History Of Carter Oklahoma (Beckham County OK) ==================================================================== USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Jerri Hodde ==================================================================== History and Families Generation No. 1 1. BECKHAM COUNTY2 OKLAHOMA (BECKHAM1 CO.OKLAHOMA). Notes THE HISTORY OF CARTER,OKLAHOMA -BECKHAM COUNTY-By Byron CLANCY Beulah,present Carter,was organized by a Holiness religious group.Some early settlers were F.T. ALEXANDER ,William STALE,F.D.HARE,Jerry OSBORN,(This information added by Jearldene Hodde July 2000-Edmond DALTON,Tenvil Washington DALTON,James Luther DALTON,) R.E. WINSETT.In 1906 a college,Immanuel Bible School,was started in the three-story bulding located just west of the site of the present Carter Baptist Church.In this school were some fifty students and four of five instructors.They published a newspaper which was mailed on Rural Route #2,Doxey,Oklahoma.(1) In 1918,Carter had a population of about 1000,and was cpunted one of the best small towns in Oklahoma.Kempton(2) had some 300 to 400 population about the time it moved to Carter.W.R. KNIGHT was an early day Depot Agent at Carter until his death by drowning The town of Carter,Oklahoma,usually called "South Carter",was started about 1900 one mile south of the present Carter.The post office was established March 5,1900.Sometime later a rural route was established.James D.SIDDON was an early day carrier.Mr. W.Y. ALLEN was one of the early postmasters.The town was named for William G. CARTER,early day resident.In 1909,the townsite of present Carter,which was then BEULAH,was laid out and the town moved there.The town of Kempton was started in 1909,when the Wichita Falls and N.W. Railroad was being built through this area.The post office was established May 10,1910;Mr. MARTINDALE was postmaster.After a bitter fight between Carter and Kempton over Carter getting a depot,Kempton called it quits and was moved later in 1910 and 1911 to Carter.Kempton was named fpr J.A. KEMP,president of the townsite company and one of the railroad promoters. L.A.BARROWSTARK was postmaster at New Carter and later K.T. HENSON,Lee ENGLAND,and Walter Wells served the post. D.H.LUSH operated a dray service,E.C. FIELDS and G.W. RENFRO had livery stables in Carter.HEDLAND Motor Company was one of the first car dealers---selling Fords.The KESLER Hardware and Barney HOGAN also were auto dealers.Mr.Gregg had the first light plant in Carter.It ran from sundown until 9 o'clock at night.Reed BISCOE and Boyd MAGRESS operated the first telephone exchange.Dr.J.M. DENBY came to Carter in 1910 and served until his death in 1942.Dr.M.SHADID came in 1912,later moved to Elk City and promoted the community hospital.Dr. G.E. LIVERSTON and Dr. LIVICK also practiced in Carter. The present water system was built in 1928.The Southwest Light and Power Company inaugurated 24 hour service in 1927.A short time later George BRICKELL put in a natural gas system,piping the gas from the Sayre field; Press ROGERS was City Marshal. Deputy Sheriffs in early day were Lum RIDLEY,Oscar GOLDEN,Jim POUNDS and Ralph JONES.J.M.BREEZE and John FRITCH were early day blacksmiths.J.M. BREEZE ran a shop for 54 years.FRITCH later was manager of the Holland Ford Agency.C.W. GOULD and A.L. FINCH were early day meat market owners in Carter,later Earl FALLIS and W.S. SIMPSON. A.R.JACKSON had a general store,Kesler Bros.Hardware, W.E.HUNT Lumber Yard, J.L. BRANNON Lumber Yard,O.VANPOOL dry goods,followed by Mr.SIMS.Gabe LONG bought produce and hogs.At one time Carter was the largest retail market in the state.Walter WALLER and Buster DAVIS operated picture shows.Thos.T. WAGGONER was Carter's first newspaperman.The CARTER EXPRESS was later published by J.B. MILLER.Mr.SANDERS and L.I.LYONS were gin operators in early days.Delbert and John YANDELL had the first barber shop.It was later run by George SANDERS. Mr. SANDERS was shot 5 times by Lee MCDONALD about 1915,but he survived.A.C. HARTZOG was in the real estate and insurance business,followed by Clayton MITCHELL.Charles ROWEN and Eli GRAVES had a pool hall from 1912 to 1920.Marvin COPP operated a tailor shop and cleaning business for a number of years.Gene CARTER,Harness and Boot Makers,had a shop in Carter for many years. Early day post offices in the Carter area were: PLASTER,7 miles Northeast from Carter,December 3,1900 to February 28,1907,with D.N. DUDGEON as postmaster.Poarch,5 miles east and 1 south of Carter,from July 15,1898 to December 31,1911. J.H. POARCH first postmaster.Wash,one mile north and two west from Carter,from July 6,1908 to January 31,1908. E.S. CUBINE was postmaster. London,12 miles southeast from Carter,operated from July 21,1904 to December 14,1905. J.W. AULT was the postmaster.Doxey,Oklahoma,was located on the Rock Island Railroad,4 miles Northeast of Sayre,Kempton was located 4 miles north from Carter on the Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railroad. Byron CLANCY,of Carter,was rural mail carrier from Plaster,Doxey,and Carter from 1909 until 1955 when he retired. From: Jerri Hodde To: David W. Morgan Subject: Re: History Of Carter Oklahoma David ,the booklet was given to me from my Aunt Nina Jackson,The booklet has 48 pages of different families.It doesn't say anywhere that it is copy writed.It just says Contents Credit to Contents-Prairie Lore-1968 Burch Printing-Elk City ,Oklahoma 73644.Bryan Clancy is only one of the submitters to this.So I don't know but I sure would like to put this in the Archives from my grandmothers scrapbook if it is possible.I surely don't want to get into trouble for this but I don't think a lot of theses people are still living.????? There isn't anymore of the booklets .(The reason I know this is because I wanted to order some more copies.)Just please let me know what I need to do .Jerri Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2000 16:55:12 -0500 From: Jerri Hodde To: David W. Morgan Subject: Re: History Of Carter Oklahoma David ,I have permission to put the book on line.This was published 1968 by Mr.J.M.Denby .He is now 81 years of age and does not want people contacting him about the book.He says it dawned on him that the people were getting old at that time and there was 40 businesses there in Carter ,OK.Now there are only two.He also states that there are copies of this Carter Booklet in Oklahoma ,City and Morman Church Salt Lake City.He also knows all of my family and has the upmost respect for them.He did state that he had this printed and there are NO other copies available and he is not going to make any more ,that the people can go to the Library and make a copy.He just wants it put out to the people free of charge.I told him I would do my best.Now I have one problem -My brother is in the hospital in Dallas and it will take me a little time getting all of this sent to you.However,as soon as I get back I will be typing away.. I TOLD YOU BECKHAM CO.OK.would shine .Hee Hee!Jerri