Duchess of Weaselskin

Bayfield, CO - Well! With everyone around here laying around in the hammock in between rain showers, even my pug buddy (Sadie), I guess I am left to write my "Duchess of Weaselskin" column. BUT . . . I'm not complaining. Isn't Sadie just a cutie, though?

From Durango to Telluride in Southwest Colorado this morning and early afternoon the main streets of Durango have been blocked to traffic with only cyclists for the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. After two parade laps of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge on Monday in downtown Durango, the cyclists were out of town heading west toward Telluride where Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda's Tyler Farrer won a late sprint in the final kilometer to take the opening stage in an unofficial time of 4 hours, 42 minutes. Here is the story that appeared in Durango Herald this afternoon.

Yes! It was on DirecTV (603HD) for those that did not make it into to Durango or Telluride and somewhere along the cyclists path to watch in person. We also had a burst of afternoon rains again!

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100 Years Ago Today - 20 August 1912

America - It was Tuesday, August 20, 1912, that we read in The World, out of New York, about the "Young Mrs. Astor Not To Contest Husband's Will." Col. John Jacob Astor died earlier in 1912 in the sinking of the Titanic.

Judge Henry A. Gildersleeve, counsel for Mrs. Madeline Force Astor, widow of Col. John Jacob Astor, today dictated the following statement for publication in The Evening World, which indicates quite positively that there will be no contest of the will.

Madeline Force Astor, the widow, had always expressed entire satisfaction wight he provisions made for her by her late husband, both in the ante-nuptial agreements which were entered into and also by the various articles of his will. She has not now nor has she ever had any desire or intention to dispute the validity of the agreements or attack any of the articles of the will.

As for setting aside the will any lawyer of the slightest experience would not advise that it could possibly be done. Col. Astor was of sufficient age and of sound mind when he executed his last will and testament. It was prepared by Mr. Lewis Cass Ledyard, who was familiar with the various wills of the several heads of the Astor family.

The will was drawn in accordance with provisions contained in similar documents executed by needs of the Astor family who preceded Col. Astor.

All of its provisions were valid and strictly conform to the laws of the State of New York. In reference to the article of the will providing for posthumous children it must be said that while the fund of $3 million seems to be rather small in view of the large estate Col. Astor left and as compared with the sum William Vincent Astor will receive, it is, nevertheless, a large fortune and sample for the heir's maintenance and education.

It was highly probable that the trust estate set apart in compliance with this provision of the will, if wisely and judiciously selected from the Astor property, will quadruple in value before the heir reaches the age of twenty-one years. Should there be no increase in value of the corpus of this trust the unexpended income therefrom, with accumulated interest, will amount to at least $5 million or $6 million, which the child would received for his own on reaching his majority.

Judge Gildersleeve came down from maplewood, New Hampshire, where he was spending his vacation especially to consult with Mrs. Astor and her father, William H. Force, with reference to the early appointment of a guardian for little John Jacob Astor. He was in conference with the Force's that afternoon, and he would not return to New Hampshire before Thursday night.

In connection with his statement concerning the position of Madeline Force Astor and her family with respect to the will of Col. Astor, Judge Gildersleave wished to have it made clear that it only covered his present view of the subject. he would not be bound by it in any way as to the future. In substance he did not desire his statement to be taken as in any way outlining the attitude of any guardian who might act for the littlest Astor within the next two years, the time in which any provision of the will might be attacked in the courts. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

NW Okie's Corner

Bayfield, CO - How's the drought & dryness in the heartland and prairies? Back in 1912, besides the early thirties, they were also battling the drought.

In our research through old newspapers of Oklahoma we found in September, 1913, that Northwestern Oklahoma needed little or no rain to mature its crops. The paper reported that this was proven again during the season the year before when two-thirds of a wheat crop was secured in Ellis, Harper and Beaver counties with practically no rain since early in the spring. Also . . . good crops of kafir, milo maize, broomcorn and feterita resulted where properly tended.

Also in our research of September, 1913, in The Oklahoma Miner, located in Krebs, Pittsburgh county, Oklahoma, we found where Victor M. Locke, Jr. was principle chief of the Choctaw Nation, and Mrs. Vivia Nail Robertson of Caddo were married at the home of the bride by the Rev. Luther Roberts, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, at Caddo. Only a few intimate friends were present at the ceremony. Chief and Mrs. Locke have gone to Palmer lake, Colorado, to be with Mrs. Locke's brother, who was very ill. They would reside at Antlers.

Are there any McClenathan descendants out there? We found a George P. McClenathan of Bartlesville was drowned at Sand Springs near Tulsa, when he was 27 years old.

