Harry B CLARK

Sources:

Warranty Deed, Charlotte Clark to Charlotte Clark & Cleo Holtzman and Kim Holtzman
Warranty Deed, Charlotte Clark, Cleo Holtzman, & Kim Holtzman to Charlotte Clark & Cleo Holtzman
Social Security Information, SSA-5 Form
Biography, A Biography of Charlotte Downing Clark
Valencia County New Bulletin, Deaths, February 10, 1996
1900 Census, Bates Township, Pottawatomie County, O. T.

Notes:

                   A Biography of Charlotte Downing Clark by Kim Holtzman, November 1978
It was February in Indian Territory, which is now the state of Oklahoma. The year was 1895, which was the time and place where my grandmother, Charlotte Downing, was born.  She was born in a log cabin near the small town of Bugscuffle, which was later in Pottawatome county after statehood.
She was the youngest of seven children born to William and Caldonia Downing.  Her father was one of many members of the Cherokee tribe, who later deserted the family shortly after Charlotte was born.  This left her three older brothers to provide and take care of their mother and four younger sisters.
In the spring of 1895, the boys moved the family to a small farm near Tecumseh, where they could find employment on neighboring farms.  The principle crops at this time were cotton and corn.  The family lived in this area for several years and later it became the duty of Charlotte and one of her older sisters to take a lunch and a bucket of water to the brothers working in a neighboring field.  Occasionally this would entail walking quite a distance down the railroad track.  At one time, Charlotte can recall, she and her sister being chased home by Indians, who were gathering nuts under a pecan tree near the tracks.
There was now a need for the family to be closer to a town that provided schools, so an enterprising brother traded a horse and saddle for five acres of land near Shawnee, Oklahoma.  The year was 1900 and the family was loaded into a horse drawn wagon and moved to Shawnee, where they lived in a tent until a small house could be built.
It was at this point in Charlotte's life where she began school  The older children obtained employment in Shawnee and their mother opened up a hotel and boarding house which she ran until her health forced her to remain at home.  In 1904, she died leaving the older children to provide for the younger.  A few months after her death, an older sister married and provided a home for the two younger girls.
They continued living in the area for three years until the sister and her husband decided to homestead three hundred and twenty acres close to Ft. Sumner, New Mexico.  This move involved several other families living in the area.  They all got together and chartered a railroad freight car to move their belongings and livestock to Ft. Sumner.
After arriving in New Mexico, Charlotte was again enrolled in a nearby school.  The school was a one room, frame building with one teacher for the various grades.
This area of New Mexico was wild and desolate and the land uncleared of cactus and bear grass.  Wood and water had to be hauled in by wagons for both stock and home use.  Since this was open range the stock had to be tied or hobbled to keep them from wandering.  Many times the stock had to be protected from wolves and coyotes that were prevalent in the area.
After clearing some of the land, the family attempted to grow small crops such as head grain and their garden vegetables.  When Charlotte was not attending school, it was her duty to help in the fields and at other times she would go rabbit hunting to provide meat for the family.
When two years of dry land farming had proved unsuccessful and the family had suffered many hardships, the decision was made to move to Altus, Oklahoma where reports were heard that employment was available.
In 1910, the family's personal belongs were again loaded into a covered wagon and the trip to Oklahoma began.  Charlotte was fifteen years old at this time.  Ten days of traveling across unsettled, rugged country, found the family arriving in Altus, Oklahoma.
Here Charlotte entered school only to remain for a short time when she decided to quit and go to work in a laundry for ten cents an hour.  It was at this time in her life that she met a young man, Harry Clark, who many years later she would marry.
After living in Altus for a few months, the family was required by the Homestead Act to return to New Mexico to live on their claim.  Shortly after returning to Ft. Sumner, the marriage of another sister took place.
The sister and her new husband moved to Belen, New Mexico, where he was employed by the railroad.  While living in Belen, they met a prominent merchant who needed help in a curio store.  Charlotte was sent for and upon her arrival, she went to work.
