bmonthly October 2020 by bmonthly Magazine

OctOber 2020

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WHAT’S INSIDE

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Upfront

Profile: Bob Fraser One Man’s Passion for Another Man’s Vision

Annual Events: Chamber Honors Locals Recipients Receive Awards at 116th Annual Gala

Feature: The Final Days of Frank A Look Back at the Final Month of Bartlesville’s Icon

Tribute: Remembering Don Cone A Quintessential Good Neighbor

Meet Your Writer: Lori Roll

12 20

Feature Sponsor: From Dirt to Silver Dollars Work Ethic & Determination Led to Phillips’ Success

Local History: Wayward Son A Look Back at the Life of John G. Phillips Sr.

A Good Word: A Legacy of Influence Frank Phillips’ Influence Continues to Live On

A Fresh Perspective: Fall Into Fall Reflecting on Frank Phillips as We Start Season

Kids’ Calendar

Chick-fil-A Events Calendar

Giving Back: Jane Phillips Society Sorority has Long Been Helping the Community

Tribute: Jerry Cozby A Hall of Famer Remembered

Family Heritage: Phillips Family Mausoleum Woolaroc Tomb Provides Final Resting Spot

Looking Back: Check Your Weapons at the Gate The History of Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunion

Century Celebration: Bartlesville Womens Club Organization Celebrating its 100th Birthday

Now You Know: The Phillips Family – From Humble Beginnings

Knowing Nowata: Nowata & the Oil Industry

Let Freedom Ring

Entertainment: A Big Hit! Despite Pandemic, Organizers Pleased with OKM

Once Upon a Time: Woolaroc & Uncle Frank

Funny You Should Ask: Flip the Script

Out & About: Photos from Around Town

From the Heart: What are the Chances? There is Always Someone Who Needs a Break More than We Do

On the Osage: Barefoot & Barbeque Business in Skiatook, Musical Capital of the Osage OCTOBER 2020

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

UPFRONT

upfront Welcome to October, friends. I call this month, the “month of change”. On any given day we can reach 80 degrees and then the very next day we can have sleet and snow. The leaves start to burst with color as fall comes rushing in and the grass goes dormant until next spring. Our days grow short and the nights long. In this month's issue, we tell the story of “Uncle Frank” Frank Phillips. Frank, along with his brother L.E., started Phillips 66 in 1917. They used their last dollar to drill the Anna Anderson well which hit big. That one well fundamentally changed Bartlesville, Oklahoma and the world. Just think ... that all happened here in Bartlesville. Christy and I are so sad that two very important men who made such an impact on our community have passed away — Don Cone and Jerry Cozby. I remember moving here in 1985, and my step dad, Kenneth, who loved to golf, took me to Hillcrest Country Club. There I met Mr. Cozby. I’d never picked up a golf club until he handed me a 3 iron and taught me the game of golf. We would meet three days a week and hit bucket after bucket of balls with him saying keep your head down Keith ... still today, I will catch myself raising my head and hear his voice. When I took our magazine to Woolaroc, Don Cone and I would just talk about how much we both loved history. Then he’d give me a little history lesson about something I didn't know. I asked his son, Todd, to write his tribute, and he honored his Dad with his words. Many of you know from previous stories that October is the month I dread ... it is the month we lost Tyler. This October 8th will be 11 years since Tyler went to Heaven. I look out of our kitchen window wondering where he would be today. We keep him alive in our hearts by talking about him all the time. People still tell us stories we didn't know. I pray for Christy during this time, because I know how much it hurts her. She will always have a void in her heart that many of us can't comprehend. I just hold her and say we will get through this one day at a time. I want to end this upfront with some quotes from a letter I received yesterday. Over the last three years I have written stories of my failures, our love, our losing Tyler, and the darkness these eyes have seen because of my drug addiction. It is never easy to put yourself out there for all your

peers to read. I am asked often why I write and my answer is always the same ... if I help one person seek help for their addiction, one person talk about their abuse, or one couple hold on for one more day, then I will keep writing. I want readers to know the sun will shine again, the hurt and shame can be taken away, and hope and victory live in my story, our story, and your story. This young man is 27 years old and went to school with our sons, Tyler and Blake. I also coached him in football when the boys were young. His mother told me she had been sending our magazines to her son. She said my stories are helping him with his heroin addiction and asked if I would reach out to him. I did. The next time he was here, I met with him. Three months later I get a letter and here are just a few quotes from it. “I hope all is well. Day 4 in Treatment here in Georgia and been clean for 11 days now, and I'm starting to get my energy back. Yesterday was a pretty monumental day in my book. Besides being my birthday, I chose to go to church down the road from the treatment center. First time I've been to church for over 10 years. In fact, over the last couple of years I have been accusing God for all my problems and questioning his existence. But yesterday I opened my heart and accepted God back in my life and was saved. This has been an incredible void in my life and taking this step has lifted a mass off my shoulders.” He ends his letter with this, “I will never forget or be able to show my full appreciation for the impact on my life that you both and the magazine have had on my life. I have the opportunity now, and I am going to take full advantage of it, to be the father to my baby girl, the son my parents deserve, the brother my siblings deserve. I've been given a new life and while I can't give you all of the credit, I am damn sure givKeith & Christy McPhail ing a large part of it where it's due.” Forever Thankful ... this is why I write my stories. God Bless!

Volume XI Issue X Bartlesville Monthly Magazine is published by

ENGEL PUBLISHING

Offices located in Downtown Bartlesville in the historic Price Tower 510 Dewey Ave, Suite 400, Bartlesville, OK 74003 P.O. Box 603, Bartlesville, OK 74005

www.bartlesvillemonthly.com facebook.com/bartlesvillemonthly Publisher

Brian Engel brian@bartlesvillemonthly.com Art Direction

Copper Cup Images design@coppercupimages.com Director of Sales & Marketing

Keith McPhail keith@bartlesvillemonthly.com Community Liaison

Christy McPhail christy@bartlesvillemonthly.com Project Manager

Andrea Whitchurch andrea@bartlesvillemonthly.com Administration

Shelley Greene Stewart Delivery and Distribution

Julie Drake Calendar/Social Media

calendar@bartlesvillemonthly.com Contributing Writers Debbie Neece, Kay Little, Jay Webster, Maria Gus, Tim Hudson, Lori Roll, Lori Kroh, Brent Taylor, Kelly Bland, Rita Thurman Barnes, Keith McPhail, Bob Fraser, Jay Hastings, Carroll Craun, Todd Cone, Sarah Gagan, Mike Wilt Contributing Photographers Bartlesville Area History Museum, Craig’s Photography, Jen May Photography, Nowata County Historical Society Archives, Kathryn Peaster Kids Calendar

Jessica Smith

ABOUT THE COVER Cover photo is Frank Phillips Creative Concept by Keith and Christy McPhail Design by Copper Cup Images

OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

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PROFILE

Bob Fraser One Man’s Passion for Another Man’s Vision by Sarah Leslie Gagan It was the “Golden Age” of America, the magical days of Ozzie and Harriet, when a certain little boy first visited Woolaroc in the 1950s. He lay on the bench in the museum dome room, dreamily watching the lights change color above him, and he was captivated. Everything about Woolaroc drew him in, and it quickly became one of his favorite corners of the world. That little boy, with a passion for baseball, could never have envisioned that one day he would grow up to become the person responsible for continuing the legacy of Woolaroc, as CEO of The Frank Phillips Foundation. Bob Fraser assumed the position of CEO in October of 2006, upon the retirement of former CEO Dick Miller. Prior to becoming CEO, Bob, a marketing consultant at the time, was contacted by Foundation member Bob Kane and asked to prepare a marketing plan that would breathe new life into Woolaroc. As a consultant, 6

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Fraser presented his plan to the board. They loved the new direction so much that they asked Bob to implement it, and his Woolaroc career began. The position of CEO is so multi-faceted, Bob could see how his three decades of varied career history were building blocks to equip him for the task. Majoring in Political Science at the University of Tulsa, Bob’s original plan was to become an attorney with thoughts of politics. By the time graduation arrived, he knew he didn’t want to attend law school. Instead, he went to work in the Trust Department of First National Bank. He considers his time at First National a wonderful experience. He recalls, “I remember the day I walked to my boss’s office and told him I had a problem. Before I could get it out, he slammed his hand down on his desk and said he had plenty of problems;

PROFILE bring him back solutions. I still tell that story because it has stuck with me so much. He wanted me to think, not just come to him to solve a problem. My solution may not be the right solution, but he wanted me to give him something we could start with.” This early incident as a young man empowered Bob to seek answers and solutions. This allowed his creativity to rise to a new level, shaping a characteristic that remains part of his personality today. In time, Bob knew he wasn’t going to be a banker. He left First National and went to work for Don Koppel Realtors. By age 29, Don named Bob president of the company, a position he held for several years. In 1985, Bob left the position with Don Koppel to partner with two friends in real estate specializing in multi-family apartment complexes. Gradually, their focus shifted to senior living. Their successful company grew and expanded into Dallas, Albuquerque, Kansas City, and two cities in Ohio. During one of the Fraser family’s frequent visits to Disney World, they heard Disney had plans to build their own community, called Celebration. On one of their frequent trips, Bob’s wife Meredith wondered if they would have any interest in adding a senior living component to their community. Bob’s first thought was no, but he took a chance and wrote a letter to the CEO of Disney. A few weeks later he had a call from Disney and was told they were interested in talking with Bob’s company about a senior living component. After several meetings, Disney added that component to their community. An incredible team of the absolute best architects, builders, and landscape architects was assembled, and the facility became a reality. Disney bought the plan from Bob and his partners. This would lead Bob to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that he fondly remembers, “I had worked with so many of Disney’s people — planners, developers — and got a phone call from one of them saying there was a position coming open that he thought would be perfect for me. I made a couple of different visits there and listened to the opportunity. They flew our family down to look at schools and homes. They made a formal offer, and I turned it down. I really didn’t know why and still don’t. I still treasure the letter of offer. I never regretted it.” Bob met his wife, Meredith, in high school and they dated throughout their time at the University of Tulsa, marrying in 1975. They were blessed with three children and four grandchildren. Their marriage is one more example that leads Bob to believe that dreams really do come true. Working for The Frank Phillips Foundation is Bob’s dream job. He has had the honor of carrying Frank’s vision into the 21st century and has handled every detail with the greatest respect and loyalty. In 2017, Frank and Jane Phillips’ home at 1107 S. Cherokee was acquired by the Foundation. Bob has been busy bringing the historic home back to life, preserving it for generations to come. Necessary renovations

and upgrades have been made and it now has the financial stability to remain a cornerstone of Bartlesville for the next 100 years. Under Bob’s leadership, Woolaroc is thriving. He strives to maintain the history Frank started in 1925, while ever-evolving and improving. The magic of Woolaroc is real. The mission remains the same now as it was when Frank was there — to preserve the history of the west, to educate, and entertain. Every decision is based on those mission points. Cow Thieves and Outlaws, Camp Woolaroc, and Mountain Man Camp fit those points. As a western museum, Bob rates Woolaroc as number one. “The pieces we have — Remington’s Last Stand, giant Leigh paintings are hard to put a value on. For 30 years we had a piece that was on loan to us by a local family; they made the decision to sell that painting. They got an estimate on it from Christies, had it boxed, and sent to NYC. The estimated selling price was between $7 and $8 million. It actually sold for more than $17 million. That gave us a better idea of the value of other things we have. Christies now knew what we had at Woolaroc and fell in love with it. We’ve had an incredible relationship with them ever since. Their president said Woolaroc has the finest collection of Southwest art in the world. Since then, they have done so much work for us. They come every other year or so. Their estimate of our collection is right at half a billion dollars.” Bob’s 15th and final year as CEO will be 2021. It has been such a bittersweet decision for him to leave his dream job, but he feels it’s time. A succession plan is in development to take the magic of Woolaroc into the next generation when Bob retires. He hopes to be remembered for his respect and care of the Frank Phillips history, that he did his very best to preserve it according to Frank’s wishes, and that it will remain an important part of Bartlesville history, because it is such a huge part of who we are. Bob’s lifelong love for Woolaroc will never fade, he remains as captivated as the little boy he once was. And as he continues to lead the Foundation, one can only imagine that Frank looks down on him with a wink and a nod for a job well done. OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

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The Final Days of Frank A Look Back at the Final Month of Bartlesville’s Icon by Mike Wilt

Waite Phillips didn’t like the way his older brother looked. A wealthy oil man himself, Waite traveled from his home in Beverly Hills to spend some time with Frank Phillips, cofounder of Phillips Petroleum Company. In August of 1950, Frank was again escaping the searing Oklahoma heat at the elegant Traymore Hotel along Atlantic City’s Boardwalk. However, the cool breezes along the New Jersey shore didn’t

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seem to affect Frank’s condition. Waite found Frank weak, not himself. On Sunday, August 20, Frank was admitted to Atlantic City Hospital with a severe gallbladder attack. Three days later on August 23, the day he was scheduled to travel back home, Frank Phillips passed away at 1:20 p.m. He was 76 years old.

SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE

One doesn’t have to be in Bartlesville for very long to become familiar with the story of Frank Phillips. Born in a log cabin in rural Nebraska and raised in Creston, Iowa, “Uncle Frank” was a successful barber, banker, oil man, and philanthropist. He and his brother L.E. founded Phillips Petroleum Company in 1917 with assets of $3 million and 27 employees. By 1950, the company’s assets had grown to over $635 million ($6.7 billion today) and 17,000 employees including 3,300 in

Bartlesville. However, many natives and longtime residents are less familiar with the story of Frank’s passing and the reaction that followed. After Frank was admitted to the hospital, his personal secretary Bill Angel contacted Frank’s physician Dr. Keith Davis and St. Louis-based surgeon Dr. Roland Keifer. A company plane was dispatched to take the two physicians to

OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE

Atlantic City. Once there, they conferred with Dr. James Mason, a local surgeon. On the evening of Monday, August 21, Frank underwent gallbladder surgery. On Tuesday, his condition went from “slightly improved” to “near death.” After receiving the grave news, John and Mary Kate Phillips, Frank’s son and daughter-in-law, hopped aboard a plane provided by Amon Carter, publisher of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Upon entering Frank’s hospital room, they found him lying in bed with an oxygen mask over his face. The father and son had a strained, often turbulent relationship. However, right then and there, that didn’t seem to matter. Frank passed away just minutes after a weary and worried Bill Angel had left his bedside to return to the hotel for a little rest. A weeping Mary Kate informed Angel of the sad news. Reeling from the reality of the situation, Angel pulled himself together long enough to place a telephone call to K.S. “Boots” Adams, Frank’s handpicked successor as leader of his company. On Thursday, August 24, two company airplanes left New Jersey for Oklahoma. One of the DC-3s carried Frank and Angel while the other transported John and Mary Kate. Shortly after arriving in Bartlesville at 2 p.m., a stretcher carrying Frank’s body, covered with a white sheet, was loaded into a hearse from Neekamp Funeral Home. A procession of cars, many carrying

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local officials and dignitaries, followed behind as the hearse proceeded through downtown. Flags were at half-staff and chimes played from the First Presbyterian Church. Mayor E.S. Dunaway proclaimed Friday, August 25 a day of tribute to Frank Phillips “in recognition of his vision, industry, and public spirit.” Thousands streamed through the funeral home chapel to pay their final respects. Frank’s body lay in a seamless copper casket especially made for him and identical to the one made for his wife, Jane, who passed away on August 31, 1948, just one week shy of her seventy-first birthday. A basket of hand-picked flowers from Frank’s beloved Woolaroc Ranch southwest of Bartlesville was included in the floral offerings that banked the casket.

SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE

News reports and editorials about Frank Phillips’ passing stretched from coast to coast. The Fort Worth StarTelegram wrote that “The career of Frank Phillips could have occurred only in democracies like America where the exceptional man gains exceptional rewards and does exceptional good with his wealth. The story of Frank Phillips should be broadcast behind the Iron Curtain as a shining example of the opportunity and fulfillment in democracy and its free system.” Boots Adams said, “The death of Frank Phillips is a great loss to all of us who knew him and worked with him. It means a loss of a warm, personal friend. His life exemplifies the best American traditions. By his own initiative he founded Phillips Petroleum Company and became a great leader in American industry. He had the gift of acquiring; the wisdom of giving. In his private life he was known for his humanitarianism and his deep understanding and warm appreciation of people. Frank Phillips’ life is an inspiration to us all.” More than 500 floral offerings and more than 2,000 telegrams from all over the world were received by the family. Touched by the outpouring of affection and in keeping with Frank’s philanthropic spirit, the Phillips family announced that donations could be made to the Jane G. Phillips Memorial Hospital, which was to be built in a tribute to “Aunt Jane.” On Saturday, August 26, crowds began to gather around the family home at 1107 Cherokee Avenue two hours before the funeral service. All Bartlesville businesses were closed out of respect for the town’s

benefactor. Some even had hand-written signs that read: “Closed for Uncle Frank.” Doctors were only accepting emergency patients. Phillips Petroleum facilities everywhere were ordered closed for 24 hours except for emergency departments with minimum staff. When it came time for the 2 p.m. service to begin, more than 3,000 people overflowed the lawn and streets around the home. Three extra units of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol were assigned to assist and divert traffic. An honor guard of 200 Boy Scouts escorted Frank’s body from the funeral home to the family residence. Atop the brand new 12-story Adams Building downtown, an electric carillon played the hymn “Rock of Ages.” The casket was placed in the home’s library just to the left of the front entrance on the first floor, the same exact spot Jane’s casket had been placed two years earlier. Gathered inside were 55 relatives and 200 close friends including Bill Skelly of Tulsa-based Skelly Oil Company and pilot Art Goebel whose non-stop flight to Hawaii was financed by Frank. Loud speakers on the front lawn enabled those outside to hear final rites read by Rev. James E. Spivey of the First Presbyterian Church. The throng included young and old, rich and OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE

poor, and hundreds of children including boys and girls in a maze of blue, khaki, and green Scout uniforms. And somewhere was an elderly priest from Fairfax whose welfare benefits had been paid by Frank since 1934. A quartet that performed at Jane’s funeral sang “Shall We Gather at the River.” Singing “The Lord’s Prayer” was Gerald Tucker, an Olympian, All-American basketball player, and Phillips 66er. “To recount the benevolence and achievements in detail would take the remainder of this day,” said Rev. Spivey. “And would not be the desire of the one in whose memory we gather. Rather, let us dedicate our lives to making this community, yea, this world in which we live, one in which the fruits of his benevolences shall be completely realized.”

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Rev. Spivey reminded everyone how Frank was fond of saying that money is no good unless you have character and stability with it. “It was with this philosophy that he sought to

SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE

invest in the lives of children and young people so that the material might be transformed into the making of a higher citizenship.” Throughout the brief 35-minute service, only tender weeping and the rustle of trees could be heard. Mourners were stunned into silence as they realized a man who had meant so much to so many for almost half a century…was gone.

Frank’s singular focus was to construct a mausoleum on that very spot. He was inspired by the memorial built for his dear friend Will Rogers of Claremore, and made many trips there to get ideas for the mausoleum. Additionally, he wanted it to be close to the lodge and museum, but have it blend into the natural landscape so as not to be readily obvious. Construction of the 24-square-foot room, which required blasting through 18-feet of

Frank left behind a son, two foster daughters, eight grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, two sisters, and three brothers, including Waite who weeks earlier had traveled from California to New Jersey just to see his big brother. Neither one knew it would be for the last time. Despite the mid-afternoon heat, Waite shivered as Frank’s casket was gently slipped into the funeral home hearse. He couldn’t bear to watch any longer. “There goes my best friend – I loved him so much.” The Adams Building carillon played “Jesus, Joy of Man’s Desiring” as a 20-car cortege escorted by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol headed toward Woolaroc. Even before Jane’s death, Frank had selected a specific spot at Woolaroc to serve as their final resting place. After his wife’s death, OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

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solid rock, took about one year. When it was finished, it featured bronze doors, a rotunda with eight 10-foot columns made of Italian marble, and mosaic tile-covered walls. It even had air conditioning and a telephone, “just in case.” Once the mausoleum was finished, Frank had Jane’s casket transferred from White Rose Cemetery to Woolaroc, and a brief memorial service was held. When asked what he considered his greatest achievement, Frank didn’t hesitate. “Our gasoline line from Borger (TX) to St. Louis. For three reasons. First, I built it during The Depression when Wall Street said it couldn’t be done; second, it was paid for during The Depression; and third, it saved the life of the company. Our retail stations in the Middle West could sell our gasoline and make their profit at a quarter of a cent less than other stations could buy it wholesale. That gave us the business.” However, it could easily be argued Frank’s greatest achievement was his philanthropy. Only about $8 million of his estimated fortune, once estimated to be five times that much, remained at

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his death. The greater part of his wealth was disclosed to have been given away before he died. Approximately one half of the remaining wealth was left to the Frank Phillips Foundation, which today is a non-profit organization governed by a board of trustees that oversees Woolaroc and the Frank Phillips Historic Home. The other half was distributed to family, friends, and employees, mainly in stock in the Phillips Investment Company, the family’s personal holding company. It was often said that Uncle Frank would be running the company long after his passing. By that it was meant that the methods of operation he initiated would continue on down through the history of the company because they were so thoroughly taught to the young men he was training to take his place. One could argue that Frank’s methods of benevolence and altruism that he initiated 103 years ago continue in Bartlesville today because of the example he set for others to step in and take his place.

SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE

On Sunday, August 20, Frank was admitted to Atlantic City Hospital with a severe gallbladder attack. Three days later on August 23, the day he was scheduled to travel back home, Frank Phillips passed away at 1:20 p.m. He was 76 years old.Â

Frank Phillips 1873 - 1950

OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

FEATURE SPONSOR

From Dirt to Silver Dollars Work Ethic & Determination Led to Phillips’ Success by Lori Roll The story of Frank F. Phillips’ meteoric rise from dirt farmer to international oil titan illustrates his fierce work ethic, his drive to realize childhood dreams and his desire to help the community that made him wealthy. The eldest son of Lewis and Lucinda Phillips, Frank was born Nov. 28, 1873 in a log home his father built near the glacier-razed center of Nebraska. The Phillips instilled in their 10 children the principles of pride, loyalty to family and friends, and most of all, the mantra of hard work on the family farm. Frank assumed a natural leadership role with the children, expecting them to pull their own weight. He attended a one-room schoolhouse, which was his only formal education. Tired of dirt under his fingernails, Frank longed to be part of the westward migration and the exciting world of the mining boom towns. The west was still wild, and Frank wanted to be part of it. So he donned the striped trousers of a barber and learned the trade that would take him from barber to entrepreneur. His experiences in the west led to a passion for risk that drove all his future endeavors. He traded his barber’s stripes for banker’s suits and then the cowboy hats of the Oklahoma oil frontier. As founder of Phillips Petroleum Company, he become as successful and wealthy as any business tycoon of the day. He married Jane Gibson Phillips on February 18, 1897 and they had one, son John G. Phillips Sr., and two adopted daughters, Mary Francis and Sara Jane. He was a complicated man who left a legacy of intrigue, passion, and loyalty which is alive today in Bartlesville due to his many philanthropic efforts. While other oil tycoons made their money and moved to either coast, Frank chose to stay in the community that helped make his success. He brought his wife and children to Bartlesville and built a 26-room, neo-classical mansion on Cherokee in 1909. He had a tender and sentimental side and took a paternalistic pride in the company he founded, which earned him and Jane the titles of Uncle Frank and Aunt Jane. “We are what we are because of Frank Philips,” said Bob Fraser, CEO of Woolaroc, Frank and Jane’s 3700 acres ranch retreat turned museum and wildlife preserve. “There’s a good reason streets and highways are named after him. When Frank came here during the oil boom of the early 1900s, this was a dangerous, lawless land where outlaws made their home in the pocket of Osage County. A lot of these outlaws were friends of Franks. It was the wild west which became a sophisticated little burg that wouldn’t be here without Frank. He brought in the industries, built the buildings, and called it home. He felt obligated to make sure 20

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

the town had what it needed to survive and thrive. That early decision to stay in Bartlesville was a huge turning point for the town.” Frank’s philanthropic efforts were grand and glorious, like bringing the Ringling Brothers Circus every year to the “carnival grounds” near the Phillips Research Center to share his life-long fascination of the circus for the free enjoyment of local children and their parents. He gave money to the schools and churches in Bartlesville and maintained a long list of local groups that needed funding. During the Great Depression years, Frank paid off the mortgages of every church in Bartlesville because he believed they were important for the advancement of the citizens. Enthralled by airman Wiley Post, who sparked Frank’s enthusiasm for aviation, Frank sponsored Post as he climbed 55,000 feet above the Bartlesville Airport with cheering crowds to set a record higher than any human had ever flown. Other generous gestures were small and intimate, like the memorable annual Christmas party in the lobby of the Frank Phillips building, where Frank passed bags with candy canes and silver dollars to waiting crowds of gleeful children and their grateful parents. In 1937, Frank and Jane founded the Frank Phillips Foundation, Inc. to which they donated their ownership of Woolaroc, its grounds, and contents, to ensure its operation and preservation. The Foundation helped build and support the Jane Phillips Memorial Hospital for many years. The Foundation was dedicated to supporting the nation’s youth. Frank gave lavishly to the Boy Scouts and the YMCA, and funneled money to the Catholic Charities, even though neither he nor Jane were Catholic, because he believed they were doing good things. Frank said of his philanthropic efforts, “I always wanted to be able to give money away, but I learned it was a hard thing to do and do right. You should never do for a person what he can do for himself.” By the end of 1937, Frank had developed a retirement plan for the employees to provide them with a life income after they reached the retirement age of 65. While the Foundation continued funding Frank’s projects until the 1970s, the trustees made the decision to cease funding other entities and turn their full support to Woolaroc. Long after the death in 1950 of the man who rose from dirt to silver dollars, Frank Phillips left a personal legacy that makes Bartlesville the remarkable city it is today.

Green Country Pet Cremation Service offers private pet cremation with timely return of ashes in your choice of a decorative wooden urn with an engraved nameplate. If no return of ashes is requested, the ashes will be gently scattered on a beautiful pastoral/garden property. We are located in Bartlesville, Oklahoma and gratefully serve pet owners from a wide area surrounding Bartlesville, Dewey, and Northeast Oklahoma. For our fee schedule, please feel free to call us at any time.

918-766-3812 GCPetCremation@aol.com

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A Legacy of Influence Frank Phillips’ Influence Continues to Live On by Bob Fraser Frank Phillips ... 1873-1950. They say you can judge a person’s life by what they achieve in that “dash” between birth and death. That probably holds true for most people, but it certainly does not apply to Frank Phillips, for his influence goes on and on and on. In Bartlesville, buildings, boulevards, and highways may still bear his name, but they do not come close to BOB FRASER telling his story. For more than 100 years, Phillips Petroleum Company (and their new entities) provided handsome salaries, benefits, and retirement plans to thousands and thousands of employees. Multiple generations of families have benefited, directly and indirectly, from the company founded by Frank Phillips. His vision and passion from an early age drove him to build, create and succeed. He loved his company ... and he loved his community.

A little four-year-old boy laid on a bench in the dome room of Woolaroc 64 years ago, watching the lights above him continue to change colors. Then 50 years later, after a career path from banking to real estate to working with the best minds at the Walt Disney Company, that little boy was given the opportunity of a lifetime when he was asked by the board of The Frank Phillips Foundation to oversee the operations at Woolaroc. Over the next 15 years, he led by trying to follow the simple guidelines laid out by Mr. Phillips for Woolaroc: 1. Preserve the history of the West 2. Educate 3. Entertain Today, I still watch those lights change in the dome room ... and I hope Mr. Phillips has been proud of what we have accomplished and the care we have taken in preserving not only his ranch, but more importantly, his legacy.

OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

OCTOBER CALENDAR SPONSORED BY 2

Bruin Varsity Football vs Booker T Washington

7 PM; Custer Stadium

6th Annual Cops and Rodders Car show 8 AM; Washington County Sheriff’s Office Our 6th annual COPS & RODDERS car show supports our annual Thanksgiving and Christmas programs for families in need. Top 20 cars receive a $50 cash award and hourly door prizes. Raffle for one of three firearms. First 100 pre-registered entries receive an additional raffle ticket! Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the awards and raffle prizes will start at 2 p.m. This show is rain OR shine. Registration forms can be picked up at the Sheriff's Office anytime Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm or you can request one via email: sheriff@countycourthouse.org. Concessions will be available and all concession proceeds will go directly to our annual holiday programs. All types of vehicles are eligible: hot rods, trucks, rat rods, motorcycles, classics, muscle cars, or anything with a motor with 2 or more wheels! Come out and see some awesome rides while supporting 2 programs which have been going strong for over two decades!

