Here to help!
For my research project, I analyzed the A. A. “Jack” Drummond Collection, a large repository of primary sources that tell the story of the Drummond family of Osage County and how they became one of the largest landowners not only in Oklahoma, but the United States. In addition to land, Jack Drummond heavily influenced the oil and ranching industries. This immense collection, starts in the early part of the 1900s and extends through to his death in 1989. It contains intricate details of not only business ventures and dealings, but also personal correspondence with friends and family, and documents from his time serving in the U.S. Army during the first and second World Wars. The Drummond Collection offers researchers an expansive window into life in the 20th century. When interviewed by author Terry Hammons in 1978, Drummond acknowledged the importance of his extensive collection of correspondence, “You know it’s unusual, Terry, that I wrote all these letters myself and kept copies . . . but I just lived on my typewriter”.
After being introduced to the Drummond Collection, I decided to start with some of the earlier personal and business correspondence from the 1930s. I stumbled across a 1935 letter from the Stockyards Loan Company to Drummond. In the letter the Secretary-Treasurer of the company informs Drummond that they are unwilling to offer finance until he can get his business in proper shape, but to stop making “these little outside deals”. Throughout reading his correspondence, I noticed that Jack often asked others for loans and financial help. In one letter dated August 20, 1941, Drummond asks Mr. Pat Hamilton of Oklahoma City for a $300 loan to help pay General Motors because he had fallen behind on car payments. In a letter dated September 1, 1941, Drummond writes to General Motors stating that he has been out of town for a while and that’s the reason he's behind on payments, though earlier letters reveal that Drummond had remained in Oklahoma the whole time. It became apparent that Drummond often financially struggled while involved with many court cases during the 1930s-1940s. The Me-se-che-he case especially stands out in the letters as a constant legal stressor for Drummond who often mentioned it when discussing money woes.
Letter to Drummond from Stockyards Loans suggesting he get his business affairs in order and quit making side deals.
World War II photo of smuggled panther from India on board USS General M. B. Stewart.
Buddhist Temple with tourist after Victory over Japan Day in US occupied Japan. Photo by Drummond.
US Army memo to troop ship commanders discussing arms smuggling among returning troops and civilian crews aboard troop ships.
Major Drummond aboard a troop transport ship during World War II.
Army Memo discussing illegal Japanese remains on ships that violate the Geneva Convention.
Letter from Commanding Officer to Major Drummond expressing concern over the smuggled panther aboard USS General M.B. Stewart.
A few weeks ago, I pored over Drummond’s World War II scrapbooks including five photo books with letters and newspaper clippings attached. The photos Drummond brought back from the war are preserved in great condition. The non-business side of Jack's life and the photos of his time in service were captivating, featuring images captured in Italy, India, occupied Japan, and many more. I was shocked to learn that the crew of his ship adopted a pet panther that they posed with for photos!
Since learning about Drummond's World War II service, I decided to focus my research on this part of his life. His correspondence and military documents from the war include military identification cards, letters home to family and friends, U.S. Army memos, and even a System of Operations (SOP) manual for the troop transport ships that Drummond wrote while in service. Superior officers liked the SOP so much that the Army Transportation Corp adopted it during the war and Drummond would be given command of a troop transport ship during the last half of World War II. This unique duty station afforded Drummond the opportunity to travel the world during the war, taking multiple trips in the transport ship through the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Another interesting fact from Drummond’s World War II service- he was trained by the future infamous World War II leader and Medal of Honor recipient General Johnathan Wainwright while at Officers' Training School in Presidio, California in 1916. For my history capstone research, I intend to learn more about Drummond’s extensive military contributions and achievements in the Army Transportation Corps thanks to my time with UCO Archives & Special Collections.
[1] Alfred Alexander “Jack” Drummond, interview by Terry Hammons, October 1978, Edmond, Oklahoma, audio recording, University of Central Oklahoma Archives and Special Collections. https://library3.uco.edu/archives/oralhistory/
Nathan Watkins graduates from the University of Central Oklahoma in December 2024. Nathan plans to enroll in the Museum Studies graduate program in UCO's Department of History & Geography.
The University of Central Oklahoma recognizes the university's main campus is located on the traditional lands of the Caddo and Wichita people.
View the full Land Acknowledgement.
