Buchanan, Marie McCord Wall (1914-2008)
Though sometimes identified as Oil City's first alderwoman, that distinction belongs to Louise Lockwood Brooks Waldron (see below). She was however the second, shown in the following 1964 mayoral and council election results:
Though sometimes identified as Oil City's first alderwoman, that distinction belongs to Louise Lockwood Brooks Waldron (see below). She was however the second, shown in the following 1964 mayoral and council election results:
Below: Then Mrs. Wall shown being sworn in with other aldermen and Mayor T. W. Greer in 1965.
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| Former mayor and then current city attorney Donald Lavine (far right) administers the oath of office to Flash, White, Greer, Resweber, Wall, and Pickle. |
A long-time local business person, operating a department store with then husband Johnny Wall, she was honored as Woman Of The Year at the 1994 Gusher Days celebration.
Per her obituary, she was instrumental in bringing low income housing into Oil City, and supervised its construction.
Interment: Evans-Richie Cemetery; Vivian, LA (per obit)
Butler, Mary Hylma Lawrence (1895-1969) A 1913 graduate of the defunct Mansfield Female College (now a museum) in Mansfield, Louisiana; Mrs. Butler lived a life of continuous service to her community, notably active in the Louisiana Parent Teacher Association at both the local and state levels for over 30 years.
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.
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
Obit: Shreveport Times 07-Jan-1969, Page 5-A
Interment: Forest Park Cemetery; Shreveport, LA (per obit)
Humphries, Lulu Belle Baird (1901-1982)
Question: Lula or Lulu? Both names appeared over the years, including in different official records. Overwhelmingly however, the use of Lulu prevailed in articles and pictures found that were used to provide the information below. To be consistent with those, that will be the given name used throughout. See the appendix at the end of this profile for more discussion.
Lulu was the daughter of John Henry Baird and Lula Bell Reitzel, born in Caldwell Parish, LA. An Ancestry.com contributor cites her marrying Bruce Adelbert Humphries in 1919. In 1920, she was listed as married but living alone in Louisville, KY; with her occupation listed as "war camp community service." Somehow she made it to Minneapolis, MN, as that is the listed birthplace of her older daughter (also Lula or Lulu). In 1929, she's identified as "Lula," a stenographer for H. R. Speed Insurance Agency of Monroe, LA. The 1935 Shreveport City Directory listed Mrs. Humphries as a bookkeeper for Maynard & Snow, Inc.; a firm specializing in oil field insurance. Per the 1940 U. S. Census, she was listed back in Monroe, LA with occupation identified as "clerical in DPW" (Dept. of Public Works).
Lulu enlisted in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAACs) on 21-Dec-1942. Below she's pictured while charged with coordinating the recruitment of other Monroe-area women into that organization.
Monroe Morning World 20-Jun-1943, Page 8
In September 1946, daughter Bessie Beryl (Bebe) was married to Charles Winslett by her brother-in-law, Rev. Benjamin S. Patrick, a Baptist minister. His wife was Mrs. Humphries older daughter Lula (or Lulu, as her name is listed as both over the years too). Though Mr. Humphries (girls' father) was still living, Mrs. Humphries escorted her daughter down the aisle wearing her summer white dress army uniform.
An article appearing in the Monroe newspaper announced Mrs. Humphries's return to civilian life and resumption of her career in that city. It also provided details of her military service, that she reached the rank of captain; and notes she briefly worked for an insurance agency in Shreveport upon leaving Army life..
Monroe News Star 24-May-1948, Page 2
She is pictured (far right) among a group of newly installed officers of the Insurance Women of Shreveport at an installation banquet to honor the group.
Times 16-Jun-1956, Page 5-A
In 1957 she purchased lots in Mooringsport, where she would reside, from Charles M. Flanagan. She opened an insurance agency in Oil City (advertisement below).
Times 09-Nov-1959, Page 12-A
In December 1964, she is mentioned (as Lulu) being involved with Christmas celebration activities hosted by th American Legion's Howard Fortson Post No. 138 Auxiliary.
Mrs. Humphries passed away in 1982, while living with her daughter Lulu (or Lula) and Rev. Patrick; who was then Director of Chaplaincy at the Hilcrest Medical Center, located in that city.
The business bearing her name continued for several years after her death, run by daughter Bebe and her husband Charles.
Appendix - Lula or Lulu?
Which is correct? Lula appears on the earliest records of both mother and daughter, however the use of Lulu is so prevalent to not be simply a misprint. Perhaps Lulu was a nickname (sounds informal) later adopted without a legal change. Some examples below:
Mother (1901-1982)
Daughter 1922-1998
Mattson, Hilma (1883-1952)
A self-made woman, this Iowa native was a one-time school teacher who passed the bar exam and practiced law in South Dakota before moving to Caddo Parish and going into the oil business.
A self-made woman, this Iowa native was a one-time school teacher who passed the bar exam and practiced law in South Dakota before moving to Caddo Parish and going into the oil business.
McCurdy, Penny Brumley
While our other pioneers are from the past, this "pioneer" is very much of the present - being among the trailblazers in the growing sport of women's professional bass fishing.
In this video below of lady angler introductions, Penny speaks at the 1:13 mark.
Click here to view Penny's current ranking.
Norris, Clara Boyter (1924-2008)
Interment: Lakeview Memorial Gardens; Oil City, LA
Perdue, Mary Ellon Turner (1875-1941)
The first known woman to lead an Oil City church, Reverend Perdue was ordained in 1906 after the death of her husband, James Madison Perdue. She became pastor of a Methodist Protestant Church located in the Ferry Lake area. Prior to taking this calling, she was identified as an evangelist.
Louisiana Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church, 05-08-Nov-1920, Page 30
She remained local minister solely, or shared with other communities through 1926, noted below. Reported church membership during her tenure is in parentheses.:
1920 (Unknown)
1922 (38)
1923 (shared with Zenoria, LA) (40)
1924 (shared with Urania,LA and Zenoria) (40)
1925 (shared with Urania) (37)
1926 (shared with Urania and the Jonesboro, LA circuit) (37)
She later returned to Atlanta, TX; where she had grown up, but continued preaching in the area as an evangelist. It was there that she passed away of a heart attack on 18-Jun-1941. The following is from her obituary:
Times 20-Jun-1941, Page 13
Interment: Pine Crest Cemetery; Atlanta, TX
Note the Methodist Protestant Church was a distinct denomination; separate from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (later integrated into the United Methodist Church) with which the First Methodist Church in Oil City was affiliated. To read about the history of these local Methodist congregations and other local churches, see Give Me That Old Time Oil City Religion.
Shropshire, Florence Parsons (1882-1974)
Mrs. Shropshire was another area woman who succeeded in what was a "man's world" in her day. Though likely never an actual resident of Oil City, she was in the oil business in the Caddo field, developing properties in the Jeems Bayou and north shore areas of Caddo Lake. Earlier records show the then Shreveport resident having been involved in residential development in Baton Rouge. A 1909 newspaper article claimed her to be one of the successful woman real estate operators in the state. She and husband Wheeler Shropshire (1876-1925) were also active in oil properties, starting several related companies.
New Orleans Times-Democrat 14-Sep-1910, Page 14
They abruptly moved to El Paso, Texas in 1916 due to one or both having an undisclosed illness (likely tuberculosis) requiring an arid climate. Coincidentally or not, a business partner of theirs died of that highly contagious disease around this time.
They continued in the oil business in the El Paso area, and additionally established the Southwestern Coca Cola Bottling Company in nearby Deming, New Mexico. An apparent natural entrepreneur, Florence used oil stock money to start a squab "ranch" when she desired for a planned luncheon and found none available at the local market. After Wheeler's death in 1925 Florence remained a businesswoman, opening two restaurants in El Paso. She briefly remarried and was divorced in 1931.
Despite the restaurant's Spanish name, the "New Orleans Crab Gumbo" on the menu gives away Florence's Louisiana roots.
Little could be found of her subsequent life. The 1940 U. S. Census listed her as clerk for the WPA, performing research work. She died from bronchopneumonia in 1974. At the time, her nearest living relative was a niece in New Orleans.
Interment: Evergreen Cemetery; El Paso, TX
Thacker, Virginia Crawford (1921-2010)
Virginia was born in 1921 to Benjamin Louis and Minerva Elizabeth Crawford. Growing up, she attended Oil City School where she graduated in 1939.
Source: Ron Newton
During her high school years, she was active in the 4-H Club and won many awards over the years. Below she is shown being named Outstanding Club Girl at a Caddo Parish Achievement Day.
Times 16-Oct-1937, Page 1
Below: Pictured as a student at Louisiana Polytechnic Institute (now Louisiana Tech University) in 1940.
1940 Louisiana Tech Lagniappe (yearbook)
She was featured in the Baton Rouge State Times as the only then woman studying aviation at Tech. She would become the first female certified pilot in Louisiana, and aviation became a lifelong passion.
State Times 25-Jan-1940, Page 10
Virginia married another Oil City resident, James Dewey Thacker, and together they had children - Elizabeth, Louis, James Jr., Jenella, and John.
She began driving a school bus in Oil City, LA at the age of 18 and retired from bus driving at the age of 80, with over 50 years of service. She is pictured below during the 1958-59 school year.
1959 OCJH Bengal (yearbook)
Per her obituary:
Virginia was an active member of Oil City United Methodist Church for most of her life and First United Methodist Church of Baton Rouge during her few years residing there.
Her hobbies included tatting, reading, gardening, farming, flying and extensive traveling. She was a very adventurous "soul," and at the age of 83 went hang gliding! She was an active member of the Caddo Homemaker's Club, a 4-H Club leader, Rotary Ann, and enjoyed each summer at the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual Fly-In located in Oshkosh, WI.
In 2005, she was inducted into the Louisiana Folklife Center as a Master Artist for her skill in the increasingly lost craft of tatting.
Source: LFC website
Below: shown flying in an undated photo.
Source: Air and Space Museum website
Related links:
Profile on the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum Wall of Honor
Biography at Louisiana Folklife Center's Hall of Master Folk Artists
Obituary published at the time of her death
Virginia was born in 1921 to Benjamin Louis and Minerva Elizabeth Crawford. Growing up, she attended Oil City School where she graduated in 1939.
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| Virginia Crawford, 1st Grade 1928 |
Source: Ron Newton
During her high school years, she was active in the 4-H Club and won many awards over the years. Below she is shown being named Outstanding Club Girl at a Caddo Parish Achievement Day.
Times 16-Oct-1937, Page 1
Below: Pictured as a student at Louisiana Polytechnic Institute (now Louisiana Tech University) in 1940.
1940 Louisiana Tech Lagniappe (yearbook)
She was featured in the Baton Rouge State Times as the only then woman studying aviation at Tech. She would become the first female certified pilot in Louisiana, and aviation became a lifelong passion.
State Times 25-Jan-1940, Page 10
Virginia married another Oil City resident, James Dewey Thacker, and together they had children - Elizabeth, Louis, James Jr., Jenella, and John.
She began driving a school bus in Oil City, LA at the age of 18 and retired from bus driving at the age of 80, with over 50 years of service. She is pictured below during the 1958-59 school year.
1959 OCJH Bengal (yearbook)
Per her obituary:
Virginia was an active member of Oil City United Methodist Church for most of her life and First United Methodist Church of Baton Rouge during her few years residing there.
Her hobbies included tatting, reading, gardening, farming, flying and extensive traveling. She was a very adventurous "soul," and at the age of 83 went hang gliding! She was an active member of the Caddo Homemaker's Club, a 4-H Club leader, Rotary Ann, and enjoyed each summer at the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual Fly-In located in Oshkosh, WI.
In 2005, she was inducted into the Louisiana Folklife Center as a Master Artist for her skill in the increasingly lost craft of tatting.
Source: LFC website
Below: shown flying in an undated photo.
Source: Air and Space Museum website
Related links:
Profile on the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum Wall of Honor
Biography at Louisiana Folklife Center's Hall of Master Folk Artists
Obituary published at the time of her death
Waldron, Louise Lockwood Brooks (1910-1987)
Below Mrs. Waldron is pictured as a student at Louisiana State Normal School, now Northwestern State University.
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| Louise Lockwood at LSN (1930) |
Shown below while teaching the sixth grade at the local school.
1958 Oil City Junior High Bengal (yearbook)
She became OC's first alderwoman in November 1953.
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Source: Baton Rouge State Times 26-Nov-1953, Page 47 (7-D)
Since this was between the normal election cycle, it's not clear if this was an appointment or the result of a special election to complete the term of another person. In 1956 she was elected to a full term (see below).
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Obituary: Shreveport Times 23-Jun-1987, Page 10
Interment: Chapelwood Cemetery; Vivian, LA (per obit)
Return to Encyclopedia Oleum Civitas.
Interment: Chapelwood Cemetery; Vivian, LA (per obit)
Return to Encyclopedia Oleum Civitas.
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