Neal Family Archive

The Patty Family

Taken from unknown book on Creek County, Oklahoma families

One 80-year old Sapulpa old-timer relived a thrill when a package come for him shortly before Christmas in 1968. A colorful saltfish was soon mounted on the wall of his bedroom (the only space they found big enough for it) proof of his prowess as a fisherman.

It all began when Harry, Jr. took his family on a weekend fishing vacation at Acapulco and caught a saltfish himself. He decided that his father should experience this thrill of a lifetime and soon after flew him to Acapulco, Mexico for a weekend of fishing. Father's catch proved to be bigger than his.

Patty landed his catch all by himself, although it tired him a little. He said it probably took about twenty minutes, although his mind wasn't on the time.

The Patty family came to Oklahoma Territory in 1900 when Harry was 12 years old. His father farmed near Oklahoma City and south of here at Twin Mounds owned a cotton gin at Bristow, made money when the Slick oil field came in, and lived in Bristow until his death.

Harry was a sophisticated 14-year old teenager when Grace Frye came to visit her sister in Twin Mounds. Grace was four years younger and spent her time playing with Harry's younger brother, but when Harry was almost twenty they both saw things a little differently, and he married 15 year-old Grace Frye.

Grace's folks were teachers with farming on the side. They came to Oklahoma in 1901 fully expecting to have to fight Indians all the way. They settled at Mounds, taught and had a hotel, which burned, then moved to [Madill] where P.T. Frye taught school. He taught later in Bristow and when Oklahoma became a state he became our first County Superintendent. He organized the school districts as they are now; he organized and taught a [Normal] School where many of our former-day teachers got their higher education.

Grace's brother was Rosco Frye, Sapulpa's first World War I casualty, and for whom the local American Legion was named. He was a machine gun operator.

Grace and Harry's children include four boys:  Jack and Harry, Jr., who run the Patty Precision Products our on the road to Kellyville; Raymond, who died in 1931, and Ron, who lives in Arizona. Grace died August 27, 1977.

The girls include Esther Bray, Betty Gregor, Ella Smith, Rachel Ramsey, and Opal Martin.

After working for Douglas, and then his sons, the elder Patty retired but decided retirement was for old people. He went to work again for his sons at Patty Precision until he finally got old and retired in 1970 at age 82.

Harry Patty died Sunday, April 15, 1979.

The Harry Pattys and the nine children one time moved into the large home on South Walnut that had been the children's home for many years. It took folks some time to realize that the children's home wasn't there yet.

Grace like all children and all children called her "Mom". In an article written years ago two of her daughters told about the incredible things one mother with nine children accomplished. Betty told about the time she had won an essay contest at school and was to have public recognition at the YWCA and had to have a new dress. With a large family and not much income, new dresses were not thought of even for special occasions; but Mom made a beautiful dress out of an old one of Aunt Cynthia's. Whether it was a white blouse for Esther's Glee Club the next morning or a cake for PTA meeting, it was always forthcoming.

It might even have been a costume for Ron, her youngest, to play Superman in. It was from the porch roof of that house on Walnut that Ron improvised a parachute from one of Mom's best sheets and tested it out. Esther also recalled the time Ron needed a black cape for Batman and scrounged up all the black ink in the house to dye one of Mom's best sheets.

Another of P.T. Frye's daughters, Cynthia wrote:  "I was born in Missouri May 14, 1897. I came with my father from Bristow after Oklahoma became a state in 1907 and be became Creek County's first school superintendent. I attended Jefferson school.  I married William O. Fricker, a railroad man, in 1920 and moved to Texas for twenty years. I had tow boys, William O. Fricker III, and Richard T. Fricker. I have another sister besides Grace, Mrs. Alice Stowers of Anaheim, California.  Cynthia Fricker died on Sunday, April 10, 1977.