Happy St. Patricks Day!

Yep! The wearing of the emerald-green for some of us Irish is just around the corner. Tuesday to be exact! I am thinking about wearing my green into Durango and partaking of some Irish stew and green beer on St. Patricks Day.

We have gotten back to working on our Warwick family genealogy, somewhat -- following friends on Twitter and Facebook and setting up a Facebook - Warwick Genealogy Group on our Facebook site. For all those savvy Facebook addicts, you can Facebook Linda McGill Wagner and Twitter With OkieLegacy.

The reason I have been gathering Warwick family information is because someone asked me if I would write a story about the McGill Ranch North of Waynoka. To do the story justly, I need to take you back to when my Great-Grandparents John R. and Signora Belle (a.k.a Sigga B.) Warwick made the Run of 1893 in the Cherokee Strip of Oklahoma Territory. That is just one of the projects that I have on my full plate of "To Dos."

I am remembering bits and pieces of our family trip back to the Virginia in 1960 or so ... It seems as though we visited, I think, Sam Lindsay, in West Virginia, and he had grown these huge tomatoes on stakes. I donot know if it was the virginia variety, or what, BUT ... they were gigantic in size. The tomatoes were bigger than my one hand could hold. I am hoping my sister will read this and help me out with more of those memories of the early 1960 trip to Virginia.

Anyway ... My dad brought some of the tomatoes and seeds from those tomatoes back to Oklahoma to plant in his vegetable garden out at the Ranch. Not sure the tomatoes ever got as big as they did in West Virginia, though!

A couple of weeks ago, Louise in Waynoka mentioned, "We need some rain, everything is trying to green up, but we have a moisture problem."

I Hope you NW Okies finally got some moisture along with a quick cold front this week. We hear it turned cold this week in the northwest parts with snow and ice."

The Balmer Fund has placed a FREE AD in our "Classifieds" that reads: "PEOPLE PERSON?  Sell ads for Prairie Connection, flexible hours. Contact: iread@prairieconnect.com." If you are in the area of Harper, KS and NW Oklahoma, you might give the Balmer Fund a shout and check out this job opportunity.

Someone always seems to ask me, "How much are the subscriptions to the OkieLegacy newsletter?" In reply I write back and tell them this is a FREE weekly online newsletter! There is NO CHARGE! It is a labor of love and devotion to publish this OkieLegacy ezine each week. If it helps one person out there make a connection in their genealogy records, then that is all the reward I need!

Here are some Crossword Puzzle instructions for those who have not figured it out on your own:
* Select a clue from the clue list to activate the puzzle space, then type in your answer.
* If you want to pencil in a temporary answer, click the pencil button on the left column, fill-in the answer.
* To reveal a letter, select the space on the puzzle you want revealed, then click the reveal letter button.
* To reveal a word, select the clue you want answered, then click the reveal button.
* To reveal the entire puzzle, click the solution button.
* To revert back to an empty puzzle, click the revert button.

Happy Coming St. Patricks Day!
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Simple Nickols Photo - Alva, OK

Another Alva, Oklahoma photograph that I found amongst my grandmother's photos was this photo of a young girl. It was developed in Alva, Oklahoma by Kodak Dept. That is what is on the backside. On the front at the top border edge is penciled in: "Simple Nickols."

I am wondering if the George E. Nickels family of Alva, Oklahoma had a daughter by the name of Simple? Can anyone help me out? Thanks!
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Fairmont, Marion County, WV

We found this unknown family photo in my Grandmother's treasure chest of genealogy photos. Why Grandma Contance Warwick McGill had it ... I do not know! The backside was dark and you could barely make "Palatine" scratched into the backside. The old photograph is one of those photographs you see on cardboard type photo-backing. When did they start and end doing photographs like that?

We did a Google search for Fairmont, WV and found some history of Fairmont, Marion County, WV.

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Here is some of what we found and you can read the rest of it on my Facebook site: "Fairmont is a city in Marion County, West Virginia, United States. It is the county seat of Marion County[3]. Established in 1820 as Middletown, then in Monongalia County, it was chartered by the Virginia General Assembly in 1843 as Fairmont, a contraction of "Fair Mountain."

