| Harmon Jesse Platt |
| Harmon Jessie Platt was born March 10, 1891, near Waverly, Kansas, the second child of Papa and Mama. His nickname was H. J. and he was called that about half the time.
H. J. grew up on the Crystal farm, but at the time Papa made the move to Stillwater, Harmon was in business in Drumright. (This information conflicts with Arlie's memories) With Papa in the Ford business, Harmon sold out his interests in Drumright and came to Stillwater to learn the Ford business. When he had absorbed what he needed he established a Ford agency at Perkins and being successful there he sold out and moved to Claremore, where he did an immense business, having the best Ford business in the state. He later sold it and moved to Oklahoma City to rest up for a while. (This paragraph taken from the Maramec Paper, 1919.) |
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| Contributed mostly by Richard Bradley |
| While in Claremore he became
friends with Will Rogers. Will was proud of his Indian ancestry and Harmon would talk about his indian blood, too, referring to Margaret Morningstar, of an eastern Indian tribe. Later, genealogical research would show that the Morningstars had changed their name from Morganstern when they arrived from Germany and were actually Jewish! H.J would have croaked! H. J. built the world's first Recrea- tional Vehicle, a motor home that he called the "Home DeLux", on a Ford truck chassis and used for camping trips. The home was quite a novelty and on July 17, 1919, successfully climbed the world's highest motor drive - the summit of Pike's Peak . This attracted the attention of thousands and its photograph appeared in many newpapers across the United States. It was equipped with a bed with springs, a two-burner gas stove with oven, table, cupboard with five shelves, 50# ice box, 16 gallon water tank, clothes box and two long box seats on each side containing the bedding. It was also equipped with electric lights, toilet, linoleum floor covering, Japanese window shades and was screened with copper wire. Total cost of the vehicle was $2490. |
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| Harmon in his Claremore store. |
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| Inside the "Home DeLux". |
| Harmon and Maude by the "Home DeLux". One of the children is in the window. |
| He married Maude pershall, a sister of Lyman's wife, Mamie, on October 20, 1911. After Maude bore him 5 children, he left her. The circumstances are not clear, but whenever the subject came up in the Family, it was generally with more sympathy for Maude and less for Harmon.
The records show Harmon and Maude's children as: Lena Mae, Elsie, Ina Marie, Dorothy Dix and Leonard. |
| Harmon and his brother Raymond purchased the French & Son Ford Garage in Perkins, and quickly built up the business. Harmon was the business manager and Raymond was the expert mechanic. Frank Purcell worked there, too. In November 1919, the Platt Brothers began construction of a new brick garage at 219S. Main Street, now Perkins Food Center. The new building was 45 feet by 120 feet and was one of the finest garages in the area. In February 1920, Harmon purchased Raymond's interest in the business and Raymond took a salaried position in the workshop. The opening of the new garage took place May 1, 1920. The Ladies Aid Society of Perkins served ice cream, there was music, and from 9:00 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. social dancing was held, however, "now execrable forms of dancing" were allowed and strict decorum enforced. )
In all, the Platt brothers had invested nearly $27,000 in Perkins. The stock room contained over $8000 worth of parts and accessories that were all organized in sections allowing the office man to locate the parts quickly. The front was used as a show room complete with a waiting area fitted with rocking chairs, music, and a ladies toilet room. A private office was located in the rear. The work shop contained over $3000 worth of machinery and shop equipment to work on Ford cars, trucks, and tractors. The motto of Platt Brothers Garage was: "If your motor gets to 'woolie-raring, give it prescription of Ford's quick repairing" In February 1922, H. J sold the Ford garage to W.E. Jones of Jennings, OK and the business became known as Perkins Motor Company. |
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| To see the original PERKINS JOURNAL article from which a lot of the above information was taken: |
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| One of Harmon's many ventures! This is most likely at Claremont, OK in 1918 where he operated a boarding house with Aimie and Frank Purcell |
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| By 1925 or '26, Harmon was in Lincoln, Arkansas, just over the Oklahoma border, working to develop Cleveland Park. The park had a lake, dance hall and cabins. It was hoped that it would become a financial success, but someone drowned and the venture folded. Harmon had talked Mama into loaning him the ten thousand dollars that she had received in her divorce settlement, and that money was lost. Within 10 years the park was a total ruin and blight.
During WWII, he was in California, in defense work. It was at this time that he met and married Lillian. Later they separated and he married Agnes Kirkwood, a milliner. Like others in the family, Harmon led a mobile life style. Just after WWII, he was the Jeep dealer in Enid, OK. His workshop was so clean you could eat off the floor! Agnes & H.J. stayed in Enid until 1962 when he moved to Denver and started working in his sister Elizabeth's real estate office as a salesman. It was in Denver that he suffered a fatal stroke, December 6, 1962. He was 71. Agnes survived him a number of years, living in a nursing home in Denver, with Elizabeth as her guardian. Both are buried in the cemetery at Maramec, Oklahoma. (See Odd Fellows Cemetery Pictures |
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