Oakie's NW Corner...
 Well!
We made it back to Oklahoma last weekend from the cotton, mesquite
bush country of SW Texas. It misted rain the whole time down and
back. It is good to be back with all you Okies and former Okies
out there.
Oakie got me a new outfit this Friday... It's a Red T-shirt with
the NWOSU Ranger logo and "Go Rangers" on the backside.
If you want to read what is on the backside of my homecoming T-shirt,
just click the photo of this sweet, little NWOSU Ranger Alumni Pug
for a larger view.
I suppose you're asking, "Why the Rangers?" It's that
time of year that Northwestern Alumni, citizens gather around this
NW Oklahoma community for their annual homecoming tradition that
runs from November 13 to November 15th this year. Saturday morning
there will be lots of things going on with a parade around the downtown
square, lunch served on the square, etc... as school bands perform
for the crowds -- a Ranger football game later in the afternoon.
Oakie was telling me the other day that the Northwestern homecomings
of the past were something spectacular with over 40 school bands,
floats that started out at the College on the Hill and made
the trek north down College Avenue (6th Street), towards the Alva
downtown area, turning right (east) on Barnes Avenue, left (north)
at Fourth Street, making another left (west) at Flynn Avenue, traveling
west two blocks to College Avenue, turning left (south) back to
Barnes Avenue and making a right turn (west) for a block over to
Washington School. Floats were huge, elaborate constructions of
crepe paper, napkins, stuffed and sprayed into chicken-wire constructions
of all sorts of designs. The population of Alva would double as
crowds of people would stake out their places along the curbs, sidewalks
down College Avenue and around the downtown square just to see their
youngsters, families and friends performing in the over 40 marching
bands, colorful floats. Even churches, local community groups would
get into the act and setup their bazaars and booths along College
Avenue with baked goods and scrumptious things to eat. Kind of like
a huge northwest community reunion of sorts.
Of course, if you were coming towards town, you might have to take
quite a few detours to get downtown, though. Cause they wouldn't
let vehicles park, travel on College Avenue and around the square.
Oakie vaguely remembers the times her Dad would get up early Saturday
mornings to stake out a place to park his car in front of the old
Dr. Pepper bottling plant (located where the Radio Shack now resides)
just north of Church Street on the west side of College Avenue.
That way grandma and the other grownups would have a place to sit,
watch in comfort while the children got to perch upon the curbing
along College Avenue to view the floats, listen to the drumbeats
of the school bands as they marched by. Oakie was counting up the
blocks that the old homecoming route took -- about 12 blocks (or
a mile, at least). It would start at 10:00 a.m. and if you were
lucky it would be over in a couple of hours. Now it lasts about
an hour or less... starting at the Old Armory on 3rd Street and
heading west on Flynn Ave. to College Ave., then south on College
Ave. to Barnes Ave. and back east on Barnes to Fourth Street (about
6 or 7 blocks).
Do you remember the Big Shows that we used to have with the big
name famous acts that were brought into this college community?
They don't do those anymore. It sounds like the whole homecoming
shrank quite a bit from 40 something bands, floats to 14. What happened?
Did we growup, loose interest, move away to better things and forget
from where we came? What happened to the "Good Old Days?"
I guess they call it progress, huh! Is it?
Enough of that stuff, though! Do some of you older folks realize
that as we round another corner of November we come next weekend
to the 40th anniversary of the assassination of our 35th President
(John F. Kennedy)? do you remember what, where you were 40 years
ago? What really happened November 22, 1963? Do we really know the
whole story?
As to another November event coming our way here in the States
in a couple of weeks... Let us all take the time to remember those
things, people and freedoms that we sometimes forget about and take
for granted. Let us give thanks for what we have -- how fortunate
we are for how far we have come.
If you are in NW Oklahoma this weekend, come out and catch a glimpse
of this Ranger Alumni Pug at NWOSU's homecoming parade Saturday
morning. Oakie and I hope to see Y'all again next weekend with some
homecoming photos and Okie memories.
~~ Duchess &
Linda "oaKie" ~~
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Linda K McGill Wagner
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Mailbag & Links Corner....
 German
POWS - WWII... "Linda, my sister and I visited the historic
cemetery at Ft. Reno, Oklahoma, recently. Part of the cemetery contains
the graves of German and Italian prisoners-of-war who died while in
prison during WWII. The visitor center has a list of the men, cause
of death, and the location of the graves. It was very easy to locate
the graves of the men who died at Alva. I am sending a photograph
of a headstone (German POW - Sgt. Hans Seifert, died October 9, 1945)."
-- Sandie
[Click photo to view larger picture.]
Mary (Hurt) Vistine... "My grandmother's name was Mary
(Hurt) Vistine. She was the sister of Leo Hurt of Seiling, Oklahoma.
I would like to know more about John and Mary Hurt, I think they were
my great-grandparents but I know little to nothing about them."
-- John Vistine - Email: john3571@cox.net
 JFK
Serigraph... "I ran across my serigraph of Kennedy yesterday
while cleaning out the garage for a sale. Today I searched the internet
for reference to the print. I pulled the tape loose and discovered
that my print is numbered 247 of 550. I'll let you know if I can gather
more infomation. It was produced with the series. I believe these
were offered in 1961 through an ad in New Yorker magazine for $500.00.
I too would like to find a current value. The prints were produced
with a high quality silk screen enamel. All of the 27 colors were
printed with transparent colors mixed by Stan Ramsey himself. All
the film positives were hand painted by Stan after each color was
dry. These are truly a work of art. If you have found any more information
on these prints please share with me. Tanks." -- Paul
E. Ingraham & Company... ".....Elias Ingraham (1805-1885)
designed a variety of popular cases and case features for the firm,
receiving 17 patents between 1857 and 1873. Many of his cases utilized
an unusual figure '8' door design for which he had received a patent
in 1857. Rosewood veneered case models with names such as 'Doric',
'Venetian', and 'Ionic' were often made in several sizes and held
their popularity with the public for many years. Elias Ingraham's
son Edward Ingraham (1830-1892) succeeded his father as head of the
business in 1885. Edward had also received an important patent in
1884 for a method of applying black enamel paint (Japan) to wooden
clock cases. Using this method to produce cheaper imitations of French
marble mantel clocks was a great success. Though the process was soon
imitated by most other clock manufacturers, the Ingraham firm became
a leading maker of 'black mantel' clocks, introducing 221 models plus
special order styles in the following three decades....." --
Antique
Clock Shop
Civil War Warg, Warrick, Wargh... "My Jacob Warg (1815-1871)
was listed as a farmer on the 1850 Federal Census at Upper Mount Bethel
Township. Two of his three sons served in the Civil War. One of those
sons, Jeremiah 'Jerry' Warg(h)/Warrick (1842-1922), was my great-great
grandfather. Jerry was disabled during the war, and was listed as
a laborer. His son, Albert (1869-1923) was an electrician on the trolley
that used to run through East Bangor where he lived. I am still searching
for info on the brother of Jerry Warrick--Peter J. Wargh (1844-?).
He mustered out of the 153rd Pennsylvania Infantry, Company G, on
24 July 1863. The info card at the PA State Archives Lists him as
'Not accounted for. (Bates).' I have no record of him after that point."
-- E-mail: feketej@rcn.com
Hugh Donnan Descendant... "I am the Grandson of Hugh T.
Donnan. He married Lilla Wilhite, April 18,1899, in the home of Fanny
and Frank Hatfield in Alva. Fanny was Lilla`s sister. Hugh was a photographer.
He worked in Alva and Kiowa, Kansas. The name of the studio in Kiowa
was Donnan and Alexander. I am interested in knowing more about people
and events related to Hugh and Lilla Donnan. I would like to hear
from anyone having information. Thanks." -- Hugh Donnan - E-mail:
donnshm@aol.com
Alva's Prison Camp - WWII... "I have been forwarded this
(OkieLegacy Ezine) to me and I have really enjoyed readingit. Especially,
your talking about the Prison
Camp in Alva. We lived across the road from the camp when I was
a kid going to school. G. H. Wiersig was my dad and Frieda is my mother
who is now in the Homestead retirement home. We were on the south,
two miles out of Alva. Many times prisoners would be working cleaning
roadside, etc... and they would come into our yard for a drink. Several
years ago OETA did a show on the camps in Oklahoma and my mother and
younger brother were on this show. She is 101 and just celebrated
her birthday." -- Arlene Wiersig Thies - e-mail: gramy48@aol.com.
Slape Family in Oklahoma... "HI! I enjoyed reading the
site. I am searching all I can for my Slape family in Oklahoma. I
live in S. C. and I haven't seen or heard from them for at least 4
years. I would appreciate if anyone could give me some help with locating
them. I miss them. Thanks. And I love the site!" -- Darrell -
Email: NBFDarrellS@aol.com
Interested in Research of Eastern Oklahoma... "My name
is Nikki Jean (Green) Criswell. I am from Sequoyah County. I was raised
in Paw Paw Central, up away from the old bottoms farm land and the
original town of Paw Paw. I went to school in Muldrow (K-8),Sallisaw
(9-12) and graduated from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.
I currently live @ NAS Whidbey Island with my husband, James Ray Criswell
AM2. His mother's family are the Rigg's in Muldrow that live up on
the mountain. The Criswell's are also currently from that area, but
it is said they come from Mississippi. My GG Grandparents Mark Lewis
and Martha Alice (Eckler) Lewis were married in 1891 in Paw Paw and
are now buried there. My other GG Grandparents are Alice J. (Miller)
b. DEC 1858 Ohio, d. 1931 PAW PAW and James M. Green. (no information
available.) I am the G-Grand daughter of Ora Winfred Green), a farmer,
& Emma Melissa (Kirk) Green. - and - Audie (Lewis) Norman &
John Emmett Norman (they were married 7 APR in Paw Paw, Sequoyah Co.
OK.) Milton Lamont Green, b. 17 OCT 1915 and Delores Gertrude Norman
b. 15 OCT 1919( Paw Paw). I know for certain that Delores was born
In Paw Paw, Milton may have been up the road a ways towards Cottonwood.
My dad is Doyle Lamont Green b. 20 JUN 1939, Paw Paw Central and Geneva
Anabel (Sharp) Green b. 4 JUL 1939. I am interested in the research
of the Eastern part of Oklahoma and hope to see more information on
it. I am sorry that I am long winded with my family stuff, but if
more people know, hopefully, the more I will find out! Thanks!"
-- Nikki - Email: mz_criz@yahoo.com
Current Issues Received... "I just wanted you to know
that I've received the last two issues just fine so all apparently
is working again. Thanks for your time and your work. It makes the
day of a whole lot of people."
Awesome Site... "Awesome. The memories are priceless!"
-- Sara
Awesome & OK Graphics... "I personally think that
the web page is pretty awesome and some ok graphics for people to
look at while going through the website.' -- Talmadge
JFK: A PRESIDENCY REVEALED... "Sunday, November 16 at
8pm/7cst -- November 22, 2003 is the 40th anniversary of the assassination
of the 35th President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
To mark this occasion, THE
HISTORY CHANNEL will present a groundbreaking special,
JFK: A
PRESIDENCY REVEALED, on this enormously gifted and flawed
man who wrestled with some of the most dangerous times in American
history. WATCH THE PREVIEW! Tune-in for JFK Week on THE HISTORY CHANNEL
- Every night from Sunday, November 16 to Saturday, November 22."
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OkieLegacy online.
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