Oakie's NW Corner...
With March here, is Spring far behind? We were traveling to OKC
from Alva the other afternoon, March 3, Monday. Out in the countryside
a few miles south of Alva and west of Carmen, Oklahoma a huge gaggle
of geese were heading north. When we were getting near Oklahoma
City and traveling along the NW highway, a few miles west of OKC,
we spotted another, but smaller, gaggle of geese heading northward.
Are we going to have an early spring and short winter? It sure seems
like it!
 Besides
the gaggle of geese, I now have in my possession a 108-110 year
old family quilt that my great-grandmother (Isabelle
Johnson McGill) had made for one of her sons, James. James Acel
McGill carried it with him to the Oklahoma Territory around 1893
and the Cherokee Outlet Run. You should see the meticulous stitching,
quilting in it. It is beautiful - fantastic quilting work. It measures
72"x80". The colors (Turkey red, Orange anemone, brown
on an off-white linen-type background) are true, good condition,
but the brown is worn in a few spots. It has always been in the
McGill family. I had a chance to purchase it and keep it in the
McGill family. So... I DID! Does anyone have any ideas how best
to display this antique family quilt without hiding it away in a
cedar chest or subjecting it to folded crease marks, dust, sunlight
and other harmful things that plague antique quilts?
The 1906 Standard Atlas of Woods County... This thin book
caught my eye this week when I was browsing for family pioneers
that homesteaded land in NW Oklahoma. I did find some McGill's that
owned land in the South half of Section 4-T26N-R14West Indian Meridian
(WIM) - James & W. P. McGill - James was son of W. P. &
Isabelle Johnson McGill). John
R. Warwick (my great-grandfather, father of Constance
Estella Warwick McGill) owned land in the NE quarter of Section
23-T26N-R14WIM, N half of Sec. 36-T26N-R14WIM, NE quarter of Section
35-T26N-R14WIM (north of railroad tracks at Phillips Station or
Hopeton, Okla.). Wm. Warwick (possibly, John's father) owned the
NE quarter of Section 35-T26N-R14WIM (south of railroad tracks at
Phillips Station. SEE
Twp. 26N-14WIM Map... Check out these maps to view other
NW OK landowners of 1906.
For those of you interested in the Dacoma
(Dakoma or Homer) area in Northwest Oklahoma, I scanned the
1906 Atlas map of Woods
County, Twp. 25N-R13WIM that shows the listed owners of the
land surrounding that area near Dacoma, Oklahoma, in northwest Oklahoma.
That is where some of my PARIS ancestors settled, SW of the Dacoma
area.
Waynoka Historical Society - Membership & Annual Fund Drive...
We did our part this week when we made our donation to the Log Cabin
& Depot Fund Drive to help out the Waynoka Historical Society.
You can, too! They Need Your Help... to preserve their smalltown
history!
As Sandie says in our Mailbag Corner this week, ".....Waynoka
is a small town with a large history ... the society must rely on
the help of friends who share their love of the town and its past,
or those who have never heard of Waynoka before, but recognize and
appreciate the value of preserving its great history. If you would
like to be a part of this preservation, the Waynoka
Historical Society -- Welcomes Your Donation of any amount.
Their mailing address is PO Box 193, Waynoka OK 73860. President
Sandie Olson's phone number is 580-824-5871; her email address
is sandieo@pldi.net. If you
would like to earmark your donation for the Log
Cabin or Depot Fund,
please note that on your check. Visit their web site at waynoka.org."
The Waynoka Historical Society
has copies of a map of the Cherokee
Strip Livestock Ass'n Ranches for Sale in the Museum
Gift Shop. They're $3, plus 9% tax. They are 11"x17"
- and frame nicely.
The weathermen have promised a decent Friday and Saturday this
weekend, with a slight change in weather to hit around these parts
on Sunday. This outdoor-type lady has plans to enjoy as much of
the sunshine and outdoors as possible. Help us preserve our ancestor's
pasts anyway you can! See you all next weekend!
