When a Dollar was a Dollar

[Art]

This clip, filmed in the 1930s, is a fellow reminiscing about his professional life starting in the 1880s. There are darned few of these gems around anymore. A two and a half minute look into a by gone world of going to work early in life and succeeding in the age of hard work and hard specie currency.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB_Xbe7yanM

Graybar Electric is still in business by the way.

[Vern Humphrey]

My great-grandfather was illiterate -- never had a chance to go to school. He lied about his age and joined the Union Army -- and was still underage when the war ended. He made his living trapping, and after he got married Great grandma helped him buy a wagon and team and he made his living hauling freight. He was working in Nebraska when he heard about the opening of the Cherokee Strip in Oklahoma. He saddled his horse and rode south and when he had got land, he sent for the family. My grandfather, 14 years old, loaded the wagon, hitched up the team and drove with his mother and brother down through Nebraska, clear across Kansas, and deep into Oklahoma.

The boys helped their dad clear the land and with the first timber built a log cabin (have a picture of it.) They did well enough to build a frame house later, so when Grandpa and Grandma got married, they moved into the old log cabin, and that's where my dad was born in 1906 in Oklahoma Territory.

Dad was too young for WWI -- he was only 12 when the war ended -- and too old for WWII. He also had a broken back from a motorcycle accident and was in a reserved occupation -- oil exploration. So his contribution in WWII was to go into the deep Amazon jungle looking for oil (he found it -- he's the man who found the Venezuelan oil fields.) He and his crew were working from house boats during the great Motoloni Indian uprising -- and he had some hair-raising tales to tell.

My Great grandfather served in the Union Army and raced for land in Oklahoma. My grandfather crossed the plains driving a covered wagon. My father was born in a log cabin and lived through an Indian uprising.

How many living Americans can make those claims?

[Roadkingtrax]

Plenty.

[rayg]

Why couldn't you have just said good for your grandfather instead of saying "plenty", in order to down play his grandfather' achievements!..

[Johnny P]

Consider the source.

[Roadkingtrax]

Why couldn't you have just said good for your grandfather instead of saying "plenty", in order to down play his grandfather' achievements!..


Consider the source.

Obviously not yours, but plenty more.

[rayg]

RKT...So you just can't bring your self to say good for his grandfather! Sad!

[Roadkingtrax]

RKT...So you just can't bring your self to say good for his grandfather! Sad!

I can't bring myself to care about what your opinion is on the matter.

If you think there's an insult there, you'll have to keep looking...?\_(ツ)_/?

[rayg]

Well you gave your opinion, so I gave you mine on your post! It's not a one way street I hope you know!

[Roadkingtrax]

Well you gave your opinion, so I gave you mine on your post! It's not a one way street I hope you know!

I stated a fact.

My opinion is you're looking to argue.

[Johnny P]

Trolls the forum looking for something, anything to disagree about.

[PWC]

My Great grandfather served in the Union Army and raced for land in Oklahoma. My grandfather crossed the plains driving a covered wagon. My father was born in a log cabin and lived through an Indian uprising.

How many living Americans can make those claims?

Well, Vern, I wonder if our grand folks crossed paths? My GGpa was in the civil war, lived in Kansas, and made trips down into the Indian Territory to do trapping along the North Canadian River. Family moved down into the territory, and if you know your Oklahoma history, became Sooners. My G'ma was born in a covered wagon near what is now Apache, OK. GG'pa was a farmer and had to make the run to keep his claim. Didn't work out, he lost his homestead. Rich folks had already spied out improved claims and paid people to make the run and stack the stones, while they regestered and paid the fee.

He did get land just west of, now, Yukon, OK. not far from the North Canadian. The last farm my G'pa had butted up to the river, on Piedmont Rd. In Yukon.

[Vern Humphrey]

Well, Vern, I wonder if our grand folks crossed paths? My GGpa was in the civil war, lived in Kansas, and made trips down into the Indian Territory to do trapping along the North Canadian River. Family moved down into the territory, and if you know your Oklahoma history, became Sooners. My G'ma was born in a covered wagon near what is now Apache, OK. GG'pa was a farmer and had to make the run to keep his claim. Didn't work out, he lost his homestead. Rich folks had already spied out improved claims and paid people to make the run and stack the stones, while they regestered and paid the fee.

He did get land just west of, now, Yukon, OK. not far from the North Canadian. The last farm my G'pa had butted up to the river, on Piedmont Rd. In Yukon.

I'm very familiar with that area. My folks lived a bit Northeast of there, around Meridian, East of Guthrie.

I was in Guthrie a few years back and saw a historical marker, "The mustering in of the Roughriders." What!! My grandfather was 20 years old, unmarried and he DIDN'T join the Roughriders?

I learned later that territories and states were given quotas. Oklahoma's quota was one troop -- and they got enough volunteers to form another regiment, if they had been allowed.:icon_salut:

[PWC]

I'm very familiar with that area. My folks lived a bit Northeast of there, around Meridian, East of Guthrie.

I was in Guthrie a few years back and saw a historical marker, "The mustering in of the Roughriders." What!! My grandfather was 20 years old, unmarried and he DIDN'T join the Roughriders?

