George Putman Celerbating His 88th
Birthday Today; Dinner Planned
Br DOTTIE HARBISON
Eagle Point-George Fran
cis Putman, beter known as
"Dad," is celebrating his 88th
birthday today with a family
dinner of all his children and
grandchildren who live in the
valley.
He was born in McNary
county, Tennessee, Feb. 22,
1872, to Mr. and Mrs. Jere
miah Michael Putman, the
oldest of two sisters and one
brother.
While a boy at home, Put
man learned the milling busi
ness from his father as they
made the two stones for flour
and corn meal grinding. At
14, he started his own butch
er shop in Black Rock, Ark.,
and operated it until he was
forced to leave by law.
Owed Him Money
Putman said a man and his
two sons owed him a bill of
S4.000.40 and refused to pay.
Putman knew he had the
money and was a friend of
the bank cashier who notified
him when the man deposited
$12,000 one Saturday morn
ing. Putman wrote out a
check for the exact amount
owed him and paid a call on
the three men about 9 p.m.
that evening, asking him to
sign the check he placed on
the table.
He finally gave him five
minutes to sign the check or
he would use the six gun he
leveled on the boy's father.
Four and one half minutes
ticked by and Putman warned
him he had just 30 seconds
left. When he warned them he
just had 15 seconds to live the
boys yelled to sign the checK
Putman left town and re
turned to cash the check
Monday morning and the
man followed him in the
bank. Putman informed him
his gun was still loaded and
he would use it if he opened
his mouth. Putman had the
reputation of being one of the
fastest and straightest men
with his six gun in that terri
tory so he cashed the check
before the man coma siop
payment on it.
Marshal Also Friend
The marshal was also a
fripnrl of Putman and sent
him word by a mutual friend
that a warrant had- been
sworn out against him, and
to lay low, so he went to the
sheriff's home about three
miles from the court house
and about 2 miles from
town, and the sheriff hid him
in his house. A reward of
$1,000 was put out for his
arrest and remained there un
til he was 37 years old and
the man died.
This man also had an old
widow sign what she thought
was a paper to sell her home
and turned out to be the deed
to her home. The sheriff was
in contact with Putman every
day this reward was in force,
Putman said.
Indian Territory
Putman left Arkansas and
went into the Indian territory
in Oklahoma just outside of
Tulsa, where he cowboyed
for six years. At the time a
three-year-old steer was being
sold in Kansas City at top
price for S7.50 apiece.
Putman became straw boss
in his fifth year of cowboymg
fnr the Mashed Toe ranch in
hrhich his father owned 6 of
the 10 shares and no one
knew he was related to the
The ranch was located
in Texas and the cattle deliv-
frpH to him in Oklahoma
They sold the stock for $3.00
apiece for 3 year old steers.
Putman tells of the time
the wranglers changed his
brand on 500 head of baby
calves to the Buckle J brand
one year so the next year
they confiscated 750 head of
his calves and put Brown's
brand on. No one, not even
Brown, was aware that had
happened.
Putman moved to north
urAet Missouri where he learn
ed the roll business of milling
and married Miss Minnie
Geuyer Nov. 30, 1899. Then
oldest son, Ed, was born
there.
Move to Nebraska
The Putmans moved to Ne
braska where he took four
years as an apprentice in
the flour milling work and
owned his own mill for 23
more years. He quit the mill
a year before World War I
broke out and went to Lex
ington, Mo., and to Lake
Charles, La., where he work
ed for 3i years in an avia
tion camp, and then moved to
Orange, Tex., and New Or
leans in the shipyards for the
government during the war.
All surplus goods and mate
rials were sent there for re
selling. Putman remembers
having to dump a whole car
load of good bacon in the bay
to prevent hurting the price
of the local meat market.
While still in Kansas,
Frank, Louis and Christina
were added to the family and
Florence and Minnie were la
ter born in Kansas.
Putman moved to southeast
Missouri, to Minnesota, and
back to Missouri. The family
moved from Popular Bluff,
Mo., to Riverton, Minn., with
two wagons and a hack and
this is a trip none of the fam
ily ever forgot.
Dad Putman was required
to walk ahead of the group
and buy supplies in order to
get them. This was the period
in history where everyone
was scared by gypsies as they
had been kidnaping small
youngsters etc., and the min
ute they came within sight of
towns everyone grabbed the
youngsters and let out the cry
of gypsies the doors were
slammed shut and locked as
everyone grabbed the young
sters and ran inside.
Help Drive Wagons
At one town the grocery
clerk asked Dad to stay with
her until the gypsies went by.
The oldest two youngsters
had to help drive the wagons
and hack, and the roads were
full of deep holes in. which
they had to get out and actu
ally lift the wheels out of the
holes in order to proceed. The
last leg of the journey saw
them approaching with their
wheels wired together on the
wagons, and one of the horses
became lame so a large horse
was paired off with a small
one, making them look more
gypsyfied.
The return trip to Missouri
found them riding in cars.
Putman sold their propery
in Missouri and he and his
family moved to Oregon.
The family arrived in Med-
ford Aug. 13, 1925, and have
lived in the valley since. Put
man went to work for Owen
Oregon or what is now Med
ford corporation, and worked
for three years. His son, Ed,
worked there for 12 years,
Frank for 14 years and Louis
for 7 years. They went on a
farm just above Eagle Point
across the Rogue river in
1928 but lost $1,200 the first
year so they moved to Phoe
nix where he made a success
at three years of farming,
Move lo Eagle Point
He moved to Eagle Point
Nov. 20, 1932, with farming
once again in mind but while
riding by the old building
which is now Putman Broth
ers Feed and Seed store, cold
storage plant, and the Burr
or stone ground flour mill,
Putman agreed to assemble
the machinery that was lay
ing all over the floor for a
couple of perplexed men try
ing to move it. With the aid
of his sons they had just
about completed the job when
Mrs. Campbell, the owner,
approached him with an offer
to buv the mill and three
quarters of an acre of ground
for $600.
Putman didn't have the
money but Mrs. Campbell ac
cepted the note signed by his
two sons and himself, present
ed him with the deed, and
Putman immediately set to
work and each silver dollar
he received was stored for
payment of the note.
He kept the interest paid
on the note and Aug. 13, 1933,
Mrs. Campbell asked him if
he tould pay the note. He told
her the next morning he had
all of it to come pick it up
which she did three weeks
later and found a bucket of
silver dollars too heavy, to
lift.
Divides Money
Putman divided the money
in two buckets and carried
BOB WALTERS. Regional Editor
CORRESPONDENTS:
Applegate Valley Maude Ziegler. TW 9-1333
Butte Falls Mary Jo Harris. TO 5-2126
Central Point Doris Hughes. NO 4-1106
Eagle Point Dottie Harbison. HI 6-3274
Gold Hill-Sams Valley Mary Kell, UL 5-1126
Hilts Mrs. M. F. Cavin
Hornbrook Katherine Chapman, GR 5-3586
Illinois Valley Margaret Crowl
Jacksonville Betle Hoskins. TW 9-1209
McLeod Caroline Harding, TR 8-2260
Meadows Nellie Bergman, HI 6-1267
Phoenix-Talent Joe Cowley. KE 5-2918
Prospect Frances Ring, UN 9-2211
Shady Cove Evalyn Watson. TR 8-2351
Table Rock R. E. Nealon. TA 6-2097
Tiller-Drew Viola Rogers
Yrtka-Montague Carol Petersen
ODAIE MfUETT, BurWer
Ashiand, Oregon C .IwJiWa
"Electric heat is a definite I
selling point in a home." t
p.. . Aa&li.S
gftSgFi F anphti Wof wtiw h '
III Mill EWricHeatMlCOPCO fSCT
Mk!ifiy per MOrt Ekclriul Duttf. I Z-ZZJ
. Wmi.u: i"- gaBBg
them to the car for her. She
was all prepared to tell them
at the bank that she had
robbed a bank to get the mon
ey but when she took the
money up, waiier louns,
cashier, just blinked a couple
of times, counted out tne
money ana assea no ques
tions. Mrs. Campbell was also
president of the bank at that
time.
Two years later at the time
of Mrs. Campbell's deatn,
Victor Hay, a school teacher,
was telling Putman of the
strange and cold money she
had deposited at the bank and
no one knew where she got
the money. Putman laughing
ly told them where she got it
and for some time when he
deposited his money and
checks at the bank they asKea
him if he had any more of
that cold money.
The first taxes Putman paid
on his property in Eagle Point
were $1.86 and his present
taxes are just a little higher
at $1,111.34, but Putman stat
ed he had no mortgages, notes
or debts.
Has Heart Attack
Putman's wife died at their
family home on the Browns
boro rd. just a short distance
from the mill Dec. 11, 1937,
after 37 years and 11 days of
married life with Putman. He
had a heart attack Jan. 26,
1942, and has had several
since including a severe one
when the family were all
home for Thanksgiving last
year. The doctor ordered him
to bed for six months and Dad
says he is still alive because
he "did what the doctor told
him not to do."
All of his children have
lived close to Dad all their
lives except Minnie, and her
family who moved to New
Mexico about three years ago.
A grandson, Jerry Warren,
and his family lives in Suth
erlin, and a daughter, Mrs.
Band Concert Draws
Crowd at Days Creek
Tiller-Drew - A large crowd
attended the band concert at
Days Creek last week spon
sored by the student body of
Days Creek school.
The Willamette university
concert band were given a
chicken dinner in the school
cafeteria at 6 o'clock furnish
ed by mothers of the students.
The concert began at 8 j
o'clock in the school gymna-j
sium with the 44 piece band
playing nine numbers. After
the concert, four members of
the band played music for
dancing.
The band is under the direc
tion of Maurice W. Brenner,
and Roy Chapin is the man
ager. BUILDING PERMITS
Central Point Two build
ing permits for new homes
were issued at the city hall
recently. They are to build
homes in the Faber - Crater
subdivision, and will be con
structed by Petrehn and Pur
dy Construction company.
Clifford (Florence) Roush and
family live in Medford, but
the rest of the family all live
in Eagle Point. Putman has
nine grandchildren and has
made and is making plans for
increased work in the future.
Regional Calendar
Applegate Valley Mrs.
Francis Krouse and Mrs.
George Brown will discuss
synthetic fabrics at a joint
meeting of local extension
units at Upper Applegate
Grange hall Tuesday, Feb.
23, at 10:30 a.m. There will
be potluck dinner and child
care.
Gold Hill - The executive
committee of the Gold Hill
Parent Teacher association
will meet- Tuesday, Feb. 23,
at 2 p.m. in the cafeteria at
the Hanby Elementary school
to outline preliminary plans
for a safety program, accord
ing to Mrs. Ogden Kellogg,
president.
Eagle Point The Home
Economics club of the Eagle
Point Grange will meet at
the home of Mrs. C. C. Hoover
on Gregory rd. at 1 p.m.,
Wednesday, Feb. 24. Mrs.
Tom Vestal will be cohostess.
Gold Hill - Amethyst Re
bekah lodge will sponsor a
luncheon and card party
Wednesday, Feb. 24, begin
ning at noon at the Odd Fel
lows hall on Fourth ave., Mrs.
Clarence Parsley, ways and
means chairman, said.
Gold Hill - Mrs. Wilmer
Bailey will be hostess at her
home on Fifth ave. for a meet
ing of the Past Noble Grand's
club of Amethyst Rebekah
lodge, Thursday, Feb. 25, at
8 p.m. Mrs. Bailey said those
who have Amethyst secret
friends should bring a Valen
tine gift for exchange.
Sams Valley - A silver tea
will be held in observance of
Founder's Day at the meeting
of Sams Valley Parent Teach
er association Thursday, Feb.
25, at 8 p.m. at the school,
according to Mrs. Alfred
Gowen, publicity chairman.
Past presidents will be hon
ored. Tiller-Drew - Tiller-Drew
PTA will hold its Founder's
day tea in the school gymnas-.
ium Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. Mrs.
George Stone is program
chairman and Mrs. Howard
Midkiff is refreshment chair-
ATTENTION
ALL FOOD CLERKS!
ASHLAIID-HEDFORD-GRAIITS PASS
Monday, February 22nd
Medford Hotel
9:15 P.M.
GUEST SPEAKERS WILL DISCUSS:
Local Union Operation
z Health and Welfare
u Union Contracts
This Meeting Sponsored by
RETAIL CLERKS UNION, LOCAL 265
AFL-CIO
A SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER WILL BE BROTHER
H. L. WEINGARTNER, FINANCIAL SECRETARY, LOCAL 1364,
RETAIL CLERKS UNION, AFL-CIO OF REDDING, CALIFORNIA
Sp&egion'al I
mm Mens
Crater Agriculture
Gold Hill - Delmar Smith,
Crater High Future Farmer
of America reporter, said stu
dents of the agriculture 1-A
and 1-B classes will enter
shop courses for the first time
beginning this six weeks. They
will be taught several skills.
Welding will consist of
Hornbrook Resident
Attends Bureau Meet
Hornbrook - Mrs. Marion
(Elva) Grieb attended the
meeting of the Shasta Valley
Farm Bureau Women at the
home of Mrs. Beverly Ash
craft in Little Shasta Satur
day. Highlights of the program
were colored slides and a
talk on Alaska presented by
Mrs. Laura Cawley, who
made a trip to Alaska last
year. During the business
meeting it was announced
that the next joint meeting
of the Shasta Valley and
Edgewood Farm Bureau Wo
men will be held in the Edge
wood Center building in
Edgewood in April, the exact
date to be announced later.
Also discussed was the com
ing annual Farm Bureau
party to be held Saturday
night, March 5 at the Monta
gue auditorium.
Volunteers Working
On Recreation Kali
Hilts Work has been start
ed here to remodel the com
munity center building to
serve as a community recre
ation hall. Crews are work
ing from 6-10 p.m. each week
day and from 8 a.m. until
noon each Saturday.
Overseeing the crews on a
rotation basis are M. E. Bar
ron, Al Simmen, Warren Fox
and Glen King.
Materials are being fur
nished by the Fruit Growers
Supply company, and all la
bor is voluntary.
SPECIAL ELECTION MEETING
Students to Start
learning how to make a but-
weld, which must withstand
blows with a sledge hammer.
In oxo-acetylene cutting, the
student must cut a 316 piece
of metal that will be judged
by smoothness of the cut edge.
They also will learn the
knowledge of brazing, which
he Said is useful when work
ing with metal that is too
thin to weld and also in cast
iron work.
Increased Need
Because of the increased
need for carpenter skills on
the. farm, students will be
taught the proper use of crosscut-saw
and rip-saw. The stu
dent will be given one board
6 inches by 2 feet and will
be required to cut a 6 inch
by 9 inch rectangle from it.
Two holes must also be drill
ed in the board with a brace
and bit.
Although few people use
Couple Called South
Because of Death
Eagle Point Mr. and Mrs.
Merle McGraw was called to
San Louis Obispo, Calif. Wed
nesday, Feb. 17 by the death
of Mrs. McGraw's father,
Theodore Veaulieu, 85.
Mr. Veaulieu was an early
resident of Jackson county
and had made his home with
his daughter in past years.
During the winter months, he
visited his son in California.
Mr. Veaulieu attended the
Shady Cove Our Lady of Fa
tima Catholic church and Sac
red Heart Catholic church, of
Medford. He was an orchard
ist and managed several pack
ing plants in the Medford
area.
GIRL SCOUTS MEET
Gold Hill Local Girl
Scouts have been meeting at
the homes of the members
once a week to earn clocking
badges, Mrs. Floyd Taylor,
leader said. Meetings are held
after school Fridays.
Courses in Shop
a forge any more, students
will learn this skill. They will
be taught tap and dye work
and the skill of sharpening
tools. Each boy has completed
a rope halter.
Larry Ryerson, news bulle
tin editor, and Gary Meade,
assistant editor, announced
that the February edition of
the News Bulletin had been
mailed to more than 150 per
sons in this area.
LOSES FINGERS
Shady Cove - Jimmy Ford,
Butte Falls, son of Mrs. Johnie
Minor of Shady Cove lost two
fingers in an accident while
he was working at Medford
Corporation last week. He was
admitted to a Medford hospi
tal, and released later in the
week.
Your
blood is
precious..
whether you need it in the form of a
transfusion ... or whether you are a donor
Your GiEO CROSS
distributes blood to everyone ... AT NO CHARGE
Won't you help us to keep ample
supplies of blood on hand?
The loodmobiDe
will be at the
KEED CROSS BUILDING
60 Hawthorne St.
February
Phone
Rural Reflections
By MAUDE ZIEGLER
Applegate Valley - If evi
dence is any criterion there
will be a rounding up of
cougars here some day at a
bounty rate of $60 from coun
ty and state.
Charlie Williams discovered
a huge track in the back yard.
He poured it full of plaster
and took the cast to Medford,
where it was identified as a
cougar's.
The Otis Buck's report a
cougar was seen in day light
near their ranch, and a deer
it was credited with killing
was found near by.
Don Moulton of the forest
service scaling station near
Ruch says a cougar which he
thinks lives in the Forest
creek back country chased a
deer into the road near the
station one day.
Grace Pearson still is a
little breathless from hearing
a cougar's cry on the moun
tain close by about 4:30 one
morning, which she describes
as the wierdest, creepiest
sound combining the qualities
of a human's scream with that
of a cat and a red-tailed hawk.
COUPLE RETURNS
Applegate Valley - Mr. and
Mrs. M. W. Milam have re
turned from Long Beach,
Calif, where they visited their
son-in-law and daughter, Mr.
and Mrs. Frank Apostalo.
23, 1:00 Till
TUESDAY
SIP 3-3313
Medford Mail Tribune
.3
District 6C to
Hold Speech Event
Gold Hill - A bulletin has
been sent to teachers in Dis
trict 6C announcing prelimi
nary plans for a speech festi
val, which will be sponsored
by the speech department at
Crater High school under the
direction of D. E. Lacy, speech
instructor.
Seventh and eighth grade
students of Hanby, Sams Val
ley and Central Point schools
will be invited to participate
in the festival, which is slated
for Friday, May 6, and Sat
urday, May 7, at Crater High
school.
There is a possibility that
fourth, fifth, and sixth grades
of the schools might be in
cluded. Whether or not they
will participate will be de
cided and announced later.
Most events will take place
Saturday, May 7. However at
this time it is planned that
some will be held Friday to
allow more than one round
of speaking for each contest.
It will be possible for cen
testants to listen to other
events when they are not in
volved in a round of their
own.
6:00 p.m.
Make it a
"date" now!
MAIL TRIBUNE, Medford, Or.
Monday, Feb. 22, 1960