Ottawa, Kansas

While I was travelling home from Missouri last week, I discovered Ottawa, Kansas, the county seat of Franklin county.  I fell in love with the courthouse and the town.  Driving slowly along the main street, I discovered this place - Our House Runneth Over Antiques.

A lovely couple bought the building about 6 weeks ago and are working to clean up and get it operating.  At 8:30, on a very hot Wednesday morning, Mr Runneth Over and his helper were putting the sign on the awning.  Mrs Runneth Over was inside readying the shop.  I spent quite a while looking, even more time visiting, and ended up with three things from there.  My favorite purchase was a tea cup and saucer:

I wish I had bought another set to have a pair, so I’ll have to make another trip that way (aw shucks!) to stop in again.

Journal of trip to Missouri, day 6

Jefferson City, capitol of Missouri, is on the Missouri River and on the Lewis and Clark Trail.  About the same time I was driving the Trail through Missouri, my youngest brother and his daughter were camping on the same Trail in the Great Northwest.  Great minds think alike, huh?  

I parked in the lot and walked down to the riverfront to take a look in the museum.  It was closed.  Drat!  I walked back uphill to the road leading to the capitol building.  There is a nice park to walk through with a lot of interesting stops, including a view of the river.

I didn't get to learn anything more about the city itself except what I could see with my own eyes and read on the plaques.  I went on to Macon County and left the next morning. Enough said.

Journal of trip to Missouri, day 5

Howard Cemetery

Early this morning I made a trip to Callao, Missouri - a rather small town, as you can see.  It was early enough that I didn't see anyone out-and-about.  I found Locust Grove cemetery which is on the "west side" of town.  There were Summers family markers but I was looking for Howard Cemetery, also listed at Callao.  I toured the town and saw this original cabin.  

A block away from this cabin was a huge old house, in really good condition, two stories, a full attic, and what looked like a full basement.  What a contrast it was to this tiny reminder of the past.  

On the way back to the highway, I heard a voice and found that the local garage was open.  I stopped to ask directions to Howard Cemetery and turned around to go that way.  These photos are along Frontier Street.

Missouri has been one long ribbon of flowers along Highway 63, mostly creamy white Queen Anne's Lace, soft blue Bachelor's Button, and occasional bright spots of dark yellow black-eyed-susan-type flowers.  This mix also had purple in it.  I'm very thankful to Missouri road crews for leaving such an enchanting trail to follow.

I was beginning to worry about the road.  From Highway 3 I had turned west at the large metal building described by the direction-givers.  There was a sign at the corner saying Howard Cemetery.  It was a flat road of white gravel and my top speed was 25 miles an hour. The countryside was beautiful, but I wondered what I was getting myself into.  I have been known to make mistakes.

The road changed and wound past several isolated farms, my speed had slowed to 20.  I could see up ahead that the gravel was no longer solid across the road and grass had taken over the center of the lane.  Hmmm, how much traffic did this road get?  My speed was now down to 15 mph as I curved back and forth with the road becoming less distinct, although still easily seen.  One more stretch and this is what appeared:

My poor little pocket camera can't begin to show you the depth of the view.  Those blue hills on the left were amazing.  The grass in the cemetery is a lively green and the oaks are old and magnificent.  What a perfect resting spot for these settlers.

The Simmons-Summers family I was looking for are under the oaks.  Stockton Summers and Elizabeth Simmons married in Appanoose Co, Iowa, where she lived (Stockton was born in Randolph or Macon County, depending on the source).  They farmed in Iowa and their children were born there.  They appear to have moved to Macon Co about 1890 and lived the rest of their lives here.

I think Highway 136 must be through the prettiest part of Missouri - at least Putnam and Mercer counties.  I could drive a highway like that for hours and hours.  Saw these interesting businesses along the road today:  Grandma's Bloomers Greenhouse, west of Princeton, and La Tea Da, a house with gingerbread trim on Highway 63 north of Kirksville.  Also saw these two barns and stopped to take photos.  The white one was in the country on a farm, the second one in town.  I stood in a convenience store parking lot to take it.

Journal of trip to Missouri, days 3 and 4

I was up early this morning, having rested very well on Sunday.  Sunday afternoon I went to the Licking Cemetery but didn’t find George’s marker.  Storm clouds were rolling in and I returned to the Scenic Rivers Inn to read, rest, and wait for Monday.    Here’s where I sat watching the clouds for any tornado that might be coming my way.

