It is beginning to look a lot like Winter and Christmas around these parts in Southwest Colorado. At least the higher elevations are receiving the much wanted winter snow for its skiers and snowboarders. This photo was taken in the valley South of Bayfield, Colorado as the horses graze in the pasture Saturday afternoon.

Last week we received 3/4-inch of that wet moisture here in the valley of southwest Colorado, while the ski resorts around here received around 3 feet of snow. This weekend began Friday with an Arctic front coming through here and spreading it's rain and snow throughout the San Juan mountains and other fronts to follow through Tuesday.

The winter resorts are loving it! It began Friday, December 7, 2007, here in the southwest colorado valley with rain while the higher San Juan Mountains and Rocky mountains were getting some of the white snowy stuff. The weather channel was predicting that another 1 to 3 feet of snow will fall in the higher elevations this weekend. By Friday, early afternoon around 2:30, our rain gauge measured another 3/4-inch of rain. We wokeup Saturday to a mixture of rain and graupel falling in the valley making for a rather muddy Saturday. Later in the morning it began snowing with big wet flakes, but nothing was sticking, except around Bayfield and higher up the mountains.

The Durango Herald reported this Saturday, "a mix of rain and snow continued to fall in Durango and environs Friday, with more moisture likely today. Chances for precipitation continue through Tuesday."

The Weather channel was showing possible icy mixture falling in northwestern Oklahoma this weekend. Let me know how this Arctic front turns out in your neck of the woods.

As to Christmas... we did get our christmas tree and decorations up this week as we were listening to our favorite christmas music and sending out our christmas cards. So.... I guess it is beginning to look a lot like christmas around here with the decorations and winter snow. Maybe some of that snow will stick overnight, into Sunday and through Tuesday... Maybe!
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Pioneer Fordyce Given Woodard

Before I start with the Woodard family legacy, let me ask some of you out there about the old Woodard house in Alva, Oklahoma. I was told awhile back that the red brick house on the southeast corner of Maple & 13th Street was called the Woodard house. Is that correct? The information for Fordyce Given Woodard came from Thoburn's 1916 history book, Volume 4, A Standard History of Oklahoma.

The Woodard family have been identified with the city of Alva since its founding and establishment with the opening of the Cherokee Strip in 1893. Fordyce G. Woodard coming into Oklahoma at that time from Kansas as a youth of seventeen, had a special distinction in connection with Oklahoma, since he was perhaps the only white man without Indian family affiliations who was born in the western half of the old Indian Territory during the decade of the 1870's and was a resident of the state.

Fordyce Given Woodard was born at the old military post of Fort Sill, Indian Territory, July 7, 1876. His parents were Benjamin Thomas and Mary A. (Holloway) Woodard. In 1872 his father was awarded a contract to supply wood to the military establishment at Fort Sill, and remained there four years, during which time he participated in other branches of the Indian service, holding such positions as commissary clerk, beef issue clerk, etc.

Benjamin T. Woodard
Benjamin T. Woodard was born in the state of Indiana in 1849, and was the son of Quaker parents, also natives of Indiana. In 1870 the Woodard family moved from Indiana to Kansas, locating on government land in Douglas County. The grandfather continued there as a farmer until his death in 1895. His four children were William, Thomas, Benjamin T. and Elizabeth. William and Benjamin T. being the only ones living in 1916.

Benjamin T. Woodard was reared on a farm and received his education in public schools and began his career as a farmer in douglas county, Kansas. After the four years spent in Indian Territory he removed to Barber county, Kansas, in 1877, and for a few years was employed in a general store. In 1880 he took up a claim and engaged actively in farming and cattle raising, at the same time conducting a store and livery stable. In 1893 he participated in the opening of the Cherokee Strip, made the run to Alva, and in that town established the first livery barn. He also took a claim of government land one mile east of town. He continued in business as a liveryman at Alva until 1902 and then sold out his property and retired, locating in the beautiful country of Northwestern Arkansas at Rogers, where he and his wife enjoyed the comforts of their former years of labor.

Benjamin T. Woodard and his wife were married in 1867, and whe was born in Indiana in 1847. They had six children comprised of five sons and one daughter as follows: Alonzo, born September 6, 1872, at Lawrence, Kansas, and was a farmer in Reno County, Kansas, was married in 1904 to Miss Mary Madison, and their three children were Allen, Alden and Ray; William harley, born March 20, 1875, at Lawrence, Kansas, and was a lumber merchant at clayton, New Mexico, married in 1906 to Lena Gregory, and their children were Mary and Elberta; Fordyce G., who was the third in order of birth; Harry clifton, born at Medicine Lodge, Kansas, September 20, 1886, was living with his parents at Rogers, Arkansas; Lulu May, born at Medicine Lodge, Kansas, September 20, 1889, also with her parents; and Frederick, born at Medicine Lodge May 20, 1891, and still at home in 1916.

Fordyce G. Woodard was born in a stockade house on the old Fort Sill military reservation, but had no recollection of his birthplace since the family returned to Kansas and located at Medicine Lodge when he was about one year of age. he received his education in the public schools of that town, graduated from high school in 1892, and in the following year participated with his parents in the run into Cherokee Strip. For three years he was engaged i managing this father's livery business, then became a salesman in a dry goods and clothing store, and around 1916 for a number of years had been manager of the clothing department of one of the chief department stores of Western Oklahoma.

At Alva on January 15, 1907, Mr. Woodard married Miss Villa May Cox. Mrs. Woodard was born at Pana, Illinois, November 14, 1878, a daughter of James Madison and Sophia Cox, natives of North Carolina, and in 1916 living in Alva, Oklahoma.
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Pioneer Charles Edwin Moyer

The death of the late Charles Edwin Moyer occurred January 20, 1911, at his home in Alva, Woods county, Oklahoma. He was a man who had contributed to Alva, Woods County's welfare and upbuilding and who had lent material encouragement to its agricultural interests. Mr. Moyer was pre-eminently a self-made man, and from the outset of is career was compelled to overcome obstacles and survive disappointments in his struggle for success and position.

Charles Edwin Moyer was born May 5, 1848, in the State of New York, where his parents had been pioneers. He was reared in the atmosphere of the farm and attended the public schools of Illinois, whence his parents removed when he was a lad of six years, although he was largely self-educated.

During his youth he divided his time equally between working on the farm and railroading, but in 1878 he removed to Kansas and entered upon a venture of his own, taking up his residence and establishing a farm on Government land located in Harper County. There he was forced to endure all the hardships and inconveniences incident to life in a pioneer community, but he persevered in his efforts, and during his seventeen years of residence there was successful in operations as a farmer and raiser of stock.

Moyer first came to Oklahoma in the original opening of 1889, making the run with the other aspirants for land. He was not successful, however, and returned to Kansas, where he remained until 1893, in that year again seeking a farm in the opening of the Cherokee Strip. Once More he was disappointed, not securing a claim, but the country seemed to hold out attractive opportunities to him, and he elected to remain. For a time he grazed a herd of cattle in old Woods County, and with the proceeds from this business gradually leased school land, and at the same time continued to feed his cattle on the open range.

In 1894 he removed his family to Alva, having built a comfortable residence there, and from that time he began to realize his ambitions. With careful management, energetic industry and strict integrity, he built up a large and profitable cattle ranch, located 12 miles west of Alva, and in the management and operation of this property passed the remaining years of his life.

On June 14, 1874, in Iroquois County, Illinois, Charles Edwin Moyer was united in marriage with Miss Ella Burr, who was born June 12, 1856, at Ottawa, Illinois, daughter of Hiram F. and Mary A. (Hower) Burr, the former a native of new york, who was living in 1916 at Pomona, Missouri, and the latter a native of Ohio who died in 1878.

Four sons and three daughters were born to Mr. and Mrs. Moyer, as follows:

Man who invented 'Okie' dies in California

"Concerning Ben Reddick coining the term "Okie" in 1929, Wikipedia indicates the term was in use in 1907. I wonder which is correct? Did Ben Reddick popularize a term already around or did he actually coin it?" -- Craig Avenal - EMAIL: craigavenal@yahoo.com - OkieLegacy comment - Man who invented "Okie" dies in California
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Oklahoma Weather & Gas Prices

"The past 3 days have brought some moisture (fog, mist, and a tiny bit of rain) to our small city of Perry. My rain gauge has shown a total of 0.1" as of an hour ago (just before 9AM on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2007). Also, our gasoline prices have dropped to $2.75.9 for regular unleaded. " -- Roy
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Cousin Mentioned In Vada's Diary

"Hello, Linda! I stumbled upon your website and was delighted to find a relative! On 14 March 1938 in Vada Paris' diary, Vada wrote how she, "Went to a party at Mrs. Shirey's." Mrs. Shirey was Maisie Arnett Shirey who was a faculty member at Northwestern Teacher's College. She taught Rural Education. I believe she may have been Principal at one time. Maisie was my Grandmother Gladys Arnett Day's cousin; Maisie's father Willis Arnett and Gladys' father Murrey Arnett were brothers. I guess that would make her my 1st-cousin twice removed.

Maisie's daughter, Faith Ann was a high school senior in 1938. I found her marriage announcement on your GREAT site! Thanks for all your work. It is greatly appreciated.' -- Mary Wickre - EMAIL: dakotagensearch@gmail.com
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1938 Ranger Yearbook, NSTC, Alva, OK

See the 1938 Ranger Yearbook that I have scanned of the '38 Ranger for Northwestern State Teachers College in Alva, OK. You can see that PDF file at the following link: Ranger-1938. You can also view other old Ranger & goldbug yearbooks over at PBPartnserllc.org by clicking the "Old Yearbooks" link.
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Silverton, Colorado Snow

"Silverton received 36" of snow last Friday. Vallecito got 2-3 inches of snow before the rain started after dark on last Friday. Last Saturday brought slush all day with snow in late afternoon piling up a couple of inches.

This Friday's snow... We got over 6 inches of wet, heavy snow and were without electricity for half the day. It started raining just before dark. I've no idea what it's doing now. I got my last cord of wood delivered yesterday, so I guess I'm ready for winter, BUT I'm not ready for the power outages. We've had an additional 5" of snow today, enough to cave in my gazebo roof. And it's still snowing. I did get my TV dish sprayed with Crisco. My dog is singing the song from South Pacific, "Belly High." -- SBW
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McGill-Hentges of Perry, OK

"In last Friday's Perry Daily Journal there was a death notice for a Lavaun McGill Hentges and I wondered about the McGill name. She was 82 years old. Born in Verden, Oklahoma, reared in Edmond and Perry, Oklahoma and attended Central State Teachers College in Edmond Oklahoma. During WWII she taught grades 1 through 8 in rural schools. In 1946 she married James F. Hentges, Jr. and they eventually had 3 sons; Douglas, Eric and Curt. In 1952 they moved to Gainesville, Florida. One of her survivors, Douglas Hentges lives here in Perry. If you think you might be related I'll let you know more.

The gas prices have been dropping again here and at present the low is at $2.79.9 (as of this evening, Dec. 3, 2007)." - Roy K.
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Women's Roll in the 1950's

Back in May 1955, Housekeeping Monthly published these tips as "The Good Wife's Guide" for when her husband came home from work. Click image to read the whole article. Things sure have changed since May, 1955, haven't they! Back then "A good wife always knew her place." I hope we have evolved to a better time and place to what the women had in the mid-1950s!
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Pioneer James Philander Renfrew

"Linda, Thank you for digging deep into the history of our departed grandmother, Thelma Evelyn DeGeer Lippincott. We knew her father was Renfrew DeGeer. Thank you for getting informaion. that goes back much further. Your friend." -- Terry L. Kent @ terrykent@sbcglobal.net - OkieLegacy comment - James Philander Renfrew
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Ellis Island Foundation

Do you have an ancestor whose first steps in America were on Ellis Island? Chances are you do, and chances are you can find your ancestor's arrival documents in America at www.ellisisland.org. For the holidays, honor your ancestors, and your family, by searching Ellis Island Online for your Personal Heritage Documents.
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Pioneer Rev. Samuel H. Raudebaugh

In 1916, Rev. Samuel H. Raudebaugh was retired and living in the village of Dacoma, Woods County, Oklahoma after having served all with "consecrated zeal and devotion" for nearly half a century as a clergyman of the United Brethren Church. He retired from the active work of the ministry in December, 1914, after having been a member of the Oklahoma conference of the denomination for the year that marked the admission of the state to the Union.

Raudebaugh was a native of the old Buckeye State and a scion of one of its sterling pioneer families, and he represented that state as a valiant soldier of the Union during the Civil war, in which two of his younger brothers likewise took part.

Rev. Samuel H. Raudebaugh was born on a farm near lancaster, the judicial center of Fairfield County, Ohio, and the date of his nativity was September 29, 1842. He was a son of Rev. Abraham and Susana (Simons) Raudebaugh, both likewise natives of Ohio and representatives of worthy pioneer families of that commonwealth.

Rev. Abraham Raudebaugh was born on 19 September 1820, and was reared and educated in his native state, where he became a prosperous farmer and an able and honored local minister of the United Brethren Church, his work in the ministry having been initiated in 1854 and terminated with his death, which occurred at Findlay, Hancock county, Ohio, in August, 1859.

Abraham Raudebaugh
Abraham Raudebaugh's marriage to Miss Susana Simons was solemnized in 1841. Susana was born in the year 1822, having survived him by more than a score of years and having passed the closing period of her life at Lawrence, Kansas, where she was summoned to the life eternal on 18 January 1882.

Of the ten children of Abraham and Susana Raudebaugh, Rev. Samuel H. was the first born; Susan died in infancy; Peter O., was a resident of Herington, Dickinson county, Kansas, where he established his residence in 1866, was a gallant soldier of the Union in the Civil war, as a member of Company K, 65th Ohio volunteer Infantry; Perry F., maintained his home in the City of Seattle, Washington, served in the Civil war as a member of the 196 Ohio volunteer Infantry; Katherine resided in Huron county, Ohio; Jane, wife of Frank Wilson of that county; the next two children were twin daughters who died in fancy; Miss Rosa Ann Rebecca resided at Herington, Kansas; and Abraham W. died at the age of ten years.

Rev. Samuel H. Raudebaugh was educated in the schools of Fairfield and Hancock counties, Ohio, in his early years. and supplemented by an effective course in a well ordered normal school in Allen County, Ohio. As a young man he put his scholastic attainments to practical test and utilization and was for several years a successful and popular teacher in the schools of Putnam county, Ohio.

On 5 December 1862, he enlisted as a private in company K, 65th Ohio volunteer Infantry, his brother, Peter O., having become a member of the same company. Mr. Raudebaugh enlisted as a recruit to this regiment, which was at the time attached to the Army of the Cumberland, under Gen. O. O. Haward. Raudebaugh participated with his command in 16 important battles, besides many skirmishes and other minor engagements. He took part in and was captured at the battle of Stone's River, but by feigning death he contrived to make good his escape. He was in the battle of Missionary Ridge and in all the incidental engagements of the Atlanta campaign, from that of Rocky Face Ridge, on the 8th of May, 1864, to the battles of Atlanta and Jonesboro, terminating the summer's campaign, on September 4 of that year.

At the battle of Franklin, Tennessee, November 30, 1864, he was captured by the enemy, and for four months and one day he was confined in the Andersonville Prison, from which he was released on the 31st of March, 1865.

After the war Mr. Raudebaugh purchased a farm in Putnam County, Ohio, where for two years he devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits and to teaching in the district schools during the winter terms. In 1867, after careful study and other earnest preparation, he entered the ministry of the United Brethren church, of which he had become a member when a mere boy. Mr. Raudebaugh entered a soldier's claim to a tract of land in Oklahoma prior to the admission of the state to the Union, and he perfected his title to this property in 1891.

Raudebaugh was thrice wedded. On 2 October 1862, he married Miss Sarah E. Godfrey, who was born November 29, 1842, and whose death occurred February 14, 1870. Of this union were born four children: Ruth Jane was born November 1, 1866, and died May 4, 1887; Mary Ann was born November 22, 1865, and died on the 4th of the following month; Laura E. was born February 14, 1869, and died on the 14th of the following month; John henry was born February 5, 1870, and lived in the city of Toledo, Ohio.

On 26 May 1870, Raudebaugh wedded Mrs. Caroline W. Baker, who was born July 22, 1834, and who died on February 4, 1873. The one child of this union being Grace maria, who was born November 27, 1872, and who became the wife of Elijah Quisno, of Port Clinton, Ohio.

On 17 August 1873, Raudebaugh was married to Mrs. Amelia A. Mugg, widow of Wheeler Mugg. Amelia had one duaghter by her first marriage -- Grace B., who was born May 11, 1869, and who became the wife of Adam Vollmer, a representative farmer of Woods County, Oklahoma, their two children being Hallie L. and Graham T. [found in the 1916 A Standard History of Oklahoma, Volume 4, by Thoburn.]
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Pioneer Richard Nicolds

I found this interesting history of Nicolds while I was reading A Standard History of Oklahoma, Vol. 4, page 1344.

Nicolds own tutorship would prove of more value than that provided in the common schools of the day in the old Choctaw Nation, the father of richard Nicolds never permitted his son to attend school. The young man, however, received a finished education at home and in his father's office, taking law in addition to his literary course. When the literary education was competed, Edward F. Nicolds determined that his son should acquire more physical strength and he purchased a farm near the town of Caddo, where the family lived, and there the young man learned the art of agriculture. He remained on the arm for vie years, experimenting with various kinds of crops and livestock, and thereafter retained the farm as an inheritance from his father. In 1916, Mr. Nicolds was enjoying an interesting practice in the City of Durant.

Mr. Nicolds was born May 24, 1888, in collin county, Texas. His father, a native of Missouri, moved into Western Texas before the days of railroads in that section. Nicolds was a successful lawyer in Texas, living at Abilene. In 1901 he moved his family to Caddo, Indian Territory, and there remained for thirteen years, and then he moved back to Abilene, Texas. he was the son of Richard W. Nicolds, a Confederate major in the Civil war, who served with General Hood's brigade. Nicolds was a man of high intellectual attainments, and was a native son of Virginia.

Edward Nicolds married minnie H. Hollis, the daughter of Dr. T. H. Hollis, who was a surgeon in the confederate army. The family is one that first came into American prominence in revolutionary days, and Hollis Hall at Harvard University was named for one of the name.

Two brothers in the paternal ancestry of Richard Nicolds came to America prior to the revolution, and during that period of stress and strain one of them was allied with the British and the other with the colonists. Before the war was ended the former was captured and hanged, whereupon the latter chose a new name for himself in a new land. The original name was "Olds" and his Christian name was "Nicholas." Detaching some of the letters from the latter, he evolved the name of Nicolds, and the family has been known down to the present time.

When Richard reached the age of 12 years, he was taught by a governess. After that time he began studying in his father's office, and there he completed his education, as we stated earlier.

At the age of 25 years he was appointed deputy clerk of the District Court of Bryan County, a position he held for two years when he was admitted to the bar and began practice on his own initiative. In his law class before the State Bar Commission was Walter Turnbull, who later was endorsed by a majority of leading men of the Choctaw Nation for governor of that tribe.

Mr. Nicolds was a member of the Episcopal Church, the county and state bar associations, and the Durant and Bryan county Democratic clubs.
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Winfred Hamilton

"I am working on my famliy tree. My husband, Steven Golden -- his mother was born in Alva, Woods county, Oklahoma in 1920. Her mother was Werna Morgan and her father was Winfred Hamilton. His father was Charles (or Chort) Hamilton, born 1854. If you can help me with any information, that will be nice. Thank you!" -- jean golden - Email: jeanmom@dejazzd.com
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Freedom, OK Pioneer

"My great aunt, Sarah Eliz. Teller-Ruggles-Wing is buried in the Freedom cemetery. She last married J. Wing. She is connected to the Shroeders there at Freedom. Tom and John I believe were the boys names." -- Everette W. Evans
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