In 1910, the town of Belen was mainly a railroad stop and repair area for engines.  The depot and the Harvey House, which are still there today, were the main source of income for the residents of this area.  Other areas of interest were the stage stop, two churches, one of which is the present day Catholic church, two stores, a meat market, and several saloons.  The town was known as the Hub City and remains so today due to its central location.
After living in Belen for two years, Charlotte's sister and her husband were transferred to Arizona and so Charlotte went to live with her brother in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  It was here that she met once again with Harry Clark and on December 23, 1915 they were married.
Harry was a carpenter and building contractor in Olkmulgee, Oklahoma where the couple resided after their marriage.  He earned a very lucrative salary of four dollars and fifty cents a day.  They immediately built a home and their main source of transportation was a bicycle. Their first grocery bill, which consisted of all the necessary supplies for keeping house, amounted to ten dollars, which at this time seemed to be an exorbitant price to pay.  While living in Olkmulgee, two daughters were born to Harry and Charlotte, one of which is now my mother.
Harry Clark was a restless man and he always felt there was a pot of gold over the next horizon.  So in 1920, he moved his family to Santa Ana, California and in 1921 their first and only son was born.  At this time, unemployment was practically unknown and so Harry went to work and built a two-story home for his family.  They were soon able to purchase their first automobile; a 1916 Chevrolet touring car.
Again the restless urge in Harry arose and he moved his family to Oregon where they lived for a year and a half before returning to Oklahoma. This time he moved his family to Tulsa where they remained through out the depression years.
During these years they experienced the loss of their youngest daughter and suffered the hardships of unemployment.  In order to keep the children in school, Charlotte once again went to work in a laundry where she earned twelve dollars and a half a week.
As the country began to pull out of the depression, both Harry and Charlotte found steady employment.  Harry once again began contracting and Charlotte went to work for the Tulsa County Welfare Department.  As things got better and both children completed their schooling, the family purchased a sixty acre farm on the outskirts of Tulsa.
During this time their son entered the Air Force and their daughter moved to California.  These were the days of World War II.  Charlotte and Harry remained on the farm and raised a few cattle and other farm fowl until about 1955 when the area became industrialized and the sixty acres was sold for a tremendous profit.
Now they felt they would like to be close to their daughter and Charlotte's sister and brother who also lived in California.  They again purchased land and built another home in Santa Ana, California and also acquired rental property.  They remained in California as retired citizens until 1966 when they moved to New Mexico, the place their son had chosen to retire from the Air Force.  They sold their home and other real estate and moved to Los Lunas, New Mexico where in December of 1967 Harry Clark passed away.
Today my grandmother resides, in good health at the age of eighty-three, in the original home they purchased after leaving California.  She frequently visits her son who now lives at Elephant Butte Lake, where fishing and boating are two of her favorite past-times.  She also enjoys searching for Indian artifacts and visiting old ghost towns in the area. During the summer months, she travels extensively to Oklahoma, Arkansas, and sometimes California, where she can visit with many friends.  During the winter months, she keeps busy by making quilts and doing needlepoint.
Charlotte Downing Clark is a very remarkable woman and I am truly proud to have her as my grandmother.  She has been an inspiration to those around her and I only hope that someday I may set her example for my children and grandchildren.
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Mt. Zion Cemetery (Bugscuffle) was mentioned in materials in the Shawnee library.  The cemetery is 7 miles west of Tecumseh on State Highway 9, then 5 1/2 miles south on State Highway 102.  Conty Road EW-126, go 1/2 mile West, just east of the Jim Creek Bridge.  During a visit in April 2002, I found the bridge, but could not find a cemetery or evidence of buildings.
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Census-
John McClure, 41, appears on the 1900 Census of Bates Township, Pottawatomie County, O. T.  Also included are his wife Callidona (sp), 39, Sons Ben, 16, and Arthur, 11, and Step-children Ollie, 14,  Frank, 12,  Ida, 8,  and CHARLOTTE DOWNING, 5.  John, Ben and Frank are shown as farm laborers. His father was born in PA and his mother in KY. Caledonia shows her father was born in MS and her mother in MS.
