Dear Readers,
Chances are, if you are reading this, you love the Renaissance Neighborhood. Some of you have made your homes here for 10, 20, even 30 years. However, there aren’t many (if any) among us who can lay claim to the history that John M. Holderman has with our neighborhood. For starters, he was born in the back bedroom of the house his father built at 2534 E. Eleventh Street. He grew up in the neighborhood and clearly recalls many of the homes, the people and events of the 1940’s and 50’s. Although he no longer lives in the neighborhood, he continues to own and care for property here. We are lucky to be able to have captured some of his recollections for our history. Here is a bit of his story:
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John M. Holderman’s father, John Warren Holderman, was born in Alabama. By the time he was twelve, in the late 1890’s, both his parents had died and he was on his own in the world. Armed with only a second-grade education, he made his way to St. Louis where he found work as a watchman on the Mississippi River. An old deckhand looked after him and advised him there wasn’t much of a future on the Mississippi. He suggested the young man, now 17 or 18 years old, make his way to the city with the oil boom…the Glenn Pool. That was how John Warren Holderman found his way to Tulsa and sought work in the oil business around 1907/1908.
In August of 1915, the elder Holderman, bought three 25 foot lots on Hwy 66 (We now know it as 11th Street) from Frank Hagendorn, who had acquired the property from Addie Perryman. The land was part of an addition called “Tulsa Square.”
Bing Maps identifies 'Tulsa Square' Addition
The original homestead that John’s father constructed was likely the simple shanty depicted below. The image shows a clapboard structure with tarp walls. A small outbuilding is visible on the right. Also note the large icicles hanging from the eaves on the left.
From left to right: John Warren Holderman, George Ramsey (brother-in-law) and Safrona Ramsey Holderman (John W. Holdermans first wife) and their small daughter. Sadly, both Safrona and their small daughter died in 1918 from the "Spanish Flu" epidemic. Photograph from personal collection of John M. Holderman.
Between 1915 and 1920, a more permanent home was constructed. This house had a front porch and the front door opened to a living room, which led to the kitchen. There were two bedrooms and a back screened porch. Behind the house John M. Holderman recalled:
We had a “two-holer” outhouse. We also had a smoke house where father would butcher about two hogs a year and cure meat.
This image depicts John Warren Holderman on the front porch of the house he built at 2534 E 11th Street. The year is 1921 and he is holding his first-born son, James. Photograph from personal collection of John M. Holderman.
After the death of his first wife, John’s father married Viola May (Burris) Holderman. The youngest of their eight children, John Murray Holderman, was born in the back bedroom at 2534 E. 11th Street in 1932. He attended school at Kendall, Wilson, Rogers and joined the US Navy in 1950. Later, he earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Tulsa.
A young John M. Holderman in his family’s front yard, looking North across Route 66/Eleventh Street (Where Tulsa Welding School stands today.) The house visible in the background was a rooming/boarding house. Photograph from personal collection of John Holderman.
(Left to right) John M. Holderman, Jim Nunley and Gene Holderman. Image taken in the rear of the home on Eleventh Street. Note: Jim Nunley with support from senator Robert Kerr got a full scholarship to Annapolis. He achieved the rank of Admiral. Photograph from personal collection of John M. Holderman.
Growing up John worked at old Hawk Dairy (East of the Northwest corner of 11th and Lewis Ave) and the Royal Theater (Directly across from the current day Campbell Hotel).
In the backyard of 2534 E 11th Street, looking north about 1950. From left to right: John, Charlotte, James' girlfriend and James Holderman. The house to the right is the Holderman home. On the left is a two-story building that held 2-3 apartments. Photograph from private collection of John M. Holderman.
During the depression John’s father let people pull their cars onto the rear of the property near the garden and water spigot. John said:
He let them pull up there on that lot and park, and if their car had broke down or whatever, he would let them stay as long as they wanted to. And we didn’t lock our doors. When my mother would cook a pot of beans, she would just throw another handful or two of beans in the pot and take them some to eat. (We ate a lot of beans.) And they had to use our bathroom of course, but then dad would usually give them .50 or .75 cents to get them further down the road. (Gas was about .10 cents a gallon.) And he never gave it to the man. He always gave it to the woman, ‘cause he always said that would be talking down to the man to give out a handout, so he’d give it to the woman.
After his mother died in the 1970’s, John bought the family home from the estate. He kept it up for many years but tore it down about ten years ago. He still owns the lot where it once stood.
Looking North at the lot where 2534 E Eleventh Street once stood. Photograph by A. Mueller
Looking South at 2534 E Eleventh Street. Note the bit of original side walk that once led to the home. Photograph: A. Mueller
You put an ice card in your front window, the number up told what you wanted. If you weren't going to be home you left your back door unlocked.
Examples of old ice cards folks would put in the front window of their homes.
It was the depression. We were all broke… a treat was, when on a hot summer day, the ice man would stop to take your ice into the house…he would always chip of a little extra piece of ice and give to us kids.. there was always just enough to go around. That was a treat.
John and Clara Holderman, photograph taken October 10, 2019 by A. Mueller
References:
Holderman, J. (2019, October 5). Personal interview. Also present were C. Holderman and P. Casey Morgan.
Mr. Holderman was the nicest landlord I have ever known. I lived in the Music House for ten years through my twenties but just now found out that's what it's called.
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