan Root ; Blue Bell Church ; Kellyville (Okla.) ; Rosemary Simmonds McGuire ; Preach McGuire Wedding 0 1472 Early Marriage Regan Siler 24:32
 ; So, I wanted to ask what your first years of marriage was like. But, obviously, yeah, you ended up going overseas, right?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 24:41
 ; I never dreamed that I would be moving that much at that time.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 24:45
 ; So, were you nervous, because, I mean, you were young, or did you just, you just went?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 24:49
 ; My husband went to work for City Service after he got out of college. We moved to Tulsa. He was transferred to Bartlesville, and we lived in Dewey, Oklahoma. We were only there a month when he got drafted. When he went to Oklahoma City, back then, they just put him on a bus and sent him to Fort Leonard Wood. So, I had to take care of packing, notifying his company, doing all of that. I had to grow up really fast at that point.
 ; Richard went to work for City Service after college. Linda and Richard moved to Tulsa before he was transferred to Bartlesville. They lived in Dewey, Oklahoma. They were only there for a month before Richard was drafted and sent to Fort Leonard Wood. After he got out of Fort Leonard Wood, Linda moved to New Jersey off base while he was stationed at Fort Dix. He was then transferred to Fort Hamilton, New York. Linda lived with an aunt in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. They then ended up in San Antonio, Texas before going to Germany. Richard Allan Root ; City Service ; Tulsa (Okla.) ; Bartlesville (Okla.) ; Dewey (Okla.) ; Oklahoma City (Okla.) ; Fort Leonard Wood ; Fort Dix, New Jersey ; Fort Hamilton (New York) ; Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) ; San Antonio (Texas) ; Frankfurt (Germany) Marriage 0 1589 Children Regan Siler 26:29
 ; Well, I know you told me that one of your children were was born and 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 26:33
 ; Ricky was born in Frankfurt.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 26:35
 ; Well, tell me, tell me your children's names and their dates of birth.
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 26:39
 ; Michelle Ann Root Morquecho. And she was born October 3, 1970 and then Richard Allan Root, Jr., and he was born September 13, 1971 and he was two months premature.
 ; Linda has two children. Her daughter, Michelle Ann Root Morquecho was born on October 3, 1970. Her son, Richard Allan Root Jr. was born on September 13, 1971. He was born two months premature while they were living in Germany. Children ; Michelle Ann Root Morquecho ; Richard Allan Root Jr. ; Frankfurt (Germany) ; army ; Aschaffenburg (Germany) Children 0 1646 Grandchildren Regan Siler 27:26
 ; Well, that's good. And then you told me you have nine grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. So, you're you're a busy, you're a busy great grandma, aren't you?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 27:39
 ; And I never dreamed that I would even be around for great grandchildren, but I'm glad that I'm able to enjoy them and they are, they are a handful at times, but they're wonderful.
 ; 
 ; Linda has nine grandchildren. She also has sixteen great-grandchildren. Grandchildren ; Great-Grandchildren Grandchildren 0 1670 Tabouleh Festival Linda Root 27:50
 ; Well, so, your family, you and your family, have been instrumental in the, you know, Bristow area the whole time you've been here. So, let's talk a little bit about that. I know you said, obviously, you had the your Root Real Estate business for 20 years, and then we all know Root's Furniture was here for 20 years, and then you still have another location in Cushing at this time. But, I also would like for you to tell us about the Tabouleh Festival, because I think that's a really important part of Bristow's heritage. So, tell us, tell us how that got started.
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 28:32
 ; The Tabouleh Festival, it was generated, I think, they were doing away with the the Western Heritage Days and my husband, when he went to work in Bristow, he'd retired from Occidental. He was a human resources manager. He retired from there, and he hated retirement. I was still working real estate, and so he wanted to buy something. He bought Brace's Furniture Store. And right about that time was when all of that happened. And so, he said, we've got to think of something that will draw people to Bristow, because you have to have something that you identify with. And, so, he he brainstormed and talked about different stuff. Well, we love tabouleh and we loved Freddy's and that, and that just kind of came up and started growing. And we met with Tex and Sherian [Slyman].
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 29:23
 ; Well, the Lebanese heritage is a big, it runs deep in Bristow.
 ; Linda and her husband were instrumental in starting the Tabouleh Festival in Bristow. They wanted something that would draw people to Bristow. The first festival was in 2005 and has been happening every year since. Tabouleh Festival ; Bristow (Okla.) ; Richard Allan Root ; Root's Hometown Furniture ; Cushing (Okla.) ; Western Heritage Days ; Occidental ; human resources manager ; Brace's Furniture Store ; Freddy's ; Tex and Sherian Slyman ; Lebanese heritage ; Clifford Smith ; Edgar Spencer Tabouleh Festival 0 1866 Root Real Estate Regan Siler 31:06
 ; Right, right. Okay, well, then you also said you were involved with the Chamber. I know you said you've, like, coached T-ball and soccer and, like, you've done all kinds of things. But, I also want to talk about Root Real Estate was first.
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 31:24
 ; Yes.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 31:24
 ; Before the furniture store, correct? 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 31:26
 ; Yes. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 31:27
 ; Okay.
 ; Linda worked for Donna Smith Real Estate. It then sold to Naomi Talent and Linda worked for her. She then got her broker's license and decided to open her own real estate business. She had Root Real Estate for 20 years before selling in 2004. Chamber of Commerce ; Dr. Richardson ; Venue 66 ; Donna Smith Real Estate ; Naomi Talent ; Root Real Estate Root Real Estate 0 1965 Root's Furniture Linda Root 32:45
 ; It was, let me see, I wrote that down. I opened that in July of '99.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 32:53
 ; Okay.
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 32:53
 ; My husband did. He was, he was the one that was behind that. We were trying to run two at once, and that was pretty difficult.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 33:01
 ; Yeah, oh I bet. And, then, so you closed that in 2017?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 33:06
 ; Yes.
 ; Linda and her husband opened Root's Furniture in July of 1999. They closed the Bristow location in 2017 and kept the Cushing one open. Linda's son now owns the Cushing location. Root's Furniture ; Bristow (Okla.) ; Cushing (Okla.) ; Richard Allan Root ; Richard Allan Root Jr. Root's Furniture 0 2007 Promoting Bristow Linda Root 33:27
 ; Right, right. Was there any other Bristow related things that you would like to talk about that maybe we haven't touched on? I know you said you were involved with the Chamber for several years?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 33:41
 ; The chamber. I mean, my philosophy is God, family and country. I mean, I love promoting Bristow. I think Bristow is a good town to grow up in. Our school system is great. Now I have great-grandchildren that are going to school here, and it's always been easy to promote Bristow to me. I think we're located in a great location between Oklahoma City and Tulsa. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 34:10
 ; Yes, I agree. I agree.
 ; Linda was involved with the Chamber of Commerce for several years. She loved promoting Bristow. She believes Bristow is a good town and has a great school system. Linda also feels the location of Bristow is great being between Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Linda's philosophy is God, family and country. Bristow (Okla.) ; Oklahoma City (Okla.) ; Chamber of Commerce ; God Bristow (Okla.) 0 2062 Important Invention Regan Siler 34:22
 ; Okay, well, let's change it up a little bit. What would you consider to be the most important invention during your lifetime?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 34:32
 ; Goodness, probably computers and the internet.
 ; Linda feels like the most important invention during her lifetime would be computers and the internet. Invention ; Computer ; Internet Invention 0 2077 How the World is Different Regan Siler 34:37
 ; Okay, okay, and how do you feel the world is different now than when you were a child?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 34:43
 ; Oh, drastically. It's drastically different. I mean, I of course, TVs, we had a TV from the time I can remember, so that's not a big deal. But going from party line phones to cell phones, that's another thing.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 35:00
 ; Right, right.
 ; Linda feels like the world is so different now than when she was a child. She talks about going from party line phones to cell phones. She also remembers her car phone that was in a bag. World ; Phone ; Real estate World 0 2124 Nation's Biggest Problem Regan Siler 35:24
 ; Which is probably important with the business that you're in. As you see it, what do you feel are our nation's biggest problems, and how do you think they could be solved?
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 35:36
 ; Oh, you're asking me a question I don't know the answer to, what solving it is.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 35:41
 ; Or maybe, what do you wish, we'll change it up. What do you wish, is there anything you wish was different? Or maybe that you, I don't know, miss from your childhood, that you wish was
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 35:54
 ; I'll tell you something that I I wish was different. I wish that the inflation and the cost of goods and houses being linked to real estate. You know, it was so affordable when I first got in and
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 36:09
 ; Yeah, you've seen a wild swing.
 ; Linda talks about how she wishes the cost of living was more affordable nowadays. She says inflation and the cost of real estate are a big problem. Nation ; Real estate Inflation (Finance) 0 2183 Historic Events Regan Siler 36:23
 ; I agree. I feel like the American Dream, say for my kids, it's not the same as it was whenever we were that age, for sure. How have, how have historic events such as, say, like the Oklahoma City Bombing, 9/11 maybe natural disasters, even COVID, have any of those affected you? And if so, how? 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 36:52
 ; Oh, yeah. Of course, 9/11 was such a tragedy, and I was watching TV that morning when it happened, and couldn't believe it. Couldn't believe it happened. The Oklahoma City Bombing, again, a tragedy. I hate to see that kind of evil be in our world, but I know that's a reality, and we've been fortunate living in the United States, not to have to deal with a lot of that, and traveling overseas, I saw a difference. I mean, I realized that we are so fortunate to live here.
 ; Linda remembers watching TV on the morning of 9/11. She also recalls the tragedy of the Oklahoma City Bombing. September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001 ; Oklahoma City Bombing Historic Events 0 2243 Wisdom Regan Siler 37:23
 ; Is there anything else that you would like to tell us, or would you like to leave any wisdom to share with future generations? Come on, Linda, I know you do.
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 37:29
 ; Oh, wisdom! My goodness.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 37:38
 ; You have a lot of, you have a lot of grandkids and great grandkids that you need to leave your wisdom for them. 
 ; 
 ; Linda Root 37:46
 ; I guess my wisdom for them would be to always be honest. Have God in your life. Treat people the way you want to be treated. What else?
 ; Linda finishes the interview with some words of wisdom. She says to always be honest, have God in your life and treat people the way you want to be treated. Wisdom ; God Wisdom 0 MP4 Linda Root was born June 3, 1953 in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Linda's parents, Rosemary McGuire and Clifford James McGuire, had six children, including Linda. Linda grew up in Kellyville, moving to Bristow in 1972. She recounted her childhood, including her mother's English heritage, her love for horseback riding, and her involvement in school activities. Linda married Richard Allan Root in 1970 and moved frequently due to his military service. She owned Root Real Estate and Root’s Furniture for around 20 years. Linda also helped establish the Tabouleh Festival in Bristow to promote the town's Lebanese heritage. NOTE TRANSCRIPTION BEGIN 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:24.120 This is Regan Siler with the Bristow Historical Society in Bristow, Oklahoma. This interview is part of the Historical Society's ongoing oral history project. The date is July 1, 2025 and I'm sitting here with Linda Root at the Bristow Library Annex. She's going to tell us a little bit about her life and her history living in the Bristow area. Can you please state your full name? 00:00:24.120 --> 00:00:26.504 Linda Rose Root. 00:00:26.504 --> 00:00:29.024 Okay. And do I have permission to do this interview? 00:00:29.024 --> 00:00:29.684 Yes, you do. 00:00:29.684 --> 00:00:33.524 Okay. Please tell me when and where you were born. 00:00:33.524 --> 00:00:38.804 I was born in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, June 3, 1953. 00:00:38.804 --> 00:00:48.225 Okay, um, let's talk about the people in your family. Let's start with your parents. What are your parents full names? 00:00:48.225 --> 00:00:53.539 Rosemary McGuire and Clifford James McGuire. 00:00:53.539 --> 00:00:58.759 Okay, and I have, I have your mother as Rosemary Simmonds McGuire? 00:00:58.759 --> 00:00:58.939 Yes. 00:00:58.939 --> 00:01:08.120 Okay. And her birthday is 1/29/1926 and then I have your dad as 9/24/1912. 00:01:08.120 --> 00:01:10.099 Yes. 00:01:10.099 --> 00:01:14.840 Okay, alright. What type of work did your parents do? 00:01:14.840 --> 00:01:27.125 My mother, there were six kids, so she was a homemaker, although she did work later as a caretaker for the elderly, and my dad worked for the Corps of Engineers after getting out of the army. 00:01:27.125 --> 00:01:28.745 Okay, so he was in the army? 00:01:28.745 --> 00:01:29.284 Yes. 00:01:29.284 --> 00:01:36.620 Okay. Do you have any, well, obviously, yeah, you have siblings. You have six siblings. How many 00:01:36.620 --> 00:01:43.299 There's there's actually eight of us. I have a half brother and half sister, and then six and my immediate family. 00:01:43.299 --> 00:01:51.159 Oh, wow. Okay, um, so did you, growing up here, did you or did you where? First of all, where did you grow up? 00:01:51.159 --> 00:01:52.659 I grew up in the Kellyville area. 00:01:52.659 --> 00:01:57.459 The Kellyville area, and then you told me you, your family moved here in 1972? 00:01:57.459 --> 00:02:01.900 Yes, that's when my husband got out of the service. We came back to Bristow. 00:02:01.900 --> 00:02:02.319 Okay. 00:02:02.319 --> 00:02:04.180 And have been here ever since. 00:02:04.180 --> 00:02:10.000 Okay, had your, where you grew up in Kellyville, had your family been in that area for a long time? 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:26.080 I guess so, I mean the McGuires I was, my maiden name was McGuire, and there's McGuire family there in Depew area but I went to school there. We were in Bristow, though. I mean, Kellyville didn't have hardly anything. Still doesn't. 00:02:26.080 --> 00:02:26.900 Right, right. 00:02:26.900 --> 00:02:34.159 But we always shopped in Bristow, and so I kind of grew up in this area. Did the Western Heritage Days and all that when I was a kid. 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:49.620 Right, right. Okay, well, let's talk about your early childhood and your home life. I'm just going to ask you a few fun questions about that. Do you remember any of your favorite toys or games that you played when you were young? 00:02:49.620 --> 00:03:09.139 Oh, my goodness. I think one of my favorite things was listening to my mom talk about her life growing up in England. But also, we were, we played games constantly. I mean, kick the can, softball, baseball. We were country kids, so we were outside all the time. 00:03:09.139 --> 00:03:18.439 Right, that's, that's the general consensus from people from that time period, is that you were outside all the time. So you, you mentioned your mom was from England? 00:03:18.439 --> 00:03:18.860 Yes. 00:03:18.860 --> 00:03:22.180 Well, that's interesting. So, she probably had a lot of neat stories. 00:03:22.180 --> 00:03:28.479 Yeah, I didn't know she had an English accent until I started school and the kids told me. 00:03:28.479 --> 00:03:29.199 Really? 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:30.039 You just, 00:03:30.039 --> 00:03:30.639 That's what. 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:31.840 You don't pay attention. 00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:33.580 That's just how mom sounded. 00:03:33.580 --> 00:03:36.759 Yeah, I was very defensive. 00:03:36.759 --> 00:03:39.479 So, when did she, when did she come over? 00:03:39.479 --> 00:04:12.044 She came over in 1947 on the Queen Mary after the war. She and my dad met when he was stationed in England, and she worked as for the RAF, the English Air Force, making parachutes and stuff when she was very young. And they ended up meeting there, marrying. My sister was born in England, and then she rode the Queen Mary back to the states and went through Staten Island, came to Bristow on a train. 00:04:12.044 --> 00:04:16.725 Wow. So what brought, what brought her to Bristow? 00:04:16.725 --> 00:04:37.290 Well, there was, there was just stops that they made, and she was supposed to stop in Bristow. She didn't know that Bristow was as close to Kellyville as it was. So, the Red Cross did a special stop in Kellyville when she came over, but it was in the paper. My daughter's done research on it, and she found it in Oklahoma City. 00:04:37.290 --> 00:04:42.329 Well, how cool. So, I would imagine listening to your mom's stories were probably pretty, 00:04:42.329 --> 00:04:43.589 Very interesting. 00:04:43.589 --> 00:04:44.550 Really neat growing up. 00:04:44.550 --> 00:04:48.569 And I did get the opportunity to go over and visit all the areas. 00:04:48.569 --> 00:04:58.154 Wow, that's cool. Um, well, kind of back to your childhood. Did you have any chores you were expected to do as a youngster? 00:04:58.154 --> 00:05:10.680 Oh, yes, we all had a chore. I did switch off with my brothers because I would rather be outside than doing the dishes. I was always an outside person, but I got drug back in. 00:05:10.680 --> 00:05:17.100 So, since you had a big family, did you have friends that would come over and play, or did you just typically play with your siblings? 00:05:17.100 --> 00:05:18.180 Well, both. 00:05:18.180 --> 00:05:18.899 Both. 00:05:18.899 --> 00:05:26.160 I had neighbors, good friends that were neighbors, too. We lived in the country, so we weren't right up against each other, but we did play a lot. 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:29.339 So, did you have any particular hobbies as a youngster? 00:05:29.339 --> 00:05:33.139 Horseback riding. I loved horseback riding. 00:05:33.139 --> 00:05:35.319 So, did you live on a farm? 00:05:35.319 --> 00:05:53.199 It wasn't a big farm. It was just acreage. And I had a horse. My neighbors that I ran around with had horses, so we did a lot of that. Grew up over by Heyburn Lake. So, we were always either swimming, riding horses, something like that. 00:05:53.199 --> 00:06:02.725 That sounds fun. Okay, well, can you tell me a little bit about your school life? Where did you first attend school? 00:06:02.725 --> 00:06:03.745 Kellyville [Oklahoma]. 00:06:03.745 --> 00:06:04.600 Kellyville. 00:06:04.600 --> 00:06:26.600 From the first grade through eleventh grade, and then we moved and was traveling after I married my husband. He got drafted, and so we were in the service. Moved eight times. Ended up in Germany and did a almost a year in Germany. And when we came back was when we came back to Bristow. 00:06:26.600 --> 00:06:32.899 Okay, okay. Did you have any influential teachers that you can remember, growing up? 00:06:32.899 --> 00:06:46.560 Yes, Jeff Holcomb [ph] was a high school teacher. He was just a very good person. I thought the world of him and my first grade teacher, Mrs. Williams. 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:49.600 So, what did Mr. Holcomb teach? 00:06:49.600 --> 00:07:03.759 He taught history and different things that he had several classes. He was just a really impressive person. I think his son went on to teach over there, Tom Holcomb, too. 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:11.319 Okay, okay. Were you a member of any clubs or organizations in school? 00:07:11.319 --> 00:07:42.009 4H, of course, Home Economics. I think I enjoyed 4H as much as anything, because it was kind of hands on. We did a lot of trips and stuff on that. Bristow didn't have a lot of extracurricular activity going, or not Bristow, Kellyville at that point. But, I was in, oh, let's see, I did speech. I was in a play. I was in a couple of plays. 00:07:42.009 --> 00:07:45.310 So, it sounded like you probably enjoyed school. 00:07:45.310 --> 00:07:45.610 I did. 00:07:45.610 --> 00:07:49.459 Did you have a favorite subject? 00:07:49.459 --> 00:08:08.071 Oh, goodness, let's think. I think probably English was one of my favorite. Math was probably my least. And then I ended up in real estate. 00:08:08.071 --> 00:08:08.932 Where you had to do math all the time. 00:08:08.932 --> 00:08:09.697 I had to do it all the time. 00:08:09.697 --> 00:08:11.324 Well, can you tell me a little bit about the house that you grew up in? 00:08:11.324 --> 00:08:12.088 Oh, I don't know what to say. 00:08:12.088 --> 00:08:18.545 Did you, so in this house on your acreage, is that where you lived from the 00:08:18.545 --> 00:08:37.250 We lived in on a farm, a large farm, up until I was, like, in the third grade, and then we moved to the Heyburn Lake area because my dad worked there at the project office, and he bought a house and had put on that property. It's five acres and 00:08:37.250 --> 00:08:40.100 And is that where you were the rest of your youth? 00:08:40.100 --> 00:08:40.429 Okay, did well, you I'm sure you probably didn't have your own room if you had to share 00:08:40.429 --> 00:08:41.539 Yes, up until I left. 00:08:41.539 --> 00:08:49.039 No, we had to share. There were too many kids. 00:08:49.039 --> 00:08:58.700 Too many, too many kids. Um, what were mealtimes like in your family? Did you guys eat together every night? 00:08:58.700 --> 00:09:23.105 Every night. My mother was a wonderful cook. My daughter would attest to that. You know, she, she was always baking, and of course, we milked cows. We had fresh milk and all of that. But, you know, when I came home from school, there was always cookies or something like that. She was just really into baking and cooking, and she was a wonderful cook. 00:09:23.105 --> 00:09:29.799 Did she have a, did she make a favorite meal that, like, was your favorite? 00:09:29.799 --> 00:09:44.019 Remember, she's from England, or she was from England. Every Sunday we had roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, and that's kind of a trend there with that. I just assumed everybody knew what that was. They don't. 00:09:44.019 --> 00:09:44.860 Yeah, I don't either. 00:09:44.860 --> 00:09:46.059 Now more familiar. 00:09:46.059 --> 00:09:47.860 Right, right. 00:09:47.860 --> 00:09:54.000 I ate a lot of stuff, I guess, growing up that she was influenced by, too. 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:59.460 Right, so, did you have to help cook and clean up? 00:09:59.460 --> 00:09:59.879 Yes. 00:09:59.879 --> 00:10:06.419 Stuff like that. Did you inherit her, her cooking skills? 00:10:06.419 --> 00:10:11.399 Well, I like to cook. I don't know if I'm as good as her. I do have recipes of hers that I still use. 00:10:11.399 --> 00:10:13.200 Well, that seems special to have. 00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:23.504 Yeah, our stuffing during the holidays, that's in great demand in my family and and that's her recipe. I have several of her recipes that I do. 00:10:23.504 --> 00:10:40.019 Well, that's neat. Well, I know you'd mentioned Western Heritage Days, so I wanted to ask what, I know that you were in Kellyville, but you were in Bristow a lot. So, what were some of your favorite activities in the Bristow area, for instance, like Western Heritage days and such? 00:10:40.019 --> 00:11:13.784 You know, Western Heritage Days was so fun when I was a kid. I mean, you got the cap guns, and they had the shootouts, and it was, it's a good memory that I have of Bristow. Also, we the movies. We had movie theaters here. I think there was at least two that I remember. And Kemp's Drugstore had the best sodas that I have ever drank. We always, that was our treat. That was our treat on Saturdays, when we came to shop, we would get to go to Kemps and get a soda or the Highway Cafe that was here. 00:11:13.784 --> 00:11:14.865 I hear about that a lot. 00:11:14.865 --> 00:11:27.690 That was wonderful. My dad always took me there, and it had to had the jukebox, you know, that you could get the tunes and everything. There was a lot of fond memories. We had a lot of fun. 00:11:27.690 --> 00:11:38.970 So, were there other things other than Western Heritage days? Were there ever, like parades or county fairs or anything like that that you're maybe, did they have day camp at that time? 00:11:38.970 --> 00:11:44.009 Well, they used to have the fair here, and we always came to Bristow for the fair, the county fair. 00:11:44.009 --> 00:11:44.789 Okay. 00:11:44.789 --> 00:11:51.990 And that was always a good thing. There was no day camp. My mother probably would have loved that. 00:11:51.990 --> 00:11:53.720 Keep the kids busy during the summer. 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:56.600 Camp for us was going to the lake and learning how to swim. 00:11:56.600 --> 00:12:04.159 Okay, um, well, do you remember some of the biggest or most popular businesses around Bristow when you were growing up? 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:05.539 Woolworths. 00:12:05.539 --> 00:12:05.779 Okay. 00:12:05.779 --> 00:12:06.559 Was here. 00:12:06.559 --> 00:12:08.899 And tell me what Woolworths was. 00:12:08.899 --> 00:12:57.230 It was like kind of variety store. It was in the area where I think the gym is at on between seventh and eighth. Let me think Safeway. I remember the manager at Safeway, because when I was little, but my parents were shopping, and I had gone over to where the comic books was at, and was looking through all of those. Well, with as big as our family was, they loaded up and took off and left me there, and I believe it was Norma Chadderdon's dad that was the manager, and he came over, and I realized they were gone, you know, I was starting to look for them. And, so, he picked me up and was walking around the store with me. Of course, they came right back. 00:12:57.230 --> 00:12:57.518 Oh, my goodness! 00:12:57.518 --> 00:12:58.379 But that was a memory I had. There was a five and dime, and I don't remember the name of it. I know Woolworths was a big one. There was another one right next to it. Like I said, Kemps, the movie theaters, JC, Penney, that was one of my attractions to buying the building where we had Root's Hometown, because I grew up going to JC Penney's. 00:12:58.379 --> 00:13:22.725 Is that where it was? Was it in that building? 00:13:22.725 --> 00:13:23.264 Yes. 00:13:23.264 --> 00:13:24.465 Oh, how neat. 00:13:24.465 --> 00:13:28.725 On the south side where the stairways at, and you can go up to the upstairs. 00:13:28.725 --> 00:13:28.904 Yes. 00:13:28.904 --> 00:13:32.625 We used to have recliners there. That's where the dresses were at. 00:13:32.625 --> 00:13:34.659 Oh, how neat! 00:13:34.659 --> 00:13:36.519 Shamas 00:13:36.519 --> 00:13:38.379 The Dry Goods Store. 00:13:38.379 --> 00:13:42.039 I remember going in there a lot, and 00:13:42.039 --> 00:13:46.480 You've seen a lot of changes in Bristow from the time you young till now. 00:13:46.480 --> 00:14:01.465 Yeah, I have, I you know Bristow, I love living in Bristow. We had the opportunity to live a lot of other places, and this is home to me, and I'm only nine miles from where I grew up, too. 00:14:01.465 --> 00:14:06.684 Right, right. Did you have a favorite place to eat out? 00:14:06.684 --> 00:14:18.504 I think Kemps was where we went. Like I said, the Kemps and the Highway Cafe. As a family back then, you didn't just go out and eat all the time. My mother cooked most of our meals. 00:14:18.504 --> 00:14:25.279 Right, right. Did you have a favorite hangout as a teenager? 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:40.480 Oh, goodness. I went to work as soon as I could, because that was my goal was to work. I worked at Howard Johnson's on the turnpike while I was still in school. Worked summers there. 00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:43.899 So, how old were you when you started working? Do you remember? 00:14:43.899 --> 00:14:59.919 Oh, goodness. I worked for an aunt that had a concession stand there at the lake. I worked for her when I was really young. We ran the firecracker stand. We were just active. We were always out and doing something. 00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:09.159 Right, right. Do you have any particular memories of the train depot, by chance? 00:15:09.159 --> 00:15:30.220 I remember going to it. It wasn't something that we went to all the time, you know, but we, I'm pretty sure there was, like, a large parking lot down in that area that we always parked at when we came to town. And, of course, we would spend the day in town when we came. I sound really old. 00:15:30.220 --> 00:15:38.065 No, but it's really interesting to hear how Bristow used to be, and it was a very booming. 00:15:38.065 --> 00:15:53.664 Very booming, very busy town. Rexall Drug was here. I'm trying to think of all the different things. Anthony's this, this shoe shop. What was the name of it back then, that Cecil's [ph] had? I can't think of it either. 00:15:53.664 --> 00:15:55.360 I know what you're talking about. 00:15:55.360 --> 00:16:01.419 Relapse here, yeah. But every storefront was, Lyon's Cafe. I forgot about that. 00:16:01.419 --> 00:16:01.659 Yes. 00:16:01.659 --> 00:16:02.259 They were here. 00:16:02.259 --> 00:16:05.139 That's another one that gets mentioned frequently. 00:16:05.139 --> 00:16:13.659 Oh yeah, it was exciting to come. And it was always so busy on Saturdays. It seemed like people all came to town to shop. 00:16:13.659 --> 00:16:22.705 So, in a family, in a large family like yours, did you, did you get new clothes? Did your mom make your clothes? 00:16:22.705 --> 00:16:23.184 Both. 00:16:23.184 --> 00:16:24.625 Hand me downs? I'm sure. 00:16:24.625 --> 00:16:25.620 Yeah. 00:16:25.620 --> 00:16:31.019 Okay. So, did you get them around, did you get to come to town and buy them, like before school or? 00:16:31.019 --> 00:16:33.299 Yes, like the JC Penney's and Shamas. 00:16:33.299 --> 00:16:38.460 Okay, okay, um, do you remember your family's first car? 00:16:38.460 --> 00:16:41.580 No. 00:16:41.580 --> 00:16:42.000 It must have not stood out to you. 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:49.379 I don't, I don't remember that. I mean, I can't even tell you what they drove, to be honest. Okay, have to sit and really think about it. 00:16:49.379 --> 00:16:55.600 Did you get to go on any family vacations with having such a big family? I would imagine that was probably tough. 00:16:55.600 --> 00:17:13.119 Not really, not really. I mean, we, we lived in an area where people went on vacation around the lake, and my dad, you know, we always picnic'd and went down there. My aunt lived there, and she had a really nice place that we visited, and there was always fireworks and everything. 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:19.644 Right, okay. Do you remember who taught you how to drive? 00:17:19.644 --> 00:17:20.305 My dad. 00:17:20.305 --> 00:17:24.920 Your dad did. And do you remember your first car? 00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:39.079 Yes, Fury III [Plymouth]. I learned to drive on in a pickup, a standard shift, and before I could drive, I had to learn how to change a tire and take care of all of that. 00:17:39.079 --> 00:17:42.559 See, I think that's kind of a lost art these days. 00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:47.839 He would put me on his lap and let me steer you know. 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:56.404 Okay, what sort of entertainment did you enjoy growing up? Did you have a TV? Did you get to watch TV? 00:17:56.404 --> 00:17:56.585 Yes. 00:17:56.585 --> 00:18:00.065 Okay. Do you remember any programs, specific programs you enjoyed? 00:18:00.065 --> 00:18:06.845 My goodness, of course, I watched what my parents said that we watched, and there wasn't that many. 00:18:06.845 --> 00:18:07.744 Right, right. 00:18:07.744 --> 00:18:13.119 Which is why we played outside most the time. Let me think of some of the shows that we watched. 00:18:13.119 --> 00:18:17.319 And that's okay if you can't remember, yeah. 00:18:17.319 --> 00:18:21.960 Lawrence Welk. My parents watched that, you know, the music and stuff like that. 00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:28.000 So, did you listen to music much as a youngster? So, what was your favorite kind of music during that time? 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:47.740 Well, when I was younger, I listened. My siblings are talented. I mean, I had a brother that played the piano. I've got two brothers that played the guitar. I picked around on both. Never kept with them, but there was always music, my dad played. 00:18:47.740 --> 00:18:49.059 So, you had your own music. 00:18:49.059 --> 00:18:54.384 Yes, our family, when there was a family get together, there was always music being played. 00:18:54.384 --> 00:19:04.404 That's cool. Do you remember witnessing any pivotal moments in history, like on TV? 00:19:04.404 --> 00:19:15.684 I remember when Kennedy was shot, President Kennedy, and that happened while I was I think it was in fifth grade, and everybody was just shocked. 00:19:15.684 --> 00:19:18.119 Do you remember how you felt at that time? 00:19:18.119 --> 00:19:34.000 However, I knew it was something that was very important that had happened, and of course, we all cried, you know, and went home my parents were very upset about it. That was probably one thing that stood out more so than anything when I was young. 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:38.920 Was it your parents, that your family was upset about it, or just the shooting itself? 00:19:38.920 --> 00:19:41.559 The news, the shooting, the whole thing. 00:19:41.559 --> 00:19:49.180 So, what was medical care like for you growing up? Did you have a family doctor? Did you try to handle things at home? How did, how did that work? 00:19:49.180 --> 00:20:06.984 We had a family doctor. We didn't go real often. I think I was taken, I hurt my arm, and when I was, like, in the third grade, and Dr. Joseph out of Sapulpa was our doctor at that point. And then Dr. Gebetsburger [ph] later. 00:20:06.984 --> 00:20:09.299 Okay, did you attend church growing up? 00:20:09.299 --> 00:20:11.220 Yes, Sunrise Baptist Church. 00:20:11.220 --> 00:20:12.900 And was that in Kellyville? 00:20:12.900 --> 00:20:16.960 Over it's out in the country by Heyburn Lake. 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:18.279 Does it still exist? 00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:19.599 Still there. 00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:21.640 That's our voting precinct. 00:20:21.640 --> 00:20:33.940 Oh, okay, alright. Well, tell me a little bit about the holidays in your family, for instance, like, tell me what a typical Christmas was like growing up when you were younger. 00:20:33.940 --> 00:20:40.404 Oh, my goodness, we always got a package from my grandmother in England, so that was always exciting. 00:20:40.404 --> 00:20:40.900 Oh, I bet. 00:20:40.900 --> 00:20:46.940 It's different. My mom always tried to make a big deal out of it. She grew up during the war, so they were rationed and didn't have the ability to get a lot of presents. So, she always made a big deal out of holidays for us. 00:20:46.940 --> 00:21:03.000 So, did you have, like, the normal kind of decorations? Did you guys cut down a tree? Like, what was that like? 00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:03.420 Yeah, well, and I don't think it's always necessarily about maybe what you get, but it's how you spend the time the tradition, just like your grandma sending you a gift or whatever, how that's a core memory, you know. 00:21:03.420 --> 00:21:36.164 I think we cut down a tree a lot later. Of course, she had a tree that she put up that, yeah, we decorated. We we had the stockings. They weren't big and fantastic Christmases, but I have really warm memories of all of it. 00:21:36.164 --> 00:21:41.085 She always fixed big meals, you know, we we celebrated, we had a good time. 00:21:41.085 --> 00:21:45.525 Um, as a child, do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up? 00:21:45.525 --> 00:21:48.105 Not really. 00:21:48.105 --> 00:21:51.450 You didn't have any big dreams? 00:21:51.450 --> 00:21:53.970 Well, I had goals of doing something. 00:21:53.970 --> 00:21:55.650 You just weren't sure what. 00:21:55.650 --> 00:22:03.140 You know, I just, I didn't know. I could not have told you that I would end up in real estate and owning the furniture and appliance store. 00:22:03.140 --> 00:22:06.740 Yeah, that that, I'm sure, that probably wasn't on your radar, was it? 00:22:06.740 --> 00:22:07.640 That came later. 00:22:07.640 --> 00:22:10.880 Okay, did you attend college? 00:22:10.880 --> 00:22:14.119 I went to Tulsa Junior College after we got back to the States. 00:22:14.119 --> 00:22:16.400 Okay, and did you enjoy that experience? 00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:16.819 Yes. 00:22:16.819 --> 00:22:21.559 Okay, um, and I guess, did you receive an associate degree there? 00:22:21.559 --> 00:22:24.680 I didn't not. I just specialized in some some classes. 00:22:24.680 --> 00:22:25.460 Different classes. 00:22:25.460 --> 00:22:33.660 And real estate was one of them that I took because we were getting into rental property. Loved it, and just went ahead and pursued that. 00:22:33.660 --> 00:22:46.380 Well, I remember you telling me you were flipping houses before flipping houses was cool. Okay, well, let's talk about your spouse. Can you tell me what his full name is? 00:22:46.380 --> 00:22:47.940 Richard Allan Root. 00:22:47.940 --> 00:22:50.640 And his date of birth I have is 5/17/1948. 00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:51.059 Yes. 00:22:51.059 --> 00:22:55.200 And then he passed away in 2019? 00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:55.440 Yes. 00:22:55.440 --> 00:23:03.704 Okay, so tell me what was your first impression of him whenever you saw him. 00:23:03.704 --> 00:23:14.025 Oh, my goodness, we worked together. And I, you know, I thought he was a snob, to be honest. But he was 00:23:14.025 --> 00:23:15.224 Where did you work together at? 00:23:15.224 --> 00:23:16.424 At Howard Johnson's. 00:23:16.424 --> 00:23:16.964 Oh, okay. 00:23:16.964 --> 00:23:33.440 And he had, he was going to OSU at that time. Rick was five years older than me, so you know, he was, he was going to OSU, and he was working there weekends, and we just ended up starting dating later, after we got to know each other. 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:39.500 Okay, so did you have a long engagement period, or did you just decide, hey, we're getting married? 00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:45.900 No, we ended up getting married. We dated for about four months. 00:23:45.900 --> 00:23:47.880 So, you got married when you were in school? 00:23:47.880 --> 00:23:48.299 Yes. 00:23:48.299 --> 00:23:58.680 Okay, okay. And I have down that you were, you got married on April, April 11, 1970 at the Blue Bell Church in Kellyville? 00:23:58.680 --> 00:23:59.160 Mmm-hmm. 00:23:59.160 --> 00:24:04.759 Okay. What was your wedding like? 00:24:04.759 --> 00:24:23.240 It was nice. My mom did my wedding dress, and she was a seamstress, and my best friend was my maid of honor, and his best friend from college was his, his best man. But it was, it was everything's big in my family, because there's so many. 00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:24.200 Right, right. 00:24:24.200 --> 00:24:32.105 My cousin, Preach McGuire, a lot of people in this area knew him at that time, was the preacher there, and he he held the service. 00:24:32.105 --> 00:24:41.105 So, I wanted to ask what your first years of marriage was like. But, obviously, yeah, you ended up going overseas, right? 00:24:41.105 --> 00:24:45.065 I never dreamed that I would be moving that much at that time. 00:24:45.065 --> 00:24:49.000 So, were you nervous, because, I mean, you were young, or did you just, you just went? 00:24:49.000 --> 00:25:21.325 My husband went to work for City Service after he got out of college. We moved to Tulsa. He was transferred to Bartlesville, and we lived in Dewey, Oklahoma. We were only there a month when he got drafted. When he went to Oklahoma City, back then, they just put him on a bus and sent him to Fort Leonard Wood. So, I had to take care of packing, notifying his company, doing all of that. I had to grow up really fast at that point. 00:25:21.325 --> 00:25:25.045 Yeah, because what were you probably maybe 18 or 19 at the time? 00:25:25.045 --> 00:25:26.184 Seventeen. 00:25:26.184 --> 00:25:26.785 Yes. 00:25:26.785 --> 00:25:28.819 My gosh, oh my gosh. 00:25:28.819 --> 00:25:54.000 I ended up moving to New Jersey after he got out of Fort Leonard Wood. I drove there. We lived in, I lived in Fort or Fort Dix, New Jersey is where he was stationed, and I lived off base. He was then transferred to Fort Hamilton, New York. I lived with an aunt in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, while he did that, and it was, he could go by train back. 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:54.599 Well, that's what I was going to say, it seems like being so young, you would be lonesome. 00:25:54.599 --> 00:25:57.160 No. 00:25:57.160 --> 00:26:04.240 You weren't? You just, I guess you were social and just made friends everywhere you went? 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:10.539 I guess. We ended up in in, well, San Antonio, Texas. 00:26:10.539 --> 00:26:13.960 I feel like our kids are so different. 00:26:13.960 --> 00:26:29.740 I was young and dumb and wasn't scared of anything. From San Antonio, Texas then we ended up in Frankfurt, Germany, just outside of Frankfurt, it's [indecipherable] Germany and 00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:33.460 Well, I know you told me that one of your children were was born and 00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:35.200 Ricky was born in Frankfurt. 00:26:35.200 --> 00:26:39.700 Well, tell me, tell me your children's names and their dates of birth. 00:26:39.700 --> 00:26:58.285 Michelle Ann Root Morquecho. And she was born October 3, 1970 and then Richard Allan Root, Jr., and he was born September 13, 1971 and he was two months premature. 00:26:58.285 --> 00:27:00.325 Oh, my goodness. And you were in another country. 00:27:00.325 --> 00:27:01.765 And I was in another country. 00:27:01.765 --> 00:27:06.744 And you didn't have any family there with you during that. 00:27:06.744 --> 00:27:10.980 So was, was your husband even able to be there for? 00:27:10.980 --> 00:27:26.000 Yes, okay, he was a chaplain's assistant in the army, and he was assigned to three chaplains that were in a Schaffenburg, Germany, and they just took me in as family. They, they were just wonderful. 00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:39.619 Well, that's good. And then you told me you have nine grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. So, you're you're a busy, you're a busy great grandma, aren't you? 00:27:39.619 --> 00:27:50.180 And I never dreamed that I would even be around for great grandchildren, but I'm glad that I'm able to enjoy them and they are, they are a handful at times, but they're wonderful. 00:27:50.180 --> 00:28:32.660 Well, so, your family, you and your family, have been instrumental in the, you know, Bristow area the whole time you've been here. So, let's talk a little bit about that. I know you said, obviously, you had the your Root Real Estate business for 20 years, and then we all know Root's Furniture was here for 20 years, and then you still have another location in Cushing at this time. But, I also would like for you to tell us about the Tabouleh Festival, because I think that's a really important part of Bristow's heritage. So, tell us, tell us how that got started. 00:28:32.660 --> 00:29:23.029 The Tabouleh Fesitval, it was generated, I think, they were doing away with the the Western Heritage Days and my husband, when he went to work in Bristow, he'd retired from Occidental. He was a human resources manager. He retired from there, and he hated retirement. I was still working real estate, and so he wanted to buy something. He bought Brace's Furniture Store. And right about that time was when all of that happened. And so, he said, we've got to think of something that will draw people to Bristow, because you have to have something that you identify with. And, so, he he brainstormed and talked about different stuff. Well, we love tabouleh and we loved Freddy's and that, and that just kind of came up and started growing. And we met with Tex and Sherian [Slyman]. 00:29:23.029 --> 00:29:31.019 Well, the Lebanese heritage is a big, it runs deep in Bristow. 00:29:31.019 --> 00:29:52.799 In real estate, when I was trying to sell people on Bristow, which I've always tried to do, you know, since doing that. But if you look at the buildings, there's, you know, the Abrahams and the McSouds and all of that boils back to the Lebanese heritage. And they did help establish Bristow. So, the Shamases, I mean, there's a lot of them. 00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:56.144 It seemed like a natural a natural direction to go. 00:29:56.144 --> 00:30:19.529 Yes, yeah. And we had two tabouleh factories here. We had the Bishops and we had the one that Tex Slyman had, and, so, started talking. We ended up meeting with them, Clifford Smith, and Deanna and Nancy and her husband, Edgar [Spencer], and those families just kind of got together and started brainstorming. 00:30:19.529 --> 00:30:22.289 And when was the first Tabouleh Festival? 00:30:22.289 --> 00:30:26.250 Oh, my goodness, I don't remember. 2005? 00:30:26.250 --> 00:30:27.569 2005 that's what I 00:30:27.569 --> 00:30:28.049 Okay. 00:30:28.049 --> 00:30:31.890 That's what I had down. And it's been every year. 00:30:31.890 --> 00:30:33.869 Well, it was 20 years this year. 00:30:33.869 --> 00:30:36.269 It's been every year since then, right? 00:30:36.269 --> 00:31:01.275 And different degrees. I mean, the first year was really nice. And I think we had all kinds of tabouleh. We did the contest. There was just a lot when, when you're in my family, everyone works. So, I mean, the whole family worked. My daughter was involved very heavily in it. And we had the store, even our employees. I mean, we'd haul tables, and 00:31:01.275 --> 00:31:02.355 It takes a lot of work. 00:31:02.355 --> 00:31:06.779 There's a lot of work, and I admire the people that are still doing it. 00:31:06.779 --> 00:31:24.660 Right, right. Okay, well, then you also said you were involved with the Chamber. I know you said you've, like, coached T-ball and soccer and, like, you've done all kinds of things. But, I also want to talk about Root Real Estate was first. 00:31:24.660 --> 00:31:24.839 Yes. 00:31:24.839 --> 00:31:26.924 Before the furniture store, correct? 00:31:26.924 --> 00:31:27.404 Yes. 00:31:27.404 --> 00:31:28.184 Okay. 00:31:28.184 --> 00:32:03.150 When, when I got back, of course, I was raising children, but I went to work with Dr. Richardson. He was a chiropractic doctor that had an office where the 66 Venue is at. Worked for them shortly. They were friends. I went to church with them. Then I ended up getting into the real estate. Went to work for Donna Smith Real Estate. Naomi Talent bought her out, and I worked for her for a while, and then I, when I got my broker's license, I decided to open up my own and 00:32:03.150 --> 00:32:05.910 The rest is history. 00:32:05.910 --> 00:32:10.529 I was young when it happened, and it, it was really interesting. I loved it. 00:32:10.529 --> 00:32:14.714 And that was for 20 years you did that. You sold that in 2004? 00:32:14.714 --> 00:32:28.815 Yes, yeah. And it's, you know, it's just something that gives you the opportunity to meet everyone in town. I mean, all different varieties. You're you're working with people that are new to the city. 00:32:28.815 --> 00:32:33.315 Like you say, it's a great opportunity to promote Bristow, too. 00:32:33.315 --> 00:32:39.000 It is. And it helped me meet more people than I would have ever met. You know? 00:32:39.000 --> 00:32:45.660 Right? And then it was around, well, kind of around that time that you opened Roots Furniture. 00:32:45.660 --> 00:32:53.220 It was, let me see, I wrote that down. I opened that in July of '99. 00:32:53.220 --> 00:32:53.759 Okay. 00:32:53.759 --> 00:33:01.539 My husband did. He was, he was the one that was behind that. We were trying to run two at once, and that was pretty difficult. 00:33:01.539 --> 00:33:06.220 Yeah, oh I bet. And, then, so you closed that in 2017? 00:33:06.220 --> 00:33:06.700 Yes. 00:33:06.700 --> 00:33:09.519 But you still have the one location in Cushing, right? 00:33:09.519 --> 00:33:13.960 Yes, and my son runs that. He's, he's the one that owns that now. 00:33:13.960 --> 00:33:16.480 Okay. 00:33:16.480 --> 00:33:22.960 You know, as far as real estate goes, now, I still have properties that I manage and take care of. 00:33:22.960 --> 00:33:24.002 So, you're you're still in that game. 00:33:24.002 --> 00:33:27.420 I'm thinning out, though. 00:33:27.420 --> 00:33:41.500 Right, right. Was there any other Bristow related things that you would like to talk about that maybe we haven't touched on? I know you said you were involved with the Chamber for several years? 00:33:41.500 --> 00:34:10.625 The chamber. I mean, my philosophy is God, family and country. I mean, I love promoting Bristow. I think Bristow is a good town to grow up in. Our school system is great. Now I have great-grandchildren that are going to school here, and it's always been easy to promote Bristow to me. I think we're located in a great location between Oklahoma City and Tulsa. 00:34:10.625 --> 00:34:12.664 Yes, I agree. I agree. 00:34:12.664 --> 00:34:14.824 I look for great things to happen, hopefully. 00:34:14.824 --> 00:34:20.465 I feel like we're definitely on an upturn right now for great things to start happening here. 00:34:20.465 --> 00:34:22.445 I do, too. I do, too. 00:34:22.445 --> 00:34:32.360 Okay, well, let's change it up a little bit. What would you consider to be the most important invention during your lifetime? 00:34:32.360 --> 00:34:37.599 Goodness, probably computers and the internet. 00:34:37.599 --> 00:34:43.599 Okay, okay, and how do you feel the world is different now than when you were a child? 00:34:43.599 --> 00:35:00.880 Oh, drastically. It's drastically different. I mean, I of course, TVs, we had a TV from the time I can remember, so that's not a big deal. But going from party line phones to cell phones, that's another thing. 00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:01.900 Right, right. 00:35:01.900 --> 00:35:15.025 I had a car phone when I was in real estate, and it was like a bag. I thought, man, that is really neat. 00:35:15.025 --> 00:35:19.164 Yeah, now we have the little pocket computer. 00:35:19.164 --> 00:35:24.445 I still have the same number. I've had the same number for years and years and years. 00:35:24.445 --> 00:35:36.369 Which is probably important with the business that you're in. As you see it, what do you feel are our nation's biggest problems, and how do you think they could be solved? 00:35:36.369 --> 00:35:41.500 Oh, you're asking me a question I don't know the answer to, what solving it is. 00:35:41.500 --> 00:35:54.159 Or maybe, what do you wish, we'll change it up. What do you wish, is there anything you wish was different? Or maybe that you, I don't know, miss from your childhood, that you wish was 00:35:54.159 --> 00:36:09.804 I'll tell you something that I I wish was different. I wish that the inflation and the cost of goods and houses being linked to real estate. You know, it was so affordable when I first got in and 00:36:09.804 --> 00:36:12.204 Yeah, you've seen a wild swing. 00:36:12.204 --> 00:36:23.719 You know, helping people to qualify for loans and things like that, and finding the right properties for them. I'm saying my grandkids have to go through that and things are so expensive. 00:36:23.719 --> 00:36:52.079 I agree. I feel like the American Dream, say for my kids, it's not the same as it was whenever we were that age, for sure. How have, how have historic events such as, say, like the Oklahoma City Bombing, 9/11 maybe natural disasters, even COVID, have any of those affected you? And if so, how? 00:36:52.079 --> 00:37:23.840 Oh, yeah. Of course, 9/11 was such a tragedy, and I was watching TV that morning when it happened, and couldn't believe it. Couldn't believe it happened. The Oklahoma City Bombing, again, a tragedy. I hate to see that kind of evil be in our world, but I know that's a reality, and we've been fortunate living in the United States, not to have to deal with a lot of that, and traveling overseas, I saw a difference. I mean, I realized that we are so fortunate to live here. 00:37:23.840 --> 00:37:29.519 Is there anything else that you would like to tell us, or would you like to leave any wisdom to share with future generations? Come on, Linda, I know you do. 00:37:29.519 --> 00:37:38.820 Oh, wisdom! My goodness. 00:37:38.820 --> 00:37:46.260 You have a lot of, you have a lot of grandkids and great grandkids that you need to leave your wisdom for them. 00:37:46.260 --> 00:38:01.244 I guess my wisdom for them would be to always be honest. Have God in your life. Treat people the way you want to be treated. What else? 00:38:01.244 --> 00:38:11.909 I think those are, I think those are great. Was there anything else that you, that maybe we didn't touch on, that you would like to add to this interview? 00:38:11.909 --> 00:38:13.000 No, I've stumbled through this. 00:38:13.000 --> 00:38:26.679 No! You've done great, you've done great! Well, your interview will become an important part of the Oral History Archives for the museum. Thank you for taking the time to talk with us. We really appreciate it. 00:38:26.679 --> 00:38:28.179 Thank you, Regan. NOTE TRANSCRIPTION END ]]> video 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/ohms/render.php?cachefile=OHP-0074_Linda_Root.xml OHP-0074_Linda_Root.xml
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Title
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Linda Root
Description
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Linda Root was born June 3, 1953 in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Linda's parents, Rosemary McGuire and Clifford James McGuire, had six children, including Linda. Linda grew up in Kellyville, moving to Bristow in 1972. She recounted her childhood, including her mother's English heritage, her love for horseback riding, and her involvement in school activities. Linda married Richard Allan Root in 1970 and moved frequently due to his military service. She owned Root Real Estate and Root’s Furniture for around 20 years. Linda also helped establish the Tabouleh Festival in Bristow to promote the town's Lebanese heritage.
Identifier
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OHP-0074
Date
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2025-07-01
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video
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https://www.bristoworalhistory.org/files/original/392fdce5aeb1c2269ed12d837d22fc7d.jpg
4a7e5ece18fd4c38ae1f46136a919cec
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The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Family Histories
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Oral History
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Oral accounts of various family histories
Source
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Bristow Historical Society, oral history collection
Oral History
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Interviewer
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Regan Siler
Interviewee
The person(s) being interviewed
LoNetta White
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https://bristoworalhistory.org/ohms/render.php?cachefile=OHP-0061_LoNetta_White.xml
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5.4 July 23, 2024 OHP-0061 LoNetta White OHP-0061 01:20:57 Bristow Historical Society, Inc. bristowhistory LoNetta White Jimmy White 1.0:|16(16)|50(7)|67(12)|91(6)|114(17)|145(9)|166(15)|190(12)|211(10)|224(9)|240(16)|269(3)|289(6)|314(10)|335(7)|354(4)|385(6)|397(5)|418(6)|431(17)|439(18)|462(14)|489(10)|517(8)|540(13)|553(11)|577(8)|593(4)|611(5)|635(5)|663(4)|693(11)|712(4)|746(17)|766(4)|787(4)|813(6)|818(18)|838(8)|854(13)|886(14)|907(4)|933(19)|948(11)|965(12)|979(11)|1000(12)|1026(7)|1049(17)|1072(15)|1093(16)|1145(10)|1175(13)|1198(12)|1219(11)|1236(12)|1252(13)|1281(6)|1305(15)|1328(14)|1346(6)|1367(5)|1394(7)|1419(13)|1450(11)|1472(6)|1494(4)|1513(8)|1542(11)|1568(4)|1595(15)|1614(9)|1648(12)|1681(6)|1698(12)|1716(4)|1730(19)|1750(8)|1762(11)|1782(5)|1799(8)|1802(5) 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/interviews/OHP-0061 White, LoNetta.mp3 Other audio 0 Background This is Regan Siler with the Bristow Historical Society in Bristow, Oklahoma. This interview is part of the Historical Society's ongoing oral history project. The date is July 23, 2024 and I'm sitting here with LoNetta White and her son, Jimmy White, at the Bristow Library Annex. She's going to tell us a little bit about her life and her history living in the Bristow area. Can you please state your full name? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 00:29
 ; LoNetta Faye Dowdy White. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 00:32
 ; Okay, and do I have permission to do this interview?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 00:32
 ; Yes, you do. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 00:36
 ; Okay, so can you tell us when and where you were born?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 00:41
 ; I was born approximately two miles or so south of Bristow, in a two-room log cabin on August 24, 1940.
 ; LoNetta was born in 1940. She was born in a two-room log cabin about 2 miles south of Bristow, Oklahoma. Bristow (Okla.) ; Bristow Historical Society ; James Allen White ; Bristow Library Annex ; log cabin Birth ; background 0 104 Parents and Siblings Regan Siler 01:44
 ; So can you tell us about the people in your family? Let's start with your parents. Can you tell us what your parents full names are? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 01:54
 ; Okay, John, well, JB, and a lot of people called him John, and then they'd say John Buster. And then some of them called him Buck. And so he had several names, but usually Buster is what my mom would call him.
 ; LoNetta's parents were John and Ollie Belle Dowdy. LoNetta had two siblings, a brother and a sister. Both of her siblings are deceased. John Dowdy ; Ollie Belle Dowdy ; Shirley Jean Dowdy ; Roy Dean Dowdy Parents ; Siblings 0 195 Parents' Occupations Regan Siler 03:15
 ; Okay, so what type of work did your parents do?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 03:21
 ; Well, farming was one thing, because they would just at a moment's notice, get up and head for California. And she had two sisters out there. My mom did, and they would go out there and stay maybe during the picking of the lettuce and all that stuff, you know, and then come right around and drive back home.
 ; LoNetta and her family frequently traveled to California to work. They helped work in the fields. LoNetta's father also worked in the oil field. Farming ; California ; the Depression ; Bessie Christian ; Earl Christian ; Sharecropping ; Oil field ; Bristow (Okla.) ; Arcadia (Okla.) Occupation ; Farming ; Oil field 0 304 Early Life Regan Siler 05:04
 ; So, do you happen to remember, like, what type of car they drove at the time?
 ; 
 ; Jimmy White 05:10
 ; They would buy something as cheap as they could, and then when they got back to Oklahoma, they would sell it, because that's what they would live on through the winter, whatever they had made and sell on the car. 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 05:10
 ; No. 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 05:21
 ; And one winter, I guess everybody was nearly starving, you know, and my dad would go out and kill rabbits, and then he would hang them on the clothesline. And anybody that came by that needed them could takethem.
 ; LoNetta recalls one winter when times were tough, her father killed rabbits and would hang them on the clothesline for anyone to take. LoNetta had many cousins around Bristow when she was young. Her grandmothers were both deceased before LoNetta was born. One grandfather lived in Oklahoma and the other in California. Automobile ; Oklahoma ; Bristow (Okla.) ; California Life ; Family 0 441 Moving to Bristow Regan Siler 07:21
 ; Okay, so how long has your family lived in the Bristow area? Would you say? Or do you even know?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 07:32
 ; No, I really don't.
 ; 
 ; Jimmy White 07:37
 ; They moved here from Arkansas when her dad was little, like, he's born in 1907 and so it was around 1914 they've got a family picture.
 ; LoNetta's family originally came from Arkansas. Her grandfather moved his family to Oklahoma when LoNetta's father was young (around age 7.) His wife and small children rode on the train. Her grandfather and the older sons came by horseback. They brought their cattle with them. Bristow (Okla.) ; Arkansas ; Oil boom Moving ; Bristow (Okla.) 0 548 Childhood Regan Siler 09:08
 ; Um, okay, well, let's talk a little bit about your early childhood and home life. Do you remember having any favorite toys or childhood games that you enjoy playing?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 09:22
 ; Yes, around the house. Mainly, we would play house. We would have a spot out in the yard, you know, around close, and we would have our old dishes or whatever, you know, and we would play with all that stuff. And there were, like, right at 10 families, I think, that lived on the lease, the old lease, and gosh, we would get together day or night. You know, at midnight, we may all be out there playing somewhere.
 ; Part of LoNetta's childhood was spent living on an oil lease with other families. Around 10 families lived on the lease, and they spent a lot of time together. LoNetta and the other children played outside together. Childhood ; Oil lease ; Tibbens lease Childhood 0 659 Chores Regan Siler 10:59
 ; Did you have chores that you were expected to do around your place when you were young? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 11:05
 ; Chores?
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 11:06
 ; Chores. 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 11:07
 ; Oh, chores, yes, anything I was told I was supposed to do so as far as just regular chores? No.
 ; LoNetta can't name specific chores that she was expected to do. Her family did not farm as much once they were living on the oil lease. Her father did always raise a garden though. Chores ; Oil Company ; Garden Chores 0 712 Fishing Regan Siler 11:52
 ; But not really families that weren't related to you, just families in general. Okay, right, okay, um, did you have any favorite activities or hobbies as a child?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 12:07
 ; No, not well, fishing. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 12:10
 ; Fishing. 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 12:11
 ; My brother and I went fishing every day, and it was across the road from where we lived and go up just up a hill, and there was a farm or a pasture, I should say, up there, and we would come in from school and get our fishing pole up the hill, we'd go.
 ; LoNetta spent much of her childhood fishing. LoNetta and her brother would go fishing every day after school. They fished across the road from where they lived on a farm. Fishing ; Hobbies ; Iron Post School Fishing 0 769 School Regan Siler 12:49
 ; Not that you remember, okay, um, well, let's talk a little bit about your school life. Where did you first attend school? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 12:58
 ; Iron Post. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 12:58
 ; Iron Post, and so, I wonder how long that school was there, because it's not there now, right?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 13:05
 ; No, the school isn't, but the old cellar is still out there, where they used to stick all of us. And it was a big cellar. It would hold 20-30 people, maybe, and it's still there, but they've taken the school down, but there's a house that sits there now.
 ; LoNetta attended school at Iron Post through the 6th grade. The school closed down and she continued her education at Bristow School. She recalls there being a pie supper once a year at Iron Post. The proceeds from that supper were used to buy apples and oranges and candy for the children. LoNetta also recalls an influential teacher that she had named Mrs. Dykes. School ; Iron Post School ; Bristow School ; Bristow (Okla.) School 0 944 GED Regan Siler 15:44
 ; Okay, but now you told me something interesting about when we talked on the phone, because I understand you didn't graduate. Is that correct? But, but tell me about, tell me about your GED. That was an interesting story.
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 16:02
 ; I heard, I quit school.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 16:05
 ; And why did you why did you quit school? If you don't mind me asking you just didn't like it?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 16:10
 ; Didn't want to go. I got married during the summer between my junior and senior year. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 16:15
 ; Okay.
 ; LoNetta married the summer between her junior and senior years. She decided to quit school. Later in life she heard an interview with Waylon Jennings. He talked about quitting school and then later taking classes and getting his GED. That inspired LoNetta to do the same and so she received her GED at the age of 50. GED ; School ; Waylon Jennings ; Harold Jason White ; Biology GED 0 1155 Living on the Lease LoNetta White 19:15
 ; Um, no, because on the lease, the men, and I don't know how they did this, were in different grades of where they worked and different things like that. And, like I say, I don't know how they judged all that, but could have been by age, because the older ones lived closer to the front of the of the leasse than the younger ones did, and we had, you know, three or four houses in a row, and then there might not be one for maybe five acres on up. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 19:57
 ; So, I guess so let's clarify that, because I don't even know that I've heard of such a thing. So at that time, they would have, like, an oil lease. So you would work for a company and that, and the workers would actually live on the lease?
 ; LoNetta lived on the oil lease for about 6 years. Paul Tibbens ran and owned the lease. LoNetta and her family lived there while her father worked for the oil company. Oil Lease ; Paul Tibbens Oil Lease 0 1307 Moving to Red Bank Road LoNetta White 21:47
 ; Outside of Bristow, out on Red Bank Road, which my dad bought a little farm out there and
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 21:53
 ; And you said, Red Bank Road? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 21:56
 ; Yeah. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 21:57
 ; Okay.
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 21:58
 ; And we lived there, well, I got married between my junior and senior year, so then I left and moved to town, so they lived out there three or four years after that.
 ; After living on the oil lease, LoNetta and her family moved to Red Bank Road. Her father had purchased a littler farm out there. LoNetta and her sister shared a room. During the heat of summer, LoNetta would sometimes make a bed outside to sleep on at night. Bristow (Okla.) ; Red Bank Road ; farm moving ; Red Bank Road 0 1402 Mealtimes Regan Siler 23:22
 ; Exactly! I can't sleep if it's hot. Um, I think we're, we're probably pretty spoiled now. Um, okay, well, let's talk about meal times in your family and what that was like. Did you guys eat together as a family every night?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 23:35
 ; Oh, yes. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 23:36
 ; Okay, and so, did your mom do all the preparing...did you have any role in the preparing or cleaning up?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 23:44
 ; Oh yeah, Shirley and I did the dishes.
 ; LoNetta and her family ate dinner together every night. LoNetta remembers her mother being an amazing cook. LoNetta and her sister were in charge of cleanup. She remembers being very young and standing on a chair to do the dishes. Mealtimes ; Shirley Jean Dowdy ; John Buster Dowdy ; Ollie Belle Williams Dowdy ; Teresa Lynn White Alred ; James Allen White Mealtimes 0 1574 School Fair Regan Siler 26:14
 ; That's, that's awesome. Um, so thinking about thinking back to town life and growing up, do you remember having any favorite, like Bristow community activities, for instance, say, like maybe Western Heritage Day, day camps, county fairs, things like that. Do you remember participating in any of those things and what was your favorite?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 26:39
 ; Yes, when I was still at Iron Post, we used to always make stuff and take to the fair there at school, you know? And we always enjoyed that. And I've still got some of the old ribbons that 
 ; LoNetta made things to take to the fair at the Iron Post school. The first thing she remembers making was a head scarf. LoNetta also made tea towels and enjoyed embroidery. Western Heritage Day ; County Fairs ; Iron Post School School Fair 0 1687 Businesses Around Bristow Regan Siler 28:07
 ; Yeah, okay. Do you happen to remember the biggest or most popular businesses around town? Maybe, like growing up and through your early married life, like what businesses stick out to you? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 28:07
 ; Yeah.
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 28:24
 ; Kemps, Penneys, there used to be a Sears and Anthony's.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 28:32
 ; Bristow used to be happening at one time.
 ; LoNetta talks about some of the businesses that used to be in Bristow. She remembers JCPenney's, Sears and Anthony's. When her kids were small, they would come to their shop (Mistletoe Express) after school. LoNetta says Jimmy would shop at Anthony's and charge stuff in between pay day. Her son, Eddie charged a bicycle at Western Auto and would pay on it every time he got paid. Kemp's ; JCPenney's ; Sears ; Anthony's ; Mistletoe Express ; James Allen White ; Edgar Angel White ; Western Auto Businesses 0 1802 Restaurants Regan Siler 30:02
 ; I know, I know. Did you have a favorite place to eat, or did you primarily eat at home? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 30:10
 ; Usually at home. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 30:11
 ; But if you did get to go out, do you remember like a restaurant in town that you really liked eating at? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 30:17
 ; Lyons Cafe.
 ; LoNetta primarily ate meals at home. When she did eat out, she really enjoyed Lyons Cafe. It was located on Main beside where Town Square is now. She also enjoyed Harvey House, which was located where the Dollar Store is currently. Another favorite restaurant was The Highway Cafe. It was located on the corner of 9th. Lyons Cafe ; Town Square ; Main Street ; Harvey House ; The Highway Cafe ; Dollar Store ; Bristow (Okla.) ; Restaurants Restaurants 0 1898 Teenage Fun Regan Siler 31:38
 ; Okay, all right. And did you have a favorite hangout as a teenager? Where did you hang out when you were a teenager? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 31:49
 ; On a horse. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 31:52
 ; Good for you. So you liked to ride a lot, I guess? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 31:57
 ; Yeah.
 ; LoNetta enjoyed dragging Main and riding horses as a teenager. She recalls riding every chance she got with her friend, Margaret Styles. One time she said they rode to Depew and did not even think to take anything to eat or drink on the way. Horses ; Margaret Styles ; Depew (Okla.) ; Main Fun 0 2040 Clothing Regan Siler 34:00
 ; Um, where did you shop for clothes? And how often did you get new clothes?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 34:06
 ; Not very often. And what we had, we usually made. We would buy the material. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 34:14
 ; And so, did you make your clothes? Or did your mom make your clothes?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 34:18
 ; Well, of course, the smaller I was, Mom made them, and the older I got, I made them, and Shirley did too.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 34:26
 ; Wow. Okay,
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 34:27
 ; So they cut her down to just my brother, and wasn't hard to get him an old t shirt.
 ; LoNetta did not get new clothes very often. When she was younger her mother made her clothes. The older she got she made her own clothes. Clothing ; Ollie Belle Williams Dowdy ; Roy Dean Dowdy ; Shirley Jean Dowdy Clothing 0 2073 Family Car Regan Siler 34:33
 ; Right, right. Um, so do you happen to remember your first family car.
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 34:45
 ; Family car. You mean
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 34:46
 ; Like that you had when you were young, like it whenever you were a kid, like, what was your first family's car? Do you remember?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 34:59
 ; About the only one I remember, like when we lived down on the lease, was a Jeep.
 ; LoNetta does not remember much about the automobiles in her childhood. She does recall her family owning a Jeep when they lived on the lease. Automobiles ; Oil Lease ; Jeep automobile Car 0 2106 Vacations Regan Siler 35:06
 ; A Jeep, okay, all right. Did you ever get to go on vacations?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 35:14
 ; Well, once a year, probably vacation for the whole lease probably at the same time, we used to go to one of the lakes. And I'm talking about like mostly the whole lease went.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 35:32
 ; So when you say one of the lakes, do you mean one of the lakes around here?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 35:36
 ; Yeah, we went to Greenleaf and Ten Killer. Okay, color places like that, you know. And Paul paid for all of that and took his boats and different things. And everybody partied for two or three days there. So that was more or less vacation. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 35:57
 ; Got a little R& ; R that way? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 35:59
 ; Yes, we did.
 ; LoNetta remembers her family vacationing at the lake once a year. They would go to a nearby lake like Greenleaf or Ten Killer for a few days. Most of the people that lived on the lease would go together. Paul Tibbens paid and would bring his boat. Vacations ; Jeep automobile ; Greenleaf Lake ; Tenkiller lake ; Paul Tibbens Vacations 0 2162 Driving Regan Siler 36:02
 ; Do you remember who taught you how to drive?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 36:05
 ; I guess my dad.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 36:09
 ; Your dad. And do you remember what your first car was?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 36:14
 ; I didn't have one. I drove his old pickup sometime. And then after I got married, Harold had a Pontiac, and I drove it some but as far as me having a car, I never did.
 ; LoNetta says her father probably taught her how to drive. She did not have her own car but would sometimes drive her father's old pickup. Her friend, Margaret had a station wagon that they rode around in often. Later, after marriage her husband had a Pontiac that LoNetta sometimes drove. Automobile ; John Buster Dowdy ; Harold Jason White ; Pontiac ; Margaret Styles ; Station wagons Driving 0 2210 Entertainment Regan Siler 36:50
 ; So what sort of entertainment did you enjoy growing up? Did you get to watch TV? And if so, did you have a favorite program? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 36:59
 ; Hmm? Uh, yeah, we watched TV some, but the main thing that we would look forward to was on Saturday morning, even though we had tons of laundry to do, which was on an old Maytag, you know, and especially in the winter, because you had the windows shut and stuff, and you couldn't hear any any radio or anything outside. But we would want to listen to the Lone Ranger and all of that good stuff they used to have.
 ; LoNetta said she did watch television some growing up but that she mainly enjoyed listening to the radio shows. She loved the Lone Ranger and the Creaking Door. LoNetta also really enjoyed music, especially country. Entertainment ; Television ; Lone Ranger (Radio program) ; Creaking Door ; Maytag Company ; Music Entertainment 0 2305 Pivotal Historical Moments Regan Siler 38:25
 ; Okay, I'm glad we have that clarification. Do you recall witnessing any pivotal events in history that you watched on TV?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 38:40
 ; Oh, yeah, of course, Kennedy being assassinated. Even part of the conventions that they have every year or every election year. There were some of them that were really good, really good.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 39:00
 ; So how did you so do you remember about how old you are, you were, when Kennedy was assassinated? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 39:06
 ; Well, that would be in 1963 so
 ; LoNetta remembers when Kennedy was assassinated. She was in her twenties with three children. Her and husband owned the TV shop at the time and were glued to the screen the rest of the day. John F. Kennedy ; Assassination ; History ; Harold Jason White ; Television Historical Moments 0 2403 Medical Care Regan Siler 40:03
 ; Yes, yes, yes, yeah, yeah. Okay. So what was medical care like for you growing up? Did you have a family doctor, or did you mainly try to take care of things at home? I know, apparently, we had a recipe for cough syrup.
 ; 
 ; Jimmy White 40:23
 ; Yeah! 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 40:24
 ; That was at home. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 40:25
 ; Yeah. But did you, did you have medical care? Did you have a family doctor, or did you mainly try to take care of stuff at 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 40:32
 ; Most of it, you took care of at home.
 ; LoNetta and her family took care of most of their medical needs at home. They even had a recipe for cough syrup. LoNetta burned her hand at the age of one on their wood burning stove. Her parents treated her burn with unguentine. LoNetta also recalls cutting her leg pretty badly when she was about 10 or 12. She did receive stitches for this injury by their family doctor, Dr. Hollis. Medical care ; doctor ; Shirley Jean Dowdy ; unguentine ; Antibiotics ; Joseph E. Hollis ; John Buster Dowdy ; Chicken pox ; Measles ; Mumps ; Vaccines Medical care 0 2736 Horseback Accident LoNetta White 45:36
 ; And then, let's see, in the 70s, let's see, I had a horseback accident in when I was a senior in high school. Margaret, and I were riding to double on double and and the horse slipped on pavement and fell, and that put us both in the hospital. And they put me in the room, or brought Mrs. Corey (ph), which was the dean of girls atthe time. 
 ; 
 ; Jimmy White 46:15
 ; You broke your leg. 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 46:16
 ; Yeah, broke my leg. Margaret broke hers. And they brought Mrs. Corey (ph) in and put in the room with me, because Margaret got to go home a couple of days before I did.
 ; LoNetta had a horseback accident in the 70's when she was a senior in high school. She was riding with her friend, Margaret and the horse slipped and they both broke their legs. She ended up in a hospital room with Mrs. Corey (the dean of the girls at the time.) Dresses were required to be worn by girls at the school. Because of her broken leg, LoNetta wore blue jeans with a zipper in them to zip and unzip over the cast. Accident ; Margaret Styles ; Mrs. Corey ; Hospital ; School Accident 0 2835 Church Regan Siler 47:15
 ; Okay, well, so did you happen to attend church growing up? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 47:22
 ; Yes, we did. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 47:23
 ; Okay. And if so, where did you attend? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 47:26
 ; Christian Church. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 47:27
 ; Christian Church. And so, where would that...is that building still around?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 47:32
 ; Yes, sixth and Elm
 ; LoNetta attended the Christian Church growing up. It was located at Sixth and Elm. After marrying Harold, she started attending the Church of God with him. Christian Church ; Bristow (Okla.) ; Harold Jason White ; Church of God ; Presbyterian Church Church 0 2921 Holidays Regan Siler 48:41
 ; Okay. So thinking back to holidays when you were young and with your family, did your family celebrate holidays in a big way? Like, can you remember what Christmas was like, or any other holidays that you really enjoyed?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 49:01
 ; Yeah, lots of people.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 49:03
 ; Lots of people. Lots of family? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 49:06
 ; Yeah. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 49:06
 ; Okay. And where did you usually celebrate Christmas?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 49:09
 ; In most cases, at our house.
 ; LoNetta and her family celebrated Christmas with lots of food and family. LoNetta and her sister, Shirley typically received a new doll. One-year LoNetta received hair clips as a gift. They were blue birds. Not long after, her family had company. A little girl really liked the hair clips and LoNetta's mother gave them to her. LoNetta was heartbroken. Holidays ; Christmas ; Fourth of July ; Halloween ; Thanksgiving Holidays 0 3082 Deep Fork LoNetta White 51:22
 ; We spent a lot of time on Deep Fork. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 51:24
 ; On Deep Fork? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 51:24
 ; Yeah. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 51:25
 ; Oh gosh. Okay.
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 51:26
 ; Yeah. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 51:27
 ; So you probably have some Deep Fork stories, don't you? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 51:30
 ; Yeah. And they would, of course, we'd spend the night.
 ; LoNetta spent a lot of time in her childhood at Deep Fork. She enjoyed fishing there. LoNetta said in the summertime they would go without shoes because they could not afford to ruin their one pair and buy more. Deep Fork (Okla.) ; Three Bridges ; Fishing Deep Fork (Okla.) 0 3182 Wanting to Join the Navy Regan Siler 53:02
 ; Like I said, I'll reiterate, I don't know how anybody survived. Okay, well as a child, do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up? Did you have any like, oh, I want to be a particular something or other when you grew up?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 53:18
 ; Not really. After oh, I don't know, later years, after I'd been going to Bristow Schools, I had another friend. Her name was Margaret, also.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 53:32
 ; So, you had two Margarets? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 53:34
 ; Margaret [undecipherable]. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 53:35
 ; Oh, my goodness. 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 53:36
 ; One was a Sipler and one, which was Theodore Abraham's stepdaughter.
 ; LoNetta and one of her friends dreamed of joining the Navy one day. LoNetta got married but her friend did end up joining. LoNetta's daughter, Teresa joined the Navy when she was old enough. LoNetta said her daughter took her place. Bristow School ; Navy ; Margaret Stiles Garrison ; Red Bank Road ; Teresa Lynn White Alred Navy 0 3261 Jobs Regan Siler 54:21
 ; That's interesting. Well, let's talk about some of the different jobs you had during your life. I know when we had talked on the phone before, maybe specifically, like your businesses that you had here in town. I think you said you started at the garment factory. So start from there and tell me, tell me what all you've done. 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 54:43
 ; Okay, I went to work at the well, if I start the very first one, I'd have to go to seventh grade, because I worked at the cafeteria at Washington back in the seventh grade. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 54:58
 ; Wow, okay.
 ; LoNetta's first job was at the cafeteria at Washington Elementary. She was in the seventh grade. Then she went to work at the garment factory when she was around 18 years old. Garment Factory ; Cafeteria ; Washington Elementary ; James Allen White Jobs 0 3445 Businesses LoNetta White 57:25
 ; Yeah. And then we Harold put in the radio and TV shop and
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 57:34
 ; And that was called White's, right? 
 ; 
 ; Jimmy White 57:36
 ; White's Radio & ; TV. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 57:39
 ; Okay. 
 ; 
 ; Jimmy White 57:39
 ; Repair, yeah. 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 57:40
 ; And then when we moved to the down on Seventh Street, we rented from Mr. Slyman. And then later on, we were able to buy the building just two doors up, and so we bought it, and we were still just right there on Seventh Street, and we're across the street from, well, it's Dr Cantrell now.
 ; LoNetta and her husband opened a radio and TV shop called White's Radio & ; TV Repair. It was located on Seventh Street. They had the shop for 25 years. They also ran a business called the Mistletoe Express. It was a distribution company that helped deliver packages. It was open for 22 years. LoNetta and her husband also helped with the buses coming through Bristow. White's Radio & ; TV Repair ; Slyman ; Dr. Cantrell ; Mistletoe Express ; Seventh Street ; UPS ; Greyhound buses ; George Burkle ; Oklahoma City (Okla.) ; Tulsa (Okla.) ; Avon Businesses 0 3810 Husband, Harold Jason White Regan Siler 1:03:35
 ; Oh, that's good. Okay. Well, let's, let's talk about your spouse, when and where did you first meet your spouse?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:03:43
 ; Okay, I met him April. I was in the hospital from the horse accident.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:03:53
 ; The broken leg? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:03:53
 ; Yeah, and he had caught his hand in the printing press. He worked at the Bristow News. He had been putting paper on, and the guy reached up and turned on the press, and it caught his hand in there. And so he would, that's what he was in there for. And then we ended up getting married in August.
 ; LoNetta met her husband when she was in the hospital from the horse accident. He had gotten his hand stuck in the printing press while working at the Bristow News. They played checkers together in the hospital. He passed away in 1992. Bristow News ; Hospital ; Harold Jason White Husband 0 3895 Engagement and Wedding Regan Siler 1:04:55
 ; Oh gosh! Do you, so, did you get engaged? Did you have an engagement period, or did you just decide you were getting married and got married?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:04:55
 ; Yeah, because he was in the room with a boy that we went to school with, which he, supposedly, had pneumonia, but he spent a lot of time out in the hall, you know. And he and Margaret Ann got put to bed for racing in wheelchairs down the hall.
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:05:29
 ; No, there was, yeah, we got engaged. And, you know, they used to put your picture in the paper and, and, well, they just plastered stuff everywhere, like that, you know? And yeah.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:05:45
 ; So, you had your engagement period, and then ,so, and you got married at the Presbyterian Church.
 ; LoNetta and Harold had their picture in the newspaper announcing their engagement. LoNetta helped take care of a lady in Sapulpa to make money to buy a wedding dress. She also helped some family with their chickens to earn money. LoNetta and Harold's wedding took place at the Presbyterian Church. Margaret Stiles Garrison ; Presbyterian Church ; Harold Jason White ; Sapulpa (Okla.) Engagement ; Wedding 0 4052 Early Years of Marriage Regan Siler 1:07:32
 ; Oh, my goodness. Um, so what were your early years of marriage like? I mean, obviously, you were young. Um, what did was it a financial struggle? Was it, I mean, was it, tell me about it. What was it like? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:07:48
 ; Well, kind of was because Harold had just got out of the Navy, and he went back to work at the news office. And, of course, I quit school. That's why I probably went to work. And, you know, everything was just tight, but we were young and happy and didn't make any difference, so
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:08:13
 ; It didn't matter to you, did it? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:08:15
 ; No.
 ; LoNetta and Harold had financial struggles in their early married years. LoNetta said they were young and happy though, so it didn't make a difference. Harold had just returned from the Navy and was working at the news office. LoNetta had quit school and was working. Marriage ; Navy ; Harold Jason White Marriage 0 4095 Children Regan Siler 1:08:15
 ; Yeah. So how many children do you have? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:08:19
 ; Three. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:08:20
 ; Okay, can you tell me their full names and their dates of birth? If you know them.
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:08:25
 ; James Allen White, which is Jimmy here. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:08:28
 ; Okay.
 ; LoNetta and Harold had three children. Their names are James Allen White, Teresa Lynn White Alred and Edgar Angel White. Edgar passed away in a car accident in 1987. Children ; James Allen White ; Teresa Lynn White Alred ; Edgar Angel White Children 0 4181 Early Years of Parenting LoNetta White 1:09:41
 ; Other than Eddie was accident prone. He kept us pretty busy.
 ; 
 ; Jimmy White 1:09:51
 ; We stayed with Grandma a lot when we were small and they were working at the shop.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:09:56
 ; Trying to work?
 ; 
 ; Jimmy White 1:09:57
 ; Right, yeah.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:09:57
 ; Because they had all these businesses they were trying to run.
 ; LoNetta's children stayed with their grandma a lot in the summer. The children spent time with Harold and LoNetta before and after school at their shop. LoNetta says her son, Eddie was very accident prone and kept them busy. Edgar Angel White ; Adam Titus Parenting 0 4323 Grandchildren Regan Siler 1:12:03
 ; Right. Do you have any grandchildren? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:12:07
 ; Yes. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:12:07
 ; How many grandchildren do you have? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:12:09
 ; I have three. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:12:10
 ; Three. Do you want to tell me their names? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:12:12
 ; Yeah.
 ; 
 ; Jimmy White 1:12:12
 ; Well, four.
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:12:13
 ; Yeah, one passed away. Yeah. Okay, yeah. Kenneth Alred.
 ; LoNetta has three grandchildren and one more that passed away. She also has eleven great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Grandchildren ; Kenneth Alred ; air force ; Florida ; Justin Alred ; Daniel Alred ; Brandon Dale White Grandchildren 0 4419 Important Invention Regan Siler 1:13:39
 ; Oh, my goodness, okay. I'm going to ask you a little bit of a hard question. This one might make you think a little bit. What would you consider to be the most important invention during your lifetime?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:13:59
 ; Hmm. I don't know, unless it's the way electronics have gone that, you know, being involved with all of that when it was coming up the first time around. And some of the things that I see now, I think, you know, how did they do that.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:14:22
 ; Right, right. 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:14:23
 ; So, it's not biology, I'd say electronics.
 ; LoNetta believes electronics has been the most important invention in her lifetime. Invention ; Electronics ; Biology Invention 0 4466 How the World is Different Regan Siler 1:14:26
 ; Electronics, okay. How do you feel the world is different than when you were a child?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:14:34
 ; Well, we were a village raising kids back then. If you did something wrong, you got a whippin' for it. And you didn't do it again. And nowadays, you know kids, I don't know, some of them are, are just not looked after. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:14:53
 ; Or maybe they lacking discipline? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:14:56
 ; Yeah, lacking discipline or missing love somewhere along the way.
 ; LoNetta talks about how children nowadays are lacking discipline. She also feels some are missing love. She says back in her day it was a village raising the children. World ; Discipline World 0 4501 Nation's Biggest Problem Regan Siler 1:15:01
 ; Yeah, okay. What do you feel our nation's biggest problem is currently? 
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:15:08
 ; Ooh! One president quitting and the Vice President taking over, and then the election that's coming up, and the FBI agent quit this morning, and
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:15:25
 ; I feel like we're living in some pivotal times right now. 
 ; 
 ; Jimmy White 1:15:29
 ; Yeah, we are. It's scary.
 ; LoNetta talks about some of the pivotal times we are living in currently. Her son says it is scary. LoNetta mentions the president quitting and the vice-president taking over and the election that is coming up. President ; Vice-President ; Election ; FBI Nation 0 4530 Historic Events Regan Siler 1:15:30
 ; Which I think is good to document, too, just because who the heck knows what's gonna happen in the next four months! Quite a cluster. How have any historic events affected you? For instance, like the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, maybe COVID, natural disasters? Have there been anything like that that's personally affected your life?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:15:56
 ; Yeah, I think so. Back I wrote a poem back then, which I did bring to show you that, you know, you just, you just don't know what's going to happen. And I think everybody should stop and take a second look at all that. And we don't want that in our country. We don't want to be scared like a lot of them are.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:16:31
 ; And so what inspired your poem?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:16:36
 ; Oh, just the guys coming back from overseas.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:16:44
 ; Okay, well, I would love to get a copy of it if you're if you're okay with that.
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:16:51
 ; Yeah, you bet.
 ; LoNetta wrote a poem about the soldiers coming back from overseas. She says we don't know what is going to happen in our country, but we don't want to be scared like they were. Oklahoma City Bombing ; Covid ; Poem Historic events 0 4612 Wisdom Regan Siler 1:16:52
 ; Okay, um, is there anything else that you would like to tell us, or any wisdom that you would like to share for future generations?
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:17:03
 ; Oh, my. 
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:17:05
 ; This is your chance to leave your mark.
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:17:08
 ; I think I've marked everything around town.
 ; 
 ; Regan Siler 1:17:14
 ; No, I mean any, any, any wisdom that you can think of that would be good for future generations to take to heart.
 ; 
 ; LoNetta White 1:17:28
 ; Main thing, I think would be one thing, is that I feel like that a lot of them live way beyond their means. One of these days that's all going to catch up with them, and when it does, then there's going to be lots of problems, you know, home, work or anywhere. And if they would take the time to look at what they say or do, there's enough mistakes made, accidentally, rather than planning them. And just be kind to each other.
 ; LoNetta feels like people nowadays live beyond their means. She feels it will catch up to them one day. She feels like materialism is a problem and we need to get back to the basics. Wisdom ; Materialism ; Family Wisdom 0 MP3 LoNetta Dowdy White, born August 24, 1940, in a log cabin near Bristow, Oklahoma, shared her life story. LoNetta's parents, John Buster Dowdy and Ollie Belle Williams Dowdy, farmed and worked in California's lettuce fields. LoNetta attended Iron Post School, where she enjoyed biology, and later got her GED at 50. She married Harold White in 1957 and worked at the garment factory and ran the businesses White's Radio & ; TV and Mistletoe Express. LoNetta had three children: James Allen White, Teresa Lynn White Alred, and Edgar Angel White. Regan Siler This is Regan Siler with the Bristow Historical Society in Bristow, Oklahoma. This interview is part of the Historical Society's ongoing oral history project. The date is July 23, 2024 and I'm sitting here with LoNetta White and her son, Jimmy White, at the Bristow Library Annex. She's going to tell us a little bit about her life and her history living in the Bristow area. Can you please state your full name? LoNetta White LoNetta Faye Dowdy White. Regan Siler Okay, and do I have permission to do this interview? LoNetta White Yes, you do. Regan Siler Okay, so can you tell us when and where you were born? LoNetta White I was born approximately two miles or so south of Bristow, in a two-room log cabin on August 24, 1940. Regan Siler August 24, 1940. LoNetta White Yes. Regan Siler Okay, well, that's interesting. So can you tell us about the log cabin? Do you remember? LoNetta White No. Regan Siler You don't. LoNetta White No. Regan Siler How long were you in the log cabin? LoNetta White I don't even know that, because my folks would tell about my dad's sister lived there after they had moved out,or before, and different people that all were related to each other seemed to live there at one time or the other. And so I guess there was no date. Regan Siler So, I guess there was no doctor or anything at your birth? LoNetta White No, I don't think so. Regan Siler Don't think so, okay. LoNetta White Maybe that's why I'm like I am. Regan Siler So can you tell us about the people in your family? Let's start with your parents. Can you tell us what your parents full names are? LoNetta White Okay, John, well, JB, and a lot of people called him John, and then they'd say John Buster. And then some of them called him Buck. And so he had several names, but usually Buster is what my mom would call him. Regan Siler And his last name was Dowdy? Regan Siler Dowdy, and I have his date of birth as September 19, 1907. LoNetta White Yes. Regan Siler Okay. And then what about your mom? LoNetta White Ollie Belle Dowdy. And well, it was Williams and Dowdy, and she was born June 10, 1911. Regan Siler And just by the way, I love her name. I think Ollie Belle is the coolest name. I loved that when you told me. And do you have any siblings? LoNetta White Yes, Shirley Jean. Shirley Jean Dowdy. Regan Siler Okay. LoNetta White Groom and she is deceased. Regan Siler Okay. Is that your only sibling? LoNetta White No, it's the only sister. I have a brother, Roy Dean Dowdy, and he's deceased. Regan Siler Okay, so what type of work did your parents do? LoNetta White Well, farming was one thing, because they would just at a moment's notice, get up and head for California. And she had two sisters out there. My mom did, and they would go out there and stay maybe during the picking of the lettuce and all that stuff, you know, and then come right around and drive back home. Regan Siler So they would stay out that, when you say the picking of the lettuce, do you mean out there or here? LoNetta White No out there. Regan Siler So they would go out there and help. Is that what you mean? LoNetta White What's that called. Jimmy White They would go out to California before they ever had any kids in the 1930s during the Depression. Jimmy White And one of grandpa's sisters, Bessie Christian , and her husband, Earl, would go with them, and they didn't have any kids either. And so this was all during the 30s, and then they kind of sharecropped and stuff in the 40s. Regan Siler Okay. Regan Siler Oh! Jimmy White So grandpa went to work for that oil field. Regan Siler Okay? LoNetta White And that was back here. But they would go just to visit and then work while they were there, you know?Because when they leave Bristow, one night, the first night, and I think they said they had, like, a quarter in their pocket. They spent the night at parked alongside the road at the round barn up at Jimmy White Arcadia. LoNetta White Yes, and that's as far as they got that first night. Regan Siler Oh, my goodness. LoNetta White So it was a chore just to drive out there. Regan Siler So, do you happen to remember, like, what type of car they drove at the time? Jimmy White They would buy something as cheap as they could, and then when they got back to Oklahoma, they would sell it, because that's what they would live on through the winter, whatever they had made and sell on the car. LoNetta White No. LoNetta White And one winter, I guess everybody was nearly starving, you know, and my dad would go out and kill rabbits, and then he would hang them on the clothesline. And anybody that came by that needed them could takethem. Regan Siler Oh, well, isn't that kind? LoNetta White So that went on, I guess all year. Regan Siler Right, so was this when you were young? Or do you remember was this before you? LoNetta White Yes, they were married for 10 years before they had children. Regan Siler Oh, okay, okay, so, and I don't think we can fully understand the times that they lived in compared to how we are or how we live now. So growing up, do you? Did you have, like, extended family that lived nearby you growing up? LoNetta White Everybody you knew was. Regan Siler Okay, so you had family near you? LoNetta White Not really family around Bristow, you know there would be some family, but not near enough that you could just walk and go see them or anything. Regan Siler Okay? So, like, grandparents or, like, what? LoNetta White Well, I never knew either grandmother. Regan Siler Really? LoNetta White They were, they were dead before I was born. And had one grandfather that lived in California and one that lived here. But you know, after his wife died, he was, he didn't care about being around anybody. So Jimmy White She had a lot of cousins that lived around Bristow, because grandpa had, there was seven brothers and sisters, and then some of them had 13, 14, 15 kids that lived around here. So she had a lot of Regan Siler There was a lot of cousins. Jimmy White Aunts and uncles, yeah. Regan Siler Okay, so how long has your family lived in the Bristow area? Would you say? Or do you even know? LoNetta White No, I really don't. Jimmy White They moved here from Arkansas when her dad was little, like, he's born in 1907 and so it was around 1914 they've got a family picture. Regan Siler Okay. Jimmy White And he was like, seven, and he said that was taken about the time they moved from Arkansas, Regan Siler And they moved to the Bristow area? Jimmy White To the Bristow area. Regan Siler To the Bristow area. So that was shortly after, I guess Bristow became Bristow, huh? Jimmy White Yeah, we don't really know the reason they did move here. Regan Siler Okay, it seems like in some of the other histories I've done, it's been because of, like, cotton early on, and then, of course, the oil boom happened. But that would be, that would be an interesting thing to know. LoNetta White I've got an old letter, if I can find it, where it was sent to my granddad. And of course, he's the one that brought them all here, and said something about he still owed for some cattle, or something like that. And apparently, Grandpa came from Arkansas to Oklahoma brought the cattle with him, and I don't know if he ever paid for. he may still owe them. Regan Siler So he brought, they not only moved, but they brought their cattle too. I bet that was a heck of a journey. Jimmy White He sent his wife and the small kids on the train, and him and the older boys came by horseback. Regan Siler Oh my goodness, and brought the cattle. Oh, my gosh. LoNetta White Probably ate them before they got here. Regan Siler Um, okay, well, let's talk a little bit about your early childhood and home life. Do you remember having any favorite toys or childhood games that you enjoy playing? LoNetta White Yes, around the house. Mainly, we would play house. We would have a spot out in the yard, you know, around close, and we would have our old dishes or whatever, you know, and we would play with all that stuff. And there were, like, right at 10 families, I think, that lived on the lease, the old lease, and gosh, we would get together day or night. You know, at midnight, we may all be out there playing somewhere. Regan Siler So now, whenever your family came here, where did they end up settling? And is that where family land still remains today? LoNetta White No, and I really can't tell you the first place that they stayed. Regan Siler So, where were you? So were you still south of town, whenever you had like, you know when you're talking about playing house and all that where LoNetta White We had moved and that probably was when my dad had gone to work for the oil lease, for the Tibbens lease and Regan Siler Tibben lease? Jimmy White Tibbens lease, T I B B E N S. Regan Siler Tibbens, okay, gotcha. Regan Siler Okay, soyou were there, you were there for a little while. LoNetta White And so when, after we moved down there, we stayed there until between the sixth and seventh grade. LoNetta White Yeah. Regan Siler Did you have chores that you were expected to do around your place when you were young? LoNetta White Chores? Regan Siler Chores. LoNetta White Oh, chores, yes, anything I was told I was supposed to do so as far as just regular chores? No. Regan Siler So did you have, like, farm animals and stuff like that, or, and I'm guessing farm, you farmed or, LoNetta White Yeah, well, he didn't farm much after he went to work for the oil company, because they would be out every day. Regan Siler Didn't have time. LoNetta White He would raise a garden, but it would be, you know, much smaller than Regan Siler Manageable for the family to handle. Okay, yeah, um, did you have any friends that would come over and play with you, or was it mainly like your cousins and stuff? LoNetta White No, it was all different families that lived there on the lease and Regan Siler But not really families that weren't related to you, just families in general. Okay, right, okay, um, did you have any favorite activities or hobbies as a child? LoNetta White No, not well, fishing. Regan Siler Fishing. LoNetta White My brother and I went fishing every day, and it was across the road from where we lived and go up just up a hill, and there was a farm or a pasture, I should say, up there, and we would come in from school and get our fishing pole up the hill, we'd go. Regan Siler I think that sounds like a good after school activity. Jimmy White Her school was right down the road, at Iron Post. Regan Siler At Iron Post, okay, okay, um, did you collect anything as a child? LoNetta White No. Regan Siler Not that you remember, okay, um, well, let's talk a little bit about your school life. Where did you first attend school? LoNetta White Iron Post. Regan Siler Iron Post, and so, I wonder how long that school was there, because it's not there now, right? LoNetta White No, the school isn't, but the old cellar is still out there, where they used to stick all of us. And it was a big cellar. It would hold 20-30 people, maybe, and it's still there, but they've taken the school down, but there's a house that sits there now. Regan Siler Okay, and how long did you attend school at Iron Post? LoNetta White Through the sixth grade. Regan Siler And how many, how many kids do you do you remember like, how many kids approximately went to that school? Was it a small school? LoNetta White Very. Regan Siler Very. LoNetta White My class, usually, from the first time I went to school until we left, had like three people in it, and they were brother and sister. Regan Siler Okay, do you remember having any particularly influential teachers during your time in school? And it doesn't have to be just at Iron Post, just any anytime throughout school? LoNetta White Well, at Iron Post, we only had two teachers. One taught from the first through the sixth, and Mrs., her name then was Dykes, and she taught the seventh and eighth. But they closed the school, and that was why we went, why we moved and went on to Bristow from there. Regan Siler To Bristow, okay, um, do you remember how you got to school as a child? Did you just walk and so, like, how far? How far again, was the school from your house? LoNetta White About a half a mile. Regan Siler Okay. One way? Okay. LoNetta White 50 miles going on. Regan Siler Well, so I guess then, probably, being a little small school like that, there probably wasn't, like, a lot of clubs or organizations or anything like that that you would have been involved in. Did you get involved in anything like that once you came to Bristow schools? LoNetta White Yeah. First of all, down at Iron Post, the only thing they had was, once a year, they'd have a pie supper, and they would use the money from the pie supper to buy candy and oranges and apples and stuff and sack them up for all the kids in school. Regan Siler Oh, that's neat. LoNetta White That was the only that was really the activity that they really had. Regan Siler Well, and then, so did you enjoy school? LoNetta White Oh, yeah! Regan Siler Okay, but now you told me something interesting about when we talked on the phone, because I understand you didn't graduate. Is that correct? But, but tell me about, tell me about your GED. That was an interesting story. LoNetta White I heard, I quit school. Regan Siler And why did you why did you quit school? If you don't mind me asking you just didn't like it? LoNetta White Didn't want to go. I got married during the summer between my junior and senior year. Regan Siler Okay. LoNetta White And I just didn't want to go, and so I quit. Regan Siler You quit. Okay, so then LoNetta White Not that I am strong headed, or everybody around here that hears this annoys me. Regan Siler Is this why your son's shaking his head? LoNetta White He's got it, too! Regan Siler So the apple doesn't fall far from the tree? Okay? Jimmy White No it doesn't. Regan Siler So tell me about, I we're kind of fast forwarding a little bit, but tell me about, tell me the GED story, if you don't mind. LoNetta White Okay, I was just listening to the radio one day, and they had an interview with Waylon Jennings, and he was talking about that he had quit school, I don't know, senior year or something, you know, and he said, but I got my GED, and he said he took classes somewhere and was able to go and pass the test. Regan Siler And I'm not even sure I knew that about Waylon jennings, so that's news to me. LoNetta White I didn't either, but there's a film of it somewhere. And so anyway, he he got his GED that way. And I said, well, you know, because my husband played music all these years, and Waylon was talking, and so Harold and I were talking, and I said, Well, that's what I ought to do, is just go over and take the test. And he said, Well, you take classes, you know. And so I went to one class, which sounds like me. And I said, well, you know, there's no problem going to that class. So I just packed up and went over and took the test and passed and so Regan Siler But how old were you? LoNetta White Fifty! That's why, how old he was? I figured, if he could do it, I could. Regan Siler I think that's amazing! I really like it. Yeah, that's amazing. That's a neat story. So when you were in school, did you have a favorite, do you remember having a favorite subject? LoNetta White Yes, biology. Regan Siler Really?! That's interesting. And so what? LoNetta White I made good grades in biology but, gosh, Regan Siler So what would I mean that's to me, it's kind of a, not a super average thing for a girl to like, is biology. What made you LoNetta White Raised in the country I imagine. Regan Siler Okay. So that that just piqued your interest, then, huh? Okay, um, so we talked a little bit about the little cabin you were born in. Um, so from there, where did you what type of house did you move to? Do you remember? LoNetta White Um, no, because on the lease, the men, and I don't know how they did this, were in different grades of where they worked and different things like that. And, like I say, I don't know how they judged all that, but could have been by age, because the older ones lived closer to the front of the of the leasse than the younger ones did, and we had, you know, three or four houses in a row, and then there might not be one for maybe five acres on up. Regan Siler So, I guess so let's clarify that, because I don't even know that I've heard of such a thing. So at that time, they would have, like, an oil lease. So you would work for a company and that, and the workers would actually live on the lease? LoNetta White Yeah, but what it was was Paul Tibbens ran the lease and owned it, and of course, he lived here in Bristow, and they had a large house type shop, I guess, what you call it, in one center spot on this, I don't know, maybe 20 acres there. And they had a guy that lived up on the hill, that was one of the older ones. There was two of them up on this hill. And then you start down here with a house, and that old boy had been there, say, 10 years. And then you go over and you'd have three or four houses and and the people that lived there may have only been there three or four years. Regan Siler So, were these houses that people, own? Did, did the Tibbens oil lease own the houses and you guys rent them? Or did you guys own the houses? LoNetta White No, they owned. Tibbens owned the house. Regan Siler You just rented from them? LoNetta White I don't know how they did that. They may have been part of their Regan Siler Package of work. LoNetta White It may be. I don't, I don't know how that Regan Siler Okay. And, so, how do you remember how long you lived on this oil lease? LoNetta White No, it had to be at least, probably six years, because then we moved. Regan Siler And that's when you moved to the town of Bristow, or outside of Bristow? LoNetta White Outside of Bristow, out on Red Bank Road, which my dad bought a little farm out there and Regan Siler And you said, Red Bank Road? LoNetta White Yeah. Regan Siler Okay. LoNetta White And we lived there, well, I got married between my junior and senior year, so then I left and moved to town, so they lived out there three or four years after that. Regan Siler So in these houses that you lived in, did you like did you have your own room? LoNetta White My sister and I Regan Siler Shared a room? LoNetta White Yeah. Regan Siler And where did you spend most of your time? Did you it seems like most people from that era spent most of their time outside, but I don't want to assume that. LoNetta White Well, they really did, and I think a lot of that was because of air conditioning. It was too hot! Regan Siler Amen to that! LoNetta White In fact, after we had moved out on Red Bank Road in the summertime, we would take an old pair of wire springs, bed springs, and throw them out in the yard and spread a quilt over them, and that's where we slept. Regan Siler Are you serious? LoNetta White Yeah. We woke up one morning and there was a skunk right up in the corner of the fence. Regan Siler Well, I can't imagine. I'm too soft. I can't imagine trying to sleep. My air conditioner goes out at this point in time. I'm, you know LoNetta White Looking for a motel! Regan Siler Exactly! I can't sleep if it's hot. Um, I think we're, we're probably pretty spoiled now. Um, okay, well, let's talk about meal times in your family and what that was like. Did you guys eat together as a family every night? LoNetta White Oh, yes. Regan Siler Okay, and so, did your mom do all the preparing...did you have any role in the preparing or cleaning up? LoNetta White Oh yeah, Shirley and I did the dishes. Regan Siler Okay. LoNetta White I can remember standing on a chair in the kitchen doing the dishes of a morning after breakfast when, of course, my dad had gone to work and she was getting Shirley ready for school, and it was before I went to school, and I had to wash dishes until she got Shirley's hair fixed because it was long, natural curl curlies. Regan Siler So you would have been little. You would have been pretty little. LoNetta White Yeah. Regan Siler Do you remember having like, a favorite meal or recipe that your mother cooked? Was there anything that youreally looked forward to or that was made? LoNetta White Every meal. Regan Siler So she must have been a good cook. LoNetta White She was. Jimmy White She was a good cook. Regan Siler So, did she teach you how to cook? Did you inherit...so you're not a good cook? LoNetta White Well, I like it, as you can see. I like it all right, I guess. Regan Siler Did you inherit any special recipes that you have today that were, that were your mothers? LoNetta White Yeah, and there was a few of her dishes broken, you know that we have a piece or two here, there, and Teresa [Teresa Lynn White Alred 8/24/1961] took a piece and, or whatever she wanted, you know, and Jimmy's got some and I've got some now. He took some of her recipes and he's put them in frames and they're hanging in his kitchen. Regan Siler Oh, that's cool. Oh, that's awesome. That's awesome. So what are do you remember maybe what some of the recipes are? Jimmy White One was lye soap she made homemade lye soap in a big black cast iron kettle. I've got it in my yard with flowers planted in it. Later she planted flowers in it. Another one is cough syrup, where you would use whiskey and butter and lemon. LoNetta White And she wouldn't take a drink or nothing. Jimmy White I think maybe meringue for a pie. I don't, I don't remember the other one right now? Regan Siler Oh, that's cool! LoNetta White Probably her biscuits because Regan Siler Good biscuits? LoNetta White Yeah, we've never matched them. Regan Siler That's, that's awesome. Um, so thinking about thinking back to town life and growing up, do you remember having any favorite, like Bristow community activities, for instance, say, like maybe Western Heritage Day, day camps, county fairs, things like that. Do you remember participating in any of those things and what was your favorite? LoNetta White Yes, when I was still at Iron Post, we used to always make stuff and take to the fair there at school, you know? And we always enjoyed that. And I've still got some of the old ribbons that Regan Siler Do you remember, like what types of things you would make? LoNetta White The first thing I ever made was a head scarf. And of course, they were made out of just cotton material back then. And they it was made a certain size, of course, and then you had to go by on the edges and pull certain threads and ravel out all the edges and stuff, you know. And so that took a lot of time just to do that. That was the first thing. Regan Siler So, so mainly, the things that you made were like clothing items? LoNetta White Yeah, maybe tea towels. Jimmy White And she used embroidery a lot too, Regan Siler Okay, but that was hand embroidery? Jimmy White Yes, yes. LoNetta White That was later, but I lost my left eye in '17 and I haven't embroidered since. Regan Siler Kind of changed your activities? Regan Siler Yeah, okay. Do you happen to remember the biggest or most popular businesses around town? Maybe, like growing up and through your early married life, like what businesses stick out to you? LoNetta White Yeah. LoNetta White Kemps, Penneys, there used to be a Sears and Anthony's. Regan Siler Bristow used to be happening at one time. LoNetta White My kids, of course, when we had Mistletoe Express, the kids were right there. They would come to the shop andstuff after school, and like Jimmy, in between pay day, when he went into Anthony's to deliver a package or something. He and and Mr. Evans were good friends, and he could go in there and charge anything in that store and walk out with it. Jimmy White Because I was working at their shop. Yeah, getting paid. LoNetta White And he would Regan Siler Now, is this a good thing or a bad thing? LoNetta White It was good. Jimmy White I learned a lot of responsibility, and taking care of bills. Regan Siler Well, good, it could go the other way, but you were responsible with it. Jimmy White Yes. LoNetta White And Eddie [Edgar Angel White 7/2/1964-7/24/1987] did the same thing at Western Auto. He came in one day with a brand new bicycle. He charged it up at Western and then when he got paid on the weekend, you know, he'd go up, pay, probably $2 or something on it. But he brought the bicycle on the first day, you know. Jimmy White He's probably like, 10 years old then. Regan Siler Oh, wow! LoNetta White And so we had Regan Siler Maybe some of the financial lessons some of our our youth are missing. LoNetta White Yeah, because they can't count change even now. Regan Siler I know, I know. Did you have a favorite place to eat, or did you primarily eat at home? LoNetta White Usually at home. Regan Siler But if you did get to go out, do you remember like a restaurant in town that you really liked eating at? LoNetta White Lyons Cafe. Regan Siler Lyons Cafe, and where was that? LoNetta White Where the where they took all the stuff out and built the Jimmy White Town Square. LoNetta White Yeah, the Town Square. Jimmy White The building is just south of the Town Square, and if you'll on the east side of Main Street, between sixth and seventh. And if you look up at the top of the buildings, you can faintly see where it's painted on there, Lyons Cafe. The building is still there. Regan Siler Okay. Jimmy White You can faintly see it. Regan Siler Okay. Now I'm going to have to look for it. Jimmy White Yeah, I can show it to you. LoNetta White Also the Harvey House was good. The Highway Cafe, we had several good places. Regan Siler You said the Harvey House, and where was that located? LoNetta White Where, let's see, where the Dollar Store is now. Jimmy White It was next to where the Dollar Store is now. Regan Siler And then what was the third one you mentioned? LoNetta White Highway Cafe. Regan Siler The Highway Cafe. Where was that one at? LoNetta White At the end of ninth on the corner, and it's got a real estate office there now. Regan Siler Okay, gotcha. Okay. Well, see, these are a few that I haven't I haven't heard or been familiar with, so that's, that's good information LoNetta White The school logs back then would help you a lot, too. Regan Siler Okay, all right. And did you have a favorite hangout as a teenager? Where did you hang out when you were a teenager? LoNetta White On a horse. Regan Siler Good for you. So you liked to ride a lot, I guess? LoNetta White Yeah. Regan Siler Can you tell me any, anything about that? Regan Siler Oh, my. Margaret Styles (ph) and I were good, good friends. And of course, it was Garrison in the last few years,50 years, maybe. But you know, every every chance we got, we rode, and I tied my ol' horse up at her place one night, and spent the night, and it came a bad storm, and I tied her up real short. I went out the next morning, and, boy, she was split from, you know, on her face all the way down, but Margaret's horses had got out, and so they tried to fight, you know, in the barn there. And when we finally got her cut loose, which she she kicked me one time when I was trying to cut the rope to get her loose, but it took two weeks to catch her. Regan Siler Oh, boy. LoNetta White So we didn't even know then if we'd catch her or not, you know, but she was all healed up and mean as ever. Regan Siler So you just enjoyed so did you just, like, pick an area and ride and yeah, I mean, do you just just just rode, where ever? LoNetta White We rode to Depew [Oklahoma] one day and and pedaled around. And I don't, we never did take anything to eat, or I don't even remember taking anything to drink. Regan Siler Oh, my goodness. LoNetta White I don't know what we did for all that, but Regan Siler I think sometimes when you're young and a kid, you just don't even think about stuff like that. You just get up and go. LoNetta White Well, we probably knew somebody along the way, and if we were thirsty, we stopped and got a drink. Regan Siler So instead of dragging main, you were riding horses? LoNetta White Well, we drug main after dark. Yes, ma'am. Regan Siler So draggin main was a fun thing to do? LoNetta White Oh, yeah. Regan Siler Okay, alright. LoNetta White Half the night. Regan Siler Um, where did you shop for clothes? And how often did you get new clothes? LoNetta White Not very often. And what we had, we usually made. We would buy the material. Regan Siler And so, did you make your clothes? Or did your mom make your clothes? LoNetta White Well, of course, the smaller I was, Mom made them, and the older I got, I made them, and Shirley did too. Regan Siler Wow. Okay, LoNetta White So they cut her down to just my brother, and wasn't hard to get him an old t shirt. Regan Siler Right, right. Um, so do you happen to remember your first family car. LoNetta White Family car. You mean Regan Siler Like that you had when you were young, like it whenever you were a kid, like, what was your first family's car? Do you remember? LoNetta White About the only one I remember, like when we lived down on the lease, was a Jeep. Regan Siler A Jeep, okay, all right. Did you ever get to go on vacations? LoNetta White Well, once a year, probably vacation for the whole lease probably at the same time, we used to go to one of the lakes. And I'm talking about like mostly the whole lease went. Regan Siler So when you say one of the lakes, do you mean one of the lakes around here? LoNetta White Yeah, we went to Greenleaf and Ten Killer. Okay, color places like that, you know. And Paul paid for all of that and took his boats and different things. And everybody partied for two or three days there. So that was more or less vacation. Regan Siler Got a little R& ; amp ; R that way? LoNetta White Yes, we did. Regan Siler Do you remember who taught you how to drive? LoNetta White I guess my dad. Regan Siler Your dad. And do you remember what your first car was? LoNetta White I didn't have one. I drove his old pickup sometime. And then after I got married, Harold had a Pontiac, and I drove it some but as far as me having a car, I never did. Regan Siler Didn't have one. Okay. LoNetta White Margaret did. We wore that sucker out. Regan Siler Well, you had to drag main in something. LoNetta White It was a station wagon, too. Regan Siler Oh, my goodness. Well, I guess you could haul your friends around. LoNetta White Yeah, we did some of that. Regan Siler So what sort of entertainment did you enjoy growing up? Did you get to watch TV? And if so, did you have a favorite program? LoNetta White Hmm? Uh, yeah, we watched TV some, but the main thing that we would look forward to was on Saturday morning, even though we had tons of laundry to do, which was on an old Maytag, you know, and especially in the winter, because you had the windows shut and stuff, and you couldn't hear any any radio or anything outside. But we would want to listen to the Lone Ranger and all of that good stuff they used to have. Regan Siler And on the radio, you're saying? Okay. LoNetta White Yeah, and so we would turn the radio radio up about as loud as it'd go. And then we were hanging the clothes out, we catch up on everything. So probably the Lone Ranger and the Creaking Door, and the radio shows. Regan Siler The radio shows. Did you have any particular style of music you liked at that time? LoNetta White No, just about everything, which I still like, about everything. But of course, really like country music. Regan Siler Country music. LoNetta White Not hillbilly music, country music. Regan Siler Okay, I'm glad we have that clarification. Do you recall witnessing any pivotal events in history that you watched on TV? LoNetta White Oh, yeah, of course, Kennedy being assassinated. Even part of the conventions that they have every year or every election year. There were some of them that were really good, really good. Regan Siler So how did you so do you remember about how old you are, you were, when Kennedy was assassinated? LoNetta White Well, that would be in 1963 so Jimmy White 23 she was born in '40. Regan Siler Okay, so Jimmy White Three, she had three kids. She couldn't have watched it too much. Regan Siler Yeah. Seriously. So do you remember, remember how you felt at that time, whenever you you saw the assassination. Do you remember how you felt? LoNetta White Yeah, because we were, we had the shop and the TV shop, and so I was right there, you know? And then Harold came in from, he'd been out working and stuff, and we just, we watched TV the rest of the day, just, youknow, just couldn't believe that somebody would do that. Regan Siler Right. Jimmy White Like we would have done it 911. Regan Siler That's, that's exactly what I was getting ready to say, because I felt like I was weirdly glued to the TV when that happened. LoNetta White And you were right there. Regan Siler Yes, yes, yes, yeah, yeah. Okay. So what was medical care like for you growing up? Did you have a family doctor, or did you mainly try to take care of things at home? I know, apparently, we had a recipe for cough syrup. Jimmy White Yeah! LoNetta White That was at home. Regan Siler Yeah. But did you, did you have medical care? Did you have a family doctor, or did you mainly try to take care of stuff at LoNetta White Most of it, you took care of at home. Regan Siler At home. LoNetta White Deep cuts. Jimmy White Tell her about your hand when you burned it. LoNetta White Oh, yeah, that was done when I was before I was a year old, and my folks had gone out to hang up clothes to dry, and Shirley was, supposedly, watching me. Well, she was only, what, 16 months ahead of me as far as age. Regan Siler So you were both really little? LoNetta White Yeah, but it was cold until they left us in the house, and I suppose that they heard me crying. I don't know just how that all took place, but anyway, I had crawled over to the stove, and of course, it was one of the old wood burning iron stoves, and so they ran in the house, and my dad lifted the lid off my hand. When I pulled my hand back, it was stuck to my hand. And so it was over a long time before that healed up, but they put unguentine on it. Regan Siler They put what? LoNetta White Unguentine. Regan Siler Unguentine. I don't know what that is. LoNetta White It's an old salve. Jimmy White Yeah, it would probably had some antibiotics in it, yeah. Regan Siler Because if that was, like, literally sitting on your hand, that had to have been like the worst, yeah, degree of burn. LoNetta White Yeah, it was. Regan Siler Bless your heart, that was so LoNetta White That would have been one of them. And then Regan Siler And, so, you never went to the doctor for it? Oh my gosh! Jimmy White They were still in the log cabin then. Regan Siler Oh my gosh. LoNetta White It was before I was a year old. Regan Siler It's a wonder anybody survived anything back then. I mean, my goodness. Jimmy White That's why they're so tough now. Regan Siler I know, exactly. LoNetta White That's my problem. And so anyway, then after that, we went to visit a cousin out north of town, and all the kidswere out playing and stuff like that, and I had climbed up on a rock. And, of course, first thing I did was fall off. And when I fell off, I landed on a half a fruit jar. And so I had seven cuts on one leg that they had to bring me to town, get me sewed up. Regan Siler And so about how old were you, then, do you remember? LoNetta White Maybe 10 or 12. Regan Siler So you did actually have to see the doctor on that one? LoNetta White Yeah, they had to sew it up. That was Dr Hollis [Joseph E. Hollis 10/13/1885-3/15/1968], which he was our family doctor. But now, you know, back when I don't really remember much of this, but they told the story later, when I was real small, it was around war time, you know. And my dad didn't, couldn't get in the service because he had a big knot that had grown at this side of his eye, not in it, but beside it. And they wouldn't take him because of that. And so he said, I'll just go get it cut off. So he did. And the doctor, which was Dr. Hollis, let me stand on the stool and watch him. And I wouldn't do that now for anything. Regan Siler Times are so different! LoNetta White But I had to see what was going on, you know. He let me stand up there on the stool watch him all the time. Regan Siler Oh, my goodness. Well, so then, did your dad go, did was he able LoNetta White No. Regan Siler He still wasn't able to get into service after that? Well, I don't think you find that, now, people like doing whatever they can to get into the service. That's, yeah, the difference in then and now, I think. Do you recall any, I mean, I know you've talked about a couple of your accidents, but any like serious, serious illnesses or epidemics that you or your family incurred in the time you were growing up? LoNetta White Not, not really, because we had, I mean, this wasn't an, I guess it was an epidemic like measles and, oh yeah. Regan Siler All the stuff we're vaccinated for