JAY D. CONGDON

The 90th birthday celebration for Jay D. Congdon, born April 11, 1896, in Pawnee City, Nebraska, became a good excuse for an impromptu family reunion at the home of his son, Harold R. Congdon, on Sunday, April 13, near Terlton. Hostesses for the occasion were his daughters, Betty Norris, Oleta, Okla.; Letha Clarke, Sutherland, Va.; Joyce Brock, Lubbock, Tex.; and his daughter-in-law, Jo Ann Congdon.

Everyone enjoyed becoming reacquainted, as some of the cousins hadn't seen each other in at least 35 years. The guests included the honoree, Jay D. Congdon, Terlton; his sons-in-law, Robert Norris, Oleta, Okla.; B.Z. Clarke, Sutherland, Va.; Steve Brock, Lubbock, Tex.; his brothers and sisters-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Harry B. Congdon, Enid; Mr. and Mrs. Roy A. Congdon, Garber; his sister, Mrs. Ora Blandford, Long Beach, Calif.

Grandchildren and great-grandchildren included Mr. and Mrs. Harry J. Congdon, Jason and Jamie, Mrs. Tim (Mary) McCoy, Curtis and Luke, all of Enid.

Nephews and nieces attending were Mr. and Mrs. Cyril Congdon of Garland, Tex.; Mr. and Mrs. Loyd Neundorf, Covington; Mrs. Helen Campbell, Dallas, Tex.; Charlene Blandford, Long Beach, Calif.; Mrs. Greta Murphy, Anaheim, Calif.; and Mr. and Mrs. Mike Campbell, Ryan and Matthew, of Muskogee.

After a magnificant dinner prepared by all the women, Mr. Congdon was surprised with a beautiful birthday cake and lots of lovely gifts. A special gift was the personal message of love and appreciation given to him by each of his children. Taking pictures and showing photos of family members unable to attend was part of the busy day.

Mr. Congdon has one son, three daughters, 15 grandchildren, seven step-grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and 12 step-great-grandchildren. He is a veteran of World War I, a charter member of American Legion Post in Marshall, Okla., a member of Boston Avenue Methodist Church, Tulsa, Terlton Senior Citizens, and is still driving himself, as he enjoys good health and an active life. His hobbies are fishing and camping.

To some folk, the words "Board walk" may conjure up visions of a game called Monopoly or of Atlantic City, N.J., but to Jay D. Congdon, it brings back memories of Oklahoma's yesteryears.

Now 90, Mr. Congdon came to what was still a brand new state from his native Pawnee City, Neb., in 1909 when he was a lad of 13. His father, who had operated a store and grain elevator, had bought a farm near the town of Covington. He first attended a country school closest to home, then began high school in the school in town. The principal mode of transportation was by horseback, and he carried his lunch in his father's old tobacco tin which had a handle. Hot school lunches or nearby fast food establishments were 30 to 40 years in the future.

"When we first came to Oklahoma, Covington had board walks - and so did the town of Marshall. Hitching posts were located in front of the shops. The farmers came to town on Saturdays in wagons. The shopkeepers used to keep the stores open til 10 o'clock on Saturday nights," recalls Mr. Congdon.

He also remembers that Covington had the first oil well drilled in that part of the state and the well came in flowing.

"I caught some oil in a pop bottle and out of curiosity, I put it in a lantern," he said.

Mr. Congdon moved to Mannford six years ago from the vicinity of Tenkiller Lake after the death in 1980 of Ambie, his wife of 55 years, in order to live near his only son, Harold. Since then he has found "there are a lot of nice people in this community."

Although the years may have subtracted a bit from his original height, he still stands almost as tall as his son and his handshake is firm. He considers himself in good health but admits that his hearing is somewhat affected; but it's not bad if people talk to him directly. He retains a sense of humor.

After completing his schooling in Covington, Mr. Congdon returned to steady work on his father's farm until called into the Army during World War I. He served in France, Germany and Belgium with the 1st Machine Gun Battalion before he was allowed to return home.

After two more years of hard work on the farm, he found higher pay in the oil fields, doing everything from roustabout to tool dressing. Although a hard worker, he made the most of his scant free time and likes to recall to his son and family that he owned the fastest horse and the prettiest wagon during his courting days.

In 1925, when he and Ambie were first married, he was working in the oil fields. For a time he worked in the Sinclair Machine Shop before starting a tin shop of his own. He later retired after his long working career as owner of a welding shop in Marshall, Ok.

In Marshall he served as vice-commander of the American Legion.

Mr. Congdon can recall when eggs brought eight cents a dozen, wheat 25 cents a bushel and oats eight cents a bushel.

"I smoked a pipe and when we went to town to get supplies, I had to figure like everything to get one pack of tobacco out of the grocery money," he muses.

The depression years also were a time of struggle, even as today's economy proves hard for the farmer and laborer.

With Harold's prodding, he tells about the year of the peanuts.

"I spent 1933 and '34 on the farm," he thinks back, "and that year I had a real good crop of peanuts. Then 5-year-old Harold set fire to the barn, burning all the peanuts and everything else inside, including the harnesses and other equipment."

But somehow, the family never gave up and as the economy improved for the average worker, the Congdon family's lifestyle improved with it. Laziness was never a habit that Jay Congdon was allowed to indulge in.

"Father brought me up to work and he never took a day off - not even on a holiday. One day in later years when I was working in Marshall, some friends stopped by the welding shop and invited me to go fishing with them. I replied, 'Why, I've never fished a day in my life!' They convinced me that they'd help me learn so I closed up my shop and went along."

AFter discovering the art of catching fish, he found he liked it. Afterwards, he became adept as a bass fisherman.

In addition to his son, Harold, and family, his children include daughters, Betty Norris of Pine Lake, Letha Clarke of Virginia and Joyce Brock of Lubbock, Texas. He has 15 grandchildren and "a large number" of great-grandchildren. He also has two brothers and a sister, all younger. They are Roy Congdon, 80, of Garber, Harry Congdon, 75; and sister, Ora M., 71, of Palm Springs, Calif.