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Betty's
Haven
My
Dad
EDWARD JERRY
SANDERS
Born 5-30-1911 Died
7-1-1996
MY DAD WAS BORN ABOUT
1 3/4 MILES EAST OF BRAGGS, OKLAHOMA TO LEWIS JOSUAH SANDERS AND MARY ELLEN
"MAUD" PARSON. HE WAS BORN AT HIS PARENTS HOUSE ON BRAGGS PRAIRIE ABOUT
1/2 MILE FROM LITTLE GREENLEAF CREEK. BRAGGS IS IN MUSKOGEE COUNTY AND
HAD IT'S FIRST POST OFFICE FROM MAY 26, 1886 TILL THE PRESENT TIME, 1995
AND IS STILL IN OPERATION. BRAGGS USED TO BE CALLED PATRICK, NAMED AFTER
JOHN J. PATRICK, FIRST POSTMASTER. IT WAS CHANGED TO BRAGGS SEPTEMBER 10,
1888 AFTER SOLOMON BRAGGS. JOHN J. PATRICK HAD A BIG STORE THERE. IN FACT
WHEN I WAS DOWN AT BRAGGS (OCT 21,95) I SAW THE LETTERING ON THE FRONT
OF THE OLD STORE BUILDING. WAXY HENDERSON STILL OPERATEd A STORE THERE
FOR MANY YEARS. THE OLD BRICK BUILDING IS STILL STANDING AND I COULD BARELY
MAKE OUT THE WORDS, J.J. PATRICK 1909. HERMON "WAXY" HENDERSON TOLD ME
ABOUT IT. J. J. PATRICK HAD AN EARLIER STORE LOCATED NORTHWEST OF WHERE
THAT ONE WAS. THE OLD STORE BUILDING IS A BEAUTIFUL OLD PLACE WITH HIGH
METAL ORNATE CEILING AND WAXY HAD AN OLD COAL STOVE SETTING IN THERE WITH
A STOVE PIPE RUNNING UP AND ACROSS THE CEILING. IN THE WINTER, THE OLD
MEN WOULD GATHER THERE WITH THEIR TOBACCO AND SPIT CANS AND TALK. I JUST
LOVED TO GO DOWN THERE AND TALK TO THE OLD MEN. IT IS SO INTERESTING TO
LISTEN TO THEM BECAUSE MOST OF THEM KNEW MY GRANDPARENTS AND MY DAD AND
HIS FAMILY. THEY REMEMBER BRAGGS YEARS AGO, WHEN IT WAS A WILD LITTLE TOWN
WHERE THERE WERE SHOOTOUTS AND ROBBERIES. THEY WERE TELLING ME WHERE OSE
DAZLEY, "SHOOT" STARR AND JOHN MARLOW HAD THAT SHOOT OUT IN THAT "CHOC"
JOINT ACROSS THE TRACKS FROM WHERE WAXY HAS HIS STORE IN THE OLD J. J.
PATRICK BUILDING. I READ ABOUT THEM AT THE LIBRARY IN BOOKS AND ON MICROFILM.
I HAVE COPIES OF THE NEWSPAPERS ACCOUNTS THAT I COPIED OFF OF MICROFILM.
A LOT OF THEM ARE KIN TO ME. THE SANDERS BUNCH, GEORGE, LEVI AND T. D.;
THE DAZLEYS (LATER CALLER DAZZLER), OSE, WILLIAM AND MY GRANDFATHER JAMES
LOUIS. MY GRANDPA SANDERS WAS A U. S. DEPUTY MARSHALL BEFORE MY DAD WAS
BORN. HE USED TO HIDE SOME FOOD IN A LARD OR SYRUP BUCKET IN AN OLD STUMP
FOR HIS DOUBLE FIRST COUSIN, THOMAS DITYMUS SANDERS (BETTER KNOWN BY THE
FAMILY, AS COUSIN TOM OR SOME CALLED HIM "OLD TOM") WHILE HE WAS HIDING
OUT "SCOUTING" AS THE OLD TIMERS CALLED IT, FROM THE LAW. DADDY'S
OLD HOME PLACE NEAR BRAGGS IS OCCUPIED NOW BY CAMP GRUBER. THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT MADE EVERYBODY THAT OWNED PROPERTY FOR SEVERAL MILES AROUND,
SELL THEIR LAND TO BUILD CAMP GRUBER IN 1942. ALSO THEY MADE THEM SELL
PROPERTY TO MAKE GREENLEAF LAKE IN 1937-38. THAT IS WHEN THEY HAD TO MOVE
FROM THERE. GRANDPA LEWIS DIED IN 1936 AND THEY HAD TO MOVE AFTER HE DIED.
(OCT 96) I HAVE BEEN DOWN TO THE OLD HOME PLACE! THERE IS NOTHING THERE
EXCEPT THE OLD CAVED IN ROCK WALL OF THE CELLAR. I FOUND THE AREA WHEN
CAMP GRUBER OPENED UP THE MUSKOGEE SIDE FOR ARCHERY DEER HUNTING. DADDY WENT TO MT.
ZION SCHOOL DISTRICT 47 LOCATED ABOUT 1 1/2 MILE (IF HE WALKED THE ROAD)
NORTHEAST FROM DADDY'S HOUSE ON BRAGGS PRAIRIE. HE WENT THERE FROM PRIMARY
TO 8TH GRADE. HE WAS 6 YEARS OLD WHEN HE STARTED TO SCHOOL IN MAY 1917.
HIS FIRST TEACHER WAS CLARENCE MADDEN WHO RODE A HORSE TO SCHOOL. HE WOULD
TURN HIS HORSE LOOSE IN THE BIG SCHOOL YARD. THE SCHOOL WAS ONE BIG ROOM
ABOUT 60 FT BY 30 FT OR BIGGER. IT FACED THE WEST. WHEN YOU WALKED IN THE
DOOR ON THE LEFT WAS A CLOAK ROOM WHERE THE KIDS PUT THEIR COATS AND "DINNER
BUCKETS". ON THE RIGHT SIDE WAS A FOUNTAIN TO DRINK WATER AND A GLOBE NEAR
BY. ON THE EAST SIDE AT THE FRONT OF THE ROOM WAS WHERE THE TEACHER'S DESK
WAS AND THE KIDS DESKS WERE WEST OF THE TEACHERS DESK. THEY WOULD EAT WHERE
EVER THEY WANTED TO. MAYBE IN THE SHADE OF THE SCHOOL HOUSE OR UNDER A
TREE. LATER, RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR ON THE WEST SIDE WAS A PUMP THAT THEY
PUT A PIPE IN AND PUT HOLES IN IT SO ABOUT 8 KIDS COULD GET A DRINK AT
THE SAME TIME. SCHOOL WOULD LET OUT A MONTH IN THE FALL, MAYBE SEPT, FOR
THE KIDS TO PICK COTTON. THEN THEY WOULD GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND GO UNTIL
MAY. SOME OF THE TEACHERS WERE; CLARENCE MADDEN, ZEMERICH DAVIS, WADE WALKER,
ADNUS BENGE, LILLIE TALLEY, MAMIE KILE, PASMA BEACH AND ORA LEE. DADDY
SAID THE MEN TEACHERS WOULD "WHIP THE STUFFINGS OUT OF THEM WITH A SWITCH".
HE SAID HE GOT LOTS OF WHIPPINGS. HE SAID HE WOULD ACT LIKE AN IDIOT. SAID
HE WOULD PUT HIS BRITCHES ON BACKWARDS SO THE KIDS WOULD LAUGH BEHIND THE
TEACHERS BACK. HE WOULD DO MISCHIEVOUS THINGS. HE SAID WHEN THEY STARTED
LETTING WOMEN TEACH, HE WOULD HARDLY PAY ANY ATTENTION TO THE WHIPPINGS
THEY GAVE. HE SAID THEY HAD A BALL DIAMOND ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SCHOOL
AND THE BOYS WOULD PLAY BASEBALL. DADDY SAID HE COULD KNOCK A BASEBALL
200 OR 300 YARDS AND THE REASON HE KNEW, WAS THE BALL WOULD GO OUT TO WHERE
THE ROADS WOULD MEET IN FRONT AND SIDE OF THE SCHOOL. DADDY SAID HE TOOK
A COUNTY EXAM AND WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL AT BRAGGS ABOUT A YEAR THEN DROPPED
OUT AWHILE THEN WENT TO CHILOCCO INDIAN SCHOOL. IT IS A 167 ACRE TRACT
OF LAND JUST SOUTH OF KANSAS BORDER IN NORTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA. IT HAS 30
BUILDINGS. 4-100 BED DORMS. LOCATED LESS THAN A MILE FROM KANSAS STATE
LINE. CHILOCCO INDIAN AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL PROVIDED EDUCATION FOR INDIAN
STUDENTS FOR 90 YEARS. IT CLOSED IN 1980. DADDY WAS THERE LESS THAN A SEMESTER,
THEN HE WENT BACK TO BRAGGS HIGH SCHOOL DIST 48 TO 9TH AND 10TH GRADE.
