Caddo- My Home Town

F. R. Grayson, 1917

The Caddo Herald

March 2, 1917

F. R. Grayson Killed by Shotgun Monday

The lifeless body of F. R. Grayson was found in his smokehouse Monday afternoon about 4:20 by Mrs. Grayson, with about one-fourth of his head blown off. The funeral occurred Tuesday afternoon at the family residence; interment in Caddo Cemetery.

There are two theories as to how Mr. Grayson came by his death; one is that of the accidental discharge of a shot gun which he had said he was going to use to kill some crows. Another is that of suicide; several circumstances point to either.

Mr. Grayson left the house about noon Monday and was not seen until Mrs. Grayson sought to find him late in the afternoon. Then she found him in the smokehouse as above state. Parts of the head, flesh, blood, teeth, etc. were found about the room.

Mr. Grayson was seventy-eight years of age, and lived in Caddo ever since its establishment, coming here with the railroad construction men. He is related to many of the old and prominent families in the community. Mrs. C. A. Hancock being a daughter, as also was Mrs. Ed Walters. He was related to the Mannings, Lawrences, and several others. He leaves a wife and son: C. W. Grayson, besides those first mentioned. He was a man of his word, a good citizen, had exercised an important influence on the earlier days of Caddo; and his sudden death was a surprise and shock not only to his family but to the entire community.

Siegel Anniversary, 1936

 

Mr. Siegel began his business in Caddo in 1896. I know the customer list is difficult to read so I copied it for you.

The Durant Weekly

September 4, 1936

Ben Siegel 40^th Anniversary

J. L. Hull, Bokchito

Mrs. C. H. Harper, Durant

W. H. Attaway, Bennington

Mrs. Levi Arrington, Achille

J. W. Gentry, Colbert

J. H. Bugg, Blue

F. F. LeFlore, Kenefic

W. H. Yeats, Matoy

J. A. Black, Durant

Albert Matoy, Matoy

Bert Fryer, Caddo

G. L. Burk, Silo

B. L. Hart, Durant

Dr. A. J. Wells, Calera

Arthur White, Fulsom

Cam Smith, Banty

R. W. Scott, Durant, Rt. One

Bush Edwards, Durant

Early Zion, Durant

News Bits, 1945

The Caddo Herald

September 28, 1945

 

A Bit of Improving

Postmaster Carl Petty has put a new roof on his house.

The Presbyterian Church now is being repaired and painted.

The editor’s home has a new roof and doesn’t leak any more.

Several are putting in gas and connecting with sewer line.

Nearly every house in town is in need of paint and repairs so long put off on account of war.

 

Captain James Goddard, Miss Anne Clymer Wed

Captain James Goddard and Miss Anne Clymer were untied in marriage at the Waples Memorial church in Denison Tuesday evening, Chaplain Wm. H. Dickinson officiating with a single ring ceremony.

Captain Goddard is the son of Mrs. Sadie Goddard, was raised in Caddo, went to school here, later to Durant. He was a member of the National Guard, went to Africa and Germany with the 45^th division, is now home.

The bride is the daughter of J. R. Clymer, Denison.

 

B. N. Lifsey, aged 84 years, a pioneer citizen of Durant, died there Tuesday evening.

Ned Shepler, Lawton editor, is to be appointed as a regent of Oklahoma University in place of Harrington Wimberly, resigned.

 

J. B. Park brought the first bale of 1945 cotton to the gin in Caddo Tuesday a week ago. It was about a month later than average time. Durant got first bale Wednesday this week.

All kinds of Electric Service: Irons, Lights, Sweepers, Motors, and washing machines. Satisfaction guaranteed. See Lee Simmons. (my grandfather)

 

Mrs. Walter Fowble Dies Tuesday in Caddo

Mrs. Walter Fowble died Tuesday evening at the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. J. Gecks after a long incurable illness. Burial will be in Durant cemetery Friday afternoon, the funeral was held in Holmes Chapel, Durant preceding interment. Mrs. Fowble recently moved to Caddo from Muskogee to be in her daughter’s home.

 

Pleas Whisenhunt Has Discharge from Army

Pleas Whisenhunt arrived at home yesterday with a discharge from the army in which he has served four years, coming home lately from France. Pleas originally was with the 45^th in training.

S. E. Whisenhunt went to the camp at Chaffe to bring him to his home. Said they were in a driving rain all the way.

Pleas is looking well and his many friends are glad to see him again.

 

Set Back Clocks One House September 30^th

President Truman on Tuesday signed into law the bill abolishing war time and putting back all clocks one hour, standard U. S. time, effective September 30.

 

Still we have collisions in the air. Looks like the universe is wide enough for them to pass.

More auto wrecks on the road. Most of them could be avoided by using a little care.

What the hurry anyway?

 

Pat Hurley is back from his special mission to China. He will report direct to the President.

 

Sgt. Joe David Szenasi Gets Decorations

Sgt. Joe David Szenasi, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Szenasi, route 2, Caddo, is a member of the 531 Air Service Group. At this time he is working as an automotive equipment mechanic.

He attended Caddo High School and before entering the army was a farmer. He joined the army at Durant in March 1942, and was overseas in August ’43. He wears the European-African Theatre ribbon along with two battle stars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roy Downing, 1942

The Caddo Herald

May 21, 1942

Roy T. Downing Died in Denison Hospital

Saturday Night 9:45

Roy T. Downing, 38 years of age, died in the Long-Sneed hospital in Denison Saturday evening at 9:45.

The funeral was held at the Methodist church Sunday 4:00 p.m. conducted by Rev. R. L. Hunnicutt, assisted by Rev. M. D. Gentry. Burial by Holmes.

Pall bearers were: V. V. Ware, W. L. Guthrie, Joe M. Brown, B. K. Pate, John Edwards, and Max Meadows.

The large attendance, with numerous floral offerings, attested to the high esteem in which he was held by the community.

Roy Downing, son of Mr. and Mrs. M. G. Downing, was born in Lehigh, had lived in Caddo since he was 13, graduated at Caddo High School, had been a member of the Methodist church 20 years, was married 14 years ago to Miss Janice Crossett. Survivors are his wife, two sons: LeRoy 13, Jerry 9; his parents, a brother Alton of Caddo, three sisters, Mrs. J. O. Harper, Jackson, Miss.,  Mrs. J. D. Allen, Chickasha, and Mrs. Russell McCreary, Mead.

Roy Downing was an honorable upright citizen, respected by all who knew him. He had served the town in responsible places and in his business dealings he was always square.

School, 1945

When I was a child in California it was quite common for school to be delayed two or three weeks until the grapes were harvested. School administrators knew it was foolish to do otherwise because children, especially teen boys, did so much of the work. So I was surprised to learn that Caddo schools took a slightly different approach by starting early and then taking a five-week break for the cotton harvest.

Also note the mention of a new hot lunch program.

The Caddo Herald

July 13, 1945

Summer Term of School Will Start July 30^th

Enrollment July 28^th

The summer term of Caddo schools will begin July 30, Joe McKinnis announced today. The buses will run Saturday the 28^th for pupils to come to enroll so there will be no delays Monday in getting into classwork. This later date was chosen on account of much rain delaying the farm work. 

August 3, 1945

Summer School Started Monday

With Average Attendance Joe Says

Caddo schools began summer session Monday with average attendance. Buses are making all the routes though roads are not as good as they should be.

The faculty was all printed last week in the Herald.

___ we’ve missed those school children on the streets and ____ of buses thru town. School children seem to take  ___ interest in their work as the new term starts.

Children who will be 6 years old by Nov. 1 may enter school now without paying tuition.  Joe McKinnis says they would take a few who will be 6 years old between Nov. 1  and Dec. 31 at $3.99 per month or $25 for the nine month term, cash in advance. The money will be used to buy school things for their primary rooms.

September 7, 1945

Caddo Schools under Way with Varied Plans

Proving that time does fly: the first six weeks of school has drawn to a close in Caddo with a better than average enrollment.       

By the sweat of his brow and wear and tear on his rationed tires, Supt. Joe McKinnis managed to assemble 19 well qualified teachers to carry out probably the most varied and progressive program ever offered in Caddo.

Succeeding where the larger schools have failed, Mr. McKinnis is presenting a vocation home economics course, a band program, and a physical fitness course that does credit to any school, large or small.

