Duchess Corner

How does our garden grow? We finally got a good soaking rain here in the southwest valley of Colorado this Saturday. Our rain gauge measured over 1/2-inch around 5:00 p.m. MDT. Some of the higher mountain folks have experienced lots of rain coming down since no later than 4:00 this morning (8 July 2006) and, at 2:45 p.m., it was reported to be "veerrrrrry wet and 60 degrees." We hear some of those mountain folks have had to light a fire in their fireplace. You could hear one inhabitant proclaim, "Isn't this a great way to experience summer?"

We are told that western Woods County in northwest Oklahoma is getting most of the rain this summer while the eastern parts of Woods County and Alfalfa County are on the dry side. That is really a switch in climate for Woods County. Usually, the eastern parts get the rain and the western parts are drier. We have heard from a few folks in northwest Oklahoma that have said they had about 5 inches of rain out towards Fairvalley, which is in the western part of Woods County.

Our tomatoes are at the stage of another drastic change in color. You know.... that light, white stage just before they turn pink and red. AND... you should see our wild asparagus. Back here in the valley we haven't lit our fireplaces like those in the higher mountain elevations, but we did take a few days to go enjoy the cooler temps up in the San Juan mountains. Mainly... we have been watching, watering our gardens -- watching our horses settle in to their new home. The picture on the right is a shot or our "Wild Asparagus" as they send up their delicious heads. We have more Tomato Updates on our OakiePics Webshots - Tomato Updates
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Horse Updates...

by - Sadie Sadie

Thought you might like to see some horse pictures here and hear how they are settlin' in to their new pasture. This is Maggie, our yearling, dun quarterhorse, that arrived last weekend around 8:00 p.m. just as we were sending out last week's newsletter.

This is a photo of Trigger and Maggie grazing just outside the corral area. 'Quoti was in the barn when this picture was taken.

NW Okie has been letting this little black Pug help sensitize the horses to playful, friendly dogs and Okie's with swinging sticks. NW Okie has this orange stick (Parelli calls it a "carrot stick") with a short, thin rope attached to it and she swings it around her head, body in a rhythmic motion while this Pug circles and tries to catch the end. The horses just stand and watch until their curiousity gets them and then they move in closer to sniff this little black pug and her stick. NW Okie does a lot of watching as this Sadie Pug interacts with the horses gathering around. Sometimes she says, "Heads up!" Like... I'm suppose to know what that means.

Catch a gander at my palomino friend we call "Trigger." That's him in the photo on the left, grazing by the pond with Maggie as their reflections are distorted in the pond water below.

'Quoti, our 3-year-old paint horse, hasn't done any more ass-kickin' around here and seems to accepted Maggie in the lineup. They graze out in the pasture in the cool of the day, evening and cool off in the shade of the barn during the heat of the day.
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Waynoka Station & Log Cabin - Open House...

by - Sandie Olson

The restoration of the pioneer log cabin at Waynoka Station has been completed! The Waynoka Historical Society invites everyone interested in seeing the beautifully and meticulously restored three room cabin to attend the Ribbon Cutting and Open House on Thursday, July 27, 2006, at 10 a.m. The log cabin is at "Waynoka Station" at the corner of Waynoka Street and Cleveland Street, two blocks west of Main Street on the BNSF Transcon rail line.

The cabin was built of cedar logs by Joseph Barnett in about 1904 not far from the Cimarron River in the Ziegler community, which was about 8 miles southeast of Waynoka, Oklahoma. Joseph and his wife, Wealthy Ann, had six children. Most or all were grown by the time Joseph and Annie moved into the log house. Joseph was a direct descendent of Thomas Allen White of "Boston Tea Party" fame. Joseph's mother was a cousin of Abraham Lincoln. Wealthy Ann Brown Barnett's ancestry goes back to 1720 in Myrickville, Massachusetts.

The log cabin was given to the Waynoka Historical Society by Jeryl Hutchison in the 1980s. In June, 2002, community volunteers and Chesapeake Energy Corporation employees from their Waynoka office dismantled the cabin and moved it to the Society's property near the Santa Fe Depot. The property had been donated by Charlene and Bill Bixler.

It was early in 2005 before work began on the reconstruction of the cabin. Bill Buckley, Waynoka, agreed to take on the job. Bill is a carpenter with a lot of experience building houses, and a deep appreciation for history. His main helper was his cousin, Ray Nutter. The logs and the native rocks from the cabin's foundation were all that remained from the original log cabin. The roof and flooring were gone, but the angle of the roof was salvaged. Historical society members had taken dozens of photographs of the details of the cabin. Thanks to the photos, the placement of the individual logs could be identified. A few logs had to be replaced. Bill donated some that he had which were already cured and ready for use. Those logs also provided the needed cedar lumber for the doors and window frames. A curator from Ft. Supply provided a recipe for the chinking. Material from several old houses in Waynoka was salvaged for floors and the kitchen ceiling. The work progressed slowly but surely. The restoration of the cabin was finished in the spring of 2006.

In the interim between the moving of the logs and the rebuilding, Waynoka Historical Society president Sandie Olson saw the name of Joseph Barnett in the "Okie Legacy", and recognized the name from the abstract of the property where the log cabin had stood. She contacted Charles Cook who had submitted some family history with the Barnett name to the Legacy. Charlie was thrilled with the discovery that his great-grandparents' log cabin was being restored. Charlie knew of the cabin's existence, but did not expect to ever find it. They've made plans to attend the Open House. Several other family members have come to see the progress, and the historical society hopes that they can return to see the restored cabin.

Daryal Toellner, a professional interpreter from Old Town in Wichita, will be at the Open House, portraying Joseph Barnett. The restored Section Foreman's House from Edith, Oklahoma, on the Buffalo Northwestern Railroad is next to the cabin, and will be open for touring. The Waynoka History Museum on the second floor of the Harvey House will be open as well. Admission will be free in honor of the occasion. The Gift Shop on the first floor of the Harvey House will also be open. The Museum is accessible by elevator. The restaurant in the restored Harvey House opens at 11 a.m. It's a treat to watch the many trains going by on the Transcon.

Coffee and muffins will be served at the Ribbon Cutting and Open House. Everyone is encouraged to join the festivities.
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1928-29 Oklahoma Highway Maps...

Map Legends The NW corner of Oklahoma (image to the left) SW corner NE corner SE corner "On the January 1, 1929 Oklahoma State Highway System map the members of the state highway commission were: Henry W. Leininger, chairman; John G. Parker, Jr., Vice-chairman; Jesse Bunch, member; Charles D. Carter, member; W. G. Jones, member; J. E. McDonald, Secretary; and Calrk R. Mandigo, State Highway Engineer. Some of the traffic regulations mentioned on the back said that speed limits for passenger vehicles outside of city limits was 35-MPH. Speed limits for trucks vary with the load. Vehicle on the right has the right of way. Spot lights are prohibited. Out of state commercial vehicles must have Oklahoma license immediately upon entering the state but non-resident other vehicles were allowed 60 days before being required to obtain a license from this state. Also, no vehicle or other object wider than 90 inches shall enter a highway except that traction engines may be 110 inches wide." -- Roy
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July, 1935 News - Nancy Ruth Farris...

July, 1935 News - Nancy Ruth Farris -- "Are you (Robert Dean Beu) a descendant of the FARRIS and FORD line? I am a descendant of Lizzie Alma Farris and would love to exchange information. I am putting together a website and need input from other descendants. Please contact me." -- Alice Benningfield - EMAIL: benningfield@cox.net
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Foreman Scotty's Kids...

Foreman Scotty's Kids -- If you were a kid in Oklahoma during the 50's and 60's, there's no doubt in my mind you knew my dad Foreman Scotty. He was a hero to just about any kiddo with a Television. Dad's gone now, but the values he instilled in me of helping others are very much a part of my life today. This site is dedicated to helping those "Kids" of his, who although grown, need it now more than ever. Together we can achieve what alone would be impossible. Submitted by LISAAPOSTOLOPOULOS-POWELL - EMAIL: nicksobilly@foremanscottyskids.com
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Alva, OK - Grandpa R. I. DeGeer...

"My Grandpa was R. I. DeGeer & Grandmother was Josie. They settled in Farry, Oklahoma. My Mother was Opal DeGeer. I live in Oregon now and visited the Farry Cemetery last January for the first time in many years. Many of my family now reside out there in that peaceful place. Alva had not changed much in the last 50 years when we enjoyed those family Christmases at Grandpa's house. My brief visit sure brought a flood of memories. I'd love to hear from any long lost relatives & re-establish some family ties. We would visit with Aunt Thelma often and really miss her and everyone else." -- Fred Blanchard - EMAIL: evereadyfreddy@hotmail.com
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Oklahoma - Indian Territory Legends...

Legends of Indian Territory -- If you roam the hills of Oklahoma you might find remnants of the following histories: Afton - Fading Into History; Arapaho - Great Buffalo Hunters of the Plains; Bass Reeves - Black Hero Marshal NEW; Belle Starr - Oklahoma Bandit Queen; Beyond Vinita, Oklahoma on Route 66; Calumet to Hydro- An Old Stretch of the Mother Road; Catoosa and the Blue Whale; Chandler - Last Gunfight of the Old West; Claremore - Home of Will Rogers; Clinton - Hub City of Western Oklahoma; The Comanche Indians - Horsemen of the Plains; Elk City - A Step Back In Time; El Reno -Home of the Oklahoma Land Rush; Entering Oklahoma on Route 66; Erick and Texola - Gateways to Oklahoma; Foss & Canute - Beyond Glory Days; Haunted Oklahoma; Heck Thomas - Tough Law in Indian Territory NEW; Hell Raising Stroud, Oklahoma; Henry Starr - Cherokee Bad Boy; Judge Isaac Parker - Hanging Judge of Indian Territory; The Lee Gang - Murder and Thievery on the Texas Border NEW; Miami - Culture on Route 66; Oklahoma City - An Overnight Success; Oklahoma City Route 66 Photo Gallery; Oklahoma Fun Facts & Trivia; Oklahoma Links; Oklahoma Postcards; The Pawnee Indians - Farmers on the Plains; Quirky Oklahoma; Tattoo Man of Oklahoma; Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park; Tattoo Man of Bartlesville; Route 66 - Oklahoma Mother Road; Oklahoma's Ribbon of the Mother Road; Sapulpa to Depew, Oklahoma - Small Town America on Route 66; Santa Fe Trail - Highway to the Southwest; Sayre - Entering Cowboy Country; Shamrock - Oil Boom & Bust; Tulsa - Oil Capital of the World; Ghosts of the Tulsa Little Theatre; History and Haunting of the Gilcrease Museum; Tulsa Route 66 Photo Gallery; Treasure Hunting in Oklahoma; Vinita - Crossroads of America; Warwick to Arcadia - Historic Stretch of 66; Weatherford Big City Amenities With Small Town Charm.
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Lawmen and Outlaws - Oklahoma & Indian Territory...

Lawmen and Outlaws - Oklahoma and Indian Territory -- Includes links to the following: Oklahoma Law Enforcement Sites; Perry Police Officers - ca 1931; Perry Police Officers - 1946; OKOLHA - Oklahoma * Outlaws * Lawmen * History * Association; Judge Parker's Hangings; Ira Nathan Terrill by Donald L. Terrill; AHTA The Anti-Horse Thief Association; AHTA Anti-Horse Thief Association - Picnic in 1909; Indian Police Info.; NARA Archival Research Catalog (ARC) - the online catalog of NARA's nationwide holdings in the Washington, DC area, Regional Archives and Presidential Libraries.
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Love of the West...

Love of the West -- "Host of Love of the West and Featured Western Entertainer - Debra Coppinger Hill, Academy of Western Artists, Cowgirl Poet of the Year. Through poetry and stories about Cowboys and Cowgirls, Debra immortalizes the life and work of the great American Cowboy both past and present. Her works have been published world wide and include to CDs; "Common Sense, Men and Horses" is nominated for the Academy of Western Artists Award, while "Cattle Calls...." holds a Top Five AWA recognition. Debra is the host of "Love of the West", a series featuring interviews with Western artists and entertainers that presents their Fine and Practical Western Arts and performances of Cowboy Poetry and Music to the public. ...."
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Uncle Bill Greer's Violin...

"Bill Greer of the 1938 band was my uncle. I still have his violin. Thank you." -- Steve Wilson

[Editor's Note: See Ranger 1938 Album
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Saw the Oilers Play Choteau in 1932...

"Not young anymore, though, well remember the 'Tulsa Oilers' playing the Chouteau town team. Of course, it was only practice - - - however, the Chouteau boys won, some wearing 'overhalls'. It is doubtful if any Tulsa residents remember. Other games were played too and the Oilers did win One Game when the Nicodemus brothers were busy hauling hay. The practice games spoken of here were played at Chouteau east of town in George Hinkle's Pasture." -- sam
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Old Scrapbook - Mrs. H. M. Warrick...

Warrick Message Board Post: "My husband who is a writer for a local paper was recently given an old scrapbook full of pictures, letters, cards, newspaper articles. The lady who gave it to him suggested he might want to write a story on it or, if not, just throw it away. I'm into genealogy so he brought it home to me to see if I could figure out who it belonged to. After going through it, I would never throw it away!!! I think it belonged to Mabel Spradlin, b. Waldo, Arkansas, 1907, married Hubert Monroe Warrick, b. 1904 in Decatur, Alabama. The scrapbook itself is probably from the 1920's. On the inside cover of the book is 3 pictures of Mabel Spradlin's brothers all killed in WWII. A lot of love and caring went into this scrapbook and I would like to find a family member that would like to have it. Are there any WARRICKs out there that know of Hubert Monroe Warrick, b. Nov 25, 1904. On the 1910 Alabama Census he lived with his Mother, Maud Warrick age 23 widow, and they were living with Maud's father, John T. Hubbard on Sixth Ave. South in Decatur, Alabama, Morgan Co. I find Hubert on the 1920 Census in Decatur and I've found his death date - Nov 1972 Decatur, Morgan Co., Al. I'm going to try and find other relatives through the Census and telephone books but thought I'd start here first." -- JoAnne Thomas, Decatur, Al - EMAIL: ronjo2@charter.net
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The Cameron Family of Virginia...

The Cameron Family of Virginia... 7/6/2006 4:11:18 PM - "I am a Cameron on my Mother's side ,Mary Stier Cameron Blandford.I have read this story many times and always found it a treasure of historical linkages. I am still trying to find reference to the Dr. John Cameron in the Locheal history.Only one Dr. Cameron ,who excaped the"45" ,was later caught and executed ,is memtioned. My linkage was through George Hugh Cameron ,son of Andrew Warwick Cameron . His son was Andrew Warwick Cameron ,my grandfather.he died in Hot Springs Virginia approx 1943. Great site, can't believe I found it. Andrew Cameron Blandford." -- Andrew Cameron Blandford - EMAIL: eastpt@earthlink.net
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Oklahoma - Indian Territory Legends...

Oklahoma - Indian Territory Legends -- "From Indian Territory to outlaws to the Dust Bowl Days and the birth of Route 66, Oklahoma is steeped in history. This beautiful state deserves much exploration as you exit the Interstate and explore its many hidden treasures. Mile-for-mile, Oklahoma has the most diverse geography of any in the nation, with pine-covered mountains, alabaster caverns, cypress swamps, and tall grass prairies....." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Oklahoma Gas Prices - Unchanged...

"Our Perry, Oklahoma gasoline prices have remained the same since last Saturday (July 1). They're still at $2.89.9 and perhaps they won't change again right away. I understand that even though our domestic prices for crude oil went up again, some foreign prices dropped about the same amount (which kept the average at about the same as it was)." -- Roy View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe