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Volume 7 , Issue 462005Weekly eZine: (374 subscribers)Subscribe | Unsubscribe Using Desktop... |
A History of Alfalfa County - Goltry, OK...
[The following was extracted from "A History of Alfalfa County," submitted in part fulfillment of requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by David W. Pierce, 1926, University of Oklahoma.] -- "The town of Goltry, located 26 miles southeast of Cherokee on the Frisco Railroad, was platted in 1903 by the Goltry Brothers of Enid. The town was named in honor of these men.
Alvaretta and Karoma, two inland towns which were near the present town of Goltry, moved to Goltry when the Frisco Railroad was built in 1903.
"A large store, owned by Matthew L. Wrigley, was located at Alvaretta in 1894. His son-in-law, Charles H. Cutler, later operated a lumber yard there. Jack O'Connor was the village blacksmith. The first postmaster was Mr. Wrigley. Later, he was succeeded by Mrs. Grace Trask who served for several years.
"Karoma was even smaller than Alvaretta. Kasper Streich operated a store and blacksmith shop there.
Some of the early residents of Goltry were J. R. Constant, Seward Muttersbaugh, Abe Buller, 'Red" Martin, Lew Cornwell, Joe Madison, William Malone, Ed Moran, Floyd Boyer, Will Maxwell, and Dr. T. A. Rhodes.
"A petition for incorporation was filed with the Board of County Commissioners on December 17, 1903. The election was held in Gentry's Lumber Comapny office on December 17, 1903, and the town was declared incorporated on January 4, 1907.
"Goltry has had several newspapers of different names. The first one was 'The Goltry Leader,' which is still printed.
"The Masonic Lodge was organized at old Alvaretta in 1896. The first master was Mr. Bauer. The IOOF Lodge was established at Alvaretta and Karoma united to form the Congregational Church of Goltry. The Christian Church was organized and a building erected soon after the establishing of the town. The Mennonites also have a church in the town. The Catholic Church was destroyed by fire on May 31, 1926.
"The first school building was a sod house. Mae Motter was the first teacher. Later a frame building was constructed, which was later replaced by a brick building. Goltry is the only town in Alfalfa County that does not have a practically new brick building. In 1924-1925, the school had 122 in the grades, 60 in the high school, and 8 teachers. The property valuation as $513,087.00, and the annual approved estimate was $11,877.44.
"The present bank of Goltry was the first bank organized in the town. In 1910 the Goltry State Bank came into existence. It was sold to the Bank of Goltry in 1913, and A. E. Moseley liquidated it.
The first store in the town was general store, owned by Seward Muttersbaugh, W. C. Melton operated the first furniture store.
"The town has never had a saloon.
"William S. Ross, who proved up a claim near the town, was at one time County Clerk of old Woods County.
"Some of the early settlers living on their claims are as follows: Volney Trask, A. L. Augustine, Elmer McIntyre, William B. Vance, William Hittle, Charles M. Hulsey, Christopher C. Conner, Z. J. Brewster, L. S. Couch, William S. Swinton, Mark Swinton, Elmer Porter, Gene Sweatt, B. F. Strange, Mattie Hotaling, Jessie T. Gilbert, W. H. Hartman, W. R. Pugh, E. W. Page, Mrs. Thomas Selley, C. E. Thornburg, John Castor, Walter Hughes, C. Chadd, Edward L. Huyck, Eliza J. Malaby, Charles F. Preston, C. E. Kishing, Antone Plisek, John Streich, Frank Pecha, Fred Pekrul, Henry Pekrul, Will Wright, Bill Switzer, Chester Hungerford, William Hungerford, and Mr. Bowen.
"A partial list of old settlers who died on their claims follows: Joseph Pennock, Jerome W. Vance, Michael Quinn, Otis Whitman, Byron T. Gilbert, Jacob P. Buller, Mr. Richardson, Mr. Barber, and Mr. Moseley.
"The population of the town is given below: (U.S. Census reports for 1907, 1910, 1920)
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