Oklahoma Odyssey
    written : Aug. 25, 1982

" Why My Parents Left Kansas for Okla."
by Beulah May FRANKLIN-GRIEDER (1908-2000),
Daughter of Catherine Elizabeth "Cass" (NIMROD) & Benjamin FRANKLIN,
~ maternal granddaughter of Thomas Aaron & Nancy CRAWN-NIMROD
& paternal granddaughter of Mathew & Eliza HOYLAND-FRANKLIN

It was because of my Mother's
health - she had Astma (Asthma)
and the doctor said a change
of Climate is all that would help.
They made a bed in the covered wagon and
carried her to it. also 3 children and there
furniture and other belongings in another
covered wagon. The children were Albert
Ralph and Iva.
When they got as far West as Liberal, Kans.
she slept all night for the first time in a
long time with her breathing problems.
They continued on untill they were in
Beaver county Okla. and settled there.
It was 3 miles from the Texas line
and called "No Mans Land" Indian Territory.
There home was a Sod house and that
is where Paul was born, the year 1905.
In 1908 I was born but Uncle Perry** had
come and built onto the sod house so it
was really part Sod House at that time.
Papa homesteaded that place then
later traded it for a Grocery store at
Speermore Okla
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(Page 2)

which was near there.
We lived there untill I was around 4 yrs old
Maby between 4 and 5 yrs. then Papa traded
the store for a farm not maby 2 miles North
of Perry Okla.
The move was on again in 2 covered wagons
plus 5 children and a shepard dog following
behind.
Albert and Ralph were driving the first Wagon
and Albert made music playing the old
organ* - I can remember the trip of a few
things, what it all looked like and the
Camping at night and my mother cooking
on a campfire but I don't remember eating!
They had to cross the Cimmeron river on
some sort of a make shift wooden deal and
had to be carefull because it was quick
sand Any how we made it to the farm.
I have no idea how long it took and have
always wondered.
It was a nice place with lots of fruit
trees but I don't think we stayed 2 yrs
and it was time to move on - Papa
again traded that for another Grocery store
in Glencoe Okla.
I would have thought my Mother would
have died from it all, but her health was good then.
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(page 3)

We must not have stayed in Glencoe not
quite 2 years because I went my first year
to school there and my second one was in
Burden Kans.
The time spent in Glencoe was something
else. One night a fire broke out in one
of the stores and burned out one whole side
of the main street business places and our
store was one of them - no insurance!
But several towns around took up a
Collection and helped them all re build.
So much for Okla and now were on the
move again to Burden Kans. only this
time we left by train - Mama - Papa - Paul
and Iva & me.
Ralph and Albert had gone to Lamar Colo and
filed on some Government land there.
We stayed in Burden untill I believe it
was 1927 and it was way past time for
another move which as Wichita KS. and a
Hamburger stand this time, He kept it about
6 yrs. My Mother passed away (60 yrs old)
then he moved back to Burden and married
Lizzie Triplett, after she passed away Papa
moved back to Wichita and lived with me the
last 5 yrs he lived.
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(page4)

What is strange About All this moving
Half of Papa's relatives all went too -
We were as I've often said like a tribe
of gypsies - there was his sister Aunt
Mattie and her husband and there daughter
Maggie and her husband - there son
Forrest and his wife and daughter (her name is Beulah too)
then on of papa's nieces and boy came and stayed
a short time: Her name was Mamie Crab.
As you well know the size of Burden KS.
Papa moved his store 5 times - on the West side
of main street He had been on the North and
South Corners and 2 different buildings in the
Middle on the East side of main street it was
the large building at the North end.
When Ralph and Albert were small he had
a restraunt on the east side somewhere in
the middle of the block.
Papa was a Good hearted and Good Natured
person - Irish and Scotch and believed in Not
meddling in other people's business and
every one like him.
My Mother was a Good Woman - Good Natured
and got along with most people and every
one I knew loved her - ashe was a lot of fun
This about covers the life of your Grandparents
To my Cousins it was Uncle Ben and Aunt Cass (over)
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(page5)

I might add that at the time My Mother passed away
she didn't have Astma.
Her death was from surgery for Ruptured Appendix
She was in St. Francis Hospital 3 times that year
because of the complications of the Surgery. died at 60 yrs old.

Papa had nothing wrong with him except
his heart attacks which was 3 died at 87 yrs old
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NOTATIONS:
* (mouth organ = harmonica)
** Perry NIMROD - a maternal uncle
The Soddie Home Claim located @ 1/2 mile West of Newkirk, Kay county, OKLA. (*see Notes below by Bill F.)
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Glencoe, Payne county, Oklahoma - Postcard sent by Albert Franklin in Oklahoma,  to his Grampa Tom Nimrod in Kansas - This is the aftermath of the fire that Aunt Beulah mentions in her story above. Albert wrote that their family store was somewhere in that rubble and ashes.

From the Family Records of Annette Jane "Annie" (nee FRANKLIN) BELEW-WHEAT,
Annie is the daughter of Albert William FRANKLIN & Hilda Charlotta RUMBAUGH:

Descendants of Mathew FRANKLIN who moved from Ohio to Kansas in 1880:

1. Mathew FRANKLIN
b. 22 Feb, 1824
d. 10 Jan, 1900
mar.
Spouse: Eliza HOYLAND
b. 14 Aug, 1826
d. 24 Feb., 1903 

Children:

2.1 - Martha FRANKLIN b. 1849 - d. 1932
2.2 - Mary FRANKLIN  
2.3 - Sadie FRANKLIN b. 7 Jan., 1855 - d. 18 Apr., 1904
2.4 - John FRANKLIN
2.5 - Irvin FRANKLIN
2.6 - Edd FRANKLIN  d. 1892
2.7 - Benjamin FRANKLIN b. 8 Mar., 1867  - d. 12 Nov., 1954

They were all buried in the Burden Cemetery, Burden, Cowley County, Kansas, except for Mary & John.  Mary was buried in the state of Washington, and John in Ohio. John FRANKLIN fought in the Civil War and was in his late 30s when he died, unmarried.

2.1. - Martha was known as "Aunt Mattie"
Mattie FRANKLIN-WATSONBERGER
 children:
3.1 - Margaret "Maggie" WATSONBERGER,
3.2 - Forrest WATSONBERGER

2.2 -  Mary FRANKLIN (F) Spouse Unknown
Married Name (Unknown)
 children:
3.3 - Mattie (F) (______)
3.4 - Edd (F) (______) 
3.5 - Arthur (F) (______)

2.3. - Sadie was known as "Aunt Sally"
Sally FRANKLIN-WILSON
 children:
3.6 - Anna WILSON,
3.7 - Mamie WILSON
3.9 - Doug WILSON

2.4.  -John FRANKLIN - (never married / no known issue)

2.5.  - Irvin FRANKLIN
 children:
3.10 - Nettie FRANKLIN,
3.11 - John FRANKLIN

2.6. - Edd FRANKLIN
  children:
3.12. - Lewis FRANKLIN

2.7.  - Benjamin FRANKLIN married: Catherine Elizabeth NIMROD "Cass"
 children:
3.13 - Albert FRANKLIN, mar.  Hilda Charlotta RUMBAUGH
3.14 - Ralph FRANKLIN,
3.15 - John FRANKLIN,
3.16 - Paul FRANKLIN,
3.17 & 3.18 (twins) - both died at birth
 

Albert FRANKLIN

"Oklahoma Odyssey" contributed to this Family History by Beulah M. Franklin-Grieder in May 1999, through the hands of her nephew, William "Bill" Franklin & her Grand-niece, Susan Phillips.

Aunt Beulah passed quietly away on July 6th, 2000, in Wichita, Kansas, at the age of 92 yrs, 2 mos, 6 days.