On the Road Again

Ooops!,,,, It was 2:00 a.m. when I pushed the button on my database to publish what I thought was this week's newsletter. BUT... As it turned out, that wasn't so. I think the first earlier mailing you received might have mentioned Vol. 9, Iss. 1. If this ever happens again, remember this link for the OkieLegacy Ezine frontpage and bookmark on your browser.

I'm back in SW Colorado this afternoon (2:00 p.m. MST) and getting ready to correct that first mailing by sending you out the correct Vol. 9, Iss. 46 of The OkieLegacy. What can I say? We can't be perfect all the time, huh? Besides... at 2 a.m. this morning I'm not sure what I was doing -- sleeping? Publishing?

Well! I've been to Guthrie for the Centennial festivities. This NW Okie has been singing "Oklahoma" all day Friday, Nov. 16, 2007. After Guthrie's centennial parade, we headed back to Alva, Oklahoma, in the early afternoon Friday to catch Alva's centennial celebrations. You can view NW Okie's photos of the Centennial Celebration at Centennial Celebrations.

I went to Guthrie Thursday so I could get up early and find a good parking spot close to everything on November 16, 2007. I really wanted to get some pics of the reenactment of statehood and symbolic marriage of Miss Indian and Mr. Oklahoma Territories.

I got up at 5:00 a.m. Friday morning, but didn't get out of bed until around 6:35 a.m. By 7:30 a.m. I headed to the Historical downtown area in Guthrie, Oklahoma.

I found a great parking spot within 2 blocks of the State Capitol Book building.

It was a chilly, windy Friday morning in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Some weathermen have said the temps were close to what they were 100 years ago. I layered with a down vest over a sweater and then a fleece hooded jacket. From 7:30 am to about 8:45am I did okay, but got to shaking so bad from the Oklahoma wind blowing through to my bones, that I had to find a warm spot to get out of Oklahoma's bone-chillin' wind. AND.... they didn't wait for me to get back to catch the re-enactments around 9:16 to 9:30 a.m. I missed getting pictures of that part. If anyone out there founds out where I can purchase a DVD of the re-enactment of Guthrie's Centennial, send me the information. Thanks!

BUT... by parade time, 11:30am, it had warmed up considerably and I stripped down to the down vest from 11:30 am to about 1:30PM.

This NW Okie made it back to Alva a little after 4:00 p.m. in time to check out Alva's celebrations -- bid on a Western painting, "Shallow Waters", painted by Larry Case and donated to the Cherokee Strip Museum Association. Yes! I won the bid!

It is getting late while we on the road back to the Colorado Rockies. These tired eyes look towards the clock and see that it is way past midnight and no longer Saturday anymore -- but Sunday, November 18, 2007. Before I shutdown and publish this week's issue, let me leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the musical, "Oklahoma" where Aunt Eller sings in the song, "The Farmer & The Cowhand Should Be Friends:" "I don't say I'm no better than anybody else, But I'll be damned if I ain't jist as good!."

Happy 100th Birthday, Oklahoma! We've been to Guthrie, Oklahoma and back to Alva on this Centennial day for Oklahoma -- gathering centennial celebration pictures of our "On the Road Again" travels. Thanks, Oklahoma and Oklahomans, past, present and future, for a GREAT Centennial! I tip my hat to the 1st Capitol of Oklahoma (Guthrie) for their outstanding, hardwork in putting together Oklahoma's Centennial celebration! HAPPY Thanksgiving to all -- next Thursday! View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1907 Statehood Proclamation

The 1907 Statehood Proclamation
By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation:
Whereas, The congress of the United States did by an act approved June 16, 1906, provide that the inhabitants of the Territory of Oklahoma and of the Indian Territory might, under and upon the conditions prescribed in said act, adopt a constitution and become the state of Oklahoma, and,

Whereas, By the said act provision was duly made for the election of a constitutional convention to form a constitution and state government for the said proposed state; and, whereas, it appears from the information laid before me that such convention was duly elected and such consitution and state government were thereby duly formed; and,

Whereas, By the said act the said convention was further authorized and empowered to provide by ordinance for submitting the said constitution to the people of the said state for ratification or rejection and likewise for the ratification or rejection of any provisions thereof to be by the said convention separately submitted; and,

Whereas, It has been certified to me, as required by the said act by the governor of the Territory of Oklahoma and by the judge senior in service of the United States court of appeals for the Indian Territory, that a majority of the legal votes cast at an election duly provided for by ordinance, as required by said act, have been cast for the adoption of said constitution; and,

Whereas, A copy of the said consitution has been certified to me, as required by said act, together with the articles, propositions and ordinances pertaining thereto, including a separate propsition for state-wide prohibition, which has been certified to me as having been adopted by a majority of the electors at the election aforesaid; and,

Whereas, It appears from the information laid before me that the convention, aforesaid after its organization and before the formation of the said constitution duly declared on behalf of the people of the said proposed state that they adopted the constituion of the United States; and,

Whereas, It appears that the said constituion and government of the proposed state of Oklahoma are republican in form and that the said constitution makes no distinction in civil or political rights on account of race or color, and is not repugnant to the constitution of the United States or to the principles of the Declaration of Independence, and that it contains all of the six provisions expressly required by section three of the said act to be therin contained; and, Whereas, It further appears fromt he information laid before me that the convention above mentioned did by ordinance irrevocable accept the terms and conditions of said act as required by section twenty=two thereof, and that all the provisions of the said act approved June 16, 1906, have been duly compiled with, now, therefore,

I, Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, do in accordance witht he provisions of the said act of congress of June 16, 1906, declare and announce that the result of the said election, wherein the constituion formed as aforesaid was submitted to the people of the proposed state of Oklahoma for ratification or rejection, was that the said constitution was ratified, together with the provision for statewide prohibition, separately submitted at the said election, and the state of Oklahoma is to be admitted by congress into the union under and by virtue of the said act on an equal footing with the original states.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington this sixteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and seven, and of the independence of the United States of America, the one hundred and thrity-first.

(Signed) THEODORE ROOSEVELT
By the President:
E. ROOT, Secretary of State
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1907 Marriage Ceremony Uniting Two Territories

This news article appeared November 17, 1907,in The Daily Oklahoman, the day after statehood was proclaimed.

"Governor Frantz, as commander of the Oklahoma National Guard, refused to participate, Adjutant General Niles felt that he could not go ahead and carry out his duties as marshal of the day, and Col. Roy V. Hoffman acted in his stead.

The marriage ceremony, uniting the two territories, was an important feature of the ceremonies. Oklahoma was represented by C. G. Jones of Oklahoma City, chairman for many years of the statehood committee, and Indian Territory by Mrs. Leo Bennett, wife of the United States marshal at Muskogee, and one of the most beautiful women of Indian blood in the southwest. She is a part blood Cherokee. The Rev. W. H. Dodson, pastor of the First Baptist church at Guthrie and a Confederate veteran, performed the ceremony. In proposing the marriage Mr. Jones said:

"I have been asked to perform the agreeable duty of proposing the marriage of Oklahoma to Indian Territory. Permit me to say that nothing gives me greater pleasure, as the president advises us in his proclamation that the marriage will be strictly legal, without regard to age, condition, or previous condtion of servitude. The bridegroom is only eighteen years old, but is capable of assuming all the matrimonial responsibilities of a stalwart youth. Though he was born in trouble and tribulation, in the city of Washington, 1889, his life of eighteen years on the plains has been one of tremendous activity, and he has grown in the size of a giant.

Like every well-regulated masculine individual he has grown tired of being alone, though he was fully capable of taking care of himself. Strange to say, on account of his youth and inexperience he is possessed for an unconquerable modesty and he has asked me to propose marriage with Indian Territory.

"Out of sympathy for the young bachelor, I now propose to Indian Territory, who I am assured is matrimonially inclined, that the proposal be accepted, and that the union be consummated here and now. It should be understood, however, that nothing should be said about the age of the bride. It is a case when youth and age are to be blended together in harmonious union, and that under the constitution and laws no divorce can ever be granted. This is not exactly a case of love at first sight. A lady by the name of Seqouyah at one time interfered with the courtship and at first tried to break up the match. But having failed to do so, and tired of the loneliness of single blessedness, she gracefully surrendered to the inevitable, and has ever since been in favor of the marriage.

