Dear Duchess

For the past few days (since thursday) it has been cool, cloudy and wet with rain here in SW Colorado. AND ... It is raining on this Sunday afternoon.

Also ... the different varieties of Lilacs (dark purples, dark blues, light blues, and white lilacs) have been blooming since we have been back. There is nothing sweeter, cleaner smelling in the air than the smell of blooming Lilacs in the cool mountain air.

The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic race is going on this Memorial weekend (Saturday) as the bikers raced Steam Engine 480 from Durango to Silverton, Colorado. I think the Bikers won!

Each year the race includes two climbs topping 10,000 feet at Molas and Coal Bank passes. Racers take on 34 ascending miles and 13 descending miles on the steep mountain passes on U.S. Highway 550 between Durango and Silverton.

Last year's race was canceled because of 14 inches of snow in the high country, and snow looked likely in extended forecasts for this weekend's race for weeks.

Is it just me, or is Memorial Day a week earlier than usual? I guess I am just used to Memorial Day still being on the 30th of May. It should be next weekend!

Remembering the Veterans from Past to the Present on this Memorial Weekend, as always!
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Pringey, OK

New Pringey, WW Co., OK -- Have you ever heard of the town of Pringey, in northwest Oklahoma? It is located on Section 9-T25-R18WIM, in Woodward County, about 14 miles northwest of Quinlan. A post office was extablished in Pringey from May 18, 1901 to May 31, 1914.

To get to NEW Pringey today you would travel South of Freedom, Oklahoma on Highway 50 -- across the Cimarron River -- pass the Albaster Caverns a few miles -- turn East onto a dirt/gravel road (E0200N) that takes you through some gorgeous, hilly ranch country in northwest corner of Woodward county, Oklahoma.

The Burkhart's still maintain a home at what they call "NEW Pringey, Oklahoma," which is about 3/4 miles West of where OLD Pringey, Oklahoma once stood.

Why is this NW Okie interested in Pringey, Oklahoma?

The reason I am looking for information about Pringey, Oklahoma is because around 1905 and 1906 my grandmother, Constance Estella Warwick, was receiving her mail through the post office at Pringey, in Oklahoma Territory (O.T.).

I wrote to some friends that have a home located at "New Pringey" in Woodward county to find out information about the original Pringey, Oklahoma. This is what they shared with me:

Alan & Lana Burkhart says, "Pringey was a little town that was 3-quarter of a mile West of where we live. It had a general store and a post office. There were a few houses. All homes and buildings were dug-outs, but the roofs had shingles on them.

"Wes Nixon's dad delivered the mail from Selman, Oklahoma to Pringey. When Alan's dad was a boy and lived where we do, he would walk to Pringey and get the mail. Alan knows that the Pringey store evidently had liquor because Alan's grandad went into the store to get a drink and the mule team ran off with grandma in the wagon!

"Alan thinks that Baker Babcock's grandad ran the general store. The Babcocks come every year during their reunion and make a trip to Pringey. Pringey was located on what is now Section 9-25-18. That land is owned by Boyd Hughes.

"In the old days when they had rural schools all over the place, there was a school 1/8 mile East of where we live -- on the first corner East of our house. It was called Golden Belt. The teachers would board with the families.

"There was also a school South of here, about 7 miles, that was called West Union. Alan's brother Merle and his sister, Lavonne, went to school there. His dad had a quarter of ground south of here. Then, he bought this place from his dad, and Merle and Lavonne went to Golden Belt.
"Constance (Warwick) could have taught at West Union. Either way, she would have gotten her mail from the Pringey Post Office.

"Hope this helps! Oh, you might check with the Freedom Museum to see if they have any records of the area rural schools and/or pictures of the students and teachers."
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Quinlan, OK

View Quinlan in a larger map According to John W. Morris' book, Ghost Towns of Oklahoma, page 156, Quinlan is located in Woodward county; Sec. 20-T23N-R17WIM, 1-1/2 miles north, 19-1/2 miles east of Woodward. The post office was established April 29, 1901; the Newspaper was the Quinlan Mirror; the Railroad was the Southern Kansas Railway (Santa Fe).

