This post continues the story of Doc Grisso as found in The Grisso Family book.
Doc Grisso was very interested in effective land conservation. The land in the Seminole area had been terribly abused and misused. Doc was instrumental in repairing some of the damage.
Cotton, being the largest money crop, had been planted on the same land for so long that the soil just would not grow anything. The discovery of oil had caused much land to be ruined by the drilling operations, and they had done nothing to build the land back up. The result was massive erosion.
Another damaging factor to the soils in the area was the startling ignorance of the farmers in regard to the use of land. They grew the same crops on the same plot of land year after year; they failed to fertilize their land, and they knew little about the value of terracing the land to prevent erosion
Doc along with several other concerned citizens, became alarmed about the situation.. It is interesting to note that he himself had to learn about better farming methods before he really did anything to help his community.
Doc Grisso had a friend, Chester Ellis, who was responsible for instructing Doc about the newer and more modern methods of farming. Mr. Ellis was president of the First State Bank in Seminole. He was a farmer long before he came a banker, back in Tennessee where the land is precious indeed. These mountain people had out of necessity learned how to preserve the land, which was carved out of the Tennessee mountains. Mr. Ellis knew all these modern methods and pushed Doc in the right direction in regard to improving the lands in Seminole.
With the coaching of Mr. Ellis the farm of Doc Grisso became a model for conservationists. He had adapted terrace as a means of preventing erosion and was anxious for others to learn and use the method. He felt so strongly that he backed several contests to see who could terrace the land the best way. In March of 1930 it was announced at a farmers banquet in Wewoka at the Aldridge Hotel that he would offer $1000.00 in cash prizes in March of the next year to the persons who would terrace their lands most successfully. There would be five prizes; first prize, $400.00; second prize, $250.00; third prize, $150.00; fourth prize, $125.00;
fifth prize, $75.00. All of this money was to be paid in gold, and in those days those sums were considerable amounts of money.
This was only one of many contests that Doc backed in the following years. His interest in improved farms never waned. He was constantly reading about ways to build up and conserve the land. He was chairman of the Conservation District group for more than thirty years, and during the early thirties Seminole County had more miles of terracing than any other county in Oklahoma.
Doc bought considerable land to improve so he could demonstrate what proper handling of the soil means in the production of field crops and pastures. At his death he owned approximately 7,000 acres of land, into which large amounts of time, money, and effort had been poured. As an Ada Newspaper put it, "If one wants to see some of the results of his work, he ought to compare the fields that Dr. Grisso rebuilt with the production on neighboring fields which did not get the treatment. His ranch land was turned into "excellent pasture of both tame and native grasses".
Showing posts with label Doc Grisso. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Doc Grisso. Show all posts
Friday, July 1, 2016
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Doc Grisso "Road Builder"
As with the post called Doc Grisso "Land Dealer", I am quoting directly from The Grisso Family book.
During the "oil-boom" era of Seminole, 1926-1930, money kept pouring in from the oil wells and Seminole mushroomed to a town of some size. Oil camps were established in Earlsboro, Cromwell, Bowlegs, and all around Seminole; some estimates put the number of people in the Seminole area at around 50,000.
It does not take a lot of imagination to see what sort of disastrous results occurred to the old dirt roads in the area when such a large influx of people and vehicles came to Seminole. Naturally most all of the citizens were concerned, but Doc Grisso was determined to do something to improve the conditions of the roads. At the time he was the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Committee on Roads, and spent a considerable amount of time and money making trips to urge the State Highway Commission to help Seminole make improvements on the roads.
On one such trip in November of 1927, he invited the highway commissioners to come to Seminole and have dinner as guests of the Chamber of Commerce. It seems that there were misgiving about going to this rowdy boom-town, and Doc retorted with, "Hell, I eat in Seminole". Finally they agreed to come, and on their trip from Oklahoma City it began to rain pitchforks at just the right time of day to catch the commissioners on just the right spot on the highway. Congressman Carter said in his speech that he had never made a promise in his twenty years in politics, but that he was going to make one right now. He said he was going to vote a billion dollars to repair a one half mile strip he knew between here and Seminole.
During these years Doc prodded and pushed and politicked for the improvement of roads in Seminole County. He had considerable influence in his county and was gaining a statewide reputation for being a booster of better roads.
His efforts eventually provided State Highway 270 eligible for state and federal funds and the building of a new highway from Ada to Seminole to Prague, State highway 48, presently known as State Highway 99.
Doc worked continually for building roads. He spent a great amount of money promoting roads; some estimate the amount to be in excess of $100,000, and all of it came from his own pocket. As Mrs. Grisso says, "No one will ever know just how much he really did spend on roads."
In addition to being chairman of the State Highway 270 and State Highway 48 committees, Governor E.W. Marland appointed him to the Oklahoma High Commission in 1935 as chairman of the Commission. This appointment was perhaps the most significant honor ever given to a man from Seminole at that time. He had a philosophy by which he was guided on the commission, and that was to "build the roads where the traffic needed them" and to make roads" go someplace". His impact on the highway was of great importance, and the State of Oklahoma owes to this man a debt of gratitude.
The next post about Doc Grisso will be his role as a rancher and conservationist.
During the "oil-boom" era of Seminole, 1926-1930, money kept pouring in from the oil wells and Seminole mushroomed to a town of some size. Oil camps were established in Earlsboro, Cromwell, Bowlegs, and all around Seminole; some estimates put the number of people in the Seminole area at around 50,000.
It does not take a lot of imagination to see what sort of disastrous results occurred to the old dirt roads in the area when such a large influx of people and vehicles came to Seminole. Naturally most all of the citizens were concerned, but Doc Grisso was determined to do something to improve the conditions of the roads. At the time he was the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Committee on Roads, and spent a considerable amount of time and money making trips to urge the State Highway Commission to help Seminole make improvements on the roads.
On one such trip in November of 1927, he invited the highway commissioners to come to Seminole and have dinner as guests of the Chamber of Commerce. It seems that there were misgiving about going to this rowdy boom-town, and Doc retorted with, "Hell, I eat in Seminole". Finally they agreed to come, and on their trip from Oklahoma City it began to rain pitchforks at just the right time of day to catch the commissioners on just the right spot on the highway. Congressman Carter said in his speech that he had never made a promise in his twenty years in politics, but that he was going to make one right now. He said he was going to vote a billion dollars to repair a one half mile strip he knew between here and Seminole.
During these years Doc prodded and pushed and politicked for the improvement of roads in Seminole County. He had considerable influence in his county and was gaining a statewide reputation for being a booster of better roads.
His efforts eventually provided State Highway 270 eligible for state and federal funds and the building of a new highway from Ada to Seminole to Prague, State highway 48, presently known as State Highway 99.
Doc worked continually for building roads. He spent a great amount of money promoting roads; some estimate the amount to be in excess of $100,000, and all of it came from his own pocket. As Mrs. Grisso says, "No one will ever know just how much he really did spend on roads."
In addition to being chairman of the State Highway 270 and State Highway 48 committees, Governor E.W. Marland appointed him to the Oklahoma High Commission in 1935 as chairman of the Commission. This appointment was perhaps the most significant honor ever given to a man from Seminole at that time. He had a philosophy by which he was guided on the commission, and that was to "build the roads where the traffic needed them" and to make roads" go someplace". His impact on the highway was of great importance, and the State of Oklahoma owes to this man a debt of gratitude.
The next post about Doc Grisso will be his role as a rancher and conservationist.
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Doc Grisso "Land Dealer"
Several sections in the biographical sketch of Doc Grisso illustrate his interests. Land Dealer, Road Builder, Rancher and Conservationist are included in The Grisso Family book. I am writing this directly from the book.
During the years, 1913 to 1926 Doc became more of a land dealer than a doctor or merchant. He no longer practiced because another doctor had come to town and there were not enough patients for both of them. In 1913 he had sold out his interest in the drugstore. From that time on, Doc dealt solely in the buying and selling of land, leases, and livestock.
As regards land, he had a theory that was a guidepost for him the rest of his life. He regarded land as the basis of all wealth, and this viewpoint influenced his behavior in almost every endeavor in which he was involved. It was during these years that he began to amass holding of land. One of the principle ways he acquired land was to buy up any land that the Indians could legally sell. There were certain legal requirements concerning the sale of Indian lands, and Doc became an expert on the subject. At that time an Indian could not sell land that was a homestead; however, if the land was inherited, he could sell it. Doc knew this fact and kept a close watch over any Indian lands that could be sold. He was honest and fair with the Indians in a time when all white men were not.
He had six interpreters who worked for him for many years, and they aided Doc greatly in his dealing with the Indians. They knew he would not do anything illegal to the Indians. A familiar sight to many of the residents of the Seminole area was Doc Grisso in his buggy, being driven by one of his interpreters on his way out to check some land in what is now Seminole County.
He was always studying maps and charts and land surveys, and in this manner he came to know more about the area than any other person. He worked up a book constituting a complete land survey of the county, which showed the detailed thoroughness of his methods.
He also amassed a considerable amount of debts during this time. He would borrow whatever was needed to increase his land holdings. His home farm was a money maker, but much of what he made there went back into more land. In 1926 there were rumors that Doc was going broke. Indeed his debts had accumulated to $120,000. His sons, Horton, Bill, and Wayne were going to school on borrowed money. It looked as if the world was about to cave in on Doc Grisso, and it was then that the oil gushers of 1926 began to come in, many of which were on his land.
Seminole became know as the "Miracle City" and the "Oil Capital of the World" Needless to say, the resourceful Doc Grisso did not go broke; quite to the contrary, it is estimated that he made three to four million dollars from the oil that was discovered on his land.
During the years, 1913 to 1926 Doc became more of a land dealer than a doctor or merchant. He no longer practiced because another doctor had come to town and there were not enough patients for both of them. In 1913 he had sold out his interest in the drugstore. From that time on, Doc dealt solely in the buying and selling of land, leases, and livestock.
As regards land, he had a theory that was a guidepost for him the rest of his life. He regarded land as the basis of all wealth, and this viewpoint influenced his behavior in almost every endeavor in which he was involved. It was during these years that he began to amass holding of land. One of the principle ways he acquired land was to buy up any land that the Indians could legally sell. There were certain legal requirements concerning the sale of Indian lands, and Doc became an expert on the subject. At that time an Indian could not sell land that was a homestead; however, if the land was inherited, he could sell it. Doc knew this fact and kept a close watch over any Indian lands that could be sold. He was honest and fair with the Indians in a time when all white men were not.
He had six interpreters who worked for him for many years, and they aided Doc greatly in his dealing with the Indians. They knew he would not do anything illegal to the Indians. A familiar sight to many of the residents of the Seminole area was Doc Grisso in his buggy, being driven by one of his interpreters on his way out to check some land in what is now Seminole County.
He was always studying maps and charts and land surveys, and in this manner he came to know more about the area than any other person. He worked up a book constituting a complete land survey of the county, which showed the detailed thoroughness of his methods.
He also amassed a considerable amount of debts during this time. He would borrow whatever was needed to increase his land holdings. His home farm was a money maker, but much of what he made there went back into more land. In 1926 there were rumors that Doc was going broke. Indeed his debts had accumulated to $120,000. His sons, Horton, Bill, and Wayne were going to school on borrowed money. It looked as if the world was about to cave in on Doc Grisso, and it was then that the oil gushers of 1926 began to come in, many of which were on his land.
Seminole became know as the "Miracle City" and the "Oil Capital of the World" Needless to say, the resourceful Doc Grisso did not go broke; quite to the contrary, it is estimated that he made three to four million dollars from the oil that was discovered on his land.
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