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

Run Woolaroc 8K 8:30 AM; Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve Join us on Saturday, October 10th at Woolaroc Wildlife Preserve for the 40th annual 8k! This race benefits Run the Streets of Bartlesville, an innovative youth mentoring program. Packet Pick-Up will be Thursday, October 8th 47pm. Location will be announced soon. Race Day: 7:30 a.m. - Race day registration opens GATES TO THE PARK WILL CLOSE AT 8A..M. FOR THE SAFETY OF RUNNERS AN ANIMALS IN THE PARK!!! - ARRIVE EARLY! 8:30 a.m. - Start of 8k 8:35 a.m. - Start 1-mile fun run Visit the website to register and get additional information!.

OKWU Volleyball vs Sterling 12:30 PM; OKWU Gym

OKWU Volleyball vs Avila 4:30 PM; OKWU Gym

OKWU Soccer vs Avila 5:30 PM; OKWU Soccer Fields (W) 8 PM; OKWU Soccer Fields (M)

Bruin Junior Varsity Football vs Muskogee 7 PM; Custer Stadium

Bruin Varsity Football vs Ponca City 7 PM; Custer Stadium

OKWU Volleyball vs York TBA; OKWU Gym

OKWU Soccer vs Bethany 1 PM; OKWU Soccer Fields (W) 3:30 PM; OKWU Soccer Fields (M)

Bruin Junior Varsity Football vs Union 6 PM; Custer Stadium

Bruin Varsity Football vs Putnam City 7 PM; Custer Stadium

Sunfest Presents “BOOfest” 1 PM; Sooner Park “BOOFest” intends to provide a 1 day fun, family friendly celebration with a Halloween twist that all attendees can safely enjoy. Some activities include: Outdoor “Movie Under the Stars” “Monster Mash” Family Dance Contest Family friendly “Spooky Walk” “Trunkor-Treat” Family/Friends Costume Contest Other various Youth/Family related activities

OKWU Volleyball vs Kansas Wesleyan 2 PM; OKWU Gym 5:30PM

OKWU Soccer vs Tabor 5:30 PM; OKWU Soccer Fields (M) 8PM; OKWU Soccer Fields (W)

OKWU Men’s Soccer vs Calvary University 5:30 PM; OKWU Soccer Fields

Pastime Puzzles of Jane Phillips Display

Trunk or Treat 6:30 PM; Bartlesville Health & Rehab Join us for our Trunk or Treat, Friday October 30th from 6:30-8 p.m.

All Month Long

OKWU Men’s Basketball vs Evangel TBA; OKWU Gym

OKWU Soccer vs Friends 5:30 PM; OKWU Soccer Fields (W) 8 PM; OKWU Soccer Fields (M)

Weekly Virtual Storytime 10:30 AM Every Wednesday on Bartlesville Public Library's Facebook page.

10 AM; Frank Phillips Home What makes these jigsaw puzzles so unique is that they were all hand cut, making each puzzle one-of-a-kind. What also sets them apart from modern day puzzles is that many of the pieces are shaped like recognizable objects such as silhouettes of animals, flowers, letters, numbers and geometric shapes. Guests may visit during normal operating hours, Wednesday – Saturday in September and October and are reminded that all staff, docents, and guests are required to wear masks. 25 puzzles are on display upstairs in the Interpretive Center during regular tour hours, or can be seen during the Director’s Tour. Puzzle tours are $5 each, or guests can purchase a house tour and a puzzle tour for $10. Members of the Frank Phillips Home are free. For more information visit www.frankphillipshome.org or visit their Facebook page. The Frank Phillips Home is located at 1107 Cherokee Avenue. They are open for tours Wednesday – Saturday. For more information on tour times please call 918-336-2491 or visit their website.

Country Bumpkin Pumkin Patch 11 AM; Highway 60 east 6 miles N4030 Road The Country Bumpkin Pumpkin Patch is located east of Bartlesville on Highway 60. From Highway 75 take Highway 60 east approximately 6 miles, turn left on N4030 Rd. continue about 1 ½ miles. A special event October 17 is Painting Pumpkins with Police. Admission is $8 for ages 3 and up, children 2 and under are free. This includes mazes, rides, games, and activities. Pumpkins and gourds are available for purchase as well as other items in the Country Store & the Snack Shack. Cash and cards are accepted at the patch and the Country Store, but the Snack Shack is cash only. Open to the public on Saturdays from 11-7 (dark) and Sundays from 1-7 (dark).

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OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

OCTOBER EVENTS CALENDAR

Know of an upcoming event you would like to see on our calendar? Visit us at www.bartlesvillemonthly.com to submit a free listing! children under 12 or those sensitive to such material. Please utilize self-care.

Sat, Oct 3

Thu, Oct 1 Miles for Mammograms 5K/2K Virtual Race Anywhere Miles for Mammograms previously held in Dewey will now be a virtual race held through Sunday, October 4 at 10 p.m. This event is a fundraiser for the free mammogram coupon program at Family Healthcare Clinic. Call 918-336-4822 for information about registration.

611 SW Adams Blvd.

Tour de Bville COVID-19 Edition 2020

The event supports the WCSO’s annual Thanksgiving and Christmas programs for families in need. Rain or shine. Concessions will be available. All concession proceeds will go directly to the WCSO's annual holiday programs this Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Pathfinder Trail

Fri, Oct 2 Business Hours

What Were You Wearing? Survivor Exhibit Bartlesville Community Center 300 SE Adams Blvd. SAFE-NOW presents "What Were You Wearing?" Student-Survivor Art Installation. This exhibit displays gripping stories and replica outfits of those worn by sexual assault survivors. Originating at the University of Arkansas, this powerful exhibit challenges and dispels the cultural myth that wardrobe choice contributes to sexual assault. **Parental Advisory/Content Warning: Contains descriptions of gender-based violence. May be difficult for

Washington County Sheriff’s Office

Any Time

Throughout Bartlesville

Any Time

8 AM

6th Annual Cops and Rodders Car Show

In the past, Tour de Bville has been on one Saturday morning in downtown Bartlesville. This year, you decide when you ride (or walk). Tour de Bville will be on the beautiful Pathfinder Trail where you will enjoy the sights and sounds of nature in the middle of "The 'Ville." And, since we will not be all together, we hope you will take pictures and send them to us! Everyone who sends us a picture will be entered into a drawing for fun prizes. The event is a fundraiser for Family Promise. Visit www.familypromisewc-ok.org to register or for more information.

8 AM

5th Annual Doggie Dash Virtual Race Anywhere The Arrowhead Charites will present the 5th Annual Arrowhead Doggie Dash, a celebration of pet health and happiness! Doggie Dash fundraiser benefiting the Washington County SPCA, Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF), and Bark Park Buddies. Sign-up for the Doggie Walk is 8:15am and 5k is 9am. Visit for more information and to register for the 5K.

Eastland Center H 918-335-2940

OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

events calendar Sun, Oct 11

6:30 PM

Washington County Historical Society Annual Meeting

1 PM

3rd Annual Celebration and Wedding Showcase

Dewey Hotel 618 N Delaware St., Dewey

Price Tower

Food will be provided by local Dewey business BobbyQ. Guest speaker will be Mike Bartles.

8 AM

510 S Dewey Ave.

Bartlesville Farmer’s Market Frank Phillips Park Frank Phillips & Keeler The Farmers Market has always been a place for fun interaction with our neighbors. This will change some in 2020, but we will still provide an economic benefit to our area farmers and the nutritional well-being of the local population.

Sat, Oct 10 7:30 AM

Run Woolaroc 8K 40th Anniversary Race Woolaroc Wildlife Preserve

KWON KYFM KRIG KPGM will be hosting their 3rd Annual Celebration and Wedding Showcase featuring small businesses at Price Tower and the Tower Center at Unity Square. Enjoy browsing tents featuring a wide variety of services and products. Come and go. Register for door prizes from participating businesses, including a $100 shopping spree at the CWS vendor(s) of your choice. Admission is free.

1925 Woolaroc Ranch Road Support Run the Streets by signing up and participating in the BEST race in Oklahoma! Help us celebrate the 40th anniversary, run with the buffalo, and support our local youth! Call 918-336-0307 for more information . 7:30 PM

Wed, Oct 7

300 SE Adams Blvd.

Pastime Puzzles of Jane Phillips Display

The Bartlesville Symphony returns to the stage with a fabulous evening of popular music on October 10. Lift your spirits and tap your toes! Favorite songs, stirring movie soundtracks, memorable Broadway musicals and more—it’s all in the mix! Plus maybe a few fun selections appropriate for our times right now! Even while using all the necessary precautions both on and off stage, this concert will be an exciting chance for us all to come back together (but not too close!) and enjoy some great tunes from past and present. There is nothing like live music! Prices range from $14-44. For tickets, visit www.bartlesvillecomminitycenter.com.

1107 SE Cherokee Ave.

Country Bumpkin Pumpkin Patch Country Bumpkin Pumpkin Patch Highway 60 east 6 miles to N4030 Rd left 1.5 miles Admission is $8 for ages 3 and up, children 2 and under are free. This includes mazes, rides, games, and activities. Pumpkins and gourds are available for purchase as well as other items in the Country Store & the Snack Shack. Open until dark. The Pumpkin Patch is open Saturdays & Sundays all month.

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

Bartlesville Community Center

10 AM

Frank Phillips Home 11AM

The Pandemic Pops!

Guests may visit during normal operating hours, Wednesday – Saturday in October and are reminded that all staff, docents, and guests are required to wear masks. 25 puzzles are on display upstairs in the Interpretive Center during regular tour hours, or can be seen during the Director’s Tour. Puzzle tours are $5 each, or guests can purchase a house tour and a puzzle tour for $10. Members of the Frank Phillips Home are free.

Sat, Oct 24 1 PM

BooFest hosted by Sunfest Sooner Park Madison Blvd. The inaugural event will be held from 1-6 p.m. Additional details coming soon. Check out Bartlesville Sunfest on Facebook for more information.

Sat, Oct 31

Introducing LuxeRehab

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Ignite will soon offer: Our new hospitality model, LuxeRehab featuring hospitality tablets, room service, the latest in technology including virtual reality and contact free vital monitoring coupled with beautiful renovations to include our signature LuxeCafe proudly brewing Starbucks Coffee

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OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

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bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

TRIBUTE

Jerry Cozby A Hall of Famer Remembered by Maria Gus Jerry Cozby was a master of the game. He was the PGA National Professional of the Year, the PGA South Central Section Professional of the Year, inducted into the section Hall of Fame, the PGA of America Hall of Fame, and the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame in 2016.

were many deals secured at the golf course. Jerry tried to do his part to make sure it was a class act from the moment they stepped out of their car until they left. More than one time, people would come in and bring guests and say, “This is the best kept secret in Oklahoma!” That was the work of Jerry Cozby.

Jerry Cozby, however, was also a master of the game of life. He was strong, true, and filled with integrity. Certainly he had days that were better than others, but his center and compass was his incredible drive. His drive not only helped him develop and grow Hillcrest Country Club, but also built a true legacy that covers so much more than golf.

Jerry Cozby also volunteered his time with what was then The Boys Club and made sure his children knew that life was more than the country club. He believed firmly in posting your score and walking away. When you do well people will know by the score, not because you told them.

Jerry met his Wife, Karole, when she was a freshman, and he was a senior at Lamar University. In Karole, Cozby had no doubt he met his match. Cozby immediately told Karole Stanley that he was a golfer. She replied, “I’m a golfer, too!” Somewhat surprised he responded, “you are?” Karole said the rest was history. Cozby then told Stanley that he was from Odessa, Texas. When she told him she was from Houston and didn’t know where Odessa was, he responded, “Well, I’m from Texas, you’re from Houston.” Honest, confident, and direct, that was Jerry Cozby. Bartlesville knows Cozby best for his role as head professional at Hillcrest Country Club, a position he held for 41 years. Cozby was a Bartlesville legend. He could talk to the CEO pulling in a multi-million dollar salary with the same ease that he could speak to the guy loading clubs in the golf cart. He lived to serve others. Jerry’s sons, Cary, Craig, and Chance, all went on to have successful careers in golf of their own. The Cozbys are woven into the fabric of Oklahoma golf and the legacy of the senior Cozby is his incredible dedication to serve his community. Cozby’s efforts to make Hillcrest Country Club a top notch golf course not only helped those that played there, it contributed to the brand of Bartlesville. “Jerry thought he could help develop Hillcrest and the course into something to be really proud of,” said Karole Cozby. “There

“My dad never told me he was competitive. He didn’t have to,” said Cary Cozby, the oldest of the three Cozby boys. “Even if it was the four of us, he was trying to beat us, and we were trying to beat him. I think that drive wasn’t just on the course, it was in his career and providing for his family. It was how he did everything.” “I remember beating him for the first time and how proud he was that I did, even though he did not want to get beat,” recalls middle son Craig. At Cozby’s funeral, Craig fondly recalled that his dad was always about the weather, and what that really meant was he wanted to protect his family. “And if I’m like my dad, I’m okay with that.” Youngest son Chance shared a recent dream. “I was playing golf, and he appeared out of nowhere. He had his weight back, was wearing a traditional bucket hat with a golf shirt and khakis. He smiled and gave me a hug and asked me how I was doing, then told me he was just “checking in.” Maybe that was his way of confirming to me that he is watching over his family from above, although I had zero doubt.” His memorial service was understated like Jerry. “He would not have wanted a big deal at all,” said Karole. “What we did on the golf course was the most incredible tribute to Jerry that we could have had.” Above all else, it was family for Jerry Cozby. Everything he did was to give his family more. He was proud of them but he was not one to brag. Only post his score. OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

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OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

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Moxie On Second is a one-stop shop for unique gifts, apparel, items to make you smile, and many Oklahoma-made products. Check out our store or follow us on Facebook for info on our Christmas Crawl, October 23rd and 25th.

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bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

LOOKING BACK SPONSOR

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OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

LOOKING BACK

Check Your Weapons at the Gate

The History of Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunion by Kay Little, Little History Adventures The renowned annual Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunion held at Woolaroc started as two parties. The first annual FP Ranch Wild West Show was held on September 1, 1926, behind the Woolaroc Lodge. All the guests were dressed in cowboy fashion. Most of the stars were members of Frank and Jane Phillips’ family and their close friends. The show featured a performance by Billie, the trick goat, who was the only goat in the world who took daily Turkish baths and beauty clay treatments. Old Settler and Cyclone Clark were scheduled to be riders in the show until the leaders realized they could not stay on their horses, so they changed their act to fancy roping. Grif Graham, a former area sheriff and Frank’s right hand man, was the Australian whip cracker. Chief Woolaroc and his bride, Minnie Littledear, who were actually Paul McIntyre and Jane Phillips, presented a modern Indian stomp dance. The family cowboy party was such a hit that the Phillips wanted to have a picnic to thank the people who had helped them get their game preserve started. Many of the cowboys in the area had helped Frank bring in 120 head of buffalo and helped get rid of unwanted predators. So, in May 1927, Frank and Jane invited 200 people to a huge picnic at the FP Ranch, including

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

several cowboys, their families, and many local dignitaries. Guests stayed all day and into the evening. The menu included an abundance of BBQ, many trimmings, and ice-cold lemonade. Peg-legged fiddler Henry Hall provided the music for several years. This party was called the Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunion. At the party, a “Kangaroo Court’ collected money, using trumped up charges and fines against the guests. The money was then used to buy a cowboy hat for Frank, as a thank you for the party. Frank really liked the name given to the party, and he started planning an actual Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunion. In 1929, 300 guests attended the CTOR, some of them actual cow thieves, train robbers, and lawmen. Just as Frank had held the earlier parties to thank his friends, he wanted to thank some of the outlaws. Frank previously loaned money to some of the outlaws, including Henry Starr. He felt that the outlaws would repay the loans and he was right. Of course, much of that money was probably from other bank robberies. Because of the loans, Frank’s bank was never robbed. Henry Wells was another outlaw with whom Frank had a special relationship. Frank invited him to poker games and dinner

LOOKING BACK parties. He eventually hired Wells to work at the front gate. Wells and some of his friends would sometimes “rob” the guests of their fancy jewelry and money at the front gate. The guests would be so outraged when they arrived at the Lodge. When they expressed their anger to Frank, he would just laugh and point to the table, with all their “stolen” belongings. As you can tell, Frank loved pulling pranks on his friends. Wells had also warned Frank that Pretty Boy Floyd was going to kidnap the grandchildren and shoot his way into Woolaroc. Frank had the family stay at Woolaroc after an attempted kidnapping and then hired several men to guard the front gate. Floyd did try to storm the gate, but was met with much gunfire, so he turned around and never came back! This party was Frank’s way of saying thank you. He did have two rules — ALL weapons had to be checked at the gate and the lawmen were not allowed to arrest anyone. In the morning, the outlaws were allowed to leave hours before the lawmen. The last original CTOR was held in 1930, with over 300 guests. It was remembered as the best one. The entertainment and food was great and the First Chance Saloon had plenty of drinks. The most significant event of the day was when Frank’s good friend, Osage Chief Fred Lookout, honored Frank as the first white man to be named Chief. Lookout presented Frank with a horse, blanket, single eagle feather, and headdress. Frank was so proud and humbled. In 2006, a group of people who love Woolaroc decided to revive the Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunion as a fundraiser and to show people the beauty and fun of Woolaroc. A big difference is that there are no outlaws. It is now an annual event with up to 900 people in attendance. The party is held on the same grounds as the original parties, with lots of food, drink, music, dancing, and art to purchase. It boasts true Old West friendship, which would make Frank proud.

Many of the renovations at the lodge, museum, and grounds are accomplished using the money raised at CTOR. Today, the party is advertised as the “best damn party in the state of Oklahoma!” One Bartian who attended every CTOR from its beginnings until shortly before his death was Richard “Dick” Kane. When he was just 10 years old, in 1928, his mother made him dress up for the party, which he did not like because all the other children were in play clothes. Fast forward to May 2010, a year after he died, and we see that Woolaroc dedicated a bronze of young Dick dressed as he was in the photo from the 1928 CTOR. This way, he is still at every Reunion. Dick was a fixture at the reunions. He loved to dance and was usually the last one off the dance floor. He was known for being an encourager, a gentleman, a giver, quick to forgive, and lover of history — which included Woolaroc. Unfortunately, CTOR will not be held this year because of Covid restrictions, but look for it to be back in 2021 as great as ever. ~ Thank you to Bartlesville Area History Museum and Woolaroc for the photos. OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

918.333.8225

Making life work is our life’s work. • Skilled nursing

• Medical social work

• Personal care, hygiene

• Physical therapy

• Transportation

• Companionship

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NOW YOU KNOW

The Phillips Family – From Humble Beginnings by Debbie Neece, Bartlesville Area History Museum

Ohio born, Lewis “Lew” Franklin Phillips was the son of Daniel and Marilla (Standish) Phillips. About 1856, the Phillips family relocated to a farm near Des Moines where Marilla became the school teacher for her own children and the children in the area of their Iowa country home.

sor and county judge, and helped found the town of Scotia, where their son Frank was born in 1873…their only Nebraska born child.

Thunder was rumbling and talk of Civil War filled the air. At just 17 years of age, the war took Lew as a boy and sent him home a man. At the close of the war, Lew returned to Iowa and became a farmer and carpenter. On July 3, 1867 he and Lucinda Josephine Faucett were married at Des Moines and they parented ten children: Etta, Mary Jane, Frank, Lee Eldas, Edward, Wiate, Waite, Nellie, Fred and Lura.

There came a dusty cloud of devouring Rocky Mountain locust that devastated everything Lew’s sweat equity had planted. Noted in Nebraska history as a “plague of biblical proportions,” the storm of grasshoppers left nothing in its wake. Beyond eating crops to the roots, the creatures invaded homes and ate clothes off the backs of pioneers. The crunched grasshopper bodies left an Lucinda Phillips oily substance on every surface including train tracks which prevented escaping the insanity of the insatiable gnawing jaws and roaring flapping wings. The trains just couldn’t get traction on the oily tracks.

Lewis Phillips in the Civil War 40

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Shortly after their second daughter was born in 1871, the Phillipses relocated to Nebraska seeking opportunities under the Homestead Act. After clearing their land and building a log home, Lew Phillips helped organize Nebraska’s Greeley County where he served as tax asses-

Faced with a polluted water supply, tainted livestock and very little food supply, the Phillips’ family goods were packed into their oxen-pulled covered wagon for the 260-mile trip back to Iowa. About a year after they settled in Conway, six year old Etta

NOW YOU KNOW

The Phillips Brothers at Woolaroc

became gravely ill with diphtheria. In 1875, Etta died just three days shy of her seventh birthday and was buried at Gravity, IA. The pain of the loss was still fresh when Lee Eldas was born the following year (1876) and Edward joined the growing Phillips brood in 1879. Delivering twins without complications was a miracle in 1883, but healthy Wiate and Waite were born January 19, followed by Nellie (1886), Fred (1889) and last but not least Lura (1892).

Seven years later, Jennie suffered an incapacitating stroke, died on January 13, 1943 and was laid to rest in Washington Cemetery, Gravity, Iowa. Frank Phillips was an apprentice barber at fourteen years of age and after working in Colorado a short time, settled in Creston where he worked at Tucker’s Barber Shop, which he later owned along with all other barber shops in Creston. Townsfolk said Frank liked to dress sharply and the barber attire suited him well. In 1897, Frank married Jane Gibson, daughter of Creston banker John Gibson who enticed his son-in-law to join him in the financial business. Frank and Jane became parents of John Gibson Phillips (1898) at Creston and later became foster parents for Mary Francis Phillips and Sara Jane Phillips.

Mary Jane Phillips, known to friends and family as “Jennie,” was a seamstress who married Roy William Coan in 1900. She was a highlight in the Des Moines Tribune society pages as the hostess of the Congenial Embroidery Club, Entre Nous Club and DMC Crochet Club luncheons. The Coans did not bare children but focused their attention on the operation of Phillips Family the Coan Grocery in Gravity, Iowa Word of the oil boom in Indian for about seven years. Roy became employed as an assistant Territory spread fast so Frank and John Gibson traveled to manager at Phillips Petroleum Company from which he later Bartlesville to verify the situation in 1903. They found amazing retired. In 1936, the couple traveled to New Orleans where they financial possibilities and returned to Creston long enough for set sail on the SS Santa Marta for a three week vacation to the Frank to pack a bag and contact his brother Lee Eldas to join West Indies, South America and through the Panama Canal. him. OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

NOW YOU KNOW Lee Eldas “L.E.” Phillips was a “puritan at heart. Work was required for financial gain but his need for gain over his needs was not the goal. During his educational years, L.E. was a member of the Anchor Club which produced lifelong friendships. Although his short teaching career was at best challenging, selling insurance proved to be a greater challenge and coal mining was a disaster. In Lee Eldas Phillips November 1902, he married Miss Lenora “Node” Carr, once a postmistress turned piano teacher. The couple became the parents of Philip Rex, Lee Eldas Jr. and Martha Jane Phillips. L.E. died in 1944 and Lenora in 1966, both are resting in Memorial Park Cemetery, Bartlesville.

This was the beginning of what became the Phillips Petroleum Company empire. More on that after we meet the rest of the family.

Frank and L.E. traveled to Bartlesville, I.T. and with the support of family and friends, the two young men established Anchor Oil Company. After drilling three dry wells, the two entrepreneurs established the Citizen’s Bank and Trust. Times were hard and with just enough money to drill one more well, the Anna Anderson #1, in northwestern Washington County, proved profitable.

After the death of his twin brother, Waite wondered aimlessly for a period of time. He became employed at his brother-in-law’s Coan Grocery in Gravity for a short time. Then, through the uplifting support of his family, he enrolled in business school and became an accountant for Hawkeye Coal Company of Iowa, operated by brothers Frank and L.E. In 1906, Waite traveled to

Edward Esleigh Phillips was an Okmulgee oil producer. He married Christa Anna Beveridge September 1902 at Gravity and shortly thereafter moved to Okmulgee where Ed became employed at the Okmulgee Loan and Trust Company. By 1915, brothers Frank and Waite helped Ed establish the Okemah Abstract & Title Company in Okemah. Before retirement, Ed also was vice president of Waite Phillips Oil Company and president of Iowa Oil Company. Ed and Anna were parents of Mildred, Lewis Darrell, Dorothy, Josephine and Robert S. Phillips. Ed died in Okmulgee in 1952 and Anna followed in 1964. Both are buried in the Okmulgee Cemetery. Waite and Wiate Phillips were identical twins with restless spirits who rode trains to unplanned destinations where they sought work to fund their next adventure. They worked in the Colorado mines, laid railroad track, cowboy ranching, anything that would pay. They were inseparable, except by death. While in Spokane, Washington, a burst appendix claimed Wiate’s life, July 16, 1902. At just 19 years of age, Wiate was escorted home where he was buried at Gravity, Iowa near his sister Etta who had died in 1875.

Waite and Wiate Phillips

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

NOW YOU KNOW

Phillips Tower in Bartlesville, OK

Indian Territory and became an independent oil producer. Then, in 1909, he married Genevieve Elliott, the daughter of an Iowa banker. Shortly thereafter, their children, Helen Jane and Elliot Waite “Chope” Phillips joined their family. Waite and Genevieve lived their later years from their Bel-Air, California mansion where he died in 1964 and she followed in 1979. They were laid to rest in the Phillips Mausoleum at the Westwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles after their services were conducted at the very chapel Marilyn Monroe’s service had been conducted in 1962. Nellie Phillips married Ellis Ray Walker in 1908 and they became the parents of Darlene, Leoma, Lewis, Waite, Gwendolyn and Lura Esther Walker. Lura died in infancy. The Walkers farmed near Gravity, IA throughout their married lives and joined each other in the Washington Cemetery at Gravity, Ray in 1947 and Nellie in 1964. Fred Phillips married Alma Stine and resided in Okmulgee when their children Jacque, Geraldine and Bill Dwight Phillips were born. Fred briefly worked for his brothers, Frank and Waite, before joining Gypsy Oil Company’s scouting department and the Iowa Oil Company. He then became the president of Reserve Oil Company until it was taken over by Atlantic Refining. At that time,

he became a four-state independent oil operator until his retirement. Fred died in 1968 followed by Alma in 1974, both in Tulsa. Lura Phillips shared her birthdate with older brother, Frank, November 28. She married Johnson Davis Hill in 1916 and moved to Tulsa in 1923. Mr. Hill was the chairman of the executive committee at Atlas Life Insurance Company in Tulsa. Lura was very active in the Trinity Episcopal Church and the 20th Century Club. The couple became parents to John Davis, Jr., Lewis Kimball and Robert Burns Hill. Resting in the El Dorado Springs Missouri Cemetery, Johnson Hill Sr. died in 1977 and Lura followed him in 1991 as the last survivor of Lew and Lucinda Phillips’ ten children. Phillips Petroleum Company was incorporated in 1917 and is most recognized with Frank Phillips for his outgoing spirit and business direction; however, at one point or another, others in the family helped the company grow. L.E. was the silent partner who had the organizational and accounting skills to forward the business but preferred to not be in the limelight. Waite had been watching his older brothers, learned well and became quite prosperous. It was to Waite’s benefit that he often clashed with Frank, for the friction spurred Waite to develop his own fortune. The Waite Phillips Oil Company and the Independent Oil and Gas Company, which he owned, was later sold and merged with Phillips Petroleum in 1930. OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

NOW YOU KNOW He served the Oklahoma Bankers Association, American Bankers Association and Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank. During World War I, he served on the Oklahoma State Council of Defense and Red Cross and Liberty Loan campaigns. Then, in 1934, he removed his hats as Phillips Petroleum Company vice president, general manager and executive committee chairman to enter retirement and enjoy the south Bartlesville Philson Farm he and his son, Philip R. Phillips, created. L.E. and Nodie Phillip’s daughter, Martha Jane Phillips, married John Wilbur “Twink” Starr and they resided in Kansas City where they were active in civic and social circles. Beyond donating funding assistance to help establish the Bartlesville Area History Museum, Martha Jane Phillips Starr and her husband have left an outstanding philanthropic legacy in Kansas City.

Lee Eldas Phillips Family

From the Phillips family’s humble Iowa beginnings, fortunes have been won and generous legacies remain. Beyond the Phillips Petroleum Company, Frank will be remembered for his philanthropic jesters toward children, churches and members of the community. During the Great Depression, Frank and Jane invested in Bartlesville by building their Cherokee Avenue mansion and their Osage County ranch, Woolaroc. To their tribute, Bartlesville celebrated Frank’s 66th birthday in grand parade fashion, named Frank Phillips Blvd. and Jane Phillips housing addition, and built Jane Phillips Hospital. L.E. Phillips was not just the co-founder of Phillips Petroleum Company and the Citizens Bank and Trust; he wore many “hats.”