Of equal importance is the hot lunch program, the first of its kind approved in Oklahoma this year. Hot lunches, carefully planned and supervised by Mrs. Richardson, home economics teacher, are served to teachers and students alike for the nominal fee of ten cents.

Mr. Broadhead, principal of the high school and junior high, returned from Norman this week where he completed work on his Master’s degree, to relieve Mr. R. W. Fleak of Durant, who has served very ably as his substitute since school began.  

New teachers in the school of Caddo this years are: Mr. Hutchens from Van Noss, Okla. is the head of the vocational agriculture department; Miss Mayo  in charge of music in the grades and glee club, comes from Lake Charles, La.; Mr. Tharp, recently discharged from the army, who will teach physical fitness and coach basketball; Mrs. Ray Pace, head of English department and library supervisor; Miss Kiser from Bokchito, typing and junior home economics; and Mrs. Oliver, from Ada, junior high mathematics department.  

State school examiners Hailey and Johnson inspected schools this week and expressed surprise over the number of qualified teachers employed here, notwithstanding teacher shortages.

Foreseeing a late cotton crop, plans are in effect to continue classes until actual picking begins.

 September 28

Schools Closed Friday, Reopen in Five Weeks

Caddo schools closed Friday for five weeks to enable children to help in crop harvest.

Rain came Monday night and again Tuesday night so very little work was done this week on farms.

Caddo, being in a farm community, tries to conform as well as may be, to the seasons. We had a very good summer term of school and will begin where it left off in a month. By that time it is believed all harvest will be ended.

 

A Gallery of Soldiers, 1942

 

The Caddo Herald

January 29, 1942

Downing Café Starts War Picture Gallery:

Proves to be Popular

In the Downing Café in Caddo, Mrs. Downing has started a rather interesting and popular feature.

It is a picture gallery of the boys from Caddo and vicinity who are in the armed services of the United States.

The idea goes a way back. Mrs. Downing is a kind of mother-friend of all the boys and young people in town and the surrounding country. Her place is a gathering for the youth of the land. Football boys, basketball girls and boys, soldier boys and young people generally make this popular café their downtown club as it were.

Mrs. Downing is a friend to them all. To them she is the confidant of their secrets, their love affairs, their trials and troubles. When the soldier boys come home on leave they frequent her place, leave their belongings there, their money or jewels, or what not. Sometimes if they are broke when their leave is over, while not in the banking business, Mrs. Downing provides them with expense money back to camp. Be it said to the credit of the boys, none have yet failed to repay her.

                Every day she gets letters from the boys, “her boys”, she calls them; and in them are poured out their yearnings, the hopes and joys of the boys in khaki. Mrs. Downing answers every one. Many times in the dull hours of the day she devotes to writing the boys of the innocent, homey gossip of the town, of their girls at the home town; who gets married; and who is soon to leave for the service. Quite frequently some of the young people are around and add a line or two to the letters, maybe a “hello”, or “how’s the boy”.

                Several of the boys sent in their pictures to Mrs. Downing. With Mr. Downing’s help she has designed a large blackboard and on it are fastened these pictures. Parents of the boys in service seeing this display had added to it; and the number grows each day. Up to Thursday the pictures of the boys on the panel are:

James Goddard, Camp Barkley, Abilene, Texas

Prince Flowers, Mineral Wells, Texas

James Maytubby, Phoenix, Arizona

J. E. Brentlinger, Portland, Oregon

William Peters, Fort Sill, Oklahoma

Pleas Whisenhunt, Camp Barkley, Texas

R. A. Whisenhunt, stationed in Iceland

Clarence Edward Smith, in Pearl Harbor, T. H.

A.E. Boydstun, Jr., care of postmaster, San Francisco

Robert Freeny, Pearl Harbor, T. H.

Alf Walla, Camp Barkley, Texas

A.C. Strickler, Portland, Oregon

Mrs. Downing has quite a collection of letters from her boys of the Army, Navy and Marines. The letters ask many questions of people back home. They desire to hear of familiar people. They want to hear the pleasant things of home life; and all of the letters breathe a spirit of patriotism and desire to get through with an unpleasant job and come back to family and friends. Their letters contain very few gripes.

Mrs. Downing is doing a real part in keeping up the spirits of the boys in camp and on the seas, at home, and in the trenches. She has two boys, neither old enough for the service and she feels for the lonely boys in the service.

