Duchess' Deer Domain

Is it October Yet? Duchess' backyard domain here in SW Colorado has found the wildlife busily grazing in the early dusk hours before a front is expected through here. These are just three that we happened to get this evening. AND … the New Mexico Weathermen are talking the Higher San Juan Mountains may get some snow this week in the late night hours.

Did you notice the last two issues were mis-dated? Laughing Out Loud (LOL) … You have probably been one of those who noticed that the last couple of newsletters have been dated 9/06/2009 and 9/12/2009, respectfully, and did not show up on the ezine or tabloid page when first published. Instead … you might have seen the 9/28/2009 Issue.

Yes! The 9/06/2009 and 9/12/2009 Issues were published with the incorrect dates as my mind was still located in the month of September and I forgot to turn the calendar to October a few weeks ago. What can this aging NW Okie say or do to apologize for our senior moment? LOL!

I believe now … since I have just corrected those dates in the archives … I am back in to the swing of things and … "It is October, 2009, after all!" AND … Another Month … moving towards November! We all have our moments, don't we!
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Durango, CO - Murals on Main Street

Alva, Oklahoma may be the Mural City of Northwest Oklahoma, but here in Durango, Southwest Colorado, in LaPlata County there are a couple of interesting history murals on the Main Street of Durango.

The mural on the left is a painting of Durango in the early years, showing the Strater hotel. the mural on the right shows a fight with Jack Dempsey at a local tavern.
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A Century of Ranger Pride

"A Century of Ranger Pride" plus another annual homecoming is upon us as October makes it's halfway debut this week. Do you remember the first Alva & Northwestern homecoming that you went to as a child?

NWOSU's Homecoming begins October 22, as the annual Cinderella Talent show gets underway and the Cinderella Pageant follows on the next night, October 23, 2009, at Herod Hall on Northwestern Oklahoma State University campus.

This NW Okie remembers the spectacular Big Shows they used to have on stage in the gymnasium with Big name stars. At least they seemed "big name stars" to this young child back then.

On October 23rd there will be the "Ranger Legends Reunion 1950's-1970's" at the VIP restaurant south of Alva, Oklahoma from 8-11 p.m. and the "Ranger Rewind Reunion 1980's-2000's" at the Nite Lite from 9-1:00 p.m.

On October 24th, 2009 events in downtown Alva around the square kick-off with a "Ranger Run" at 8 o'clock a.m. There will be an "Alumni Tent" setup on the square at 9 a.m. with a parade around the downtown square starting from the 3rd Street & Flynn Avenue and headed West on Flynn Ave., turning South at Sixth Street (College Blvd) for a block, then back East on Barnes Ave. for a couple of blocks until it circles the square. All this begins at 10 o'clock a.m.

Remember when the parade would start up at the College & Oklahoma Blvd and march down 6th Street/College and travel clockwise around the square, ending at Washington Elementary school playground? NOW! … That was a 2-hour parade of great floats, hundreds of school bands, AND … groups and organizations food booths setup along College Blvd at various places with goodies such as sloppy joes, cinnamon rolls, baked goods, drinks, etc…! AND … the floats back in my youthful days of the 1950's were constructed of a chicken-wire base stretched in a particular form around/over a trailer and generously stuffed with lots of different colors of napkins and they worked on them for over a month, it seems. To a little girl in the 1950's it seemed a big deal back then to get to wandering and gather along the downtown square with huge crowds and lots of marching bands back then.

Let us not forget the mini concerts performed by traveling school bands and the local school bands and … of course, the Ranger band that will begin at 11:30 a.m., this coming Saturday! AND ... How about the NWOSU Alumni bar-b-cue luncheon served on the square at NOON, following the parade.

We hear that the Ranger football will be played at 3 p.m. at Ranger field against Bacone College. Go Rangers! Ride … Ride … Rangers Ride!

Lots of things happening in Alva, Oklahoma this week and this coming Saturday! If you are interesting in dancing next Saturday evening, October 24th, 2009, then locate yourself out at the Merchant's Building at the fairgrounds, in Alva, Oklahoma, for a homecoming dance and mingle with your family, friends and buddies.

Visit the square in downtown Alva, Oklahoma for NWOSU's annual homecoming and help celebrate "A Century of Ranger Pride" with other Northwestern Alumni and Northwest Oklahomans.

This NW Okie will not be there, but she has someone getting some photos and movies of the parade and crowd on the square. So … Smile if you see Robert taking photos and movies!
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1900 Census - Warms Springs VA

We are still doing some census research on our Warwick ancestors locations. What we would really like to find are backup copies of the burnt 1890 census, but we know that is not possible since most of those census records were burnt in the 1921 fire in Washington, D.C.

We know that all of Kansas's 1890 census records were destroyed for that year. AND … the Kansas 1890 census records are one of those that we are particularly searching for information.

We did find some 1900 census records for the Warm Springs, Bath county, Virginia; Roll T623_ 1701; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 43, which showed our Warwick's and their neighbors listed. Such as:

* McDonald, Thomas, wife and adopted daughter, Nellie;
* Anderson, William, Jennie B (wife), Nellie F. (daughter);
* Reder, Henry C., Mary (wife), Avonis J. (son), William C. (son), Ida S. (daughter), Mary F. (daughter), George N. (son), Josephine daughter), Edward S. (son) Richard F. (son) Odella F. (daughter);
* Chesnut, James W., Lucy R. (sister), Sarah A. (mother);
* Gum, R. Lee, Rubie L. (wife), Russell C. (son), Kenton (son), Arthur (son), Mary V. (daughter), Arnett (son), Eula G. (daughter), Knox (son), Luciel (daughter), Junita (daughter);
* Warwick, Paul M., Susan (wife), William P. (son), Camelia R. (daughter);
* Dickey Jef D., Nettie P. (wife), Mabel C. (daughter); Cleek, David, Alban G. (wife), Sallie B. (daughter), Mary E. (daughter), Lacy William (boarder);
* Kellison, Thomas, Hnrietta V. (wife), Gentie M. (daughter), Annie G. (daughter), Harrie D. (son), Ella F. (daughter), Charles, H. (son)

As we flipped a few pages over we find our Great-Great Grandparents, William Fechtig & Phebea Anthea (Pray) Warwick, living with their son, George Warwick, and his wife (Annie W. Cleek Warwick) and their young son, George C., Jr., in the Warms Springs, Virginia area. George Warwick's brother Charles Fechtig Warwick was also a part of that same household with George Craig Warwick listed as head of household.
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Old Avard Road Unsolved Mystery of 1956

Some say about 1956 in Northwest Oklahoma, "This was an innocent time in an unsophisticated community. Death happened, but only by accident or disease. Murder was not known, and really no one knew how to cope with it."

BUT … the Old Avard Road Fiery Death of Mildred Ann Newlin Reynolds was not the only murder mystery in this northwest community. If we look back to 1910 we can find another mysterious death of a young women, which occurred in the Old Opera House on the southeast corner of the square, in Alva, Oklahoma. BUT … That is another story for another OkieLegacy Issue.

Our 1956 Unsolved mystery had lots of Cast of Characters. Just to name a few: Mildren Ann Newlin Reynolds (22, victim), R. D. "Dee" Reynokds (26, husband of victim, teacher & coach at Avard High School), Earnest F. Newlin (father of victim), Marie Schroder Newlin (mother of victim), Eddie Newlin (brother of victim), Jim Hucklebee (18, nephew of Dee & Ann Reynolds), I. R. Boyce (county coroner), Ed Doctor (Sheriff of Woods County), Loren Goucher (farmer in Avard who reported crime scene), H. D. Potts (Woods county attorney), Leroy Lancaster (farmer who sighted fire), Atlee Delaney (employee of Alva Review Courier who took pictures of crime scene), Kyle Morehead (Deputy Assistant State Fire Marshall), G. R. Brown (State Highway Trooper), 125-150 students at NSC (Northwestern State College), Ralph Duroy (State Fire Marshall), Elvin White (Undersheriff of Woods county 1955-60), R. Doss Gourley (deputy of Woods county (1955-60) and Vernie Hackney (resigned as deputy sheriff of Woods county, March 15, 1956).

It was on a Tuesday, 13 March 1956, around 1:40 p.m. that Mildred Ann (Newlin) Reynolds met a violent, fiery death along the Old Avard road as she was headed home after classes at Northwestern State College in Alva, Oklahoma in a 1949 Chevrolet Tudor Sedan. Was she alone at the time? OR … Was someone waiting for her at the scene of the crime along the Old Avard road?

Mildred Ann Newlin was born December 25, 1933 and died 13 March 1956, at the age of 22. Ann was a petite 5' 2", 100Lb, nice looking, young lady and a senior attending Northwestern State College in Alva, Oklahoma. THE College faculty described her as rather shy and a good student. Mildred Ann was the daughter of Ernest & Marie (Schroder) Newlin of Lambert, Oklahoma, and had a younger brother, Eddie Newlin.

Mildred Ann had only been married nine months to Coach R. D. "Dee" Reynolds, the basketball coach and teacher at the Avard High School and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Homer Reynolds of Freedom, Oklahoma. Coach R. D. Reynolds was a NSC (Northwestern State College) graduate student, age 26 years, at the time of his Wife's death. It was reported that after his wife Ann's death he moved away from Avard, remarried and lived in the Bartlesville, Oklahoma area until his death.

We know that Jim Hucklebee, an 18 year-old nephew of the Reynolds, was living with Dee & Ann Reynolds while attending Northwestern State College in Alva. Jim was one of the last ones to see Mildred Ann alive in Alva around noon. Jim would usually drive/ride home to Avard with Ann, but did not on this particular day because he testified that he stayed behind for a class at NSC at 1:00p.m.

Was it an accident? Was it murder? Was someone waiting, knowing Ann would be on her way home; knew her normally traveled route; OR … Did someone follow behind her to a point, then passed and overtook her? Did the perpetrator/s then proceeding on to the next section line after turning around, coming back toward her and blocking the road so she could not proceed further -- at this point causing the chain of events that eventually resulted in Mildred Ann Newlin Reynold's death.

They reported that Mildred's body was burned beyond recognition and one leg was burned completely off at the knee. Was her husband's 1949 Chevrolet Tudor Sedan set afire?

Mildred's body was found lying across the front seat with her head away from the steering wheel.

There are lots of unanswered questions in this "Cold Case" of March 1956 in Northwest Oklahoma. Some of those questions are:

* Who was present at the scene and expended the 9mm shells?
* Why was a weapon fired at the scene?
* Who fired it?
* What is plausible reason for this?
* Why was there no further information divulged as to the owner of the shell casings as per information presented in the internet article?
* Was she shot prior to vehicle burning?
* Why was gas tank plug loose enough to dislodge from tank?
* Or was it removed at the scene?
* Or intentionally loosened earlier?
* Was the plug recovered at the scene?
* Was she enroute to rendezvous with another party?
* Was this route, her normally traveled route?
* Had she received phone call to meet with someone?
* Did she have a boyfriend ... or did someone think she did?
* Was it proven she was alone and that she was the actual driver of the vehicle at time of incident?
* Was she pregnant or did somebody believe her to be?
* Did her husband have a girlfriend? If so, who was she and was she pregnant?
* What was her husband's occupation?
* Were personal friends of husband interviewed extensively?
* Did Anne have a part time job?
* Was she a full-time or part-time student?
* Were her classmates interviewed and what was her schedule for that day?
* Did she in fact attend "all" scheduled classes that day?
* Where was she "enroute to and from" at the time of incident?
* Did her family privately pursue answers to the incident?

On 23 March 1956 only 10 days after the car fire according to [Woodward News] – Victim’s Father told reporters, he thought his daughter's death was accidental …… WHY? The inquest jurors had just determined they did not believe the death was accidental and recommended further investigation.

This statement made by the victim’s father seems somewhat out in left field so early in the investigation … doesn’t it? Why was his opinion so convincingly established in such short order? Why were all the evidentiary facts being overlooked, so early on in the investigation?

Is there still viable DNA that could be used to solve this crime? OR … did it get violated, contaminated with the passers-by that drove out to see the scene of the crime?

Al says, "I went to Lambert High School with Ann, I was a couple of grades behind. We lived about a mile and a quarter west of her home. When I heard of her murder, it was the most frightening thing I had experienced. It still seems the most senseless. This was an innocent time in an unsophisticated community. Death happened, but only by accident or disease. Murder was not known, and really no one knew how to cope with it."

Doug says, "As a young child I use to help ann do her chores after she would come home from school. I went to her house which was across the road from where we lived … three times that day. I told my mother Ann has not come home from school. I told mom I wonder were she could be? Then a fellow neighbor came by an told us she was murdered. We lived only one an half miles from the murder seen. My mom told me to stay in the car. Well! That didn't work. Down the hill I ran and I saw her in the front seat, one leg was burned into and on the ground. I had nightmares for a long time. The next year we moved to Alva. I was very good friends of the family. I have always been so sad about what had happen to her. She was my buddy and we had so much fun. I justed wanted to share this with everyone."

Natalie says, "You know, my mom STILL talks about this - a very haunting case."

This is/was a haunting case and I understand the ghost of Ann Reynolds and other Avard ghosts have allegedly been known to be one of many haunting souls that inhabits the "Old Avard Gym," leaving the smell of burnt flesh behind.

Perhaps Mildred Ann is looking for her husband who was a teacher and basketball coach at Avard Gym during the time of Ann's fiery death on the Old Avard road, just a few miles East of Avard, 13 March 1956, at 1:40 p.m.

With Halloween just a couple of weeks away, will the Reynold's ghosts be haunting the Old Avard gymnasium?

If you have heard stories of this haunting "Cold Case Unsolved Fiery Death that occurred, March 13, 1956, in Northwest Oklahoma on the Old Avard Road, one mile South of Hopeton and two miles West, we would love to hear from you.

These questions are presented now, in hopes that someone would remember a particular person or persons mentioned herein. BUT … Then again … Maybe it is best that we let dead bones and their unanswered questions stay buried! Huh!
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Insight Into Grandma & John C. McClure

August 11, 1906 -- This letter from John C. McClure written on "The First National Bank" stationery to Miss Constance Warwick at Alva, Oklahoma Territory. It is a short note just before John heads for Altona.

"Dear Connie, I do not know whether I will get up tonight or not. I'm going home in the morning, so if I don't see you. Good bye. Yours, Jno. Write me at Altona, Illinois."

August 15, 1906 -- This letter finds Miss Constance Warwick receiving her mail at Pringey, Oklahoma Territory. John C. McClure is writing from Altona, Illinois. John's letter begins: "Alva, Okla., Monday Morning, Miss Constance Warwick.

"I got home Sun. about noon. The trains were all late. We had a pullman out of Alva. There was quite a crowd of Alva people so we had a good time. I laid down yesterday afternoon to take a nap and when I got up I had a cramp in the back of my neck and back and still have. I can't hardly move my head. I don't believe I will give you that surprise. I am scart to. You would write (no) in great big black letters.

"Now write me a letter everyday and I'll pay you when I come back." write soon. J. C. McClure."

August 16, 1906 -- This letter finds Miss Constance Warwick getting her mail forward to Pringey, Woodward Co., Oklahoma Territory (O.T.) and John is writing from Altona, Illinois on a Thursday. The letter begins: "I rec'd your letter yesterday. Was kinder glad to hear from my Dearie. I ain't very mad any way.

"We are having nice weather here. I have not seen any rain since I left Oklahoma.

"I guess T. P. was trying to bunt in while I was gone wasn't he> Otho told Miss Caplin that I was going home, that is the reason she was so wise. I am going to a hours show today. I'll be home Monday eve at 11 o'clock. Meet me. Yours affectionately, J. C. Mc."

August 22, 1906 -- This letter finds John C. McClure back in Alva, O.T. and First National Bank. Miss Constance Warwick in receiving her mail in Alva, O.T. It is just a few lines written on "The First National Bank" stationery that reads:"Alva, O.T., Tues Eve, Miss Constance Warwick, Dearest, Got home all ok and tired to death. Let me hear from you. Bye Jno."

August 27, 1906 -- This seems to be the last letter that I have found of John C. McClure's to Miss Constance Warwick. It is dated August 27, 1906 and addressed to Miss Constance Warwick at Alva, Oklahoma Territory. John's letter on "The First National Bank" stationery. It sounds like Constance has been buggy riding with another fellow. Could it be Wm. J. "Bill" McGill?

It begins: "Alva, Okla., Mon. Morning, Dear Connie. I looked for a letter from you all day yesterday, but did not get one, and I did not care to go up there without receiving one, or I might be bunting in the fire. I naturally suppose you had a date with the same fellow that you were out buggy riding with.

I can't for a minute think why you thought I acted indifferent that last eve. I surely did not walk up there in the rain for fun. Let me hear from you. Sincerely, J. C. McClure."

You can re-read John's letters to Miss Constance Warwick at Grandma Legacy - Letters.
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Perry, OK Gas Prices

Roy says, "Our Perry gasoline prices have been going up a penny or two almost daily and regular unleaded at the downtown Conoco is now at $2.44.9. The moisture finally stopped Thursday afternoon and we got sunshine again. Since then, it has also warmed up some."
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Alva German POWs of WWII

Sandie says, "The Waynoka Historical Society has on DVD an interview with a man who worked with the German POWs at the Railways Ice Co in Waynoka, Oklahoma. I believe you would find it fascinating. The cost is $9.95 plus $2.50 for mailing. If you would like to order one, send check or credit card info to the Waynoka Historical Society -- PO Box 193, Waynoka, OK 73860, or CALL: 580.824.1886.

We have on display several paintings that were done on the Celotex between the studs at the POW camp barracks in Alva, as well as shoulder boards and a patch which German POWs traded for American cigarettes.
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Constance (Warwick) McGill's DAR Certificate

Constance E. Warwick McGill received her DAR certificate #207348, which was admitted January 31, 1925 and it was given/presented to Constance April 1, 1925, using her ancestor, Captain David Gwin, as the Revolutionary War soldier. The certificate was signed by Lora Haiurt Cook, pres. general; Alice Lye Briggs, recording sec. general; Inez S. Stansfield, registrar general.
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