now. Did you, like the measles, the mumps and stuff like that? Yeah, even chicken pox. LoNetta White Well, they gave me the chicken pox virus or the shots three times, and I never did take so they decided I wasn't going to take chicken pox, so Regan Siler Okay. LoNetta White And then, let's see, in the 70s, let's see, I had a horseback accident in when I was a senior in high school. Margaret, and I were riding to double on double and and the horse slipped on pavement and fell, and that put us both in the hospital. And they put me in the room, or brought Mrs. Corey (ph), which was the dean of girls atthe time. Jimmy White You broke your leg. LoNetta White Yeah, broke my leg. Margaret broke hers. And they brought Mrs. Corey (ph) in and put in the room with me, because Margaret got to go home a couple of days before I did. Regan Siler And when you say the dean of girls, what is, what does that mean? LoNetta White She told you what you could or could not do. Jimmy White Be like a counselor now. Regan Siler Oh, okay. LoNetta White But you couldn't wear blue jeans to school. I mean, that was you didn't do that. Okay, okay, but the doctor said you have to keep your leg up when you sit down. You have to prop that leg up. So I told Mrs. Corey (ph) and I got to be the one to wear the blue jeans to school. We just put a long zipper in them so that I could zip them, unzip them up over the cast. Regan Siler Oh my goodness. Jimmy White Because girls had to wear dresses at that time. LoNetta White Mrs. Corey (ph) had to keep her leg up, too. She broke it, and so, we all did that, you know. Regan Siler Okay, well, so did you happen to attend church growing up? LoNetta White Yes, we did. Regan Siler Okay. And if so, where did you attend? LoNetta White Christian Church. Regan Siler Christian Church. And so, where would that...is that building still around? LoNetta White Yes, sixth and Elm Jimmy White Here in Bristow. Regan Siler Okay, okay. Do you remember what like a typical service was? Did you have favorite hymns or songs that you sang, or any specific memories from being in church that that you enjoyed? LoNetta White Nothing extra special. I met Harold [Harold Jason White 2/14/1935-11/14/1992] in April. We got married in August, and he went to the Church of God, and so that's where we went, yeah, after that, so, and Margaret Regan Siler The Church of God that's still where it is now? LoNetta White Yeah, Jimmy White But it was the old Church of God then. Regan Siler Okay. Jimmy White Then they got married at the Presbyterian Church. Regan Siler They were married at the Presbyterian Church? Okay. Jimmy White Yes. LoNetta White Because we would go to the youth group during the week, and that was held at the Presbyterian Church. Regan Siler Okay, okay. LoNetta White And the preacher at the Presbyterian Church married us. Regan Siler Okay. So thinking back to holidays when you were young and with your family, did your family celebrate holidays in a big way? Like, can you remember what Christmas was like, or any other holidays that you really enjoyed? LoNetta White Yeah, lots of people. Regan Siler Lots of people. Lots of family? LoNetta White Yeah. Regan Siler Okay. And where did you usually celebrate Christmas? LoNetta White In most cases, at our house. Regan Siler Okay, and so was it, did you have a lot of decorations? Regan Siler No. Regan Siler Was there gifts? Was there just a lot of people and food, maybe? LoNetta White Yeah. Now, as far as the gifts go, most of your gifts are at our house, of course, came from your mom and dad, and if we were lucky, we would get, like, a toy or something for Christmas, and mainly Shirley and I would get a new doll, something like that. And I don't remember what Dean got, probably a truck or something, you know. Regan Siler Do you, do you remember any particular gift that you got that maybe, really stood out to you, or a particular doll that you just absolutely loved or was excited about? LoNetta White No, not especially, but I did get hair clips one year. They were blue birds. About so big. And gosh, they were the prettiest things I've ever seen. And not long after that, we had company, and they had a little girl, and I don't even remember who it was, but she liked my hair clips so much that my mom gave her my hair clips. Regan Siler Oh, no! LoNetta White Yeah. Oh, I thought I was gonna die, right there. Regan Siler Oh, my goodness, yeah, you were probably heartbroken, weren't you? LoNetta White Yeah, that was terrible. Regan Siler Did you celebrate any other holidays, like Fourth of July or Easter or Halloween? Were any of those a big deal in your family? LoNetta White Halloween wasn't because we stayed scared half the time. We were somebody was always hurt or something. Regan Siler So mainly, Christmas was Jimmy White Thanksgiving would have been a big Regan Siler Thanksgiving. LoNetta White Yeah. Regan Siler I was going to ask Thanksgiving. Jimmy White The Fourth of July, they would have been outside, whether they had any firecrackers or not. LoNetta White Yeah. Regan Siler Right. Jimmy White They would have had homemade ice cream, watermelon. LoNetta White Gone fishing, yeah. Regan Siler Right. LoNetta White We spent a lot of time on Deep Fork. Regan Siler On Deep Fork? LoNetta White Yeah. Regan Siler Oh gosh. Okay. LoNetta White Yeah. Regan Siler So you probably have some Deep Fork stories, don't you? LoNetta White Yeah. And they would, of course, we'd spend the night. Regan Siler Oh my gosh. On Deep Fork?! LoNetta White Yep! Regan Siler You really weren't too scared, then, were you? LoNetta White Not of anything, I don't think. Regan Siler I think are areas of Deep Fork that I don't even know what goes on. Jimmy White Yeah. LoNetta White Well, down there where Three Bridges is Regan Siler Oh gosh! LoNetta White All of that was, you know, a favorite fishing place. Regan Siler Right, right. LoNetta White Still would be if you could get to it. Regan Siler So this is, like, a random thing that's on my list, but it makes me think, when you start talking about being on Deep Fork and Three Bridges and all that area, what did you do back in the day for like, ticks and chiggers and mosquitoes and Jimmy White Pull the ticks off and scratch the mosquito bites. Regan Siler So did you just, I mean, you didn't have any way to prevent any any of that stuff, like ticks or chiggers? LoNetta White We were tough. Regan Siler Oh, lordy. LoNetta White And, not only that, but in the summertime, you practically had to go without shoes because you couldn't affordto buy another pair. And if you outgrew what you had on, then you usually didn't get them to school. Regan Siler Right. You were just, wow, you were just barefoot, then. LoNetta White Yeah, and that sand, oh, it would be hot. And them old, great, big old stickers. Regan Siler Oh, gosh yes, because we've got the stickers like crazy. LoNetta White Think of a, what they call a goat head, which is a huge sand bur. And when you got them, boy, you knew it. Regan Siler Like I said, I'll reiterate, I don't know how anybody survived. Okay, well as a child, do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up? Did you have any like, oh, I want to be a particular something or other when you grew up? LoNetta White Not really. After oh, I don't know, later years, after I'd been going to Bristow Schools, I had another friend. Her name was Margaret, also. Regan Siler So, you had two Margarets? LoNetta White Margaret [undecipherable]. Regan Siler Oh, my goodness. LoNetta White One was a Sipler and one, which was Theodore Abraham's stepdaughter. Regan Siler Okay. LoNetta White So we had to be good. And the other was Margaret Stiles [Margaret Stiles Garrison], which I met her about the time we moved over to Red Brick [Bank] Road, and that's what it was. Regan Siler So do,do you did you have something that you wanted to be when you grew up? Do you remember anything? LoNetta White We were gonna join the Navy. Regan Siler Join the Navy? LoNetta White And so Margaret did. I got married, and then Margaret went and joined the Navy. And so, Teresa [Teresa Lynn White Alred], my daughter, when she was old enough, she joined the Navy. So she took my place. Regan Siler That's interesting. Well, let's talk about some of the different jobs you had during your life. I know when we had talked on the phone before, maybe specifically, like your businesses that you had here in town. I think you said you started at the garment factory. So start from there and tell me, tell me what all you've done. LoNetta White Okay, I went to work at the well, if I start the very first one, I'd have to go to seventh grade, because I worked at the cafeteria at Washington back in the seventh grade. Regan Siler Wow, okay. LoNetta White And there was a little boy and girl, brother and sister, and they were really pale looking, you know. And he would go and get her and bring her to class, or bring her to eat every day and then take her back to class. And so once in a while, we'd buy them a bottle of milk, because they never had anything to drink, like that. Me and the girl that worked with me and Regan Siler And this was you in the seventh grade? LoNetta White Yeah. Regan Siler Okay. LoNetta White And so they brought their lunch in a syrup bucket, and they had biscuits and stuff like that, you know. And so we kept talking to the lady that ran the cafeteria, and we kept buying their milk out of our paycheck, which was $7.50 a week, yeah. And so she finally got their milk for free for the kids. And about a week they both had big old rosy cheeks. And so she got their lunches for them for free. So, so it was Regan Siler You're, I can tell you're a tender hearted, caring, loving to do that as a seventh grader. I mean, my goodness, soyou recognize that they were probably malnourished. LoNetta White Yeah, yeah. Regan Siler As a seventh grader. LoNetta White Biology. Regan Siler Biology, yeah. Well, bless you for doing that. LoNetta White So then I went to work at the garment factory. Regan Siler And how old were you then? LoNetta White Well, I was probably here. Probably Jimmy White You would have had to been 18, because she'd been she was 19 three weeks when I was born. LoNetta White Yeah, but I was working there before you were born. Jimmy White That's why I said you had to be 18. LoNetta White That's true. LoNetta White Because when she got married, she had been 17 for like a week, so. LoNetta White Yeah. And then he, that was in '57 and Jimmy [James Allen "Jimmy" White] was born in '59. Jimmy White And so you would have been 18. LoNetta White Yeah. And then we Harold put in the radio and TV shop and Regan Siler And that was called White's, right? Jimmy White White's Radio & ; amp ; TV. Regan Siler Okay. Jimmy White Repair, yeah. LoNetta White And then when we moved to the down on Seventh Street, we rented from Mr. Slyman. And then later on, we were able to buy the building just two doors up, and so we bought it, and we were still just right there on Seventh Street, and we're across the street from, well, it's Dr Cantrell now. Regan Siler Okay. Regan Siler Okay. LoNetta White And so that's where the shop was, and worked there. We had the shop for 20 some years. Jimmy White They also had Mistletoe Express. Regan Siler And she mentioned that, and I can you tell me a little bit more about that? Like, what did you do? Like, what was that? LoNetta White Okay, it was a, like, a 16-wheeler that come through here with hauling freight and Jimmy White Like, a precursor to UPS. Regan Siler Okay. LoNetta White Yeah. Only it was out of a Regan Siler So, were you like, a distribution place, or did Jimmy White People would mail boxes or whatever, engines, meat and would come in and we would deliver it to the businesses, homeowners, whatever. Regan Siler So you were kind of like a hub then? Jimmy White Yeah. Regan Siler Okay, okay. Jimmy White Had two trucks a day. One the middle of the night. Regan Siler So they would bring and then you would deliver, right? And I guess you were part of that delivery service? Jimmy White Ever since I was old enough to walk. Regan Siler Okay. And so you had told me you had Whites for 25 years, and then the freight company, Mistletoe Express for 22 years, and that was kind of simultaneously, kind of during the same time you had LoNetta White Yeah, yeah, the guy that used to deliver the freight here, I don't remember if he passed away or what happened, but anyway, they were looking for a place to put it, you know. And you needed a they needed a place that would be have people there that could, yeah. And so somebody had sent them down to us. And so we went ahead and said, well, we'll try it, you know. So 22 years or so later. Regan Siler So your family, obviously, worked with you in this business. Did you have other employees that helped? Regan Siler Help with deliveries and stuff. And then, I guess also, simultaneously, you had something with the Greyhound Bus? LoNetta White Yeah, yeah, because we still had the guys would do antennas, or if you had a TV, you had to pick up and deliver, or anything of that nature. You know, you still had all that to do. And then we had, usually high school boys that would come in in the afternoon and work. LoNetta White Yes. Regan Siler What so explain that, how that worked, what LoNetta White That was just across the alley from our shop up down there, and Regan Siler So you were on seventh, across from doctor, from the Vision Center, Dr Cantrell, so you were on that block on the south side, okay. So that's where White's and Mistletoe was, but then the Greyhound Bus, was it a bus station? Or, I didn't even know Bristow had a Greyhound Bus station. LoNetta White Yeah. Jimmy White Yeah, yeah, it was a bus station. LoNetta White That was all it was. And they the guy that ran it, George Burkle (ph), he had a heart attack. And so they needed a place, until they could find a place to put the bus station, because they had busses coming in during the day or people needing tickets to go somewhere and different things like that. And so they came to see us. And so Regan Siler It sounds like everyone came to see you when they needed a new business. LoNetta White That was a busy place. Jimmy White They had two busses from Tulsa every day and two from Oklahoma City every day, seven days a week. Regan Siler So, you know, I've lived Jimmy White You didn't grow up with a bus. Regan Siler I know, and so like I've lived through the time of, I hate to say it, but kind of Bristow's decline, I guess. I feel like we're kind of on an upswing again now. But to hear and to listen to these different oral histories of how Bristow used to be, and I'm not, I mean, I know it was booming during the oil boom, but I'm saying like in the time that you're talking about. I'm just like, I can't imagine that Bristow was ever even like that. So what happened to make the bus station not be here anymore? LoNetta White They quit running busses. Regan Siler Oh, okay. Jimmy White Gas wars in the 70s, we would have been in the 70s the gas wars and people had cars. People, everybody didn't used to have a car. It was easier and cheaper to ride the bus. Regan Siler Okay. LoNetta White Mm, hmm. Jimmy White And we had people that would ride back and forth every week to Tulsa on the bus, stay up there all week, and then on the weekend, come home. Regan Siler Okay. Jimmy White And if you could do it for $1 or two, that was cheaper than having to Regan Siler Own a car. Jimmy White Right? Regan Siler Wow. So you were extremely busy. LoNetta White Yes! Regan Siler You had to have three businesses that you were trying to run. You had to have been extremely busy. LoNetta White Well, we'd start about 7:00, between 7-7:30 in the morning, and you worked until it was done, you know. But usually we would try to get out of there by 5:00 or 5:30 or something like that. But now around Christmas time, sometimes you couldn't do that. Jimmy White And on Thursday you couldn't. That was Avon day. Oh, that was the day all the ladies got their Avon in, and we had to deliver it. Regan Siler Oh, man! LoNetta White Big old boxes, and you'd go home smelling like every bit of it. Regan Siler Oh, that's good. Okay. Well, let's, let's talk about your spouse, when and where did you first meet your spouse? LoNetta White Okay, I met him April. I was in the hospital from the horse accident. Regan Siler The broken leg? LoNetta White Yeah, and he had caught his hand in the printing press. He worked at the Bristow News. He had been putting paper on, and the guy reached up and turned on the press, and it caught his hand in there. And so he would, that's what he was in there for. And then we ended up getting married in August. Regan Siler So you met in the hospital? LoNetta White Yeah! Regan Siler Oh, my goodness! LoNetta White Played checkers all day. Regan Siler Oh, my goodness. Um, okay, well, I missed getting what is his full name, LoNetta White Harold Jason White [2/14/1935-11/14/1992]. Regan Siler And I have his date of birth as February 14, 1935? LoNetta White Yes. LoNetta White Is that correct? Okay, and he's deceased? LoNetta White Yes. Regan Siler Okay, um, so what was your first impression of Harold? LoNetta White Oh, glad to see anybody beside Mrs. Corey. Bless her heart. Regan Siler He was a friendly face, then? Regan Siler Oh gosh! Do you, so, did you get engaged? Did you have an engagement period, or did you just decide you were getting married and got married? LoNetta White Yeah, because he was in the room with a boy that we went to school with, which he, supposedly, had pneumonia, but he spent a lot of time out in the hall, you know. And he and Margaret Ann got put to bed for racing in wheelchairs down the hall. LoNetta White No, there was, yeah, we got engaged. And, you know, they used to put your picture in the paper and, and, well, they just plastered stuff everywhere, like that, you know? And yeah. Regan Siler So, you had your engagement period, and then ,so, and you got married at the Presbyterian Church. LoNetta White Yeah. Regan Siler What was your Jimmy White Tell her how you bought your wedding dress. LoNetta White Oh, I worked for a lady at Sapulpa that needed someone to stay with her. Jimmy White Help take care of her. LoNetta White Yeah, just help take care to be there, in other words, and from there, that's what I used to buy my wedding dress. Regan Siler So, wait, you said the chickens and what? Jimmy White Tell her about the chickens with it, Ella and Everett, oh, that was to help pay for her wedding dress also. Jimmy White Ella and Everett, that was LoNetta White My mom's cousin. LoNetta White Her mom's cousin, okay, and her husband. LoNetta White They lived way out in the country, and they farmed and sold a lot of chickens. They raised chickens, and she would I went to stay with her to help her one summer, and she would get me up early of a morning and have breakfast. And then we would start killing chickens at like, maybe seven o'clock of the morning, and do it all day. Regan Siler I feel like you've done and seen pretty much all of it, haven't you? LoNetta White Pretty close. I'm trying to go on for some more here if I can get these durn doctors on the stick. Regan Siler Oh, my, so you killed, you killed chicken to earn money to purchase your wedding dress. LoNetta White Oh, I can cut a good chicken up fast. Regan Siler Oh, my goodness. Um, so what were your early years of marriage like? I mean, obviously, you were young. Um, what did was it a financial struggle? Was it, I mean, was it, tell me about it. What was it like? LoNetta White Well, kind of was because Harold had just got out of the Navy, and he went back to work at the news office. And, of course, I quit school. That's why I probably went to work. And, you know, everything was just tight, but we were young and happy and didn't make any difference, so Regan Siler It didn't matter to you, did it? LoNetta White No. Regan Siler Yeah. So how many children do you have? LoNetta White Three. Regan Siler Okay, can you tell me their full names and their dates of birth? If you know them. LoNetta White James Allen White, which is Jimmy here. Regan Siler Okay. LoNetta White Teresa Lynn White Alred. Regan Siler Okay. LoNetta White And a little story with that is when she was going to marry an Alred, I said, well, you're going from White to Alred, so all your children are going to be pink! And then Edgar [Eddie] Angel White. Regan Siler Okay. LoNetta White And he was killed in a car accident in '87. Regan Siler Okay. And I have, I have Jimmy's birthday is 9/17/1959 and I have Teresa's date of birth of as 8/24/1961 and then and he went by Eddie? LoNetta White Yeah. Regan Siler Is that right? Okay. And so date of birth 7/2/1964. LoNetta White Right. Regan Siler And passed away 7/24/1987. Jimmy White Okay, his birthday was 7/3/1964. Regan Siler Okay. Jimmy White And Teresa was born on mom's 21st birthday. Regan Siler What a birthday present?! So what were you, what would you say would be the challenges of being a mom to to three little kids back in the day? What kind of challenges did you experience? LoNetta White Other than Eddie was accident prone. He kept us pretty busy. Jimmy White We stayed with Grandma a lot when we were small and they were working at the shop. Regan Siler Trying to work? Jimmy White Right, yeah. Regan Siler Because they had all these businesses they were trying to run. Jimmy White Grandpa was still working, so grandma took care of us a lot in the summer, but then we were down at the shop before school and after school, and definitely were down there at an early age. Jimmy White That's a family business. LoNetta White Yeah. We had a baby bed set up down there for Eddie, because he was pretty small when he was born. He justweighed like five pounds, and so he was a month early, and instead of crying, he just made a squeaking sound.And they called him squeaky for years, and we had to really watch the trains down there. When he got where he could walk. Regan Siler He wanted to go see the trains. LoNetta White He would go see the trains. Regan Siler Oh mercy! LoNetta White Climb out of his bed, and he would go to the track. So everybody got to where they would just drop whatever they're doing and go look, you know, I'm talking neighbors around there, down at the shop, and they just Regan Siler Because they would know to, like, look for him? LoNetta White Yeah. Regan Siler Oh, my gosh! LoNetta White Yeah, and then one day Regan Siler That's the true meaning of it takes a village. LoNetta White Yeah, we had that. And one day down there, I was sitting at my desk, and something goes out front. You know,we had those big old windows. In fact, they're still there. But anyway, I got up and went and looked, and here goes this old wooden wheelchair down the street, down the sidewalk, and Adam Titus and he was pushing, andEddie was riding, and they were headed for the train track just as hard as they could go and, shoot, they were maybe five years old! Jimmy White But they found an old wheelchair. LoNetta White Yep, and they were coming down through there, just lickety split. Regan Siler Oh my gosh. You didn't have to worry about creativity back then. You figured out what to do to be able to play. LoNetta White You got an imagination, you could do it. Regan Siler Right. Do you have any grandchildren? LoNetta White Yes. Regan Siler How many grandchildren do you have? LoNetta White I have three. Regan Siler Three. Do you want to tell me their names? LoNetta White Yeah. Jimmy White Well, four. LoNetta White Yeah, one passed away. Yeah. Okay, yeah. Kenneth Alred. Regan Siler Okay. LoNetta White And he's in the Air Force, and he's in Florida right now. Regan Siler Okay. LoNetta White Justin, do you want their middle names or Justin Alred? Regan Siler That's okay, yeah, Justin Alred and who else? LoNetta White And Jimmy White Daniel, Daniel Alred, he's the one. He drowned when he was 14. Those, all three are brothers. Regan Siler And so these are your sister's children? Jimmy White Yes, yes. LoNetta White Okay. And then Eddie had one. Regan Siler Okay. LoNetta White And it was Brandon Dale White. Regan Siler So all of them are living except Daniel? LoNetta White Yes. Regan Siler Is that correct? Okay, okay. LoNetta White And there are, what, 10 grandkids? Jimmy White No, 11. She's got 11 great-grandkids and one great, great, Regan Siler Eleven great-grands and one great, great. Jimmy White There's five generations. Regan Siler Okay. Jimmy White I've had to step in for my brother, for his generation, you know. But there's five generations. Regan Siler Oh, my goodness, okay. I'm going to ask you a little bit of a hard question. This one might make you think a little bit. What would you consider to be the most important invention during your lifetime? LoNetta White Hmm. I don't know, unless it's the way electronics have gone that, you know, being involved with all of that when it was coming up the first time around. And some of the things that I see now, I think, you know, how did they do that. Regan Siler Right, right. LoNetta White So, it's not biology, I'd say electronics. Regan Siler Electronics, okay. How do you feel the world is different than when you were a child? LoNetta White Well, we were a village raising kids back then. If you did something wrong, you got a whippin' for it. And you didn't do it again. And nowadays, you know kids, I don't know, some of them are, are just not looked after. Regan Siler Or maybe they lacking discipline? LoNetta White Yeah, lacking discipline or missing love somewhere along the way. Regan Siler Yeah, okay. What do you feel our nation's biggest problem is currently? LoNetta White Ooh! One president quitting and the Vice President taking over, and then the election that's coming up, and the FBI agent quit this morning, and Regan Siler I feel like we're living in some pivotal times right now. Jimmy White Yeah, we are. It's scary. Regan Siler Which I think is good to document, too, just because who the heck knows what's gonna happen in the next four months! Quite a cluster. How have any historic events affected you? For instance, like the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, maybe COVID, natural disasters? Have there been anything like that that's personally affected your life? LoNetta White Yeah, I think so. Back I wrote a poem back then, which I did bring to show you that, you know, you just, you just don't know what's going to happen. And I think everybody should stop and take a second look at all that. And we don't want that in our country. We don't want to be scared like a lot of them are. Regan Siler And so what inspired your poem? LoNetta White Oh, just the guys coming back from overseas. Regan Siler Okay, well, I would love to get a copy of it if you're if you're okay with that. LoNetta White Yeah, you bet. Regan Siler Okay, um, is there anything else that you would like to tell us, or any wisdom that you would like to share for future generations? LoNetta White Oh, my. Regan Siler This is your chance to leave your mark. LoNetta White I think I've marked everything around town. Regan Siler No, I mean any, any, any wisdom that you can think of that would be good for future generations to take to heart. LoNetta White Main thing, I think would be one thing, is that I feel like that a lot of them live way beyond their means. One of these days that's all going to catch up with them, and when it does, then there's going to be lots of problems, you know, home, work or anywhere. And if they would take the time to look at what they say or do, there's enough mistakes made, accidentally, rather than planning them. And just be kind to each other. Regan Siler Okay, so am I hearing you say that maybe, like materialism is kind of a problem. People wanting material things versus LoNetta White I really believe that is Regan Siler Putting an emphasis on material things versus maybe family and time and that kind of thing. LoNetta White Well, if they take care of the material things the way that they should, there won't be near as many family things go wrong. I mean, you can look around and you see all these brand new cars sitting out at school. Who's paying for them? I mean, you know, the kids don't, because they can't afford $1,000 a month for a car. They don't even work. And so you've got things like that, and then you've got all the groceries. Well, you gotta have all the cars, the clothes and the shoes and stuff to go with that. Someone's gonna sink one of these days. Regan Siler So basically, get back to the basics. LoNetta White Absolutely start there again. And I think everybody would be a lot happier. And, you know, get rid of the drugs. Regan Siler I can't disagree with anything that you've said, and honestly, that's been something we've talked about in our own family, as far as you know, what are you doing? Why are you working so much, like, for what? LoNetta White Yeah. Regan Siler When I think time and family and is really what's most, most important. LoNetta White Well, to just show you the difference, back when we worked and and we worked, you know, long hours and andgradual years added on even to what we were doing to start with. And, gosh, I moved to town about a year ago from the country, and my house had been paid for for what, 30 years? Jimmy White No. Probably 50. LoNetta White Probably 50, because I've been out there 60-some years. And, you know, I didn't owe a bunch of bills. I still don't. Regan Siler Stay out of debt. That's another good word of wisdom, huh? LoNetta White Absolutely. So it doesn't take near the money for me to live. That's what most people just fluff off. Regan Siler Right, right. Oh, I agree. I agree. Well, we appreciate you taking the time to visit with us today. Your interview will become an important part of our oral history archive for the museum. We really appreciate you and thank you. Regan Siler Thank you. audio 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/ohms/render.php?cachefile=OHP-0061_LoNetta_White.xml OHP-0061_LoNetta_White.xml
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Title
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LoNetta White
Description
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LoNetta Dowdy White, born August 24, 1940, in a log cabin near Bristow, Oklahoma, shared her life story. LoNetta's parents, John Buster Dowdy and Ollie Belle Williams Dowdy, farmed and worked in California's lettuce fields. LoNetta attended Iron Post School, where she enjoyed biology, and later got her GED at 50. She married Harold White in 1957 and worked at the garment factory and ran the businesses White's Radio & TV and Mistletoe Express. LoNetta had three children: James Allen White, Teresa Lynn White Alred, and Edgar Angel White.
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OHP-0061
Date
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2024/07/23
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audio
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39e64eda7cac32bc12a610cbaf5db8f2
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The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Pinehill Histories
Subject
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History of the Pinehill area north of Bristow
Description
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Several interviews were done by Mary and Bob Mc Carty of people who grew up in the Pinehill area north of Bristow. This collection is the Pinehill subset of the Bristow Oral Histories
Source
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Bristow Historical Society, oral history collection
Type
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Oral history.
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Interviewer
The person(s) performing the interview
Robert L. “Bob” McCarty
Interviewee
The person(s) being interviewed
Louis Edward Masterson
Virginia (Bruce) Masterson
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https://bristoworalhistory.org/ohms/viewer.php?cachefile=OHP-0004-01_Louis_Masterson.xml
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Pinehill
school
fairs
community
crops
livestock
Heyburn Lake
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5.4 OHP-0004-01 Louis Edward Masterson OHP-0004-01 Bristow Historical Society - Oral History Archive Pinehill Community Bristow Historical Society, Inc. Pinehill Community and School Heyburn Lake Crops and Livestock Pinehill school fairs community crops livestock Heyburn Lake Louis Edward Masterson Virginia (Bruce) Masterson Robert L. “Bob” McCarty MP3 1:|8(4)|35(6)|71(7)|108(3)|139(7)|154(17)|184(8)|211(11)|228(2)|245(1)|277(2)|301(12)|333(7)|352(7)|373(7)|399(3)|418(3)|433(12)|446(4)|470(6)|501(10)|539(7)|556(4)|595(7)|613(9)|629(2)|661(2)|685(4)|716(12)|755(10)|773(10)|795(2)|814(13) 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/interviews/OHP-0004-01 Masterson, Louis & ; Virginia.mp3 Other audio 0 Family History BM: --during the 1900s, starting back about 1900 up to the present time of 1976, second day of October 1976. Sitting on their front porch. The first question, Louis, I’ll ask you, who was the first, or do you know who the first people—white people—that came in and settled in this community? LM: I sure don’t know, Bob, I don’t know. Family history of the Masterson Family Abner Bruce ; Alpha Bruce ; Coleman Bruce ; Cora Bruce Carson ; family ; J. Smith Bruce ; James Bruce ; Moten Rheudulph Bruce ; Pinehill ; Roy Clyde Bruce ; Theodocia Bruce Family history https://www.geni.com/people/Coleman-Bruce/6000000036577893136 Family History 163 Crops and Livestock BM: Alright, now then. They were some of the first ones that came in and settled in this part of the country. For their livelihood at that time, what was their main source, do you remember hearing them say? Of livelihood? LM: You mean farming? BM: The way they made their livin’ when they first came in here. LM: Well, they just what little—Dad, they farmed, you know, like corn and stuff and they, what they lived on— Discussion of crops and livestock cane ; cattle ; cattle drive ; corn ; crops ; farming ; maize ; oats ; railway ; sorghum molasses ; wheat cattle ; cattle drive ; crops ; farming ; livestock 331 Selling Eggs and Butter VM: --grandma’d churn her butter, take it in on, you know, Saturdays, to Bristow and they’d sell their eggs there. They’d drive ‘em in the wagon, you know. Dad’d take ‘em in the wagon, take all their stuff that they had to sell on Saturday ‘cause— MM: Cream. Selling eggs and butter for grocery money and clothing butter ; cream ; eggs ; wagon butter ; eggs 382 First Oil Wells BM: Now, Louis, to your knowledge, do you have any idea when the first oil well was drilled in this community. LM: No I don’t, Bob, I don’t know where they was [indecipherable] ’22 or ’23, so they done a lot of drilling after then but I don’t know what the first well drilled. They drilled on the Elsa Self when I come here, he had drilled on it and Frank Lucas (ph) had some on his. BM: Are some of the wells that were drilled in 19-and—when you came here, then, are they any of those wells still in production? The first oil wells drilled in the Pinehill community barrels ; drilling ; Elsa Self ; Frank Lucas ; Moten Bruce ; oil ; oil well ; well drilling ; Oil well ; Pinehill 515 Schoolhouse and teachers BM: Okay, now then, we’ll go into the school itself. Leo gave, said he was around when the first school was built. VM: Up on the hill? BM: Up on the hill south, a mile south from where the last school was. He gives pretty good stories there about it. To your memory, what—which one of the schools did you go to? VM: I went to that one up on the hill, just right west of— Discussion of school teachers at Pinehill School Miss Easton ; Mr. Hicks ; Pinehill School ; school ; teachers school teachers 676 School House and Community Activities BM: Do you remember them having those old time literaries that they had? VM: I remember them but I don’t know when it was, you know. But I know dad was always on the school board from the time the school started. Dad was always on the school board. BM: What—was the schoolhouse ever used for anything besides school? LM: Well, they had church there and— VM: Yeah, they had— Schoolhouse being used for community activities and memories of fairs canning ; church ; community assemblies ; elections ; fair ; literaries ; pie suppers ; schoolhouse ; sewing ; voting election ; pie suppers ; Pinehill school ; schoolhouse 924 Lake Heyburn BM: What year, Louis, did they come in here, the government come in and buy up this land along Polecat Creek and Skeeter Creek? LM: They started in ’48. BM: Nineteen forty-eight. LM: And they, they didn’t get the dam built until the next couple of years, you know. VM: That was ‘51. LM: They had to gorge all of this out. VM: ‘Cause Elsa, Elsa went down there and worked on it, when he was, he came back from— Building of Heyburn lake and the families displaced Boyds ; Canfields ; cattle ; dam ; Ellis Head ; farming ; Frank Bruce ; Hennessey Jones ; Heyburn ; John Wilson ; Les Wilson ; Mr. Bruce ; Nehemiah Jones ; Pinehill ; Polecat Creek ; Reeds ; Skeeter Creek displacement ; Heyburn Lake ; Pinehill 1202 Watermelons and daily life MM: Just a minute. Ask him—Virgie didn’t tell why she doesn’t know watermelon. You ask her— BM: Okay, now Virgie what meanness—when you were going to school as a little girl, what meanness did you get into? MM: What real funny happened? Memories of stealing watermelons and chicken fries chicken ; chicken fries ; Mr. Bruce ; watermelon chickens ; watermelons 1306 Community Parties VM: No, I sure wasn’t. We went to parties, brother used to take us to a lot of parties with him, but as far— (all talking at once) VM: Yeah, we had town parties, you know— MM: What about the singings in the school I’ve heard about? LM: Yeah, didn’t we— Discussion of town parties Crawford ; Dunham ; parties ; play parties ; town parties ; Vann ; Victor's Chapel parties ; town parties 1426 Games BM: What kind of games did you play? VM: Oh, Skip-to-the-Lou-My-Darling and (laughs) BM: Go on. You never did play Post Office? VM: Oh, yeah. We played Post Office, oh sure. And Ditch ‘Em! BM: Ditch ‘Em? Games played at town parties cake ; Ditch 'Em ; games ; Post Office ; town parties games ; town parties 1570 Creeks and falls BM: Now there’s another question, on these old falls around, like this, the upper falls and lower falls, that upper falls is the one that would be there coming across the creek here— LM: That was down by Frank’s. BM: That was down there by Frank’s. VM: And the other falls was, you know, where we lived there on the creek, where we’d go across the big—that was our big swimming hole, what was called the Old Biloxi (ph). LM: That wasn’t a falls, there. Creek and falls in the Pinehill area cornfield ; creek ; falls ; Ned Butts ; Old Biloxi ; Shepherd Fall ; Snake Fall ; swinging bridge creeks ; falls 1700 Gravestones Near School MM: What about them little gravestones at the schoolhouse? LM: Which schoolhouse would that be? MM: At the Pinehill School [indecipherable]. VM: Crawford—it was just up the hill where Crawford lived, but it wasn’t any kin to us. We just knew it was a grave there and they knew who was buried there, but I can’t remember who mama said it— Gravestone near Pinehill School gravestone ; Jack Claver ; Pinehill School gravestone 1753 Town Parties MM: When you mention town parties where [indecipherable] and them were eating, do you think it would have real pot lucks or something for they—they called them town parties and you took food and stuff in to them. I thought that’s what you were talking about. VM: No, that was just for a party we’d go to. MM: Well that’s what I thought you meant, was town parties, and town—you know, or two married couples sometimes— Town parties and weenie roasts by the creek creek ; pot luck ; town parties ; weenie roast town parties 1793 Frozen Creeks in the Winter MM: Well, has anybody ever been skating on them creeks, on there? LM: Well, [inaudible] (interference on tape) would get up there on the ice and everybody’s get up there and skate all the way [inaudible] (interference on tape) in ’29 or maybe ’30 when we had that bad winter. Man that froze up! And I had some reels down there in that [indecipherable] and I couldn’t leave them in the water and we didn’t have no water in the wells, we had to often times carry ‘em and wash ‘em in the creek. And you’d, you’d fall down and it was froze up, you couldn’t walk— Walking to school and bonfires near the frozen creek Birdie Reed ; bonfire ; Creek ; frozen creek ; ice ; John Wilson ; Pinehill School ; Skeeter ; Willa Greenwood frozen creeks ; walking to school In this 1976 interview, Louis Edward Masterson (1903-2000) and wife Virginia (Bruce) Masterson (1909-2002) discuss the early settlement of the Pinehill community in Creek County, Oklahoma including the crops and livestock that were raised by farming families, daily life, school life, social life including town parties and socials, the establishment of the Pinehill School, early oil well drilling in the area, the construction of the Heyburn Lake dam and its impact on the local families as their land was seized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for its construction. BM: --during the 1900s, starting back about 1900 up to the present time of 1976, second day of October 1976. Sitting on their front porch. The first question, Louis, I' ; ll ask you, who was the first, or do you know who the first people--white people--that came in and settled in this community? LM: I sure don' ; t know, Bob, I don' ; t know. BM: Well, now, would--do you have any idea when Moten, Frank, Rowe, and them came in? Do you, Virgie? (pause) Were they in here before statehood? VM: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Mmm-hmm. MM: [Inaudible.] BM: Well then let' ; s kind of put this--put a date on that, say, around-- MM: Let' ; s let her look it up, she can see-- BM: --around 1900. LM: Well they was here before 1900. VM: Oh, yeah. LM: They were here before 1900? VM: Oh, yeah. BM: Well let' ; s go back, on back then, say around 1890. LM: [Inaudible.] MM: Leo was born up here in 1897. LM: Well, Moten was only [inaudible]. VM: You mean Uncle Alvin? BM: Leo was born-- VM: Leo. BM: Leo was born here in 1897, I believe is what he said on that. VM: Mmm-hmm. BM: So that would throw them somewhere around 18-and--in the neighborhood of 1895, -4, -5, somewhere in that neighborhood. LM: Yeah. BM: And there was four brothers, is that right? LM: Yeah. VM: No, there was five boys. BM: Five boys. VM: Five of ' ; em. BM: Okay, who were those boys? VM: Uncle Abner, Uncle James, Uncle Smith, dad, and Uncle Roy BM: " ; Dad" ; would be Moten. LM: Mmm-hmm. BM: Alright, now then. They were some of the first ones that came in and settled in this part of the country. For their livelihood at that time, what was their main source, do you remember hearing them say? Of livelihood? LM: You mean farming? BM: The way they made their livin' ; when they first came in here. LM: Well, they just what little--Dad, they farmed, you know, like corn and stuff and they, what they lived on-- BM: Alright, you said " ; corn and stuff," ; now what, what other stuff did they plant besides corn? LM: Maize, I think-- MM: Little bit louder, Louis. BM: They planted corn and maize-- VM: High gear. BM: High gear, wheat-- VM: Wheat. LM: Wheat, oats. BM: Oats. VM: Oats. BM: And that was their farm products, and they raised cattle. VM: Yeah, and they raised cattle. MM: What was that crop-- BM: Whatever they, you know-- BM: Where did they go, if they went to sell any of this, of their farm product, where did they take it to? VM: Well, they shipped their cattle to Kansas City and Oklahoma City. BM: They shipped their cattle to Kansas City and Oklahoma City. VM: Yeah. BM: Their grains and corn was such as that if they sold any of that they would' ; ve had to take to a railway- VM: They just sold it to the neighbors and things, you know-- BM: Sold it to the neighbors-- VM: --raised it and sold it to the neighbors that didn' ; t raise, you know, the farming stuff. BM: They raised it for themselves and if the neighbor got in trouble and had a little burnout or hard luck, why they all chipped in and helped one another out. LM: You know, they take ' ; em farmer teams and that' ; s the way certain of ' ; em would do it-- VM: Yeah, they' ; d farm a lot of cane and a lot of sorghum molasses. LM: [Indecipherable] cane and sorghum-- BM: Louis, you said a while ago that they shipped their cattle to Kansas City and Oklahoma City. How did they get the--how did they get their cattle to those points? LM: Well, we' ; d drive up about three hundred head from here to Kellyville [indecipherable]. MM: It was community cattle drives? BM: You had the community cattle drive. LM: [Inaudible.] (dog barking) pause in tape VM: --grandma' ; d churn her butter, take it in on, you know, Saturdays, to Bristow and they' ; d sell their eggs there. They' ; d drive ' ; em in the wagon, you know. Dad' ; d take ' ; em in the wagon, take all their stuff that they had to sell on Saturday ' ; cause-- MM: Cream. VM: Yeah. And their cream. MM: What' ; d they do with the money? VM: Well, that' ; s what they bought their groceries with. BM: That' ; s what they bought their staples with. (all talking at once) VM: and their, what they had to use for our clothes, you know, and just their living [indecipherable]. BM: Now, Louis, to your knowledge, do you have any idea when the first oil well was drilled in this community. LM: No I don' ; t, Bob, I don' ; t know where they was [indecipherable] ' ; 22 or ' ; 23, so they done a lot of drilling after then but I don' ; t know what the first well drilled. They drilled on the Elsa Self when I come here, he had drilled on it and Frank Lucas (ph) had some on his. BM: Are some of the wells that were drilled in 19-and--when you came here, then, are they any of those wells still in production? LM: Yeah, the Elsa Self lease is still in production. BM: Elsa Self lease is still in production. Now up here where you live, is there any of those wells to your knowledge that were drilled during that time? LM: Well, they-- VM: They were drilled in, uh, 19-and-- LM: --' ; 22. They' ; s had--I was here for that first discovered well in this field here. He had drilled on Moten Bruce' ; s and the drilling started in ' ; 27, ' ; 6 or ' ; 7. BM: Twenty-six or ' ; 27. LM: And they drilled all this in here. BM: To your knowledge, how much--how much did the first well produce? LM: That kind were making all the way from a hundred to three hundred barrels, these wells right here, these. BM: A day. LM: They were flowin' ; well. BM: They were flowing well. LM: At that time. BM: And there' ; s still some of those wells still in production. (pause) Virgie, do you remember any of the earlier ones than that? VM: [Inaudible.] BM: Alright. LM: And these wells all were drilled here [indecipherable]. VM: Brucie was a baby. ' ; 26 and ' ; 27 [indecipherable]. BM: Okay, now then, we' ; ll go into the school itself. Leo gave, said he was around when the first school was built. VM: Up on the hill? BM: Up on the hill south, a mile south from where the last school was. He gives pretty good stories there about it. To your memory, what--which one of the schools did you go to? VM: I went to that one up on the hill, just right west of-- BM: Is there anything in particular that you remember that went on at that time? (pause) Your first teacher was who? VM: Hicks. Mr. Hicks. BM: Professor Hicks. VM: Mmm-hmm. BM: You know his first name? VM: No, I don' ; t. We always had to call him Mr. Hicks, and that the way we were about--mom and dad always made us call her Miss Easton (ph) when we didn' ; t know their name. BM: And your, you said Miss Easton (ph)? VM: Mmm-hmm. BM: Now Miss Easton (ph), was she your second teacher? VM: Mmm-hmm. BM: She was your second teacher. Who went to school with you at that time? VM: [Inaudible.] BM: How many other--others went to school with you that you can remember? That went to school at the same time that you did? VM: Myrtle and Ellen. BM: Myrtle and Ellen who? VM: Crawford. BM: Who else? VM: And, well, [indecipherable] Bruce. BM: Any more that you can think of? VM: Well-- LM: [Indecipherable.] VM: Yeah, Claude. BM: Claude Bruce. VM: Yeah, Claude Bruce. And Larry and Annie Pinehill. BM: Pinehill. Yeah, their last name (poor tape quality) VM: --and Martha Day-- BM: Do you remember them having those old time literaries that they had? VM: I remember them but I don' ; t know when it was, you know. But I know dad was always on the school board from the time the school started. Dad was always on the school board. BM: What--was the schoolhouse ever used for anything besides school? LM: Well, they had church there and-- VM: Yeah, they had-- LM:--church and pie suppers and all that stuff, you know, and get-togethers. BM: They used it for church activities. VM: Mmm-hmm. BM: Any other activities besides church? VM: Yeah, -- LM: I guess they did have some literaries there but, you know, I never did go to one of those, you know, and-- BM: Would they use it for a place for the people in the community to go to-- LM: Community assemblies, that' ; s what it was. VM: Mmm-hmm. BM: The school was used as a community center or meeting place for everybody. It was used, then, for several different activities. LM: Yeah. BM: Do you remember of the tri-county state--tri-county fair being held there? VM: The school over there? Yeah! BM: So there was fairs up there. VM: Yeah, there was a fair out there. BM: Okay, what--how was this fair conducted? Was it conducted then as it is today? As these county fairs are conducted today? VM: Well, it was more or less, you know, like people canned stuff and bring there. I don' ; t remember bringing the stock and stuff, but they--you know, exhibit their--what they bake or, and what they can, and what things they made like quilts and dresses. BM: What did you take? Did you ever take anything to one of these fairs? VM: No, but Plessy did, I don' ; t know what-- BM: But Plessy taking-- VM: Plessy took something but I don' ; t remember what it was. I think it was canned. MM: [Inaudible.] VM: The more I think about it, she said that she did sewing. She didn' ; t [indecipherable] and she took sewing. And penmanship, she, you know, she-- BM: Penmanship and sewing. VM: Mmm-hmm. LM: Well when I come up to this country, your dad and Moten was both on the board there, and they was on the board for often years and years. BM: Louis, did you ever take anything to one of those fairs that was out there? LM: No, no, I didn' ; t, you see I was gone-- BM: There has been brought up that a--there was a, at one time there was a talking movie presented at Pinehill Schoolhouse. Do you know or do you remember or know anything about it? MM: Valerie said she-- BM: Valerie said--Valerie' ; s the one that came up with that. VM: It must' ; ve been after I [indecipherable]. BM: But the school was used for all different activities. VM: Where they went and voted and things, you know, they' ; d hold-- LM: It was open [indecipherable]. BM: What year, Louis, did they come in here, the government come in and buy up this land along Polecat Creek and Skeeter Creek? LM: They started in ' ; 48. BM: Nineteen forty-eight. LM: And they, they didn' ; t get the dam built until the next couple of years, you know. VM: That was ' ; 51. LM: They had to gorge all of this out. VM: ' ; Cause Elsa, Elsa went down there and worked on it, when he was, he came back from-- BM: Built in ' ; 51, the dam was built in ' ; 51. What year was it completed? LM: That was when it was completed, in ' ; 51. BM: They completed it in ' ; 51. VM: ' ; Cause he worked down there in ' ; 49. LM: He was running with the sand and the concrete and the [indecipherable] but now it' ; s washed in [indecipherable]. BM: How many--to your knowledge, how many people was affected or that lived in these bottoms that had to leave here? Had to leave this community on account of all of the--on the account of the government coming in and buying up this land where they wouldn' ; t have a way to make a living? LM: Well, now, I figure, Bob, was at least fifty families--and they all had families and all that, the head of families--moved-- BM: Fifty head of the family. LM: Yeah. [Indecipherable] when they bought it they had to move, you didn' ; t have no place to go when you accepted like they had [indecipherable]. Frank Bruce place [indecipherable] stay. And those others all just about newcomers come in here since [indecipherable] and built these homes that' ; s in here now. BM: Can you name some of the people that was affected by, that farmed these bottom lands-- LM: Yeah, you-- BM: --they was farming these bottom lands whenever the government came in and bought the land up. LM: Well, you, there' ; s Ellis Head for one, and Les Wilson, and John Wilson, see it took all their farm, and they took from that over at Mr. Bruce' ; s place, and there was families all in here [indecipherable] in here was a farm. Hennessey Jones (ph), Nehemiah Jones (ph), they had a bunch of stuff in--Canfields, Reeds, Boyds, they was [indecipherable]. Then I know there was every bit of fifty of, you know, head of families. Head family. BM: Well, here' ; s another question I want to ask you: What do you think that this lake dam being built in this community do you think, what' ; s your opinion on it? What' ; s your opinion on this lake-- LM: Well, I just think, Bob, that it just had no business to build it because it took so much good land out of it that the farmers need to make a livin' ; on and put people to movin' ; and they had to go and relocate and things and left me, now I [indecipherable] up here now, cost me around four thousand dollars to move the house out from around there so I could move off of government land. They took all our good land and left the hills, and so-- BM: About all there' ; s left to do now, there' ; s no farming land, about all there' ; s left to do now is to run a few cattle. LM: Yeah, run a few cattle. And they' ; ve talked about taking it away from [indecipherable] state have it. BM: Let the state have this land down here now. LM: Is there anything else you can think of? MM: Does he have a list on who sits on Pinehill [indecipherable] of the families on something I thought that you could get it, and I don' ; t-- LM: Yeah, I' ; ve got that list here of every people that was affected to this dam, their name [inaudible] (interference on tape). BM: Okay. MM: Just a minute. Ask him--Virgie didn' ; t tell why she doesn' ; t know watermelon. You ask her-- BM: Okay, now Virgie what meanness--when you were going to school as a little girl, what meanness did you get into? MM: What real funny happened? BM: What real funny, come on, tell us something real funny. VM: Aww! (laughs) BM: Tell us something real funny. MM: Tell us something funny on Louis, or one or the other, we' ; ve got to have something funny. BM: We gotta have something funny on you. VM: Well, the only thing I can think is Louis' ; d come to the schoolhouse when I, you know, when we were going together and I' ; d walk home with him after all the evenings up there, and I--course he would just kiss me, I guess! (laughs) LM: And Bob Lucas, he never did run me off! I' ; d go up there and get her and then go take her home! BM: Did you never--did you ever go watermelon stealing, Virgie? VM: No, I really didn' ; t. I never did. MM: Who raised the best watermelons? VM: Huh? BM: Louis, who raised the best watermelons during that time? LM: I don' ; t know, I stole a lot of ' ; em. I never tore no patches up, I just go get it, and-- VM: We just never thought about stealing any watermelons. Grandpa always raised-- BM: We got to have your vote on the one that raised the best ones. LM: Well, I don' ; t know for sure but I believe that' ; d been Mr. Bruce up there, my dad, you know, raised the best watermelons but he didn' ; t have ' ; em. BM: Moten raised the best watermelons? LM: [Inaudible.] VM: Not really [indecipherable]. BM: You never did go on some of these old chicken fries, did you, Louis, these old--go out here, steal somebody' ; s poor old farmer' ; s hen? LM: No, not up there. I did where I come from. VM: Now my brother and them did. BM: Now, Virgie, never was in the middle of it, was you? VM: No, I sure wasn' ; t. We went to parties, brother used to take us to a lot of parties with him, but as far-- (all talking at once) VM: Yeah, we had town parties, you know-- MM: What about the singings in the school I' ; ve heard about? LM: Yeah, didn' ; t we-- VM: Oh, yeah, we used to go--oh, yeah! We would all--what was it, Crawfords and that Marvin, oh, what was their name? MM: Some of the Vanns, wasn' ; t it-- LM: I can' ; t think of Marvin' ; s name now. MM: Was it some of the Vanns? VM: We' ; re kin to Crawfords, now. LM: Yeah, you take the Vanns, they--there' ; s also their land [indecipherable]. MM: What about them singings. We need something on tape on that. [Indecipherable.] VM: Well, yeah, we used to go over there out at the schoolhouse of a night and sing, you know. Even had--some of them, some of the teachers give us singing--you know, singing lessons and things. MM: Did you go to other communities? VM: Oh, we' ; d gather at our houses, like Crawfords and-- MM: I mean, did other communities come and sing, people from other communities would--? LM: Oh, yeah, they-- VM: Oh, yeah! Mmm-hmm, yeah. Come from up from Victor' ; s Chapel (ph) up there, and Dunham (ph), and-- LM: Dunham (ph), and [indecipherable]. MM: How long did they last? VM: Oh, they didn' ; t last more than a couple hours, I guess, over there, gatherings and things. MM: Did you go to the other places, then, when they had singings? VM: No, we went to parties, we threw--we' ; d walk to the town parties or ride horses to the town parties [indecipherable] ride a horse. BM: What kind of parties was them, Virgie? These old play parties? VM: Yeah, just play parties, yeah. BM: What meetings did you-- VM: We' ; d have town parties, like a cake, and take a cake down there, you know. BM: What kind of games did you play? VM: Oh, Skip-to-the-Lou-My-Darling and (laughs) BM: Go on. You never did play Post Office? VM: Oh, yeah. We played Post Office, oh sure. And Ditch ' ; Em! BM: Ditch ' ; Em? VM: And play, you know, they' ; d come in and they' ; d say, " ; Who do you love?" ; you know, and they' ; d tell all who they just loved, how much they loved certain-and-certain people, you know. But all they wanted ' ; em to say was just, say " ; Who do you love?" ; (laughs) BM: Now this party that--Ditch ' ; EM, now how was that played? VM: Well, you' ; d take a certain boy that, you know, [indecipherable] and if he didn' ; t--if he wasn' ; t the right one then you would start over-you' ; d ditch ' ; im! And run back to--in the house, and get another! All the girls done all the ditchin' ; . (laughs) And ditched the boys! BM: Is there anything else you can think of? LM: You turn that porch light off, them bug' ; s' ; ll-- MM: That' ; s fine. Turn it off-- BM: Okay, I' ; ll turn it-- pause in recording BM: Alright, about these town parties. VM: Well, one time they had a town party down there at Uncle Frank' ; s house, set down the road there? And Cora went with all of us girls, they was about--Flossie (ph) and Hazel (ph) and Vivian (ph) and Velma (ph) and I forgot. And Cora went with us. And she was carrying the cake, and we as all trying to get--to help her, you know. But she went followin' ; , you know, with the cake, and she run off. She fell with it. But we saved the cake! It didn' ; t hurt it at all, so Velma at that party--and I don' ; t know who all else brought cakes like that, you know, well we played party games and that' ; s all there was to it. BM: Now there' ; s another question, on these old falls around, like this, the upper falls and lower falls, that upper falls is the one that would be there coming across the creek here-- LM: That was down by Frank' ; s. BM: That was down there by Frank' ; s. VM: And the other falls was, you know, where we lived there on the creek, where we' ; d go across the big--that was our big swimming hole, what was called the Old Biloxi (ph). LM: That wasn' ; t a falls, there. BM: No, that wasn' ; t a falls there, that was a-- VM: But there was a rock. LM: The other fall is down here, the Shepherd fall (ph) is down here to the Snake fall (ph). VM: But it was just a rock fall. BM: Now that fall went across--which way did that go across there on Shepherd' ; s fall (ph) there. LM: You know right there, Bob, where that going-in place where they go in and go--make that bend around there where the--where you put your boats in there? BM: Mmm-hmm. LM: Well, it just went across that--there used to be a cornfield in there, a big field in there, I rode through there often. BM: Well there was an old swinging bridge across that, that field right there-- LM: Yeah, that was a little further up past the way. [Indecipherable] just [indecipherable] and they had an old train[indecipherable], big long thing that was there for years and years. VM: And Ned Butts (ph) built a swinging bridge across the--down here at the--just across from the old Indian cemetery. BM: Where that swinging bridge went across there, that was where--called the old Thomas place, wasn' ; t it? Didn' ; t they call that the old Thomas place? LM: No, I don' ; t know if I, if that' ; s true. [Indecipherable] was the last year I lived down there but the guy owned [indecipherable] over there, but the last time was in ' ; 23 was the guy--oh, I can' ; t think of his name. MM: [Inaudible.] LM: He--I can' ; t think of the guy' ; s name now, but I always had [indecipherable] one of them girls. And I don' ; t know what her name was. She--Lynn, Lynn, that' ; s right. Boomer and Lynn [indecipherable] they was there then in ' ; 23 when they come in. And they kept it up so the schoolkids from the sidewalk crossed it [indecipherable]. MM: What about them little gravestones at the schoolhouse? LM: Which schoolhouse would that be? MM: At the Pinehill School [indecipherable]. VM: Crawford--it was just up the hill where Crawford lived, but it wasn' ; t any kin to us. We just knew it was a grave there and they knew who was buried there, but I can' ; t remember who mama said it-- MM: We had some of the other kids ask about them graves in there close to the schoolhouse. VM: Yeah, there' ; s a, there' ; s a grave just right there on the-- BM: Which way from the schoolhouse, Virgie? VM: It' ; d be west. BM: Be west up on top of the hill. VM: West and a little back north, uh-huh. BM: Be up in there somewhere, then, about-- VM: Just be like straight north of Jack Claver' ; s (ph) house, I believe, I don' ; t know where it-- BM: Be right straight north up there, then, north of where Ennis' ; s house was up on the hill. VM: Mmm-hmm. BM: Well I never did know that there was a graveyard out-- LM: The old schoolhouse is up there, you know, the old one was up there where the old [indecipherable] was. But they had this new one built when I come here, I don' ; t know how long it' ; d been built. MM: When you mention town parties where [indecipherable] and them were eating, do you think it would have real pot lucks or something for they--they called them town parties and you took food and stuff in to them. I thought that' ; s what you were talking about. VM: No, that was just for a party we' ; d go to. MM: Well that' ; s what I thought you meant, was town parties, and town--you know, or two married couples sometimes-- LM: There' ; s [indecipherable] weenie roast that we did about every--every week, pretty much, [indecipherable] marshmallows and we' ; d have a roast, maybe be 25-30. BM: Twenty-five or thirty couples get off by the creek-- LM: Yeah. VM: Mmm-hmm. LM: Build up a big fire. BM: Big bonfire and have a big weenie roast. LM: Big weenie roast. MM: Well, has anybody ever been skating on them creeks, on there? LM: Well, [inaudible] (interference on tape) would get up there on the ice and everybody' ; s get up there and skate all the way [inaudible] (interference on tape) in ' ; 29 or maybe ' ; 30 when we had that bad winter. Man that froze up! And I had some reels down there in that [indecipherable] and I couldn' ; t leave them in the water and we didn' ; t have no water in the wells, we had to often times carry ' ; em and wash ' ; em in the creek. And you' ; d, you' ; d fall down and it was froze up, you couldn' ; t walk-- VM: I remember that I stayed all night with Birdie Reed (ph) and we started to school, that' ; s when my house was all--the house was right (pauses) --you know where Willa Greenwood (ph) lived, didn' ; t you? They lived in that house. LM: We lived up on that corner of Skeeter--[indecipherable]. VM: Well we come and John Wilson lived over at Aunt Sally' ; s house, was down the other side of the road where-- LM: Where the schoolhouse was when I come here-- VM: Well I and Birdie got to playing and cuttin' ; up and playin' ; in that snow ' ; til we froze our hands and feet. John Wilson and Ida took us in and thawed our feet out and then we went on to school, but we was tardy, but ohh we froze our hands playing. And Dorothy was with us, she tried to get us not to, you know. MM: What did they do, go out and build a big bonfire on the creek and then skate and play around it? VM: We was just going to school, but we just got to playing in the snow and the ice on the way there, when we froze our hands and feet. MM: Well. How far is the farthest you ever walked to school? VM: Well, we went downhill on the creek where we--the houses were, down here where we was talking about, where Coleman was born down there, where, and Bruce, he--well, Raymond was born down there. The house sit not too far from the creek down here. LM: Be about a mile and a half. Mile and a half. VM: And that was the furthest we ever walked. BM: Louis, you was on the school board here for quite a while. How, how deep did--how much land area did the school district cover? MM: How many miles wide-- BM: How many miles wide and how many miles long? LM: Well, the it went plum out to this 33 highway up here, it went to back in the corner right in here [inaudible] (interference on tape) where you started coming down that blacktop. BM: So that was the south edge of it. LM: Where Elsa' ; s, that was the south edge of it, right along-- VM: Then it took the, the old Livingston place. LM: --everything off the 48 highway right there, way down the place where the Vanns live [indecipherable] on the schoolhouse. Went up this way with the--the other line was down here to [indecipherable] where that guy built that house [indecipherable], everything inside that was Pinehill. BM: Everything inside of that would be Pinehill, then. MM: Well, so, he' ; s better off than I thought. BM: Yeah. He was better off than I thought he was. LM: But I don' ; t remember just how many miles it was in the square here, in this district. But you see, that took in Jones, Shady Jones (ph), the horse-stealin' ; all going on out there toward-- MM: Point at that map, it shows about ten miles square. LM: I imagine it is, that just about covers it. BM: Now this map, the--our teacher, she' ; s end of interview. audio 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/ohms/viewer.php?cachefile=OHP-0004-01_Louis_Masterson.xml OHP-0004-01_Louis_Masterson.xml
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Louis and Virginia Masterson
Description
An account of the resource
In this 1976 interview, Louis Edward Masterson (1903-2000) and wife Virginia (Bruce) Masterson (1909-2002) discuss the early settlement of the Pinehill community in Creek County, Oklahoma including the crops and livestock that were raised by farming families, daily life, school life, social life including town parties and socials, the establishment of the Pinehill School, early oil well drilling in the area, the construction of the Heyburn Lake dam and its impact on the local families as their land was seized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for its construction.
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OHP-0004-01
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Pinehill Community and School
Heyburn Lake
Crops and Livestock
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1976-10-02
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audio
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Family Histories
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Oral History
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Oral accounts of various family histories
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Bristow Historical Society, oral history collection
Oral History
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Interviewer
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Regan Siler
Interviewee
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Louis Mitchell "Bud" Peters
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5.4 May 7, 2024 OHP-0056 Louis Mitchell "Bud" Peters OHP-0056 02:02:19 Bristow Historical Society, Inc. bristowhistory Louis Mitchell "Bud" Peters Regan Siler 1.0:|23(9)|40(4)|63(4)|94(11)|115(19)|139(12)|168(6)|192(3)|211(7)|220(15)|254(5)|277(7)|313(4)|327(5)|345(12)|387(15)|402(3)|416(3)|444(17)|461(12)|469(16)|487(17)|513(12)|532(14)|548(15)|568(7)|587(6)|608(5)|632(13)|657(16)|672(9)|687(15)|712(5)|730(14)|758(16)|779(5)|800(4)|821(14)|833(10)|851(17)|882(13)|905(6)|932(9)|958(6)|988(16)|1008(15)|1039(8)|1072(7)|1104(6)|1129(11)|1158(5)|1185(7)|1205(10)|1225(9)|1255(16)|1264(4)|1284(13)|1301(13)|1322(7)|1345(4)|1359(18)|1375(4)|1389(4)|1406(10)|1422(12)|1452(8)|1467(17)|1480(11)|1496(16)|1509(10)|1539(10)|1574(8)|1586(3)|1602(16)|1629(13)|1643(17)|1660(11)|1679(3)|1700(5)|1719(8)|1734(9)|1746(10)|1761(8)|1782(3)|1817(14)|1837(6)|1850(15)|1885(15)|1909(13)|1945(6)|1972(4)|1982(10)|2009(4)|2033(4)|2054(8)|2071(9)|2088(14)|2108(16)|2131(13)|2160(16)|2172(16)|2194(10)|2203(17)|2232(9)|2254(19)|2275(4)|2294(4)|2315(16)|2331(9)|2354(7)|2365(6)|2377(10)|2386(13)|2404(10)|2424(12)|2438(16)|2455(12)|2469(12)|2483(13)|2493(8)|2513(9)|2528(8) 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/interviews/OHP-0056 Peters, Louis.mp3 Other audio 0 Born on the Farm RS: This is Regan Siler with the Bristow Historical Society in Bristow, Oklahoma. This interview is part of the Historical Society's ongoing oral history project. The date is May 7th, 2024, and I'm sitting here with Louis Peters, which I call you, Bud.
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah.
 ; 
 ; RS: If that's okay. 
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah.
 ; 
 ; RS: At the Bristow Library Annex. He's going to tell me a little bit about his life and his history living in the Bristow area.
 ; 
 ; RS: All right. Can you please state your full name? 
 ; 
 ; LP: Louis, L-O-U-I-S, Mitchell Peters. 
 ; 
 ; RS: Okay. And you do go by Bud or Buddy? 
 ; 
 ; LP: My sister got that done. She was trying to, when she was learning to talk, she was she would, she couldn't say Louis, so she called me Buddy. But when I got it, everyone started calling me Buddy then. And then, except for my Grandpa Peters. And he called me, he called me Junior. And when I got old enough, I said, why do you call me Junior? He said, Louis, your dad is senior. You’re Louis, Junior. Okay!
 ; Bud talks about he and his cousins being born at Newell Ranch and remembers his grandparents, Mom & ; Papa Newell, and what life was like being on the farm. Clarence Newell ; Cotton farmers ; Dairy farmers ; Dr. Coppedge ; E.W. King ; Celeste Leona Goodmon Newell Farm life 0 386 Parents & ; Grandparents RS: That's awesome. So, can you tell me, you called them Papa and Mom Newell, but do you have, what are their actual names? 
 ; 
 ; LP: It was Thaddeus, no, his name was, no, his name was, Clarence. 
 ; 
 ; RS: Clarence? 
 ; 
 ; LP: Clarence. 
 ; 
 ; RS: Okay. 
 ; 
 ; LP: And I'm trying to think of her name. I never knew, I don't know if... 
 ; 
 ; RS: Because you always called them Papa and Mom.
 ; 
 ; LP: Yes, she was Mom Newell [Celeste Leona Goodmon Newell]. You didn't say anything else. It was just Mom Newell. 
 ; 
 ; RS: Well, that's okay, we can we can get that information later. So, let's back up a little bit. Can you, in still talking about your family, can you tell me about your parents? So, what are your parent’s names? And if you had any step-parents, what, what are their names? 
 ; 
 ; LP: My dad was Louis, same name as mine, Joseph Peters.
 ; Bud talks about his parents and grandparents. Clarence Newell ; Rita Fern Newell ; Louis Joseph Peters ; Gene Vernon Pierce parents ; grandparents 0 587 Siblings LP: And, luckily for me, his two sons were younger than me, and, and they had one daughter and their mom had took off and, and left them, so he had his three kids, and then me and my sister moved in.
 ; 
 ; RS: Tell me about your sister. What is her name? 
 ; 
 ; LP: Barbara Jean, J-E-A-N [Barbara Peters Maroon]. 
 ; 
 ; RS: And is that your only sibling? 
 ; 
 ; LP: That's my only sibling. Yeah. 
 ; 
 ; RS: So, Barbara Jean. And so, was she older or younger? 
 ; 
 ; LP: No, she's younger. 
 ; 
 ; RS: Younger. 
 ; Bud talks about his sister Barbara Jean Peters Maroon. Siblings ; Sister ; Barbara Jean Peters Maroon 0 651 Mother's Occupation RS: So, you and Barbara and your mom moved to Tulsa. Okay. And your mom got into secretarial work at that time, is that what…
 ; 
 ; LP: She was working for, I can't think of the name of, I can't remember the name of the place, but it was, it did technical equipment, and she was, she was actually one of the people that checked all the equipment that was being built down the line. She was over a line of women that was working there. And, so she would check everything, make sure everything was right.
 ; And, they wound up, we had kind of a, a two-story house, and they, they went to, to picketing, and they were wanting something, whatever they were wanting…
 ; 
 ; RS: Where she worked at they were....okay? 
 ; 
 ; LP: Where she worked at, and she couldn't afford not to work. 
 ; Bud talks about moving to Tulsa because his mother had to find work to help support the family. Rita Fern Newell ; occupation mother's occupation 0 727 Life on the Farm & ; Mrs. Donovan RS: So, if you don't mind, can we back up just a little bit, because I want to capture your time before you moved to Tulsa as a younger person. So, did you, before you moved and before your parents divorced, did you live near any of your family? And, can you tell me…I know that you spent a lot of time with Mom and Pop Newell. 
 ; 
 ; LP: Oh, yeah.
 ; 
 ; RS: And at their dairy farm. Can you tell me about that? Can you tell me about your experiences there? Like what they were like. What were your favorite things to do? 
 ; 
 ; LP: Oh, they were, they were, they were country folks. And they were, they were all about country. They had horses, and the dairy farm. And they had a lot of, a lot of chickens.
 ; 
 ; RS: I have one story I want to ask you about. You know, I did my research, so I talked to Scott a little bit before this interview. He wanted me to ask you about the neighbor lady's flower bed. 
 ; 
 ; LP: Oh, jeez! Yeah, I wound up loving her. 
 ; Bud shares his memories of being on the farm with his grandparents, Mom & ; Pop Newell, and, also, shares a story about an unexpected friend, Mrs. Donovan. farm life ; neighbor ; Clarence Newell ; dairy farm ; mischief ; Celeste Leona Goodman Newell grandparents ; farm life ; neighbors 0 945 Grandpa Em's Tamales RS: Right. So, another thing Scott mentioned, was your Grandpa Peters known as Em, I guess. 
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah.
 ; 
 ; RS: Was famous for making homemade tamales. 
 ; 
 ; LP: Oh, my gosh, yeah, yeah. He had an old grinder that you could clamp on the edge of a table and grind it. And, so he’d do that, he didn't do it all, all the time. He did it just once in a while. And, so I got to turn the grinder. 
 ; 
 ; RS: Oh.
 ; 
 ; LP: I said let me help, so I could turn the grinder. He'd get the, I went with him one time, and he would get pork and beef. Bud fondly recalls helping Grandpa Em make his famous tamales. tamales ; Ira "Em" Emerson Peters ; Fisher's Farm ; Juedeman's tamale making 0 1065 Grandma & ; Grandpa Peters RS: So, so both of your grandparents, your the your Newell grandparents, they lived on a dairy farm and then so you had, Grandpa Peters [Ira “Em” Emerson Peters], who was known as Em, what was what was your grandma's name, or what did you call her?
 ; 
 ; LP: Just grandma [Cora Grace “Gracie’ Peters]. 
 ; 
 ; RS: Just grandma? Okay, and so they lived on a farm also? 
 ; 
 ; LP: No, they lived at 420 South Chestnut. 
 ; 
 ; RS: Oh, okay. 
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah. Right there on Chestnut. 
 ; 
 ; RS: So, they lived in town. Okay. 
 ; 
 ; LP: Right on the corner. 
 ; 
 ; RS: Okay. 
 ; 
 ; LP: And, their uh…
 ; 
 ; RS: So, did you spend a lot of time with both sets of grandparents or one more than the other? 
 ; 
 ; LP: Well, both of them because, they were going back and forth to doctors with dad, and when I was little and, he was just having a bad time. They ain't got the doctors we have today. And, so we wound up staying a lot of time them. Well grandpa, here’s another story, grandpa would take us, he had a…
 ; Bud remembers what it was like spending time with his Grandma and Grandpa Peters which included fishing at the city lake and his sister catching a rather large catfish. Ira "Em" Emerson Peters ; Cora Grace "Gracie" Peters ; Fishing ; Bristow City Lake ; Deep Fork (Okla.) Grandparents ; Fishing 0 1399 Mom and Papa Newell's Farm RS: Do you have, like, a favorite memory being at your Papa and Mom Newell’s farm? What were some of your favorite memories from there? 
 ; 
 ; LP: Oh, yeah, riding. They had a creek down there that went through their place. Was a little ways from the house. And all us, all his cousins, we'd all go down there, and a little hole you could swim one part of it, a little bit deep enough but you couldn’t drown in it. But, unless someone held you under. We didn't fight, so we didn't fuss and fight. So, we'd go down there, play in the water and get all messy. She told us, when we honk that horn, you come a running. And, so we knew that the women were all in the house and the guys were, of course, they played music, and in the living room. And I had one uncle, that was married to one of my mom’s sisters. Bud remembers about a harrowing horse-breaking experience. He also recalls how the farm was a gathering place for all the family. Clarence Newell ; Celeste Leona Goodmon Newell ; horseback riding ; Mike Newell ; Horses ; Clarence Earl Newell ; Newell Ranch Newell Ranch 0 1761 Childhood Memories RS: That’s funny. So, during childhood, say, when you still lived, you know, around Bristow, do you remember having any favorite toys, or any particular games that you played as a young child?
 ; 
 ; LP: Well, I played, 420 S. Chestnut is the house that’s got, they lived there for, I think, somewhere close to 40 years.
 ; 
 ; RS: Oh my!
 ; 
 ; LP: Rented, rented, all that time.
 ; 
 ; RS: Oh, my goodness.
 ; Bud recalls spending time with his Grandma and Grandpa Peters at their house on Chestnut. childhood ; grandparents childhood memories 0 1917 Moving to Tulsa LP: No. When I got old enough, you know when she met my step-dad [Gene Pierce] we wound up moving to Tulsa, and so…
 ; 
 ; RS: I gather moving to Tulsa was a hard situation for you.
 ; 
 ; LP: It was a hard deal. Yeah, it was a hard deal. It’s moving in with some kids that, in a small bedroom, we had bunk beds. Luckily for me, I was the oldest and the biggest and the meanest. I didn’t like the situation.
 ; 
 ; RS: Right.
 ; 
 ; LP: I didn’t know him. I mean, you know…
 ; 
 ; RS: Did that keep you from getting to see your grandparents as much, too?
 ; 
 ; LP: Oh, yeah. 
 ; 
 ; RS: Yeah, I can see where that would be hard.
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah, that changed everything.
 ; Bud remembers moving to Tulsa after his parents divorced. moving ; Tulsa (Okla.) ; Gene Pierce ; step-siblings 0 2080 Cousins RS: Well, that’s awesome. So, whenever you were still here, before you moved away, did you have friends that come over and played, or did you mainly play with your cousins? How did that usually work?
 ; 
 ; LP: Oh, when we were at the Newell Ranch, it was all cousins.
 ; 
 ; RS: All cousins.
 ; 
 ; LP: We were…
 ; 
 ; RS: That’s the best built in friend, isn’t it, is to have a cousin?
 ; 
 ; LP: Oh my gosh, yeah. We had so much fun. It was so much fun. And my dad had built up some posts, one on each end and put some rope out there and put a barrel on that thing and we’d ride this, and…
 ; 
 ; RS: Try to buck you off?
 ; Bud recalls all the fun and mischief he got into with his cousins at Newell Ranch. Newell Ranch ; Cousins ; Hay ; Ira "Em" Emerson Peters ; Mike Newell ; Guitar cousins ; Newell Ranch memories 0 2227 Early Jobs RS: Around 14. And then you moved to Tulsa and then you came back to Bristow your senior year. Is that correct?
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah, yeah.
 ; 
 ; RS: Okay.
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah, I went to work, I started work when I was 14. We lived on, we had lived on Latimer, and I was going to Hamilton Junior High School. It’s on Sheridan and you go north a pretty good ways. So, I wound up going to school at Hamilton. When I turned 14, we had been to the Tulsa Zoo, and it’s up that same way. Went up there, my friend right around, he lived on Latimer Place, just right around the block. Our backyards almost intercepted at the corners. He was a big guy. He was a big old boy. He was a real good friend. Mike O’Neal (ph) was his name. Bud recalls moving to Tulsa and some of the early jobs he worked as a youngster. Hamilton Junior High ; Tulsa Zoological Park ; Job ; Morton's Cafeteria ; Tulsa City Ice Plant ; Bristow Ice Plant Early Jobs 0 2507 Ancesters RS: Okay, well let me ask you, I know we’ve talked a little bit about like you have some interest in genealogy. Can you tell me about your family’s ancestry at all? Like where did they come from? When did they come here? Do you know any of that information?
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah, I started, I got into that genealogy thing there for a while, and Scott’s really good at it. But there…
 ; 
 ; RS: So, do you know when your family came here and where they came from? 
 ; 
 ; LP: Thanksgiving Day.
 ; 
 ; RS: Thanksgiving Day.
 ; 
 ; LP: In 1898.
 ; Bud tells about his ancestors that came to Oklahoma in 1898. Ancestors ; Genealogy ; Joseph Eli Peters ; Texas ; Rush Springs (Okla.) ; Water well drilling ; A.H. Purdy ; Joseph Alfred Peters ; Elizabeth Peters Mallory ; Mary Margaret Richardson Peters ancestors 0 3094 Pony Express LP: But Joseph Alfred wound up, Slick and Beggs were people starting to build up communities out that way.
 ; 
 ; RS: Right.
 ; 
 ; LP: And, so, they had a little post office out there, somewhere between Slick and Beggs, and they were taking bids for like a Pony Express for someone to ride, get the mail and bring it back to Bristow.
 ; 
 ; RS: Right.
 ; 
 ; LP: He wanted to be it. Joseph Alfred wanted to be it. So, he met this post-mistress in that little post office thing and they got married. He wound up with, I think it was five kids. They had a little house they had built and had five kids, and she was pregnant again. She was, you know, not too far away she thought, and, so, him and the kids took off and went somewhere doing something or other. I never did find out what it was. When they got back, she was laying in the kitchen floor dead.
 ; Bud tells about his ancestor, Joseph Alfred, being a part of the Pony Express. Pony express ; Joseph Alfred Peters ; Slick (Okla.) ; Beggs (Okla.) ; Pryor (Okla.) Pony Express 0 3265 Walks with Grandpa Peters LP: There was another deal that I got. My grandpa, when I was a little guy, we walked, he walked. He didn’t drive very often.
 ; 
 ; RS: And, who was this? Your?
 ; 
 ; LP: Ira Emerson [Ira “Em” Emerson Peters 1895-1966].
 ; 
 ; RS: Okay.
 ; 
 ; LP: On Chestnut.
 ; 
 ; RS: Okay, uh-huh.
 ; 
 ; LP: And he had me, and of course, summertime, he and I’d take off and Barbara Jean would stay there with grandma. And she was a little bitty gal. She was real short. She dipped snuff, too. She was just as sweet as she could be, though. Never heard a bad word or anything. Grandpa wound up as the senior Sunday school teacher for the Free Holiness Church, south end of town.
 ; Bud remembers taking walks with Grandpa Em and the people they would encounter. Ira "Em" Emerson Peters ; Barbara Jean Peters Maroon ; Theodore Abraham ; Glen Cliff ; Ice cream cones Walks with Grandpa Peters 0 3436 Racing on Main LP: They had one guy that worked, they did shifts, my Uncle Mike would come in and he got in there about 7 o’clock or something like that. At the time, I was working at Liberty Glass in Sapulpa, until that day. I had this Mustang. The Fords, I don’t know if you ever knew any of the Ford family. They lived out north of town right in the curve. That was an uncle. That was my Grandma Newell’s sister and her husband lived out there. He was a mechanic. I had this Mustang, I went and got it. It was a hot rod car. His boys were good mechanics. We took the head off and put two four-barrel carburetors on there and shackles on the back end. You could almost do a wheelie.
 ; 
 ; RS: Oh, my goodness!
 ; 
 ; LP: That car would almost do a wheelie. Of course, we’d go out around Heyburn Lake and some boy from Kellyville had a ’57 Chevy and has his car hopped up pretty good. We had one part of this road out there we could race on.
 ; Bud tells some stories about racing and getting in trouble with the law. Mike Newell ; Liberty Glass Plant ; Heyburn Lake (Okla.) ; Sapulpa (Okla.) ; Ford Mustang ; Kellyville (Okla.) ; Drag racing ; Majel Shattuck drag racing 0 3824 First Car RS: Oh, that’s funny! So, was the Mustang your first car?
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah, well, no. No, now my first car was a car from, my step-dad had an optical shop in a building with other businesses in there, and there was an eye doctor right across the hall from his door. My mom was running the secretary. She did all the paperwork and all that kind of stuff, and he did all the measuring and everything and lenses and stuff. So, this guy across the hall, the eye doctor’s mom had been over in England and had some old car. And I don’t remember if that’s where he was from or what, but they brought the car back, too, on a ship. Her and the car, and I don’t know what all kind of a ship it was, but anyway, they come in, he said, she’s gotten too feeble to drive the car, so I bought it. It was my first…I had saved money from working and doing odd jobs and stuff. And, so, I bought that car for $90.
 ; Bud talks about his first car and some other cars he purchased from Emmett Dykes. first car ; England ; Plymouth ; Emmett Dykes first car 0 3963 Run-ins with the Law Enforcement LP: No, huh-uh. So, I was dating Rita, and I had gotten into with the school guy here at Bristow and walked out. So, my dad had to go get signatures from city council members or something so I could go to Depew. We were only a half a mile inside Depew’s range.
 ; 
 ; RS: Right.
 ; 
 ; LP: So, he got signatures. Everybody knew him. So, I wound up in Depew. I’d drive that car back and forth to over there. Well, they had a, I can’t remember that cop’s name, but he was mean. 
 ; 
 ; RS: Well, it sounds like you should know ALL the cops with the way you drove.
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah, yeah. He, I can’t think of that guy’s name. He wound up…he was a mean dude. He stopped me one day right around in at lunch time. He said, he stopped me one time. I wasn’t doing anything, and he stopped me, and I pulled over, and he was really hateful. He said, I heard about you been hot-rodding around town here. I said, no. Have you seen me hot-rodding around town? No. He said, well, I’m going to call…you hot-rod around Bristow? I said, no. Well, he called over. Well, my uncle was a policeman. He said my name. You got anything to say about this young man? No, everything is fine.
 ; Bud remembers having a run-in with the Depew police. Rita Reed Peters ; Depew (Okla.) ; Law enforcement ; Emmett Dykes Law Enforcement 0 4094 Meeting and Marrying Rita LP: Yeah, he would say, well, what was funny, Rita lived, if you go toward Depew and you kind of go up a hill, there’s a curve there, and you go up a hill, and then you go down the hill and you turn into Depew. Well, she lived in that farmhouse up on that curve on the right-hand side if you were going west. Her, her sisters and brothers…I was riding the school bus because I had gotten my car took away from me, and I had to ride the school bus, and I watched, and instead of the bus stopping on the highway in front of the house, which would be a bad deal, they pulled up on that gravel road right behind it. So, she had to walk out of the house, across the little bit of the pasture and then crawl through the barbed-wire fence. So, I was sitting on the bus watching her, and I said, oooo. I said, oooo. I’m going to have to learn who she is. And, so, I did. And, we started dating, and yeah, said okay, I said this is, this is it. This is who I’m going to marry. I know I’m going to marry her. Well, she was still a senior, and I was out of school then. Bud fondly recalls seeing Rita for the first time and knowing he was going to marry her. Rita Reed Peters ; Lorn Reed ; Wedding ; Depew (Okla.) Marriage ; Engagement 0 4294 Working at Haliburton LP: I can’t remember his name. But, Rita remembers everything, thank God. I’ll ask her, who’s that? Well, another thing, we got in the store after Haliburton closed. I had worked my way up to a supervisor driving a car. I moved myself up the line. You have to learn how to do everything on every truck, so I wound up learning all of it. There was one guy named, I don’t know if you ever heard of Jack Vickers [Jack Wesley Vickers 1927-2012]?
 ; 
 ; RS: I, I know Jack Vickers, and he was a wonderful man. Yeah, wonderful man.
 ; 
 ; LP: He took care of ALL that, all the parts, all the, everything we ran, everything we used. He had part numbers. Some of them several digits long, and he said he’d order on, it was all spent when he’d inventory, you’d count everything. And the big tanks, you had to run a plumb bob down and measure how much feet of this you’ve got.
 ; Bud recalls his 20 years working at Haliburton, as well as, other jobs he had along the way. Haliburton & ; amp ; Company ; Jack Vickers ; Oil fields ; Oklahoma City (Okla.) ; Bristow Well Service ; Love Box Company ; Chandler (Okla.) ; Wichita (Kan.) occupation ; Haliburton & ; amp ; Company ; Oil fields 0 4819 Getting Hired at Haliburton RS: And that that’s…I wanted you to tell that story of how you ended up meeting the boss there and getting on there.
 ; 
 ; LP: Oh, yeah, Wink Almond was his name. He was such a great guy. He would…and my brother-in-law, married my sister, Leroy Maroon [Melvin “Leroy” Maroon 1947-2022], married Barbara. He wasn’t working there at the time, but Melvin was, his dad. He was a dispatcher. So, if it rained or anything, they wouldn’t hire…the wells were just making small amounts, so they couldn’t afford to get a dozer and stuff and pull them in and back out. It cost a lot of money, so wound up just shutting down. No day, no pay.
 ; 
 ; RS: Right.
 ; Bud tells the story of how he met the boss at Haliburton and got hired. Wink Almond ; Haliburton & ; amp ; Company ; Melvin "Leroy" Maroon ; Bristow Well Service ; Oil fields Haliburton 0 5074 Bud's Mini Mart RS: So, then from there, you ended up with your store, which was Bud’s Mini Mart?
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah.
 ; 
 ; RS: And you were there for how many years?
 ; 
 ; LP: Seventeen years.
 ; 
 ; RS: Seventeen years.
 ; 
 ; LP: A little bit over seventeen, not but seventeen…
 ; 
 ; RS: Did you enjoy, enjoy having your store?
 ; 
 ; LP: Well, yeah, we did. We had, I think, a lot of friends.
 ; 
 ; RS: Yes. Everybody, that’s how I, you know, really got to know you.
 ; 
 ; LP: A lot of great people.
 ; Bud recalls retiring from Haliburton and opening his store, Bud's Mini Mart. Bud's Mini Mart ; Self-employed self-employed 0 5158 Daughter Susie LP: When my daughter joined the Navy, right out of high school. She went down to Florida, and she wound up working in a, in Florida, underground, you would never know they were working bombs and stuff in a huge thick door. She was in there with that, and she wound up with MS [multiple sclerosis] from all the stuff that she did.
 ; 
 ; RS: Oh, I didn’t know that.
 ; Bud tells a little bit about his daughter Barbara Sue "Susie" Peters and her family. Barbara Sue "Susie" Peters ; Navy ; Florida ; Multiple sclerosis ; Marines ; Cody Austin Everett ; Courtney Sue Everett Daughter ; grandchildren 0 5231 Children RS: Oh, so, while we kind of transitioned back to your family, let me ask you about your children. How many children do you have? 
 ; 
 ; LP: We’ve got three.
 ; 
 ; RS: You have three. And tell me what their names are.
 ; 
 ; LP: Susie, Barbara Sue [Barbara Sue Peters].
 ; 
 ; RS: Barbara Sue but goes by Susie.
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah.
 ; 
 ; RS: Okay.
 ; 
 ; LP: Then we had Scott, Mitchell Scott [Mitchell “Scott” Peters].
 ; 
 ; RS: Okay.
 ; Bud talks about his children and grandchildren. Barbara Sue "Susie" Peters ; Mitchell Scott Peters ; Brian Joseph Peters ; Cody Austin Everett ; Courtney Sue Everett ; Joseph Eli Peters ; Elsi Ruth Peters ; Camerson Joseph Peters ; Macy Ray Peters children ; grandchildren 0 5287 Grandchildren RS: And, then, what do you think about those grandkids?
 ; 
 ; LP: Oh! They are so amazing! Scott’s boy [Joseph Eli Peters], of course, I knew, before that…Karah, his wife, Karah, she’s amazing, too. They are really into church. She teaches, now, she’s a school teacher, has been for years. We sat out on the patio, behind their house there, you could open the Bible up and he could recite verse for verse.
 ; 
 ; RS: And this is Scott’s son that can do this?
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah.
 ; 
 ; RS: Oh, my goodness.
 ; Bud talks about how his grandson, Joseph, can recite Bible scripture Joesph Eli Peters ; Karah Peters ; Bible ; scripture ; Elsi Ruth Peters grandchildren 0 5356 Family Reunion RS: And that’s where the, was it the Alfred family had…
 ; 
 ; LP: That’s where he moved to, started that whole thing.
 ; 
 ; RS: Where he had the 16, ended up having the 16 kids.
 ; 
 ; LP: He started the whole thing up there.
 ; 
 ; RS: So, you went to a family reunion in Pryor? Okay.
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah, it was about 200 of us.
 ; 
 ; RS: Oh, my.
 ; 
 ; LP: It was just amazing. I just couldn’t understand how in the world they all had a lot of kids!
 ; 
 ; RS: Right.
 ; 
 ; LP: All of them.
 ; Bud talks about attending a family reunion in Pryor where his ancestors, the Alfred Family, settled. Family reunions ; Pryor (Okla.) ; England family reunion 0 5492 Childhood Interests RS: Yeah, that’s very cool. Well, let’s see. Let’s talk a little bit more…I wanted to ask you a couple of other questions. So, when you were growing up, did you get to watch any TV, and if so, what were some of your favorite programs?
 ; 
 ; LP: Red Skelton.
 ; 
 ; RS: Red Skelton, okay.
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah. You ever hear of him?
 ; 
 ; RS: Yeah…oh yeah!
 ; 
 ; LP: He was, my grandpa was real religious, and grandma. We sat there, he had a…
 ; 
 ; RS: So, now did you say your Grandpa Em, did you say he ended up being the preacher at the Holiness Church?
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah, he was the senior’s preacher.
 ; Bud recalls his favorite TV show, childhood interests and attending church with Grandma and Grandpa Peters. Red Skelton show (Television program) ; Ira "Em" Emerson Peters ; Bristow Holiness Church ; Baseball ; Church childhood interests ; church 0 5678 Holidays RS: Well, I also wanted to ask, in your family, you know how you talk about like, especially at your grandparent’s, Newell’s, what were holidays like for your family? Was Christmas a big deal? Like what was Christmas like for your family?
 ; 
 ; LP: Oh, Christmas was amazing. We’d all be out, usually we’d go to the Newell’s and have a big time. The food was…
 ; 
 ; RS: That’s what I was gonna say, like what was the food like?
 ; 
 ; LP: Oh my, everything is homemade. You just couldn’t get there quick enough. There was, I didn’t like, I wouldn’t eat hominy. I would not eat grits. I didn’t like green beans.
 ; 
 ; RS: Oh, no. You didn’t like green beans?
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah, and I really don’t know why. When they honk the horn, if we were out playing, here we come. We all come in lined up. One thing, Mitch Glisson, I don’t know if you ever knew him?
 ; Bud remembers what holiday were like at Newell Ranch. Holidays ; Newell Ranch ; Christmas ; Mitch Glisson 0 5796 Western Heritage Days RS: Well, so thinking back to, like, your town life when you were here, not necessarily while you were in Tulsa, but, like, say, before you left and when you came back your senior year…were there any favorite, like, community activities that you remember doing? Say, like, maybe, Western Heritage Days, day camps, county fairs?
 ; 
 ; LP: Oh, Western Heritage Days, they had rodeos and stuff going on. Uncle Mike and Clarence Earl [Clarence Earl Newell 1936-2011], his brother, big brother, were always in the rodeo. And, then, my cousin, Dwight Pilant, he was a clown. He would do the clown thing out there, get all goofy looking.
 ; 
 ; RS: Right.
 ; Bud remembers what fun Western Heritage Days was and his uncle riding in the rodeo. Western Heritage Days ; Mike Newell ; Clarence Earl Newell ; rodeo ; Rodeo clowns ; Bull riding 0 5906 Memorable Businesses RS: So, do you recall, like, what were the biggest or most popular businesses around town when you were growing up? Like, did you have a favorite place to eat out? Or did you get to eat out very often when you were younger?
 ; 
 ; LP: We almost always ate at home, but we used to go up, me and grandpa used to always like to go up to the north end of town. We’d walk up there and, I can’t remember the name of the place was, Frosty Free…no, it wasn’t…that was my sister’s…
 ; 
 ; RS: It seemed like there was a Frosty Freeze, there was a Tastee Freeze.
 ; 
 ; LP: It was a Frosty Freeze was, they had a business, my brother-in-law, he’s passed away now, Leroy Maroon. His mom and dad had a business right across the street from where the ice plant was. Where the Community Bank is now. They were across the street right there at the railroad tracks. I think that was a Frosty Freeze. And they had food, hot dog, corn dogs and that kind of stuff there.
 ; Bud remembers some of his favorite businesses when he was growing up. Frosty Freeze ; Tastee Freeze ; Melvin "leroy" Maroon ; Skating rinks ; Princess Theater ; Walmur Theater memorable businesses 0 6054 Life with Step-Siblings RS: So, do you feel like you were, do you feel like maybe, so were just ornery from the beginning or do you feel like that come from, maybe, some of your circumstances?
 ; 
 ; LP: Just the circumstances.
 ; 
 ; RS: The circumstances.
 ; 
 ; LP: And what they did.
 ; 
 ; RS: Right.
 ; 
 ; LP: Tearing up everything I had that I valued.
 ; 
 ; RS: Right. That kept you pretty unhappy and frustrated.
 ; Bud recalls feeling resentful and unhappy about having to share his life with step-siblings. siblings ; Tulsa (Okla.) ; snipe hunting life with step-siblings 0 6162 School Memories RS: So, with knowing that you were kind of in turmoil when you moved to Tulsa, what was your school life like here before you left. Did you enjoy school?
 ; 
 ; LP: I can’t remember a day of it.
 ; 
 ; RS: You don’t remember any of it?
 ; 
 ; LP: Not one day of it. I told Rita, we got this store here right beside Washington School, used to be.
 ; 
 ; RS: And you don’t remember.
 ; 
 ; LP: I’m almost sure I went there, but I can’t recall one day!
 ; 
 ; RS: You don’t recall any of it.
 ; Bud claims he has zero memories of attending school as a youngster but has some high school memories. school ; Tulsa (Okla.) ; Washington Elementary ; Bristow High School ; Depew High School ; Rita Reed Peters 0 6391 Early Married Life RS: So, in your, in your early married life, which I know you guys were young, and, obviously, Rita was still in school, what was your early married life like? Was it a struggle, like where did you live? Where did you work at that time?
 ; 
 ; LP: Well, it was the funniest thing, because when I worked at the, I got on at the Chandler, the highway department. So, we lived in a little bitty thing in Stroud that was…
 ; 
 ; RS: Like a little shotgun house?
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah, well, it was like apartments.
 ; 
 ; RS: Oh, okay.
 ; 
 ; LP: And, we lived there. My mom had raised Pomeranians, so we had this one little dog. She gave us a dog. Well, it yap, yap, yap, yap, yap, and the people next door poisoned it. 
 ; 
 ; Bud remembers where they lived and where he worked during his and Rita's early married life. Marriage ; Chandler (Okla.) ; Stroud (Okla.) ; Highway departments early married life 0 6545 Life-Changing Event RS: Well, as we are wrapping this interview up, I wanted to ask you a couple of, a couple of more questions, and these you might have to think about. If you don’t have an answer, that’s fine. I was just curious, are there any historic events, say like the Oklahoma City Bombing, 9/11, any particular natural disasters, world wars, Covid…we’ve had all kinds of stuff, that have affected you? Or did any of those, in particular, affect you or?
 ; 
 ; LP: No, the one thing that got me one time was when I was with Haliburton. You know what a blender is? A blender, well, we have frack trucks that did the pumps. They would get the fluid from the blender with all kinds of chemicals things mixed up in it and all kinds of stuff. I learned how to run, I learned how to run all that. I was really good on the blender with the V12 is a truck that had two big V12 engines. It’s a long trailer. It’s a big muscle pump. Those engines, there’s stacks off the, not mufflers, but stacks off the outlets on the motors right behind, you had a seat up here like this, and you’d sit in that seat and you had 8-speeds, like four in the high range and four more on both sides. Both pumps were going. Bud tells about a life-changing experience that happened while working at Haliburton. Haliburton & ; amp ; Company ; V12 engines ; fracking ; Red Desert (Wyo. : Desert) ; Rock Springs (Wyo.) ; Steve "Smitty" Smith ; Oklahoma City (Okla.) ; Fire life-changing event 0 7239 Advice for Future Generations RS: Well, my final question for you, because we are about out of time, is there anything else you’d like to tell us about or any wisdom that you would like to share for future generations?
 ; 
 ; LP: Just do what you know is right. Just be good and do right.
 ; 
 ; RS: I agree with that.
 ; 
 ; LP: Everything will be fine.
 ; 
 ; RS: Everything will work out. 
 ; 
 ; LP: Yeah.
 ; 
 ; RS: Well, Bud, I want to thank you so much for taking the time to interview with me today. This is going to be an important part of our oral history archives for the museum. We really appreciate you. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed visiting with you today.
 ; 
 ; LP: Well, you’re welcome. You’re very welcome.
 ; Bud's shares advice for future generations. advice 0 MP3 Bud shares stories beginning from when his family settled in Bristow, to childhood stories with his grandparents and cousins, to various jobs he’s held, and, of course, family life with his wife and children. RS: This is Regan Siler with the Bristow Historical Society in Bristow, Oklahoma. This interview is part of the Historical Society's ongoing oral history project. The date is May 7th, 2024, and I'm sitting here with Louis Peters, which I call you, Bud. LP: Yeah. RS: If that's okay. LP: Yeah. RS: At the Bristow Library Annex. He's going to tell me a little bit about his life and his history living in the Bristow area. RS: All right. Can you please state your full name? LP: Louis, L-O-U-I-S, Mitchell Peters. RS: Okay. And you do go by Bud or Buddy? LP: My sister got that done. She was trying to, when she was learning to talk, she was she would, she couldn't say Louis, so she called me Buddy. But when I got it, everyone started calling me Buddy then. And then, except for my Grandpa Peters. And he called me, he called me Junior. And when I got old enough, I said, why do you call me Junior? He said, Louis, your dad is senior. You’re Louis, Junior. Okay! RS: Okay, that makes sense. LP: Okay, okay. I know. RS: All right, so I have to ask, do I have permission to record this interview? LP: Yes. RS: Okay. All right, let's get started. Can you tell me when and where you were born? LP: I was born, my grandpa Newell [Clarence Newell], we call him Papa. All of us kids called him Papa Newell and Mom Newell [Celeste Leona Goodmon Newell], his wife. And, they had a dairy one mile east of Bristow. And you turn south and it goes right up in to their farm. They had a, at the time back then, they had 160 acres and they… RS: And tell me again which direction was this? LP: Go south, go one mile east and turn south. RS: Okay. LP: And, the last living son is living there. He's never left it. RS: Okay. LP: He built his own home. Their home got so dilapidated, and it was built from way back. They used to grow cotton out there, even, and my mom was a baby. They would take her along and set her in in a row, and people picking cotton. And they paid her to pick it. And so, but they wound up all that went away, and they wound up getting a dairy farm and a lot of dairy cows. And him and my Mom Newell, my Grandma Newell, had certain cows they milked, and they knew he would let in two at a time and put some shorts, I think he called it, some kind of flake stuff in a feed trough. And they had them little three-legged stools, and she would sit her on hers and you’re sitting almost on the floor. And she put her head in the flank of the cow and milk the cow by hand. And wasn’t no machines. And he did, too. And once in a while you had a cow, you knew which one it was, would tend to move their feet. And, that that didn't work well, so he put shackles on them where they would stand still. And they did that for years and years and years. RS: So, this is Papa, and you called her… LP: Mom Newell. RS: Papa and Mom Newell. LP: Yeah, my mom’s mom and dad. RS: Your mom’s…okay. And, so you told me you were actually born at this farm? LP: We was born, almost all of us kids were born at that farm. RS: And what was your date of birth? LP: June 25, 1950. RS: So almost all the kids were born at the farm? LP: Almost all of them. RS: So did you… LP: All my cousins. RS: So, did they have like a doctor come out or did you just? LP: Yeah, yeah. There's another story. My mom was, went into labor… RS: With you or with your? LP: Yeah, with me. RS: Okay. LP: I was, I was, I was fixing to be born here at some point. And, my dad didn't have his car, so, and it’s almost a mile, close to three-quarters of a mile at least, south, down that road to their house. And, he had to run. There was no car there. He had to run to Bristow on foot. And he ran down that road and ran down the highway going toward Bristow. And someone finally stopped and picked him up before he got all the way. And he wound up getting Dr. Coppedge, was one of the old doctors that came in to Bristow, you know, when Bristow was starting. RS: Dr. Coppedge? LP: Yeah. RS: Coppedge, okay. LP: And he had to pull me. I was too big. And, so he had these, some kind of tongs or forceps or whatever they are, and pull me. And, so he had he had good strength in his hand because they wound up my head was like. And, so he wound up, there would all gather up out there at my Grandma and Grandpa Newell’s farm, and the sisters and brothers, and they ended up rubbing my head, until it’s round. It was like everybody else ought to be. But anyway… RS: They were trying to smooth your head out? LP: Yeah, yeah. And it worked. RS: Oh, my goodness. LP: And then, Dr. King [E.W. King or Emery Wilbur King], I don't know if you ever heard him? RS: Yes, yes I have. LP: Dr. King was an amazing guy, and he he came out and I was jaundiced, I guess you call it jaundice or something like that. You’re kind of yellow. RS: When you’re yellow. LP: And, so, he said, well it’s June. He said, I tell you what you do, you take a diaper or something or tea towel or whatever, roll it up and put it over his eyes. Lay him in the sun. And don’t let him cook. Just lay him out there for a little while, and it pulls it out. And it did. RS: It worked. LP: It was amazing. Yeah. RS: That's awesome. So, can you tell me, you called them Papa and Mom Newell, but do you have, what are their actual names? LP: It was Thaddeus, no, his name was, no, his name was, Clarence. RS: Clarence? LP: Clarence. RS: Okay. LP: And I'm trying to think of her name. I never knew, I don't know if... RS: Because you always called them Papa and Mom. LP: Yes, she was Mom Newell. You didn't say anything else. It was just Mom Newell. RS: Well, that's okay, we can we can get that information later. So, let's back up a little bit. Can you, in still talking about your family, can you tell me about your parents? So, what are your parent’s names? And if you had any step-parents, what, what are their names? LP: My dad was Louis, same name as mine, Joseph Peters. RS: Okay. LP: And hers was Rita Fern Newell before she got married. RS: Rita Fern Newell. And then didn't you have a step-dad? LP: Yeah, I wound up, dad got his back broken. He was working for Oklahoma Natural Gas and had some kind of an accident and his back was broken. It was really bad. Real bad. And they were, of course, the doctors were, to do anything, was in Tulsa, so they’d have to drive to Tulsa. They had a little Ford Falcon, and they thought they were getting somewhere with his back. And they drove 66, when the turnpike had been put in, and someone come down off the turnpike and, and hit, hit them in the side, passenger side… RS: Oh no! LP: Which was where my dad was sitting because he couldn't drive. She, my mom drove. And rolled them over, and, there he was in such a bad state again. And, so, they did surgery. RS: So, he had a double, he had a double whammy, then with having an accident at work and then a car accident? LP: Yeah. And, didn't, thank God it didn't kill either one of them, but just messed him all up. He was wearing back braces and all kinds of primitive back braces. I mean, they were… RS: Not like it is now. LP: Not too good. Yeah. And, so he was such a mess, and so wound up having to move to Tulsa and, course she had to get a job. He could he could not work. And he was wound up being unable to do anything. And, he did finally get to where he could walk. But, she was working and, and so wound up she, she could kind of see the writing on the wall. That life was not going to be the same and, so she, one of her sisters had moved up to Tulsa. And, so and she was single. So, my mom, you know, with her, and she met someone else, turned out to be my step-dad. RS: And what was his name? LP: Gene, Gene Vernon Pierce. RS: Gene Vernon Pierce. Okay. LP: He was, he did, eyeglasses and stuff, like optician. And he had a business. RS: So basically, your mom remarried, and you had to move to Tulsa? LP: We moved to Tulsa with him and his kids. His wife had took off. RS: And how old where you? How old were you when that happened? LP: Oh gosh, I was… RS: I think Scott had told me maybe around 14? LP: Well, no, I wasn't that old at the time. RS: You weren’t that old? LP: I was about ten years old. RS: Okay. LP: And, luckily for me, his two sons were younger than me, and, and they had one daughter and their mom had took off and, and left them, so he had his three kids, and then me and my sister moved in. RS: Tell me about your sister. What is her name? LP: Barbara Jean, J-E-A-N [Barbara Peters Maroon]. RS: And is that your only sibling? LP: That's my only sibling. Yeah. RS: So, Barbara Jean. And so, was she older or younger? LP: No, she's younger. RS: Younger. LP: Yeah. RS: So, you and Barbara and your mom moved to Tulsa. Okay. And your mom got into secretarial work at that time, is that what… LP: She was working for, I can't think of the name of, I can't remember the name of the place, but it was, it did technical equipment, and she was, she was actually one of the people that checked all the equipment that was being built down the line. She was over a line of women that was working there. And, so she would check everything, make sure everything was right. And, they wound up, we had kind of a, a two-story house, and they, they went to, to picketing, and they were wanting something, whatever they were wanting… RS: Where she worked at they were....okay? LP: Where she worked at, and she couldn't afford not to work. RS: Right. LP: So, she would cross the picket line, and we wound up, someone drove down the street and threw a bomb at our house. RS: Oh, my goodness! LP: And it just missed going through a window and hit the, just beside the door in a in a bedroom window or it would have been catastrophic. RS: And this was because of the picket line? LP: Yeah. She crossed the picket line so she could work. RS: And because she crossed the picket line. LP: We had to have food and pay the rent. RS: So, if you don't mind, can we back up just a little bit, because I want to capture your time before you moved to Tulsa as a younger person. So, did you, before you moved and before your parents divorced, did you live near any of your family? And, can you tell me…I know that you spent a lot of time with Mom and Pop Newell. LP: Oh, yeah. RS: And at their dairy farm. Can you tell me about that? Can you tell me about your experiences there? Like what they were like. What were your favorite things to do? LP: Oh, they were, they were, they were country folks. And they were, they were all about country. They had horses, and the dairy farm. And they had a lot of, a lot of chickens. RS: I have one story I want to ask you about. You know, I did my research, so I talked to Scott a little bit before this interview. He wanted me to ask you about the neighbor lady's flower bed. LP: Oh, jeez! Yeah, I wound up loving her. RS: He said you became good pals. LP: Yeah. RS: But it took a little getting there. LP: She was such a wonderful lady. We, I'd be outside playing and, of course, rough and rowdy, she would come out of her house, her name was Mrs. Donovan. RS: Mrs. Donovan. LP: And that's all I knew, that’s all I knew her by is Mrs. Donovan. RS: Okay. LP: And, she was, way up in years in, about like me now, and but she was her health wasn't good. And, I remember she had flags or flag flowers that stand up real tall. And a big stem under them. And she had them all the way around the house, all different colors. And I was doing something over there, I'm sure that I would to be doing, and she, she hollered at me and scolded me, thought I might get hurt. And, and so I didn't like that. And, so I quit and stick my tongue out and I quit. And when she went back in the house, I got me a stick and broke all her flags. They were all like this. RS: Oh, no! LP: And, and, she she'd seen me out the window - too late. And it was, it was [undecipherable] hollered at my grandpa, and I got a swat. And they had one of them old bathtubs with the claw foot sticking up…said you bend over. You did wrong. And, so he told me, he said I got, I just got one swat, and it wasn't all that bad. Grandpa was not a meanie, you know. RS: Right. LP: And, so I wound up carrying groceries for her. There was a store down the block, and she would call it in, and they would tell her how much, and she…I would go down here, had to carry her groceries back to her house. Well, she was making cookies while I was gone and told me, come on in, and we sat down and talked, and see here, I love chocolate. Well, chocolate chip cookies, so she had me come in and sit down. Got me some juice or something or other. I don’t remember what it was. But I was eating really good chocolate chip cookies. And we sat and talked. And, so I wound up loving her. RS: You ended up getting to know her and having a good relationship with her. LP: Yeah, yeah. RS: So how old do you do you have any idea how old you were? LP: I was probably about eight. RS: Eight. LP: Somewhere around eight years old. And, and had a mean side. RS: But isn't it funny how it works out? LP: Yeah. RS: You know, you be an ornery ended up giving you a good relationship with her. LP: She was a wonderful lady. RS: Right. LP: She really was. RS: That's awesome. LP: So, I'd help her do anything, you know? RS: Right. So, another thing Scott mentioned, was your Grandpa Peters known as Em, I guess. LP: Yeah. RS: Was famous for making homemade tamales. LP: Oh, my gosh, yeah, yeah. He had an old grinder that you could clamp on the edge of a table and grind it. And, so he’d do that, he didn't do it all, all the time. He did it just once in a while. And, so I got to turn the grinder. RS: Oh. LP: I said let me help, so I could turn the grinder. He'd get the, I went with him one time, and he would get pork and beef. And I used to get my sister, too. We'd take off, he'd go down by Slick. I think it was, I don't remember if it was Fisher’s Farm or who it was. Juedeman’s had a farm, too, there. And, but he got corn shucks. They raised big, gigantic gardens and stuff, and sold all that. And, so we’d go out and he’d pick out a whole bunch of corn shucks and take them home and put them in a big, big ol’ pot and, and get it hot water and boil them and he'd get them and they’d lay flat. He’d lay them all out flat, let him dry, and then cut them and make just nice square ends on it. And he’d want one about that long, and he’d cooked all that meat. And he'd get all that stuff and some kind of a, corn meal or something like that. He’d put it on there, a layer was a big, big tablespoon and smear it out, and then stack all this meat up, and had a little bit of spice to it. And, he would roll them up, crimp the ends and set them in this, steamer, some kind of steamer pot or something. He had to put some water in the bottom and had a tray put in there, metal tray, to hold them up out of the water and cook them. And, boy, people… RS: Best tamales ever?! LP: From all over the place, oh my gosh. Yeah. He was famous for tamales. And my Grandpa Newell delivered milk. RS: So, so both of your grandparents, your the your Newell grandparents, they lived on a dairy farm and then so you had, Grandpa Peters [Ira “Em” Emerson Peters], who was known as Em, what was what was your grandma's name, or what did you call her? LP: Just grandma [Cora Grace “Gracie’ Peters]. RS: Just grandma? Okay, and so they lived on a farm also? LP: No, they lived at 420 South Chestnut. RS: Oh, okay. LP: Yeah. Right there on Chestnut. RS: So, they lived in town. Okay. LP: Right on the corner. RS: Okay. LP: And, their uh… RS: So, did you spend a lot of time with both sets of grandparents or one more than the other? LP: Well, both of them because, they were going back and forth to doctors with dad, and when I was little and, he was just having a bad time. They ain't got the doctors we have today. And, so we wound up staying a lot of time them. Well grandpa, here’s another story, grandpa would take us, he had a… RS: And this is Grandpa Peters? LP: Grandpa Peters, he had a little shed, just big enough for one. He had an old Ford, and he parked that thing in there, but he made his own fishing poles. The cane poles. And he had throw lines in, like, you know, about ten or twelve feet long and put a piece of chain on the end of it. And he had got all his own hooks. He made everything himself. And we’d go down there, well, he would he had a, like a big tub, metal tub upside down with the open end down on the ground. He'd take coffee grounds, he had me follow him. He said, I want you watch me what I do, and it was just dirt. There were no grass or anything under it. He would spread out these coffee grounds and sometimes some kind of scrap foods and stir it in, and you put that tub back down, upside down with the open end on the ground and put a rock on top of it. He had one rock, he had put it on top, so wind wouldn’t blow it away. And you could go out there and turn that, move that rock and turn that tub over, and you could get a shovel and stick in there, and you had worms, fishing worms just galore. RS: I’m going to make note of that! LP: It was amazing. How many worms you could get out of that thing. And, so we'd put them in a big can and he'd take me and Barbara Jean, I always called her Barbara Jean, we’d take Barbara Jean, he'd take us out to the city lake, and he’d go up there where the armory is and kind of right there where you could park, and they got parking spots up there now. You could go down and go down the bank, and there was a, a tree down there that was in the water, usually be turtles on it, and they liked to have a place to sit. And, so we sit down there. Barbara Jean was a lot smaller than me, and he’d put a worm on the hook, so she wouldn't stick her finger, and I did my own. We'd pitch it out there and, he said, she caught a fish and it was about to take her pole away from her, and she was trying to hold on to it, and he seen her. He said, let me help you. He said, you've caught that dog-gone turtle. Well, it wasn’t. It was the biggest catfish I'd ever seen. RS: Oh my gosh! LP: Yeah. It's huge. RS: And she was a little bitty, right? LP: Yeah, she was a little bitty thing. And, so he let me have that girl. He took that pole and pulled it in. It was huge catfish. Well, he said, okay, let's let's go home. We can show this to grandma. And we went, well, he was gonna, he had a post that held up the carport that he parked under, and he would always drive a big nail through a catfish head and then skin it and gut it and all that stuff, get ready to eat. And, she was having a fit and she said, no, no, you can't do that. Mom and dad's in Tulsa. They got to see this fish I caught. You can't do that. You have to wait. RS: She wanted to show it off. LP: Put it in that bath tub. It had the claw feet thing on it. It was a long bathtub. He had put water in the tub and leave it dripping. And the catfish’s head was at the drain and a tail went around and curved back around and it was so big. RS: Oh, my goodness. LP: And I don't know what that thing weighed. He didn’t have his scales. But it was huge. RS: So, would you say that fishing was one of your favorite memories… LP: Oh my gosh, yeah. RS: …that you had with your with with that set of grandparents? LP: What he’d do when was just usually doing that and didn't have a big fish like that, we'd get a whole bunch of perch, catch a bunch of perch, we'd take him down to Deep Fork at Three Bridges, and we'd put out lines. And, he and I’d sit down there sometimes we'd, he'd build a little fire, and we’d cook some bacon or something on a stick and have something to snack on. RS: Those are some of probably some of the best times ever, wouldn’t you say? LP: Oh, yeah. RS: I feel like we missed, missed that a lot in today’s times. LP: I'll never forget it. RS: Do you have, like, a favorite memory being at your Papa and Mom Newell’s farm? What were some of your favorite memories from there? LP: Oh, yeah, riding. They had a creek down there that went through their place. Was a little ways from the house. And all us, all his cousins, we'd all go down there, and a little hole you could swim one part of it, a little bit deep enough but you couldn’t drown in it. But, unless someone held you under. We didn't fight, so we didn't fuss and fight. So, we'd go down there, play in the water and get all messy. She told us, when we honk that horn, you come a running. And, so we knew that the women were all in the house and the guys were, of course, they played music, and in the living room. And I had one uncle, that was married to one of my mom’s sisters. He played the steel guitar. Oh, he could really play it. And, my uncle Mike Newell played the guitar and sang, and my dad played harmonicas. And, so… RS: I bet that was awesome. LP: Oh, they had an awesome deal going every time where we would just sit and listen and they’d sing a lot of cowboy songs, a lot of church songs that they knew, and they all knew that. And, so we'd sit there and just soak it all up. And, we had horses, too. We had horses, and when I got old enough, they, going to let me pick out a horse and, and I picked out this one horse. He was mean! He turned out to be real mean. RS: So, you picked a mean one? LP: Yeah, I guess I didn't know he was, but he, my uncle Mike, and Clarence Earl, his brother, older brother, and, they were both big. Mike was a rodeo guy. He was a rodeo, he was in a lot of rodeos. And they just couldn’t throw him off. But they sure did me. They had a, he had a great big, right out in front of the house, arena, built out of big, like, big railroad ties and stuff, and it was real big wood. And it hadn’t been used in a long time, so sticker bushes had grown up in there. And they got this horse, caught it, and we had all the kinfolk out there. There was a mob of us, and it was like going to a rodeo, and told me, I never been in a horse like that. He told me, said, hold this. Hold his reins real tight and one circle, and he’d go in a circle. Well, that didn’t last very long. You trying to hold on to the saddle. RS: Right. LP: Yeah. Never mind the reins, and just hold on. And I got stickers. RS: Oh no! LP: He threw me off and they caught him, caught him again. RS: Were you, how old were you around this time do you think? LP: Oh, I was probably, probably about 13 or 14. RS: Okay. LP: And, so it wound up I got back on him again, and of course, it was bad again. I went right down, pull more stickers out. RS: Oh no! LP: And one of the other boys, who was older than me, he thought, I could ride that horse. They took him to the doctor. RS: Oh no! LP: Yeah, yeah, he didn’t, he didn’t ride nothing but the ground. And, so, he was in bad shape. Well, not real bad, but he needed help. So, Mike caught the horse and his brother, older brother, Clarence Earl, had his horse saddled up, and so they took off. He couldn’t throw Mike, and so, they rode all over the place, all over the acreage and came back, and the horse was kinda, he thought it was wore out. He wasn’t causing any problems. RS: And this was while Mike was on him? LP: Yeah, yeah, yeah, he could just ride ‘em. RS: Right. LP: So, they came back in, finally, and tied it up, and he was kind of lathered up, too, so the horse was. So, he said, you can ride him now. So, I got on the horse by the house and we started south toward the, and the wind was out of the south, and I was wearing a cowboy hat. Well, the wind blew a pretty good gust and blew my hat off and hit him on the rump, and away we went! RS: Oh no! LP: He turned and went toward the pond just all of the sudden and turned like pointing with my right hand, and he turned that way real sharp, but I hit the ground and knocked my thumb out of joint trying to catch myself. So, they caught him, again, Clarence Earl and Mike did, and he got my thumb back in place, and it was terrible. RS: Did you give up horse riding after that? LP: Yeah, I said I am done with that horse. I’ll ride one that’s old and feeble and won’t want to throw me. RS: Right. Oh, my goodness. LP: It wound up, but it was a lot of good memories and stuff and, so, it didn’t hurt me or anything. RS: Right. Well, I think growing up on the farm, that always makes for good memories. There’s lots of things, especially when you have your cousins and everyone’s there to hang out with. LP: I found a story out about my mom, too, when they were little, her sisters, she had sisters, and they were down by the barn and they had some calves. RS: And this was at the Newell’s? LP: At the Newell Ranch, and they had one big stall down there when you walked in the barn, and it had fence around. And they had some calves in there, and this calf, they were down, the girls were down there playing around, and this calf stepped on my mom’s foot. She said a dirty word. S-H-I-T, I think, and pushed it off of her. The other girl went up and told Mom Newell. She washed her mouth out with soap. RS: Oh no! LP: They actually do that. She said she was mad at her sister then for a while. She couldn’t get mad at Mom Newell because she would get everything straightened out. You know not to say anything. You don’t talk like that. It was a big laugh, anyway, when I heard about it. RS: That’s funny. So, during childhood, say, when you still lived, you know, around Bristow, do you remember having any favorite toys, or any particular games that you played as a young child? LP: Well, I played, 420 S. Chestnut is the house that’s got, they lived there for, I think, somewhere close to 40 years. RS: Oh my! LP: Rented, rented, all that time. RS: Oh, my goodness. LP: Of course, it was a really meek rent. It wasn’t hardly anything, but anyways, he has a screened in porch, and it still does. But the people that live there now has got so much stuff all around, that it’s just like a jungle to me. I hate to look at it when drive by. I go by it all the time. RS: Right. LP: I say, man, what a mess. But anyway, I was sitting out there under a tree playing, and a bunch of big ants was going up one side of the tree and got on me and was giving me a bad time. Grandma got some kind of stuff and rubbed it on my back. I got over all okay, but, we had a lot of fun going fishing, and he’d get, I think there where Mrs. Lawson used to have a store there. RS: Yes. LP: He stopped somewhere along there. We’d stop and get some Bama pies and, you know. RS: Oh, yeah. LP: He’s always got cherry pies. RS: Right. LP: We’d go down there and sometime take some bacon, and he’d put a fork and stick on there and we’d cook some bacon and eat bacon. Had a ball. RS: That sounds fun. Did you have any particular chores that you were expected to do as a, as a young person? LP: No. When I got old enough, you know when she met my step-dad [Gene Pierce] we wound up moving to Tulsa, and so… RS: I gather moving to Tulsa was a hard situation for you. LP: It was a hard deal. Yeah, it was a hard deal. It’s moving in with some kids that, in a small bedroom, we had bunk beds. Luckily for me, I was the oldest and the biggest and the meanest. I didn’t like the situation. RS: Right. LP: I didn’t know him. I mean, you know… RS: Did that keep you from getting to see your grandparents as much, too? LP: Oh, yeah. RS: Yeah, I can see where that would be hard. LP: Yeah, that changed everything. RS: Yeah. LP: And, so, you’ve got to enroll in school. You gotta go to school. And, so, wound up doing that. But, I was, my dad would buy me stuff, and like model airplanes and little cars and stuff, and you put them all together, glue ‘em. RS: Glue them, uh-huh. LP: And everything. Well, when I would dish out some badness to the boys, the two boys, one was little bitty. He was a little guy, but the other one was younger than me, but he was not quite as big as me, but almost. They would break my models, tear them all up. I’d dish out a lot of meanness for that. There would be blood. Of course, I’d get, he would never touch me, but my mom did. Yep, she’d go after ya. RS: Was it hard on your sister, too? LP: Yeah. She got to where she made it for quite a while. RS: What is the age difference between you and your sister? LP: Oh, let’s see…two or three years. RS: Two or three years. LP: Or something like that. She still little. She has another story about that. We were at Grandma and Grandpa Peters’ house and had cornbread. She had made, I think, beans or cornbread, and I don’t know what all. I was, she was little bitty. I was giving her cornbread. I had her mouth packed full. RS: Oh, gosh. LP: We still laugh about it. They didn’t see me. I was stuffing her. We still laugh about it. She said you were, you had me choking! I was choking! They couldn’t hardly get their finger in there to get it out. RS: Oh no! LP: I said, I was sharing. I wasn’t trying to hurt you. RS: That’s funny. LP: I was just sharing. RS: So, you’re pretty close with your sister. LP: Oh yeah, I love her to death. RS: Yeah. Well. LP: Yeah, we see her all the time. RS: Well, that’s awesome. So, whenever you were still here, before you moved away, did you have friends that come over and played, or did you mainly play with your cousins? How did that usually work? LP: Oh, when we were at the Newell Ranch, it was all cousins. RS: All cousins. LP: We were… RS: That’s the best built in friend, isn’t it, is to have a cousin? LP: Oh my gosh, yeah. We had so much fun. It was so much fun. And my dad had built up some posts, one on each end and put some rope out there and put a barrel on that thing and we’d ride this, and… RS: Try to buck you off? LP: Buck you off. Try to buck you off, and see who could ride the longest. RS: See! That’s the good ol’ days. That’s when playing outside was fun. LP: We had so much fun. And then we got in trouble, because we got down in grandpa, Papa Newell’s barn, and sometimes we’d go get a lot of hay. They had all their cows and horses. And we was rearranging the, the hay in the barn. And it was pretty tough to do with our size. We would rearrange those where we could hide behind some bales, and we was throwing nuts off a tree. You get together a bunch of nuts. RS: Like hickory nuts? LP: Yeah. They hurt! So, we were throwing at each other. Gotcha! I gotcha! Well, you’d have a little blood right there. You did. They hurt. RS: I’m not even gonna ask you if you had any hobbies because it sounded like your time was full just… LP: We got in so much trouble. Grandpa come down there and seen that hay. Papa Newell… RS: Because you rearranged his hay? LP: Said okay, get back down here. You put it back just like it was and get them nuts out of the hay. RS: Oh no! Did you, so you said, I was going to ask if you collected anything as a child, but I guess you had your model cars and airplanes and stuff that you liked putting together. LP: Oh yeah. Yeah, I tried to repair them but, and then my Uncle Mike was playing the guitar. He had got me a guitar. I was trying to learn how to play it, you know, to make it sound okay. They broke that, too. RS: Oh no! LP: So, yeah, just stomped on it. RS: So you were, so you were in the Bristow area until the age of about 14? LP: Pretty close, yeah. RS: Around 14. And then you moved to Tulsa and then you came back to Bristow your senior year. Is that correct? LP: Yeah, yeah. RS: Okay. LP: Yeah, I went to work, I started work when I was 14. We lived on, we had lived on Latimer, and I was going to Hamilton Junior High School. It’s on Sheridan and you go north a pretty good ways. So, I wound up going to school at Hamilton. When I turned 14, we had been to the Tulsa Zoo, and it’s up that same way. Went up there, my friend right around, he lived on Latimer Place, just right around the block. Our backyards almost intercepted at the corners. He was a big guy. He was a big old boy. He was a real good friend. Mike O’Neal (ph) was his name. We, for my 14th birthday, I got a, it was kind of like a Honda 50, but it was a Jandebeurs motorcycle, a little one. And I rode that back and forth to school. Well, him and I both went out to the Tulsa Zoo and put in for a job. I didn’t have a social security card yet, so I had to go get a social security card to do that. And they hired me to run the merry-go-round. I wasn’t very tall. Mike, he was big. He ran the paddle boats and stuff in the little pond they had out there. So, I wound up running, I showed them I could do the merry-go-round. I could pull the ropes up and pull the all the great big screens that come down. You pull them up and tie them off. And they had a record player in the middle, and