Many thanks to George Jennings for his contribution.
Questions on the Bank receipts - email: George JenningsQuote from his Email: "I was born and raised in Big Cabin. I have several receipts from the Bank of Big Cabin dated 1919,1921 that I believe are rare. They belonged to my step grandfather Barney Johnson, a longtime resident of Big Cabin.
One receipt is signed by Lonzo Comer a school teacher and resident of Big Cabin for many years. He ran an insurance agency in Vinita in his later years. If the attached receipts are of interest you may post them."
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 10:11:28 -0600
From: Gene Roberts
Subject: Re: Bank of Big Cabin TicketsGeorge, thanks for the information. It brings back a lot of memories. I did notice one thing that we believe is incorrect. As you know, I married Avanelle (Abbie) Comer Roberts, 42 years ago in Big Cabin. Abbie's grandfather was Lonzo Comer. Lon taught school for 42 years in the general Craig County area. He and his late wife Chloe reared my wife from age 4 until we married at age 18. Abbie's mother passed away when she was 4 years old and her father Cecil (C. A.) went into WW II. Due to various circumstances involving a step-mother, Abbie stayed with her grandparents visiting her father in the summer's in Dewey, OK., where he had an independent insurance agency for many years.
The inconsistency, Lonzo Comer did sell life insurance door to door in the area to supplement his teacher salary but according to Abbie, he worked out of his home. We do not remember his every having an office in Vinita. One other point, Lonzo worked in the old Big Cabin bank as noted. During that time her father C.A. also worked in the bank as a fill-in at times.
Lonzo Comer was one of the most intelligent, unselfish people I have ever known. He and Chloe having raised 7 children of their own on a teacher's salary in Oklahoma is to be admired, but when they should have had life a little easier, they took in a 4 year old and reared her into a charming young lady that I have been married to for the past 42 years. As I look back, I think that the reason I enjoy teaching in higher education is from observing Lonzo Comer's interest and his desire to make every kid just a little smarter. The memory of Lon to this day brings tears to my eye's. A good man through and through. God bless you, Talk to you later. ps share with whomever, by the way I did check out the Craig county site, fantastic!
BIG CABIN BANK
"The Story of Craig County, Its People and Places" C41
A charter for the Bank of Big Cabin, a state bank, was obtained December 11, 1907, less than a month after Oklahoma statehood. The first officers were J.W. Orr, Vinita, president; L.S. Robinson of Big Cabin, vice president; and Robert E. Lee of Big Cabin, cashier.Other original stockholders were F.B. Kimball, Bird Ballinger, A.0. Harlan, T.H. Lessley, R.L. Madison, C.E. Corn, S.R. Cecil, J.W. Harris, C.G. McCombs, C.H. Purcell, Minnie A. Lee, J.H. Wheeler, J.P. Woodall, L.L. Cornatzer, H.R. Warner, A.A. Scott, and Jennie Cecil, all of Big Cabin. From Vinita were F. Parks and J.L. Gunter.
Records show that "At" Cobb, son of S.S. Cobb, managed the Bank of Big Cabin for some years until it closed its doors in the '30s. At the same time he was an officer in a bank at Adair. When these banks closed, Mr. Cobb became a state bank examiner. Old timers tell of several men they remember as having worked in the bank, probably in the '20s and '30s: Larkin Nall, who worked in the bank in the afternoon after he'd finished his mail route; Alonzo Comer, a teacher in the Big Cabin schools; and Thad Parks who lived in Chelsea. Dr. Felix M. Adams was an investor in the bank.
Lee Smith of Vinita told that he owned a barber shop in Big Cabin. He had shaved a stranger just before that man robbed the Big Cabin bank. There was a big scar on the left side of the man's face, so Lee was able to identify him when the robber was caught. The robber locked Thad Parks, who was working alone in the bank, and the lone customer, the Katy railroad depot agent, in the vault and escaped on horseback. Mr. Smith remembers that they had to go get Mr. Comer at school to open the vault, as he was the only person beside Mr. Parks who had the combination and could let the men out.
created 10-30-99 mgc
