Okie's NW Corner

It was a beautiful week in NW Oklahoma. At times the temperatures reached the 80's and 90's a few times. Especially, on Thursday and Friday. I should know... my arms, nose and cheeks are still slightly warm with a "Sunny, Red tint" from working horses all day Friday. That is why this week's ezine is running a bit late tonight... OR... should I say this morning?

As for Easter Sunday... We hope you all found your Easter eggs that the Easter Bunny dropped at your house and had a hoppin', great Easter celebration filled with family, friends and enjoy the rebirth of Life, Spring things poppin' up in your yards... even those dreaded Dandelions and it's furry puff balls. Celebrating with family, friends and adopted families was something special around our neck of the woods for us. This is Sharise Whitney. If you click the photo, you will see her with a cousin.

Progess Continues of Castle on the Hill Mural...

Last week we mentioned that the Alva Mural Society and three local artists ( Warren Little, Jim Richey and Rod Duncan) had begun painting on the Castle on the Hill Mural. They are still continuing the painting and this photo is what they had done by Thursday, April 15, 2004. If you are in Woods County, Alva, Oklahoma, at the corner of 5th Street and Oklahoma Blvd. on Monday afternoon, April 19, 2004... you can watch these local artists at work on this mural. I understand that this is the first Alva mural painted by local artists. Way to go, guys! Keep up the great work! A BIG Thanks to our local artists, their time and talents! There will also be a hamburger fry for all those making donations while they gaze on the local artists painting the mural. Come Out! Help Support the Alva Mural Society! Stop By! If you are in OUR Neck of the Woods county!

What else is happening in NW Oklahoma? Oh, Yeah! The Alfalfa County Museum is having an Open House, Sunday, April 18, from 2 - 4 p.m. with refreshments - tours - Cherokee Early Years Centennial Bookwill be on sale for $5.00. AND... for you procrastinators -- The deadline has been extended for at least 60 days to submit stories and order copies of Our Alfalfa County Heritage family history book. You can read more about that in the Mailbag Corner.

The Church History...

As I am informed by snail-mail, "A building fund was started in Feb. 28 to build a church at Elm Flat. Articles were donated and a public sale was held Sept. 12th - 28 on the place north of the schoolhouse occupied by Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Harmon. Proceeds amounted to $314.86. It was placed on interest at different times. Quilts were quilted and finally it was put into bonds. Then in the fall of 1949 the Elm Flat school district was annexed to the Cleo district. The church board consisting of Kay Loomis, Claude Sacket, Carl Newton, John Lee and Jesse Clow bought the school building and 2 acres of ground for $300, Nov. 23rd, 1949. Feb. 26th, '50, a membership meeting was held to work out plans for remodeling and make the church. Work was started March 27th, '50. Mrs. Ray Loomis was elected church secretary, custodian of church records. On Jul. 23rd, 1950 the building was remodeled and ready for dedication."

Duchess is reminding me that it is way passed our bedtime. One good note is... the heat from my sunburn has cooled of quite a bit. We understand that the Annual Waynoka Rattlesnake Hunt is this weekend. Does that mean rain? We shall see what this weekend brings. I hope some cooler temperatures and some rain. See you all next weekend with more NW Okie Legacies.

Elm Flat Church & School...

As to the Elm Flat Church & School... the school history goes something like this -- Elm Flat School, District #58, Alfalfa County, was organized on 3 May 1894. The location was Township 23, Range 12, and the schoolhouse was in the NW/quarter of Section 29. In 1900 the cost of the schoolhouse erected was $183.00. It was annexed to Cleo in 1949-50.

This is how the schoolhouse looked in October 1957. School was not longer held here, of course, but church services were. In the "Good Ol' Days" shcool was held during week days -- during school terms -- but on Sundays the building was used for Church and Sunday school.

The hills located east of the school/church building were what the Elm Flat school students found as a fun place to play during recess. Those hills were considered "mighty steep" in those days. Some say they don't look that way now, but then again maybe "we've grown taller."

Dacoma Alumni - Reunion...

"The Dacoma High School Alumni Reunion was held Easter weekend, Saturday, April 10, 2004, in the Dacoma Gymnasium. We have the reunion every second year on the Saturday evening before Easter. Part of the evening's celebration includes a memorial service for those DHS alumni who have died since the previous alumni reunion. This year, I took the liberty of transferring the list to a web page, thinking that perhaps it might aid someone in a genealogical search. The web page is located at the following URL: freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~murrow/RCM/dacoma-alumni-memoriam.htm." -- Rodney Murrow - Email: murrows@pldi.net - Dacoma High School, Class of 1967, Now living in Freedom, OK View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Immigration Passenger Lists...

"I have been reading microfilm on Ancestry.com and I found the Johann Hurt family on toll 402 List 197 on the Ship Weser arriving at the Port of New York on 14 March 1876. Listed in Steerage are: Johann Hurt 41, Anna 14 child, Maria 9 child, Johann 8 child, Barbara 6 child, Franz 4 child, Anton 2 child, Maria 39 wife. In the 1880 census for Howard, NE are the following: John Hurt 50, Mary 45, Anna 18, John 13, Barbara 11, Frank 9, Antona 7. I am assuming from this listing that Maria age 9 in 1876, died before the 1880 census. I am also assuming that Anton in 1876 is the same as Antona in 1880. I cannot find Joseph P. Hurt in the Immigration records. He did not come over with his parents. We know he was in Nebraska by at least 1878 to marry Anna Wallman. I found an Anton Hurt on the Ship Oder landing in New York on 11 November 1876 but he was only 24 so I didn't think he was the Anton listed in the 1880 census as being 48. Can you shed some light on these discrepancies?" -- Your Cousin, Kathy Gregory - Email: gregory@rh.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Alfalfa County Museum - OPEN HOUSE...

Alfalfa County Museum Open House, Sunday, April 18, 2 - 4pm. Refreshments - Tours - Cherokee Early Years Centennial Book ($5.00) - Contact: Marty Myers - Email: lookout@itlnet.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

10 Dog peeves About Humans...

"Now some of these are kind of rude but for anyone who has ever had a pet or has been around pets, these are WAY too funny .... either that or I'm just in "one of those moods"! Enjoy! 10 DOG PEEVES ABOUT HUMANS:
--Blaming your farts on me....not funny....not very funny at all!
--Yelling at me for barking....I'M A FRIGGIN' DOG YOU IDIOT!
--Taking me for a walk, then not letting me check stuff out. Exactly whose walk is this anyway?
--Any trick that involves balancing food on my nose....stop it!
--Any haircut that involves bows or ribbons. Now you know why we chew your stuff up when you're not home.
--The sleight of hand, fake fetch throw. You fooled a dog! What a proud moment for the top of the food chain..... you nitwit.
--Taking me to the vet for "the big snip", then acting surprised when I freak out every time we go back.
--Getting upset when I sniff the crotches of your guests. Sorry, but I haven't quite mastered that handshake thing yet.
--How you act disgusted when I lick myself. Look, we both know the truth, you're just jealous.
--Dog sweaters. Have you noticed the fur? Imbecile!!!!
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Deadline Extended 60 Days...

"The deadline has been extended for at least 60 days to submit stories and order copies of Our Alfalfa County Heritage family history book. New brochures will be out soon and can be picked up at The Alva Chamber of Commerce and the Alva Public Library. Mean time pick up the old brochure with details and order forms for books. Any questions Phone: Marty at (580) 596-2739 or the ACHS at (580) 596-2960. Don't miss this opportunity to get your family history in this book." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

King/Spencer Family & Freedom, OK...

"Robert 'Bob' and Florence (King) Spencer were my great-grandparents. I visit your Okie Legacy website often to stay in touch with my roots. I have many precious memories of good times spent in Freedom, Oklahoma with family and friends. I look forward to my next visit in August during the rodeo." -- LaTonna Spencer Sims - Email: latonns@aol.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Enjoyed Visit...

"Found your site while prowling the net. Stayed a while. Enjoyed my visit." -- Bob at www.besombinder.com - Bob Aborn - Email: raborn@snet.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Thanks...

"Just a thank you for the great songs I heard on your site. Thought you would like to know that many of the links particularly in the Country and Western section were not working, and I couldn't hear the music. I see that you are into Genealogy and am sure that most of your time is taken up with that. However, as I sai... I just thought you would like to know. Thanks again" -- Lois View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Schmalsle & Buffalo Hunters and Skinners...

"My relative is William Frederick Schmalsle. He was a buffalo hunter, Indian guide, scout, and courier to Lieutenant Baldwin and General Miles. He was in the Red River Wars and helped rescue the German sisters. Also, he was a deputy Sheriff who arrested a member of the Jesse James gang, Big Nose George Parrott. Currently, I am helping a woman with a series of four books, Buffalo Hunters and Skinners. Schmalsle will be in the 4th book. So I am trying to find information on Schmalsle's buffalo hunting." -- Ellen K. Compton - Email Address: ellen_k@comcast.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Round Pond & Burlington and Jet Oklahoma Murals...

"Linda, there are several good pictures of Round Pond, O.T. at this site. There are also murals painted on buildings at Burlington and Jet Ok." -- Lois Caywood Guffy

Editor's Note: [SEE: Burlington #1, Burlington #2 & Burlington #3 and Jet OK Murals... In my travels awhile back I found these Jet Oklahoma murals on the eastside of Jet, and the eastside of Alfalfa County, Oklahoma. According to the info on one of the murals, since 1893 to 1906 -- Jet was established in three town sites - The original townsite in 1893 - The second town site in 1895; The third town site in 1906. There are five murals lined up on the northside of highway 64. One shows a scene of the old downtown of Jet around 1895 - Run of '93 - Jet Mural #2 - Jet, Oklahoma - The Jet Community
Present Main Street Scene] View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Sooner Born & Bred...

"I love reading about Oklahoma. Anything is OK with me. Sooner Born, and Sooner Bred, and when I die, I'll be Sooner Dead. Go Sooners." -- Scott Bumgarner - Email: sooner1944@cableone.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Old Toot-n-Tell...

"I remember when that building was the TOOT & TELL. Dan says he thought it was a gas station at one time. Have a good Easter." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Woods County Townships...

"I certainly appreciate your sending these two township maps, which I have downloaded. I do not recognize any of the Jenkins's in these townships, but it will certanly bear some looking into. My grandfather was Edgar Jenkins, and in 1910 he was listed as a US Mail Carrier, star route, in Woods County, Patterson township. By 1910, he had either sold his land, or had lost it. The mailing address around 1905 was Lookout, Ok. Does that give you any clue as to whether they were in Woodward County? The land purchase papers that I have show the township No. 28 N, Range No. 19 W District is not shown. information page that I have shows that it came from Roll 10, Vol. 33, P. 100. County is not shown at the top, but Woodward does show up on the form. Just thought maybe that would help clue you in, and maybe let me know if the land was in Woodward County. I do want to thank you again for taking the trouble, and time, to send me those downloads of townships."-- Edgar
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