Monta Jean Wheeler

Interviewer: Georgia Smith

Interviewee: Monta Jean Wheeler

Other Persons:

Date of Interview: November 11, 2020

Location: Bristow, Creek County Oklahoma

Transcriber: Abby Thompson

Organization: Bristow Historical Society, Inc.

Original Cassette Tape Location: OHP-2020-11 at 00:00 to 60:58

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 is an interview is part of the Historical Society's ongoing oral history project. The date is November 11, 2020 and I am sitting here with miss Monta Jean Wheeler at the depot, who is going to tell me a little bit about her history in the Bristow area. Now, give me your full name.

MW: Monta Jean Wheeler

GS: Okay let's begin. What was your name at birth?

MW: Monta Jean Baker

GS: And where were you born?

MW: I was born at the [Indecipherable] hospital here in Bristow on west 8th street.

GS: That's awesome, what was your date of birth?

MW: 1/16/1936

GS: What were your parents' names? Mothers maiden name, mother and her maiden name first.

MW: Her name was Anna Beatrice Herndon Baker (ph)

GS: And where were-- your father's name?

MW: Montfort Jones BakerGS: And where were they married?

MW: Here in Bristow

GS: Okay

MW: In my grandparents' house

GS: Aw how wonderful. So they were already here in Bristow, were your parents always here in Bristow? I mean grandparents, were your grandparents always here in Bristow?

MW: My grandfather came in the late 1800's

GS: And what brought him to Bristow, do you know?

MW: I'm not exactly sure, but he was-- he came from Ohio. Left home at a young age like a lot of them did back then, and he wound up in the Kansas area, and that's where he met my grandmother. And then during that time, he met Albert Kelly

GS: Okay

MW: And he, at one time, helped him get-- they brought cattle from Kansas, up in Kansas to Bristow.

GS: Okay

MW: And back then, you just drove on through.

GS: Yup, just a cattle drive

MW: Yeah

GS: Now, we'll skip to this part. We'll get everything else, but since we're talking about your grandparents, what were their names?

MW: His name, he went by his initials; W. O. Baker, that's what everyone knew him by, or-- yeah. And my grandmothers name was Anna.

GS: Anna, and do you know her maiden name?

MW: Chrome (ph)

GS: Chrome?

MW: MhmGS: Okay. Alright, we'll go back to--

MW: And at that time, he didn't have-- there was-- he didn't have any relatives here.

GS: Okay, so--

MW: He just--

GS: He just picked this spot?

MW: Well he picked this place, and at that time with Albert Kelly, they were in-- business partners with the cotton gin, one of the cotton gins here. Do you remember the old Ice Plant that was here?

GS: Oh yes

MW: And there was a cotton gin right down there just on the east side of the railroad track

GS: Okay

MW: And that-- they ran that cotton gin. And then also at one time, my grandad was on the-- stockholder in the American National Bank.

GS: Okay, okay that's interesting information!

MW: That was way back, way back before my time

GS: Way back when!

(Laughter)

GS: Was this before statehood or after statehood?

MW: Well, it was before because in 1906 my grandad purchased from the Indians the property I'm living on right now; it has been in our family since 1906

GS: Oh that's wonderful, and what direction is that?

MW: Where-- actually due north of Bristow

GS: Okay

MW: But the way you have to get to it more North then Northeast and all

GS: Okay, okay. Wow that's amazing. I'm gonna jump back up to your parents now and ask you how many children your parents have?

MW: Just one

GS: Just you, huh?

MW: [Inaudible]

GS: Okay, and what did your dad do for a living?

MW: Well, he had-- he was at the time I was born, he was running a Philly Station here in Bristow

GS: Okay

MW: It sat down on the corner of somewhere off of fourth-- I think it faced on 00:05:00fourth street, off down along around in there where Sonic was or in that--

GS: Do you remember the name of it by chance?

MW: No I don't

GS: That's okay. Did your mother stay home or did she have a job?

MW: No she-- after she and daddy married, she stayed home.

GS: And what is--

MW: Well then after that, then they moved to Sapulpa

GS: Okay

MW: And I don't know how long they were there, but that was after I was born. And then later on, we wound up in Seminole, daddy worked for the Golf Oil company

GS: Okay

MW: He was the bookkeeper for them

GS: Uh-huh

MW: And then after that, then he got a job in Texas, a place called Magic City, Texas and it was mainly-- he was a bookkeeper for a big gasoline plant out 00:06:00there. And we lived in a camp, they had houses and it-- that the employees lived in

GS: Right, uh-huh

MW: And then when I was five, then we came back to Bristow

GS: Okay, and was your-- were your grandparents living on the land where you're living now?

MW: No, at that time they were living in town

GS: Okay

MW: And he had renters

GS: Out here?

MW: Out on the farm

GS: Okay, okay. 'Cus I knew that was-- that land was already in the Baker name

MW: Yeah

GS: Okay, I know your spouse is deceased, what was his name?

MW: Cletus Wheeler, Pete is his nickname, he was known by Pete here in Bristow

GS: And when did you get married?

MW: In February of 1955

GS: And was that here in Bristow?

MW: At the First Church of God in Bristow

GS: Okay, in the old church?

MW: Yes

GS: And where was that located, the old church of God?

MW: The old church was just-- it was right along-- just about, well it was a 00:07:00little bit north of where the present one is

GS: Okay

MW: Probably in about the area of the gym

GS: Okay, I didn't--

MW: Because there was a-- I remember there was a lot on the north side of the church because I remember people parked along that north edge out there and in the front lot

GS: Okay, I didn't realize that's where it was

MW: Yes

GS: Okay, and how many children did you and Pete have?

MW: Three

GS: Three children, what are their names?

MW: Cleta Ann and then she married Danny Bishop

GS: Okay

MW: Here in Bristow, and then she passed away in August of 19-- 2007

GS: 27?

MW: 2007, yeah.

GS: I didn't realize it had been that long

MW: Yeah

GS: Okay, and your other children?

MW: And then Mike, and Mike lives in the Tulsa, east Tulsa Area

GS: Okay

MW: and Steve lives in Yukon, and yeah.

GS: Okay, tell me what life was like at home when you were a young child once you got settled back here in Bristow

MW: Yeah, where the main farm, we moved on it. I had my sixth birthday right after we moved on it

GS: Aw

MW: And so I grew up there, daddy managed-- he took care of the farm. Grandpa had gotten to the point he wasn't able to get out and walk and tend to things, and so he turned it all over to daddy, and so that's where I actually grew up. 00:09:00And then I went to country school, Pine Hill was the name of the school, and I went to school there through the first through the seventh grade

GS: Okay, and where was that located Monta Jean?

MW: It was two miles north of us

GS: Okay, that wasn't very far then

MW: No

GS: What kind of house did you grow up in?

MW: We had a, well it was the original house that grandpa had built

GS: Was it frame, wood frame?

MW: Wood frame, uh-huh yeah. Nice house

GS: What were your favorite toys as a child?MW: Oh I don't know, you know being a country kid I was--

GS: Probably played outside a lot, didn't ya?

MW: I was outside a lot, ya know, and as I got a little older I played basketball at the country school, played softball at the country school, and of course I had my bicycle and it was kinda tough-- I attempted several times to ride it to school, which wasn't too bad but coming back home at the end of the day, it was coming up hill to get to the house

GS: Ohh, ohhMW: I had to push it up

(Laughing)

GS: Well going to school was easy anyway! Oh, boy. Now you said your mother didn't work, so she probably just worked really hard at being a housewife and a mother

MW: Very hard, and we-- my folks ran a dairy

GS: Okay!

MW: And so there was the milking to be done twice a day, and then later with that-- now I didn't do too much-- very much milking, bout the only time I did if 00:11:00daddy got caught in the field and was late coming in in the evening, I might have-- I might go and help. There was one or two that I couldn't handle

GS: Uh-huh

MW: But mother did most of it in a time like that, but when he wasn't in the field course he was there too. And then they sold their-- at first they started out, there was a place just right up here on the ally, from here

GS: Okay so like between sixth and seventh street?

MW: No, it was just right due west of where we're sitting right now

GS: Okay

MW: And the place was-- it's the building that the Assembly God Church is in at 00:12:00this time

GS: Cornerstone, yeah

MW: Yeah, and they came in to the back where you could park. They brought their cream, eggs, mother even raised chickens and sold chickens that you could come in here and sell. And then later on, then they went into full dairy, and they sold-- it was considered grade B milk in just the ordinary barn, and just right over here cattycorner from where we're at right now, carnation milk company had a drop off that you could bring your milk in

GS: Wow

MW: Brought it in the regular milk cans

GS: Yes

MW: And then later, daddy had a new barn built with all the specs state-- that the state required and went to grade A milk. And that's what went on, there's been times when I brought the milk in and left the cans here to--

GS: So like at seventh and main?

MW: No, right over here. Right over here just across from the depot right there 00:13:00on the back.

GS: Okay, okay. Like right around where Hiskits (ph) is or across the street from Hiskits (ph)?

MW: No, just right here at the back of these buildings right here

GS: Okay, okay

MW: Yeah, there was a place that you could come and bring your milk cans in

GS: Okay

MW: Yeah, and drop it off. And then it was sent on to Tulsa to the Carnation Milk Company

GS: I never realized that

MW: And then you got your-- then you got your checks for your milk from the Carnation milk company

GS: Well at least you didn't have to deliver it yourselves that way

MW: No

GS: That's good

MW: Although daddy did drop off-- the church had a missionary that was here, and out at the campground

GS: Yes

MW: They worked back here on sabbatical, and they had three, I think three children, and the kids wanted fresh cow's milk. So daddy told them that he would provide them with milk because he said that I have to-- and at that time, we came in on old sixty-six

GS: Uh-huh

MW: That went north of town and then circled around to, you know. And he told them if you have your bottles sitting on the porch, he said, I'll bring it to you and you know, I'll pick up your bottles and then I'll deliver it to you. So they did and they wanted to pay for it and daddy told them no, I'll bring you the milk. And I always have to tell this with this incident. My grandad had their-- he had royalty in a well up close to going to Olive, up in the direction 00:15:00of Olive school

GS: Uh-huh

MW: And all. And after he passed away, then daddy got a check; a royalty checks from that. So the months that he delivered milk to the people, his royalty check increased.

GS: Oh, that gives me chills

MW: And I don't remember exactly how long they were here, and then they later let him know "well we're gonna be going back and we won't be needing milk anymore" and then after-- so after they left and he quit delivering milk, the checks would drop back to what they normally would.

GS: Now that's--

MW: God works in mysterious ways

GS: That has to be in Gods way, yes he does.

MW: And I'll tell you, it pays to gift--

GS: To be generous, it does.

MW: Yes, it does. I had to put that in.

GS: Oh I think that's good. How did they do laundry at your house growing up?

MW: We had a Maytag washing machine, it had a gasoline motor on it

GS: A gasoline washer

MW: Uh-huh, you had to-- it had a pump on it. I mean a deal, pedal that you had 00:16:00to step on that turned the bell that started the motor

GS: Oh okay

MW: And it was a ringer type washing machine

GS: Uh-huh

MW: I've got my hands hung in that before

GS: I got mine hung in my grandmothers

(Laughing)

GS: Just something kids do I guess

MW: I guess so

GS: What about cooking, what kind of stove?

MW: Well to start with, we had I think it was used kerosene in it-- with it to cook on. And then later on, there was a gas well on the place; and so later, daddy got pipe and laid the gas line from that well to the house so we had gas

GS: For your cook stove

MW: For the cook stove, our heat was stove and lights. At that time, we had gas lights

GS: Oh how interesting

MW: That had-- that had little manorth (ph) on there that you lit a match to do it. If a bug happened to get a-- fly in the house or whatever happened to fly into one of those, it ruined them.

GS: I just imagined it again

MW: And then later then, we went to Aladdin lamps that run off of white gasoline

GS: Okay

MW: We did that, and we didn't get electricity until I was a freshman in high school

GS: Wow, and so that would've been in what? About--

MW: Let's see, that would've been probably in 19, it was probably 1940--

GS: 1949?

MW: Somewhere in, yeah, somewhere in there.

GS: Did you have to buy your kerosene, go buy kerosene in a little container and bring it home to--?

MW: Yeah, well you used white gas, I think it was.

GS: Okay

MW: In those. And then, well before we got electricity, we used the old flat irons, that's how-- I learned to iron with the old flat irons.

GS: My grandmother had them

MW: And you had your different sizes for your different type material

GS: Uh-huh

MW: And I learned to iron that way. And then, when later-- then we went to, I don't even know the brand of the iron, but you did-- you put white gas in. It had a little bowl on it and you put that in there and then you had a pump that 00:19:00you'd pump-- fill air in there, and then you lit that. It's-- I often think back on that, it's a wonder those things didn't blow ya up.

GS: Well that was my next question, did you ever have any of those things blow up, your lights or your stove or anything?MW: Nope, nuh-uh, we never did, never did. And I was really so glad when we did get electricity

GS: Oh I'm sure

MW: Because in the summer, mother always raised a big garden with the dairy and then raised a big garden, and my job was to do-- I had to do all of the ironing and stuff. And that's back when men wore khaki pants and I'd always have to--

GS: Have to iron them

MW: And I did all that in the summer. Mother always hated to see school start

GS: I'm sure she did

(Laughter)

GS: I understand that, so where did you shop for groceries?

MW: Well they had Safeway here in Bristow

GS: Oh really?

MW: They also had a warehouse market

GS: Okay

MW: Which was down on I think it was between sixth and fifth street I think on 00:20:00main street

GS: On main street? Okay.

MW: Yeah I think that's where it was.

GS: Do you have any family recipes from your childhood from Bea (ph) that you still make?

MW: I don't know, seems like mother just cooked a lot, by--

GS: A little bit of this and a little bit of that

MW: A little bit of that

GS: Just by memory, probably didn't write anything down

MW: Yeah I don't-- I don't recall. She had a cook book, I remember. In fact, I'm trying to think if I still have that or ended up it was just the pages rotting in it and I think I ended up

GS: Tossing it

MW: Tossing it because if I think it was-- it looked kinda like a cook book that 00:21:00comes-- had come with some cookware or something she had. She used WareEver (ph) was actually the name of the cookware she used WareEverGS: WareEverMW: But it wore forever.

GS: Was it stainless steel?

MW: Yeah

GS: Yeah. Now you mentioned one of your daily chores in the summer was ironing, what were some of your other chores?

MW: Oh I-- from before we got-- I'll back up a little bit. The house was plumped, for it was completely furnished, bathtubs and everything. But for some reason at the time we moved him, there wasn't the running water in the house, everything was there, and there-- they used I guess at one time they did use it. They had a big dug well out in the barn lot, and that's-- they pulled in water 00:22:00from there. But we had-- daddy drilled, had a well drilled that we had to draw the water out of our well that we used most of the time until later. Daddy had another well drilled and after everything could be rehooked up and all so we could have running water.

GS: Well good.

MW: But before we got back, my job-- when they went to milk, mother always had supper back then

GS: Uh-huh

MW: Supper right after I got home from school, because then they had to go to the barn to milk. My job was to do the dishes. I had to heat the water on the stove to wash my dishes and then heat water to scald my dishes.

GS: Oh my goodness

MW: Yes, and I was probably, I as probably nine

GS: When you started?

MW: When I started doing that

GS: Uh-huh

MW: And that was my job to do and they left the house to go to milk

GS: Everybody had to work

MW: Everybody had a job to do, and that was still my job until I left home. That was just my responsibility that-- now if there was, by that time, by the time I was starting, well before I started school in town, my grand-- my mother's parents had moved to Bristow.

GS: Okay

MW: And I spent a lot of time with them for school activities because mom and dad were tied up with the milking and all that

GS: And what was their names?

MW: Their' last name Herndon, was their last name.

GS: Okay

MW: So that was the job that I had had to do, is as long as I was home.

GS: Did your parents ever employ help in the dairy, or in the house or anyplace?

MW: Not in the dairy or the house, but daddy at times had people come in to help with some of the farm work.

GS Okay

MW: And at one time, they raised peanuts

GS: Yes

MW: And they had-- that was all the, peanuts were pulled by hand, he used several black people here around Bristow that he would go and get and they would pull the peanuts and some of the black ladies would come and stack the peanuts. Daddy fixed poles in the-- however he fixed them to where they could stack the peanuts on those'

GS: Okay

MW: But the poles, that's what the women done. And Odell Alexanders mother was wanting-- was one of the ones that I definitely remember from helping do that 00:25:00from when she was a young woman.

GS: Oh my goodness, isn't that amazing

MW: And there was one black women, I don't know how-- course I don't know how old they were, I was probably six, seven? While in that age, daddy would go in his pick-up and pick them up and I'd ride right in the back with them, you know. And, but when they'd be stacking peanuts, there was this one, she would get after me with a pitchfork

GS: (Laughing) Just teasing, playing uh-huh

MW: Teasing, you know, but oh she'd be serious about it, you know. And one day when I was working at the bank here in Bristow, Myrtle was in the bank and I remember I said "Myrtle, did you remember who that was that you used to chase 00:26:00when you all worked stacking peanuts that used to get the pitchfork after me?" And she told me 'yes' what her name was, and you know I've already forgotten it what her name was.

GS: And that was Myrtle, Myrtle Alexander?

MW: No, she was Myrtle Hines

GS: Oh okay, okay.

MW: I'm pretty sure she [Indecipherable] Hines as her last name

GS: Okay, did your family have livestock other than the cows that they had in the dairy?

MW: We had-- at one time we, actually daddy started out with a team

GS: Okay

MW: He, and I've driven, I have driven that team when mom and dad were gathering corn

GS: Okay

MW: I was probably at that point six, seven years' old

GS: Did your dad ever do his own butchering?

MW: Oh yeah, yeah they did. In fact, there was a smoke house on the place that they could-- when they killed the hogs especially, you know, my grandmother Baker would come out and help with that and whatnot, yeah.

GS: Whole different era, wasn't it?

MW: Different era, yeah.

GS: How did you store foods?

MW: Well mother had a, she had a refrigerator, it was the Survell (ph) was the name of it that run off of gas

GS: Uh-huh, uh-huh. I've heard of gas refrigerators

MW: Yeah, that's what we had.

GS: Okay, what kind of clothes did you wear? Did Bea (ph) make your clothes or was it store bought?

MW: Mother made almost all of our clothes, and a lot of them back then were made out of feed sacks

GS: Yes

MW: And the feed that you bought for the chickens or the cows, you could buy printed, yeah. Yeah mother--

GS: Uh-huh, about everybody around here grew up in feed sack dresses

MW: Yeah, yeah

GS: Now did boys wear feed sack clothes?

MW: Well not [Indecipherable] I'm sure that they could've at one time, maybe shirts made out of them, I don't know.

GS: Okay, did you have shoes year round?

MW: Oh yes

GS: Okay. Did you have friends out in the neighborhood out in the country to play with? How far did you have to travel to get to see them?

MW: Well my close friend lived probably two miles

GS: And would you walk to each other's homes?

MW: No, not really. Not really, no, our folk'd bring us

GS: Take you?

MW: Yeah

GS: That's good.

MW: And they used to meet in the summer time and all. There was two or three families that'd meet together in the evening and people play cards and someone maybe they'd make pies and have coffee and pie and the kids would play outside.

GS: What kind of games did you play?