Also . . . the 24th year of the Central Normal school was opened last week with an enrollment of nearly 500 students, a large increase over last year when 318 Had enrolled at the end of the first day.

Did you know that there was a referendum petition asking that the bill enacted at the last special session of the legislature forbidding race track betting be referred to the voters of the state, had received more than the legal number of signatures and will be filed with the secretary of state in a few days, according to R. J. Allison, who was president of the Tulsa jockey club. As no referendum would be submitted until the state primaries in August of 1914. Back then Oklahoma seemed likely to have a continuance of betting on horse racing.

Last but not least, back in September, 1913, the trial of Mrs. Lorena Mathews began in the district court at Guthrie and will occupy most of a week. She is charged jointly with James Chapman, negro, with the murder of Lawrence Mathews, her husband, on the night of December 8, 1908.

"Stop the GOP War On Women, Students, Seniors & Minorities!"

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Pendleton County, (West) Virginia - Formation & Early Middle Period (1787-1818)

Pendleton Cty, (W) VA - As we learn more about our ancestors of Pendleton county, (West) Virginia, we have found many names listed below showing up in our paternal genealogy of the Warwick/Gwin/Eckard ancestors. Especial how the Poage/Poague family married into the Warwick family. I have tried to include in parenthesis those in my ancestry tree.

Abraham Eckard's relationship to this NW Okie is as a paternal grandfather of wife of great grand aunt (Reuhama Gwin). Such as, Abraham Eckard (1791 - ), relationship to me: paternal grandfather of wife of great grand aunt; Absalom Eckard (1825 - 1898), Son of Abraham; Job E Eckard (1847 - 1911), Son of Absalom; Reuhama "Hami" GWIN (1857 - 1921), Wife of Job E.; Samuel GWIN (1825 - 1871), Father of Reuhama "Hami"; Signora Belle Gwin (1860 - 1934), Daughter of Samuel; Constance Estella WARWICK (1882 - 1968), Daughter of Signora Belle; Gene M MCGILL (1914 - 1986), Son of Constance Estella Warwick McGill; and that leads to me, Linda Kay MCGILL Wagner, daughter of Gene McGill.

Between the Early middle period of 1788-1818 we find that the county of Pendleton began its separate existence as the ninth of the counties which now constitute West Virginia. It entered upon a long career of peaceful and steady development. The Redstone insurrection of 1794 and the war of 1812 were remote from its borders.

At the close of 1787 the population of Rockingham was nearly 7000, including about 700 slaves. Two fifths of its area lying beyond the high, broad, and infertile Shenandoah Mountain, the time had come when it was too inconvenient to travel from 30 to 60 miles to reach the courthouse. Accordingly the State legislature passed an Act, December 4, 1787, for the formation of Pendleton county, Virginia.

Within the limits defined by the Act of 1787, the area of Pendleton was perhaps 850 square miles. On the east, north and west, the original boundaries had remained unaltered. On the south there had been two subsequent changes. The original boundary included the northern portion of the Crabbottom and all the rest of the present county of Highland that lies north of the watershed between the streams flowing into the Potomac and those forming the upper basin of the James. near Doe Hill the line therefore fell even northward of its present location.

The population and distribution of Pendleton inhabitants between the three valleys lived mainly along the larger watercourses with the mountains being an unbroken forest.

Seraiah Stratton house was decreed that the new county should be organized and the first term of court be held, laid about a fourth of a mile south of the Ruddle postoffice, only a few yards tot he west of the present highway, and close to a watering trough. The only present vestige of the dwelling was a mound of rocks marking the site of the chimney and from the midst of which rises a young tree. Tradition states that the court used the barn instead of the house. Whether the house or barn ws used, the charge of four dollars for the whole period of time during which the premises were used as a county seat does not look exorbitant.

The organization of the county government was described in the records as such: "Be it remembered that at the house of Seraiah Stratton, in the county of Pendleton, on the 2nd day of June and in the year of our Lord 1788, and in the 12 year of the Commonwealth, Commissions of the peace and of Oyer and Terminer, directed to Robert Davis, John Skidmore, Moses Hinkle, James Dyer (NW Okie's 5th great grand uncle), Isaac Hinkle, Robert Poage/Poague, James Skidmore, Matthew Patton, Peter Hull (NW Okie's 4th great grand uncle), James Patterson, and Jacob Hoover, Gentlemen, was produced and read and thereupon the said Robert Davis took the Oath appointed by the Act of Assembly giving assurance of fidelity to the Commonwealth, and took the Oaths of a Justice of the peace, of a Justice of the county court in Chancery, and of a Justice of Oyer and Terminer, all of which Oaths were administered to him by the said John Skidmore and Moses Hinkle. Robert Davis administered all the aforesaid Oaths to the said John Skidmore, Moses Hinkle, James Dyer, Isaac Hinkle, James Skidmore, Matthew Patton, and James Patterson."

"A commission from his excellency the Governor to Robert Davis, gent. to be high sheriff of this county during pleasure was produced by the said Robert Davis and read, thereupon together with Seraiah Stratton, Francis Evick, Roger Dyer (NW Okie's 6th great grandfather), James Davis, Isaac Hinkle, and George Dice, his securities, entered into and acknowledged two Bonds for the said Robert Davis's due and faithful performance of his office, which are ordered to be recorded. And then the said Robert Davis took the oath for giving assurance of fidelity to the commonwealth and was sworn sheriff of said county."

Of the eleven justices, Davis, Dyer and Patton were brothers-in-laws. The Hinkles were of one family, and the Skidmores were of one other, and were related to the Hinkles. It is quite probable that still other relationships existed.

The organization of the county government was perfected by the following selections: President of the court, John Skidmore; Clerk of court, Garvin Hamilton; Prosecuting Attorney, Samuel Reed; Deputy sheriffs, John Davis, and John Morral.

Overseers of the Poor, James Dyer, John Skidmore, Christian Ruleman, Ulrich Conrad, John Dunkle.

Constables, Gabriel Collett, George Dice, Jacob Gum, Johnson Phares, Isaac Powers, William Ward, George Wilkeson. County Lieutenant, James Dyer. Regimental Militia Officers: Colonel Robert Poage/Poague; Lieutenant Colonel, Peter Hull; Major Henry Fleisher.

Overseers of Roads: North Fork; (north to south) Michael Eberman, Abraham Hinkle, Isaace Hinkle, Moses Hinkle, South Branch; George Fisher, Michael Alkire, Francis Evick, Christian Pickle, Nicholas Harper, McKenny Robinson, George Nicholas, South Fork; John Wortmiller, James Dyer, Roger Dyer, Henry Swadley, Jacob Hoover, Christian Ruleman.

After building the courthouse on the lands of Francis Evick, and to hold the next court at his house, James Patterson was directed to attend the surveyor in laying out the courthouse grounds. He was also appointed jailer. To make the seat of local government more accessible, road surveys were ordered to Roger Dyer's, to brushy Fork, and to the North Fork at Joseph Bennett's.

The first grand jury met September 1, with Jacob Conrad being foreman. The other members were Michael Arbogast, Lewis Bush, Jacob Coplinger. Abraham Eckard (paternal grandfather of wife of NW Okie's great grand aunt), Nicholas Harpole, Isaac Hinkle, George Kile, Adam Lough, Robert Minniss, Frederick Propst, George Puffenbarger, Jacob Root, Joseph Skidmore, John Sumwalt, Philip Teter, and Peter Vaneman. With Hardy and Hampshire, Pendleton became a judicial district with the court sitting at "Hardy Courthouse."

Robert Davis was of a welch family that settled in North Carolina and moved to Virginia. He may have been the son of Robert Davis, an early settler of Augusta and its first constable. He settled a half mile below Brandywine, at least as early as 1764, purchasing land in that year of Matthew Patton. About this time he married Sarah, daughter of Roger Dyer and widow of Peter Hawes. His older brothers, John and William, settled also on the South Fork.

Whether John Davis was the one who was a justice of Rockingham and was appointed to let the building of its first courthouse was not really known, though. William died in 1773, and Robert was his executor. Robert was a major in the Continental army and saw active service, especially among the Indians west of the Alleghanies. He was present at the killing of Big Foot, a noted chief.

In 1779 he was commissioned Captain of militia for Rockingham, resigning in 1781. He was one of the first justices of that county, but owing to his military duties, he was not present to take his oath of office until May 25, 1779. In 1780 and 181 he was the leader if the South Fork patriots against the Tory faction. The disturbance was brought to an end by a truce he arranged with Ward and Hull. In 1784 he was recommended as coroner. In 1785 he and James Davis were the committee to view the repairs on the new Rockingham courthouse. In 1786 he became sheriff of Rockingham, and held this office until he became the first sheriff of Pendleton. He was again sheriff in 1804, and served his county as member of the house of delegates in 1793-94. He was a justice of the peace from 1778 until his death in 1818 at an advanced age. he was frequently called upon in the settlement of estates and in other matters of public business, thus indicating a high degree of practical judgment. he was one of the substantial residents on the South Fork. On his land stood with one exception the first mill in that valley and probably the very first schoolhouse.

Matthew Patton was one of the very first members of the Dyer Settlement, and after the murder of Roger Dyer he became a leading citizen of the Pendleton territory. he was commissioned a justice of the peace, August 19, 1761, and for a number of years he took the lists of tithables for this portion of Augusta.

James Dyer, brother-in-law to Patton, has been elsewhere mentioned. he was a prominent and well-to-do citizen, and much concerned in the public affairs of the county. The Skidmores of the South branch were enterprising citizens and large landholders. Captian John Skidmore had a military career in the Indian wars and doubtless also in the Revolution. He was wounded in the battle of Point Pleasant, and is said on one occasion to have killed an Indian in single combat.

Moses and Isaac Hinkle, cousins to Captain Skidmore, were progressive and energetic and of more than usual ability. Isaac was a sheriff of Rockingham a little prior to 1783. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

The Drought of 1913

Oklahoma - It was September 18, 1913, in The Oklahoma Miner, located in Krebs, Pittsburg county (southeastern corner of the state), Oklahoma, that we find on page three the headlines "The Drought of 1913 Is One More Argument For Common Sense Farming."

Back in 1913 there were land speculators who were so anxious to prove that Oklahoma was a great corn country and regularly defeated their own purpose by planting large acreages to corn on land totally unsuited to the crop. It was on July 1, 1912, the conditions of the corn crop in Oklahoma was 90; higher than any other state. But in August, 1912 it dropped to 65; lower than any other state. The average condition of corn in Oklahoma on August 1, during a period of ten years, was 76. The only one state, Texas, was lower with an average condition of 73.

These figures were the figures sent out by the Bureau of Statistics of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Businessmen all over the country used them as a basis for forming their opinion of Oklahoma as an agricultural state. They were official figures and they could not be offset by wild statements in boosting dope which may be spread broadcast. There was reported in 1913 a lot of good corn in Oklahoma, perhaps 3 million acres which had a condition of 80 on August 1, 1913.

But in addition to the corn planted on corn land in Oklahoma about 2,500,000 acres were planted on land and under conditions not at all suited to the production of a profitable corn crop. The poor condition of this large area offset the good condition of the rest and put into the permanent records of the government a report on the condition of corn in Oklahoma on August 1, 1912, which would indicate to those who do not understand all of the facts, that Oklahoma was not a corn country at all.

It was reported in 1913 that it was time to stop this sort of foolishness. Not only had the effort to prove that "Oklahoma was a great corn country" failed to fool anyone; it had brought about official reports which lead the uninformed to believe that corn was unprofitable on all lands in Oklahoma.

It was also reported that land that had failed to produce at least 25 bushels of good corn to the acre should not be planted to corn again. They were wanting to limit the corn acreage to real corn lands so that Oklahoma may get full credit among the rest of the states for what it really does in the way of the profitable production of corn.

They were telling farmers the following suggestions to "Farm by a Safe System" which John Fields, H. M. Cottrell and the bankers had been urging upon the farmers in every possible way, would, if they had been adopted in 1913, have averted much of the disaster which had come upon us.

There was a system of farming, based upon experience and experiment in Oklahoma, where rainfall is always variable and often deficient, and where strong winds and high summer temperatures produce conditions unknown to farmers of the Northern and Atlantic Coast states, has been developed and should be adopted by all farmers.

The general plan of operation was based on the following:

1. Corn should be planted only on bottom lands; the season of 1912 was better than the average for corn and land which did not yield more than 25 bushels of corn to the acre in 1912 should hereafter be planted to kafircorn.
2. Every acre of rich, well-drained bottom land which does not overflow frequently or for long periods of time should be put to alfalfa as soon as possible.
3. The smooth, tillable uplands and prairies should never be planted to corn. They should instead be planted to kafircorn or milo maize for a sure crop of grain for feed and sale, and for filling silos and providing rough feed; to cowpeas and peanuts for feed and forage and soil improvement; and to cotton, wheat, oats, and broomcorn for cash crops, wherever soil and climate are suitable.
4. The washy soils, hillsides, rough places, alkali lands, and overflow bottoms should be set to hardy bermuda grass, wherever this grass thrives.
5. Those who follow a general system of farming such as this, and feed most of their crops to good livestock, will be the ultimate owners of all the good farms in Oklahoma.

The Drought of 1913

Oklahoma - It was September 18, 1913, in The Oklahoma Miner, located in Krebs, Pittsburg county (southeastern corner of the state), Oklahoma, that we find on page three the headlines "The Drought of 1913 Is One More Argument For Common Sense Farming."

Back in 1913 there were land speculators who were so anxious to prove that Oklahoma was a great corn country and regularly defeated their own purpose by planting large acreages to corn on land totally unsuited to the crop. It was on July 1, 1912, the conditions of the corn crop in Oklahoma was 90; higher than any other state. But in August, 1912 it dropped to 65; lower than any other state. The average condition of corn in Oklahoma on August 1, during a period of ten years, was 76. The only one state, Texas, was lower with an average condition of 73.

These figures were the figures sent out by the Bureau of Statistics of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Businessmen all over the country used them as a basis for forming their opinion of Oklahoma as an agricultural state. They were official figures and they could not be offset by wild statements in boosting dope which may be spread broadcast. There was reported in 1913 a lot of good corn in Oklahoma, perhaps 3 million acres which had a condition of 80 on August 1, 1913.

But in addition to the corn planted on corn land in Oklahoma about 2,500,000 acres were planted on land and under conditions not at all suited to the production of a profitable corn crop. The poor condition of this large area offset the good condition of the rest and put into the permanent records of the government a report on the condition of corn in Oklahoma on August 1, 1912, which would indicate to those who do not understand all of the facts, that Oklahoma was not a corn country at all.

It was reported in 1913 that it was time to stop this sort of foolishness. Not only had the effort to prove that "Oklahoma was a great corn country" failed to fool anyone; it had brought about official reports which lead the uninformed to believe that corn was unprofitable on all lands in Oklahoma.

It was also reported that land that had failed to produce at least 25 bushels of good corn to the acre should not be planted to corn again. They were wanting to limit the corn acreage to real corn lands so that Oklahoma may get full credit among the rest of the states for what it really does in the way of the profitable production of corn.

They were telling farmers the following suggestions to "Farm by a Safe System" which John Fields, H. M. Cottrell and the bankers had been urging upon the farmers in every possible way, would, if they had been adopted in 1913, have averted much of the disaster which had come upon us.

There was a system of farming, based upon experience and experiment in Oklahoma, where rainfall is always variable and often deficient, and where strong winds and high summer temperatures produce conditions unknown to farmers of the Northern and Atlantic Coast states, has been developed and should be adopted by all farmers.

The general plan of operation was based on the following:

1. Corn should be planted only on bottom lands; the season of 1912 was better than the average for corn and land which did not yield more than 25 bushels of corn to the acre in 1912 should hereafter be planted to kafircorn.
2. Every acre of rich, well-drained bottom land which does not overflow frequently or for long periods of time should be put to alfalfa as soon as possible.
3. The smooth, tillable uplands and prairies should never be planted to corn. They should instead be planted to kafircorn or milo maize for a sure crop of grain for feed and sale, and for filling silos and providing rough feed; to cowpeas and peanuts for feed and forage and soil improvement; and to cotton, wheat, oats, and broomcorn for cash crops, wherever soil and climate are suitable.
4. The washy soils, hillsides, rough places, alkali lands, and overflow bottoms should be set to hardy bermuda grass, wherever this grass thrives.
5. Those who follow a general system of farming such as this, and feed most of their crops to good livestock, will be the ultimate owners of all the good farms in Oklahoma.

1912 - Regulars Want Third Party Candidates Listed As Independents

Chicago, Illinois - It was 20 August 1912, in the Bisbee Daily Review, of Bisbee, Arizona, that we find where the regulars wanted the third party candidates listed as "Independents" as the Bull Moose objects. The headlines on the front page read, "Progressives Fight For Name On Ill. Ticket."

Chicago, Aug. 19, 1912 -- Illinois progressive leaders held an extended conference to devise some plan that would insure the placing of the names of their candidates on the state ticket under the party circle containing the name "Progressives." Republican organization men insist that if progressives obtain a circle from the secretary of state on the official ballot, that the circle shall contain the name "independent," not progressive. They say the progressives are not a regularly organized party within the meaning of the election laws, that under the statutes covering nominations filed by petition the word "independent" must be used.

Under such accounting, anyone who got up a two percent petition also would be listed with the progressive candidates. In this manner men without the endorsement of the progressives could be listed under the same circle marked "Independent."

Attorneys for the progressive state committee agent over the ground with a view to the possibility of filing a mandamus suit in the supreme court to compel the grouping of all progressive candidates under one circle on the ticket so that they can be voted for with one pencil mark.

Former Governor Hoch, of Kansas was among those who today visited republican headquarters at Chicago. He said the present political situation was in many respects similar to that of 1896. He predicted the re-election of president Taft. Eugene W. Chaffin, prohibition nominee for President, will arrive tomorrow for a conference with his campaign managers. Chaffin is doing much of his campaigning by automobile, making as many as ten speeches each day. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe