Family Ties

New Mattress

The Caddo Herald

October 11, 1946

Mrs. Springer Wins a

Mattress Radio Contest

Mrs. Della Springer of Liberty was the winner of a new mattress given by the Hal Collins noon program Tuesday. She had sent in a joke in competition with thousands of eager listeners to that program. We congratulate Mrs. Springer on winning. Nobody ever won a thing without trying. 

Della's Dog

Durant Daily Democrat

November 12, 1961

Thoughts…

Smart Dogs Like People in Patience

By Della Springer

I have a feeling I have told this before, but not, I hope, to the Durant Democrat. I am a lover of most all animals (there are a few exceptions), so I am always on the alert for something interesting that some animal has done. Especially when it proves, to my way of thinking, that an animal uses its thoughts with which to manage.

This particular story is of a dog we used to have, named Rowdy; he was half bulldog and half hound. I say was, for he is deceased. He was an excellent squirrel dog. One of our neighbor boys, Billy Joe Murray, borrowed him one day to use in training a small hound dog he had.

Rowdy was pretty dignified in everything he did, so it was a considerable annoyance to him when the small dog stayed at his heels, constantly nipping at him, even on the trail of a squirrel. Instead of following the scent as Rowdy did, the little pest playfully jumped about, barking and biting at our dog’s legs.

Billy Joe finally came to a creek where a log had fallen across. It was being used as a bridge, but instead of walking across, Rowdy started to swim. In went the young dog and Rowdy saw his chance. He swam up to the pup, and placing his foreleg on the young one, held him under the water until Billy Joe had to come to the rescue.

Now what do you think?

Think…that’s it…a dog really thinks.

 

Ira, Jr.

Seminole Producer (Seminole, OK)

July 2, 1947

Ira J. Banta (Jr.), who in partnership with a co-worker on the paper, recently purchased the McCurtain Gazette at Idabel, and is a son of the late Ira J. Banta, for many years an attorney at Wewoka. Young Banta is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma school of Journalism. He had been city editor of the Gazette for five years.

Banta obits

The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, CO)

July 25, 1947

Mrs. Mary L. Banta Dies Today at Home

In Fruitvale Area

Mrs. Mary Lettie Banta, wife of Calvin W. Banta, died at 4:25 pm Thursday at the family home in Fruitvale.

Funeral services will be held at 8 o’clock this evening at the Martin drawing room chapel. The body will be sent tomorrow to Caddo, Okla. for additional services and burial.

Mary Lettie Coker was born Jan. 26, 1872 in Wood County, Tex. to Joseph and Margaret Coker and spent her childhood in Wood county. She was married to Calvin W. Banta Dec.30, 1887 at Yantis, Tex.

Mr. and Mrs. Banta moved to Atoka, Okla. in 1909. Mr. Banta died several years ago and Mrs. Banta moved to Grand Junction a year ago to reside.

The deceased was a member of the Church of Christ. She was baptized in 1894 and was an active and faithful member, attending church regularly until becoming ill three weeks ago.

Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Martha E. Trimmer, Fruitvale, and Mrs. Clarissa Smith and Mrs. Della Springer, Caddo, Okla.; one son, Calvin. W. Jr.; 20 grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

 

The Atoka County Times

January 8, 1959

Calvin W. Banta, County Native, Passed Away in

Lameda, California (Alameda or Lomita?)

Mrs. John Springer, Caddo, Rt. 3 correspondent, received word Tuesday that her brother, Calvin W. Banta, aged 53, had passed away at his home in Lameda, Calif. Mr. Banta grew up in Atoka and Atoka County. He also leaves another sister, Mrs. Clarissa Smith, at Caney. (Martha was also still alive.)

1918

Banta Notes

 

The Caddo Herald

Liberty Hill

My customers are all invited to call at my store and get a new calendar.

(C. W. Banta, Liberty Park store.)

 

The Caddo Herald

February 1, 1918

Liberty Hill

We have been completely snowed under. No work of any kind is possible. One did well to have fires to keep from freezing.

 

The Caddo Herald

February 8, 1918

Liberty Hill

The Literary and Debating Society at Liberty Hill promises to be a great success. Debating next Friday night with three on a side. The subject is: “Resolved, that fire is more destructive than water.” Everybody is invited to come.

 

The Caddo Herald

March 22, 1918

Liberty Hill

Miss Martha Banta went to Atoka to complete the eighth grade as our school is too badly crowded to get the attention her studies require.

 

Indian Citizen

May 2, 1918

Ira J. Banta was secretary of the newly-formed “Robertson for Governor” club of Atoka.

 

August 22, 1918

Ira J. Banta ran for county judge, but was defeated by Walter M. Rainey.

Determined...

I'm not sure what prevented Ira from early enlistment, but he eventually did get into the army. 

Ira Johnson Banta

Registration Card, June, 1917

Assistant County Attorney

Born June 14, 1891 in Yantis, Texas

Married

 

Indian Citizen

August 22, 1918

Ira J. Banta and father, C. W. Banta, went to McAlester Tuesday for the purpose of enlisting in the army. C. W. Banta was accepted and ordered to report to Fort Logan Wednesday of next week, but no definite answer was given Ira.

 

September 12, 1918

Attorney Ira J. Banta left yesterday for Fort Worth, Texas, where he has gone to make another attempt to enlist in the army.

 

September 19, 1918

Attorney Ira J. Banta left this afternoon for Camp Bowie to enter the military service.

 

His headstone application says that he served three months in the Judge Advocate General’s office. Honorary discharge December 31, 1918.

Ira J. Banta

Indian Citizen

September 9, 1920

Agreeably to the announcement in the issue of last week, we will introduce our Democratic nominee for County Attorney:

 

Ira J. Banta

Mr. Banta comes to us from the good old State of Texas, where they believe in and advocate the good old Jeffersonian Democracy. He was born June 14, 1891 on a farm in Woods County, Texas, where he resided until 1909 when he moved with his father and mother to Caney, Oklahoma. Not being blessed with worldly wealth, it became necessary that he and his father work at such jobs as could be obtained. Ira, being ambitious, and desiring an education, utilized every spare hour for study. With the exception of about nine months, distributed over several years, he dug out his education alone.

 He completed his law studies and was admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Oklahoma in 1913. He removed to Atoka in 1914, since which time he has been admitted to the Bar of the United States District Court and the United States Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Banta is a gentleman in every sense, known for his honesty and integrity and a gentleman of whom the Democracy of Atoka County is proud.

He is the type of young man that makes good and we take great pleasure in asking you to support him in the coming election, November 2. He has been successful as a lawyer and his ability to make a good county attorney is beyond question.

 

Next week we will have something to say regarding our other candidates.

Democratic Campaign Committee

 

Mrs. Banta

The Caddo Herald

August 2, 1918

Mrs. Banta Dead

News came to C. W. Banta Monday that his mother died at Yantis, Texas, Sunday, aged 87 years. Everyone around here knows C. W. Banta, who lives at Liberty Hill. His mother had reached a ripe old age. His friends here, however, will sympathize with him in his loss.

1917

The Caddo Herald

November 16, 1917

Liberty Hill Items

By C. W. Banta

The Death Angel visited our community again last week; this time taking the infant child of Mr. and Mrs. Charley Corbet. The little fellow was sick about ten days before he died at the home of H. T. Faudree. We extend to the bereaved parents our sincerest sympathies.

School will start at Liberty next Monday. Don’t forget to buy school supplies at Liberty Park store, where you will find a supply at all times, and the prices are right.

C.W. Banta took a flying trip to McAlester last week. While there he was permitted to visit the penitentiary. It is a great place and it certainly is an honor to the state and to the management. We met our old-time friend Ed. Maddox. He is doorkeeper.

You can tell all your friends that I am not the C. W. Banta that was sent up from Ardmore for slacking. (Note: that C. W. Banta was charged with draft dodging.)

Cotton picking is nearing the close. This crop will leave the farmer in better condition, financially, than he has been for a long time.

Rev. Turnage preached at Liberty Hill Sunday evening. Austin Green preached Saturday night and Sunday night. Austin is one of Liberty Hill’s best young men. We only wish there were more such boys.

 

Caney Leader

Indian Citizen (Atoka)

December 8, 1910

Caney Leader Sold

The Caney Leader has been sold to Mr. Ira J. Banta and in his opening editorial he says:

 

“Friends and Citizens: I have bought the Caney Leader and hope to make it a pleasure and a benefit to all that read it; to do this I will have to have good patronage. Will I have it or not?

The town and surrounding country is thriving and prosperous and needs a paper; not only the business and professional men, but the farmer and laboring men. I will try to make it a paper of interest to one as much as another, and as I have nothing else in view but to devote my time and attention to the paper, I think I can soon build up a good local paper.

If I fail to send your neighbor a sample copy, loan him yours and both you and he come in and subscribe.

I am yours for business,

Ira J. Banta, Editor”

 

The Indian Citizen-Democrat bespeaks for the new owner success. The citizens of that part of the county should see that the paper is liberally patronized.