A couple of our horses, Nugget (a.k.a Trigger) and Quoti (the Paint, Doquoti), wanted to stop and pose for this photo opportunity to wish you all the best for this year in 2008.

We consider ourself one of those snow photographers and snapped this panorama of the Eastern view of our place here in southwest Colorado. We get to view this from our front yard. It's a fantastic sight in the Winter time. That building on the left, in the pasture is a well compressor on the Northend and the view swings around to the south end of our place at Stone Mountain Retreat.

Most of the San Juan Mountaineers and snow enthusiasts in Southwest Colorado have been enjoying the over 30 inches of snow that fell last weekend. Especially the snowmobiles, snowboarders, skiers, snow enhusiasts and snow photographers.

Vallecito had a power outage from last Saturday to Thursday of this week. The LaPlata Electric (LPEA) with help from neighboring counties has kept busy repairing downed powerlines, etc... from the wet, heavy snow playing havoc with the wires, poles and trees around this area.

Now... we seem to be going into this weekend the past few days with cool sunshine and foggy mornings that hide the view of the mountains until the sun burns it off to uncover the gorgeous view of the crisp blue sky contrasting against the snowy mountaintops on the horizon and spreading the pure white color of snow across everything in the valley below.

Simply Beautiful!
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Pioneer John B. Doolin - Alva, OK

John B. Doolin who was a resident of Oklahoma since 1899. He was one of the vigorous, progressive and public-spirited citizens who brought to bear dynamic, well directed energy in furthering the civic, material development of this northwest commonwealth of Oklahoma Territory.

John B. Doolin was also one of the influential figures in the councils, activities of the Democratic party contingent in Oklahoma; served as state fish & game warden from 1911 until the 1st of January 1915, and achieved splendid work in bringing efficiency to this department of the state government; and he was a business man successful in his operations.

Doolin maintained his home at Alva, Woods county, Oklahoma where he was one of the interested prinicipals in the Schaefer-Doolin Mortgage Company, one of the leading concerns of the kind in the state.

Since 1906 he had been prominently identified with the affairs of the Democratic party in Oklahoma, as a loyal, public-spirited citizen, his influence in connection with the industrial progress of the vital young commonwealth had of recent years been specially directed in the development of oil and gas producing enterprises, in which line he was classed among the representative independent operators in the state.

John B. Doolin was born in Caldwell County, Missouri, March 9, 1879, and was a son of John and Alice (Tobin) Doolin, who were early settlers of that section of the state, where the father was a prosperous farmer, merchant at the time of his death, which occurred when he was only 32 years of age. John's father was a native of Caldwell County, Missouri.

The parents of Mrs. Alice Tobin came from Ireland to America in 1830 and first made settlement in the Dominion of Canada around 1816, before they moved to Missouri in 1874.

John B. Doolin acquired his early education in the public schools of his native county. His discipline included a course in the high school at Cameron, Missouri. Thereafter he was engaged in farming and in the mercantile business in Missouri until 1899, when, at the age of 20 years, he numbered himself among the pioneers of Woods County, Oklahoma where he engaged in the general merchandise business at Alva, Oklahoma and two years later, at the age of 22, he was elected Register of Deeds of Woods county, a position of which he remained the incumbent one term.

Upon his retirement from public office John B. Doolin engaged in the farm loan business, and his enterprise, fairness and well formulated policies made the business successful from its initiation.

In 1906 he amplified the scope of his operations by entering into a partnership association with John H. Schaefer, and this effective alliance had continued under the title of the Schaefer-Doolin Mortgage Company. The company had extended its operations over 12 or more counties in Western Oklahoma and its business in the extending of loans on approved real estate securities was more extensive than that of any other independent firm or company conducting business in the state West of Oklahoma City.

John Doolin was known to be well fortified in his opinions concerning governmental and political matters. He had been an active, effective worker in the ranks of the Democratic party during the entire period of statehood in Oklahoma. In 1906 Judge Jesse Dunn, chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Central Committee, appointed Doolin a member of the committee assigned to the drafting of rules for the primary election of that year in which were to be nominated delegates to the State Constitutional Convention, and the rules formulated by this committee were observed in lieu of a definite primary law. In the state campaign, that of 1907, Doolin was selected manager of the campaign of Honorable Lee Cruce, the Democratic candidate for governor, and he distinguished himself for his finesse in the maneuvering of the political forces at his command.

