| A FAMILY IN OKLAHOMA HISTORY | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clara (Ott) Baker by Irene Drumm | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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It all began when John Lewis Ott married Joanna Ewing. Their Romance Started at Beatrice, Neb. Both were school teachers and had gone there to attend an institute. By mutual agreement, Papa was to come for a visit. He sent a picture which showed him in a short sleeve shirt. His future in laws thougth he was a country boy intruding on a Dr. Family, but he was accepted. Papa was born Dec 29, 1857 at Batavia, Ill Mama was born July 12, 1858 at North Liverty, Ohio. They were Married Dec 2, 1883 at Cincinnati, Neb Then moved to Frankfort, Kansas. Papa both farmed and taught school to support his growing family, there were five of us who were born in Kansas, Eve, Lew, Mabel, Leon and me. We Lived in a Swedish neighborhood. About this time came a finacial panic. It was during Grover Cleveland's administration, Prices for farm products went down. Papa had an exceptionally good corn crop that year, the price was 3 cents a bushel, so along with many other, he went broke and lost the farm he had previously bought. Times were so hard the corn was burned for fuel. News began to spread about the opening of the Cherokee Strip in Okla. This sounded like a chance for a new beginning. Papa decided to have a sale, take his family to Oklahoma and start all over again. A Kind neighbor lent us enough money to go as the sale didn't bring enough. This was later paid back. But plans where changed when Leon died suddenly, We loaded up in two covered wagons. I still remember the horse Papa choose to ride, his name was Billy. Billy was taken as the riding horse, Flara and Barney pulled the wagons. As there were few bridges, streams had to be forded whenever we crossed, Billy would try to lie down in the water, which caused him to have to "Get Whip". Some streams were so deep, everything would get wet and would have to be dried up. I usually rode in Papa's wagon. I remember one old bridge we crossed. there were is so many holes in the floor I asked Papa to let me walk across as I was scared to ride. As usual, he humored me. I walked across the bridge then got back in the wagon on the other side. We stopped at Arkansas City and stayed with friends while Papa took the train to Waukomis. We heard of a farm close to Ames that had been filed on then deserted. Walking was the only transportation so he walked the 13 miles from Waukomis out to see it. After walking all around the farm, and all around two other farms, there was the long walk back to Waukomis before dark. Exhausted, he went to a little hotel, ordered his supper but was too tired to eat it. After spending the night there he boarded the train to return to Arkansas City, Trains were always in danger of being held up. This was one of those unlucky runs. In the vicinity of Pond Creek, Dick Yeager and his outlaws stopped the train. Shots came through the windows as everyone hit the floor. One man who had done the most bragging on what he would do if such a thing happen, was the first one to crawl under a seat. Hewouldn't even come out when the conductor ask to exchange his white coat for the man's dark one. One lady ran through the train while the shots were being fired, to rescue her dog. One of the Outlaws was killed and the train proceeded on it's way. Then Papa returned safely to Arkansas City. Now we knew where we were going so the wagons were loaded again and we started for our new homes. Camp had to be made at night. One farmer decided we could just move on as he owned the land on both sides of the road, but Papa informed he didn't own the road so we spent the night there. I remember Lew had the croup and had us very worried and excited. Finally we came to our new home, In Ames, Oklahoma, It was April 1894. The farm was 160 acres, Papa had bought for $150 near Hoyle which was near Ames. The first thing I remember when we got out to our farm was the tall bluesteam grass, taller than my head, and the blackjack trees. There were a few neighbors, the Millers and the Schoonovers, I remember, the first thing to be done was dig a well. Our house was the covered Wagons. At that time the area was in Wood County and Alva was the County seat. Business concerning the farm had to be taken care of in Alva. One morning Matt Miller came over and said to Mama, you have been crying". Mama wouldn't answer so she said I know what's the matter. John has to go to Alva and you don't have the money. She left then returned with a $10 bill, a lot of money in those days to give to a stranger. She proved to be a good friend through the years. Papa rode to Alva on Billy, forded the Cimarron followed