Elk County Nostalgia

[sodbuster]

David, you might find it interesting that when your Mother was a little girl, Waldo's mother and family lived across the road from our family. Our family lived on the river just South of Howard.  Waldo's Mother always tells me that I was ornery and she had to get after me, it wasn't me because I wasn't born yet, I think she is talking about Uncle Wes and Uncle Dwight. I never tell her it wasn't me, she always gives me a big hug and says I grew up to be a good boy.

My Mom always said you were ornery too. She said we got it from her side of the family, though said it skipped her. So if Waldo's Mom said it and my Mom said it; I guess that they knew what to expect before you were born.

David

Just by telling the  story of the feeding of a certain Uncle (by marriage) a gainsburger sandwich, I think I can implicate 3 maybe 4 generations of ornery.

David

[W. Gray]

Boston was a boom town located four and one-half miles south of the future town of Moline. It was the eighteenth settlement in Howard County to obtain a post office.

The political events surrounding the Boston War for the county seat began in the spring of 1872 when Boston unsuccessfully tried to take the county seat by election from Peru.

Further political events escalated until January 1874 when a Boston paramilitary army raided Elk Falls, which had subsequently become the county seat. The army forcefully relocated the county seat to Boston.

Boston had legally won the county seat in late 1873 but an election technicality developed in an earlier 1873 election and Boston did not get to the Supreme Court in a timely manner.

Subsequent negotiating events by the governor and the state militia brought the county seat back to Elk Falls two months after the raid, but the status of Boston being the county seat remained in limbo until the Supreme Court ruled in January 1875 in favor of Elk Falls. The state legislature decided it had had enough and split Howard County into Elk and Chautauqua.

Boston disappeared fast because the new county line in June 1875 went right down Main Street, dividing the town into two parts. It disappeared in 1879 when its post office was transferred to the new town of Moline.

[W. Gray]

One other note. 

The two fellows responsible for starting the Boston War were best friends and they both relocated to Sedan after Howard County was divided.

One of them took part in the 1893 Oklahoma Land Rush and the other went to Oklahoma after serving for several years as the Sedan postmaster. Both died in Ponca City.

[farmgal67357]

When I zoom in on Howard on my weather radar map, certain communities pop up that I haven't heard of. Let's see, there's Keighley, Bloggett, Fiat, Busby, Buxton, Wingate, Glen Crouse, Hale, Grafton, Gibbs, Cloverdale, and Eaton. Are any of these towns still around?
Lisa

[Wilma]

No, but one of our historians should be able to tell you where they used to be.

[W. Gray]

Keighley – Butler County
Bloggett - (Piedmont?) Greenwood County
Fiat – Elk County
Busby – Elk County
Buxton – Wilson County
Wingate – Butler County
Glen Crouse – Chautauqua County
Hale – Chautauqua County
Grafton – Chautauqua County
Gibbs - Chautauqua County
Cloverdale – Chautauqua County
Eaton(ville) – Cowley County

[W. Gray]

Piedmont, latitude 37.624
                longitude -96.366

Bloggett, latitude 37.626
              longitude -96.463

[Jo McDonald]

Busby is no longer a town, but it is a community -- still being referred to by it's name.

[srkruzich]

Piedmont, latitude 37.624
                longitude -96.366

Bloggett, latitude 37.626
              longitude -96.463

about 5 miles west of piedmont. 

[Mom70x7]

Busby is no longer a town, but it is a community -- still being referred to by it's name.

And people still talk about taking the Busby road or the Busby shortcut.