The national weather service had issued a warning for the Rolla area and we were only 30 minutes away.  When the rain was blowing in too much, I returned to my room to read more.  About 6 or so, I looked up to see the left leg of a rainbow in the sky.  Three photos taken and it doesn’t show up in any of them.  So much for a pocket digital camera -my Pentax K1000 would have captured it. 

I looked again at Find-A-Grave where Linda Mondy has posted a photo of the marker.  Her photo has been chalked, so I knew it would be difficult to read, but the shape was uncommon so I should be able to easily find it.  There are 3900?  3600? postings in Licking Cemetery. 

Monday morning I went back as soon as it was daylight. 

 

I hadn’t noticed Sunday afternoon that the roads are laid out about 20 feet apart and that I could easily drive up and down looking only 10 feet or so from my car window.  What a wonderful plan that was!  That was in the “newer” part of the cemetery.  I did see this lovely angel perched high on a pillar keeping watch over the loved ones below. 

The older part, where I suspected I would find a gravestone from 1872 to 1886, was wider - more open - with  a road circling, but not cutting through the middle.  Nevertheless, I did easily recognize the shape of the marker and stopped the car.  Sure enough, it was the marker for George.

I’ve taken these photos of the marker and cemetery, but for reading the text of the marker, see Linda’s photo here.

I’m very fortunate that the pathway from Texas County to Macon County is through the heart of Missouri.  The drive is beautiful; wooded, farms new and old, fields with recently cut bales of hay, huge pastures of sheep - sheep! - for a minute I thought I was in Wales - cattle, horses, tractors.  A bucolic countryside, green and clean.  What a wonderful way to start the day.

I’ve stayed at Rolla many times over the years, but it occurs to me that I’ve never driven through Rolla.  The hotels were always on the highway - Interstate 44 - and Rolla is south of that.  So, I’ve finally driven through the town and will come back some day for another look. 

On to Jefferson City, Columbia, and Macon County.

George W Fisher and Drusilla Fouts

number of years ago in the Douglass, Butler Co, Kansas museum, I found a small sheet of paper that appears to be contemporary to the date upon it.  It says: 

Mcconnelsville

Morgan Co Ohio
Maried July the 27th 1841
George W Fisher to
Drusilla P Fouts
By Rev John Bierd
on sunday at ___ [three letter word - six?] o'clock 
in the morning at the 
Brides parents 

Drusilla was 19 when she and 20-year-old George married.  Sometime between their wedding and the 1845 birth of daughter Sarah, they moved from Ohio to Iowa.  They appear together on census records in Iowa for the years 1850, 1856, 1860; then in Missouri in 1870.  They had at least 5 children (there’s a big gap between child 3 and child 4).

George Fisher died in 1872.  Drusilla continued to live in Missouri with her son George who died in 1886, leaving a wife and three children.  Drusilla may have continued to live with her daughter-in-law since the children were young, helping to care for them.

n 1992 I found Drusilla’s obituary in that wonderful Douglass Museum. 

---date written in: July 17, 1910   "Death of Mrs Fisher"

     On Sunday afternoon last, at 3 o'clock, Mrs Drusila Fisher, the aged mother of Mrs Evaline Farnsworth passed away, after a long season of failing health incident to extreme age.  Mrs Fisher was born in Bethany, Brook county, Va, September 10, 1821, being 88 years, ten months, and seven days old at the time of her death.  July [27th is written over the printed date], 1840; she was married to George W Fisher.  To this union was born two sons and three daughters.  The two sons and one daughter had preceded her to the other shore and her husdand [sic] went before her thirty eight years ago.  A number of years ago she came to Douglass to reside with the family of Dr Taylor, Mrs Taylor being her daughter.  With them she removed to Carthage, Missouri, and resided there until after the death of Mrs Taylor, and then came to Douglass, and has been with her sole surviving child, Mrs Farnsworth, until death came to take her forward. At the age of 20 she made profession of faith in Christ, and lived the Christian life for the period of a long life time. For some months her health had been failing.  First a dangerous condition of the heart afflicted her. Then  she  suffered a stroke of paralysis.  Last Thursday she sustained a second stroke from which she never rallied.  The funeral was held from the  house, Monday afternoon, conducted by Neal Overman, minister of the Christian church, and the body was laid to rest in the Douglass cemetery.  She leaves one daughter, 16 grandchildren, thirty-two great grandchildren, and three of the fourth generation.  She also leaves the memory and example of a life of industry and faithful duty.             

