Marshall County History: Pettijohn Springs Pt. VII

In 1925, Dr. Christopher Stevens purchased the 80-acre Pettijohn Springs site from the original owner, Nancy “Nannie” Pettijohn. Dr. Stevens had been practicing medicine at Wilson and Ringling since the turn of the century. Dr. Stevens, his wife, and his two children moved to Marshall County and began building the best amusement park in southern Oklahoma. In 1926, Dr. Stevens left the park to his two sons, Golder and Paul. After a few months, Paul sold his interest to Golder, who operated the park for one more season in 1927.

After the 1927 season, Golder Stevens leased park operations for the 1928 season. The operator of that season is lost to history. However, during that season, the park, while still owned by Golder, was operated by someone else.

Then, in February 1929, Golder Stevens sold the Pettijohn Springs Amusement Park and the 80 acres surrounding the park to an oil company in Norman, Oklahoma, with no prior connection to southern Oklahoma or Marshall County. In February 1929, Mrs. Dora Tubbs purchased the park and all improvements from Golder.

Dora Tubbs was born Lou Dora Roberts on January 20, 1879 in McMinnville, Tennessee. When she was still a small child, her family moved to North Texas, like many at the time, from Tennessee and Alabama. Lou Dora grew up in North Texas and there she married James Thomas Andrews on December 15, 1897, in Collin County, Texas. Dora and James had a son, Clyde Eugene Andrews, born in McKinney, Texas, on October 1, 1898.

In 1910, Dora and James were separated and Dora was living in Norman, Oklahoma, while James still lived in McKinney, Texas. Interestingly, her son Clyde, who was 11 at the time, lived with a different relative and not with Dora or James.

On July 4, 1911, Dora married a Norman grocer and businessman, Ulysses Sidney Tubbs, in Oklahoma City. US Tubbs was also divorced and had two children from his previous marriage. Ulysses and Dora lived in Norman, where they operated the model grocery store together. Before moving to Norman, U.S. Tubbs had run a grocery store in Perry, Oklahoma, for about ten years. Tubbs was originally from Missouri.

From 1911 until May 1925, Dora and Ulises ran their grocery store. But in May 1925 they purchased Acree Oil Company, a local independent oil company with headquarters in Norman and service stations in several southern Oklahoma cities. Ulises was the president and general director of the oil company and Dora was part of the board of directors. They operated stations in Norman, Noble, Moore, Hollywood, Lexington, Purcell, Pauls Valley, and Maysville, Oklahoma. Ulises' son, Lamar, also participated in the operation of the oil company.

In November 1927, a tragic accident began a chain of events that led to a new chapter for Pettijohn Springs.

On November 14, 1927, around 5:30 p.m. m., Ulysses was mortally injured in a terrible accident at the Acree Oil Company location on Main Street in Norman. That day, while working at the business, Ulises was smoking a cigarette in the back of the store. That's when he found gasoline vapors leaking from a poorly sealed 285-gallon gas tank in the back of the shop. The cigarette ignited the gasoline vapors, causing an explosion. The explosion ignited the 285 gallons of gasoline and blew out windows around the store. Ulysses suffered third-degree burns all over his body. A passerby saw Ulysses completely engulfed in flames and ran to his aid. That man was seriously injured while trying to put out the flames that covered Ulysses' body. Ulysses was rushed to American Legion Hospital in Norman, where he succumbed to his burns around 7:30 that same afternoon.

After Ulysses' death, Dora Tubbs became owner and president of Acree Oil Company. She continued to operate the oil company for the next two or three years.

Then, in February 1929, Dora Tubbs purchased Pettijohn Springs and the 80 acres surrounding the park from Golder Stevens.

How Dora found out about the park, or why it sparked her interest in owning it, is lost to history, but it would be safe to assume that she did not want to continue operating the business that claimed the life of her husband.

Her initial plan was to operate the park in the summer months, but remain the president and CEO of Acree Oil. However, after her first season operating the park, she moved to Pettijohn and Ulysses' son Lamar took over the Acree Oil operation. Shortly thereafter, he sold his interest in Acree Oil to the original owner, Mr. Acree. He then sued Acree Oil for negligence in Ulysses' death.

Dora owned Pettijohn Springs from 1929 to 1950. However, she only operated the park from 1929 to 1938, when she then leased the operation of the park to Fred Blaylock under a five-year lease.

In May 1936, Dora Tubbs purchased the Corner Drug Store in Madill. For two years she ran both the park and the pharmacy. Dora owned and operated Corner Drug Stores for several years.

In 1940, Dora Tubbs surprised everyone in the county when she ran for Marshall County Sheriff. She was the first (and perhaps only) woman to run for Sheriff of Marshall County. When she ran for office, only one woman had been elected to county office in the history of Marshall County. Mrs. John Derrick was county superintendent of schools for several years. Dora's opponents for sheriff were T.Z. Splawn, EddLong, Louis Perrier, Leonard McKenzie, J. J. (Dude) Rushing, Vick Byrd, and Holmes Ulysses Willis.

However, interestingly, while running for Sheriff, Dora never campaigned or raised funds for her campaign. Apart from a few newspaper ads, she did not campaign. In the July 1940 election, Edd Long won with 2,234 votes. TZ Splawn came in second with 1,872, followed by Leonard McKenzie with 765, Louis Perrier with 128, J.J. (Dude) Running with 113, Holmes Ulysses Willis received 105 votes and Dora got only 90 votes.

In December 1943, Dora Tubbs sold Corner Drug to Fred Blaylock and Dr. F. L. Rice. At that time, Dora retired from active business life. However, she embarked on a side business dedicated to real estate transactions, including buying, selling and leasing properties in and around Madill. Dora still owned Pettijohn Springs, but after operating the park for a few years, Fred Blaylock bought a stake in Corner Drug and closed Pettijohn Springs. Dor held the property until 1950, when he sold the park.

Dora remained in Madill for the rest of her life, dying on July 1, 1963, at 84 years of age. She was preceded in death by her only son, Clyde Andrews, in 1933 and her second husband, U.S. Tubbs. She was survived by her stepchildren, Lamar Tubbs and Eileen Tubbs Reams.

By all indications, Dora Tubbs was a colorful and interesting woman. She is perhaps one of the most unique and colorful women in the history of Marshall County. She a true “free spirit” if there ever was one in Marshall County. Dora was a wealthy, twice-married, widowed businesswoman and political novice who lived life to the fullest.

Next week, we'll explore Dora's years operating the park.