2016_07 HHS_newsletter.indd - Henryetta Territorial Museum
Transcription
2016_07 HHS_newsletter.indd - Henryetta Territorial Museum
Volume 6 Number 3 -July 2016 Clowning around was way of life for 1955 HHS Grad A Henryetta High School graduate in 1955, Dan Little went on to become an Oklahoma City University Music School graduate. He became known as an outstanding Rodeo Clown. Records show that he traveled and performed around the United States, in Madison Square Garden and the new Tulsa Convention Center. “Tiny” Little, with the yellow “Buckin’ Ford” comically entertained the audience, rodeo guys and the livestock, to keep them under control. Music was also his love and world. He opened the “Music Store” in Tulsa, became a partner with Texan Roy Swicegood to create “L&S Band Instrument Company” with stores in several locations. Schools in a 4-state area were serviced by L&S for years. “Brush Creek Ranch”, a 920 acre area near Jay, Oklahoma was brought into being by a Board from the Christian Church in Jenks, OK in 1977 where Little was Music Director. Known as “A Second Chance!” it was a healing place for young men 18-29 years of age to turn to a positive, contributing force in our society. Little was co-founder and director for many years. It has changed hundreds from “Boys into Men”. President of the Board for Habitat for Humanity, many houses were built in Ft. Smith for deserving families. Little passed away in 2006 after living a wholesome, loving life. His wife Pat, and son, Joe, carry on his memory. His parents were Tommie and Roy Little, ranchers in the Henryetta area. They, at one time, had the load of running the Jim Shoulders’ Ranch. -- Story submitted by Pat Little. Pictured is Henryetta’s Dan ‘Tiny’ Little who was one of many of the local rodeo personalities. Little performed in venues large and small and was best know for his ‘Bucking’ Ford a reengineered car that was used in parades and arenas to captivate audiences www.territorialmuseum.net PAGE 2 Gallamores recall early Henryetta From an undated story that ran in the Henryetta Daily Free-Lance. References to the year the Gallamores arrived lead us to believe this was written around 1955. HENRYETTA – Mrs. S. W. Gallamore and the late Mr. Gallamore, arrived in Henryetta 50 years ago on Oct. 5. Cherished memories of their early life here took on special meaning this month, when Mrs. Gallamore’s sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Champion, arrived from Ukiah, California, for a visit. Like all of the courageous pioneers who founded this city, the Gallamores elected to remain here, in spite of the fear and “Snake Up-rising” that occurred a few months after their arrival. Recalling a few of the vivid memories of those pioneer days Mrs. Gallamore said, “We came to Henryetta, Oct. 5, 1905, from Vernon County, Mo., with our two daughters Stella and Elva.” She said, “We spent our first night here at the old Emerson Hotel, a two-story frame building located in the present site of the Chevrolet garage.” They were strangers in a strange country with no friends, except the Sid Haynes, who had arrived from Missouri ahead of them to homestead in Henryetta. She said, “That first day, we visited the Haynes in their home, where Mrs. Haynes still resides at 302 West Cummings. We stayed with them for several days before settling in our fourroom frame house located directly north of the Haynes home, on what is now known as Merrick street,” Mrs. Gallamore recalled. She said Mr. Gallamore went to work immediately at the old Wise Mine, laying track for $4 per day. She explained, “We thought we were rich, for back in Missouri, after Mr. Gallamore finished with his farm chores he worked for only 75 cents a day.” She shivered as she recalled the wild days of long ago. “Henryetta, she said, was just a wide place in the road, with one block of board walk that only ran from Fourth to Fifth Streets.” She said most everyone used barrel water that was hauled in, only a few were lucky enough to own cisterns. She spoke of the many hardships that faced the pioneer women in their efforts to make good homes for their families, under constant fear of the Indians, “who in that day were a threat to our very existence,” Mrs. Gallamore said. She recalled the “Crazy Snake Indian Up-rising,” which occurred a few months after their arrival and why the Negroes {sic} were driven from Henryetta that same year. She said it all started when a Negro went to a livery stable and tried to rent a team. The Negro was drunk and when the stable owner refused to rent him a rig, he left and came back a short time later and shot him. She said a Dr. Sanderson, mayor of the city at that time, was unable to calm the angry mob that lynched the negro, only a few hours after he had killed the white man. She said the unrest which followed the lynching, prompted the next move by the leaders of the community. They advised the Negroes, settled mostly on the east side of the railroad tracks to get out of Henryetta in a hurry. Mrs. Gallamore said the “Crazy Snake Up-rising” got underway when the Indians, with the feeling that unjustice had been done, took sides with the outlawed Negro race. She said fear reigned in the small city, with the white folks fearing the Indians would carry out their threat to burn everything and kill everybody. Gallamore-Champion Building built 1914 Mr. Gallamore, who died in April 1953, began “Henryetta was just a wide place in the road” Mrs. S.W. Gallamore his career in the furniture business in 1908 when he and the late O. L Bates, who died in January, 1945, put a second hand furniture and farm implement store in the 500 block of Main Street. The business grew as the population of the city increased. In 1909 Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Champion arrived in a covered wagon from Purcell. Mr. Champion became a third partner in the growing furniture business with Gallamore and Bates. Disaster struck in 1912 when the big fire, which many old timers will remember, destroyed everything on the south side of Main Street, from Fifth to Sixth. There was no fire department to call in those days, and Mrs. Gallamore remembers how the men and women joined forces with wet sacks in an effort to save their city. The partnership of Gallamore and Champion reopened for business in the 300 block of West Main, in the old Buchanan Building, the present site of the J.D. Penney Company. Their new building was completed and ready for occupancy in 1914. The old building, located in the 500 block, is now part of the building occupied by the Henryetta Furniture. The additional space was added to the Gallamore Furniture as partnerships changed and business increased down through the years. Mrs. Gallamore said, “We continued to operate the business now known as the Henryetta Furniture, until Mr. Gallamore’s health failed and he retired in 1945. The business was sold at that time to W. M Smith and his son, the late W. E. Smith. PAGE 3 MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS Henryetta Historical Society 2016 Membership Application Thanks for supporting Henryetta’s award-winning Historical Society. The Society brings together those who work hard to improve Henryetta, and it has brought local, state and na-tional attention to our community. It is composed of dedicated volunteers. Dues and finan-cial donations are used to preserve Henryetta’s historical objects without being used for salaries. There are no Henryetta tax dollars received to fund any event or operation. We depend on your Memberships, Endowments, fund-raising events and private grants. With your membership dues, please consider a contribution to the Society’s Endowment Fund. Every dollar that the Endowment receives provides investment income to the Territorial Museum forever. This fund is critical to the long-term operation of the Museum. Types of Membership Individuals $20 __________ Family $30 __________ Silver $50 __________ Gold $100 __________ Platinum $250 __________ BUSINESS MEMBERSHIPS • The Exchange”, the Historical Society’s quarterly newsletter • 10% discount on items purchased in the Territorial Museum Book and Gift department. LET US ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS FOR YOU! BUSINESS Membership Includes: • 10% discount • Quarterly Newsletter • Our website has received hits from every continent in the world • Link to your website • Mapquest to your business • A few years ago, Bill Bussey, who lives in West Virginia but has businesses in Poland, advertised with us. A prospective customer from India was trying to find him, so he Googled Bill and found him on our website. Because of this Bill has done thousands of dollars in business with this client. Silver $50 __________ Gold $100 __________ Platinum $250 __________ • A memorial is a lasting tribute in honor of those who have touched your life. Memorial Fund $__________ Endowment Fund $__________ • Endowments provide funds for the longevity of the Territorial Museum. DONATIONS Photo Digitization Fund $ __________ Capital Improvements $__________ Conservation Fund $__________ Total $___________ Name _____________________________________________________________ Mailing Address _____________________________________________________ City, State, Zip_______________________________________________________ Telephone ____________________________Cell __________________________ Member Type ________________ Amount $__________ Endowment $_______ Your Website_________________________________________________________ Download membership/donations form and send to: Henryetta Historical Society P O Box 220 - Henryetta, OK 74437 Or Pay Online Memberships are valid through April 1, 2017 DONATIONS • Donations to the museum fund our day-to-day opera-tions and the conservation of our collection. • Does your employer match your contributions to cultural organizations? If so, contact Mike Doak at 918 798-7918. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU The Henryetta Historical Society would love to hear your stories. If you would like to donate items, tell us your story or visit our museum we would be happy to accommodate you. Like us on Facebook!! The Henryetta Historical Society P. O. Box 220 Henryetta, OK 74437 President’s Message We are blessed! Had a great Oklahoma Travel Industries Tourism Convention, networked with their members and members from Travel. OK. We won a 1/3 page ad space, ($1200 value) for Oklahoma Today Magazine, OSU in Okmulgee is in the process of designing it for us. Also, found out the city can use their Tourism money to help us out. Will be receiving contracts from two cities that say the hotel tax can be used by 501 (c) (3) ‘s if they are creating tourism and economic development for the city. Details will be worked out later. I also have notes from classes so you can see what is going on with us and other museums. Memorial Day I went out to the Creek Mine Cemetery aka, Coal Creek Cemetery, grass is only cut for Memorial Day. I took pictures of a few tombstones. One was of Albert Furr. The first name of the town was Furrs, after Albert. Later changed to Henryetta, named after Henry and Etta Beard and for Hugh Henry. Another photo that I took was of Albert Bates, the co-owner of the livery stable that was killed for not renting a wagon. The shooter was caught and jailed. Vigilantes broke him out of jail and hung him across the street. The other day I realized the museum is located in one of the most historic places it could be placed. Hugh Henry lived one block west, O.W. Meacham, first Post Master, lived roughly one block south of him, George Riley Hall lived roughly one block east of him, the lynching took place roughly one block northwest of the museum, the Daily Free-Lance started ½ block west of the museum, etc. In reading the clippings of Mrs. Gallamore, I learned that in about 1910, the entire south side of Main between 5th and 6th was burned. They had no fire department and lots of wooden buildings were lost. I also wanted to let you know we are doing things right. I walked into a store in Checotah a few weeks ago and I heard a guy say, “Have you been to the Henryetta museum?” He could not see me, so I stopped to see what his next words were and he said that is the greatest museum he had ever seen. We talked quite a while and he ended up donating $500 for membership and donation. He is going to buy one of the large panoramas and said if he can help in anyway let him know. The next day his dad called and he donating decoys from the 30’s and 40’s. You never know where a blessing will come from! Mike Doak , President