Duchess of Weaselskin

Bayfield, Colorado - Our human buddy, Robert Wagner, has made a fantastic slow-motion video last Friday the 13th of July, 2012, of the hummingbirds feeding at the northend of Vallecito Reservoir, in SW Colorado, with his GoPro Hero2 camera with it set at 120 FPS, slowed down 16x.



Hope you like this week's OkieLegacy Ezine that includes more history of Pendleton county, West Virginia; information from one hundred years ago today and yesterday concerning Jim Thorpe winning the pentathlon and decathlon from the "Pick O' World" at Stockholm. Was this the medal that was taken away from Thorpe and then reinstated a few years ago?

There is more information concerning the "Bull Moose" party that Colonel Roosevelt started the progressive Bull Moose party after he broke with the Republican party.

Where are the Jobs, Boehner?

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100 Years Ago Today - 16 July 1912

Stockholm - It was one hundred years ago that The San Francisco Call, dated Tuesday, 16 July 1912, had the following front page headlines: "U.S. Can Boast of Greatest All Round Athlete" as Jim Thorpe won the pentathlon and decathlon from Pick O' World at Stockholm.

As reported about Jim Thorpe, "His victory in the pentathlon last week and yesterday in the decathlon stamps Jim Thorpe, the Carlisle Indian, as the greatest all round athlete the world has ever seen. To win two all round championships of the world within a few days of each other against the very pick of the world is a marvelous performance. Martin Sheridan, considered by many the most wonderful and versatile athlete alive, must take a back seat to Thorpe. It is not only in track and field work that Thorpe excels, but as a footballer, baseball pitcher and swimmer he has won innumerable laurels."

Stockholm, July 15, 1912 -- "It would have rounded out things if the United States could have taken the marathon, but with the wind up of the field and track events of the Olympic games today, there is every reason for rejoicing among the lads who bear Uncle Sam's shield. We have in Jim Thorpe the marvelous Indian, unquestionably the greatest all around athlete in the world. He won both the pentathlon and the decathlon, the two all round contests in hollow style. Besides this, our boys have taken 16 firsts out of 29 events, with an even greater proportion of seconds and thirds. Our total points in the purely Olympic events are 85, with Finland second with 29. Sweden third with 27 and England fourth with 15. The other countries are simply no where." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

NW Okie's Corner

Bayfield, Colorado - Reading the History of Pendleton County, (W) Virginia and the beginning of the settlement, I found mention of my 6th great Grandfather, Frederick Keister (1704-1787), who had a son by the same name (Frederick Keister (1730-1815)). Frederick Keister, Jr. had a daughter named Esther (1767-1825) who married into the HOHL family.

The Keister-Hohl-Warwick-McGill Family Lineage:

• Frederick Keister, I (1704 - 1787), my 6th great grandfather; married Hannah Green Batton Smith (1715-1790)
• Frederick KEISTER, II (1730 - 1815) was born ca 1730 in Germany, Son of Frederick; married Hannah M. Dyer (1738-1819) about 1755, daughter of Roger Dyer (1699-1758) and Hannah Green (1706-1780). It is believed his family arrived at Philadelphia on Ship Virginia Grace 24 Sept 1737, and he pioneered on South Fork ca 1750. Roger and son William were killed in Ft. Seybert Massacre 28 April 1758; son James and daughter Sarah, widow of Henry Hawes, were captured. James escaped after two years and rescued Sarah when she had been captive about five years. Hannah Dyer, with daughters, Hannah Keister and Esther Patton, escaped harm as they were in Shenandoah Valley with relatives. Hannah Keister was devised 437 acres near Moorefield by her father. Frederick Keister was naturalized in 1762 along with other Germans neighbors. He was a Revolutionary War soldier serving as a Lieutenant in Rockingham County Company of Virginia militia in 1778, member of a band of Indian scouts and a 1st Lt. in 46th Regiment of VA militia in 1782. The Keister homestead encompassed the area of Brandywine village and part of the originial land is still in the family. Frederick and Hannah are buried on some of the originial land where the DAR placed a stone for Frederick with the dates of 1730-28 Nov 1815; Hannah's stone is chipped reading 1735-181_.
• Esther KEISTER (1767 - 1825), Daughter of Frederick, II; married Adam Hohl (1754-1836)
• Esther Hohl (1804 - 1853), Daughter of Esther; married Robert Craig Warwick (1801-1845)
• William Fechtig WARWICK (1822 - 1902), Son of Esther; married Phebe Anthea Pray (1833-1905)
• John Robert WARWICK (1857 - 1937), Son of William Fechtig; married Signora Belle Gwin (1860-1934)
• Constance Estella WARWICK (1882 - 1968), Daughter of John Robert; married William Jacob McGill (1880-1959)
• Gene M MCGILL (1914 - 1986), Son of Constance Estella; married Vada Eileen Paris (1916-1992)

