With the last day of September 2006 we bring you the chowtime buddies out in the pasture. From left to right: Sadie Sadie, Doquoti and Nugget. That Sadie Pugster sure does like to help check on the horses with this NW Okie. AND... the horses do not really seem to mind and have gotten use to her trying out her playful, fast moves on them. Sometimes it gets quite comical. Don't worry, though! This NW Okie is there to stop anything that might get out of hand.

Last week we showed you a dead Pinon tree that got blown over 9/20/2006 here in southwest Colorado. Sounds like those winds carried on into Northwest Oklahoma, causing havoc and creating a few "Dust Storms of '06" in the eastern part of Woods County, shutting down hwy 64 (east of Alva, OK) and hwy 281 (south of Alva, OK) with accidents and poor visibility. We know that some farmers have had to "no-till" their farms, but suspect that some have over plowed their fields causing blowing dust clouds across the east parts of Woods County. AND... we understand that east Woods County has been a bit drier than the west parts of the county. That really is a switch in climate for Woods County. We hope October 2006 brings some much needed moisture to these northwest Oklahoma farmers/ranchers.

If you are visiting Medicine Lodge, Kansas this weekend for the celebration of the infamous peace treaty signing a hundred and some years ago between the white man and Indians, look and stop by the Balmer Fund's booth near the Alco Store in Medicine, Kansas and tell Rosalea "Hello!" from this NW Okie in SW Colorado.

Rosalea, we made our reservation for your pre-birthday (BIG 70) bash, November 11, 2006, in Meade, Kansas, at the Lakeway Hotel. See y'all there! AND... maybe on November 18th for the real thing!

We have heard from a few of you that our weekly "OkieLegacy Ezine" is a joy, because it is like receiving stories from relatives. We thank you all for your inputs, stories, photos, etc... We could not do it without you all! We appreciate everyone for contributing, helping us learn & preserve our Oklahoma roots! You have become one of those things that really count!

Let us leave you here with this quote to give you something to think about, "Many of the things you can count, don't count. Many of the things you can't count, really count." ~ Albert Einstein
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Kavanaugh & Shea Legacy

We decided to feature a bit of history of Kavanaugh family in this week's ezine to go along with the information we received this week concerning the "Honey Wheat Bed & Breakfast" in Alva, Oklahoma, located at 304 3rd Street (SE corner of Choctaw & 3rd Streets).

A. W. "Fred" Kavanaugh built that two-story residence around 1916. If you are looking for a Bed & Breakfast in Alva, Oklahoma, with great food, stop by the Mathes' Honey Wheat Bed & Breakfast in Alva, Oklahoma.

The following information, history was gathered from "Pioneer Footprints Across Woods County" history book, pages 360-361.

A. W. "Fred" Kavanaugh and Ed Shea came to Oklahoma from Nebraska to go into a business enterprise. They purchased an existing Hardware business from Mr. Matthews and the firm of Kavanaugh & Shea was organized as a partnership in 1906. It was after they operated their hardware business for awhile that Henry Noble's Hardware at 403 College Avenue, in Alva, Oklahoma, was for sale.

Kavanaugh and Ed Shea asked Steve Shea to join the partnership about then and they bought the Noble hardware business. Steve Shea had a cattle ranch in northern Kansas near the Nebraska line -- he sold his land and cattle and joined the partnership. Steve and his wife, Mayme, and daughter Catherine came to Oklahoma in 1908.

Kavanaugh & Shea carried a full line of general hardware, housewares, fine dishes, kerosene and gasoline stoves, buggies, wagons, harness and a full line of horse drawn farm implements.

They sold horse drawn vehicles, farm implements, McCormick & Deering harvestors (International Harvestor Co. Combines). The Case Co. came out with a very outstanding combine about this time so the agency for Case implements was secured.

Farmers at this time had milk cows so DeLaval and McCormick-Deering cream separators were sold in large numbers. Plumbing comprised a large part of the business and a younger brother, John P. Shea, was chief plumber. When Natural Gas was brought into Alva by the Winchester Oil & Gas Co. (later Zenith Gas Co. -- presently Oklahoma Natural Gas Co.) new gas installations and gas stoves and furnaces were a very flourishing business.

Kavanaugh had an education which fitted him for a good office manager and he figured all plumbing contracts. Steve and Ed Shea did most of the selling of farm implements.

The firm celebrated its 20th year in business in 1926, and had a banner year in the sale of Case and IHC Combines. This was many years before the advent of Self-Propelled harvestors -- most of the customers who bought combines already had tractors to pull them. In rare cases however farmers pulled them with either horses or mules or both.

This particular year there was an abundant wheat crop throughout the entire Alva area -- combines were shipped in after the combines were unloaded.

Good business prevailed until the depression of the 1930's. Banks were closing all over the country and prices of farm products declined rapidly. The First National Bank of Alva closed its door and went into receivership around March 14, 1932.

