Muskogee's Connection to "The Titanic"

The RMS Titanic, a White Star liner, sank in the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912. Before the end of the year, an imposter arrived in Muskogee to take advantage of the tragedy.

The Titanic's sinking served cheaters and conmen well because of the publicity about the enormous loss of life. For example, one liar claimed to have survived by cross-dressing as a woman in order to board a lifeboat.

In Muskogee's small world as a bustling city in Eastern Oklahoma, no connection to this historic event was expected. Suddenly, it arrived by train from Dallas in the form of a woman who called herself Mrs. Ellen Oldfield. She claimed two relatives were lost when the Titanic sank.

Mrs. Oldfield played upon public sympathy while she practiced the "advance-fee" fraud on a small scale. This fraud urges the victim to pay various amounts in hopes of receiving a larger sum later. Mrs. Oldfield's scheme began by collecting proofs of heirship from relatives for the estate of Nathaniel Kidder of England. In the process, she also collected a fee to cover nonexistent "legal" expenses. It is not known how many victims she conned in Muskogee.

There was, however, an unforeseen positive outcome to Mrs. Oldfield's visit. In co-operation with Mrs. Rose King, the wife of a local butcher, efforts commenced to establish a home for the mobile elderly who were no longer able to provide for themselves. Many residents joined them in establishing an Old Folks Home.

Initial plans called for the use of a vacant home located at 204 North K Street. This home was a single-floor, almost square building that sat on the northeast corner of K Street and Broadway. Unfortunately, this location soon proved to be too small. United Charities, a civic umbrella organization coordinating the effort, abandoned this structure for a larger building.

For the following several years, the Old Folks Home was at 2103 W. Okmulgee. This new location provided more rooms because it was a two-floor structure. The house is now the offices of the Betty Smart Bonding Co. This is how the former Old Folks Home looks today.

The first two matrons at the Old Folks Home were Mrs. L. E. Truman and Mrs. Nannie L. Bassham. They cooked when the residents permitted them. Many residents, though of diminished means, retained the vigor and the determination to help wherever possible. The matrons resided in the detached servant's quarter at the back of the lot. Together, matron and residents kept the property and quarters neat and trim.

When Mrs. Ellen Oldfield departed town, she said she was going to Nevada, Michigan and Ohio. With such a vague destination, she made sure it was impossible to track her future moves.

Sir Francis Drake Association scam began the following year. It followed the same pattern of collecting money to fund the legal expenses to settle a large estate in England. In this case, the fraud went international and took in millions of dollars from people who hoped to share in the noted mariner's supposed wealth.

Mrs. Oldfield did not intend to aid a good cause when she came to Muskogee in 1912. Her timing and charm put her in a supporting role that resulted in the establishment of Muskogee's first publically supported assisted living facility.

Muskogee's Old Folks Home provided needed services for decades. Today, the concept survives, but not the name. Thanks to a con artist who only wanted to defraud some residents, aid and assistance was given to many over the years.