Drusilla is buried in Douglass Cemetery, Douglass Twp, Butler Co, Kansas

George and Drusilla’s oldest daughter, Martha Evaline, married George W Farnsworth, my great-great-great uncle.  Evaline and George Farnsworth lived in Sherrill Twp, Licking Co, from 1870 to 1883 when they moved to Kansas.

This information from microfilm of the Douglass Tribune, Jan 6, 1888 - Dec 26 tells more of the travels of Drusilla:

--Friday, November 16, 1888, Upper Muddy:

*G W Farnsworth is building an addition to his dwelling.

*G W Farnsworth is expecting his wife home this week from Texas county, Missouri, where she has been visiting at her old home the last month, she will bring her mother with her.

--Friday, April 5, 1889, Upper Muddy:

*Mrs Fisher will start to her old home in Missouri next week.

n 1889, while still in Licking, Missouri, Drusilla filed for a pension based on son John’s Civil War service.  

The gist of it is this: 

Application of Drusilla Fisher of Missouri, County of Texas; on this 1st day of August 1889, . . . personally appeared Drucilla P Fisher, aged about 68 years . . . who makes the following declaration . . . that I am the mother of John S Fisher, who died at New Hope, Iowa, on the 20 day of Jany AD 1867 [sic], of disease while he belonged to Company I, 36th Iowa Vols.  That he left neither widow "his wife died", nor child or children under sixteen years of age surviving him; that I was married to George W Fisher, the father of said son, at McConelsville, Ohio, on the 27 day of July AD 1841.  That George W Fisher died at  Licking, Mo, on the 8th day of July 1872.  That I was partly dependent on said son for support. . .That my place of residence is Licking, Texas Co, Missouri

The Department wrote back asking for further information on John’s death and it was quite a while before Drusilla began to receive the pension.  In the meantime, she moved to Kansas and a request was sent for her new address:

July 5, 1893, Jno W Morris, Washington DC

Dear Sir,  Mrs Drucilla P Fisher's address is Douglas, Kan at which place you can address her.  Yours, C B Taylor / Drucilla P Fisher, mother of John S Fisher, Co I, 36th Iowa, No 402,109

 few years ago I corresponded with a Farnsworth descendant, Helen Martin, of Bartlesville, Oklahoma.  She sent me photocopies of many writings and reminisces that her family had collected.  Of those, one was a journal kept by George Fisher in 1866 on a trip from Iowa to Missouri and another was a journal kept by Drusilla in 1870 as she recorded events of a trip from Iowa to Missouri.  I have made a few changes while typing - but very few.

Wagon Trip, Year 1866, from Bellair, now Numa, Iowa, to Mendota, Missouri

Record by George W Fisher

Feb 11 - Sabbath morning, clear bright day.  We started from Appanoose County this morning to go to Lawrence County, Missouri.  We arrived at Melvin Knapps and Uncle J B fifteen minutes before three o'clock.  We came about 12 miles today, started this morning at ten o'clock, it is about seven o'clock now.

Feb 12 - We traveled about eighteen miles today, and put up at Mr Dillener, one mile from Unionville, Putman County, Missouri.  We passed through Cincinnati, Iowa, crossed two creeks, the Shoal and Black Bird.  I walked all day, it commenced snowing about half after two o'clock, it is about seven o'clock now.

Feb 13 - 1866 - Noon - stopped about nine miles south of Unionville, Putnam Co, Mo.  We passed Unionville this morning.  We passed through Jackson Corner and put up at Mr Brannens, and it is snowing, is like smoke, it quit snowing about 10 o'clock, and the wind raised and it turned very cold, the coldest day we have had.

Feb 14, 1866 - We are still at Mr Brannens, a waiting for better weather, it is about 11 o'clock.

Feb 15, 1866 - We travelled 22 miles today, and passed through Linneus and Laclede and stopped five miles south of Laclede.

Feb 16, 1866 - We crossed the Missouri River today, and stayed 12 miles south of Brunswick. We traveled 15 miles today.

Feb 19, 1866 - We traveled 22 miles today and stayed alnight 10 miles south west of Marshall, we passed through Marshall.

Feb 20, 1866 - We ovanted.  [?]

Feb 21, 1866 - We passed through Brownville today and stopped 15 miles from Sedalia.

Feb 22, 1866 - We started today, one mile south of Sedalia and stopped about 14 miles form Sedalia, and put up at Mr Kimbles.

Feb 23, 1866 - Friday morning, very cool morning, it rained some last night and is sleeting this morning.  We are laying up a waiting better weather.  The ground is freezing some.  It is eleven o'clock now and blustering looking day, twelve o'clock and still freezing.

Feb 24, 1866 - We started from Kimbles and we traveled about 15 miles today, and encamped five miles from Warsaw, on a rocky ridge, clear and the ground froze hard enough to bare up the wagon.

Feb 25, 1866 - We traveled 13 miles today, and passed through Warsaw and crossed the Osage River in a Ferry boat and encamped at the edge of Pumley Tar Bottoms.  We passed over rough roads today.  Traveled over hills of the Ozarks, in Mountains.  It still keeps clear.

Feb 26, 1866 - We crossed the Plumley Tar Bottoms and traveled 20 miles today.  

Feb 26, 1866 - Weather clear, we find pleasant roads, we traveled 20 miles today, encamped on Bear Creek.

Feb 28, 1866 - We arrived Isome today, in Lawrence County, Mo.  Found plenty of rocks and came 22 miles today.

March the first 1866, cloudy today and looks like rain.  McGuire and I went over to Breedens and got a load of corn and hauled a load of wood, and went a hunting and fishing in the afternoon.  Late in the evening still cloudy.

March the 2nd 1866 - Fornoon went a hunting and about half hour came back and shelled five pecks of corn.  Went a hunting again and killed one squirrel, one rabbit.  It is one o'clock, went a fishing, back and wrote part of a letter.

March 3rd 1866 - Went and helped chop two loads of wood, then went to John's Mill, came back and helped haul two loads of wood, went a hunting, so ended this day.

ps.  258 miles on this trip.

------------------------------------------

Drusilla Fisher's Diary of Trip in 1870

May 16, Monday, Left Moulton, Appanoose County, Iowa at half past ten, arrived at Coatsville between one and two, fed the horses, and eat dinner, came to Glenwood in the evening, and one mile south, went in camp for the night, after crossing the rail ten times, supper is spread, having ham, chicken, cookies and light bread, butter and sugar and coffee.

May 17 - A nice morning, I slept in camp the first time in my life, breakfast is over and we are ready to start on our journey, came through Queene City about 10 o'clock, camped for dinner on a stream south, gathered greens for supper.  Crossed r. r. 12 times, after dinner passed Greentop, crossed r.r. 3 times, went in camp on a creek at 4 o'clock, within 4 miles of Kirksville.  Cooked greens, eat them, spread tent.  Evaline done washing.  Mosketoes plenty, all well and ready for bed.

May 18 - Nice morning, breakfast over, ready to start, came in Kirksville as the bell rang for school in the Christian Seminary, eat dinner on the prairie, camped early, turned horses loose, two run about half a mile before caught.  (very tired)  Storm threatening.  Crossed r.r. 5 times today, here comes the train rushing by like a hericane, we are in camp by a water tank, supper of bread, butter, boiled eggs, molasses, sugar, rice, meat and coffee.  Already for the storm.

May 19 - All right this morning, storm went around north, cloudy and cool this morning, breakfast over, ready to go, horses lively as kittens.  (Noon)  Men are plowing corn, blackberries are in bloom, we passed through Atlanta about noon, halted mile out of town eat dinner, fed horses, then came on within 1 mile of Macon, pitched our tent, after crossing r.r 7 times, it is beginning to rain.  Here comes a little darkey from town with a carriage full of little girls, now supper is ready.

May 20 - Rained a nice shower last night, pleasent to travel this morning.  Now we are in Macon, stopped to get a shoe put on at a darkeys shop. Here comes a negro woman with a bucket on her head.  Dinner on a prairie by a school house.  Large orchard, peach trees full, not many apples, today we saw potatoes 6 inches high, peas knee high, was in bloom, pinks and roses in bloom.  Tonight we are encamped on a prairie in the edge of a beautiful grove, about a mile from Moberly.  Can hear the cars every few minutes.  Passed through Jacksonville today.

May 21 - Looked very much like rain this morning, but passed around.  Came through Moberly about breakfast time, saw 8 engines while there, saw 20 cars in one train.  Dinner in a fence corner in the shade of a tree.  Came through Rennick and Sturgeon today, saw a Catholic Church at Sturgeon.  Encamped in an old yard belonging to a man that has been on the railroad 7 years, we intend to stay here over Sunday.

May 22 - Sunday - 'Tis very warm today, but we have nothing to do but eat, sleep and read. There is a sunday school and meeting by the Christian denomination 1 mile from here, we would liked to have went if we could.  Had several calls today and many questions to answer, has been very dry weather here this spring.  While we were eating supper the clouds gathered up and began to rain, which made us gather up in a hurry and run to the house, some of us will sleep in the house tonight, some in the wagon.  Looks rainy yet, alls well as common.  We have got into the seed tick region, we are in site of Centralia, which is 7 miles east, no timber in sight east.

May 23 - It began to rain this morning about the time we were ready to start until we reached Centralia, saw a turn table there.  Came on to Mexico arrived at 5 o'clock by town clock, camped in the south edge of town.  Mexico is stuffed with rebbledom.  Supper over, had bread, coffee, crackers, dried beef, boiled eggs, butter, molasses, and raw peaches, today, large as my thumb.  All in bed but me, am writing by the campfire, the clock strikes nine.  I saw the graves of soldiers that Anderson killed while they were on the cars sick.

May 24 - We left Mexico before six this morning, passed through Concord before noon, came to Fulton at five, went half a mile south and camped in a bottom, saw more negros than white folks today.  Had buttermilk for supper, have plenty greens, chiefly polk.

May 25 - Started early this morning.  Road very dry and dusty, some big hills today.  Passed through Bloomfield before noon.  Crossed the Missouri on a steam ferry boat at 4 o'clock, landed in Jefferson City, saw the Capitol and State prison and National cemetery, with flag of our country floating high above.  Encamped tonight on the Moro, intended to fish some.

May 26 - Was cloudy all day today, crossed the Osage at nine o'clock on a flat boat, at Castle Rock, a little town named from a high ledge of rock with high peaks, on the banks of the river.  Bought fresh fish, 5 ct a pound, encamped on a small stream.

May 27 - This morning we traveled 10 miles, passed but one house, we walked up and down hills and picked strawberries, stopped for dinner, bought some warm biscuits from an old lady in the woods.  Several bad hills today.  The wagon tire got the small pox.  We are encamped on the Gascanade River, and we went to the Galarmes Patch and got some roots for the baby.  It is 18 miles from here to Rolla.  I am alright, I write a word then pick off a tick - good night.

May 28 - Crossed the river this morning, with the team, water ran over the axel tree, could see bottom all the way, traveled 12 miles, stopped for dinner, got buttermilk from an old darkey woman.  Had milk, bread, butter, and sugar for dinner, reached Rolla about 4 o'clock, but did not find any Fishers there as we expected.  Got two letters, which told us to go 4 miles south of Licking, where we would find him.  Camped 1 mile south of town, the next thing is supper.

May 29 - Encamped at Licking, Mo, Texas County, we thought we could reach our journeys end but could not, we traveled 18 miles before dinner, after dinner 16, reached Licking at dark.

May 30 - We started for Jasper Williams's this morning, met Pa on the road to Licking, it was about 10 o'clock when we reached here.  We are in a cabin with out floor or loft, will stay here until they can get in to their own house. 

t is a hundred years this month (July) since Drusilla died and I’m in the town and county in Missouri where she and George last lived together.  George died in July 1872.  They were married July 1841.  July seemed to be a notable month for them.  

Drusilla lived 31 years with George and 38 years without him, making her home with her children after his death.  I, too, am now making my home with my children . . .

Journal of trip to Missouri, day 2

Bridges:  Thinking about bridges, I choose to make a distinction.  In the previous post I called a highway overpass a bridge which, technically, it is.  Yet, an overpass is often connecting artificially built-up land while A Bridge, to my mind, connects gaps in natural features - waterways, gullies and canyons, chasms, the past and the present.

The link to Spans of Time, in the right-hand column, is a case in point.  They are man-made crossings of the openings nature has made.  Sometimes nature objects - as it did in Oklahoma County these last few weeks - changing dramatically what ODOT has built.  This internet photo shows that the bridge seems to have held up pretty well, but the road didn't.

I’ve seen quite a few boats on wheels this morning on I-44, mostly travelling west.  I wonder if they’re heading for Oklahoma.  Among other things, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board says that Oklahoma has approximately 55,646 miles of shoreline along lakes and ponds; that Oklahoma contains approximately 1,401 square miles of water area in its lakes and ponds (larger than the state of Rhode Island); that Oklahoma has approximately 167,600 miles of rivers and streams; that Oklahoma's longest river is the North Canadian River (752 miles); that Oklahoma's largest lake in surface area is Eufaula (105,000 acres).   Lake Eufaula has an Interstate 40 bridge that makes me smile each time I cross it - Lotahwatah (sp?) bridge.  That says it all about Oklahoma.

Also on the road this morning was a funeral procession - don’t remember ever seeing one on an interstate highway before.  Pulled over to watch a parachutist land at a small airfield alongside the road.  A car from Texas pulled in behind me to watch, too.  First mistake of the day was when I stopped in Rogersville at a tea room for lunch.  The place was charming but the food mediocre.    

I’ve seen a lot of Missouri barns.  I wish I could have stopped to take photos, but it’s difficult -when you’re travelling at 70 miles an hour - to stop on a dime.  None, though, compare to this photo sent by my cousin Pam of her barn in the Rogue River valley in Oregon.

In the early afternoon I spotted a billboard and began an animated ooh, ooh, oohing!:  Laura Ingalls Wilder historic home - just my cup of tea. 

I spent several pleasant hours in Mansfield, Missouri.  Stanley, our tour guide, was very good at his job; seeing the houses was wonderful.  Like Laura, I prefer the farm house that Laura and Almanzo built to the rock house built by her daughter.  I could easily live in that farmhouse if they should be in need of a live-in caretaker.  Wonder if they’re taking appliations?

Leaving Mansfield, it was a short while to Cabool where I turned north for Licking.  I had thought, in the morning, that I would be at Licking about noon and spend the rest of the day at the library and cemetery.  Not so - I had one more adventure coming.  I found out that my gas tank will take me 425 miles before it runs dry. 

It had been such a distracting day that I had forgotten to stop for gas.  But the Lord has always protected me from my own stupidity and He did so once again.  I ran out in a construction zone where traffic was one lane and slow and there was plenty of room for me to sit on the side of the road.  It was daylight, with plenty of it left, and there was a lot of traffic passing me by.  How could it get any better than that?  Then He sent an angel named Jean and her grandson Kade to rescue me.  Thank you, Lord, thank you, once again!

When I Finally arrived at Licking, it was late afternoon, I was tired and turning into a pumpkin.  The end of the day for me was arriving gratefully at the Scenic Rivers Inn where I was greeted by a friendly, smiling face.  I had made it through the day safely and blessed by kindnesses.

Journal of trip to Missouri, day 1

I’m a little nervous about this trip.  It will be the longest yet - on my own.  The sky is overcast, which is fine with me.  I’d rather drive in cloudy weather than bright sunshine.  There’s not much traffic on the turnpike as I head northeast.  And, of course, nearly everyone is passing me by.

The countryside is as green as it can get in Oklahoma and the wooded, rolling hills make for a peaceful drive.  There’s a relatively new bridge at mile marker 155 and it’s really nice.  It looks like stone work and has the shield from the state flag on the center pillar.   I had a hard time finding a photo of it but finally turned up this one taken by Gary McKinney and posted on Flikr.  I can only link to it, so click here to see it. 

$4.00 for the Turnpike fee!  Yikes!  A reminder to myself : get off at Bristow and Drumright on the way back; I haven’t been to those towns in a few years.

Wow!  I saw a cow!  I stopped for lunch at the Chick-Fil-A in Regal Plaza, south side of Tulsa.  I didn’t realize it was National Cow Appreciation Day so I was thoroughly amazed to see so many cows wandering around the restaurant, both sides of the counter.  Here’s what I saw.

It was great fun at one of my favorite places to eat and the service was extraordinary, even for Chick-Fil-A.  I wasn’t dressed as a cow, but was appropriately in black and white.

Next stop was at Gardner’s Used Books on Mingo Road in Tulsa.  It’s a big store and I found four books that I didn’t think I could live without.  Headed east again and finally stopped for the day at Joplin.  Tomorrow: Licking, Texas Co, Missouri and my first genealogy stop.