
An Unusual Valentine
Saint Valentine, who lived in the late 3rd century A.D., was a Christian martyr killed during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Although he has long been considered the patron saint of lovers, the custom of sending valentines on his feast day (February 14) is not connected to the saint. The ancient Romans observed a festival (Lupercalia) that occurred at the same time as Saint Valentine’s feast day. For this festival, that honored a pastoral god, the Romans sent anonymously missives that were sentimental or ludicrous.

Eloise Lane

Eloise Lane
In the late Middle Ages, there was a belief that birds began to mate on February 14. This notion probably suggested that lovers should exchange messages and gifts on that date. At one time it was the custom for young people of both sexes to meet on the eve of Saint Valentine’s Day. Each person drew a name of the opposite sex from a number of names placed in a common receptacle. Each gentleman got a lady for his valentine and he became the valentine of a lady. The gentlemen remained bound to the services of their valentines for a year.
After postal systems were organized, the practice of mailing homemade valen- tine messages became common. The greeting card industry in the United States now prints millions of valentines each year. These are usually in verse form and ten- der in nature, but sometimes comic and coarse. Present day valentines are associated with lace-trimmed red hearts, flowers and chocolate candy, but the White Deer Land Museum has on display a valentine which shows none of these objects. It is the valentine that Phillip Claude Ledrick had made for Fannie May White in 1896.
Claude Ledrick and his brother, Lee Ledrick, were the sons of Henry Ledrick and Amanda Jane “Jenny” (Lard) Ledrick. The family came from Young County to Roberts County in 1886 and established the Ledrick Ranch on a league of school land located on Chicken Creek. (State Highway 70 runs through the Ledrick Ranch.) Although many Indians still roamed the country at that time, the Ledricks got along well with them. Fannie White, daughter of Isaac White and Elizabeth Doherty) White, was born in 1878 near Abilene, Kansas.
The Isaac White family came to Roberts County in 1888 and settled on Wolf Creek. Claude Ledrick and Fannie White were married in 1901. For several years they lived on the Ledrick Ranch, but in 1907 they moved to Pampa and built a home at 421 East Kingsmill. They had no children. Claude continued to ranch, but both he and his brother, Lee, took part in Pampa’s growth and became directors of Gray County State Bank. Claude (P. C.) Ledrick was on the school board when the tan brick school building was constructed at 126 West Francis. Mrs. P. C. Ledrick was a charter member of El Progresso, a study club organized in 1923. Claude Ledrick died in 1943 and Fannie White Ledrick died in 1959.
Over 200 Articles, written by Eloise Lane, were published in the Pampa News. These articles may be accessed by clicking on each section below. A list of articles will be revealed that are linked to a page containing the text of the article.
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Articles 1-20
- Origin Of The "White Deer" Name
- The Log House On White Deer Creek
- Obtaining The Land
- The Lands Organized
- Cattle Brands Tell Story
- Ghosts And All
- Southern Kansas Railroad
- Fire Guard Dam
- When The Railroad Came
- The Sutton RR Station
- Post Office At Pampa
- The Bell Family
- J.C. Short
- Pampa 1892-1902
- Pampa Laid Out In 1902
- Crystal Palace Founded
- Gray County Organization
- Organization - Continued
- Gray County - Lefors
- McLean - The Largest Town
Articles 21-40
- Gouge Eye
- The "Mother Road"
- German Family Reunion
- Desks From Hopkins
- Grandview School Begins
- The Oil Money
- History Wall Painted
- Boydston Or Boydstun?
- Ontario???
- Laketon - Early Farming
- Laketon - Continued
- First Couple To Marry
- Hoover
- Water Well Drilling
- Kingsmills Visit Pampa
- George Tyng Left
- Tragedy In Utah
- T.D. Hobart - Manager
- M.K. Brown Arrives
- Rider Livery Stable
Articles 41-60
- The Pioneer Cottage
- Pampa's First Doctor
- Doctor Makes House Calls
- A Red Cross Nurse
- Pampa's First School
- Hobart Went To London
- Cemetery Began In 1904
- First Business District
- C.P. Buckler Arrives
- Five Barrett Brothers
- Influence Of The Santa Fe
- Trains Still Roll
- John V. Thomass - Teacher
- Cattle-loading Center
- Rolla J. Sailor & Arrowheads
- A.H. Doucette Arrives
- Lands Are Advertised
- The Holland Hotel
- Wheat Left Pampa
- First National Bank Begins
Articles 61-80
- Pampa News Begins
- First Denominational Church
- 2nd Office Of WD Lands
- J.N. Duncan Arrives
- Nels Walberg Sells…
- Dormer Simms
- Fourth Of July Celebrations
- Pampa's First Cars
- Pampa In 1907-08
- J.S. Wynne Family Arrives
- Gray Count State Bank
- Baptist Church Organized (Under Construction)
- Joe & Lizzie Bowers
- Threatened By Prairie Fire
- Library Began In 1907
- J.R. Henry
- Sir Gordan & Lady Cunard
- Three Vicars Brothers
- Dodd Grain And Produce
- December 29, 1991
Articles 81-100
- D.C. Davis Family
- Long Christmas Celebration
- First Christian Church
- Facts About Pampa
- Buster Brown
- The Last Hanging
- Bones Hooks
- The "Red Brick" Is No More
- The Purviances Family
- The Dr. E. von Brunow Park
- Boards Of First Headquarters
- Mary Jane Purvis
- Cook - Adams Addition
- Nativity Scenes
- Clyde Carruth
- The Mine Tragedies
- Additions To Pampa
- Third Family In Pampa
- Frank Dittmeyer
- Bricklayer Indian Jim
Articles 101-120
- A.A. Tiemann
- First Movies And Lights
- Pampa Incorporated
- Mark And Sara Fletcher
- Annie Baker Daniels
- Pampa's Business District
- Birthday Tea Of 1919
- Former Pampa Minister
- John Mack Patton
- The First Brass Band
- Early Graduating Class
- "How We Met"
- F.P. Greever Is Assassinated
- George Tyng's Father
- L.H. & Lula Greene
- John & Lena McKamy
- Robert & Mary Yeager
- "Dear Old PHS"
- Supt. Believed In People
- William A. & Ruth Green
Articles 121-140
- Jason A and Alice Poole
- Wayside School
- Pampa Football Begins
- The Pampa School Building
- Rev. C. E. Lancaster
- Panhandle Lumber Co.
- Will Wilks & Mora Hughey
- An Unusual Valentine
- Charles A. Tignor
- O. A. Barrett
- Poppies In Flanders Fields
- Barnard & Williams Families
- 4th of July Celebrations
- Cuyler Street Underpass
- The King Family
- Kretmeier and Baer Families
- Stephen B. Oates
- Phebe Worley
- Organization of Gray County
- First Courthouse
Articles 141-160
- Pampa Laid Out in 1902
- Pampa in 1902
- W. R. Kaufman
- The Pampa Country Club
- Living In Pampa in 1902
- Pampa Buildings of 1902
- May Foreman Carr
- Scaffers - Early Residents
- Nita Luna
- Former Sub Debs Reminisce
- PHS In 1932
- PHS Appreciated
- The Forth Worth and Denver
- From Pampa to Childress
- The Origination Of "Taps"
- The Warners
- J. C. Studer
- Floyd, John and Otto
- Our American Flag
- Stories and Memories
Articles 161-180
- Museum in Pampa?
- The Franklin Farm
- The Franklin Family
- Beryl Wayne Vicars
- Historian Made Cookies
- The Pioneer Cottage
- The Orginial Swastika
- Library Clerk
- Women's Clothing Store
- Jon and Pat McConal
- Whitey Walker Gang
- How Rudolph Began
- Gwendolen Avenue
- Jerry Kerbow
- Two Paintings
- Second Part - Paintings
- Bones Hooks
- Original Nativity Figures
- Why "V" Instead of "U"
- Pampa Incorporated