you could turn that record player on 45’s and play a song and turn the switch on, and it would go. And you had to help hold the little bitty kids on the horses. RS: Right. LP: There was a couple women that come out there a lot. I don’t know how they afforded it, but there were, I don’t think they were all their kids, but there was several kids, little bitty ones. They’d sit on with the babies on the bench and go around, and I had to help hold, get between two horses and I’d help hold the little ones on two of the horses. I had to, I told them, I said, now when this record quits, I’ve got to turn it off, and everyone gets off. Then we can do it another deal. More tickets. RS: Right. LP: I did that for a year, or all summer. And then I wound up got me a job when I was 16, I got a job at Morton’s Cafeteria, and I was a dishwasher. RS: Dishwasher. Now, Scott had also mentioned that you worked at Bristow Ice Plant for a short time. LP: Well, just for a little while. Well, it was the Tulsa City Ice Plant. RS: Oh, it was in Tulsa? LP: Yeah, Bristow Ice Plant, you know, had right there where the bank is now, Community Bank. RS: Yes, uh-huh. LP: That’s where it was. RS: So, you worked at the Bristow one or the Tulsa one? LP: I worked at the Tulsa one. RS: Okay. LP: I did work up there and wound up working taking ice to the fair even and putting them in, climb way up and put ‘em in them big tanks and stuff, and delivered ice. They had a machine that when you put it in the paper bags, you run it through a thing and it was a sewing thing runs across. You crimped the bag up and get it started and it pulls it through. It would shock you. RS: Oh no. LP: Yeah, you had to watch what you were doing. It would make you say a dirty word. RS: So, being that you were so young when you started working, did you, were you able to learn any lessons from your jobs being that young and starting that young? Did you take any lessons away from that? LP: No, well you learn to do what you’re supposed to do. You do it and do it right. RS: And do it right. LP: Otherwise, it’s just not gonna work. RS: And that’s something you carried through your whole life, basically. LP: Yeah. RS: Okay, well let me ask you, I know we’ve talked a little bit about like you have some interest in genealogy. Can you tell me about your family’s ancestry at all? Like where did they come from? When did they come here? Do you know any of that information? LP: Yeah, I started, I got into that genealogy thing there for a while, and Scott’s really good at it. But there… RS: So, do you know when your family came here and where they came from? LP: Thanksgiving Day. RS: Thanksgiving Day. LP: In 1898. RS: So, they came before Bristow was Bristow. LP: What happened, how come they come to Bristow, was him and Joseph Eli Peters was the great-grandpa. RS: Joseph Eli Peters was your great-grandpa? LP: Yeah. RS: Okay. LP: And they lived in Texas, him and his brother and his family. There was a, what I found out about, there was a doctor down there that had, I don’t remember the name of the town, but the doctor lived down there, and he had his own drug store. He did all that. RS: Right. LP: And, so, but he was a, found out that he was messing with my [great] grandpa’s brother’s wife. He wound up confronting him. They got into it. He shot him. RS: Your great-grandpa did or the brother did? LP: No, the brother. RS: The brother shot him. LP: Grandpa’s brother. Yeah, he shot him. RS: Killed him? LP: Shot him. Killed him. RS: Oh. LP: So, they had court and when all the story came out and what all was going on, it was protecting himself… RS: Self-defense. LP: Yeah, self-defense, so he got out of it. Well, my [great] grandpa, the town was upset, so they left. But my great-grandpa left. He went to Rush Springs [Oklahoma]. RS: Okay. And this was Joseph that went to… LP: Joseph Eli [Peters]. RS: Went to Rush Springs [Oklahoma]. Okay. LP: And he was drilling water wells. And he could do carpenter work, so he was busy. So, they wound up somehow or they heard something about Bristow. I don’t know how they heard about Bristow, but they loaded the wagon, a covered wagon, and just like you see on wagon trains. RS: And can you imagine trying to travel via wagon? LP: All that way, I can’t even imagine. RS: Oh, my goodness. LP: I can’t even imagine. I just can’t even grasp it. RS: I know, I know. LP: How they would do that. But they were… RS: They we tough. LP: They were tough. RS: They were tough. LP: Well, and as a matter of fact, a lot of the women chewed tobacco and spit. RS: Oh, my goodness. LP: I couldn’t believe it. Even my Grandma Peters, she did, too. I lost a photo. Bristow Library, I was kind of doing the genealogy thing, and I was looking through, before they remodeled it, you could walk in the front door of the library, next door and walk in, and there was…if you looked straight through, you could walk out the back door. RS: Right. LP: Well, just before you get to the hallway to the back door, there was a table sitting there with a, with a binder, one of them binders with the little hook things, and it was a big one. Little bit bigger than that. I wanted to look and see what this is, so I flipped it open and there was pictures. I turned a few pages, and there it was, a picture of my great-grandpa. RS: So, how did you know it was him? Did it say it on the picture? LP: Well, it had the names on there. RS: Oh, my goodness. LP: And it said A.H. Purdy. Was the one that took the picture. And they had just come to town on the wagon. There was a picture with my great-grandpa driving, holding the reigns and my great-grandma sitting next to him. They had my grandpa’s older brother was sitting next to her. His name was Joseph Alfred Peters [1888-1958]. RS: So, Joseph Alfred Peters was your grandpa’s brother? LP: Great-grandpa’s brother. RS: Your great-grandpa’s brother. LP: Or, no, my grandpa’s brother. RS: Your grandpa’s brother. Okay. LP: Lizzie Mallory [Elizabeth Peters Mallory 1885-1975], she wound up marrying a man whose last name was Mallory. She lived long enough that my wife met her. RS: Really? LP: Yeah, it was just amazing. RS: My goodness. LP: She had a little bitty house right behind Dub Bolin’s Ford dealership. Just right there. So, I took Rita up there with her and she met her and she was a little rough looking. And he was one rough gal. She could, she could fight like a man. She was something else. RS: Well, I think you had to be to survive. LP: She was sweet as she could be, yeah. RS: You had to be to survive. LP: She could box your ears down. So, she was really a sweet lady. RS: And tell me what her name was again? LP: Lizzie. RS: Lizzie. LP: Mallory. RS: And Mallory was her last name. LP: Yeah, from her husband. RS: Okay. LP: He had died. RS: So, back to the covered wagon, was A.H. Purdy, was he traveling with them? LP: No, he was here in Bristow. RS: And, so he just happened to take their picture when they got here. LP: And he’s one of the founders of all the stuff in Bristow, everything that was going on, and books of it. Next to Joseph Alfred was Lizzie and next to Lizzie was my grandpa. He was three-years-old. RS: Your grandpa was three-years-old. LP: Three-years-old. RS: That is so amazing. So, were you completely shocked when you saw this picture, because you weren’t expecting that. LP: Oh yeah, I was just shocked. I said, wow! Look at this! And, so I got a picture of it, and I one, it wasn’t really good. Not as good as the picture they had in the book. But it was pretty good. So, I had that. I made a mistake, of course, my daughter is not going to own up to it. She lived in, she bought a place in Nuyaka. RS: I knew you said that it got misplaced. You wanted to have… LP: It’s gone. RS: Have you discussed with the library or asked the library what happened to the book? LP: Over and over. I went and they said… RS: And they don’t know? LP: They said, well, what happened was when they were doing the remodel, some of the… RS: So, the remodel, like years ago? LP: Like, now. RS: Oh! Recently. LP: Yeah, it wasn’t like that back then. RS: Right. So, so like how many years ago did you find this picture, approximately? LP: Oh, gosh, it’s been several years. RS: And, so they don’t think they, don’t think they have it? LP: They don’t have it. RS: They don’t have it. LP: Someone was allowed, two or three different people… RS: Oh, no! LP: Famous for the town of Bristow, Krumme’s, and I don’t know who else… RS: Right. LP: And got the, were able, were okay’d to take that whole book and took it, and it’s gone. RS: It’s gone. LP: Something like that you let them take copies. You don’t let them have the book. RS: Right. Well, it’s kind of like at the historical society, we try to preserve everything so everyone can, can see it and enjoy it. LP: Everyone can see it. RS: Right. LP: I went back to see if I could get another picture of it. No, it’s gone! You mean the whole book? It should be here in the library somewhere. Not there. RS: Oh, I hate to hear that. So, to clarify, your family ended up moving here because they kind of got in a scuffle in Texas, but was there any other, like, economic reasons why they came? Was it for farming or? LP: They heard Bristow was, it wasn’t even Bristow then. RS: Right, right. It wasn’t Bristow yet. LP: So, they were coming in, and it wound up so amazing that Joseph Alfred was the oldest boy sitting next to his mom and dad, and he wound up, they were things were growing. RS: Before you go on with that, so your great-grandpa was Joseph Eli Peters [1856-1931]. Do you great-grandma’s name was? LP: Mary [Mary Margaret Richardson Peters 1865-1936]. RS: Mary Peters? LP: Yeah. RS: Okay. So, go ahead. I just wanted to make sure I have that down. LP: Well, it wound up that things were growing. You know, at one time, and I’ve still got some of the paperwork on it, telling about Indians were out here around Bristow. RS: Oh, yeah. LP: And they sent a couple Indians in to tell the town, the people…you’ve got a certain amount of time, I forget how much time it was. It wasn’t a lot. The town got together, they all pulled in and got together, and so they sent sentries out all the way around town. The Indians were going to kill anyone that’s left here. RS: I’ve heard some of that about that story. LP: Yeah, and, so it wound up that nothing happened. It was just a scare tactic. RS: Right, a scare tactic. LP: And it didn’t work. RS: And it didn’t work. LP: But Joseph Alfred wound up, Slick and Beggs were people starting to build up communities out that way. RS: Right. LP: And, so, they had a little post office out there, somewhere between Slick and Beggs, and they were taking bids for like a Pony Express for someone to ride, get the mail and bring it back to Bristow. RS: Right. LP: He wanted to be it. Joseph Alfred wanted to be it. So, he met this post-mistress in that little post office thing and they got married. He wound up with, I think it was five kids. They had a little house they had built and had five kids, and she was pregnant again. She was, you know, not too far away she thought, and, so, him and the kids took off and went somewhere doing something or other. I never did find out what it was. When they got back, she was laying in the kitchen floor dead. RS: Oh no! LP: And lost the baby, and there was a pool of blood. RS: I mean, I just can’t even imagine trying to live in those times, and the, I mean it’s easy for us to say now, oh, you know, we miss the good old days or whatever. But, my goodness, they had it SO hard. LP: SO bad. RS: Yeah. LP: Had it so bad. And, so, he wound up placing the kids here and over there, and he wound up meeting a young lady that was traveling through Bristow. They were going to Pryor. They knew someone up there. The dad did. And they were going to try to do some farming or something. He married that girl, and got his kids and took off up there. He wound up with 16 kids, 16 kids all together. RS: Can you imagine feeding that many mouths? LP: Oh my gosh! You better be a good farmer! RS: I know! LP: Of course, when we bought our place out here, I had the kids out there. We built a big garden. I had a big tiller, and I’d till. I worked for Haliburton then, and I’d till up a whole bunch of stuff, and Rita was the garden girl. She planted every kind of stuff. She grew up like with her mom and dad. So, the kids were throwing rocks out and get the rocks over here, and… RS: They knew how to do it, didn’t they? LP: Yeah, they knew how to do it. They learned how to do it. They didn’t want to do it, but they did. RS: They didn’t have a choice, huh? LP: Do you like to eat? RS: Yeah. LP: This is going to be food. RS: Well, that’s a very interesting, I have enjoyed hearing your very, very early ties, your family’s ties to Bristow. That’s pretty cool. So, your grandpa’s brother was part of the Pony Express. LP: There was another deal that I got. My grandpa, when I was a little guy, we walked, he walked. He didn’t drive very often. RS: And, who was this? Your? LP: Ira Emerson [Ira “Em” Emerson Peters 1895-1966]. RS: Okay. LP: On Chestnut. RS: Okay, uh-huh. LP: And he had me, and of course, summertime, he and I’d take off and Barbara Jean would stay there with grandma. And she was a little bitty gal. She was real short. She dipped snuff, too. She was just as sweet as she could be, though. Never heard a bad word or anything. Grandpa wound up as the senior Sunday school teacher for the Free Holiness Church, south end of town. RS: Right. LP: But anyway, him and I would walk up, and I was wearing these little strappy t-shirts with little strap across, white t-shirt. And walk with him. Walked up and we’d walk up Main Street. Walk up one side and down the other side. There was Theodore Abraham [1903-1980]. I don’t know if you ever heard of him. RS: Yes, I think so. LP: He was a police officer for quite a while, and he wound up being, like the judge, you know of traffic things of Bristow. RS: Right. LP: Well, I would, everyone would call grandpa Em. And he worked at the post office for a long time. We would run into Theodore Abraham, and him and grandpa were friends. And Theodore would say, who ya got here? And, grandpa would say, well, that’s Louis Mitchell. I call him Junior. He said, you look like a pretty good-sized boy. He said, let me see your muscles. I would take a big breath of air and big chest and put my muscles up like that. He said, here, Em, you give this boy, take him up there to get a big ice cream cone. You know they had Glen Cliff had an ice cream store on the north end of main. We’d go up there and sit down and get me a big ice cream. I always called it White House Cherry is what they called it. It had cherry bits in the ice cream. I always got that. I wound up, later on, thankful for Theodore Abraham, because when I got older, I had a Mustang. My mom and step-dad… RS: Did he help keep you out of some trouble? LP: Oh my gosh! Yeah, yeah. RS: It was good to have him as a friend, huh? LP: Well, my uncle was a policeman at the time. RS: Oh, gosh! LP: They had one guy that worked, they did shifts, my Uncle Mike would come in and he got in there about 7 o’clock or something like that. At the time, I was working at Liberty Glass in Sapulpa, until that day. I had this Mustang. The Fords, I don’t know if you ever knew any of the Ford family. They lived out north of town right in the curve. That was an uncle. That was my Grandma Newell’s sister and her husband lived out there. He was a mechanic. I had this Mustang, I went and got it. It was a hot rod car. His boys were good mechanics. We took the head off and put two four-barrel carburetors on there and shackles on the back end. You could almost do a wheelie. RS: Oh, my goodness! LP: That car would almost do a wheelie. Of course, we’d go out around Heyburn Lake and some boy from Kellyville had a ’57 Chevy and has his car hopped up pretty good. We had one part of this road out there we could race on. RS: I feel like a race is fixing to happen. LP: Yeah. And we’d race. Sometimes he’d win and sometimes I’d win. Well, one day… RS: So, was it paved or was it gravel. LP: It was paved. RS: Okay. LP: One day, I was coming down main street, and I was going south, and this ’57 Chevy pulled up next to me from Kellyville. Well, the light was red. He revved his engine up and I did mine. We took off and raced to the next stoplight. It was pretty even. RS: And this is on main street? LP: On main street in Bristow. RS: Oh, yeah, this is on main street. LP: It was not like it is now. RS: Right, right. LP: We took off again, and right there where the Subway sandwich shop is, there was a building that sits out, and you could park there by the sandwich shop and people coming down from the north of main couldn’t see a car. My Uncle Mike was sitting there in the police car. RS: Oh, no! LP: Well, we come down through, we caught the stoplight green. We were flying down main street! He turned his lights on and took off. We turned out going up where the pecan plant used to be, and we went up that hill over the railroad tracks air born. RS: Oh, no! LP: We kept control of the car and got to the next stoplight. Johnny Spencer used to live in that two-story house on the left side. He’s one that had the store up on the north end of town at that time. Anyway, we stopped there, we stopped and took off again. Here come the cop car. Well, the ’57 Chevy didn’t stop, but I pulled over. It was my Uncle Mike. RS: Oh, boy! LP: He said, what are you doing?! What are you doing?! You can’t do that down main street in Bristow. You know better than all that, you know. He said, well, I got an idea that I can take you home. We lived, my step-dad and mom had bought some property out west of town. Not quite. There was a road that goes off the highway 16, and it goes over the railroad, over the bridge, over the turnpike. So, we had to land all the way out there by the turnpike, but anyway, he took me in and said, okay, so my mom got mad. My step-dad would hardly ever say anything, you know better than that. Yeah, I did, but I did it. RS: So, was this when, were you in high, were you, like, a senior or was this… LP: I was a senior. RS: Okay, you were a senior, okay. LP: Yeah, and so I said, well, he said I’m going to ground you from your car. You’re not going to drive that Mustang for a couple weeks. Well, my step-dad would come in. They had an optical shop and he would drive back and forth. He come in an put on his bib overalls, you know, like a farmer. Mr. Barnett had a store, I don’t know if you remember him. There used to be a store when you come off that road goes straight over past the where the city lake is and the armory. RS: Uh-huh. LP: That same road that goes straight west. We lived out there a ways. And, so, he said, I don’t want to go and get [indecipherable]. Mr. Barnett’s got some really good beef bologna and cheese in big blocks. He said, give me some money. Give me $20 and said go in and get some bologna and spend the twenty and get some bologna and cheese and bring it back. Well, hey, I can’t drive my car. He said, well, take my truck. So, he had a Ford truck, of course, they were friends with the Ford dealership…and, so, Dewade (ph) and Majel. So, I got his truck. It was running pretty good. I got in a race with my cousin. RS: Oh, no! LP: I beat him. So, he got mad and told them. RS: Oh, no! LP: You got a hot truck there. What do you mean a hot truck? Bud and me was racing. He said, he beat me. Okay. You got mad and you got even with me, didn’t you, didn’t you, yes, for beating ya. RS: That was your second strike! LP: Yeah, it worked out okay. It worked out okay. RS: Oh, that’s funny! So, was the Mustang your first car? LP: Yeah, well, no. No, now my first car was a car from, my step-dad had an optical shop in a building with other businesses in there, and there was an eye doctor right across the hall from his door. My mom was running the secretary. She did all the paperwork and all that kind of stuff, and he did all the measuring and everything and lenses and stuff. So, this guy across the hall, the eye doctor’s mom had been over in England and had some old car. And I don’t remember if that’s where he was from or what, but they brought the car back, too, on a ship. Her and the car, and I don’t know what all kind of a ship it was, but anyway, they come in, he said, she’s gotten too feeble to drive the car, so I bought it. It was my first…I had saved money from working and doing odd jobs and stuff. And, so, I bought that car for $90. RS: $90?! What kind of car was it? Do you even know? LP: It was an old clunker, but it run, it run okay. RS: So, I guess it was a foreign car? LP: No, it was a…it seemed like it was a Plymouth or something like that. RS: Oh, okay. LP: Kind of a junky, but it was… RS: Well, for $90 I think that’s a bargain! LP: The only seat that was worn out was the driver’s seat where she’d sat. RS: Right. LP: She didn’t haul anybody around. Practically like new. So, I bought it and put gas in it and it’d run. So anyway, I wound up getting rid of that thing. Emmett Dykes had a car lot. I don’t know if you remember him? RS: Emmett Dykes was my great uncle. LP: Oh, I thought the world of him. He was so good. RS: Yes, we grew up by where he lived, and so we had the run of his land as kids and loved it. I know he always had his car lots or whatever. LP: Emmett was such an awesome guy. RS: Yeah. LP: I’d go by and he said, well, now, you don’t like that one, so you brought it back, so he said, and that’s okay. He said I’ll sell it. Somebody will buy it. He said, well, pick you one out. So, I’d pick one out and try that. RS: It’s not like that these days! LP: No, huh-uh. So, I was dating Rita, and I had gotten into with the school guy here at Bristow and walked out. So, my dad had to go get signatures from city council members or something so I could go to Depew. We were only a half a mile inside Depew’s range. RS: Right. LP: So, he got signatures. Everybody knew him. So, I wound up in Depew. I’d drive that car back and forth to over there. Well, they had a, I can’t remember that cop’s name, but he was mean. RS: Well, it sounds like you should know ALL the cops with the way you drove. LP: Yeah, yeah. He, I can’t think of that guy’s name. He wound up…he was a mean dude. He stopped me one day right around in at lunch time. He said, he stopped me one time. I wasn’t doing anything, and he stopped me, and I pulled over, and he was really hateful. He said, I heard about you been hot-rodding around town here. I said, no. Have you seen me hot-rodding around town? No. He said, well, I’m going to call…you hot-rod around Bristow? I said, no. Well, he called over. Well, my uncle was a policeman. He said my name. You got anything to say about this young man? No, everything is fine. RS: So, he vouched for you? LP: He didn’t tell him anything, yeah. And, so, he said, okay, he said, I’m going to let you go. Get back in your car and drive slow. Don’t be hot-rodding around. If I catch ya, I’ll get ya. So, I got out and slammed his door and got back in my car and wound up he never did…wish I could think of that guy’s name. He was mean as a snake, a two-headed snake. He was mean. Anyway, but he didn’t ever get anything with me. RS: Well, that’s good. LP: I come out of it alright. RS: So, you had, so you had the car from the old lady was your first car. And, then, I guess you had several cars from Uncle Emmett [Emmett Dykes]. LP: Yeah, he would say, well, what was funny, Rita lived, if you go toward Depew and you kind of go up a hill, there’s a curve there, and you go up a hill, and then you go down the hill and you turn into Depew. Well, she lived in that farmhouse up on that curve on the right-hand side if you were going west. Her, her sisters and brothers…I was riding the school bus because I had gotten my car took away from me, and I had to ride the school bus, and I watched, and instead of the bus stopping on the highway in front of the house, which would be a bad deal, they pulled up on that gravel road right behind it. So, she had to walk out of the house, across the little bit of the pasture and then crawl through the barbed-wire fence. So, I was sitting on the bus watching her, and I said, oooo. I said, oooo. I’m going to have to learn who she is. And, so, I did. And, we started dating, and yeah, said okay, I said this is, this is it. This is who I’m going to marry. I know I’m going to marry her. Well, she was still a senior, and I was out of school then. RS: You were out of school? LP: Yeah, and working. It turned out to be, I said, we loved each other so much, we wanted to get married. She’s still in school. She could still go to school. I mean, her legs are fine. I mean, she can go to school. RS: Right. LP: We’ll get a house. We’ll find something to live in here in Depew and be right there close. And, so, we had to really, both of us, really promise, because her dad was a, you know, pretty…big, rough, rowdy guy, Lorn Reed [1921-1988]. I don’t know if you ever heard of him. RS: I haven’t. LP: Yeah, he was a big old boy. RS: So, you knew you better keep your promises. LP: Yeah, you keep, I told him, I said, we PROMISE, we PROMISE, cross my heart, hope to die. I will make sure she goes. Well, it wasn’t very long, she was getting sick, pregnant. RS: Oh, gosh. LP: You get up and wash your face and you get your clothes on. You are going to school. RS: Because I’m not going to break my promise to your dad. LP: I’m not going to get beat up by your dad. RS: Oh, my goodness! LP: We promised. We promised to do it. And it worked out fine. RS: Well, so I was going to ask you, like, when did you meet your spouse and what was your first impression, but I guess you told me. You… LP: I watched her crawl under that barbed-wire fence, and I said, I’m going to know her! She got on the bus and I kept looking at her. I said, okay! I’m going to meet you! RS: So, did you get engaged or did you just get married or? LP: Yeah, we got married. RS: So, you didn’t even really have an engagement period? LP: No. Well, I wouldn’t allow her out with anybody else. She wasn’t going anywhere. RS: You had her on lock down, huh? LP: Yeah. Yeah, she’s mine. RS: So, where did you, where did you get married? LP: We got married in Depew. RS: You got married in Depew. LP: Yeah, right there in Depew. RS: Were you at like at a church or a house? LP: Oh, it was a church. RS: At a church. LP: I can’t remember his name. But, Rita remembers everything, thank God. I’ll ask her, who’s that? Well, another thing, we got in the store after Haliburton closed. I had worked my way up to a supervisor driving a car. I moved myself up the line. You have to learn how to do everything on every truck, so I wound up learning all of it. There was one guy named, I don’t know if you ever heard of Jack Vickers [Jack Wesley Vickers 1927-2012]? RS: I, I know Jack Vickers, and he was a wonderful man. Yeah, wonderful man. LP: He took care of ALL that, all the parts, all the, everything we ran, everything we used. He had part numbers. Some of them several digits long, and he said he’d order on, it was all spent when he’d inventory, you’d count everything. And the big tanks, you had to run a plumb bob down and measure how much feet of this you’ve got. RS: He was on top of all of it. LP: Oh, he was so good at it. I told him, I said, when the oil field slowed down, they were importing oil and everything was going bad, we started laying off. And I was still driving a car, selling jobs. Every time I could find a rig, I was rushing in trying to get something going. I come in one day and he said I’m going to retire. I said, we were laying off people. I would come in…we had one office in Haliburton’s building, and one big room like this, and we had desks on both sides of the wall and a walk way in the middle. I said, their stuff’s gone. He said, they’re gone. RS: Oh, no. LP: I’d come in a couple weeks later, and I said, now he’s gone. Ohhhkay. So, I must be doing something right. I’m still here. Some of the others had more time than me and they were gone. RS: Right, but, obviously, times are tough, and it makes you a little nervous. LP: Yeah, you’re worried. RS: Yeah. LP: I said, oh my gosh. I wanted to stay here until I had to retire. Well, I wound up asking Jack Vickers, I said, can you teach me how to what you do? RS: Which was smart. LP: Yeah. He said, you would want to learn this? I said, yes sir, I do. I said I could see the writing on the wall. I can see what’s coming down. RS: You needed to be valuable, didn’t you? LP: Yeah. RS: Yeah. LP: So, I needed…I got all this going for me here, so I’ve got good parts with the main man is in Oklahoma City [Oklahoma]. He was over the whole division. He and I were pretty good buddies. He knew I worked hard, so he taught me how to do that. I was afraid that, I was afraid to do the button. He said, you ain’t gonna blow it up. You ain’t gonna hurt it. You’re okay. Just make sure when you put your numbers in, you look at it, and yeah, that’s the number I got. You had ten. You used three. You need three back. And we keep ten on this, because we have enough to get by and maybe one or two extra. So, I said, I understand. I learned all that. One day, the big boss come down because things were just going bad. We had lost a lot of people that were just workers. They didn’t run trucks. RS: Right. LP: ‘Cause we had all had to learn how to run trucks before we could do anything. I wound up getting that job. And Leroy Shirley (ph) was the guy’s name, and he come down from Oklahoma City [Oklahoma], and he would tell us what all was going on with the company. You know, there was some bad things going on. The oil field is going down hill. So, I asked him one day, I said, can I talk to you for a little bit? He said, yeah, he said let’s walk down the line where all the trucks are parked. That’ll get something going, me walking with the big boss. RS: People are going to be talking. LP: And it did. I told him, I said, have you found anybody to take over Jack Vickers place? And he said, no, he said I’ve looked over the whole division. There’s no one anywhere that I think is capable of doing it. I said, I can do it. He said, you learned how to do that? I said, yes sir. He’s been training me for quite a while now, and I said, I’ve got it. I’ve got it down. RS: That’s awesome. LP: And he’s wanting to retire, and I don’t blame him for that. He had, like, forty years in, I think. So, he said, you got it. I said, now, well, wait a minute. The boss here, we had our boss had retired, and we had a new guy come in, an engineer, and he and I had bumped heads a few times. I said, he might not want me to have it. He said, well, guess what? He works for me. Okay. Okay then. RS: I’m good with it. LP: I’m good. I’m good. I can do it. I promise, I can do it. So, he talked to Jack Vickers. He verified. He said, yeah, he’s got it down. It wound up, he retired, I wound up having to do the inventory and the dispatching, just the phones. Of course, they wasn’t ringing us like they used to be when it was busy, so. RS: Right. LP: It wasn’t bad. RS: It wasn’t bad. Well, let me back you up just a little bit, because when you and I had talked before, as far as concerning your work life, you said worked on a pulling unit for Bristow Well Service, but then, I want you to tell the story about HOW you got your job at Haliburton, because I thought that was kind of neat. LP: You see, we wound up, we wound up her and I did, her brother, she has an uncle, she has kinfolk in Wichita, Kansas. Her brother, Junior Reed, and he’s just like a brother almost. We were so close. We’d play card games and all kinds of stuff when they were down here. He up and moved up there. One of his uncles up there worked for Love Box Company, was the name of it. RS: My dad worked for Love Box. LP: Did he? RS: Yes! LP: Well. RS: Isn’t that something? LP: Yeah, he told me at the time, I was working for the highway department in Chandler. Me and Rita and we had Susie. She was the only one we had at that time. He come down, of course, we missed each other being able to, we’d hunt and fish together and everything. I really missed him bad. You ain’t got nothing like that in Wichita, Kansas. We wound up, he said, he come down, he said, you need…they’re hiring. They’re paying good money, good money. And, he said, so you ought to come up here. You can get on just like that. Well, they wound up getting a corrugator, that’s the one that makes the paper. It’s a city block long, that whole things is. Well, I wound up on the end of it where you do all the, they’d already made the paper complete. RS: So, this was in… LP: Wichita, Kansas. RS: So, you went to Wichita? LP: Yeah, he talked me into it, so here we went. RS: So, wait, so you had…I thought you went from Bristow Well Service to Haliburton. Did you do that in between? LP: Well, I wound up leaving the…no, when I came back. I had worked on Bristow Well Service for a while and Leon, I can’t remember his last name, he ran the deal. RS: Because I thought you had told me whenever you worked at Bristow Well Service that you had…would go over to Haliburton for coffee. LP: Oh, I did. Yeah. RS: And that that’s…I wanted you to tell that story of how you ended up meeting the boss there and getting on there. LP: Oh, yeah, Wink Almond was his name. He was such a great guy. He would…and my brother-in-law, married my sister, Leroy Maroon [Melvin “Leroy” Maroon 1947-2022], married Barbara. He wasn’t working there at the time, but Melvin was, his dad. He was a dispatcher. So, if it rained or anything, they wouldn’t hire…the wells were just making small amounts, so they couldn’t afford to get a dozer and stuff and pull them in and back out. It cost a lot of money, so wound up just shutting down. No day, no pay. RS: Right. LP: Haliburton wasn’t that way. Come to find out. I didn’t know it, but I’d go by there and drink…Melvin Maroon was dispatching. They had them half doors with the one part you could push open and kept the other one shut. And they had a big chalk board there, and you’d write down so-in-so was at this place or that place. And he sat there and run the phone lines. He could transfer to the boss upstairs or where ever. So, I was there leaning on that bottom half door with it shut, talking to Melvin, and the boss come down stairs. He had an office right up over head. He come down and said…I had to move out of his way, so he could see the board and stuff and talk to Melvin, and said, who are you? He said, I’ve seen you in here two or three times drinking coffee and talking to Melvin. So, I introduced myself, and I said, I want to work here. This is where I want to be. He said, well, he said we’re actually not hiring right now because the oil was still not doing so good. So, we talked a while and he asked me about my family everything, and he said, well, come on upstairs and we will talk a little bit. Went up there, and he told me…he spent a long time telling me how bad it was. He said, the divorce rate is higher here at Haliburton than in any other job you can find in America. RS: Oh, my goodness. LP: It’s that bad. He said because… RS: You’re never at home. LP: I said, how’s that? He said, well, if we get busy, you’re working. There’s no time clock. You’re working. You may be no telling where. He said, if we get another job, we’re going to be move you over and you’re going to that, and you’re not coming in. He said, so, she’s gonna…you got kids? Yeah. He said, well, you tell your wife all this because I’m going to ask her if you told her. So, I said, well, I’ll tell her. He said, you better, because I’ll ask her. She wasn’t wild about it. I said, well, it makes a lot more money. They buy my food and everything. Uniforms, everything. They do everything. RS: Because, I know you’d said when you were working for Bristow Well Service you were ruining clothes every day and… LP: Oh, I didn’t have any good clothes left. Yeah, they was all nasty. RS: Yeah. Right. LP: And we didn’t have a lot of money, because if you weren’t working, you couldn’t pull a well. RS: Right, you didn’t get paid. LP: You’d sit at home doing nothing. RS: Right. LP: So, I wound up talking…about a month after he hired me, she wanted me to quit and go back, and I said, I’m not doing it. I’m not doing it. You’re gonna have to get tough. We gotta have this money. RS: Right. LP: Okay, well. She wound up appreciating it, but every time the phone would if I was home, I’d jump. RS: Because you just never knew. LP: Yeah, you just know, you’re gonna be gone. RS: So, then from there, you ended up with your store, which was Bud’s Mini Mart? LP: Yeah. RS: And you were there for how many years? LP: Seventeen years. RS: Seventeen years. LP: A little bit over seventeen, not but seventeen… RS: Did you enjoy, enjoy having your store? LP: Well, yeah, we did. We had, I think, a lot of friends. RS: Yes. Everybody, that’s how I, you know, really got to know you. LP: A lot of great people. RS: I grew up through my high school years going to your store. LP: Yeah, we had one, I got tickled at some them would come in and be in their fuzzy house shoes and pajamas. I said, I don’t care where you’re from. You look comfortable to me! RS: Whatever works! LP: Yeah, you’re covered up, so, if you’re comfortable, that’s good. RS: But it was a lot of work and took a lot of your time to run it, right? LP: We’d get up at 3 o’clock in the morning and take a shower and get dressed and hustle to the store. By the time we got everything…I did all the cooking, a big broaster they had back there, boy, it was amazing. Did all the stocking and that kind of stuff. All the labor fixing things, and that kind of deal. It wound up, Rita was really good with numbers and people and registers and stuff. I wound up having fourteen cameras. RS: Oh, my goodness. LP: When my daughter joined the Navy, right out of high school. She went down to Florida, and she wound up working in a, in Florida, underground, you would never know they were working bombs and stuff in a huge thick door. She was in there with that, and she wound up with MS [multiple sclerosis] from all the stuff that she did. RS: Oh, I didn’t know that. LP: She was good at what she did, and got married to a marine. Had marines there that were guarding the whole thing. He lived in Washington state, and so, when she got out, they went to Washington state. Had the kids, a little girl and a boy [Cody Austin Everett, Courtney Sue Everett]. And she lost one boy. He was a miscarriage. Then she had another boy, and he’s with us now. RS: Oh, so, while we kind of transitioned back to your family, let me ask you about your children. How many children do you have? LP: We’ve got three. RS: You have three. And tell me what their names are. LP: Susie, Barbara Sue [Barbara Sue Peters]. RS: Barbara Sue but goes by Susie. LP: Yeah. RS: Okay. LP: Then we had Scott, Mitchell Scott [Mitchell “Scott” Peters]. RS: Okay. LP: And then we had Brian Joseph Peters. RS: Okay and, then, how many grandchildren do you have? LP: Six. A boy and a girl in each one. [Cody Austin Everett, Courtney Sue Everett, Joseph Eli Peters, Elsi Ruth Peters, Cameron Joseph Peters, Macy Ray Peters] RS: A boy and a girl in each family. And I, actually, know all of your, I know all of your kids. I think in high school, I think I played one year of softball with Susie. LP: Yeah. RS: And, then, of course, I know Scott and know Brian as well. So, what would you say was your biggest challenge as being a dad to your kids when they were growing up? What was the biggest challenge? LP: Oh, they were, they were all three of them so good that I didn’t have, we didn’t have any problem at all. RS: What a blessing. LP: There was no problems at all. RS: So, you enjoyed being a dad. LP: Oh, yeah, they were just wonderful. RS: Wonderful kids. LP: Just wonderful. RS: And, then, what do you think about those grandkids? LP: Oh! They are so amazing! Scott’s boy [Joseph Eli Peters], of course, I knew, before that…Karah, his wife, Karah, she’s amazing, too. They are really into church. She teaches, now, she’s a school teacher, has been for years. We sat out on the patio, behind their house there, you could open the Bible up and he could recite verse for verse. RS: And this is Scott’s son that can do this? LP: Yeah. RS: Oh, my goodness. LP: And the daughter [Elsi Ruth Peters] is learning to do it, too. She can quite a ways, too. And never miss a word! You can just read it. He just went on and on. Well, now, we just recently, we went to a reunion. I had never been to one in Pryor. RS: And that’s where the, was it the Alfred family had… LP: That’s where he moved to, started that whole thing. RS: Where he had the 16, ended up having the 16 kids. LP: He started the whole thing up there. RS: So, you went to a family reunion in Pryor? Okay. LP: Yeah, it was about 200 of us. RS: Oh, my. LP: It was just amazing. I just couldn’t understand how in the world they all had a lot of kids! RS: Right. LP: All of them. RS: So, probably impossible to even talk to everybody. LP: Yeah. Oh, I didn’t get to talk to everybody. I didn’t get to meet a bunch of them. Going to the seniors, what I wanted to do was have, I wanted to make copies of that photo and didn’t have it. RS: And you didn’t get to do it. LP: Because, man, I would have been a, I’d a been a big hit. They didn’t have that. RS: Right. LP: I told them about it, but Scott’s trying to find who took that book, who took that book with that photo. RS: To get the picture. LP: To get a picture. Just one copy of it. RS: So, did you, at your family reunion, did you learn any interesting new facts about your family? LP: No, I pretty much knew. RS: Or, were you the one that had all the interesting facts? LP: I had a lot of interesting facts. Of course, we knew all their bunch, and all their stuff. I don’t know what all they did in newer times here. I remember the old ones. Scott remembers, he knows all this. And he knew, and he had studied genealogy. We got it all the way back to England. Their names. He actually went up, he’s taken trips. He’s doing pretty good. So, he went up all in the northeast where all the people were back then. Our kinfolk come over from England and started business. He, actually, got to go to some of the old cemeteries and look at their markers and everything. It was all so cool. RS: Yeah, that’s very cool. Well, let’s see. Let’s talk a little bit more…I wanted to ask you a couple of other questions. So, when you were growing up, did you get to watch any TV, and if so, what were some of your favorite programs? LP: Red Skelton. RS: Red Skelton, okay. LP: Yeah. You ever hear of him? RS: Yeah…oh yeah! LP: He was, my grandpa was real religious, and grandma. We sat there, he had a… RS: So, now did you say your Grandpa Em, did you say he ended up being the preacher at the Holiness Church? LP: Yeah, he was the senior’s preacher. RS: The senior’s preacher. So, do you feel like, I’m getting a little off track, but I meant to ask you this earlier. Do you feel like, because it sounded like you were, maybe a little bit of an ornery youngster, did he help keep you in line? Did he help instill good values? Do you feel like you got a lot of that from him? LP: Yeah, yeah. He was amazing. RS: So, you watched Red Skelton. LP: And baseball. RS: And baseball, of course, baseball. So, do you remember seeing any pivotal moments in history that you watched on TV? Can you remember anything that stuck out to you growing up? LP: I’m trying to think of anything. I can’t think. This dementia’s got me… RS: That’s okay. That’s okay, we can move on. So, did you end up going to church with your Grandpa Em? LP: Oh, listen, the preacher’s name at that time when I was going there was Brother Perry. RS: Brother Perry. LP: That’s what they called him. That’s all I knew. He would come out, I mean, he would be hollering. He would come out and he’d walk around… RS: And it’s the same building that’s there now? LP: Yeah, except they’ve got it so nice now. It’s really good. And I’m glad to see that there’s that many people. RS: Right. LP: But he would, I would sit by grandpa and grandma, Barbara Jean sat by grandma. He would be going hitting the deal and start walking around and get loud, and I would try to get up behind grandpa. He’s gonna get me! RS: Was it a full contact service? LP: Yeah, he’s gonna get me! RS: Do you remember singing any particular songs or having anything like? LP: Jesus Loves Me. RS: Jesus Loves Me. LP: This I know! RS: Well, I also wanted to ask, in your family, you know how you talk about like, especially at your grandparent’s, Newell’s, what were holidays like for your family? Was Christmas a big deal? Like what was Christmas like for your family? LP: Oh, Christmas was amazing. We’d all be out, usually we’d go to the Newell’s and have a big time. The food was… RS: That’s what I was gonna say, like what was the food like? LP: Oh my, everything is homemade. You just couldn’t get there quick enough. There was, I didn’t like, I wouldn’t eat hominy. I would not eat grits. I didn’t like green beans. RS: Oh, no. You didn’t like green beans? LP: Yeah, and I really don’t know why. When they honk the horn, if we were out playing, here we come. We all come in lined up. One thing, Mitch Glisson, I don’t know if you ever knew him? RS: I did not. LP: Yeah, he was an ornery sucker. He was a cousin. And one of my mom’s sisters, Jimmy. They were all, they were all…everything was homecooked. I mean, you didn’t buy a pizza or anything. You cooked. He was so ornery. He’d get, used to be, horny toads or lizard or any kind of little thing. My mom would jump up on this table and scream. She couldn’t deal with it. She was just scared to death. But any kind of little bug…I do that to my wife once in a while, I’ll get a June bug…Look! Look! RS: So, you’re still ornery. That’s what you’re saying?! LP: Don’t do it. Don’t do it. RS: That’s funny. LP: I’d get a locust is what I’d like to get, but I hadn’t caught one yet. RS: Well, so thinking back to, like, your town life when you were here, not necessarily while you were in Tulsa, but, like, say, before you left and when you came back your senior year…were there any favorite, like, community activities that you remember doing? Say, like, maybe, Western Heritage Days, day camps, county fairs? LP: Oh, Western Heritage Days, they had rodeos and stuff going on. Uncle Mike and Clarence Earl [Clarence Earl Newell 1936-2011], his brother, big brother, were always in the rodeo. And, then, my cousin, Dwight Pilant, he was a clown. He would do the clown thing out there, get all goofy looking. RS: Right. LP: Run behind the barrels and stuff. And it was a lot of fun. Just so much fun watching the rodeos. Mike got thrown one time and got hurt, I think, and Clarence Earl, he was on the ground and a bull, and Clarence Earl jumped over the fence and got him. And got him out of there before the bull could get him. You never know what they’re gonna do. It was scary. RS: So, you got to, you got to partake in all the Western Heritage Days activities. LP: Yeah, yeah. RS: Seemed like a really, I mean, they’ve tried to revive it in recent years, but it seemed like a REALLY big deal, like, you know, back when you were younger. LP: Oh, it was just packed out. RS: Yeah. LP: It was just packed out. RS: All the festivities, the parade, the rodeo. They said they had dances and all kinds of fun stuff. LP: Yeah, it was amazing. RS: So, do you recall, like, what were the biggest or most popular businesses around town when you were growing up? Like, did you have a favorite place to eat out? Or did you get to eat out very often when you were younger? LP: We almost always ate at home, but we used to go up, me and grandpa used to always like to go up to the north end of town. We’d walk up there and, I can’t remember the name of the place was, Frosty Free…no, it wasn’t…that was my sister’s… RS: It seemed like there was a Frosty Freeze, there was a Tastee Freeze. LP: It was a Frosty Freeze was, they had a business, my brother-in-law, he’s passed away now, Leroy Maroon. His mom and dad had a business right across the street from where the ice plant was. Where the Community Bank is now. They were across the street right there at the railroad tracks. I think that was a Frosty Freeze. And they had food, hot dog, corn dogs and that kind of stuff there. RS: And you like going there? LP: They had it for several years. RS: So, where was your favorite, like, hang out as a teenager? Other than racing down main street. LP: Yeah, yeah pretty much we’d go to, they had a skating rink. RS: A lot of people talk about the skating rink. LP: Had two, had two movie theaters. Princess and the Walmur, I think was the name of it. RS: Yes, yes. LP: I think that’s right. RS: So, you enjoyed the movie theaters and skating. LP: Oh, yeah. We’d go watch a movie. RS: So, was the skating rink down here on, what would that be? Sixth Street, I think? Like, down in the basement of the one building. LP: Yeah, uh-huh. RS: So, whenever you were growing up, and I don’t know if this would have been more at your, your house or maybe more at your grandparent’s house, what were meal time, meal times like in your family? Did everyone sit down at the dinner table and eat together in the evenings or? LP: Well, me and my sister…Bobby, Donnie and Glenna [Pierce], my step-sister and step-brothers, their mom had gotten remarried. The guy was in the army. They wound up, what happened is they wound up going overseas to Okinawa. So, she had, of course, the boys were glad to get away from me, because I was mean as a snake. RS: So, do you feel like you were, do you feel like maybe, so were just ornery from the beginning or do you feel like that come from, maybe, some of your circumstances? LP: Just the circumstances. RS: The circumstances. LP: And what they did. RS: Right. LP: Tearing up everything I had that I valued. RS: Right. That kept you pretty unhappy and frustrated. LP: I was, yeah, I was just mean. I, actually, defended him once because we lived on Latimer. It was kind of funny because, my mom and dad, at one time, lived on Latimer of Sheridan, north Sheridan. We was in a house on the east, it would be the east side of Latimer, or Sheridan, I mean. East side of Sheridan. And they wound up buying, owning a house across on the other side of the street, Latimer. Wound up kinda weird. We had a garage on end of the house, and they made it into a bedroom. Had bunk beds again. The boys slept up there and I slept down here by myself. Of course, we’d get into it about every day. I got even once. I took them snipe hunting. They come back in bad shape. Briars down there and I pushed them off in it. They were all littlblood spots here and there. Throwing rocks at me, and I said, if you hit me, you’re gonna pay. You better think about it. RS: So, with knowing that you were kind of in turmoil when you moved to Tulsa, what was your school life like here before you left. Did you enjoy school? LP: I can’t remember a day of it. RS: You don’t remember any of it? LP: Not one day of it. I told Rita, we got this store here right beside Washington School, used to be. RS: And you don’t remember. LP: I’m almost sure I went there, but I can’t recall one day! RS: You don’t recall any of it. LP: Not one day of it. RS: And, then, I know you said, you know, you went to school in Tulsa for a while, then you moved back to Bristow. You tried to go to Bristow High School, and that didn’t work out, so then… LP: Yeah, that didn’t work out at all. RS: You ended up going to Depew, but then you, also, told me that it kind of didn’t work out there either and you ended up leaving before, like, the end of the school year? LP: Yeah. I got mad. RS: You got mad and you just… LP: Of course, he stuck behind his teacher, you know. She would, it was a sewing class. Okay, they tried to put me in something here in Bristow that was early hours. He said you’re going to do it. I bet I don’t. These are my legs. RS: I have a feeling you don’t tell Bud Peters what he’s going to do. LP: Yeah, if I think it’s reasonable, I’ll do it. If it helps something, I’ll do it. But you ain’t gonna tell me. It’s not gonna happen. ‘Cause I’m MY boss. RS: Right. LP: If it’s something that does good, well, I’m not going get up and do good, so I’m just not going to do that. But I wound up over there. She didn’t really like me, anyway. There was two other boys in there that was kind of prissy, and I said, okay, that’s not me. RS: And, was Rita going to Depew, also? LP: Yeah. RS: Okay. LP: Yeah, she said, she told her, I drove off. Had to go back and get her. Yeah, I’m not doing this. She said, you want me…I made this shop apron with pockets. You could put nails or screws or whatever and a hammer holder and all that. And it’s good. Yeah, it’s okay. No, it’s good. She said, well, you are going to model it because that’s what we do. I’m not prissing across the stage. Not gonna happen. I made it. Here it is. It’s good. She said, I’ll flunk you. Okay then. So, I walked out. RS: And that was that. LP: I grabbed it and walked out. RS: So, did you not…so you didn’t actually end up graduating? LP: No. RS: You didn’t graduate. LP: So, I wound up going over across the hall, across the street. You know, they had the little buildings over there. I went across the street and went in there and talked to him and said, I said, of course, I was mad. I don’t think I said any dirty words, but I said, I am NOT a girl. You’re gonna put a skirt or something, I said, not gonna do it. RS: Not doing it. LP: I won’t do it. I made it. It’s good. And it’s fine. But she said if I won’t do that, I’m done. I said, okay. RS: You were done. LP: I’m out of here. I just went on. RS: So, in your, in your early married life, which I know you guys were young, and, obviously, Rita was still in school, what was your early married life like? Was it a struggle, like where did you live? Where did you work at that time? LP: Well, it was the funniest thing, because when I worked at the, I got on at the Chandler, the highway department. So, we lived in a little bitty thing in Stroud that was… RS: Like a little shotgun house? LP: Yeah, well, it was like apartments. RS: Oh, okay. LP: And, we lived there. My mom had raised Pomeranians, so we had this one little dog. She gave us a dog. Well, it yap, yap, yap, yap, yap, and the people next door poisoned it. RS: Oh no! LP: Yeah, they killed it. RS: Oh no! LP: So, we wound up, I wound up finding the, there’s a guy that worked for the highway department in another city, another town, out west, and said, for rent, there’s one driveway, and there was a house…a pretty good-sized house across one side of the driveway. And on the other side of it had a small house. It was like two bedrooms. A nice enough living room and kitchen, and had a little back yard. It was fenced. There’s an old couple that lives in the big house, older couple. So, we rented, this guy worked for the highway department. He said, I’ll rent that to you for $35 a month. RS: Oh, wow! LP: And, so, here we went and gathered up our stuff and left Stroud and got in that house. We went to finally, you didn’t make a lot of money with highway department, but we got paid on the last working day of the month is when you got paid. RS: Right. LP: And, so we’d gather up stuff and make a little grocery list and go do stuff there. We had Scott and Susie were both little. We didn’t have Brian then. So, we’d get a shopping cart and a list and go do this and that. It was funny. Them kids, them kids…she’d call him “Cotty”, not Scott, it was “Cotty”. RS: Oh, “Cotty”. LP: And he called her “Dookie”. Hey “Dookie”. We’d be, people are smiling. I’d have one sitting in the little seat and pushing the buggy and she had the other one. Said, “Cotty”, “Cotty” where are you? I’m over here “Dookie”. People laughing. I’ll never forget it. RS: Oh, that’s so cute! LP: It was so funny! RS: That’s so cute! LP: Oh, we had some good times. RS: Well, as we are wrapping this interview up, I wanted to ask you a couple of, a couple of more questions, and these you might have to think about. If you don’t have an answer, that’s fine. I was just curious, are there any historic events, say like the Oklahoma City Bombing, 9/11, any particular natural disasters, world wars, Covid…we’ve had all kinds of stuff, that have affected you? Or did any of those, in particular, affect you or? LP: No, the one thing that got me one time was when I was with Haliburton. You know what a blender is? A blender, well, we have frack trucks that did the pumps. They would get the fluid from the blender with all kinds of chemicals things mixed up in it and all kinds of stuff. I learned how to run, I learned how to run all that. I was really good on the blender with the V12 is a truck that had two big V12 engines. It’s a long trailer. It’s a big muscle pump. Those engines, there’s stacks off the, not mufflers, but stacks off the outlets on the motors right behind, you had a seat up here like this, and you’d sit in that seat and you had 8-speeds, like four in the high range and four more on both sides. Both pumps were going. Big, big engines. Roar like you couldn’t imagine how they’d roar. And, sometimes, we’d have more than one V12. You’d have more. Around this part of the country, you just had one, and a blender that mixed all the stuff up and pumped it to the V12, and you pumped it down the hole. RS: Right. LP: To make a better oil well. So, I had that, I lost, my ears would ring when I ran the V12 clear up until nighttime, and then you’d get up the next day. They didn’t have hearing things for us back then. So, I lost my hearing. All of a sudden, they had a fire in Rock Springs, Wyoming. They had big wells and big jobs out there. They had a lot of gas wells and oil wells. They had a fire. They were actually fracking the well with gasoline, and they had gigantic tanks of gasoline out there. It’s what they called the Red Desert area. You drive a long ways from Rock Springs to just, just to get there. They have a big van and set it up way up a long ways from where the trucks were, and you had to, anything that could cause a spark, you put it in that van. And you could put it a box or whatever you had that was yours. Cigarette lighters and things and matches, anything like that. You could not do it. And you had to use brass hammers because they wouldn’t spark. They had all these tanks, and they had two guys on the ground. They were running hoses to all the different tanks so that you could pull the fluid. They could open the valve and let the fluid go to the blender, and you’d mix it all up and stuff, and then pump it back in. Then they’d move to another tank. Somehow, someway, somebody didn’t have a flapper. They pulled the bull plug out. A bull plug is just something you could cap it off, like its, you’re not going to use it. And it shouldn’t have been out there. But someone took a bull plug off and all this gasoline started rushing out, and it caught fire. The guys were on the blender and the other guys that run the V12’s were up on the hill by the safety zone. It killed the guys, all the guys down there, the four guys. RS: And this was Haliburton? LP: At Haliburton. RS: Okay. LP: And, so, they, it burned up the trucks. All the trucks were just, you couldn’t tell they were trucks. So, they got all that buried in the Red Desert. They got big dozers out there and buried everything. Nothing was worth saving. The guys were, there was nothing. So, they wound up getting a blender from our place here in Bristow. RS: Really? LP: One guy named, Steve Smith, Smitty we called him, he drove it to all the way up there. The thing would only run about 45 mph. RS: Oh, my goodness. LP: It was a LONG road to drive. RS: Yeah, that’s a long trip. LP: He got up there, stayed two weeks, and then they come and said, we’re going to have to replace Steve, so they picked me. Here I got on an airplane in Oklahoma City [Oklahoma]. They drove me up there with a suitcase. There was two other guys that were going. One was going to be the out-of-state boss, like a foreman. He had been working for us. He had never been on an airplane at all. Me and this other young guy from Enid and this guy, we got on an airplane. It was a big plane. We was supposed to fly to Wichita and then to Denver and then get on a smaller plane because Rock Springs didn’t have an airport for a big plane, just a small plane. So, we got on there, and this guy had never been on an airplane. He had white knuckles. He was scared. RS: He was nervous. LP: Yeah, and his old, live out in the country cowboy. He said, oh my God, and we’d taken off. We got up, started going up, and I would have thought it would be pretty quick to get to Wichita [Kansas] and it’d take, we had to pick somebody up or something and then go again to Denver. We was going up like that, and all of the sudden, he turned like this, and like that, and like that and it’s starting turning around and going back. Said ladies and gentleman, we gotta return to the Oklahoma City [Oklahoma] airport. We’ve got a problem. He said, we’ll be landing there in just a few minutes. They come in and checked the airplane out, and said, ironically, the part that we need is in Denver, so any of you that have to go to Rock Springs [Wyoming], there’s another plane going to be leaving here in just a few minutes. So, if you can hustle over there, they had some seats open. Here we went. We don’t want to be on this plane anymore. RS: Yeah. For real! LP: We got on there with, same thing, but we got on that other airplane, the waitress or whatever, what’d they call her? Stewardess. RS: The flight attendant? LP: She was carrying some drinks along through there. People had wanted a Coke or this or that. The plane took a hit of wind turbulence and everything went everywhere. We wound up doing that, and we got up there and we went back and fracked that same well, got everything covered and buried and new tanks out there full of gasoline. We were going back out there to do it, and they told me, come and told me, said, your blender has got a little leak on it, so we aren’t going to use it. I said, that’s good. That’s good. But we need you to drive one of the trucks of extra stuff and materials and stuff. So, if you could drive that, because a couple of the other guys had lost their buddies that were in that fire. RS: Right. LP: And they just call in sick. And I can kind of understand that. So, I said, okay, I’ll drive that. There was another guy that was going to run the blender, he was from Louisiana, all the way from Louisiana up there. He said, hey, he said, you’re a blender operator, aren’t you? I said, yeah. He said, well, you might want to get up here and help me on my blender. I said, NO. I’ve got my job to do. You do yours. I’ll do mine. I said, I’m not getting on a blender with you. I said, you know they gotta use brass hammers around here? He said, aw, you don’t have to do that. I’m going to be watching you. Yeah. I’m going back to Bristow. RS: Right. LP: I’m watching you dude. And if I see you doing something wrong, I’m gong to holler. We wound up getting this guy’s, the older man was kind of our boss at the airport and sat around. He, his wife came up a couple days before we were going to fly back. So, she come up and be with him for a little bit. We got on that airplane, and the other guy stayed, so he didn’t come back with us, so it was just me and the older guy and his wife. And we are sitting there in the three seats, and there was an older lady that her kids had sent, her husband had died, so she was by herself, so they sent her a ticket to fly down and stay with them here in Oklahoma. She was a sweet old lady. I can’t remember her name now, but she was a sweet lady. She was sitting right there, so we was talking, we started to take off, and he got the white knuckles again. He grabbed that chair. His wife was okay. He was tense. You could see his neck all tied up. He said, oh my God, he said, we started raising up, and boom. It was like the back wheel hit went up and then hit. Oh my God we’ve lost a wheel or we’ve run over somebody. Don’t say that! Don’t say that! You’re scaring me! I don’t [indecipherable] on an airplane. We talked. We chatted all the way back. I mean, all kinds of stuff. He said, we were getting ready to land. We were approaching the Oklahoma City [Oklahoma] airport, and someone was supposed to be picking me up. He said, listen, you forgot about this, but I haven’t. He said, we either run over somebody or lost a wheel. We’re not down yet. I said, oh, come on! There wasn’t nothing. RS: It was nothing? LP: We all landed okay. RS: Oh, gosh. LP: It was so funny. RS: Well, my final question for you, because we are about out of time, is there anything else you’d like to tell us about or any wisdom that you would like to share for future generations? LP: Just do what you know is right. Just be good and do right. RS: I agree with that. LP: Everything will be fine. RS: Everything will work out. LP: Yeah. RS: Well, Bud, I want to thank you so much for taking the time to interview with me today. This is going to be an important part of our oral history archives for the museum. We really appreciate you. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed visiting with you today. LP: Well, you’re welcome. You’re very welcome. audio 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/ohms/render.php?cachefile=OHP-0056_Louis_Peters.xml OHP-0056_Louis_Peters.xml
Dublin Core
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Title
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Louis Mitchell "Bud" Peters
Description
An account of the resource
Bud shares stories beginning from when his family settled in Bristow, to childhood stories with his grandparents and cousins, to various jobs he’s held, and, of course, family life with his wife and children.