"By authority vested in me by the high contracting parties, and in obedience to their request, I now call upon the Rev. W. H. Dodson of the First Baptist church of Guthrie to perfrom the marriage ceremony."

The bride was "given away" by William A. Durant, a Choctaw Indian, who delivered a brief address, which featured the Indian citizen. He said:

"To you as the representative of Mr. Oklahoma I present the hand and the fortune of Miss Indian Territory, convinced by his eighteen years of persistent wooing that his love is genuine, his suit sincere and his purpose most honorable. With pride and pleasure I present to him Miss Indian Territory, who was reared as a political orphan, tutored by federal office-holders and controlled by an indifferent guardian residing a though and miles from her habitation.

"Despite these unhappy circumstances of her youth, which have cast a shade of sorrow over a face by nature intended to give back only the warm smiles of God's pure sunshine, this beauteous maiden comes to him as the last descendant of the proudest race that ever trod foot on American soil' a race whose sons have never bowed their necks to the heel of the oppressor; the reginal occupants of the American continent.

"Although an orphan, Miss Indian Territory brings to her spouse a dower that equals in fertile fields, productive mines and sterling and upright citizenship, the fortune of her wooer. To Oklahoma, into whose identity Indian Territory is about to be merged forever, must be entrusted the care of this princely estate. We resign it to you freely in the confident hope that it will be cared for, developed and conserved to the undending glory of our new state and the untold benefit of her people.

"Oklahoma, your wooing has been long and persistent. For eighteen weary years you have sought the hand of our fair maiden in wedlock. It the object of your suit has at times seemed indifferent, believe it to have been but evidence of a maiden's proper modesty and not a shrinking from the union.

"In winning the hand, you take with it the heart. Your bride comes to you without coercion or persuasion, as the loving maiden confidently places her love she bears for you as the love you feel for her, arises from kindred interests, mutual aspirations and an unbounded admiration, one for the other."
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1907 Inaugural Ball

Guthrie, Okla., Nov. 16, 1907 -- "The city hall at Guthrie as the scene this evening of a brilliant and auspicious event, the first inaugural ball of the State of Oklahoma.

The perfumed air was radiant with happiness. Every face was expressive of joy, and softened laughter filled the big ball room. Brilliantly lighted by myriads of electric globes half hidden in encircling vines, and filled with gaily gowned women and conventionally garbed men, the ball scene was one of movement and beauty.

From the very entrance down stairs the big building was filled with vines and flowers. All the stairs were entwined with vines, and the big ball room had a lacy wall covering of southern smilax, interesperced with crossed palm leaves. Against a background of palms and Fall crysanthemums the governor, his wife and daughters, and members of the receiving party stood.

A full string orchestra occupied a corner of the balcony and played."
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1907 Statehood' Baby Born

Enid, Okla., Nov. 16, 1907 -- "A statehood baby was born to Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Metler of this city today. The couple were married the day the enabling act was passed, June 16, 1906. Mr. Metler is a Frisco brakeman." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1907 - Extra! Extra! Proclaims Statehood

The Daily Oklahoman, Nov. 16, 1907, Saturday, Frontpage headlines: Extra! Extra! Proclaims Statehood

Washington, D. C., Nov. 16, 1907 -- "The Proclamation admitting the new state of Oklahoma into the Union was signed by President Roosevelt at 10 o'clock this morning -- 9 o'clock central time. The president used in affixing his signature to the document a pen made from the quill of an American eagle, which now is alive, in captivity at Woodward, Oklahoma. A quill from the wing of this same eagle was used when the president signed the statehood act. This pen will go to the Oklahoma historical society."
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1907 New State Officers

An Oklahoma Heritage

"Speaking of the Oklahoma Centennial reminds me just how proud I am of my heritage.

I wonder if I'd mentioned to you that I am 3rd generation Oklahoman? I've told lots of folks about it but cannot remember whether you knew. My great-grandfather, William Harvey Burdick was a sometimes cowboy, sometimes deputy marshal who came into the badlands looking for outlaws and brought his family with him (my great-grandmother said they traveled like gypsies a lot), but because of this, my grandmother, Martha Elizabeth (Burdick) Kendrick was born in a covered wagon at Stonewall (it's southeast of Ada), Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory in 1886 (3 years before the first land run).

Just before the run in 1889, my great-grandfather went just outside the border in order to make a legitimate run and then staked his claim in downtown Oklahoma City but sold his land for a years wages ($100) to a fellow law officer, Charlie Colcord who later became OKC's first police chief and also became a land developer. Charles Colcord eventually built Oklahoma's first 'skyscraper' (the Colcord Building) on the land that he'd acquired from my great-grandfather; and in other parts of the city he built a race track (for trotting horses), a park, and a huge mansion for himself.

My grandmother married Ernest Chasteen Kendrick and they soon had a daughter named Fay and settled on a farm in Lindsay where my dad and his twin brother were born on September 23, 1907 (just before statehood). And yes, the Kendrick twins were so identical that a necklace was placed on my dad so they could tell them apart. While they were growing up they frequently were enrolled in separate classes (to keep from confusing the teachers) but had fun taking each others classes since folks couldn't tell them apart, and they sometimes switched 'dates' with the girls for the same reason. My dad was named Chasteen (after his father) since he was the first born, and his twin brother was named Chester. Later their parents had two other girls and one additional son. All of them are now deceased. The oldest daughter, Fay was the last one to die.
,br> I am the oldest of three sons born to my parents, and I was born in the town of Britton, Oklahoma which is now part of Oklahoma City. Out heritage is mostly Irish with some Scottish, some English, and just a little bit of Dutch (my great-grandmother was Nancy Isobel (Greer) Burdick and had married William Harvey Burdick at the age of 13! She was born in Illinois (as was he) and they traveled through Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas before coming into Indian Territory.

It is unusual these days to be an American with out some Indian heritage so you can imagine how unusual it is for me to be a "white guy" and third generation Oklahoman. My 3 sons are 4th generation (the two oldest were born in OKC while the youngest was born here in Perry) but cannot claim 'all white' because their mom is 7/8 Irish but her grandmother was part Cherokee and I think part Otoe. My ancestors have been in America since the 1720s having arrived in Virginia and Illinois in the early days.

I hadn't intended to write so much but I've noted in your newsletters how so many folks are interested in family history and that so many of us are searching for more ancestral connections, that I felt I should tell a portion of my story here. The relatives mentioned here are just on my father's side. My mom's ancestors were the Joseph Warner family's in Maryland, Virginia, and Ohio (fought in the Revolution), the Lewis's of Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas; Mills of Kentucky, etc. and now I need to end this bit of history. Thanks for your interest." -- Roy Kendrick
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1950s Politics In Oklahoma

"This happened after I left home for my career in the USAF. So I don''t remember the participants. However, I am glad that it happened. I am a life-long member of the opposite party, yet I think that Gene''s intervention was a good thing. One thing I want to comment on is this: The highway running from the "Four Corners" north of Enid to Nash and Jet is basically the same roadway that my parents drove on during WWII. Very little about it has changed over the 60 years since. Oh, there are stretches of change, but this road alignment has not been touched since it was built like in other parts of Oklahoma. " -- Jim Bradley - 1950s Politics In Oklahoma - Comment
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POW Murals

"I found out a few years ago that someone had found some POW murals but anytime I asked about them no one appeared to know anything. It is wonderful to know they actually exist and where they are. Thank you so much for a wonderful place to read about some of our history. I grew up in Burlington which is not too far from Alva.." -- Joyce Dumler-Hill - Email: fosterbabiescount@yahoo.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

OkieLegacy Guestbook

"I've enjoyed your work on the unsolved case of the death of Mildred Ann Reynolds. I can't bear to think of someone getting away with such a horrible crime, so I'm alway's interested in what you found. I remember when this happened as I was still in High School at Quinlan, OK. Good luck, I'd love to see this solved." -- Glenda Maggard Mullins - Email: jgmullins1@sbcglobal.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Gateway To The San Juan Mtns

"Hi there! I'm a fellow Alva resident transplanted in Farmington, NM. The story about Clark Gable jogged my memory about a story I read earlier this year. From the February 1 - 15, 2007 of The Talon newspaper, printed in Aztec, NM: A woman by the name of Marie Frech cooked for a living for years at the Bond & Bond cafe in Shiprock, NM. Marie''s idol at the time was Clark Gable. One day she came out to the lunch counter and there he was! Clark was filming nearby and came in for a bite to eat. Marie almost had a heart attack! The love of cooking must run in the family because Marie''s granddaughter opened her own place called Cafe Bonito on February 1 in Aztec, NM. If you are ever in the Four Corners Area, stop in - the food is outstanding! By the way - Julie''s favorite male star is Matthew McConaughey - hmmmm - one could only hope!" -- Natalie Gifford - Email: nmdogsrnat@msn.com
Gateway To The San Juan Mtns - Comment
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1907 New State Born Sober

Lawton citizens celebrate statehood, hold prohibition meeting at once, Ask enforcement of Liquor laws.
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Outlaws Will Surrender On Day of Statehood

Nov. 13, 1907, The Daily Oklahoman, headlines read: "Outlaws Will Surrender On Day That Statehood Comes - Hold out for trial that is unprejudiced - Wycliffes to give up after defying federal officers for years.

Muskogee, I. T., Nov. 12, 1907 -- "Tom, Charlie and Jim Wycliffe, the three Cherokee outlaws who after killing a deputy marshal, have defied the efforts of teh government to capture them for more than a year, have announced that they will voluntarily surrender at Tahlequah, Saturday, immediately after the statehood prolcamation has been issued and the present regime of marshals in Indian Territory is out of office.

The surrender of the Wycliffes will be one of the big features of the statehood celebration at Tahlequah. The plan of the Wycliffes seems to be complete. Through their friends they have conducted negotiations with the county officers-elect of Cherokee county, made arrangements to give bond and, in all probability, they will not go to jail at all but will be released upon their bond.

The career of the Wycliffes has been spectacular. While scouting from the officers, charged with murder on March 11, 1906; they ambushed and killed Deputy Mareshal Ike Gilstrap, who, with a posse, was after them, and wounded two deputies. The firght took palce in a ravine in the Spavinaw hills. Marshal Darrough called upon the government for assistance in runnign down the Wycliffes. He was given 109 picked men and a month was spent in the pursuit, but the Wycliffes were never approached by an officer and they were never more than 50 miles from the scene of ambush.

The bitter hatred of the Cherokees for the officers and the extremely tough countty enabled the outlaws to elude their pursuers successfully. Bloodhounds were put on the trail and the hounds were killed. Marshal Darrough finally gave up, thoroughly baffled. The chase cost the governement about $6.000.

In the meantime the movements of the Wycliffes were well known to their friends, and newspaper men went into the fastnesses of the Cherokee hills, sought out the outlaws, found them and got their statements.

They have always declared that they were willing to stand trial in the state courts and could prove ample justification for killing Gilstrap, but they could not get a fair trial at the hands of the federal officials.

It is understood that one of the pleas of the defense will be that Gilstrap went to the home of Charlie Wycliffe and insulted Mrs. Wycliffe and that the father of the three outlaws had been nearly beaten to death by another deputy marshal because he refused to give information as tot he whereabouts of the boys."
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Calling All Boys Choir Members

"I was a charter member of the choir. My brother, Rudy, joined later. Email me for more information." -- Gary D. Tanner - Email: gdt1253@hotmail.com
Alva Boys Choir Comment
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DoubleO Sims Grocery

"In the 1930's my grandfather owned the L. A. Wagner Cash Grocery in Alva. The store was located on the north side of the square. The name is still visible on the brick front of the old building (704 Flynn I think). My father, Paul Wiebener bought the store from Lee Wagner (his father-in-law) after he returned from WWII. Paul and Veva Wiebener operated the store until 1955. Safeway, and Humbty Dumpty (Chain stores) came to Alva and eventually all the smaller stores went out of business. I think at the time there were at least four grocery stores around the square and two neighborhood grocery stores, one on Church St. (Barr's grocery) and another on the west side of town. Wiebener's Grocery used to deliver, they also extended credit to townspeople, as I''m sure most of the mom & pop smaller stores did. When the chain stores came to Alva, with cheaper prices, folks began shopping there, which eventually lead to the small stores demise. After my parents died (77 & 78) I cleaned out their garage in preparation to sell the house. I found boxes of unpaid charge tickets. Too bad." -- Marvin Wiebener - Double Sims Grocery Comment
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