My grandmother was Allie Mae Owen Standifer Cope. She married J.J. Standifer on Oct. 6, 1909. In 1922, J.J. was burned in an explosion at a gas station near Henryetta, OK. He ran through the flames and turned off the valve to the gas line. His clothes and boots were burned from his body. He lived in agony for 14 days and died on November 11, 1922. My dad, their only child was 11 years old. The only paternal grandfather I knew was C.R. Cope.
In 1945, Grandmother’s brother, Tom Owen, was constructing a refrigerated building in Fresno, CA. He asked my granddad Cope to help. Granddad asked if I wanted to go. I was 12 years old. That sounded exciting!. During WW11, most of the able-bodied men were in the military. I went to the employment office in Fresno. I was told to be there early in the morning and get on the first truck that pulled up. The trucks transported day laborers to work in the fruit harvests. Aunt Bertie packed me a lunch, and I was ready to go. The first harvest was apricots.
I had never seen an apricot. they were good. I would pick a few, and then, I would eat one. I was very sick that night. I have not eaten another apricot. After about two weeks, the truck took us to pick grapes. I did not eat many grapes. Granddad went back home to Mcalester. I stayed several more weeks with Uncle Tom and Aunt Bertie. Then I rode the bus back to McAlester. I learned later that Uncle tom and Aunt Bertie had asked my parents if I could stay in California with them.
I worked for Uncle Tom Weeks after I got home. He needed help harvesting onions. I rode the bus from McAlester to Indianola. The bus was small, probably a 10 or 12 passenger vehicle, and was privately owned. I spent the night with the owners. The next morning, Uncle tom came for me. Uncle Tom had a turning plow pulled by a team of mules, which turned up the onions. I went behind him, cut the tops off the onions, and put them in a tow sack. Aunt Nannie prepared a big breakfast before we went to the field. We took a break and had another big meal at lunch. After we bathed in the creek and put on clean clothes, we were fed another big meal for supper. After several days, I went back to McAlester on the bus. Uncle tom and Aunt Nannie never owned a car. I only saw him use mules to pull his wagon and equipment.
I owned a 1950 Studebaker in 1955. I was in Army basic training at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas (now Fort Chaffee). I was driving back to the base after a three-day pass when the motor went out on the car. I don’t know how I got the car back to Mcalester. It is likely that Granddad Cope towed me with his 1948 Chrysler. Granddad got me back to the base on time. I told him that he and grandmother could have the Studebaker if he could fix it. I wanted to laugh or correct y grandmother when she told me, “I helped him. We got that “block and tickle” and lifted that motor right out of there.” ( I didn’t laugh or correct her!) They did get the Studebaker running. They liked it much better than their Chrysler, so they sold the Chrysler. they were still driving it when Granddad died in 1961. Grandmother did not drive, but she kept the car for others to drive when she needed someone to drive her.
Copyright 2019 Owen Reunion Committee
(Note one of my first blogs referenced Ken’s bus ride and safety in the 1940s as compared to now. It was put up on 1-17-15 and titled “Cross Country Bus Ride.” Blogs are in chronological order, and it is on pg. 8 or 9 if anyone wants to read it.)