O. S. Tyler, Sr.

A Panhandle pioneer and civic worker Oliver S. Tyler, Sr., 80, of 707 N. Academy has been named Parade Marshall of the 40th Annual Pioneer Days Celebration May I and 2 in Guymon, Oklahoma.
    O. S. Tyler has been a rancher, farmer, bookkeeper, telephone lineman, drug store operator, car dealer, dry goods merchant, city clerk, city councilman and secretary-manager of the chamber of commerce.
    He was born at the family's sod ranch house in Hansford County, Texas 50 miles south
    of Guymon or 15 miles southwest of the present town of Gruver. His father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Stanley C. Tyler owned eight sections and leased 100 sections of Hansford County ranchland. His father moved to Texas from Massachusetts in 1877.
    O. S. Tyler attended rural schools in the Texas Panhandle, St. Johns Military School for three years in Salina, Kan.. and graduated from Valparaiso, Ind. University Business College.
    Following graduation in 1909 he returned to Guymon and went to work for L. E. Latham, who owned the Latham Dry Goods Co., which was located where the D. and J. Store is now.
    In 1910 he moved back to his fathers ranch, the SC Tyler Cattle Ranch, and served as ranch manager for six years. They ran cross breed shorthorn cattle and not longhorns. It was their pur. pose to improve the quality of the cattle.
    In 1912 O. S. Tyler married Rose Cook of Oklahoma City and they later moved in 1915 to Baca County, Colorado where they homesteaded ranch land. They worked cattle and did some farming for about three years.
    Rose Tyler became ill and died in 1919 in an Albuquerque, N.M. hospital.
    To this union two sons were born Stan Tyler of Guymon who now owns the Tyler Feed Store and Oliver Tyler of Guymon who ranches in Colorado.
    O. S. Tyler then returned to Guymon to work as lineman for his father who was general manager of the Guymon & Hansford County Telephone Company. This phone company had rural lines to old Hardesty, Hansford and toll lines to Texhoma and Hooker. O. S. Tyler said, there were approximately 100 phones in Guymon at that time.
    After his father sold the telephone exchange in 1921 O. S. and two other men, Dewit Lisman and Dennis Beek, bought the Frank Hood Drug Store and changed the name to Triangle Drug Co. It was located in the building where the Recreational Parlor is now located.
    They operated this establishment for about two years and sold it to Clarence Harriman, who in turn sold it to Shattuck Drug Co. and relocated it in what was Jackson Drug then after that Tebow Drug building.
    Dennis Beek and O. S. Tyler again went into partnership and rented the old drug building and opened a recreational parlor which they operated about five years when O. S. sold his interest to Dennis Beek who continued to operate it until the time of his death.
    In 1930 Tyler was married the Thyra Owen in Guymon. To this union was born two boys Edward Owen Tyler and Byron E. Tyler, who now live in Amarillo, Tex.
    O. S. and Thyra have lived at 707 N. Academy. Guymon since about 1935, They have a total of 10 grandchildren and are looking forward to their first great grandchild.
    Around 1936 R. M. Ford and O. .S. Tyler bought the Ford automobile agency which was located in what is now the Army Reserve Building.
    In 1945 Tyler sold his interest to R. M. Ford and returned to the farming and ranching bus. iness until he sold his farm and retired in the early 60s.
    O. S. Tyler was part-time secretary-manager of the Guymon Chamber of Commerce in the early days, a member of the Guymon City Council for 16 years and served as Guymon City Clerk for two years during 1945-46.
    He is a member of the First Presbyterian Church, was a char. ter member of the Guymon Lions Club, member of the Masonic Lodge - 32nd degree and Shriner and Blue Lodge where he served as Worshipful Master and secretary for nine years, Elks Lodge and currently is a member of the Guymon City Library Board.
    O. S. Tyler had three sisters, Mrs. L. E. Latham of Guymon, who is a former Pioneer Queen; and the late Ethel Henderson and Fanny Albea.
    "During my life the thing that has impressed me most is the modernization of farming, ranching and city affairs. Farming is definitely big business now," said Tyler.
    "I try to stay active by doing my own yardwork and I continue to keep interest in city affairs," stated Tyler. "I am looking forward to serving as Pioneer Day Parade Marshall. I certainly appreciate the honor, and I invite everyone to attend Pioneer Days May 1 and 2 in Guymon," concluded Tyler.