The 115th Cheyenne & Arapaho Old Settlers Reunion in Cheyenne the week of April 16-21, 2007 had perfect weather. The year 2007 is the Centennial year of our Statehood so to begin the week of activities, people gathered in the Cheyenne City Park on Monday for an Okie Celebration. Cheyenne Boy Scouts Clifton Keahey, Bo Whipkey, Drake Boyce and Tyson Creach presented the colors and the Flag Salute followed by Cheyenne Senior Kristia Ford singing the Star Spangled Banner. Cheyenne Daisy and Brownie Girl Scouts, Mackenzie Payne, Dixie Boyce, Grace Roark, Sarah Haven, Sara Campbell, Leah Sander and Braden Payne led the Oklahoma Flag Salute and the Oklahoma State Song. The Cheyenne first grade class members: Kelton Beck, Syndee Key, Amber Smith, Joshuah Montgomery Hadley Watson, Kole Lindenfelser, Jared Sturgeon, John O’Neal, Charlie Warren, Rossi Congdon, Hope Storey, Leah Sander, Morgan Miller and Braden Payne. Cheyenne fourth grader Summer Pennington presented a wonderful reading and the Cheyenne Boy Scouts: Brodie Leach, Dalton Haven, Hunter Roark, Kelton Beck and Ramey Anderson read Oklahoma facts.
The highlight of the afternoon was the unveiling of the Centennial Clock and the ribbon cutting at the Centennial Museum. Kathy Taylor, Tulsa Mayor, dedicated the clock in memory of her parents James E and Lola Taylor.
Tuesday night styles of yesteryear along with the Whiskers and Fiddlers Contest were held.
AUTHENTIC DRESS Winners: Ladies 1st Courtney Skiles, 2nd Jaci Alford; Mens 1st Carlos Diaz; Girls 1st Beigelee Wright, 2nd Ashton Cockrell; Boys 1st Jack Sadler 2nd Braygan Lippencott. REPRODUCTIONS: Ladies 1st Donnie Eakins, Trudy Hartley, Emily Harley and Abby Harley, 2nd Leona Keahey; Mens 1st John Smith, Girls 1st Ashton Cockrell, 2nd Sydney and Sealey Bottom, Boys 1st Mac Wells. WESTERN WEAR Ladies 1st Kristia Ford, 2nd Meaghan Bentley; Mens 1st Rayburn Ritchie’ Girls 1st Annissa Martin, 2nd Ashton Cockrell; Boys 1st Jack Sadler, 2nd John O’Neal. Most Centennial Award: Courtney Skiles
Whiskers Contest winners: Most Handsome Jim Barber; Most Unique Flavio Gallegos; Scruffiest Terry Laney; Best Mustache Woodrowe Barber.
Fiddlers Contest winners: Men’s 1st Dave Jenkins; women’s 1st Cindy Jenkins; Youth 1st Hallie Milner, 2nd Braden Russell.
Indian Princesses: Tiny Tot Emillie Harris; Junior Siera Littleman and Senior JoCinda Walkingnight.
John Smith and Ruby Standingwater chaired the Redmoon Pow Wow Dancers. Alfred Heap-of-Birds, Russell Bearbow, Michael Watan, Harvey Miles and Guy Hicks III were the drummers and singers for the event. Dancers included: Michael Watan, Budda Birdshead, Bruce Narboni, Alisha Osage, Charmaine Yelloweyes, Audrey Bearbow, Rachael Yelloweyes, Beatrice Martinex, Anissa Bearbow, Starla Sage, Skyla Sage, Little Girl Hamilton, JoCinda Walkingnight and Sierra Littleman.
The CHS auditorium was again packed on Wednesday night for the Gospel Hymn Sing organized by Carolyn Burrows.
Station LOV presented an Ole Tyme Radio Show “Oklahoma in Song and Dance”. Phillip Butler served as announcer. Ben Hay was the on-call reporter and along with Denise Parman presented the advertisements. Laura Rodriguez and Callie Maddux were the Applause Sign girls. Those included in this play were Braygan Lippencott, Mason Congdon, Cheyenne Grade School Choir, Hannah Beals, Dale and Judy Tracy, Dorothy Alexander, Leland Burns, James and Linda Maddux, Ivan and Doris Minor, Doyle and Mary Burrows, Joe Thomas, Sue Flowers, Purcy Walker, Molly and Polly Barker, Will, Dawn, Luke and Anna Becker, Dianna Butler, Laura Hillman, Dusti Kirk, Rebecca Leonard, Paula Isch, Chuck, Hallie and Cody Milner, Jill Drake, Barney and Marge Heeney, Brenda Whitley, Brandon Hughes. The script for this play was adapted by Devey Napier from a one woman show by Lorena Males.
The ribbon cutting Ceremony for the Cultural Heritage Center for the Washita Battlefield National Historic Site and the Black Kettle National Grassland was held Friday morning under blue, sunny skies.
The 2007 Rodeo Queen is Corie Koch; Rodeo Teen Queen is Dusta Kimzey and the Rodeo Princess is Kassidy Patterson.
Old Settlers Queen for 2007 is Allison Thurmond and her attendants are her sister Katherine Anne Thurmond, her cousin Madison McWilliams plus land runner descendants: Ashton Cockrell, Andrea Maddux, and Callie Maddux. Flower girl was Chelsea Dee Thomas.
Downtown streets were filled all day with visitors reminiscing with old friends about the days of yesteryear. Dobson Telephone Company served over 900 hamburgers and hotdogs to the hungry visitors and the Spring Creek regulators shot up the streets in a saloon fight! The evening ended with a large crowd at the PRCA Rodeo and rodeo dances.
The streets filled early Saturday morning as people waited for the first runners to come from the Nine Mile Foot Race. John “Bobcat” Smith fired the muzzle-loader and started twenty-three runners in Strong City to begin the 9 mile trek to Cheyenne. Winners were: Mens 1st Dan Ueland, 2nd Craig Mahl of Canute, 3rd Doug West of Fairview. Women’s 1st Leslie Babich of Colorado Springs, 2nd Jamie Nelsonof Allison and 3rd Tarryn Crawford of Pocasset. One of the highlights of the race was the finish of Ted Thomason of Hammon, the oldest runner in the event Ted has run every race since 1947!
The James Gang rode into town and attempted to rob the bank before being stopped by the Spring Creek Regulators. The Platonic Club provided seating for the Senior Citizens during the parade which was appreciated. There were ninety entries in the Parade. Included in this year’s parade was a 40 foot wall of Heroes Float. It is a traveling float to honor Oklahoma’s fallen heroes from ALL American Wars. Another special entry is the “A Touch of Ear” which is an eight mule draft team which pulls a bright yellow freight wagon. These are a memorial to those mules which played such an important part in the agricultural south. Winners: Best Equine Entry: Santa Rosa Palomino Club; Best Equine Hitch: Blonde Mule Hitch; Most Unusual: Chain Ranch Longhorns; Most Unique: Great Granddaughters of Chief Elk River; Most Centennial: Darlene Woods; Bands: 1st Sayre, 2nd Vici; Business: 1st Chamber of Commerce, 2nd Dobson Telephone, 3rd William Walker Band Float; Religious: 1st Cheyenne United Methodist Church, 2nd Cheyenne First Baptist; Civic: 1st City of Cheyenne, 2nd Wall of Heroes, 3rd U.S. Forestry Service; School/Youth: 1st County 4-H; 2nd Cheyenne FFA Tractors; 3rd Cheyenne Student Council; Historic: 1st Darlene Woods, 2nd Barber Family, 3rd County Genealogy Society. The children enjoyed pony and wagon rides provided by Wendell Coots.
One hundred and six quilts were displayed in the Baptist Family Center and the People’s Choice Award went to the Oklahoma Quilt created by Susan Haxton of Leedey. Allison Lockard had the oldest quilt with a block that said 1890. Four hundred and thirty-six visitors attended the show.
The Western Wagon Train rolled into the Old Settlers Reunion about 3:00 on Friday after spending the night at the Jim McClellans’ farm. There were 63 on the two day, seventeen mile ride including six wagons and many riders. JoAnn, Janet, LaFaye and Sonja prepared breakfast for the group and they arrived at the former Granny’s Quilt House, owned by Beverly O’Brian. Everyone was so thankful to have such a great place to camp.
The OK Farmers Union Centennial Show performed following the parade and people lined the street to the highway to eat barbecue at the Ag Pavilion. According to Chairman J.W. Little, a total of 2200 were served with 1700 served in the first hour, showing the success of their eight serving lines. The clouds kept the afternoon cool as the stands at the Rodeo Arena were once again packed to see the PRCA Rodeo. The always fun to watch Santa Rosa Palomino Club from Vernon, Texas set the pivots and performed as well as Scott Smith and his famous stagecoach. Our very own celebrities from Strong City, Dusta, Sage and Trey Kimzey, awed the crowd as they entered the arena and debuted their stunt riding skills.
PRCA Commissioner Keith Martin and his wife stated that the events in Cheyenne were some of the best they have attended. Martin is also chairman of the San Antonio Rodeo and Livestock Show.
It has been estimated that over 5,000 people attended the 115th Old Settlers Reunion. It is estimated that one third of the people sign the register and this year was no exception as 1,684 people signed. The Youngest Registered Person Awards go to McKenzie Carter, Daughter of Travis Carter and Angela Cruz of Cheyenne and Eden Atha, daughter of Darren and Marka Atha of Cheyenne. The Oldest Award goes to Maye Cogburn of Strong City at 95 ½ years young.
The Award for One Who Traveled the Longest Distance went to the mother of Peter DeBeir from South Africa, traveling 8,000 miles. {2nd place was Albert Dare from Honolulu, HI traveling a distance of 5,000 miles.}
Those who registered as eighty years old were: Roy Lemond of Hugo 80, L.J. Casady of Garland 85; Virginia Casady of Garland, Texas 83; Maye Cogburn of Strong City 95.5; Lellia Garver of Reydon 88; Jack Kendall of Midwest City 81; Louise Word Green of Lytle Texas 82; E.L. Fowler of Sweetwater 83; Bud Lippencott of Cheyenne 83; Pauline Lippencott of Cheyenne 80; David Cranford of Hot Springs 80; Berneta Lucas of Maysville 85; James Montgomery of Springfield, OR 82; Charles Farni of Hammon 82; Mary Chalfant of Cheyenne; Shorty Harmon of Cheyenne 92; Chink Beaty of Cheyenne 86; Lila Muriel Beaty of Cheyenne 86; Hallie Carey of Cheyenne 92; Ellen Sizemore of Cordell 82; Helen Smith of Sweetwater 85; Buford McDaniel Providence UT 84; Nettie Lovett of Cheyenne 90; Ellon Ellis of Cheyenne 84; Wesley Chalfant of Midland Texas 80; Foster Mogg of El Reno 81; Bue Lackey Jr. of Disney OK 81; Leon Patton of Ulysses, KS 80; Gertrude Flesher of Cheyenne 81; Patsy Burks of Reydon 82; Leo McDaniel of Redding, OA 82; Margie McDaniel of Crawford 82; Leonard McDaniel of Crawford 81; Richard Garling of Cheyenne 81; Everett Swartwood of Cheyenne 87; Sylvia Moad of Cheyenne 81; Neva Stewart 80; Ruby Wright Smith of Wichita, KS 91; Johnny Grant of Cheyenne 80; Russell Clay of Reydon 80; Dan Sadler of Elk City 82; Thelma Coym of Reydon 80; Ted Dean of Hammon 80+; James Manning of Sayre 93; John Scrivner of Reydon 90; Anna Scrivner of Reydon 84; Pauline Yowell of Reydon 85; Pauline McNeil of Reydon 83; Mary Atzet of Cheyenne 92; Max Gillette of Unity ME 82; Ben Bottom of Reydon 80; Minnie Hillman of Crawford 82; Betty Joe Kendall of Lodi CA 85; Marion Cross Greever of Nevada City, CA 83; Kyle Greever, of Nevada City 85; Bob Burns of Kingston 80; Leona Faye Mayfield 83; Elmer Sanford of Stinnett 81; Mary Hartley of Elk City 93; Seward Meinstma of Edmond 85; Nellye Anne Cross Meinstma of Edmond 83; B.H. Lackey, Jr; of Disney 81; Jack Selby 83; Marvine Mobley 82; Joe Frank Moad of Cheyenne 85; Avis Cobb of Crawford 82; Margie Martin of Crawford 89; Clara King Davis of Sweetwater 80 ½; Lestr Davis of Sweetwater 90; Jack Kendall of Midwest City 80; Tennie Dale Campbell of Cheyenne 80; Goldie Kenney 90; Irene Koetter of Hitchcock 85; Ruth Koetter of Hitchcock 80; Ruth Broadbent Kendall of Snyder 84; Ann Ellis of Sayre 94; Bill & Leslie Kendrick of Kissimmee, FL 82; Bernice Carter of Leedey 86, Francis Franklin Winkleblack of Pampa 89; Tommy Steere of Woodward 81; Lula Driver of Elk City 93; Norman Widener of Cheyenne 90; Dessie Webb of Strong City 88; Neva Shevast of Amarillo 80.
Old Settlers Souvenirs can be purchased at the Old Settlers Headquarters. The Prairie Fire posters will be given at the bank and along with the Cheyenne Star, they will have the latest on the events. Souvenirs include the buttons, string ties, mugs as well as Centennial Coins and Oklahoma’s Centennial Throw.
Cheyenne Star once again will publish the Special Edition of the Old Settlers Cheyenne Star.
All antique cars, tractors, farm machinery, washing machines, etc. are invited to be displayed during the Old Settlers Reunion. The Dickason family has donated the use of their lots in the block west of Security State Bank for these items. This will also get you the best parking place in town after the parade and each person will receive a Centennial coin. The antiques will be on display until 4:00 p.m. Items may be brought on Friday.
In a town our size it takes everyone to put on a celebration like Old Settlers. THANKS to everyone that helped out in any way. Plans are already underway for the Reunion in 2012.