She gets a real kick out of doing this for the morale of the boys. Close friend or stranger, when the boys on leave come to her place, they are made to feel welcome, made to know that in her place they have a sympathetic friend to whom they can talk and in whom they can confide.

No beer is sold at the Downing Café; nor is any loud or boisterous conduct permitted. There is a juke box, but no dancing. The young people find other amusements and receive a ready welcome with wholesome contacts.

After ball games this place is the center where the teams gather for refreshments and to replay the game. Fine fellowships are formed and general good will prevails.

 

 

 

 

 

8th Grade, 1942

 

Mrs. John Boland, 1932

The Caddo Herald

 June 17, 1932

Mrs. John L. Boland Buried Here Monday

On last Saturday afternoon at three o’clock at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sherman, Mrs. John L. Boland died after a short illness from appendicitis and complications. Mrs. Boland had been ill for some ten days and was finally taken to the hospital in the hope that human hands could relieve her sufferings but to no avail.

Deceased was buried in Caddo Monday morning with services conducted in the chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes and services in charge of Rev. Father Martin former pastor of the deceased, but now in charge of a pastorate at Prague, Oklahoma.

One of the largest crowds ever to attend a service of this kind was present at the funeral and extended to the surviving family with kindly words and actions their thoughts for sympathy and feelings.

Deceased was 51 years of age and had been a member of the Catholic Church since her girlhood days. She was born and raised in the Caddo community and had been a resident here in town since her birth. She was known and loved by a wide circle of friends not only here, but throughout the surrounding counties and over the state; and a goodly number of friends from the state were present at the last rites paid to her memory.

She is survived by her husband, J. L. Boland, three daughters, Margeurite, Zuleika, and Mary Adeline, and one son, Jack who was the youngest of the surviving children. She is also survived by her aged mother, Mrs. A. D. Turnbull, who made her home with her the last few years and one brother, Walter Turnbull, attorney of Durant.

Active pallbearers at the funeral were: Amos K. Bass of Durant, H. F. Bass, L. M Wood, H. I. Meadows, Henry Edwards and Lake Brewer of Caddo. Honorary pallbearers were the members of the Bryan County Bar Association with whom Mr. Boland had been affiliated since its organization.

Deceased was a staunch and devout member of the Catholic Church and to her memory here lies the fact that she was largely responsible for the erecting and completion of the chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes, and this alone speaks for the devoutness of the deceased for her religion.

Besides the surviving relatives of the deceased, the following existing relatives of the family from out of town were present at the funeral: Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Flinchum of Calvin; Mrs. Thomas T. O’Brian, and Misses Estelle and Bernedette Boland of St. Louis, Mo; Mrs. Charles C. Turnbull and children and Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Glikey of Norman, Okla.; Mrs. J. D. Thomas and Mrs. W. O. Carter of Fort Worth, Texas; Sam Maytubby and Mrs. Agnes Trousdale of Shawnee, and Mrs. Ray Bushey of Boulder, Colo.

The Herald joins the many friends of the family in extending sympathy to them in their time of trial and bereavement and trusts that time will heal the wound of a passing loved one.

Among the out-of-town visitors in Caddo Monday morning to attend the funeral of Mrs. J. L. Boland were the following: Mrs. G. R. Spencer, Mrs. A. F. Manning, Mrs. H. T. Chiles, and J. C. Styron of Oklahoma City; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sumpter, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Lester George, W. E. Utterback, Mr. and Mrs. D. S. MacDonald, and David MacDonald, J. A. Shirley, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Buford, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Caudil, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Callihan, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Glafcke, Mrs. Harry Haigh, Mrs. M. L. Tanner, and Miss Mozelle Tanner, Mrs. Ruth Abbot O’Dea, Sam Lyon, Roy Paul, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Crutchfield, Harry Neely, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Wright, Mrs. J. T. May, Mrs. W. F. Semple, Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Butler, A. N. Leacraft, Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Bass, Amos K. Bass, Green Thompson, and Rev. E. Hotchkin, all of Durant; Mrs. Foster Bailey and Mrs. J. D. Maytubby of Sulphur and Sam Maytubby of Shawnee. Others were here but we were unable to obtain their names for publication.