Fairmont is located in the North-Central region of the state, along West Virginia's I-79 High Tech Corridor, about 18 miles southwest of Morgantown, and about 23 miles northeast of Clarksburg.

Fairmont State University, established in 1865, is located in Fairmont. The former head of the art department of the school, Luella Mundel, was the subject of a documentary called American Inquisition by Helen Whitney. Mundel was the victim of blacklisting during the McCarthy era, and the documentary showed how the negative effects of that era reached even smalltown West Virginia. This documentary was the subject of a very famous case about the First Amendment.[5]

Marion County was created by an act of the Virginia Assembly on January 14, 1842, from parts of Harrison and Monongalia counties. The county was named in honor of General Francis Marion (1732-1795), the legendary hero of the American Revolutionary War.

Oral history indicates that in 1808 Boaz Fleming made his annual trek to Clarksburg to pay his brother's Harrison County taxes. While in Clarksburg he attended a social gathering that included Dolly Madison, his cousin. He complained to her about having to travel over a hundred miles each year from his home to pay his Monongalia County taxes and his brother's Harrison County taxes.

Dolly Madison supposedly suggested that he create his own county to save him all that travel. Six years later, Boaz Fleming circulated a petition to do precisely that, naming the proposed county Madison County, in honor of Dolly and President James Madison.

The petition failed to gain sufficient support to be presented to the Virginia General Assembly. He then focused on creating a town near his farm. In 1819, a road was built from Clarksburg to Morgantown. His farm was about halfway between the two, making a good resting point.

He laid out the town on the west side of the Monongahela River in 1819. It was incorporated on January 19, 1820 as Middletown. It is unknown if the town was called Middletown because of its location mid-way between Clarksburg and Morgantown or because Boaz Fleming's first wife, Elizabeth Hutchinson, was originally from Middletown, Delaware.

Middletown was named newly-formed Marion County's first county seat on February 18, 1842. At that time, William Haymond, Jr. suggested that the town's name be changed to Fairmont because the town had a beautiful overlook of the Monongahela River, giving it a "fair mount." The Borough of Fairmont was incorporated in 1843 by the Virginia General Assembly.

In 1838, the town of Palatine was laid out on the east side of the Monongahela River, opposite Middletown. It was settled by Germans from the Palatinate States of southwestern Germany and they named the town after their homeland. It was incorporated in 1867. In 1899, Fairmont, Palatine, and neighboring West Fairmont were merged into a single city.

In 1865, a privately-owned normal school opened in Fairmont to train teachers that would be required to fill the state legislature's mandate of having free public schools in every county. In 1867, Fairmont Normal School was accepted as one of three normal schools owned and operated by the state of West Virginia. In 1917, the school was named Fairmont State Teachers College and is currently known as Fairmont State College.

In 1793, Jacob Paulsley built a home on the east side of the Monongahela River in present-day Fairmont. At that time, most of the future city was a dense, laurel thicket.

When Middletown was formed in 1820, its initial trustees were: John S. Barns, John W. Kelley, Josiah Wolcott, John W. Polsley, Jesse Ice, Benoni Fleming and Thomas Fleming. John S. Barnes served as mayor.
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Marlinton, Pocahontas Co., WVa

Marlinton, West Virginia is the county seat of Pocahontas county. It was settled in 1749 by Stephen Sewell and Jacob Marlin, first white settlers on the Greenbrier River. An old oak in Marlinton marked the corner of the first land survey made west of the Alleghenies. The survey by Col. Andrew Lewis of lands granted to the Greenbrier Company in 1751 consisted of 100,000 acres of land along Greenbrier River.

Marlinton is located about 18 miles of south Cass, WV; 40 miles east of Richwood, WV; 45 miles from Lewisburg, WV; and 64 miles south of Elkins, WV.

Marlinton is located on the path of the old Indian trail, Seneca Trail, that once lead from upper New York to deep within Georgia. In 1755, Fort Greenbrier was built and garrisoned by Col. Lewis in Marlinton. During the French and Indian War, 18 settlers lost lives in the vicinity. Variant names for Marlinton, WV are: Marlin's Bottom, Marling Bottom, Marlings, Marlinton, Marlins, Marlins Bottom.
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Capt. John Robert Warwick Family Photo

Michelle says, "I have a picture of Captain John R. Warwick and his wife and daughter. That is what it says on the back. Someone gave this to us last year. They actually picked it up at an auction (sound familiar) and gave it to us. The original picture totally fell apart, but ... I had it remade.

