Lot of 82 original letters, a few telegrams, and other documents, primarily between geologist Clyde M. Becker, while out in the field (New Mexico, Kingman and Chloride AZ), to his wife, Bessie, but called Betty in these letters, and their six sons (Fred, Bob, Ted, Donald, Phillip, and Clyde). Other letters appear to be from businessmen, geologists, acquaintances. A few telegrams and other documents are also included. The Beckers were a very loving family who settled in Chickasha, Oklahoma, with Clyde being involved in mining and oil & gas exploration during the 1930s. His 1938 obituary states that he was “Oklahoma’s foremost geologist” and was the “best known authority on the geology of Oklahoma and north Texas.” He was also a member of the city school board and deeply committed to his faith and his local church. Lots of insight regarding his work and the knowledge that his wife had regarding his work; they respected each other in both home activities and mining work. A few envelopes are included. Many names, including colleagues of Becker’s and politicians. [an additional 5 ½ letters were located after I wrote up the following. They are not included in the count above but will be included with the other 82 letters.] 1930: 1) Mar 29, to Continental Supply Co, Ardmore, OK, financial info, carbon unsigned but probably Clyde Becker. 2) ) Apr 21, on Melton & Melton, Lawyers, Chickasha, OK, letterhead,  signed by Alger Melton, to Becker-Reed Oil & Gas Co., typed. Re. claim and lawsuit involving Texas Worth Tool Co., Pelwin Oil Company, Mr. Vance, and Clyde Becker. 3) ) Nov 11, letter of recommendation for Becker-Reed Oil & Gas Co., from VP E. D. Foster, Citizens-Farmers National Bank, Chickasha. 4) No date, on Becker-Reed stationery, poem written by Betty to Clyde; he responded in kind. 1933: 5) Apr 5, from V. L. Crowell, Norman, OK, to Clyde, seeking buyers for properties he is involved with. 1934: 6) Oct. 17, on Becker stationery, from Betty to Clyde, “…Ray Burns spent the night here…a geologist, Mr. Roard, is here this a.m. copying logs…I’m busy preparing for our dinner party Friday night…the Katherine Mill burned down about Sept. 13—so, you can’t take a mill run there. Is the Pilgrim Mill the right sort for a mill run. Maybe you can do it there…” 7) Oct. 20, from Bessie to Clyde, describes dinner party. 8) Oct 21, Chloride, AZ, “…Started to the mine…[discovered they had broken spring in auto, borrowing a car for 30 mi trip to mine]…Yesterday we used up 22 ___ cutting five samples after which I set Humby & 2 Italian miners, I think their name is Ferrari, two of the finest men I have met…The father was a famous ball player & the boy gets a tryout next spring in the TX league. To open the outcrop where Fred & I saw it to the west, I think we hit it as far west as the top of the ridge about 800’ west of the ____ chute…We have taken a little apartment here in Chloride…Humpy is some cook as well as a crackerjack miner and fine fellow…” 9) Oct. 23, on Clyde Becker letterhead; from Bessie to Clyde. “…mailing the carbide lamp, with a spare BVD & a pair of work socks…Ed is working from 7 am til 2:30 pm in his father’s mill learning the mill from the ground up…His mother does not get up to cook him a breakfast…” 10) Oct 24, postcard, postmarked Kingman, AZ, from Clyde to Betty, “…fwd mail leaves Chloride only every other day…Am really working four men…” 11) Oct 27, on Clyde’s letterhead; from Bessie to Clyde. Local football, money, “Challenge to Liberty,” weather, and advice re. Clyde’s health. 12) Oct 27, from Fred to his dad, “team took a pretty bad licking last night…beat us 31-7…you had found that vein over to the west. If your assays stand up that thing should practically be a bonanza…I’ve wished a thousand times that I had been with you…” 13) Oct 29, to Clyde from Betty. One whole page devoted to the possibility of Clyde becoming an Umpire [in the oil/gas business], and her reasons he should not take the position. “I am glad you are you, and that we aren’t afraid of scraps…I hope your mine is so big that you and I and our bunch of boys can plan on being out west a lot the rest of our lives…” 14) ) Nov. 1, to Clyde from Betty. “… [survived] Halloween, by letting the twins have a party…pulled taffy…I made popcorn balls, and an apple a piece…” More discussion of Clyde becoming an Umpire. 15) Nov 7, from Donald to his dad. 16) Nov 7, from Donald to his dad. 17) Nov 7, from Ted to his dad. 18) Nov.11, Chickasha, from Folsom, a member of Clyde’s Sunday School class. Football, church outreach.  19) Nov 11, on Clyde’s letterhead, from Clyde to Betty. “I’m in Kingman [AZ] tonight…one problem worrying us was water for a mill…a miner…told us there was a spring the locality about 5 mi south of the mine. I started out to find it & did. It looks like no man has been there before, the wild burro trails led me to it…enough water for a mill and camp…” Assays are good. 20) Nov 13, Clyde’s letterhead, from Bessie to Clyde. “…Fred is in 7^th heaven, he feels so sure of his mining job next semester…George White’s stable burned early this morning…I suppose some hobo had slept in the hay there...” 21) Nov 17, on Clyde’s letterhead, from Bessie to Clyde. “…Your letter about finding the spring made me homesick for those exploring trips we used to take with a lunch and Baby Fred, and the rock he always had to carry in his little fist so as to be like Dad…” 22) Nov 23, telegram, from Clyde; leave tomorrow for El Reno. 23) No date, from Betty to Clyde, “…Cy Boyer called up from the station…passing thru by train from Carnegie on his way back to Wash., D.C. where he is on the government pay roll in the P.W. A…I am getting anxious to hear your verdict on the mine…after the assaying’s all done, there still remains a lot of figuring on costs of mills & mining & a camp to figure out…have heard nothing further from the Umpire Office…” 1935: 24) Jan 15, from Clyde, “at the mine,” to Betty. “…had to shut down last night to repair compressor but hope to be running by tonight. The mine looks good & if assays hold up she is a buster…the blow up at Magdalena when ____ was going to lick him rushed back to Magdalena, brought back a deputy sheriff, shut down the mine, nailed up boarding house, & gave resident families 8 days to vacate…” 25) Jan 25, on Kingman, AZ, Hotel Brunswick letterhead, 2 pp, from Clyde to Betty. “…One reason for saying I am through with P. R. is that I cannot let go of the development of this mine, because I must ___ that gov’t loan, build mill, go to Mexico for Harris, etc., and also I love to work…Tell Fred to lay off any other job for if Woods don’t ___, I need him here…after Feb. 1, at $125 and tent house…” 26) Fri., no date, on Kingman, AZ, Hotel Brunswick letterhead, 2 pp, from Clyde to Betty. “…were just leaving for Chloride where I will establish headquarters…Please mail Fred’s carbine lamp to me at Chloride.” 27) Sat., no date, on Kingman, AZ, Hotel Brunswick letterhead, from Clyde to Betty. “…It looks like we will take on the Tyra which means I must look it over, a fine opportunity for study. Have had Fred pretty busy making maps which makes him happy & gives me satisfaction…I truly believe she (their daughter in law, Fred’s wife) has been as good to me as our own daughter could be…” 28 ) Feb 14, to J. F. Darby, Darby Petroleum Co., Tulsa, unsigned carbon, probably from Clyde. Detailed letter re. gold mine in NW AZ, “…the ore body has been proved to be large but of a better grade than we had anticipated…This ore with an approximate equal amount of prospective ore can all be mined with open pit, mechanical shovel method. The ore is easily broken & crushed. It contains no other metals other than gold and silver…I am associated with James A. Woods, an oil man, and about as good a Republican as you are…” 29) Feb. 26, 1935, on San Marcos, Chandler, AZ, letterhead, from J. F. Darby to Clyde. Re. securing funds from RFC (see next letter); also, matters pertaining to the controversy in property of John Nicholas & the OK Natural Gas Co. 30) Feb. 26, on San Marcos, Chandler, AZ, letterhead, from J. F. Darby to Reconstruction Finance Corp, Attention Mr. Eagan. Letter of recommendation, incl. “…I place every confidence in the integrity & judgment of Mr. Becker…” 31) No date, from Clyde to Betty, “Chloride, Ariz…[have]to wait a while on the blacksmith…enclosing check for $150 which with the $25 I earned will make ½ of my pay…Tell Fred we have the small ore body about sampled…looks big…” 32) Sat, no date, to Betty from Clyde, on R. C. Jacobson Mohave Assay & Engineering Office, Mining Chemist & Engineer, Kingman, AZ. “…sent my mail to Chloride & I left too early get into the Post Office…sampling big ore body. If it will run $6-$7 average it is a number for the ore in there in enormous tonnage…” 33) No date, but probably sometime in 1935., from Clyde to Betty, “Came to Kingman with assays this morning…Tell Fred I opened the vein 400’ farther west along the strike, & while it is only about 28” thick, the average is about $11/ton…” 34) No date, on Kingman AZ Beale Hotel letterhead, 2 pp, from Clyde to Betty. “…send my mail in care of the Gold Standard Mining Corp. for about one week more, then to this hotel again…” 35) No date, but probably 1935, on Chesapeake & Ohio Lines letterhead, a brief note to Betty from Clyde. 1936: 36) Jan 31, 1936 or 1930?, receipts & deposit, Citizen Farmers National Bank, for $41,000. 37) Mar 11, on Hotel Harden, Hobbs, NM, letterhead, from Clyde to Betty, “Tommy not here yet, nor George Livermore, but spent yesterday in the field & with Proration Dept & my opinion is it’s a tough layout…Hope to make Saffard or Globe [AZ] tonight. May stop in Geronimo to see Chief…” 38) Mar 22, Gold Standard Mining Corp., Officers’ Quarters, from Clyde to Betty. “…have been over all the three working mines & have about finished detailed work on the Philadelphia…” Mr. Woods left Friday…very much pleased about the Portland & it really does look like a big mine…Woods & I watched them run (?) a gold brick here…it weighed a little over 97 lbs of which approx. 60 lb was gold and the remainder silver…estimated the brick to be $22000 to $23000, it represented 9 days mill run. We could be doing that well on the Portland…about ½ that brick came from the Portland…” 39) Mar 23, on Kingman AZ Beale Hotel letterhead, 1 page, from Clyde to Fred. “…The Portland [zinc, lead, and copper mine located in Grant Co, NM] looks bigger all the time…” 40) Apr 3, Gold Standard Mine, Kingman, AZ, to Betty from Clyde. “…Portland looks wonderful & I have two men cutting samples…first 21 assays averaged $5.08… DeSmet says they may want to reopen their big copper mine this spring…” 41) Sat., no date, from Clyde to Betty on Kingman, AZ, Beale Hotel letterhead. “…working on the Gold Standard properties…there is a big property here, Brice Covington’s & I expect to so some work on it before I come home.” 42) Sun., no date, from Clyde to Betty on Kingman, AZ, Beale Hotel letterhead. “Your dear letter of April 1^st received, also Little Clyde’s, I choked when I read…five times to come home soon…I forgot to write the twins on their birthday but please tell them I think they are the finest twins in the world…[may] finish my field work in about two more days at Gold Standard but should stay here most of week. Have obtained much important information…” 43) Tues., no date from Clyde to Betty, on Kingman, AZ, Beale Hotel letterhead. “We have agreed on a new contract on the Portland which will be drawn up today…Everything is working out fine between Mr. Woods & I, but he sure is mad at Morrow. I think I told you that baby [mine] got $1000 commission on our last deal & was to collect $14000 or $24000 more…” 44) Aug 3, to Betty from Clyde, Denver, The Oxford Hotel letterhead, 2 pp. “I am here in this old hotel where you & I both first hit Denver…To catch my boat will have to take airplane from Portland [headed to British Columbia; see next letter]…I got a burro for our cactus…” 45) Aug 5, Rossland, to Clyde in Terrace, B. C., from A. E. Verner. Car will pick him up to go by boat on Kitsumkalum Lake; bring only field clothes, as bedding, etc., is available at camp. 46) Aug 7, on Hotel Prince Rupert stationery, Prince Rupert, British Columbia, “…We had a dandy trip on the boat, only about 2 hrs of rough going…Some passengers saw a whale but I missed it, but I did see salmon jump clear out of the water…” 47) No date, from Betty to Clyde, “…Fred & Dorothy are here yet. The Rush Springs well is past 800’, sandy all the way…Coring a brownish sand at Griffin well, so it may be an oil sand. The Wade #10 got gas sand…They may be too high & will find the oil below soon….” 48) Aug. 8, from Clyde to Betty, on his letterhead, “…The lake is north I see by the map. He talks about a boat which beats a mule for me…” 49) Aug 13, from Donald, Phillip, Clyde, Ted, and Bob, to their father, re. heat, up to 116°. A ball game. Also from Betty to Clyde. 50) Aug 13, on Hazelton Hotel letterhead, 2 pp, Hazelton, B. C. His opinion on whatever he was looking at for mining. Went elsewhere in Brit. Columbia & reported many good mines & prospects. “Relative to this problem, am afraid carbon ratios of coal too high…no sands…” 51) Aug 17, telegram from B. C., from Clyde to wife. “At Pacific today, return Hazelton Monday night…by auto for Vancouver Tues morning…” 52) Aug 17, telegram from Betty to Clyde. “Ray wiring you about wells, we at home are well but hot…” 53) Aug. 17, telegram from Ray Stephens, Oklahoma City, to Clyde, “Hazelton, BC, Griffin drilled through 40’ hard sandy lime…Now drilling sandy shale…Melton under control, estimated 65 million feet; Mayo 2900, 25’ good gas. Sand at 2500, also 23’ saturated oil sand…looking extremely good…Tatum well good for 35 barrels or more…Ramsey Carey combination out-maneuvered us on gas hook…Ray Stephens.” 54) Friday night, no date, Clyde to Betty on Kingman, AZ, Beale Hotel letterhead. “I have just recommended to Jim Woods that we drop negotiations for a contract with the Gold Standard until after the first of the year & I think he will do that…I may be home by Thanksgiving…” Describes issues at work. 55) Thanksgiving Day, from Clyde to Betty, thankful for his wife & six boys, daughter-in-law & grandchild, & the memories of two sweet daughters (died young; watch our ebay for a lot of letters & newspaper articles related to their deaths). 56) Nov 28, from Clyde to Betty, “after a few months of this, [I] want to work Fred into more mine geological work, & possibly make headquarters in Kingman...” Lower edge of 1^st page has been ripped off, damaging one sentence. 57) Dec 21, from Clyde to Betty, on Beal Hotel letterhead, Kingman, AZ, sending check. 58) No date, to Betty from Clyde, “Fred & I worked together today & of course enjoyed it; he also made a map for me of the Tyra Mine which was a beauty…I was at the Portland yesterday that is a big mine…” 59) Monday, no date, from Clyde to Betty, “…Fred has been with me each day as Portland was shut down until today…” Undated letters that did not seem to fit into above dates: 60) Tues., on Safford, AZ, Buena Vista Hotel, Clyde to Betty, “Leaving this morning for the Starlight Mine 55 mi nw near the Coolidge Dam…I don’t believe I would tell Pool whether report favorable or not til we get the money. The report is favorable to both mine & management…” 61) July 10, no year, from Clyde to Betty, on Clark Hotel, Silver City, NM, letterhead, 2 pp.  “Enclosed are 2 copies of my report…check my figures for I haven’t had much time. Please let Mr. Pool know you have them…tell him you are ready to deliver them as soon as money received for remainder of bill…” 62) No date, from Clyde to Betty, on Clark Hotel, Silver City, NM, letterhead, 2 pp.  “…wish I could be with you on Decoration Day…just take some flowers from out place out to the little hill (in memory of their daughter)…still in doubt as to the Snake Mine…also working on the other deals…” 63) No date, from Clyde to Betty, on Park-O-Tell, Oklahoma City. Brief note regarding expenses. 64) Sat., no date, from Betty to Clyde, on Becker stationery, “…last night little Clyde had a sick stomach & got rid of green apricots…Tonight Phillip has a stomach ache…I had such a bad dream last night. I thought you got killed…Manderville hasn’t called again so I guess the well hasn’t shown up any better…Frank is on the Larkin & Warr well…” 65) Mon., no date, from Betty to Clyde, who is in AZ, begins with lots of church news. “…Kit says that Nicks well flowed 2000 bbl Sat…it really is a nice little well if the knockers would just give him credit, but because he skidded the rig to drill a deeper hole they figure that he is just going down to try again to make a well in this oil sand, but he really is going down in this new location to the sand horizon below. He was down 1500’ Sat…” 66) Thurs, from Betty to Clyde, on Becker stationery, “…with old-fashioned 100% love, however I am your wife (and no New Deal can changed that).” 67) Sat., from Clyde to Betty, brief note about arrival in Kingman, AZ. 68) Sunday, from Clyde to Betty, “…move to Longview tomorrow…have Mrs. Forston check immediately to see if I still have Ashton’s deed to the Paxton land… have her mislay it so he can’t get it until I’m ready to give it to him…this deed will have to be replaced by another when the loan is completed. If he has the old deed it be proof of our transaction but if he don’t have it I’ll make him endorse the whole $1050 I paid him on that note before I give him the new deal (and additional explanation)…We are down about 3000’ & hope to core late Tues…The Standard well near our 100 core base only drilled 15’ into the upper sand but made all at the rate of 4900 bbls/day through 2 ½” tubing which should mean about 20000 bbl…” 69) Monday, Dec. 2, from Clyde to Betty, mentions Mr. Potter. 70) Jan 20, no year, on Park-O-Tell Investment Co., Oklahoma City, OK, 2 pp from Clyde to Betty. “…we had to shut down for a week waiting on repairs, but I found some high grade on my east extension ran $113/ton, found a further extension of our big ledge, etc…” 71) No date, from Betty to Clyde, family news, oil news, financial news regarding payments of debts, etc. 72) Wed, no date, from Clyde to Betty, on Baker Hotels letterhead, 3 pp. Mentions possible railroad deal, with names Thrall, Cunningham. “…had a talk with Mr. McGinley (?)…a fine man…will be valuable for future deals & consultation work. Mr. Thralls…is a fine man & wants me to help him with several deals, no immediate money, but a bet for B-R…haven’t given up all hope for our company yet even if Grosvenor is dry, which I don’t think, since your hunch is so good….” 73) Envelope, with poem for Betty from Clyde. 74) No date, List of Acreage Owned by the English Drilling Co. in the Cement Oil Field; 2 pp. 75) No date, on Becker stationery, to Clyde from Betty: “…I told my girls [Sunday School] this morning about the war & described it from my personal experience from Fred’s coming to the Hospital to tell me he was going, & Allan, then you, and my pin with the stars, my pass into camp, the Y.W. [C.A.] & they stood in the way of helping wives & sweethearts, and the training of our boys to be able to cold-bloodedly bayonet another human being…& the aftermath of rebuilding their souls…I made a plea for PEACE…Joe Ball returned from East Texas. He wants to see you if you have geology on 4-6; he has a man rearing to drill a test down there…” 76) No date, on Becker stationery, from Betty to Clyde, “…hope the new work started along the outcrop shows continued values…” 77) No date, from Betty to Clyde, writes about OU & local high school football; “… width of 27” for the vein extension don’t sound so good, does it. Will the core drill method of sampling be useful in determining if its width is wider at depth…” 78) No date, from Clyde to Betty, on Portland Rose stationery, Union Pacific System, Chicago & North Western Ry, “Just arriving in Portland, have just passed through the lovely Columbia Gorge…expect to take a plane from here to Vancouver…” 79) No date, from Clyde to Betty, on Portland Rose stationery, Union Pacific System, Chicago & North Western Ry, “…Tell Bob I saw a lot of new geology, successive lava flows hundreds of feet thick…Tell the other boys I saw the great Bonneville Dam Project & the new Project town of the same name…” 80) No date, on fragment of paper with letterhead from Concordia, KS, Baron’s House, poem from Clyde to Betty. 81) No date, on Becker letterhead, from Betty to Clyde, includes 3 small photos of Ted in baseball uniform, “…Ted left this afternoon for Tulsa where the Legion ball teams have their tournament…don’t know how long they will be there…Tatum’s Well is about 60 bbl. The Griffen Well had a core in yesterday but went in with a basket…They were in a sand or sandy shale…” 82) 3 miscellaneous items that have Betty’s notes on them. CONDITION: Long in storage, this lot of letters is considered good to very good. Most of the letters do not have envelopes. Please see scans. NO LOCAL PICKUPS. We try to give an accurate description of any condition issues, provide photos, and welcome questions. Please ask all questions before the end of the auction. If you have purchased multiple items please wait for my invoice before paying; I can combine shipping on most items and save you on shipping costs. International only through eBay Global, if you purchased through eBay Global we cannot send you an invoice, eBay Global will send you an invoice for your item or items. We don’t give partial refunds, so if an item does not meet your expectations please contact us within three days of item’s arrival to arrange return and a full refund. 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