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Grandfield
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The Combined Histories of
Kell City and Eschiti Oklahoma...
Believe it or not!
Wanna learn something
AMAZING? What you are about to learn here is based on hundreds of hours of in depth-research from newspaper articles, Tillman County Records, early newspaper articles from publications such as the the Eschiti Banner, the Grandfield Enterprise, the Big Pasture News, The Kell City Tribune, the Frederick Daily Leader, the
Daily Oklahoman, the Lawton Constitution, and dedicated research from organizations such as the Oklahoma Historical Society, the Tillman County Historical Society, the Four Sixes Ranch, the Wagoner Ranch, National Registry of Historic Places, the Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, and a hundred others not named here, but certainly of note somewhere. Please...read on...
"Kell City" was never really a city!
It was full of life and energy, folks doing day-to-day business, but technically it just never formed under laws of municipal incorporation that might laughingly be considered a real city.
Read on....
The Wichita Falls and Northwestern Railroad, promoted by Frank Kell and Joe Kemp, of Wichita Falls, Texas, built north through Burkburnett and across Red River into Oklahoma, in 1907. The railroad missed the town of Eschiti by about two miles when the line was extended northwest to Frederick. Mr. Kemp and Mr. Kell, who were townsite promoters, as well as railroad builders, had secured a right-of-way from the United States Government across the Big Pasture, with an area some 500-feet wide and a half mile long about two miles west of Eschiti, for railroad switch-yards and sidings. They appear to have laid out this switch-yard into town lots and encouraged people to settle on the lots, naming the place, “Kell City”. Some business buildings were erected along with a cotton gin and cattle pens (see image below). Quite naturally a rivalry began between Eschiti and Kell City, only two miles apart, Eschiti had the post office and Kell City had the railroad. The resultant feud resulted in what is now Grandfield...
Bank Tell Gayle Ziegler at lunch c. 1907 in front of his workplace, The Tillman County Bank just before it moved in early 1908
The image above clearly shows the Tillman County Bank and as the image was taken in 1907, this is Kell City, in all its western glory. The image below shows another view looking without question eastward, since Parker & Connely Grocers is painted on only that structure's western side. This building, Parker & Connely Grocers (and the Tant Land Company) give an exact frame of reference for Kell City. It was no longer in the alledged 500-foot wide railroad easement but had crept until it sat in with its main street in the alley of what is now 1st and 2nd streets.
Below, purportedly "Grandfield Gin and Feedlots"; actually the very ones spoken of regarding Kell City's development only a few years earlier.
It is a matter of contention that the quarter section containing all of Kell City existed only contiguous with the quarter owned by Rev. A.J. Tant. Proof to the contrary exists in the following images and discussion, fact-based and proof conclusive that Kell City had crept well out-of-bounds and was so nested in what is now Grandfield proper, yet not aligned with streets north-and-south or east-and-west. In fact photographic proof suggests Kell City's "main drag" was what is now the alley between 1st and 2nd streets, and between Tant and Main Streets in what is now present day Grandfield. Let's have a look, shall we?
The iconic image to the left depicts what all believe to be Main Street in Kell City shows clearly in the background "Parker McConnell Company Grocers" building which also housed Tant Land Company, possibly the most telling and fascinating structure in the saga of Kell City and early Grandfield.
To the right and below images of Parker McConnell Company Grocers" and "Tant Land Company", same building as the one clearly demonstrated in the "Kell City" image above. No one will argue with this summation, thus far. These two images, right and below, however, are deemed "Grandfield" photographs! Further exploration shows the same structure as it fits 2nd street in Grandfield. It is important to note below (and it stands to reason to the right) the presence of A.M.Clark (and probably his brother, Henry), noted here as "cotton buyers)...read on.
There is much to document the "bumper crop" of cotton, as do the following images, this frame. A.M.Clark owned and operated the very first mercantile (general) store in Grandfield (see images well below). A.M. Clark...the "cotton buyer!"
Back to this structure, the "Parker McConnell Company Grocers" Building. The images shown predate all but a few designated "Grandfield."
The question of location of Kell City lingers to this day. One thing is certain, Parker McConnell Company's building sat dead in the middle of Kell City and Grandfield, but where exactly.
The image to the right shows our Parker McConnell building, even though on the East side it is labeled only "Tant Grocery Company" (purchased from Parker c.1909) adjacent to the now Mid-Continent Supply building, unquestionably the same building depicted to the right as "Grandfield Hardware Co." The anchors are still visible that once connected the two mysterious structures. What does this all say? One can still read the "Grandfield Hardware Co." sign through today's paint.
What makes all this fascinating is this proof that this curious and now ,missing building sat square in the middle of what is not "Simpson Avenue" in today's Grandfield. and that the building once ALSO sat prominently in Kell City, as early as 1907. The truth remains stranger than fiction. Mark Twain once said, "The difference between fact and fiction is 'fiction' must be credible!"
Simpson Avenue today and the location of that mysterious Parker McConnell Grocery Company building, without question
Let this sink in, the Parker McConnell building location clearly demonstrated in the above historic images places then Kell City, not on the 500 ft. wide railroad easement granted to Kemp and Kell developers, but four blocks south, across Grandfield's 1st street and in the alley between 1st and 2nd. Secondly, and possibly a more fascinating yet undeniable factoid, the Parker McConnell building sat square
in the middle of what is now Simpson Avenue!
Statements regarding the ages or locations of structures dating prior to January 16, 1909 (Watson, Louise M. (n.d.) Grandfield, ibid) were in Kell City, without question, since the folks of "Grandfield" did not vote for incorporation until that date, incorporated on January 21, 1909. On this day the Post Office was opened as Grandfield Post Office, and there she was, Grandfield, Oklahoma, "Where the Harvest Begins!"
So...Kell City didn't even have to move to become Grandfield, she just needed to turn around...
Quite probably the earliest known image (below) of Kell City, May 13, 1908
As just stated ANY images taken before January 16, 1909 labeled "Grandfield," were actually taken in Kell City, since Grandfield did not exist until then(Corwin, Lawton Constitution, ibid). Below are a few rare images of "Kell City."
Parker McConnell's first store in Kell City (right), in 1907. Unless someone moved the Sun, this image is taken looking north in the morning. What then are the other structures in these iconic historical images? Let us know if you have any clue. We will wait here. Below an image of Mr. Henry Buchannan driving a Parker McConnell delievery wagon, c. 1910, the phone number on the wagon is simply "10"! (Simms)
Parker McConnell Groceries, 1907 (Wyatt, Grandfield, Hub of the Big Pasture, 1974,ibid)
The "Lumber Yard" image shows a structure we all should remember since it existed until Reese Norman occupied the location until the early 80s. If anyone knows ANYTHING about our history contact the web developer's office at (580)479-3460. If anyone even cares about Grandfield, leave the message "Grandfield Matters!" It would shock the designer if this is the case, even once.
Source: Wyatt, Grandfield, Hub of the Big Pasture, Vol. 1, 1974, p.111
This image was taken, in all probability facing the south. What possible structure held the photographer at this elevation? Too tall for a ladder we think, perhaps from the top of another business, the Tillman County Bank perhaps?
Ille Brothers Hardware, Kell, 1907, Source: Simms, History of Tillman Co., Vol. II, 1978
At the bottom of this webpage are more images, taken of late, showing structures still standing that very probably were a part of Kell City...imagine!
But WAIT! What about all this...
Eschiti, Oklahoma!
The image below is widely believed to be of Grandfield, heck, some well-intentioned person carved "Grandfield, Okla." onto its face. This inscription was not carved onto the negative, and wasn't etched by the photographer. The photographer surely knew it was not of Grandfield, but of Kell City. Here is why...
Clark Brothers General Merchandise, the first of its kind in the area, after the fire in 1908, not after January 21, 1909.
The question remains, where exactly was this street if not Grandfield, where in the Kell was it? What, if anything at all, remains of this early "Grandfield, Okla." civilization? Is this rubble the remains of the corn shucks fire of 1908?
...Or, is this what it looks like when folks move an entire town?
The image to the left says, "First General Merchandise Store in Kell City" and below, "Clark Brothers Store" and the owner of the negative, deemed A.M Clark (left) and Henry Clark (center), the Clark Brothers! Yep...of Kell City. This is clearly the inside of the store pointed out in the image above. The nagging question remains, where in the Kell was this building, the north side of 2nd street, as some would love to believe?
Mrs. Florence McNees retained the photo to the right, as well as so many others shown on this website's pages. She was the daughter of the Reverend A. J. Tant, progenitor of Grandfield proper. This image was dated by her as, "Baptism near Grandfield, 1908"? an impossiblity since Grandfield did not yet exist, so where? Near what, Eschiti, Kell City, or possibly Mayflower, Isadore, Quanah, or Apheatone? We search desperately for anyone who can say? There is wat appears to be a house and telephone pole near this pond, if that is at all true? nd
Is this a house, or a store, or a bank...and a telephone pole?
Left - "Pete" Humphreys, proposing to his future bride, Ms. Fleeta Teeter. What an endearing image.
Above - "Mr. and Mrs. Grant" in front of their new home.
The Grant homeplace was the showplace of all of Southwest Oklahoma. Constructed of cut stone, possibly from extant Roosevelt/Snyder mines, by Mr. Grant himself, as are many similar structures. The date above the door of this iconic construction says, "1908"! This home, also extant, appears to have been completed yesterday. still without a crack! Amazing! Two of Mr. and Mrs. Grant's daughters, Hazel & Clara, married brothers, Kinzers, Jim and Evans, respectively.
Quite probably the earliest known image (below) of Eschiti, Oklahoma, sometime in 1907
"Grandfield, Capital of the “Big Pasture” was born amid the townsite strife of two early day settlements, each trying to crowd the other out. One of the settlements was Eschiti, a government townsite, planned platted and partially sold by the Department of the Interior, in 1907. It was located on the north ½ of section 3 Township 4 south, Range 14 west I.M. The Government established a post office in Eschiti, October 31, 1907, with Hiram F. Cruble (Crable, disambiguation) as postmaster.
"Some frame buildings were erected by the pioneers who bought the lots at auction some months before the post office was established. Cheap, frame dwellings were built as times were 'hard' following the panic of 1906" (Corwin, Hugh, 1968, Lawton Constitution, ibid, Read the Full Article, Click Here). The 1907 fire descimated the downtown area of this poor burg, destined to move to Grandfield in 1908, lock, stock, and Post Office (ibid)
Image Source: Tillman Chronicles image, ibid
An uncashed check dated
"Nov. 5, 1907" from the "Farmers & Merchants Bank" of “Eschite”, Oklahoma. Note the spelling of "Eschiti", here misspelled “Eschite” rather than the more popular “Eschiti”, which is correct? The Eschiti Banner, their newspaper (see image below), used "Eschiti", also the spelling of the Kiowa chief after
who the town got its moniker. An old Atlas of Oklahoma towns spelled it, Eschita” (Wyatt, Robert Lee III, 1974, October. Grandfield: The Hub of the Big Pasture. Walsworth Pub. Marceline, MO). “The Indian after whom it was named was 'Eschiti'” (Minnie Clark, from Wyatt, ibid)
How could anyone not love this iconic image labeled, "Eschiti Ball Team" featuring George Bailey and Louis Harvey (Wyatt, Grandfield - Hub, 1974, ibid, p.10, from Price and Harvey)
Source: Wyatt, Grandfield, Hub of the Big Pasture, Vol. 1, 1974, p.10
No doubt, the rest of the Eschiti Ball Team from the same source, same page. Does anyone have kinfolks in these paramount images? Trails plowed asunder?
Source: Wyatt, Grandfield, Hub of the Big Pasture, Vol. 1, 1974, p.10
To the right: A prairie church meeting circa 1907 (Wyatt, Grandfield -Hub, ibid, p.14)
Source: Wyatt, Grandfield, Hub of the Big Pasture, Vol. 1, 1974, p.14
To the left: The front page of the "Eschiti Banner" dated June 20, 1907, lauding Eschiti as the "Princess of the Pasture" (Wyatt, Grandfield, ibid). This page cites the assets that make Eschiti a bastion of prairie life.
And now...the REST of the Story!
The author and developer of this website, Rory Dion Witt, DCS, has simply, and in their names, continued the hard work of both his mother, Margaret Fay Witt and dear friend Mrs. Janay Due, originally of the Grandfield Historical Preservation Committee, where this work originated and where many of the images and much of the documentation originated. There remains much doubt anyone cares enough to have read this far? If someone, anyone has delved this far into our fascinating history, please send an email to dwitt@pldi.net and lst us know what you think. Don't be bashful! Life is short, God bless you. Say a prayer for my dear mother, Margaret, she is not at all of good health and I am certain she would LOVE to hear her work here was worth while...if not, please don't say.
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