Oklahoma Rocking

By TAPS. - About Me - E-mail this page - Add to My Favorites - Add to Blog List - See other blogs in Family & Parenting

Monday, January 12, 2026

Left Behind...

Part I - Coalgate, Oklahoma and the living was definitely not easy toward the end of the Great Depression.. In fact, it was downright difficult. But no use complaining, no use feelin' sorry for oneself. Papa had died of pneumonia. His funeral service was grand because he had lots of friends in Atoka... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, January 11, 2026

14. Maminka

I never knew my Grandfather. In the winter of 1934-35 his respiratory problems increased. "In 1934, pneumonia was a significant health concern, especially due to the emerging 'Dust Pneumonia' linked to the Dust Bowl's massive dust storms, causing lung inflammation and respiratory failure." Ben... Sign in to see full entry.

Saturday, January 10, 2026

13. Baby Ollie Joan...

She was born in a little company-built house that followed a tent city that had sprung up for the new coal mine 40 years earlier. The coal mines had closed because of worker strikes, in the late 1920's. At one time the city had at least 65 merchants, plus carpenters, doctors, veterinarians, seven... Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

12. The End of Detroit

By the end of 1929, industrial production was down by 46% and unemployment was up by 607%. Struggling during The Great Depression, the Ford Motor Company was forced to reduce the scale of their operations, to lower wages, and to lay off workers. A month after their wedding in April 1930, Hursel got... Sign in to see full entry.

Monday, January 5, 2026

11. The Crash

During the summer and fall of 1929, Hursel and Rose were totally caught up in their happy lives, their love for each other and the plans for the wedding. They were not paying much attention to what was going on around them. Though they both had good jobs and all they needed at the moment, no big... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, January 4, 2026

10. The Czechoslovakian

The telephone on Ben's desk in his home in Atoka, Oklahoma rang. He had to listen for the number of times it rang before lifting the receiver off the hook because it was one of those new-fangled four-party lines. Ollie peeked around the corner, always curious if it might be for her instead of for... Sign in to see full entry.

Saturday, January 3, 2026

9. Interrupted Tête-à-tête

The fall of 1925 had been just wonderful for Hursel, the Autumn colors beautiful, the air crisp, much to explore, much to do, a job at the Ford Motor Company, a Model T to drive and pretty Sadie to share everything. That lasted for almost two years. When that ended with Sadie, it ended for good. She... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, January 1, 2026

8. Rose:

Slim walked down Woodward Avenue past Campus Martius and the Detroit Opera House without seeing much of anything. He almost collided with a nicely-dressed couple before he realized that his mind was a million miles away from life on the main street of Downtown Detroit. He had planned a really nice... Sign in to see full entry.

7. Sadie

The Ford Motor Company was incorporated in 1903, the year Hursel was born. By 1918 half of all cars in the United States were Ford Model T's. The integrated moving assembly line had changed the time it took to make one completed car from 12.5 hours to 1.5 hours and greatly lowered the price of a new... Sign in to see full entry.

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

6. The End of Antlers

......The year that Ollie cried over Hursel's photo, Ben started thinking seriously about, and planning for, moving the family to Atoka. His Son had been gone for four years. He was nearly twenty now, and was apparently doing well for himself. Ben realized he needed to focus on the rest of his... Sign in to see full entry.

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