Volume 2 , Issue 9

Obituary - (1937) John Robert Warwick

The following Obituary for John Robert Warwick was printed in a 1937 newspaper and was amongst some other clippings that my Grandmother, Constance Estella, had saved.

The photo on the left is a picture of Pete Warwick (left) and John R. Warwick (right) John Robert Warwick (seated on the right in photo), a pioneer citizen of Woods County, was born April 9, 1857 at Frost, Pocahontas County, West Virginia.  He died in Alva, Woods County, Oklahoma, Dec. 1, 1937.

He was married in Harper's Ferry, West Virginia., January 16, 1882 to Signora Gwin (Gwynn, Guinn). Three children, two boys and one girl were born to this union. (Constance Estella, Robert Lee, and Wilbur (died at one year of age).)

John Warwick, as he was known to the entire County, came from a long line of fighting stock, and he was never known to be afraid.  Panics, hard times, sickness, death itself could come, but he remained calm.  He lived on the theory that the sun set -- but that it later arose!

His sense of humor never failed, nor his hospitality, as no one, either friend or outcast, ever went away hungry. Much of his determined character may have come down to him through a family trait, as revealed in an old history of West Virginia.  It tells of his ancestor, Major Peter Hull who, coming from England in 1772, settled in this same valley where John Warwick later was born.  Of this Major Hull the historian wrote. "He was of great influence, but very domineering."

This spirit which had run through the family for generations led him to independence of action later when he came to Kansas and taught school at Coldwater, waiting for the opening of Oklahoma's Cherokee Strip for settlement. He ";made the run" Sept. 16, 1893. As he was accustomed to the water and wood in abundance on the wooded hills and plains of West Virginia, he looked first for wood and water when looking for a homestead. He staked a claim 7 miles south of Alva, on Eagle Chief, but learning by experience that more abundance lay in the level wheat lands -- he sold his wood-and-water farm and bought level wheat land 5 miles south of Alva. (a.k.a., 3/4 Quarters in dispute in Gene McGill's Trust.) Here he and his wife lived until 1929 when they moved to Alva. His wife preceded him in death three years, almost to the exact time of his death, dying in Nov., 1934. John R. was said to have had cancer of his jaw.

Mr Warwick loved land, and became a large landed proprietor. He also was vice-president and director of the Hopeton State bank, Hopeton, Oklahoma, for many years. Until the day he died he took care of his own business and managed his farms.

John Robert Warwick was one of a family of 11 Children, four of whom survive him.  He was raised in the Methodist faith.

He is survived by his daughter, Mrs. Wm J. McGill, of Alva, Okla.; his son, Robert Lee Warwick; his two grandsons, Merle and Bob McGill; two brothers, P. H. Warwick, Dayton, Washington, and Chas. Warwick, Mountain Grove, Va.; two sisters, Mrs. John Landis, Mountain Grove, Va., and Sallie Warwick, Hot Springs, Va.

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