Oakie's NW Corner...
I have got to say about this summer and July in northwest Oklahoma...
the temps have been below normal for the first half July this time
of year compared to last year. They have reported that only a couple
of days have been in the hundreds for July. The other days have
been in the high 90s. BUT... it is beginning to heat up in to the
100s the latter part of this week. So... Find a cool place to cool
down and be safe.
Most of all this week I have spent in northwest Oklahoma getting
reacquainted with my horses during the early morning dawn hours
and late evening hours before dusk. Those hours have been in the
70s.
Last Week's Fauz Pas... A couple of readers did catch last
week's little faux pas when I mentioned the 'pigeons'
on Virginia beach. Did anyone else catch that blunder of this
Midwestern flatlander's? Thanks to those who emailed me and corrected
me that those were not pigeons... They were sea gulls on the seashore.
A gold star to those who emailed me. Since then I have gone in and
corrected this Midwestern flatlander's mistake. Yep! I do need to
visit the seashore more often and educate myself on sea gulls and
pigeons. Whoever heard of Jonathan Livingston Pigeon? <smiling>
 As
to my horse updates... This is a sweet, innocent updated photo
of my 2002 little colt, Li'l Al (a.k.a. Alazan). It was taken
when I was out in the pasture during one of those comfortable evenings
in northwest Oklahoma. Li'l Al's curiosity got the better of him
as he is seen sniffing and exploring the carrot stick & savvy
string. His mother was busy eating hay as usual. He did finally
let me pet him with my savvy string and I did get close enough to
let him sniff my out stretched hand and pet him around his ears
and head.
Clark's Quarterhorses... They have some great looking colts
this year and the past few years. If you know of someone looking
for some great looking, friendly registered Quarterhorses, give
them a holler at (580) 327-3529 or write Clark's Quarterhorses,
P.O. Box 803, Alva, Oklahoma 73717. Check in to their two-year-olds
and yearlings that will follow you around the corral and pasture
-- looking for some apple treats and/or someone to to gentle stroke
them all over.
Last but not least... I have got to tell you about the treasure
that a northwest Oklahoma friend bought for 50-cents at an estate
sell. It seems back in the 1930s a lady named Dolly started a scrapbook
of wedding announcements that appeared in the local papers in and
around that area. It goes from 1933 thru 1945. That scrapbook is
the treasure that my friend bought for 50-cents. She let me borrow
it so I could transcribe some of those wedding treasures for The
Okie Legacy. I will stick a few of those announcements in the
Mailbag & Link Corner.
There are about lots of delicate pages to scan and transcribe.
It will keep me busy for awhile. It does have some great genealogy
information. So stay-tuned for more northwest Oklahoma weddings
during 1933 thru 1945.
Have a great weekend and keep cool. See you next weekend.
~~ Linda "oaKie" ~~
NW Mystery Corner...
Our Old Opera House
Murder of November 1910 continues with the cross-examination
of Dr. Elizabeth Grantham.
Dr. Elizabeth Grantham, a graduate of regular school of medicine,
Olapathic, was one of the expert witnesses for the State, concerning
the Old Opera House Murder, 9 November 1910. Most of this testimony
is from the cross-examination by Mr. Wilson, defense attorney for
N. L. Miller. Grantham had no recollection of having a conversation
with Jim S. White in regard to Mabel Oakes. Even with a refreshment
of her mind, a short time after the murder, Dr. Grantham did not
remember telling Jack White in the city of Alva, that this scarf
was not tight enough around Mabel Oakes neck to choke anybody. Dr.
Grantham did not remember a short time after 9 November 1910, about
having a discussion with Elmer Drake that the scarf wasn't tight
enough around Mabel Oakes neck to choke her or to choke anybody.
Grantham says Elmer Drake asked her some questions in regard to
it. But, she did not have any recollections of making any such statement
as not being tight enough to choke anybody.
Mr. Wilson's asks Grantham, "Now suppose a person should fall
and faint on the floor and a scarf drawn moderately tight around
the neck, wouldn't it be likely that the neck would swell so as
to become, so as to make the scarf tight enough to leave its imprint
on the neck?"
Dr. Grantham replied, "I believe there would be very little
circulation in the upper extremities. I don't believe there would
be enough above the scarf to cause any great amount of swelling,
the blood usually leaves the head in a faint."
To read more of Dr.
Grantham's testimony Click Here.
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Old Family Photos...
Click photo to see larger view of
Gene & Bob McGill on paint horse (1925); Grandpa Bill McGill
with his jalopy & young colt; and Grandpa Bill McGill with
a young baby (Gene) hanging from a stick on jalopy.
Menu:
Soper-McGill Wedding
June 1, 1944
Wedding
Announcement... Capt.
Robert L. McGill, and his 1st-wife, Helen Louise Soper, 1 June
1944. Helen Louise Soper's parents were Dr. & Mrs. E. M. Soper
of Enid, Oklahoma. The marriage was solemnized the first of June
in home of the bride-elect's sister, Mrs. W. E. Hackett, Alva.
Miss Soper attended the Enid schools and was graduated
from Enid High School. She was active in dramatics, appearing in
several of the school's dramatic productions, and during her senior
year was May Queen of Enid High School. She attended the University
of Oklahoma where she was an art major. She also attended Hill's
Business College, Oklahoma City, and Enid Business College. She
was a member of Delta Theta Sorority and while at OU pledged Gamma
Phi Beta Sorority. For the fifteen months before the wedding she
had been employed at the Enid Army Air Field in the medical department.
Capt. McGill was graduated from Alva high school,
Kemper Military Junior college, Boonville, Mo., and received his
degree in business administration from the University of Kentucky.
While at Kemper as a member of a small dance orchestra he was given
a trip and toured Europe. He is a member of the Scabbard and Blade
and Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Capt. McGill was a reserve officer
and was called into the army as a second lieutenant four years ago.
He has served sixteen months overseas and is now stationed at Fort
Sam Houston, Texas. The couple made their home at Fort Sam Houston.
Uncle Bob got to spend 5 months with Helen Soper-McGill until he
was shipped overseas during war during WWII.
April 24, 1945, Germany - letter that Bob
McGill wrote back to his wife, Helen, while he was overseas during
WWII, near the Ruhr -- Click
Here
April 19, 1945 Germany - Capt. RLMcGill,
75 Div HQ APO 451, %postmaster NYC. postmarked U.S. Army 451, Apr.
24, 1945. Addressed to his Helen, Mrs. Robert L. McGill, 1027 Maple
St., Alva, Oklahoma. -- Click
Here.
Linda K McGill Wagner
c/o WWW Publishing Co
PO Box 619, Bayfield, CO 81122
Thanks! You can also view The OkieLegacy online. Copyrighted © 2008 by WWWPubCo & OkieLegacy.
All Rights Reserved.
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Mailbag & Links Corner....
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Old NW Oklahoma Wedding Announcements...
Alva
Girl Is Married Saturday... Mrs. Ivy Alexander, daughter
of Mr. & Mrs. R. I. DeGeer, and Howard Dunning united in marriage
at 6 o'clock Saturday morning, at home of bride's parents, 613 1/2
Barnes (Alva).
Boyce
Shaefer Wedding... Ruth Ida Boyce, daughter of Mrs. Faye
O. Boyce, 705 5th Street, became the bride of Andrew A. Shaefer,
son of Mr. & Mrs. Chris Schaefer, Alva - July 14, 1940
Morefield-Nicola
Vows Taken Here Friday (1942)... Enid girl weds Alva man
in quiet ceremony. Miss Lorene Morefield, daughter of Mr. &
Mrs. Glen C. Morefield, 2104 West Randolph, to Stanley Nicola, son
of Mrs. Lorena Nicola, Alva.
Shafer-Smith
Wedding... Lillian Shafer, Alva, becomes bride of J. B.
Smith, Alva.
Shafer-Haney
Wedding... Ferguson, Missouri marked the marriage
of Joyce Shafer of Ferguson, Mo., daughter of Mrs. Anton Shafer
of Alva, to Byron E. Haney, also of Ferguson, Missouri, at 3:00P.M.,
May 31.
October,
1937 Wedding... Popular city couple is announced - Miss
Cleo Patricia Bailey becomes bride of William E. Gruber in service
at Chandler, Oklahoma.
Shafer-Reneau
Wedding - 1937...
Miss Joan Shafer Weds Raymond Reneau at Anthony, Wednesday - Marriage
of especial interest to the people of Alva was that of Miss Joan
Shafer, daughter of Mr & Mrs. Anton Shafer, to Mr. Raymond Reneau,
of Los Angeles, Calif., which
Tom Dyer's Grand daughter... "Hi Linda,
I was sent your newsletter online by a relative of mine. I really
enjoy the issue (May,
2002 - Vol IV, Iss 21). I am Tom Dyer's grand-daughter and love
early day history. Especially of NW Oklahoma. I'm not acquainted with
Jenny White. I would like her e-mail address. I also would like to
subscribe to your Okie Newsletter. Looking forward to hearing from
you." -- Contact Joy
Midwestern Flatlander & Pigeons... "I've
never been to Virginia Beach ... yowbut, that doesn't keep me from
questioning whether the birds you photographed are really pigeons
or whether they might be sea gulls. I'm thinking that maybe only a
midwestern flatlander would call those birds 'pigeons'."
Requesting Info - German POW Camps, WWII...
"I've been trying to get information on German POW Camps in Oklahoma
during WW2. I am having poor luck at finding sources for this. I know
there was one at Alva, and El Reno but am sure there must have been
more. My dad helped construct the one at Alva prior to his shipping
out to the Navy Construction Battalions otherwise known as the CB's.
I have heard that the one at Alva was reserved for the hard core "Nazi"
prisoners. I have talked to one person in Attica, Kansas, who was
allowed to help build the POW camp at Alva but was not allowed to
continue working there once the prisoners started coming in. His folks
were German and he spoke German so they dismissed him. Mrs. Sanderson,
my Dorm Mother at Shockley Hall, was a little girl at the time and
she remembers them being taken off the trains and marched out to the
camp south of town. Is there some site that would have a list of all
the POW/Relocation Camps in the US? I am a third generation "Okie"
and my Grandmother was one of the original homesteaders who settled
in the Cherokee Strip. She lived to be a 103 and I was able to get
a lot of history from her. Thanks for the help." -- Contact
Dean Gerber |
ICKE in England... "I
am writing this in my England. It is interesting to see the ICKE family
name so far from there original roots. Firstly, DENMARK and then on
to, Newcastle in Northern England, and then I presume the 'Mary Rose'
onto America." -- Contact
John Icke
1st Parking Meters...
"Thought you might get a giggle out of it, if you didn't already
know this. So now all the city folk around the nation know who to
blame for parking tickets, eh? Hey, we threw out all the local politicians
that were responsible for parking meters downtown, and eventually
they took down all the meters anyhoot, because most businesses had
moved to the malls outside of town and had loads of free parking.
It is sad, but there are hardly any stores downtown now at all, and
those that are there are mostly very pricey jewelry stores, knick
knack store, and exclusive clothing shops. No more Kresge's, Grants,
Woolworths, or other five and dime stores in town at all, not even
Sears or Wards, as they moved to the malls too, and Wards closed after
several years out there too. Old folks in town who don't drive, have
to bus it or rely on friends to take them to places now, and the busses
are not all that handy any more either, used to be able to get one
within a block of any house in the city years ago, and they ran about
every half hour, so you never had to wait long for one. Now they have
scattered pickup points and varied schedules. Oh my, I got off the
subject again, sorry about that, but my mind is like a train without
a engineer most of the time, just keeps running down the track till
it hits a wall. Peace and love." -- Betty
Today In History - July 16...
"Is there anything that will skew the rhythm of the day, anything
that vexes, quite as much as a parking ticket? Correct Answer: No.
Well it all started on this date in 1935. In Oklahoma City
of all places, if you crave knowing the situs of such treachery. It
was then and there that free street parking lost its hallowed status
as the first automatic parking meter was installed. Henceforth, it
cost a nickel - or more - to do what used to cost nada." -- c
d kaplan, The Culture Maven
Sea Gulls & Sea Shore... "Hi Linda,
Glad you had a good time in DC and Virginia Beach, VA. But really......
you should get to the sea shore more often and see the SEA GULLS.
<grin> Take care." -- Vernon
Renfrew & Degeer... I've looked with interest
at the pages in your website. My wife is a descendent of a family
that made the run in 1893 from Kansas to Alva, OK, and settled there.
I'd love to be added to your list of recipients. My wife is the great-grand
daughter of Mary Eleanor Renfrew who married Lyman Winterstein
DeGeer; Lyman made the run from Kansas in 1893, was a lawyer in
Alva, and died in 1902. He is buried in the Old Fellows Cemetery.
Mary Eleanor Renfrew was sister to James Philander Renfrew,
a newspaper publisher in Alva. My wife is the grand-daughter of Mabel
DeGeer Welles who taught school in the Alva area. Anyone with
knowledge or information about the RENFREWS or DeGEERS are encouraged
to drop me a line. Thanks." -- Contact
Jerry
Zerelda Cole James Samuel, mother of Frank &
Jesse James... "Just some tidbits of history. I found this
interesting and hope you do to. If you have any interest at all in
old gunfighters or just have a interest in history and people, you
might find this interesting. I did - especially to find out the size
of Mrs. James. Enjoy!" -- Karel (taken from The Daily Oklahoman,
Feb. 11, 1911 - Mother
of James Boys Passes Away) |
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