Stories from the past
114 YEARS AGO The Checotah Times Friday, April 29, 1910
Confederate Veterans Meet
A delegation of Checotah people left Sunday for Mobile, Ala., where they are attending the annual meeting of the United Confederate Veterans.
They expect to be gone about a week
A Killing Frost
A heavy frost appeared Tuesday morning which did much damage to the gardens.
Many of the town people were anticipating a visit from Jack Frost and covered their tender plants the evening before. It is believed that fruit was not injured, and the prospects are promising for a good yield.
Oil Field Getting Nearer to Checotah
There is a big rush on to secure oil leases in Wainwight field, and practically every operator as well as the purchasers of production are grabbing up all the land that they can get hold of.
While the prices paid for leases are not phenomenal, they are as good a could be asked in a field with as little development as has been done there.
L.C. Hurd and his associates have sold 400 acres in small tracts near the new well to oil men. These leases sold at an average of $20 an acre. Some of the leases are running up as high as thirty dollars.
••••• 100 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat
Thursday, April 3, 1924
Install New Deposit Boxes
The Peoples National Bank last week installed a set of new steel safety deposit boxes, which are of the very latest pattern.
The boxes are all enclosed in heavy steel case and each box is so made that robbers would have to work on each box separately in order to gain access.
The entire case weighs several hundred pounds and is absolutely fireproof.
HOME BURNS
One of the most disastrous fires that has occurred in Checotah in a long time was the one Friday morning of last week when the residence of K.H. Shepherd, in the south part of town, along with all contents, was entirely consumed.
Mr. Shepherd arose shortly after 5 o’clock and started a fire in a wood stove in the kitchen. Closing the door, he went to another room to dress. A few moments later he smelled smoke and on opening the kitchen door he found the room enveloped in flames. He aroused his wife and rushed upstairs to waken the children who were still sleeping, barely having time to get them out of the building before it was entirely enveloped in flames, as a strong wind was blowing from the south.
The flames spread from the kitchen to other parts of the building so rapidly that in coming down the stairway Mr. Shepherd was severely but not seriously burned.
MARRIED 50 YEARS
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wells, a well-known and highly respected couple living one half mile south of the Carr Creek school house celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Tuesday of this week.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Wells are 71 years of age, and both are active and enjoying the best of health.
At noon a big dinner was spread and their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and friends and neighbors were present to help them celebrate the happy event.
To this worthy couple 12 children were born, nine of whom are still living. They also have 56 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
••••• 80 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat
Thursday, October 7, 1943
Gifts to Soldiers Move Out Slowly
“Many American soldiers overseas are going to be disappointed by not receiving a Christmas box his year,” warns W.W. Hunter, postmaster, who says that Checotahans are not mailing gift packages fast enough. Hunter further warned that October 15 is the absolute deadline for mailing Christmas packages to the far off corners of the earth where our fighting forces will be spending the Christmas season waiting for these boxes of cheer from home.
FAST CAMPAIGN TO RAISE CASH FOR WAR WORK
A whirlwind campaign to secure contributions for the National War Fund drive, which will get underway y October 25, has been formulated in Mc-Intosh county, according to the announcement by W.K. Brice, co-chairman.
Camp Gruber Seeks Old Coat Hangers
An intensive effort to scour the town for old coat hangers for the use of soldiers at Camp Gruber will get underway early next week when local students, directed by Fred Ogle, superintendent, start the campaign.
The drive will be made in co-operation with the Red Cross, which is asking for 12,000 hangers from surrounding towns for immediate use.
Livestock Truckers Invited to Meeting
A countywide meeting to make arrangements for the trucking of livestock to market will be held in the district court room n Eufaula at 8 o’clock next Monday morning, according to Henry Polson, county agent.
Buster Brown, of the office of defense transportation, Tulsa, will explain the new government restrictions to livestock dealers.
Gasoline will not be issued for hauling stock to market unless the truck is considered necessary.
••••• 75 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat
Thursday, April 7, 1949
FLOOD CONTROL FIGHT IS TAKEN TO WASHINGTON Three Oklahoma delegations, including members of the state planning and resources board, converged on Washington Wednesday seeking congressional aid in settling disputes over big flood control reservoir projects.
The disputes center around the Eufaula flood control hydroelectric project and the Oolagah flood control reservoir.
A delegation headed by Rev. B.L. Williams is there to demand retention of the one-reservoir plan first proposed for Eufaula by army engineers. Since then, the army has decided in favor of two smaller reservoirs.
Eufaula Jail Fire Fatal
A blazing mattress in the Eufaula city jail last Thursday night snuffed out the life of Henry Billy, 28-year-old Creek Indian of Henryetta.
Billy was placed in the jail about 7 o’clock Thursday night by Policeman Carl Brady on a charge of drunkenness.
About an hour later, Arvel Henley, Eufaula fire chief, who lives above the jail, smelled smoke and traced it to the city jail. He found the cell so filled with smoke that he was unable to enter and poured water on the burning mattress through the cell door.
A bystander crawled in and dragged Billy from the cell. He failed to respond to treatment and was taken to a Muskogee hospital.
Billy apparently set the mattress afire while smoking, officers said.
No other prisoners were in the jail.
100 Youths Expected To Gather At City Lake The annual Scout-O-Rama combing the features of the Boy Scout circus and the camporee will be held at Lake Checotah April 22 and 23, L.K. Sharpe, district chairman has announced.
Upwards of 100 Scouts from Oktaha, Warner, Elm Grove and two Checotah troops are expected to attend.
••••• 50 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat
Thursday, April 18, 1974
D.K. Swon to address Lions Club
Highway Commissioner D.K. Swon will be the guest speaker at the noon meeting of the Lions Club today. Mr. Swon will discuss the construction of Highway 69 and a possible completion date.
Edmondson To Speak At County Educators Meet
Ed Edmondson will be the featured speaker when the McIntosh County Education Association meets in the Checotah High School Auditorium on Friday, April 19.
Edmondson formerly served as Oklahoma Second District Congressman from 1953 to 1972 and is currently a candidate for the U.S. Senate.
Hall Proclaims Pitch In Week
Governor Hall has officially proclaimed April as “Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Month” and in recognition of the “pitch in” anti-litter campaign, he has also proclaimed the week of April 21-27, 1974, as “Pitch in Week” in Oklahoma.
••••• 19 YEARS AGO McIntosh County Democrat
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Christmas season begins with holiday kick-off Dec. 3
Citizens of Checotah are ready to kick off their holiday season in style on Saturday, Dec. 3. Several activities will be enjoyed throughout the day in order to celebrate the Christmas season.
Holiday Lights Tour underway
It may be Thanksgiving, but down at the Deep Fork Campgrounds it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
The annual Holiday Light Tour at lake Eufaula State Park will let McIntosh County residents motor through dozens of holiday light scenes from tomorrow until Dec. 23.
Weekly Sheriff’s Report
According to McIntosh County Sheriff Terry Jones, local fugitive Kay Kelley was captured by the McIntosh County Sheriff ’s Department on Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Dollar General in Eufaula.
