Grandmother's visit to Watonga, OK

In the last post I shared a picture of Miss Cleo Powers of Watonga, OK. That's the only information I had about her until I searched and found this clip at Newspapers.com:

The date of the marriage was May 14, 1917, so obviously the photo from the previous post was taken before May 14, 1917.

It turns out that my great-grandmother was in Watonga, OK, for a family reunion in 1911. While I cannot prove without a doubt that Miss Cleo's photo was taken in 1911, it seems likely for many reasons. 

First, let's look at the postcard written by my grandmother:

From what I can read of her handwriting, it says (I have added punctuation for clarity):

"10-2-11 AM. Well have not been sick since I left home. We had a reunion at Flora's Saturday and at Otis Sunday. There were twenty-three at Ot's for dinner. My we are having a good time but ah the parting will be soon. We expect to leave Watonga Thursday & go to Woke {??} Okla to see Aunt Ell Whithing {Whittington??} & will write you from there. I hope you & Edd are well. Probably {?} Aunt Mary and Myrt hate to see us go. {have to see us in Ga??} We will go to Floe'sWed, Thursday & start with her a day & night. I will write again soon. Mother." 

All of these names fit what I know about the James Best family tree. Short version: James Best married Anna Tatum in IL in 1826. First surviving child Susan Maria Best married W. C. Purdy in IL, 1849.  Sixth child Mary Ann Best married Paul Hampton Powers in IL, 1860, then moved to OK by the 1900 Census. 

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=7602&h=57761232&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=6742

WCP & SMB first surviving daughter was Sarah Ann Purdy, who wrote the postcard. PHP & MAB children Flora Lee Powers ("Floe"), Otis Milton ("Otis," "Ot"), Mary Ann Best Powers ("Aunt Mary") and Myrtle Powers ("Myrt').

"Aunt Ell Whithing" would probably be James & Anna Best's daughter Ellen Nora Best who married Thomas Whittington 1866, IL. She was in OK by the 1910 Census.

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7884/images/4450022_00062?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.153382776.1320789974.1596493864-1936791666.1596493864&pId=170389261

And referring back to my last post, the photo of "Miss Cleo Powers," it turns out that she is the daughter of Otis Milton Powers, who happens to be mentioned in my grandmother's postcard—twice, even. 

Actually there's more to the story than this. But that's another post by itself.

Stay tuned.  

Miss Cleo Powers, 1911

Just found a postcard from my great-grandmother that mentions a family reunion in Watonga, OK. The card is dated 1911. Luckily I was able to match it with an undated photo in which the subject was named but there was no date added. 

Here are both sides of the photo labeled "Miss Cleo Powers":

I will add a little more about the circumstances around this and another photo in the next post. 

Funeral notice of Susan Marie Best Purdy

Funeral notice W.C. Purdy & E. E. Purdy

Honestly, the Purdys saved EVERYTHING!

Not kidding.

Every single piece of correspondence. Every stamp. Empty envelopes. Old chairs. Bent nails. Empty jars. Most of this stuff is junk and triggers my allergies.

There is an upside to their habit of holding on to stuff. One person's OCD hoarding behavior provides another person's treasure trove.

And that's what all this stuff is to me: treasure.

There are some real nuggets here, including the one below.

I am rich in genealogical treasure.

Asa Best baby photo?

The photo below was identified as Asa Best. Apparently there were at least two Asa Bests. My strong hunch is that this is Asa Josiah Best, but really I don't know.

Asa Josiah Best, born 1859, was the son of Michael Stephen Best and Nancy Ann Purdy. There's also Asa Newton Best, born 1860, the son of William Best and Fredonia Baird. So many Bests and Purdys and they're all related!!!

The young age of this child would put the photo's year taken between 1860 and 1861.

I strongly believe this is Asa Josiah Best because of the Purdy connection. 

Anybody able to say for sure??

Monroe Camp photo

The image below is from a tintype that my dad identified as Monroe Camp. Camp was the first husband of Eudora "Dora" Purdy, daughter of W. C. Purdy and Susan Best. He was father of Winnifred Camp.

They got married in 1884 when she was 19 and he was 22. At some point they got divorced or annulled because Dora married Charles W. Piper in 1898, and Monroe lived until 1917.

Handsome dude, wasn't he?

Photos of Dora Camp

More of the family tintypes. Both of these have been identified as "Dora Purdy Camp."

Here's the younger one:

The older woman:

Certainly looks like the same person, doesn't it?

Assuming that the ID is correct, the girl in the first photo looks about 11 or so. Since Dora was born in 1865, the photo would have been taken about 1875. In the second photo Dora looks maybe 18 - 21 or so, which would date the picture about 1883 - 1887. These are just guesstimates, folks!

Dora married twice, first to Monroe Camp and then to Charles W. Piper. According to the Census, she had four children and two lived. Her surviving child with Camp was Winnie May (b. 1890). With Charles Piper she had Gladys (b. 1899 - d. 1904) and Thelma Fern (b. 1907 - d. 1998).

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2442/images/M-T0627-00851-00230?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.210065239.355251433.1593736074-892951649.1593736074&pId=141581096&backurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ancestry.com%2Fcgi-bin%2Fsse.dll%3Fdb%3D1940usfedcen%26h%3D141581096%26indiv%3Dtry%26o_cvc%3DImage%3AOtherRecord

From the same Ancestry tree—which I have not proven, BTW—here is an image of Dora Purdy Piper and her daughter Winnie Crosby:

Love the glasses.

From the Ancestry tree of Chasedenver, originally posted by Christia Middlestaedt 2008.

https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/16608859/person/1247819040/media/88b18d44-9ff8-4eb9-a0cb-6e8b39302cf8?_phsrc=raz2&usePUBJs=true

If a descendant of Dora contacts me and asks for them, I'd be happy to send the originals out. These are family photos, and photos belong with their families.

More photos soon!