Clara's Book-Part 2
"A New Book Now"
Clara Louisa Stone McDaniel
NOTE: In this remembrance, Clara consistently refers to relatives by the titles her children would
call them. For example: Her husband, Lucien, would be called Daddy; her mother-in-law,
Charlotte, would be called Grandma; sisters, brothers, and their spouses would be called aunt or
uncle. My remarks and clarifications are in parenthesis.
Also, Clara and Lucien met for the first time at Stroud where she and her siblings had gathered
for their father's funeral over the July 4th weekend, 1913 (although Lucien reports that he had
seen her at least one other time prior to that, but had not spoken to her). See McDaniel Family History for Verna Pratt's recall of that first peek at Clara. One of Lucien's letters
to Clara, after that first meeting, can be read here.
Lucien came up to Drumright to see me on September 16, 1913 and we were married on the 17th.
He took me to his place northwest of Stroud. We had a pretty nice little place. We spent our first
summer there. We finish up living there in 1913 then we rented the place for a year. In 1914, we
had our first winter and summer there together.
Daddy would cut the wood that fell and winter to last a year. As I have been thinking what a
beautiful day, Daddy and I had our good times and some bad ones also. He always wore white
and blue stripped overalls and a blue shirt. I would always watch him share his self. We had fun.
He would play his guitar. He played it and we would waltz and 2-step.
When spring came, Daddy would start to plowing and getting his ground ready to start planting
his corn, cotton, kaffer, corn and cane to make sorghum and peanuts. We had chickens, cow - old
Bonnie - and John and Norman, his team. We had a big garden and fruit trees. Daddy had a cook
stove he had borrowed it. So the folks need it so, until we could get into town, Daddy took a big
washtub and fix a stove outside. I cooked on it for 3 or 4 weeks. Then we got our new stove. That
was our first summer alone.
Then in August, his Dad (Leonadis), Mother (Charlotte Mary), Aunt Grace (his sister) and the
four boys came from Colorado and stayed with us. Granddad and Daddy made sorghum and the
boys. And September 19, 1914, our baby girl was born. We called her Mildred Helen. They help
Daddy out, pick cotton. Finally they rented a place, bought a team and wagon and started to farm.
Aunt Grace stayed with us a while. She got acquainted with Fred Messersmith. He come to our
house to see her when Mildred was 10 days old. They got married at our place. Grace and
Grandma fix a real nice dinner. Uncle Lester was there with their family and Bro. Marrow was
there and married them. After dinner, they went home with Lester and family. Then when
Mildred was 4 months old, we moved on the Rogers' place. Dad and his brother, Lester, rented
it together. They had one house. We took the 2nd best one.
At 8 months. Mildred stood alone, then she started to walk. We all got sick with chills and fever.
Got so bad we chill one day, have a high fever the next, then go through it again and again.
Finally, after we all could are get around, Daddy and Lester had a sale. We all sold out and
Daddy and I went to Davenport. He work in a restaurant. He cook there until his sister Maggie
and Lee came from Colorado and they bought a restaurant in Stroud and of course they wanted
Dad to run it and cook. We rented a place here in Stroud, stayed all winter. When spring came,
Dad and Lee didn't see eye to eye so Dad got a job in the oil fields and we moved to Capper near
Shamrock. We lived in a tent. Had it all fix on a frame with (?) oareen (?) all around it. Our ice
box was a place dug in the ground, a wooden box, put in it saw dust all around it and holes in the
bottom to let the water out. It set on bricks, a big lid on it and I seal it with oil cloth, fix it all
clean inside, covered the lid also so no dirt could get in. I get a hundred pounds of ice, put it in
the box. Boy was it neat. It sure keep our food nice and cool.
Aunt Bessie with her 2 children came up and stayed awhile. Uncle Cliff Alley would come up to
see Bessie. Finally she went back to Stroud and they got married.
We sold out and went to Gunnison, Colorado. We work there. Daddy got real bad sick, had
kidney and Bright Disease. The dr. said it was too high altitude for him. He had to get lower.
Instead, we went to Ouray, Colorado. It was over 7 thousand feet and he work in the mines at 10
and 11 thousand feet. Mildred and I stayed in town at Ouray. We got to the little lake and feed
the goldfish. We had a girl stay at night with me and when spring came, in April 1916, we went
to Grand Junction. Dad work on the railroad then he took examination for a fireman job. He pass
everything fine except the red lights. He was color blind, couldn't tell one color from the other,
so that let him out.
We went to Fruita, a little ways from Grand Junction. Work for a Mr. Kind. We had a nice house
there to live in, all furnitured. Before Mildred's 3rd birthday, we went to Tillamook, Oregon,
where he already had a job in the saw mill. We rented a nice house for $10 a month. Just moved
in, found out where the man that owned it, started to send him the rent. We never did see him. He
lived over close to Oregon City someplace. So in October 27, 1918, our first boy was born. I
had him named 4 years before he came, so it was Aaron Ralph. Then Daddy's father, mother and
4 boys and Aunt Jakie came and stayed with us until they could find a place and get started. Then
Daddy's oldest brother (Lawrence Lester) came out with his family and they stayed with us until
they got him a place. Then Uncle Lester, in-law, all the Renfros came, their sons and married
girls. Boy, that was a mess, believe you me. I guess we started something when we went to
Tillamook.
When Aaron was 14 months old, our 2nd boy was born. We call him Nolan Dewitt, born
December 12, 1919. Then we bought our first home there. A house and 3 lots. We thought that
was quite a step for us. Then November 25, 1921, Clifford Allen came. He was our 3rd boy.
Then September 17, 1923, we had a little girl. We call her Minnie Lee after some gal Daddy like
and knew. I think he went with her. Then in April 26, 1925 we had another baby girl (June).
Three boys now and three girls.
Well, it seem like we have to move and it was a very bad mistake. I think all of Dad's folks were
leaving and going to California. Grandma (Charlotte Mary) went back to Oklahoma to live with
Bessie. Granddad (Leonidas) had pass away in the meantime. We really go from one place to
another. Corpus Christi, Texas, McAllen, Mission, then came back to Bristow for a while and
Donald Ray was born April 16, 1928. When he was 7 days old, we went to Carathage, MO and
pick strawberries. Dad's sister Jakie and husband was with us. We feed them most of the time
and help them. They didn't have any children but it seems like they couldn't make a go of (it)
without our help to fill their Hudson full of gas. We stayed in MO four months then. With the 2
cars and our help, we went to Vega, Texas. Daddy work on a construction, help build a new
school house. Then from there, we went to Oakland, California. Daddy's brother was living
there. We didn't stay too long. It seem like there wasn't much work. We went to Chowallia
(Chowchilla?), California, pick cotton for Joe Foster and did real good. I wanted to stay there as
we really had a good deal going. But Dad and his sister overrule me, so we took our 3 hundred
we save, spent it on them and their Hudson car and went to San Diego, California. Got broke,
come to Santa (Ana) and Dad got a job on the St. Joseph Hospital. Jim and Jakie was suppose to
pay us back the money. They went on up to Merced. Jim made real good so when Dad was
through there, they wanted us to come up. So we did. Dad work, did pretty good. After
everything was through, we started to Coquille, Oregon. But as they got closer to Oakland, Jim
said they were going to Oakland as they always like it there. So they gave Dad $5 and ask him
would that help out. But we always seen they had something to eat and gas in the car. I thought
that would cork a pistol.
Well, anyway, we went to Coquille and Dad got a pretty good house, a job. The kids started
school. We save enough to buy a sedan car with window in it and one evening, I look out (and)
here came the Hudson again. Jim and Jakie for us to take care of again. Jim had station man
where Dad bought his gas to fill up and put it on L.D. McDaniel's bill. He was supposed to pay
Dad. Every Saturday, Dad would fill our car up with gas. We go to the beach and then there be
enough to last Dad a week. Jim work 3 or 4 days, then supposedly got hurt, so he laid around for
weeks. One night, Dad came home from work. He said to me, you know, that funny but I had to
buy gas tonight. The tank was empty. We never did say. So one evening I look out the window
and I said to Dad, see where your gas is going. Jim had a 5 gallon can, getting the gas out of our
car and putting it in his and eating and living off us. Finally they moved to Eastside. He got work.
The mill at Coquille shut down for repairs. We went to Eastside and Daddy work there in the
mill all winter.
Then Gabriel was there working. He and Mildred got married. We went back to Coquille when
the mill started. We keep his Dad for about 2 years and he got pretty bad. We put him in a home.
(I'm not sure if this is Gabriel's dad or Lucien's dad.) Lawrence, my mother, and wife came up
there, stayed for quite a while. (Not her mother, as she was dead. Must mean Charlotte?) Then
we all went to California near Modesto (to) pick cotton.
Ruth's mother and dad was there. Then Mildred was going to have a baby. We went to La
Habra where they lived. There until Russell Lee was born December 11. Then Dad got restless
so we went back to Tillamook, Oregon. There was where Betty Joannah was born, April 1, and
when she was 2 years old, we went to Oklahoma. Stayed there. Betty started to school at Hickory
Grove. We finally got us a car, Chevrolet, and started back to California. We stop and pick
cotton at Las Cruces, New Mexico, then stayed there. Went to Santa Ana, bought us a place out
on West 5th Street and there was where our last baby girl was born, in the Orange County
Hospital. She was born at 11:30, February 14, 1937 and we name her Verna Lavonne.
We bought us a home. It was our 2nd home. Aaron and Nolan went in the CC camp and Dad
work at Long Beach in the shipyard. June got married and later Minnie Lee. Nolan, Clifford and
Aaron were all in the Army. There were overseas for three years. We never knew if they ever
would get home. Also Bob and Ray, the girls' husbands, were gone. I think Ray came home
first. They sent him to Tyler, Texas. He took Minnie Lee and Larry, their boy, he was the baby.
Then finally Bob came home so they had a little place.
Mildred's husband, Gabriel, pass away, left her with three boys. She finally married George
Moore but it didn't last too long. Then she got married again (Bill Popejoy) and had three girls.
Did get their raise also but Dad and his brother and sister Jakie all got the going fever again so
we sold out and went to Arkansas. But didn't find anything, got another home here in Stroud, our
3rd one, but didn't stay long. Sold it, went to northern California, Auburn. We bought a place out
at Meadow Vista. It was our 4th home. Stayed there until Betty was married and Verna got
married, then he got the hot foot.
It seem like he was never satisfied. I would never say, always let him do what he wanted to, sold
out, went to Missouri. Bought a place there. This was our 5th home. I don't know how long we
stayed there, but sold it, came back to Stroud and bought the 6th home. Sure didn't stay long in it.
Sold, went to Livingston, California, lived there for a while. Dad seemed so dissatisfied. He
loaded up the car. I gave him everything he wanted and he went back to Buffalo, Missouri and
bought a place. It was the 7th home. I was very tired (of) moving so I didn't go with him. But
Aaron thought I should go back and see how he was getting along, so I did, and he wouldn't stay
there. He lock up the house and came back home with me at Livingston. But he just couldn't
stay there. He went back to Missouri. I was by myself again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A copy of what I wrote after Daddy left us.
Well, I am all alone tonight. Been going over our 59 wedding anniversary, counting it up. We
have 64 children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Wouldn't that be something if they
were all here around us?
But I am (sure) that couldn't be as our oldest boy had to leave us and Daddy stayed as along as he
could. So he went away. Guess that why I was thinking.
Things never stay the same so we had better enjoy our children while they are with us. We never
know when Jesus is going to call for them. He lets us have them for a little while so we can love
them and watch over them and love them dearly and listen to their little sayings and their sweet
baby talks and watching them grow up. Finally have home of their own and some day you find
yourself all alone. They all have tried their wings and flew away.
Then we have our grandchildren for awhile. What more can we ask.
Love to all, Mamma.
Written about 1972
Lucien and Clara at their 50th wedding anniversary
Hopping Bunny Productions
�2010