A large personal scrapbook kept by longtime Oklahoma lawman and the first ranch manager of Frank Phillips' Woolaroc, Grif Graham (1879-1947). The contents chiefly document his time at Woolaroc, with dates beginning in about 1927, going into the late-1930's. A few later pieces, including newspaper articles and some letters of condolence to his wife following his death in 1947 are present as well, though most contents appear to have been personally selected and compiled during his lifetime.

Among the dozens of clippings from printed publications which dominate the scrapbook are 23 original photographs, more than 40 pieces of original correspondence, multiple original documents, about a half dozen original typescript dialect poems or short stories by Graham (which he seems to have regularly published in late-1920’s to early-1930’s issues of the news daily Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise), etc... 

Much of the content focuses on Grif's managing of the Woolaroc Ranch and his early organization of its Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunion, beginning with the inaugural in 1927. Scarce original invitations for the 1927, 1928, and 1930 Reunions survive here as do several pieces of correspondence from invitees and attendees, including an intimate two-page manuscript letter from important western artist, Joe De Yong:

“Friend Griff: 

The arrival of an invitation to the “big blow-out” was a mighty pleasant surprise, and  i’m grateful to who ever was to blame. [...] I would have written you  long ago but was ashamed over the way I threw you down on that “haunted holler” write up and drawing which Harry Hewitt wrote me about. I wrote the whole thing out in pencil (several short stories for you to use)  then mislaid the whole thing and had to go rarin off to Wyoming before I could find it; ran across this stuff about a year later among a   lot of papers and drawings I’d put in storage. It was so much too late then that, as I said. I was ashamed to write and explain. I still am, but  this invitation gives me an excuse to write and tell you about it. I’ll dig that writing up and send it in a day or two so you can see what I was trying anyway. I still have the photos of you, and if you can use the drawing of yourself which you wanted just crack down and I’ll sure as hell ring the bell this time. 

My regards to you and any I know including Earl Woodard, Joe Brtles, Mort Keifer, Bill Gray, Hamp Scudder, and Jim McKoy. 

Sincerely Yours, 

Joe De Yong.

P.S. I’ll drop Mr. Phillips a line, too. Spent yesterday out at Tecolote Ranch roping at calves with Bud McSpadden of Chelsea. Bud twined ‘em, but I whipped them to death.” [sic all]

Additional highlights among the nearly 200 pages of content include photographs from the early Cow Thieves and Outlaws Reunions (including a large autographed photo of Frank Phillips in custom leather chaps presented to him at the 1928 iteration) ; multiple autographs and personal correspondence from “Pawnee Bill” ; a dense, signed letter on palomino horses from Waite Phillips ; multiple correspondences documenting the relationship of Graham and Woolaroc with the Bartlesville community, and more….  

A rich and remarkable primary source volume from an intriguing and widely unheralded lawman, ranch manager, and cowboy poet essential to  the history of Frank Phillips’ important Western American and Oklahoma landmark, the Woolaroc Ranch. 

GRAHAM, Grif : [Oklahomana]. [Scrapbook of Woolaroc Ranch Manager, Grif Graham]. Various places, mainly Bartlesville, Oklahoma: (ca. 1927-1947). Approximately 15" x 11" (x about 3 1/2" thick) handmade album. Hinged wooden boards bound be leather strings at left margin. Pyrographic title illustration design to front. About 95 leaves, a blend of brown paper and thin brown card, holding dozens of clippings and ephemeral articles along with 23 original photographs, more than 40 pieces of original correspondence, about a dozen typescript poems or short stories, etc... Contents adhesive mounted to rectos and versos of leaves. A few pieces laid in loose. Heavy chipping from edges of about the first half of volume. Some heavy adhesive staining to clippings in earliest pages. Outer wooden board with mild rubbing. A few contents appear perished or removed, likely by family, though overall the scrapbook seems largely intact. About good overall. Additional photos shown generously here.