Identifier
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OHP-0056
Date
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2024-05-07
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audio
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https://www.bristoworalhistory.org/files/original/d68015cbec673daa69bf9f5ef01cc580.jpg
16ed27d65dcec60a390ee9d81fe8af41
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Pinehill Histories
Subject
The topic of the resource
History of the Pinehill area north of Bristow
Description
An account of the resource
Several interviews were done by Mary and Bob Mc Carty of people who grew up in the Pinehill area north of Bristow. This collection is the Pinehill subset of the Bristow Oral Histories
Source
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Bristow Historical Society, oral history collection
Type
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Oral history.
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Interviewer
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Robert L. "Bob" McCarty
Interviewee
The person(s) being interviewed
Loyd Raymond Bruce
OHMS Object
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Viewer)
https://bristoworalhistory.org/ohms/viewer.php?cachefile=OHP-0008-02_Loyd_Bruce.xml
Interview Keyword
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“keywords” field in the OHMS XML to the corresponding Omeka record.
Pinehill, Bruce, cattle drives, school, Heyburn, crops, landrun, electricity, movies
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5.4 OHP-0008-02 Loyd Raymond Bruce OHP-0008-02 'Bristow Historical Society - Oral History Archive' Parkhill Community Bristow Historical Society, Inc. Pinehill, Bruce, cattle drives, school, Heyburn, crops, landrun, electricity, movies Loyd Raymond Bruce Robert L. "Bob" McCarty MP3 1:|12(16)|22(1)|34(3)|45(13)|52(10)|65(15)|80(14)|93(9)|120(14)|137(2)|147(7)|164(15)|178(7)|197(5)|222(15)|249(10)|283(15)|305(2)|326(7) 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/interviews/OHP-0008-02 Bruce, Loyd.mp3 Other audio 0 Bruce Family migrates to Pinehill BM: [Inaudible] --in their living room, 10/13/76, ten minutes ‘til 9 o’clock. MM: [Inaudible.] BM: Loyd, to your knowledge in your research that you’ve done on the Bruce family, would you say they were the—some of the first people that came in to the Pinehill community? LB: Yes, according to the information that I have on our family they migrated from Missouri into there just east of Oklahoma City in 1889, 1890 and ’91 during those runs from the Kansas line, and my father made the run in 18—either 1889 or ’90, I haven’t been able to determine for sure, and staked a claim just east of Oklahoma City. He was fifteen years old at that time and had to wait for his older sister who was legal—of legal age—help him make that claim. Then they stayed there for a few years, I’m not sure exactly how many, but they settled in what is now Creek County--it was Indian Territory then—near the Pinehill community, and my grandfather Coleman Bruce and wife Alpha Bruce had come after the claims were staked east of Oklahoma City. They had come, moved their family here and they built a rock house east of the last Pinehill school, down near Polecat Creek bottoms, and raised their family—at least partially raised their family there. So I’m sure that they settled sometime between 1895 and possibly 1898 in that area and it’s my understanding that they were the first white people in that part of the country at that time. Discussion of the Bruce Family migrating to the Pinehill area in the late 1800s. Alpha Bruce ; Bruce ; Coleman Bruce ; Indian Territory ; landrun ; Loyd Raymond Bruce ; Pinehill Landrun ; migration ; pinehill 175 Crops and Cattle BM: To the best of your knowledge, do you have any idea what their first crops were whenever they came in there? LB: I heard them mention corn all the way back, and I heard the crop of maize mentioned being raised, and kaffir corn. Cotton came around sometime but it’s my understanding that it was several years later, possibly after statehood, before cotton became popular in Oklahoma. Discussion of cattle drives and cattle sales. Albert Kelly ; Bristow Depot ; carload ; cattle ; cattle drive ; corn ; cotton ; crops ; kaffir corn ; railhead ; railroad ; statehood ; W.O.Baker cattle drives ; crops ; farming ; railroads 416 School days and fairs BM: Alright, we’ll move on down to the school. To your best memory on the school itself, how many schools were built there, Loyd? LB: I can only recall the last school that was built there. I went from primary to the eighth grade there, however I heard before, I’ve heard it talked in the family that there were a total of three schools and a church associated with one of those schools. I think initially there was a church that—it may have been one building that was used as a church and a school. And this may have happened to more than one of the schools, but I remember that one building served as a school and a church for the neighborhood. Discussion of various activities held at the school pie suppers ; school ; township fair ; voting precinct school 526 Heyburn Lake BM: --to your knowledge, when did the government come in and go to buying up that land along the creeks and bottoms there in that community? LB: This would’ve had to be in ’46—no, correction, about ’47 or ’48 they did the actual purchasing of it. And then I think maybe the construction of the dam and so forth was a year or two later. BM: Do you have any idea how many people was affected by— MM: Displaced. Discussion of Heyburn Lake being built and families displaced displacement ; Heyburn ; lake Heyburn Lake 683 Christmas Programs, Pie Suppers, and Electricity MM: --talk about the Christmas tree, the Christmas programs. What did they [inaudible] LB: Oh yeah, I remember the Christmas programs. It used to be one of our days of enjoyment planning for the Christmas tree because usually the kids got out of school and the neighborhood, one of the neighborhood residents would volunteer a truck and we would go up into the Keystone area and cut a Christmas tree a few weeks in advance of Christmas, and this was a treat in itself to get away from school. Then we would bring it back and take part in decorating the tree and we got away from some of our usual school chores and enjoyed doing these things. Then at the time of the actual Christmas program there were, well—I’m leaving something out, the box suppers that was held, the pie suppers and so forth to raise funds for the Christmas program was also part of this sequence of events, and when the money from that came in then there was candy and nuts and apples and oranges and things that were a treat to us in those days that are common now. They were provided for all of us and in some cases it was for needy people who really appreciated it, and it turned out to be a very successful gathering and festive time at Christmastime. MM: Now what did the boxes and pies sell for at those pie suppers? Discussion of entertainment, school days, and sources of power Christmas program ; electricity ; gasoline lanterns ; kerosene lamps ; movies ; pie suppers ; potbellied stove ; school ; western movie Christmas programs ; electricity ; school life 929 Watermelons, Chickens, and School Memories MM: Did you ever steal any watermelons? LB: (laughs) Gosh, that’s like asking me if I ever lived. MM: Who raised the best watermelons? LB: I would say—well, there was Walter Reed east of us raised real good watermelons. John Mizell (ph) raised real good watermelons. And I think his were the best because we felt he was the meanest. And it took a little more risk to climb over his fence and get his watermelons, so I think they— MM: Did you ever ride your horse with a watermelon underneath your arm? Memories of school days, stealing watermelons, and old girlfriends Alton McCarty ; CHarlene Digby ; chicken ; Fay Myers ; John Mizell ; lunch pail ; Polecat Creek ; Rosalina Vanmeter ; Walter Reed ; watermelon chicken ; school ; watermelon In this 1976 interview, Loyd Raymond Bruce (1920-2006) discusses his family’s early settlement of the Pinehill Community outside Bristow, Oklahoma. He describes early crops and cattle shipments on the railroad, community social programs such as pie suppers, life before electricity, early schools in the community, and the impact of the construction of Heyburn Lake upon the community. BM: [Inaudible] --in their living room, 10/13/76, ten minutes ' ; til 9 o' ; clock. MM: [Inaudible.] BM: Loyd, to your knowledge in your research that you' ; ve done on the Bruce family, would you say they were the--some of the first people that came in to the Pinehill community? LB: Yes, according to the information that I have on our family they migrated from Missouri into there just east of Oklahoma City in 1889, 1890 and ' ; 91 during those runs from the Kansas line, and my father made the run in 18--either 1889 or ' ; 90, I haven' ; t been able to determine for sure, and staked a claim just east of Oklahoma City. He was fifteen years old at that time and had to wait for his older sister who was legal--of legal age--help him make that claim. Then they stayed there for a few years, I' ; m not sure exactly how many, but they settled in what is now Creek County--it was Indian Territory then--near the Pinehill community, and my grandfather Coleman Bruce and wife Alpha Bruce had come after the claims were staked east of Oklahoma City. They had come, moved their family here and they built a rock house east of the last Pinehill school, down near Polecat Creek bottoms, and raised their family--at least partially raised their family there. So I' ; m sure that they settled sometime between 1895 and possibly 1898 in that area and it' ; s my understanding that they were the first white people in that part of the country at that time. BM: Uh, there has been other names mentioned. This George Lindsey, what--what connection was George Lindsey to the Bruces? LB: George Lindsey was my grandfather on my mother' ; s side. He moved in to that area from Kansas, but the year that he moved there I can' ; t recall exactly. I do think it was some few years later than the Bruces settled there. He moved into that area and became associated with the guardianship of some of the Indian children there. He brought his family there and settled about a half a mile west of the first Pinehill school and church in the latter 1890s or it could' ; ve been slightly after 1900. BM: To the best of your knowledge, do you have any idea what their first crops were whenever they came in there? LB: I heard them mention corn all the way back, and I heard the crop of maize mentioned being raised, and kaffir corn. Cotton came around sometime but it' ; s my understanding that it was several years later, possibly after statehood, before cotton became popular in Oklahoma. BM: I have pretty well pinpointed on the cotton, it was about 1909. Albert Kelly, W.O. Baker, in 1913 built a gin there by the ice plant at Bristow where there was already three other gins there at that time. And it has been pretty well traced out that around 1909 is when the first cotton came in--money crop for the sellers and farmers in that area. The cattle situation--I know that they raised cattle in there. Do you know when they--or have you heard where they took their cattle to sell them? LB: Initially I, it' ; s my understanding that the railroad only came as far as Sapulpa in the very early days of marketing cattle, and ran up to Kansas City. And in the earlier years they took their cattle to Sapulpa because the railroad terminated there. A few years later it was extended on to Bristow and on west and the marketing area, or the area where the cattle was raised was closer to the Bristow depot there for loading, and they started taking them to Bristow and initially they sent them to Kansas City from Bristow. Then later when the stockyards in Oklahoma City developed, they shipped them to Oklahoma City. BM: Now, getting over to the railhead they had these big cattle drives, is that right? LB: Yes, that' ; s right. I can remember as a child myself making cattle drives to Bristow. Car--in carload lots, we would take either one or two carloads of cattle to Bristow and get up early in the morning and drive them there and it made it necessary to drive through the residential area in Bristow and there were times when we were guilty of damaging the yards and the flower beds and whatnot and having to stop and pay people for damages for running cattle through their area. It was quite an exciting time for me because I was a child, but it was quite a responsibility for the adults at the time. BM: When you said " ; carload lots," ; how many did they count as a car? LB: As I remember, a carload at that time was ninety head. BM: So then you would take as high as 180 head at a time in to be shipped out? LB: That is true. There was, there was times when the yield from my father' ; s herd was over 200 for that season. I' ; m not sure how it fit in to the carload lots but I remember him selling 230, 240 head per year from the yield from his herd. BM: Alright, we' ; ll move on down to the school. To your best memory on the school itself, how many schools were built there, Loyd? LB: I can only recall the last school that was built there. I went from primary to the eighth grade there, however I heard before, I' ; ve heard it talked in the family that there were a total of three schools and a church associated with one of those schools. I think initially there was a church that--it may have been one building that was used as a church and a school. And this may have happened to more than one of the schools, but I remember that one building served as a school and a church for the neighborhood. BM: What all functions was the school used for? LB: It was used as I said, as an educational purpose. Also a social purpose, they would have pie suppers and this sort of thing where raising money for various functions in the neighborhood. And then it was used for church and I' ; ve heard it mentioned that they had fairs there but I can' ; t recall ever seeing or attending a, I guess it would be a district fair rather than a county fair that they had in the school there. MM: Township fair is what they called it. LB: Township fair. BM: It was also used as a voting precinct, too. LB: Right, that' ; s right, it was. BM: And singing conventions and such as that. LB: Mmm-hmm. MM: We' ; ve never heard anything talked about a Christmas tree. BM: Loyd, to your-- MM: --Christmas program-- BM: --to your knowledge, when did the government come in and go to buying up that land along the creeks and bottoms there in that community? LB: This would' ; ve had to be in ' ; 46--no, correction, about ' ; 47 or ' ; 48 they did the actual purchasing of it. And then I think maybe the construction of the dam and so forth was a year or two later. BM: Do you have any idea how many people was affected by-- MM: Displaced. BM: --displacement of the government coming in and buying this, this land up and erecting this dam? LB: Mmm, that would take some thinking. There were several families, several homes relocated. Several families and offhand I would say upwards of 25 families which might involve two or three hundred people were affected or relocated because of the construction of the lake project there. BM: I know there is a lot of hard feelings on the lake, but how do you feel personally, your personal opinion, about that lake? LB: Well I, I feel like it depends on how you look at it. I think for the public good, the public in general, it has been good because it has offered a flood control project that saved a lot of valuable bottom land below it. It' ; s also offered a recreational and park atmosphere for people who want to go out for recreation on their time off. And looking at it from that point of view I think it' ; s been a success and beneficial to those particular people involved. If you look at it from the point of view of the people who has their history and heritage in that area, I feel that they feel that they' ; ve lost something, that it no longer represents what they remember as the area they grew up in and if it was their intention and goal to live in that area the rest of their life, I can see where they would be highly disappointed. BM: Good enough. (pause) MM: --talk about the Christmas tree, the Christmas programs. What did they [inaudible] LB: Oh yeah, I remember the Christmas programs. It used to be one of our days of enjoyment planning for the Christmas tree because usually the kids got out of school and the neighborhood, one of the neighborhood residents would volunteer a truck and we would go up into the Keystone area and cut a Christmas tree a few weeks in advance of Christmas, and this was a treat in itself to get away from school. Then we would bring it back and take part in decorating the tree and we got away from some of our usual school chores and enjoyed doing these things. Then at the time of the actual Christmas program there were, well--I' ; m leaving something out, the box suppers that was held, the pie suppers and so forth to raise funds for the Christmas program was also part of this sequence of events, and when the money from that came in then there was candy and nuts and apples and oranges and things that were a treat to us in those days that are common now. They were provided for all of us and in some cases it was for needy people who really appreciated it, and it turned out to be a very successful gathering and festive time at Christmastime. MM: Now what did the boxes and pies sell for at those pie suppers? LB: Oh, I can remember pies selling for as little as fifteen cents and then I can also remember some of the people in the area, particularly those who were fortunate enough to have a job with an oil company and a little money to spend, spending as much as twenty dollars for a pie. MM: What' ; s the most you ever gave? LB: Gosh, I would say not more than thirty-five or forty cents, probably. I don' ; t really remember, to tell you the truth. MM: When did they bring electricity in there, that' ; s one that--to the school. That' ; s one thing Bob gonna need to know. BM: When did electricity come in to that part of the country? LB: That would' ; ve been in the latter--that was after World War II, which would' ; ve been in the latter ' ; 40s, ' ; 46 or ' ; 47 as I remember it. We had gas in our home up until that time and the school itself might' ; ve gotten it before. MM: Did they use gas for lighting the school before electricity? LB: No, it was gasoline lanterns and kerosene lamps. Gasoline and kerosene lamps were used prior to that time. MM: What--did they ever put modern heating or did they--what type of heating did they use? LB: They used wood heating, there was a large potbellied stove in the corner with kind of a circulating jacket around it that would circulate the heat through the building. And to my knowledge it wasn' ; t replaced. It might have been in later years. MM: Did they ever put modern bathrooms in it? LB: No. Not to my knowledge. BM: To your knowledge, Loyd, I was told that there was at one time there was a talking movie presented there at Pinehill school. Do you know anything about that? MM: Any movies. BM: Any movies. LB: Yes, I do. I remember a movie, I can' ; t remember whether or not they were talkies or not, but I remember going there to movies, it was quite a treat to go to a movie anywhere at that time and it was a real big time to have a movie out in the schoolhouse. And I remember going to a movie but I can' ; t remember whether it was a talkie or not. MM: What type of movies? LB: They were western movies. Cowboys. MM: You don' ; t remember any of the stars in the movies, or any other things? LB: Offhand I don' ; t. BM: Valerie came up with the, with that first. She was the first one and the only one that I found yet that remember--that said anything about the movies. MM: Did you ever steal any watermelons? LB: (laughs) Gosh, that' ; s like asking me if I ever lived. MM: Who raised the best watermelons? LB: I would say--well, there was Walter Reed east of us raised real good watermelons. John Mizell (ph) raised real good watermelons. And I think his were the best because we felt he was the meanest. And it took a little more risk to climb over his fence and get his watermelons, so I think they-- MM: Did you ever ride your horse with a watermelon underneath your arm? LB: I probably have. I probably-- MM: They say that' ; s quite a feat. LB: (laughs) MM: Did you ever steal any chickens? LB: Yes, I' ; m afraid I' ; m guilty there, too. MM: Who' ; d you steal ' ; em from? LB: I think it was back to John Mizell (ph) again, I mean, he was the one that, that we for some reason we liked to needle him because he was always kind of after the youngsters. We thought he was, but he was really a good old person. MM: What' ; d you do with them after you stole them? LB: We took them down the creek bank of Polecat Creek where we found some clay and rolled ' ; em up in clay and then threw them in the fire and roasted them and-- MM: Did you remove any undesirables prior to, before you roasted them? LB: I don' ; t think we did. (laughs) I really don' ; t. MM: Did you ever play hooky from school. LB: Yes, I' ; ve played hooky from school. MM: When, and why? LB: Well, I played hooky from school one time, I was about the seventh grade and for some reason I didn' ; t make the basketball team and I thought I should have, and our teacher took the basketball team to a neighboring school to play ball and while he was gone, he and two other friends and I, rather-- MM: What two friends? LB: Let' ; s see, what two friends, gosh I can' ; t remember. One of them was--hmm, I can' ; t recall their names, I should know offhand but I can' ; t remember. But we played hooky. MM: What was the results? LB: We played hooky and one of them--let' ; s see, one of them was a Myers boy, one of they was Ray or Fay Myers, I believe. And I was trying to remember, one of them may have been Alton McCarty (ph). BM: You sure it wasn' ; t Coleman [indecipherable] in on that, too? LB: Well, Coleman [indecipherable] may have been in on that, now. I' ; m not sure. MM: Did they ever have any shop-type work at that little school? Never? LB: No. MM: Did they ever--in your time they didn' ; t have the money for it. What did you take in your lunch pail to school? LB: Well, we took what would be considered real wholesome and desirable food now, but then we thought we were kind of underprivileged because we had to take fresh ham and cold biscuits. We didn' ; t have, usually didn' ; t have light bread but we had--we always had fresh ham and we had biscuits for bread and some of the, there were some that were fortunate enough at that time to have light bread and bologna and we thought that was a real treat, but-- MM: Your mother made cake and pie and such-- LB: Right, that' ; s right. Mmm-hmm. MM: Who was your favorite girls while you was in school? We haven' ; t asked this for (inaudible) LB: (laughs) Oh, let' ; s see. Charlene (ph)--her name was Digby (ph) then and she married one of the Vann boys. She was my first girlfriend, and then Rosalina Vanmeter (ph) was also one of my girlfriends. MM: Rosalina' ; s (ph) dead, you know. LB: Yes, she died a couple years ago. MM: You wouldn' ; t care if [indecipherable]. We interviewed Charlene (ph) earlier this year but we didn' ; t have a tape. BM: I think that' ; s about all I can think of, you pretty well covered everything. MM: You never did ride a horse in the schoolhouse did you? LB: No, no. BM: Yeah, he would' ; ve drive on a late model Ford to school. LB: (laughs) MM: I thought he crossed his fingers when he heard that. BM: He drove a late model-- MM: Was you old enough to get in on them-- end of interview audio 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/ohms/viewer.php?cachefile=OHP-0008-02_Loyd_Bruce.xml OHP-0008-02_Loyd_Bruce.xml
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Loyd Raymond Bruce
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In this 1976 interview, Loyd Raymond Bruce (1920-2006) discusses his family’s early settlement of the Pinehill Community outside Bristow, Oklahoma. He describes early crops and cattle shipments on the railroad, community social programs such as pie suppers, life before electricity, early schools in the community, and the impact of the construction of Heyburn Lake upon the community.
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OHP-0008-02
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1976-10-13
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audio
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Family Histories
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Oral History
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Oral accounts of various family histories
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Bristow Historical Society, oral history collection
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Wanda Newton
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Lucinda Johnson
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5.4 February 19, 1992 OHP-0049A Lucinda Johnson - Part 1 OHP-0049A 00:00:00 Bristow Historical Society - Oral History Archive Bristow Historical Society, Inc. bristowhistory Lucinda Johnson Wanda Newton 1:|15(5)|30(6)|43(7)|56(11)|70(4)|90(14)|109(14)|120(7)|132(11)|149(4)|161(7)|171(17)|184(13)|200(9)|215(2)|226(3)|242(7)|263(3)|286(5)|305(11)|316(15)|326(3)|335(4)|345(5)|360(2)|371(4)|386(10)|398(6)|412(9)|428(4)|445(14)|456(13)|471(11)|482(5)|498(6)|511(6)|530(4)|544(7)|558(2)|572(13)|588(15)|602(12)|615(5)|625(13)|631(6) 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/interviews/OHP-0049A Johnson, Lucinda.mp3 Other audio 0 Birth Place WN: Okay, this is Wanda Newton and today is February the 19th, 1992. I'm in the home of Lucinda Johnson, which is located, what, a mile north of Slick? 
 ; LJ: Yes. 
 ; WN: A mile north of Slick. But anyway, Ms. Johnson has consented to tell us a little bit for posterity. One of the things that I wanted to ask Ms. Johnson first is, tell us your full name, and where you were born, and... 
 ; LJ: Well, my name is Lucinda Allen Johnson, now. And I was born six miles east of Bristow, on Skull Creek. And I've lived there all my life, except when I got married and moved here. And what else do you want to know? 
 ; Lucinda talks about being born six miles east of Bristow on Skull Creek. Slick ; Skull Creek birth place 0 147 Family WN: Yeah, that's wonderful! Ha ha! Everybody will know how to be gorgeous when you're 98 now. Ha ha! What can you tell me about your mother and father, Ms. Johnson? 
 ; LJ: Well, my father was Jesse Allen. I really don't know what year he was born, though. And he was grandpa (it is believed Lucinda is talking about here father, Jesse Allen, not her grandpa) was more Irish than he was Euchee. He was only a fourth Euchee. And what I can remember about grandpa (it is believed she's referring to her father here), he, he was United States Marshal, Assistant United States Marshal to Ledbetter (James Franklin "Bud" Ledbetter, Jr.), what's his first name? 
 ; WN: Oh, heavens, I don't know, Ledbetter. But somebody will, maybe. 
 ; Lucinda tells about her father, Jesse Allen and that he was the assistant to the United States Marshal, James Franklin "Bud" Ledbetter. She also talks about her mother, Lizzie Allen, being full blood Euchee. Jesse Allen ; Euchee ; James Franklin "Bud" Ledbetter ; Hell on the Border ; United States Marshal ; Fort Smith ; Indian Territory ; Jim Miller ; Creek ; Abraham Allen ; Joseph Allen ; Jesse James Allen ; Joe Allen ; Ada Allen ; Ella Allen Burgess ; Ann Coppinger ; Skull Creek ; Lizzie Allen family 0 390 How Skull Creek & ; Bristow Got Their Names LJ: And the way Skull Creek got its name, after the Civil War, there were so many skulls on, on, on the creek. 
 ; WN: Oh my. 
 ; LJ: That they named the creek Skull Creek. And that's where Skull Creek got its name. 
 ; WN: [Indecipherable]. Ha! Well once you told me a story of how Bristow got its name, and do you know that James Neighbors (ph) told me that Mr. Longacre told him the same story about the peddler that you did. So, but would you tell that story to me again? 
 ; LJ: Well, I guess it was, I don't know what year, the railroad came through, but anyway, he had a little camp right about where oh that's a [indecipherable]. Abraham, what was it? 
 ; WN: Oh, you mean down on J& ; J? The J& ; J… 
 ; LJ: Yes, I think it's J& ; J. But he had his camp right about there. Just a little camp. And I guess he was just a, a drifter, more or less. And he stopped there for a while. Of course, Bristow wasn't named. So then they gave the Bristow its name. His name was a, can't think of his first name. But anyway, that was his surname, [indecipherable] Bristow. That's where Bristow got its name. 
 ; Lucinda tells the stories of how Skull Creek and Bristow were named. Skull Creek ; Bristow ; Civil War Naming Skull Creek ; Naming Bristow 0 549 Childhood Memories WN: That's an interesting highlight. Now let's go back to when you were a little girl. Tell me some of the things that you remember when you were a child. Some of the things that you did or... 
 ; LJ: Well, we were just like all the other children just growing up. Mostly went swimming every day. 
 ; WN: In Skull Creek?
 ; LJ: Yes, in Skull Creek. 
 ; WN: Well, tell me, how, how does the creek compare now to the way it was when you were a young girl. 
 ; LJ: Well, there was a good stream there and there's a lot of rocks where the road is now. And that's about all there is to it. 
 ; Lucinda talks about swimming in Skull Creek. swimming ; Skull Creek childhood memories 0 621 Attending School WN: Well now where did you go to school, Ms. Johnson?
 ; LJ: Well, I went to Euchee Boarding School in Sapulpa. 
 ; WN: In Sapulpa? 
 ; LJ: And I was there until about, well, I went to Euchee Boarding School. Then the next time I went to school, I went to Haskell Institute at the... 
 ; WN: At Kansas? 
 ; LJ: At Lawrence, Kansas. And then, I went for a while in Bacone after I came back from Haskell, and that's all the only places that I've been. Lucinda discusses the different schools she attended growing up. Euchee Boarding School ; Sapulpa (Okla.) ; Haskell Institute ; Lawrence, Kansas ; Bacone College attending school 0 703 Daughter Majel K. Frye WN: That's how Majel (Majel K. Frye), that's how come Majel is so good at it, isn't it? 
 ; LJ: I guess so, and, well, it's surprising how she is. She didn't know one cow from another. And then when she moved over there, why then she got in to do the business, you know. And she's just a full hand. 
 ; WN: It would be hard to fool her on anything, wouldn't it? 
 ; LJ: Yes, and, oh, right now she's having a lot of trouble. Young heifers are dropping calves. And she said she had one that had, now you're not reporting that. 
 ; WN: No, I won't report that. 
 ; LJ: And she said one little heifer, well, I guess she’s about three-years-old. Her first calf, she had twins. 
 ; Lucinda tells about her daughter, Majel, and how she became a cowgirl and rancher. Majel K. Frye ; cattle ; ranching ; farming daughter Majel K. Frye 0 828 Parents & ; Family WN: I think that's wonderful. Now, let's back up to your schooling. Now tell me what you can remember most about your mother and your father, about their appearance and, and… 
 ; LJ: About their parents? 
 ; WN: Uh-huh, uh-huh. 
 ; LJ: I didn't know either one of my grandparents. 
 ; WN: You didn't know either one of your grandparents? 
 ; LJ: My father, the Euchees were a camped at the…what town? 
 ; WN: Okemah?. 
 ; LJ: No, this camp? No. 
 ; WN: Oh, the camp. 
 ; LJ: Where I asked you to go and look for some, oh, something about Grandpa, you know? 
 ; WN: Oh, at Fort Gibson.
 ; LJ: Yeah, Fort Gibson. 
 ; Lucinda tells about her each of her parents, her grandparents and her children. She shares family pictures with Wanda. Euchee ; Fort Gibson ; Alvin Lee Johnson ; Lucian Tiger ; Gus Johnson parents ; family 0 1214 Trips to Town WN: There's that Majel, she's something else. Oh, that's wonderful. Alright, now then, Ms. Johnson, tell me anything that you can about what life was like, like when you went to town, or how did you get to town?
 ; LJ: Well, we got to town, we kids got to town maybe once a year. See, we had to go in the hack from home to Bristow and that was six miles, and we just had dirt roads. And one Fourth of July, all of us kids got in the hack. You know, those two, two seated things, all [indecipherable]. So, we met a we met a wagon coming in. We were going in, and we had to cut off the road. And I wish I had that picture. And I thought the hack was going to do a turnover. So, I jumped. And then they have them, [indecipherable], oh what did you stop your wagon with?
 ; Lucinda tells some stories about riding the hack to town and almost wrecking. She also recalls going to Muskogee because her father had jury duty. wagon ; hack ; Sapulpa ; Muskogee ; jury duty ; McAlester trips to town 0 1486 Indian Remedies & ; Clothing WN: Oh, well now, tell me about some of the early Indian things that you used to go to, and I remember last summer, I, they honored you at the stomp dance at Kellyville. Did you always go to the green corn dances there, or did they have...tell, tell me a little about the Indian celebrations they used to have. 
 ; LJ: Well, the, I'll tell you about the celebration first. This, then we were going, see we were in Indian Territory, and then right across the line at Stroud, was, you know, Oklahoma. 
 ; WN: Old Oklahoma. 
 ; LJ: And Grandpa decided we would go to the Stroud and buy some liquor. He bought them in five-gallon jugs. These white jugs with the brown top on them. And he bought two, two bottles. Five gallon, I mean five gallons apiece. Well, Grandpa didn't drink. And Grandpa never drank at all. But he was a medicine man and he bought that for medicine. And in the summertime he would call what he was a purifying us, I guess. He'd made a lot of medicine, you know, outside in the yard. And then he built a little [indecipherable]. He’d put us in there and then pour hot water over. Oh, he had some big ol irons there. Poured hot water over the those pipes and we were inside in the, in clothes. He was sweating us out. 
 ; Lucinda remembers her father going to Stroud to buy liquor to make Indian remedies for the family. She also recalls her mother making all of their clothes and calico dresses for the her and her sisters. stomp dance ; Kellyville ; Indian Territory ; Stroud ; Indian remedies ; Dr. Ernest W. Reynolds ; Lucian Tiger ; calico dresses ; Sand Creek ; Green Corn Dance ; Nuyaka ; Skull Creek Indian rememdies ; clothing 0 1856 Slick WN: But now, do you remember the, when Slick was so big and everything, you know, when the town came into being, did that make any difference in your life? 
 ; LJ: No. Yeah, I was already married then, wasn't I? 
 ; WN: I don't know, it seemed like Slick came into being about 1920 or 21 or something like that.
 ; LJ: No, I remember Slick, but we never go to Slick very much. One time I was in that old Cafe there on Main Street, and I guess I decided I was hungry, so I went into this cafe, you know, and got myself a sandwich and there were two other young men sitting just little ways from me. They were talking about the [indecipherable], and I was, I had it on my thing and I've already forgotten what they said. I thought, well, let them talk if they want to.
 ; Lucinda recalls when Slick became a town. Slick Slick 0 1926 Bristow Businesses WN: Do you remember any particular stores in Bristow when you'd go? Do you remember? 
 ; LJ: We never did get to Bristow but maybe about once a year.
 ; WN: Did you… 
 ; LJ: I remember when the Vogel, 
 ; WN: Vogel Dry Goods? 
 ; LJ: Yes, was there. And the West. Jim, 
 ; WN: Charles or Jim West? 
 ; LJ: Charles. Nellie, Nellie West. 
 ; WN: Nellie West. 
 ; LJ: I knew them, and those were about the only stores they had in Bristow when I was growing up, I guess. 
 ; Lucinda recalls different businesses around Bristow back in the early days such as Vogel Dry Good, First State Bank and the cotton gins. Vogel Dry Goods ; Charles West ; Nellie West ; First State Bank ; cotton gins Bristow businesses 0 2118 Farming WN: Well, now how much land did you own back in those days? You had a lot of people, you had tenants on your farm?
 ; LJ: Oh yes. Well grandpa had a lot of his children all right around that white house. And we had tenants all over the place.
 ; WN: Now you had, you had slaves? Did they have slaves back in those days? 
 ; LJ: No, because we always had a lot of colored people farming, you know, and… 
 ; WN: Well, now, what is the story on that little house right there that I painted that old picture of? 
 ; LJ: That, that's the little house right here. 
 ; WN: Yeah, that was right there. 
 ; LJ: Well, no, that was well, you know, there were a lot of colored people called Freedmen's. They were allotted to, you know. 
 ; WN: Oh, the Freedmen were allotted.
 ; Lucinda remembers having a lot land and tenant farmers on their land. She recalls having many Freedmen farming the land and the government making them the Freedmen move to Canada. tenant farming ; Freedman ; Woodland Queen 0 2299 Kellyville, Stagecoaches and the Trading Post LJ: And then Kellyville, Kellyville was, it’s older than Bristow, I think. It has a, Kellyville was built in 18 something.
 ; WN: Yeah, 18, I think I looked, what was it, Bill, did we say 18? 
 ; LJ: You know, it's on the highway. 
 ; WN: Yeah. 1886. 1886 or 18... 
 ; LJ: Oh, yes, I remember it was, it was just two years old, I remember Kellyville was just two years older than I am. And that was on the only trading post you know that we had there.
 ; WN: Oh, I didn't know that. 
 ; LJ: And this man, his name was James Kelly, had a trading post there. And, of course, all the Indians, the Euchees, just traded with him. He was a nice looking, dignified looking. I think he was an Englishman that started Kellyville there. And then over across Deep Fork, they had another trading post while a stagecoach came through there. 
 ; Lucinda tells the story of when Kellyville became a town and they had the only trading post. She also recalls the stagecoach stops in the area. Kellyville ; trading post ; James Kelly ; Euchee ; stagecoach ; Deep Fork ; Slick Kellyville ; stagecoaches ; trading post 0 MP3 In this 1992 interview, Lucinda Johnson talks about her family, where she was born and grew up, how Bristow got its name, attending school, stagecoaches, Bristow stores and farming. Users are warned that there may be words and descriptions which may be culturally sensitive and which might not normally be used in certain public or community contexts. Terms and annotations which reflect the creator's attitude or that of the period in which the item was written may be considered inappropriate today. WN: Okay, this is Wanda Newton and today is February the 19th, 1992. I'm in the home of Lucinda Johnson, which is located, what, a mile north of Slick? LJ: Yes. WN: A mile north of Slick. But anyway, Ms. Johnson has consented to tell us a little bit for posterity. One of the things that I wanted to ask Ms. Johnson first is, tell us your full name, and where you were born, and... LJ: Well, my name is Lucinda Allen Johnson, now. And I was born six miles east of Bristow, on Skull Creek. And I've lived there all my life, except when I got married and moved here. And what else do you want to know? WN: And when did you get married, Ms. Johnson? LJ: Oh, my first marriage to Majel's father was in...do I know? Let's see. Gee, I can't tell you. WN: Okay, well you can tell me the year you were born. LJ: Well, I was born in 94. WN: 1894? And so you are now... LJ: The 21st of July, 1894. WN: 1894. LJ: And then this next coming July, July 1992, I'll be 98 years old. WN: Oh, it's fantastic. Oh, you have such beautiful skin. You should leave your recipe for the world to use. LJ: Such as what? WN: You should leave your recipe for your skin cream for everybody. LJ: You know, I haven't washed myself, put any cream or anything on my face for about three months. Since I've hurt my arm, I haven't been able to wash my face like it should be. Is that recording? WN: Yeah, that's wonderful! Ha ha! Everybody will know how to be gorgeous when you're 98 now. Ha ha! What can you tell me about your mother and father, Ms. Johnson? LJ: Well, my father was Jesse Allen. I really don't know what year he was born, though. And he was grandpa (it is believed Lucinda is talking about here father, Jesse Allen, not her grandpa) was more Irish than he was Euchee. He was only a fourth Euchee. And what I can remember about grandpa (it is believed she's referring to her father here), he, he was United States Marshal, Assistant United States Marshal to Ledbetter (James Franklin "Bud" Ledbetter, Jr.), what's his first name? WN: Oh, heavens, I don't know, Ledbetter. But somebody will, maybe. LJ: It's probably in that book, Hell on the Border. That's the book that was written. But anyway, grandpa (it is believed she is referring to her father here) was assistant to this Ledbetter. He was United States Marshal. And they were officers in Fort Smith. We didn't have anything here in Indian Territory then. I should have told you I was born in Indian Territory, too. WN: Yes! Indeed! LJ: And so, and mama, she was a full blood. And she didn't… WN: She was a full blood Euchee? LJ: Yes. And she didn't know how to talk English when she married my grandfather (it's believed she means her father). She had to learn to talk Euchee (it is believed she means she had to learn English). But Papa himself was raised among the Euchees, but I don't know who raised him. And he could talk fluent Euchee, talk better Euchee than a lot of the full bloods. WN: Oh, how wonderful. LJ: He had a friend that lived over here, east of us, his name was Jim Miller, and he was a full blood Creek, and he couldn't talk English. So he and Grandpa (it is believed she is talking about her father) would sit there on the porch, and Miller would talk Creek, and then Grandpa would answer him in English. And they’d just talk, you know, just like anybody else. And I don't know what else I can tell you. WN: Well, tell me how many brothers and sisters you had. LJ: Well, I have three brothers and three sisters. WN: Can you name them? LJ: Mm-hmm. Abraham Allen was the oldest one. He served in World War I and Joe (Joseph Allen) was the next one. WN: Do you have, again, do you know their birth dates at all, Ms. Johnson? LJ: You know, if I had my old Bible, I could just tell you, but I really don't know. WN: Okay. LJ: And then my, well, my last, the baby brother, though, was born in 1900. I know his birth date. And... WN: What was his name? LJ: Jesse (James Allen). WN: Jesse. LJ: And in the middle was Joe, Joe Allen, guess you've read it. WN: Oh yes, Joe. LJ: And those, and then I have two sisters (based on research, it is believed there is an oldest sister named Ada Allen not mentioned). WN: Okay, and what are their names? LJ: Ella Allen Burgess and Ann Coppinger. WN: Are they still living? LJ: Yes. WN: And how old are they? LJ: All three of us girls are alive and all the brothers are gone. WN: Well, how old was your mother when she died? LJ: She was ninety-two. WN: Ninety-two. LJ: And grandpa (it’s believed she is talking about her father) was only about eighty-two when he died. WN: Now are they buried in that cemetery on the... LJ: Allen Cemetery (ph). WN: Was that your home all, is that where you were born, Ms. Johnson? LJ: Where the old house is now. WN: Where the old Allen house is. LJ: On Skull Creek. WN: On Skull Creek, got it. LJ: And the way Skull Creek got its name, after the Civil War, there were so many skulls on, on, on the creek. WN: Oh my. LJ: That they named the creek Skull Creek. And that's where Skull Creek got its name. WN: [Indecipherable]. Ha! Well once you told me a story of how Bristow got its name, and do you know that James Neighbors (ph) told me that Mr. Longacre told him the same story about the peddler that you did. So, but would you tell that story to me again? LJ: Well, I guess it was, I don't know what year, the railroad came through, but anyway, he had a little camp right about where oh that's a [indecipherable]. Abraham, what was it? WN: Oh, you mean down on J& ; amp ; J? The J& ; amp ; J… LJ: Yes, I think it's J& ; amp ; J. But he had his camp right about there. Just a little camp. And I guess he was just a, a drifter, more or less. And he stopped there for a while. Of course, Bristow wasn't named. So then they gave the Bristow its name. His name was a, can't think of his first name. But anyway, that was his surname, [indecipherable] Bristow. That's where Bristow got its name. WN: And you told me once that your father had a watch made by him for you. LJ: Oh yes, he did. He was a silversmith, more or less, I guess. So he...grandpa was friendly with him and so he decided he'd make grandpa a watch if grandpa would give him the silver. So, grandpa gave him the silver, what the denominations were. But anyway, and then right around the near the crystal, he had a gold band clear around it, and that's all it was to it. Oh, there's a big watch or something about it like that. WN: Oh my word. LJ: Well, I think maybe Raymond has it now. I never did ask, but that's how Bristow got its name anyway. WN: That's an interesting highlight. Now let's go back to when you were a little girl. Tell me some of the things that you remember when you were a child. Some of the things that you did or... LJ: Well, we were just like all the other children just growing up. Mostly went swimming every day. WN: In Skull Creek? LJ: Yes, in Skull Creek. WN: Well, tell me, how, how does the creek compare now to the way it was when you were a young girl. LJ: Well, there was a good stream there and there's a lot of rocks where the road is now. And that's about all there is to it. WN: Has it filled with sand and everything since you were young or is it just about the same? LJ: You know, I haven't seen Skull Creek in a long time. We cross the bridge and we don't look down. WN: Well, now let me tell you, I ask you, you said Skull Creek got it's name from all the skulls. How did Chicken Creek get its name? Do you know? LJ: I don't know. WN: Well now where did you go to school, Ms. Johnson? LJ: Well, I went to Euchee Boarding School in Sapulpa. WN: In Sapulpa? LJ: And I was there until about, well, I went to Euchee Boarding School. Then the next time I went to school, I went to Haskell Institute at the... WN: At Kansas? LJ: At Lawrence, Kansas. And then, I went for a while in Bacone after I came back from Haskell, and that's all the only places that I've been. And when we were growing up, of course, everybody had a horse, we all rode. And Grandpa, of course, raised cattle anyway. And, and Grandpa always had three or four cowboys, you know, hands. When I was young, I was the only one though, girl, growing up. I was the only tomboy. My other two sisters were not tomboys, but I was, and I rode and roped cattle with the cowboys. WN: That's how Majel (Majel K. Frye), that's how come Majel is so good at it, isn't it? LJ: I guess so, and, well, it's surprising how she is. She didn't know one cow from another. And then when she moved over there, why then she got in to do the business, you know. And she's just a full hand. WN: It would be hard to fool her on anything, wouldn't it? LJ: Yes, and, oh, right now she's having a lot of trouble. Young heifers are dropping calves. And she said she had one that had, now you're not reporting that. WN: No, I won't report that. LJ: And she said one little heifer, well, I guess she’s about three-years-old. Her first calf, she had twins. WN: Oh. LJ: And it's very unusual for Angus cows to have twins. Anyway, she had twins and Majel had to see that they got, they could nurse, you know, and everything. Then she had another one that wouldn't take her calf. Majel had to just stand over her, and I think she had to have a bottle or two. And I asked her the other day how she got along, and she said she's getting along all right. And then she had a big old bull that was sick. So, she said she had to go out and see about him every day. And she had the vet out there. WN: Oh, I don't know how she does all of that. LJ: I don't either, but she does. WN: One day I was out there, and I saw her kick off hay just like she was lifting out a, I don't know what. I think she's a... LJ: Majel had never did anything like that before, but she's in school all the time. WN: I think that's wonderful. Now, let's back up to your schooling. Now tell me what you can remember most about your mother and your father, about their appearance and, and… LJ: About their parents? WN: Uh-huh, uh-huh. LJ: I didn't know either one of my grandparents. WN: You didn't know either one of your grandparents? LJ: My father, the Euchees were a camped at the…what town? WN: Okemah?. LJ: No, this camp? No. WN: Oh, the camp. LJ: Where I asked you to go and look for some, oh, something about Grandpa, you know? WN: Oh, at Fort Gibson. LJ: Yeah, Fort Gibson. WN: Oh yeah, Fort Gibson. LJ: The Euchees were stationed there at Fort Gibson, I think, for protection. And Grandfather, I mean, Papa's father was a man in the army. He was an Irishman. He was straight from Ireland. And I guess he got friendly with the grandmother. I don't know whether he got married or not. But anyway, she was Euchee and French. She was half French and she was half Euchee. And when the war was over, he was going back to Ireland. And he wanted to take his wife with him. But her parents, her people wouldn't let her go. So, she stayed. And he went back to Ireland. Grandpa nearly [indecipherable] paid it off. And that's a... WN: Do you have any pictures of her? Do you remember what she looked like or anything? LJ: Her name was Lucinda though. WN: It was? So that's how Lucinda... LJ: Grandpa named me after his mother. (It is believed she is referring to her father, not her grandpa.) And then my mother, she was just... I think she was an orphan, too. And some of my relatives raised her, and she'd never, she's never, she'd never gone to school, and she never did get to go to school. And she learned to talk English after seeing [indecipherable]. It's about all, but she was just a full blood. WN: Well, what did, did she look like you? I mean, do you look like your mother, or? LJ: I got a picture of her right on that little folder right there, on the table. WN: This, down here, this? LJ: No, on the table. WN: Oh, on the table. Oh, right here. Oh, I'd like to see that. LJ: I have two pictures of her. [Indecipherable]. WN: Let me get my, let me get my glasses. Where's my purse? Now this is the picture of your mother. LJ: And these are my three brothers. WN: All right now, which porch is that? Is that that back porch down there? LJ: Is that what? WN: Is that the back porch down there at the house? LJ: Oh yeah, and here's that water well. WN: Oh yeah, the well, yeah. LJ: And this is our washing machine back there. WN: And who are these three men? Do you know who those are? LJ: Oh, they're my brothers. WN: Those are your three brothers? This is, is that Jess? Joe? LJ: That's Jess. WN: That's Jess. LJ: And this one is Joe.. And this is Jim. WN: Oh, that's a wonderful picture of your mother. She was very petite, wasn't she? LJ: I have one better than that. This is in Alaska, too. That's Alvin Lee (Johnson) on Bartender (ph). WN: Oh, I remember Alvin Lee riding that horse so well. LJ: He loved it. WN: He loved to ride, didn't he? LJ: Yeah, he did. WN: Oh, is that, LJ: That's Lucinda right there. WN: Oh! LJ: And this is Eddie, that's... WN: Ed Porter's son? LJ: The last son, huh? WN: Oh, isn't she pretty? LJ: Yeah, this is Ed Porter and Lou right in the end there. WN: Lucinda, isn't it? Ed Porter looks so much like Lucian (Lucian A. Tiger) there. LJ: That's Gus (Johnson). WN: Yeah, that's Gus. LJ: He was going to John Gould's (ph) funeral. He was all dressed up. So, Lucian happened to be here and he said, well ,I'll just take this picture while he is dressed up. WN: That's a good picture, too. LJ: It is a good picture of Gus. WN: I always liked Gus. LJ: That's about the last picture he ever had. This is Jerry (ph). WN: Yes, that’s Jerry. LJ: And this is a picture that I like of Mama. WN: Oh, how wonderful. LJ: You see her garden plow? WN: Oh, yes, and look... LJ: She was going out to the garden and she has her bonnet on. WN: Oh, that is so cute, Bill. Look at this darling picture. [Inaudible] Boy, she had wonderful posture, didn't she? LJ: Oh, yes, she was straight as she could be. WN: Oh, that is, that is fantastic. LJ: Those are the only pictures I think I have of Mama. WN: Oh, that is so neat! LJ: She's so straight, did you see how straight she was? WN: Yes! LJ: Oh, she must have been in her 60s then. WN: Now, she had beautiful posture. LJ: Yes, she did. WN: But she was short, though. LJ: No, she was tall. WN: She was tall? LJ: She was about 5'6. WN: In this picture back here, she looks so short, wherever that picture was. LJ: She was taller than each one of them. None of us girls were as tall as she is. WN: Well, I just, I think that's such a precious picture. LJ: I like it, too. WN: You ought to have that enlarged sometime. LJ: Oh, I think I should, huh. WN: There's that Majel, she's something else. Oh, that's wonderful. Alright, now then, Ms. Johnson, tell me anything that you can about what life was like, like when you went to town, or how did you get to town? LJ: Well, we got to town, we kids got to town maybe once a year. See, we had to go in the hack from home to Bristow and that was six miles, and we just had dirt roads. And one Fourth of July, all of us kids got in the hack. You know, those two, two seated things, all [indecipherable]. So, we met a we met a wagon coming in. We were going in, and we had to cut off the road. And I wish I had that picture. And I thought the hack was going to do a turnover. So, I jumped. And then they have them, [indecipherable], oh what did you stop your wagon with? WN: Break? LJ: Yes, uh-huh, breaks. I started to jump out. I caught my skirt, it was a wide skirt, caught it on the, on the brake, and just threw that whole thing out. And there I was, I was going to the 4th of July picnic in Bristow. And they had a, I don't know what year it was, but anyway, when they had their 4th of July picnic, why, they had [indecipherable], no they weren't [indecipherable] either. They had platforms, I guess you would call it. The [indecipherable] had their dance floor, you know. And then it falls over, the niggers had theirs. So, they all had a good time I guess. Well that's one of the, one of the trips. Then one time, I remember, I was there along, I was about seven, I guess. Grandpa was on the grand jury in Sapulpa in Okmulgee in Muskogee. Of course, you had to go in his hack, you know. So, we went and we stayed all night, one night, with some friends that lived between Muskogee and Bristow. The next day, we got to Muskogee. And they had what's called a camp house, I guess. You could rent them. And we stayed there maybe about a week. And grandpa was on that grand jury, and then last night, he said we could go to the courthouse if we wanted to. So we, Mama and Joe and and their baby [indecipherable], we all went to the courthouse. They were trying a woman, she's, for killing her neighbor over some goslings. WN: Oh my. LJ: And you know, it just, oh it was about 15 years ago, this is the one that had killed the other one. She said she didn't have any place to go. So, she stayed there in McAlester all this time. They told her that she could stay there if she wanted to. And then I, well, I, I've been over 10 or 15 or 20 years ago where she was pardoned. She had lived there all this time. WN: My word. LJ: I don't know where she went after that. She was an old woman though anyway by then. WN: Wow, that was a long trip to make to serve on the jury, wasn't it? LJ: Yes. WN: Oh, well now, tell me about some of the early Indian things that you used to go to, and I remember last summer, I, they honored you at the stomp dance at Kellyville. Did you always go to the green corn dances there, or did they have...tell, tell me a little about the Indian celebrations they used to have. LJ: Well, the, I'll tell you about the celebration first. This, then we were going, see we were in Indian Territory, and then right across the line at Stroud, was, you know, Oklahoma. WN: Old Oklahoma. LJ: And Grandpa decided we would go to the Stroud and buy some liquor. He bought them in five-gallon jugs. These white jugs with the brown top on them. And he bought two, two bottles. Five gallon, I mean five gallons apiece. Well, Grandpa didn't drink. And Grandpa never drank at all. But he was a medicine man and he bought that for medicine. And in the summertime he would call what he was a purifying us, I guess. He'd made a lot of medicine, you know, outside in the yard. And then he built a little [indecipherable]. He’d put us in there and then pour hot water over. Oh, he had some big ol irons there. Poured hot water over the those pipes and we were inside in the, in clothes. He was sweating us out. WN: Oh my word. LJ: And we sweated too. And let's see what else can I tell you. WN: You stayed healthy that way? LJ: Yes. WN: Oh, you didn't have to drink anything did you? LJ: Oh yes, we had herbs. WN: Herbs. LJ: And he always gave liquor. Well, he'd give us a, I mean he'd put that with the… WN: Herbs? LJ: With the herbs. That was our, that was our drinks. That was our medicine, rather. WN: Well, you didn't have doctors, so you had to do something. LJ: No, no, no. No, there was no one there. I guess when Lucian was coming, we were living up there on the hill, we were there. And we had Dr. Reynolds (Ernest W. Reynolds). Old Dr. Reynolds. WN: I remember old Dr. Reynolds. LJ: Where he came in. But I have a [indecipherable]. But Lucian was already there then. The doctor was late, but he came in to a [indecipherable]. He had to keep, she had to keep me warm. I think Lucian's birthday is in January. So, it was pretty cold at home. He stuck it on my back, keeping me warm and everything. But we were all healthy. I guess due to grandpa sweating us out in the spring and giving us herbs all the time. WN: But now, how did you dress when you were a young girl, Ms Johnson? Did your mother make your clothes? LJ: Mom sewed and made everything for us. WN: She had an old treadle machine, or what did she do? LJ: She had a machine, but she would stay up until twelve o'clock at night, sewing for us kids, cause there was quite a few of us. She'd make the boys pants, just like they were bought. WN: My word. LJ: And she made all of our dresses, too, you know, calico dresses. And every Christmas we had a new dress, us girls had a new dress. And the boys had pants, you know, and everything. WN: Did you have, did you go to church, Indian church, back in those days? LJ: No we didn’t have an Indian church. WN: You didn't have an Indian church then. LJ: No. And then, well, we'd go to stomp dances. Grandpa didn't care about stomp dances. Mama would load us up all in this hack, you know, took us kids to stomp dances anyway. WN: Where were the stop dances around in these days? LJ: Well, there was one on Sand Creek. And then there was one, stomp ground, just west of Kellyville, up there in the hills and it’s still there. WN: Is that the one that they had the green corn dance in? LJ: Yeah. WN: The same place almost. They moved it up just a little bit, didn't they? But now this one on Sand Creek, was it, whereabouts on Sand Creek? Do you remember? LJ: Well, it was pretty close to where Grandma Tiger's house was. Just about where the, her graveyard is now. WN: Uh-Huh. But now, did you ever go down to Nuyaka or any place like that? LJ: No. WN: Those were all… LJ: That’s Creek territory. WN: Creek territory. Yep. That's right. It is, isn't it? LJ: Yeah. Oh we was just like any other children did. Any other child, you know. Went swimming every day in the summertime. WN: Who taught you to swim? LJ: I guess my older brother. Well, Grandpa used to go with us to take us swimming. On Skull Creek, you know. WN: Yeah. Did you fish down there too? Were there fish? LJ: Oh yes. Well, Skull Creek was a good stream. It was deep. WN: Oh. LJ: And after [indecipherable] they don't have the water and you know. WN: But now, do you remember the, when Slick was so big and everything, you know, when the town came into being, did that make any difference in your life? LJ: No. Yeah, I was already married then, wasn't I? WN: I don't know, it seemed like Slick came into being about 1920 or 21 or something like that. LJ: No, I remember Slick, but we never go to Slick very much. One time I was in that old Cafe there on Main Street, and I guess I decided I was hungry, so I went into this cafe, you know, and got myself a sandwich and there were two other young men sitting just little ways from me. They were talking about the [indecipherable], and I was, I had it on my thing and I've already forgotten what they said. I thought, well, let them talk if they want to. WN: Do you remember any particular stores in Bristow when you'd go? Do you remember? LJ: We never did get to Bristow but maybe about once a year. WN: Did you… LJ: I remember when the Vogel, WN: Vogel Dry Goods? LJ: Yes, was there. And the West. Jim, WN: Charles or Jim West? LJ: Charles. Nellie, Nellie West. WN: Nellie West. LJ: I knew them, and those were about the only stores they had in Bristow when I was growing up, I guess. WN: Do you remember the, the, when they had board sidewalks and mud in the street or any of that? LJ: Oh yes, that's what they had, just board sidewalks. [Indecipherable] I guess, well, the First State Bank, bank was on the east side. There's an old eating joint there now. And then across was the National Bank. And then over on the other side was The Groom’s bank. What was it? WN: I don't know. LJ: The Groom’s bank. WN: That's the one that they had a lot of trouble with. Went broke or something, didn't it? LJ: I don't why they couldn’t work. I don't know. But anyway. We had two banks at one time. We had the State Bank, that was Corey's (ph) bank, and then the one right across there then was Jim Boom’s (ph) bank, and then the Jones Bank, you know, it was on the other part, that’s about all I can think about that. WN: Do you remember the cotton gins? LJ: Oh, yes. I think we had three cotton gins there at one time. And the farmers, you know, after they got their cotton picked, why, there would be just the rows of red birds. WN: Oh yes. LJ: The farmers taking their cotton to Bristow, you know. WN: You had a thrash out there too, a brown thrash. LJ: Oh. WN: Thrash or thrasher or something. Isn't that a, that's a, that's a thrush, wasn't it? LJ: I guess it was, it wasn't a red bird, but I’ve got some red birds around here. WN: Yes, I, I saw a couple of those red birds there. Do you remember the flu epidemic that they had, or any smallpox epidemic, or? LJ: Yes, when I was a, we were a kid, but somehow, we didn't, any of us get smallpox. But all others and all around, they were just all sick. WN: Well, now how much land did you own back in those days? You had a lot of people, you had tenants on your farm? LJ: Oh yes. Well grandpa had a lot of his children all right around that white house. And we had tenants all over the place. WN: Now you had, you had slaves? Did they have slaves back in those days? LJ: No, because we always had a lot of colored people farming, you know, and… WN: Well, now, what is the story on that little house right there that I painted that old picture of? LJ: That, that's the little house right here. WN: Yeah, that was right there. LJ: Well, no, that was well, you know, there were a lot of colored people called Freedmen's. They were allotted to, you know. WN: Oh, the Freedmen were allotted. LJ: They were allotted to help with the, with the Creeks. And that house there was a man by the name of Hector Beaver built that house right there, just as you came in the gate, there… WN: The chimney still stands and the cistern still stands there. But I made the, the storm cellar. It's not the same. I put that storm cellar in, but it looked like a, you know, it looked like a gravestone marker, and so I took it out. I, I just moved the rocks around a little bit, cause... LJ: And then it had a little porch on there too, you know. WN: Yeah, and the little porch is down in the back. It's kind of falling down, but I didn't know if there was a porch on that front part or not. LJ: Yeah, there was one right in the front. WN: Well, that porch had fallen off when I, by the time I saw… LJ: There’s another porch on the back where the kitchen is. WN: Oh, uh-huh. LJ: Well, that's about all I know about that house. Well, they were what you call Freedman’s that built that house. And then later on, I don't remember what year it was, I don't know whether it was the government or what, moved a lot of these people, these colored people, and they moved them to Canada. I was just small, I just remember. There's a lot of our tenants that had to go, too. WN: The government made them leave, then. LJ: Yes, I don't know why. And I don't know what [indecipherable]. WN: Let me back up a little bit. Do you ever remember Bristow being called the Woodland Queen? LJ: Why would it be called Woodland Queen? WN: Well, I don't know. I hear that, you know, I read these stories that Bristow at one time was called the Woodland Queen. And I've heard people say, no, that's not true. There was nothing, they'd never heard of the name Woodland Queen. LJ: And then Kellyville, Kellyville was, it’s older than Bristow, I think. It has a, Kellyville was built in 18 something. WN: Yeah, 18, I think I looked, what was it, Bill, did we say 18? LJ: You know, it's on the highway. WN: Yeah. 1886. 1886 or 18... LJ: Oh, yes, I remember it was, it was just two years old, I remember Kellyville was just two years older than I am. And that was on the only trading post you know that we had there. WN: Oh, I didn't know that. LJ: And this man, his name was James Kelly, had a trading post there. And, of course, all the Indians, the Euchees, just traded with him. He was a nice looking, dignified looking. I think he was an Englishman that started Kellyville there. And then over across Deep Fork, they had another trading post while a stagecoach came through there. WN: Oh, now that's something I meant to ask you about. Can you tell me kind of where the stagecoach went here in Bristow? LJ: Oh, well I don't know where. WN: I mean where did it… LJ: That's what I don’t know, see, I don’t know where it came from, Texas somewhere, I expect. WN: But they did have a, whereabouts on Deep Fork, do you know… LJ: Well, you know where, you go through Slick, and then across, where the bridge is. WN: Yeah, where the bridge is, down by Golden Crenshaw's (ph) place, down in there? LJ: Yeah. Only you cross the bridge in there about where Paul Montgomery lives now. WN: Oh, Paul Montgomery? And that's about where the stage... LJ: Oh, that's where the stagecoach was. And his name was, I don't know what his first name was. The police that was known as Phillipsburg (ph). WN: Phillipsburg (ph). LJ: Mm-hmm. See his name last name was Phillipsburg (ph). And that was a, the another stage stop, and then it went to Kellyville, and then on to Red Fork. WN: Oh! LJ: They were all stage stops. WN: Stage stops. And do you ever remember seeing one of the stage stops? How did they look? Were they just houses, or what were they? LJ: Well, just kind of a house, you know, maybe a porch a [indecipherable]. WN: Did somebody stay there all the time? Well, James Hill stayed at his place and this man Phillips, I guess he stayed there too, just in an old one room house, maybe had a little store there. WN: What, can you describe a stage coach for me? What did they, did they look like they do in the movies or… LJ: Yeah, something, they’re just about the same. WN: And how many horses did they usually have pulling them? LJ: All the, those that came through here just had two horses plus, I mean the ones that I saw. I never did [indecipherable] them. WN: Yeah. Did you ever ride one? LJ: No, I never did. But I was lucky, then when Phillips was selling out, he was going to quit the business, I guess. Grandpa was going over there, he was going on horseback. And I was Grandpa's tail, so I wanted to go and he said, well, get on. So, I got on the back of the saddle. We went to Phillipsburg. That's quite a ride. WN: Yes. LJ: And so, then this, Mr. Phillips, why, he had, it was a cute little churn here or something, a little old churn about that big. It held just about a gallon of milk. And it had a turn on it. And he gave that to me. And I, I had it until about, well I got, I still had it when we moved here, I know. And Majel was throwing away things and I think she threw it away. And I asked her about it and she said no she didn't throw it away. But I think I knew where, I have an idea of where she threw it, and I keep telling myself I'm going to go back there and see if I can find my churn, but I never have gone. WN: Now when did you move to this house right here, Ms. Johnson? Did you, you built this house, didn't you? LJ: Well, Porter (Tiger) and I moved here in about 1910, I expect. And I'll tell you the [indecipherable] it was on these ready cut houses. WN: Like you ordered from Sears and all that? LJ: Yeah. Well, it had the kitchen, the dining room, and the living room and two bedrooms then, so I just kept adding on. Well, it's beautiful. WN: Did you marry, you married then when you were very young? LJ: No, I was eighteen when Porter and I got married. WN: And then you had Majel (Majel K. Frye) and Lucian (Lucian A. Tiger). LJ: No, I had Maj, I had Majel. And then my, the second baby was a boy. WN: Oh. LJ: His name was Daniel. And then... WN: Did he die as an infant? LJ: Well, no. He was about... audio 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/ohms/render.php?cachefile=OHP-0049A_Lucinda_Johnson.xml OHP-0049A_Lucinda_Johnson.xml
Dublin Core
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Title
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Lucinda Johnson - Part 1
Description
An account of the resource
In this 1992 interview, Lucinda Johnson talks about her family, where she was born and grew up, how Bristow got its name, attending school, stagecoaches, Bristow stores and farming.
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OHP-0049A
Date
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1992-02-19
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audio
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0413462c18f1b68b3c10d104c3e72000
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Title
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Family Histories
Type
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Oral History
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral accounts of various family histories
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bristow Historical Society, oral history collection
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Interviewer
The person(s) performing the interview
Wanda Newton
Interviewee
The person(s) being interviewed
Lucinda Johnson
OHMS Object
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https://bristoworalhistory.org/ohms/render.php?cachefile=OHP-0049B_Lucinda_Johnson.xml
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5.4 February 19, 1992 OHP-0049B Lucinda Johnson - Part 2 OHP-0049B 00:08:35 Bristow Historical Society - Oral History Archive Bristow Historical Society, Inc. bristowhistory Lucinda Johnson Wanda Newton 1:|13(2)|30(2)|53(15)|69(6)|81(4)|93(8)|111(2)|123(2)|134(10) 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/interviews/OHP-0049B Johnson, Lucinda.mp3 Other audio 3 Children LJ: She (he) was about nine months old, and her (he) and I had gone to visit his mother, you know, where she lived. And we came back by and we stopped over at Grandpa's, and, uh, Papa said, he said, Lou, you better take this baby home, cuz, and take care of her (him), because she has pneumonia. I didn't have any idea, you know, if there was anything wrong with her. And, uh, I took him home, and Dr. Reynolds come out. Dr. Reynolds and Porter were great friends. They could both drink together. And when they got there, when the doctor and Porter got back, they were both feeling no pain. Lucinda talks about her baby being ill, the doctor that helped him and her other children. Porter Tiger ; Dr. E.W. Reynolds ; Lucian A. Tiger ; Alvin Lee Johnson ; Daniel Tiger ; Majel K. Frye ; Dr. Charles T. Schrader ; Dr. F.H. Sisler ; Dr. W.F. Snorgrass ; Dr. J.E. Hollis ; Dr. O.H. Cowart ; Dr. E.W. King ; Gus Johnson Children 0 373 Snake Creek WN: Well, occasionally I read in the paper, I would read in the early Indian Territorial Enterprise, you know, that Indians doing this and that. Now, where was Snake Creek? I read about an uprising on Snake Creek. The Indians told the white people to get out of Bristow. 
 ; LJ: Well, Snake Creek is run by Bixby. 
 ; WN: Oh, by Bixby. 
 ; LJ: Over in there. 
 ; WN: But I had read in there that the Indians came to Bristow and issued an ultimatum for the white people to get out of that area. And that they were going to come back, and so they fixed some kind of a, I don't know, whatever, but the Indians never did come back, so. 
 ; Wanda asks Lucinda about the uprising at Snake Creek where the Indians told the white people to leave Bristow. Snake Creek ; Bixby (Okla.) ; Indian Territorial Enterprise 0 437 Tom Slick LJ: [Indecipherable] know where Slick got its name. 
 ; WN: No, he didn't say that. 
 ; LJ: Well, I know. Slick. It was Tom Slick. He was a young man from Pennsylvania when he came here. And he came, he walked from Bristow to our house. And sometimes he'd eat, eat with us, meals, you know. And he was taking leases, oil leases, and he, um, had a lease, uh, I guess it’s east of Slick. I don't know how far east, but that's where he, Tom Slick, first struck his well. 
 ; Lucinda tells about how the town of Slick got it's name. Tom Slick ; Slick ; oil boom 0 MP3 In Part Two of this 1992 interview with Lucinda Johnson, she talks about her children, her husbands and Tom Slick. WN: Okay. LJ: She (he) was about nine months old, and her (he) and I had gone to visit his mother, you know, where she lived. And we came back by and we stopped over at Grandpa's, and, uh, Papa said, he said, Lou, you better take this baby home, cuz, and take care of her (him), because she has pneumonia. I didn't have any idea, you know, if there was anything wrong with her. And, uh, I took him home, and Dr. Reynolds come out. Dr. Reynolds and Porter were great friends. They could both drink together. And when they got there, when the doctor and Porter got back, they were both feeling no pain. WN: Oh me. And then you had? LJ: Then I had Lucian (Lucian A. Tiger) was next. And then Alvin Lee (Alvin Lee Johnson). I had four. WN: All beautiful children, weren't they? LJ: I thought they were. I just have one picture of Daniel because he was small, you know. WN: Uh huh. LJ: And you didn't have Kodaks or things like that. I've got one picture of him. He was a pretty baby, too. WN: Did he look like Alvin Lee or? LJ: No. [Indecipherable] Johnson. WN: Yeah. But I always thought Alvin Lee looked a lot like Majel, in a way. Just a little bit. LJ: Well, I never did think so? Alvin was an awful pretty baby. And when Alvin Lee came, why, Dr….what is that… WN: Schrader (Charles T. Schrader)? LJ: No. WN: Sisler (F.H. Sisler)? Reynolds? Reynolds? LJ: No. WN: Coppedge? LJ: No. WN: Snorgrass (W.F. Snorgrass)? LJ: No. WN: Hollis (J.E. Hollis)? LJ: Huh? WN: Wouldn't be Hollis, would it? That was the eyes, ears, nose... LJ: No, no. You know, he, he died not too very long ago. WN: Cowart (O.H. Cowart), Dr. Cowart. LJ: Huh? WN: Wouldn't be Dr. Cowart, would it? LJ: Oh, no, he's, he’s farther back than that. Oh. You know him. You know him well? Unknown: Dr. King (E.W. King). WN: Dr. King. LJ: Yes. Dr. King. WN: Oh, Dr. King. LJ: Yeah, when Alvin Lee was coming, well the Gus (Johnson) was all excited, he said, well, I'm going get the doctor. Then doctor came in and another young intern was visiting Dr. King, all came back, they got here about 8 o'clock, and that was in August. And it was so cold. WN: Cold? LJ: Cold. That young doctor sat right there in the kitchen by the kitchen stove all night. And then Alvin Lee didn't come until the next morning about 8 o'clock. WN: Oh my. And you had the baby here at the house then? LJ: Yes, uh-huh. All of my babies were born at home. WN: Oh, that's, that's remarkable. Well, you all had to learn to endure, didn't you? LJ: I guess we did. WN: Shoot. Oh, me. LJ: Those were the early days. WN: Now, is there anything else that you can think of? I've kept you long enough. I don't want to keep you any longer. Now, I'll come back sometime and I'm going to have you all speak some Euchee for me. LJ: Okay. No, I don't know of anything more. WN: Is there any advice you'd like to give to your children or your grandchildren or your great grandchildren that you think they ought to... LJ: That they ought to do? WN: Yes, and wisdom from their... LJ: No. I just always told them to do what was good, not get into any mess of any kind. The only mess that I knew of was...Lucian got married awfully young. He married, uh, well, the chief's daughter. The Euchee Chief's daughter. Her name was Dorothy Jean Brown (ph). And they were both too young to be married, but they did. They didn't stay married. WN: Now, was Grandmother Conneisenney out there, that, she was, how was she related to you? LJ: She's Majel, uh, mother-in-law. WN: Mother-in-law. LJ: That was Porter's mother. WN: Oh, I see. Now that's the first time I knew that. LJ: And, uh, Porter lived way out in the country. I guess he ruled the town. But you know, he was with the Bristow baseball. WN: Oh, he was an athlete then. LJ: Yes, and I've got a picture of him where he and Ralph Corey, and there used to be some Tidwells, didn't they? WN: Yes, yes. Yes, Tidwells. LJ: He was a great big old tall boy. And then there was a Smith, there were some Smiths, I have a picture of them, Porter, you know, had his picture taken with them. WN: But one day I was reading the newspaper and it was talking about what a wonderful team the Indians had. They used to, the ball team, the Indians, there were some Indians around here who had a wonderful team. Would that be the same? LJ: No, because Porter was the only Indian on the Indian on the team? WN: Well, occasionally I read in the paper, I would read in the early Indian Territorial Enterprise, you know, that Indians doing this and that. Now, where was Snake Creek? I read about an uprising on Snake Creek. The Indians told the white people to get out of Bristow. LJ: Well, Snake Creek is run by Bixby. WN: Oh, by Bixby. LJ: Over in there. WN: But I had read in there that the Indians came to Bristow and issued an ultimatum for the white people to get out of that area. And that they were going to come back, and so they fixed some kind of a, I don't know, whatever, but the Indians never did come back, so. LJ: Well, I don’t know about that. WN: Well, I just happened to read that in the paper, but I, every once in a while in the paper as I was going through it in the early days, I'd read about somebody doing something that was really exciting. I thought, oh gah, would like to know more about that. But now listen, we're going to quit for today. LJ: [Indecipherable] know where Slick got its name. WN: No, he didn't say that. LJ: Well, I know. Slick. It was Tom Slick. He was a young man from Pennsylvania when he came here. And he came, he walked from Bristow to our house. And sometimes he'd eat, eat with us, meals, you know. And he was taking leases, oil leases, and he, um, had a lease, uh, I guess it’s east of Slick. I don't know how far east, but that's where he, Tom Slick, first struck his well. WN: And this is the beginning of the oil boom then? LJ: That was the beginning of the oil boom. Because I think Tom Slick was the first one that ever built, that ever drilled a well in this part of the country. WN: Now that's interesting to know. That's interesting. LJ: [Indecipherable] eat a meal with us [indecipherable]. WN: He didn't have a family then, did he? LJ: No, he wasn't married. He was just a young man, just prospecting is what he was doing. And he started roots out there. WN: That's wonderful. LJ: That's where, that's where he got his first start. audio 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/ohms/render.php?cachefile=OHP-0049B_Lucinda_Johnson.xml OHP-0049B_Lucinda_Johnson.xml
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lucinda Johnson - Part 2
Description
An account of the resource
In Part Two of this 1992 interview with Lucinda Johnson, she talks about her children, her husbands and Tom Slick.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
OHP-0049B
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1992-02-19
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
audio
-
https://www.bristoworalhistory.org/files/original/af1b745bf20be115e5ccd66bc0a7036c.jpg
8bf98c47c3667ff13a3fb6291120ba22
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Family Histories
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Oral History
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral accounts of various family histories
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Bristow Historical Society, oral history collection
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Interviewer
The person(s) performing the interview
Debbie Blansett
Interviewee
The person(s) being interviewed
Lydia Taryole
OHMS Object
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Viewer)
https://bristoworalhistory.org/ohms/viewer.php?cachefile=OHP-2020-05_Taryole,_Lydia.xml
OHMS Object Text
This field contains the OHMS Index and / or Transcript and is what makes the
contents of the OHMS object searchable in Omeka
5.4 July 7, 2020 OHP-2020-05 Lydia Taryole OHP-2020-05 0:00-50:14 'Bristow Historical Society - Oral History Archive' Bristow Historical Society, Inc. Lydia Taryole Debbie Blansett MP3 1:|59(2)|98(6)|156(2)|188(6)|243(2)|264(9)|315(2)|337(1)|365(3)|407(11)|453(7)|480(4)|526(3)|565(8)|606(4)|639(2)|683(4)|702(13)|719(14)|749(5)|774(12)|812(9)|846(4)|863(3)|892(6)|925(1)|939(1)|952(17)|985(10)|1024(6)|1055(2)|1080(1)|1119(14)|1140(9)|1184(2)|1215(2)|1253(5)|1275(4)|1296(7)|1337(3)|1377(5)|1397(12)|1416(1)|1436(11)|1469(6)|1504(4)|1535(19)|1540(12)|1551(10)|1578(2) 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/interviews/Lydia Taryole.mp3 Other audio 0 Introduction and Family History DB: This is Debbie Blansett with the Bristow Historical Society in Bristow Oklahoma, and this interview is part of the Historical Societies on going Oral History Project. The date is July 7th, and I am sitting here with Lydia Taryole at the Community Bank Board Room in Bristow Oklahoma who’s going to tell me a little about their—her history in the Bristow area. Her daughter Natalie Hogner is also in the room with us. Now I’m gonna ask each of you to give me your full name so that the transcriber will know your voice when you talk. So Lydia if you’ll say your name LT: Lydia Barnett Taryole NH: Natalie— LT: [Indecipherable] Barnett NH: Natalie Lynn Hogner DB: Alright, so we’re ready to start. Lydia’s brought some pictures today with her LT: That’s my son Barbara Ann ; Bristow Historical Society ; Bristow, Oklahoma ; Bunji Norman Taryole ; Christopher ; Clairview ; Clearview ; Debbie Blansett ; James Barnett ; Lizzie Star Barnett ; Lydia Barnett Taryole ; Michael West ; Natalie Lynn Hogner ; Newman Taryole Jr. ; Nicolas Hogner ; Weleetka ; William Barnett 348 School DB: What do you remember about school in Bristow? LT: Mr. Lester, I went to school every day and I didn’t know my math, he passed me DB: That’s a good one LT: Mr. Lester NH: She remembers Mr. Lester LT: I remember that DB: Mr. Lester LT: I didn’t know my math, or les—arithmetic’s. I went to school— DB: And he passed you anyway Audrey Bigpond ; Chilocco Indian School ; Eufaula ; Lydia Barnett ; Mr. Lester ; Navajos ; Newkirk ; Norma Jean 810 Young Adulthood DB: Well tell me about your husband, how did you meet your husband? LT: Ohhh DB: Oh is that a bad story? (Laughing) LT: My cousin told him about me DB: Did he play ball? LT: Who? DB: Your husband? LT: Yeah, he [Indecipherable]. That’s him in the army DB: Oh, he was in the army Baseball ; Berryhill ; Carl West ; Fort Louis ; Newman ; Newman Taryole ; Statewide Tree Service ; Thomas Nick ; Warehouse Market ; Whinie Lowell 1209 Businesses DB: Oh my goodness, you were the ringer? That’s the good thing. What do you remember about Bristow, like what were the big businesses here when you came back to live in Bristow? LT: Uh, momma, what was his name, Abraham? DB: Uh-huh LT: He had a grocery store I think, Abraham I think, mhm DB: Yes, yes, on main street? LT: Mhm DB: What did main street look like? LT: I had a picture of it with them old cars, and I was looking for it and I lost it DB: That’s alright, but lots of places to shop? Lots of things to do? Abraham ; Burris ; Four-mile corner 1427 Childhood DB: Well, there’s just so many things ; what other stories do you have? Let’s surprised Natalie, what other stories can you remember from—did you do any ornery things when you were a girl? LT: I ran around with that O’Brian (ph) girl NH: What does that mean? DB: Did you get in trouble with that? LT: Her mom was a bootlegger DB: Oh my goodness LT: Down on the highway DB: Now those are the kind of stories we want to hear, so the O’Brian girls’ momma was a bootlegger LT: And I was going to school and she come and wanted me to run around with her and I go “No I gotta go to school” she left Kellyville ; Lizzie Star Barnett ; Model-A ; O'Brian 1628 Greatest Inventions and Differences in the World DB: If you think back all the way from 1933 until now, what are the greatest inventions, or the greatest things— LT: My daddy tried to farm DB: He tried to farm, that was a pretty big deal! Did he have luck? Did he grow things? LT: Yeah he had watermelon and people come stole them DB: Oh my gosh, I think it might’ve been, I think I might’ve known a person that was involved in that. He tells stories about stealing watermelon anyway. But y’all had a wagon, how long until you had a car? LT: Well mom had a model-A and she bought a truck, cus’ she had money. She got 160 [Indecipherable] DB: She just bought it or she was left that land? LT: Yeah they gave it to her, I don’t know what year. Daddy got 160 DB: And this was all through Indian Land grants? Creek ; Indian Land Grants ; Okemah ; Okmulgee ; Original Allottes ; Springfield ; Springfield United Methodist Church ; Tulsa 1962 Baseball DB: Do you go to any of the Pow-wows or Stomp Dances or anything like that? LT: My father-in-law did, he belonged to Nuyaka (ph). Me and Newman was out playing ball or he was running the ball with his team and basketball, he had a baseball team. DB: Oh wow NH: Yeah that’s where I grew up on the Stomp Grounds in Nuyaka, it’s on my dad's land, the stomp grounds. Then of course in the fields they built their own little baseball– softball field LT: Newman's dad belonged to it, he [Indecipherable] him and his wife, she cooks. NH: Oh yeah she cooked out on the fire outside LT: They cooked outside NH: Yeah Barbara Ann ; Baseball ; Buckeye ; Joe Barnett ; JoJo ; Nuyaka ; Pow-Wow ; Softball ; Stomp Dances ; Stomp Grounds 2220 Family History (Continued) and Conclusion DB: Well, I sure have enjoyed it. And you know this is gonna become part of the oral history and you can see it LT: Oh I hope not DB: Oh yes it will and it will be available online if people wanna know things about you or about your family LT: I told Reba, I said “That highway is 65 miles an hour”, I told her that’s old 66, she don't believe me. She said “Oh you know, that’s not true”, she didn’t believe me. That’s old 66 DB: Yup LT: Now that’s 48, and it’s 65 miles, they pass each other DB: Where you live on 48, that used to be old 66? LT: Yeah [Indecipherable] by the four-mile corner then turn up there east 55' Ford ; Barbara Ann ; Bristow ; Chicoma, Washington ; Delores ; Eufaula ; Four-Mile Corner ; Haskell ; Haskell Indian College ; Home Ec ; James Barnett ; Jennetta Barnett ; Jennetta Scott ; Junior 4H ; Junior Red Cross ; Lizzie Barnett ; Mrs. Dire ; Mrs. Dyre ; Navajos ; Okemah ; Pinehill ; Tahlequah In this 2020 interview, Lydia Taryole shares her experience growing up in Bristow. She discusses her childhood, family history, and baseball. Interviewer: Debbie Blansett Interviewee: Lydia Taryole Other Persons: Natalie Hogner Date of Interview: July 7, 2020 Location: Bristow, Creek County Oklahoma Transcriber: Abby Thompson Organization: Bristow Historical Society, Inc. Original Cassette Tape Location: OHP-2020-05 at 00:00 to 50:14 Abstract: Preface: The following oral history testimony is the result of a cassette tape interview and is part of the Bristow Historical Society, Inc.' ; s collection of oral histories. The interview was transcribed and processed by the Bristow Historical Society, Inc., with financial assistance from the Montfort Jones & ; Allie Brown Jones Foundation. Rights to the material are held exclusively by the Bristow Historical Society, Inc. The reader should bear in mind that he or she is reading a verbatim transcript of spoken, rather than written prose. Insofar as possible, this transcript tries to represent the spoken word. Thus, it should be read as a personal memoir and not as either a researched monograph or edited account. To the extent possible, the spelling of place names, foreign words, and personal names have been verified, either by reference resources or directly by the interviewee. In some cases, a footnote has been added to the transcript in order to provide more information and/or to clarify a statement. Some uncertainties will inevitably remain regarding some words and their spellings. In these scenarios, a (ph) follows a word or name that is spelled phonetically. The notation [indecipherable] is used when the transcriber has not been able to comprehend the word or phrase being spoken. The notation [inaudible] is used where there is more mumbling than words, or when interference on the tape has made transcription impossible. DB: This is Debbie Blansett with the Bristow Historical Society in Bristow Oklahoma, and this interview is part of the Historical Societies on going Oral History Project. The date is July 7th, and I am sitting here with Lydia Taryole at the Community Bank Board Room in Bristow Oklahoma who' ; s going to tell me a little about their--her history in the Bristow area. Her daughter Natalie Hogner is also in the room with us. Now I' ; m gonna ask each of you to give me your full name so that the transcriber will know your voice when you talk. So Lydia if you' ; ll say your name LT: Lydia Barnett Taryole NH: Natalie-- LT: [Indecipherable] Barnett NH: Natalie Lynn Hogner DB: Alright, so we' ; re ready to start. Lydia' ; s brought some pictures today with her LT: That' ; s my son DB: She' ; s showing me pictures of her son LT: And they used to have this at school, who' ; d you say? NH: That' ; s Christopher, that' ; s her grandson. DB: Oh NH: So, that' ; s Nicolas DB: Okay, she' ; s got pictures of her grandsons, her son--grandson Nicolas Hogner, her son-- NH: That' ; s Newman Taryole Jr. DB: Newman Taryole Jr, oh my who is this? NH: That' ; s my brother Bunji Norman Taryole (ph) DB: Normal Taryole LT: He' ; s got long hair now (Laughing) DB: And she' ; s got--is this a grandchild or a great? NH: That' ; s grandchild Christopher DB: Christopher her grandchild NH: That' ; s Bunji, see how they look alike? DB: Yes, very much LT: This is Mike, he graduated here NH: She knows Mike DB: I know Mike LT: No, you know-- DB: This is Mike LT: Mhm DB: Michael West LT: Mhm, here' ; s my oldest daughter when she was young. DB: And this is her daughter NH: Barbara DB: Barbara, what grade was she in in this picture, do you remember? How old was she? LT: She was young DB: She was young LT: Now I don' ; t know DB: She was very young LT: She didn' ; t put it down NH: Yeah write it on the back, sometimes write them on the back, nope. LT: This is my mom and dad when they were young DB ; Okay tell me about your mom and dad, what were their names? LT: Lizzie Star Barnett (ph) DB: What was the first name again? LT: Lizzie DB: Lizzie? LT: Mhm DB: Star LT: Barnett DB: Barnett, and your dads name? LT: James Barnett DB: Do you know where this picture was taken? LT: I think at my grandma' ; s house DB: At your grandma' ; s house? LT: Mhm NH: Was that the house out north or was that after? Probably after. LT: Before, yeah. NH: She brought me and I learned a lot from this abstract that was her dads, James Barnett, or he was a lot of land as a newborn creek when he was two years old DB: Oh wow, yes I wanna get pictures of that so we can attach it to our-- NH: Yeah that' ; s what I was going through it and trying to see everything and you know, learn that his--my great grandpa was named Daniel DB: Huh NH: I learned a lot from just reading through this and then-- DB: And she just had this all the time? NH: Mhm, just said " ; Hey, I have this" ; LT: It had William Barnett on there NH: That' ; s her brother LT: And I thought I found it in my trunk NH: Yeah this is their original land out North DB: Well Lydia when were you born? When were you born, do you remember when you were born? NH: What' ; s your birthday? LT: 6/17/33 DB: July seven--I mean June seventieth LT: Uh-huh, 33' ; DB: 1933 LT: Mhm [Inaudible] DB: Were you born at home or in a hospital? LT: In a hospital DB: You were born in a hospital? LT: In Weleetka DB: In Weleetka! NH: They had a hospital in Weleetka? LT: Probably DB: If she was born there! NH: Okay, well it says place of birth I was waiting, I' ; m gonna put Weleetka DB: Well when-- LT: They said Clarview but I don' ; t wanna put Clairview DB: Oh is that the name, the actual name probably of the city where you were born? NH: That' ; s not really a city LT: Weleetka BD: But you lived in Clareview-- Clairview-- Clearview? LT: My grandma did DB: Your grandma did. What did your dad do? What kind of work did your dad do? LT: He was rich, he had oil wells out there on ol' ; 66 DB: On old 66 LT: six-seventeen, I used to remember--nine. Six-seventeen-nine, that was his 20 acres DB: 20 acres NH: six-sixteen-nine LT: When he was young, he was--he had oil wells out there on ol' ; 66, but it' ; s 48 now DB: Okay, and what did your mother work outside the home? Was--she was a homemaker? LT: We had an old home and we didn' ; t have no water or electric, she cooked on the wood stove DB: Cooked on a wood stove LT: And sent me to school DB: And did you go to school in Bristow?LT: Mm DB: What do you remember about school in Bristow? LT: Mr. Lester, I went to school every day and I didn' ; t know my math, he passed me DB: That' ; s a good one LT: Mr. Lester NH: She remembers Mr. Lester LT: I remember that DB: Mr. Lester LT: I didn' ; t know my math, or les--arithmetic' ; s. I went to school-- DB: And he passed you anyway LT: Yeah, momma got us up and I went every day, all I had to do was catch that bus. My brothers wouldn' ; t go to school. DB: How many brothers did you have? LT: Four DB: And how many sisters? LT: One DB: That' ; s a--that' ; s a lot of kids LT: [Indecipherable] Mhm. She graduated with the Chilocco (ph) DB: Graduated what? NH: Chilocco Indian School [Indecipherable]. Is that Norma Jean? DB: Oh, who was this sister? NH: Norma Jean, yeah. LT: That' ; s the only sister I had NH: And she was the youngest DB: And where was that school? LT: On the other side of Newkirk. I don' ; t--can' ; t remember that [Indecipherable] NH: Chilocco, I think they' ; ve shut it down LT: Mhm DB: Was it a creek school? Or-- LT: No it was a-- DB: Just any Indian? NH: Just any Indian LT: Yeah, I think I got a book, I brought my book. We had good teachers and good kids, that' ; s when I graduated. DB: Oh my heavens NH: Oh wow, I' ; ve never even known she had that, those are [Indecipherable] DB: Okay she' ; s showing me now the--is this the word you' ; re saying? NH: Chilocco DB: Chilocco yearbook LT: Yeah that' ; s when I graduated. You know, I come here and I--they hired me as the, where you work? DB: They hired her at? NH: The garment factory LT: Yeah garment factory, he hired me I forgot his name. When I graduated, I went to work. DB: So you didn' ; t graduate from Bristow? LT: No DB: No. LT: I was going to Bristow and a man came into our Indian home, they had to build it for us, and he asked mom if she had any kids that would go to Chilocco, I was crazy I said " ; I will" ; and that' ; s way down there! DB: Did you--so you had to go live there? LT: Yeah, uh-huh DB: And then they would come get you to come home and visit or was it all the time or-- LT: Yeah when we were home on holidays and summers, they came after us. Graduation. DB: How many people were in your, well I guess I could look, but how many people went there? How many were in your graduating class? LT: Even the Navajos went there, they were in groups on--in that book. We had good teachers. DB: Barnett LT: Let me find that DB: Lydia Barnett, there you are! LT: Really? DB: Right there LT: I didn' ; t even know it! I was looking for it! DB: I think it says Lydia Barnett, is that you? LT: Yeah, that' ; s me. DB: My goodness, it' ; s like looking at Natalie in that picture NH: Let me see (Laughing) LT: I was looking for it in our-- DB: Or one of your boys. Down at the bottom. NH: Yeah that' ; s-- LT: That' ; s my mom DB: Oh my goodness LT: She always cooked NH: Audrey Bigpond (ph), she' ; s from Bristow. LT: Yeah, she went to [Indecipherable] with us, mhm. Coming home cause our parents couldn' ; t come after DB: Your mother stayed at her home, did your mom--how old was she when she passed? LT: 75 I think DB: Did your father go first? LT: No DB: He lived after she did? LT: Yeah, yeah, he went first. NH: He passed first, ' ; cus I never met him but I met her. LT: He was laying on the bed, he' ; d been hospital, he told me he said " ; They said I had an enlarged heart" ; DB: Aw, what was the best thing she cooked for you, your momma? LT: Yeah she was-- DB: What was your favorite thing? LT: Her biscuits DB: Her biscuits? What' ; s the best thing you cook? Biscuits? LT: Chicken NH: Fried chicken DB: Chicken! LT: Fried chicken [Indecipherable] DB: Well I' ; ve had your fried corn and I know that' ; s pretty good, this is-- LT: That' ; s my sister DB: This is the same girl LT: Oh I' ; ve got two of them, I was gonna take that out. DB: Yes LT: I' ; ll give it to Natalie. This is my daddy' ; s sister DB: Your daddy' ; s sister NH: She lived here, yeah. DB: So the Barnett' ; s in Bristow, that' ; s your dads side of the family? LT: Mhm. I went to school at Eufaula and my sister, she was in kindergarten, that' ; s in Eufaula. DB: This is in Eufaula LT: I was on the third floor DB: When did you go to school in Eufaula LT: 32' ; I think, I don' ; t remember DB: Like you were in grade--elementary school like young? LT: Yeah, mhm. And she was in first--kindergarten DB: Kindergarten, so you probably were in the second grade or first grade or something? LT: Yeah, mhm. DB: Again, did you live there in the school? LT: Yeah I was on the third floor. DB: Hm, where were your parents? LT: At home DB: At home? LT: Mhm DB: With the boys, who wouldn' ; t go to school LT: Yeah (Laughing) LT: They wouldn' ; t catch that bus, that' ; s me in our old house. DB: This is your old house or when you were a-- LT: We lived there DB: Your mommas house? LT: My daddy' ; s house DB: Your daddy' ; s house. Look at that old truck LT: Do you see a truck? DB: A truck back here LT: I didn' ; t even see that DB: That' ; s pretty neat. LT: That' ; s when I was younger DB: This is how I remember, when our boys were young LT: There' ; s Natalie' ; s picture DB: There' ; s Natalie as a senior. There' ; s Jarrett looking at me from that [Indecipherable] NH: Is that Jarrett? LT: Jarrett [Muffled Noises] LT: She went to Sequoya, she left Bristow DB: Oh, Natalie did for a while? NH: I thought my brother [Indecipherable] Kinda like her, they said " ; Wanna go somewhere" ; and I got up and go. It was an Indian school too DB: Well tell me about your husband, how did you meet your husband? LT: Ohhh DB: Oh is that a bad story? (Laughing) LT: My cousin told him about me DB: Did he play ball? LT: Who? DB: Your husband? LT: Yeah, he [Indecipherable]. That' ; s him in the army DB: Oh, he was in the army LT: Yeah NH: He went to the army to play baseball DB: Oh LT: They let him play baseball DB: Wow LT: Hey, after-- DB: He' ; s a very handsome man! LT: That' ; s when he was younger, here' ; s when he' ; s--he had friends. He did good, we got married and he picked me up and took me to California and he got drafted. DB: Oh wow and left you in California LT: Yeah DB: And went off to basic training LT: Mhm DB: Did he have to go anywhere? Was he-- LT: He said " ; I don' ; t want to go to army" ; and I said " ; Well you just have to stay there two years at Fort Louis" ; DB: At Fort Louis LT: Mhm NH: Yeah there' ; s a story, I don' ; t know the whole story, but he almost made it to the minor leagues, or major leagues, something in baseball. LT: Yeah I found that picture, but I don' ; t know where it' ; s at NH: And then his brother, I guess him and his brother was real good, and they--his brother got sick and wanted to come home and then he came home with him instead of staying DB: And he' ; s also from Bristow? What' ; s your husband' ; s name? LT: Newman DB: Is he from Bristow also? LT: He' ; s from Okemah DB: He' ; s from Okemah LT: Here' ; s when he was-- DB: Oh my goodness LT: I had my daughter out there DB: Have you seen this picture? LT: [Indecipherable] NH: Let me see, no LT: She' ; s got mommas picture when she was young. Newman worked, he worked in Tulsa at warehouse--was it-- DB: Warehouse Market LT: Yeah, he was good DB: Such a handsome man LT: That' ; s my oldest daughter DB: This is the one married to-- LT: Hey here' ; s his army picture DB: Mr. Carl West? LT: Here' ; s his army picture DB: Oh his baseball team from the army LT: Mhm, he didn' ; t wanna go I said " ; Well you just have to go two years" ; and it was peace time, his momma, she worried because he was in the army. Here' ; s his mom and dad DB: And what were their names? LT: Whinie, Lowell NH: Nick, Thomas Nick, is that grandpa Nick? LT: Yeah NH: Yeah, Thomas Nick, that' ; s who Nicolas is named after DB: And the mothers name? NH: Whinie (ph) DB: Whinie? NH: Mhm, [Indecipherable] DB: Was this their home? Was this taken at their home? LT: Yeah, uh-huh NH: She was, one you know when they talk about, she' ; d go out there and catch them chickens and we' ; d be like " ; how' ; d she do that?" ; and we' ; d be running chasing them, and she' ; s just go ' ; Kch' ; and she' ; d take it inside and start plucking ' ; em DB: Oh my goodness NH: That' ; s what I remember LT: This is our preacher from [Indecipherable], he' ; s in Berryhill, that was momma' ; s preacher DB: This was taken in 1955, there' ; s a date on that one NH: Who is this? DB: Preacher NH: Oh the preacher LT: Berryhill, that' ; s his daddy. DB: Uncle [Indecipherable] LT: There' ; s his daddy and that' ; s his daddy' ; s brother DB: Now who' ; s dad am I looking at? Oh this is Newman' ; s dad LT: Mhm. There' ; s Newman, I don' ; t know who that boy is. His friend, cousin probably. DB: Oh these pictures are so wonderful LT: Here' ; s me and Newman and our kids. I had three daughters and two sons. DB: Okay now I' ; ve got more questions for you NH: [Indecipherable] was asleep DB: He has his eyes closed. So did you live, did you live in town? You said you--when you were growing up, you lived-- LT: We lived in Tulsa when Newman was working DB: Okay, and then you moved back to Bristow when the kids were born? LT: We moved to Okemah with his folks then my brother said if you pay for that house, y' ; all can have that house. They didn' ; t give it to nobody else but me and Newman, and he paid for it. He worked at Tree Service, Statewide. DB: Statewide Tree Service. LT: Mhm DB: So many questions, so many different ways I could go with this. You were born in a hospital, so did you go to the doctor for other things when you were a child and did they have doctors' ; offices or--? LT: I had Gallbladder surgery, she had to take me DB: But when you were little NH: When you were little DB: When you were really young NH: When you were little DB: Do you remember going to the doctors' ; offices? LT: No I played softball with the Alcorn girls, they were good DB: They were good, you played with all the Alcorn girls LT: Yeah, I was the only Indian DB: You were the only Indian on the team? LT: Mhm DB: Oh my goodness, you were the ringer? That' ; s the good thing. What do you remember about Bristow, like what were the big businesses here when you came back to live in Bristow? LT: Uh, momma, what was his name, Abraham? DB: Uh-huh LT: He had a grocery store I think, Abraham I think, mhm DB: Yes, yes, on main street? LT: Mhm DB: What did main street look like? LT: I had a picture of it with them old cars, and I was looking for it and I lost it DB: That' ; s alright, but lots of places to shop? Lots of things to do? LT: She shopped at four-mile corner, Burris (ph) had that store, she had [Indecipherable] there DB: The Burroughs (ph) had the store? LT: Burris, Burris DB: Oh Burris. LT: Uh-huh DB: Well let' ; s see LT: Four-mile corner DB: At the four-mile corner LT: These are business there NH: Yeah I seen her when she [Indecipherable] who she owed money to, we' ; ll try to look LT: Probably Burris NH: I thought I saw something like that but--she owed community states bank $43 LT: Really? DB: Oh my goodness. So now your dad was the oil man? LT: Mhm DB: And so he would' ; ve been involved in the big oil boom that happened LT: A long time ago DB: In Bristow and in Slick when they had all the oil and stuff like that LT: He didn' ; t know how to save his money DB: He didn' ; t know how to--so he just spent it? LT: Yeah DB: Did he spend it on anything in particular? LT: He bought his mom a house DB: Where? LT: In Clareview, and that place was sandy. He built her--his mom DB: It' ; s hard to build a house in the sand LT: A long time ago, he didn' ; t build us none. We lived in that old house, we didn' ; t have no electric, water, that was a long time ago. DB: And a wood stove LT: Yeah DB: What was that like, cooking on a wood stove? LT: It was good NH: She still likes to do that, she liked to go outside and set up the wood and have a little area, she likes to cook outside DB: Because you are an Indian, were there any problems or did you ever feel like you didn' ; t have the same things everybody else had? It sounds like you were pretty well off. LT: Well they were going with the preacher in Sapulpa and he said " ; Why don' ; t y' ; all sign up for an Indian home?" ; and they build it in seventy, that' ; s when me and mom was in living room and that man came, it was in seventy, I don' ; t know when it was DB: In your home you live in now? LT: Yeah, mhm. I said " ; I' ; ll go" ; , which is crazy DB: I' ; ll go ; there she is volunteering again. That' ; s me, I' ; ll go NH: That' ; s it. DB: Well, there' ; s just so many things ; what other stories do you have? Let' ; s surprised Natalie, what other stories can you remember from--did you do any ornery things when you were a girl? LT: I ran around with that O' ; Brian (ph) girl NH: What does that mean? DB: Did you get in trouble with that? LT: Her mom was a bootlegger DB: Oh my goodness LT: Down on the highway DB: Now those are the kind of stories we want to hear, so the O' ; Brian girls' ; momma was a bootlegger LT: And I was going to school and she come and wanted me to run around with her and I go " ; No I gotta go to school" ; she left DB: She left, and you went to school and still didn' ; t learn your arithmetic LT: No, I went every day. DB: Did you have animals? Cows, pigs, chickens? LT: They gave momma them fantasy horses, and we' ; s coming to town in a wagon. We came to town and a train was going by and I though them horses would take off, them fantasy horses, they bought them from mom. She had mules, they kicked the barn down DB: That' ; s not a good thing, so you brought the wagon to town? LT: Yeah, that was a long time ago, I was scared cause that old thing was making noise and I thought they' ; d take off. My daddy was-- DB: Was driving it? LT: Mhm, we didn' ; t have no car. DB: So you had to use the wagon to get to town? LT: To get to town. She had a model A, it was real neat and good DB: Who had a model A? LT: Mom DB: Oh NH: Is that her? LT: Yeah, I thought I didn' ; t have no pictures. NH: I remember that' ; s the last thing I remember of my grandma Lizzie (ph) cause she was sick whenever I was four I think, and I remember I used to always rub her head because she always had those scarves on DB: Scarves on LT: [Indecipherable] NH: And I would sit and rub her head, that' ; s all I remember LT: We went to Tulsa and we were driving mommas truck and we broke down in Kellyville, she was--mom had money and we had to rent a house because our truck broke down and Natalie was small and she' ; d jump up and down on the bed. She was active NH: Yeah until my brothers roped me and cut me and put a big scar on my head. And she just " ; Ah pour some sugar on it" ; , said " ; you' ; re good" ; DB: Oh my goodness, pour some sugar on it NH: Pour some sugar on it LT: Yeah, my brother had to come and get her because our truck broke down and we left it there and he come and got it. Jake was oldest, Joe was next. DB: If you think back all the way from 1933 until now, what are the greatest inventions, or the greatest things-- LT: My daddy tried to farm DB: He tried to farm, that was a pretty big deal! Did he have luck? Did he grow things? LT: Yeah he had watermelon and people come stole them DB: Oh my gosh, I think it might' ; ve been, I think I might' ; ve known a person that was involved in that. He tells stories about stealing watermelon anyway. But y' ; all had a wagon, how long until you had a car? LT: Well mom had a model-A and she bought a truck, cus' ; she had money. She got 160 [Indecipherable] DB: She just bought it or she was left that land? LT: Yeah they gave it to her, I don' ; t know what year. Daddy got 160 DB: And this was all through Indian Land grants? NH: Yeah LT: Mhm NH: What do they call it, the original allottees LT: Mhm, she got 160 acres in Depew DB: She still has--you still have that? LT: I' ; ve got 20 acres, mhm. DB: But what has happened to this land in the abstract? NH: All the brothers split DB: All the brothers have it? NH: Split, yeah. DB: But the land, you still own the land as far as you know? LT: My sister got 40 acres, mhm. DB: Oh so the 20 she' ; s talking about it part of this? NH: Mhm LT: And I' ; ve got 20 out there on oil-- NH: They have land in Bristow and Depew DB: Anything else different? What' ; s the world like? What would you think--what' ; s different about how everything is in the world right now? LT: Virus DB: The virus (Laughing) DB: the virus is very different LT: I have to stay home DB: We all have to stay home LT: That' ; s bad, it' ; s getting bad. DB: Have you ever been on an airplane? LT: No, when he was in the army, he was scared. He got drunk and got--and got-- DB: And got on LT: Yeah he was scared to ride the airplane No I' ; ve never-- DB: Never been on an airplane. Been on a train? LT: Yeah, mhm DB: What' ; d you take-- LT: We went to a train here with my daddy DB: Where' ; d you go? Tulsa? LT: Tulsa I guess, [Indecipherable] was on that train. DB: Think hard. Natalie is there anything? NH: That you missed? DB: That we' ; ve missed? Were you in clubs in high school? LT: I was in something? DB: Were you in choir? LT: No NH: What is this? DB: Were you in speech and debate? She also brought a calendar that' ; s got pictures-- that has pictures of creek LT: Yeah. Hey that' ; s the [Indecipherable] house in Okmulgee DB: Yes, and this is-- this is how you say January in Creek? LT: I can' ; t talk creek DB You don' ; t speak creek NH: Can you understand it? LT: I can' ; t read that, mhm DB: No but do you understand if somebody is speaking creek? Do you understand them? LT: Newman was mad at me because I couldn' ; t talk creek and he was Fluent NH: Fluent LT: And he had that stroke in 96' ; and it took it-- he can' ; t talk DB: And he can' ; t speak it anymore LT: Mhm NH: He can LT: A little bit NH: Like if we go somewhere, like when there' ; s other people or speakers, he' ; ll sit there and have a conversation with them now. Whether he knows he' ; s speaking right or not, we don' ; t know. But my oldest sister, she can understand it, she just doesn' ; t speak it. LT: That' ; s the way my brother was DB: There' ; s a church in Okemah LT: Oh is that in-- NH: That is Springfield LT: Oh that' ; s our church, mhm DB: This was the church you went to in Okemah? LT: Yeah, mhm DB: These words have to be creek for the days of the week LT: Mhm DB: Because this is Sunday LT: Spring, it' ; s Springfield DB: That' ; s the name of the church? LT: Mhm DB: Springfield United Methodist Church? LT: Mhm DB: Do you go to any of the Pow-wows or Stomp Dances or anything like that? LT: My father-in-law did, he belonged to Nuyaka (ph). Me and Newman was out playing ball or he was running the ball with his team and basketball, he had a baseball team. DB: Oh wow NH: Yeah that' ; s where I grew up on the Stomp Grounds in Nuyaka, it' ; s on my dad' ; s land, the stomp grounds. Then of course in the fields they built their own little baseball-- softball field LT: Newman' ; s dad belonged to it, he [Indecipherable] him and his wife, she cooks. NH: Oh yeah she cooked out on the fire outside LT: They cooked outside NH: Yeah LT: It was called Nuyaka NH: [Indecipherable] LT: That' ; s in Okema, Nuyaka DB: Well, this was all just pretty interesting Mrs. Lydia NH: No see she was excited about this digging stuff out LT: I said " ; How come she wanna interview you?" ; you know what she said? DB: What' ; d she say? LT: She wants an older person (Laughing) DB: Well we want to know the history of Bristow LT: I' ; m 87 DB: 87 years old LT: Newman' ; s 87 DB: Well y' ; all are just spring chickens NH: Yeah LT: My daddy said " ; when you gonna quit playing softball?" ; I said I don' ; t know, [Indecipherable]. She started playing, she' ; s an outfielder. NH: Yeah I used to just go with her and then one day they didn' ; t have enough people so they threw me in the field and then that was over with, I was out there all the time. LT: That' ; s what my oldest daughter, she' ; s an outfielder. Barbara Ann DB: So baseball, softball, that was a big part of your life. LT: Mhm, well my brother Joe Barnett NH: You know Joe, Joe and all them DB: That' ; s your brother? LT: Mhm NH: Joe, [Indecipherable] DB: Oh LT: Well Newman was his coach, and Joe drank, he come to play ball, he set him on the bench DB: There you go LT: And he quit drinking, he wanted to play baseball DB: Absolutely. Now Larry, my Larry, played with JoJo (ph), so that would' ; ve been Joe' ; s son in Tulsa? NH: Yeah LT: Yeah mhm, he was a catcher NH: Jojo [Indecipherable] DB: JoJo? LT: Yeah, he was a catcher. I never could play catcher. DB: I just know he could hit the ball NH: I remember him catching [Indecipherable] LT: Yeah, now he' ; s-- DB: Played for a really good team, they were hard to beat. [Indecipherable] LT: He was a good catcher DB: I think Carl played with Larry in lots of things, Carl. LT: West? DB: Played with Larry in lots and lots of things. They would invite him to play ball, and said-- Larry would say " ; But I' ; m not Indian" ; and they said " ; You look enough like one, come on and play" ; NH: You get dirty real quick (Laughing) DB: And we would go to, out there by IXL back east, there' ; s a place. NH: Hm up on the hill DB: Do you know the name of the place? NH: Just IXL DB: No, there' ; s a name-- there' ; s a ballpark NH: Buckeye DB: Buckeye LT: Oh yeah, Buckeye DB: And they had the brush [Indecipherable] set out and those ladies would come in and cook and cook and it was like, are we here for base-- are we here for softball or eating? Because they cooked all day long. LT: Remember that ball game you played at, them women didn' ; t cook NH: No LT: That was a reason-- DB: What' ; d you pull out here at the end? LT: I was just looking at it DB: Oh this is just from a hospital, we don' ; t need that NH: We don' ; t need that DB: Well, I sure have enjoyed it. And you know this is gonna become part of the oral history and you can see it LT: Oh I hope not DB: Oh yes it will and it will be available online if people wanna know things about you or about your family LT: I told Reba, I said " ; That highway is 65 miles an hour" ; , I told her that' ; s old 66, she don' ; t believe me. She said " ; Oh you know, that' ; s not true" ; , she didn' ; t believe me. That' ; s old 66 DB: Yup LT: Now that' ; s 48, and it' ; s 65 miles, they pass each other DB: Where you live on 48, that used to be old 66? LT: Yeah [Indecipherable] by the four-mile corner then turn up there east DB: Well, I' ; m ready to wrap this up unless there' ; s something else. LT: [Indecipherable] what was her, her grandma was 100 years old when she had to take care of her grandma DB: And who was this? LT: Pinehill, she' ; s got land on Pinehill road DB: Pinehill road LT: Mhm DB: Well I appreciate you, thank you for sharing your time LT: Good thing I could remember DB: Well I' ; m glad you could, alrighty. NH: Get over there and I' ; ll take y' ; alls picture, scoot closer together DB: I' ; ll move over here by [Indecipherable] LT: Hey I' ; m for OU (Laughing) DB: I know I am too! NH: Look up, [Indecipherable] DB: Okay now, let' ; s see. Let' ; s get these older pictures. Now who was this? LT: My aunt, my daddy' ; s half-sister, or his sister, I don' ; t know half-sister. You want one of these? DB: Your dad' ; s sister? LT: Mhm DB: You don' ; t know her name? LT: Jennetta NH: Scott? Was that Jennetta? Jennetta Scott (ph). JEA DB: JEA LT: She had one daughter NH: [Indecipherable] I remember Jennetta DB: Yeah, Jennetta Barnett (ph) I guess NH: Scott is her last name LT: Scott, she [Indecipherable] DB: She was a Barnett? NH: She was a Barnett DB: Then a Scott? LT: Mhm, she had one daughter DB: And then this is important because this is Newman to the far right over here, way over here? NH: Yeah DB: This is Newman LT: You know what I did? DB: No LT: We had a 55' ; Ford when I was in California and I drove to Fort Louis in that Ford, my aunt-- his aunt had to go with me because he didn' ; t want me to go by myself, I was pregnant. DB: And this was the-- NH: Is that the army base mom? DB: The 22nd, LT: I don' ; t know ; can you see? DB: Yeah I have to get my bifocals, I don' ; t know which one, I' ; m looking. LT: Yeah he didn' ; t wanna go, he said " ; I don' ; t wanna go to the army" ; and I said " ; well it' ; s just two years" ; back then DB: [Indecipherable] because I can' ; t find him LT: He' ; s on top NH: Yup on top, very top. LT: Here was a picture! DB: He was a picture? Very top? NH: Right LT: He got to heavy, he' ; s a heavy DB: I can see him there, oh here it is, 22nd infantry LT: Oh is it [Indecipherable] DB: Right 1957, Newman LT: Yeah [Indecipherable] DB: [Indecipherable] LT: Yeah it burnt my school down. Christmas, they left a Christmas tree, the light on and it burnt my school down. Do you got one on that? I mean Norma NH: I might have in that package you gave me DB: This is the school in Eufaula? LT: Cause I got two of them NH: Oh okay DB: And you, we don' ; t know what year this was, maybe the 50' ; s, late 50' ; s LT: Yeah, she was in kindergarten DB: This is James Barnett and Lizzie Barnett LT: That was probably in Walitka DB: Look at the clothes, where was the other one at? NH: Which one? DB: I need that manual over there. Oh I don' ; t know these old ones, they have a really really good scanner at the historical society and if you would allow me to get these scanned, then I will get them back to Natalie NH: Yeah here' ; s the army LT: That was Barbara Ann, my oldest NH: The oldest DB: So do you know when she was born? How much older-- NH: She' ; s older but I don' ; t have her birthday DB: How much older is she than her? NH: She' ; s 14 years older than me. When' ; s her birthday, April-- DB: Well I don' ; t know when you were born LT: 70 DB: So she would' ; ve been born in 54' ; , 56' ; ? LT: That' ; s when we built our house, 70' ; s DB: 56' ; ? NH: I was gonna say 56, that sounds right. DB: I just can' ; t get over you and your husband, so young and beautiful! Your hair was perfect. LT: We' ; ve been married, what, 64 years? DB: And I can so see your boys NH: When was you born? It has date of marriage on here, I mean when was you married? DB: When' ; s your anniversary, do you know? LT: Anniversary NH: 11/8, November the 8th is her-- DB: So this is in California NH: What year did y' ; all get married? LT: We got married in Okemah, this is all he bought me for $10, I never did take it off DB: That' ; s the same one? LT: Mhm DB: And how long have they been married? NH: What year did you get married? How old were you? LT: 50' ; - I can' ; t remember that NH: How old were you? DB: My mom and dad got married in 56' ; LT: I was 22 NH: So she was born in 33' ; , 22, 55. Yeah because then Barbara was born in 56' ; , yeah. DB: And she was born in California? Was Barbara born in California? LT: Chicoma, Washington NH: Washington DB: Oh I thought they went to California NH: They did but somehow she ended up in Washington for a little bit LT: I drove out there DB: So was this in California or in Washington? LT: Chicoma, Washington. That' ; s Barbara NH: Yup, and [Indecipherable] DB: So we figured she and her husband have been married how long? 65 years? NH: 64, 65 years? 64 because November, yeah. LT: Barbara and what' ; s his name? DB: She' ; s the one married to Carl. She' ; s the oldest NH: She' ; s the oldest LT: She was-- look here! DB: This is her baby, not her baby LT: That is her baby NH: Yeah DB: One of her babies LT: She lived here and said " ; mom, I' ; m hurtin Brandon" ; DB: Brandon is the one after [Indecipherable] LT: I had a van, well she' ; s been to Tahlequah but they didn' ; t keep her. And I-- she said " ; Mom I' ; m hurtin, take me to Bristow or Okemah" ; I said no I' ; m taking you back to Tahlequah, because that' ; s where she was having her appointments. They didn' ; t keep her, I got her up there and it was foggy and I had that old red van. I bought her here, we bought her here, we paid for it, and I took her to the Tahlequah and she said " ; mom, I had him an hour and a half later" ; it was foggy, my aunt had to go with me to take care of her oldest son Carl [Indecipherable], Jennetta took care of him. She-- I had to wait for her, pick her up, good thing I had a van and it was foggy, and that nurse [Indecipherable] She' ; d been there that day before " ; No I' ; m taking you back to Tahlequah" ; and I drove to Tahlequah and that' ; s Cherokee country. DB: Not in music LT: That school was a agriculture school and Delores, what was her name, had me and her go and milk that cow and said " ; Can you milk a cow?" ; I said " ; Yeah I guess" ; . DB: This school had many different because there' ; s Navahos-- LT: Yeah they were in groups, they were Navajos. Norman, he graduated in Haskell, that was a college DB: Haskell Indian College LT: Mhm. And them Navahos [Indecipherable] and he brought one home, he said Norman won' ; t stick up for himself NH: He was quiet, he' ; s still quiet. LT: He was talking to a chairman when Jane she comes home " ; I don' ; t know what he was saying, he talks quiet" ; DB: Oh it says that you were in Home Ec, Junior 4H, and Junior Red Cross. LT: Oh, I didn' ; t know that DB: It says right there LT: I didn' ; t see that one DB: For Bristow LT: Mhm DB: I might ought to take this so they can scan this one page and then-- LT: She was music teacher, Mrs. Dire (ph) DB: Teacher of local music LT: We had good teachers DB: I' ; m gonna it that in there, the rest of this--LT: I had them in here I think [Indecipherable] audio 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/ohms/viewer.php?cachefile=OHP-2020-05_Taryole,_Lydia.xml OHP-2020-05_Taryole,_Lydia.xml
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Lydia Taryole
Description
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In this 2020 interview, Lydia Taryole shares her experience growing up in Bristow. She discusses her childhood, family history, and baseball.
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OHP-2020-05
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2020-07-07
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audio
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Bristow Historical Society, Inc.
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Bristow Historical Society, Inc.
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Bristow Historical Society, Inc.
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English
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sound, oral history
Chilocco Indian School
Native American allotment
Native Americans
Nuyaka
Sequoyah Indian School
stomp grounds
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Family Histories
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Oral History
Subject
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Oral accounts of various family histories
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Bristow Historical Society, oral history collection
Oral History
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Interviewer
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Georgia Smith
Interviewee
The person(s) being interviewed
Marland Armitage
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5.4 June 29, 2021 OHP-2021-23 Marland Armitage OHP-2021-23 0:00 - 66:51 Bristow Historical Society, Inc. Marland Armitage Georgia Smith MP3 1:|74(3)|105(5)|126(3)|162(3)|189(6)|213(7)|257(16)|300(2)|329(2)|361(6)|399(4)|422(2)|457(2)|477(2)|495(5)|516(12)|545(5)|586(3)|617(4)|654(11)|689(14)|720(2)|753(3)|780(7)|801(3)|834(6)|863(11)|889(2)|921(2)|962(8)|999(2)|1035(6)|1066(2)|1109(3)|1149(4)|1172(4)|1198(14)|1234(2)|1261(7)|1281(9)|1323(9)|1346(2)|1364(12)|1393(2)|1415(1)|1437(2)|1474(12)|1510(1)|1534(15)|1569(8)|1608(2)|1630(8)|1654(2)|1682(10)|1715(2)|1737(5)|1753(5)|1774(5)|1805(5)|1829(12)|1850(2)|1881(2)|1903(11)|1931(14)|1957(15)|1994(4)|2016(12) 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/interviews/Marland Armitage.mp3 Other audio 0 Introduction GS: This is Georgia Smith with the Bristow Historical Society in Bristow, Oklahoma, and this interview is part of the historical societies ongoing oral history project. The date is June 29th, 2021, and I’m sitting here with Marland Armitage at the Museum depot and he’s going to tell me a little bit about his history in Bristow. Now, Marland could you give me your full name? MA: Frank Marland Armitage GS: Alright, and that was your name at birth? MA: That’s correct GS: Alright. Where were you born Marland? MA: Born in Slick, Oklahoma GS: Alright MA: Ten miles away GS: Ten miles away, so were you born in a hospital or were you born in a house? MA: Born in a house Bristow Historical Society ; Bristow, Oklahoma ; Frank Marland Armitage ; Frank Sisler ; Georgia Smith ; Marland Armitage ; Slick, Oklahoma 75 Family GS: Awesome, what were your parents’ names? Let’s start with your mother’s maiden name MA: Mothers name was Nola Lee Fletcher (ph) GS: Nola Lee Fletcher, and what’s your father’s name? MA: Jay Bryan Armitage GS: And do you know where they were married? MA: I think it was in Sapulpa GS: Okay MA: They were from Slick GS: Okay, you think they— MA: But I think they married in Sapulpa Betty Lee Armitage ; Dorothy Jane ; Georgia Marzetta ; Georgia McGuire ; Jay Bryan Armitage ; Nola Lee Fletcher ; Orville, Texas ; Prairie Pipeline ; Robert Henry Armitage ; Shirley Holderfield ; Shirley Jane ; Sinclair https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21363625/nola-l-armitage Nola Lee Fletcher https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21363621/jay-bryan-armitage Jay Bryan Armitage https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62652740/jay-bryan-armitage Jay Bryan Armitage https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/159535892/betty-lee-livingston Betty Lee Armitage https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22213680/robert-henry-armitage Robert Henry Armitage https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/240957219/shirley-jane-holderfield Shirley Jane Holderfield 323 Childhood GS: Tell me about your home when you were growing up, what kind of house did you grow up in? MA: Georgia, I just found, not just recently, the title to the home mom and dad bought GS: Oh how wonderful MA: They bought a house and I think it only had three rooms in it when they bought it GS: Mhm MA: It had four lots on the end of east 6th street, and they gave $200 for one GS: Isn’t that amazing MA: The note was that they paid $10 down and $10 a month GS: Wow MA: To pay for it John Bell 540 Appliances GS: What kind of laundry apparatus did your mom use? Did she have a washing machine, was it ringer, or— MA: Number three washtub GS: Number three washtub MA: And a rubber [Indecipherable] and I don’t know when we got a washer, but I know I can remember laundry and baths were taken on Saturday. GS: Yup, yup MA: And that number three washtub just depend on how far the line you were, if you got your turn or not. GS: What kind of stove did she cook on? MA: She had a gas stove 654 Depression (1934) GS: So you were born, refresh my memory again, what year was it? MA: 1934 GS: 1934, so you were born in the middle of the depression, do you remember anything of that? MA: No GS: Yeah MA: My dad always had a job during the depression, half of his family, I think they took care of him a very long time. But dad had a job during that time GS: Was it with the oil and gas company? MA: It was with Sinclair GS: With Sinclair, that’s wonderful. Did you have chores in the home? Daily chores you had to do? Sinclair 817 Grandparents GS: Alright do you remember—blah, do you remember anything about your grandparents lives? MA: I do somewhat. My mother’s father ran a filming station in Slick GS: Okay MA: Way back there, he had lost one, it was [Indecipherable] GS: Aw MA: Raised a big family on the farm with—and his plow that had one handle and had a ring on the other side, and he would put that ring up to his elbow so he could run that plow, and— GS: Disability didn’t stop him, did it? MA: He was on the farm until all his kids were gone, and my dad’s parents lived in Bristow. My grandad was—wrote to the Salvation Army, he preached. And so we—they died when I was young, like 8 years old when my grandmother passed away Henry Armitage ; Hulda Armitage ; Nellie Fletcher ; Robert Fletcher ; Salvation Army https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21579862/v-hulda-armitage Hulda Armitage https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21579855/henry-bascum-armitage Henry Armitage https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21580705/nellie-g-fletcher Nellie Fletcher https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/21580708/robert-amos-fletcher Robert Fletcher 941 School GS: Yeah, okay where did you first attend school? MA: Bristow, Oklahoma Washington school on east 1st street GS: Alright, and do you remember who your teacher was? MA: I think my first grade teacher was Mrs. Asher and I had Mrs. Lester as we called her. I think she taught second grade GS: Okay MA: And Mrs. Wilson was a principle, lived just a couple of blocks from us GS: Wow MA: And I can remember we’d go over there and help her grade papers at times GS: Oh how fun Bristow, Oklahoma ; Mrs. Asher ; Mrs. Lester ; Mrs. Wilson ; Okemah, Oklahoma ; Washington School 1289 Jobs MA: I worked during high school GS: What did you do? MA: I worked for, started my career. I turned 13 years old and loaded freight cars for Bill Bursar (ph) GS: Oh wonderful MA: For two weeks, I worked a two-week vacation for somebody, that was it. And I turned 13 at that time GS: Wow MA: And then at 15 I went to work for C. R. Anthony GS: Yes MA: And I made thirty-five cents in an hour GS: That wasn’t bad back then MA: I could buy all the pop and candy I wanted Bill Bursar ; C. R. Anthony ; M. W. Woolworth ; Woolworth 1433 Church GS: Okay I’m gonna switch to church life. Did your family attend church when you were growing up? MA: We attended all of my life, the Nazarene church that started in Slick. I did not—that, here in Bristow our church was located on 8th and— GS: 8th street MA: Maple and had a little brown church, doors in the corner, with one by four pews GS: One by four, yup MA: And then we later built a frame [Indecipherable] GS: Uh-huh MA: And I know my dad was on the board of the church, one day we were redecorating it and they were painting it and apparently gasoline caught fire and exploded, blew that church to pieces. GS: Aw MA: and I mean [indecipherable] GS: How disappointing Gladys Banks ; Nazarene church ; Okmulgee, Oklahoma 1732 Medical Care GS: Okay, now you’ve already said Franks Sisler was your doctor, did he make house calls? MA: As I recall, he did early GS: Okay, you probably didn’t need him very often, did you? MA: Not very often, I recall having pneumonia when I was real young, and they called it then double pneumonia, but and I was really sick and I believe he came to the house then. GS: But you didn’t go to the hospital? MA: No GS: Did we have a hospital in Bristow at that time? MA: We did GS: Sisler, was it Sisler Clinic or the one that was before that? MA: Cowart and Sisler American Legion ; Cowart and Sisler ; Frank Sisler ; Sisler Clinic 1807 Town Life GS: Okay, what was Bristow like when you were growing up? MA: Bristow was a lot like it is today GS: Really? MA: Buildings are mostly the same GS: Uh-huh MA: As usual, drug stores GS: Few more things for kids to do maybe MA: Few more things, well we played baseball in the summer, [Indecipherable] GS: Uh-huh MA: And the swimming pool was there, I can remember I couldn’t swim but I went to the swimming pool J. C. Pennys ; Kemps ; Max Kemp ; Rexal ; Route Hometown Furniture ; S& ; M ; Smiths Drug ; The Princess ; Walmer 2061 Clothing GS: How did people dress back then? MA: Well, the girls wore penny loafers and they put the penny in the little slot in the front of it GS: Yes, yes MA: I recall in high school what we would do, we went through a spell of wearing white shirt and overall cowboy boots GS: Oh MA: We wore blue overalls, or the striped ones GS: Uh-huh MA: And I used to sell them at Anthony’s 2123 Travel GS: Did you ever take the train out of town? MA: We did, we took the train when I was in grade school, and went to the Will Rogers memorial in Claremore GS: Oh wonderful, uh-huh MA: And the thing I remember is when we went to the, I called it the tunnel in Tulsa, it was dark for a short time, that’s where their depot was apparently up there. GS: Oh okay MA: But we went to Will Rogers memorial and then toured it when I was in— GS: Took the train there, did you come down here to the depot? Was it this depot or was it the one before? MA: It’s the same one that’s here now GS: Well that’s wonderful. Now we’ve talked about your jobs already, did you ever serve in the military? MA: No I didn’t Claremore, Oklahoma ; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma ; Tulsa, Oklahoma ; Will Rogers ; Will Rogers Memorial 2423 Segregation GS: Okay we’re gonna really shift gears here now, do you remember if Bristow is segregated when you were growing up? MA: It was GS: Mhm MA: Black school was on north east side of town GS: Do you remember the name of it by chance? MA: Lincoln GS: Lincoln, okay MA: Lincoln high school. I lived about three blocks from it GS: Okay, okay MA: So pretty much 8th street was the dividing line, you know GS: Okay MA: At that time GS: Yeah MA: A few of us, I mixed with them, you know Henry Kemp ; Joe Mouse ; Lafayette Johnson ; Lincoln High School ; P. M. Moore ; Roosevelt Joseph ; Smiths Drugstore 2763 Local Businesses GS: That gas station you mentioned, is it the one that’s just back here behind? MA: Right GS: Do you remember the name of that gas station? Was it a DX Station? MA: I don’t think it was DX, an independent station GS: We were trying to think of it the other day MA: I think we were just, Henry Kemp ran it GS: Okay MA: And then he later had a [Indecipherable] that’s when Merle Baker went in partnership with the Kemps GS: Okay MA: And then he had a [Indecipherable] across the street GS: Okay MA: [Indecipherable] GS: Okay Alonzo ; Arthur Foster ; DX Station ; Foslers ; Fosters ; Henry Kemp ; Merle Baker ; Prairie Pipeline ; Sinclair 2910 World War II GS: Okay, okay I’m gonna switch to World War II. What kind of memories do you have of World War II? You were a teenager or preteen during the years? MA: I was a preteen GS: Preteen MA: I was—my brother graduated high school here in 43’, and went straight to the navy GS: Okay MA: And that was the year we lived in Okemah, and as I remember him being gone then coming back home GS: Was he stationed on a ship? MA: He was on a what they call an LST, which is [Indecipherable], but he used to describe it as one that goes over one wave and under two. But it was at the end of it would drop down and make it rain so that you were just [Indecipherable] GS: Oh okay MA: He had [Indecipherable] GS: I see ; I’ve seen those in movies LST ; Okemah, Oklahoma ; Sallisaw, Oklahoma 3092 Early Adulthood GS: Okay, tell me about after you got married here in Bristow. I think I failed to ask you earlier about your children. You and your wife, did you have children? MA: We had one son GS: Mark MA: And— GS: What was his name? MA: His name was Marcus Allen (ph) and he graduated from—he was the next one to graduate from high school after I did GS: Aw MA: When we came back from Bristow. Mark grew up in Sapulpa, we transferred to Sapulpa not long after I went to work O& ; G here in Bristow GS: When did you go to work for O& ; G? MA: Went to work for O& ; G the Monday after I graduated high school GS: And you worked for them all those years MA: Worked for them a little over 41 years Marcus Allen ; O& ; G ; Sapulpa, Oklahoma 3295 O& ; G Career GS: Tell me about your work with O& ; G MA: I started out as a meter reader GS: Okay MA: Transferred from here to Sapulpa, went into the county department, with no county training at all, but I could add and subtract, I could do that GS: Right, and you were a fast learner I’m sure MA: And I went into the county there, and in the mid 60’s I transferred to Tulsa still in the county, went to a nice school at TU for a couple of years, got some accounting courses in that they told me I needed O& ; G ; TU ; Tulsa University ; Tulsa, Oklahoma 3375 Clubs and Organizations GS: Okay, what can you tell me about Bristow during those years? For instance, were you active in any organizations here in Bristow? MA: This year I would’ve completed 50 years as a member of the Lions Club, I went into the Lions Club, I’ve always been active in city [Indecipherable] GS: I thought you had MA: And when I was in Sapulpa I was in the J.C.s (ph), went to the J.C.s, wasn’t old enough to join. You had to be 21, I’m 19, and— GS: They took you anyway? MA: They let me to go meetings until I got old enough to join, and then when I went into Tulsa I did fundraising for a YMCA, was active over there with the boy scouts, did fundraising for the boy scouts, salvation army, and then when I come back here I’ve always been active here in Bristow GS: Yes, you have MA: President of Chamber of Commerce, president of the Lions Club Assembly of God Church ; Chamber of Commerce ; Freewill Baptist Chuch ; J. C.s ; Lions Club ; Nazarene Church ; YMCA 3656 COVID 19 Pandemic GS: Alright now we’re gonna shift a little bit. We’ve just, we’re just coming out of a pandemic from COVID 19, how has that affected you? MA: Caused me to spend a lot more time at home GS: Yes MA: My usual routine was to get up and go to coffee, with a whole bunch of coffee drinkers about 9 o’clock in the morning for about an hour GS: And that stopped that for about a year and a half, didn’t it? MA: That stopped that for about a year and a half, and in fact we had our first session back yesterday GS: Oh wonderful, wonderful MA: But it has made a difference on it, it’s something to respect GS: It is MA: We were able to—we got the shots fairly early COVID 19 3755 Most Important Invention GS: Looking back over your life, what would you consider to be some of the most important, or the most important, inventions during your lifetime? MA: It would be hard to decide which one. Of course the cars were already here, they had washing machines, we didn’t happen to have one of them but, but I think, you know, refrigeration. We grew up with an ice man coming to the door GS: Yes, yes MA: And putting a chunk of ice in the box GS: In the bottom of the fridge MA: In the wooden ice box GS: Uh-huh MA: At our house, we had a window box GS: Okay 3858 Biggest Problems that Face Our Nation GS: As you see it, what are some of the biggest problems that face our nation right now and how do you think they could be solved? MA: Well, just the relationship of people is something that bothers me GS: Yes MA: It seems like it’s nothing. You know, I grew up with if there’s something that needs to get done, we’d go and do it GS: Exactly MA: Now it’s, you know, you do it. And the kids today, the younger generations, I’ve told my family, you know, just two words they know and that’s me and I GS: Mhm MA: If it’s not and if it doesn’t benefit me, I don’t care about it GS: That’s so sad MA: And it bothers me GS: Yeah, you’re not the only person I’ve interviewed who has said this MA: Church is important to me In this 2021 interview, Marland Armitage shares his experience living in Bristow throughout the years. He discusses the different businesses located in town and what life was like during the depression. Interviewer: Georgia Smith Interviewee: Marland Armitage Other Persons: Date of Interview: June 29, 2021 Location: Bristow, Creek County Oklahoma Transcriber: Abby Thompson Organization: Bristow Historical Society, Inc. Original Cassette Tape Location: OHP-2021-23 00:00 -- 66:51 Abstract: Preface: The following oral history testimony is the result of a cassette tape interview and is part of the Bristow Historical Society, Inc.' ; s collection of oral histories. The interview was transcribed and processed by the Bristow Historical Society, Inc., with financial assistance from the Montfort Jones & ; Allie Brown Jones Foundation. Rights to the material are held exclusively by the Bristow Historical Society, Inc. The reader should bear in mind that he or she is reading a verbatim transcript of spoken, rather than written prose. Insofar as possible, this transcript tries to represent the spoken word. Thus, it should be read as a personal memoir and not as either a researched monograph or edited account. To the extent possible, the spelling of place names, foreign words, and personal names have been verified, either by reference resources or directly by the interviewee. In some cases, a footnote has been added to the transcript in order to provide more information and/or to clarify a statement. Some uncertainties will inevitably remain regarding some words and their spellings. In these scenarios, a (ph) follows a word or name that is spelled phonetically. The notation [indecipherable] is used when the transcriber has not been able to comprehend the word or phrase being spoken. The notation [inaudible] is used where there is more mumbling than words, or when interference on the tape has made transcription impossible. GS: This is Georgia Smith with the Bristow Historical Society in Bristow, Oklahoma, and this interview is part of the historical societies ongoing oral history project. The date is June 29th, 2021, and I' ; m sitting here with Marland Armitage at the Museum depot and he' ; s going to tell me a little bit about his history in Bristow. Now, Marland could you give me your full name? MA: Frank Marland Armitage GS: Alright, and that was your name at birth? MA: That' ; s correct GS: Alright. Where were you born Marland? MA: Born in Slick, Oklahoma GS: Alright MA: Ten miles away GS: Ten miles away, so were you born in a hospital or were you born in a house? MA: Born in a house GS: Yeah, yeah. And did you have a doctor deliver you? MA: Not that I know of. GS: Okay, well now you said that Frank was from Frank Sisler, was he your doctor? MA: When we came to Bristow GS: Oh okay MA: [Indecipherable] GS: Okay MA: My baby sister was delivered by him GS: Oh alright, alright. And what year and day were you born? MA: August the 7th, 1934 GS: Awesome, what were your parents' ; names? Let' ; s start with your mother' ; s maiden name MA: Mothers name was Nola Lee Fletcher (ph) GS: Nola Lee Fletcher, and what' ; s your father' ; s name? MA: Jay Bryan ArmitageGS: And do you know where they were married? MA: I think it was in Sapulpa GS: Okay MA: They were from Slick GS: Okay, you think they-- MA: But I think they married in Sapulpa GS: But they were living in Slick, do you know what year that might have been? Or approximate year? MA: Uhm, not exactly but it was would' ; ve been early 20' ; s GS: Okay, how many children did your parents have? MA: Had six GS: Six children, that was pretty common back then, wasn' ; t it? MA: Yeah it was, and I was number five GS: You were number five? Oh my goodness, what were your sibling' ; s names? MA: My oldest brothers name was Jay Bryan Armitage, and my sister was Betty Lee Armitage, then we had Dorothy Jane and then a brother Robert Henry Armitage, he was named from his grandparents GS: Okay MA: On both sides GS: Oh how nice MA: And then our baby sisters name is Shirley JaneGS: And are any of them still living? MA: My middle sister, Dorothy is living, lives in Orville, Texas. And my younger sister Shirley Holderfield (ph) lives in Bristow GS: Shirley Holderfield is your sister MA: That' ; s it GS: Aw I just love Shirley ; I did not know that. That' ; s good to know. What did your father do for a living? MA: Dad worked for originally the Prairie Pipeline, which later became Sinclair GS: Ah MA: And he worked out of state, and then they transferred their office to Bristow GS: Okay MA: And he worked from here all these years GS: Until he retired? MA: He didn' ; t get to retire GS: Aw that' ; s a shame MA: He had a heart attack at 59 years old, and we lost him GS: That' ; s a shame, how old were you when you lost your dad? MA: I was twenty-three GS: Twenty-three, that' ; s hard. What did your mother do when you were growing up? MA: She cooked more for six kids. She didn' ; t work outside the home-- GS: I don' ; t think she could' ; ve MA: She was a homebody GS: Yes MA: And a wonderful cook, and just did a good job on raising us kids GS: That' ; s-- MA: I always told them we didn' ; t have much, but we had plenty to eat and clean clothes GS: Knowing you and Shirley I believe she did a wonderful job. What' ; s your spouse' ; s name? MA: Georgia Marzetta, her maiden name was McGuire, lived in Kellyville GS: Okay, and do you remember the date of your marriage? MA: I think, I think I' ; ve got it wrong on here GS: Oh no, we can fix it. We' ; ll-- MA: Complete GS: Okay MA: February the 19th GS: February the 19th, of 53' ; ? MA: I think--no, of 54' ; . GS: Alrighty, very good thanks for correcting that Marland. Tell me about your home when you were growing up, what kind of house did you grow up in? MA: Georgia, I just found, not just recently, the title to the home mom and dad bought GS: Oh how wonderful MA: They bought a house and I think it only had three rooms in it when they bought it GS: Mhm MA: It had four lots on the end of east 6th street, and they gave $200 for one GS: Isn' ; t that amazing MA: The note was that they paid $10 down and $10 a month GS: Wow MA: To pay for it GS: That' ; s wonderful MA: They later had to build on so all the kids had a place to sleep GS: Sure MA: And it wasn' ; t much, but it was home GS: It worked and it was home. Was it a frame house? MA: Frame house, actually had some of the walls were two by twelves GS: Oh my goodness MA: When we got into it, I can remember they papered it, when they put the cheesecloth on the wall. GS: Really? MA: So the paper would stay GS: I did not know that MA: And our neighbor papered that house for us, John Bell lived across the street from us GS: Uh-huh MA: And he papered our house for us GS: Well, and cheesecloth underneath it MA: Yeah GS: I never knew that. Did you live in the country or in town? I guess that was at Slick MA: It was right at the edge of town, we had the best of both worlds. The pavement ended just before you got to our house and then we had the woods to play GS: And that was at Slick? On the edge of Slick? MA: On the edge here in Bristow GA: Or the edge of Bristow MA: I came to Bristow when I was about a year old GS: Okay MA: And our parents lived on west 12th GS: Okay MA: Right up by the water tower GS: Uh-huh MA: And for a short time until we bought the house on east 6th GS: On east 6th MA: And I don' ; t know at what age it had to be in GS: Yeah. Did you have to share beds with brothers and sisters? MA: I did GS: Yeah MA: Shared it with Dorothy and my brother GS: Uh-huh, yup. Did you have toys growing up? Did you have boxes of toys like they do today? MA: Good night, no. We didn' ; t have boxes of toys GS: But you had some toys MA: We had some toys GS: What type of toys? MA: But we made most of ours. GS: Yeah MA: I can remember rolling those little hoop with the stick GS: Yes MA: We would crush carnation mint cans on our shoes and walk on them. We set out under the streetlight, taking--I can remember us taking saw blades from the saw GS: Yes MA: And we' ; d throw them, stick them in the light pole GS: Oh my goodness MA: And then every once in a while, they' ; d have to come back and change the pole. GS: They' ; d say those kids have been at it again probably MA: Those kids have been at it again GS: What kind of laundry apparatus did your mom use? Did she have a washing machine, was it ringer, or-- MA: Number three washtub GS: Number three washtub MA: And a rubber [Indecipherable] and I don' ; t know when we got a washer, but I know I can remember laundry and baths were taken on Saturday. GS: Yup, yup MA: And that number three washtub just depend on how far the line you were, if you got your turn or not. GS: What kind of stove did she cook on? MA: She had a gas stove GS: Good, mhm MA: That early, we had a wood heat stove GS: Okay MA: [Indecipherable] the best I remember that, I don' ; t remember her ever cooking on it GS: Was she a good cook? MA: Correct GS: What were some of your favorite meals she made? MA: Great baker, she would bake pies. The ones that I' ; d always tell people about was her apple pies and mom would sit in front of the oven and baste them with butter and browning GS: Uh-huh MA: And she made a hundred of them, they' ; re all just exactly like that GS: Oh my goodness I envy that, mine never look the same MA: We had family dinners, you know the kitchen table was full of dessert GS: Uh-huh MA: I can remember she asked my older brother " ; What kind of pie do you want bud?" ; and he' ; d say " ; Well I' ; ll take this first" ; . And then he' ; d go through the rest of them. She was a wonderful cook. GS: So you were born, refresh my memory again, what year was it? MA: 1934 GS: 1934, so you were born in the middle of the depression, do you remember anything of that? MA: No GS: Yeah MA: My dad always had a job during the depression, half of his family, I think they took care of him a very long time. But dad had a job during that time GS: Was it with the oil and gas company? MA: It was with Sinclair GS: With Sinclair, that' ; s wonderful. Did you have chores in the home? Daily chores you had to do? MA: Not in the house. Well the only, I was made to dry dishes because when I got in the age, my brother older than me had gone to the military soon as he got out of high school. So just me and my baby sister GS: Uh-huh MA: And I had to dry dishes and I hated it GS: So you took care of things on the outside of the house? MA: I, yeah I did the eggs and mother would, you know, we always had a cat or more, and she sold milk and butter and eggs around the neighborhood GS: Yup, yup MA: I had a little cart, a little crate that I carried and I delivered milk and butter to the neighbors GS: That would be a fun job MA: Gathered those eggs and [Indecipherable] then I got to do the [Indecipherable] GS: Oh MA: Quite often, but I can remember I don' ; t know if I was excited about it, we had to churn with the plunger. GS: Yes, yes. MA: Momma would put a dish towel over my lap so I didn' ; t get my pants wet GS: Uh-huh MA: And I churned that butter and then in later years we graduated to daisy churn GS: Yes MA: With the crank GS: Yes MA: That went better GS: Yes, yes, I have a couple of those at home MA: Do you? GS: Do you remember the first time you heard a radio? MA: I don' ; t remember GS: Or was there always one in the home? MA: We were real young, but that was the way my dad started his day GS: Listening to the radio MA: He would get up early, eat breakfast, but before he left for work he would sit in front of the radio and listen to the farm show. GS: Aw MA: You know the old Purina (ph) song, Get Up and Feed those Chickens GS: Can you sing it? MA: Don' ; t know that I can do all of it, but it' ; s started " ; Get up and feed those chickens, [Indecipherable], gonna make them grow before they' ; re done. Gonna do the right thing, that' ; s everything a chicken needs. It' ; s superior all in one" ; GS: I love it, thank you, thank you very much. Alright do you remember--blah, do you remember anything about your grandparents lives? MA: I do somewhat. My mother' ; s father ran a filming station in Slick GS: Okay MA: Way back there, he had lost one, it was [Indecipherable] GS: Aw MA: Raised a big family on the farm with--and his plow that had one handle and had a ring on the other side, and he would put that ring up to his elbow so he could run that plow, and-- GS: Disability didn' ; t stop him, did it? MA: He was on the farm until all his kids were gone, and my dad' ; s parents lived in Bristow. My grandad was--wrote to the Salvation Army, he preached. And so we--they died when I was young, like 8 years old when my grandmother passed away. GS: Do you remember their names? MA: Don' ; t know the middle ones GS: That' ; s okay MA: But my grandmother Armitage was Hulda (ph) and my granddad Armitage, his name was Henry. And mom' ; s parents were Nellie and RobertGS: Nellie and Robert, and the last name again? MA: Fletcher GS: Fletcher, Nellie and Robert Fletcher. Who is the oldest person in your family that you can remember? Would it have been those grandparents? MA: Those grandparents GS: Yeah, okay where did you first attend school? MA: Bristow, Oklahoma Washington school on east 1st street GS: Alright, and do you remember who your teacher was? MA: I think my first grade teacher was Mrs. Asher and I had Mrs. Lester as we called her. I think she taught second grade GS: Okay MA: And Mrs. Wilson was a principle, lived just a couple of blocks from us GS: Wow MA: And I can remember we' ; d go over there and help her grade papers at times GS: Oh how fun MA: But we had a wonderful time there GS: And-- MA: We had our own playground and softball field and you had to pitch uphill GS: Oh my MA: The batter was up on the top and then the ground sloped GS: That must be before they leveled it and put the blacktop there MA: Yeah, [Indecipherable] cafeteria where it was [Indecipherable] GS: Okay MA: And if you hit it too far, we had a drain collection down at the east end of it, and the water would run into there. But every once in a while the ball would get down there GS: Aw, was that a home run if it did? MA: It had to be because it would take a while to get it out. You could get into that hole but it' ; s hard to get out GS: And so did you go through 6th grade at Washington? MA: Went to--I went to first and 2nd grade in Bristow, and then we moved to Okemah for a year GS: Okay MA: Just happened, and I hate to tell it, but I flunked 2nd grade GS: Oh well that happens, that' ; s nothing to--no shame in that MA: And so I went to Okemah GS: Uh-huh MA: And took 2nd grade over GS: Okay MA: And then we came back and I--so I went to Bristow all 12 years GS: Well good, yes you did, didn' ; t you? MA: I didn' ; t skip that one GS: Just a year you' ; d like to forget, huh? MA: Yeah I' ; d just forget GS: How many kids were in your classes back then in, you know, in a classroom. Do you remember? I wouldn' ; t know all mine. MA: There were several, I' ; m gonna guess 20 GS: Yeah MA: Or so many of them I still remember GS: And did you walk to school? MA: Walked to school GS: Did you have a best friend that you walked with or with brothers and sisters or? MA: Walked with my brother, but we had neighbors that we' ; d pick up along the way GS: Right MA: You might, I don' ; t know about best friends because some of them I' ; d fight with before I got home GS: So how many blocks did you have to walk? MA: Let' ; s see, six? GS: That' ; s not a bad walk MA: That' ; s not a bad walk, even in the winter GS: Yeah, and did you graduate from Bristow? MA: Graduated from Bristow in 1953 GS: Do you have--were you active in sports or organizations in high school? MA: Probably too much GS: Aw, well tell me about it MA: In junior high, I played football, basketball GS: Yup MA: And wrestling. GS: Doesn' ; t seem to have hurt you a bit MA: No, didn' ; t hurt me any. My only problem was I had two older brothers who were good athletes GS: Oh, you had to live up to them MA: Best I could do wasn' ; t gonna be good enough GS: Aww MA: I think my mother never saw me play a football game GS: Aww MA: But she went to my older brothers GS: Well that' ; s a shame, that' ; s a shame. MA: We--they used to tell you know, that' ; s probably the reason they started putting the fence around the football field. When my brother would get hurt, my mom would wanna get down there and check on [Indecipherable] GS: Well that makes sense, yeah. MA: But in high school I played basketball and was captain, went on to senior, was the captain of the basketball team GS: Uh-huh MA: Didn' ; t have a good year GS: Aw MA: But we made all the games GS: Yup MA: I think I recall I wrestled one match in high school when I was a sophomore GS: Just decided that wasn' ; t for you? MA: Well we had a basketball game scheduled for that night and a wrestling match in the evening GS: Gosh MA: So I went up and tried out and made the weight and wound up having to wrestle the captain of the team and it was Oklahoma [Indecipherable] GS: Aw MA: I never had such a day in my life GS: I imagine, I imagine MA: That' ; s a long seven minutes GS: I' ; m sure, I' ; m sure MA:I told them, I said " ; You couldn' ; t even hear me?" ; when I told him [Indecipherable] GS: Aw MA: Oh well. I didn' ; t enjoy sports, but I was active in school GS: Any class offices or anything like that? Any other organizations? MA: Well, back then when I was in high school, we had district education plans, which was [Indecipherable] GS: Okay MA: And I was president of that for a year. I worked during high school GS: What did you do? MA: I worked for, started my career. I turned 13 years old and loaded freight cars for Bill Bursar (ph) GS: Oh wonderful MA: For two weeks, I worked a two-week vacation for somebody, that was it. And I turned 13 at that time GS: Wow MA: And then at 15 I went to work for C. R. Anthony GS: Yes MA: And I made thirty-five cents in an hour GS: That wasn' ; t bad back then MA: I could buy all the pop and candy I wanted GS: Sure you could MA: And I kept myself in clothes. GS: There you go MA: And then I went from C. R. Anthony' ; s to Woolworth (ph), M. W. Woolworth GS: Uh-huh MA: Got a raise, made 50cents an hour GS: Very good! I' ; m sure you were a great employee MA: I tell them, I used to take them, one of my jobs was to check the fire extinguisher, which at that time was a two-and-a-half-gallon bucket of water under the counter, floors were all [Indecipherable] GS: Oh my MA: Mop them, and when I worked at Woolworth it was during the war, and all the employees were women GS: Yeah, yeah MA: And I-- GS: Of course you were a teenager, right? MA: I was a teenager, I was, well I was worked until I was graduated, so 16, 17 years old. GS: Uh-huh MA: I' ; ve been--they called, you know they sold canaries and parakeets. GS: Really? MA: And inadvertently somebody' ; s gonna leave the door open then they-- GS: Aw MA: And I remember getting called out of school and I' ; d go down there and catch some bird with a butterfly net. Put them back in the pen and go back to school GS: Oh my goodness. And the school let you, didn' ; t they? MA: The school let me, yeah GS: It was no problem MA: They were good GS: That' ; s wonderful. Okay I' ; m gonna switch to church life. Did your family attend church when you were growing up? MA: We attended all of my life, the Nazarene church that started in Slick. I did not--that, here in Bristow our church was located on 8th and-- GS: 8th street MA: Maple and had a little brown church, doors in the corner, with one by four pews GS: One by four, yup MA: And then we later built a frame [Indecipherable] GS: Uh-huh MA: And I know my dad was on the board of the church, one day we were redecorating it and they were painting it and apparently gasoline caught fire and exploded, blew that church to pieces. GS: Aw MA: and I mean [indecipherable] GS: How disappointing MA: Nobody injured GS: Well that' ; s good MA: They rebuilt it, and then that brick church on top of the basement GS: Yeah MA: And I can remember my dad telling me we cannot afford a brick church, it just cost too much GS: Yeah MA: We struggled, but we had a brick church GS: But you made it, and it that the church that' ; s still standing there today? MA: That' ; s the church that' ; s still standing there, and a lot of wonderful memories there GS: I' ; m sure MA: Yeah GS: Can you tell me about any of them? MA: A few. I know as a teenager, I was a head of our youth group. The one thing I remember about it, we had a convention in Okmulgee, and I was probably 15, and one of the ladies was taking us down there the road from Bristow to Slick, down through there. And I [Indecipherable], it was rutty, muddy, and she drove down there in the mud in an old [Indecipherable]. But when she got to Okmulgee, she couldn' ; t parallel park GS: Oh, she could drive on the muddy roads but not parallel park MA: So I parallel parked the car for her GS: You probably didn' ; t even have your license yet MA: Oh no, no I didn' ; t at the time. GS: Well that' ; s a neat memory, any others? MA: We really enjoyed it, growing up there. Lots of young people GS: Good youth group MA: I was looking at some pictures not long ago, the pictures of our classroom. Sunday school teachers name was Gladys Banks (ph), and she lived out between Bristow and Slick GS: Okay MA: [Indecipherable] GS: Yup MA: And we' ; ve had problems before getting in that class [Indecipherable] and it would, we just covered the whole stairs, steps going up into the church. Lot of wonderful people, there' ; s a lot of memories GS: That' ; s wonderful. What were the Sunday, what were the services like on Sunday? You know, did you have Sunday school then worship service? MA: We had Sunday school, just basically like we do today. I mean, we had Sunday school early and as I recall, we sang a little song about 9:45, gotta be at Sunday school at 9:45 GS: Yup MA: Back then during the war, they had a bus GS: And you' ; re saying during the war, which war are you referring to? MA: World War II GS: Okay MA: They had a bus that would run and it would come to your house and would, it would come and we would walk about a block I think, and catch the bus if dad wasn' ; t able to go. Normally he was. GS: Yeah MA: And, but we rode the bus home just because it was gasoline was rationed GS: Right, oh yeah. MA: So, but we had some wonderful times there, good times. GS: Did your--you said your dad helped build the church, did they have a choir back then? Did, because now aren' ; t you a singer? Don' ; t you sing? MA: Well choir, yeah. I didn' ; t sing GS: Okay MA: It was best I didn' ; t GS: Oh MA: But we did have a choir, and you know a couple pews in the choir, not a big one GS: Uh-huh MA: ' ; Cause we didn' ; t have, you know, [Indecipherable] GS: Did your mom or dad sing in the choir? MA: No GS: No MA: No, they did not sing in the choir, but they were faithful. GS: Okay, now you' ; ve already said Franks Sisler was your doctor, did he make house calls? MA: As I recall, he did early GS: Okay, you probably didn' ; t need him very often, did you? MA: Not very often, I recall having pneumonia when I was real young, and they called it then double pneumonia, but and I was really sick and I believe he came to the house then. GS: But you didn' ; t go to the hospital? MA: No GS: Did we have a hospital in Bristow at that time? MA: We did GS: Sisler, was it Sisler Clinic or the one that was before that? MA: Cowart and Sisler GS: Okay MA: It was on west 8th street next to the American Legion GS: Okay MA: I spent one night there GS: Oh you did? MA: Had my tonsils taken out, almost bled out GS: Oh my MA: But it was I remember two or three stories tall that I can remember. Looking out the window, and the school' ; s having a bonfire before a football game GS: Aw MA: And, but as far as I know, till I was old, it was the only night I spent in the hospital GS: Well that' ; s wonderful. Okay, what was Bristow like when you were growing up? MA: Bristow was a lot like it is today GS: Really? MA: Buildings are mostly the same GS: Uh-huh MA: As usual, drug stores GS: Few more things for kids to do maybe MA: Few more things, well we played baseball in the summer, [Indecipherable] GS: Uh-huh MA: And the swimming pool was there, I can remember I couldn' ; t swim but I went to the swimming pool GS: Did they have the day camp and pre-swim back then? MA: Not that, not the day camp GS: Okay MA: Not that far back GS: Okay MA: They had the building out by the swimming pool and I' ; m trying to think of the name, they had a junior college GS: Yes MA: And they--and I can remember that building GS: Oh it was not ; it was not in the old high school? The junior college? MA: As I recalled it was in that building that later became the farm center for state GS: Okay, out by the lake? MA: Had a gin out by the lake, yeah GS: Okay MA: There' ; s just a parking lot there now GS: Okay MA: But they had it in [Indecipherable]. I think they had a gin and that' ; s where the junior college started GS: Was, where it started MA: Huh? GS: Where it started, where it began. Do you remember, were there theatres in town? Where there--you know? MA: We had Walmer (ph) and the ones I remember was Walmer and The Princess (ph) GS: Uh-huh MA: I didn' ; t go hardly GS: Yeah, you didn' ; t get to go to the movies? MA: I didn' ; t have the time GS: Oh yeah, you were too busy in sports, weren' ; t you? And working MA: But the Walmer was between 6th and 7th and the Princess was between 7th and 8th GS: And was it always there or do you remember when it was built or? MA: I don' ; t remember, but they were there as far as I can remember. We had several drug stores GS: Okay MA: You know, Smiths Drug and S& ; M (ph) and Rexal (ph) GS: Yes MA: And Kemps was there GS: Oh MA: And-- GS: Well yes because Max Kemp took it over from his father, didn' ; t he? MA: It was his family, right GS: That' ; s right. Did you ever eat out at restaurants in town? MA: Very seldom, the only thing I can really remember is maybe a hamburger GS: Uh-huh MA: Mom cooked GS: Yeah MA: It was better coking at home [Indecipherable] GS: I' ; m sure it was. Did you have a favourite hamburger place? MA: I can remember some, I never did eat much of it, but I can remember one that we had which would be, would' ; ve been right across from the fire station now. GS: Okay MA: Little old building on the ally way GS: Okay MA: And you could get ten hamburgers for a dollar GS: Oh my goodness MA: But you didn' ; t go in and sit down, you just buy them, take them out the window GS: Just to go place strictly, huh? MA: Just to go GS: Was there a place that was a teen hangout? MA: We had a teen youth center above what would be now the old Route Hometown Furniture GS: Okay MA: Where J. C. Pennys was GS: Yes MA: Upstairs was the youth center GS: Yes, I didn' ; t realize that MA: [Indecipherable] and had music they played, I never did dance, but you could GS: Uh-huh MA: They would just sit and visit primarily GS: Well that' ; s wonderful they had that place MA: It was nice for that time GS: Sure, my parents square danced in that area in the 60' ; s MA: Yeah GS: How did people dress back then? MA: Well, the girls wore penny loafers and they put the penny in the little slot in the front of it GS: Yes, yes MA: I recall in high school what we would do, we went through a spell of wearing white shirt and overall cowboy boots GS: Oh MA: We wore blue overalls, or the striped ones GS: Uh-huh MA: And I used to sell them at Anthony' ; s GS: Ah MA: And-- GS: So that would' ; ve been early 50' ; s? MA: Early 50' ; s, yeah, late 40' ; s. GS: Okay, that' ; s interesting. Was that kind of a general trend across maybe the area, or just a Bristow thing? MA: As far as I know it was Bristow, we didn' ; t know about the other areas, we didn' ; t get out of town much GS: Did you ever take the train out of town? MA: We did, we took the train when I was in grade school, and went to the Will Rogers memorial in Claremore GS: Oh wonderful, uh-huh MA: And the thing I remember is when we went to the, I called it the tunnel in Tulsa, it was dark for a short time, that' ; s where their depot was apparently up there. GS: Oh okay MA: But we went to Will Rogers memorial and then toured it when I was in-- GS: Took the train there, did you come down here to the depot? Was it this depot or was it the one before? MA: It' ; s the same one that' ; s here now GS: Well that' ; s wonderful. Now we' ; ve talked about your jobs already, did you ever serve in the military? MA: No I didn' ; t GS: Lucky youMA: I can recall [Indecipherable], back then a lot of our classmates was on the national guard GS: Okay MA: And during my hospital deal when it was activated for Korea GS: Okay MA: And several of my classmates went to Korea with the national guard bureau 45th division, but I had some issues with--the doctor told me, he said if they call you let me know because they don' ; t need you GS: Well very good, very good MA: Had a vision problem GS: Yeah, that' ; s alright MA: Well I would' ; ve gone, they tried to get me to join the national guard and--no I' ; ll go when they call me GS: There you go MA: But I don' ; t need to GS: Yeah, yeah. Okay, let' ; s see. Did you go to Tulsa or Oklahoma City much growing up? MA: We would go to Tulsa a lot, I had relatives in Oklahoma City GS: Okay MA: And several summers I would go spend a week or two GS: Oh that' ; s nice MA: With my cousins up there. But that was our vacation was to go to Oklahoma City on the weekend GS: Ah, what would you do when you were there? Just visit with the relatives? MA: Just visit with the relatives GS: And the kids probably played and-- MA: I was telling Joy (ph) earlier that that was our vacation where you go up on Saturday, spend a night, then come back on Sunday GS: Yeah MA: And now we run up there and eat lunch GS: That' ; s true, don' ; t have to make it an overnight trip MA: Don' ; t have to make it an overnight trip GS: Did your family have a car? MA: We did, now as far back as I can remember GS: Do you remember what kind? MA: Yeah, my dad had a--I think probably the first one I recall what' ; s the name. 38' ; Cheverolette, four door sedan GS: Uh-huh MA: We never had a new car GS: Yeah, yeah MA: Dad says you can fix them, his concern was if the body' ; s good you can fix them up. GS: And back then you could MA: Yeah GS: Without all the computer stuff on it MA: But I can remember a lot of them he had, I can remember when my brother was a senior, he was working part time during school, and we bought a 37' ; Chevy [Indecipherable] GS: Oh yeah MA: I said we did, he did and old [Indecipherable] went out north of town that I can remember [Indecipherable] hotel, and Jay, if those boys want that car to last, tell them to just drive it like it was new, like they were breaking it in. So it' ; s never been over 35 miles an hour, and we did it. GS: Wow, yup MA: And when he went to the service, I got to drive the car to school once. I' ; ve even, it was so seldom, I can remember walking home from school, leaving it at the school, because I forgot I had it GS: Oh my goodness MA: Georgia, I went up and I came back [Indecipherable] several years ago now, went up and talked to the class at school and when I walked through the parking lot there and saw all the cars, and I remember going to school and all the cars that the kids drove to school you could park on elm street between 8th and 9th GS: Yeah MA: Between the catholic church and school, there were probably five or six is all the cars that were at school GS: Yup MA: First thing he couldn' ; t afford GS: Right, exactly. Yeah it' ; s a lot different today MA: A lot different, a lot. GS: Okay we' ; re gonna really shift gears here now, do you remember if Bristow is segregated when you were growing up? MA: It was GS: Mhm MA: Black school was on north east side of town GS: Do you remember the name of it by chance? MA: Lincoln GS: Lincoln, okay MA: Lincoln high school. I lived about three blocks from it GS: Okay, okay MA: So pretty much 8th street was the dividing line, you know GS: Okay MA: At that time GS: Yeah MA: A few of us, I mixed with them, you know GS: Yeah, you had some friends MA: I had some friends at that time, I didn' ; t run with them in school, of course we weren' ; t in school GS: ' ; Cause you weren' ; t in school together, right? MA: Right, but I can remember an incident though which is not good, but when I was visiting one of them downtown, and I said " ; Well let' ; s go drink a coke" ; and I went in Smiths drugstore, and they served it. But the next time I went in there, they called me out and I said " ; Don' ; t you do that, don' ; t do that no more" ; GS: Aw how sad, but that was pretty common back then MA: That was common, that was common GS: Yes, a sad time in our history. Do you remember the names of any black people in the city back then? MA: Well it' ; s gonna be hard GS: That' ; s alright, that' ; s alright MA: I do remember an old gentleman called Roosevelt Joseph (ph) GS: Roosevelt Joseph MA: Yup, and then there was one that worked for P. M. Moore at the tire shop, and then there was a black girl that worked for Joe Mouse (ph) at his station, and of course one of the ones I remember most was Lafayette Johnson (ph) at the shoe store GS: Sure, I think a lot of people remember Lafayette MA: Shoe shine. Lafayette was remembered by everybody GS: Yes, yes MA: Then there was one that was a janitor at the high school, they lived on east 8th street, just about three blocks from me, just wonderful and encouraging to all of us young kids, and I can' ; t remember his name GS: Yup, yup MA: I know where he lives, his house is still there GS: Yup, I understand. Some of those names slip my memory too anymore. You mentioned going, well you mentioned the pool. Did you ever go to the pool, and were black children admitted to the swimming pool? I mean it was total segregation back then, wasn' ; t it? Yeah, yeah. MA: I don' ; t remember any in there at all, and I didn' ; t go often GS: Yeah, do you know if there were any freedmen in Bristow? Freedmen? MA: Freedmen? GS: Freedmen MA: No, I don' ; t remember GS: Okay, were there ever any episodes of racism that you remember growing up, other than what you just told me about the drug store MA: No GS: Yeah, I don' ; t think we had it bad here MA: To my knowledge we didn' ; t GS: Yeah MA: They were all [Indecipherable] in the north east part of town and that was pretty much it GS: Yeah. What about Indians? We were Indian territory, were Indians treated well in town, did you know any Indian families? MA: I did, I went to school with some and I don' ; t ever recall an incident. Now I remember some that would, you know, get drunk GS: Yeah, do you remember-- MA: They threw them in jail overnight, you know GS: Yeah, do you remember any that were employed, like you know some of the blacks you remembered working. Do you remember any Indians being employed at certain places? It' ; s okay if you can' ; t MA: One I remember was if I can recall his name, he was a son-in-law for Henry Kemp, and he worked at the station [Indecipherable], there was a real nice home over on the east 1st street just as you started out of town, the Indians lived in GS: Okay MA: But I can' ; t recall their names GS: Yup, yup. That gas station you mentioned, is it the one that' ; s just back here behind? MA: Right GS: Do you remember the name of that gas station? Was it a DX Station? MA: I don' ; t think it was DX, an independent station GS: We were trying to think of it the other day MA: I think we were just, Henry Kemp ran it GS: Okay MA: And then he later had a [Indecipherable] that' ; s when Merle Baker went in partnership with the Kemps GS: Okay MA: And then he had a [Indecipherable] across the street GS: Okay MA: [Indecipherable] GS: Okay MA: Which used to be, when I was a kid, there was a purple store GS: Where the skating rink? MA: Huh? GS: Where the-- MA: Skating rink wasn' ; t there then GS: Okay MA: It was on the corner, Foslers (ph) had a [Indecipherable] where they sold chicken GS: Oh MA: And a guy name Alonzo (ph) used to pick chickens there, a black boy GS: Okay MA: And you could buy fresh chickens there GS: Well MA: And I can remember going in there, he had a rubber chicken picker GS: A rubber chicken picker MA: That old electric deal that would just take the feathers off of it GS: Huh MA: But he would, you know, hang them up by their feet and just cut their throat and let them bleed out there in the store, it was all over GS: In the store? Oh my goodness MA: And you' ; d just buy them fresh GS: Wow MA: And the Fosters owned the business GS: Uh-huh, the Fosters you say? MA: Yeah GS: Okay MA: Arthur Fosters dad I think was the one that had it GS: Okay, that' ; s interesting. Anybody in your family involved in the oil industry that went on here? MA: My dad worked for Prairie Pipeline, which later became Sinclair GS: Right MA: And he worked with them all his working years until he was dead. And of course my brother, oldest brother worked for them, and later he worked for [Indecipherable]. At one time, [Indecipherable] wasn' ; t headquartered in Bristow GS: Yeah MA: Worked out in Cushing GS: Okay, okay I' ; m gonna switch to World War II. What kind of memories do you have of World War II? You were a teenager or preteen during the years? MA: I was a preteen GS: Preteen MA: I was--my brother graduated high school here in 43' ; , and went straight to the navy GS: Okay MA: And that was the year we lived in Okemah, and as I remember him being gone then coming back home GS: Was he stationed on a ship? MA: He was on a what they call an LST, which is [Indecipherable], but he used to describe it as one that goes over one wave and under two. But it was at the end of it would drop down and make it rain so that you were just [Indecipherable] GS: Oh okay MA: He had [Indecipherable] GS: I see ; I' ; ve seen those in movies MA: He was a welder in Sallisaw GS: Okay MA: Boxed while he was there GS: And he made it, oh he was a boxer in the army--in the navy? MA: He was a boxer, he boxed in the navy GS: My uncle boxed during the war also MA: Dad had him boxing when he was two or three years' ; old GS: Oh my goodness, really? Were you ever a boxer? MA: But, not me, not me. I told him, you know, in my family the three boys, there was a boxer, and a fighter, and a diplomat GS: And you were the diplomat, weren' ; t you? MA: I was the diplomat. My oldest brother boxed a lot and was good, my middle brother would fight anybody GS: Wow MA: And he was pretty good at that. GS: He was good at it MA: Bob ran around with Buck [Indecipherable] GS: Okay, he goes to my church MA: Yeah GS: Buck does MA: Yeah, and see I graduated-- GS: Sits right in front of me MA: And I graduated with his younger brother Kenny GS: Okay MA: Still know a lot of people in town GS: Yeah, yeah. Did rationing affect your family a lot during the war? MA: To some extent, yes. I remember lard was hard to get and momma always had to use lard GS: I' ; m sure if she was a baker MA: I can remember when, I remember when we couldn' ; t get candy bars, you know some of those places they got them, one of them would have, if they had any, they put them under the counter for certain people GS: Oh MA: But I could walk by that thing look in the window to see if they had any GS: Could you talk them out of it if you-- MA: Not often. I remember that the sugar was short, gasoline wasn' ; t that--we didn' ; t need a lot of gasoline cause we wasn' ; t going anywhere GS: Uh-huh, uh-huh MA: I--hose, silk stockings were not readily available GS: Right, right MA: That' ; s about it GS: Okay, tell me about after you got married here in Bristow. I think I failed to ask you earlier about your children. You and your wife, did you have children? MA: We had one son GS: Mark MA: And-- GS: What was his name? MA: His name was Marcus Allen (ph) and he graduated from--he was the next one to graduate from high school after I did GS: Aw MA: When we came back from Bristow. Mark grew up in Sapulpa, we transferred to Sapulpa not long after I went to work O& ; G here in Bristow GS: When did you go to work for O& ; G? MA: Went to work for O& ; G the Monday after I graduated high school GS: And you worked for them all those years MA: Worked for them a little over 41 years GS: Wow, I did not realize that Marland MA: I took my test for them while I was in high school, graduated Thursday night, took my physical on Friday and went to work Monday morning GS: That' ; s fantastic MA: And I transferred to Sapulpa and we raised our son in Sapulpa, he came back to Bristow midterm Junior GS: Okay MA: In 1971 GS: Okay MA: And graduated in 72' ; GS: He was in my graduating class MA: Right, with you GS: Yup, and-- MA: Had a wonderful, I got to come back and be manager of the office where I went to work GS: Aw, that is neat, that is neat. And O& ; G isn' ; t based in Bristow anymore MA: They' ; re not based in Bristow, I was there during the transition back in 86' ; , and they had a downsizing and the crews that we had here moved to Sapulpa, and they had an early out push. We only had to have 10 years of service, but you had to be 55 years old, and I had gotten thirty something years of service GS: Right MA: But I was 52, so I went back to Sapulpa, which is where I transferred from in the beginning of it GS: Right MA: I went from Bristow to Sapulpa to Tulsa and from Tulsa back to Bristow GS: Uh-huh MA: And then went from Bristow back to Sapulpa GS: But you were able to still live here the whole time, weren' ; t you? MA: I didn' ; t move back to Sapulpa in 86' ; GS: Yeah MA: I commuted GS: Right MA: From then and we were able to keep the office open for just [Indecipherable] just attached here inside until I retired in 94' ; , and when I retired then they closed the office. GS: I missed the offices being open MA: I do, I miss-- GS: I think it had hurt the communities when that happened MA: And it just-- right GS: Tell me about your work with O& ; G MA: I started out as a meter reader GS: Okay MA: Transferred from here to Sapulpa, went into the county department, with no county training at all, but I could add and subtract, I could do that GS: Right, and you were a fast learner I' ; m sure MA: And I went into the county there, and in the mid 60' ; s I transferred to Tulsa still in the county, went to a nice school at TU for a couple of years, got some accounting courses in that they told me I needed GS: Yeah MA: To promote GS: Yeah MA: Then I transferred into the budget department, went to our service center out on east 15th, worked out there a couple of years, and then transferred into marketing department you know back downtown, and worked in our marketing department for about three years. And then transferred back to Bristow as manager of the office where I went to work GS: Okay, what can you tell me about Bristow during those years? For instance, were you active in any organizations here in Bristow? MA: This year I would' ; ve completed 50 years as a member of the Lions Club, I went into the Lions Club, I' ; ve always been active in city [Indecipherable] GS: I thought you had MA: And when I was in Sapulpa I was in the J.C.s (ph), went to the J.C.s, wasn' ; t old enough to join. You had to be 21, I' ; m 19, and-- GS: They took you anyway? MA: They let me to go meetings until I got old enough to join, and then when I went into Tulsa I did fundraising for a YMCA, was active over there with the boy scouts, did fundraising for the boy scouts, salvation army, and then when I come back here I' ; ve always been active here in Bristow GS: Yes, you have MA: President of Chamber of Commerce, president of the Lions Club GS: Okay MA: And I' ; ve actually was awarded citizen of the year GS: Do you remember what year that was Marland? MA: I think it was 76' ; , in that area GS: Okay MA: I can tell you, I can give you the exact dates but I' ; d have to go home GS: Right, right MA: And then I was chosen for lifetime achievement, [Indecipherable] the chambers highest honour. GS: That' ; s quite an honour MA: And one of the few who had got it, well it was [Indecipherable] GS: That makes it even better, doesn' ; t it? MA: Makes it even better GS: A little bit sweeter MA: And I tried to be, you know, a good citizen and to participate in-- GS: Now you attend--Oh I' ; m sorry, go ahead MA: And I' ; ve--was received the highest honour that the Lions had, which was the [Indecipherable] award GS: Wonderful MA: And my club here bought me a lifetime membership in the Lions Club, I was going to retire GS: Aw MA: And they said no, when I turned 80 I was gonna retire, and they said no you' ; re not gonna retire, you just come when you want to GS: Well that' ; s nice, that' ; s nice MA: So I still try to go GS: They know valuable people when they see them, they don' ; t wanna let them go MA: I' ; ve shared the united way drive twice, and I' ; ve tried to do my part to be a good citizen GS: Well and I think you' ; ve done an outstanding job MA: For in the church and all of that GS: Now you currently go to the Freewill Baptist, don' ; t you? MA: Right GS: How long have you been going there? MA: We went to Freewill Baptist in Sapulpa, I was raised a Nazarene, but when we went to Sapulpa, Nazarene church was big. Martha and I, you know, we were kids, so we went for a while to the Assembly of God church, which was smaller, and her sister and her family went GS: Uh-huh MA: And then while we lived in Sapulpa, her Brother, who is a minister, took the Freewill Baptist church in Sapulpa so we began to go with him, and then of course when we came back to Bristow, we transferred back, we went [Indecipherable]. We' ; ve been in the Freewill church here for 50 years GS: I thought you' ; d been there a long time MA: We came back to Bristow in 1971, and-- GS: And you probably are on the boards of elders and about everything that there is in the church MA: Sure I' ; m on the board, I was treasurer for several years, taught Sunday school class, then I got too old GS: You' ; re not too old Marland. Alright now we' ; re gonna shift a little bit. We' ; ve just, we' ; re just coming out of a pandemic from COVID 19, how has that affected you? MA: Caused me to spend a lot more time at home GS: Yes MA: My usual routine was to get up and go to coffee, with a whole bunch of coffee drinkers about 9 o' ; clock in the morning for about an hour GS: And that stopped that for about a year and a half, didn' ; t it? MA: That stopped that for about a year and a half, and in fact we had our first session back yesterday GS: Oh wonderful, wonderful MA: But it has made a difference on it, it' ; s something to respect GS: It is MA: We were able to--we got the shots fairly early GS: Good MA: And, but we' ; ve--we respect it GS: Amen, mhm MA: The danger of it and so I spent a lot more time at home, which was good GS: Yes MA: [Indecipherable] GS: Did you lose anybody in your family due to COVID? MA: We have not, my sister had it, a light case, several of her family had had the COVID GS: Uh-huh MA: But we did not GS: Good MA: Our grandson was exposed to it early in his work, and took the test, but never did have it GS: But it didn' ; t affect him much, good. Good, good, good. Looking back over your life, what would you consider to be some of the most important, or the most important, inventions during your lifetime? MA: It would be hard to decide which one. Of course the cars were already here, they had washing machines, we didn' ; t happen to have one of them but, but I think, you know, refrigeration. We grew up with an ice man coming to the door GS: Yes, yes MA: And putting a chunk of ice in the box GS: In the bottom of the fridge MA: In the wooden ice box GS: Uh-huh MA: At our house, we had a window box GS: Okay MA: In the winter time, we just left our stuff out. They had to build a box outside the window and you just raised the window up and put the milk and the butter and stuff, screen wire over it. And in the winter time, it would stay real cold out there. GS: Well sure it would, that' ; s the first time I' ; ve heard of that MA: And I can remember in the kitchens, you know, that' ; s what it was and you could raise the window and mom would get the milk and stuff GS: How fun, that time we lost electricity for nine months, nine months--nine days MA: Nine days GS: We did that, we put our food outside because it was cold MA: And during that time, I didn' ; t lose mine GS: Good for you MA: I' ; m served off the transmission deal out there, and we were off for two to three hours GS: Wow, wow well you were lucky because most of the rest of the town was out. As you see it, what are some of the biggest problems that face our nation right now and how do you think they could be solved? MA: Well, just the relationship of people is something that bothers me GS: Yes MA: It seems like it' ; s nothing. You know, I grew up with if there' ; s something that needs to get done, we' ; d go and do it GS: Exactly MA: Now it' ; s, you know, you do it. And the kids today, the younger generations, I' ; ve told my family, you know, just two words they know and that' ; s me and I GS: Mhm MA: If it' ; s not and if it doesn' ; t benefit me, I don' ; t care about it GS: That' ; s so sad MA: And it bothers me GS: Yeah, you' ; re not the only person I' ; ve interviewed who has said this MA: Church is important to me GS: Yes MA: And the attendance at church is not nearly-- GS: No it isn' ; t MA: --What it should be. Salvation is something that seems like people have just forgotten GS: I agree 100%, it is MA: God' ; s still there, God' ; s still on the throne, and his time is gonna come one of these days GS: I agree with you Marland MA: I just hope I' ; ve made mine right GS: Do what? MA: I just hope I' ; ve made my life right GS: Well I know you have. Okay is there anything that you would like to tell us that I haven' ; t thought to ask? MA: Georgia, it' ; s just that I came to Bristow early, I like Bristow. When I came back here, I told them when I was elected for citizen of the year, I didn' ; t have to come to Bristow GS: No MA: But it' ; s home GS: You chose Bristow MA: I chose to GS: Mhm MA: And I chose to stay here, when I was-- opportunity to go out of town again. My mother was still alive, which was up in her 90' ; s and I chose to stay here and drive for 8 years to Sapulpa and back everyday GS: Yeah, it was a longer trip back then than it is now too MA: Yeah, and but the only thing, the bad part of going from here to Sapulpa and doing a day job is that you drive into the sun going-- audio 0 https://bristoworalhistory.org/ohms/viewer.php?cachefile=OHP-2021-23_Marland_Armitage.xml OHP-2021-23_Marland_Armitage.xml
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1100
Location
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Bristow, Oklahoma
Duration
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66:51
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Bristow, farming, great depression, home life, hospital, Lincoln High School, Nazarene church, oil companies, segregation, Slick, train, Washington School
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Title
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Marland Armitage
Description
An account of the resource
In this 2021 interview, Marland Armitage shares his experience living in Bristow throughout the years. He discusses the different businesses located in town and what life was like during the depression.
Identifier
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OHP-2021-23
Date
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2021-06-29
Format
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audio
Creator
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Bristow Historical Society, Inc.
Publisher
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Bristow Historical Society, Inc.
Rights
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Copyright Bristow Historical Society, Inc.
Language
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English
Type
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sound, oral history
Bristow
farming
Great Depression
home life
hospital
Lincoln High School
Nazarene church
oil companies
segregation
Slick
train
Washington School