Bio, Rev Walter Knox - Grady County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips Return to Grady County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/grady/grady.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== Rev. Walter Knox " I can remember back when I was about four years old my dad was foreman of the gypsum beds with the cement mills at Acme northwest of Rush Springs. There was an old railroad track that ran from Acme to Rush Springs and it had a little open flat motor car. "My mother and I would ride the motor car into Rush Springs. We'd then walk up Depot Hill and Ruby and Bud Brewer's grocery store. That was always a real treat for me because I'd get stick candy to eat. Walter was born June 16, 1918 at his parents home at Acme. He is the son of J.R. "Bob" and Lassie Knox, parents. He was raised at Acme and went to school at Acme and Little Rush and graduated at Fairview, all located northwest of Rush Springs. Walter joined the CCC camp her in 1937 when he married Pauline Mullins, a hometown girl. The house the Knoxes are living in now is where they first began their married life. He remembers a town that at one time had five barber shops, three drug stores, four cafes, seven grocery stores, three car agencies that sold Fords, Chevrolets and Pontiacs, a shoe shop, and five gas stations. Cars could park in the center of the street and town was so crowded on Saturday that you couldn't get a parking place anywhere. He remembers giving Joe Tunnell his first hair cut. He also remembers, with a chuckle, that two of the orneriest tikes whose hair he cut were Dickie Denton and Ronald Payne. They protested a lot, said Walter. Ronald would always come in with a big wad of bubble gum in his mouth while the hair was flying but he didn't mind. While living at Rush Springs Walter served on the fire department and refereed games all over the county. He began barbering in Rush Springs in 1939 at a shop located where the bank now stands. He served on the fire department and refereed games all over the area. He coached for a while at Fairview (northwest of Rush Springs). Walter went to the Army in 1944. When he came back from overseas he bought his current home from his wife's parents. Mr. and Mrs. John Mullins, in 1946 where he and Pauline had first lived after they married. He was saved in 1947 and was called to the ministry at the Southern Baptist Church here in 1949. He sold his half interest in the barbershop to Louis Leverett and set out to preach in a country church near Wilson. He went back to school and graduated from a Ft. Worth seminary in 1953. He then preached at Trinity Baptist in Chickasha, 1st Baptist at Gotibo, Trinity Baptist in Duncan, 1st Baptist in Elderado and the last 16 years of his ministry were at 1st Baptist in Erick. During his ministry, Walter served as moderator of three Baptist Associations and served four years on the state Oklahoma Baptist State Convention Board. "I'm happy here and glad to be back home," said Walter. Walter and Pauline returned to Rush Springs to retire in November 1985. The couple has one daughter Sandra Kay Washburn of Erick -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Grady County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/grady/grady.html