Raymond & Lucile

A SHORT HISTORY OF OUR MOTHER AND FATHER

The day Mama and Daddy got married, Daddy and Grandma Heady went by horse and buggy to Anadarko, Oklahoma to get the license. Even though it was late when they returned, Mama and Daddy went to Preacher Johnson's home, he lived on a farm south of Cement, Oklahoma, got him out of bed to marry them He was barefooted. The next morning they left by covered (wagon) to the eastern part of the state to rent a farm. They didn’t like the looks of the country so after a week they returned to Cement. They built a half—dugout on an Indian lease Daddy had leased to live in, Mama said they were very happy. In February 1910, they left for Colorado in a covered wagon with another couple and their young son. It took them 3 weeks to reach Two Buttes, Colorado where they filed on 320 acres of land, they built a half— dugout to live in. Later when Mama was expecting Elmer, they rented a house in Lamar, Colorado and had a lady and her daughter move in with them to help Mama. Dad did odd jobs to support them. In December 1911, they went back to Ok1ahoma, due to bad weather it took them longer than they had planned. When they got to Daddy’s folks Daddy had 35 cents, so he pulled some boles (cotton) to make money. For awhile they lived across the road from his folks and then they rented a place and had a log cabin to live in.

In the fall of 1912, they sold out and Daddy went into partnership in a blacksmith shop with a Mr. Huggins, our Uncle Luther’s Dad. Daddy traded 3 colts and $50.00 dollars for 4 lots and a 3 room house in the north part of Cement. In 1916, he sold his part of shop and farmed for a year with our Uncle Don Ikard. After the crop was in, they moved to another place but didn’t stay long, they then moved into Grandma Heady’s house. As soon as they were able, Daddy used the barn on their place and built a 2 room house on their 4 lots to live in because the people living in the other house wouldn’t move. He later built 2 shed rooms on the back.

In 1920 Daddy went to work dressing tools for the oil fields. Drilling had just started around Cement. This was probably when he picked up the nickname “Tooley”. He later worked as a pumper and a roustabout and retired from the oil field in 1949.

In 1924, they bought 10 acres of land about one mile south of Cement They put the house on sills and moved it to the new place. Daddy built 2 foot bridges across the creeks north of our house so that we could cross them to go to school. We had cows for milk, chickens for eggs and to eat, a good garden, grape vineyard and a berry patch so we had plenty of food during the depression years. When Daddy would pay the grocery bill, they gave him a sack of candy and Mama would put it on a paper on her lap and divide it among us.

In 1940, Daddy tore off the shed rooms and put all the house under one roof. We had our first inside bathroom. Later they drilled some wells on the 10 acres and in 1984 started another well and named it Sanguine 1 Robertson. I know Mama and Daddy would have been thrilled by this. They lived here until they passed away. We all had to work hard but it was a family united together. Though we were not a hugging and kissing family, I think we all felt the love that surrounded us. They made it possible for all of us to graduate from Cement, High School and for those who wanted to go to college.

They were liked by all who knew them. I don’t think anyone could ask for better parents. When they passed away, they left each of us a little royalty and a lot of loving memories. They left us with a wonderful heritage to pass on to our children and the generations to follow.

Table of Contents