The Observer III (Lexington, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 3, Ed. 1 Monday, March 6, 2017 Page: 4 of 18
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Southern Cleveland County
Settlers, 1890s-early 1900s
Mae D. Cox • PO. Box 262 • Norman, Oklahoma 73070
mae@coxok.com • www.coxok.com • (405) 321 1617
John Calvin Dobbs, a blacksmith, in his s
Dobbs
John Calvin Dobbs
homesteaded the NE/4
of Section 22-6N-1E in
Cleveland County, O T
Sitting is John Calvin Dobbs and his wife, Nancy Reeves Dobbs. Standing arc
Goldie. Viola, and son Ollie. Photos courtesy of Virginia Wakefield Hayes.
Ca. 1910, Albert
Leroy Dobbs and
Vina Etta Tilley
with children.
Birdie. Bessie,
Georgia, Lee Alva,
and Haskell. Photo
courtesy of
Virginia Wakefield
Hayes
L-R. Poke Robertson, a friend of the family with horses, Bessie Dobbs, Georgia Dobbs, Birdie
Dobbs, Vina holding Vera, Haskell, Lee Alva and at far right by the horses is Albert I.. Dobbs.
Photo courtesy of Guyetta McKee Clue
The Albert Leroy Dobbs Family
Albert Leroy Dobbs was bom December 13. 1875, in Fannin C ounty,
Texas, the son of John Calvin Dobbs and Nancy Reeves. His family
moved to Arkansas before making their way to Cleveland ( ounty, Okla-
homa.
Meanwhile James Edward ‘Ed- and Elizabeth Jane Guthery Tilley
had taken advantage of the Run of 1891. and were living on their home-
stead in the Box area. Their daughter. Vina Etta Tilley, was bom April
19. 1877, in the Pauls Valley area of Garvin County. Indian Territory.
Vina Etta Tilley and Albert Leroy Dobbs were married in Box on
December 15. 1895. They had seven children, the first three in Box:
1 . Georgia Mae Dobbs, b. Dec 14. 1896. Box. Cleveland County. Okla-
homa Territory
2 Bessie Dobbs, b. November 26. 1898, Box. Cleveland County. Okla-
homa Territory
3. Lee Alva Dobbs, b January 14. 1901, Box. Cleveland County. Okla-
homa Territory
4 Birdie Elsie Dobbs, b. October 12. 1903 Wanette. Pottawatomie
County. Oklahoma Territory
5 William Haskell Dobbs, b. October 28. 1907. Wanette. Pottawatomie
County. < Jklahoma Territory
6. Vera Marie Dobbs, b. December 23.
1913. Wanette, Pottawatomie County.
Oklahoma
7. J E. Dobbs, b. July II. 1918 at Minco.
Grady County. Oklahoma
By 1917 they had relocated to the Bun-
Oak community, northwest of Minco. Okla-
homa. where they purchased the John Wake-
field farm. In 1925. they bought the McLish
estate of five acres and a house on the north
edge of Minco. They had a
milk and egg route in Minco
and El Reno for several years.
They were faithful members
of the First United Methodist
Church in Minco.
Albert Leroy Dobbs died
February 8, 1940. and was
buried in the Evergreen Cem-
etery in Minco. Vina Etta Tilley
Dobbs died July 18, 1966, at
age 88. and she, too, was bur-
ied in Evergreen Cemetery.
Minco. Grady County. Okla-
homa.
By Mae Davenport Cox
This month's featured early-day settlers were well known in the
southern portion of our county. Fortunately, family members were
found who helped with details about the family, and donated pictures
as well.
Virginia Wakefield Hayes and Guyetta McKee Cluck provided much
of the information in our story while some details were obtained from
land records, censuses, old newspaper articles, and from county mar-
riage records archived at the Cleveland ( ounty Genealogical Socicty.
The John Calvin Dobbs Family
By Mae D. Cox
John Calvin Dobbs, bom June 2. 1851. in Nashville. Davidson C ounty.
Tennessee, was the fourth child of Jeremiah Fowler Dobbs (1821-1888)
and Susan Ellen Wright (1827-1896). Shortly after his birth, the family
migrated wes. settling in Washington County. Arkansas fhey then inoved
to Fannin County. Texas, where John would meet his bride-to-be
Nancy Ann Reeves was bom January 5. 1855. in Neosho. Newton
County, Missouri. She and John married in Fannin County. Texas, on
December 15. 1874 After the birth of their first child, they moved to
Washington County. Arkansas. His parents also made the move. Two
more children were bom.
By 1880. they had moved to Canehill Tow nship of Washington
County, Arkansas, where John's father. Jeremiah, was a circuit rider
Baptist preacher By 1884 John and family were in Mayes County. In-
dian Territory Three more children were bom while in Mayes County
though, sadly, daughter Naoma died in 1888.
1. Albert LeRoy Dobbs, b. December 13. 1875. Brownwood. Brown
Co.. Texas; d. February 8. 1940. Minco Grady Co.. Oklahoma
2. William Girtha Dobbs, b. Nov I. 1877. Boonesboro. Washington
Co.. Arkansas; d. Dec 15. 1942. Duncan. Stephens Co.. Oklahoma
3. Naoma Dobbs, b. May 24. 1881. Boonesboro. Washington County.
Arkansas; d. December 17, 1888
4. Ollie Dobbs, b. September 24. 1884. Pryor Creek. Mayes Co.. In
dian Territory; d. Dec 11.1946. Norman. Cleveland Co.. Oklahoma
5. Mary Viola Dobbs, b. Anril 24. 1887. Pryor Creek. Mayes Co-
Indian Territory; d. May lu, 1970. Oklahoma ( ity. Oklahoma ( o.
OK
6. Goldie Dobbs, b. March 14. 1890, Pryor Creek. Mayes County.
Indian Territory; d. May 29. 1967. Oregon
The family relocated to southern Cleveland County in Oklahoma
Territory. On October 10, 1892. John homesteaded the northeast quar-
ter of Section 22-6N-1E containing 160 acres. The land patent was
issued March 4, 1895.
Tax records for the Box area show J. C. Dobbs
paid taxes in 1893 and 1894. His son. Albert, obvi-
ously made the move to the same area as he too is
listed on the tax rolls. John and Nancy didn't stay long
in the Box area. By 1900 they were running a boarding
house in Jasper County. Missouri. By 1912 they had
returned to Oklahoma. According to Guyetta Cluck:
In 1913, John was living with his son, Albert
Dobbs, in the Box area. He had separated from
wife Nancy, who was living with their daughter
and her husband in Noble, Oklahoma.
Nancy Ann Reeves Dobbs died in 1928. and was
buried at Byars Cemetery. McClain County. Oklahoma
John Calvin Dobbs died March 3. 1942. and was buried at Fairview
Cemetery in Vinita. Craig County, Oklahoma.
Postcards feature young girls
Who are they?
By Mae D. Cox
Two postcards among my unknown-un-
claimed collection feature young girls who
most likely lived in the southern regions of
Cleveland County back in the early 1900s
In the first postcard these youngsters
appear to be sisters though there is nothing
on the card to identify just whose daugh-
ters they are.
I’ve had a tad more luck with the post-
card at right, for it was actually sent to
someone in the Upchurch family from a
friend or relative.
It has a one-cent stamp still attached
though the postmark, dated August II,
1915, is hardly legible. You can barely make
out the letters “We" and a last letter “a" along
with Okla. Could that be Wetumka?
Weleetka ? Wewoka ?
The card was addressed to Mrs. Skin-
ner, Wanette. Oklahoma. A note, handwrit-
ten across the top says. These pictures wen-
made last winter. The message reads:
eas in that era So who is this May who seemed to have three daughters in the winter of 1914?
And ■' i was Aunt Mary !
.1 you can help with identities, please let me know!
“Dear Aunt Mary, please write
and tell me what pares are worth
up there and if you or Uncle Jeff
have enough to express me a
bushel. Can’t get any here, but
plenty of peaches ... and also
apples. ’’
Uncle Jeff was perhaps Tho-
mas Jefferson Jeff’ Skinner who
lived around the Wanette and Box
area. His wife though was named
Frankie. Perhaps the Aunt Mary
ws another Skinner s wife.
The card was signed, simply
May. The only May I know of
was my Grandmother May (Up-
church) Davenport (1892-1975).
but she never lived in Wetumka.
Weleetka, or Wewoka —she lived
around Buckhead and Macomb ar-
History of Southern Cleveland County, O.T.
tvewiwAB e.T.
includes shipping
Box O.T.
$37.00
includes shipping
Buckhead, O.T.
$29.00
includes shipping
Settlers Vol III
$35.00
includes shipping
Details and Indexes at
www.coxok.com
Mae D. Cox
P.O. Box 262 • Norman. OK 73070
Interesting stats about 1 (X) years age
By Mae D. Cox
Below is a list of what was going on a hundred years ago. Well almost
According to the info accompanying the items, these were from 1916
I can’t attest to their validity though they do sound plausible. And
might add that these were emailed from a friend Hope you enjoy:
• The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.
• Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
• Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
• The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 inph.
• The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
• The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour. The averag<
US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
• A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year A den
tist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 pe
year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year
• More than 95 percent of all births took place at home
• Ninety percent of all Doctors had no college education! Instead, the;
attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemne*
in the press and the government as “substandard."
• Sugar cost four cents a pound
• Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
• Coffee was fifteen cents a pound
• Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax
or egg yolks for shampcxi.
• Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into
their country for any reason.
• The American flag had 45 stars.
• The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was only 30.
• Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea were not yet invented.
• There was neither a Mother’s Day nor a Father's Day.
• Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write
• And, only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school
• Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counte
at local comer drugstore. Back then pharmacists said, “Heroin clear
the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stom-
ach, bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health!"
• Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant o
domestic help.
• There were about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.A
• The five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
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Murphy, Lou Ann. The Observer III (Lexington, Okla.), Vol. 7, No. 3, Ed. 1 Monday, March 6, 2017, newspaper, March 6, 2017; Lexington, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1598695/m1/4/?q=%22Business%2C+Economics+and+Finance+-+Communications+-+Newspapers%22: accessed July 4, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.