Volume 10 , Issue 16

Luse Family Legacy - Woods County, OK

The following is from Footprints Across Woods County, page 421 and compiled by Octava Luse Freno.

John Luse and Alice Jane Reynolds were both born in Missouri. John was born February 21, 1864 and Alice was born September 2, 1871. They were married in Girard, Kansas in 1888. To their union were born nine children: Ora, Maude, Harry, Elsie, Clyde (all born in Pittsburg, Kansas). A baby girl died during infancy. Cora, Charley and Frank were born in or near Alva.

At the turn of the century John and Alice with five children came to Alva in a covered wagon. John was a brick mason so found employment in the construction business in Alva.

John helped Conctruct the Woods county court House and the Castle on the Hill. Ora, as a small boy, worked with his father as hod carrier. With their large family, John and Alice decided a farm would be a better place for them so with a small savings they purchased a farm 20 miles NW of Alva. (SE/4 of Section 1-Twp18-Range 16) from W. J. Pope for $1200. They first lived in a frame house but later built a large three story red brick home which is still in use.

John, as a brick mason worked away from home leaving all the farm work for Alice and the children. In addition to farming Alice was quite proficient as a horse and mule trader. Ora went to school in a little rock school located on the Greenleaf. In 1911 john sold the farm. ora worked for various ranchers including Scott and Dewey Cummins.

Ora married Halie E. Barnes at Winfield, Kansas. They first lived near Winchester where their first daughter was born. They named her Octava Fostena. They soon purchased the Allen place and later more land in S34-29-16. In 1919 they moved to their new land where another daughter was born. She was named Geneva Olivene. When Octava and Olivene were small they enjoyed young lambs as pets and fed them by bottle. octava and Olivene went to grade school at yellowstone and Faulkner schools. They rode horses about three miles and had to open five gates on their way to school. Olivene was ill for many years and passed away March 6, 1939, at the age of 17.

While living on the Haven place some of the land was farmed and the balance was grass pasture where a herd of herford cattle ranged. There were also hogs, sheep, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese.

During the dry dust bowl years the cattle had to be rounded up and driven to the Greenleaf for watering. The first brand used by ora was the "mug" (P).

During the depression of the thirties the cattle were sold in Kansas City with the money placed in the Alva Bank for payment to the Federal land Bank. At that time banks were clsoing across the country and so did the Alva Bank, keeping all the deposited money. ora was now unable to make the Federal Land Bank payment.

The F.L.B. proceeded to take all the remaining cattle except those which belonged to Halie, Octava and Olivene (approximately 30 head). These cattle had individual brands. later to build up another herd, ora used the brand he called the "pigpen" (#). In the fall the cattle were rounded up and ora and Octava would drive them across the country for many mies to wheat pasture, crossing rivers and creeks. Sometimes it would take several days.

Several memorable vacations were made driving a model A touring car to colorado to visit relatives. The first time Ora drove in the mountains near Denver, the brake linings wore out and they had a frightening ride down the mountains without brakes.

Although Ora and Halie moved to Alva in 1948, ora never retired, but continued in the cattle business, which he knew so well and loved, until his death January 10, 1965, at the age of 76.

The only surviving daughter of Ora and Halie Luse, Octava, was married to Sam samuelson in the Cedar Grove Church, with Rev. McGraw officiating. They first lived on a farm about five miles east of Alva, and later bought a small farm SW of Hrdtner, Kansas. To this union was born two children, Janice Marie and Karl Ejner, both born in Alva. Janice and Karl attended school for many years in Albuquerque, NM. Janice married Charles T. Grimsley in El Paso, Texas, and they had three children, Bryan Luse, Kristal Rae, and Randall Gene." -- written in 1986 by Octava Luse Freno
  |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

---