Yes, Charles Knox was my grandfather, and he was the first to bring self service gas stations to OK. At one point he had girls on skates helping customers. There were no computers in those days or an application to automatically report number of gallons and price to the worker in the station, nor were there credit cards to pay at the pump like we do today, but people were honest and paid for what they pumped.

Mr. Charlie Knox built & lived in the beautiful mansion home on West Broadway (better known these days as the Hedges home).

My brother played Enid Pee-Wee baseball and they won the State Championship; Mr. Knox ordered each of those little boys a sports wool jackets (like a letterman jacket) in gray with red lettering “Knox Oilers” monogrammed on the back and their names on the front upper left…my brother (Jack C Pilgrim Jr) still has his jacket; his son wore it (Jack C Pilgrim III) and now his grandson (Jordon Pilgrim) wears it. It’s been taken good care of after all these years, still in great condition (my brother is in his 60′s and he was in 6th grade I think) My Dad, Jack D. Pilgrim, Sr. hauled gasoline to the Knox gasoline stations until they closed the business…and my Dad has a lot of respect for Mr. Knox.

My Grand-mother, Helen List Droppleman and Vivian “Mug” Knox were “double 1st cousins”. Their Fathers were brothers and their Mothers were sisters. I remember as a young girl siting on the railing at the Knox mansion in Enid. I can still remember the ballroom and the bedroom of the daughter they lost to a terminal illness.
The last time I saw Uncle Charlie & Aunt Mug was at their home in Oklahoma City. I was with Granny and my Mother, Virginia Droppleman Armstrong. I rmember we had delightful dinner with the family. Somehow, after all the years went by we lost contact with the Knox family. It was so nice to see a bit of history and remember the past. Sincerely, Ann

Actually Charles Knox did not built the mansion at 1323 W Broadway. The home was built by Joseph McCristy in 1909. McCristy was President, Enid Mill & Elevator Co. The second owner was George Beggs, a farmer on the Covington-Garber Knox (a neighbor of Charles Knox), who sold his oil lease to Champlin. Knox was the third owner of the mansion. He lived in the mansion the longest, for about 35 years. That is why people remember the home as the Knox Mansion. On the National Register of Historic Places, the home is listed as the McCristy-Knox Mansion. Thayne Hedges owned the home next and Shirley & Donald Marquardt current own the home (the Marquardt Mansion).

Did the Knox Co. also give out glasses with Antique Autos printed on them?