~~ Linda "oaKie" ~~
NW OK Marriage 1943...
Meixner-Harney
- Wednesday,1943, Alva, Okla. - Elizabeth Meixner Married To
Ensign Lew Harney Wednesday - Miss Elizabeth Meixner, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. George Meixner, Sr., Alva, became the bide of Ensign
Lew Harney, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hal H. Harney, Hansen, Idaho, Wednesday
morning at the home of the bride's mother, 922 Center. The single-ring
ceremony was performed by the Rev. M.F. Langley, pastor of the First
Baptist church.
Allen-Vetter - Saturday,
1943, Cherokee, Okla. - Allen-Vetter Vows Saturday - In a quiet
ceremony performed in the Methodist parsonage in Cherokee, Miss
Kathryn Allen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Burr Allen, became the bride
of Norman Vetter, son of Mrs. Harry Vetter. The vows were read by
the Rev. Roy Miller at 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon.
Delhotal-Murrow
- Sunday, 1943, Alva, Okla. - Wedding Vows Read Sunday In Murrow
Home - Miss Lorraine Delhotal, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Delhotal,
Pampa, Texas; and Max Murrow, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clay Murrow, Alva;
were married in a quiet ceremony Sunday morning at 9 o'clock in
the Murrow home, 709 Eighth St. The Rev. Lambert of the Dacoma Church
of God read the nuptial vows.
Bloom-Feagins -
Saturday, 3 April 1943, Grandfield, Okla. - Lowana Bloom Married
To Robert Feagins - Mr. and Mrs. Orville Bloom, Wichita, Kans.,
announce the marriage of their daughter, Miss Lowana Bloom, to Robert
T. Feagins, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Feagins, Blackwell, Okla.,
Saturday, April 3, in the parsonage of the First Baptist church,
Grandfield, Okla. The Rev. James E. Smart performed the single-ring
ceremony.
Kunzman- Kletke
- 17 May 1943 - Party Given To Honor Newly Wed Couple - A housewarming
party was given Wednesday evening in honor of Mr. and Mrs. E. G.
Kletke, who returned recently from their wedding trip to Taos, N.
M. The party was given by relatives and friends at the bridal couple's
newly established home, 721 Flynn. Mrs. Kletke, the former Mrs.
Hannah Kunzman, and Mr. Kletke were married. May 17, in the home
of the bride. The Rev. Otto Hoyer of the Lutheran church read the
nuptial vows using the double-ring ceremony.
McBee-Batchelder
- Sunday, 6 June 1943, Wichita Falls, Tex. - McBee-Bachelder
Vows Exchanged In Wichita Falls Sunday Morning - Wedding vows were
taken at dawn Sunday morning before a white archway covered with
pink roses and greenery in the Central Church of the Nazarene in
Wichita Falls, Tex., by Miss Laura Eunice McBee of Wichita Falls
and Pfc. Kenneth Lee Batchelder of Sheppard Field and Alva, Okla..
The Rev. Arthur A. Miller read the ceremony assisted by the groom's
father, P. A. Batchelder of Alva.
Clark-Meyer - 14
September, 1943 - Miss Jesse Clark, Leo. A. Meyer Wed September
14 - A marriage of interest to their friends is that of Miss Jessie
Clark, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Clark, Alva, and Leo A.
Meyer, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Meyer, Alva.
Meskimen-Welty (handwritten above article - Freedom 2-16-42)...
A marriage of much interest to their many friends was that of Mrs.
Ruby Meskimen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Wilson, and Ellsworth
Welty, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nove Welty, which was solemnized at Coldwater,
Kansas, Sunday, with Judge M. M. Cosby officiating. The bride wore
a street length dress of blue, with black accessories. Pete Welty,
brother of the groom, and Miss Grace Keon of Woodward were the only
attendants. Mr. and Mrs. Welty, who will make their home on the
Ruby Eden ranch, east of town, have many friends here who extend
congratulations to the happy couple.
Riggs-Murrow (handwritten above article - Dacoma 2-20-42)...
Wedding vows were exchanged between Miss Delores Riggs and Dean
Murrow at high noon Sunday in the home of the bridegroom's parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Luther Murrow. About 4 o'clock the young couple left
for Wichita, Kansas, where they will make their home. Dean has employment
with the Cessna Airplane factory.
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Early 1890s Family Quilt
McGill Family Quilt
Recently
this part of the McGill family has acquired an early 1890s McGill
family quilt. The quilt books called the pattern the North
Carolina Rose.
The Great workmanship has withstood those
over-100 years very well!
This family heirloom came from the Wm.
P. McGill family when W.P.'s wife, Isabelle Johnson McGill, pieced
and quilted it for one of their sons, James A. McGill at Coats,
Kansas, between the years 1890-1895. James was an older brother
to my grandfather, Wm. Jacob McGill.
It has been in the McGill family ever
since my great-grandmother Isabelle Johnson McGill sent it with
James A. McGill when he came to the Cherokee Outlet Run in Oklahoma
Territory.
There was a note card that came with
it and handwritten by James' sister, Lulu McGill Erskine, that
reads, "James A. McGill quilt. Pieced and quilted by mother
McGill at Coats, Kansas. I would say between the years of 1890
to 1895."
READ
Quilt history...
NW OK Pioneers
E. A. Haines
Mr. Haines was a native of Indiana.
He was acclimated in Kansas and came to Alva in 1899 and engaged
in the clothing business, which had grown with the town. He always
did his best to keep the "bandwagon" moving ahead.
MORE
NW Okla. Pioneers....
Menu:
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.
|
Mailbag & Links Corner....
Waynoka Historical Society -Membership
& Annual Fund Drive... "The Waynoka
Historical Society is conducting a Membership & Annual Fund
Drive. Annual dues are $25, and include free admission to the
museum, and a subscription to the Waynoka Chronicles, a quarterly
publication that is new this year. Of course donations of any amount
are appreciated so very much. They also have special funds for the
Log Cabin Restoration
and Depot Restoration.
Waynoka is one of Oklahoma's most historic
towns, beginning with the establishment of a cattle shipping point
when the railroad was built across Northwest Oklahoma in 1886. Eventually
the largest rail yards in
Oklahoma were built at Waynoka by the Santa Fe Railroad. About 1000
men went to work every day on the railroad and at the Railways Ice
Co. at Waynoka, working three shifts seven days a week.
Waynoka's Aviation history... began in 1911
when W.D. Lindsley built an airplane. He wrote to Washington, asking
them to place orders for his plane, saying that the airplane would
be the greatest factor in the history of the world in establishing
world peace. How very prophetic he was. We see the truth of his statement
very clearly today. Lindsley and his friend Clyde Cessna both took
their planes to the Great Salt Plains for testing. Lindsley sold the
engine from his plane to Cessna, and went into the fly swatter business.
Transcontinental Air Transport... the Lindy
Line, built a big airport at Waynoka in 1929. Ford tri-motor airplanes
flew between Waynoka and Columbus, Ohio on an air and rail venture
that took passengers from
coast to coast in 48 hours. A night train ride between Waynoka and
Clovis, New Mexico, with dinner or breakfast at the Waynoka Harvey
House, was necessary because of the dangers of night flying in those
early days of aviation.
Waynoka became more than a rail siding and
a post office when the Cherokee Strip was opened for white settlement
on September 16, 1893 in the greatest land run in the history of the
world. The town was a trade
center for the pioneer families who excitedly claimed the land near
the cattle shipping point.
Waynoka's history is fascinating and unique...
The historical society has successfully restored the Harvey House,
and hopes to restore the Old
Santa Fe Depot next to it. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation
has pledged $240,000 toward the project, with the society responsible
for a $60,000 match. The
Harvey House restoration, and exterior work on the depot, cost
in excess of $1.3 million, and was completed in 2000.
Waynoka is a small town with a large history...
the society must rely on the help of friends who share their love
of the town and its past, or those who have never heard of Waynoka
before, but recognize and appreciate the value of preserving its great
history. If you would like to be a part of this preservation, the
Waynoka Historical Society would
Welcome Your Donation of any amount. Their mailing address
is PO Box 193, Waynoka OK 73860. President Sandie Olson's phone number
is 580-824-5871; her email address is sandieo@pldi.net.
If you'd like to earmark your donation for the Log Cabin or Depot
Fund, please note that on your check. Visit their web site at waynoka.org.
 Smelcher
Sod House... "This photo from my Barnett family collection
of early Woods County is inscribed, 'Birdie Smelcer.' I gather that
this family and the Smeltzer family, of German ancestry are often
one and the same. I'm entranced by the contrasts in this photo. The
sod house and surroundings are 'dirt' poor - pun intended. Yet, look
at the nice clothes and the 'cutsie' doggie. These pioneers were literally
living in a hole in the ground. Their pride is still apparent." --
Charles M. Cook in Louisiana Bayou Country - Email: cookmmc@iamerica.net
Riggs-Murrow wedding 1942... "A writer in the March 1st
edition of your newsletter's "Mailbag" mentioned the 1942
article of my parents' wedding in the Dacoma newspaper -- Miss Dolores
Riggs and Mr. Dean Murrow. Their wedding was the 15th of February
(this year would have been their 61st anniversary - Mom died in 1999)
and the newspaper was dated the 20th, I believe." -- Rod - Email
(rod@murrow.com)
Teachers Institute Photo... "I was very interested in
the photo of the 1894 Teachers Institute. Mary Jane Riggs was a teacher
at the Green Valley school, which was originally located on land donated
for that purpose by her brother, Grant Riggs. We have a photo of her
and the students posed in front of the original sod house structure
in the early 1890s. Mary Jane was born in 1874, so would have been
20 years old at the time this photo was taken. There were several
unidentified persons on the photo and I was naturally curious to know
if perhaps Mary Jane (who was known in the family as "Aunt Doll")
may have been in attendance at the institute. If any readers can provide
additional names for that photo, it would be helpful. Mary Jane Riggs
was the daughter of William L. Riggs, and Grant Riggs was her BROTHER.
She and Grant Riggs (and others) were siblings of my
great-grandfather, Charles Riggs (Charles was the father of Sam Riggs,
who owned Riggs Supply in Alva for so many years; Sam's wife, Oneita,
is still living and is a resident at the Homestead Retirement Center
in Alva. One of Sam's older brothers, Bertsell Riggs, was my grandfather).
Thanks -- I always enjoy your newsletter...and have recommended it
to many friends." -- Rod - Email (rod@murrow.com)
Oklahoma
Survey and Virtual Cemetery... "If you have not visited
the Oklahoma
Survey and Virtual Cemetery website. (Oklahoma Cemeteries
Mailing List Homepage) lately, you should take a moment and check
out all of the cemetery data that has been added and is being added
daily. This website is becoming one valuable research tools on the
internet, for those looking for the missing graves of their ancestors
of Oklahoma. As you enjoy the information take a moment and send a
quiet thank you to the many many volunteers who have made this site
possible for us. These volunteers spend their free surveying cemeteries,
taking photos and placing the data online so we can have access to
the information from our homes.. They do it only for the love of helping
their fellow Oklahoma researchers, never ask for thanks or regeneration.
I for one am in awe of this kind of dedication." -- Kathleen
Burnett, List Mom
Alva Public Library - Genealogy Section... "Something
you want to look at when you are in Alva (Oklahoma) if you haven't
seen them before at the library in the genealogy section there are
about 10-12 Volumes of books about Alva and the surrounding area residents
or former residents. Someone had a very time-consuming project - they
took archived newspapers (from the Alva area and any other state/city
they found any articles in from around the country) and cut out the
articles relevant to Alva residents or who formerly lived in the Alva
area, etc... (and surrounding towns too). I found poems written by
Rose NICOLA on umpteen pages of this one book and it was a compilation
of her poems written weekly for the local newspaper - for over 3 years!
They were all grouped together - which I thought was really neat!
I found obits from California and other states about (former) residents,
etc.! ANYWAY, I don't remember what the title of the volumes are called
but they're divided into the volumes and then topic matter (e.g. weddings,
deaths, activities, etc.) and indexed! In the instance of the weddings
announcements I told you about .... there were 3 articles cut out
of a newspaper and then all 3 were Xerox on this one page - (pg. 342)
of the Weddings Feb. 1942 section. That page happened to have
my mother and dad's wedding announcement - and it also included the
Meskimen - Welty marriage from the Freedom paper (I assume
... since someone has handwritten 'Freedom' just above the article)
and then hand written a date - which I presume is the date it was
published in that particular newspaper. Here are the 2 wedding announcements
transcribed as they are on the page:
Meskimen-Welty (handwritten above article - Freedom 2-16-42)...
A marriage of much interest to their many friends was that of Mrs.
Ruby Meskimen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Wilson, and Ellsworth
Welty, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nove Welty, which was solemnized at Coldwater,
Kansas, Sunday, with Judge M. M. Cosby officiating. The bride wore
a street length dress of blue, with black accessories. Pete Welty,
brother of the groom, and Miss Grace Keon of Woodward were the only
attendants. Mr. and Mrs. Welty, who will make their home on the
Ruby Eden ranch, east of town, have many friends here who extend
congratulations to the happy couple.
Riggs-Murrow (handwritten above article - Dacoma 2-20-42)...
Wedding vows were exchanged between Miss Delores Riggs and Dean
Murrow at high noon Sunday in the home of the bridegroom's parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Luther Murrow. About 4 o'clock the young couple left
for Wichita, Kansas, where they will make their home. Dean has employment
with the Cessna Airplane factory."
Waynoka Post Office... "Your newsletter is wonderful!
I wanted to add some history of the Waynoka Post Office, which you
correctly said was the first one in Woods County - and quite possibly
the first one in the Cherokee Outlet other than at Camp Supply. William
Childress became the Postmaster at Waynoka on April 10, 1889, according
to records obtained from the National Archives. Mr. Childress made
an application for the name Keystone in 1887, but the Post
Office Department requested that another name be selected because
Keystone was already in use. The name Waynoka was chosen. The
most popular story about the history of the
name is that it is an Indian word meaning Sweet Water. There
are Waynoka Streets in Colorado Springs, Memphis, and other places.
It would be very helpful if any of your readers could enlighten us
on the meaning
and origin of the name of WAYNOKA. The Waynoka
Historical Society has copies of a map of the Cherokee
Strip Livestock Ass'n Ranches for Sale in the Museum Gift Shop.
They're $3, plus 9% tax. They are 11"x17", and frame nicely."
-- Sandie - Email sandieo@pldi.net
Louisiana Luxury Token... "I have a 5 cent Louisiana luxury
tax token. What can you tell me about it? How much is it worth? Thank
you!" -- Leigh - Email: leona_2268@yahoo.com
Delhotal-Murrow
Wedding - 1943... "Yes, these are my kinfolk. Clay Murrow
was a longtime county clerk. Clay and Blanche were siblings of my
grandfather, Lute Murrow, who was Woods and later Woods/Woodward County
Representative to the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1956
to 1966 (he preceded Lewis Kamas in that office). Other siblings included
Frank Murrow of Alva and Lionel Murrow of Waynoka (two other children
died very young, in 1892 and 1906). My grandparents owned Murrow Grocery
in Dacoma (now Whittet's Grocery and Cowboy Grill) ... they built
the State of the art refrigeration plant there in the mid-1940s,
just after WWII ended. The locker plant operation opened in 1947,
I believe. Besides my grandparents and parents all working there,
Laura Pierce and Winifred Allen were also employees at the time the
locker plant opened. Somewhere in the archives, I have a large photo
of the grand opening. Max's brother, Raymond, became Chief of Police
in Wichita, Kansas. Max and Raymond are both now deceased. Our aunt
Blanche was married to Walter Bergersen (not Ferguson) and they lived
just a few miles south of Capron until the 1960s when they moved into
Alva. It was Uncle Walt's parents who were the subject of the inquiry
I sent to you a week or two ago (Nels and Anne Bergersen).
Carmen Home - Orphanage... "Did you ever learn anything
more about the Carmen Odd Fellows Home located north of Carmen, Oklahoma?
My father and his three sisters lived there from about 1920 - 1922
(their mother died and their father couldn't care for them until after
he remarried) and I'm looking for anything I can find out about the
place (how many children lived there at the time, what was life like
for them, etc.). So far my sister found him two pictures that you
printed and he was very pleased to get them. Thanks for any information
you can send my way." -- Stephanie Manning - Email: sicilywoman@hotmail.com
Heritage Day Rally - Oklahoma State Capitol... "Fellow
Genealogists, You are invited to a Heritage Day Rally at the
Oklahoma State Capitol on Tuesday, March 11. Sponsored
by the Oklahoma Historical
Society and a coalition of Oklahoma historical, genealogical and lineage
organizations to show appreciation for our history and support for
the preservation of that history, the day will begin at 10:00 a.m.
at the auditorium of the Wiley Post Building of the Oklahoma
Historical Society at 2100 N. Lincoln, Oklahoma City. After
receiving details about the legislation needed, the attendees will
proceed to the Capitol to speak with their legislators
about the importance of completing the funding for the new Oklahoma
History Center by authorizing the sale of the final $18 million in
bonds needed to complete the project.
Attendees will have the opportunity to tour
the newly reopened Research Library and also to take a "hard
hat" tour of the new History Center site. The OHS parking lot
will be reserved for your convenience and shuttle
vans will be available to move you around once you are parked. All
three venues -- lobbying at the Capitol, the Library tour and the
hard hat tour -- will be available beginning at 10:00 a.m. and continue
until 3 p.m.
We hope you can join us at the rally and
encourage you to invite others who believe in the future of Oklahoma
and who have an interest in her past. If you cannot be there, you
can still support the effort by
writing, calling or e-mailing your legislators to urge their support.
For more information, please call the Oklahoma Historical Society
at 405-521-2491. We hope to see you there." -- letter sent out
by the Oklahoma Genealogical Society Board of Directors - P.O. Box
12986 - Oklahoma City, OK 73157 - Billie Fogarty, President
Quilt &
Textile Storage... "Store your quilts (or other
textile items) where they will get good, dry, air circulation. Generally,
this means no plastic bags or boxes, since plastic can retain moisture
and cause mildew or mold. (In real life, however, plastic can be a
godsend for those of us who don't live in museum homes.) ... The ideal
storage place for a quilt is on an unused bed. Lay it out flat over
the mattress pad, layering the quilts if you have several. Cover with
a clean sheet to prevent dust and exposure to light ... The second
best method of storing a quilt is to roll it on a cardboard tube or
plastic pipe. Be sure to cover the plastic or cardboard with layers
of clean muslin or acid-free paper. Cover the quilt again with another
sheet or more acid-free tissue....." -- Read More about Care
& Feeding of Antique Quilts at DawnPages
website - FAQ.
Documenting
Your Heirlooms - Quilts..."Do you have old family quilts
you are keeping in your closet? Do you have quilts you have made that
you would like your family to treasure after you are gone? Documenting
your quilts can seem like a monumental task, after all, there is a
lot of information to gather. It won't get any easier as the years
pass, however. Our memories falter and fade, our children forget what
we told them about the family keepsakes. The best option is to record
what you know now, before it is too late."
The
Quilt Gallery... This website has lots of photos of Antique,
custom, new quilts for sale at astronomical prices for most of the
Antique quilts. Check it out! |
Thanks! You can also view The
OkieLegacy online.
|
