Thursday, September 4, 2025

The Labor Movement in Early Oil City


International Association of Oil Field, Gas Well, and Refinery Workers of America

later known as the Oil Workers International Union and eventually the OCAW.


Below is a history of the Oil City union local.

 

Source: History Of Oil Workers International Union (CIO) O'Connor 1950, Page 281-282

Histories of other area locals may be found here.


One of the leaders of that early labor movement was John Glover Mynatt.

John Glover Mynatt (1884-1918) was an oil field worker who became a local leader during the organized labor movement that swept oil fields from Louisiana, Texas, and out to California in 1917-1918, that included a strike by workers and resultant occupation of oil fields by federal troops.


Source: The Hennessee Family


Originally from Tennessee, here he is listed as living in Oil City when registering for the draft for World War I.


Source: U.S. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918


In late 1918, he attended a convention held in El Paso, Texas; where he was selected to serve on the union's Rules and Order of Business committee. Note also H. Hill (no first name given) of Vivian served on the Resolutions committee.


El Paso (TX) Herald 27-Nov-1918, Page 5


Unfortunately he becomes ill and dies while at the convention; leaving a wife, Estelle Lavinia Smith Mynatt and children John Rupert and Cecilia Estelle.


Source: El Paso (TX) Herald 04-Dec-1918, Page 10/


Died of influenza and pneumonia (per death certificate), part of the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918.


Source: Texas Death Certificates, 1903-1982


He is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Knoxville, TN.


The Woman's International Union Label League

Though not working in the oilfields themselves or participating directly in related oil worker union activities, women provided support to their men through participation in the Woman's Label League, a nationwide organization described thusly:

Organized March 11, 1907 under the auspices of the Central Trades and Labor Council, the Woman's Union Label League encouraged the purchase and use of union label goods. Ladies belonging to the organization;were predominately wives of the union members. The first president was;Mrs. W. T. Ecks. 

 Source: LSU-Shreveport Archives Collections


The following objectives appeared at the front of their official publication.


Source: The Woman's Label League Journal Feb-1919, Page 2


Excerpt of a list of organizations using labels on their respective manufactured products.



Examples of advertisements supporting the purchase of union-made products.




Mrs C. A. Hunter (first name not known), identified below as president of the Shreveport chapter of the Women's Labor league, is noted as the only woman attendee to a 1917 state labor convention. Her husband, C. A. Hunter, appears at different times representing the oil workers union from Oil City and Mooringsport.


New Orleans States 02-Apr-1917, Page 7


Though some union men questioned the value of the label league, it was promoted to add cohesion to the overall labor movement, in this case giving women a way to participate.



Charters were issued in Dec-1917 for Oil City and Vivian, its neighbor community in the Pine Island District. This was during the time of the oil workers strike that occurred in the southwest from Louisiana to California. For more on that subject, read An Advocate for Local Workers and Occupied.




An early secretary of the OC local was Mrs. Emma Tippett. Note a Vivian contact was not listed.



The 1920 U.S. Census shows Emma Tippett (age 22) living in Caddo Parish, LA Ward 2 (that includes Oil City) with husband William Robert (29) and daughter Marguerite (one month old).


In the Aug-1918 edition, the OC local was led by Mrs. Susie Smith.



Source: The Woman's Label League Journal Aug-1918, Page 15


By Feb-1919, the local secretary was Mrs. Leonora Odom.



Source: The Woman's Label League Journal Feb-1919, Page 15


The following is a letter written by Mrs. Odom (misspelled below) on the status of the Oil City local.


Source: The Woman's Label League Journal 20-May-1921, Page 10

Leonora's tie to Oil City is verified by her husband William T. Odom's World War I draft registration, Interestingly "In parish jail" is his listed occupation.


No subsequent information on the union or local chapter has been found.

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Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Caddo City Here I Come!

I'm going to Caddo City, Caddo City here I come
I'm going to Caddo City, Caddo City here I come
They got some crazy little women there and I'm gonna get me one.

 I'm gonna be standing on the corner, Main Street and Land
I'm gonna be standing on the corner, Main Street and Land
With my Caddo City baby I can tell you life is grand

Apologies to Leiber and Stroller, Wilbert Harrison, Fats Domino, and anyone else associated with the hit song Kansas City (smile)

Growing up I used to hear older folks mention someone living on the north side of Oil City as living up in Caddo, or being from Caddo. Occasionally they might say its full name, Caddo City. I asked what that was and was told it used to be a town that was absorbed into Oil City. Later, when working on a sixth grade school project on local history; my grandmother (at the time a librarian for United Gas Pipeline Company) provided several articles and some mentioned the town that while short-lived as a distinct community; still exists today in a few peoples' minds, as a legal designation, and even in the cyberworld.

 A chronology of the area follows:

1895

Kansas City Southern Railways completed the railroad through the area; from Texarkana to Mooringsport in 1895, and on south to Shreveport and beyond the following year. Approximately one mile south of the area to be known as Caddo City, a flagstop was established and named "Ananias," after a local fishing club.

1900
The 1900 Annual Report of the Railroad Commission of Louisiana (predecessor to the Public Service Commission) listed the rate per bale to ship cotton to Shreveport from outlying communities. Shown among other familiar area towns is Ananias (later to be renamed Oil City). Interestingly, one mile north is a shipping point identified as Gallaway, that would be in approximately the area later known as Caddo City. No additional information has been found about this site, possibly a small settlement or someone's farm.


Annual Report of the Railroad Commission of Louisiana, 1901-1903, Page 66


1904

There are favorable probabilities for the existence of oil in the area.


 Denton County (TX) News 19-Apr-1904, Page 2


A new town, dubbed "Caddo City" was created at a site on the Kansas City Southern Railway line approximately between Ananias and Lewis. Note mention of the post office at Surrey (or Surry), another predecessor community eventually absorbed into Oil City.






Shreveport Times 03-Jul-1904 Page 12


A full page advertisement appeared in the Shreveport Times touting the new community.



Larger versions of the pictures in advertisement.





Shreveport Times 03-Jul-1904, Page 16


A large crowd is given a view of the new community and served a fish dinner while entertained by the Porterfield Orchestra from nearby Vivian. Afterward, speeches were given by several prominent men including Dr. Morrical, co-developer of the first successful oil well in the area.




Shreveport Times 15-Aug-1904, Page 7


Another event, this time including a barbecue, was held to attract prospective buyers of Caddo City lots, and potential investors in drilling operations.



Early lot purchasers are identified below:


Shreveport Times 30-Aug-1904, Page 3


No Oil Yet - A visit to a drilling site described.




A good flow of oil reported to have been found ..


Dallas Morning News 13-Oct-1904, Page 13


The strike by the Caddo Lake Oil and Pipeline Company generates excitement.





1905

 Oil is found in the Savage-Morrical well, recognized as the first successful well in the Caddo-Pine Island field.


Source: Houston Post 05-Feb-1905, Page 6


A photo of Savage No. 1. Note the begun and completions dates in the caption are off by a year (should be 1904 and 1905 respectively).


Shreveport Times 10-Sep-1933, Page 10


Offenhauser No. 1 is producing 15 bbls per hour.


Source: Galveston Daily News 14-Apr-1905, Page 4

Producers Oil Company wells Numbers 1 and 2, a few hundred yards from one another, blew out in 1905. The resultant fires became tourist attractions. The craters still exist today, now filled with water. Read more at Traces Of The Past That Remain Today - Well Blowouts.

Attempting to capitalize on the fiery blasts was one Leopold "Lep" Wolff - Shreveport saloon owner and beer and whiskey distributor. 

Read about his humorous tactic in Lep Wolff's Egg Trick.
.

1906

Below is a picture of  Producers No. 2 ablaze..



Shreveport Times 24-May-1906, Page 1


A picture of what are identified as the first comers to Caddo City. At the far left there appears to be two small houses or cabins. A the one-third point (again from left) is a man on horseback. Two women are standing near large iron pots, and further right are three other men. At the far right appears to be a loge cabin, as corner joints are visible.



A closer view of the people.


Shreveport Times 24-May-1906, Page 8


The Shreveport trolley line runs on natural gas from the Ananias field, said to be the only one in the south to be so powered.

Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune 03-May-1906 Page 16 


KCS picks Ananias over Caddo City to locate its railway station, apparently due to a disagreement with landowners in the latter.



1907

The Shreveport Traction Company (mentioned above) operated an electric street car line of 20 cars running on 15 miles of track, and provides service westward to the state fairgrounds. Power is provided by steam generators fired with Caddo City-sourced gas.





1908

A local couple, both said to be born in the area, eloped across the Red River to wed in Bossier City.


Times 11-Dec-1908, Page 10


1911

A plant for distilled gasoline noted to have been built at Caddo City.
The Petroleum Review Page 11-Feb-1911, Page 76


1912

Having lost its bid for the local railroad station to Oil City, the original plans for Caddo's development fizzled. Citizens filed a request to the Caddo Parish Police Jury to return land to owners that ended up as unused streets, or had been set aside but never utilized as such.



An ordinance closing same was passed several days later..




1913

An advertisement for investment in the area that appeared in the Tampa (FL) newspaper:




1915
Jacob Ober (1884-1951) was named postmaster of Caddo, LA; where he operated a general store, on 05-Mar-1915. A native of Lemberg, Austria (now Lviv, Ukraine), he had emigrated to the U. S. in 1902.


From "Appointments of U.S. Postmasters - 1832-1971"
Jacob Ober - Passport Photo 1923

Ober replaced Robert L. Anderson, who assumed the position when established two years prior. In 1930 mail handling was transferred to the Oil City post office. Read more about Jacob and other immigrants who have contributed to the area in Immigrants And Their Role In Oil City History.



Texas Company (Texaco) pumping station circa 1915 at Caddo City, LA. This was located on the east side of North Kerley Avenue (Hwy 538) near its intersection of Main Street..



Rail cars loaded with compression (casing-head) gasoline.



1916

A railroad flag stop for Caddo City was briefly approved in July 1916..



However the case was taken up again on 17-Oct-1917, and upon further review the order was rescinded. Reasons cited are highlighted below:
:


1917

Do residents of Caddo live within the general area of Oil City? This question may seem absurd to current/former residents today, regarding this area of town in the proximity of the intersection of North Land Avenue and Main Street. However a hundred years ago, it was not so clear. From a legal perspective, the issue was settled by the Supreme Court of Texas, in a decision issued 25-Apr-1917. The case was Western Union Telegraph v. Wilson, where the former was seeking to overturn lower court rulings in favor of the latter.
Plaintiff E. L. Wilson had successfully sued Western Union for failing to make prompt delivery of telegrams notifying him of his mother's death, and thereby preventing his attendance at her funeral. On 19-Apr-1911, the Oil City Western Union office received two telegrams for Wilson. Inquiry was made regarding his whereabouts, he was in Oil City much of the day, and "generally known" in town. But no specific attempt to deliver the telegrams was made because he lived outside what was considered the general delivery area. The messages were held for two days, then mailed to him on the 21st through the local post office. He received them later that day; too late in his opinion to attend the funeral.

Western Union maintained a free delivery area within a 1/2 mile radius of its office and outside of that area, a special charge was levied. However the sender was not advised of this and given the option of paying for special delivery, resulting in the two-day delay. Plaintiff Wilson lived in Caddo (or Caddo City as it was sometimes called); 1/2 to 3/4 mile north of Oil City, and the older of the two communities, described as consisting of one store, a section house, and two or three other houses. Houses were also scattered along the road between the two communities. 

In its ruling the court observed that Caddo and Oil City had grown together and were "practically one place" as, for example, they shared the same rail station and post office*. In fact, it was at the Oil City post office that Wilson received the telegrams.  It also stated it was the responsibility of the company to advise the sender if the recipient's address fell outside the normal delivery area. The District and Court of Appeals opinions were affirmed. It was determined Wilson should not receive damages for mental grief caused by his mother's death, and therefore (unspecified) damages were limited to those for not being able to attend her funeral.


* Though irrelevant to this case, by the time of the Supreme Court's decision, a post office had been established at Caddo in 1913 that was in existence until 1930. (See  above under "Jacob Ober named Caddo postmaster").


1920s

For the past 90 years, mention of Caddo City has largely been limited to property descriptions appearing in public notices regarding real estate-related matters, or for well completions within its proximity. There has only been the occasional reference otherwise.

A picnic at Caddo City in celebration of Fourth-of-July 1920:




A 1921 social column mentioned local residents, the J. W. Ballards, visiting friends in nearby Hosston.



A recap of a September 1923 tour of the north Caddo Parish and east Texas areas by the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce noted separate stops in Oil City and Caddo City.




A hotel owned by the Texas Company (Texaco) burned from an undisclosed cause. Presumably it was operated to accommodate visiting company employees, or perhaps served as as boarding for unmarried workers. At the time the company provided houses, located in a row on Land Avenue, for its married employees.




Several residents are mentioned in this 1925 Oil City social column.




The obituary of resident Thomas Jefferson Belch (1974-1927), an employee of the Standard Oil Company.




1930s

A newspaper article about radio station KWKH's request to move it broadcast studios also mentioned application by Caddo City resident Arthur Joshua Bates (1894-1972) to establish a station operating in the daytime. An article from a few years earlier identified him as vice-president of a Caddo Parish-area amateur ("ham") radio club.


Shreveport Times 06-May-1930, Page 15

A native of Massachusetts, Mr. Bates had once been a telegraph operator in Oil City for Kansas City Southern Railways. He later was a radio engineer and worked for KWKH at its transmitter site.


A 1936 advertisement for Pelican Well Tool & Supply Company, then operating in ten locations around Louisiana and Texas, cited its humble beginnings in a tin shack in Caddo City. It began in February 1908 as a repair shop for oil field machinery before expanding and eventually locating its headquarters to Shreveport.




A hailstorm in 1937 produced damage in both Oil City and Caddo City, with a derrick being blown down in the latter.




One-time FBI Public Enemy Number 1 Floyd Hamilton, once a member of the Clyde Barrow Gang, claimed as an alibi to have been hiding in Caddo City at the time two Dallas men were robbed of their automobile. However the victims identified him in the courtroom and he was sentenced to 25 years for that and multiple other charges.


Zanesville (OH) Times Recorder 18-Aug-1938, Page 5





While it is not known who Hamilton claimed (if anyone) to have been staying with, he did have a local connection. His father John Henry Hamilton, who died in 1935, was at that time living in a boarding house in Vivian and working at the Shoreline oil refinery located several miles north of Caddo City.

Earlier that year a brother, Raymond, who had also been part of the Barrow gang (and himself also once a Public Enemy Number One), was executed for the killing of a police officer.


1940s

In 1947 a destitute family attracted an outpouring of sympathy and generosity from the community and beyond.



Shreveport Times 07-Aug-1947, Page 10


Read about their story in Acts Of Kindness And Generosity,


The 1949 obituary of resident Mrs. Elvira Leonard differentiated local surviving family members as being of Oil City or Caddo City. 



1950

In 1950, taxes on a property owned by Oil City resident Hilma Mattson were identified as delinquent.




This is surprising, given all indications Ms. Mattson was otherwise meticulous in her business affairs. A self-made woman, read about her in Hilma Mattson, A Woman Ahead Of Her Time.


1972

A notice for the divestment of Shreveport Petroleum Company included lots in Caddo City offered for sale.




1991

Hwy. 530 was referred to as the "Belcher- Caddo City Road" in a Jul-1991 solicitation for bid for nearby road project.




2011

As recently as 2011, a public notice identified a property's location by reference to Morrical Avenue that was abandoned, or likely never actually put into use, over 100 years ago.




Today

Caddo City exists today as legal description; identified as a subdivision in the Caddo Parish Tax Assessor's property database.




In this regard, an interesting/odd fact is that a small adjudicated (seized for nonpayment of taxes) property is still on the rolls (noted by red star on map below) in the names of G. A. Morse and J. C. Trichel. Gustave A. Morse (1874-1914) was a businessman and Oil City postmaster who died over 100 years ago. Per his obituary, he was once one of the largest property holders in the area. John C. Trichel (1867-1956) was in banking and real estate; and additionally was director of the Louisiana State Fair.

Note also on this map from the Caddo Parish Tax Assessor's website the streets and alleys that were laid out but never put into use are visible.



Despite ultimately being absorbed into Oil City, and never officially incorporated, Caddo City lives on as a location in Google Maps:




Main Street today, looking west at its intersection with Land Avenue.


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