Pendleton County, (West) Virginia - Beginning of Settlement

Pendleton county, W VA - The spirit of the eighteenth century was aristocratic. The colonial government of Virginia had not risen above the idea that the public domain should be a perquisite to the few. The governor and his council (state senate of that day) would issue an order in favor of a land gentleman, permitting that gentleman to select from the public lands 20,000 acres, or perhaps 100,000 acres.

Sometimes the grantee acted alone and with associates. The tract was probably not selected in a single body, but in a considerable number of choice parcels, the surrounding culls being left on the hands of the state. If saturated with old English ideas to the exclusion of the freer spirit of America, the grantee acted the part of Lord Fairfax and sought to make himself a feudal baron surrounded with a population of tenants, so that he and his might be supported by a tax on their industry.

In 1746 and 1747, Robert Green of Culpeper, entered a number of tracts in Pendleton by virtue of an order of council. With him were associated in a considerable degree James Wood and William Russell, the former of Frederick county. No other surveys are on record prior to 1753. The selections of these men were almost wholly in the middle and lower parts of the South Branch and South Fork valleys, where the bottoms are broadest. They located nineteen parcels of land aggregating 15,748 acres. A few of these surveys extended into the present county of Grant, or were wholly beyond the present boundary line.

The survey of 2643 acres at Fort Seybert was more than six miles in length, the lines being run so as to include the whole bottom within that distance and as little as possible of the hilly upland. The survey of 1650 acres on Mill Creek was nearly as long and consequently narrower. This monopoly of nearly thirty square miles of the very best of the soil, left the three partners in control of the situation. Later comers had perforce either to buy of them, take the odds and ends of bottom land they had not gathered in, or else retire into the mountains.

Robert Green did not confine his operations to Pendleton. On the Shenandoah river he entered the still larger amount of 23,026 acres. Another non-resident speculator was John Trimble, a deputy surveyor of Augusta, who located several tracts toward the Highland line. In 1766 Thomas Lewis of Augusta patented a tract of 1700 acres which had been surveyed the year previous for Gabriel Jones and other persons. This survey was a long narrow strip lying on the crest of South Fork Mountain and described as barren mountain land.

The first bona fide settlers of Pendleton appear to be the six families who on the fourth and fifth days of November, 1747 were given deeds of purchase by Robert Green. The heads of these families were Robert Dyer, his son William, and his son-in-law Matthew Patton; also John Patton, Jr., John Smith and William Stephenson. These men purchased 1860 acres, paying therefore 61 pounds and 6 shillings, or $203.33.

The settlers who had come into the valley of Virginia within just 20 years, were scattered over an area 150 miles long and 50 miles broad. This was an average of only one family to each 5,000 acres. The county organization of Augusta was barely three years old. Staunton had not yet received its name. The locality was known as "Beverly's Mill Place." There was in fact no designated town in the whole valley. The nearest approach to one was Winchester, then only ten years old and not to become a town until 1752.

There was no established road or even bridle path for miles down the South Fork. It would easily have taken a week to ride to Philadelphia, then the metropolis of America.

Roger Dyer was at least on the border of middle age and for that period was a person of quite good circumstances. he went into the wilderness of his own free choice and seemed to have possessed the qualities of leadership. Coming to Virginia from Pennsylvania he first located near Moorefield, but finding the damp bottom land malarious, he moved higher up the valley in search of healthful spot. Two of the other members of the group were of his own family, and the other three were presumably former neighbors if not relatives also.

A pathway to the outer world was of pressing importance, and by county order of May 18, 1749, John Smith and Matthew Patton were appointed to survey and mark a road from the house of John Patton to the forks of Dry River. Other persons east of Shenandoah Mountain were to extend the road to the Augusta courthouse. Two years later, 29 May 1751, in consequence to a petition to the Augusta court, John Patton, Roger Dyer, Daniel Richardson, and Dube Collins, together with the adjacent tithables were ordered to clear a way from Patton's mill to Coburn's mill by the nearest and best way. They were also to set up posts of direction and keep the road in repairs according to law.

Changes in ownership soon crept into the colony. The first was in 1750, when Roger Dyer sold to Matthew Patton his place of 190 acres for the same price he paid for it. The elder man at once bought of Robert Green a new tract of 620 acres. Peter Haws, son-in-law of Dyer, bought an entire Green survey paying only $75.83 for the entire 750 acres.

The South Branch of the valley is the largest of the Green surveys in this section was from the very beginning designated as the upper tract, to distinguish it from a lower tract a little farther down in the Mill Creek valley. That name persisted, and finally became that also of the little village that has grown up on the brow of Tract Hill. The upper survey was the largest single expanse of bottom land in the county, and would have been a shining mark to the land prospector. The tract was known to have been conveyed in part or in whole to one William Shelton, and by him to others, but there are no details in regard to these transaction. The actual time of settlement was anywhere from 1748 to 1751, probably nearer to the first date than the second.

Somewhere within this short period Peter Reed built a mill and gave his name to the small stream that winds lazily through the bottom. By petition of the settlers around him, an order of court was issued November 15, 1752 for the building of a road to Reed's mill. Whether this road was to the Dyer settlement or directly down the South Branch was not stated. The viewers and markers were James Simpson and Michael Stump. The tithables ordered to turn out and build the road were Henry Alkire, H. Garlock, Henry Harris, philip Moore, Henery Shipler, jeremiah and George Osborn, and John, Jacob and William Westfall. The settlements in the two valleys were of similar size.

There was a sudden wave of immigration in 1753. 27 tracts were surveyed for 21 different persons, 16 of whom were newcomers. John DAvis located on the South Fork near the northern end of Sweedland Hill, and Henry Hawes surveyed a plot in Sweedland Valley. West of the Dyer settlement were Ulrich Conrad, Jacob Seybert, John Dunkle, and Jacob Goodman, located on the plateau of the South Fork Moutain. Michael Mallow made a large star-shaped survey at Kline P. O., on Mallow's Run. peter Moser and Michael Freeze settled close to Upper Tract. John Michael Popst settled two miles above Brandywine, and John Michael Simmons went higher up the valley. On Walnut Bottom on the North Fork surveys were made by Benjamin Scott, Frederick Sherier, and John, James and William Cunninham.

Still other settlers were here by this time or else they came quickly afterward. Jacob Zorn lived near Propst. He was seemingly the first settler to pass away. Frederick Keister, another son-in-law to Dyer, had come by 1757 and probably earlier. Michael and Jacob Peterson appeared to have settled near Upper Tract. In 1754 we find mention of Samuel Bright on Blackthorn, Joseph Skidmore and Peter Vaneman on Friend's Run. Skidmore and Vaneman were forehanded and enterprising, and became active in land transactions.

Jacob Eberman was in Augusta by 1750, but may not have come to Pendleton for several years afterward. In 1756 Hans Harper had come from Augusta and was living near the head of Blackthorn. The Indians were now coming on, and until 1761 there was an entire letting up in the matter of surveying, except for the parcels taken by John and William Cunningham on Thorny Branch and those of James and Thomas parsons between Trouth Rock and the mouth of East Dry Run.

There were a few more changes within the Dyer settlement. In 1755 Jacob Seybert purchased John pat ton's farm of 210 acres, and two years later William Stephenson sold his own place to Mathias Dice. In the latter year Roger Dyer fell into a term of ill health and made a will wherein he mentions 29 persons with whom he had business dealings of one sort or another. it is quite impossible to draw the line between those who were living within Pendleton and those who were not. The persons named were: Thomas Capbell, William Corry, John Cravens, Michael Dicken, Patrick Frazier, Michael Graft, William Gragg, jesse Harrison, Johnston Hill, Peter Hawes, Frederick keister, Joseph Kile, Arthur Johnston, James Lock, Daniel Love, Michael mallow, John McClure, John and Jane McCoy, Hugh McGlaughlin, David Nelson, Matthew Patton, John Nicholas, and Thomas Smith, William Semple, Herman Shout, John Saulsbury, Robert Scott and Robert Walston.

It was by the close of 1757, not less than about 40 families (200 individuals) were living in what is now Pendleton county. They were not unequally divided between the South Branch and the South Fork. They were most numerous toward Upper Tract and the Dyer settlement. Nearly all lying on or near the large watercourses. In the clearings were the small houses of unhewn logs. Around the house were small, stump, dotted fields of corn, grain, and flax. The pens for the livestock were strongly built, so as to protect the animals from the bears, wolves and catamounts that were the cause of continual anxiety and occasional loss. The broads leading out front he settlements were simply bridle paths, and commodities were carried on the backs of animals. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

15 July 1912, 3rd Party of Utah Calls State Meeting

Utah - It was to be a Saturday, July 27, 1912, that Roosevelt's Mass Convention would be held at Provo, Utah. As The Salt lake Tribune reported 15 July 1912, Officers of the Roosevelt Club of utah had issued an official call for a state mass convention to be held in the opera house at Provo, Saturday forenoon, 27 July 1912, at 11 o'clock.

It was at this organization of the national progressive party in Utah would be perfected and delegates chosen to represent utah at the national progressive convention called by the Roosevelt forces for August 5 in Chicago. The second state convention of "progressives" would be held, in Ogden in September, where the new party proposed to nominate a full state ticket, including presidential electors.

This was considered the first direct move toward the birth of the third party in Utah that was the outcome of that Saturday night meeting of the Roosevelt club leaders. They outlined their plans after listening to the report and recommendations of the organization and convention committee appointed at a meeting July 3rd. It was decided that the Roosevelt club's work should cease when the mass meeting convened and that all future work, policies of the new party would be the outgrowth of the Provo convention.

The convention call was signed by Wesley K. Walton, chairman; Harry S. Anderson, first assistant secretary, and the following county committeemen of the Roosevelt Club of Utah. The "Text of Call" for the convention was as follows:

"To the people of utah, regardless of past party affiliations --

1. Who believe that the time has come for organization of a national progressive party.
2. Who believe in the right and capacity of the people of our country to rule themselves.
3. Who believe insist upon the right to choose the candidates for whom they shall vote.
4. Who recognize the evils of the boss system that has perverted the functions of our political parties and the ends of popular government.

District Party Will Be Formed By Bull Moose

San Francisco, California - In The San Francisco Call, Tuesday 16 July 1912, page 2, these are the headlines you might have read concerning Colonel Roosevelt's Bull Moose party and his stand against his old Republican party where Roosevelt says there must be No Bartering with Regular Republicans: "District Party Will Be Formed By Bull Moose."

Oyster Bay, July 15, 1912 -- "Formation of a distinct independent party, and not the capture of the republican party is the course Colonel Roosevelt laid out for himself tonight. he took issue flatly with supporters who have advanced a proposal for effecting an agreement with the republican organization in some states through which, under certain conditions, the strength of the Roosevelt following might be thrown behind President Taft. The colonel will have none of it.

"I shall not acquiesce," he said. Colonel Roosevelt made it clear that he had decided upon a thorough going gift, independent of alliance with either party, which will put him in a position to appeal to democrats as well as republicans. In states in which his followers have control of the republican organization, he is ready to carry on his campaign through that medium.

"No compromise," is to be his battle cry.

No Bargains With Taftites

"The former president was prompted to make his position definitely known by reports that in several states, notably Pennsylvania and Maryland, a movement was on foot to have the same candidates for electors on both the Taft and Roosevelt tickets, with the agreement that the ticket which received the larger number of votes should obtain the entire electoral vote.

"William Flinn of Pittsburg and other Roosevelt leaders in Pennsylvania, the former president heard, had announced themselves in favor of the plan with the idea that by this meted the Roosevelt and Taft strength would be united against the democratic ticket. The colonel said emphatically that there would be no bargaining of this nature if he could prevent it.

"Colonel Roosevelt dictated this statement of his position:

"I see that in Pennsylvania and Maryland the proposal has been made that identical Roosevelt and Taft electors run and the electors who are chosen cast their votes for whichever, either Mr. Taft or myself, gets the most votes. I trust that no such plan will be adopted. I claim in every primary state, where the primaries were carried for me and where electors have been nominated that as a matter of the highest obligation those men are bound to vote for me, for I am the nominee of the overwhelming majority of the rank and file of the republican party and Mr. Taft's nomination represents nothing but the successful dishonesty of the Barnes-Penrose-Guggenheim machine and is not binding upon any honest republican.

Attacks Both Old Parties

"in certain primary states, as I understand it, there is now a contest on in the primaries to see whether my name or that of Mr. Taft shall be put on the regular ticket, instead of being nominated by petition, it being the intention of the party beaten in the primary to nominated its electors by petition. This is all right and proper; but, so far as I have any say in the matter, i shall not assent to any arrangement which by any circumstances my supporters or electors supported by them shall cast their votes for Mr. Taft.

"I make my appeal to all progressives, no matter what their past affiliations may be, who genuinely believe in progressive principles and who believe as I do, that both of the old party organizations are completely under the domination of the bosses and of special privileges and that both the Chicago and Baltimore platforms are fundamentally unprogressive and reactionary platforms, showing that it is hopeless to expect from either of the old parties, under present conditions, any real and far reaching progressive movement.

"Therefore, I hope that in every state the progressives, without regard to their past party affiliations, may have the chance to vote at the polls for electors who in the electoral college will cast their votes for the national progressive candidate for president.

Colonel's Last Word

Colonel Roosevelt added that he was willing to have the same electors on both the republican and the national progressive tickets as long as his supporters did not agree that the entire electoral vote of a state should go to President Taft if the republican ticket should receive the greater number os votes. Under such conditions any electors on the republican ticket who wished to vote for Roosevelt would be free to do so. To many any agreement of the kind proposed, in his opinion, would give the movement a tinge of republicanism and alienate democratic support.

"His declaration was regarded as a final answer to his followers, who have wished to lay less emphasis upon the new party idea and support Colonel Roosevelt on the ground that he was the rightful nominee of the republican party." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Oklahoma's Carlisle Indian Industrial School

The first book in a series on Native American sports heroes will be of interest to Oklahomans from seventh grade to senior citizen. In addition to the biographies of 14 core Carlisle Indian School football stars with ties to Oklahoma, the book includes chapters on Carlisle Indian School, early football and their primary coach, Pop Warner. The book is heavily illustrated with period photos and cartoons. In addition, Bob Carroll of the Professional Football Researchers Association drew busts for each. Oklahoma's Carlisle Indian Industrial school. Did Oklahoma have a Carlisle Indian Industrial School?



Carlisle Indian Industrial School (1879-1918) was an Indian boarding school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1879 at Carlisle, Pennsylvania by Captain Richard Henry Pratt, the school was the first off-reservation boarding school, and it became a model for Indian boarding schools in other locations. It was one of a series of 19th-century efforts by the United States government to assimilate Native American children from 140 tribes into the majority culture. The goal of total assimilation can be summed up in the school's slogan: "To civilize the Indian, get him into civilization. To keep him civilized, let him stay." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Mid-Air Collision of 12 February 1944 - Mill Creek, Oklahoma

Mill Creek, Oklahoma - Let us take you back to 12 February 1944, in Mill Creek, Oklahoma for a bit of history. You can find more information on Our Little Memorial blog that we have put up in conjunction with others to share memorials and special stories of family, friends and loved ones who have died in service for their country in times of war.

We have just added a memorial for Lt. Robert N. Bulloch (25) of Cedar City, Utah, who was co-pilot of B-17G, (42-30481), at the Ardmore Army Air Field during 1944. Lt. Bulloch's aircraft was cut-in-two in a mid-air collision near Mill Creek, Oklahoma, February 12, 1944.

Ten crew-members died at 5:30PM when the aircraft plummeted to earth just north of Mill Creek. One member, Cpl. Joseph (Jack) W. McClanahan, the tail gunner, survived without injury after parachuting from the severed tail section. Other crew-members included Captain William R. Heck, pilot; Lt. Collins O. Gerstner, 24, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Lt. Jack L. Rider, 27, Glendale, California; Captain Oswald L. Bernich, 28, Biloxi, Mississippi; Sgt. Albert F. Franczyk, 20, E. Vandergrift, Pennsylvania; Cpl. Anthony T. Casino, 21, Follansbee, W. Virginia; Sgt. Ray N. Wise, 20, Texarkana, Arkansas; Sgt. Leslie C. Hill, 21. Medford, Oregon and Sgt. John W. Ashba, Jr., 26, Steubenville, Ohio.

The 12 planes, in tight formation, were turning and descending from 14,500 feet when the collision occurred under turbulent air conditions. They had been in the air for four-plus hours and were returning to Ardmore Army Air Field, located approximately 15 miles southwest of Mill Creek.

The other B-17F, (42-30752), though severely damaged, landed safely at Ardmore. None of its crew was injured. Several weeks after the accident, the crew was shipped to England, serving with the 8th Air Force. A few days after arriving, the pilot of the surviving aircraft, Lt. Verne H. Lewis, flying as co-pilot with another crew for experience, was shot down, June 14, 1944, and became a prisoner of war. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe