Pearl McCutcheon has seen many changes during her life.

McCutcheon, 86, spent her early youth north of Webbers Falls. The main forms of transportation were horseback or a wagon pulled by horses.

“I remember the freedom you had outdoors, all the animals, and all the friendly neighbors,” she said. “We had a tire swing, and we made stilts. We played baseball and basketball. We went out to the school house sometimes, or a group would come over for a fish fry, and we would play ball in the field.”

They were too far from a church to go for services, but they made up for that, too.

“Preachers came to the school house, and we had revivals under the brush arbor,” she said.

When it was time for school, McCutcheon said she was eager to go.

“I was so excited,” she said. “My sister had gone the year before, and she told me about all the things they had done and learned.”

The country school only went to eighth grade, McCutcheon said, and then the students took a test to go to high school in town. When she was in seventh grade, she persuaded the school to let her take the test a year early, and she passed it. Her mother made arrangements for her to live in town with a doctor’s family and trade room and board for her ability to attend high school. She also worked in the doctor’s office after school and on Saturday.

She graduated in 1939 and was married to Julius McCutcheon soon after that in 1941. World War II was heating up, and the entire family moved to California where Julius worked in the shipyards.

“When the war was over, I told him, ‘Let’s take our children and go back to God’s country,’” she said.

Back in Muskogee, McCutcheon waited until her youngest child was in high school and she entered college. By the time her youngest was in college, McCutcheon had started teaching. Her teaching career lasted 20 years.

During that time, she and her husband had been buying houses to rent out.

Marriage

and children

Born just north of Webbers Falls on her father’s Cherokee allotment, Pearl McCutcheon’s father, John Sevier, was a farmer. Maude, her mother, was a housekeeper.

“I had two brothers and four sisters,” she said. “I was next to oldest. I graduated from Webbers Falls High School in 1939. I met my husband at the Oklahoma Free State Fair. I was 17 and out of high school. I was with one of my girlfriends and he was with some of his friends.”

McCutcheon’s girlfriend introduced her to Julius McCutcheon, whom she found to be kind and considerate.

“We just kind of hit it off and got married soon after that in 1941,” she said. “He was in business with his brother in the poultry and egg business. Our children were Jack, Judy, John, James and Jane. All the names started with ‘j’ on purpose. I wanted to have six and have the J Bar Ranch, but God decided I wouldn’t have any more children. I accepted his decision.”

When her youngest child, Jane, started high school, McCutcheon started college. She earned her associate degree at Bacone College, then she went on to get her bachelor’s and master’s at Northeastern State University.



Working

in education

McCutcheon taught for 20 years in Muskogee, and she remembers those two decades fondly.

“I started at Irving Elementary, where I taught first grade for two years,” she said. “Then I finished at Pershing Elementary, where I taught for 18 years. The first year I taught math. They had just been taught how to memorize and didn’t know how to manipulate the numbers. Then I went back to teaching first grade. I was 64.”

McCutcheon remembers teaching as a time when she could make a positive contribution.

“Those were great years,” she said. “I had wonderful kids, they were wanting to learn, and you had a feeling that you had some part in setting them on that right track.”



Going into

the rental business

“Where we lived on the east side on Irving Street, there was a rent house next to us,” she said. “It was empty and had broken windows. We bought it and fixed it up and started renting it, and it just started growing from there. We bought two more down the street.”

Julius and Pearl worked together growing their house rental business until he was disabled by a series of health setbacks.

“First his blood pressure was real high, then he had a stroke,” she said. “One blood clot hit his eye and he was blind in one eye. But he would just bounce right back.”

Finally, all the health problems caught up with him.

“He died in February 1994,” she said. “One day he didn’t feel good and I told him to stay home. When I came home, I went through the back door and then picked up the mail. I took it to the bedroom because I knew he would want to read it. He was dead on the floor. He loved his home. He would have been glad to know that he died at home.”

McCutcheon has hired someone to help her with the rental properties.

“I have a man working for me now but that’s only 8 to 5, Monday through Friday,” she said. “I now have about 50 rent houses. I work about 50 hours a week.”



HOW DID YOU COME TO BE AN OKIE FROM MUSKOGEE?

“When I married, my husband was from Muskogee, so I moved from Webbers Falls to here.”



WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR FREE TIME?

“I still crochet, bowl, write poetry, and play bridge.”



HOW DO YOU MAKE A LIVING IN MUSKOGEE?

“I now have about 50 rent houses.”



WHAT WOULD MAKE MUSKOGEE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?

“They’re improving all the time on things. Robison Park will help. Some of the city departments could get along better. People need to pick up the litter from their yards. We have a young mayor with bright ideas, so we’re coming along.”



IS THERE AN OKIE FROM MUSKOGEE WHO YOU ADMIRE?

“There are lots of them. All of the pastors we have had our church (First Baptist), all the Bible studies teachers, and so many people that have volunteered to make life better for so many other people.”



WHAT IS THE MOST MEMORABLE THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU SINCE YOU HAVE LIVED IN MUSKOGEE?

“The birth of my five children, my six grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. That’s your family. There is nothing like your family.”



HOW WOULD YOU SUM UP MUSKOGEE IN 25 WORDS OR LESS?

“It’s a great town, just the right size, with a lot of potential. People are friendly, and we have great churches.”



Meet Pearl

McCutcheon

AGE: 86.

HOMETOWN: Webbers Falls.

CAREER: Former teacher, now owns rent houses.

EDUCATION: Webbers Falls High School, Northeastern State University.

FAMILY: Children Jack, Judy, John, James and Jane. Six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

CHURCH: First Baptist Church.

HOBBIES: Crotcheting, writing poetry, bowling, playing bridge.