Spring of 1945

This week takes us back to 1947 with a short stop (or memory jog) in the Spring of 1945. We hope you remembered your "Mother" this weekend with something special for Sunday, May 8th, Mother's Day. AND... while you are remembering your mothers, let us not forget the 60th Anniversary of VE-Day - the Allied Victory in Europe, May 8, 1945.

Oakie tells this Pug that this 1st Saturday in May is also the annual Run for the Roses in Louisville, Kentucky to wind-down the Kentucky Derby Festivals at Churchill Downs. Do you have your "Winner" picked yet?

Speaking of horses, our 1997 Cindy Mare (starting our horse family back in 2000) has had her 2005 colt Friday afternoon, May 6, 2005, (approx. 2 p.m.) in NW Oklahoma. This is about 3-weeks earlier than she usually births her colts. She must have been ahead in line last year with the stud, huh? Anyway! You can view all of our horses at OkieLegacy - Quarterhorses. The next three weeks of May we will get a better look at our NEW little colt, 'cause we will be heading towards NW Oklahoma after this weekend. Hopefully, we will also have some NEW horse photo updates.

We have scanned all the 1947 Alva High Seniors. We have put the photos in a PDF file (Acrobat Reader 6.0) - 1947 Alva High Senior Photos AND... The news items about the 1947 Graduating Class with lists of names in this PDF File - Transcribed List of 1947 Alva High Seniors View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

May Day at Wolf Creek Pass...

Last Sunday we took a drive up towards Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado to see the snow in the mountains. AND... the red truck in the picture is just one of those vehicles that greeted us on our May Day journey north of Pagosa Springs, Colorado upwards to Wolf Creek Pass. That is what we love about this area. You only have to drive a few miles up into the Rocky Mountains to see another side of the season. While the valley areas are experiencing Spring rains, green pastures, new calves & colts being born -- the mountains still wear their wintercaps of snow that will eventually melt and keep the mountain streams full, feeding the valley below. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1937-38 Kemper Military Photos...

We recently found, scanned some of our Uncle Bob's (McGill) Old Kemper Military School Pics that were among Uncle Bob's treasure chest AND... Kemper military days in Booneville, Missouri back in the years 1936 thru 1938. This picture shown here is one of Bob's buddies, Willie Gibbens, that played in a "swing band" aboard the ship "Europa" during the "Summer of '38."

In 1936 Bob McGill was at the Junior College at Kemper Military School, in Booneville, Missouri as a member of the Junior College Graduating Class of 1937-1938; he was First Sergeant; member of Military Honor Society; member of Special Drill Platoon; Letter in Varsity Swimming; Letter in company Football; Captain of Swimming Team; Member of K Club; member of Band; member of Orchestra; and member of General Honor Society. He graduated 7th May 1938 with an Associate of Commerce Degree. From Kemper at Booneville, Missouri, Uncle Bob went onto Kentucky University.

Some of his classmates that left notations on their photos mentioned Uncle Bob as "Mister Swingman McGill." Where there were names written on the photos, we have placed those under the photos. AND... there were quite a few from Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Texas besides other places.

Anyway, maybe you know of someone whose ancestors went to Kemper Military during the mid to late-1930's. We understand that the Kemper Military School in Booneville, Missouri is no longer in operation -- it is in the process of selling its buildings, grounds to a private group. Hope this helps someone make a connection out there. Here is a link to Uncle Bob's Legacy. View/Write Comments (count 3)   |   Receive updates (2 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

60 Years Ago - May, 1945...

With the talk of the 60th Anniversary of VE Day - May 8, 1945, it sent us back through Uncle Bob's WWII Timeline to get a perspective of where he was around the end of April & May of 1945. We found out that he was hanging around Germany operating radio communications as Ground Liason Officer with the 75th Inf. Div. HQ APO 451. Actually, from a letter dated 18 May 1945 we found out that he was in the town of Plettenberg south of Dortmund, Germany and had been there for about 3 weeks (27 April thru 18 May, 1945). We also found an article printed in the local Alva, Oklahoma newspaper, dated April, 1945 -- Capt. Robert L. McGill makes the headlines in Jasmine & Jade Article - April, 1945 Uncle Bob was sure a "Good-looking" gentleman, wasn't he? View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

History of Mother's Day...

