The Okie Legacy
Oakie's Heart To Heart

18 August 2001, Vol. III, Iss. 33

Dacoma & Dad Rogers...

A few weeks ago Joe Bloom was in search of information concerning Frank "Dad" Rogers of Dacoma.

Joe has been researching this Civil War soldier named Frank Rogers, aka "Dad" Rogers, who lived in Dacoma before moving to Waynoka, where he died in 1935. Bloom has an article written by Cecil Hood & Lois Sense for the "Pioneer Footprints Across Woods County" (pg. 579). That article places Dad Rogers in Dacoma, possibly working for the Frisco Railroad.

It states... "Dacoma, OK was a water stop for the trains on the Frisco Railroad. There was a very large wooden water tank at the east end of the depot platform with a ladder that had to be scaled to reach its some twenty foot height. There was a steam pump and several sand points in the ground for wells.
     The pumper sent here from Avard, OK to take care of this was Dad Rogers, a Civil War veteran and bachelor. He had a collie dog named Scotty, his constant companion.
     He raised peanuts and sweet potatoes on ground south of Dacoma's main street and he lived a little west of that in an old boxcar set on the ground.
     He entertained a large following of kids with his wonderful Civil War stories that made us wonder if he was another Grant or Lee. The big gunny sack of peanuts, always ready to treat the kids, helped keep our interest too. He was a fine old man.
     His sister would visit him once a year and it became a regular scheduled event for the ladies of the town to precede her visit with a clean-up of his living quarters. The Sunday following there would always be a coming together for a big dinner. One year the main dish was baked goose!
     He stayed in Dacoma, OK until his retirement. The good times he shared with many with his stories and treats helped to give Woods County some valued memories of the past."

If you know anyone who may have information about his Civil War activities, or even which side he was on, You can contact Joe Bloom at his email address. If they don't have email, They can write to me at Joe Bloom, PO Box 207, Grants Pass, OR 97528.

Dad Rogers was loved by children in the 1930's... maybe some old timers know about this man and his interesting stories.

Oakie's NW Corner...

Last Saturday morning, 11 August 2001, I found myself traveling the rural roads north of Dacoma and east of Alva to check my horses.

What I found along the way was this steamy, somewhat freshly plowed field with a ghostly-like smoke cloud rising from the ground. This was the same weekend after the cool front came through a few days earlier.

As to Rodeos... The week continued with the two-digit temps through the NW parts of Oklahoma, giving us an excellent, cool 1st-night opening for Freedom's 64th Annual Open Rodeo & Old Cowhand Reunion, August 16, 2001.

David McMahon, PRCA Rodeo Announcer from Huntsville, Texas was welcomed to the Freedom Rodeo microphone this year. He did a great job along with the accompany of the Rodeo Clown & Bull Fighter, Leon Coffee. Foy Waldrop was the "2001 Honored Old Cowhand" this year.

If you missed the first night, don't worry... there is always Friday & Saturday's festivities. The biggest Rodeo night is Saturday. Saturday always finds the streets of this quaint western, rural certified city packed to overflowing with Old Cowhands and Rodeo goers.

Starting at 8:30am with a Red Bluff Classic 5K & Fun Run. The Western Art Show & Country Craft Fair starts aroud 10:00am thru 4:00pm, Saturday. If you get hungry, mosey over to the town park on the east end of Main Street for the Free Chuckwagon Feed at High Noon, Saturday. You might catch a few stories being thrown around by the Old Cowhands who gather for their annual reunion. Later in the afternoon, the town comes alive when citizens of this western front community dressup and give onlookers a famous rendition of the "Great Freedom Bank Robbery."

That's where this Oakie will be found this weekend, Saturday... In Freedom, Oklahoma... Getting some snapshots of the last night of the Rodeo and their Great Bank Robbery on the Main Street of Freedom.

-- Linda - "Oakie"

Linda K McGill Wagner
c/o WWW Publishing Co

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Mailbag & Links....

Lincoln Bust Green?... "Hi Linda, I don't remember all the details, but the year I attended Northwestern State (46-47) Lincoln's bust was painted green! As I recall Lester Guffy, another student from Cherokee, was the guilty artist.. He was caught, & spent many hours removing the paint! Such trivia! Ain't it great?" -- A.Kimmell

Check out their Mission statement, events, The Roster, The scrapbook, Links, and Sutlers.

Traveling Butterfly... "Just in case no one noticed, 'the Monarch is back. This picture was taken yesterday in the area where the roses usually grow in our back flower bed. I don't know what kind of vine that is - it just came up and climbed the climbing rose vines. We have bu-choo grasshoppers but for some reason they have not migrated out of the pasture to the yard -yet. I am intrigued by color. I guess I would take a picture of a grasshopper if it had a vivid color. The digital camera has permitted me to experiment with many things." -- Ernest

Freedom Rodeo PICS...

You can catch a glimpse of the Thursday night activities at Oakie's Webshots in the Freedom Rodeo album.

Thanks! You can also view The OkieLegacy online.