THE KIDS THAT HE STARTED TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH WERE GRADUATING AND HE WAS
STILL IN 9TH GRADE. HE FINALLY QUIT. HE SAID HE GOT ABOUT A 10 1/2 YEAR
EDUCATION. HE QUIT IN 10TH. AT BRAGGS HIGH SCHOOL THE PRINCIPAL WAS "PA"
OLIVER AND THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS E.V. DAWSON. 1929 OR 1930 I THINK IT
WAS, DADDY WAS IN NATIONAL GUARD COMPANY I-180 INF AT MUSKOGEE, OK 2 YEARS.
2 WEEKS A YEAR HE WENT TO FORT SILL. HIS RIFLE WAS A M-1. ONCE EVERY 2
WEEKS HE WENT TO NATIONAL GUARD IN MUSKOGEE. HE WAS DISCHARGED IN 1931
BECAUSE HIS COMPANY WAS TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER TOWN. HIS CAR WAS A 1930
MEDIUM DARK BLUE MODEL A FORD WITH A TAN CANVAS TOP AND WHITE WHEELS AND
A "RUMBLE" SEAT. HE HAD SOLD SOME COWS AND BOUGHT IT, HIS FIRST CAR. MY
DADDY AND MAMA, DOLLIE DAZZLER MARRIED ON DEC 13, 1936 IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE ROAD ON THE MUSKOGEE SIDE OF THE MUSKOGEE / CHEROKEE COUNTY LINE BY
PEARLETTIE'S FATHER, LITTLE JOHN GILSTRAP, WHO WAS A PREACHER. THE ROAD
RAN NORTH AND SOUTH ALONG THE COUNTY LINE THEN. PEARLETTI MARRIED CICERO
PARSON, JOHN A.'S DAD. CICERO IS DADDY'S MOM'S BROTHER, JOHNSON PARSON'S
SON. UNCLE JACK "TIGE" WENT TO MUSKOGEE AND GOT DADDY'S LICENSE TO MARRY.
DADDY SAID HE GOT MAMA SOME BLUE CHECKERED MATERIAL TO MAKE HER A DRESS
TO GET MARRIED IN. THEY LIVED WITH HIS MOM AND FAMILY ON THEIR LAND SOUTHEAST
OF BRAGGS. SOMETIME AFTER HIS DAD DIED APRIL 16, 1936, HIS MOM AND FAMILY
HAD TO MOVE TO LENDER BEND ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTH OF GRANNIE'S OLD PLACE NEAR
SOUTH OF TURKEY BLUFF. LENDER BEND IS RIGHT NORTH OF THE TENKILLER LAKE
DAM, NEAR THAT PLACE CALLED "BIG DADDY". DADDY AND MAMA LIVED IN A LITTLE
OLD LOG HOUSE THAT WAS IN REAL BAD SHAPE. LEAKED TOO BAD. SO DADDY BOUGHT
MAMA, ME AND HIM A YELLOW CANVAS TENT ABOUT 12 FT OR SO. DADDY SAID ONE
DAY HE CAME IN FROM WORK (AT CAMP GRUBER, I THINK) AND MAMA WAS ALL EXCITED
ABOUT ME WALKING! SHE TOLD DADDY "BETTY WALKED TODAY! I HAD HER ON THE
BRANCH AND TURNED HER LOOSE AND SHE WALKED TO ME!" DADDY DIDN'T TELL ME
ABOUT IT UNTIL A FEW MONTHS BEFORE SHE DIED. WE WERE ON OUR WAY OUT TO
SEE HER AND I WAS DOING THINGS FOR HER ABOUT 10 MONTHS BEFORE SHE DIED.
THEY LIVED WITH GRANNIE SOME, TOO AT COOKSON. WE LIVED IN THE LEFT ROOM
ON THE EAST SIDE AT GRANNIE'S HOUSE WHEN I WAS BORN THEN THEY MOVED TO
LINDER BEND.DADDY WORKED AT GREENLEAF LAKE PLACE HELPING BUILD THE GREENLEAF
DAM, WHEN HE GOT MARRIED. HE DROVE A TRUCK. HE THEN WORKED IN GRUBER ON
THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD. THEN HE WORKED FOR GRUBER DRIVING A TRUCK
FOR THE ARMY. HE LIVED AT COOKSON AND WOULD WALK SEVERAL MILES FROM GRANNIE'S
PLACE DOWN TO TURKEY BLUFF AND RIDE TO WORK WITH ERNEST NAIL. HE CALLED
ME "BABE", "BABER", "BABY TICKER", "BABE CHILD" AND "BABY LOOKING ROUND
CHILD". ONE TIME, FOR AWHILE HE CALLED ME "ROBIN HOOD" BECAUSE I LIKED
THAT SONG, "ROBIN HOOD". HE AND MAMA GOT A DIVORCE WHEN I WAS ABOUT 10
YEARS OLD. HE TRAVELED AROUND A LOT BY HITCH HIKING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
HE HAS BEEN IN 25 STATES. HE USED TO WEAR A BLACK CHAUFFEURS CAP AND WOULD
HITCH RIDES WITH TRUCK DRIVERS. HE ALSO RODE SANTA FE TRAILWAYS BUSES A
LOT. I'VE RODE WITH HIM SOME WHEN I WOULD GO TO MUSKOGEE WITH HIM TO STAY
A FEW DAYS. HE WOULD WORK, BUT I WOULD STAY WITH RELATIVES, TUDDY AND FAMILY
OR TIGE AND FAMILY. DADDY USUALLY RENTED A ROOM IN A ROOMING HOUSE. I REMEMBER
HOW MUCH FUN IT WAS TO GO OVER TO MUSKOGEE AND WALK TO THE STORE WITH DADDY
AND HE WOULD BUY SWEETS FOR US. BUT, HE WOULD BUY PET MILK IN A CAN AND
WE MIXED IT WITH WATER TO DRINK AND I DID NOT LIKE IT. I WAS USED TO DRINKING
MILK FROM OUR JERSEY MILK COW "BROWNIE". DADDY WOULD TAKE US TO CHURCH
AND WE WOULD WANT TO GO TO ONE OF THE BIG FANCY CHURCHES BUT HE ALWAYS
TOOK US TO THE LITTLE PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES. I LIKED THE SINGING AND THE
MUSIC. DADDY USED TO PREACH AT A LITTLE CHURCH CALLED CEDAR CREEK BETWEEN
GORE AND BRAGGS. UNCLE TIGE, VIRGINIA AND FAMILY LIVED DOWN THERE. WE USED
TO GO STAY A FEW DAYS WITH THEM AND THAT WAS SO MUCH FUN. I LOVED TO PLAY
WITH COUSINS, MARY ELLEN, JACKIE, NADINE, NORMA RUTH AND WHOEVER ELSE WAS
THERE. WE WOULD GO TO CHURCH AT CEDAR CREEK AND MARY ELLEN AND I LIKED
TO SING "KEEP ON THE FIRING LINE". DADDY WOULD GIVE ALL THE KIDS CANDY
FOR GOING TO SUNDAY SCHOOL AND CHURCH. THE PEOPLE CALLED DADDY "BROTHER
JERRY" OR "BROTHER SANDERS". I ONLY REMEMBER ONE TIME THAT MY DADDY GAVE
ME A WHIPPING. MARY ELLEN AND I WERE THINKING OF JUMPING ACROSS A CATTLE
DIPPING VAT. DADDY TOLD ME NOT TO AND I JUMPED IT ANYWAY. HE NEVER HAD
SPANKED ME. HE GAVE ME A SWAT OR TWO THAT DIDN'T PHYSICALLY HURT ME BUT
I MADE HIM FEEL SO BAD, THAT HE AND TIGE HITCHED UP THE WAGON AND TEAM
OF HORSES AND TOOK ALL OF US TO GORE TO A BRICK STORE AND GOT US ICE CREAM!
WE PARKED THE WAGON AND TEAM OUT BACK OF THE STORE. THAT OLD STORE BUILDING
IS STILL THERE IN GORE. I SAW IT RECENTLY WHEN I WAS DOWN THERE. I REMEMBER
WALKING PART OF THE WAY AND RIDING IN THE WAGON TOO. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN.
BOB AND MOOT LIVED NOT FAR FROM GORE TOO, AND WE WOULD GO SEE THEM. ALSO
UNCLE TOM, LUCY AND FAMILY LIVED DOWN THERE. WE WENT TO SEE THEM ONCE IN
AWHILE. LUCY ALWAYS HAD SO MUCH FOOD ON THE TABLE TO EAT. UNCLE BOB HAD
A GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG THAT WE WERE SCARED OF. HE WOULD PUT HIM IN ANOTHER
ROOM USUALLY WHEN WE WERE THERE OR RIGHT BY HIM SO HE COULD WATCH HIM.
DADDY HAD A DOG WHEN HE WAS A KID, NAMED "OLD TOOD". HE WAS A BLACK AND
WHITE BOBTAIL DOG LIKE THE DOGS THAT USED TO BE PRINTED ON OLD RCA 78 RECORDS.
THE DOG THAT WOULD HAVE ITS EAR TO THE HORN WHERE THE SOUND CAME OUT. DADDY
HAD SEVERAL HORSES DOWN THROUGH HIS GROWING UP YEARS. ONE OF HIS HORSES
NAME WAS "SPARKPLUG" HE WAS BLACK WITH A WHITE BLAZE FACE. DADDY WOULD
RIDE HIM TO BRAGGS. GRANDPA LEWIS RODE A MARE NAMED DINAH. SHE IS IN THAT
PICTURE OF DADDY'S HOUSE EAST OF BRAGGS. SHE CAN BE SEEN RIGHT BEHIND DADDY
(8 YEARS OLD BOY) IN THE PICTURE. DADDY RAN AROUND WITH SIMPLE SIMON "SIMP"
WATTS AND HIS COUSIN BEECHER SANDERS. THEY HOPPED ON A FREIGHT TRAIN AT
BRAGGS AND RODE TO FT. SMITH ARKANSAS AND HITCHHIKED ON TO VISIT SIMP'S
GRANDPARENTS ONE TIME. THEY LIVED IN SEARCY COUNTY AT A PLACE CALLED BEAR
CREEK. THEY STAYED A FEW DAYS AND THEN DADDY AND BEECHER HITCHHIKED BACK
TO FT. SMITH AND HOPPED ON ANOTHER FREIGHT TRAIN AND WAS GOING HOME TO
BRAGGS, BUT THE TRAIN WAS GOING TOO FAST FOR THEM TO GET OFF, SO THEY HAD
TO RIDE IT ON TO WAGONER AND WALK MORE THAN TWENTY MILES FOLLOWING THE
TRACKS BACK TO BRAGGS. THEY SPENT THE NIGHT IN A BARN OWNED BY CARROLL
COOPER BECAUSE IT GOT DARK BEFORE THEY GOT TO BRAGGS. I HAVE LOTS OF LETTERS
I HAVE WROTE TO DADDY IN THE 40'S AND 50'S. DADDY SAVED THEM AND GAVE THEM
TO ME A FEW YEARS AGO. THEY ARE A TREASURE TO ME AND A GREAT GIFT OF HISTORY.
I LOVE THEM. I CRY WHEN I READ THEM BECAUSE WE WERE POOR AND MY DADDY WAS
GONE AND I LOVED HIM SO MUCH AND WANTED HIM TO BE WITH US ALL THE TIME.
I REMEMBER AS A KID I WOULD BE OUTSIDE PLAYING AND NOT EVEN KNOW DADDY
WAS COMING TO SEE US AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I'D HEAR, "BABE" AND I WOULD RUN
TO MEET HIM AND HE WOULD CARRY ME TO THE HOUSE. THE LITTLE TWO ROOM LOG
HOUSE WHERE WE LIVED OUT ON WHAT IS NOW CALLED, "STICKROSS MOUNTAIN" BUT
BACK THEN IT WAS JUST CALLED, "UNION SCHOOL DIST 32" IN THAT AREA. HE WOULD
ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING GOOD TO EAT WITH HIM, CANDY, BANANAS AND SOME KIND
OF GOOD MEAT. HE WOULD STAY AS LONG AS MAMA WOULD LET HIM STAY AND TELL
US STORIES AND PLAY WITH US. CARRY US AROUND AND AROUND THE YARD ON HIS
BACK AND GIVE US PLOW RIDES. HE WOULD TURN THE HAND PLOW UPSIDE DOWN AND
PUT A BOARD ON IT AND PUSH US AROUND THE HOUSE. THE STORY I LIKED THE BEST
WAS, "ABRAHAM LINCOLN". HE WOULD MAKE IT SO REAL THAT WE COULD FEEL SO
MUCH EMOTION WHEN "POOR LITTLE ABE" SAID, "LAND-O-GOSHEN IS THAT ME?" WHEN
HE FIRST SAW HIMSELF IN A MIRROR AND RAN HIS "LITTLE BONY HAND" OVER THE
SMOOTH SHINY DRESSER OR CHEST. MY! THOSE TIMES ARE PRECIOUS TO ME. THANK
YOU DADDY FOR BEING MY DADDY.
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