Duchess & Oakie's NW Corner

Bayfield, Colorado -

Grab your cowboy hats, horses, buggies and cowgirls! Everyone that's anyone will be heading towards Freedom, Oklahoma this weekend for the Biggest Open Rodeo, Old Cowhand Reunion and big shootout Saturday on Freedom's Main Street in this Old West community in NW Oklahoma.

Will you be one of the visitors crowding the main streets of Freedom (Oklahoma), Saturday for the cowhand reunion honoring Helen Snapp London (age 92) -- experiencing a staged bank robbery & shootout in the afternoon with actors from the community -- watching the final night of the Rodeo Saturday evening starting around 8:00p.m.?

Duchess and I wish we could be there, but we are still in SW Colorado. If someone making the reunion, shootout and rodeo happens to get some photos of this years festivities in Freedom, we sure would love to have a copy to share on the OkieLegacy website and in the newsletter.

We have been consumed this week as with last week trying to get our DirecWay Antenna installed up here. Finally... our installer figured things out. AND... after waiting a couple months to get DirecWay / Hughes on the ball, we are zooming, browsing about 18 times faster than the slow dialup we were using. We still have our main Email address - paristimes@earthlink.net.

While waiting for the DirecWay to be installed... we have been reading about Moman Pruiett, an early 1900 pioneer lawyer from Indian Territory (Pauls Valley and later Oklahoma City). Some of you NW Oklahoman's might remember Moman as the Special Prosecutor that the Law Enforcement League hired back in 1911 to help prosecute N. L. Miller in the Old Opera House Murder - November, 1910. From reading the book, we find that Moman was a Lawyer that brought dramatics to the courtroom and kept the jurors awake and on the edge of their seats... instead of them (jurors) falling asleep during the court proceedings. I will tried to get some notes/facts together on Moman to share with you in future issues of the OkieLegacy.

Early this week near Ignacio (Colorado)... the monsoons brought rain Monday afternoon and continued into the evening.  Things were soaking wet and a bit chilly onTuesday morning when we took a walk out into the north pasture around 7:00a.m.  While we were out there, we saw the first buck with a beautiful set of majestic horns grazing in the north pasture.  We weren't close enough to count the points, but he sure did hold his head, horns high as he loped, bounced off into the trees to the north.  AND... it's one of those times when we forgot the camera.  BUT.... the buck was loping, bouncing so quickly that we wouldn't have gotten a good shot, anyway. It is also the time of year around here when you need to be on deer patrol while driving through the valley, because the wildlife is starting to come down from the high-country to graze.

Fitzlen (Oklahoma)... We finally figured out where Fitzlen was located in northern Woods County. The Fitzlen Post Office was founded, located in Sec. 31-T29-R14 in 1906 on land surrounded by J. W. Berry. Fitzlen was about 4 miles from Kansas border -- about 9 miles north and west of Alva. Has anyone ever heard of a town called Fritzlen? OR... was it the same as Fitzlen?

Bernardi (Oklahoma)... One of our readers bought a postcard on ebay the other day that was address to someone in Bernardi, Oklahoma. We did a google search -- finding Bernardi, Oklahoma located in Major County today (Rootsweb - Major County). This info shows the post offices of Bernardi established 20 April 1896 - 30 Sep 1901 (7 miles southeast of Cleo Springs). Almeda post office established 4 February 1895 - 20 January 1903 (a.k.a. Bernardi). Then later around 20 January 1903 - 15 August 1910, there was another Bernardi post office. Does anyone out there have any other memories of Bernaldi, Oklahoma?

This 1895 Maps of Oklahoma - WoodsCounty shows Almeda/Bernardi in Old Woods County down near the southern part, south of Cleo and north (on the edge) of the Cimarron River and straight north of Fairview. This was before statehood in 1907 before "M" (Woods County) was split into Major, Alfalfa, Woods and Woodward counties.

1928 Alva Band Photo... We also heard from a lady in California that identified her grandfather (Lester G. Duck who grew up around Avard, later Alva) in the 1928 Alva Band Photo that we had in an earlier Vol. 5, Iss.21, OkieLegacy newsletter.

If you glance at the photo, notice in the background the thickly grove of trees on the downtown square and what I assume is the old chamber building on the right side background. Notice the crowd of old automobiles parked around the square and in the middle of the street (like they used to in the "old days).

SW Colorado News Article... We were reading a Silverton (Colorado) newspaper the other day and it had an article entitled, Why History? written by Jonathan Thompson, May 6, 2004. He asked some interesting questions that I would like to leave Y'all with... "Why bother with history? Why spend hours, days, and even lifetimes digging into the past when the present contains so many challenges of its own?"

Is it a quest for meaning? What is it that drives us to seek out the "truth" about our past? Does having an accurate picture of our past allow us a different perspective of the present and the future? Do we really learn from the past mistakes our ancestors made?

I guess this is a good enough place to leave you with for the weekend -- something to think about. As my sister started NW Oklahoman's and voters thinking back in 1990... "Learn the Past!  Live the Present! Look to the Future!" See Y'all next weekend with more Okie Legacies! Help keep those memories alive... Share them with us in The Okie Legacy newsletter/ezine.

Duchess Corner

Bayfield, Colorado -

I think I'm becoming a mountain pug! I can not wait to be the first one up in the mornings to take in the cool, fresh mountain air and drink out of the stream. I enjoy sitting, staring in the early mornings near Oakie's pillow -- waiting, watching for her to open her eyes so I can plant one of those "pug" kisses on Oakie.

That is her cue to give me a morning belly rub before we climb out of bed and Oakie gets my breakfast.  Just another one of our routines up here in the mountains. I know Oakie can't resist these sweet, innocent, friendly, Pug-eyes & face staring at her with that famous panting Pug-smile. You know... the one like in that Advil commercial on television where the guy finally finds his roaming Pug seated inside the backseat of the taxicab

Here's to making America Stronger at Home - Respected in the World! Believe In America! We can do better! AND... Hope is on the way!

See Y'all next weekend with more Okie Legacies!
~~ Linda "oaKie" & Duchess ~~ View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Freedom's Rodeo Old Cowhand 2004

Freedom, Oklahoma - he Alva Review Courier (dated 19 Aug. 2004) mentioned in an interview with Helen London, "Being named Old Cowhand came as an unexpected honor. Helen Snapp London carries on a family tradition.... Her mother was named the first female Old Cowhand in 1956. Two other women held the title in between." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Buck Snapp of Missouri

Missouri - quot;I am trying to find the Missouri antecedents of Buck Snapp, 1910, 1920 & 1930 Census Woods County, Oklahoma. I have extensive information on an Andrew J. 'Bunk' Snapp born in 1841 in Taney County, Missouri. I think the Bunk Snapp in the Oklahoma Censuses mentioned may be his son, but have been unable to establish the link. Do you have any suggestions as to how I might solve this riddle. Any help much appreciated." -- Glenn - Email: kgs4444@cablelynx.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Fitzlen, Oklahoma

Fitzlen, Oklahoma - quot;I believe Fitzlen is shown on the map on page 2 of Pioneer Footprints Across Woods County . I think the same map is in the Woods County Atlas (1906). Fitzlen PO was about 9 or 10 miles northwest of Alva." -- View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Green Valley School Picture

Green Valley, Oklahoma - quot;Found the Green Valley School picture very interesting. Of the twenty-four in the picture, 10 are related as either, siblings, cousins or nephews.

Ralph Keffer, 7 Oct 1902, Howard Keffer, 1 April 1904, Beulah Keffer, 24 Nov 1908 and Melvin Keffer, 12 Dec 1910, were all children of Parkinson Keffer.

Vern Keffer, 20 Oct 1909 and Leslie Keffer, 5 Aug 1909, were cousins, and grandsons of Parkinson Keffer, and nephews of Ralph, Howard, Beulah and Melvin.
     Ollie Martin, 2 Mar 1900, Helen Martin, 3 June 1905 and Louis Martin, 26 Aug 1908, were children of Adaline Keffer Martin, a sister of Parkinson Keffer.

Alta Mitchell, 20 Aug 1908 was the daughter of Pearl Keffer Mitchell, a sister of Parkinson and Adaline.

Adaline Keffer was my great-grandmother, and family information tells how the Green Valley Church was built on the northwest corner of Parkinson Keffers farm.

In some information I have, my Great Uncle Alva Martin is quoted, 'It was important to the homesteaders in this area to have a place to worship. Their first services were held in homes and in the sod schoolhouse. Sometimes there were tent meetings lasting one or two weeks. The Free Methodist Church was organized with only four members in March 1901 at the close of a revival meeting. Two of the members were Parkinson and Mary (Mollie) Irons Keffer, Adda's brother and wife. A frame school house was built later that year. The group continued to worship in the schoolhouse until 1929 when the present Free Methodist Church was built on the northwest corner of Mollie Keffer's farm. Her husband, Park Keffer, died in 1917. Thomas J. Martin, Adaline's husband, spent many hours working on the new church. An old church in Helena was torn down and used in the new church.'

Don't know how much of this is relevant, but did find the picture very interesting. The time frame would be about right, as the Martin children had just moved back to the Green Valley area from Capron in about 1912-13. Thanks again." -- Marvin Henry - Email: figment1@zianet.com - nmfigment@yahoo.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Florida Weather

Tallahassee, Florida - "Just to let you know:  we got a lot of rain from Bonnie, but no wind or damage.  Charlie went off to our east and gave us only one shower." -- Tallahassee View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Charley Pounds Florida, Friday 13th

Florida - "We were about 35 miles from the eye.  We had no problem to speak of but the folks in Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda really took some punishment.  We can count our blessings because alot of people were killed or are missing.  I hope all is well.  Thanks." -- Chris View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Magill/McGill Search

Ireland - "I am looking if anyone has these names in their family tree which I hope now I am chasing the right family believe my family were from Ireland but has been change of name along the way. 1861 census Robert Mcgill born Ireland, wife Esther born Ireland, William born Ireland, Robert born Liverpool, Elizabeth born Liverpool - living at 26 Sefton St Everton, 1871 census same family with 2 more children: John Magill born Liverpool and Jane born Liverpool - living at 26 Luton St Kirkdale. Does this family have any connections to you. Thanks." -- jb49uk@aol.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Walker/James Family Genealogy

Oklahoma - "Do you have the email address for Terry Kent? He got an email from Gilvin L. Walker.  He's doing genealogy on the Walker/James family (as am I - this is my wife's family). Thanks." -- Dave Peterson - Email: dpeterson63@cox.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Missing OkieLegacy Newsletter

"Hi! Have missed your Okie Legacy newsletter for sometime now.  Please subscribe me again.  Love to hear from you." --   Genevieve View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

OkieLegacy - Great Site

Santa Monica, California - "I ran across your site recently and you have done a great job! I loved seeing the 1928 Alva Band photo which contains my grandfather Lester G. Duck who grew up around Avard and later Alva. Thanks for sharing it and all the other news from NW Oklahoma. I grew up in Mooreland, but moved away many years ago. It has been fun to read the articles and see the photos of this area once again!

I have been going through all of my grandfather's and great-grandfather's family history material recently and there are a few old stories that might be interesting for your newsletter. I will see what I can pull together and be in touch soon. My great-grandfather, Glenn E. Duck. He wrote a number of stories about the Oklahoma Land Run and his early childhood days around Avard. Later, he was a depot agent for the railroad in Alva. If you ever run across more Duck family history material, I would love to hear about it. I have picked up where my grandfather, Lester G. Duck left off in his research. Thanks!" -- Patricia, Santa Monica, CA View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Another NW Oklahoma Ghost Town

Bernardi, Oklahoma - "I have just received a 1909 postcard bought on eBay - a photograph of a public school building in Alva - addressed to Martha Cummins in Bernardi, Oklahoma. I have not consulted any maps or anything, but am certain that I have never before heard of Bernardi, Oklahoma. Do any of your readers perhaps know anything about this town? Thanks." -- Rod - Email: rod@murrow.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe