Shout Out to a Friend!

Vol 7, Iss 14 Oakie has been addicted to her family genealogy the past couple of weeks. I finally got her away from her computer last Sunday afternoon for a Sunday stroll through the pastures east of our adobe home in SW Colorado.

It was a bit warm that day (mid-60s). I finally found a cool spot to rest and catch my breathe underneath this tree that set upon a rocky hill. Oakie just meandered nearby. I kept trying to get her to turn around and head back towards the adobe, BUT... she kept prodding forward. Finally, after my tongue is stretched out a mile, panting in the shade, she decides we need to head back. It was a race! You should see me run when I am heading in the right direction towards MY distination. I think Oakie got lost. I know for a fact that she got tangled in a barbed-wire fence when she tried to step over it. That was a hilarious laugh for this Pug. Meanwhile, I finally reached my shady distination and was stretched, laying in wait by the shade of the pickup truck back at the homeplace when Oakie finally strolled back home.

Our journey this week takes us back to Virginia (Old Augusta County) in search of family roots and history & maps of the area back then. There are also some interesting stories in the Mailbag Corner: a list of 1925 Alva High Graduating Seniors; Ashley-Short Springs (Alfalfa County, OK) book for sale, compiled by Ila Wessels of Cherokee, Oklahoma; an update on Al Updegraff of Dodge City, Kansas; a story of the Cameron Family of Virginia; an inquiry about the Battle of Alva (OK); etc... View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Duchess & Sadie's Domain

Vol 12, Iss 32 Bayfield, Colorado - Hope you all are keeping cool, staying out of the Oklahoma heat during the "Dog Days of Summer."

This week we are sharing a photo of a panting pug, Sadie, taken 24 July 2010, out at the Fairvalley pond, in Northwest Oklahoma. Ain't she sweet posing and panting in the Oklahoma Summer heat. Thank goodness we are back in cool Colorado.

As a matter of fact, do not forget to hop over to NW Okie's Facebook Photo Album with updates of NW Okie's Eagle Totem sculpturing. You will notice that NW Okie blocked in legs and claws on our soaring eagle. AND -- those black tiger streaks (spalding) we are told are the after effects of treating the mildew with a clorox solution.

Do not forget to check out the feature concerning Talkington's disc of PDF files with twenty-eight old Anadarko telephone books. If you are searching for ancestors that lived in the Anadarko, Oklahoma area from 1903 to 1960, you might find this a very helpful research item to add to your genealogy library.

NW Okie says it is my bedtime, so I am going to hand this over to her to finally get this published for another week. Good Night and Good Luck! View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Oakie & Duchess' SW Corner

Vol 6, Iss 52 HAPPY NEW YEAR 2005!

Since this is the last day of December, 2004, we thought perhaps we could catch many of you tonight before, after and/or at midnight to ring in the New Year for 2005. I guess you could say that this is a No frill or "vanilla" version of the OkieLegacy in Summary.

The Pilgrim Bard (Scott Cummins) says it best in his 1926 poem about New Years Eve & New Years:

"Another year its shuttle threads
The twelve month spool we all unwind;
Fate's calendar hangs o'er our heads,
Time's scythe is mowing close behind;
Yet enter we the glad New Year,
Filled with fond hope devoid of fear"
-- by The Pilgrim Bard (Scott Cummins)

We saw where last year at this time that our OkieLegacy visitor counter clocked a total of 200,000 visitors. I believe our counter today was something like 325,000 plus.

January 2004 -- Remember Fort Reno, Oklahoma? Fort Reno - fortreno.org - a military camp in 1874 -- was established as a military post in 1875 with construction of permanent buildings began in 1876. The Fort and Darlington Agency served the Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians across the Canadian River. Together they preserved the peace and directed the orderly transition of that part of Indian Territory from reservation to individual farms and ranches. Troops from Fort Reno supervised the first Great Land Run of 1889 that opened the Unassigned lands for settlement. Buffalo Soldiers of Fort Reno (Companies of the 9th & 10th U.S. Cavalry) were made up of Six black regiments, two of cavalry and four of infantry, and were authorized by congress in 1866 and stationed at Fort Reno. The name was given by the Indians to the black regiments for the color and texture of hair between the horns of the buffalo. The Buffalo Soldiers had the reputation for effective, consistent fighting against the lawless whites, Mexicans and Indians.

Then later in mid January we experienced the Red Hat Ladies (Okie Dokies) in Alva (Oklahoma). It was their monthly group gathering for dinner at the Alva Bowl Cafe. The ladies included in this "Red Hat Club" are: Barbara Case, Liz Stanaway, Ginny Hubbert, Eleanor Ring, Rose Elmore, Verla Vogts, Viola Marquette, Betty Cushenbery, Joan Nelson, Agnes Pemberton, Doris Marcus, Phyllis Devery, Leona Corbin, Dottie Gatz, Emily Rathgeber, Jane Gaskell, Jean Rose.

Also, in January we learned of another NW Oklahoma mystery of an abandoned boy in Waynoka between 1939 or 1940. Nancy Eddy was wondering, "If anyone had ever heard any stories about a small boy being abandoned in Waynoka, Oklahoma? I now live in Topeka, Kansas and just started doing some Genealogy work. My step-father, Jack Beaman, is from Waynoka. He was adopted about 1939 or 1940. He was abandoned by his father with last name Ray when Jack was about 3-years-old. We know they came from California and stayed at an apartment in Waynoka for about 2-months. One morning little Jack Ray woke-up and his dad was gone. He never heard or saw his father again. The people who owned the apartment had the last name of Beaman which they gave to Jack at age 13 or 16 when they adopted him, thus he became Jack Ray Beaman. Maybe there might be old registers around somewhere? I know at some point Jack went into the airforce, his social security number comes from Kansas. Even his own children don't remember anything. To them that was in the past. I don't know if I told you he was a twin. He also remembered that they (he and his dad) came from California and his mother was a concert piano player. Now... how hard would it be to find a concert piano player who gave birth to twin boys." -- Nancy Eddy -- Email: neddy1115@hotmail.com

January brought us a new connection via a descendant of Harry Short. Harry had played on the Austin Senators (South Texas League) baseball team at the same time as our grandfather (Wm J. "Bill" McGill) in 1906. The great-grandson of Harry Short was Andrew Short that had contacted us. This is what Andrew had written, "My name is Andrew Short. I believe my great-grandfather, Harry Short, was a teammate of Will McGill's on the 1906 Austin Senators. I wanted to send you a note to thank you for the wonderful website you have put up - oakielegacy.org - honoring among other things your grandfather, his life, and his baseball career. In trying to do some research on my family history, I found your website and with it a great deal of history about my great-grandfather as well. I was wondering if it would be okay for me to download a copy of the 1906 team photo (backside of photo with names of players) so that I might be able to add it to the documents I am collecting about our family history? There is a story in my family that, like Will, my great-grandfather at one time was called up to play with St. Louis in the Major Leagues. Although, for which St. Louis team I'm not sure. When he told his wife, she refused to move to St. Louis, thus ending Harry's Major League baseball career. He became a player/manager in the Texas leagues instead, in addition to other careers. I have at home some newspaper clippings and stories from various Texas newspapers in the early 1900s about Harry's baseball career. I will go back and review them to see if any of them mention Will McGill as well. If they do, I would be happy to copy them and send them along to you. In addition to playing baseball in Texas, I know that my great-grandfather and other relatives also lived for awhile in Oklahoma. Again, I simply wanted to thank you for all the hard work and effort you've put into your website. In doing so, you have allowed me to reclaim a piece of my family history. Best regards." -- Andrew H. Short

February 2004 -- We thought we had found the whereabouts of the old Woods County fountain that once graced the downtown courthouse square, but it was not the three-tiered big fountain after all. It turned out to be only the Dragon Head fountain that now resides in a prominent Albuquerque, New Mexico private courtyard. We found out from one of our readers, "It (Dragonhead fountain) was a drinking fountain that stood on the walk outside the west steps of the courthouse and adjacent to the goldfish pond. The fountain, pond and dragonhead drinking fountain were located on the westside of the old Woods County courthouse square in downtown Alva, Oklahoma. We do NOT know where the towering, three-tiered fountain that once graced our courthouse park is located today? Jim Barker sent us a picture of his brother and sister (Bill & Ruby) posing on the railing of the courthouse fountain.

The 75th Anniversary of the Great Race/Run of 1893 in Oklahoma Territory brought back memories when we shared tidbits from a local newspaper printed in Alva, September, 1968, commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the "Great Race of 1893. -- okielegacy.net/75thanniversary-1968.html

Remember when one of our readers sent us a doc-file of his father's memories during WWII when he was stationed at the prisoner-of-war camp in Alva, Oklahoma from September 28, 1944 to September 17, 1945. Memories of Cpt. Miles W. Kelly's Year in Alva... "After service in North Africa and Italy during World War II, my father, Dr. Miles William Kelly, was stationed at the prisoner-of-war camp in Alva, Oklahoma from September 28, 1944 to September 17, 1945. He was one of the medical officers at the facility. For the most part, this account is based on the letters that he wrote home to my mother. At least one local history, newspaper articles, and a small amount of government documents also added much to this narrative. Before relating his story, however, a few words must be said on the history of the prison camp itself. The following paragraphs are largely a paraphrase of a section of the camp in Alva, Oklahoma: The First 100 Years, 1886-1986 (1987) by Seekers of Oklahoma Heritage Association augmented by some of the government documents mentioned above. -- Bruce - Email: brucekelly@hotmail.com -- okielegacy.org/WWIIpowcamps/Alva Year.doc

Towards the end of February we learned from a 1939 news article in the Waynoka News, dated Thursday, June 15, 1939 about the biggest privately owned man-made lake in the state that was in the Dust Bowl of area of Oklahoma's Panhandle, on the 3200 acre farm of O. W. Tucker, in Cimarron County. It's dam was 45 feet high and would hold 900 acre feet of water and would irrigate 300 acres of alfalfa (started in 1937) through ditches running from both sides of the dam. The 1939 news article mentioned that C. T. Sturdevant was extension service engineer of Oklahoma A & M College back in 1939 and was assisted by someone called "Uncle Bill" Baker (Cimarron County agent) and Tucker's two sons when they made the original survey for the lake, dam.

Remember the link to the 1930's Dust Bowl Stories with excerpts from The Dust Bowl, Men, Dirt and Depression by Paul Bonnifield. The 1930's Dust Bowl was a term born in the hard times from the people who lived in the drought-stricken region during the great depression. The term was first used in a dispatch from Robert Geiger, an AP correspondent in Guymon, and within a few short hours the term was used all over the nation. The Dust Bowl Days, also known as the Dirty Thirties, took its toll on Cimarron County. The decade was full of extremes: blizzards, tornadoes, floods, droughts, and dirt storms. Early Thirties Economy -- In 1930 and 1931, the decade opened with unparalleled prosperity and growth. NATION'S BUSINESS magazine labeled the panhandles of Oklahoma and Texas as the most prosperous region. The Panhandle was a marked contrast to the long soup lines of the Eastern United States. -- www.ptsi.net/user/museum/dustbowl.html

April 2004 -- Alva was in the process of beginning another mural (Castle on the Hill) at 5th & Oklahoma Blvd. with local artists, Jim Richey, Warren Little and Rod Dunkin. They began by outlining the design for the Castle on the Hill mural at the corner of Fifth Street and Oklahoma Boulevard.

It was in April 2004 when K101 Radio Early Morning Show, 20 April 2004, talked about the OkieLegacy and the Ann Reynolds Story mysterious fiery death in 1956. -- okielegacy.org/mystery/annreynolds/index.html

May 2004 -- The artist, Don Gray, and the Alva Mural Society finished the Charles Morton Share Mural on the Professional building in downtown Alva, OK.

July 2004, Waynoka, Oklahoma celebrated seventy-five years (July 8, 1929) when transportation history was changed for travelers from the east and west coasts when a 2-day air and rail trip was established that would take them across America in 48 hours. Charles Lindbergh was an officer in Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT). TAT was the company that developed the service and selected Waynoka as the western terminus of the eastern division. It was a place where passengers would switch between trains and planes, morning and evening -- eating breakfast, dinner at the Harvey House. It began in June and continued into July when we made our move from Oklahoma to SW Colorado. This was one of those months that found us on the move between Oklahoma andColorado. Duchess' favorite spot outside was sitting, waiting by the pickup door for hints of our next journey.

September 2004, We received 1926, 1937 and 1938 Northwestern State Teachers College yearbooks that we began transcribing shortly afterwards (beginning with the 1926 yearbook). We are still transcribing on the '38 yearbook from Northwestern's College, in Alva. Check out our Old Albums -- OkieLegacy.net -- http://community.webshots.com/album/187403166kaVbcy

We did finish scanning the 1926 NSTC Ranger Album. We learned that 1926 was the first year of the Junior High School (7th, 8th, 9th grades) on the campus of Northwestern with Miss Ann K. Wilke as Director & Principal. The large room on the second floor of the Science Hall was formerly occupied by the library and had been assigned as a study hall for this department. October 2004 -- We started transcribing the 1937-38 Student Directory of Northwestern State Teachers' College and found our mother's name, address where she was living in '37 & '38 while going to College. We also recognize lots of other names listed in the student directory. We had started transcribing the 1937 Ranger album. By mid-October we were still transcribing the 1937 Ranger annual. -- okielegacy.net/NSTCRanger1937/index.html -- okielegacy.org/DOC files/StudentDirectory37-38.doc

We finished the transcribing of the 1937 Ranger yearbook, learning that the Northwestern Alumni Association was established in the spring of 1934? A banquet was held at the Presbyterian Church to organize an alumni organization to include the alumni back to 1921. In the spring of 1935 the alumni association enlarged the group to include the classes receiving degrees, diplomas each year from 1900 to 1937. In 1936 the alumni held its annual banquet in the Bell Hotel dining room, and included all the graduating classes from 1900 to the present day in the mid-1930s. They held their alumni banquets each spring and sponsored the biggest event of the year for Alva and Northwestern -- the annual Homecoming event.

Remember When Thelma DeGeer Lippincott celebrated her 100th year in June, 2004 and past away Oct. 28, 2004 as her family and friends gave celebration to her 100+ years.

November 2004 -- The latter part of November we were trying to find the descendants/families of the 1930s NSTC Students so we could return the original photos taken at Ellis Studio in Alva and Saunders Studio in Woodward, in NW Oklahoma during the 1930s. Most of them have a firstname signed on the photo while others might have a first and lastname. BUT there are two photos that had NO names on them - unknown male and unknown female. We hope someone out there can help us locate their descendants. We did find a couple of homes for a few of the photos. -- www.okielegacy.net/slideshow.htm

December 2004 -- We did have some success in finding a home for the Roberta Edwards and Reo McVicker 1930s photos with descendants of the Edwards and McVicker families.

Also, in December we found out that the 1st graduating class of Northwestern High School (NWHS) was 1937? It was located in the NEW Horace Mann building on Northwestern's College Campus. We found this little tidbit in the 1937 Ranger Album when she was reading about the Training School they had on the Northwestern State Teachers' College campus to train future teachers. You can read more about the Demonstration School & Class History of NWHS over at our NW OkieLegacy website - 1937 Ranger Album.

We didn't get started transcribing the 1938 Ranger yearbook until around mid-December. We also put the 1926, 1937 & 1938 Ranger yearbooks into a pdf file for your Christmas present to share with you all. You can now view them over at pbpartnersllc.org by clicking on the "Old Albums" link. We are still in the process of scanning the 1938 Ranger yearbook. -- pbpartnersllc.org/OldAlbums.html -- pbpartnersllc.org/pdf-files/Ranger-1926.pdf -- pbpartnersllc.org/pdf-files/Ranger-1937.pdf -- pbpartnersllc.org/pdf-files/Ranger-1938.pdf

Duchess and The OkieLegacy family would like to wish you all a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year 2005. We thank you for sharing your Okie Legacies throughout the past year and hope to hear from you in 2005. See you next weekend and next year with our regular HTML format. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Duchess' SW Corner.

Vol 6, Iss 51

'Twas the day after Christmas and all through the land...

These are the Answers to Knowledge Quiz from a couple of weeks ago. We met to put them in last weeks newsletter, but got a bit sidetrack and drawn back to 1938.

Oakie took the test and got 15 out of 27. How did you do? Oakie messed up on the Canadian coins -- missed one of the colors on the Campbell soup can -- missed #9 by one number (she said 87 instead of 88)... just to name a few. Here's the long awaited Answers:

1. Bottom;
2. 50;
3. Right;
4. Blue, red, white, yellow, black, & gold;
5. 1, 0;
6. Right;
7. 20;
8. Red;
9. 88;
10. Counter (north of the equator);
11. Towards bottom right;
12. 12 (no #1);
13. Left;
14. Clockwise as you look at it;
15. The Bluenose;
16. 8;
17. Left;
18. 5;
19. 6;
20. Bashful;
21. 8;
22. Ace of spades;
23. Left;
24. Loon;
25. * (asterick), # (pound sign);
26. 3;
27. Counter.

The Final Word for 2004, We want to take a moment to thank all of you for your time, attention, and loyalty during this past year and to wish you the best for the coming year. You and Your Okie Legacies are the reasons we are here, to share, preserve a little piece of the past. Help those genealogy enthusiasts that are searching through a needle in a haystack for the next piece of the puzzle and to connect one generation to the next. We love hearing, sharing your legacies and bit & pieces every week and hope to continue more of the same into 2005 and beyond.

Merry Christmas - Seasons Greetings - Happy New Year 2005! See Y'all next year with more Okie Legacies! ~~ Linda "oaKie" & Duchess ~~ View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Duchess & Oakie's NW Corner

Vol 6, Iss 36 Bayfield, Colorado -

This is the REAL OkieLegacy Vol. VI, Iss. 36! And it "ain't" blank this week! Some of you jokingly wrote in about the "blank Iss. 36.". That was just a mere preview of things to come -- giving you the choice of what might be this week. That is our story and we are sticking to it.

Maybe Duchess wrote! Maybe she did NOT! Neither of us will ever tell! (LOL) Actually, we keyed the wrong issue file number into our mailing program when sending out last week's OkieLegacy. BUT like another newsperson wrote me, "So you write yours a week ahead of time?  Boy, I will never be able to catch up with you!"

September is here! Frances is battling the Floridians and east coast! thundershowers showed up today in SW Colorado mountains! AND the moon rising over the mountains up this way has been spectacular!

Paris Reunion 2004 -- We received our annual notice of the Paris' Family 69th Reunion this week. We just want to remind all those Paris' out there that the 69th Annual Paris Reunion at the Chester Community Bldg, in Chester, Oklahoma, Sunday, September 12, 2004. Y'all know where Chester is, don't you? It's west of Fairview -- North of Seiling -- South of Waynoka -- SE of Woodward. SEE MAP -- We don't know that we will be able to make it this year to the 69th Paris Reunion, 'cause we are still in Colorado. If you go, take and send me some pictures of the Paris' that made it this year. Thanks!

Recently we have been asked, "Does anyone remember the names of the old couple that ran the old gas station on the north side of the highway in Ingersoll, Oklahoma?" 

We sent out some inquiries to a few readers and found this answer as to the owners..."Raymond and Nettie Mantz." I am told that Glenn & Pauline Tucker owned "Tucker Supply" just down highway 64 just west of Mantz's and they were Tony Fox's grandparents.  . I hear that the gas/grocery store was "a hole in the wall" type operation where good friends met every weekend or so for a soda & visit. If you have any stories to share about Ingersoll and the gas/grocery station on the north side of highway 64, in Ingersoll, Oklahoma, we would love to hear from you and share your old photos, stories with everyone in the "OkieLegacy."

1904-07 El Reno Photography -- Is there anyone out there that might have some information concerning a photography company that was in El Reno, Oklahoma around 1904-07?

I did a search online for "1904 El Reno Oklahoma Photographers" and came up with the following web site - J. A. Shuck Photography from 1904 until his death in 1952. Can you help us and our Charlotte in the Mailbag Corner below?

I heard from someone this last week that wanted to know more about the "OkieLegacy." For those new to the group, Our Free online e-zine/newsletter goes out every Friday evening (sometimes early evening & sometimes after midnight, but just in time to greet you Saturday morning if that is when you check your email. It began with Oakie's Heart To Heart and evolved into The Okie Legacy. We love hearing from you all and sharing your inquiries / photos / family legacies. We are working on our sixth year sharing Okie Legacies with our readers - okielegacy.org, Vol6. We started it back in the Spring of 1998 (or was it 1999) as an uplifting weekly newsletter. It has gradually grown into a networking vehicle to preserve our Oklahoma history -- networking with other former, present Oklahomans (Okies) -- sharing and preserving our Okie Legacies, genealogy.

As we said it is a free weekly newsletter with a collection of Okie past & present histories gathered from people across the world.  This writer (Oakie & her side-kick Duchess) were born and raised around NW Oklahoma, Woods County, Alva.  You can read more About Us at okielegacy.org/aboutus.html. 

With the RNC winding down in NYC this Thursday, that ends another party convention to try and sway voters. NOW it is back to hurricane watch along the eastern coast of Florida. We believe they have climbed to "F" in the alphabet as hurricane "Frances" mounts it's attack on the Florida coast! You Floridians out there, hope you are battaning down your hatches and making tracks to higher ground. This too shall pass and things will start looking up soon.

Duchess' Pet Peeves...

I suppose we all have pet peeves that drive us bonkers at times, huh? One of this Pug's Pet Peeves is the scare, smear tactics of personal destruction -- negative ads that are making the rounds the last few months. As for this Pug, Oakie and I just ignore them and pay them NO mind. Because we know they are NOT reliable and are only out there to smear, degrade a candidate's reputation. I wonder what would happen IF we ALL boycotted those candidates who use scare, smear tactics, negative ads. Would that help send a message that they do NOT work -- getting things back to the issues that really count?

We hope you are NOT one of those voters that relies on scare, smear tactics and negative ads to tell you how to VOTE!

Here's to making America Stronger at Home! Respected in the World! Believe In America! We can do better!

See Y'all next weekend with more Okie Legacies! ~~ Linda "oaKie" & Duchess ~~

NW Okie's Corner

Vol 11, Iss 38 The photo to the left is a picture of two football players with the following info on the backside: "Pillow Top, manufactured by The Harry M. Muller Co., Mfgs of Photo Pillow Tops, 411-413 Montrose Ave., Chicago, Ill." It also states, "Stick on back of photo, Size - 18x18; color - blue; copies - 1; Agents Name - Phillips; ship by mail; town & state - San Francisco, Cal.; remarks - Zenobia satin. The football has "Pug Ugly Twins" written on it. Is the writing on the backside of photo, at the bottom "(either 104 or P04) Kanis 148 CO?" What is the symbol on the shirt of the player on the left?

I do not know the year the photo was taken and do not know the names of the two football players. Maybe … Someone out there doing genealogy & family research has seen this photo before and can help us identify the people and the date of the photograph. Thanks!

Here it is … The crispness of a Rocky Mountain Fall is upon us! We have had reports to expect a freeze report here in SW Colorado moving into Tuesday. That Montana cold front is moving into our area. I love the cool, crispness of the Fall! AND … It means it is that time of year to bring in my tender houseplants and disengage my outdoor waterfall feature, huh?

Perhaps many of our readers the last couple of weeks have had a slow turn at loading the "OkieLegacy eZine." I am here to tell you that it "ain't" your computer. It had/has something to do with the our server and the loading of the ASP pages. We are working to see what we need to do! Thanks for the following letting us know their problems with loading the OkieLegacy eZine/Tabloid!

John says, "For so many years we here in our home in Oregon have been eager and wait for our Okie Journal. However, this time it came it came in and would not allow us to open and read it. Tech looked at my computer and found nothing wrong at this end. Please send it again so we can see if it will open."

James says, "Hi Linda, Has anyone reported NOT being able to load the OkieLegacy?

"I click on either link and get the message, "Loading … message with the spinning wheel." However, nothing happens with either link, tabloid or ezine. I am using a Mac PowerBook G4 and Mail/Safari. Just a question to see if it is me or is a bigger problem."

Have a cool, crisp Fall break in your neck of the woods!
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Happy 1st B-Day, Sadie Sadie...

Vol 8, Iss 16 Our Sweet, Snoozing Sadie Sadie, (pictured here) will be celebrating her first birthday, April 25, 2006, Tuesday. She is almost as smart as Duchess, but has a way to go ... yet!

For those of you we have not explained to so far, the reason for the second copy of last week's "The OkieLegacy Ezine" arriving in your "Inbox", Tuesday morning (4/18/2006) is because we were testing our database mailing list with our hosting server to see if we had the solution to our problem worked out. Yep! We think we are on the cyber-road again!

After finding the solutions to keep our hosting server from marking it as 'SPAM', we are back in business again. NOW ... our hosting server tells us our emails have a rating of 0.1 on the spam scale. If emails fall over a 5.0 rating, then it gets shoved to the 'SPAM' folder and not sent. WHEW! BUT... This is probably more than you ever wanted to know, huh?

NOW!... We are venturing onto another challenge & adventure for this NW Okie! LOL... That's just what this "Old" Lady needs! We have been setting up two NEW databases to make their appearance in the near future ("OkieLegacy Genealogy" and "OkieLegacy US History Collections").

We are still in the process of working out the bugs before we finally enter data and clean, organize data on our OkieLegacy website. How do you feel and what are your suggestions as to a more interactive, searchable database driven website? That is our plan for now, anyway. We will let you know when the debute shall take place.

Gas Prices Rising Again...
We heard this Saturday morning that Oklahoma gas prices went up another 2 cents this morning. Our Perry, Oklahoma informant says, "Independent stations went back to $2.779 while the branded one's went to $2.799 headed toward that 'magic' $3 they're predicting. I have a sinking feeling that we are seeing our lowest prices right now and that as vacation-time travel gets into full swing -- prices will soar higher again. We may yet see $4 or $5 per gallon."

Some have been stating, "Since it's 'the good old summertime,' I think I might have to get my motor-scooter running again. Perhaps I may even put some bicycles back together and see how much I can sell some of them for. I probably have 20 or more just gathering dust in my storage area. Those things don't even need the hay or oats that your horse would consume (and there's no 'exhaust' to be concerned about)."

Durango, Colorado's gas prices Friday were between $2.929 thru $3.029 for regular. BUT... Premium Plus was another 20-cents higher. Saturday in Bayfield, Colorado gas prices are surging ahead of Oklahoma's gas prices to over the $3.00 range. Bayfield's Conoco station had regular Gas at $3.029 and Premium Plus at $3.229.

For a second vehicle, we may have to retreat back to the horse and buggy days ... you know, the surrey with the fringe on top buggy. BUT... the hay, oats and upkeep on a horse probably wouldn't save any more money. We don't drag the streets or squares like those days of our youthful years, either. We need to do more cycling and walking, though!

Speaking of horses...
Cassie (5 year mare) had her 2006 colt April 17, 2006. NO! We have seen the NEW colts ... Yet! Here is a list of our other horses -- CLICK HERE We haven't laid eyes on either of them as yet! Cassie is back in NW Oklahoma at Clarks Quarterhorse Farm, East of Alva, Oklahoma, just East of the Dacoma Blacktop road. If you are driving out by Clarks Quarterhorses any time soon, we would love for you to stop and asked Bud or Lovina if you can take a picture of "Wagner's Cassie mare & NEW colt." Anyone out there looking for a good sweet quarterhorses? See Bud or Lovina Clark, P. O. Box 803, Alva, Oklahoma 73717!
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Vol 7, Iss 10 They say, "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." We can believe that! That one percent inspiration has had Wagner's oldest son (Michael) and Oakie laboring all this week with the NEW LOOK for The Okie Legacy and it's database-driven newsletter/ezine. Perhaps things will start to settle down for awhile before "Oakie" has anymore Inspirations! We couldn't have done it without you, Michael.

FYI... It was Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931), Inventor, whom that quote was made. The source of the quote came from Edison's autobiography, Life of Thomas Edison (1932). Thomas Edison was a tireless tinkerer who loved to boast of his prodigious capacity for labor. Once ensconced as the "Wizard of Menlo Park" and regarded as America's resident genius, he strove to live up to his reputation as "a fiend of work." It is said that he drove himself and his staff to the point of exhaustion, sometimes working around the clock to meet a deadline. At his death Edison had 1,300 U.S. and foreign patents to his credit.

Sometimes this Precious Pug thinks Oakie's inspirations creates "a fiend for work" for those around her. BUT... we do try to take breaks now and then in the Spring-like mountain sunshine that has been coming out this week. I hear our next inspiration is to reorganize all our photos that we have online into their perspective categories on the OkieLegacy Photo Gallery. With Spring just around the corner, this Precious Pug may take a much needed break.

As we said a few days ago in our Notice of NEW Interactive Look, we will be adding the "Mailbag Corner" features for viewing during the week with Duchess & Oakie's SW Corner following on Saturday. After each feature there will be a "View Comments" and "Write Comments" link. If you have any information to add or share, don't be shy -- just Click on "Write Comments" and give us a tryout. BUT... keep your comments clean, decent. We do have the power to "delete" those "unwanted" comments.

Just Remember... With everyone's cooperation, consideration, understanding and decency, together we can do almost anything. We can share, preserve our knowledge, thoughts, history, genealogy -- connect with those thousands of miles away and around the World.

We would like to see this "Newsletter/Ezine" become an Interactive Forum that you can use to Connect -- Share your Genealogy, Legacies, Memories, Old Photos, & Knowledge of growing up in Oklahoma and other surround states. We also realize that some of you were born and raised in Oklahoma, but for some reason have moved with your families to other parts of the World -- with a longing to connect once again with memories of your past -- searching for your geneaology roots.

We appreciate those of you that have already replied, "I too would like to show my appreciation for the new format. There have been many times when I wanted to make a comment, now I can. Maybe too often." View/Write Comments (count 5)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Looking Back - OkieLegacy Issues of 2007

Vol 9, Iss 52 We began January 2007 by switching from a PC to a Mac computer. AND... we are glad we did. If I ever buy another computer it will NOT be a PC! It will be a Mac!

AND... everyone knows that with the new Mac Operating System Leopard with built in Bootcamp, you can partition your Mac hard drive and install Microsoft Windows on one side of the hard drive and run Mac OS Leopard on the other with the intel core duo chip. I hear tell that Windows runs faster & better on a Mac computer. This ain't a paid advertisement! Just a former PC -- NOW a Mac Lover's observations!

The first week of January, 2007, Clayton, NM was getting drifting, flurries of snow that created one lane of traffic that continued up towards Walsenberg and northward towards Denver, Colorado.

Snow and ice reached as far as Pauls Valley, Oklahoma the second week of January 2007 and things were getting underway to celebrate Oklahoma's Centennial for their 1907 statehood, November 16, 2007, across Oklahoma.

Gasoline prices in Oklahoma during January were at $1.899 per gallon of regular unleaded gas.

We learned that there is a gentleman in Wales, United Kingdom, doing research on Oklahoma soldiers that might have fought in WWI for the British & Canadian forces. Mr. J. S. Clark was searching for information on J. H. Mondy, Pvt. and others who were in the Canadian army. With the help of our OkieLegacy readers, we found some relatives of Mondy's that are living in the Perry, Oklahoma area.

We learned that NWOSU's Lincoln Bust sculptor and creator was created in 1914 by Frank Ingels and he donated it during the Spring commencement of 1915 graduating class when his brother Roland Ingels graduated.

In Vol. 9, Iss. 5 of The OkieLegacy we learned a bit more about Woods county, Oklahoma Terriotry newspaper legacies with the information we retrieved from the Oklahoma Historical Society in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. There was also a list of Oklahoma WWI Soldiers that served and died in the British & Canadian forces 1914-1918.

In Vol. 9, Iss. 6 of The OkieLegacy we learned that the Old Miller Hotel in Waynoka, Oklahoma was owned by Wm. E. Miller and his wife, Cordelia, who came to Waynoka in the Run of '93. The Millers built the hotel on the north end of their property near the Santa Fe rail yards, expecting the town to build near there. However, the town was built nearer the train station, south of the rail yards about a half mile.

That was just the first few weeks of January, 2007. You can visit our Journal Archives & Volume 9 Archives for a more detailed look back at The Okielegacy Issues of 2007.

For those of you just now getting onboard with The OkieLegacy, a BIG Welcome is extended your way.

We have enjoyed hearing from many of you -- sharing your stories -- learning your legacies throughout the last nine years. We hope to see you next year, 2008, and share more family legacies, genealogy and stories with you. In 2008 we will be changing our weekend publishing of our FREE weekly OkieLegacy Ezine from Saturday to Sunday.
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An Answer For A Nephew

Vol 8, Iss 49 We received a surprise email from a nephew this week. He was inquiring about a MCGILL family tree. His mother (our baby sister, Amber) seems to think that Gene McGill paid a professional to draw-up a MCGILL Family Tree.

If he did, a lot of those alleged records were pirated, locked away from some of us during our parents probate estates. BUT... that's another story for another day. Most of you living in northwest Oklahoma have probably heard of the "McGill Probates from Hell"... haven't you?! Maybe someday we will expand a bit more, but not now.

We have no information about Gene having a family tree chart prepared, but we believe he did send off for a McGill coat of arms. AND... we do know that our Grandmother, Constance Estella Warwick McGill, did sufficient research to qualify as a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) around April 1, 1925, using her ancestor Captain David Gwin.

Awhile back when we were just beginning our family search, genealogy webpages, we scanned several coats of arms for our HULL, GWIN, WARWICK, McGILL families and placed them on our family website over at ParisTimes Genealogy.

There have been questions about Gene McGill and his involvement with the Masons & Shriners. We do know that Gene was a "32d degree Mason" and a member of the "India Shrine" in Oklahoma City, but that's all we know about his involvement with the Masons & Shriners. Perhaps the "India Shrine in Oklahoma City" would be the place for our nephew who is doing his own research to obtain more information about his grandfather's involvement with the Masons & Shriners.

Maybe someone out there could, would have more information than we have and could point him in the right direction.
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Edwards County, Kansas - Wayne Cemetery

Vol 8, Iss 44 We made it to Lewis, Kansas and found the Wayne Cemetery east of Lewis and went looking, walking through in search of the McGills buried there. We took some pictures of three grave markers for some McGill's we found: Benjamin & Harriet N. McGill (parents of Frank McGill) and Wilburita McGill, sibling of Frank McGill. Wilburita died in infancy.

When we were walking through the Wayne cemetery east of Lewis, Kansas looking for McGill's we noticed some TALLMAN surnames. We didn't figure them into our genealogy until we got to Alva and started looking through our family tree database. Our WARWICK side of the family had some TALLMAN surnames listed that married into the WARWICK's through Elizabeth WARWICK (Benjamin Tallman descendants. We are going to have to go back to Lewis, Kansas, Wayne cemetery and get some pictures of the TALLMAN surnames buried there to see if any of them match up.
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Paris, Hurt & Louthan Info

Vol 10, Iss 46 Since my ParisTimes Genealogy database had very few LOUTHAN family data, I did some genealogy research on how my PARIS, HURT and LOUTHAN's were possibly related.

Through my Ancestry.com account I found lots of LOUTHAN connections and information on Gilbert Shirley LOUTHAN.

It looks like John Cope LOUTHAN was the grandfather of Gilbert Shirley LOUTHAN through John's 2nd wife Mary Ann HALE.

Florence T. (LOUTHAN) PARIS' father was Robert Hiram & Belle Claircy (COKERHAM) LOUTHAN.

