2 major companies change hands

-Sequoyah Comity Times, Jan. 17, 1999

From the files of Your Sequoyah County Times

25 Years Ago

(From the Jan. 17,1999, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —Star Furniture and Manufacturing Co., in Sallisaw sold recently to a family which formerly lived in Sallisaw and which plans on expanding the business.

Steve Matthews and his father, Kenneth Matthews, now of Van Buren, Ark, purchased Star Furniture Jan. 8 from the company’s founder and operator for 33 and a half years, Bob Starr of Sallisaw.

Starr will remain on the job at the plant as manager.

Tuscarora Inc., announced Tuesday an agreement has been reached to acquire the principal business and operating assets of Berry Packaging Inc., of Sallisaw.

The transaction is expected to be completed by Feb. 1, said Brian Mullins, spokesman for Tuscarora, and the two companies have been in negotiations for the acquisition for several months.

Tuscarora, which is based in New Brighton, Penn., a suburb of Pittsburgh, Penn., is considered the largest manufacturer of interior protective packaging in North America, and perhaps the world, said Mullins.

50 Years Ago

(From the Jan. 17,1974, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —Four break ins, three in Vian and one in Muldrow, were reported Monday by the county sheriff’s department.

Ben Callahan said someone entered the Pete Davis Liquor Store in Vian sometime Sunday and took $20 in cash and an undetermined amount of liquor.

A break in was also reported at the DX car wash where about $30 was reported taken. A break in was reported at the Conoco Station. But nothing was apparently taken.

An apparent organized effort netted over $1,000 in cash from the Muldrow High School in a break in investigated by Deputy Sheriff Leo Matlock, Monday Callahan said someone apparently disconnected an alarm system at the high school from the outside, gained entry by breaking a window in the front door and breaking in a window at the school office.

He continued that the vandals apparently used a sledge hammer to break open a safe and took over $ 1,000 in cash.

75 Years Ago

(From the Jan. 21,1949, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —Mr. and Mrs. Roy Holder of Holder’s Department Store expect to leave Sunday for St. Louis, Mo., where they will attend the annual spring meeting of the Retail Merchants Association.

Monday night they will attend the style show held in the Chase Hotel. Manufacturers will display their spring and summer lines on models at the show.

While in St. Louis they will do their buying for their spring and summer merchandise.

—Sallisaw juke box players have made as their number one on the “Hit Parade” this week, the new song, “Sally Sue From Sallisaw” which the Sequoyah Music Company introduced to music lovers Monday when they installed the new record in all their boxes.

Reports from firms having Juke boxes say that all they have heard since early Monday has been “Sally Sue From Sallisaw’’

100 years ago

(From the Jan. 18,1924, issue of the Sequoyah County Democrat) —The new buildings and improvements at Dwight Mission are beginning to take form and give the public a general idea of how it will appear after the work is completed. The contracting firm has encountered many obstacles in its work and because of bad weather and generally bad conditions, has had to solve many mean problems from day to day Material has had to be unloaded at Marble City and hauled by truck and wagon to the building site. Native stone is being used in the construction work and this within itself will insure beautiful structures inasmuch as all stone in that vicinity is of marble formation. The architects and builders predict one of the best looking buildings in eastern Oklahoma upon completion and we do not question their prediction for one instant.

It is interesting to know that the buildings being erected at this time are the first in the building program laid out by the Presbyterian Church. More than a half million dollars will be expended for new building within the next four years and this year’s work is the first step in that program. Sequoyah County is indeed fortunate in possessing this historic institution.

—Jack Bunch, an alleged horse thief who is wanted in this county in connection with the disappearance of a horse and saddle belonging to J.H. Houser of Maple community, escaped from the county jail at Stilwell Monday night according to word received by local sheriff’s office Tuesday morning.

J.H. Houser and Scott Seabolt were in the mountains near the Adair County line last week and they stopped at a house for supper and while there the horse and saddle belonging to Houser disappeared. The horse was traced through the mountains and when caught it was in the possession of Bunch. The man was arrested and taken to Stilwell, where it is alleged he is wanted for passing bogus checks and mortgaging property not belonging to him.

Sheriff John E. Johnston and Deputy Roy Cheek were to have taken the early morning train Tuesday for Stilwell to bring Bunch here to face horse stealing charges when they were notified that Bunch had escaped jail.