Individual Details
(Jan 23, 1903 - Sep 21, 1986)
(The following was provided by Paddy McCullough) The place that Pap a was born near Fletcher Oklahoma was called a half dugout which ha d a stick built structure as a living area and a sleeping room which w as dug back into a bluff or hill. Papa often told of the times that th e Indians from nearby reservations would come to the dugout when Grand father was in the fields farming taking what they wanted as grandmothe r huddled with the younger children in the back area. After returnin g from the fields grandfather would go to the reservation and collec t what he could. Papa also told me of the time that he and his brothe rs went to a nearby abandoned farmhouse that had been lived in by a pr ominent medical doctor. While playing in the house they took some o f the letters that had been left behind. One of the letters, which I h ave, was from Frank James brother of Jesse James and written to the do ctor. Papa loved to hunt; fish and play pool all of which he was extr emely good at doing. There were farmers that would pay Papa to go ou t to the milo fields at night and shoot ducks to discourage them fro m eating the grain in that field. There were such great numbers of duc ks that it did not take long for them to clean a field. Papa and his b rother Ray both excellent shots would shoot the incoming ducks by th e moon light, collect the kill and bring them back to the house. The y would unload the duck and pile them on the ground with the stack bei ng much taller than 1. The town people would then come by and pick u p the ducks sometimes giving Papa shells for the next kill. Papa prob ably made as much or more money shooting pool as he did being a mechan ic. I don't remember anyone calling Papa a pool shark but there were n ot many I recall who ever won a match from Papa. If someone ever bet P apa their food or rent money, Papa would give that money to their wive s in order that they might have food and lodging. Let's journey bac k to the late 1930's and early 1940's in Hereford, Texas. Mother and P apa during this time worked at the Italian prisoner of war camp, Pap a in the motor pool and Mother in the office. I remember Mother and P apa being totally astonished at the talent of the Italians and the att itude they exhibited having to serve as a prisoner of war. One would h ave thought that they had it much better being a prisoner in the Unite d States than serving for their country in a losing cause. The reaso n that the prisoners were located near Hereford was to assist and hel p in much of the farming and other labor due to so many of the able bo dies were serving in the armed forces in Europe and Pacific. Anothe r duty that Papa performed when he worked in the motor pool at the cam p was to take the prisoners to and from their work location. When the y were used to help with the labor of paving 25-mile avenue they woul d call and greet me as Papa took them to work. You must hold high tho se heads of families in those years for their efforts to work hard fo r little wages to hold the family unit together. Their values were a s strong as their bodies. Mother and Papa did not leave an impressio n that we were poor, they left the impression that we were rich with t he things we did have. During this period of the late 30's to early 4 0's Papa was a mechanic and as good a mechanic that was around. In fac t it was during this time that Mrs. Steele, Sylvia's grandmother, Nana 's mother, allowed only Papa to work on her automobile.
Events
| Birth | Jan 23, 1903 | Fletcher, Comanche, Oklahoma, USA | | | |
| Marriage | May 9, 1924 | Cordell, Washita, Oklahoma, USA - Anna Helen Halek | | | |
| Death | Sep 21, 1986 | Clovis, Curry, New Mexico, USA | | | |
Families
