Volume 17 , Issue 4

Warwick, Lincoln County, Oklahoma

This leads us to another town of Lincoln county, Oklahoma, which is particularly interesting to me because my grandmother's maiden name happens to bear the same name, "Warwick." There is no connection of relatives or other namesakes in Warwick, just a similarity of the name. These photographs were taken February 25, 2001 at the southwest entrance to Warwick, Oklahoma, just north off of Route 66.

According to the Lincoln Historical Society ... Warwick originated from the East half and Southwest quarter of Section 17, Twp 14N, Range 3 EIM (east indian meridian), Territory of Oklahoma.

The rural area around Warwick used agriculture for family income with cotton as the cash crop.

David M. High and his wife, Norah Copp, were very early settlers of Warwick. Norah was born in Canada and moved to Kansas, USA, at the age of seven years. Several years passed, and she married David High.

Between the opening of the Run of 1889, and the Sac and Fox opening of 1891, Territory of Oklahoma, Mr. and Mrs. High and their oldest daughter moved to Purcell. Later in 1891 they moved to their "homestead" on South half of the SE quarter, Section 17-Twp 14N-Rge3 EIM. Their patent was signed 9 April 1901 by President McKinley.

17 September 1896, the Saint Louis & San Francisco Railway purchased right-of-way from David High for the building of a railroad.

In 1903... High deeded to Hoffman and Hoffman deeded to Fort Smith & Western Railway Company right-of-way for another railroad.

Hoffman sold land to Monarch Investment which surveyed and platted the lots and streets. On September 18, 1903, Monarch filed notice of establishment of the town of Warwick and the sale of lots began. Streets were named after the presidents. The streets were black-topped in 1968.

September 21, 1903, the county attorney, Emery Foster, in Territory of Oklahoma, filed a petition against Monarch Investment, alleging a lottery scheme was used to sell lots. The selling of lots to various bidders was then supervised by sheriff Martin. In December, 1905, the unsold lots were sold to Texas Townsite Company of Warwick, and later sold to individuals.

Early businesses of Warwick -- Bank, Drug store, Saloon, Depot (serving both RR), Warwickian Newspaper, McCall's Blacksmith

Two Hotels - Warwick Hotel was owned by Dave and Norah High who bought it from Mr. Bruce. It was destroyed by a tornado and the lumber was bought by Homer Pool.

Cotton Gin & Mill.

Several small Grocery Stores, Filling stations & garage services - The Cherry's were just one of those who owned a store in Warwick and sold groceries, hardware, dry goods, lumber, caskets, and later added gas pumps & post office.

There was also a Veterinarian, Nate C. Sellars; Delivery barn, G. S. Dodd; Saw Mill, J. L. Cheatham; Southland Cotton Company - Cotton Gin.

Cheatham family operated the grocery store near the depot for years. It included a Post Office. They moved from Warwick to south side of town where the new grocery store was built. During the automobile era, they operated a garage.

1940's - The Frisco Railway Co. & Fort Smith & Western Railway were abandoned for financial problems and taken over by Burlington Northern. passenger service was discontinued, but freight service continued until 1986.

1963 - When some towns were annexing towns in their area that bordered them, citizens of Warwick didn't see benefit to them for annexing. The entire Warwick School District No. 138 (1800 acres) was incorporated, making Warwick the largest town in the area, in Lincoln County.

Warwick Post Office
Lincoln County received mail overland by stagecoach from Guthrie. It took a day to travel a distance of 50 miles from Guthrie. Mr. Wilson owned a store in the area of Warwick (which was not yet a town). His store handled the mail, but did not have a post office name. The Warwick Post Office, began October 26, 1892, with J. A. Ramsey, postmaster. Postmasters of Warwick included the following ... A. Ramsey, J. L. Cheatham family, G. S. Dodd, J. W. Cherry, Golda Dixon. The post office closed in December 1972 when Golda Dixon retired.

The Warwick School building was used as a community building and cared for by the Warwick Community Club, approved by the Wellston School Board.

The First School - Warwick's first school was a log building that was also used as a church. In 1908, twenty children attended school in the Methodist church building with one teacher, Carrie Brewer. In 1909, A solid block building was constructed. The blocks were made for the building by a local business man J. L. Cheatham.

In 1940, Warwick School District #138 was built by the WPA (Workman's Progress Administration). While it was being built the students went to the Methodist church just east of the school ground. The custodian, Golda Pinkston, put the finish on the floors of the two-room school before desks and students moved in.

May, 1968, The Warwick School consolidated with Wellston School.

The Warwick School was used one term for the "Headstart" program with 24 students enrolled. Ruth Davenport Greenfield and Tawyna Humphrey Franklin were the teachers. Citizens of McKinley now use the building as a voting district.

Hurst Park - In Warwick, just west of the Old Warwick school building is the Hurst Park built and dedicated by the Hurst family in that area.

Teachers of the Warwick School

Earl Alden<, Bertha Foster, Della Weaber, Minnie Kunkle, Mary Cooper, J. O. Geiser, Myrtle Gerardy, Verkah Thomas, Myrtle Sudheimer, Anna Vassar, Vera Clonts, Opal Sudheimer, Eunice Goble, Hazel Morris, Lavinia Bowker, Dora Bowen, Otis Gilliam, Mary Conley, Elizabeth Alexander, Gladys Scott - last to teach

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