In 1908 Doolin was chosen assistant treasurer of the National Democratic Campaign Committee, and under Governor Haskell, treasurer of the committee, he served in this important capacity at the national headquarters of the party, in the City of Chicago, his work having there been continued after Hon. Herman Ritter, of New York, had succeeded Governor Haskell as treasurer of the committee.

In 1910 John B. Doolin was appointed state fish ?& game warden, and he continued the able, valued incumbent until the close of the administration of Governor Cruce. Doolin devoted much thought and time to systematizing and making effective the work of his department and one of the noteworthy achievements of his administration was the establishing of the bird day in Oklahoma -- a day set apart for instructing children in the public schools in knowledge and appreciation of the wild birds, and their proper treatment, protection and perpetuation.

In addition to his extensive operations in the mortgage loan business, Mr. Doolin had been prominently concerned with the oil industry in Oklahoma since 1912, when he and his associates became actively identified with development work in the Schulter Field, of Okmulgee county, where they, in 1916, controlled some of the best producing properties in the district.

John B. Doolin was a member of the board of directors of the Aetna Building & Loan Association of Topeka, Kansas, this being recognized as one of the largest organizations of the kind in the United States. Doolin was affiliated with Alva Lodge, No. 1184, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, having been one of the five men who applied for and obtained the charter for this lodge.

On July 3, 1913, John B. Doolin married Miss Lee Museller, daughter of Judge A. R. Museller, who was one of the advisory editors of A Standard History of Oklahoma, 1916 history books.

The above information was taken from the 1916 history book of Oklahoma, A Standard History of Oklahoma, pg. 1541, Vol. 4, by Joseph Thoburn.

There was a John Doolin (became a Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court) who grew up with my Father, Gene M. McGill (born 1914), and uncle, Robert L. McGill (born 1916) -- attended a birthday for the young Gene M. McGill and friends. Perhaps this was the son of John B. Doolin.
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Pioneer Lewis A. Salter - Carmen, OK

Does anyone out there remember Lewis A. Salter, one of the owners of the Headlight newspaper, in Carmen, Oklahoma? Salter can be identified with this region since 1893, when he played an active part in the opening of the Cherokee Strip. This and more information comes from A Standard History of Oklahoma, pg. 1551, Vol. 4, by Joseph Thoburn.

Lewis A. Salter was one who made the "RUN" for land in the Cherokee Strip, September 16, 1893. Lewis Salter located his claim on a tract of land a half mile South of the town of Alva, Oklahoma Territory, where he lived for seven years, then moved to Augusta, Oklahoma to established the Headlight newspaper. A year later Salter moved the newspaper plant to Carmen< Oklahoma and continued the Headlight newspaper.

Lewis Salter was born January 7, 1858, on a farm in Calhoun County, Michigan, the son of Melville J. and Sarah E. (Hinkle) Salter. Melville J. Salter was born in 1838 in old New York State and came to Michigan with his parents in early life.

His father was David N. Salter, all his life a farmer, reared to the same industry. He attended the public schools, though they offered little in the way of educational training beyond the limited knowledge of the "Three R's," and when he was still in his teens he left home and in 1852 made a trip with a party by wagon to the the gold fields of California where he remained for a few years, experiencing only indifferent success as a prospector, before he returned to Michigan, making the long trip by way of the Isthmus of Panama.

Until 1871 Melville Salter remained in Michigan. His years in the West wrought in him a kind of discontent of his early home, and he went to Kansas, then undeveloped to any extent, and bought land in Neosho county. He was active in the development of Southeastern Kansas, and was for a number of years president of the Settler' Protective Association. Melville was a republican, in 1874 and was elected to the office of Lieutenant Governor of Kansas, his re-election following in 1876.

The year 1877 brought his resignation, for he had been appointed registrar of the United Sates Land Office at Independence, Kansas, which he accepted and filled until 1884, when he resigned following a change in national politics at Washington. Returning to his Kansas home he went into the merchandise business and for some years was successfully occupied. He died at Pawnee, Kansas, in 1896, when he was only 58 years old. He had been a valuable citizen of his adopted commonwealth from the first, and was a lifelong member of the Baptist Church.

