The OkieLegacy
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The OkieLegacy
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| Millennium Edition - http://OkieLegacy.org |
12 May 2001, Vol. III, Iss. 19 |
Early O. T. School Districts...
Names on front of Photo... Some of the names are faded. The recognizable names written in white ink on the photograph are Clair Smith, Effie Abbott, Tillie King, James Litton, Lena Fehier, Bertha Smith, Ida Benton, and lots more Abbot's listed, also. The names are faded with age and hard to read. What are the SFA 1904 Scholars...
Click on the picture to jog your memories of the NW Oklahomans out there? On the front, center on the plaque is written, "SFA 1904." It was part of my Grandmother Constance Warwick's or Grandfather, Wm. J. McGill's pictures. On the back of this O. T. SFA 1904 photo is... "Teacher, please let scholars see the picture while in their seats. 2 at a time can see much better & not let a bunch look or try to look at once, as likely to soil picture. This is one and let me know soon as possible how many more wanted at 25 cts. ea. Thanking you and all for favors. I am Resptly, B. F. Smith" Riverside School, O. T. 1905...
What Year & School Dist...
Pleasant Hill (Cracker Box) School...
A friend pointed this next location out to me this week... The Pleasant
Hill (a.k.a Cracker Box) School located west of Cherokee, Oklahoma,
on 5th Street Road, on NW corner, 2 miles east of the Dacoma blacktop
road. All that stands there now is an old concrete reminder of the porch
that students once stepped up on to attend what was once called, "Cracker
Box" School. As to where or why it got that name, we are not quite
sure. Maybe you or someone you know could help us unravel that mystery.
I hope some of these early Oklahoma Territory School photos jog some memories out there. If so, please E-mail Oakie anything you might know about these photos, the schools legacies and the names of the pupils. Aunt Runner,... Your copies will be in the mail shortly, if you are interested. If anyone else would like a copy of the photos, just let me know which ones and send me your snail-mail address so I can send you a copy. Oakie's NW Corner...I was again reading through my copy of "The First 100 Years of Alva, Oklahoma" and found some interesting little tidbits that I never realized.
As you cross the railroad tracks on the north end of 4th St., glance to the right, on the east side of the road is the Shalloup Meat Packing Co. On the west side of 4th St. is the O.G.E power plant.
Did you know... That back in the early days of Alva, the "Alva Advertisers" played baseball games in a nearby pasture about every Sunday afternoon? Another baseball game called "One-eyed Cat" was played with three or more players... Pitcher, catcher, and batter played and changed positions after each hit. Boys and girls spent hours playing baseball even though a full team was not available. Col. Bob Kirkbride... Was just one of Alva's early, notable characters. Bob was an auctioneer, master salesman and knew sales psychology. He held attention of the crowd by storying telling, bantering with the audience, and strutting around calling people to his podium with promise of something interesting to sell. He called himself "350lbs of fog." Some called him "Candy Bob" and the "Master Candy Maker." His candy kitchen was in the basement of his home. Col. Bob also liked to hunt Wild game. Besides reading about Alva... I have been out learning more about my horses again this week. AND... watching the farmers navigating the dirt roads between their fields and the rain showers in NW Oklahoma -- trying to get their wheat crops adjusted by the insurance guy so they can finish cutting and baling it for wheat hay. Not all the wheat crop is being cut for hay, though. The farmers have also been getting their first cuttings of alfalfa laid down for baling, also. Last Saturday... Okeene, Oklahoma had it's downtown main street blocked to auto traffic and filled with a festival of spectators, carnival goers and caboose enthusiasts. It maybe have been their annual rattlesnake hunt?
More PICS from beginning to the end... -- Linda - "Oakie" Mother's Day Iris w/Raindrops... This dark purple Iris in my front yard on Maple & 11th St., NW Oklahoma, after an early morning rain... Click on photo to see the larger view with the raindrops on the petals. Linda K McGill Wagner Thanks! You can also view The OkieLegacy online. Copyrighted © 2008 by WWWPubCo & OkieLegacy. All Rights Reserved.