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June 6, 1925 (?)
Harry and Charlotte travel from Eugene Oregon to Oklahoma.  Charlotte keeps a diary of their trip.
June 6 -
Left Eugene at 6:20 am.  The Speedmedoter reg. 11193 miles.  Spent $1.23 for gas. $.25 for oil in Eugene, $ .55 for eats for dinner.  At 115 miles from Eugene had trouble with oil pump was laid up about 1 hr. in hot sun and nearly croaked.  Spent $1.00 for oil to put in can.  Spent $1.35 for gas, spent $ .35 for soda pop and $.20 for potato chips.  Made camp at 5:30 about 2 mi from Ashland at Lays Auto Camp.  Camp cost  $.50.  Spent $.45 for supper and we were all nearly dead with the heat and nearly starved.
June 7 -
Left camp at 6 oclock. Metor reg. 11396 miles at Klamath Falls got 5 gal gas $1.35.  Had 1 shot put in back end of car $.25 Got 1 qt of oil $.20. Got to the top of Sysk at 7 am elevation 4516.  Had a blowout 15 min til 9.  Bought tire patches, boot and tire flap $1.40 at Yreka.  Spent $.95 for lunch at Shasta.   Gas at Dunsmur $1.02.  Stopped at Redding to register car $1.40 gas at Red Bluff.  spent $.58 for supper.  Stayed all night at Red Bluff.  Spent $.27 for breakfast.  Broke camp at 7 am.
June 8 -
Got gas Dunning $.92 qt of oil $.25 at Woodland.  Bought our dinner there too.  Lunch cost $.60.  Two mi from Santa Rosa had another flat tire. Changed it and got to Graton at 5:30 pm
June 10 -
Left Graton 8:15.  Bought tire and tube in Santa Rosa.  19.9 gallons gas 1 qt oil $2.25.  At lunch of fried chicken, boiled egges, whole wheat bread and jelly just out of Fairfield.  Camped at Merced Calif.  Had chop suey, rice, milk, port and beans for supper and all ate like we were hungry.  Had a pleasent day and no one very tired.  Leta took shower bath and most froze.  In the day we had the water pump fixed so it wouldn't leak. It cost $.40.  Supper cost $1.39.
June 11 -
Broke camp at 7:00 am.  Bought 5 gal gas $1.10 at Fresno.  1 qt. oil $.20.  1 qt oil $.20 at Pixley, 45 miles north of Bakersfield.  Bought fruit at Fresno $.50; eats at Pixley %.61.   5 gal gas at Bakersfield $1.50.
Saturday June 12 -
Broke camp at 5 am at Mojava.  Got gas 4 gal $1.06.  Started to Barstow for breakfast had a blowout of 1 new tire between the two places. Stopped in Barstow got some fruit bread and milk for breakfast.  Cost $.90.  Had an innertube vulcinized cost $1.50.  Bought new tire it cost $23.40. Bought 4 gal gas $1.08 at Ludlow 1 qt oil $.20.  Got into Needles at 7 pm.  Cottage cost $2.00.  Spent $1.00 for supper.  Milk was $.20 a qt.
Sunday June 13 -
Broke camp at 5:30 am.  Bought 5 gal gas at Needles $1.25.  Had a fine day and made camp 2 miles out of Williams Ariz.  Met Mr. Stiles and wife and Mrs. Groves at campground.  Broke camp at 8 oclock.
Monday June 14 -
Broke camp at 8 am. Sure was cold.  We could see a mt. with snow on it. Got gas 5 gal $1.50.  1 qt of oil $.25.  Got 6 gal. gas at Winslow $1.80.  Oil pump went on the bum a few miles from Joseph City.  Got 1 qt oil at Holbrook cost $.30.
Tuesday June 15 -
Camped at Navajo last night.  Almost froze.  Bought gas 4 gal. cost $1.40.  Had the crank case drained at Gallup got 5 qt of oil cost $1.60. Bought lunch in Gallup and ate it on the divide.  Leta sick all day.  Got 4 gal gas cost $1.28.
Wednesday June 16 -
Camped last night at Albuquerque.  Broke camp this morning at 7 am.  Went through the curio at Albuquerque.  Stopped at Moriarty to have a wheel tightened cost $1.75.  Bought 5  gal gas cost $1.50.  Stopped in Vaught bought 1 qt oil cost $.30.  Stopped just out of Ft Sumner and fixed a blow out.  Had a tire patched in Ft. Sumner.  Got out to the Parks about 11:30 oclock.  Got 5 gal gas before going out.  Cost $1.40.
Thursday June 17 -
Left Parks about 10 oclock.  Got 3 gal gas at Ft. Sumner cost $.85 and 1 qt of oil $.25.  Stopped at La Lande and bought our lunch from Will Hart.  Stopped in Clovis and got 3 gal gas cost $.75, 1qt of oil $.25. Ate our lunch just east of Clovis.  Got to Amarillo about sun down and went to Clora Harts.  They were not home so we went to the camp ground. It was full, so we went back to Clora's.  Staid all night.  Had a nice visit and it rained like ned.  Left next morn about 9:30 oclock.
Fri. June 18 -
Made 120 mi.  Left Clora's about 9:30 and hit the mud and it was slick and pulled.  We bought a pair of trace chains for car wheels.  Then bought a pair of skid chains in Claude.  Bought 7 gal of gas at Amerillo cost $1.55.  1qt of oil cost $.25.  Stopped in Memphis and had a dish of chili for supper.  Made camp just out of Childers.  Next morn it was misty and looked like it might pour down any minute.
Sat. June 19 -
Sat. morn left Childress bought 5 gal gas before we left town cost $1.25.  Bought 1qt of oil in Electra cost $.20.  Bought 5 gal gas in Witchata Falls, cost $1.10.  Got our lunch in Chilicothe.  Bought our supper in Byres.  Ate it on the road and drove to Ardmore.  Got in there about 10:30 and made camp.  Bought 1 qt of oil at Lone Grove cost $.20.
Sunday June 20 -
Left Ardmore about 7 oclock.  Orien was sick.  Bought 5 gal gas in Ardmore cost $1.15.  Got in home about 10:30 am.  In all we traveled 2,766 miles.  Average gas miles to gal. 23.44.
Gas cost $30.34.  -  Oil cost $6.35
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Valencia County New Bulletin, February 10, 1996.
Charlotte Clark, 101, a resident of Los Lunas, died on Tuesday, Feb. 6. She enjoyed fishing at Elephant Butte Lake.
Survivors include one daughter, Cleo Holtzman of Los Lunas; one son, Orien Clark and wife Virginia of Elephant Butte; four grandchildren, Kim Morrison and husband Corky of Las Lunas, Shirley Clark of Las Cruces, Mike Clark and wife Leslie of Tucson, Ariz., and Pat Clark and wife Karin of Anchorage, Alaska; eight great-grandchildren, Scott Clark, Jennifer Matthews, Alison Clark, Valerie Anderson, Vanessa Lichvar, Travis Hackett, Amy Morrison and Stefanie Morrison; four great-great grandchildren Christopher Babcock, Charlotte Anderson, Alex Matthews and Kaimon Hackett; and many loving nieces, nephews and friends.
A viewing has been schedule for noon to 1 pm Saturday, February 10, in the Southlawn chapel at Moore's Funeral Home in Tulsa, Okla.  A grave side service will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery also in Tulsa.  Romero Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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October 2000, Cleo Holtzman, Kim Morrison, Orien Clark, Virginia Clark and Shirley Clark met for lunch in Las Cruces.  Cleo had come for a visit from Madill, Oklahoma.  Cleo related this st