Melville Salter was married in Marshall, Michigan, in 1857, to Sarah E. Hinkle, the daughter of Jeremiah and Rebecca (Allison) Hinkle. Sarah Hinkle was born in Pennsylvania on January 8, 1834, and she died at Carmen, Oklahoma, at the home of her son, on May 5, 1909. Like her husband, she had long been a member of the Baptist church. They were the parents of three children, all living in 1916:

Pioneer Thomas Jefferson Dyer - Alva, OK

Thomas Jefferson Dyer was numbered among the pioneers of the commonwealth of Oklahoma having the distinction of being a member of the first colony to attempt settlement in the territory which now comprises the State of Oklahoma. Thomas J. Dyer's property was located 10 miles North of Alva, in Woods county, where he had made his home in 1893.

Thomas J. Dyer was born August 20, 1857, at Des Moines, Iowa, and was a son of Samuel M. and Mary Elizabeth (Gilbrech) Dyer. Samuel M. Dyer was born in North Carolina, September 5, 1814, and was a lad of seven years when, in 1821, he moved with his parents to Terre Haute, Indiana. There he grew up and learned the "tinner's trade," which he followed at different points in Indiana until 1851, at that time moving to Des Moines, Iowa, then only a military post, where he purchased a large tract of municipal property.

During his residence of 18 years at the place, Samuel Dyer became one of the prominent and influential citizens of the community, serving four years as county treasurer and two years as county clerk of Polk County. In 1869 Samuel sold his Iowa holdings and moved to Jasper county, Missouri, but in 1870 left that community for the Osage Indian Reservation, where he bought a "squatter's rights" to a claim. After two years of residence there, he learned that the government contemplated the removal of the 300 "squatters" in the Osage Reservation, among whom were Samuel M. Dyer and his son Thomas J.

Samuel immediately wired to Carl Schurz, at that time secretary of the interior, asking his aid, influence in allowing them to remain, but was answered by wire that they would be compelled to vacate the Indian lands, and they were subsequently removed by the military.

When it was necessary to make room for the Indians who were being removed from Kansas, Mr. Dyer, along with some of his fellow "squatters" moved just over the line into Kansas, and for several years leased land from the Indians for farming and grazing purposes. In 1885 he moved to Barber county, Kansas, and there continued to reside on a ranch until his death, which occurred June 22, 1886, in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Samuel M. Dyer was married in 1839 to Mary Elizabeth Gilbrech, who was born February 14, 1821, in Germany, and came to the US in 1824 with her parents, John A. and Mary (Lemer) Gilbrech.

Mary Elizabeth Dyer died at the "Tarrapin Ranch" in Harper county, Kansas, December 6, 1897. She was a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the movements of which she always supported. Nine sons, four daughters were born to Samuel M. and Mary Elizabeth Dyer:

The Dog & Cat Diaries

DOG DIARY... "8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing! 9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing! 9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing! 10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing! 12:00 PM - Lunch! My favorite thing! 1:00 PM - Played in the yard! My favorite thing! 3:00 PM - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing! 5:00 PM - Milk bones! My favorite thing! 7:00 PM - Got to play ball! My favorite thing! 8:00 PM - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing! 11:00 PM - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!"

CAT DIARY... "Day 983 of my captivity. My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of.

However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. Bastards! There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage. Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs. I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded." -- Ann
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Battle of Arickaree (Beecher Island)

Chronicles of Oklahoma, Volume 5, No. 3, September, 1927 - A VERSION OF A FAMOUS BATTLE, By F. M. LOCKARD. Click the following link: Chronicles of Oklahoma
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Battle of Beecher Island

On the evening of September 16, 1868, scouts out of Fort Hays under Major George A. Forsyth pitched camp on the Arikaree Fork of the Republican River in the Colorado Territory. Forsyth had named Lieutenant Frederick H. Beecher, the nephew of famed New York clergyman Henry Ward Beecher, his second in command. Just as they were getting up the following morning, they were charged by several Cheyenne warriors and forced onto a sandbar in the middle of the stream.

Roman Nose, the leader of the raid, was mortally wounded during the fighting and died the next morning. His death took most of the fight out of the Indians and they contented themselves with sniping the scouts' horses until all were dead before withdrawing. Lieutenant Beecher was one of four scouts killed and this engagement became known as the Battle of Beecher's Island. -- Battle of Beecher Island From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Forsyth Scouts

"The Forsyth Scouts were organized at Fort Harker (near Ellsworth, Kansas) and Fort Hays (near Hays, Kansas) in August 1868 to help counter Arapahoe, Cheyenne and Sioux raids on the Kansas Pacific railroad (whose railhead was near Fort Wallace, Kansas in August 1868), raids on the Solomon and Smokey Hill stage and wagon routes to Denver and raids on settlers in Western Kansas and Southwestern Nebraska.

Historical note: The chain of forts - Fort Riley (Manhattan), Fort Harker, Fort Hays and Fort Wallace - were established in the 1860s to protect the Solomon and Smokey Hill routes of the "Denver Road". Of these, Fort Riley is the only post still active.

The 57 civilians employed as Forsyth Scouts as reported to the War Department by Major Henry Inman, Army Quartermaster, Fort Harker, Kansas, August 26, 1868. Reported wages were $50.00 per month with most of the scouts receiving an additional $25.00 per month for furnishing their own horse and saddle. " -- Forsyth Scouts, Beecher Island 17-25 September 1868, Yuma County, Colorado
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William E. Eutsler

"Linda, I found your Okie Legacy, Okie's Heart To Heart. Very interesting reading. In several of your articles you refer to William E. Eutsler or W. E. Eutsler.

William Eutsler was born near what is now Tescott, Kansas. His father, Andrew J. "AJ" Eutsler was an early settler in Ottawa County, Kansas. In 1868 William's father, "AJ", was recruited by Colonel Forsyth as frontier scout. In September of 1868, while in what is now Yuma County, Colorado, this party of civilian scouts was attacked by Roman Noses' warriors. The battle of Beecher Island followed. In the battle with A. J. Eutsler was one Jack Stilwell, who was later a well known Oklahoma lawman and judge. Just thought you might be interested. Not related, but studying the Forsyth Scouts." -- Mike, Wichita, KS
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Southern Oklahoma Weather

"Absolutely two beautiful days on Saturday and Sunday. Real nice yesterday (Monday). Little cooler now (Tuesday), but still will be over 50, I think. Even all week, so we have days of good weather ... really. 50 ain't cold.

I got a generator 5 years ago, and so glad I did. Have had to use it 3 times plus use it out on our 3 acres when we first started doing some work." -- Butch
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Gas In Oregon

"The upside of not having to pump your own gas in Oregon is you don't have to get out in the rain. The downside is the long lines and waiting times at the stations with the lowest prices. No quick stops." -- Lou
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Alva Weather Monday Morning

"In Alva, Oklahoma it was sunny 66`F here today (Monday). Yesterday (Sunday) was 79`F according to the Alva State Bank sign at 2:30 P.M." -- Rob
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OklaTravelNet Site

Hi Linda, I found a website worthy of linking. OklaTravelNet presented by The Chickasaw Nation Your friend." -- Terry Kent
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Chronicles of Oklahoma

"Linda, Just thought of you when I went to this site. Chronicles of Oklahoma - It is where you can check out the electronic version of "Chronicles of Oklahoma" and look at each issue. It is maintained at OSU. Cheers!' -- Jim Bradley
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Hebrew History New Year

"Hi, Linda (and all Editors-in-Chief)! Thank you for your e-zine. Great as always! Steve's article on the history of New Year celebrations was fascinating. I would add that Hebrew history (ancient to present) allows for three New Year celebrations: the secular on 1 January, Rosh Hashanah (head of the year) on 1 Tishri (in late summer), and that designated as the "beginning of months" by G-d on 1 Nisan (Exodus: 12:1-2). Nisan is the month in which the Israelites were guided through the Red Sea to escape their Egyptian slavemasters, and contains Passover as the remembrance thereof.

Rosh Hashanah is old but much more recent. It introduces the ten High Holy Days culminating in Yom Kippur, the most solemn holiday -— the day of atonement. It is customary to offer apples and honey on Rosh Hashanah, symbolic of a sweet year to come. Happy new year and many more!!!" -- Joel
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Alva Square Winter 1945-46

"I saw your photo of the Enid square and thought you might like to look at a photo of Alva's square. I'm pretty sure this aerial shot was taken sometime during the Winter of 1945-46, judging from several clues in the photo. It was used on one side of the membership cards for the Alva Chamber of Commerce and this one belonged to my father-in-law, Noel Taylor. I'm amazed at how well it 'blew up' on the computer. The photo must have been snapped with a great camera.

Notice how many cars are parked around the square in the old 'center parking' days. The center parking even extended west of the square for one block on both Barnes and Flynn Streets, as you can see.

I don't know who took this photo, but I have a pretty good suspect in mind. Since I'm not sure, however, I'll keep that to myself.

The square of that day is a far cry from the square of the late 1940's and early 1950's. From an old phone book of the era, I was able to reconstruct a diagram of the square showing 156 businesses on or adjacent to the square in the mid-1940's, and that did not include all of the real estate, law, dental, doctor and other specialty offices that were located in walk-up offices on the second levels of many of these buildings. It was a different place and a great place at that time.

On Saturdays, you had to weave around people while walking down the sidewalk! Four movie houses and four drug stores, two dime stores and a couple of sweet shops made it a 'kid's heaven'" -- JIM
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Stout-Caywood 1893 Grant County Claim

"Identification of pioneers in the photo on the left: Jim Stout, Forest Timberlake, Bob Moore John Reuben Caywood and Captain Edd Armstrong.

Jim, Forest, Bob and John Reuben, were land owners proving claims for land acquired in the September 1893 land run. Captain Edd Armstrong on the far right was the officer in charge.

John "Reuben" Caywood was proving his Grant County land that was staked near Gibbon, Oklahoma. He later traded it for a School land lease near Sand Creek which was Southwest of the Gibbon site. John R Caywood and wife Emma moved to the Sand Creek area in 1905. James Lindsay Stout to the far left was a relative of John's mother. James was a son of Shipman Craig and Sarah (Caywood) Williams Stout. Orville D. Caywood, son of John Reuben Caywood, told his daughter Lois Caywood Guffy that this photo was taken where the old Sears store once sat in Enid, Oklahoma. Other tents and some wood structures can be seen in the background." -- Lois Guffy
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Oklahoma Tourist Offbeat Attractions

"Check out Oklahoma's offbeat Attractions at this link - Oklahoma Offbeat Tourist Attracions. They were All Here in Oklahoma! Dalton Gang - Ma Barker - Geronimo - Pretty Boy Floyd - Al Jennings - Belle Starr - Mickey Mantle - Murders - Attractions" -- Homer
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Bill Doolin & The Black Oklahombres

Bill Doolin and the Black Oklahombres Bill Doolin and The Black Oklahombres, by Art T. Burton, originally published in the Oklahombres Magazine. There was the "King of the Oklahoma Outlaws," which the Deputy U.S. Marshal Bill Tilghman gave that title to Bill Doolin. Doolin's criminal career was affected by African Americans on both sides of the law on several momentous occasions and one incident that is questionable.

They say that Bill Doolin was born in 1858 in Johnson county, Arkansas. When he was 23 years of age, Bill drifted West, working odd jobs until settling in as a top ranch hand along the Cimarron River in the Oklahoma Territory. This was when Bill Doolin met most of the men who would later form his gang known as the "Wild Bunch." By 1891 the Wild Bunch had teamed up with the Dalton Brothers Gang to rob several banks throughout the region. AND... a year later, Bill Doolin took control after most of the Daltons were killed in a raid on two banks in Coffeyville, Kansas. See this link for more on the Wild Bunch: Doolin Dalton Gang - Deputies Versus the Wild Bunch

We don't know if this Bill Doolin of the Wild Bunch was anyway related to the Woods County, Oklahoma Doolin's (John B. Doolin) -- or NOT. Probably ... NOT!
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