HAPPY NEW YEAR 2006!...

Have you ever really examined the Auld Lange Syne song phrase by phrase?

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne!"

Looking at the first few lines the of the poem it seems to ask us, "should we forget our old acquaintances? Should we forget those from our past? And should we forget the old times? The times of long ago?"

Of course, we shouldn't. At New Year's Eve it is appropriate to remember back to the people and events that shaped our lives. Who has helped shape your path this year?

"For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet For auld lang syne!

So, is it in memory of past times -- in memory of those people and events of yesteryear, let us lift our glass and toast them with kind thoughts and appreciation. As we prepare to go on to a new year, a year of challenges yet to be known, of new joys and new sorrows, let us not forget the past. As we start our new adventure into the next year, let us acknowledge and salute the times of "old long since." For auld Lang syne.

At 9:03 p.m. MST it started snowing in the SW Colorado Rockies North of Bayfield, Colorado. View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Tribute To Billy Wayne Whittet...

Dacoma, Woods County, Oklahoma lost a valuable icon with the death of Billy Wayne Whittet, December 23, 2005.

Was it only a year or so ago that Billy's Cowboy Grill closed it's doors in the small, friendly community southeast of Alva, Oklahoma? Remember Billy's famous Chili & bily Burgers?

We searched back through our favorite photos found this great political photo of Billy and friends taken back in 1990 at the Dacoma Cowboy Grill -- showing (left to right) Dorthy "DoRight" McGill, Billy Whittet, Bob Reed (we think) and Estel Haltom. Both Billy and Estel are deceased.

Here is Billy Wayne Whittet's Obituary -- Billy Wayne was born February 12, 1924 at Dacoma, Oklahoma, to John William Whittet and Violet (Newman) Whittet, and died December 23, 2005 at Cherokee Manor in Cherokee, Oklahoma, at the age of 81 years, 10 months and 11 days.

He graduated from Dacoma High School and attended Tonkawa College at Tonkawa, Oklahoma before going to active duty in World War II where he fought battles in New Guinea, The Phillippines and Japan. He was awarded the Bronze Star.

Billy was united in marriage to Floy Lorraine Jenlink on February 27, 1947 at the Methodist Parsonage at Cherokee, Oklahoma and they made their home in Dacoma all their lives together except for five years in which they lived in Wichita, Kansas. They owned and operated Whittets Country Store and Cowboy Grill in Dacoma for 45 years. They made Billy Burgers and Billys Chili famous statewide.

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Looking Back At 2005...

January 2005 -- Tsunamis in Thailand -- ice storms in Oklahoma -- Christmas snow in Galveston TX -- snow storms in Colorado! snow started to fall Friday evening (7th of January)

Strickland/Horner Airport & Flying School... Catch up on the Strickland/Horner Airport & Flying School that was located about 7-miles East of Alva, southside of the highway, in the mid-1930's. Leo and Roscoe Horner's airport (on the Strickland homestead) which celebrated the airports 3rd. birthday. It was started January 2, 1938 by Leo (Strickland) and Roscoe (Horner) with 2 brand new 40 Horsepower Piper Cubs.

By Mid-January There were reports that the approximate total snowfall accumulated over the first couple of weeks of January was 67-inches up at Vallecito, Colorado. The newspapers reported that they had to close Wolf Creek Pass SW (Colorado) due to 10-feet of snowfall.

One of our readers sent us some items that appeared in Renfrews Record, dateline - Dec. 12, 1913, Alva, Oklahoma. 2 stories written by I. T. Strickland which were published in one or more of the early day newspapers of Alva. Dateline is Alva, Woods County, Oklahoma, Friday December 12, 1913. The contents are about hunting and Indian encounters on the trip's. Also copied were several other articles in the paper on the front page. These are news items of Alva. One concerns a hearing in court of a man named Charlie Bower being held for murder in Cherokee (Oklahoma). He was being charged with murdering a man named Jay French near Ashley on the night of November.

Towards the last of January, 2005 we were searching for whatever happened to Kenneth Root. Here's the rest of the story: Kenneth Root (17 years of age in 1941). Kenneth shot a Donald Benson (22 or 23 years of age in 1941). I am assuming that this Benson worked at the Alva Flour Mill and had a sister that Kenneth was dating back then. There was this dinner at the Rose Hill School that Kenneth and Benson were at when the shooting occured. Kenneth Root was arrested by Sheriff Ken Greer and charges were filed against Root by County Attorney Bill Gruber. The presiding judge was JJ Gaiser and the defense attorney was CH Mauntel. We are told that after the trial Kenneth went free.

Ernest Martin's Fathers Legacy website and paintings touched, left impact on others... "Thank you. It has been a wonderful journey through your life and paintings. I started on the internet to find a picture of a dirt road to go in my church bulletin with the writing 'Dirt Roads' and with God's help, I found your site. Your work is wonderful and your writing made me homesick for my home town of Tarboro, North Carolina and I wanted to see my Grandmother even though she has passed away (15 yrs ago). I wish you had sketches or paintings to go with your writings. I can picture my growing up places with your words and I just want to go home! Your painting of the 'Farm' is the type of place that I would love for my 7-year-old grandson to grow up. Thank you for touching my heart and soul today. Your work has meant a lot to me."

February 2005 - Ashley Baseball Team... Beginning of February we were asking,"Whether it be derogatory or the term 'Okie' carried proudly amongst though of us who want to share, preserve our memories of this great Okie heritage that has been passed down from one generation to another."

We were searching for information on a fire in Woods County, perhaps in Cedar Twp, about 1918. Three children were believed killed in that fire (maybe others). The known names are: Melvin, Alice and Galen OSBURN. Have seen the surname as OSBORN, also. These children, along with their father George (spelled Gorge on his headstone) Harvey OSBURN, siblings Dollie, Oscar and Dazie are buried in White Horse Cemetery.

Dacoma, OK was losing a business icon with the closing of Dacoma's Cowboy Grill, in the rural community of Dacoma (Dakoma), Oklahoma. Billy and Floy Whittet are finally retiring and closing down the Cowboy Grill after 80 some years in their lives.

Dacoma (Dakoma) & Jot-em-Down Store... "Murrow's Jot-em-Down Store, Dacoma, Oklahoma "I received three photos of the old Jot-em-down Store (the original Murrow's Grocery in Dacoma, Oklahoma) from Patti Kilbourne. She 'retrieved' them with her digital camera from an album of photos owned by Billy and Floy Whittet in Dacoma - who are in the process of closing down the Whittet's Store & Cowboy Grill.

The majority of OkieLegacy readers were proud to be called "Okie"

We learned about history of the Faulkner's was taken from the "Pioneer Footprints Across Woods County", pgs 213-215, as told by Greta Faith and Opal French. Charles Fredrick Faulkner was born 7 Aug. 1864, Springville, Virginia; died 5 Apr. 1910, Alva, Oklahoma. Mattie A. Greear was born 7 July 1869, Grant, Virginia; died 23 Oct. 1944, Alva, Oklahoma. Charles and Mattie married at the GREEAR home, 18 July 1888, Grant, Virginia. Charles was a farmer and blacksmith for 5 years in Virginia. About 1893 they loaded their family of six children, father and mother into a wagon & team -- headed westward for greater opportunities and adventures. They sold their Virginia home and headed west to Taneyville, Missouri (first stop on their westward adventure).

We learned Hugh T. Donnan that had a photography studio in the Alva, Oklahoma and Kiowa, Kansas area in the late 1800s and early 1900s. We also know that Hugh Donnan married Lilla Wilhite, April 18,1899, in the home of Fanny and Frank Hatfield in Alva, Oklahoma.

We were remembering the Air Tour, June 1, 1946, in Waynoka, Oklahoma? AND... Remember the Green Cars of NYC? The Green Cars Tours started from Hotel Bartholdi, Broadway & Twenty-third Street in NYC."

March 2005 -- The OkieLegacy was reborne and merged into its interactive database with the help of our son, Michael. Enabling readers, viewers to leave comments after each feature.

This was also the year that We heard from a lady in California whose family has had two framed Sketches of John Jacob WARWICK and Mary Jane VANCE WARWICK that her husband's father had picked up at an auction. It has been hanging on their wall for 40 years or so and they are looking for some WARWICK family to sell it to.

We also learned about the Man who invented the 'Okie' term dies in California -- Named an 'honorary Okie' in 1968 - By S.E. Ruckman, Staff Writer - Posted October 27, 1997 TEMPLETON, Calif. -- Newspaper publisher Ben Reddick, credited with coining the term 'Okies' when he was a freelance writer during the Depression, died Thursday. He was 82." - SEE Ardmoreite News dated 10/27/97: The Daily Ardmoreite - dated 10/27/1997 - Headlines -- Named an 'honorary Okie' in 1968.

Alva, Oklahoma had another NEW mural in the 600 block of Barnes Avenue, in downtown Alva. It depicts the Hot Rod Days of Alva, Oklahoma. behind that building is about where McGill Bros. Swimming pool once resided. We believe now it has been filled in and no longer exist.

1938-39 Lookout (Oklahoma) Sunday School Students were identified. Thanks to Rod... we have identified all the Sunday School Students in the old Lookout, Oklahoma photo. They are: 1 - Frank Neukirch; 2. Mathesia (Knabe) Myers; 3. Mrs. Roy Carlson; 4. Kenneth Bliss; 5. Marjorie Bliss; 6 - Alfred Beagley; 7 - Earl Hackney; 8 - Ray Neukirch (brother of Frank); 9. Mary Ellen Hackney; 10. DeWayne Hodgson; 11. Beagley; 12 - Joy Neukirch (cousin of Frank and Ray); 13 - Colleen Hackney (sister of Earl); 14 - Shirley Neukirch (Joy's sister, also cousin of Colleen Hackney Nixon). Scroll down to the Mailbag Corner to click on the photo.

We saw where 2 years ago (2003) at this time that our OkieLegacy visitor counter clocked a total of 200,000 visitors. We believe our counter for December 2004 clocked in with 325,000+. As for December, 2005, we took a look at our OkieLegacy counter to find it over the 400,000 mark (436,697).

We were wondering if... this Alpha Updegraff of the Freedom and NW Oklahoma is the same "Al Updegraff" who was injured in a Bat Masterson's last shootout, April 17, 1881, Dodge City, Kansas?

April 2005 -- March went out like a "lion." Bellowing it's last few breathes of Winter Wednesday and Thursday with April on the horizon -- making it's debut on a sunny, calm Friday morning here in the valley of SW Colorado.

We learned that in 1937 (two years after the burning of the Castle on the Hill) that the small, rural community in Northwest Oklahoma gathered, organized for the Dedication of Jesse Dunn Hall that replaced the old Castle on the Hill, at Northwestern State Teachers' College, in Alva, Oklahoma. That was not the only building they were dedicating on Northwestern's campus. Across campus to the west was Horace Mann Hall. two-day dedication, Thursday, March 11 & Friday, March 12, 1937. Even the First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, made an appearance on this special dedication ceremony, 12 March 1937.

We traveled back to 1947 to take a gander at Alva's Senior Class of '47. According to The Alva Review-Courier, dated Wednesday, May 21, 1947, the frontpage headlines of the Annual Graduate Edition 1947.

Jim filled us in about the present high school (14th & Flynn Avenue) that sits on the land once occupied by the Alva Golf and Country Club. The Country Club purchased the land north of Alva for the new course sometime in the mid 1950's. The northeast corner of the old course was the corner of 13th and Flynn. The old course was sold to the Alva School District and the new building was ready for classes in the fall of 1956 (Jim said he was in the first class that graduated from that building in the Spring of 1957). Jim couldn't remember how far south the course ran, but thinks it must have been fairly close to the old hospital. The old country club building was used as the high school industrial arts building for several years.

May 2005 -- We shared some of our Uncle Bob McGill's "Old Kemper Military School Pics" that were among Uncle Bob's treasure chest AND... Kemper military days in Booneville, Missouri back in the years 1936 thru 1938.

We passed the 60th Anniversary of VE-Day (May 8, 1945) in May, 2005.

1947 - Wrecks Kill Two Collegians... Taken from The Alva Review-Courier, dated 21 May 1947 - Oklahoma City, May (UP) -- "Two college students returning home for the weekend were killed in automobile accidents last night and early today to raise Oklahoma's May traffic total above the month's record last year. ack Lyon, 20, Wichita, was killed last night when a car driven by Gilbert Valdes, 21, also of Wichita, left U.S. Highway 77 north of Perry in a driving rain and overturned. Sheriff Merl Harmon, who investigated the accident, said both men were war veterans and students at Oklahoma A. and M. college. Valdes was not injured in the accident. Albert Jackson Harris, whose wife was a local newspaper reporter until recently, was found dead in the wreckage of his automobile at 5 a.m. today. The machine had crashed into a bridge abutment on a county road norhteast of here.

Around the last week or so, we were also transcribing an old July, 1937, Alva Review Courier newspaper.

We were searching for information on a fire in Woods County, perhaps in Cedar Twp, about 1918. Three children were believed killed in that fire (maybe others). The known names are: Melvin, Alice and Galen OSBURN. Have seen the surname as OSBORN, also. These children, along with their father George (spelled Gorge on his headstone) Harvey OSBURN, siblings Dollie, Oscar and Dazie are buried in White Horse Cemetery.

Dacoma, OK was losing a business icon with the closing of Dacoma's Cowboy Grill, in the rural community of Dacoma (Dakoma), Oklahoma. Billy and Floy Whittet are finally retiring and closing down the Cowboy Grill after 80 some years in their lives.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR...

HAPPY NEW YEAR, Everybody! From: Karel, Johnny, Maggie and Gunner. - CLICK HERE View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Candy Bob Kirkbride's recipe for Peanut Brittle...

In case you didn't catch Candy Bob's Famous Peanut Brittle recipe that Jim Richey - j.richey@sbcglobal.net - shared in the comments section last week, here it is again.

Colonel Bob Kirkbride's recipe for peanut brittle as given to Fred Neuman (who has made thousands of pounds over the last 50 years).

In a large (3 gal or larger) cast aluminum kettle add: 5 lb raw peanuts (from Horn Seed Co., OKC)

5 lb sugar; 2 32-oz bottles Griffins Corn Syrup; 1/4 c water

On a large burner at full blast bring the sugar-peanut mixture to 287 degrees,stirring constantly with a wood paddle.

Take the kettle off the fire and immediately add the following pre-prepared ingredients: 1/4 c vanilla (the real stuff from Mexico); 2/3 c baking soda; 1/2 stick butter

Mix the ingredients with a paint mixer in an elecric drill for about 5-10 seconds. The mixture will foam up to several times its volume

Pour a 3 to 4-inch wide string from the kettle onto a strip of aluminum foil about 15-ft. long. Quickly trowel the mixture with a Pam-coated mason''s trowel to one peanut thick. The fewer passes with the trowel the better.

Let sit until cool then break up into pieces. Makes about 15 lb. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Gas - They Did It Again...

"Perry's gas prices went up another two cents (now $2.13 and 9/10ths) even though the TV news said the prices were coming DOWN. Not fair at all. The weather is lots warmer than usual too. We've been having 70 degree instead of 50 degree highs. Lots of wildfires (we've been on the national news because of the fires)....... several homes lost in the rural areas. Not good at all and the rural fire-fighters are overworked and underpaid. Some of the fire departments have had gasoline contributed to them because they can't afford to buy it! Never thought I'd see that!" -- Roy K. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Gas Prices...

"When the weather here got rather cold recently, they raised the price of gasoline (because of the weather they said). The past several days it has been unseasonably warm and I was expecting our gas prices to go down. Today (Thursday, December 26th) the lowest price of gas in Perry, Oklahoma jumped up to $2.11.9 per gallon. I wonder why?" View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Butter vs Margarine...

"Pass the butter - Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back. It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow coloring and sold it to people to use in place of butter. How do you like it? They have come out with some clever new flavorings.

DO YOU KNOW... the difference between margarine and butter? Both have the same amount of calories. Butter has 8 grams compared to 5 grams of saturated fat. Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study. Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods. Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few only because they are added! Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods.

Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years. And now, for Margarine: Very high in trans fatty acids. Triple risk of coronary heart disease. Increases total cholesterol and LDL (bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (good cholesterol). Increases the risk of cancers up to five fold. Lowers quality of breast milk. Decreases immune response. Decreases insulin response.

And here's the most disturbing fact.... margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC. This fact alone is enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance.)

You can try this yourself: Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will note: * no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something) * it does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value; nothing will grow on it. Even those teeny weeny microorganisms will not find a home to grow. Why? Because it is nearly plastic. Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?" View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

All Seasons Are Better Because of People Like You...

"Thanks for being the person that somehow inspires those of us that are priviledged to share our lives and thoughts with you. Thanks for being my friend. Sincerely." -- Ernest Martin - 12-24-05 View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Merry Christmas ...

"Warmest greetings of the season and Merry Christmas to you both! With a great 2006 to follow!

Thank you for your (and Duchess's) excellent 'zine. I do read it as you know. Things are rather hectic now. I'm president of Las Vegas Chapter, Phi Delta Kappa International, a world-wide association of professional educators; also more or less the key contact in PDK for the State of Nevada. And on 15 January, I'll be installed as Master of Nevada Lodge of Research #2, Free & Accepted Masons, in Las Vegas.

Unfortunately, our son will not be there. He is in the middle east with the Air Force but we hope he will be back in July. At least we can talk to him by IM 2 or 3 times a week.

Hope that you both will swing by Las Vegas (and Henderson, NV) in the course of your travels. Now that you have seen the east ,it is time to go the other way!! Let us know of your plans! Warmly." -- Joel and Lanie View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1938 McCann Children & Carmen Children's Home...

"The article about the Carmen Children's home is excellent. My mother Velma McCann and her sister Alma and brother Eugene McCann were placed there in 1938. I would like to hear from anyone who has any information on them and maybe knew them when they lived there. If anyone has any pictures of them when they lived there would be helpful also. I would like to receive history of the home also. Keep up the good work of articles of Oklahoma." -- Patricia Mills - Email: bettyboop_1956@hotmail.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Enjoyed Story About Slapout, OK...

"Enjoyed the story about Slapout. I have been there twice. Once for my dad's funeral and one other time to visit my dad's second wife Verona.

My dad, Lloyd Patrick Sullivan, is buried in the cemetery that is a mile or two northeast of the intersection of Slapout, Oklahoma. Verona is buried along side. Verona's sister, Beulah Nine lives (or lived) in a ranch just east of the cemetery." -- Michael Patrick Sullivan-Longo - Email: longomp@verizonmail.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Happy New Year To All...

"HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! 2005 Has sped by. Now, we need to face 2006. There may be risks involved. We may need to face roadblocks. So stay alert. Share time with friends. Jump over obstacles. With care And caution ... Face challenges. Remember to laugh; Cooperate; Discover; Make new friends; Above all... be ready for adventure. Stick together And you will be able to go far. Very far... Well, not quite that far.... Always take time to smell the flowers. Don't forget to relax and enjoy. And never forget to love those dearest to you. May God Bless You in 2006!" -- Cindy & Rob View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe