52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. Week 3 Theme - Favorite Photo

My photo for 2024 is our McGill family on their farm west of Edmond OK, about 1900. Daniel Patrick McGill, seated center, made the Land Run of 1889, claiming this free land to homestead. He came from Iowa to Arkansas City, Kansas, where he boarded the train to make the Run at the sound of a gunshot at noon, April 22, 1889. It is said that he got off the train at Waterloo Rd with 3 other men, and was able to stake the claim with the best water since he had a large family. The rest of the family came by covered wagon in the next months. My Grandmother, Hattie (Harriett Emily McGill) is in the photo, 4th from right, along with her parents, and siblings. This land is still pasture land and the pond is still there, although the suburbs of Edmond have surrounded the property.

Plat Map Deer Creek Township near Edmond, OK

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.  Week #6 Theme - MAPS.   This map was found on Ancestry.com under "U.S. County Landowners Atlases". Here is the layout and home owners of Deer Creek, west of Edmond in 1907. Click and then enlarge. At the top of the map, you see Waterloo Rd. (border between OK and Logan [Guthrie] Co.) Upper right on Waterloo Rd., you find the William Griffin [2gt grandfather] estate next to Peter Griffin property. These two plots are the ones claimed by Uncle Pete in 1889. Lizzie Terry Griffin [gt grandmother] and family lived on that land when they came from KS, and the boys helped Pete farm it. Later she moved into Edmond for the younger children to go to school. William had died in 1889 and wife, Elizabeth M., died in 1903. Going to the far right and 3 quarter sections down we see Charles "Charley" Griffin's farm [grandfather]. Remember he had gone to Colorado to live with uncles and work to save money about 1900. So it looks like he came back and the little square shows there was a house on his land. He and Hattie got married in Dec. 1906. Our father, Dan, was born in 1907 probably on this property and his brother Jiggs in 1909. Then Charley and Hattie went to Cotton County where third son, Chick, was born in 1912. I am guessing that Pete sold or leased the land, as the 1910 census shows that he lived in town with sister in law, Lizzie, and family. Under occupation he lists "Own Income." You can find more about William, Lizzie, Pete, and Charley in the archives of this blog.