Oakie's NW Corner...
 Besides
history breaking Wednesday of this week, I have been busy training,
caring for my new Li'l Pug puppy (Duchess) who turned 8 weeks this
weekend. It's kind of like taking care of a new born infant. She
eats, sleeps, plays and wakes me up about every 3 or 4 hours at
night time to go outside and take care of business. We fixed up
a dog crate for her sleeping area. She has taken to it quite nicely.
She seems like a playful, curious, nosy and quick learner that wants
to please most of the time. We have become quite attached to each
other. She is a sweetie! I have been doing some reading. Did you
know that puppies do not get control of their bladders until around
10 weeks of age?
Enough about that, though! Brrrrrr... But it was chilly here in
Oklahoma on Monday and Tuesday of this week with temperatures in
the freezing range and parts of Northern Oklahoma saw a few small
snow flakes. By Wednesday the temperatures rose back into the 50s,
though. Thursday and Friday we were back in the mid-70s and low
80s.
Are you ready for an unsolved mystery? I have another NW
Oklahoma Mystery for you all. This one takes place in the mid-1950s.
Perhaps anywhere around 1955 to 1957 or later. It concerns a suspicious,
fiery car incident that burned a young woman to death on an Avard
road. I do not have all the facts yet, BUT... the young lady (Ann
Newlin Reynolds) was from Lambert, Oklahoma, in Alfalfa County and
attending college at Northwestern. Ann was married at the time.
A friend and devoted reader of The Okie Legacy told me that
Ann Newlin Reynolds died sometime around 1957 or so in a suspicious
car fire near the small, rural community of Avard. I was also told
that Ann was a sister to Ed Newlin and daughter of A. B. Newlin
from the Lambert, Oklahoma area in Alfalfa county. I do not know
how true this next bit of info is, BUT... someone told me that Ann
could be one of the ghosts that haunts the Old Gym in Avard, Oklahoma.
No arrests were ever made in the case. At one time her husband
was a prime suspect. BUT... we do NOT know that for a fact. I hope
you are ready for another NW OK Unsolved Mystery? I need your help
in this one. I am searching right now for the death date of Ann
Newlin Reynolds and news clippings, obits, etc... to shed some light
on this over 40 year old unsolved mystery.
If any of this information jogs any of your memory cells and if
you could help us piece together this NW OK Unsolved Mystery, drop
me an email at paristimes@earthlink.net.
If Ann is one of the ghosts that haunts the Avard area, maybe we
can help her spirit find a resting place on the other side. Thanks
for any help, research you can pass along this way.
Before I head out of here and let you browse The Okie Legacy site,
a reader sent me the following quote that I find quite interesting.
I don't know exactly if it is a quote by John F. Kennedy, but...
to me -- the words, meaning rings true about our United States and
its destiny.
"We in this country, in this generation, are by destiny rather
than choice the watchmen on the walls of world freedom. We ask therefore,
that we may be worthy of our power and responsibility, that we may
exercise our strength with wisdom and restraint, and that we may
achieve in our time and for all time the ancient vision of peace
on earth, goodwill toward men." -- John F. Kennedy (from a
speech that was never delivered, due to Kennedy's death)
Here's wishing you have a great weekend of rest. I am going to
be out in the pasture with my horses this sunny, Spring weekend.
See you next week -- Same time or maybe earlier!
~~ Linda "oaKie" ~~
NW OK - Alva Pioneers...
 Rev.
A. Connet -- He was born in Green County, Pennsylvania, Oct.
17, 1834. He was ordained in Southern Indiana, Oct. 20, 1861. He
came from near Dwight, Morris county, Kansas, to Alva and preached
his first sermon, Sept. 24 (1893), the second Sunday after the opening,
in C. W. Hobbie's new store building. He assisted in the collection
of funds for the Union church, and with his own hands assisted in
its erection. In it he conducted thanksgiving services on Thanksgiving
day, 1893. The church was commenced on Monday and the services were
held in it on Thursday of the same week. Mr. Connet married at his
home one block south of the center of the square, the first couple,
Mr. and Mrs. E. G. McIntire, that were married in the county, on
Christmas day, 1903. W. F. Hatfield and wife witnessed the ceremony.
Connet also organized the first church at Alva, the Congregational
church, Saturday, Dec. 30, 1893. In 1894 he and S. L. Johnson secured
the Olivet Congregational church building at Wichita, Kansas, which
was taken down, moved to Alva and erected where it now stands. R.
M. Davis, assisted by several other carpenters, doing the carpenter
work. The church was dedicated May 12, 1895. In the autumn of the
same year Mr. Connet resigned, leaving the church with a membership
of 25. He moved with his family to western Woodward county, where
they lived near Murray postoffice. Rev. Connet was an untiring worker
for Christianity.
 Rev.
S. J. Malone -- The pastor of the Congregational church was
a native of Peoria, Illinois. He was of Scotch Irish parentage.
In 1904 he was 38 years of age and had been publicly connected with
religious work since 19 years of age. He had been engaged in City
Missionary and young Men's Christian Associations work in Peoria
and Chicago, and in Evangelistic work in Illinois and Iowa. He had
been in the regular Pastoral work of 12 years. He was a graduate
of the high school and had taken two years special studies in Eureka
College, and had also had special work from Moody Bible Institute,
Chicago. Rev. Malone had only been in Alva a short time, but his
energy and earnestness in church work was already recognized.
A. C. Grimes -- Grimes was a native of Tennessee. He came
west around 1888 and made the run into the strip from the Kansas
line north of Pond Creek. He and Gilbert Nearson were the first
men into that town with a team and buggy. Mr. Grimes came to Alva,
Oct. 15, 1893, and selected his farm four miles north of town, which
is one of the best watered and finest fruit farms in Woods county.
In Sept. 1894, he wrote out the heading for the first "Free
Homes" petition ever started in Oklahoma. The Pioneer printed
the heading on long sheets of paper and they were placed in the
hands of all postmasters and many other people in the county. Thousands
signed them and they were later sent to Washington, D.C. Mr. Grimes
held several public offices, the last being county commissioner
from September 1, 1894 to January 10, 1895.
E. C. Stone & W. T. Peoples -- Messrs Stone and Peoples
were carpenters. They built the Presbyterian church and several
of the splendid residences of Alva. They came to the Woods county
area around 1900.
M. G. Emmert -- Emmert was the manager of the Gloyd Lumber
yard, one of the first started in the city of Alva. Mr. Emmert arrived
in Woods county around 1902.
Hugh Donnan -- The Photographer - native of South Carolina.
He came to Alva in April, 1901. He was an excellent workman and
had built up a nice picture business in Alva. His photos were always
strictly up-to-date and were unexcelled by photos made anywhere.
At least three-fifths of the photos in the Alva Pioneer souvenir
edition were made by him. His big Studio was on the southwest corner
of the square was fitted up in the latest style, with all the modern
fixtures, machinery and apparatus. The Donnan Studio boasted that
you could not leave an order for anything photographic at their
studio that will not be filled on short notice, and guaranteed satisfactory.
Lute Weld -- Weld was a student of Normal, who had been
out working in the harvest field during vacation. He was caught
in town and run in by other students who wanted a picture of a"seed,"
and photographed by Hugh Donnan. Lute was a jolly good fellow. He
graduated at the N.T. N. with the class of 1903, and was a guard
at the World's Fair, St. Louis, Mo.
R. S. Smedley & Mrs. R. S. Smedley -- Evangelists for
the Christian Church in Western Oklahoma. They had done a great
deal of good, lasting work in woods and adjoining counties. During
the first three months of 1901, they organized congregations at
Cleo, Aline and near Ingersoll. During July, 1901, Elder Smedley
preached for the membership in Alva. Since that time he had been
the prime factor in building church houses in this county at Aline,
Ingersoll, Cherokee, Ringwood, Prarie Chapel four miles north of
Carmen, and Ashley. They worked in the counties south and west of
Woods, building churches at Mutual, Lenora, Seiling, Taloga and
Oleta. Mr. Smedley preached and Mrs. Smedley lead the singing.
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April Spring 2003
Duchess laying in the frontyard taking in the scents
and relaxing with the chickweeds blooming during the April Spring
of 2003.
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.
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