Quinlan developed as a supply base and shipping center for cattlemen after the railroad crossed the Cherokee Outlet in 1887.

Before the opening of the Outlet for settlement in 1893, the area around Quinlan had been a part of one of the large leases where cattle were grazed before being shipped to market. After the opening of the Outlet many farmers settled in the vicinity and started growing wheat.

Some of the land was not well suited to this venture because of rough topography. Thus small ranches were formed by farm consolidation. Land that was suitable for growing wheat was used for that purpose.

Quinlan remained a cow town but added elevators to handle wheat shipments. Quinlan was somewhat isolated, but developed a larger commercial core than was usual in frontier farming and ranching regions. In 1907 there were twelve stores in addition to a weekly newspaper, two hotels, two elevators, two livery stables, two lumberyards, a bank, a cotton gin, and a blacksmith shop.

Before statehood two and often three saloons were open. Grain dealers and cattle buyers made Quinlan their headquarters. Two churches and a school were organized. The town had a population of approximately 325 persons.

Quinlan maintained itself until the late 1920s. Economic conditions caused many to move from the town. State Highway 15 bypassed the town about two miles to the south. No businesses, except two elevators, remained open. The school closed; one church was used part time; the noted two-story hotel had been torn down; and many homes and buildings had burned and very few replaced.

Much of the wheat land in the area had been returned to pasture. The once prosperous town is now almost deserted, but trains sill whistle at abandoned buildings as they hurry past.
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Oklahoma Gas Prices Going UP!

Roy says, "The price of regular unleaded gas has jumped up to $2.35.9 for this holiday weekend. Rain has been predicted but it may not show up. They say there's a 40% chance anywhere in the state."
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Insight Into Grandma

If there are any McClure descendants out there from Illinois related to John C. McClure, I would love to know if he saved the 1904-06 letters that my grandma Constance Warwick of Alva, Oklahoma Territory, wrote to him.

We know John C. McClure's folks had a farm and raised corn around Altona, Knox County, Illinois. It is probably a long shot finding Constance's letters to John, but would love to see if Constance letters of 1904-06 still exist.

This week's insight into Grandma takes us back to August, 1904. John addressed the letter to Constance as: 2231 Franklin Ave, St. Louis, Mo. BUT ... that address was crossed out and "forward Alva, Oklahoma" was written across the envelope with "General Delivery, Aug 31, 1904" stamped on the bottom of the envelope.

So ... Constance had been to the World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri either in July or the first part of August, 1904.

The Letter begins: "Quincy, Ill., Sunday afternoon, Miss Constance Warwick, St. Louis, Mo. Dear Connie, I will answer your ever welcome letter that I received a week ago yesterday. I suppose you will soon be starting back for the Sunny South.

"I regret very much at not being able to see you. If it had been possible, I would have visited St. Louis on purpose, but don't think I didn't want to see you. I don't expect to go to St. Louis at all, but I am aiming to see every fair that comes in the next hundred years. Don't you want to see them too? I don't know how much longer. I perhaps won't stay much longer than two weeks. I don't know where I will go then.

"I expect everything will be dull when you get back, after being to the world's fair, but you will enjoy the quiet of the country after spending a little time in the roaring city. I think I would enjoy it.

"There is a picnic at one of the parks today. I went to a show last Thurs. eve. It was On the Bridge at Mid Night and was good.

"Where did you go on the excursion? Did you have any boat rides? The Miss. R. (Mississippi River) is very low now. Write me a big long letter when you get home, telling me about the World's fair. Your True Friend, John."
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John C. McClure (Feb. 21, 1884-??)

Did you ... or Do you realize that those old "Pioneer Letters" that your grandparents bundled and saved in an old trunk in the attic or basement could reveal a lot about the pioneers, the times they lived through and the people that crossed their lives? That brings us to one pioneer in particular, John C. McClure, Altona, Knox Co., Illinois.

We have found out many things about John C. McClure. His folks were from around Altona, Knox Co., Illinois. In 1904, John McClure was boarding in Quincy, Illinois while going to the Gem City Business College. John went back to the family farm in Altona, Illinois during the summers to help with the farming and harvesting of the corn. In March 1905, John finished business school and ventured to the Northwest Oklahoma Territory and worked as a clerk at the First National Bank in Alva and was still working there in 1906.

We understand from some of John's letters to Constance that he knew several of the pioneers of Oklahoma Territory back in the early 1900's and may have lived near the Liberty school district near Constance at one time. We also have learned that Nellie Corben was just one of many cousins of John C. McClure.

Looking ahead, some of the 1905 letters reveal that from June to September of 1905 Constance was receiving letters from John while Constance was vacationing around the Virginia's (Vanderpool and Mountain Grove). For instance, in June of 1905 Constance was in Mountain Grove, West Virginia and staying and receiving mail care of Paul Warwick at Mountain Grove and visiting a cousin, Lucy Warwick.

We have not transcribed the 1905 letters yet, but from reading ahead we find that John was by then referring to Constance as his Oklahoma girl or Sweetheart (S.H.). We also learned that John C. McClure turned 21 years of age on February 21, 1905.

We have glanced through several of the 1906 letters from John to Constance and found that on January 30, 1906 John's father and sister came to Alva, Oklahoma Territory for a visit. BUT ... we do not know their names.

In May of 1905 and in 1906 John addressed letters to Miss Constance Warwick at Pringey, O.T., where Constance may have been teaching at a country school around there.

I am told from there were at least a couple of rural school districts in the area of Pringey, O.T. One being West Union school and the Golden Belt school.

Last year The OkieLegacy eZine, Vol. 10, Iss. 43 reported the following information about rural schools in the Territory: "The Oklahoma Territorial Legislature had set a term of school as not less than three months, to be held between October 1 and June 1, in each year."

This is a long-shot, but if anyone out there around the Altona, Illinois area or in Oklahoma new of John C. McClure -- know of descendants of the McClure's from Illinois, we would love to know if John saved/bundled Constance's letters together from 1904-06 and stuck them in an attic somewhere. Would also like to find a photo of John C. McClure from around the early 1900s. Thanks for any help you might pass along this way!
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Alva Class of '59 Reunion - 6/6/2009

Bill Beeler says, "Thanks for letting those know who the class of 1959 was trying to locate. Walt Payne has been located. Still looking for the others. We have a good group coming and are planning for a busy weekend. Will have a tent set up at the Nescatunga Arts Festival (June 5th, 2009) on the square that weekend. Should be a great weekend for all. Thank you for your help."
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1937 - Draft Doolin For Governor

The following news article was taken from The Oklahoman, dated Oct. 5, 1937, page 13, with the headlines that read: "Draft Doolin Move Started" & "Meeting At Alva Indorses Him for Governor."

Alva, Oct. 4, 1937 -- AP -- "Approximately 500 persons unanimously approved a resolution here Monday night seeking to draft John B. Doolin of Alva as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor in 1938.

"A committee, headed by Lee Woodward, was appointed to persuade Doolin to announce his candidacy.

"Delegates from norhtwestern and panhandle counties, Oklahoma City ad Tulsa were present.

"Doolin was out of the city. Doolin has been elected to public office only once, as register of deeds in Woods County."
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1938 - Party League Race Warmer

It was reported in The Oklahoman, dated Feb. 8, 1938, page 3 with headlines reading: "Party League Race Warmer - Alva Durggist In Contest for Presidency."

The article goes on to explain, "Entrance of a third cndidate for President of the State League of Young Democrats, Monday promised a lively dog fight at the state convention here February 22, 1938.

" The newcomer is Marion Monfort, Alva Druggist, who was indorsed at an eighth district rally in Enid, Sunday. Judson H. Pierce, Perry, president of the Noble county chapter, said Monday that the indorsement probably 'would be followed by the 12 chapters, with a convention voting strength of about 600, in that district.'

"Opinion was divided on effect Monfort's entrance would have on the campaigns of Carl Mossier, Stillwarer, and Bill Huddleston, Konowa, the other candidates.

"Huddleston supporters meantime moved to strengthen their position Monday, when Hunt announced that Miss Mignon Patterson, Oklahoma City, would not run for vice-president. She is employed in the same office as Huddleston at the statehouse, a fact on which Mossier was captializing."
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