O/T Settling The Prairie

Fergienewbee · Nov 9, 2011

I just read, and am reading, Giants in the Earth and The Worst Hard Times. It's about settling the prairie states. The last few years,I've had a strong interest in native prairie. I thought how cool it must have been to see all that grass. After reading the books, I have a fuller understanding of the absolute desolation that pioneers must have felt. It's one thing to look out over a few thousand acres, like at The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in the Osage, but it must have been something else to look out over miles of nothing but grass and sky. And winter must have been even worse. Soddies were no fun either with leaking roofs, insects, and snakes for company. Better men that I, these brave souls.And we complain when we lose electricity or the roads are snowed shut.

Larry

DeltaRed · Nov 9, 2011

Go to the Flint Hills region ofeastern Kansas.Especially at Cottonwood Falls/Strong City(my family 'home').Lots of tallgrass praries there-the largest surviving expanse in the world.Also,the home of the"Symphony on the Prarie",and the'Flint Hills Rodeo'.

Rusty wheel · Nov 9, 2011

I've read that book. It's wonderful reading. I'm sure you would also enjoy "The way west" and "Ordeal by Hunger" The latter is about the Donner party. It was said of Danial Boone,"When Boone goes by at night, the phantom deer arise and all lost wild America is burning in their eyes.

Tom in TN · Nov 9, 2011

fergie,

This wasn't a prairie situation, but the book "Grass Beyond the Mountains" is about two cowboys who left Montana back in the 1930's and homesteaded in British Columbia. The ended up with a million acres and a vast herd of cows, but the deprevation that they suffered while homesteading is just beyond belief.

In my day-dreaming mind, I'm rugged enough to homestead, but in my rationale thoughts, I know there is no way I could have survived.

Tom in TN

jackinok · Nov 9, 2011

I'll have to look for that one,I've not heard of it before. I always was interested in the history of the plain states,especialy my home state of Okla. And your right ,those folks had to be a different class of people. Of course if they were like my kin,they couldnt afford to leave. They spent what little they had to get here,so they couldnt go on,and they had nothing to go back to. Ive seen some of the places my folks homsteaded,very often there was not even enough sod to build a soddy. My kin dug a trench in the side of a hill,backed their wagons in, used the bottom and side boards for wall framing,and covered them with dirt. Later they covered them with concrete for a roof. Many of these places are still around in various states of dis-repair. Lots of folk think they were just cellars that have been abandoned, and some are, but if you get a chance look at a few of them,very often you can still see the top bows,and wagon rims imbedded in the cement as reinforcing. I guess that was a sign you meant to stay if you buried the wagon! LOL

Stan - Florida · Nov 9, 2011

Tom,

I'd bet you're talking about the Gang Ranch, west of Clinton, BC. It's 90+ Kilometers on dirt/gravel roads to get to the heaquarters and post office.

Went out there once in 2002...great journey. I've since heard that the ranch is now owned by Saudis, but I'm not sure that's true.

Stan

Fergienewbee · Nov 9, 2011

Delta;

I've driven by the Flint Hills on my way to Larnad Ks to hunt pheasants. The hills are tinted copper and cinnamon. They have a preserve at Strongs--around 11,000 acres where you can wander around with 13 miles of trails. Plan to go soon--maybe this summer.

Jack;

Interesting how history and books come together with maps to make a trip more meaningful. I've hunted quail around Beaver a couple of times. Have a good friend born in Hooker--lives in Claremore now--and know a couple of guys around Guymon.

Larry

dgasper · Nov 9, 2011

When she was a little girl my mom and her family lived in a soddy on a homestead claim in the Williston Basin of ND. After her father was killed while mining for peat the family had to leave and give up the claim. I suspect there are oil wells on that property now.

elmersooner · Nov 9, 2011

I dated a girl from Hooker Oklahoma with the last name of Hussey. She was the Hooker Hussey. We own quite a bit of land that was the Oklahoma side of Doans crossing. It was a trading post on the red river. And know a few families whose relatives crossed into Oklahoma from there. They can still tell quite a few interesting stories, many concerning Comanche Indians, dugouts, flooding as well as getting railroads and how you ordered storebought houses.

PJH · Nov 9, 2011

Neat story Jack - my great grandpa homesteaded two sections (along with his oldest son) in the Oklahoma land rush. Present day Grady County, I think. He sold out in 1914. I still have one of his auction bills. Grandparents and their children were at Ft. Sill while Geronimo was there. Grandpa was a RR station agent. I was always fascinated by the Oklahoma stories that my ancestors told. Always wanted to visit Grady County Oklahoma. Mebbe someday.

Paul

jackinok · Nov 9, 2011

1910 to about 17 or so were rough years in okla. WW1 took a lot of the men off the farms who never returned,and there were lots of small farming towns that never really recovered. A huge typhoid epidemic killed whole families in western okla in 1912 if i recall the year right. My own grandmas family of eight lost their dad and all the boys leaving the three remaining mother and two daughters on their own. They were living in the territory before the run. Story is my great grand dad was hid out in the indian territory from the law,and when he got word that the law was around he would hide out until great grandma sent word it was safe. Drought those years got quite a few more farms,and the dust bowl of course changed everything. Tough old country especialy when you consider they didnt have the water wells and things we do now. I live in grady county,just north of Blanchard ,and still own some land there. It sure has changed since i was a kid.

Just an Okie · Nov 9, 2011

Glad to hear others on this site with OK roots. A very excellent book about the plains is called "The Children's Blizzard" about a great snowstorm in SD, NE and MN that happened in 1881? Anyway tells about the Europeans settling the upper part of the prairie.
All 4 of my great-grandfathers made the opening of the Cherokee Strip claiming land in OK in 1893. I've heard alot of these stories as well. Don't think I would have had the guts either.

Goose · Nov 9, 2011

Is "The Worst Hard Times" the book about the Dust Bowl in northern Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and southern Nebraska?

Coupla years ago, our daughter loaned me a very comprehensive book about the Dust Bowl, but I don't recall the title. The book is not on my shelves, so she must have taken it back.

Tom in TN · Nov 9, 2011

Stan,

I'm not sure of the ranch name - it's been many years since I read the book.

Back in the early 80's I had a friend that I used to ride horses with who was a pilot for Eastern airlines. After he read the book, he made arrangements with the ranch manager for him to go up their and ride across the ranch with a wrangler who worked on the ranch. He took many pictures (slides actually) of his trip. It took him something like 10 days. Through the windfalls, over the small glacier, across the swamps, around large herds of cattle etc. What an amazing place.

Tom in TN

davemk · Nov 9, 2011

"Empire of the Summer Moon".

I am currently reading this book, it is about the removal of the Commanche Indian tribes from the plains. There are some awesome descriptions of the Plains in this book.

PJH · Nov 9, 2011

That's interesting Jack - I don't know why my family left Oklahoma, but they came back to Marion County Illinois in 1914. My mom was born in Lawton in 1907. She was always proud that she was born in indian territory, barely before it was a state. My aunt was born somewhere in Oklahoma, in a railroad boxcar (and we never let her forget it) in 1909. I guess the railroad had a station at Ft. Sill - Mom's dad (my grandpa) was a station agent and they spent all of their time at the fort. My great grandfather was the one who homesteaded there. I always wondered if there was a way to figure out where he homesteaded. Probably not. My family always talked well of Oklahoma.

Paul

Tom in NE · Nov 9, 2011

I've spent countless hours on the praire settlement website. S.D. Butcher took hundreds upon hundreds of pictures in central Nebraska from 1880 to 1914. Most of them were of families standing in front of their soddies, with their livestock in the picture and sometimes their prized belongings were drug out of their homes to add to the picture. Amazing pictures from that era. I've included the website, if you visit it put in Custer county or Buffalo county in the search command. If you click on 'gallery' it will bring up thumbnail pictures. Click on the ones that interest you.

Praire Settlement Website

DBAF · Nov 9, 2011

I don't know why my family left Oklahoma, but they came back to Marion County Illinois in 1914.

Oklahoma has some good points but if you knew about your kind of dirt and and could go back I bet you would.

John Harmon · Nov 9, 2011

Here are some living quarters of the home steaders of Montana Twp. Labette County Ks.Several members of my Maternal Family of that era homesteaded in Montana Twp.They mostly are all buried at the Montana Methodist Church Cemetary.I visited the Cemetary a long time ago.My GGGrand Father sold his claim soon after aquiring it and took the money and went to the California Gold fields and rumor has it he lost all his money in a card game and ended up working along with the Chinese for another Miner eventually going to Oregon and working setting out Apple Trees.He must have died after 1860 as he does not show up on any census or tax list after then,however his sons do. Sure wish we had info from those days more than what we do.The first picture is of Mr. and Mrs. Rhees Singley's Sod House at Plains,Mead Cty.Ks Ca.1870,The next is of Mr. and Mrs. George Wilcoxens Soddy at Montana Twp. Labette Cty.KS 1886

shaun wallace · Nov 9, 2011

Been across the Osage several times. We lived at Dewey dad worked for Cities Service and uncle lived in Ponca City. Worked for Conaco in refinery. Still have one cousin living there. Also had Great uncle that homesteaded on Salt Fork River around Tonkawa. May have been in land run? been to long ago since heard about it.

Jim in Sask · Nov 9, 2011

(quoted from post at 14:45:16 11/09/11) That's interesting Jack - I don't know why my family left Oklahoma, but they came back to Marion County Illinois in 1914. My mom was born in Lawton in 1907. She was always proud that she was born in indian territory, barely before it was a state. My aunt was born somewhere in Oklahoma, in a railroad boxcar (and we never let her forget it) in 1909. I guess the railroad had a station at Ft. Sill - Mom's dad (my grandpa) was a station agent and they spent all of their time at the fort. My great grandfather was the one who homesteaded there. I always wondered if there was a way to figure out where he homesteaded. Probably not. My family always talked well of Oklahoma.

Paul

This site might help you find the homestead records:

http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/

I don't know if Oklahoma is on this site but I've found homestead records for family members in South Dakota.

O/T Settling The Prairie

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