The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-02-09

aorSiStenI pI
- Of Oklahoma is the woman
/ steadier. Since the first day of
O-D oring of old Oklahoma to set
Invent in 1889, when Nannette
4 ~ inmped from cowcatcher of
,oine on the first train that
ongbt thousands of home-seekers
~ the territory and staked off a
~, in 1.-The promised land the
IN homesteader has been occu-
r front seat in Oklahoma's
1 .ob of progress. The instances are
- fow where women have staked
h claims, superintendent the cultiva-
for years and finally won the
.;,o-s deed to a quarter section
land from Uncle Sam.
Miss Nannette Daisy had been
h.onin4nt in Kentucky before COM
IN oklahoma, now more than
ronty years ago, having been an
,o;stant state superintendent of
Dbools and with much knowledge of
70 noIitical game. From an Incl
ant in her life in the Blue Grass
toto in fact, was born the drama,
A IN Old Kentucky" of which her
;,cman was the author. 1t was such
woman who was Oklahoma's first
bmiDine homesteader.
After the train carrying the anX-
kus bomeseekers entered the con-
mes of what was to become Oklaho-
a Miss Daisy was winsome and per-
stent to such an extent that the
sngineer gave her permission to ride
n the cowcatcher, promising her al
4 that he would slow up the engine
Efficiently, when signaled by her,
i allow her to leap from her place
h the engine without injury.
Tnderskirt Marked Her Claim.
The plan worked admirably.
Gaping from the engine Miss Daisy
/ imbed a small embankment, made
Then the road was constructed, and
lastily disengaging herself from
Bhite underskirt she pinned it to a
leighboring blackjack bush and
billed to the other passengers, as
be train started ahead with renewed
peed:
This is my homestead"
That tract of land, near Waterloo
bid lying along the Santa FEES main
Ine through this state, is still known
/ the Daisy farm. She made good
b the claim, got a patent from the
byernment and held the farm in her
lame until the time of her death in
lhiCago several years ago. She at
4ined considerable prominence in
|klahoma politics in the early days,
hd was a personal friend of many
i en- who have since become wealthy
hd well known in political and bust
hss circles. Afterward she married
soldier one of the men stationed
! old Fort Reno, and following his
ftirement from the service they
loved to Chicago, where he died.
In the majority of cases the wO-
ian homesteader, as with Miss Daisy,
Cmes from family of prominence
the older states, and was tired of
be grind in the school room, or the
fore. or the social whirl, yearned
pr the freedom and the health that
western claim will give. 1t is a
AIl of the wild that many cannot
ssist.
1t is estimated that more than one
lndred lone women are holding
aims in Beaver county this winter,
a rule living in dugouts and wait
g for the springtime in order to
lltivate the land. It's plucky
ling to do, but it's a pluck that in
ractically every instance brings sue
'ss as well as health and freedom.
After they have lived on their
aims during the period specified by
ncle Sam they make application for
pal proof, the last thing necessary
sIore obtaining deeds. J. S. Fisch-
! United States land commission
at TeXhoma, says, as a rule, the
omen pick the choice tracts of land.
this connection it is interesting to
PIE that the United States commits
oner at Tyrone, in Beaver county,
a woman-Mrs. Susan Healey.
amy women homesteaders appear
pore her to file on claims and make
pal proofs.
Women Are Specialists.
Inc woman at the head of a farm
III almost every instance a special
In numerous cases they have
zen exceedingly successful in differ
INES of horticulture, agriculture
~ raising Of livestock. Following
T harvesting of a mammoth crop
cantaloupes Miss Edith Nelson,
% IS holding down claim near
puma, in what was formerly "No
tln S Land" shipped six bushels of
gu from her cantaloupe patch to
e OF the largest seed distributing
uses IN the United States and re-
yea fancy price for the shin
NLIsS Nelson saved the seed from
nCdIoupes which were too ripe for
iAeC'hg. She removed the seed
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