MW: Course, my best friend of course was a girl, and of course we played with our dolls, played house, you know, typical little girl stuff. But then of course at school we played most games like kids at school play, you know, Annie Over, 00:29:00[Indecipherable], you know tag and all that kind of stuff, typical games.

GS: What kind-- did you sing songs at school or?

MW: Oh yes

GS: what, can you remember any of them?

(Laughter)

MW: No I don't

GS: Boy, songs are something I remember [Indecipherable] if it had a tune to it, I would remember it when I couldn't remember anything else. Okay let's see, we've talked about your dad, do you remember the first time you heard a radio?

MW: [Indecipherable] I was real small 'cus there was a radio because they ran off batteries.

GS: Okay, so they had a radio that they listened to before a TV?

MW: Oh yes, and back-- and I remember back after we moved onto the farm some of 00:30:00the old shows we listened to in the evenings Fibber McGee and Molly, The Great Gildersleeve, and those two really stood out, ya know.

GS: Do you remember the first TV your parents got?

MW: Yes

GS: Were you home when they got one?

MW: Yes, I think, I think I was a freshman in high school, well it was junior high back then.

GS: And of course it was black and white

MW: Black and white, it went off at midnight

GS: Oh, yeah! I had forgotten about that!

(Laughter)

GS: Okay, well we talked about your parents, so and you talked a little bit about school, so I wanna ask you about the Pine Hill area. What can you tell me about the Pine Hill area? Maybe some of the people that lived there? Activities 00:31:00that were there perhaps or?

MW: The school always in October, I believe it was in October-- late October, but they always had a community Pie Supper

GS: Okay

MW: And this was to raise money to buy-- they had then a Christmas, a community Christmas tree

GS: Uh-huh

MW: And the moneys that came in from the Pie Supper was to buy treats and stuff, we always had a huge Christmas tree that sat on the stage at school

GS: Uh-huh

MW: And parents could bring, if they had gifts for their kids for Santa, well it said Santa Clause, to give to their kids they would do that, we always had a program. And I never will forget my first year in first grade, I, that year, I, 00:32:00out of our hardback reader, I memorized the story of, The Little Christmas Tree or something, I can't remember the exact, it was to do with the Christmas Tree. I memorized that whole story, and that night when it was time, time to give it, I just froze.

GS: Aww

MW: But mother was standing over, they had a curtain fixed up to where we come out of another room in there to those that were doing-- participating in it, and I looked around and mother was standing behind the curtain coaxing me on. Once I got started, I did it, but I did that in first grade, yeah.

GS: Aww, well.

MW: But, and of course they had folding doors between the rooms. One room was the first through fourth grade, and then the other room was fifth through eighth grade.

GS: Okay

MW: And they opened the doors up and that way the whole church, I mean the whole school was people there for the-- people would come, you know, they had come to the Pie Supper and all and they gave out treats and stuff.

GS: Now, was it just a school or did it function as a church also?

MW: It- there at one time, that's where I first started a Sunday school, was there was a Church of God preacher and I went to Sunday school there.

GS: Okay, what about the people that lived in the area? Do you remember any of the people that lived in Pine Hill area?

MW: Oh yeah, course I don't know where a lot of them are.

GS: Yeah, do you remember their names?MW: Yeah there was people, but there was-- the people, there was the Goodman's that lived there, which that was Pete's uncle and his family, and his-- the daughter of them, she took me-- she was 00:34:00about three or four year older than me and she took me under her wing because I didn't have any brothers-- older brothers or sisters. And she kinda took me under her wing, and then the summer, I guess it was before we started fourth grade, she got real sick and they didn't know what was wrong with her, and they thought she had the flu and they took her on to Hillcrest, and she-- come to find out she had tick fever, and she passed away. And till this day, that 00:35:00bothers me.

GS: Yeah

MW: She was my friend; she took me under her wing.

GS: Yeah, how old was she?

MW: Thirteen

GS: When she passed?

MW: Yeah

GS: Oh wow, wow.

MW: That-- that was tough

GS: That's hard

MW: But I had two sets of teachers, at the first-- the teachers I started school under, I went through third grade with them, and then another set of teachers came and they were there clear through seventh grade.

GS: Do you remember any of your teacher's names?

MW: Their last names was Crow, Aline Crow (ph) was my first grade teacher, first through third grade, and then a Mr. and Mrs. Bass, they lived here in Bristow, but they taught out there fourth through eighth grade

GS: Okay

MW: Well I didn't go eighth grade because they left at the end of their-- our seventh grade, and they turned the school into a one teacher school for eight grades

GS: Wow

MW: 'Cus there was five of us in the eighth grade class, and daddy said 'no way, that's too many kids for one person to have to take care of' so he went before, applied for transfers into Bristow, and of course they were-- we were turned down and he had to go before the county judge and it ended up all five of us being transferred here into Bristow in the eighth grade.

GS: Wow, did-- so you didn't have an eighth grade graduation at Pine Hill, did you?

MW: I didn't, no.

GS: Yeah. But they, the school would? Would they have an eighth grade graduation?

MW: Oh yes, yes.

GS: And where did most of the kids continue their education?

MW: A lot of the kids that lived north of the school went to Olive to school

GS: Okay

MW: And we had a basketball team at Pine Hill and we played, we used to go to Olive and play grade school basketball with them, we've gone to Kellyville, we've gone to Gipsy, and--

GS: Did you go to Depew?

MW: No we never did go to Depew. And we went to tournaments at Mannford and yeah.

GS: And you played softball? Was it the same way?MW: Yeah

GS: That's cool

MW: Yeah

GS: Did you take a sack lunch to school?

MW: Some of the time we did, and then sometimes we had-- there was a couple of ladies that used to cook, oh gosh the food was good. I mean, it was like-- it was like home cookin'

GS: Yeah

MW: Yeah because, you know, not as many kids and--

GS: None of this microwave cooking

MW: No. no.

GS: Okay, was your teacher Mrs. Crow and your next one, were they very strict?

MW: Well, you know I don't recall of being strict and all because kids growing up during that time minded

GS: Yes

MW: They did, there was discipline at home. And so many of the families out there have four to five, six kids, you know? They had big families

GS: Yeah

MW: And there just wasn't a disciplining problem, you just knew to behave when you went to school.

GS: Do you remember anything else about the Pine Hill School?

MW: No I think I pretty much covered it.

GS: Okay good, now you've mentioned you were brought up in the Church of God, 00:39:00and you mentioned the Church of God campground, is it--was it back then in the same place that it was in the 70's?

MW: Yes

GS: Okay, do you remember by chance when they bought that property for a campground and when it was sold?

MW: I don't remember exactly what year they bought it, they bought that from my husband's parents.

GS: Oh really?

MW: Yeah

GS: I did not know that!

MW: Yeah, yeah his parents lived just north of the campground.

GS: And what was their name?

MW: Wheeler

GS: What was the first name?

MW: Oscar Wheeler

GS: Oscar Wheeler? Okay

MW: Oscar and Marie

GS: Well

MW: Yeah, he sold them that property to start a campground

GS: To start the campground, and so was it there in the 40's?

MW: No, if it was, it was probably the late 40's

GS: Okay

MW: Because I know it was there when I-- 'cus we were going to the-- we had a, they later built a country church, I think the Bristow church more or less helped to get that started, they built a country church a mile north of where we live

GS: Yeah

MW: And we went to church there from, I forgot how old I was when we started-- first started going. And we came into the Bristow church in the summer of 1953

GS: Okay

MW: Before I started my senior year of high school

GS: Okay

MW: Yeah

GS: What was medical care like when you were a child? Did you go to the doctor much?

MW: Oh not a whole lot, but I think people just basically you knew what to do, ya know?

GS: Uh-huh

MW: And my grandmother Baker, she used to come out to the farm, there was a certain plant out there that it grew in the farm in the barn lot

GS: Uh-huh

MW: And I don't remember the name of that plant, I can pic-- I can see it in my mind. It had blooms on it, and she would pick the blooms and I assume took leaves and whatever. She would come out and gather stuff and bring home and make savv (ph) and stuff out of certain plants that grew on the farm out there.

GS: That's a neat part of the way people were brought up back then, they had to 00:42:00be self-sufficient.

MW: You-- yeah, you did. It had to be a pretty serious matter to go to the doctor

GS: Yeah. Did you have a family doctor?

MW: Yes, we doctored with Dr. King, I'm sure you've-- you probably know-- remember him

GS: I remember Dr. King and his little black powder

(Laughing)

MW: We-- we used him and then we used Dr. Cowart (ph) and Dr. Cisler (ph) as long as they were here at the-- they were in the hospital

GS: Okay

MW: You know, that was there next door to the American Legion hut

GS: Okay, yes.

MW: It's where they were

GS: Do you know who delivered you?

MW: Dr. Cowart

GS: Okay, did they make house calls back then?

MW: Oh yeah, oh yeah

GS: (Laughing) Now you were born in a hospital, were most of the people your age born in the hospital do you think around here, or were some born at home?

MW: Oh that I don't know because my mom had surgery when I was born so

GS: Oh okay, were you ever hospital-- were you ever hospitalized as a child?

MW: Yes

GS: Okay, do you have any memories of that?

MW: Oh yes

GS: What happened?

MW: Well--

GS: If you'd rather not say--

MW: I'd rather not

GS: That's okay

MW: I'd rather not go into that

GS: Yup that's fine

MW: I'd rather not

GS: That's fine, but you survived well so

MW: I survived, yes

GS: So that's good, very good. What are your recollections of the city of Bristow?

MW: Well, I mean it was nice because you could buy about anything you wanted because you had Pennys, you had Anthonys, and then there was Strongs there, there was the Globe store, the Grand Leader store (ph)

GS: Oh I don't remember that one, where was that?

MW: The Grand Leader, let's see. It was there on main street, and I'm thinking it was in that block from seventh to eighth

GS: Okay

MW: Safeway was on the corner of eighth and main

GS: And what did they sell?

MW: Who?

GS: Grand Leader

MW: Clothes

GS: Clothing store

MW: Women's clothing

GS: Okay

MW: And of course the Globe store sold women's clothing

GS: Yes

MW: And then-- then there was Shamuses (ph)

GS: Yes

MW: Down on south main

GS: Uh-huh

MW: And so there was plenty places to shop

GS: Not like today

MW: Not like today

GS: What kind of shops did your mother frequent when she-- when you were growing up?

MW: Well mainly Pennys, Pennys and Anthonys, StrongsGS: Yeah

MW: I mean even-- even after we-- after I married and even after we moved back here, I bought all of my shoes at StrongsGS: Yup, we did too. I loved the little Polly Parrot thing with the shoe that you would get a little-- now the parrot would lay an egg, it was lots of fun. Did you ever eat out at the restaurants in town?

MW: Oh yes, we had to eat at Busches (ph) when they were open, we had-- had eaten at Hamburger Kings before, and I'm sure there's other restaurants that we ate at.

GS: Did they have any big holiday events in town back then when you were growing up? Like Santa clause coming at Christmas or anything?

MW: Oh yeah, they always had the Christmas parade

GS: Okay

MW: In fact, one year at the Christmas parade, they handed out candy canes and they had numbers on them, and one year there was a kid from the people lived north of the school, and he won the bicycle they gave, a boys bicycle that year. And he came from a family of about five kids

GS: Aw, that's wonderful

MW: Yeah, and then they always had-- it was next door to community bank, they had a haunted house or whatever

GS: How fun!

(Laughing)

MW: Yeah [Indecipherable]

GS: Did you ever go in it?

MW: Oh yeah, yeah, uh-huh

GS: Were you scared?

MW: Well, usually it was with somebody, you know.

GS: Was it laughable or was it scary?

MW: Well it was a little scary, but a little gross

(Laughing)

GS: Okay, when you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

MW: Oh, I don't know. Really, mother really wanted me to go onto school, and of course I took all commotional subjects in High School, and I said well, it-- 00:48:00I'll tell ya, I said "If I can't get a-- if I can't get a job when I graduate, I'll go with Drawns (ph) business school in Tulsa"

GS: Yup

MW: Well, graduated in May and I [Indecipherable] the first part of July, J.L. Darnell was county superintendent of the schools and he had come to the house and we were gone, and back then you left notes on your screen door with a bobby pin

GS: Uh-huh

MW: And he left a note telling me that if I wanted to come to work for him, to be there on a certain day at a certain time and the job's yours

GS: Wow, that's wonderful!

MW: So I went to work-- worked for him in July of 54'

GS: Was that for the school system?

MW: That was-- he was-- he was county superintendent of all of the country schools

GS: Oh okay

MW: He probably kinda like advisor to the independent schools, like Bristow and Sapulpa. Well I don't know about Sapulpa, Sapulpa and Bristow it was more the 00:49:00ones that came into the office were like the superintendents and all up in Depew, Gipsy, Slick, and those schools did come into the office.

GS: Where was his office?

MW: In the court house in Sapulpa

GS: In Sapulpa, okay

MW: Yeah

GS: What other kinds of jobs did you have?

MW: Well after him, I quit when I had Cleta. I worked for Winter Work (ph) in 54' and I quit at the end of 56', she was born in January of 57', and then he would have me come back to help. See, I had to close out all of- all of the rural country schools and back then, there was a bunch.

GS: A lot more than today

MW: Oh yeah, see about all's today is Lone Star about out south of Sapulpa and-- and, well they don't even have a country superintendent anymore.

GS: Oh

MW: So I don't know how all of that goes, you know. But he'd have me come in to help close out the schools because he had-- the lady that he had hired to replace me was only there when she went to work in January so she wasn't there long enough to really be that familiar at close out time

GS: Right, right

MW: And then when Cleta was, oh she was about eight months old I guess, something like that, went to work at the bank in Sapulpa

GS: Okay

MW: So from then on it was banking

GS: Banking, and you were with American National bank

MW: 20 years

GS: For 20 years, which later became Spirit Bank

MW: Yeah

GS: You never served in the military, did you?

MW: No

GS: Did Pete?

MW: Yes, he was in two years

GS: In what area?

MW: Korea

GS: Korea?

MW: MhmGS: And what branch of the service was he in?

MW: Army

GS: He was in the army

MW: Yeah the day that they-- they left Oklahoma City to, he had finished boot camp and everything at Fort Sill, and the day he left Oklahoma City for Camp Stoneham (ph) in California, Eisenhower signed the peace treaty and they didn't-- course on the plane they didn't know that until they got to California

GS: Wow

MW: But still, then he-- he guarded prisoners part of that time too, then of course he was in the artillery so they were the ones that set up everything and, I mean--

GS: Were you married then?

