Duchess Deer Debacle

Duchess and Sadie, The Pugs, still have been on deer alert here in Southwest Colorado. Particularly when the deer try to raid the hanging birdfeeder. This is a movie clip NW Okie took of my "Duchess Deer Debacle" this last Sunday morn, 25 October 2009. They have been split in to two movie clips: Duchess Deer Debacle I -- Duchess Deer Debacle II





Happy Birthday today to Michael E. Wagner in Fresno, California!
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The Valley of Virginia

NW Okie's Warwick ancestor's were from the "Valley of Virginia," in which Augusta county is situated.

It is a part of the great connected belt of Silurian limestone valleys that extend for 1,500 miles from the mouth of the St. Lawrence through Canada, Vermont, New york, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, the Virginias, Tennessee and Georgia into Alabama, forming not only one of the most beautiful, fertile, populous, and everyday desirable portions of the States it crosses, but is the "garden of America," as Washington called it.

In the grand plateau of the Virginian Valley, and about midway between Harper's Ferry and Bristol, lies Augusta county. Its surface is entirely above the plane of 1,000 feet of altitude above the sea level. Its valley portions, proper, range from near 1,000 to 2,000 feet in elevation, and its mountain lands range to 4,456 feet in Elliott's Knob.

The general aspect of the country is animated and inviting. In the scenery there is a union of romantic and rural beauty, a bold variety of broken ground, plain, and mountain peak, harmonized by congenial groves and clambering vines; intervening marks of cheerful cultivation, and the quiet presence of herds of cattle, horses and sheep grazing on the luxuriant pastures.

The climate of Augusta is noted for its salubrity, the air being dry, pure and bracing, altogether without grossness. No Malaria exists, and none of those fevers so common to less favored regions. The causes which modify the climate are in Winter the mountain ranges, which shelter the country from cold winds, and print, at every season, those cyclones and tornadoes which sweep the Atlantic coast, and are so destructive on the prairies of the West.

The elevation of the Valley and the lofty mountains prevent excessive heats in Summer, and give cool and pleasant nights. Thousands resort to this section annually in pursuit of health and a delightful Summer residence. The mean January temperature of Staunton, in the heart of the county, is 41F. The rainfall is 44 to 56 inches, and the rains are well distributed throughout the year.
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Insight Into Grandma & Warwick's

With no more letters from john C. McClure, we assume that the communication of letters ceased to exist after August 1906 and Constance moved on to her next beau. Was it William J. McGill? We are not sure yet, but suspect as much.

NW Okie has been working on more of the Warwick census reports over at Ancestry.com and updating information in NW Okie's Genealogy pages for Warwick / McGill / Paris / Wagner Family and adding old photos to the Family Photo Albums at her genealogy site.

Meanwhile, while we leave you standing in the wings for more insight into Constance Estella Warwick McGill, we want to share this great old tintype photo we found of Constance's father and two of his brothers, Peter (Pete on left) and William N. Warwick (standing in back, center) and John Robert Warwick, the older brother is seated on the right.

Notice that Pete is holding in his left hand a pistol of some sort on his older brother John Robert Warwick. I love the old hats Pete and William are wearing. The old western shirt that Pete is wearing dates back to the 1880's and the civil war cavalry boots that Pete and John have on help date the photo, but not sure where the old tintype photo was taken.

This is another old tintype photograph that I just adore of my great-grandfather John Robert Warwick that shows him perhaps in his early twenties. I do not know the exact date or where, but assume it was taken in the Virginia's.

This other photograph is not a tintype, but is a photo mounted on cardboard and printed at McPherson, Kansas, C. Forell, Cabinet. Pete and John seemed to be dressed in their best farming duds with real cowboy boots instead of the civil war cavalry boots. You can tell John R. Warwick's hairline is reseeding and is holding an interesting looking hat in his hands. They both are sporting longer mustaches, but Pete's looks to have one of those handlebar mustaches without a pronounced, wax, curled ends like some did in those days.

Can anyone help identify/date when these photos were taken? Especially, the photo taken in McPherson, Kansas? Perhaps 1890s? What age would you suspect for Pete and John in this photo?
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1900 Census - Oklahoma Territory, Liberty Township

The 1900 Census, Liberty Township, Woods, Oklahoma Territory, District 229, Ancestry.com … The 1900 Census for Liberty Township, Woods, Oklahoma Territory, Roll T623_ 1343; Enumeration District: 229., on page 6 of shows Constance E. Warwick (17), Oct. 1882, born in West Virginia living with her parents (John R. & Siggie B. Warwick) and her younger brother Robert L. (12), Nov. 1887, West Virginia, and going to school.

On page 5 of that same census it shows John R. Warwick's younger brother, William N. Warwick (34 years), single, and living nearby John R. & Siggie B. Warwick, in Liberty Township, Woods, Oklahoma Territory.

Other Surnames listed in the Liberty Township area were: Miller, Baker, Venosdel, Matthews, Craft, J(?), Yohn, King, Elliott, Sims, Billings, Bevis, Snyder, Kiss, Ash Bittner, Stanberg, Ertmoed, Hemken, Watson, Avery, Mondy, Kemp, Mosshart, White, Ikeler, McGill, Johnston, Culbertson, Osboun, Hollas, Gatz, Mandy, Kiss, McKnight, Bloss, Torrey, Smithson.

We would love to hear from other Liberty Township, Woods, Oklahoma Territory descendants.
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1900 Census - O.T. McGill Family

On page four of the 1900 census, liberty Township, Woods, Oklahoma Territory, District 229, Roll T623_ 1343, shows William P. McGill, head of household (65 years), farmer; Isabell M. McGill, wife, (54); William J. McGill, son, (19), at school; Charles R. McGill, son, (15), at school; Lulu B. McGill, daughter, (13), at school; and James A. McGill, head of household, (27), farmer.  Additional information on Liberty Township and other places is available on Histopolis.com -- Liberty Township, Woods Co., Oklahoma Territory coordinates was/is Lat:36.722254, Lon" -98.7086977. Also, placenames.com/us/p1825441.
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1910 Census - Alva, Ward 3, Woods, OK

The 1910 Census for Alva Ward 3, Woods, Oklahoma; Roll T624_1276; Page: 27B; Enumeration District: 267; Image: 372, 817 Maple, William J. McGill, (29), born 1881 in Kansas, as a furniture merchant, married in 1910 to Constance E. (26), wife, born in Virginia, school teacher.
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1920 Census - Alva, Ward 3, Woods, OK

The 1920 Census for Alva, Woods, Oklahoma; Roll T625_1480; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 203; Image: 814, shows Constance McGill as head of household (38) and Will McGill as husband (39), proprietor / retail merchant, with two sons: Merle (5) and Bob (3 yrs. 5 months), both born in Oklahoma and living at 817 Maple Street, Alva, Oklahoma.
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Perry, Oklahoma Memories

Roy says, "I too liked Perry the first time I saw it (in 1967). I was working for National Theatre Supply (in OKC) after I'd left KWTV and our secretary at "National," knowing that I was also operating two small town theatres (at Tuttle, and Minco) had suggested that I should lease or buy the theatres (an indoor and a drive-in) at Perry (from her brother in Tulsa).

Then the projectionist from the Perry Theatre had come into our place of business (asking how to fix some problems with the projectors there) and that same week, we'd had an order for some concessions supplies so I decided to deliver them myself and see if I could solve the projector problems (I was known as a projector 'trouble-shooter'). I drove the sixty miles north late that afternoon.

As I drove down the hill coming into town, I was awe-struck be the layout of the valley in which the town was built, and drove around the town square before reaching the theatre.

I delivered the concessions supplies before going to the projection booth. The projectionist was delighted that I'd come up to see his booth and check out its problems.

There was a bad case of 'travel-ghost' on the left projector [caused by the (fan-like) shutters between the arc lamp and the moving film]. After he changed over to the other projector, I reset the timing gear to its 'mid range' and reset the shutter (on its shaft) to as near perfect as possible on a 'stopped' projector; and then when he changed back to using that projector, I 'fine-tuned' the shutter by using its timing gear to remove the rest of the streaks caused by the 'travel-ghost'. After that problem was solved, I reversed the gears that fed the arc-light carbons to slow them down (they had been set up to feed a different size that were used by drive-in theatres for a more brilliant light, and burned at a much faster rate than the ones used here). Problems solved.

As I drove away, I kept thinking that this town looked a lot like the Britton, Oklahoma area where I'd spent my earlier years, and was thinking that this could be a much better place to rear my small children than our home in Minco. I convinced my wife to consider moving and set up a meeting with the theatre owner. He came to a local motel in Perry and we joined him in his room to discuss the details. We moved here within the next month.

Perry, OK Gas Prices

Oct. 19, 2009 -- 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.

Oct. 25, 2009 -- Roy says, "Perry's gasoline prices are still going up. The Conoco unleaded regular is now at $2.59.9 and I assume the Phillips station matches it (they're owned by the same folks). We've also received more moisture. My rain gauges show about 55/100's for the past few days (a slight amount is still coming down). Temperatures have been about the same as they were (mid 30s to 50s depending on time of day). I wonder why you don't receive reports from several other parts of the country? Are we the only ones that pay attention to these trends? Interesting."
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NWOSU Homecomings

James says, "I, too, remember the "big name" shows that Brooks used to bring to Alva. What a legacy that would be! Weather here in NE Kansas is spring-like. Supposed to rain. Harvest of soybeans is nearly complete, but corn and milo are lagging. If it rains that will delay things some more."
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Homecomings At Northwestern

Floyd says, "Homecoming at Northwestern. What memories, but memories of college as well. Picture this, a youngster moving up to the stage steps while the show is on, then having Joey Heatherton look down to him and sing. My heart still beats wildly from that. But does anyone remember my freshman class bringing the group The Five Americans to our freshman class dance? Seems those day in Alva are way in the past."
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NWOSU Homecoming 2009 - "A Century of Pride"

We have put some of our NWOSU 2009 homecoming clips on our OkieLegacy YouTube site. This is just one of the NWOSU movie clips that you can view. It was good to see the Democrats had a float and mascot in the parade. We are proud of those Democrats for submitting and participating.


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Thanks for Sharing Osage County History

Gary says, "I found your website from a Google search and very much appreciated your postings on Osage County. My grandmother and her sisters grew up in Avant after relocating "out west" from near Lebanon, Missouri and I've always been fascinated with the history of Osage County, it's people and its rich history. I live in Tulsa but planning a drive through the area later this week and found your articles inspiring. Thanks for sharing them. Sincerely, ~gmm"
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Avard-Waynoka Memories Wanted

Beulah says, "My Mother grew up in the Avard-Waynoka area. Her name was Juanita Bails. She was born in 1920 and had a sister Geneva and several brothers. If you knew her or her family, please email me, Beulah - Email: aphill57@earthlink.net. Thank You."
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