James Haskett

Ancestors

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Biography

James was the son of Calvin Cleveland Haskett and Rosetta Coffelt . They had four children. The eldest James led an interesting life, and loved to joke around. Nickname "Snowball" given to him by owner of Branson Cafe downtown while working scouping ice cream . And he used it the rest of his life.

His father Calvin, was married first at 19 to Nancy Pitts and they had one daughter Daisy B. Second to Rosetta (used Etta) Coffelt. She was the mother of James and his three siblings. After she passed, Calvin married wife number three, a lso named Rosetta last name Rollison (various spellings Rowlson etc.). She often went by Rose . She is listed here below with her children on the 1930 census living with Calvin and children by his first wife, James being the eldest child shown. She was employed orignally as Calvin's housekeeper which he surely needed with four children and working.

1930 Federal Census: Name James B Haskett, Birth Year abt 1919, Gender Male, Race White, Age in 1930- 11 , Birthplace Missouri ,Marital Status Single Relation to Head of House Son, Home in 1930 Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA Map of Home Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma ,Street Address South Rosedale Ave.House Number21, Dwelling Number47, Family Number57, Lives on Farm No, Attended School Yes ,Able to Read and Write Yes, Father's Birthplace Missouri ,Mother's Birthplace Missouri ,Able to Speak English Yes, Household Members95274887, Household Members NameAge Name Calvin C Haskett Name James B Haskett Name Eugene H Haskett Name Betty L Haskett Name Wanda D Haskett Name Rose Rollison Name Nell L Rollison Name James U Rollison ^[1]

Note: James and his siblings also lived for a time in Clinton Oklahoma orphanage while his father was out of work during the depression.

James Haskett: 1st Marriage was to Mildred Weems: Name James Burl Haskett, Gender Male, Age 24 ,Birth Year abt 1919, Residence Branson, Taney, Missouri ,Spouse's Name Mildred Marie Weems, Spouse's Gender Female ,Spouse's Age 18, Spouse's Residence Eureka Springs, Carroll, Arkansas, Marriage Date 8 May 1943 ,Marriage License Date 8 May 1943 ,Marriage County Carroll ,Event Type MarriageFHL Film Number2026850 Household Members Name Age Name James Burl Haskett Name Mildred Marie Weems ^[2] They had one daughter Lana. Mildred took her and left. And so James did not see Lana again from 2 years old until many years later and she was grown with her own children.

James was briefly in the military during WWII. And also worked for the CC camps.

Married to Dorothy E. Hartzell in May 1947. They adopted one child as a baby Morrison-4392 .

James was a bit of a local celebrity as he had worked for Jim Owens Fishing Service many years as a young man as an outfitter and sometimes a guide on the White River. On Sunday's he and Dorothy often would take the truck down to Arkansas and pick up people to bring back from the 125 mile float. He had stories about taking several celebrities fishing. Most as popular as any celebrity today. And often told a story about saving the life of Gene Autry (western singer) from drowning when he fell out of the boat after a few too many ! That night Gene was preforming at the Jim Owens Theatre in Downtown Branson (usually a movie theater) but that night he preformed. And he dedicated "Snowball's favorite song to him "Back in the Saddle Again " ! How appropriate ! Jim Owens was tied in with Paul Henning who spent time in Branson as a boy. Paul was producer of "The Beverly Hillbillies", "Green Acres" and "Petticoat Junction" TV shows. And "Snowball had the honor of driving the "Beverly Hillbillies" truck in the Ralph Foster Museum at College of the Ozarks with the celebrities aboard. And helped build the ride named after Jim Owens at Silver Dollar City.

Watch as Bass Pro owner , Johnny Morris , shows rare film footage of the Jim Owens float and workers. . ^[3] and extended footage not narrated ^[4]

The Branson music scene started on the White River in the 1950's with "jam" sessions of Ozark Mountain music before and after the floats or entertaining folks staying at one of the famous resorts along the White River, like "Sammy Lane" ^[5] James was almost first in line at the first formal show in 1959 of the group called the "Baldknobbers" (named after the Ozarks infamous vigilantee group from the late 1800's). And they continued to call him out or up at shows whenever he attended. They later moved to the Highway 76 "strip" and continued to entertain until there until 2017, when they moved to a new venue. ^[6]

James loved to ice skate on the White River when it froze, and also loved to roller skate and managed at the roller rink for a time when it was downtown. Teaching many a young kid to roller skate. People would come up to him years later and reminsce. James held several other jobs over the years ; Al's Garage (downtown), the Ice Man (downtown) as delivery man, and finally retired from the School of the Ozarks (later named College of the Ozarks). He was a construction supervisor over the student crews, and he loved the job as he liked young people, being a kid at heart himself.

Death Location: at Veteran's Home Lawrence County, Missouri (lifetime residence otherwise in Taney County, Missouri). fFind a Grave, database and images ^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ Detail Year: 1930; Census Place: Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Roll: 1936; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 0134; Image: 203.0; FHL microfilm: 2341670 Source Information Title 1930 United States Federal Census Author Ancestry.com
2. ↑ Source Information Title Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7PQYddZfkY
4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCvnIuoS-1U Other interesting sources. http://www.1branson.com/forum/t65000.html , https://tripbucket.com/dreams/dream/experience-silver-dollar-city-branson-missouri/
5. ↑ https://digital.shsmo.org › digital › api › collection › mhr › download
6. ↑ https://www.bransonregister.com/baldknobbers-celebrate-60-years-of-entertaining-in-branson/
7. ↑ (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 27 April 2020), memorial page for James B. “Snowball” Haskett (23 Jun 1918–1 Oct 2002), Find A Grave: Memorial #33464783, citing Ozarks Memorial Park, Branson, Taney County, Missouri, USA ; Maintained by WRVHS (contributor 46931506) .>