Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 20:08:22 -0500

From: "Nancee Seifert" <iggy29@scican.net>

To: IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com

Message-ID: <002701c2bcfb$c4c5b660$d63b25d8@computer>

Subject: [IADECATU] OKLAHOMA LETTER - From Kate Strong

Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa

Thursday, January 24, l90l

Judson, Okla., Jan. l7, l90l

We are enjoying a pleasant winter only one storm in three months and it was a white sleet. Got my lovely red garden plowed holiday week; it was neither red paint or flowers, just simply red soil. Oklahoma inducements are bringing a great many home seekers or speculators here, but you cannot speculate much with the natives. They have all been tried in the states. In Oklahoma City the 7th of January, one real estate agent sent out seventeen conveyances and phoned to Edmond for all there. One of our boys on the train going to El Reno saw forty-two land seekers. This country is on too big a boom to last. A colony from Missouri leased 40 quarter sections of land north of us and we leased 320 acres more, all Indian land.

The Indians are all land poor. White Wolf was here last week begging for scraps of meat. I asked him how much land he owned and he held up seven fingers, that was seven quarter sections of fine land. They are here nearly every day to swap for "chuck" as they call something to eat. Also several come here who participated in the Custer massacre. One was covered with scars and was blind; said he was taking a white man's scalp when a white man filled him full of shot.

A good word for Blaine County and this sketch will close.

There is the greatest diversification of crops raised here of any place I ever saw: wheat, rye, oats, corn, caffircorn, cane, hay, broom corn, cotton, caster beans, peanuts, sweet potatoes, etc., all of which command good prices. But I think cotton raising is somewhat of a detriment to education as picking time comes in the fall when the children should be in school and not many are able to hire it picked. In some of the public schools in the Territory, school is held on Saturday and not on Monday. The students feel more inclined to study and have better lessons, but a great many ways of the Oklahomans seem and look odd to me, their talk also.

Thanksgiving and Xmas dinners are kept by several families taking turkey, chicken, and baskets of dinner and all meet at a neighbor's and have a good time in each neighborhood. I was invited to a Christmas gathering but not feeling inclined to cook and prepare my own dinner did not attend, but a Mrs. Smith sent me one-half gallon of large yellow peaches. I had a good neighbor at home in Iowa by the same name it made me feel a little homesick.

I saw a beautiful hedge of Shamrock growing here, just a twig broken off will grow and it makes a lovely ornamental shrub. But the wild flowers here produce no fragrance -- nothing, only beauty. In the town of Geary since last fall, one large brick building and about fifty half houses (one story) have been built. No side walks in the town only in front of the business houses. The awnings extend clear to the side walk and then fail to keep the sand out.

S.P. STRONG stopped off here on his way to California to visit his aged mother. J.D. STRONG took him to Geary to take the train and coming home, his horses ran away, tore the buggy to pieces, did not find the team until the next day but were uninjured after having run through four wire fences and scattering the harness over a section or two of land. Horses do well here if they get enough to eat and a little care taken of them. Hogs thrive and multiply l6 to l here. J.D. sold $200 and FRED $250 worth since they came here and have 80 head left. They are not much trouble to care for, plenty of acorns, and eat like people do -- six times a day.

S.P. STRONG stopped on his way home from California. He found all well but his youngest brother who is very feeble. L.R. STRONG is in Ventina County. Saw the TEALEs, MURPHYs, LEEPERs, all well but looking as old and gray as he is. He said they had a good rain the week he left. No boom left in California. Will close with one eye filled with sand.

--KATE STRONG.

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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert

"With permission from the Leon Journal Reporter"

January l5, 2003