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Ragtown History & Photo (by Nancy Turner Miller) |
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My name is Nancy Turner Miller. I was born in living quarters in the rear of the
old rock store at Ragtown in August of 1932. My
brother Bob, were raised at Ragtown.
The store was run by my father, Bert Turner and his brother, Elton
Turner.
At that time there were gas pumps in front of the store and a
mechanic's pit to the right of the store as you are looking at it.
It was a great place to play. I tried so hard to pump the gas into
the glass containers at the top of the pumps, but I wasn't strong
enough to do it. Somewhere I have a picture of the store in its
early days. I will try to find it and post it for everyone to see.
I remember how the tramps or travelers, as you will, used to stop by
the store. They would buy a nickel's worth of cheese and a little
box of crackers for their lunch. They also loved Chocolate soda pop,
which also was a nickel.
There was an old cast iron stove in the middle of the store and
everyone would sit around it telling stories and spitting tobacco
spit on it to listen to it sizzle.
I remember barrels of sauerkraut, peanut butter, coconut in big
tins, big rounds of cheese, stalks of bananas, bulk cookies and
candy, etc. It was wonderful.
Later on my Uncle Elton moved further south on U. S. 75 closer to
Calvin and put in a store there.
My father built another store across the highway from the rock
store. I don't remember why. Guess it was for space. I moved away
when I was eight and don't know what happened to the second store,
but that old rock store still stands through the years.
I am editor of the Henryetta Free-Lance and would love to talk to
anyone from the "old days". My e-mail address is
nmiller3766@sbcglobal. At work the e-mail address is
henryettaeditor@sbcglobal.net
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More Ragtown, Ok History & Photo (by Debi Burkett Johnson) |
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After talking with
Mother and she talked with Aubrey and Lorene
Price, this is the story I got on Ragtown: The rock building was built by a Mr. Simmons (don't know a first name, may can find out though). Mr. Simmons built it to be used as a garage business. After some time, it closed and was reopened as a beer joint. This didn't last long at all. Then comes the grocery store. Bert Turner was the 2nd owner of the store and the Diacon family also owned a grocery store on the West side of the highway. There was an old school there at Ragtown, a little behind the house that is now there. Seems like I remember my Grandma Burkett saying that Grandpa went to school there. Anyway, that's what I found out about ole Ragtown. More Ragtown, Ok History (by Jack Gaines) I lived in Ragtown in the late 30s. We lived across the highway (75) from the store ran by either Turners or Millers. My mother and I lived with my grand parents. My grand parents were the Kennedy's. My grandfather was a Raleigh peddler. There were two buildings across from the store. One was a gas station the other was a house. We lived in the house and operated the station for a while selling Wilcox gasoline. My uncle and aunt and I went to Moss school. I was in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade. We went to church in Wetumka. In 1938 my mother remarried and 1939 we went to California with the rest of the Okies. My best friend at Moss school was Lloyd Stringfellow. He probably doesn't remember me. My aunt married Leon Lankford. I have told the story many times of my days in Ragtown. I wouldn't want to re-live them again, but I wouldn't take a million for the memories. My name is Jack Gaines. Hope I have helped you some. Before living in Ragtown we lived in Big Springs and Wetumka before that. Anyone having any
more information about Ragtown please send it in. |
