Mom & Pop 

William Harve Reddell & Anna Novella Howard

Leslie's parents

by Dan Reddell

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       Harve & Novella were not born with silver spoons in their mouths. Harve's mother married a man who had deserted two families previously. He deserted her when Harve was barely three. By the time Harve was twenty, he had a reputation for being a hard-drinking horse trader who had won over a $1,000 dollars in a single pool game.

Novella's parents worked their farm and left many parental duties to their oldest son, Alvin. He had several sisters and brothers to care for, and when his sister, Novella, fell for Harve, Alvin became angry. He threatened to kill Harve if he did not leave. 

What transpired between Alvin and Harve is unknown, but on October 14th, 1911, Harve and Novella were married in Atoka, Oklahoma. Alvin was banished from their lives and the lives of their children--forever.

William Harve Reddell and Novella had the following children:

 1. Leslie Woodrow Reddell, born December 13, 1912 in Atoka, Ok. He married Dorothy Mae James in Sacramento, CA on November 1, 1935. Dorothy is the daughter of James Bowman James and Ida Pearl Swan(n) and was born August 29, 1916, in Clayton N.M. They had five children.

2. Lee Etta Reddell, born ___________ in Atoka, OK. She married Gilbert Nixon in Amherst Texas, ________.They had five children.

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1. William Harve, Novella, Les and Lea Etta--1919. 2. Novella and Harve, probably in Puduca, TX. before moving to Amherst. 3. Novella with part of her menagerie.

1. Harve (Pop), Novella (Mom) and Lea Etta on farm in Amherst during transition from horses to vehicles. 2. Les, Harve, Novella, Gilbert Nixon, Lea Etta at side of Amherst farm house built by Harve. He also donated a portion of his property for a school. 3.  Les, 2ond from left, and Lea Etta, 4th from left, with friends--Amherst.

1. The church at Rock Ford. Lea Etta is somewhere in this photo. She meant and fell in love with Gilbert Nixon at this church. They raised five children, living most of their lives together in Southern California. Lea Etta is doing well at 87.

1. Harve and Novella. 2. Catherine Howard, Novella, Novella's sister, Ida, Lea Etta, and Les in front of Amherst farm house. 3. Les at 17 with his first car, a 1926 Model T. Amherst.

1. Les with his Dodge. 2. Les and best friend, Joe Dunn. They loved to play country music and formed a band called the Oklahoma Night Riders after moving to Bakersfield, CA. They played on an experimental TV station and were sponsored by the local Ford agency. 3. A friend, Les, and Gib Nixon.

1. A letter from Novella's sister, Clara. 2. Harve and Novella. 3. Les pulling cotton trailer after moving to Bakersfield, CA and leasing a farm.

1. Harve and Novella in Los Angeles, CA. 2. Pop with his car. 3. This protrait was made just after Les got married in 1935. By now, the entire family and many friends had moved to California to escape the dustbowl.