Did you ever wonder "WHY" we celebrate "Mother's Day?" One school of thought claims this day emerged from a custom of mother worship in ancient Greece. Mother worship - which kept a festival to Cybele, a great mother of gods, and Rhea, the wife of Cronus - was held on March 15 to March 18 around Asia Minor. They insist that this custom spread around the world from there.

Mothering Sunday in the United Kingdom falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent (typically March or early April). It has been celebrated for hundreds of years, though the exact origin is uncertain. Tradition has it that young apprentices were released by their masters that weekend in order to visit their families. In most countries, Mother's Day is a new concept copied from western civilisation:

• In many African countries, Mother's Day has its origins in copying the British concept.
• In most of East Asia, Mother's Day is a heavily marketed and commercialised concept copied straight from Mother's Day in the USA.

Williams, Mowdy, Denton & LeFlore County, OK...

"I have been roaming the 'net' and found some information on the WILLIAMS and MOWDY families from Leflore Co., Oklahoma, in and around Smithville, Ludlow, and Octavia.

Some of the information I found was incorrect. I attempted to email the persons who posted the information, but the emails didn't go through. Another name connected to these families was DENTON. I am a WILLIAMS descended from William Caylor WILLIAMS and Emmer Leather MOWDY. I would like to get in touch with persons who may read this to get more information or correct the information they may have.

I am also a descendant of Harold Thurrell HOUSTON and Lura Neva COLE who lived in McCurtain Co., Oklahoma, in and around Clebit, Eagletown, and Battiest. I have some information and would like to gather more. Through this newsletter I have been able to find cemetery listings that were able to fill a few of the blanks that I had. I am one of the youngest members of my generation of these four families and would like to develop the family trees for my children and my cousins' children. Please contact me if you know these families, are from one of these families, know descendants of these families, or have information about these families. All emails will be screened. Please do not send attachments as I will not open them.

Thanks, Linda, for your newsletter. It is great to read information about your part of the country. You do a splendid job." -- Brenda - Email: b.sivado@insightbb.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Alva Golf & Country Club...

"I have fond childhood memories of the Alva Municipal Golf Course on Flynn Street. I was born in a house across the street from it. The golf course figured in a ten second of Andy Warhol fame moment for me. In 1998 I entered the Favorite Poem Contest sponsored by Robert Pinsky the Poet Laureate of the United States. He asked for folks to write about their favorite poem and if selected, read it on audiotape for inclusion in the archives of the Library of Congress.

The poem I selected was The Mountain Whippoorwill or How Hillbilly Jim Won the Great Fiddlers Prize by Stephen Vincent Benet (later excerpted by Charlie Daniels for his great tune The Devil Went Down to Georgia). I selected it because I had memorized it and recited it at my Alva High School graduation in 1949 (also recited it at the 50th reunion in 1999). The poem had much meaning to me and took on special meaning when I was selected to judge some Fiddlers Contests during the ten years I lived in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

I was not selected to recite my poem but a reporter from Life Magazine did publish a portion my letter in an article she did on The Favorite Poem Project. It was published in the October 1998 issue of Life. It relates that the first money I ever earned was at the Alva Municipal Golf Course reciting poetry for a golfer (his last name was Bailey).

The article reads as follows: 'First money I ever earned was reciting poetry to a golfer while he was playing,' wrote William M. Barker, born in 1931 in Alva, Okla., now a resident of Summerville, Ga. 'I was eight years old at the time and lived across from the local golf course. He gave me a quarter for reciting Robert Louis Stevenson's The Land of Counterpane. I would like to do something in the later years of my life that I did at the first and still enjoy.'

During my childhood years the golf course was a home away from home. I spent many happy hours roaming it. The main thing I remember was that the greens were not grass but sand and a golfer was allowed to use a roller and make a smooth path from where his ball landed to the hole. Few putts were missed." -- Bill Barker View/Write Comments (count 2)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

WARRICK/WARWICK Researcher...

"I have just spent some time on your wonderful web site. Your WARWICK research seems to be extensive, so you might be able to help or direct me in my quest for WARWICK/WARRICK ancestors. I have just started to work on the WARRICK family and find that my ancestor was one Dempsey WARRICK born abt 1777 in Virginia. This was verified by the 1850 Pike Co., Alabama census. I was just recently given a family file for this Dempsey WARWICK/WARRICK that was compiled by a Reverend Arnold McRae. As I understand he had been working on this file for about 50 years. He however list no sources for his findings and he has since passed, so I don't have access to him or his records. He list the following:

• Jacob Warwick 1725-1794 and being in Bath Co. VA, spouse Elsie unknown
• Wiat/Wyatt Warwick/Warrick 1746-1830 born Isle of Wright VA, spouse Jane Dempsey 1756-1790 Bertie Co. NC
• William Dempsey Warrick 1777-1859 Surry VA, spouse Mary Elizabeth (Blackman) Sutton, Duplin NC

Kentucky Derby History...

"The Kentucky Derby is a stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses, staged yearly in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race currently covers one and one-quarter miles (2.012 km) at Churchill Downs; colts and geldings carry 126 pounds (57 kg), fillies 121. The race, known as The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports for its approximate time length, is the first leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in the United States .....

The Derby is frequently referred to as The Run for the Roses. The tradition is as a result of New York socialite E. Berry Wall presenting roses to ladies at a post-Derby party in 1883 that was attended by Churchill Downs president, Col. M. Lewis Clark. This gesture is believed to have eventually led Clark to the idea of making the rose the race's official flower. However, it was not until 1896 that any recorded account referred to roses being draped on the Derby winner .....

Organized horse racing in the State of Kentucky dates as far back as the late 1700s when several different race courses were built in and around the city of Louisville. In 1872, Col. M. Lewis Clark, traveled to England, visiting the Epsom Derby, a famous race that had been running annually since 1780. From there, Clark went on to Paris, France, where in 1863 a group of racing enthusiasts had formed the French Jockey Club and had organized the Grand Prix de Paris, which eventually became the famous Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.....

Returning home to Kentucky, Clark organized the Louisville Jockey Club for the purpose of raising money to build quality racing facilities just outside of the city. The track would soon become known as Churchill Downs, named for Lewis Clark's relatives, John and Henry Churchill, who had provided the land for the racetrack. Officially, the racetrack was incorporated as Churchill Downs in 1937." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

VE Day - May 8, 1945...

On Mar. 7, 1945, the Western Allies' whose chief commanders in the field were Omar N. Bradley and Bernard Law Montgomery crossed the Rhine after having smashed through the strongly fortified Siegfried Line and overran West Germany. German collapse came after the meeting (Apr. 25) of the Western and Russian armies at Torgau in Saxony, and after Hitler's death amid the ruins of Berlin, which was falling to the Russians under marshals Zhukov and Konev. The unconditional surrender of Germany was signed at Rheims on May 7 and ratified at Berlin on May 8. May 8 marks the formal celebration of the Allies' victory in Europe during World War II." -- www.infoplease.com/spot/veday1.html View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Businesses In Alva, Okla. - May, 1947...

Some of you out there might remember some memories of some of these businesses that could be found in the Alva (Oklahoma) area, around May 1947:

1947 - Wrecks Kill Two Collegians...

Taken from The Alva Review-Courier, dated 21 May 1947 - Oklahoma City, May (UP) -- "Two college students returning home for the weekend were killed in automobile accidents last night and early today to raise Oklahoma's May traffic total above the month's record last year. ack Lyon, 20, Wichita, was killed last night when a car driven by Gilbert Valdes, 21, also of Wichita, left U.S. Highway 77 north of Perry in a drivin rain and overturned. Sheriff Merl Harmon, who investigated the accident, said both men were war veterans and sutdents at Oklahoma A. and M. college. Valdes was not injured in the accident. Albert Jackson Harris, whose wife was a local newspaper reporter until recently, was found dead in the wreckage of his automobile at 5 a.m. today. The machine ahd crashed into a bridge abutment on a county road norhteast of here." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1947 - Smoking Method Developed for Administering Penicillin...

Back in May, 1947 by way of Rochester, NY (UP) and The Alva Review-Courier, dated 21 May 1947, A NEW revolutionary and more pleasant method of administering penicillin by "smoking" rather than injection, had been perfected by two University of Rochester medical school faculty members. The article also mentioned that the smoke method required smaller amounts of penicillin to produce a concetration of the drug in the blood. They also mentioned that that the concentration will last longer, even up to 24 hours. Other methods last only about three hours. READ MORE by clicking image. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1947 - Debt Reduction Due...

Also in that same Alva Review-Courier, dated 21 May 1947, by way of Washington, (UP) -- "The Treasury announced today it will reduce the public debt another $1,000,000,000 (B) on June 1 by retiring that amount of maturing securities with cash." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1947 - New Food 'Ice Age' Believed on Way....

From The Alva Review-Courier, dated 21 May 1947 and Chicago, (UP) -- "The Frozen Foods Association of Chicago predicts a new ice age when the future housewife can serve venison, whale meat and enchilladas as easily as bread butter and coffee. The association said that within the next 10 years, most of the food people eat can be bought in quick freeze form. One spokesman said three-fourths of the dishes on American tables are perishable and can be preserved in their best natural states by quick freezing. He said that 800,000,000 pounds of edibles were quick frozen in 1945 and marketed, ready to warm while setting the table. The total will be topped this year and hiked to 1,500,000,000 pounds by 1950. He listed more than 400 different foods which have been frozen either commercially or experimentally. Among them were 43 vegetables from artichokes to zucchini 37 fruits from apricots to zapote, and 39 meats." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1947 - Oil Companies Step Up Daily Production...

Does this sound familar! In The Alva Review-Courier, dated 21 May 1947, New York, May (UP) -- "Oil companies of the nation have stepped up their overall daily production of crude petroleum to a record high or more than 5,000,000 barrels in a heroic effort to avert a threatened shortage of gasoline this summer and of fuel oil next winter....." -- READ MORE of the 1947 Article by Clicking on the image. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

MOM - Job Description...

POSITION: Mother, Mom, Mama, Mommy, Ma

JOB DESCRIPTION: Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES: The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION: Virtually none. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION: Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS: While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you play your cards right. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1947 - New Streamliner Starts Schedule Here June 8...

One of the headlines in The Alva Reveiw-Courier dated 21 May 1947 was, New Streamliner Starts Schedule Here June 8 - Beginning June 8 (1947), a new diesel-powered streamliner "Grand Canyon" will replace the present train now making the run through Alva from Chicago, ILL., to Los Angeles, Calif., it was announced today.

Time for the run will be 48 hours and 45 minutes for the through train, with the streamliner to leaver Chicago at 12:15 p.m.

The schedule in Alva will not vary more than two hours from the currant time, although no definite time has been announced as yet, authorities at the Alva Santa Fe depot, said. present schedule is 6:02 a.m. west and 11:36 p.m. east.

Stops in this vicinity will be at Waynoka, Alva, and Wellington, Kans., going toward Chicago, and at Wellington, Kans., Kiowa, Kans., Alva and Waynoka going to Los Angeles. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

MORE McGILL Relatives...

"I appreciate what you have done in researching your McGill ancestry line. William Nathan McGILL is my 5th-great-grandfather, and until today, I did not know that. I did not know any information past my great-grandfather, Albert Taylor EDGE, who is the son of Nancy McKelvie McGILL. Thank you so much for your great work!" -- Clayton Johnson View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1947 - Civil Service Needs Inspector Jobs Filled...

Back to the era of May, 1947, the U. S. Civil Service commission announced that Meat inspector, livestock inspector, and virus-serum inspector were needed. That is what the small article in The Alva Review-Courier, newspaper, dated 21 May 1947 stated:

"Meat inspector, livestock inspector, and virus-serum inspector examinations for positions in the U. S. Civil Serice commission were announced today by Mrs. B. M. Snoddy, regional director. The examinations will be held by the Board of U. S. Civil SErice Examiners, Department of Agriculture, Wilson building, Dallas, Tex.

Postions pay from $2,168.28 to $3,021, with the vacancies to be filled in the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Husbandry, in Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Texas.

A written test is required. Age limit is from 18 to 62 years of age. Applications must be on file with the executive secretary of the Board of U. S. Civil Service Examiners, Department of Agriculture, Wilson building, Dallas, Tex., by May 19, 1947." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe