Duchess Corner

Contrary to what some might think, they do NOT pay Oakie to leave the State of Oklahoma! At least she has NOT seen any kick-back from her scheduled departures from NW Oklahoma.

AND... After we got back to the SW Colorado mountains, Sadie weighed-in at 5.5 pounds during her 13-1/2 weeks checkup with the Vet here in Bayfield, Colorado. That's a 2-pound gain in three weeks. I think it's all legs, though!

On Monday of this week, in NW Oklahoma the temperature at Freedom was forecast to be 104 degree. We left Oklahoma Monday morning, headed to Colorado -- the forecast for Tuesday in Freedom was 78 degrees. Does this have anything to do with Oakie Leaving? Does she make it "HOT" in NW Oklahoma? Who knows!

We have had lots of hummingbird visitors this week. In the evenings we might count from 8 to 10 hovering over each feeder. AND... we have two feeders hanging on the front patio. Those hummingbirds seem to go through the couple of feeders in a couple of days. I told Oakie we need to get to the grocery store and stock up on sugar. [Hummingbird Nectar Recipe: 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Boil water first, then measure and add sugar, at the rate of 1/4 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water. Let cool and store excess in regrigerator until ready to use. Do NOT add food coloring, honey or artificial sweetener.]

With the end of July upon us, where has the Summer gone? It has been warm in SW Colorado, but not like Oklahoma. At least it cools off during the dawn and dusk hours. AND... the temperatures are about 20 degrees cooler (without the humidity) here in SW Colorado as compared to NW Oklahoma. View/Write Comments (count 3)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Chronicles of Oklahoma...

We were glancing through the Chronicles of Oklahoma over at the Oklahoma Historical Society website. We found an interesting article about "Old Beaver County" (No-Mans Land). Did most of you know that "Old Beaver County" was comprised of Beaver, Texas and Cimarron counties? AND... this Old Beaver county was included within the territory of Texas and incorporated within some early Land Grants made between the years of 1820 and 1840.

If you subscribe to the Oklahoma Historical Society's Chronicles of Oklahoma, check out Volume LXXXIII, No. 1, Spring, 2005. It has an article "Researching Tom Joad: John Steinbeck, Journalist, 1936." by Paul Bailey.

Steinbeck began his articles with a short history of California agriculture... its evolution from a livestock-based agricultural economy to one comprised predominantly of fruit and vegetable production. Steinbeck then presented a brief history of migrant labor in California, noting that Chinese, Japanese, Filipino and Mexican immigrants had all been employed in agriculture. The influx of migrant laborers known as the "Okies" during the 1930's were the poverty-stricken small farmers from the drought-ravaged midwestern and southwestern United States and could not be deported. The Dust Bowl refugees were Americans. They were not from a peon class, but were former landowners or hired hands with close cultural ties to their employers. They desired to buy land. After enduring drought and hardship, they were not easily intimidated. An Okie family arriving in California, usually netted less than $400 for a year's work and spent most of their income on food, gasoline required to travel to the next job. In terms of housing, there were federal government camps, private camps provided by the farmer or squatters' camps.

The private camps on large farms provided a place to pitch a tent or rented tiny huts for four to eight dollars per month and provided one toilet and shower for every 200 to 300 campers.

A squatters' camp consisted of an irrigation ditch or riverbank around which several hundred people were crowded and sanitation was nonexistent and disease was epidemic. The migrants were tolerated only until the crop was harvested, then urged to move on, sometimes forcibly.

The Arvin was a Federal Security Administration (FSA) camp on the outskirts of Bakersfield, California. This camp was popularly known as Weedpatch and the camp's manager was Tom Collins. Collins was a dedicated humanitarian and efficient administrator. Collins knew that the migrants coming into the FSA camps had been intimidated and insulted, and he tactfully worked to restore their dignity. The FSA depended on Collins to establish the camps and to train managers to maintain them.

The Okies realized that they should organize for their own safety, they had encountered stiff resistance from the Assoicated Farmers who accused those desiring a fair wage of being communists. The Okie migrants were intimidated by deputy sheriffs and vigilantes, as well as by rumors of poison gas being used on picketers and water supplies being infected with typhoid germs. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Among Other Things...

We received an email this week from Mario, whose grandfather (Karl Wegmann) was a German Air Force soldier in North Afrika during WWII. Karl came to Camp Alva in 1943 as a prisoner and worked in the camp kitchen. Karl was from Theilheim, near Wuerzburg, Germany and died in 1982. Mario is looking for anyone that could share stories and information concerning Karl Wegmann. Mario's Email address is listed in the Mailbag Corner. Thanks for any stories, information that you might be able to share with us and Mario.

We have also made contact with Dewey Charles Mosshart the fourth Great-grandson of D.C. Mosshart and William Dee "Doy" Julian of Alva, Oklahoma, concerning the Old Postcard of Ora F. Mosshart that was sent to our Grandmother Constance (Warwick) McGill.

Hope Y'all are keeping cool during these Dog Days of Summer. It can't last much longer. Hang in there. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Home Comfort Cook Stove...

"I inherited a Home Comfort CB31 WINCO 1931 Grey Graniteware Range from my mom who grew up with one as a child. I am totally envious of your cookbook if you ever see another or decide to sell yours I would very much be interested." -- Lori

[Home Comfort Cookbook - NW OkieLegacy Webshots] View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Do They Pay You To Leave Town...

"Well, I'll be darned, it really works. You were in NW Oklahoma and the temperature at Freedom was forecast to be 104 degree. You left on Monday morning, headed to Colorado, and the forecast for Tuesday in Freedom is 78 degrees. Do they pay you to leave town?" View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Names of the Dead - Bush's War...

"Don't know what source you're using for your listing of the names of the dead in Bush's War on Iraq, but this listing seems the most current, up-to-date on the numbers and the latest to have died." -- Names of the Dead (You might need to register with NY Times. It's free.) View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Charles & Yvonne Nieman of Alva & Gene & Grace Murrow...

"Gene and Grace Murrow are now deceased, they were in a car accident and he died immediately and Grace died within a few days. I think this was about 2 years ago. They were very fine people. I went to school with all three daugthers Wilma Jean, LaVida and Yvonne at Farry, Oklahoma." -- Francis R. Melkus - EMAIL: fmmel1@juno.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Remember the Old Postcards - NW Oklahoma...

This photo postcard shows a young Woods County, Oklahoma girl dressed in a white dress, stockings and heels. We believe it is a photo of Ora F. Mosshart, because on the back of the postcard there is a message from Ora Mosshart wishing a Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to our Great-Grandmother, Mrs. J. R. 'Signora Belle' Warwick, Alva, OK.

There are postcards taken around 1931 & 1932 in Hooker, Oklahoma - Main Street (1931) and Grade School (1932). Dewey Charles Mosshart IV - EMAIL: dcmiv@aol.com made the following comment in Vol. 7, Iss. 13, Old Postcard Comment. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

City of Alva Cemetery Records Online...

In case there is anyone out there looking for a link to the Alva Cemetery Records. Try this link out! View/Write Comments (count 3)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Magill From Lisbon...

"I am also doing research on the Magill Family from Lisbon. I was hoping we can exchange information. I recently received the following information from a friend in Lisbon:

I am sending information I recently received that mentions Edward Magill marrying Mary Ann Erwin. They do not know Edward's parents' information but said that he came from Ireland with his Uncle John Magill. It also lists Mary and Edward's children. One son, George is said to have lived in Lisbon and worked on the railroad that ran through town. The depot for this railroad is now our Depot Museum! Neat huh? It also mentions that George was in a train wrecka nd lost his fingers on one hand.

There is more but I don't want to 'spoil' it for you. Does it seem like your relative? Any of the story familiar to you? It does mention a move to Sylvan Falls near Parishville, NY, if that is helpful in any of your searches." -- Ruben Macias - Email: carpediem2@earthlink.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

WWII POW - Karl Wegmann, Theilheim, near Wuerzburg, Germany...

"My Grandfather was a POW in Camp Alva, his Name was Karl Wegmann from Theilheim, near Wuerzburg, Germany. He was an Air Force Soldier in North Afrika and came to the US in 1943. Grandma told me he worked in the Camp Kitchen? Anyone remember him, please contact me. It is very importent for me. My Grandfather passed away in 1982 so there is not much information left. Thanks." -- Mario - Email: MW2372@t-online.de View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Inquiry - Clara Gorsching, 1926-1929...

"I am looking for information about Clara Gorsching, 1926-1929. Her metal grave-marker is from Kern-Schneider. I did an online search for Kern-Schneider, and a lot of German language sites came up. I think I've heard of it, though, as an area funeral home. there is a Kern-Schneider-Kiesau funeral home in Clinton OK." -- Sandie View/Write Comments (count 3)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Vada's Diary - January 21 & Edna...

"I was reading your Mother's diary entries and came across the name Edna. It is in the Jan 21st entry. It says, 'going home with Edna', do you know Edna's last name by any chance? I had an Aunt Edna. Her maiden name was Rauch and her married name was Eggleston (sp?). Anyway, my Mom said she left home to work and go on with her education. In my Aunt Marie's diary, she was very sad that Edna had to leave and would draw circles and wrote, 'turn around, turn around', her way of saying Edna needed to come home. Thought I would see if you knew." -- Lori Brown View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Alva's Bootery & Noah's Ark...

If you haven't read Jim Barker's Sports Spasms dated 07/26/05, in the Alva Review-Courier, you might want to check it out. It has some information of where the "Bootery" was located. It also has information and locations of "Noah's Ark" (No. 1, 2 and 3). It seems the first Ark was across the street north from the norhteast corner of the campus. The second Ark was in a wooden building on the west side of the square and was torn down to make way for a building that once housed TG&Y. The third Ark was located at 515 College Avenue. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

THE HISTORY OF NO-MAN

"..... Old Beaver county, being included within the territory of Texas, was affected by this land system. It was incorporated within some of the early grants made between the years of 1820 and 1840. The latter date closes no particular period of land history.

"Moses Austin had first gone into Spanish territory in 1799. Securing permission from the Spanish minister at Washington and armed with a passport from this official, he settled in what is now Washington county, Missouri. This was the first step that later led him into Texas, where he found land that was well worth colonizing ..... Old Beaver county was the scene of many adventures as this trade was carried on with the southwest country.

"The Kiowa, Comanche, and Arapaho Indians were a constant source of annoyance. To lessen this difficulty troops were sometimes sent with the caravans. But many times small parties did not wish to wait for such protection and made the long journey without it. Even the men became careless and strayed away from the caravan which afforded protection. As a result they sometimes paid for it with their lives. Such an incident occurred in the western part of the county on McNees creek. In 1826 two young men, McNees and Munroe, had left their caravan and having plenty of time they lay down to sleep on the bank of a small stream. While they were asleep a party of roving Indians came upon them and killed the former and left the latter badly wounded. McNees was buried here and Munroe was taken on with the party. But little medical attention could be had and he died by the time the party reached the Cimarron and near this river he was buried. Along the Cimarron river were fought several bloody battles with the Indians. So Old Beaver County is not without its stirring Indian scenes in the early history." -- Chronicles of Oklahoma - Vol. 1, No. 1, January 1921, THE HISTORY OF NO-MAN...S LAND, OR OLD BEAVER COUNTY - by MORRIS L. WARDELL --- Chronicles of Oklahoma - Vol. 1, 1921-1923 View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe