Individuals recognized in their respective fields, and/or who have made significant contributions to the community or greater society; who call, or once called, Oil City home.
Allen, William Calvin, Jr. "Dub" (1919-1997)
Per his obituary:
Shreveport Times 27-Aug-1997, Page 4-B
Dub shown with a newly purchased truck-mounted power unit in 1956.
Shreveport Times 17-Dec-1956, Page 9-A
Dub and sons Alton and Pat (third, second, and far right respectively) receive a plaque from Louisiana Congressman Joe D. Waggonner (center) for their contributions to Oil City.
Shreveport Times 02-May-1976, Page 12
For his contributions to the area, Dub was named one of the 100 Influential Persons of Northwest Louisiana at the turn of the millennium.
Shreveport Times 06-Jun-1999, Page 11-H
Allen, William Calvin, III "Pat" (1940-2015) The following comes from an article regarding his being named grand marshal of the 2012 Poke Salad Festival in Blanchard, LA. That was his long-time residence, and the honor was to recognize his contributions to the community.
Allen, William Calvin, Jr. "Dub" (1919-1997)
Per his obituary:
Shreveport Times 27-Aug-1997, Page 4-B
Dub shown with a newly purchased truck-mounted power unit in 1956.
Shreveport Times 17-Dec-1956, Page 9-A
Dub and sons Alton and Pat (third, second, and far right respectively) receive a plaque from Louisiana Congressman Joe D. Waggonner (center) for their contributions to Oil City.
Shreveport Times 02-May-1976, Page 12
For his contributions to the area, Dub was named one of the 100 Influential Persons of Northwest Louisiana at the turn of the millennium.
Shreveport Times 06-Jun-1999, Page 11-H
Allen, William Calvin, III "Pat" (1940-2015) The following comes from an article regarding his being named grand marshal of the 2012 Poke Salad Festival in Blanchard, LA. That was his long-time residence, and the honor was to recognize his contributions to the community.
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| William Calvin "Pat" Allen III |
After years of urging and gentle prodding, Pat Allen accepted the Poke Salad Committees' request to serve as the Poke Salad Festival's Grand Marshall. Mr. Allen has resided in Blanchard, Louisiana since 1972 and currently lives in Blanchard's Northwood Hills. Mr. Allen is the eldest of five children born to Dub and Willie Smith Allen of Oil City, Louisiana. Having been baptized in the Oil City Baptist Church, “Pat” became a member of Trinity Heights Baptist Church where he belongs to this day.
After graduating from North Caddo High School in 1958, Pat attended Northwestern State College and graduated in 1962. During that time Pat and Patricia Hoke Allen married and lived in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Beginning in the 1960's the Allens had four children; W.C. (Cal) Calvin IV, Ange, Roysan and Mendee who later presented Pat and Patricia with nine grandchildren.
While growing up in Oil City, Louisiana, Pat learned responsibility by being in charge of his four siblings. Learning to share and to respect one another and mankind, Pat became the gentle, respected and loved leader that he is today.
In his younger years, Pat developed a fondness of collecting Indian Artifacts which grew into collecting and restoring automobiles to this day. His hobbies also include working, collecting cars and golfing at Northwood Golf Course.
In 1964 Pat Allen incepted Allen Brothers Oil Company as he and his brother Alton Allen developed a very successful business and became much respected business men, not only in Blanchard but also in the surrounding parishes.
Mr. Allen has quietly accomplished more for the Poke Salad Festival and the Blanchard Community than most people realize. Pat's wife Patricia says he is a very lucky man, but we know when you do good – good comes to you. Pat Allen exemplifies the words true, honest and good with his everyday actions. Pat Allen is a great mentor, son, brother, husband, father Grandfather and friend. Do yourself a favor, speak with Pat Allen one day and you will understand why the Blanchard Community so values the fact that he and his wife Patricia call Blanchard home.
Source: http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/email/newsletter/1411323611
Anders, Col. James D. (1916-1986) came to Oil City as a young man when his father became local Methodist minister, and worked for Cities Service for a few years.
Among his accomplishments:
Butler, Mary Hylma Lawrence (1895-1969) A graduate of the defunct Mansfield Female College (now a museum) in Mansfield, Louisiana; Mrs. Butler lived a life of service to her community, notably active in the Louisiana Parent Teacher Association at both the local and state level for over 30 years.
Shreveport Times 01-Jun-1952, Page 18
Who's Who of American Women 4th edition (1966-67) Page 172-173
Cooper, Larry J., is founder and chief creative officer of Hanging with Mr. Cooper Custom Clothiers Inc. in Newport Beach, CA.. Anders, Col. James D. (1916-1986) came to Oil City as a young man when his father became local Methodist minister, and worked for Cities Service for a few years.
Among his accomplishments:
- Entered U.S. Army as buck private in 1942, and retired 29 years later as a full colonel.
- Awarded Silver Star and Bronze Stars during World War II; additionally served in Korea and Vietnam conflicts, and was stationed in Europe
- Acted as technical consultant for MGM film, "Teresa" that was partially set in Italy during the war
- Spoke before a U. S. Senate Subcommittee (the "McCarthy" hearings), that included many notable senators of the era. Also in attendance was Chief Counsel Robert F. Kennedy
- Served as chief-of-staff at Fort Polk, LA where he constructed a replica Vietnamese village to prepare soldiers entering that conflict.
Butler, Mary Hylma Lawrence (1895-1969) A graduate of the defunct Mansfield Female College (now a museum) in Mansfield, Louisiana; Mrs. Butler lived a life of service to her community, notably active in the Louisiana Parent Teacher Association at both the local and state level for over 30 years.
Shreveport Times 01-Jun-1952, Page 18
Mrs. Butler was the wife of businessman Jerry Keithley Butler (1891- 1977), owner of Butler & Son Machine Works and Supplies; who she married in 1914. Her parents were Sam and Eulalia Lawrence.
Mrs. Butler, second from right, participating in a PTA membership enrollment drive.
Below is Mrs. Butler's entry in Who's Who of American Women:
Who's Who of American Women 4th edition (1966-67) Page 172-173
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| Larry J. Cooper |
He is clothier to athletes and celebrities, with customers including Shaq, Magic Johnson, Jon Gruden, and many others.
From his former website:
Since early childhood, Larry J. Cooper was drawn to the concept of fashionable dressing. Born and raised in the piney woods of Oil City, LA, just north of Shreveport, “Coop” was not your typical jeans and t-shirt kind of kid. It was more common to find a dressy casual theme adorning this small-town kid’s closet, majority of which were designed by him during his teen years.
Moving to Los Angeles in 1978, Mr. Cooper actually began his career in hospital administration. Always complimented for the manner in which he “dressed for success”, many co-workers, physicians, and patients began inquiring about ways they too could improve their fashion image. Because “Coop” designed much of his personal wardrobe, people began soliciting his talents to design their fashions as well. It was at this point people began “hanging with Mr. Cooper”.
At this link on Oprah's website is a video where Shaq takes a 7'-4" 12 year-old boy to Larry to get his first ever custom tailored clothes.
Larry is a native of Oil City and graduated from North Caddo High School in Vivian in 1978.
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| Larry Cooper at North Caddo (1976 NC Rebel) |
Source: Hanging with Mr. Cooper Facebook Page
Darnell, Jimmy Oil City High graduate Jimmy Darnell was a journalist riding in the motorcade behind President and Mrs. Kennedy on that fateful day in Dallas. He filmed some of the now iconic footage of events at Dealey Plaza as events unfolded. Read about him at 22-Nov-1963 - A Local Connection.
Elmore, Terry was named in 1992 to the National Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) Secondary Program Advisory Council (one of four persons serving nationwide) and has received other state and national recognition over the years. Several of his students have won state awards and advanced to national competition. He is shown below with one of his students at North Caddo High School..
Shreveport Times 02-Sep-1992, Page 2-N
Ferguson, Milton L., Ed. D., Professor Emeritus of Education and Dean Emeritus of the College of Education, University of New Orleans; son of former Oil City principal L. W. Ferguson and brother of longtime "Voice of the LSU Tigers," John Ferguson.
Gardner, Jabez Alvin (1890-1968), Baseball executive, president of the Texas League from 1930-1953, and member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. A 04-Dec-1949 Dallas Morning News article states that early in his career he worked in the Gulf Oil Company production department at Caddo, La.; a community later integrated into Oil City.
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| J. Alvin Gardner |
Harrist, Terence J., MD, is a 1967 graduate of North Caddo High School, and later graduated from Baylor University and Emory Medical School. He completed a residency in anatomic pathology and a fellowship in dermatopathology at Massachusetts General Hospital. Following several years on staff at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Harrist became a founding member and medical director of Pathology Services, Inc. in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He has served as an assistant professor of pathology at Harvard Medical School and is a nationally recognized expert diagnostician. He has twice received the Harvard Medical School Teaching Award in Dermatopathology (1999 and 2006), and in 2003, received the Walter R. Nickel Award for Excellence in Teaching of Dermatopathology from the American Society of Dermatopathology. Dr. Harrist has published numerous articles and his specialty areas of interest include nevomelanocytic lesions and immunofluorescent studies of skin diseases.
Source:StrataDX company website.
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| Terence J. Harrist, MD |
Source:StrataDX company website.
Thanks to Charlotte Iles Ochoa for link.
Holliman, Henry Earl, (1928- ) is an award-winning actor who appeared on stage and in film and television; and whose career spanned six decades.
Read about Earl at this link. to the page "From Oil to Earl - Oil City in Film."
Houston, Rex (1926-2006) President of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, was born in Oil City and moved to Texas with his family as a child.
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| Rex Houston |
A World War II veteran, he held undergraduate and law degrees from Baylor University. served for several years as director of Texas Trial Lawyers Association, and he was co-founder and first president of East Texas Trial Lawyers Association.
Source: Obituary
Hughes, Howard Robard, Sr. (1869-1924) & Jr. (1905-1976)
An excerpt from Howard
Hughes, The Secret Life -
one account of Howard Sr.'s tenure as Oil City postmaster and
deputy sheriff while pursuing his invention of the rotary bit that
revolutionized oil drilling and made his fortune.
Bo became Postmaster and Deputy Sheriff of nearby Oil City on July
1, 1907. Since there was no jail, he chained prisoners to trees
before shipping them off to Shreveport. He put roughnecks in charge
of the post office and the arrest details; the result was rampant
thievery. When Sonny (Howard Jr.) was two, Bo rushed off to Pierce
Junction, Texas, following an oil strike; he continued on to Goose
Creek. His fishtail drilling bits broke off, and he was seized by an
obsession: he must fashion a bit that would cut through rock and
quicksand.
In 1908, on one of his visits to Houston, he got wind of two
recently patented bits: one designed by Erich Hoffner, a German in
Providence, Rhode Island, and the other by oilman John S. Wynn in
Beaumont. He borrowed $12,000 from Walter Sharp, took off to Rhode
Island, and bought the first bit for $2,500; Wynn sold him the second
one for $9,000. He spent weeks setting up a machine shop in a
dirt-floored, rented shack in Houston, testing out the bits. He and
Walter Sharp worked eighteen hours a day, trying to blend the two
patents. Sharp would stretch out his long legs on the leather office
couch, dreaming up ideas, while Bo would pace up and down, then rush
to his drawing board with a new concept.
In a Shreveport saloon in October, 1908, Hughes ran into a
millwright, Granville (Granny) Humasson, who showed him a sketch for
a drill formed like two pine cones, one part moving clockwise and the
other counterclockwise, and based on the concept of a coffee grinder.
Hughes bought the patent for a mere $1,200, and sold it to his
partner for $1,500. Then he took off to Keokuk, where, at dinner one
night, he noticed the butter pats on a silver dish. The ribbing on
the pats gave him an idea. Suppose he could create a bit that not
only had two cone-shaped sections revolving in opposite directions,
but could be ribbed like the butter pats? When dinner was over, he
cleared the table, sketched away furiously, and then yelled,
“Eureka!”, so that the whole family came running out to see what
he had done. He had provided the cones with 166 cutting edges. The
cook walked in, carrying an egg beater. He yelled with joy when he
saw it. By November 20, 1908, he had invented the Hughes tool bit,
which improved yearly for most of a decade, marketed all over the
world, formed the basis of the countless millions of the Hughes
fortune.
He brought his family back to Houston, moving them into 916
Crawford Street. No sooner had he settled into offices than the
sheriff arrived at his office with a warrant for his arrest. The Oil
City Post Office account was $450 short. Walter Sharp paid the money
out of the office safe, plus a bribe, and the sheriff went home.
Source: Howard
Hughes, The Secret Life, by Charles Higham,
c1993, 2004, St. Martin's Press; p. 18.
Other
books on the subject tell pretty much the same story, though one does
disclose information on wife Allene's coping with life in the rough
and tumble town:
“After
six months of effort and several dry wells, Hughes moved his family
yet again, this time twenty-five miles northwest to Oil City on the
border between Louisiana and Texas. He was made deputy sheriff and
postmaster of the town of 600, mainly because he was taller and
heavier that any of the other men and “didn’t take sass from the
locals,” according to an article in the Shreveport Times. While
Hughes was pushing his weight around town, his unfortunate wife was
suffering in silence at home. Their rented two-bedroom house had a
well-pump for water and an out-house for comfort, with the tracks of
the Santa Fe Railroad as neighbors. In Oil City, even the moon rose
thin and tired as Allene gazed for solitary hours at its hollow glow.
For
a woman of culture and Southern charm, Allene found Oil City the wild
frontier. Unable to appreciate the local saloon mentality, Allene
devoted her life to doting over her growing son. She sang to him,
read to him, played with him and slept with him—Big Howard being
ostracized to the smaller bedroom. And when Hughes chased oil strikes
in Pierce Junction, Goose Creek, and Harper, Texas, Allene stayed
behind, unwilling to continue to live the life of a wildcatter’s
wife.”
Hughes: The Private Diaries, Memos, And Letters, by Richard Hack, c2001, New Millenium Entertainment (Hard Cover), c2007, Phoenix Books and Audio (Paperback) p.26
Hughes: The Private Diaries, Memos, And Letters, by Richard Hack, c2001, New Millenium Entertainment (Hard Cover), c2007, Phoenix Books and Audio (Paperback) p.26
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| Howard Sr. |
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| Howard Jr. and Allene |
The picture of Howard Jr. and his mother above would have been from approximately the time the family lived in Oil City.
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| Howard Jr. as an Adult |
Lavine, Harry S. (1879-1961) and partner Harry Walker obtained a patent in 1926 for their device known as the Selectrophone Orchestra. They originally planned to manufacture and commercialize themselves.
The Cash Box, 26-May-1956, Page 50
Per a 1951 article about Mr. Lavine donating jukeboxes to Barksdale Air Force Base dining halls, he's referred to as the "Daddy of the Jukebox" and states he sold the invention to Seeburg Corporation, who became the leading jukebox manufacturer.
Here's a video demonstrating a derivative of their original design, as produced by Seeburg. Previously there had been coin-operated phonographs, playing a single song, but this device allowed listening of up to 10 records.
Mr. Lavine was in the coin-operated vending business for over 50 years.
The Cash Box 25-Dec-1955, Page 72
Originally from Ohio, Harry was a local businessman who owned several properties, including the Star Theater. He was also the father of former Oil City mayor and city attorney, Donald Lavine.
Ledbetter, Huddie (1888-1949) While famous songster and bluesman Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter is mainly associated with area communities Mooringsport (his birthplace), Leigh, TX, (where he grew up), and Shreveport (where he played on the notorious Fannin Street), he also had an Oil City connection.
Read about him at Oil City in Music and Its Musicians.
Dr. Muslow with numerous dignitaries at the formal opening of the LSU Medical Center in Shreveport.
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| L-R: Dr. Ike Muslow, Gov. Edwin Edwards, former Gov. John McKeithen, Dr. Allen Copping (LSU Medical Center Chancellor), Dr Martin Woodin (LSU System President), Dr. Edgar Hull (first dean (emeritus) of LSUMC-Shreveport) |
The school established the Ike Muslow, M.D. Chair in Internal Medicine in his honor in 2010.
Pearson, Wilbert Douglas "Doug", Jr., Major General, USAF (Retired),
From his Air Force bio:
Maj. Gen. Wilbert D. "Doug" Pearson Jr. is Commander, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. He directs the development, test and evaluation of manned and unmanned aircraft systems; the testing of experimental and research aerospace vehicles and parachute systems, and aerodynamic deceleration devices; the operation of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School; and the development, control and operation of the Edwards Flight Test Range.
General Pearson entered the Air Force in 1970 as a distinguished graduate of Officer Training School. He is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours in the F-4, F-15, F-20, F/A-22, T-38 and more than 50 other aircraft. His flying includes 364 combat hours during the Vietnam conflict. He commanded the F-15 anti-satellite Combined Test Force during the time of peak flight activity and, while flying an F-15, launched the first anti-satellite missile which successfully intercepted and destroyed a satellite in earth orbit. Prior to assuming his current position, the general served as director of operations for Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Link to his complete bio and career recap.
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| Doug Pearson as a 1965 North Caddo Senior |
Thanks is given to his former classmate Bob Moore for bringing General Pearson's story to my attention.
Richardson, Sid W. (1891-1959), Texas oilman, rancher, and philanthropist; notably associated with the city of Fort Worth, who established a foundation and museum bearing his name.
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| Sid W. Richardson |
In the referenced article about Gardner, it is stated he first met Richardson while the latter worked for a supply company in Oil City.
Shafer, John Horace "Rusty" (1945- ) earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern State University and a Master of Business Administration from Baptist Christian College.
In March 1993, he was named Assistant Director of the White House Office on Environmental Policy in the (then) new Clinton Administration.
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| Headline above, as "corrected" by biased blogger |
From his LinkedIn profile:
John Shafer is currently Senior Advisor of US Operations in the Tallahassee Office of exp. He joined exp in January 2013 as a member of the Energy Services Division and is primarily home based, although he does operate out of exp’s offices in Houston and Tallahassee. Mr. Shafer’s primarily responsibility is to provide counsel and advice on energy projects that will not only streamline the permitting process, but exceed the expectations of all interested stakeholders. This includes the environmental community, concerned citizens, and potentially affected landowners. John’s added value counseling will eliminate project delays throughout the projects various phases, including development, design, permitting, construction, and operation. Due to his expertise, John has also served as an expert witness in proceeding before state and federal jurisdictional bodies.
John has over 40 years of private and public sector environmental, health, safety and sustainability experience and has received several national awards for environmental leadership. As Assistant Director of Environmental Policy for the White House in 1993, Shafer created the President’s Council on Sustainable Development. John also served on the Governor’s Council for Sustainable South Florida and assisted in the development of plans to restore the Everglades. as all of the environmental, health, and sustainability requirements for those facilities.
John recently received the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “Silver Eagle” award. It is the highest honor given by the USFWS to a civilian for exceptional achievement in conservation. The award was presented by Gary Frazier, Assistant Director of Endangered Species Program for USF&WS at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV.
John recently received the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “Silver Eagle” award. It is the highest honor given by the USFWS to a civilian for exceptional achievement in conservation. The award was presented by Gary Frazier, Assistant Director of Endangered Species Program for USF&WS at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV.
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| John (left) receives the Silver Eagle award from Gary Frazier |
Smith, Brenda Durmon, Oil City Magnet School Teacher; 2006 National Outstanding Educator for Project Learning Tree (one of only five nationwide), and Louisiana PLT Teacher of the Year for 2004-2005.
Brenda, shown below instructing her students in the school's greenhouse.
Shreveport Times 01-Apr-2006, Page 1-B
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