Train Home thru Tulsa - 3/15/1917

Leaving Tulsa, Okla

On Train

Mar. 15, 1917

My Dear Parents: - 

We were to go to Kansas City on the Santa Fe R.R., but at Wayonaha, Okla., they changed us to the Frisco Lines, which took us thru Tulsa, Okla., I wired Uncle Clarence, but our train did not reach Tulsa until several hours after we expected it to, therefor I did not get to see him. We will pass thru St. Louis and go on to Ft. Sheridan, Ill. We are way behind schedule, having been held up by a Freight train wreck, and a couple times we got stalled on steep grades.

We are having a fine trip. Lots of fun shooting Jack Rabbits, etc. 

The roadbed was so rough back a ways, that we had to stop & spike a couple of our Amb. down, that had been torn loose. 

Everything fine & dandy, and am feeling fine. Also enjoying every minute of our trip.

Love to All

Howard

The above photo is from the Tulsa Historical Society. Its description reads: Photograph of Main Street in 1917 during Durbar. The photo shows the Tulsa arch. The following description is written on the back of the accession sheet: "Frisco tracks. Metal buildings at lower right are those of the Oil Well Supply Company's first store. Across the street are the National Supply Company and Continental Supply Company. At left center is the Lyric Theatre. Building under construction at top left is the first unit of the Exchange National Bank building, now National Bank of Tulsa. Street car tracks can be seen in middle of street. Automobiles greatly outnumber horse-drawn wagons. Note posters on building at right advertising the coming of the Sells-Floto Circus on May 1." 

Being that Howard said they were switched to the Frisco lines mentioned in the photo description, we can guess this is a pretty similar view to what he had. Considering the circus poster advertised for a May 1 show, it was also very close to the same time frame.

Uncle Clarence was Howard's mother's oldest brother. In the 1920 census, Clarence was listed as living in Tulsa with with wife Elsie and son Glenn (who would have been 7 in 1917). Uncle Clarence  was an office manager at an oil company. Who knows? Maybe it was even the Oil Well Supply Company in picture above?

Glenn was listed as having been born in Missouri, so we can guess than Clarence hadn't lived in Tulsa for very long. I could not find Clarence, Elsie, or Glenn anywhere in the 1910 census.

By the time 1930 rolls around, Clarence is still living in Tulsa, but with a different wife, Margaret. At age 63, he is still working as an office manager. He dies in 1939 at age 72 in Tulsa.