The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-01-31
Girl Who staked First Claim in
Oklahoma is Famous
BORN POLITICIAN SHE RULED MEN
TOOK HAND IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS
AND PULLED THE WIRES OF
STATE.

4
train that came into Oklahoma from
the south on that memorable April %
1889. carried as passenger on the
cowcatcher a young woman, who was
later to play an important part in Ok
lahoma politics. Sitting gracefully on
on the front end of the engine, on that
the engineer a prearranged signal
when few miles north of what is now
the town of Britton, in Oklahoma coun-
ty, and as in response, he slowed the
engine and climbing up the embank-
ment. tied her petticOat to a young
black jack tree. calling to the other
passengers on the train, This is my
claim" So far as known she was the
first woman to file on claim in "Old"
Oklahoma, and also her claim was the
first filed on by any one of the thou
sands of people who came into the ter
ritOry that day on trains. The persons
who came in on horseback and in
wagons. of course filed earlier than she.
To this day the claim is still in her
name, although the matter Of settling
her estate is now in the court. From
the day she leaped from the cowcatcher
and tied her petticoat to a tree she was
an eccentric character in the territory:
The nexa morning after stalking out
her claim, Nanette Daisy, who only a
few months before had held the polit-
ical appointment of state superintend-
ent of instruction in Kentucky, was at
the Guthrie land office to make the
proper filings on the land. She soon
became acquainted with politicians and
newspaper men, among whom there
was not a better organizer and wire
puller than Nanette Daisy. Through
! the territory she was known as Ken
lucky Daisy" and under this name she
litically of many men prominent at
that time and since in territorial af-
fairs. Although these friendships were
| formed with prominent men in both
true to the Bourbon democracy which
she had inherited from a long line OF
Kentucky ancestors.
She Represented "CoIumbia".
| In the first Fourth of July celebra-
ton in Guthrie, Nanette Daisy repre-
scented columbia" in the big parade
being chosen for that honor by a ma
| jOrity vote of the people. She was an
unusually finelooking young woman
| intelligent and cultured, having been
a successful teacher in Kentucky
quick at repartee and generally popu-
lar. These qualities brought her con-
stantly before the public and on all
occasions she was among the first to
be solicited to participate in the honors
and social events of the youthful terri
torial capital. Frequently she was
solicited, too, to address conventions,
political and educa tional, and her tai
ent as an elocutionist was both marked
and interesting. In her addresses she
used this talent with such success that
she became a very popular speaker.
When the Sac and Fox country, in
eastern Oklahoma, was opened to set
Element in 1892, Nanette Daisy again
came into prominence. Astride a
strong horse, with thousands of others,
she made the race on to the town site
of Chandler to secure a town lot. The
race was across broken, hilly country
at times through the Deep Fork valley,
wooded and filed with underbrush, At
ter reaching the town site, in running
her horse underneath a tree her hair
caught on limb, pulling her from the
horse. She received injuries that at
the time were supposed to be fatal. In
fact, that she did escape was miracu-
lous. for where she was thrown other
horses by hundreds galloped after
ward, and in the crush it was be-
lieved that she would be killed under
meath their hoofs. even if her first in
juries were not fatal.
Loved and Welded a Soldier.
When this territory was opened to
settlement, and for some time after
ward. the war department maintained
several companies of regulars here to
keep the peace. This was done at the
request of the interior department, of
which at that time, Gen. Noble of st.
Louis was at the head. Among the
regulars was young Swede, by name
of Svegeborg, ten years younger, per-
haps, than Nanette Daisy, but hand
some in form and upright in his bear
ing. Although having had and re-
fused numerous matrimonial offers,
some of them from men who have
since become prominent in the mercan-
tile and political world of the new state
Nanette Daisy became enamored with
the young soldier, resulting later in
their marriage.
Svegeborg remained in the army
and she, for some time, continued her
work in public life. But, according to
old residents here, the marriage did
not eliminate so happily as she had ex-
pected. nor so satisfactory as both had
y Is II sss 500 .4s-