Former School Superintendent Believed in People |
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Eloise Lane
(Much of this memento is taken from a story written by Goldie Poole Hash for A History of Miami and Roberts County in 1976.)
Jason Alfred Poole and Alice Olivia Vernon, who were childhood friends at Bartlett and later at Silverton, were married on September 12, 1897, at Plain- view, Texas, and settled down in a half dugout. During the winter months Jason and his father, Henry Poole, came to Roberts County looking for a place to buy a small ranch. They searched up and down the Canadian River and finally bought a small ranch on Tallahone (wild turkey) Creek. They spent several weeks moving and building corrals, fixing fences and chunking up cracks in the log house before returning to Silverton. Three weeks after their daughter, Goldie, was born on June 20, 1898, Jason and Alice started on the road in a covered wagon with their baby, Jason's father and an extra man, five or six hundred head of cattle and a dog. Alice said, "It was no problem, no sickness, no crying --- just diaper washing in the evening while making biscuits and frying venison for supper." About the tenth of October, 1898, Alice drove the wagon up to the little log house on Tallahone Creek, for several days the family continued to live in the wagon while the house was given a treatment of boiling water and lye soap. In the meantime Jason's father went to town and bought a cook stove, bed steads and some lumber for shelf building. The Pooles did not have any close neighbors but some of the families living in that vicinity were those of Archie King, George Walstad, Lee Ledrick and Dave Lard. Jimmie Lyons brought mail from Miami before crossing the river and going on to the Adobe Walls post office. Later Mr. Peck brought the mail to Peace- vale (Mrs. Tom Coffee was postmistress) and the Pooles got their mail from a box by the roadside. After a few years Jason and Alice built a nice, pine house about two miles closer to the river and Jason spent a great deal of time helping people cross the Canadian. The children thought it was fun to watch the scared people who were hollering and crying while they jumped out of their wagons or buggies. Jewel Alpha, Opal Pearl and Henry Alfed "Bill" were born while the Pooles lived on Tallahone Creek.
Jason, an old-time fiddler, and Alice, who accompanied him on the piano, played for many dances. Their family often crossed the river when it was high while they were going to Plemons for dances and Christmas trees. The Poole girls learned to dance as soon as they could walk and Opal became an accomplished pianist. Unless the Poole children could catch "Old Blue," their horse, they walked about two miles to school --- their father was on the school board. When people began to move away, the Poole family had school in their home for two years --- a teacher came to their home. Later Jason and Alice moved to their ranch north of the river so that their children could attend school at Miami. Then the older girls, who wanted more than high school education, went to West Texas State in Canyon and stayed until they could decide what they wanted to do. They forgot about ranch life when they were out on their own. For a time Goldie taught at Plemons for $50.00 a month. In later years she married Byron Hash whose daughter, JoAnn, married banker Ben Shackelford. Jason and Alice stayed on the ranch with their four younger children, Garnet Irene, James Arnold, and twin girls, Jackie Amethyst and Jodie Emerald, until they decided that they could no longer run a ranch. When the twins were ready for school, they sold out "lock, stock and barrel" and built a house at 503 S. Gillespie in Pampa. After graduating from Pampa High School, Jim went to Tulsa University at Tulsa, Oklahoma, before joining the Army in 1940. He married Hazel Wilson (cousin of Albertine Tripplehorn) who taught seventh grade at Pampa Junior High School for several years. When Jim left the Army, he went into the locker and restaurant business, owning Poole's Steak House at 318 East Brown. Garnet, Jackie and Jodie went to West Texas State. Beginning in 1943, Jackie and Jodie taught school at Miami for twelve years. Garnet, Jackie and Jodie began helping to serve the Shriners when they met at Poole's Steak House and continued to do so for many years. The J. A. Poole house has been moved to 321 East Tuke. Only Garnet and Jackie are still living at Pampa in 2000. In 1979 the family of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Poole donated these items to the White Deer Land Museum: piano in the living room of the M. K. Brown apartment; violin with bow, case and extras in the parlor; banjo in foyer showcase; white sewing machine in the sewing room; rolltop desk in the doctor's office; hutch in the bridal room and an Edison phonograph with records.
Jason Alfred Poole and Alice Olivia Vernon, who were childhood friends at Bartlett and later at Silverton, were married on September 12, 1897, at Plain- view, Texas, and settled down in a half dugout. During the winter months Jason and his father, Henry Poole, came to Roberts County looking for a place to buy a small ranch. They searched up and down the Canadian River and finally bought a small ranch on Tallahone (wild turkey) Creek. They spent several weeks moving and building corrals, fixing fences and chunking up cracks in the log house before returning to Silverton. Three weeks after their daughter, Goldie, was born on June 20, 1898, Jason and Alice started on the road in a covered wagon with their baby, Jason's father and an extra man, five or six hundred head of cattle and a dog. Alice said, "It was no problem, no sickness, no crying --- just diaper washing in the evening while making biscuits and frying venison for supper." About the tenth of October, 1898, Alice drove the wagon up to the little log house on Tallahone Creek, for several days the family continued to live in the wagon while the house was given a treatment of boiling water and lye soap. In the meantime Jason's father went to town and bought a cook stove, bed steads and some lumber for shelf building. The Pooles did not have any close neighbors but some of the families living in that vicinity were those of Archie King, George Walstad, Lee Ledrick and Dave Lard. Jimmie Lyons brought mail from Miami before crossing the river and going on to the Adobe Walls post office. Later Mr. Peck brought the mail to Peace- vale (Mrs. Tom Coffee was postmistress) and the Pooles got their mail from a box by the roadside. After a few years Jason and Alice built a nice, pine house about two miles closer to the river and Jason spent a great deal of time helping people cross the Canadian. The children thought it was fun to watch the scared people who were hollering and crying while they jumped out of their wagons or buggies. Jewel Alpha, Opal Pearl and Henry Alfed "Bill" were born while the Pooles lived on Tallahone Creek.
Jason, an old-time fiddler, and Alice, who accompanied him on the piano, played for many dances. Their family often crossed the river when it was high while they were going to Plemons for dances and Christmas trees. The Poole girls learned to dance as soon as they could walk and Opal became an accomplished pianist. Unless the Poole children could catch "Old Blue," their horse, they walked about two miles to school --- their father was on the school board. When people began to move away, the Poole family had school in their home for two years --- a teacher came to their home. Later Jason and Alice moved to their ranch north of the river so that their children could attend school at Miami. Then the older girls, who wanted more than high school education, went to West Texas State in Canyon and stayed until they could decide what they wanted to do. They forgot about ranch life when they were out on their own. For a time Goldie taught at Plemons for $50.00 a month. In later years she married Byron Hash whose daughter, JoAnn, married banker Ben Shackelford. Jason and Alice stayed on the ranch with their four younger children, Garnet Irene, James Arnold, and twin girls, Jackie Amethyst and Jodie Emerald, until they decided that they could no longer run a ranch. When the twins were ready for school, they sold out "lock, stock and barrel" and built a house at 503 S. Gillespie in Pampa. After graduating from Pampa High School, Jim went to Tulsa University at Tulsa, Oklahoma, before joining the Army in 1940. He married Hazel Wilson (cousin of Albertine Tripplehorn) who taught seventh grade at Pampa Junior High School for several years. When Jim left the Army, he went into the locker and restaurant business, owning Poole's Steak House at 318 East Brown. Garnet, Jackie and Jodie went to West Texas State. Beginning in 1943, Jackie and Jodie taught school at Miami for twelve years. Garnet, Jackie and Jodie began helping to serve the Shriners when they met at Poole's Steak House and continued to do so for many years. The J. A. Poole house has been moved to 321 East Tuke. Only Garnet and Jackie are still living at Pampa in 2000. In 1979 the family of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Poole donated these items to the White Deer Land Museum: piano in the living room of the M. K. Brown apartment; violin with bow, case and extras in the parlor; banjo in foyer showcase; white sewing machine in the sewing room; rolltop desk in the doctor's office; hutch in the bridal room and an Edison phonograph with records.
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