a trail or cattle path. The trip was uneventful but things were not that way at home. We were still living in the covered wagons. That night Mama heard a noise. someone was stealing the horses tied to our wagon. There was nothing to do but keep quite while they cut the ropes and took the horses. Mama took us kids and went through the darkness to Schoonovers where there were some grown boys who might help. The boys got out their guns to go hunt for the thieves. But not being too anxious, they spent quite a while oiling and cleaning their guns until the desired time had elapsed so no horses were found that night. As time went on, everyone kept their eyes open for the horses, Finally, Papa was told there were some horses near Enid that fit the description. This proved to be right, but they didn't look like the same horses. They were skinny with very sore shoulders. The man insisted they had come there and Papa could have them by paying for the feed, As his pocketes empty again, Papa traded his watch, which was recovered. In the meantime, we were building a two-room house, part lumber and part logs. Ground which had been covered with blackjack was being cleared and plowed with a walking plow. Kaffir corn, turnips and sweet potatoes were planted, it was years before Eva could enjoy these again. Neighbors were kind and trusted one another, often strangers welcome to spend the night. One family spent the night rather than ford the Cimmarron at night, because of quicksand. Mamas helped many sick people as she had worked with her father who was a doctor. One time, two young neighbors, who had been bitten by rattle snakes, sent for her. The Doctor who came later said that she had probably saved their lives. In the fall, Papa returned to Kansas to teach school, the school that he had formerly taught There was no school for our neighorhood. As Mama had been a teacher, and we had the only school books, the neighbors ask her to organize and teach school. Lew and Eve got to work out, the rest of us, which now included Amy was taken care of by a lady hired by the neighbors. Mama was paid a small salary by the parents. The next year Dave Henshaw taught in his Half dug-out. A school was then built. the beginning of Union Star School. The following year Papa taught this school. Now I finally go to go and Papa was my first teacher. He taught surrounding schools for several years until the doctor ordered him to quit because of his health. He served as Justice of Peace. One of his duties was to perform weddings. I remember one night, a couple came in a cart. The bride was dressed in her wedding clothes, the weather was very cold and she was about frozen. We were kept upstairs but took turns watching the wedding through a crack by the chimney. The number of members in our family was shifting After the birth of Amy in Oklahoma, came Bert, Elizabeth and Ralph. At the age of four years Amy died of paralysis, Bert also took it and was not expected to live. One night, the Doctor said he would have to make a change by midnight or he would die, When Midnight came he began to recover. Elizabeth, who was pre-mature lived to be a month old. Church and prayer meeting was held in the homes. Mr. Vance, the neighbor east of us, had an organ so Sunday School was usually held there. Different denom inations took turn having services. In the afternoon there were German services. The Preachers was a Circuit Rider. Families usually gathered at homes, ate, sang and had socials. I remember Grandma Ott coming to visit us one time on the train. Papa was to meet her in Enid. Since she talked mostly German, he was afraid she would misunderstand and get off at North Enid so he rode on the train up to there to meet her. while he was waiting for her, two men approched him acting as though they intended to rob him. He put his hand in his pocket and clicked his knife. The men left, probably thinking he had a gun. Lew was the tease of the family. One night Eve,Mable was walking home in the dark. Lew and his friend had to scare us and began making noises like a wild animal. We ran to Schoonovers, they got guns and the joke was on Lew and his friends as they found themselves looking down a gun barrel. Eva and Mabel followed in their parents footsteps and became teachers. They went to a Institute in the summer and taught in the winter, I kept things going at home, cooking food, picking fruit and berries and canning it, carrying in wood and bark for the wood stoves. Eva and Lew had a pioneering spirit. They went to Clovis New Mexico for two years to prove up on a claim. In the winter, Lew trapped in the Mountains. He felt he could take care of himself but one time he was glad for help sent by Eva as she was worried about him. He had lost his way and had almost lost all his pelts as he was fording a river. Irrigation was promised but was not put in so they came back to Oklahoma.Where Lew farmed until his death. Eva taught school around Enid. I was still at home but working out for other people part of the time. Bro Warner began having services at Dixons. A family named Baker from Waukomis attended. There was a boy in the family named Harry who had his eye on me but I didn't know him. Later I went to work for Henry Weins, near Waukomis. We all went to church at Morning Star school house. There we became better acquainted. When I returned home, I got a letter from Harry asking for a date. Of course I said "Yes". He came in the buggy pulled by old Spot. This became a regular thing. We would go to church, then he would go back home late. He probably slept because Spot knew the way home. By and by, he proposed and we decided to get married. My Aunt who was visiting said I must have done the proposing as he was to bashful, but he wasn't. As Mabel was going to mary Waln Kidd, we decided to have a double wedding. Harry's mother was very superstitious and thought double weddings bought bad luck so we decided on two ceremonies, one following the other. Mabel and I had a lady make identical wedding dresses for us. Aunt Stella made our cake. There was to be a big supper so we cooked for days. I was so tired, I talked in my sleep the night before and said, "I don't want to get Married". The great day came. Our living room was decorated with an arch of cedar and Lilacs. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Will Swartz at 4:00. Ola Ott (later to become a Baker) was bridesmade and Lee Kidd was best man. A supper followed with about 50 relatives and friends attending. This was April 25, 1911. We were charivaried that night, as if this wasn't enough for one day, then charivaried by the Waukomis group the next night We left for our new home in a buggy pulled by spot. That trip nearly ended it all as we barely escaped being hit by a train as we crossed the track southwest of Drummond. We moved into a three room house. I had done a lot of canning so we had canned fruit and vegetables, a cow, some chickens and 50 cents. We lived in this house until 1925 when a new one was built. We raised our family here which consisted of Olen, Irene, Elwin, Cecil, Shirley and Bill. Cecil died when he was 9 years old. After a tornado which did a lot of damage we moved to Enid in Nov of 1956. On April 26, 1961, Mabel, Wallie, Harry and I were able to celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniveraries together. On April 27, 1969 Harry passed away leaving me with 58 years of happy memories. Grandma Clara (Ott) Baker passed away on Dec 23, 1983 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Harry Bakers Family | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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HARRY FRANCES BAKER Farmed between Waukomis and Drummond, His parent William and Christina (Balschweid) Baker also farmed between Waukomis and Drummond William was borned on August 4, 1855 and passed away on Nov 13, 1943 and Christina was borned on Sept. 25, 1864 and passed away on Aug. 11, 1946. They raised their family farming and had 8 children, Charles, Harry, Dortha, Arthur, Lula, Elmer, Dewey, and Ted. The Farm was located 4 west of Waukomis and 1 south 1/2 west. Williams Brothers also farmed around Garfield, and Kingfisher county. Ted's sons still farm the home place. Harry farmed 3 west of Waukomis and 1 south and lived and raised his family there until a tornado tore the up farm and they moved to Enid, although he still farmed the land. Harry and Clara had six children, Harry Olen born April 20,1913 who married Margret Johnson of Waukomis they had 4 childred Dixie, Kenneth, Terry, and Judy. Harrys second child Clara Irene (Baker) Drumm borned on June 2, 1915 married Ivan Vinson Drumm from Drummond, they had 2 children Darrel Ivan, Gail Gene Clara Irene was a school teacher In Whicita, Kansas untel she retired. Harry's third child Elwin Lee Baker borned June 17, 1920 and married Dorothy Lee (Johnson) who had 3 children Kondra Kayleen (Baker) Wedel, Sheryl Dawn (Baker) Powell, and Billy Lee Baker. Elwin and Dorothy farmed between Garber and Covington until they retired. Harry's fourth child Cecil Dewayne Baker borned Dec 19,1925 and passsed away on June 16, 1935. Harry's fifth child Shirley Lou (Baker) Scott lives in Oklahoma City where she raised 4 children Machel Ann,Denise Raneau, and Shauna, and Michael Lee. Harry's 6th child Billy John Baker born May 31 1933 married Barbara Carter of Waukomis and they had 3 girls Deborah, Carlise, and Jean, they live in Calif. Where he retired. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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