Jacob Warwick Homestead in Bath, Co., VA

Michelle also says, "I am so sorry to hear that the sketches of Jacob & Mary Warwick are already with another Warwick descendant.

"My son just won 1st prize in the Social Studies fair this week on the settlement of Jacob Warwick in Bath County, Virginia. The property that we now have was from the original tract owned by Jacob Warwick, son of William Warwick and Elizabeth Dunlap. My husband's family had great records of history, but only until approximately the 1800's. "The property has been in my husband's family now for 245 years. They talk about it being burned by Indians. It is said that this house is the third to stand on this foundation.

The Gay, Dunlap and Warwicks were all in a wagon train heading west. Some scouts had been sent ahead to ensure safe passage. The scouts were killed by the Indians and left naked and dead in their path. They all turned around and headed back to Clover Lick (WV/VA).

"Mary Vance, Jacob's wife, was so horrified by the sight that she refused to leave Pocahontas Co. The others went ahead. She and Jacob stayed and built the first house and lived there for sometime before returning to Monterey, Virginia.

Before we got the house, it had not been lived in since the 60s, so the grounds are pretty much undisturbed. Clover Lick also has a cemetary where many Warwicks are buried. It seems I saw the name Gwin up there, so I will doublecheck. It is definitely God#&39:s country and a step back in time. Back Mountain Road actually runs in front of the House on the Hill (that is what we call the Jacob Warwick property and house).

The property was located in what was originally Orange County, Virginia. In 1737, Orange County became Augusta County, Virginia. In 1745, Augusta County became Bath County, Virginia. In 1821 Bath County became Pocahontas County, Virginia. In 1863 West Virginia separated from Virginia, and Pocahontas County, Virginia, became Pocahontas, West Virginia.
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Capt. David T. Gwin - Revolutionary War

Back in 1920s, or perhaps closer to the mid-1920s, my grandmother, Constance Estella Warwick McGill, begin her compilation of Guinn/Gwin/Gwyn ancestors. I know this, because I have my grandmother's DAR certificate that was dated around 1925. She used Capt. David T. Gwin has her Revolutionary ancestor.

Capt. David T. Gwin was the son of Robert Gwin and Jean Kincaid. David was born in 1742 in Orange County, Wales and died in 1822 at Clover Creek, Highland county, Virginia. His Will is signed, seal and dated April 18, 1820. The south branch valley chapter of the Virginia Daughters of the American Revolution placed a memorial marker over his grave, together with a government marker on August 14, 1936.  The government marker was secured through the efforts of George W. Cleek, Staunton, Virginia, a descendant of Captain David Gwin.

Capt. David Gwin married (1st time) in 1768 to Jane Carlile who was born 11/26/1746 and died 1787, buried on Jackson River, Bath County (now Highland county, Virginia). Jane Carlile was the daughter of James Carlile, Jr. and Rachel Campbell.

Capt. Gwin's second marriage was 11/11/1790, when Capt. Gwin gave a marriage bond for Viola (Violet) Crawford. Viola Crawford Gwin is buried at Clover Creek, Highland County, Virginia. Viola was the daughter of William Crawford and Margaret Henderson of Dry Branch of Jackson River near Mustoe, Highland County, Virginia. (Ibid., Vol. II, pg 288 gives marriage bond for his second marriage). I wish someone please explain what a marriage bond consisted of back in those days?

David Gwin amassed a sizeable fortune which he disposed of in his will dated April 18, 1820 and recorded in Will Book 2, pg 416 on January 1822 in Bath County, Virginia.  The Will reads as follows:

In the name of God, Amen:

I, David Gwin, of the county of Bath, State of Virginia, being advanced in years but of sound mind and disposing memory and calling to mind the uncertainty of human life and the numerous inconveniences which might arise from my dying intestate have thought proper to make this my last will and testament hereby revoking and annulling all former wills by me made:

In Primus: I direct my executors hereinafter named as soon as may be after my decease, to pay my funeral expenses and all my just debts.  Item: I give and bequeath to my son David Gwin all the lands I purchased of John and Thos. Peoples whereon I now live including the mountain tract to him and his heirs forever, but as my death may happen before my said son David Gwin arrives at lawful age, in case of such an event, it is my will and desire that the property before devised be managed by my executors or rented out at their discretion until my said son arrives at full age and the proceeds thereof be applied at their discretion to the support and maintenance of such of my daughters as may then be unmarried and the maintenance and education of my said son David Gwin and his heirs forever one thousand pounds in money which I hereby direct my executors to pay over to him when he shall arrive at the age of twenty one years.  I also give and bequeath to my son David Gwin and his heirs forever my rifle gun, my desk and bookcase, my four tables, all my chairs, my bed and furniture and three chests, all which property I direct my Executors to have good care taken of and delivered over to my said son on his arriving at age aforesaid.

Item: I give and bequeath to my grandson David Gwin Kincaid, son of Thos. Kincaid the lands allotted to him by Adam Lightner, James Campbell lying on the waters of Jackson's River in the County  of Bath, being the same land whereon the said Thomas Kincaid now lives to him and his heirs forever, but it is my will and desire that the said Thomas Kincaid and his wife Sally and the longest liver of them shall have the right and privilege to live on and enjoy the whole of land during their natural lives upon condition they continue to reside on the same, but if they should, at any time, remove from said land then the benefits intended them by this devise shall cease and terminate and from the date of such removal the rents and profits and the right to use and occupy the land aforesaid shall rest in my grandson David Gwin Kincaid.

Item: I give and bequeath to my son Robert Gwin and his present wife, Polly Gwin, and the longest liver of them the right during their natural lives to live on and enjoy the lands on Jackson's River allotted them for their son David by Adam Lightner and James Campbell and after the death of the longest liver of the said Robert and wife, I give and bequeath the said land to David, my grandson (and son of Robt. and Polly Gwin) to him, his heirs and assigns forever.

Item: I give and bequeath to my son John Gwin and his present wife and the longest liver of them, the right to live on and enjoy the lands allotted them for their son David by Adam Lightner and James Campbell on Jackson's River and after the death of the longest liver of the said John and wife, I give and bequeath the said land to my grandson David Gwin (son of the said John) to him and his heirs and assigns forever.

Item:  I give and bequeath to my said Grandsons David Gwin Kincaid, David Gwin (son of Robert) and David Gwin (son of John) all my lands in the Big and Little Valleys on the waters of Wilson's Mill Run in the County of Bath to be equally divided between them, to them their heirs and assigns forever.

Item: I give and bequeath to my daughter Isabell and her heirs forever, one negro girl named Agnes and her future increase.

Item: I give and bequeath to my daughter Margaret and her heirs forever one negro girl named Betsy and her future increase.

Item: I give and bequeath to my daughter Rachel and her heirs forever one negro girl named Jane and her future increase.

Item: I give and bequeath to my daughter Susan and her heirs forever one negro girl named Violet and her future increase.

Item: I give and bequeath to my son-in-law Robert Lockridge and Polly his wife and their heirs forever two dollars to be paid them by my executors in full for their portion of my estate.

Item: I give and bequeath to my son James Gwin, one hundred pounds in money to him and his heirs forever to be paid him by my Executors soon after my decease.

Item: To my sons Robert Gwin and John Gwin, I give and bequeath the sum of two Dollars cash to them and their heirs forever.  To Thos. Kincaid and Sally his wife the sum of two dollars. To Jas. Wiley and Nancy his wife two dollars.  To John Cleek and Jane his wife the sum of two dollars and to Samuel Givens and Elizabeth his wife the sum of two dollars which said legacies I hereby direct my Executors to pay as soon as may be after my decease, it is my will and desire that my Executors herein after named soon after my decease take into possession of the slaves Isaac and Fown which I loaned to Robt. Gwin, a negro named Ned I loaned to Thos. Kincaid and a negro woman named Daffney I loaned to John Cleek which said several slaves were loaned to be returned whenever demanded.

Item: I give and bequeath to my daughter Rachel one feather bed and furniture also sum of sixty pounds in money to her and her heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath to my daughter Susan one feather bed and furniture also the sum of sixty pounds in money to her and her heirs forever.

Item: It is my will and desire that my Executors as soon as they shall have paid my funeral expenses and just debts and satisfy all the legacies hereinbefore named do proceed to ascertain the amount of all the residue of my estate of every kind whatsoever including my slaves not hereinbefore devised, my debts, money, stock, etc., which residue when so ascertained I desire shall be divided into seven equal parts.  One-seventh thereof I give and bequeath to my daughter Isabella her heirs and assigns forever.  I give and bequeath one-seventh part thereof to my daughter Margaret her heirs and assigns forever.  Same to my daughter Susan her heirs and assigns forever.  One-seventh part to be equally divided among the children of my daughter Elizabeth Givens and to be paid over to them by my executors as they come of age resp. but it is my wish and meaning that out of this seventh part shall be deducted the amount of bonds due and owing to me from Samuel Givens the husband of my said daughter Elizabeth.  I give an bequeath one-seventh part thereof to be equally divided among the children of my daughter Jane Cleek and to be paid over to them by my Executors as they come of age resp. and the remaining one-seventh of said residue I give and bequeath to the children of my daughter Nancy Wiley by her husband Jas. Wiley to be equally divided between them, to them and their heirs forever and to be paid over to them by my executors as they respectively become of age.

Item:  It is my will and desire that if any of my sons or daughters, sons-in-law or daughters-in-law, or any of my grand children shall be dissatisfied with the disposition I have made herein of my property and shall attempt to set aside this writing as my true last will and testament, they shall be excluded from all benefit of any portion of my estate whatever and every devise herein made to such person in such case shall be null and void.

Lastly, I appoint Wm. Hogshead, my son-in-law, my son Jas. Gwin and my friend, Otho Wade Executors of this my last will and testament, hereby repeating the same to be such and renouncing and revoking all former wills by me made.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal this 18th day of April 1820 and have caused the same to be witnessed in my presence.
His mark

David T. Gwin (SEAL)

The above writing was signed, sealed, and declared to be the last will and testament of David Gwin in our presence by him and at his request and in his presence we subscribed the same as witnesses. John Steuart, James Hicklin, John Carlile, Martin Coyner
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Bill McGill & Baseball Buddies - 1906

Another treasure that we looked back at and scanned this week is an Austin, TX, april 2, 1906, baseball photo of my grandpa Bill McGill when he played for the Austin Senators, South Texas League in 1906 before moving on to the St. Louis Browns Major League in 1907 for one season.

I am glad that someone wrote the identity on the backside of those pictured. What they wrote was: "Austin, Texas - April 2, 1906 - Harry DeLorme, Chicago, Ill.; W. J. McGill; Dave Quinlan." Grandpa McGill is the good-looking guy seated in the center. Harry is on the left and Dave is on the right.
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Insight Into Grandma

Our next letter from John C. McClure, Quincy, Illinois, takes us back to February 16, 1904 as he writes yet another letter to Miss Constance Warwick. Constance received the letter two days later. Before I get into the letter, though, I talked with Bud & Lovina Clark this week and they told me that John C. McClure was some relation of J. L. "Bud" Clark.

Quincy, Ill, Feb. 15, 1904 -- "Miss Constance Warwick, Alva, O.T.
Dear Connie: I received your letter the latter part of the week and won't wait as long as you did and you had better do it again. Why did you address my letter to Altona? I have written you a letter since I came back to Quincy. I have been here just one month tomorrow.

We are having cold weather here. There are four boys rooming here. Two of them have had the mumps and one had the measles. I had the measles when I was in Oklahoma.

Say. I think most anybody is good enough for Nellie Corben. I would sure like to be there at that Literary society. You told me who all the girls were keeping company with except the one just across the creek on the Alva road.

You wanted to know something about the bachelor school board and Blanch Gateka. Well. I am sure I cannot tell you. She is only a dream of the Golden Past. I have not heard from her for a long time. In fact, we quit writing to each other. You tell me something about the school board. I am anxious to know about the affair. It will take me about 4 months to finish short-hand. I think I will go to St. Louis and see the fair then. Are you going to go?

My cousin from Oklahoma was here this winter to visit us. The one that works in Shares Dry Goods Store.

I am sorry Ralph Hankins does not improve any. Give my best respects to the McKitrick girls when you see them (for me).

Well. I will close. Now do not wait an age to write. So. Bye Bye. Your Friend John c. Mcclure, 524 North 9th St., Quincy, Ill."
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Glen Eyrie Castle - Colorado

I found this 1914 photo of a sandstone monument in one of my grandmother's photo scrapbooks that she had compiled of one of her early 1909 trip to Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods, Glen Eyrie, etc. I have not gotten those 1909 vacation photos ready for viewing this week, but will stick them in next weeks newsletter.

Glen Eyrie is a 67-room English Tudor-style castle built by General William Jackson Palmer, the founder of Colorado Springs.

This house was his dream castle-like home and is near Colorado Springs in the northwest foothills north of the Garden of the Gods rock formations (now a city park). After building a large carriage house, where the family lived for a time, Palmer and his wife Mary (Queen) Mellen built a 22-room frame house on the 800-acre (3.2 km2) estate. This house was remodeled in 1881 to include a tower and additional rooms, and made to resemble a stone castle, reminiscent of those native to the England.

In 1880, Mrs. Palmer suffered a mild heart attack and was advised to move to a lower altitude. She and the girls moved to the East Coast and then to England where General Palmer visited them as often as he could. Queen died on December 28, 1894, at the age of 44. In sorrow, General Palmer went to England to return Mrs. Palmer's remains and the girls to Colorado Springs.

Glen Eyrie is a 67-room English Tudor-style castle with 24 fireplaces. The castle was advanced for its time, featuring a primitive intercom system, and a chimney system that would hold the smoke until the wind was blowing in the right direction to take the smoke out of the valley. Glen Eyrie is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The castle is now owned by The Navigators. The general public is allowed on its grounds Monday through Thursday (9-4) to visit its bookstore, located at the Carriage House, or to hike its many trails. Tours of Glen Eyrie Castle are available to the public and require an advance reservation.

Events hosted at the castle include English and Victorian teas[2] throughout the week and Christmas Madrigal Banquets[3] beginning after Thanksgiving.

Glen Eyrie is also a conference[4] and retreat center that puts on many Christian conferences and programs. The property in the enclosed valley is also available for use by groups for meetings, receptions, and retreats. Herds of bighorn sheep, deer and wild turkey may often be found grazing on the grounds.

General Palmer who started the Denver Rio Grande Railroad, founded Colorado Springs and numerous other projects built the castle at Glen Eyrie in 1904. General Palmer also founded Colorado Springs and donated the land for Colorado College.
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1937 - Landlady In College Town

We are going to take you back to a news article that appeared in The Oklahoman, dated Jan. 3, 1937, on page 59, with the headlines that read: "Landlady in College Town Likes Old Fashioned Girls - Mrs. Nellie Noble Has Rented Rooms to More Than 3,000 Students in 40 Years."

Before we get started ... Does Nellie Noble jog any memory cells out there? Did your mother, grandmother, etc... ever one of those 3000 students from 1897-1937 that were "old fashioned" and rent a room from Mrs. Nellie Noble?

The news article begins with, "The old fashioned girl hasn't many admirers these days, but Mrs. Nellie Noble of Alva will speak up for her any time. In 40 years experience as a landlady in Alva, Mrs. Noble has rented rooms to nearly 3000 college girls from all parts of Oklahoma who have attended Northwestern State Teachers college."

This first paragraph of the article makes we wonder what life in January 1937 was like or just beginning for women back then. How had the 1937 college girl changed? Read on and see what Mrs. Noble said.

The 1937 news article also mentions Mrs. Noble stating, "When I came to Alva in the famous old days of the Cherokee strip college girls spent all their spare time in study. They seldom went out and most of them got by on as little as 50 cents a week for food."

Mrs. Noble also stated that the motor car, motion picture shows and dance halls had all played big parts in drawing the college girls attention from study and sensible living.

I guess we were seeing changes between the ages way back then, huh!

Mrs. Noble went on to say in the 1937 article, "There is nothing seriously the matter with the modern girl but she hasn't much to show for her time at college. Too much time is wasted on the frivolous and unnecessary things of life."

Mrs. Noble, in her long years as a landlady declared that she had never had a quarrel or difference of opinion with any of her young female tenants. She was quoted as saying, "They have al been very fine to me and it has been a wonderful experience to meet all those hundreds of girls; all different and yet all so alike in many ways. One of the most striking things about my contacts with girl tenants is the fact that I've never had the slightest trouble about getting rent money. It was always paid promptly or whenever our arrangements called for."

The article mentioned that Nellie Noble and her husband came to Alva shortly after the Cherokee strip was opened in the early "nineties." They had only $25 when they bought a small house on the installment plan and began the renting of rooms.

Nellie also stated that unlike most rooming house landladies in college towns, she had little use for boys as tenants. Nellie went on to say, "We rented rooms to boy students for a short spell in our first few months in Alva, but we soon learned better. Boys are much herder to get along with as tenants. They aren't nearly as tidy as girls and sometimes they can be very difficult. No, the girls have it all over the boys as model roomers."

Nellie. Noble every year during the christmas and new year season got dozens of letters from former students who had roomed with her in college days. For a long time she had a large brown notebook with the names of all her tenants. Nellie mentioned smilingly in the article, "It got so tiresome keeping track of all those names, I just put the book away and forgot it."

Here is a list of some of the college girls that rented from Mrs. Noble:
Miss Carol Clarke, Miss Sally Ben Russell, Miss Adelaide Carter, Miss Mary Sharpe, Miss Margaret Ann Young, Miss Mary Thais Holmboe, Miss Petty Brooks, Miss Evelyn Lou Lowry, Miss Pauline Huddleston, Miss Dena Lee Jones, Miss Patsy Eskridge, Miss Mary Frances Johnston, Miss Bette Ann Vance, Miss Elizabeth Shelly, Miss Patsy Harper, Miss Marjorie Ann Hayes, Miss Marjorie Miller, Miss Carol Jean Hare.

Miss Dorothy Jean Hopps, Miss Dolores Stephens, Miss Shirley Davis, Miss Ruth Ann Hummer, Miss Florence Cottrell, Miss Peggy Samis, Miss Mary Evelyn Irby, Miss Norma Jo Jones, Miss Margaret Jean Hayes, Miss emily Jo Beard, Miss Peggy Flynn, Miss Janet Eaton, Miss Norma Owens, Miss Marjorie Ann Bogenschultz, Miss Marjorie Daw Yeakel, Miss Elaine Simpson, Miss Betty Jean Tway, Miss Lelah Maytubby.

Miss Helen Margaret Hart, Miss Rosemary Kneeland, Miss Sara Jean Chesterman, Miss Jean Joullian, Miss Rosemary Smith, Miss Ruth Caldwell, Miss Jane Wellman, Miss Doris Pollock, Miss Loretta Wright, Miss Marjorie Green, Miss Joan McEwen, Miss Anna Doris Hall.

Miss Nona Jean Macklanburg, Miss Helen Catherine Starry, Miss Susan Severin, Miss Mary Virginia Price, Miss Betty Lou Dalton, Miss Olive Jean Bretz, Miss Jean Westcott, Miss Thanya Lee Spurrier, Miss Betty Carson, Norman, and Miss Betty Andres.

If Nellie Noble quit keeping records after those 40 years, how many more college girls rented from her that are not listed here? We would like to know and hear their stories of Mrs. Nellie Noble and her "Old Fashioned Girls" whom she rented rooms to in Alva, Oklahoma as they studied at Northwestern State Teachers College.
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Alva High Class of 1959 Reunion June 2009

Bill says, " The weekend of June 5, 2009 (Friday Evening) and June 6, Saturday, the Alva High Class of 1959 will be holding their class reunion. For information contact Janet Jakubek (Hefner) - jkjakubek@hotmail.com or Bill Beeler - brbeeler@swbell.net. The  Nescatunga Arts Festival weekend on the downtown square will also be going on that first week in June 2009.  Hope to have lots of food, visiting, and renewing acquaintance." 

Bill also states, "We have not been able to locate Walt Payne, Phyllis Eason-Ille, Judy Anderson-Miller."

If you know of someone from the Class of 1959, please send them this information. If you are connected through Facebook, then checkout this Goldbug Group on Facebook that Tricia Michaelis-Durfey has started up. I hear that they are trying to get over 500 Goldbugs connected. Help them out!
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1937 Ranger Fraternity Photo

Sean Manchester says, "I stumbled upon the website regarding the Northwestern State College Wranglers. I was searching for LaVan Beckwith, who happens to be my great grandfather.

My search brought up this page.  LaVan did reside in Oklahoma at the time and I think this might be him. There is a pic on the top of the page of the officers of the fraternity (with the fraternity brother in front holding the paddle).

Would it be possible to get a larger copy of that pic?  I checked the Webshots album for the pic to no avail.  I would greatly appreciate your assistance.  This might be a big step to uncovering his past around that time."

In answer to Sean of Farmington, NM ... I have a copy of the 1937 Ranger Yearbook scanned to a PDF file (120mb) at PBPartnersllc.org/pdf-files/Ranger-1937.pdf. You can open it with your acrobat reader and download to your computer, BUT... it is a large file to download using something other than high-speed broadband.

When you open the pdf file, scroll to page 30 and it will show the pictured of the Wrangler fraternity officers. LaVan Beckwith is on the fourth row and second from the left.

YOu can see more "Old Ranger Yearbooks" at PBPartnersllc.org - Old Albums.
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Thanks For Sending Snow & Ice Our Way

Roy says, " I wanted to thank you for sending some of that snow and ice our way!  Early in the week we had a genuine heat wave but it was followed by a really cold north wind which brought us snow followed by sleet and then freezing rain on Thursday.  Then it warmed up some again.

 For me personally this has been a really good week, starting off with my dog returning home She had escaped from a hole in my privacy fence and had totally disappeared but found her way back (on her own) and barked at my front door late at night (a week later) and literally jumped into my arms when I opened the door.  That ended my male dog's continually howling in her absence.  They are both miniature pinschers.  

  Our gas prices dropped 2-cents to $1.77.9 on Thursday.  Our Conoco no longer has ethanol in its gasoline here in Perry.  That means that all the gas stations here are once again alcohol free."
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W. P. (William Pruitt) McFadden

 Wm. McFadden, Jr. says, "W.P. (William Pruitt) McFadden was my grandfather, and Alexander McFaddan my great grandfather.  I have seen the movie he wrote about, Cimarron, and it is a very good representation of how we might envision that event, had we been there to witness it.

 Of course, there is a more recent screen version that my grandfather never saw, which is the run depicted in the Ron Howard movie Far & Away, with Tom Cruise and Nichole Kidman.

Ironically, the home that Alexander McFadden built his home on a few years later is still standing today ... it may not be in great condition, but it is still there, as is the nearby McFadden cemetary where Alex & Mary are buried.  My grandparents, Wm. P. (who told the story) & Myrtle J. McFadden are buried in Blythe, CA.

Your listings of the former Freedom Rodeo Queens contains a misspelled name. The 1939 - Billy McFadden Dusey listing concerns my Aunt, and she is still living. Her last name is spelled DUCY, not DUSEY. She was the wife of William Ducy, my uncle, and my father's sister. Thanks for correcting this."
Statistics About Time Change Steve says, "More people getting outside and enjoying the season. With the change to Daylight Savings Time, Sunday's primetime Adult 18-49 TV usage levels declined 7% overall week to week (37.1% vs. 39.9%). The 7 o'clock hour was most impacted by the changeover to an extended hour of daylight, with the opening hour of prime seeing 13% less Adult 18-49 usage (30.8% vs. 35.5%), as compared to the prior week."
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Marilyn Marcum Passed Away

Steve says, "Marilyn Marcum has passed away. She had the most beautiful red hair. Seems like the Goldbugs are sure taken a hit lately. Here is a link to Marilyn's Obit."
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Warwick, Pocahontas Co., WV

Awhile back some Oklahoma friends (Bud & Lovina Clark) visited West Virginia and Virginia family land sites. They told me that there was a town called "Warwick."

So... I did a Google search and found this great map of Warwick (WV) Google map. If you have Google Earth or the Google Earth Plugin for your browser you can get a great satellite to zoom in and view of the area.

As I said earlier, Warwick, WV is situated in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, United States. Its geographical coordinates are 38° 16' 56" North, 80° 3' 51" West and its original name is Warwick.

Check out Pocahontas county#&39;s local newspaper online at The Pocahontas Times, located in Marlinton, WV.
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