Up to Oklahoma!

Some time between 1912 when Raymond was born and 1914 when their next son, Chester, was born, Minnie and Jess moved to Ardmore, Oklahoma, 350 miles from Vincent, Texas. Oklahoma had been a state less than ten years at that time, becoming the 46th state on November 16, 1907. (For a quick thumbnail history of Oklahoma, go to: http://www.state.ok.us/osfdocs/stinfo2.html) Oklahoma was still a rough and tumble place at that time. In the summer of 1963 Grandpa accompanied us on a trip to Ardmore, Oklahoma. As we drove through the town Grandpa was pointing out sites to us. I remember him saying, "There's where I lay down in the street to keep from being shot by two men who were in a gunfight."

It is clear, though, that there was plenty of work for Grandpa to do. He was working as a carpenter in 1917 according to his World War I Draft Registration Card that I found on Ancestry.com.

Click on the image to see a larger view. I can also tell you what was written on it. Name: Jessie Smith Blackford, Age:29, date of birth: July 5, 1888(still giving himself an extra four years of age), Address: can't read number, Moor Street, Ardmore, Oklahoma; Where born: can't read name of town, state, Arkansas, country, United States. Occupation: Carpenter, By whom employed: Charley Willey(brother in law of Minnie and his own step-cousin, but that's another story), Where employed: Ardmore, Oklahoma. The next line asks "Have you a father, mother, or wife, children under 12 or a sister or brother under 12 soley dependent on your support (specify which)?" Jess wrote: Wife and 3 children. The next question on the card asks "Do you claim an exemption from draft? (specify grounds) He wrote: Wife and 3 children.
On the adjoining side of the draft card is the Registrar's Report. In section one are these categories to fill out followed by what he wrote. Tall, Medium or short- Medium; Slender, Medium or Stout- Medium. In section two: Color of eyes - blue; color of hair - light; Bald- No. The card was signed by A.F. Cisco, registrar on 6-5-17 in Precinct 9 in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
Raymond had been born in 1912, Chester in 1914 and Clarence in 1916. That accounts for the three children in 1917. From the draft card we also can see that Minnie and Jess were living near other family, Minnie's sister, Maggie who was married to Charles Willey, Jess's half 1st cousin. Charles Willey was the son James Willey, the son of Martha Jane by her first husband, Edward Willey. The mother of Jess's father, Nathan, was also Martha Jane by her second husband, William Carl Blackford. To put it another way, Jess and Charles had the same grandmother, but different grandfathers. At some point, when I don't know, Minnie's parents also moved to Ardmore, Oklahoma.