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P. Kurt Leanhardt's Family...Alois Bittner, in Unteroelsbach, a smallvillage in the southern part of Germany (100 miles north to Munich), is an Engineer for Siemens Company, Germany. Alois's aunt (Margarete Leonhardt, 86 years old) lives in Falkenhain near Leipzig, in the east part of Germany. Paul Kurt Leonhardt was born 9 April 1908 and lived in Falkenhain, near to Leipzig in the eastern part of Germany. Paul's job was a train driver. His father, Richard Leonhardt, was a wicker worker. Paul's mother was Emma. In 1937, Paul Kurt Leanhardt married Margarete. Leanhardt had to fight in the African campaign during the Second World War. Paul Kurt Leanhardt's rank was 'Gefreiter' (his tag number, 8WG55758). He was taken prisoner in Tunis in 1942 and brought to the United States (McAlester, Oklahoma) as a POW. It was in 1945, that Paul Kurt Leanhardt had received his letter of dismissal to go home to Germany in March of 1945. But... on 14 February 1945, Paul Leanhardt died. The reason given for his death was peritonitis. That was all the information Margarette received during the last 56 years. It was very tragic, because Paul left behind four young children. The only information that Margarete received about her husband was a document from a German, Oberarzt Dr. Friedrich Osswald, with information, that Paul Kurt Leonhardt died on 14 February 1945, in McAlester, (Oklahoma) United States. Alois says, "7 May 2001, I gave the photo to my cousine Renate Ott (61 years old), who lives also in my village. Seeing the grave of her father first time after this long period she started to weep (I think for joy and for sadness at the same time). She was deeply moved and very happy." He goes on to say, "Up to now my aunt doesn't know about the found grave. Next Sunday, 13 May, which is Mothers Day in Germany, my cousine will visit my aunt in Falkenhain to give her the photo. I'm sure it will be a big surprise for my aunt. Once more, thank you for all you have done. On my next trip to Missouri I'll try to visit McAlester (Oklahoma) and the grave of my uncle. It would be a pleasure to meet you (if you don't mind). If someone of you intends to visit Germany, please ask me for information and for help. With kind regards." Mailbag & Links....Germany Maps... "The village Prietitz is located in East Germany, near to the town Dresden. You can find Dresden on the map. By the way, the region of Leipzig, where my aunt lifes is near to Dresden.The town Elstra. It's only one mile away from Prietlitz, so I think this is the town you are looking for. See also the map. [Use + or - bottom on the left of the map to find the village and towns.] I found one link to Elstra, but up to now only one picture of the town is on the page. I found a link to the town Dresden, where they have same explanations in English.The next big town to Elstra is Kamenz. There are three Diefenbach in Germany, two of them in West Germany, and in the south west part of Germany.When I can find more information, I'll let you know. With kind regards." -- Alois BittnerGraebner Family... "Hello, I'm searching for information regarding my gr. gr. grandfather Clamor Theodor Graebner. I found him living with his daughter Augusta and her husband Adolph (?) Clasen (Clason) in the 1900 census in the township of Driftwood, Woods County. Augusta was born in Germany in or around the year 1848. And I think she immigrated before her father. Theodor immigrated in 1879. Am curious to know if anyone knows anything about these people. I heard that he was part of the Oklahoma Land Rush. He died on 22 July 1900 and I think is buried somewhere between Oklahoma and Kansas. Family tales say he was buried in a little country cemetery just over the Kansas line near Kiowa, Ks. As of yet I haven't found a cemetery with the name Keith. If any one has any info, please let me know. I would love to chat with you. You can E-mail me. Thank you." --Latessa Loveland  Alva
Murals Growing... "Artist Roger Cooke paints the threshing scene
on the eastside of the Alva Co-op Hardware store on the SW corner of Barnes
Ave. & 4th Street... 'It's threshing time.' Roger Cooke, the
Oregon artist renowned for his murals across the country and painter of
Alva's two first murals, arrived in Alva last week to begin painting the
large scene depicting an old fashioned harvest. The center panel will be
in full color with the end panels in a shadowy black and white."South End Panel -- North End Panel Oklahoma 4th Judicial District, Associate Dist. Judge Applicants... Eleven (11) Oklahoma attorneys have sent in their application for the Associate District Judge to fill the position left empty after Judge Alan Gottsch died a few months ago. They say background checks will now be conducted by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI). That process could take from four to six weeks. After that, the Judicical Nominating Committee will then select three candidates... The Governor then will make the final selection. Whoever It Is... I hope it is someone who will NOT spend his time in the coffee shops and easily be influenced or blackmailed by the local attorneys and their agents into making done deals before the innocent have their day in court. Of the 11 Attorneys listed below,... Who would you like to see as the 4th District Associate District Judge (Woods County, Oklahoma) to replace the unexpired term of the now deceased Alan Gottsch? 1. Loren Angle, Cherokee 2. Mickey Hadwiger, Cherokee 3. Allan Mitchell, Cherokee 4. Kimmy Don Ashlety, Lexington 5. Andrew Tevington, Oklahoma City 6. Tom Lane, Sapulpa 7. Orvan J. Hanson Jr., Miami 8. Ronald W. Bittle, Alva 9. Nancy L. Prigmore, Alva 10. Westline H. Ritter, Alva 11. Jay Trenary, Alva 12. None of the Above NW Oklahomans Can Voice their Opinion & Vote... Oakie's Polls: Okla. 4th Judicial Dist., Assoc. Dist. Judge Poll Thanks! Greetings from Minnesota...  "Alittle
more info for us all. I have been emailing Pavel Vecla from Czech R. I answered
his inquiry about a Hurt connection. Pavel's family visited the village
over the weekend and sent us pictures.He would like to have us help him in his research in the US. There is a reference of a Mary Vcela marrying a Mejstrik in Douglas County. I don't think Pavel really knows who from his family came over here. He wants to know any sites he can use here to help him. If you can think of any please send it on to him. I also have been in touch with the Bukowski's in Canada trying to find out if my Polish side (Przybyeszeski), had settled near them. I got there addresses from the telephone directory for Sach, Canada. Two Bukowski's answered me. They had never heard of my Polish grandparent. One who answered was a very old man. He says he is the son of Frank Bukowski. He must have been born very late in life to Frank. He knew about Barbara Hurt being married to Frank. He said his father never encouraged any talk about Oklahoma and was very secretive. His name is Galian. He has been to Farwell, Nebraska being curious about where his father came from. He is going to come again in June and try to trace the wagon train route our ggrandparents made. Some of the Bukowski's live in Reginal, Sach. Your cousin." -- Jeanine  Ujezdec...
"I visited Ujezdec (Czech.) where my great-grandfather was born in
18 century. I send you some snaps. On one snap you can see my wife and my
father (age 70). It was very nice spring trip. I found some Hurt's tombestones
in Petrovice and Cervene Janovice too." -- Pavel
1. Ujezdec - 2. Ujezdec - 4. Ujezdec Keith Community, Woods County, Okla... Two early maps show a Post office by name of Keith in Sec. 35, Twp. 28, Rge. 12 W. Paul Kuestersteffen writes,"My grandmother grew up in/outside of the Keith community in Woods County, OK. As I understand, it was within a few miles of Capron, but not on the current map." Dunning Family... "I am seeking information on a Dunning family that possibly located to Alva,Woods Co., OK in the late 1800's or early 1900's. I do not know Mr. Dunning's first name. His wife was Mattie Pearson. She was born in Franklin twp., Allamakee Co. IA in 1877. I suspect he was from the same area. I know Mattie married a Dunning and that they removed to Oklahoma at some point. Her mother died in the early 1940's and the obituary states that Mattie Pearson Dunning lived in Alva, OK. I have a lot of Pearson family data to share with descendants of this couple. I would love to know who Mattie Pearson Dunning married. Thanks!" -- Allamakee Co. Iowa Pioneers Looking For Davis Family... Roy W.Davis is looking for any information on Great Uncle listed in 1900 census as living in Alva, OK, Woods County. "I am trying to gather information on my Davis line as their has been no contact as my father was only 18 months age when his father A.M. Davis died in Alabama in 1907. Richard Monroe Davis is one of the missing links." Richard Monroe Davis born 1855 Tn. His father,Zachariah; Mother, Eliza Mary E. (Wife) born 1862 Mo. Linda (dau) born feb 1882 ILL Charles M. (son) born 1883 ks Silas O. (son) born may 1885 ks William F. (son) born aug 1892 ks Otho R. (son) born sept 1875 ok Alice P. (dau) born oct 1897 ok Earnest R. (dau) born june 1900 (dau or son not sure)" Holtville/Slapout, Alabama Fire Department... "The Name Slapout started out as a gimmick back in the 50's and early 60's. there was a general store in town and it had all types of things you would need in rural Alabama. As people would come in and try to buy things if he didn't have what they were looking for he would say" I am slapout of it" and it kinda stuck. Even though the area around town and the school was known as Holtville it eventually became Holtville/Slapout. The only other town that we can find with the Slapout name is in Slapout, Oklahoma." Freedom, Okla., 1800s... "Can anyone on the list tell me about Freedom, OK in the late 1800s? I am tracing Scott Denson (or Denison) Dale who married Ida Van Hoosier (or Van Hoozer) and lived in Freedom. Their daughter, Bessie Virgil Dale, was born there. That's all I know. I don't know if they had family there or what Scott did for a living. He may have been connected with the railroad. Was there any railroad construction going on near Freedom in the late 1800s or the turn of the century? Can anyone recommend a good history of the area? Thanks." -- John Reed, Eunice, LA |
