Story By A Sooner
by Sheldon Washburn
January 10, 1989

This is a true story in every detail, told to Mr. Washburn in 1908, by Mr. B. Stewart, Cashion, Oklahoma.

We are now celebrating the Run of '89
Most of the 50,000 that ran got a home at the time.
They ran from the north line, the 36th Parallel;
They ran from the south, Lexington and Purcell;
They ran from a line west of Kingfisher;
Some who hid out got there sooner.

At the time, there were two unpopular men;
They were the Sooner and the Squaw man.
The Squaw man was one who married an Indian for land;
And the Sooner, who was there before the Run began.

We moved to Oklahoma twelve years after the Run.
Our neighbor was B. Stewart, living in Cashion.
He was a Sooner and proud of the name,
On the Cottonwood River he staked his claim.

He told his story to his son, Archie, and me,
How he had fooled the U.S. Army;
How they patrolled the allotted land
Arresting those hiding in the land,
How he had run cattle for years past
Along the streams, where the grass was the best.

When he heard of the land opening, he made his plan
To stake his claim on a piece of land.
He hid in a cove from the Army Patrol;
Kept out of sight 'til it was time to go.
He said, "I covered my horse all over with suds,
Made from the Yucca plant roots and buds;
Then I rode him hard for a mile or so
'Til the horse was sweating and began to blow."

"While staking my claim a soldier rode by; didn't bother
When he saw my horse panting and covered with lather,
He said, 'Good luck, man, you out-ran the Boomers'
And that is why I am called a SOONER."

The Run Of '89
by Sheldon Washburn
June, 1951

Come ride with me in fantasy
in the Run of '89,

See the camp fires by the thousand
of campers along the line.

Some sleeping, some resting,
saiting for the Run --

Others visiting -- taking it easy,
enjoying the fun.

April 22nd of '89,
by President Harrison's decree,

The land would be open for the Run
of Oklahoma Territory.

Here thousands have gathered --
from every walk of life,

Hoping to get some free land
and start a new life.

Thousands have come from every state,
encouraged by the Boomers

And those who slipped by the soldiers
are called -- Sooners.

They came on horses -- in wagons,
and on foot to get a home.

Twenty miles north of Guthrie,
along the 36th Parallel,

And on the south of the Canadian River
and the town of Purcell.

On April 22nd --
exactly at twelve o'clock,

The soldiers along the line
fired the starting shot,

They raced across the prairie,
sixty thousand strong,

Some stopped to stake a claim
while others rushed on.

Five trainloads went to Guthrie
to stake out lots in town;

Four thousand were there to register,
from the country around.

There is no law enforcement
to settle the dispute and brawl

Though it is the seat of Government,
to be the Capital.

From the south they came
to Oklahoma City, from the town of Purcell,

Five thousand came to claim lots
for business and to swell.

This is the first Run;
there are others to come;

But the Run of '89
will always be called The Run.

April 22nd of '89
sixty thousand came to stay,

So each year we honor it
as OKLAHOMA DAY.

NOTE FROM A PIONEER MOTHER TO HER DAUGHTER
TELLING HER HOW TO WASH CLOTHES

by John R. Pedrick, GCHS

1. Build a fire in backyard to heat kettle of rainwater.

2. Set tub so smoke won't blow in eyes if wind present.

3. Shave whole cake of lye soap in water.

4. Sort things, making three piles, one in white, one of colored and one of rags and britches.

5. Stir flour in cold water to smooth for starch and then thin down with boiling water.

6. Put dirty spots on board, then boil. Rub colored but don't boil. Take white things out of kettle with broom handles, then rinse and blue and starch.

7. Spread tea towels on grass. Hang old rags on fence.

8. Pour rinse water in flower bed.

9. Scrub privy seat and floor with soapy water.

10. Turn tub upside down. Put on clean dress. Comb hair. Brew up tea. Sit and rest a spell and count blessings.

This is a letter written by Anna Pigg [Mrs. George] Davenport to their children who stayed at home [in Winfield, Kansas] while they made the Run into Oklahoma.

Anna......writer of this letter
George....Anna's husband
Andrew....George's brother
Jessie....George's sister
Mandy.....Andrew's wife
Laura.....Andrew's daughter
Emory, Roy and Hugh...sons of George & Anna
John and Frank....half-brothers of Anna

From Donna Davenport Netters - Moore, Oklahoma.
Anna Davenport is her great-grandmother.

page 1 Tuesday morn
We got to Bro Ev's all right he had gone to register isnt back yet Andrew & Lewis found us last night We left there this morn went to the south part of town to camp We unloaded our wagon took our team us Lewis Andrew & Jessie came our here We are as close to the booth as we can get with the team roy & [several words illegible] have gon affot to see them We will pull back to town it is a sight campers every where for miles We saw Frank & rosa he had registered this morn his no was something

page 2
over 3000 sister Champion & hancock registered yesterday morn and was back for dinner to town I haven't seen her. We bought some meat at Bro Thomas cheeper than Winfield Bro I. bittle and evinger about a doz are to gether have some boy hired to stay bring them water & provishions We met the tomkins four Wimen one morn They were going back to town We bought hay of little F. Smith South of hack for 25 per bale there is three booths one man just told me he laid all night inn line frank roe two nights

page 3
but now they give them nos that holds their place for next morn I am on the north side of the road the wind in the south a constant travil I have to blow the dust off my paper the road is the line We see the promis land but here a wire fence four stran intervenes between the fenced land is the school land the school buildings is about a mile west & a little south it is a beautiful country We saw Wade here I am enjoying the trip roy is well but I never saw so much dust If we could get reg to day We would

page 4
come home but don't think we will go in line to day Some of us may We are going back to camp then hugh & me will stay there every body is frendly & sivel Rosa said they wasn't going home was having to good a time she had her little baby in her lap hope you are all well don't get measy We are doing fine Jesse is standing it fine andrew & Jesse and gorge took nombers to reg they don't have to be there in line till tomarah 8 oc geo is captain some of them has to stay to night to hold the companys place Five have their nombers & four hasen't they will no this after noon as they all have gone there on their horses

page 5
Emory let manday read this andrew sais tell you he is well. They hape their nombers 2100 ahead of them to register We are all together. We got to camp after dinner i got dinner for Andrew Jesse and us all eat together put two bales of hay together for a table covered it with my old oil cloth cooked potatoes fixed meet maid coffee & tea had a camp fire the dust got in the burner that the gasoline won't burn. Captain Davenport of

page 6
Company 43 no 2190, 2191, 2193, 2194 has gone to the front to stay all night for his company is called the other boys haven't got their nos yet they have gone on their horses hugh and me are alone no one can reg now unless they have a no they was crowding so bad they had to no them geo saw Jim Williams he said yesturday he was all most to the front and they crowded in so he isn't near there yet the no 2190 means there is that

page 7
many ahead of you to reg that has their no in your line there is four lines I think. So you can have some idea of the crowd they think they will reg some time tomorah We will not come home till after the race. I think after they reg we will go west about 10 miles Lewis wants to they went in Lewis' wagon took their breakfast a keg of water their bed and horse feed will not have to stay in line but will be there at rool call at eight o clock in the morn thought they would go to night to

page 8
watch for fear their co got there to night if you get this and read it in town write us a card before you leave town tell us if you are all well and how Laura and Manda is our chairman is Watson sister Evenger thought. she couldn't tell where Bro Seath went Bro Door took sister Hancock home from church last night she sais they will marry Bro Ev did no go to conference was on a trial could not get away they would not let him off he was a witness love to all roy is climbing

page 9
all over me so I can hardly right We can't understand how John & frank Smith both reg to gether yesterday as frank did not come till yesterday take good care of your selves
A. Davenport

(the above items are from issues of the OK GS Qtly)

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