(Al) intisjiviitn,712555 425
- 8 - Form A-(3-li'j) Ii/diun-I ioi.et.r Jii,t<ry Project f^r HERRIFORD, A. H. (AL). INTERVIEW. 12555..d Worker' : nane This report mad^ on (';'ii- ) Charles K. Holt. Dec. 8. 1937. 1. Namo 2. Po::t O'Ti^c 3. Residence '. A. H. (Al) Herriford. s^ (or IOCTL ion) Cleveland, Oklahoiaa. 4. DATS OF -IhTH: Mc:.th Day ^- r 1870, 5. Place of birth KeuJaiCky, 6. Name of Father J. p. John Herriford. il&cu of birth Kentucky. Other.nf ^rmut ion i) out f'-tner 7. Name of Mother Mary Shackelford. Otr:-.r ii./crin-utior nt.cut r.oth 1 o: Kentucky. Notes or coir.pl.. to r/jrr-.wv b.v ti",. eld v.-v.^r d.?j ;n..; ;! t; t/.-. lxf^ end story of the or jr. int. rvit v:,d. ll~' : r r,:!.',a'ur.l for sa-..i-.d :- % jbjocts and quertions, Co^t-irva- on tlarj-: 3^~"t.- if n^ce2;,ar"; 'in att^'h frrrrly to this form. Nijr.ocr of 3:. ^t;- att /?l.^.u 3,
427 HERRIFORD, A. H. INTERVIEW'. 12555. diaries H. Holt, Investigator, 12-28-37. An Interview With A. H. Herriford, Cleveland,Oklahoma. A. H. (Al) Herriford was born in Kentucky in 1870 and when he was a small boy the family moved to Kansas where he grew up. The family had talked for a year or two of moving to the Indian Territory, before the Strip opened in 1893 but had never gotten started, so when they got news of the Strip opening they got busy and came in time to make the run. A wagon and team, three saddle horses, a few cows and a brood sow were brought along from Kansas and on arriving in the Territory camp was pitched near Stillwater to wait for the run. Al was about twenty-three yeers old, and his brother just older than himself said he would not put out an ounce of effort to get any land, and he did not, but the father and Al prepared themselves for the run, getting their numbers at stillwater, they had to go to Perry,to get them verified. I' The run was made; the father staking a claim about ten miles northeast of Jennings, and Al staking his claim five miles southwest of Cleveland.
HERR1F0RD, A. H. INTERVIEW. 12555. -2- - 428 Al soon built a small log house^ covering it with clap-boards gotten from timber off the cleitu The father built a dugout,*but was burned out a few months after it was built. The land was borken with a sod plow end corn was planted mostly on the fresh broken sod. There was nothing done to the land, after the sod was barken in the way of trying to smooth it, or to pulverize the dirt. Corn would be dropped by hand and it usually came up and made good corn. After the first years in corn then probably cotton would be planted, although the'first year there was not enough raised to supply the stock they had, and trips would be made to Elgin, Kansas^for a load of corn, and at the same time groceries and other supplies would be bought. The price of corn at that time was about 10 to 15 cents per bushel. Plenty of corn was raised tne seco-nd year, which was a good season and there were no more trips to Elgin for corn. There was no school or church in the neighborhood, but soon a log building w8s built for a combination school and church house and for other community activities.
HERRI?CRD, i». H. INTERVIEW. 12555. In the late nineties Al replaced his small log house with the dirt floor with a larger box house. The lumber was hauled from Elgin, Kansas_,to build it. The better cotton market at first v;as at Jerry, but soon Pawnee and Cleveland had as pood markets. Al still owns his claim or fan.i, and farmed it continually until a few years ego when he retired from the farm *-nd moved to. Cleveland and went into the confectionery business.