I learned later that territories and states were given quotas. Oklahoma's quota was one troop -- and they got enough volunteers to form another regiment, if they had been allowed.:icon_salut:

I have a picture along the west side of my G'parents house in Yukon after the left the farm. The land falls off down to the street and looking north across the farms. This "groove" in the land is where the Old Chisolm Trail passed west of Yukon. The groove is about 100 yds wide with homes built in it and up along the other side. The groove / path was worn by the thousands (millions?) of cattle going down to the lower ground toward the North Canadian River crossing. From a point off in the distance, looking back toward town, you could clearly see the cut in the bank in the winter time when all the leaves were off the trees.

As an asside, the old Route 66 is the main street of Yukon. Last time I was there in 2018, it looked the same as when I was a kid. Shops and Stores are different, but buildings are still the same. The pool hall is still the pool hall. I assume it is being preserved as historical landmark. I- 40 passes th the south about 5 mi. All my family from my GG'parents to my Mother and Father are buried in the Yukon Cemetary.

50092

[rayg]

I stated a fact.

My opinion is you're looking to argue.

Oh please.. tell me how I was looking to argue?

[dryheat]

Oh please.. tell me how I was looking to argue?

Take a break.


Quote Originally Posted by Vern Humphrey View Post
I'm very familiar with that area. My folks lived a bit Northeast of there, around Meridian, East of Guthrie.

I was in Guthrie a few years back and saw a historical marker, "The mustering in of the Roughriders." What!! My grandfather was 20 years old, unmarried and he DIDN'T join the Roughriders?

I learned later that territories and states were given quotas. Oklahoma's quota was one troop -- and they got enough volunteers to form another regiment, if they had been allowed.
I have a picture along the west side of my G'parents house in Yukon after the left the farm. The land falls off down to the street and looking north across the farms. This "groove" in the land is where the Old Chisolm Trail passed west of Yukon. The groove is about 100 yds wide with homes built in it and up along the other side. The groove / path was worn by the thousands (millions?) of cattle going down to the lower ground toward the North Canadian River crossing. From a point off in the distance, looking back toward town, you could clearly see the cut in the bank in the winter time when all the leaves were off the trees.

As an aside, the old Route 66 is the main street of Yukon. Last time I was there in 2018, it looked the same as when I was a kid. Shops and Stores are different, but buildings are still the same. The pool hall is still the pool hall. I assume it is being preserved as historical landmark. I- 40 passes th the south about 5 mi. All my family from my GG'parents to my Mother and Father are buried in the Yukon Cemetary.

Name: House in Yukon.jpg
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A nice house but not real old time. I have seen Yukon mentioned in OK before, but it's strange. I was raised just S of the arctic circle in Fairbanks AK. Yukon came up occasionally. Even growing up in the country I was never sure where the Yukon was. I think it's mostly in Canada.
But the Old Chisolm Trail is some real history. Songs were written about it. McMurtry based Lonesome Dove on the cattle drives. Mostly about Goodnight and Loving (names, not a suggestion).

[PWC]

Dryheat - The house was built in 1956, when my G'parents had to leave the farm. Sons and son-in-laws came from OK and CA to build it for them. I was 12 and helped with original roofing. Learned the hard way you don't hold a roofing nail the same way you hold a 6 penny nail.

[Vern Humphrey]

When my grandpa first came to Oklahoma, everyone had to work. He worked punching cattle in the Cherokee Strip, and later was eligible to join a very prestigious organization, the Cherokee Strip Cow Puncher's Association, formed by Joe Miller of the 101 Ranch. He met and knew the great men of the Chisholm Trail, Shanghai Pierce, Charlie Goodnight and so on,

[rayg]

Dry heat was your post, "take a break" meant for me?

[dryheat]

Just the arguement in general.
I like to say I was raised in a log cabin but thats only a little true. This picture is from a 1949 Nat Geo. The old timer died and my dad knew him. His relatives let us live in the cabin for a summer while our house was being built, about 1955. I loved it there. I was about four yrs at the time. I have a couple pictures of us at the place.

50099

$ When my dad retired from Civil Service in the early sixties he was making about $4.00 and hr.

[lyman]

speaking of old houses,

my maternal grandparents managed (not owned) a Dairy farm for a couple business partners,

the house on the farm was built in 1835, updated sometime in the 1880's or so, and again in the 10's or 20's (kitchen and bathroom added to the house)

when my Grandfather passed (drowned while fishing on the James) my Grandmother moved into a home they owned down the road a bit (after my father and paternal grandfather rebuilt it)

the old farmhouse was yuge, heart pine flooring, lots of walnut fixtures, and solid,
probably needed to have the flues relined, and a good paint job, but otherwise in decent shape for the age,


dipxxxx that bought the farm (the owners sold out not long after Grandpa died) thought it had termites, and tore it , the original kitchen builiding/ butlers quarters, and all the outbuildings down,
not a termite or evidence found in the rubble,


and he tore up thousands of $$$ in recyclable lumber

[PWC]

Every family has a story. I've never seen an uninteresting one. Not all "modern children or grand children are interested, unfortunately. They may bee too wrapped up making their place in the sun.

I'm the black sheep, and my FAMILY, was never allowd to know my "family", so they aren't really interested in their geneology. I have a female cousin that has no children, nephews or neices to leave her's to, so she contacted the county library where her father's family came from. She has county and family info back to pre Civil War in her hostory. They are willingly taking it, and for doing so, she is leaving a small endowment.

[dryheat]

Yeah, holding a roofing nail like a real nail might get you a sore finger or two.