The Okie Legacy: 1900 Insight Of Grandma At 18-Years

Soaring eagle logo. Okie Legacy Banner. Click here for homepage.

Moderated by NW Okie!

Volume 11 , Issue 8

2009

Weekly eZine: (364 subscribers)
Subscribe | Unsubscribe
Using Desktop...

Sections
Alva Mystery
Opera House Mystery

Albums...
1920 Alva PowWow
1917 Ranger
1926 Ranger
1937 Ranger
Castle On the Hill

Stories Containing...

Blogs / WebCams / Photos
NW Okie's FB
OkieJournal FB
OkieLegacy Blog
Ancestry (paristimes)
NW Okie Instagram
Flickr Gallery
1960 Politcal Legacy
1933 WIRangeManuel
Volume 11
1999  Vol 1
2000  Vol 2
2001  Vol 3
2002  Vol 4
2003  Vol 5
2004  Vol 6
2005  Vol 7
2006  Vol 8
2007  Vol 9
2008  Vol 10
2009  Vol 11
2010  Vol 12
2011  Vol 13
2012  Vol 14
2013  Vol 15
2014  Vol 16
2015  Vol 17
2016  Vol 18
2017  Vol 19
2018  Vol 20
2021  Vol 21
Issues 8
Iss 1  1-4 
Iss 2  1-11 
Iss 3  1-18 
Iss 4  1-25 
Iss 5  2-1 
Iss 6  2-8 
Iss 7  2-15 
Iss 8  2-22 
Iss 9  3-1 
Iss 10  3-8 
Iss 11  3-15 
Iss 12  3-22 
Iss 13  3-29 
Iss 14  4-5 
Iss 15  4-12 
Iss 16  4-19 
Iss 17  4-26 
Iss 18  5-3 
Iss 19  5-10 
Iss 20  5-17 
Iss 21  5-24 
Iss 22  5-31 
Iss 23  6-7 
Iss 24  6-17 
Iss 25  6-22 
Iss 26  6-29 
Iss 27  7-6 
Iss 28  7-13 
Iss 29  7-20 
Iss 30  7-27 
Iss 31  8-3 
Iss 32  8-10 
Iss 33  8-17 
Iss 34  8-24 
Iss 35  8-31 
Iss 36  9-7 
Iss 37  9-14 
Iss 38  9-21 
Iss 39  9-28 
Iss 40  10-6 
Iss 41  10-12 
Iss 42  10-19 
Iss 43  10-26 
Iss 44  11-2 
Iss 45  11-9 
Iss 46  11-16 
Iss 47  11-23 
Iss 48  11-30 
Iss 49  12-7 
Iss 50  12-14 
Iss 51  12-21 
Iss 52  12-28 
Other Resources
NWOkie JukeBox

1900 Insight Of Grandma At 18-Years

I dug out some early 1900s letters that my grandmother, Constance (Warwick) McGill, received from a "best friend," John C. McClure, in Altona, Knox Co, Illinois. In the October, 1900 letter he mentions "arter to fellow." I am not sure what he meant by that, though.

In October, 1900, Constance Warwick would have been 18 years of age, living in Alva, Oklahoma Territory.

It sounds as though, John C. McClure was 19 years of age, in school at Altona, Illinois. Was Constance Warwick teaching at the age of 18 years or was she a student at Northwestern Normal School, in Alva, O.T.? Did she go to the Philippines as John mentions in the letter? OR ... Did John head her off at San Fancisco? AND ... Who was Nellie Corben, Ikie & May and Bert Knox? Perhaps someone out there reading this old 1900 letter from a "Best Friend" can help us fill in the blanks.

I plan on scanning and transcribing more of these letters written in the earlier 1900s and placing them on my OkieLegacy website in PDF form. - Oct. 4, 1900 Letter From Best Friend to Constance Warwick

John McClure starts his letter: "Oct. 4, 1900, Miss Constance Warwick, Alva, O.T., Dear Connie:

"I received your most welcome letter this A.M. It was postmarked three times. Came to Quincy, laid there awhile, then to Galva, then back to Altona, But I've got it.

"When I got that beautiful souvenir (sic), the boys in Quincy said, I never hear from you again, on account of there being paper in it without any writing. But I didn't believe it. Then when I did not hear from you for so long, I thought perhaps you were mad about something you had heard, etc.

"I hope by some mishap you did not receive that letter I wrote last. you may send it back for me to burn up. I was the happiest kid you ever seen when I got your letter this morning.

"You tell that (arter to) fellow to go straight up. Tell me who he is Connie and I fix him when I come to Okla. I never received but one letter from Nellie. It came home while I was in Quincy. Pa knew it was not your writing, or anybody's else, so he took it upon himself to open it up and read it. It was so foolish that, they did not take the trouble to send it when I came home. I read it (and I burnt it up). In the letter she said if I would answer it, she would write me a hot old letter. That was hot enough for me. As for Miss Gateka, I just writing to her a longtime ago. She quit me rather. I suppose it was that other love affair you told me about once. A word for Miss Bliss, I never heard of her before. Thats all I need say for her. Now! Whats left, Miss Warwick. Tell the (arter to fellow) I do write to Miss W. and that he had better deliver those letters more promptly.

"So you are going to the Phillipines (sic). Well! It would be nice if you could, but better that you shouldn't. Let me know when you start and I'll bet I'll head you off at San Francisco. I know you could pass the Civil Service Ex.

"I don't know where I will get a position yet. I am satisfied to stay at home for the present. Am getting lots of good things to eat. Yesterday mother and father went away to visit for the day, and I and my younger bro thought we would have something good to eat all by ourselves. So he caught a young chicken, dressed it and I fried it, and just as we had everything nicely fixed, the folks came home, and helped us eat our scrumptious (sic) feast.

"There was a cyclone struck here about a week ago. A good many building were torn to pieces. It did no damage except laid our corn flat, and blew down some trees.

"We have got the funniest teacher down at our school house She tells the kids some of the craziest things. The other my bro and I were passing. She came out began talking, and I had never saw her before. She is only 19. You have students as old as I. How would you like to have me for a student.

"Is there anything going on at Red Shed for you to go to. Is Nellie Corben going to school. How is Ikie and May. The neighbors wrote some big stories to father about Bert Knox. Perhaps you heard them.

"I will close, with the sincere hope that you will not get mad at me for writing that letter, but I thought sure you had quit.

Your Best Friend, Altona, Ill. J. C. McClure."
  |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe


© . Linda Mcgill Wagner - began © 1999 Contact Me