Waite Phillips proved himself an oil baron and humbly believed in sharing generously…with his family and with causes dear to his heart. His lifelong dream was to become a rancher, so in the 1920s, he purchased three hundred thousand acres near Cimarron, NM with the goal of creating the best cattle ranch in the state. Nearly half of his ranch became the Philmont Boy Scout Ranch and their Edward Delk inspired Villa Philmonte home became the BSA training center. In addition, Waite and Genevieve Phillips left a large Tulsa legacy; their Tulsa mansion became the Philbrook Museum of Art, they built and donated the Gilcrease Museum, and they built the Philtower and Philcade buildings in downtown Tulsa. Villa Philmonte, Philbrook, Philtower and Philcade have been placed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

Did You Know?

And in 1936, Waite Phillips donated $100,000 (1.9 million today) to St. John Hospital in Tulsa in memory of Wiate Phillips. The philanthropic gifts of the Phillips’ family began when Frank and L.E. Phillips stepped off the train with a pocket of dreams. From that day, oil and money flowed throughout the family. Today, their American dream has left an outstanding legacy. Waite’s Villa, Philmonte 44

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Captain Miles Standish traveled to America with the Pilgrims on the Mayflower. The Lew Phillips children were ninth generation descendants of Miles Standish, in line with their grandparents, Daniel and Marilla (Standish) Phillips. The ten Phillips children were thrilled to boast of their kinship with the Mayflower and later Frank and L.E. Phillips named one of their 80+ oil companies Standish Oil. Now You Know *

schedule your next tour, wedding, & event Visit the 26-room home of oil pioneer, Frank Phillips, in historic downtown Bartlesville. Call today to reserve your event date or schedule a tour.

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

ENTERTAINMENT

A Big Hit! Despite Pandemic, Organizers Pleased with 2020 OKM

Normally held in June each year, OKM postponed and reformatted its 36th annual festival due to the coronavirus pandemic. Although the festival was reformatted down to two virtual concerts online and a socially distanced in-person concert, OKM’s festival leaders are exchanging air high fives after pushing forward through a challenging year. “It has been a difficult year for the arts everywhere, but the staff and board of OKM persisted to bring music to our community, even if it was online through social media”, said Ryan Martin, OKM’s marketing director. The festival saw huge numbers on Tina Guo’s, Dallas String Quartet’s, and OKM’s social platforms during its 36th season. “During Tina Guo’s livestream performance, we had well over 25,000 views between OKM’s and Guo’s Facebook and YouTube platforms. It was very exciting to virtually connect with her fans all over the world during the concert,” said Martin.

ance was moved indoors to the Bartlesville Community Center due to weather. To ensure everyone’s safety at the Bartlesville Community Center, OKM followed the CDC, federal, state, and local health guidelines by encouraging facial coverings, checking temperatures, handing out personal hand sanitizers, having ample hand sanitizing stations available, as well as spreading guests out in the BCC auditorium. For guests that weren’t comfortable attending in-person, OKM partnered with the Bartlesville Monthly Magazine by offering a Facebook livestream online of the September 10 performance. “We had hundreds, if not thousands, of out-of-town guests attend our performances online. We had viewers from different areas of the country, such as Tennessee, Colorado, Texas, and California, to name a few. Globally, we had guests join

OKM from Germany, the U.K., and even Sweden. OKM truly is an international festival, and we are proud to continue this tradition each year,” said Mary Lynn Mihm, OKM’s chairman of the board. OKM leaders are now busy planning year-round events, such as a virtual Oktoberfest, virtual Christkindl Market, and of course the big summer festival in 2021. “OKM certainly hopes for another 36 years of music festivals. However, this can only be possible with the support of the city, the chamber of commerce, the art community, tourism, schools, local businesses, and most importantly — the citizens of Bartlesville. We hope that support continues and grows going forward. The arts are important to a community. They provide a quality of life that has a ripple effect on economics, community pride, education, and uniting citizens,” said Mihm.

OKM Music took place September 5, 6, and 10, 2020 with Tina Guo and Dallas String Quartet performing virtual online performances and the Clark Gibson Quintet and Balsam Range performing a socially distanced concert. Originally scheduled for the new Tower Center at Unity square, the September 10 performOCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK

by Jay Webster Is it over? Did we get through the election yet? Oh good gawd, there’s still a month left? Please make it stop! America is like a divorced family where we’re all being forced to decide which parent we’re going to live with. Republican dad got Jesus and guns in the separation, while Democrat mom got science and the good music. And we’re all getting the shaft. As Simon and Garfunkel say: Laugh about it, shout about it When you've got to choose Ev'ry way you look at it, you lose Most people identify our area of the country as the “Bible Belt.” Depending on who you are, you either celebrate or cringe when you hear that. It depends on the day for me. As “Belters” (can I call us that?), we really shouldn’t be all that surprised by the infighting. I mean, sure we have that whole love your neighbor and treat them the way you want to be treated thing, but that’s mostly for the neighbors from our political party. And yes, Jesus calls us to be peacemakers and slow to speak and quick to listen and on and on … (Frankly, it’s too much.) But it’s divisions where men are made!

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

In fact, the first recorded conflict was between two brothers in the Garden of Eden. Cain was vegetarian and wanted more diversity … in his family. Able ate meat, smoked, and burned fossil fuels. Things got testy. “Dad always did like you better, you entitled little brown-noser. By the way, you’re killing the garden with your non-renewable energy!” Who knows, maybe there were years of back and forths and tit for tats. “You smell like patchouli.” “Really? Well, your wife is a cow. I mean literally a cow!” And thus the law of an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth (and insult for insult) was established. Eventually of course, Cain had his fill and took Able out to the pasture where he found he wasn’t so hard-headed after all. Unfortunately for us, the pattern was already set: when someone insults you, you insult them back. When someone hurts you, you retaliate. Now history is littered with conflicts, sometimes decades long and multi-generations deep of recycled hostility: Montague and Capulets, Hatfields and McCoys, the Irish and the English, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks … it goes on and on. And, for all of these conflicts, a script has been written — like a care-

FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK fully choreographed pro-wrestling match we don’t even know we’re a part of. It starts with a provocation — a “them” says or does something inflammatory. Then the spotlight hits the “us.” How are we going to respond? Well, here’s your line according to the script; you say or do something equally as damaging + 1. The escalation begins. Do you know the term “trolling?” In recent years, the term has come to reference “deliberately posting inflammatory, irrelevant, or offensive comments” online in the hopes of snagging gullible adversaries (or celebrities or politicians or anyone else willing to bite). The idea is, knowing how “the script” works, the target will have no option (unless they exercise extreme selfcontrol) but to be entangled in some online feud (for which they are most likely underarmed). Then the provocateur will show them for the idiot they are. It’s a trick. But you know what’s truly impressive? Flipping the script. These are the people who receive an insult but somehow have the personal courage and/or grace not to retaliate; that is … not to take the bait. (Do you know how maddening that is for the troller?) In many cases where the script calls for them to respond with a like insult, instead they choose to ignore initial remarks — or even more diabolical — they commend or compliment the original offender instead. What the filth?! Can you imagine if that happened in our current political landscape? It’s hard, but try and visualize the president calling out the head of the opposing party. It’ll take some work but you’ll get there. Here, I’ll help: President: “Look, Representative Blank is a sick puppy in my opinion. They really are. They’ve got a lot of problems. And they’re dragging this country down with their socialist policies.”

not? Or that my wit is faster than theirs? In the end, is anyone’s mind going to be changed? Will we have made any forward progress? No, but there’s a very good chance that the lines of communication will be severed. I will just be fueling an unresolvable conflict. For me, the script rule doesn’t just apply to politics. It’s in my relationships. How many fights with my family would cease if I chose not to engage? Or what about that annoying uncle who is always baiting you? It’s no fun to “shadow box” for most people. They want an opponent. If you don’t get in the ring, what’s left for them? Flipping the script and refusing to play your role is the shortest way to preserving your energy (and your mind) for the things that matter. On the other hand, going along with the script ensures frustration, fatigue, suspicion of the “other side,” and general unhappiness. “A gentle answer turns away wrath,” but it also saves lives. Starting with our own. Once again I’ve found our little therapy session here very helpful. I feel better. You know, you’re a really good listener. And, I don’t mean this in any kind of romantic way, but you’re not bad looking either. Thanks for hanging around. I’m sure October will be a scary month for a lot of reasons, but maybe we “Belters” don’t have to let it get the best of us. (Yeah, I’m not sure the name is going to stick either, but sometimes you don’t know until you try.) Either way, I like you. I’ll see you here next month. Cheers, my friends.

Then the senator should say (according to the script) that the President is a no-good, so-and-so and such-and-such; and we’d have weeks of tit for tat that would distract and divide us as a country. But what happens if the senator flips the script? What happens if instead they respond, “I’m sure the president feels frustrated as I do that this issue hasn’t been resolved for the American people. And, while we may disagree on the details, I know both parties are committed to the best interests of this country. I’m looking forward to working with him for a solution on this.” Who looks like the villain and who looks like the saint? More than that, where can the argument go? Sure, the president can (and likely would) try to double down, but if he’s met with the cool dampness of humility, the fire once again has no fuel. The tennis match is over. There’s a reason it’s said that the meek shall inherit the Earth. But it takes strength and courage to play the “long game.” Do you know how many posts I’ve written just to delete them? Sometimes I have to write them down just to get them out of my brain. Otherwise, I will stew in my fantasy conversations and comebacks for hours. I could easily say things that would cut me off from friends or family members. I could alienate and divide … and for what? Just to prove that I’m right and they’re

OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

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OUT & ABOUT

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ON THE OSAGE

Barefoot & Barbeque Down to Business in Skiatook, Music Capital of the Osage by Kelly Bland I knew it was going to be a good visit when one of the first things she asked was if she could take her shoes off. It was the first time Julie Sneed Womack, from Skiatook, Oklahoma, had been to my home. She was coming to be my guest on an Osaginâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; It podcast episode where we were going to talk about her book, Tea with Isabel. Now women, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll understand this â&#x20AC;&#x201D; when a woman makes you feel at home in your own home â&#x20AC;&#x201D; thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a friend. And so, the visit began â&#x20AC;Ś barefooted and bold conversation â&#x20AC;&#x201D; now where else can you get a combination like that? đ&#x;&#x2DC;&#x2030; Skiatook seems quickly to be on its way to becoming a creative conduit for authors, artists, and musicians. Julie and her family recently moved here from California â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and in her novel, she made Skiatook and Osage County the setting for her story â&#x20AC;&#x201D; even though she was writing it while still living in California! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no wonder, if you have ever been out to Lake Skiatook where the waters turn a beautiful shade of pink at sunset amidst the breath-taking Osage Hills, that Skiatook would be appealing. Cross Timbers Marina at the lake is quickly becoming the playground for the rich and famous with their secluded location, boat and watercraft rentals, top-notch marina, restaurant with scenic views, and outstanding hospitality. On another note, music has also long been in the veins of Skiatook. The airport there was once named after Hee Hawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Roy Clark and Ronnie Dunn of Brooks and Dunn actually lived in Skiatook as a teenager. Today, Skiatook is tapping into those roots and distinguishing itself as The Music Capital of the Osage. During the summer months, in Central Park on Rogers Boulevard, live music is on deck along with food trucks and vendors at the monthly Third Thursday in the Park event. Additionally, at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pioneer Days celebration in Skiatook, Gracee Shriver of The Voice performed live!! Shriver was Kelly Clarksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top pick on the popular TV show. So, it should come as no surprise that Skiatook is also the home of the annual Tallgrass Music Festival. The Tallgrass Music Festival brings the best of the best in Bluegrass entertainment to Osage County every year at the Skiatook Sports Complex. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s festival will take place October 16-17 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free! Hear Springstreet, The Baker Family, and more while you enjoy an afternoon and evening of entertainment sure to get your toes tapping and your hands clapping â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in Skiatook! Now, I would be amiss if I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mention before getting back to Julie, that Skiatook is also home to Macâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Barbeque â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which was one of Southern Living Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pick for Top BBQâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in the South! A visit to Skiatook just isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t complete until you live like a local and dine at Oklahomaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s BEST barbeque restaurant!

Back to Julie. Did I mention she brought scones? They were wonderful as we sat in my kitchen with heels kicked off, enjoying girl talk, and recording the latest podcast episode. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re invited to kick off your shoes, pull up the pod, and join us as we visit about the plot of Tea with Isabel, about being brave enough to go for your dreams â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a little of what Julie sees in Osage County, and what is out there on the horizon. To get a copy of her novel, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s available on Amazon and in Osage County at The Buckinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Flamingo in Pawhuska, the Osage County Historical Society Museum, and at Wilsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tall Chief Store at Lake Skiatook. Yâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;all come see us in one of the prettiest counties in all of Oklahoma where #TheSmilesAreAlwaysFree. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never meet a stranger â&#x20AC;&#x201D; just friends and neighbors â&#x20AC;&#x201D; because thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the way we like it. đ&#x;&#x2DC;&#x160; Check out the Osaginâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; It podcast on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, and more. For more information on Skiatook and all of our communities in the Osage, download the free Visit the Osage app or pull us up online at VisitTheOsage.com. Hope to see yâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;all in the Osage soon! OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

Sandra Brown, Administrator

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bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

ANNUAL EVENTS

Chamber Honors Locals Recipients Receive Awards at 116th Annual Gala by Mike Wilt

The Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce held its 116th Annual Awards and Gala on August 20 and seven very deserving recipients were honored. Patriot Auto Group was named Business of the Year. Owner Tatton Manning officially launched Patriot in March of 2014. Since then, Patriot has added five more locations to now include two in Bartlesville, two in Ardmore, and one in both Chandler and McAlester. Locally, Patriot has supported Freedom Fest, Christmas in the Ville, a wide variety of extracurricular activities for students of all ages, and meals during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Since 2017, Patriot has given away a new car to the Student of the Year during Bartlesville’s Night of Scholars event. Winning the Small Business of the Year award was bMonthly Magazine. Current owner Brian Engel and managers Christy and Keith McPhail took over in April of 2017. Since then, printed copies have increased from 3,500 to 12,000 with subscriptions in 14 states. Readership is estimated to be 20,000 with 2,000 online readers. The number of contracted contributors has grown from six to 18, and pages have increased from 36 to 84 this past August. Phillips 66 was bestowed the Frank Phillips Award, which began in 1999 as a way to honor an individual or company for outstanding contributions to Bartlesville’s economic and community development efforts. Phillips 66 currently has approximately 1,800 Bartlesvillebased employees. In addition to the obvious economic contributions, local employees last year volunteered over 22,000 hours at local non-profits. Other activities annually include the Bartlesville Science Fair, Bartlesville Energy Days, and Operation: Clean House. Many employees serve on boards for the Chamber, United Way, Jane Phillips Medical Center, the Frank Phillips Foundation, Bartlesville Public Schools, and countless other organizations.

In addition to generously providing funding for a wide variety of non-profits, Phillips 66 has financially supported STEM education and, this, year provided funds and equipment as part of COVID-19 relief efforts. The Jim Gillie Outstanding Citizen Award went to Doug Quinn. Some sixteen years ago, Quinn and a handful of like-minded people worked tirelessly to make The Journey Home a reality. It is the state’s only hospice house outside of the two metro areas. Quinn has also volunteered his time at Elder Care, Comforting Hands Hospice, and Cornerstone Hospice, and he has helped raise funds for the local SPCA’s new facility. Bartlesville City Manager Mike Bailey received the Tom Shoemake Leadership Award. Bailey began working for the City of Bartlesville in 2005. In 2015, he was instrumental in leading a rather thankless effort to moderately increase the city’s sales tax in order to maintain vital city services. He later worked to ensure passage of a General Obligation Bond Issue election and successful contract negotiations with police and fire. After he stepped into his present role in 2018, he worked to secure a water supply contract, which was signed this past August. And he definitely has faced some tough decisions in 2020. The Jake Bartles Award went to Brennen Bissinger of The Journey Home for her tireless involvement as a Chamber Advocate. Bissinger was lauded for connecting with members, being a champion of the Chamber, and inviting others to Chamber events. The Young Professionals named Katie Boatright as this year’s recipient of the Rising Star Award, which is given to an active member of the organization who exhibits outstanding leadership skills through integrity and professionalism. In addition to unveiling the seven award winners, the Chamber also recognized graduates of Leadership Bartlesville Class XIX. OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

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TRIBUTE

Remembering Don Cone Paying Tribute to a Quintessential Good Neighbor by Todd Cone Don Cone, adoring husband, intentional father, and consummate “neighbor” in the Bartlesville Community, left us on August 23, 2020. A friend consoled, “What a gigantic loss to your family as well as our city. Your dad was such an important contributor to the fabric of our community, the last of a generation that truly invests in community.” Reflecting on God’s admonition to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received,” I believe Dad’s calling was to love Jesus and love others — he was a huge success at both. Dad loved Jesus. He was an active member of First Baptist Church, serving as a deacon, training union leader, Sunday school director, and leading music in Bartlesville and Dewey. Jesus was also at the center of everything he did and part of our conversations, our home, and our lives. Another friend reflected, “He was a remarkable man who walked in the love of Christ.” Dad loved my mom. It’s one thing to maintain a public persona of love for your wife, but you can’t fake it at home with your kids watching 24/7. Dad treated Mom like a very special lady. In Don and Carol Ann’s almost 55 years of marriage, I never heard Dad raise his voice at Mom even once. They had disagreements, but he was always respectful, devoted, and even doting. And he expected his kids to treat mom in the same way, with respect and love. Dad loved his kids. He loved us by loving our mom, making us feel safe, and providing. Most of all he loved us by spending enormous amounts of time with us. Dad wanted us home for family dinners, which started with prayer and usually ended with one of us, including Dad, being sent away from the table by Mom for laughing too much or being silly. Dad was at our ball games, piano and dance performances, school activities, everything. Whether helping with a paper route or taking us on trips, Dad spent time with us. Dad loved his neighbors. A familiar verse for us suggests, “The entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” When Jesus was pressed, “and who is my neighbor?” He answered, anyone who needs mercy is our neighbor. Jesus had a very broad definition of neighbor.

or Woolaroc, serving meals, driving people for OK Mozart, working Freedom Fest, ushering at the community center, volunteering with Jaycees and Kiwanis, serving as president of Bartlesville Little League, or taking “neighbors” to doctor appointments. He donated 15 gallons of blood to the Red Cross. Dad might be the most volunteering person I’ve ever known. One friend wrote: “We shall miss his charm, wit, and character. He leaves a great legacy in his family and the organizations he helped build and hold together for several decades.” Dad’s reach was not limited to Bartlesville. A Swiss friend from dad and mom’s travels wrote: We knew about his volunteering and his proudness about his family. To us Don was a very special person, a real gentleman . . . Don was American as apple pie.

Dad’s definition was extraordinarily broad. And, he clearly loved his neighbors — not merely with words, but with actions. We don’t recall Dad saying “no” when asked to help. “I think I can do that” or “I’d be glad to” were standard responses. Dad, a milMy dad was an amazing example of loving Jesus, loving family, itary veteran, never hesitated to and loving others. His shoes are help others, lending his truck, probably too big to fill, but, as Mr. “I hope you are proud of yourself for the times you’ve helping paint, mowing lawns, volRogers did every day, I’ll try putsaid ‘yes,’ when all it meant was extra work for you and unteering at Sooner Junior, Red ting on one shoe at a time. was seemingly helpful to somebody else.” Cross, or Frank Phillips Mansion — Mr. Rogers. Well done Dad. OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

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MEET YOUR WRITER

Lori Roll

Popular Writer Always Full of Interesting Information by Tim Hudson When you talk to Lori Roll it’s like taking a journey, as the interesting stuff just keeps coming. Every minute or two there’s an interesting rabbit hole, and you don’t even have time to explore them all. Sample Lori interview answers: “And I lived in Maine for a while ... When I was in DC I got to interview Henry Kissinger, and just a tiny bit intimidating ... I got to see the Kennedys, it was really powerful.” So yeah, you kind of get the idea, and we will get to all of that. In her own words: “I have the honor and privilege of writing about the movers and shakers in our community — the legends. I thought it was important that the living legends in our community be recognized while they were still living. I have gotten to interview a lot of really lovely people who were, and are, instrumental in making our community what it is, such as John Hughes, Fredrick Drummond, Glen Cox, Bob Fraser, Pete Silas, Dick Chain, and Art Gorman. That has been a great privilege” she said. Going back, though, Lori actually grew up in Tulsa but spent her senior year in our fair city, graduating from College High. From there it was on to Tulsa University where she graduated with degrees in public relations and journalism. At that point, she ended up in Washington, D.C., where she was Senator Henry Bellman’s assistant press secretary. “I did a lot of speech writing,” she said. “It was always amazing to be in DC, and I lived up on the hill, which is very different. it was a great place to be a single person, to be young and ride the subways.” From there it was on to the state of Maine for the next 17 years. “Being a girl from Oklahoma, I was ready to get some

wide open spaces again,” she said. “My family called and asked if I could come and help with the family businesses.” That business is the Phoenix Insurance Company, which serves as her current “day job.” She quickly became involved in a variety of things around the city of legends, saying that her mom and dad had been very involved so “it was easy to get plugged in.” That was 18 years ago. In that time, she participated in Leadership Bartlesville and numerous other activities. “It was a family tradition to get involved,” she said. “I had written since I was little, and wrote for several magazines.” She is best known for writing for bmonthly. “I like Illuminating the unusual people and aspects of our community, because Bartlesville is a little gem. There are a lot of people who might not be in the spotlight, and I really enjoy bringing recognition to those people and activities through their story,” she said. “That’s what I’m excited about. I really enjoy learning about people, and helping introduce them and what’s meaningful to them to Bartlesville, because it makes for a richer community.” The writing is not too much to prevent her from participating in a number of community events. “Today I’m teaching a painting class at the Waterworks Art Center in Tulsa, and I also teach at the Bartlesville Art Association. I enjoy doing that and the organizations I work with in Bartlesville,” she said. “I’m really proud of our community. I think we have a lot of unusual people and activities and aspects of our community, and I’m very glad to be a part of it.”

OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

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LOCAL HISTORY

Wayward Son A Look Back at the Life of John G. Phillips Sr. by Lori Roll Often referred to as “Bartlesville’s spoiled rich kid,” John G. Phillips Sr. was his mother’s darling who could do no wrong, and his father’s crushing disappointment. The only son of oil tycoon Frank F. Phillips and Jane G. Phillips, John was born December 9, 1898 in Creston, Iowa. The Phillips family moved from Iowa to Bartlesville in 1905, where Frank built his fame and fortune in the oil and banking businesses. John and his adopted sisters, Sarah Jane and Mary Francis, lived a life of privilege fueled by the family’s wealth, showered with affection and everything money could buy. John attended Garfield School and appeared each Sunday at the Methodist Sunday school in his “Little Lord Fauntleroy” suit. To make up for the time they spent apart, Frank gave John a pair of roller skates and a pony, which he hitched to a fancy buggy for trotting through the neighborhood. However, Frank’s long work hours and trips away from home, and Jane’s doting overprotection of John, was ultimately his undoing.

minating Oil Company and Foster Petroleum Corporation, and Henry Doherty, founder of Cities Service Company. During this time, there was a large group of young executives emerging on the social scene. They called themselves the “Halcyon Club,” although their raucous parties were anything but tranquil. John and Mildred were members of the Halcyon Club, which held memorable costume balls, elaborate dinner parties, poker parties, and impromptu balls with orchestras. During the hot summer months when the wives and children went to cooler climates, the young husbands left behind spent their evenings gambling, drinking, and pursuing unattached young women. John was at the heart of the pack.

Stories of John’s excess were legendary. Like the time “Titanic Thompson,” a dapper hustler and master of pool, blackjack, poker, craps, and golf came to Bartlesville lured by the promise of bilking the new, wealthy executives of Phillips Petroleum. John was an easy target and he ended up losing not only all his cash to Titanic Thompson, but also the home Frank and Jane had gifted him. Frank was enraged. He couldn’t understand a man who would risk his own home, and he couldn’t abide a man who seemed to only be good at losing. Frank bought the home back and put it in John Phillips Jr.’s name, who was six Frank Phillips, left, with his son, John G. Phillips Sr. months old at the time.

John was sent to Hotchkiss, a Connecticut boarding school, at the age of 15. He acquired an affinity for liquor at an early age and became known as a “hell raiser,” which led to his being expelled from Hotchkiss. With the onset of WWI, Jane encouraged John’s engagement and marriage to an educated, attractive young lady named Mildred Beattie, the only child of a prominent banker. They were married March 1, 1917, three months after John turned 19, thereby avoiding military service. He was named assistant secretary treasurer of the newly-formed Phillips Petroleum Company, but his heart was not in the oil business. He worked at various jobs for Phillips, Southwest Radio, U.S. Mortgage and Discount Company, and Southwest Supply Company.

His wife tried to keep him sober, but not even the birth of their daughter, Betty, in 1921 slowed his drinking. With the birth of their son, John Gibson Phillips Jr., in 1925, the family moved to a new residence on Cherokee, a gift from Frank and Jane — conveniently located across the street from their townhouse where they could keep a watchful eye on him. John never finished school, and it was speculated that the communication gap between him and his father, severe depression, and a desire to be someone he wasn’t contributed to his alcoholism. John had many plans and ideas, none of which came to fruition. The Roaring Twenties were in full swing in Bartlesville, with business titans Frank Phillips, H.V. Foster of Indian Territory Illu-

Mildred gave birth to twin boys on December 23, 1929, and they named the boys after their two grandfathers, the late Robert Beattie and Frank Phillips. But the family’s joy was short-lived when Frank Phillips II, the weaker of the twins, died on Christmas Eve, 1929. By 1931 Mildred had grown weary of John’s antics. After their divorce, Mildred stayed in the family house and maintained a good relationship with Frank and Jane. Frank sent John to Bill Brown’s Health Farm in upstate New York for alcoholic recovery, but it wasn’t long before his head was turned by Mary Kate Black, a young widow from South Carolina. They were married Jan. 3, 1933, just 13 months after his divorce. Jane died in 1948 and Frank died in 1950 while on vacation in Atlantic City, NJ. John and Mary Kate were in Colorado Springs when they learned Frank was in poor health after complications of a gallbladder operation. John rushed to be with his father and was by his side when he died. He was devastated by the loss of his parents. Heartbroken, John died of a heart attack at 52 years of age aboard the Queen Mary cruise ship on January 27, 1951, less than five months later. He is entombed in the family mausoleum at Woolaroc. OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

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A FRESH PERSPECTIVE

Fall into Fall

Reflecting on Frank Phillips as We Start Beautiful Season

by Brent Taylor I love this time of year, when the air is crisp and the sun is rising and setting on the centerline of east and west roads. Frank Phillips watched this same sky in the autumn as the moon rose over Woolaroc, thinking about life and time, how it flew by, and how he and Jane were once going to change the world when the world figured out how to use oil for purposes other than illumination. My first visit to Woolaroc happened when a buddy invited me for a Phillips 66 company picnic. I was an outsider, since my parents did not work for Phillips. Even though I’m not a “company man,” I feel a certain pride when I travel west on Highway 60 and then drive back home, descending the hill overlooking the Bartlesville skyline. It is always good to come back home to this familiar place, with its unique history and personality. Frank Phillips embodied what exists in each of us. A love of creating and of creation. He created by building an empire from the rich oil fields of Oklahoma. But the Phillips family also enjoyed the created world — woods, water, hills, and rock. We enjoy the gift of Woolaroc with it’s exotic animals and beautiful natural setting. Our family is also fortunate to live on 12 acres south of town, on property once owned by L.E. Phillips’ son, Phil. Land that Phil Phillips once used to graze herds of cattle and sheep and to support the 4-H program. I had many friends who were members of the 4-H club, and yet I never knew what 4-H stood for, so I looked it up. Each person pledges their head, heart, hands, and health to further the 4-H club, their community, their country, and the world. We could all do well to embrace that notion. Speaking of the land we live on, called Philson Hollow, Karen and I have taken to sitting on the back veranda in the soft evening of late summer while we admire the waxing and waning of the moon over the pond and pastures once grazed by Phillip’s herds. There is something soothing about looking at the moon rather than a digital screen. I once peered at the moon in 1969 as the evening sky gathered the fading day into it’s sulking gray dusk. Neil Armstrong was bouncing about the Sea of Tranquility, planting the American flag and taking small steps and giant leaps and I thought I might see him if I squinted. Those days, my parents worried about the world and all the rioting and rebellion and whether the next generation would amount to anything. There is still rioting and a sense of worry over the world, the environment, and pandemics. And yet the moon still rises above me. Karen and I stood and watched as the edge of the moon crested the horizon and then rose over the pond. The orange moon announced it’s rising with glowing enormity, stealing the show until it grew weary of attention and rose beyond the atmospheric prism, diminishing into a perfectly round white ball through spreading limbs of the hackberry tree and then rising above it,

The moon over the pond at Philson Hollow.

now dimmer, less needy. Our standing ovation for the rising moon was over and we sat down and resumed our conversation. Life can be like that moment with the autumn moon. You want to know what is going on backstage, in the inner room. The adrenaline surges and passion ignites and you stand up, because you want to see what will rise up. This refraction of light through the atmosphere, changing hues as it levitates, from the edge of the unseen to the blackened unknown firmament. I’m grateful for moments like this, away from shining screens and the furious bellow of media that steers me away from the wonder and simplicity of everyday moments. I was reading Anne Lamott recently, who wrote, “Do you know the first thing that God says to Moses? He says, ‘Take off your shoes.’ Because this is holy ground, all evidence to the contrary. It’s hard to believe, but it’s the truest thing I know.” The moon still rises over my hometown, over the pond in Philson Hollow, and over Clyde Lake in Woolaroc. It takes your breath away and causes you to take off your boots and realize the things that matter. Even though I’m a bit of an outsider, I’m thankful for Uncle Frank and the Phillips family for setting aside places we can take off our shoes and reflect on the beauty of this place we call home.

OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

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EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

GIVING BACK

Jane Phillips Society Sorority has Long Been Helping the Community by Lori Just The word “sorority” has been associated with Greek letters, campus activities, and initiations. Although the origin means sisterhood, it is seldom used in connection with anything else except women’s college organizations. Bartlesville, however, has sponsored a unique sorority connected not with a university, but with an industry; the Jane Phillips Sorority, now known as The Jane Phillips Society (JPS).

of the company's 66 trademark would represent six lights, for a total of 12 virtues to be pledged by new members upon their initiation in the presence of other members. Named the "Lights of the 66," this code of honor is still used in officer initiations. The 12 lights are: courage, fidelity, honesty, integrity, happiness, joy, purity, faith, hope, obedience, charity, truth, kindness, unselfishness, and friendliness.

It is said in the history of the society that in early 1937, when our country was slowly pulling itself out of its worst depression, most Americans were looking hopefully toward a bright future. In this national mood of social change, a small group of Bartlesville women began talking about the possibility of forming an organization for women working within the ranks of Phillips Petroleum Company in its Bartlesville headquarters.

National Conventions are held each year. At the first one, held in Kansas City, Missouri on March 4-5, 1939, national officers were elected and bylaws adopted. Aunt Jane attended several National Conventions, with her last one in attendance being in 1948, in Oklahoma City. With never-failing generosity, Aunt Jane often picked up the tab for various events and sent flowers to members in attendance. During National Conventions, she warmly received all comers to her hotel suite, and if ever she tired or longed for quiet at these times, no one suspected.

Only 20 years old at the time, Phillips was a small petroleum company. EmployJANE PHILLIPS ees worked in an atmosphere of belonging to one big family. Even the company chairJPS selected two songs. The first one, man and his wife were called "Uncle Frank" and "Aunt Jane." After the adopted in 1941, was written by the Des Moines, Iowa, chapter to the ladies of Phillips Petroleum had gained approval from company mantune of "Strawberry Blond," one of Aunt Jane's favorite melodies. A agement to form an organization, they decided to honor “Aunt Jane” second song was introduced at the Tulsa convention in 1955. Written Phillips by naming it after her. by Mildred Brittain, of Tulsa, to the tune of the "Whiffenpoof Song," it was officially adopted in 1957. "It is definitely acknowledged that a man to be a success must have as his helpmate a wife of great understanding, strong and lovJane Gibson Phillips passed away on August 1, 1948 of heart able character, high ideals, and capabilities in the execution of those complications at her home in Bartlesville. She became an honorary many duties which may fall to her lot. Jane Phillips has filled this role National President of JPS for life. to a very high degree. We love her. Tonight we extend our respects to JPS history shares: “Her graciousness and genuine hospitality her in proposing to name our organization the Jane Phillips Sorority." endeared Aunt Jane to all who knew her. Every girl who ever met this She lost little time in becoming personally involved in the club, lady went away feeling she was her own personal friend. The Osage calling the members “her girls.” On November 28, 1938, JPS was Indians possibly summed up Aunt Jane best when they gave her a granted incorporation by the State of Oklahoma, and two months name meaning ‘highly honored and generous lady.’” later the Articles of Incorporation were copyrighted and registered At the time of Aunt Jane's death, national president Lee Wandel in the U. S. Patent Office. A society pin, designed around the JPS iniwrote to all chapter presidents stating that Grand Council had met tials, and stationery were trademarked, making JPS a National with Aunt Jane earlier that year at the Oklahoma City convention. The Organization. meeting was called to set up a five-year contingency fund to be used for some charitable project in Aunt Jane's honor on her 75th birthday. With enthusiasm at a high, the committee worked nights and Since that first memorial, the Jane Phillips Society has given over weekends preparing preliminary plans and general regulations for $150,000 in Aunt Jane's honor. These contributions have helped alter membership approval. The intent of the new club's purpose soon shattered lives and create dreams for the once hopeless. Furthermore, became apparent when the committee asked members to forget perthe memorial represents only a fraction of the money raised by each sonalities and organize for the good of all under an umbrella of chapter to support local causes. JPS continues to pass the torch of cheerful companionship, social enjoyment, and high standards. Jane’s legacy of altruism by sharing the “Lights of 66” to future genDuring the initial days of JPS, the first planning committee preerations, fellowship with others, and investing in community. pared a 66 chart for initiation of new members and officers. Each "6" OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

FAMILY HERITAGE

Phillips Family Mausoleum Woolaroc Tomb Provides Final Resting Spot by Sarah Leslie Gagan

“…From dust you have come, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19

sandstone bridge. It was obvious that the mausoleum construction was his solitary fixation as he grieved the absence of Jane.

Death is an uncompromising reality for the living. It will smite each one of us. Our lives will all end the same way, this side of eternity, as we leave our earthly bodies behind and enter eternal life. The details of how we lived, and how we died, will remain behind, etching our legacy into the hearts and minds of those who loved us.

Frank wanted the tomb to be constructed of uncut native Woolaroc sandstone, to blend in with the natural surroundings. The location was within walking distance of the lodge and museum yet placed just out of the public eye. The workers used dynamite to blast the rocky hillside open to form the roughly 24 foot by 24 foot burial chamber. While it was designed to accommodate 12 burial spaces, only three were ever used. Jane, Frank, and their son John are the sole occupants of the mausoleum.

Care is taken with earthly remains, to respect and celebrate the life that once breathed inside. For some, it is a ritual, others, a tradition. And even still, some create a final resting place that will last throughout time to memorialize the ones we loved and provide peace and rest for their souls. This was the heart of Frank Phillips, as he designed the Phillips Family Mausoleum following the death of his wife Jane. Sometime before Jane fell ill, Frank had shared with her his chosen location for their final resting place. It was the south facing slope of the rocky hillside overlooking Elk Lake at Woolaroc, their country home in the Osage. While his mind was made up regarding the burial site location, he had no way of knowing the timing of its need. When Jane passed away in 1948, Frank became driven, focusing on designing and building the family mausoleum so he could properly lay Jane to rest, who was temporarily interred in the White Rose Mausoleum. He visited Will Rogers’ mausoleum many times in Claremore to gain ideas and became inspired by its design. He knew he wanted something less obtrusive while maintaining permanence of the structure. Construction began within months, and Frank came out to the site daily to watch the progress. Many days he quietly observed as he sat in his limousine parked at the bend of the Elk Lake 68

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

The walls are constructed of 18-inch concrete with an additional waterproof barrier added. It is complete with heat and air conditioning as well as a telephone at Frank’s request. No one really knows why he wanted the phone installed, but speculate it

FAMILY HERITAGE was as if he planned on continuing to conduct business from beyond. The telephone has an interesting story. As technology developed, the phone was updated to current models. Many years after the building’s completion, the mausoleum’s phone extension would light up randomly on the main Woolaroc switchboard, as if the phone was in use, even though the mausoleum was closed and empty. The phone was tested and found to be in working order, without any malfunctions, yet the “in use” light continued to occasionally light up. It was at this point that the decision was made to permanently disconnect the phone. Although it remains on the wall, it is no longer functional, and the mystery of the light was never solved. Frank spared no expense on the building’s interior. The inside contains a circular rotunda, very similar to the domed ceiling at the museum’s entrance. Eight columns of Italian marble stand 10 feet tall, extending to the circular ceiling. Several types and shades of marble were imported from Italy for the interior. The floor is designed with an eight-point star created from varied shades of marble. “...the mausoleum’s phone extension would light up randomly on the main Woolaroc switchboard, as if the phone was in use, even though the mausoleum was closed and empty. ” The walls are covered with thousands upon thousands of hand-crafted Italian mosaic tiles in varied shades of red and maroon with inlaid multicolored designs. Each tile is approximately one-half inch square, meticulously crafted and hand placed. The tile walls, the marble floor and benches, the columns and the domed ceiling all make for a strikingly beautiful interior.

It embodies the grace and elegance of Jane, along with the generosity of Frank. Leading into the burial chamber are two very ornate scrollwork sliding bronze doors. The mausoleum’s outer doors are very heavy, tall, solid bronze doors set into the sandstone facade. Above the doors, “Phillips” is chiseled into the stone. The sandstone terrace at the entrance includes a railing of stone and a circular fountain, about six feet in diameter built into the center of the terrace front. Construction was completed in about one year and Frank had Jane brought home, to her final resting place. A small family memorial service was held to mark the occasion. When the last stone was in place and his wife was entombed at the ranch, it is said that Frank appeared to be happier than at any time in recent years. The view from the mausoleum overlooks Frank’s favorite fishing spot at Elk Lake. He often joked with the ranch hands that after he’s gone, they needn’t be too surprised if he stepped out to join them in catching a stringer of perch. The mausoleum is closed to the public but regularly maintained to accommodate any family that wishes to visit. Frank Phillips was very specific about his wishes regarding his legacy; however, he left no directives regarding the privacy of the mausoleum. Because of this, it is assumed that he wished it to be held in reverence and remain closed to Woolaroc visitors. The Phillips family rests together in magnificent style inside the beautiful mausoleum that was planned and designed with so much care and concern by Frank. They are home, having been returned to the woods, lakes and rocks they loved so deeply.

OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

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bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

CENTURY CELEBRATION

Bartlesville Womens Club Organization Celebrating its 100th Birthday by Vickie Stewart Some of you might ask: What is the Bartlesville Women’s Club? Have you ever noticed this BWC sign at 601 S. Shawnee Avenue? The Bartlesville Womens Club is celebrating a birthday this year — 100 years. Tuesday Club was the first women’s club organized in Bartlesville, in 1906. This women’s club began with a small number of earnest, strong-willed women in a mud-rutted oil settlement called Bartlesville in Indian Territory. These women wanted cultural, educational, and philanthropic activities for the women in Bartlesville. This was what they were accustomed to before moving to Indian Territory with their husbands. It was the Tuesday Club that spearheaded the movement in 1920 to band together with other nine “like” women’s groups which included: American Legion Auxiliary, Bartlesville Welfare Federation, Visiting Nurses Association, American Association of University Women, Musical Research Society, Doherty Auxiliary, Allois Club, Daughters of American Revolution, Delphian Alumni, and Women’s Christian Temperance Union. By November 1920, the Bartlesville Women’s Club had a total membership of 12 separate organizations. Other interesting and significant groups that once belonged to the group included: Council of Jewish Women, Business & Professions Women, Big and Little Sisters ( junior high and high school girls), Sorosis Study Club, Mother’s Club, Parent Teacher Associations, Carpenter’s Auxiliary, and the Red Cross. The club membership at one point ‘topped-out’ at 15 clubs belonging to BWC. However, in 1986, the club membership had shrunk to four women’s clubs: Indian Women’s Club, Daughters of American Revolution, Musical Research Society, and Tuesday Club. It remained as these four clubs until in 2017, when Tuesday Club disbanded due to the lack of having younger women willing to join their organization. This appears to be a trend in today’s world. By 1955, Bartlesville had grown to a population of 30,000, and the women’s clubs had outgrown meetings in homes. The public meeting places, (Civic Center, YMCA, schools, churches, etc.) were overcrowded and could no longer allow clubs space to meet in their buildings. Once again, Tuesday Club came up with the idea of uniting forces to find a meeting place where the women’s clubs could meet. They began talking to the Chamber of Commerce and city council, and quickly gained support. First, they needed to be incorporated as a 501c3 Corporation in order to own property. The search for a site that was reasonably priced, and in a good location, was necessary. A site was found that cost $10,000 and was located at 601 S. Shawnee Ave. Tuesday Club donated $1,000 as their portion and challenged the other nine clubs to match their $1,000 ... which they did! The women then began seeking donations from the oil companies, banks, and businesses, organizing bake sales, and

seeking individual pledges. By September 12, 1956, when they held the ground-breaking, they were just $5,000 shy of the bid to build their clubhouse. Nineteen months later, on April 27, 1957, an Open House was held and the clubhouse was officially ready for club meetings. Within six months after opening the clubhouse, the $5,000 loan was paid off and the BWC clubhouse was “debtfree.” A board of directors with representatives from the member clubs were appointed to manage the building. The only requirement to become a member of BWC was to contribute $1 annually per club member to assist in paying the utilities and maintenance of the property and clubhouse. The rest is history. It is now 2020 and BWC is 100 years old. The lesson to be learned from the Bartlesville Womens Club is: “Never underestimate the power and determination of a group of strong-willed women.” Today, the three remaining BWC members are planning a fundraising project to renovate and update their 63-year-old club building to continue what was started by the early determined women 100 years ago, but with a focus into the 21st century. Their mission is to bring all cultures of people together to benefit families and the community by encouragment, education, communication, dialogue, and celebration in a nonpartisan and multicultural setting. OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

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bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

AGENT FOR GOODVILLE MUTUAL

KNOWING NOWATA

Nowata & the Oil Industry Development of Oil had a Great Impact on the Area by Carroll Craun The history of Nowata County and the oil industry are strongly connected. There is a wealth of history connected to the development of oil and its impact on the people of the county and the nation. Some say oil was first discovered in other parts of the state, but actually oil was 'brought in" in 1889, in the area around Chelsea. The oil was sold to area trading posts for the use of pioneers heading west. In 1904, James Mehlin and his son were drilling for water on their farm in the area just east of Old Alluwe, between Lightening Creek and Panther Creek, and hit oil. This find resulted in the discovery of the largest shallow oilfield of the time and led to the development of other oilfields in the territory prior to statehood. The fields were known as the Cherokee shallow sand fields. It was not uncommon for drillers to hit oil at less than 1000 feet, most were in the range of 300 to 900 feet. Until the late 1920s and early 1930s, over one third of the oil wells drilled in Oklahoma were located in Nowata County. The discovery of the shallow oilfields lit up the telegraph lines, and soon wildcatters and many dreaming of instant riches descended upon the area. Tent cities appeared and the rush to buy allotments for drilling was on. Everything needed to drill had to be brought in by railroad and hauled by teams to the drilling sites. A constant sound became the rhythm of shackle rods as they were pulled back and forth across notched wooded supports to pump the oil from the power houses to holding tanks and feeder lines. Rigs appeared everywhere. The night sky was often lit with fires from burning wells and the sound of well explosions as both oil and gas were found or trouble occurred with the drilling equipment. Holding tanks and barrels for the oil were built of wood, but proved to be costly as the wood would catch fire and the oil lost. Later, metal tanks became the vessel of choice, but they were costly to ship and get to the drill sites. It was a dangerous time for those working in the oilfields â&#x20AC;&#x201D; burns, loss of life or limbs, and serious accidents were common. The lure of great wealth was stronger, however, and oil and gas companies were born â&#x20AC;&#x201D; some continued to today and others faded into the past. Some of the oil companies with wells in the area were Wiser, Tydal, Sinclair, Phillips Petroleum, Whitehill, Harmon, Glass and Bradfield, Wolverine, Prairie Pipe Line, Warner, Caldwell, Empire, Forrest, Union, and Pyramid Oil to name a few. One of the largest gasoline plants in the world at that time was also built close to Childers, in Nowata County, the Henderson Gasoline Plant. This plant was in operation from 1914 until 1930, and employed a great number of people from the county. It was

the largest plant of its kind to be built under one roof. If you know where to look, you can still see traces of the company in the fields off of Highway 28. Other gasoline companies sprang up and thrived for a period of time, Diamond Gasoline, Ajax, Riverside Western, and Childers Gasoline. Anderson Oil built the first vacuum gasoline plant around 1912. These have faded into history. Gasoline, or naptha as it was called, was shipped from the fields to the refineries in tank cars and then sent to distributors. Initially, the gas that was found in the fields was used to run engines, fire boilers, and heat bits for dressings. Oilfield employees used it for cooking and heating. It was piped to local communities such as Delaware to illuminate gas street lights and provide service to homes. Around 1905, the Commercial Club Gas Company was formed and convinced locals that piping gas found on farms in the area to their homes and businesses would be good for individuals and for the economy. The oil wealth of Nowata County has barely been touched. Some of it has been under water since the Oologah Lake and dam were built. It is just waiting all over the county for the right time and the right conditions to be put to use again.

OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

LET FREEDOM RING

Let Freedom Ring Fashion Advice from 11-Year-Old May Have Helped Lincoln by Jay Hastings Just about every president has had a distinguishing characteristic about them we identify with. Our Nation’s 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, for example, wore his iconic beard and top hat. There is a very interesting story about how Lincoln’s beard GRACE BEDELL may have evolved. It all started with a letter from an 11-year-old girl named Grace Bedell. Lincoln won the Republican nomination in May 1860, to which point he had been clean shaven. A few weeks before the November 1860 presidential election, an upstate New York father brought home a portrait of two men running for political office he had grabbed at the state fair. Knowing his daughter Grace was a supporter of the candidates, he presented the portrait to her. Grace immediately felt something needed to be done about Lincoln’s appearance, since he was running for a public office. You see, in 1860 beards were quite common among men who had difficulty finding a clean shave on a regular basis. Grace set out determined to notify Mr. Lincoln of her concern and sent him a letter dated October 15th 1860. “Dear Sir My father has just home from the fair and brought home your picture and Mr. Hamlin’s. I am a little girl only 11 years old, but want you should be President of the United States very much so I hope you won’t think me very bold to write to such a great man as you are. Have you any little girls about as large as I am if so give them my love and tell her to write to me if you cannot answer this letter. I have yet got four brothers and part of them will vote for you any way and if you let your whiskers grow, I will try and get the rest of them to vote for you would look a great deal better for your face is so thin. All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would

be President. My father is going to vote for you and if I was a man I would vote for you to but I will try to get everyone to vote for you that I can I think that rail fence around your picture makes it look very pretty I have got a little baby sister she is nine weeks old and is just as cunning as can be. When you direct your letter direct to Grace Bedell Westfield Chautauqua County New York. I must not write any more answer this letter right off Good bye Grace Bedell” Abraham Lincoln read Grace’s letter and actually responded back to her. “Springfield, Ill Oct 19, 1860 Miss Grace Bedell My dear little Miss Your very agreeable letter of the 15th is received. I regret the necessity of saying I have no daughters. I have three sons — one seventeen, one nine, and one seven, years of age. They, with their mother, constitute my whole family. As to the whiskers, having never worn any, do you not think people would call it a silly affectation if I were to begin it now? Your very sincere well-wisher A. Lincoln”

Abraham Lincoln won the November 6 presidential election and within a month of receiving Grace’s letter had a full beard. As Lincoln rode his inauguration train across the country, there were several assassination plots discovered. President Lincoln arrived in Washington wearing a disguise and no doubt the beard played a very important role. In February of the next year, President Lincoln made a point to travel to Westfield, New York to meet a very special person named Grace Bedell. Grace recalled years later President Lincoln saying to her, “Gracie look at my whiskers; I have been growing them for you.” Today there stands a pair of statutes in Westfield, New York honoring this meeting between Grace and President Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln before Grace Bedell’s letter shown on the left, after the letter on the right. OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

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ONCE UPON A TIME

Remembering Woolaroc & Uncle Frank Looking Back on Trips to The Lodge by Rita Thurman Barnes When Uncle Frank Phillips’ little cabin at his ranch west of town was first constructed, it didn’t quite look like this old post card rendition of what came to be known as “The Lodge”. I have fond memories of the old place with its crowded rooms and simply elegant décor. But when I remember touring the country home of the founder of Phillips Petroleum Company what I most recall is the size of the place. I doubt too many men worth what Mr. Phillips was worth when he built his little rural hacienda would have settled for something as compact as the square footage of the lodge. I imagine it would more likely have resembled the Taj Mahal or at least that of a small castle. This warm autumn afternoon reminds me so much of the days when I was just a kid and most all of my uncles and a couple of their wives were employed by Phillips and I got to go along to nearly all of the company or department summer picnics held at Woolaroc. It was a great place for a kid to run around but it was also educational even before all the advances of today’s Woolaroc. There was still the eagerly sought out dinosaur egg right out in the open in the far nether lands of the museum and the “big” airplane which no nine-year-old cared about its record setting adventures at all. They just enjoyed being up that close to a real airplane since back in the 50’s airplanes didn’t fly overhead a dime a dozen. Woolaroc is a wonderful place. Buses from all over gather daily and tourists are ushered through some of the finest western art on exhibit anywhere. Wildlife abounds and the Osage Hills are literally alive with the sound of music from both tree and ground dwelling birds of every sort imaginable. The Indian still greets you and I hope the wishing well is still there

THE FRANK PHILLIPS LODGE

and I do enjoy all the new amenities since I was a kid but it had to be those picnics and scaling the side of the hill up to the museum and the freedom to roam around that were worth more than any Russell or Remington could ever be. The name “Woolaroc” was originally intended for the rustic Lodge ranch house, but it was so unique that it soon became the name for the entire Frank Phillips ranch. And for me the beauty of Clyde Lake in the shade of a late summer’s afternoon was simply indescribable. The sight of the Native American styled tee pees still makes my heart race a bit just to think of it. Crossing the low-water bridge always made me hope for a sudden downpour and the roaming buffalo and exotic animals were simply breathtaking to me. Going out to the ranch is always

kind of like going home to a place that in a way is your home too. When I was asked to speak at the Frank Phillips Home on the occasion of Mr. Phillips’ birthday celebration I could not for the life of me think of what to talk about to such a well-informed crowd so I simply had him “write a letter” to Bartlesville through my own hand and I read it to the crowd. In that letter to his beloved city I spoke about how much Mr. Phillips loved his little plot of land out in the Osage and how he was so happy that the foundation he formed so many years ago is still taking such good care of his home in the country. I think he’d be happy to visit there today. In fact, I think he never really left at all.

OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2020

FROM THE HEART

What are the Chances? There is Always Someone Who Needs a Break More than We Do by Lori Kroh Scott heard a knock on his office building door. It was a dull knock at first, and then it turned into a banging sound. He never gets that door, yet today he got up and answered. He saw a man hunched over and writhing in pain. He was really hurting. Scott saw he was bleeding and called 911.

car and the insurance agent says — “Well. This is incredulous. It looks like we can’t press charges. This is going to cost you. Then, Mr. Insurance man says, “Literally Scott. What are the chances?? You just paid this off and you were never in a wreck. What are the chances?” Only this — that sometimes in life we catch some bad breaks. Really bad ones. Some are not so bad but we make them bad with our lack of perspective. And sometimes what we face is truly awful and just a never-ending nightmare. Lonely times, deep grief, and serious issues that cause us to have fear and lose hope and question everything in our lives.

The man proceeds to tell Scott that he was riding his bike down a steep hill and a car literally almost ran him over. He made a sharp turn off the road to save himself and his bike didn’t have any BRAKES! As he was going downhill, he was gaining a lot of speed and he knew he was going to crash. The man then proceeds to tell Scott one more piece of news. He said, "Well, as I was flying through the air, I was hurled into a car. It’s parked right outside here." Scott asks, "You were thrown off your bike and crashed into a car?" The man nods his head and he has a gash in his matted and bloodied hair. Scott gulps and asks ..."What color was the car? The man says, “Crimson.” Scott knew instantly and heaved a sigh. The car we had just paid off ... well, now it would have some damage. What’s the worst it can be? Scott walks out to see his car and it’s unreal. There are huge, deep ruts and wide banged-up areas on the hood and side of the car. You can see the man’s entire body had slammed into the car with an incredible force and understand why he was so much pain.

Scott didn’t care so much about the damage, he cared more about that man. Yet, he does think to himself about the irony of it all. One man’s bad day is truly all about perspective. What’s the worst it can be? The ambulance comes, the police show up, and Scott is on the phone with his agent. They are all asking questions and the man doesn’t have any answers. Scott said he felt a sadness in the air and then his eyes fill up with tears as he confirms what he already knew. He looks in the man's eyes. He quietly asks the man, "Sir, are you homeless?" and the man slowly nods. So, the man who was riding a bike with no brakes gets ran off the road by another car and he crashes into Scott's

Yet, through it all, there is always someone who needs a break more than we do. Scott had a bad day and yet, this man is homeless. What can be done to remedy his life? We just have to pay a deductible and suffer lost time. His life could be drastically altered by a little change, or so I always was taught. People who need a break in life may need more than money. They may need a smile, our time, our connections, and most of all ... the ability to get a break from those of us who know how to give them. What will it cost us? Everything. I can’t stop thinking about how much more we can do to help those less fortunate than us. My friend told me over coffee that it’s not truly giving unless you sacrifice. And so Mr. Insurance agent ... you are right. It is incredulous. It’s going to cost us. And how fortunate we are to learn this lesson now ... just what are the chances? OCTOBER 2020 | bmonthly

"We rise by lifting others."

"I was in the Jane Phillips Elementary School’s auditorium in 2006 when I heard Barry and Karen Lowe share their vision for the Lowe Family Young Scholars Program. I was hooked from the beginning. Since then, I have been a mentor in the program for three different students. I offered support when times were difficult, was a sounding board during problem solving sessions, and celebrated their successes. The most rewarding thing for me was getting to know three remarkable girls, whom I would have never met if I were not a mentor. My life is richer and fuller because of the relationships we formed."

Jane Sears

The Lowe Family Young Scholars Program 2020, more than any year in recent history, reminds us how important it is to lend a helping hand. Be the one to extend that hand to someone who needs it. The Lowe Family Young Scholars Program is looking for men and women to serve as mentors. We currently have 2 young men and 2 young women needing mentors. The Lowe Family Young Scholars Program is a merit and scholarship-based program designed to identify and support academically promising students as they move through middle school, high school, and college, on the path to earning a college degree. There is no time like the present to lend a helping hand to a student as they pursue their personal and educational goals. Be that trusted advisor who makes a difference in a young person’s life. The LFYS Program partners with Big Brothers Big Sisters of OK. Please consider becoming a mentor/big and if you should choose to help with their goal of a college degree, please consider becoming a mentor for the LFYS Program. If you would like to know more about the LFYS Program and becoming a mentor, contact Michael Secora, Executive Director for The LFYS Program: 918-766-6675 or loweyoungscholar@aol.com.

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bmonthly October 2020

Articles inside

From The Heart: What are the Chances?

Once Upon a Time: Remembering Woolaroc & Uncle Frank

Let Freedom Ring

Knowing Nowata: Nowata & the Oil Industry

Century Celebration: Bartlesville Womans Club

Family Heritage: Phillips Family Mausoleum

Giving Back: Jane Phillips Society

A Fresh Perspective: Fall into Fall

Local History: Wayward Son

Meet Your Writer: Lori Roll

Tribute: Remembering Don Cone

Annual Events: Chamber Honors Locals

On The Osage: Barefoot & Barbeque

Funny You Should Ask

Entertainment: A Big Hit!

Now You Know: The Phillips Family From Humble Beginnings

Looking Back: Check Your Weapons at the Gate

Tribute: Jerry Cozby

A Good Word: A Legacy of Influence

Feature Sponsor: From Dirt to Silver Dollars

Sutterfield Financial Feature: The Final Days of Frank

Profile: Bob Fraser

upfront