MW: No

GS: No, good. Do you have any other memories of the Korean war?

MW: No, because with that peace treaty things had kind of settled down to a point, but they still had to go out and set up just to keep things going in case something broke out

GS: Yeah

MW: To know exactly what they had to do to--

GS: They had to be peace keepers I guess

MW: I didn't know this, but Steve has talked about it. He had told Steve that, I didn't know about it, he lost-- their group lost their colors while they were in Korea over something, but they didn't get them back

GS: Now what does that mean, lost their colors?

MW: Well it's-- it's to do with military, however, you know, so.

GS: Okay now Korea war was in the 50's, do you have any memories of World War II?MW: Oh yeah

GS: What are your memories there?

MW: I know where, I was-- well let's see. I think I was six, no war broke out 00:53:00the day Pearl Harbor was bombed, was in 41' pleasant day, I think it was 41', I would've been-- I was five, going on six. We were in Oklahoma City at my aunts' house, and my uncle was in the service and he was home on leave and they went to-- my grandparents lived in Illinois but they were here-- they were visiting. And they went to get gas in the car and all and they heard it on the radio, and they came back and of course they didn't want grandma to know what was happening, and I remember he was even in Military clothes

GS: Oh wow

MW: And he was called right back up and he was in four years

GS: Oh no

MW: Yes

GS: What branch?

MW: He was in the Army

GS: In the army

MW: Yeah he served over in Guam and [Indecipherable] and all in that area, yeah, yeah he told us after he got out of the service that there was many times all they had to eat was monkey meat and cow, and coconuts

GS: Oh my gosh

MW: Yeah

GS: That would be so hard

MW: Yeah

GS: Do you remember life being different when you were-- during World War II, I mean, you know, sacrifices or things you couldn't get or anything like that?

MW: Oh yeah, I can remember mother had ration stamps and there was a office next door there at the corner of eighth and main, Safeway was there for a good many years

GS: Uh-huh

MW: And next door, there was office in there, it was a ration board they called 00:55:00it. And I remember one time that mother came in to see if she could get extra sugar to do her canning with, and I-- I don't know if she got it or not, but I remember her having ration stamps when you'd go to the store to use, and back then they'd use mils

GS: They used-- oh mils! The little--

MW: Yeah

GS: Tenth of a penny

MW: Yeah

GS: I've seen those

MW: Yeah

GS: What did you read the newspapers any growing up?

MW: I don't remember us actually having the newspaper, the Tulsa World at that time. We used-- you listened more to the radio

GS: Okay, right. Thinking back over your life, what would you consider to be the 00:56:00most important inventions that you've seen in your lifetime? That's a hard one because there've been so manyMW: There's been so many, that probably-- because see even when we got electricity, they had electric irons at that point

GS: MhmMW: Probably TV was one of the most important, you know, other than your radio.

GS: It brought the world into your living room, didn't it?

MW: Yes, it did, uh-huh

GS: How is the world different now than when you were a child?

MW: Horrible.

GS: I understand that

MW: There's a-- the lack of discipline in, I hate to say this, there's a lack of 00:57:00discipline that has come about during all that time of don't whip your kids, don't this, don't that, and it's mainly the lack of discipline.

GS: I agree with ya. As you see it, what are the biggest problems that face our nation now, and how do you think they could be solved?

MW: I think a lot of it's greed, with-- I'm just gonna be frank. I think it's the greed with the politicians, one trying to outdo the other, the party is-- the party itself has got to, it's just my way or the highway, and so therefore it's just a constant--

GS: We are very divided

MW: We are, the division that has come about

GS: Is there anything else that you can think of that you'd like to add that I didn't think to ask you? I don't think I asked you what Cletus did for a living?

MW: He went to work when he got out of the service, he spent two years, then he got out of service and he went to work for a industrial supply company in Tulsa. He started out filling orders in the-- in the, well it's just filling orders and stuff that the company sold, and then later on he moved up to counter sales, and then later on he moved into head telephone salesman for the company, and then he was put over the telephone department, and by then they had outside salesmen, 00:59:00and by then he was ready to get outside. And they-- but they put someone else in, there was a opening and they put someone else in instead, and he went to another company and put his application in and of course they called the company to get his--

GS: Information

MW: Information

GS: Uh-huh

MW: And they ended up and gave him a raise to keep him

GS: Well good, they can help out [Indecipherable] employee

MW: And then later on then he-- one of the salesmen had a heart attack and died immediately and he got the job as outside salesman, and he was with the company 01:00:0025 years

GS: Wow

MW: And health reasons he had to-- just had to quit.

GS: What company was that again?

MW: It was called Marsuco (ph) in Tulsa, it started out Marshall Supply, and then later as time went on to Marsuco and, yeah. But he spent 25 years there.

GS: Well, that's a long time. Well Monta Jean I just thank you ever so much for coming in and talking to us, we appreciate you and someday this will be put on the website so your words will be available for all posterity, thank you.

MW: Yeah I, ya know, I don't mind, you know, sharing