My Grandmother, Mary Barbara (HURT) PARIS had a sister Emma Jennie HURT who married Samuel Oscar LOUTHAN.

Mary Barbara (HURT) PARIS had a son, Leslie Martin PARIS that married Florence T. Louthan.

Anyway... Samuel Oscar and Robert Hiram Louthan were brothers through John Cope LOUTHAN's 1st wife, Jane HADDOW.

Samuel Oscar Louthan

The Freedom Call Goes On-Line

Vol 9, Iss 12 Do you subscribe to The Freedom Call newspaper out of Freedom, Oklahoma? Do you live out of state with a computer and internet connection? The Freedom Call will soon be available on the Web. That is according to the front page article in The Call's March 22, 2007 issue.

As I was reading this week's Issue of The Freedom Call, Volume 86, Number 12, Thursday, March 22, 2007, one of the front page headlines read, The Freedom Call Soon To Be Available on Web. Subscriptions Go On Sale Next Week. Grab next week's "Freedom Call" for more details.

According to the editor (Donna Hodgson), "The Freedom Call is upgrading to the worldwide web and will be availble on-line, ready to read the same day the paper is mailed each week. Instantly, The Call's online subscribers will be able to catch up with news of their hometown paper."

The Call article mentioned that the on-line, one year subscription fee will be $25 with a free version of the weekly product available soon. We are told to watch next week's newspaper for the dates. The article goes on to state, "One-year subscription to the on-line paper will allow subscribers to look at the past three months' newspapers as well as the most current issue."

The front page article also says, "The Call and many other newspapers throughout Oklahoma have joined in a partnership with ColorMax located in Payneville, MN, and have taken advantage of a process that makes PDF files of the newspaper text searchable. Oklahoma Press Association, a statewide newspaper group, recently introduced OPEN (Oklahoma Press Electronic News) to newspapers throughout the state in an effort to make on-line subscriptions available. Numerous newspapers are taking advantage."

If subscribers want access to issues further back than three months, they will be required to pay an additional fee. It sounds like that eventually subscribers will be able to research previous Freedom Call files all the way back to 1906. This would be great for genealogy researchers. Way to go Freedom and The Freedom Call for making yourselves available on the World Wide Web! We wish you much success now and in the future!
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About The NW Okie

Vol 10, Iss 12
This is for those of you who have just recently joined us here or want to know more about the NW Okie, editor & publisher of The OkieLegacy. Who is that lady collecting Okie Legacies? AND... Why? You can read a short "bio" about me over at my ParisTimes Genealogy site.

It was 60 years ago, 11:35a.m., Alva General Hospital, a third (3rd) daughter was born to Vada Eileen (Paris) McGill (31 years) and Gene M. McGill (33 years). Linda Kay was a Winter baby weighing in at 6lbs-10oz. Her parents arrived just in the neck of time on that February, 1948 morning, at the Alva General hospital with 1-1/2 hrs to spare before Li'l Linda's arrival. My sister Dorthy gave me my name.

My Father... Gene McGill, was a flying farmer, bearded custom harvestor in the 1940's and a Democratic State Chairman in the 1960's.

Gene McGill was born December, 1914 and died June, 1986 on Father's Day. He was the oldest son of William Jacob McGill and Constance Estella (Warwick) McGill. Gene had a younger brother, Robert "Bob" McGill, that was born August, 1916 and died February 1954. My father got his pharmacist degree from OU in 1937.

My Mother... This photo taken of my mother, Vada Eileen Paris, was her high school graduation photo taken when she was 18 years of age.

Vada Paris was born November 11, 1916 and died July, 1992. She was the fourth child and oldest daughter of Ernest Claude Paris and Mary Barbara Hurt from around Chester (Tailholt), Oklahoma, Major County. Vada had six brothers and two sisters. I think only Uncle Sammy is alive, living in Sand Point, Idaho today. Vada was a homemaker who went back to school in the early fifties to get her teaching degree in Home Economics from Northwestern State Teachers College.

My Sisters & Me... This is a 1955 photo of two of my sisters and Me, in the backyard of 703 7th Street, Alva, OK. The photo shows Linda, Dorthy, and Amber perched on a picnic table in the backyard, of 703 7th Street, Alva, Oklahoma. The oldest sister (Connie Jean) is NOT pictured -- and not quite sure why?

Sweet Li'l Linda Kay was raised one of two middle daughters of the four McGill Sisters in the Gene & Vada Paris McGill family.

My life began sixty years ago, as one of the Baby Boomers and raised as a Democrat, in a Small, Rural Community located in Woods County in the NW Corner of Oklahoma.

My Schooling began at Horace Mann Elementary in Kindergarten and progressed thru Washington Elementary, Alva Jr. High, Alva High. I hated the little snobby, elite, cliques that formed during the Jr. High and High School years. I chose not to belong to any of them. I finished my college education at Northwestern State College in 1971 with a BA Degree in Art & Sociology.

A 1969 Mid-Summer, July Wedding united David M. Wagner & Linda Kay McGill after a year courtship during our time at Northwestern State College (NSC). In the Early-Fall of 1970 our oldest Son, Michael, started our family while we were living, working, and finishing College at NSC in Alva, Oklahoma. (It was back in the mid 1960's during the days of the Viet Nam War, Peace, Love, and Hippies.. [Although, I never was a Hippie.]

In the Early-Summer (June) of 1973 David, Linda and son (Michael) were blessed with their second son, Robert. David was working for Kerr-MaGee Research & Engineering in OKC -- we were living in Edmond, OK, USA. In (or about 1975) David got a job with Exxon Engineering, Baytown, TX and the four of us became Texas-Okies for five or six years before we moved back to Alva, OK about 1980.

I love to listen to music of the "'40's" and "Rock-n-Roll Oldies" of the 50's, 60's, 70's! I also like a little of the "Classical, Jazz, Blues, Soul and Country!" One of my favorite Radio stations back in my earlier childhood was KOMA. You could find this transistor sister walking around Alva with her transistor radio tuned to KOMA radio station.
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Immigrants Make Up America

Vol 12, Iss 27 America - With the talk of Independence Day, and this being the day after the 4th of July 2010, We ask you, "Aren't we all immigrants or Descendants of Immigrants?"

America is a land of immigrants and Native Americans. What would America be today if immigrants from all ver the world had not set foot on the eastern shores of the 13th Colonies, pushing the Native Americans westward onto reservations. Killing and slaughtering their buffalo beyond extinction?

What part did my migrating ancestors play in the westward movement of the Native Americans? I did some searching back through my family genealogy to figure out where each of my ancestral immigrants came.

We start with our paternal ancestors. The Warwick ancestors were English. The Gwyn/Gwin/Guinn were from Wales. The Hull/Hohl ancestors came from Rhineland Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz), Germany. The McGill's were Scottish from Scotland, migrating to Ireland and finally making their way to the America's.

Our maternal ancestors were the Conover (VanKouwenhoven), Dutch and settling in New Amsterdam (also known as New York, Flatlands). The Paris/Parris were English. The Hurt/Hurtosci were from Czechoslovakia (Bohemia), known also as Austria-Hungary. That brings us to our Great Grandmother, Anna Wallman (1863-1902), who married our Great Grandfather, Joseph P. Hurt, who migrated from Czechoslovakia around 1876. I do not know much about her because she died at the young age of 39 when she was struck by lightning in 1902.

I always thought that our Wallman ancestors were also from Czechoslovakia, but I found a 1880 U.S. Census that shows an Anna Wallman (born 1863, Russia) the daughter of Jacob Wallman (born 1833, Russia) and Maria (born in Russia). Could this be another Anna Wallman or could it be my Great Grandmother Anna Wallman Hurt?

The 1900 US Federal Census shows Joseph P, and Anna Wallman Hurt (born in Bohemia) and their family living in Bishop, Woods, Oklahoma Territory.

Great Grandmother Anna Wallman arrived in the USA around 1876 or 1877 through Bremen, Germany. At the young age of 16, Anna married Joseph P. Hurt, in Nebraska, about 1879. As I said earlier, Anna Wallman Hurt died in 1902, in Bishop, Woods, Oklahoma Territory, at age 39 when she was struck by lightning. She is buried in the Hurt family cemetery, on the Martin property, North of Chester and West of the Orion Cemetery.

That brings us to my husbands ancestors, which includes Wagner's from Germany.

Have you ever looked back to see where your ancestors originated? Let us know your ancestral makeup. Thanks! View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

July 4, 1928, Alva Drum Corp

Vol 12, Iss 26 Alva, Oklahoma - Coming up next Sunday is the 4th of July 2010. I know that I have showed this July 4th, 1928 Alva Drum corp photo before, but we thought it only appropriate to show what 1928 citizens of Alva and their boys drum corp were doing on July 4th, 1928.

I have recently put it up on NW Okie's Facebook Photos in the My Photos - Camera Vault Photos to share in case someone is looking, doing genealogy research and might see a relative in the 1928 July 4th photo. The photo gives you an idea of how Alvans used to park in the wide downtown streets around the square and in the center of the street.

Kathy mentioned, "Oh Wow! I recognize several names in this pic. Russell Fowitz was the son of William Fowitz, who bought my grandfather, Louis Miller, furniture store and undertaking business. Both were cousins of my grandfather. Louis and his wife, Blanche, raised William when his father and mother were killed in a flood back in Pennsylvania. William's sister, was adopted by a wealthy mattress manufacturing family, raised in Pennsylvania."

I have everyone tagged with a name in the photo, except the band leader out front. If you click the link above, it should take you over to NW Okie's Facebook photo album where you can put your pointing device on each boy and see their name.

Here is a list of Alva Boys in Alva Drum Corp, 4 July 1928, NW corner of Alva downtown square, NW Oklahoma.

Row 1, front to back: Bob Burcket, J. L. Reed, Russle Fowitz, Ben Harrover, Frank Houts, Richard Jones, Newton Gettings;

Row 2, front to back: Bob McGill, Herb Ryman, Howard Schumacher, Lester Duck, Paul Clark, Lewis Kasparick;

Row 3, front to back: Bob Day, Brad Eutsler, Jhon (sic) Day, Clay Noah, Tom Hewit, Junior Collins;

Row 4, front to back: Fat Murry, Earl Boyce, Joe Day, Bill Jackson, Marion Brozwell (?), Millard Porter;

Row 5, front to back: Warne Templin, John Jackson, Edward Kavnaugh, Crawford Batenburg, Merle (Gene) McGill, Ben Matteson, Bradley.
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1938 NSTC Ranger Album

Vol 12, Iss 3 We have been sharing a scanned copy of the 1938 Ranger Album with family genealogists for awhile and thought perhaps some others might be interested in downloading a PDF file of the 1938 Ranger Album. It is a large file. You can either open it up in your web browser and save a copy to your computer -- OR -- right click on the link and "save as" to a folder on your computer for further genealogy research.

Here is the link for those of you looking for a copy of the 1938 Ranger yearbook, Northwestern State Teacher's College, Alva, Oklahoma, I have scanned it into a PDF file. Contact Linda McGill Wagner at email: mcwagner.lk@gmail.com and I will send you a link to the pdf file if you are having trouble viewing it in your browser and can not figure out how to "save as" to your computer. -- 1938 Ranger yearbook.
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Fairmont, Marion County, WV

Vol 11, Iss 11 We found this unknown family photo in my Grandmother's treasure chest of genealogy photos. Why Grandma Contance Warwick McGill had it ... I do not know! The backside was dark and you could barely make "Palatine" scratched into the backside. The old photograph is one of those photographs you see on cardboard type photo-backing. When did they start and end doing photographs like that?

We did a Google search for Fairmont, WV and found some history of Fairmont, Marion County, WV.

.

Here is some of what we found and you can read the rest of it on my Facebook site: "Fairmont is a city in Marion County, West Virginia, United States. It is the county seat of Marion County[3]. Established in 1820 as Middletown, then in Monongalia County, it was chartered by the Virginia General Assembly in 1843 as Fairmont, a contraction of "Fair Mountain."

Fairmont is located in the North-Central region of the state, along West Virginia's I-79 High Tech Corridor, about 18 miles southwest of Morgantown, and about 23 miles northeast of Clarksburg.

Fairmont State University, established in 1865, is located in Fairmont. The former head of the art department of the school, Luella Mundel, was the subject of a documentary called American Inquisition by Helen Whitney. Mundel was the victim of blacklisting during the McCarthy era, and the documentary showed how the negative effects of that era reached even smalltown West Virginia. This documentary was the subject of a very famous case about the First Amendment.[5]

Marion County was created by an act of the Virginia Assembly on January 14, 1842, from parts of Harrison and Monongalia counties. The county was named in honor of General Francis Marion (1732-1795), the legendary hero of the American Revolutionary War.

Oral history indicates that in 1808 Boaz Fleming made his annual trek to Clarksburg to pay his brother's Harrison County taxes. While in Clarksburg he attended a social gathering that included Dolly Madison, his cousin. He complained to her about having to travel over a hundred miles each year from his home to pay his Monongalia County taxes and his brother's Harrison County taxes.

Dolly Madison supposedly suggested that he create his own county to save him all that travel. Six years later, Boaz Fleming circulated a petition to do precisely that, naming the proposed county Madison County, in honor of Dolly and President James Madison.

The petition failed to gain sufficient support to be presented to the Virginia General Assembly. He then focused on creating a town near his farm. In 1819, a road was built from Clarksburg to Morgantown. His farm was about halfway between the two, making a good resting point.

He laid out the town on the west side of the Monongahela River in 1819. It was incorporated on January 19, 1820 as Middletown. It is unknown if the town was called Middletown because of its location mid-way between Clarksburg and Morgantown or because Boaz Fleming's first wife, Elizabeth Hutchinson, was originally from Middletown, Delaware.

Middletown was named newly-formed Marion County's first county seat on February 18, 1842. At that time, William Haymond, Jr. suggested that the town's name be changed to Fairmont because the town had a beautiful overlook of the Monongahela River, giving it a "fair mount." The Borough of Fairmont was incorporated in 1843 by the Virginia General Assembly.

In 1838, the town of Palatine was laid out on the east side of the Monongahela River, opposite Middletown. It was settled by Germans from the Palatinate States of southwestern Germany and they named the town after their homeland. It was incorporated in 1867. In 1899, Fairmont, Palatine, and neighboring West Fairmont were merged into a single city.

In 1865, a privately-owned normal school opened in Fairmont to train teachers that would be required to fill the state legislature's mandate of having free public schools in every county. In 1867, Fairmont Normal School was accepted as one of three normal schools owned and operated by the state of West Virginia. In 1917, the school was named Fairmont State Teachers College and is currently known as Fairmont State College.

In 1793, Jacob Paulsley built a home on the east side of the Monongahela River in present-day Fairmont. At that time, most of the future city was a dense, laurel thicket.

When Middletown was formed in 1820, its initial trustees were: John S. Barns, John W. Kelley, Josiah Wolcott, John W. Polsley, Jesse Ice, Benoni Fleming and Thomas Fleming. John S. Barnes served as mayor.
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Woods County, Oklahoma Territory (O.T.) - Newspaper Heritage

Vol 9, Iss 5 A few weeks ago we sent off to the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) (2401 North Laird Ave., OKC, OK 73105-7914, (405)-521-2491) for a newspaper genealogy report for Woods County, Oklahoma. Several years ago the OHS received a grant from the Library of Congress to do a genealogy of the newspapers across Oklahoma. Most of this Information is a part of that research.

It was set up into eight (8) Linked Groups and Individual Titles (papers). At one time there were both Daily & Weekly newspapers in Alva & Woods County, Oklahoma. Each of the aggressive newspapers taking a different political viewpoint, contributing to the development of Woods County through their articles, editorials while razzing their fellow editors, citizens for their political views.

If you go up to the NWOSU library on the Alva campus, in Alva, Oklahoma, you can browse over 8000 Alva newspapers that Blanche & Allen Doughty donated during the Summer of 1966 to the Historical Section of Northwestern State College. The newspapers include: Alva Review, Renfrew Record, Alva Record, Alva Daily Record from 1897 to 1941.

Woods County, OK - Newspaper Genealogy

Linked Group 1:

• "Alva Daily News" -Alva, OK, daily paper, March 5, 1908 thru December 31, 1908, was absorbed by "Daily Review Courier," Alva, OK - daily, began in 1908.
• "Morning Times" - Alva, OK, began April 7, 1912 thru November 21, 1914, published by Logan A. Wilhite and edited by Kent Eubanks. Eubanks was co-editor/publisher with Walter Rossin in 1907, at the Alva Courier. In 1908, Eubanks was co-editor/publisher with Harry Bardshaw on The Daily Times. The Morning Times competitor was the Alva Daily Pioneer. The Morning Times front pages were covered mostly with ads with a few leading stories while the inside pages were filled with stories about the community. It carried on a feud with the Alva Pioneer with Dave Woodson as the Morning Times mouth piece. absorbed by "Daily Review Courier."

Daily Editions:
• "Daily Review Courier" - Alva, OK, daily, began in 1908, publication known as Daily Review Courier from August 25, 1919 thru March 27, 1920.
• "Alva Daily Pioneer" - began June 24, 1901, published from July 25, 1903 thru April 9, 1906. [SEE Link Group 2]
• "Daily Alva Review Courier" - Alva, OK, daily, March 29, 1920 thru January 17, 1925.
• "Daily Review Courier" - Alva, OK, daily, January 21, 1925 thru April 22, 1929. September, 1929, merged with "Alva Review-Courier."
• "Alva Review Courier" - Alva, OK, daily, April 23, 1929 thru June 4, 1989. October 1, 1985, the "Review Courier" used a 6-column format, standard advertising unit (SAU).
• "Alva Review-Courier & Woods County News" - Alva, OK, daily, June 7, 1989 thru December 13, 1989. July, 1986, it changed from evening to morning paper, published Tuesday through Friday with a Sunday edition.
• "Alva Review-Courier (ARC)" - Alva, OK, daily, December 17, 1989 thru present. Absorbed "Alva Advocate"; Absorbed "Newsgram (June 5, 1985). ARC has provided news coverage for northwest Oklahoma for over 115 years.

Weekly Editions:
• "Alva Courier" - Alva, OK, weekly, began in 1896 (The First 100 Years of Alva, Oklahoma states it dates back to January 21, 1897); publication dates January 13, 1899 thru January 23, 1903.
• "Alva Weekly Courier" - Alva, OK, weekly, January 30, 1903 thru January 24, 1908; merged with the "Alva Review" January 31, 1908, into "Alva Review Courier."
• "Alva Courier Weekly" - Alva, OK, weekly, January 31, 1908; merged with "Alva Review" into "Alva Review Courier."
• "Alva Review" - Alva, OK, weekly, July 7, 1894 thru February 6, 1908
• "Alva Review Courier" - Alva, OK, weekly edition, published February 13, 1908 thru December 31, 1914, ceased publication.
• "Alva Weekly News" - Alva, OK, merged with "Dacoma Herald"
• "Dacoma Herald" - Dacoma, OK, merged with "Alva Weekly News" into "Woods County News"
• "Woods County News" - Alva, OK, weekly, June 20, 1968 thru May 25, 1989.

Weekly Editions:
• "Alva Pioneer" - Alva, OK, weekly, September 22, 1893 thru July 9, 1897; merged with "Alva Republican" into "Alva Pioneer Republican." It was the first newspaper in Alva, Woods County, Oklahoma Territory, September, 1893; W. F. Hatfield started gathering news, selling subscriptions with the assistance of Oscar Haberlein who worked at the Kiowa News in Kansas. The "Pioneer" was printed in Hazelton, Kansas, brought to Alva, O.T. and delivered to subscribers for the first 6 weeks. After that it was housed in the second story of the first two-story building (20x40 feet) built by Hatfield, around October, 1893, to house his press. The "Pioneer" was the oldest, daily Democratic paper in Woods County. It was published for 10 years in its two-story location and grew from a weekly to a daily paper. Downstairs below the "Pioneer" printing office was located a restaurant opened by G. W. Drake and his wife from the Hazelton, Kansas area.
• "Alva Republican" - Alva, OK, weekly, purchased February 9, 1894 by James Kelley and J. I. Parcell, the first republican newspaper in Alva, O.T.; publication dates February 23, 1894 thru July 2, 1897; merged with "Alva Pioneer" into "Alva Pioneer Republican."
• "Alva Pioneer Republican" - Alva, OK, weekly, July 16, 1897 thru December 24, 1897.
• "Alva Pioneer" - Alva, OK, weekly, December 31, 1897 thru August 16, 1901.
• "Alva Weekly Pioneer" - Alva, OK, weekly, August 23, 1901 thru August 27, 1909.
• "Alva Pioneer" - Alva, OK, weekly, September 3, 1909 thru July 7, 1911, ceased publication.

Daily Editions:
• "Alva Daily Pioneer" - Alva, OK, began June 24, 1901, publication dates July 25, 1903 thru April 9, 1906.
• "Daily Pioneer" - Alva, OK, daily, January 14, 1911 thru April 30, 1917.
• "Alva Daily Pioneer" - Alva, OK, daily, publication dates April 28, 1917 thru April 23, 1919. Absorbed by "Daily Review Courier" (SEE Linked Group 1).

• "Ames Enterprise" - Hoyle, OK, weekly (Major county), November 15, 1901 thru July 4, 1902.
• "Renfrews Record" - Alva, OK, weekly, July 24, 1902 thru February 25, 1921. Founded by by James P. Renfrew, as a weekly in the five hundred block of Barnes Avenue
• "Alva Record" - Alva, OK, weekly, February 21, 1921 thru February 26, 1931. Allen Doughty bought "Renfrew Record" from Timmons & Finch of Cherokee, Oklahoma and changed it to "Alva Record." In 1930, it was printed as a daily; changing to "Alva Daily Record."
• "Alva Daily Record" - Alva, OK, daily, March 3, 1931 thru December 31, 1940; located in the 600 block of Barnes Avenue. In 1941, Doughty sold the it to Joe McBride and Jim Nance. Nance & McBride bought the "Review-Courier"; merging it with the "Alva Daily Record."
• "Alva Weekly Record" - Alva, OK, weekly, September 19, 1946 thru September 4, 1947.

• "Woods County Enterprise" - Waynoka, OK, November 2, 1900 thru June 6, 1935.
• "Woods County Enterprise & Waynoka News" - Waynoka, OK, June 13, 1935 thru April 12, 1984.
• "Woods County Enterprise" - Waynoka, OK, April 19 thru Present.

• "Woods County Socialist" - Alva, OK, October 29, 1910 thru November 26, 1910.
• "Constructive Socilaist" - Alva, OK, August 2, 1911 thru April 23, 1913.

• "Waynoka Tribune" - Waynoka OK, February 5, 1909 thru February 16, 1912.
• "Waynoka Democrat" - Waynoka, OK, February 22, 1912 thru October 16, 1914.

• "Woods County News" - Augusta, OK, August 5, 1899 thru October 25, 1907.
• "Alfalfa County News" - Carmen, OK, November 1, 1907 thru November 22, 1912. Absorbed by "Carmen Headlight."

• "Dacoma Enterprise" - Dacoma, OK, weekly, may 3, 1912 thru November 9, 1917.
• "Dacoma Mascot" - Dacoma, OK, weekly, November 15, 1917 thru June 24, 1920.

• "Alva Chronicle" - Alva, OK, December 22, 1893 thru August 2, 1895. It was the first paper in Alva, O.T.; The First 100 years of Alva, Oklahoma states that, "L. B. Wilson brought it September 21, 1893 from Crisfield, Kansas; Hatfield purchased the Alva Chronicle and merged it with the Pioneer."
• "Avard Tribune" - Avard, OK, June 2, 1904 thru July 26, 1918.
• "Capron Hustler" - Capron, OK, June 16, 1904 thru May 25, 1916.
• "Dacoma News" - Dacoma, OK, February 19, 1909 thru January 27, 1911.
• "Daily Pioneer" - Alva, OK, January 14, 1911 thru April 30, 1917.
• "Freedom Booster" - Freedom, OK, October 19, 1916 thru May 23, 1918.
• "Freedom Call" - Freedom, OK, May 21, 1906 thru November 26, 1914.
• "Freedom Express" - Freedom, OK, May 21, 1906 thru November 26, 1914.
• "Prohibition Agitator" - Alva, OK, march 21, 1906 thru June 13, 1906.
• "Sun" - Dacoma, OK, October 28, 1904 thru June 2, 1905.

ParisTimes Genealogy Feedback

Vol 12, Iss 27 Kim wrote and says, "My name is Kim and I'm writing to pay compliments to your web page: a href="http://paristimes.com/genealogy/genealgy.html">ParisTimes Genealogy. It has really useful information on genealogy. Inam a student teacher so I am definitely going to incorporate some of this into an upcoming lesson plan.

Since your page was a big help, I thought Iwould pass along a similar page you might want to use as a resource: Big List of Genealogy Links It has a nice compilation of information on genealogy and family trees you might find useful. Thanks again for the help." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

How Far Does the OkieLegacy Reach

Vol 6, Iss 39 How Far Does the OkieLegacy Reach -

North Central Idaho - "I enjoy Okie Legacy in North Central Idaho. I don't have any connections in your area, being born in Wichita Falls TX and having connections to Ardmore OK, but I enjoy reading about your area and share your views on politics. Keep it coming."

Cherokee, OK - "I am in Cherokee but I am betting that the Qatar correspondent is my nephew, Wayne Guffy, Jr. I really enjoy your newsletter and have been able to help several with genealogy questions. Keep up the good work."

Topeka, Kansas - "I started getting Okie Legacy in OKC a year ago and now live in Topeka, Kansas and still getting it.  It's helped me several times. Great job."

Duncan, OK - "That is great that you are hearing from Qatar... I'm in Duncan, Stephens Co., Oklahoma."

McKinney, TX - "Messages reach me ever few days here in dusty McKinney, Texas, U.S.A. (30 miles north of Big D.)"

Houma , Louisiana - "Since I already subscribe, you well know of me."

Coldwater, Kansas - "I receive Okie Legacy here in nearby (as the crow flies) Coldwater, Kansas."

Tulsa, OK - "Having grown up in Alva, I've lived in Guthrie, Pauls Valley, Blackwell, Enid, Salt Lake City, Utah and now Tulsa since I left Goldbug Central."

Odessa, TX - "We are sure that we are not in the running for fartherest reader, but wanted you to know how much we have enjoyed your newsletter. I grew up in Alva, my husband grew up in Waynoka and we enjoy hearing news about the 'old timers.' We have lived in Odessa, Texas since 1962, but have a second home in Waynoka, Oklahoma, plus farm land in Major and Woods counties."

Las Vegas, NV - "We are in Las Vegas, Nevada."

Amarillo, TX - "Glad to respond to REACH-OUT, as I appreciate the Okie Legacies so much, however I am only 250 miles away in Amarillo, Texas."

San Jose, California - "I'm continuing to enjoy your weekly letters. I appreciate your keeping my photos on your site. I have actually heard from some fellow cadets through your good work. There are probably not too many of us around anymore since we were in Alva in the Spring of 1944. One of my fellow air cadets sent me some pictures from the airfield where we went through our first flight training. By the way, I haven't tracked down Mary Holten. It would be nice if she would access your site and see the picture of us in '44. I am a widower now, so it's OK. Another item from '44 is that we cadets were receiving our dental work from dentists stationed at the prison camp down the road apiece. In my case you are reaching out to San Jose, CA, just about 40 miles south of San Francisco. I look forward to your weekly letters. Thanks." Tom McCarrick - Email: ttmc21@aol.com

Woodward, OK - "PLEASE KEEP IT GOING."

Cleveland, OH - "Been a reader of yours for sometime now.  Like the newsletter a lot.  Live outside of Cleveland, OH.  Love it here but love coming back now and then to visit with my brother outside of Alva, OK."

Southern California - "You reach me out in Southern California. I hail from Coyle, OK., Logan County. I really look forward to reading your newsletters. Makes me feel closer to home."

Victoria, British Coumbia, Canada - "How far? I live in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. My sister lives in Japan and I am sending her the site to so she can see it."

Greenville, SC - "I live in Greenville, SC. I am originally from Georgia and my wife is a native of Oklahoma, therefore, my interest in your very good newsletter. Thank you for sending it along."

Other Places - Summerville, GA; Selma, California; Cherokee, OK; Lakewood, CA; Vacaville, CA; Aspen, Colorado.

Olympia, Washington - "Hi Linda & Duchess Rose, We're in Olympia, Washington. I found your website originally a couple years ago when I was doing genealogical research over the internet. I went through GOOGLE and that's how I found you!" View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Martyn of Galway, Ireland

Vol 6, Iss 46 Louisiana - "Thanks for passing on the email from the Martyn in Galway.  As I told you Hugh Martin's parents were both from Galway.  Somehow, although I know the name of Hugh of Alva's grandfather, and where in Galway he lived, I've never 'jumped the pond' in my genealogy research on this line.  Time flies… no kidding.  I will soon contact him. Incidentally, I don't seem to have received your ezine the last couple of weeks. Regards." -- Charlie View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Old Anadarko Telephones: 1st 107 Years

Vol 12, Iss 7 Dale Talkington (Email: daletalkington@gmail.com) says, "This is your last call to loan copies of early Anadarko phone directories for our forthcoming book of some 1,200 pages.

Bound copies will be given to area libraries and genealogy societies. A copy will be on www.books.google.com where every word will be indexed and immediately searchable for free.

So far we have 29 directories from 1903 up to our cut off date of 1960. These are a good cross-section of early Anadarko life, but we would welcome any other directories you might have to fill in the gaps.

Here's what we would like to have: 1904 to 1907, 1909, 1911 to 1926, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1937, 1949, 1951, and 1954.

We will give you a donation credit line along with Sandy Yount Adams, Robin Willis, Bruce Britt, Roy Pfleeger, R.L. Lawrence, E.T. Cook, C.Ross Hume, Jim Thompson, and Bill Welge.

Check your attic and become forever FAMOUS. THANKS!"
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Genealogy Searching

Vol 11, Iss 10 Erika says, "I have a suggestion for another link to add to your Genealogy page ParisTimes Genealogy. I think is a pretty good genealogy article with lots of resources that I think fits well on your page: Genealogy on the Web.  Thanks so much for taking the time to read my email.   Have a great day." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Katie (DeWitt) James 1905 Murder

Vol 9, Iss 36 "For those of you into Genealogy... Mrs. Katie (DeWitt) James was the daughter of Henry DeWitt. After reading this old news story of 1905, I was wondering what happened to the Katie James' small child that got dropped off at the German farmer's home?

Did Katie (DeWitt) James' father, Henry DeWitt, raise the child? Did Katie's husband raise the child? Was the child a Boy? Girl?

Checking back further through the news archives, we gathered more information concerning Katie James Murder.

In The Oklahoman, dated between July 29 thru August 31, 1905, there was mention that the child was a girl.

* Mrs. Katie (DeWitt) James was allegedly murdered near Weatherford, Oklahoma, July 8, 1905.
* Mrs. James left behind a baby girl, 13 months old that Mrs. Fannie (Ham) Norton allegedly dropped off at a German farmers home near Weatherford, Oklahoma.
* Katie James husband was a hackdriver in Clinton, OK and a Custer County farmer.
* July 29, 1905 Mrs. Norton was last seen with Katie James and baby.
*Fannie (Ham) Norton killed herself with Strychnine shortly after she was arrested for the alleged murder of Mrs. James.
* August 8, 1905 Gov. Ferguson puts out a $399 reward for conviction of murderer of Mrs. Katie James."

Below are a few more articles I found in The Oklahoman that I have tried to put in chronological order.

* July 29, 1905, pg. 2, headlines read: Killed Herself, Woman Arrested At Shawnee Was Evidently Prepared For Death. Was charged With Murder. Supposed to have killed Mrs. James Near Anadarko on July 8 - Body of Mrs. James Has Not Been Found.

Shawnee, O.T., July 28, 1905 -- "Mrs. Harry Norton, alias Ham, arrested here at noon today by detective Sam Bartell of Oklahoma City for the alleged murder of Mrs. Katie James near Weatherford on July 8 committed suicide while in the office at Police headquarters. She took poison while in a toilet room a moment alone and died at 3 o'clock.

Mrs. James with her small babe and Mrs. Norton drove from Weatherford on July 8 (1905) and Mrs. Norton returned alone coming to Shawnee the next day. The detective found Mrs. James baby at the home of a family near Weatherford unharmed but its clothing covered with blood. Mrs. Norton refused to admit that she committed the crime.

In company with Harry Dewitt, father of Mrs. Katie James, who is supposed to have been murdered near Weatherford, Oklah., on July 8 (1905) and for which crime Mrs. Harry Norton was arrested here, Detective Sam Bartell left this morning for Weatherford where search will be made for the body of Mrs. James, whom the detective and others now are certain is dead. The fact that the detective found Mrs. James' thirteen months old girl, who accompanied Mrs. James and Mrs. Norton on a drive from Wetherford on the fatal morning at the home of a German farmer near Weatherford, the child's clothes being bloody though she herself was uninjured, leads the officers to believe that the body of Mrs. James will be found close by.

Mrs. Norton's body is being held by Coroner Fleming until he hears further from Mr. Bartell.

* August 8, 1905, pg. 3, headlines reads: Reward of $300. Governor Offers This for Conviction of Mrs. James' Murderer. Is An Unusual Mystery. Woman is supposed to have been murdered, but even that fact has not been established - Reward Conditional.

Guthrie, Okla., Aug. 7, 1905 -- "A reward of $300 was offered by Governor Ferguson in behalf of the territory this morning for the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who murdered Mrs. Katie James near Weatherford on July 8, (1905). The case of the disappearance of Mrs. James is one of the most mysterious in the history of crime in Oklahoma. While the evidence tends to show Mrs. James was murdered, the murder has never been established to a certainty.

A Week ago Mrs. Fanny Norton was arrested in Shawnee and charged with her murder. She would make no statement and was placed in a cell until the excitement had worn away. The officers felt sure, if she was not guilty, that they would bring forth from her a confession which would unravel the mystery.

Before the woman had been alone more than a few minutes she was found dead, having committed suicide by swallowing strychnine.

By some her suicide was looked upon as a confession of quilt, but circumstances have, in the opinion of officers, shown differently. It is believed she was implicated in the affair and could have told had she not killed herself.

Every effort has been made to find the missing woman. Her baby, wearing bloody garments has been found in the home of a farmer near Weatherford. It had been left there by a woman corresponding to the description of Mrs. Norton. Mrs. James' father, in company with officers, have been looking for a trace of the missing woman, but thus far all attempts have failed. It is hoped by them that she was only kidnapped. The reward by the Territory will not hold good in a case of kidnapping."

* September 19, 1905, pg. 5, headlines read: Claims Norton Reward.

"Sheriff Garrison and Deputy sheriff Bartell went to Guthrie last night for a conference with Gov. Ferguson relative to the reqard offered by the territory for the arrest and conviction of Fannie Norton, alias Ham, murdress of Mrs. Katy James, and who was captured by Deputy Sheriff Bartell, following the murder.

Mr. Bartell carried with him a petition signed by one hundred and fifty or more citizens of Weatherford and also the members of the coroner's jury, declaring that it was through the efforts of Deputy Bartell that the woman was arrested and expressing the belief That the reward is due him."
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Bus Trip to Oklahoma Historical Society (August 2, 2010)

Vol 12, Iss 29 Wichita, Kansas - Midwest Historical & Genealogical Society Library is sponsoring a 1-day bus trip. Calling All Genealogy Buffs for the Oklahoma Historical Society Research Center bus trip on Monday, August 2, 2010. Secondary stops are being arranged, along the route, for pick-ups so they do not have to drive into Wichita.

Here is a chance to dig deep into Oklahoma's rich territorial and state history. Especially if you are in the Wichita, Kansas area. Unearth records of generations before yours! The trip is sponsored by Midwest Historical and Genealogical Society, 1203 N. Main, PO Box 1121, Wichita, Kansas 67201.

The chartered private bus leaves form 1203 N. Main in midtown Wichita, Midwest parking lot. They will board from 6:30-6:50 a.m. on Monday, August 2, 2010. By the time the OHS Research Center opens at 10:00 a.m., they should be among the first in the door.

The group will enjoy a short tour and orientation by the library staff. Feel free to work at your own pace as there is a casual cafe onsite for breaks and lunch -- or bring your own.

The group will leave the research center by 5:15p.m. and make a stop for dinner. The bus should pull into the Midwest parking lot between 9:30 and 10:00p.m.

Trip registration is $40 for MHGS members, $50 for nonmember. Please do not delay! Full registration needs to be received by July 24th. Thanks so much! Membership in the organization is NOT necessary. SEE Registration Form Online View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Black, Salwaechter, Lovellette & Stebens of Carmen, Oklahoma.

Vol 5, Iss 1 "You have a wonderful web site. I am searching for information on my family. My grandmother Floriene Salwaechter was born in 1914 in Carmen, Oklahoma. I am trying to find out more about her parents and grandparents. The surnames include Black, Salwaechter, Lovellette. Thanks for your site and any other information you might have. I am interested in family history and find that my roots go to Carmen, OK. I am trying to find out more about my GGG-Grandfather George Black. He married Sarah Lovellette in 1864 in Illinois. His daughter Gillian Caroline Black married George Salwaechter. Gillian passed on in 1874 and is buried in the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in Carmen. I have several pictures and items that lead me to beleive that they lived in Carmen. If any of these names ring a bell please let me know. I am researching my wife's genealogy and find that her Great-Great-Grandmother passed away 3 May 1925 in Carmen, Oklahoma. She immigrated from Russia. Her husband was John Stebens who passed away 27 December 1929 in Carmen. Any information would be helpful. Thanks." -- Stan Mills @ stan.mills@emiservices.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Early German Emigrants of Augusta, VA

Vol 12, Iss 10 I found this history book about the Early Western Augusta Pioneers of Virginia over at Ancestry.com. Here is some of the information concerning "The German Families of Augusta" for those genealogy and family tree researchers with some German ancestors that landed in the Augusta county, Virginia area.

It begins, "One might ask what caused the German families of Augusta to leave their native Vaterland and undertake such a hazardous adventure as a trip across the ocean to American in the early 1700's. The answer lies in the culminating factors of almost constant recurring warfare, the constant drain of taxation imposed by their royal rulers to keep up with the grandeur of the court of Louis XIV in France, the incessant struggle of the Catholic element against the protestants, and not the least, that the entire valleys of the Rhine, the Neckar,a nod the Main Rivers had been set aflame by the fiery speeches of William Penn preaching the new religion of brotherly love, and the glories and the abundance of freedom in the New World."

It also states, "… There was nothing but praise for settling in Pennsylvania, while there was nothing but condemnation against settling in New York. The way that England had practiced the boldest deception and intrigues upon the early emigrants who were landed on Governor's Island and later transferred to Livingston Manor was soon broadcast throughout the entire Palatinate. As a result the German emigration to New York State soon came to a halt."

The section of Germany known as the Palatinate lies along the Rhine, the Nekcar, and the Main Rivers. In 1700 its principal cities were Pforsheim, Heidelberg, Mannheim, Frankenthal, Worms, Spire, Alzey, Baccarach, Bretten, Lauteren, Masbach Newstadt, Oppenheim, Simmeran, STromberg, and Ladenberg.

The Rhine was the highway along which the refugees fled the Palatinate, and it became clogged with every type of vessel that could boast a mast and a sail. The exodus down the Rhine lasted for the six moths from May through October each year. The trip down the Rhine to Rotterdam in the Netherlands lasted from three to six weeks. They had to pass some twenty to thirty customhouses on their way down and each one exacted its fee. The resources of many were exhausted by the time Rotterdam was reached.They were sometimes held in the Netherlands for one to two months. From Dutch ports they were transferred to some English port, where they usually experienced another delay sometimes lasting several months, while waiting to be passed by the customhouse or waiting for suitable winds.

The ships that brought over these people were small sailing vessels from 63 feet to less than one hundred feet long. Their tonnage was from one hundred to three hundred tons. The voyage to America took up to three months or longer to reach Philadelphia. Upon arrival in Philadelphia there was usually another long delay before they took the Oath of Allegiance to the Crown of England before the city council.

The great majority of these Germans first settled int he counties of Lancaster, Lebanon, Barks, York, and those immediately surrounding Philadelphia. The Germans in the Valley of Virginia came across the Potomac above Harper's Ferry from Maryland and Pennsylvania. The Shenandoah Valley lay next beyond through the narrow neck of western Maryland. There were a few who came from New Jersey and New York. A few came from the east Virginia counties of Spotsylvania, Orange, and Madison; and also a few, doubtless, from the German settlements in North Carolina.

The fact is emphasized that the Germans of the Valley of Virginia are descended almost entirely from the emigrants of the early eighteenth century; people who left the Fatherland, not for economic reasons alone, but largely because of religious persecution, political oppression, or military outrages. Such forces always move the best classes - people who at such times are seeking most of all liberty of conscience, health of the stet, and safety for the morals of home and family. The German pioneers of the Valley, like their neighbors the Scotch-Irish, were such a people.

This research also has a list of names of "Soldiers of the VArious Early Wars (colonial, Indian and Frontier Wars), starting on page 401.
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MAGILLs In Texas

Vol 11, Iss 9 If you are in search of MAGILLs in Texas, then you need to follow this link for Doris Ross johnston's genealogy site, Our Texas Family. click on surnames for MAGILL. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Genealogy Search

Vol 3, Iss 3 WINDHAM CTGenExchangeCemetery-Burial Records -- The Internet's first and oldest free databased genealogy web site, The Genealogy Exchange & Surname Registry (GenExchange), simply put, is a genealogical View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Earnest 'Jack' Wilson Inquiry

Vol 5, Iss 11 "Please add me to your mailing list. I am trying to research genealogy. My husband was born in Freedom. Earnest (Jack) Wilson. His grandfather was Luther Calvin French. I have always been told Granddad French was in the Oklahoma Land Rush. If there are any sites you can connect me to that would help in my research, I would greatly appreciate your help. I would like to know more about the old townsite of Freedom before they moved it because of the railroad." -- Patricia - Email: Patricia75633@aol.com

[Editor's Note: Newton Wilson Bio, pg. 759 and pg. 760 - Pioneer Footprints Across Woods County.] View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Oklahoma Research & Twitter

Vol 11, Iss 16 Paul Ricketts (paul@thesunrideshigh.com) says, "Hi Linda, After seeing you on Twitter, I was interested to see your website and research. Whilst we live in Maryland, I’m researching my wife’s family in Oklahoma.

She is a Stewart, her parents live in Edmond but she has family at Midway Station near Mulhall and her great grand parents lived in Red Rock Township. We have direct lineages through the Stewart’s, Burright’s and Le Grande’s.

I realize that you are working on areas out to the NW of Oklahoma but we may have some common ground in terms of research.

As well as the specific family genealogy I am interested in cartography and migration throughout the US in general. Last week I checked out the map collections at NARA Archives II in College Park. They have quite a few maps of Oklahoma although most are fairly obscure government surveys. I’d be happy to see what they have in relation to Alva next time I go if it would be of interest."
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Dacoma Alumni - Reunion...

Vol 6, Iss 16 "The Dacoma High School Alumni Reunion was held Easter weekend, Saturday, April 10, 2004, in the Dacoma Gymnasium. We have the reunion every second year on the Saturday evening before Easter. Part of the evening's celebration includes a memorial service for those DHS alumni who have died since the previous alumni reunion. This year, I took the liberty of transferring the list to a web page, thinking that perhaps it might aid someone in a genealogical search. The web page is located at the following URL: freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~murrow/RCM/dacoma-alumni-memoriam.htm." -- Rodney Murrow - Email: murrows@pldi.net - Dacoma High School, Class of 1967, Now living in Freedom, OK View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Durant Unsolved Mystery (ca. 1914)...

Vol 7, Iss 42 I have a contact who is searching for information about a murder in Durant ca 1914. The victim was a 14-year-old girl named Pauline Amsel. I plan to send an email to the Bryan County Genealogical Society and ask for help. They should have copies of the Genealogy Quarterly in their facility for the years 1988-1990 where the article appeared that my contact learned about the Durant Unsolved Mystery). I just happened onto your magnificent site and thought I would try your avenue. You know how it goes, you just never know where a lead might come from! Thanks, again, and if you have any more ideas, please let me hear from you." -- Jeanne - EMAIL: jdodson@atlantic.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Wilkes-Barre Crusade

Vol 3, Iss 3 Duryea, Pennsylvania - "I am enjoying your tales of Oklahoma. I wish you had some of Duryea, Pennsylvania. I have been searching for my grandfather (actually his burial site) for years. Death records for 1895 burned and no one has any record of where he was buried. I am continuing my search. Have some names of people who do research, and am trying to find someone who can read tombstones by going to all the cemeteries. I cannot climb the hills, and over the old stones, in some of the real old cemeteries. Going to go back to Wilkes-Barre (where I grew up) this summer and search some more. W-B. is close to Duryea. Would be a nice closure. He died at age 21, in some type of an accident. My grandmother (maternal) was widowed at age 20, with 2 children, and another on the way." -- Lanie, eberg@pouch.com Marcy Cemetery Durya, Pa Partial List from work compiled by the Wyoming Historical and Genealogy Society (Historical Society of Pennsylvania Library) View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

McGill Genealogy

Vol 9, Iss 35 "Hi! I'm Billie Watts from Livingston Parish, Louisiana. Im interested in genealogy on the FIELDS side (my Mother and my Father's side). My Grandmother Elizabeth FIELDS is my Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandmother on my Mom's side and my Great-Great-Great-Grandmother on my Dad's side. Her Father was Elijah FIELDS and she married Robert RATCLIFF.

I have a picture that belonged to my Grandpa HENRY MARTIN on my Mom's side, whom is MARY HELTON McGILL. I kept trying to figure out why I have this picture, but I had the picture enlarged, and there was numbers on her hat. The numbers were 556 Crocia Fields, 555 Rannie Fields, 532 John Manor. His number from the Archives say's 2nd FIELD, C. T. FIELDS. Number 558 is Abbie Brown, 557 is Perry Ross.

When I saw your website (ParisTimes Genealogy), I realized you are interested in the McGILL genealogy. I saw that Richard Fields' farm was on Sales Creek and McGill bought it from him. I thought this may be my answer as to why I have this picture. Mary (Helton) McGILL is the daughter of Chief Daniel HELTON -- married to a Robert McGILL.

I thought someone could shine some light on this for me. This is the first time I emailed someone so please excuse the punctuation and the mess." -- Billie Watts, 19089 Hwy. 42, Livingston, LA 70754

[Editor's Note: On our ParisTimes Genealogy website you can view our MCGILL/MAGILL Ancestor's history at the following URL - ParisTimes - McGill Ancestry. This is the paragraph pertaining to the Fields Settlement -- "A well-known historian of Hamilton County (Mrs. Penelope J. Allen) learned in her research that the Sale Creek pioneers bought land in an area known as the "Fields Settlement". It was known as the home of a famous Cherokee Chief (Richard Fields). According to Lucille Bates research completed in 1971, "There is still evidence of a settlement on the west bank of Sale Creek that extends toward Coulterville from its confluence with McGill Creek. It has been told that Fields sold out his improvements to a group of settlers and left Tennessee in 1808 when he moved on to Arkansas and then Texas where he became the leader of the Texas Band of Cherokees.

William and Nancy built their home near McGill and Sale Creeks, close to the trail that led northward to Knox County and southward to Ross's Landing. This path that was used by both the red and white man in the early settlement of Tennessee, has now become the Federal Highway Number 27 and connects Chattanooga with Knoxville, Tennessee.

Along the bottomland that ran along the creek such crops as corn, tobacco, and wheat were grown and the surplus products were freighted by the brother's to Patterson's Place on Opossum Creek. The surplus crops were then sold and Patterson would dispose of them through trade on the Tennessee River."]
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Frank "Pistol pete" Eaton Info

Vol 9, Iss 23 "I’m hoping you can help me. I’m related to the family of Pistol Pete and would like to go to the reunion in Perkins, Oklahoma. I’m trying to locate someone who knows when it is and who to contact to get details.

I’m also hoping for a little genealogy about him. My mother’s maiden name was EATON and I grew up hearing stories of Pistol Pete. I have letters from him he wrote to his nephew, Harold. I thought I knew the link but when I joined the Eaton Genealogy Society, I found the link was not correct, so now I’m searching again. If you can forward my e-mail to anyone who could help me, I would certainly be happy. Thank you so much." -- Judy - Email: JForth@polytainersinc.com

[Editor's Note: Through Oklahombres.org forum we found some information about Pistol Pete (Frank Eaton). We also found a place to contact for more information about the reunion. This is what we found: "Try the Payne County Historical Society at P. O. Box 2262, Stillwater, OK. 74076 or try their E-mail address at: Echowell@ft.newyorklife.com."]
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Pennsylvania Dutch Favorite - Chicken Corn Soup...

Vol 6, Iss 29 "      I wonder if these rivels and your Thrieviel could be the same thing? I can't find either in any dictionary at least refering to food. I do know that in my Mothers genealogy she had a g-great grandfather by the name of Jacob Treece and when I researched him he was German from Pennsylvania. The original spell of Trece was Dries, the D translates to T in the old English so this may be a clue. I thought it might be interesting to try to find out. My sister said our Mother learned this from my Father's mother and that she was German. I personally think she was quite a mix, according to my research. But I did find this recipe and it seems to be leading in that direction. "A real Pennsylvania Dutch favorite! I have made this several times over the years."
Chicken Corn Soup -- Ingredients...1 (4 pound) chicken 1 onion, chopped 4 quarts water 1 (10 ounce) package frozen whole kernel corn 1/2 cup chopped celery salt and pepper to taste.  1 cup all-purpose flour 1 pinch salt 1 egg 1/4 cup milk 2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped.
Directions... In a large stock pot cover chicken and onion with water. Cook slowly until tender, approximately 1 hour. Remove chicken, let cool and remove meat from bones. Cut meat into 1 inch pieces, discard skin and bones.

1. Cut corn from cobs if using fresh corn.
2. Add corn, cut up chicken, celery to stock pot and season with salt and pepper. Simmer soup for 10 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl make rivels by mixing together flour, salt, egg, and enough milk to form small crumbs.
4. Drop rivels into soup and add hard boiled eggs. Simmer for 15 minutes and serve hot." -- Sharon View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Chief Black Hawk & Sac & Fox...

Vol 6, Iss 28 "Prior to the internet I spent five years researching Chief Black Hawks genealogy and Sac and Fox peoples. Jan Steven was associated with the Sac and Fox Library was a friend of mine and I use to have a subscribtion to the local tribal paper. I am very interested and sharing my studies." -- SHEILA HOEFER - Email: trustnoone13@juno.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

MORE LOUTHAN Family Links

Vol 10, Iss 46 This website reports that Gilbert Shirley Louthan was born in 1920, and was a husband to Rosie and father to Mary Ann.

* Below is a list of the newest databases which contain LOUTHAN genealogy records. -- Louthan Genealogy & Family History Research
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Magill Family in Maryland...

Vol 6, Iss 30 "I am currently researching my Magill ancestry in Maryland. Elizabeth D. Magill born ca. 1857, married Marcellus Alexander Gatton. She was the daughter of Matthew Magill and Jane E. Jones. Matthew was the son of Charles A. Magill and Rebecca Jarboe. Anyone else connect with this line?" -- Cheryl Baez - Email: GenealogyGirl@comcast.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (1 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Lookout, Oklahoma & Crown Hill Cemetery of Coldwater...

Vol 6, Iss 6 "Congratulations on your interesting and well-made website! I found your site while searching for information on residents of Woods County, Oklahoma that were buried in Lookout, Oklahoma or in the Crown Hill Cemetery at Coldwater, Kansas." -- Jerry Ferrin - E-mail: jdf@theriver.com - Comanche County, Kansas: History and Genealogy View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Florence (Louthan) Paris Deceased

Vol 10, Iss 45 "Linda, I don't know if you knew that my mom went to heaven on Oct 14, 2008. She was in the Bass Hospital at Enid. I will miss her greatly as I called her nearly every day. I thought you would like to know." -- Cousin Janice (Paris) Fulbright

Florence (Louthan) Paris Obituary:
Florence T. (Louthan) Paris was born Dec. 2, 1915, near Chester, Okla. She died Oct. 14, 2008, at Integris Bass Baptist Health Center in Enid at the age of 92 years. Florence T. Louthan married Leslie Martin Paris (born Dec. 2, 1910, died July 13, 1982) 24 Dec. 1935, Chester,Major Co., OK. Florence & Leslie Paris had three children: Janice, Margaret and Jimmy.

Florence T. (Louthan) Paris was a resident of Chester, OK for most of her life, except for a brief time when she lived at Eudora and Haviland, Kansas. Florence was a cook. This Obit info appeared in The Pratt Tribune; Publication Date: 17 Oct 2008; Publication Place: Pratt , KS , US. More details of Florence & Leslie Paris can be found at Paris Genealogy and search for "Leslie Martin Paris."
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Monterey House Hotel - Virginia

Vol 10, Iss 18 "My wife Martha has genealogical connections to Monterey, Virginia, the county seat of Highland County. We once made a stop there and researched her family’s records in the court house and library there. We had previously done the same in bordering Pendleton County, West Virginia. To the left is a photo of the Monterey House Hotel.

Monterey has the highest elevation of any town east of the Rocky Mountains, at 2894 feet. It has a population of less than 200. Actually, it was formed in 1847 from Pendleton County. The latter was formed from Augusta and other counties in 1788. Later, even though they were once part of the same county, Highland went with the Confederacy when the Civil War broke out, and Pendleton went with the Union. This resulted in the two counties being in different states after the war.

This is one of the most beautiful and charming areas we ever visited in the east. Highland is the least populated counties of the state. However, the annual Maple Festival draws 50,000 people each spring. There are also several hotels; including the Monterey House which is an Eastlake styled structure over a hundred years old.

The surnames we were researching were BIRD and COOK…the latter no relation to mine. We were traveling in an RV and used the parking lot of the local bank, and parked there over night. In the early days the local government and court operated in an inn owned by Martha’s ancestor. We knew what street it had been on and could not find the street. Someone in the library told us that the streets’ names had been changed. She then pointed out where the inn would have been located…where the bank’s parking lot is presently. Yes, we had spent the night where the inn had been located, without even knowing it. Genealogy is fun." -- Charles M. Cook
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McClains of Alva, OK

Vol 9, Iss 52 "I'm searching for a long-lost cousin for my family genealogy, and I've lost track of her. Her maiden name was Patti McClain, and her parents owned a shoe store in Alva, OK. Her mother was a first cousin of my father, and her father's name was Everett McClain, and she would have graduated from Alva High School sometime around 1959 or 1960, I believe. She went to Okla. State University, where she was in Chi Omega soroiety. If you have any idea of whom I could contact, such as someone who helps on class reunions, for example, I would be most appreciative." -- Neal North, Ponca City, OK - Email: nnorth@cableone.net
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GUINN Connection

Vol 7, Iss 9 "Hi there! Just taking a 'stab' to see if in any research on Guinn's (or GWINN, GWIN) you have heard of my Gr-Grandfather by the name of Anias (or Ananias) Arnelius GUINN from West Virginia?  He was married to Ann Sparks (Dorsey) GUINN, in 1866, in (I think) Nicholas County.  I was always told there was Native American connections somewhere.  He was tall 6 ft. 2 in. and had red hair.  Do not know his parents names, but they were from the Virginia, and West Virginia area. Thank you." -- Judy Bloom - Email: bloomjl@psyber.com

Editor's Note:  Our GUINN/GWIN/GWINN Connections can be see at ParisTimes Genealogy -- GUINN Surnames. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Oklahoma Hospital for the Insane, Supply, OK

Vol 9, Iss 5 "Hello! I just came across your interesting website, through a search for the Oklahoma Hospital for the Insane in Supply, OK. My gg-grandfather, Robert "Barry" Johnson of Miami, OK/Seneca, MO/Arkansas, was a patient at the hospital in 1912. He likely died there that year or the following.

Thanks so much for the reply, and putting the inquiry into your ezine. Since I wrote you the other night, I've found some info, including a listing I think has to be my ggf's burial place (the hospital cemetery), but no month or day of death. The www.usgennet.org - Woodward county website is where I found this list of persons buried in the cemetery. There are also links to other lists of persons thought to be buried in this cemetery, and a little history on the fort/hospital.

Today, I'm hoping to find time to contact the hospital, currently (?) Western State Psychiatric Center at (580)-766-2311, the FHL in Woodward, and Woodward City Library, just in case any of the old records might have survived. An article I read last night (in "Genealogy" magazine?--was at a bookstore) said probate court records (in the home county) are sometimes helpful in searching for someone committed to an "asylum". I'm not sure if this would have been Ottawa Co., OK, or Newton Co., MO or where, so will start with the above first!

We had no clue what became of my "Mamaw's" father until a 1912 letter from the hospital turned up in family papers. Thanks for your website. I'm sure I'll be referring back to it. Thank you for your time reading this." -- Vicki Cochran - Email: aacmom@yahoo.com
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Researching Oklahoma Genealogy

Vol 10, Iss 30 "Those of you searching ancestors' records may find this group helpful:research For Oklahoma Genealogy. It was established in April and there are some good leads turning up." -- Elizabeth Dyer
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Books On Woods County, OK

Vol 9, Iss 6 "You may want to mention the following information on your site as it is about a google site which is not widely publicized: books.google.com. Complete copies of the "full view" books, as they are called on the site, can be viewed online, downloaded and printed out. They are in the public domain. Currently, there are 31 books available which mention Woods County, Oklahoma. The following is a link to a search results page which lists and links to those books: tinyurl.com/37otvz. Best regards." -- Jerry Ferrin, Webmaster - Comanche County, Kansas: History and Genealogy and Barber County, Kansas: History and Genealogy
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Hlasatel Kalendar (Czech)

Vol 10, Iss 40 "I don't know if you or any of your family researchers might be interested in these. I'm a genealogy person also, but all my folks are western Europe. I found a reference to this publication on your website.

I just acquired a stack of them from the 1940's. They are very interesting except that I can't read Czech. The illustrations from the community (ads for memorial chapels, grocery stores, furniture stores) are pretty cool. For what it's worth!" -- Susan Embler - Email: silverart@usa.net
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Searching History of Osage County...

Vol 6, Iss 25 "I am currently searching the history of Osage County in my search for family geneology and have found articles in your site very interesting. I saw a lot of flyers in my area advertising Okie genealogy research but your site was by far the best starter. Thanks." -- D. Ward - www.flyerstarter.com - Email: donward@aol.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Woods County OKGenWeb Messageboard...

Vol 7, Iss 34 Have you signed up with the Woods County, OKGenWeb mailing list yet? It has lots of information out there for genealogy minded persons searching their roots. You can learn so many things there on their messageboard. Such as... information about Antelope IOOF Cemetery. We did not know that Antelope Cemetery even existed, but it does exist around the Avard area. AND... Did you know that Martin Luther Mitchell owned his own grocery store in Alva, Oklahoma about 1910? His two sons were Charles (a baker) and Raymond (owned a horse ranch) about 1910. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe