San Juan Skyway - Winter 2008

Early this week, for my birthday drive, we spent a day driving around the San Juan Skyway, between Durango and Silverton, Colorado.

The closer you got to Telluride, Ridgeway and Ouray, the snow was deeper than the tops of the fence posts. The roads were clear, though.

The first of March, 2008 started out calm and the wind didn't start chiming the windchimes until after 8:00 a.m. this Sunday morning. Saturday the 1st March was sunny, though. .... did it come in like a lamb and will it go out like a lion?

Thanks to all of you who sent me birthday wishes on my 60th birthday this last Monday. I can tell that I need to update the photo on my website that I had taken in 1996, because many of you were surprised that this NW Okie was not in her 40's instead of turning 60.

As to the snow photos with the snow piled on the roof in the mountains of southwest Colorado... another reader was wondering, "Boy, that snow is sure pretty, so peaceful and serene. Why don't you get that snow off the top of your house? ... LOL"

With the heavy-duty mountain melting of snow this week with temperatures above freezing, I am assuming that there have been some heavy slides off the roofs of houses in the mountains and piling mounds of snow on the ground above the tops of windows.
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McGill Bros. Furniture & Stoves - Alva, OK

McGill Bros. Furniture & Stoves was located in the 600 Block of Barnes Avenue, southside of the street, with the swimming pool behind the store.

Today, if you walked the Alva downtown square, you might find Smith's Dentist office with a mural hanging on the upper part of the building, depicting a pioneer doctor making a house call.

The picture of the righthanded driven EMF auto parked outside on the street was found amongst my grandmother's treasures of photos that she had saved. I don't know the occupants inside the auto, but maybe someone out there reading this might remember.
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Alva Restroom Early 1900's

As to Alva's "Restroom" (Ladies Resting Area while in downtown Alva, OK, in the early 1900's) ... I don't know if you found the old penciled guestbook that my grandmother had saved from that Ladies place. I have scanned it and put it on my webpages.

I never really knew exactly where the famous Alva Restroom was located until Ellis Raymer left his message in our "Comments section" of the OkieLegacy last week.

So ... "on the west side of the square, it was in a little brown building just west of the fish pond" ... for the women folk, and similar to a pool hall for the men, a chance to visit, gossip and catch up on everything happening before returning back home on the farm by Avard."

Thank you so much for sharing that bit of information, Ellis. Here is the link to the 1909-1910 Alva Restroom Guestbook.
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Stella Friends Academy Class Roster

I don't know of anyone's names listed in the 1904 photo and not even sure why my grandmother had the photo, but she was a teacher in the early 1900's before she got married in 1910. She may have known someone in the picture. The only name written on the back of the photo was B. F. Smith.

I have found information where lots of Cherokee students attended this first high school of Alfalfa county. I am hoping that some of the information in this weeks newsletter will jog some more memories of growing up in northwest Oklahoma. Maybe it will help finding out some of the class roster of students from the Stella Friends Academy. We know the Coppock family had ten children, so I am assuming their children used the academy at one time.

Has anyone seen a Stella Friends Academy Class Roster?
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Major County Rock Cairn - NW Oklahoma

"The Waynoka Historical Society has been given a photo of a rock cairn in Major County. I hope your readers can shed light on its location and history.

I know I have heard or read about it, and that it is no longer there. I don't think cairns always marked a burial place; they might have been made for a landmark. You'll like the photo. I hope we learn the story of it from someone!

Your ezine has been invaluable for the Waynoka Historical Society! I think we'll get some information from your readers.

The remnants of the rock cairn were investigated in 1992 for the Oklahoma Archeological Survey.

A long-time resident, Vernon Case, said the marker was present in the 1890's, and might have been a trail marker for the old Kiowa Trail from Kiowa to Ft Reno. The survey says, "The trail reportedly crossed the Cimarron River south of the ridge and followed the Barney Creek valley west of the cairn up a gradual slope to the uplands.

A marker might have been useful to guide travelers to the easiest route out of the Cimarron Valley." The report further states that it may have served both, and may have had significance to the Cheyenne. According to the report, it was originally over 8 feet tall.

We would be interested in knowing where the cairn stood. Thank you for any information. Thanks very much." -- Sandie Olson - Email: sandie.olson@gmail.com
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Old Cowhand Story

This new technology has got me snowed ,but will try to get this through to you. I read the article about the boys fishing the skunks out of the hole with barb wire.

Needless to say, my memory bank was working overtime when I accidently dropped a submersible pump wire and 100 ft of 11/4 pipe in a 140 ft deep well.

Anyhow Martin Thilsted, an old child friend, used to to make a little money twisting the stinking critters out of the hole, after we got them out one of us would hold the wire so we would not get sprayed. Then we would put them in happy skunkland. We had a couple of good dogs with us, but they wanted no part of this nonsense. This always seemed odd to me because out in the open we set them on even skunks and they would go for the kill.

Back to my story,I tried several well drillers and seemed they wre too busy to mess with my situation. I knew I was in deep doo doo if I could not figure something out. As I had promised my my wife I would do nothing until she was there to assist me???????? So I proceeded without her. The stuff I had for a tow rope broke and down she went. I had about $900.00 down the hole 140ft a way so I thought about this baling wire. Even though I had been a way from the ranch some 9 or 10 years, I'm bettin any old cowhand has some old forgotton barbed wire around some where. Didn't take me long to find some. and it happened to be some of Johnnie Sue's private stash.

It didn't take long to fashion it to be able to snare something. After going down about 40ft I could detect a movement of the wires. So I began twisting my barbed-wire and I'd of bet money old Martin would have yelled, "all you have to do is get em out of the hole."

In a few short twists I had a good hold of the wire and Johnnie Sue was there to help me pull the pump of the hole. END OF STORY!" -- OLD COWHAND SMILEY OLSON -- Okielegacy Comment
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Thanks For the Memories

"Thanks once again for jogging my memory of growing up in Alva. My grandfather, Kent Fash, was Woods County Assessor for years. His office was in the northwest corner of the Court House on the third floor. But the best part of the Court House was the jail in the basement. From time to time when I would go to the Court House to see my grandfather (Pop was his name), I and whatever friend I was with, would sneak downstairs to peek in the jail. It was a dark and menacing place and was not a place where I would ever want to wind up.

I don't remember Snyder's Cigar Store but I have vivid memories of Brand's. I thought that's where all the champion domino players went to play. At least that's where Pop and his friends, and Bill Brand, played and taught me the game.

All the best. I look forward every Sunday to receiving Okie Legacy." -- Bob
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Cunningham's Northwest of Alva

"Fascinated by the abundance of information on OkieLegacy, which I will continue to review as time permits, I am emailing in hopes of finding some family information.

Mortin Merel Cunningham, my granddad, farmed 7 miles NW of Alva on land rented from Bert Kimes, who owned 360 acres. He was called "Merle", a misspelling of his middle name. In the 1940s, his mailing address was Star Route #9, Alva. He passed away in 1969. I'm trying to locate Granddad's old farm place. Any guidance you can provide would be much appreciated. Many thanks." -- Myron K. Cunningham - Email: Myron.Cunningham@Tronox.com
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Lester Raymer's Linocuts of Alva

"Hi Linda, I too remember the old Court House and fish pond. I remember when I was a boy of 5 or 6 yrs., my mother, Edna Raymer, and I would go to town for our shopping on Saturdays. After shopping, mom would park on the west side of the square on College Street to go to the ladies "restroom", (it was in a little brown building just west of the fish pond). I didn't like going inside with her, being a boy I guess. I would stay outside and play by the fish pond and wait for her to come out. This little ritual of hers must have been like a pool hall for the men, a chance to visit, gossip and catch up on everything happening before returning back home on the farm by Avard.

Too bad they tore down the old Court House, it had a lot of character. When I got older, I too liked going down to the basement of the old building as Mr. Barker did.

My Uncle, Lester Raymer, a renowned artist, who grew up on the farm that I grew up on as well west of Alva, made this Linocut print of the Court House and fish pond. I don't know the date he carved or printed it, but he also made linocuts for the Munson's Hatchery in 1947 for an advertisement.

Thank you so much for the link to the 1909-1910 ALVA RESTROOM GUESTBOOK. On page 13, file #1, my grandmother, Mrs. John C. Raymer with two children had signed it. One of the children could be my dad, John A. Raymer and the other my uncle Lester Raymer." -- Ellis Raymer - OkieLegacy Comment
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L. A. Wagner Cash Grocery - Alva, OK

"The grocery store west of Snyders was the L.A. Wagner Cash Grocery. If you look closely you can still make out the name at the top of the building. Also, I remember getting shoes at Warricks in the early 50''s. They sold Red Goose children's shoes." -- Edward Lyon - Email: goldbug66@gmail.com -- OkieLegacy Comment
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Growing Up In Oklahoma & Arkansas

We are in the process of taking down Kenneth Updike's stories and ramblings of "Growing Up In Oklahoma" because Kenneth asked us, "To remove all of my previous writings to you about my Ramblins. Personal stories that I told you and your readers. My Son has had all of my writings, and notes copyrighted so that we can put them in a book or booklet. His idea. I really have no objections to this, but he insists we can be viewed by more people. I leave it up to him. Thanks for your help in the past, and I still read your Okie Legacy nearly every week."

If you find some of Kenneth's Ramblings that I have missed, Please email me the link with Vol. and Iss. numbers so that this NW Okie can remove them. Thanks for your help!
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1909 EMF & McGill Bros. Furniture

"In trying to place the building containing the Snyder Dry Goods, I ran across the photo of the car in front of McGill Brothers in the issue of June 5, 2002 (Vol IV, Iss 24). The automobile in the photo may be a 1909 EMF. While investigating this I ran across this site (dreamwater.org/emfauto/EMF_photos_1909.html) which has photos (the fourth and fifth from the top of the web page of cars in front of the old Studebaker dealership in Alva. Do not know if you have seen these or not. Thought they might be of interest to you. Notice that all these cars are right-hand drive as is the one in the McGill Bros. photo." -- David
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Pioneer Aunt Crosha - Oklahoma

I found these pictures recently while cleaning out some of my files. They made me think you might like a story of an early Oklahoman that you won't find in a History book.

Aunt Crosha was born in Red River County, Texas in 1863. Her Father Served in the Confederate army during the Civil War. In 1880 she married Uncle Henry, a Yankee veteran of the Civil War. He was several years older than she.

Crosha and Henry after their marriage lived in Arkansas and probably other places until 1896. They both made the RUN. Henry on horseback going for land and she with a team and wagon going for town sites.

They settled near Hunter Oklahoma and had some town lots in Pond Creek. In late 1896 her brother was shot and killed in Rising Star, Texas. He was a newspaper proprietor and editor and may have been shot because of some political disagreement. His wife died approximately 6 months later, 3 months after the birth of her 9th child.

Crosha went to Rising Star to arrange for the care of her brother's children. Not sure how she traveled there. Some say by a team of horses and a wagon, other think she took the train to Fort Worth from Pond Creek.

Either way when she got there she got some neighbors and another brother to take in the older girls. Gave the baby to a childless couple to raise and being childless herself took 5 of the children back to Oklahoma to raise. As the pictures show her home at the time was a Dugout and they later built a house.

Crosha and Henry helped start a Friends Meeting. The meetings were held in their barn until the meeting house was built. They both served as representatives to the Annual meeting. They sent the older children to the Stella Friends Academy, A boarding school near Cherokee. Where incidentally the three girls met the male students who later became their husbands.

Sometime prior to 1910 they moved to Wichita Kansas, probably due to Henry's failing health. He had been injured during a Civil War training accident when a horse fell on him causing a rupture that could not be controlled by a truss. He also lost his eyesight in his later years.

Another reason may have been to find better education for the children. Some of the children attended what is now Friends University after the move to Wichita.

Henry died in 1924. Crosha died in 1952 at the age of 89. She lived for several years in a cottage on the grounds of the homes for Civil War Widows. First at Ellsworth Kansas and later at Fort Dodge, Kansas.

There are many stories about Aunt Crosha usually emphasizing her strong will and no nonsense approach to life. I am not sure they are all true, but this one I know for sure. Crosha as a young lady, smoked a pipe. This was not uncommon. Later on it became unfashionable for a lady to smoke a pipe so Crosha gave up her pipe and started using snuff which she used for the remaining years of her life.

I am sure there are many others like Henry and Crosha that settled in the Cherokee Strip whose story has been lost. They had to be strong willed; hard working; honest and God fearing to ever have survived the rigors of living in the Oklahoma Territory.

This is why I am proud to be an Okie and a descended of those who moved to Oklahoma Territory from other parts of the United States." -- Earl Fugit - Email: erfoknym@comcast.net
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Born In Cabin - Pinevalley, OK

"I was born in a cabin on the river just out of Pinevally, OK. We moved in town when I was 2. I had 2 brothers born there, Charles, Donald. 1937 for me 1938 Charles, 1940 Donald. Donald died in the summer of 1941. My father worked at the lumber mill. Great-grandparents were named COOK on father's side. They lived in Muse. Mothers maiden name was UPCHURCH. Her mothers families name was WILSON. We left the area and moved to California for the war." -- Onie Ramsay - Email: fogs96@hotmail.com
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Stella Friends Academy - Alfalfa & Woods Co., OK

Chronicles of Oklahoma - Stella Friends Academy by Mary Blue Coppock -- The first high school of Alfalfa county, Oklahoma Territory. Seated around their breakfast table one morning in the year of 1896, were Alvin and Laura Coppock and their ten children.

This was two years after the Coppocks had established their home in "M" County of the "Cherokee Strip." During the course of the meal, the father who had attended a business meeting of their church the night before, casually announced to the family that he had pledged $350 toward the erection of an academy.

In the fall of 1897, an accredited high school known as Stella Friends Academy was opened in a large tabernacle tent, pending the completion of the academy building, with H. C. Fellow, A.M., Ph.D., Principal, and his wife Melissa Fellow as assistant.

Other instructors that first year were Josie M. Snediker, Ernest Howard, Gertrude Bates and Chester Coppock. The first Board of Trustees were Isaac Pollock, President; Alvin Coppock, Treasurer; John Howard, correspondiing Secretary; Arlo Fell, Laura Coppock, Pearl Nuckles, Frank Veatch, Irene Hester, Charles Jackson and John Hays, Members.

The first catalog of the school, issued in 1897, contained the following description:

"Stella Friends Academy is situated in Woods County, Oklahoma Territory, nineteen miles east of Alva. Located in the eastern part of the beautiful Salt Fork valley, on the mouth of the Medicine river, standing on an eminence, the Academy building can be seen from the distant range of hills ten to fifteen miles away. The building is a frame structure 28x48 feet, divided below into auditorium, reception and library rooms, and above into five rooms for ladies dormitory purposes. The rooms and library are fitted up with the best of furniture. All the material used in the construction of the building was hauled in wagons, drawn by horses, from nineteen to forty miles. Surrounding the building is a beautiful campus of ten acres laid out in ample playgrounds and surrounded by groves of young trees. Tuition was $6.50 per term of twelve weeks. Pupils can secure excellent accommodations for self-boarding a fifty cents a month. First class board in private families, $2.00 per full week, and $1.50 per school week. An excellent working cabinet of 1,000 specimens and curios from various parts of the world is available for students in Natural Science and history.

Rock Cairns - Susquehanna County Pennsylvania

Rock Cairns - Susquehanna County Pennsylvania -- "Simply explained, a rock cairn can be described as a "conical heap of stones built as a monument or landmark". But a monument to what? A landmark to where? Speculating the answers to these questions tends to promote only more questions. Such is the case with the Susquehanna County cairns found on a remote wooded hillside far from any open fields or roads in northern Pennsylvania.

Who built them and why? Were they made by native Americans in an attempt to clear their planting fields of rocks? But if so, why would they go through such a great effort to stack them so meticulously that they would be able to withstand centuries of weathering? Why were some built like giant beehives while others are pyramidal or cone-shaped? There are few answers to this mystery, so I'll let the viewer of these photographs have fun coming to their own conclusions....."
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Inquiry - Stella Friends Academy Class Roll

"Hello, I visited your site and am intrigued about your 1904 class photo. Do you know any of the people in the photo? Do you know of any class rosters? Thank you." -- Gregory Morley - Email: greg.morley@comcast.net
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Oklahoma Weather & Gas Prices

"Our weather the past two days has been almost unbelievably warm. The daytime temperature has been in the 70s for a change (and the wind has been quite strong again). More grass fires. They called in 'mutual-aid' fire trucks from 4 surrounding towns to help fight fires that threatened 2 houses today (and finally got them under control in time). They were keeping 3 tanker trucks busy carrying more water to the brush fire trucks and for awhile were concerned that a truck or two might get 'stuck' in the path of the flames that had gotten into a grove of trees. Lots of 'hot spots' were rekindling both yesterday and today. I suspect that the guys were pretty tired (I should have said guys and 'gals' because the women sometimes don't like to be referred to as 'guys' and I know that one of the tankers was driven by a female and I heard two females manning radios for their communications on my scanner.

Also the gas prices climbed some more. Today they were at $3.09.9 which is a new high for Perry I think." -- Roy K.
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Kansas & Oklahoma Gas Prices (Friday)

"Gas in Kansas, jumped from 2.99 to 3.09 on Friday the 22nd. But driving to Newkirk, OK, the State line that is, found gas still at 2.99." -- Christy Coulston - Email: ccoulton@cox.net
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OkieLegacy Guestbook

2/22/2008... "Looking for family members, Clark, Marshall, Mills, Mitchell, Koch, History of the Harper County Journal, where I believe my grandfather worked for many years. Many summers I spent in Buffalo, giving me some wonderful memories. Hello to all still living there." -- Terri Ann Mitchell Riggs - Email: okiemom582000@yahoo.com
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