The hardware business suffered as a result of low farm prices and Kavanaugh sold his interest in the hardware and was soon appointed Receiver for the First National Bank. When all the assets were liquidated, Governor E. W. Marland asked Kavanaugh to become the Purschasing Agent for the Oklahoma State Highway Department and his family moved to Oklahoma City. After the Marland administration was terminated, Kavanaugh joined the Metropolitan Paving Company which was organized and owned by his oldest son Al Kavanaugh.

After Kavanaugh's departure from the business, Ed and Steve Shea, Roy Day and Leo J. Brown (son-in-law of Steve Shea) weathered the storm of the depression. Steve Shea had a sudden heart attack and died August 25, 1937 just as the business was beginning to see a silver lining from the clouds of the depression. His wife Mayme had died previously in June 1934. The business continued to operate the Hardware and Service Station, but after Steve's death, the sale of farm implements was discontinued.

In 1945 Ed Shea decided to retire from the business so he sold his interest to Warren A. Brown. Ed died some years later and his wife Maude and daughter Margie Lou survived him.

With that transition the Brown & Brown Hardware was organized consisting of three partners: Warren A. Brown, Leo J. Brown and Catherine E. Brown. This business started October 1, 1945, at 625 Flynn Street where Kavanaugh & Shea had operated since April, 1938. - [written by Leo J. Brown, pages 360-361, Pioneer Footprints Across Woods County history book.]
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Lovers' Bridge of 1910 - NW Oklahoma

Does Anyone out there remember "Lovers' Bridge" located near Carmen, Oklahoma? Where exactly was this bridge located. This postcard sent to us by Rod Murrow was postmarked 1910 with a handwritten, faded message down at the bottom of the postcard.

We can make out a few words, but are having trouble making out some of the faded words. What words we do know are: "Tell Ed .... girl .... will while (or wait) to be with you."

Maybe someone out there can get a better view with a stronger magnifying glass and help us out with the inscription. Where was Carmen, Oklahoma's "Lovers' Bridge" in 1910? How did it get its name? What other stories are out there concerning this old bridge? Does it still exist?
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The Rest of the Story

Other Tidbits... "Gas in Newkirk, OK, earlier this week, was $2.02. While Arkansas City, KS was at $2.21. Now that Ark City's gas is $2.12, as of yesterday, Newkirk is selling at $1.97. Yes, back in the $1's. Almost worth the trip to drive 10 minutes to get the lower price."

Spybuck's of Watonga, Oklahoma... "Hello Aunt Donna, Long time, no see. I thought that Veronica was married to Della's son or grandson. I'm located still in Arlington and hope you, Cooper, and the kids are doing fine. I will contact you with further info."

What's Worth of WWII German POW Paintings... "I have an oil painting on board and pencil sketch of a little girl that were by German POW's in the USA - the painting of a house, probably a German house, painted in 1943 -- the sketch of a young girl in 1945 in Lebanon PA. Do you have any idea of the value of these items or can you direct me to someone who can help me. Thank you so much. I have no idea where, who the painting of house artist was. As far as the pencil sketch is concerned, there were POW's in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Probably held at Indiantown Gap military base. They were both bought at yard sales several years ago, so the info I have is all I can get." -- Marianne - Email: colectique@aol.com

SW Colorado - Gold In Them Thar' Hills... "How very very beautiful & awesome is God's creation. I hear the mountains calling my name. Those photos are so very beautiful & you or whomever is a great & talented photographer. Thank you taking those for us and sharing. It has been really beautiful this last week here in Oklahoma City (N & S)."
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1910 Lovers' Bridge - Carmen, OK

"I wonder if any of your readers will know about the location of this old bridge (Lovers' Bridge) near Carmen, Oklahoma. The card is postmarked 1910." -- Rod Murrow
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2006 Dust Storm In Cherokee

Marty's 2006 Dust Storm Photos & 2006 Dust Storm - Slide Show "I am at the age where I remember the black clouds of dust (1930's), which strange as it may seem, came from the North and Northwest. Oklahoma got dust from Kansas and Colorado. The 9/21/2006 dust storm brought back lots of memories for me. We only got a sprinkle of rain later on in the night, then some more dust! We are very dry here right now. We did get some rain 3 weeks ago when we got the big wind storm that blew things around here and destroyed the airport. I am sending some pictures on that I took off of my front porch in Cherokee, Oklahoma. Sept. 21, 2006 between the hours of 2 and 5 p.m." -- Marty
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Blowing Dust In Woods & Alfalfa Counties

"Blowing dust from high winds led to zero visibility on Highway 64 Thursday between Alva and Cherokee. Some of the time, the dust, dirt and sand blew so hard and so thick it was impossible to see the road directly in front of your vehicle..... The National Weather Service’s daily summary reported gusts of up to 60 mph at Alva, with wind speeds between 55 and 68 mph recorded in surrounding communities......" -- Alva Review Courier, 09/24/06 - By Grant Gibson
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HoneyWheat Bed & Breakfast - Alva, OK

Honey Wheat B & B - Alva, OK "The basement was a regular basement. I built my model airplanes down there, and we played a lot of ping pong there. Your Dad (Gene McGill) may have played with us. Seems like he was a good player. The fireplace was unique in that it had a opening on the main floor, one in the basement, one on the outside for BBQ. There was, and is big concrete tunnel that runs from the basement to the storm cellar. The rumor is that the funeral home would take the bodies out through the tunnel. That can NOT be true because Dad (Alvin Paris) built it so we wouldn’t have to go outside to get to the cellar. I believe at Halloween we would decorate it -- it would be spooky because with the lights out, it was pitch dark. I just went through it again when we were there for our 50th AHS class reunion (9/1/06 & 9/2/06). The house looks great. A lot of old memories! What I didn’t know, and Dad never told us, was that the house used to be the Hill Funeral Home. Omar Hill was one of Dad’s best friends ... maybe that is how we ended up with it. Some other trivia about the house ... one of my classmates at the reunion ask me if I knew that the house was haunted, and that a small boy appears from time to time. I ask the current owners and they said “No!” They have not experienced anything like that. So, it seems like it is a very interesting house. More so than any of us thought." -- Stan

[Editor's Note: The Honey Wheat Bed & Breakfast (ALva, OK) brochure pictured here were sent to us by Lois Guffy. Thanks, Lois! Yes! The PARIS mentioned in the brochure was our Uncle Alvin PARIS -- father of Stan, Lynn & Phil PARIS.]
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Old Home & Home Comfort Range

"I just bought a stone house built in 1921 by Italian stonemasons in Millbrook, NY. With it came the original stove, a Home Comfort from the Wrought Iron Range Co. I am in search of instructions as to how to use it. Can you help?" -- Hope Ohler - Email: hopeohler@aol.com
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Sudie Fae (Green) Stambaugh

My mother is Sudie Fae (Green) Stambaugh. She is shown as Sudie Fae Green, of Vici, Oklahoma as a Freshman (1938, at Northwestern, in Alva, OK). This is probably the Sudie Fae referred to in the entry in Vada Paris' 1938 Diary: 'January 30, Sunday - Really cold this morning. Went to Sunday School. Went to League this evening with Luella and Sudie Fae. Slept all afternoon. George came down. Played cards.'" -- John
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Perry, OK News

(See below: Notes about these newspaper articles are clipped from the "Perry Daily Journal" and sent in by Roy Kendrick)

Local Couples To Be On Naional TV... Cody & Andi Leitner and Justus & Michelle Hyatt, all of Perry Perry, (Okla.), were flown out to be on the Oprah Winfrey Show. The show will feature the perry cowboys who were filmed on her trip "Across the USA in a Chevrolet" this past Summer. They were filmed east of Perry on hwy 64. The show airs at 4 p.m., Tuesday, October 3, 2006.

Notes: This past summer, while driving on her way to a wedding in Tulsa, Oprah Winfrey noticed Cody Leitner and Justus Hyatt (Frankie Hyatt's son) practicing team roping in a corral east of Perry on U S Highway 64. Oprah had never seen that performed before and stopped to witness and film the guys in action. She found it so fascinating that she has flown the guys and their wives out to a taping of her show and that segment will be aired on her show next Tuesday, October 3rd." -- Roy
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Perry, OK - Minnie Mae Murch Obituary

Minnie Mae Murch (98-years) Obit...

Minnie Mae Murch of Perry, Oklahoma, daughter of William Jessie and Edith (Black) Graham, as born February 4, 1908, Perry, Okla., died Wednesday, September 27, 2006 at Green Valley Nursing Home, in Perry, Oklahoma. Minnie Mae married George A. Murch, July 25, 1931, in Perry, OK.

Notes: Minnie Murch was the widow of George Murch, the primary fence builder at the famed 101 Ranch in Northern Oklahoma (near Perry, Enid, and Ponca City). At one time the famous ranch covered 101 acres, hence the name. George and his wife were friends with most of the ranch hands including the black cowboy Bill Pickett, who created the rodeo sport known as "bull dogging". One of the last remaining cowgirls from the 101 Ranch Circus, Wilma Smith is also a member of the First Christian Church of Perry. Her health is failing and she's now confined to a nursing home in Stillwater, Oklahoma." -- newspaper articles are clipped from the "Perry Daily Journal" and sent to us by Roy Kendrick
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WWII German POW Oil Painting

I have an oil painting on board and pencil sketch of a little girl that were by German POW's in the USA - the painting of a house, probably a German house, painted in 1943. As far as the pencil sketch is concerned, there were POW's in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Probably held at Indiantown Gap military base. They were both bought at yard sales several years ago, so the info I have is all I can get." -- Marianne - Email: colectique@aol.com

[Editor's Note: Click this link to see a closeup of the signature of WWII German POW artist. Backside of painting. SEE Pencil portrait below.]
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WWII German POW Pencil Portrait

"This is the pencil sketch of a young girl in 1945, in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Do you have any idea of the value of these items or can you direct me to someone who can help me. Thank you so much. I have no idea who the painting of house artist was." -- Marianne - Email: colectique@aol.com

[Editor's Note: Click Here for a closeup of the WWII German POW's signature.] View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe