Tenth Generation

3739. Minnie E. CLAPP was born on 20 July 1870 in Van Buren Co., IA.⁸⁴⁵ She appeared in the census in 1880 in Gypsum Creek, McPherson Co., KS.⁸⁴⁵ Minnie E. CLAPP Dau F S W 9 IA Fa: IN Mo: OH She died in 1929 at the age of 59 in Alva, Woods Co., OK.

Minnie E. CLAPP and Bryan Cole SMITHSON were married on 19 October 1886 in Greensburg, Kiowa Co., KS. Bryan Cole SMITHSON, son of William SMITHSON and Martha HORNER, was born on 31 December 1870 in San Antonio, Bexar Co., TX. He died in 1951 at the age of 81 in Alva, Woods Co., OK. Pioneer Footprints Across Woods County 1967 by the Cherokee Strip Volunteer League

SMITHSON, B. C.

"Bryan Cole Smithson, the son of William and Martha Horner Smithson was born in San Antonio, TX. December 31, 1862. His wife Minnie Clap was born in Van Buren County, Iowa July 20, 1870. They met in Greensburg, KS. and were married there, Oct. 19, 1886. They lived there until 1893, coming to Oklahoma with the opening of the Strip, along with his father-in-law Uriah Clapp and brother-in-law George Clapp. "

"George Clapp gave up his claim south of Alva and homesteaded on land that is now owned by Don Smith. It was close to his father's land. Later he moved to what is known as the Brown place and is farmed by Frank McMurphy. A tragedy occurred when he lost his wife and four of his children including twin boys, with his children including twin boys, with diphtheria. They are buried in the Whitehorse cemetery. The other two children, Mart, and Moe, were taken by Bry Smithson and wife to rear along with their family. George Clapp later married Phena Clapp. He reared a second family of six children. They later moved to Manson, Washington, where George died some time ago and Phena passed away this year (1976).

Bryan Smithson made the race in a buckboard with a team of horses. He first staked his claim 4 1/2 miles south of Alva on land now owned by Gene Tyree. He later moved to the Cora neighborhood and homesteaded 15 miles west of Alva near his father-in-law. There was plenty of water for his livestock here. He put his cabin below the rim of rocks for protection from the weather. There were many arrowheads and other Indian artifacts found here. The Indian who had told them about the water also said the large hole in the huge red rock had been ground smooth by Indians crushing corn. There were also fresh-water fossils found in these rocks.

The first cabin burned down and Bry and his family lived with Uriah Clapp until this could be replaced. A house was moved from Greensburg, Kansas with horses. It took many months to move it as roads had to be built, hills circled and crossing fixed. This house was put at the spring and stood for many years. It was a mansion for those days and both families lived there for a time.

Ten children were born to Bry and Minnie Smithson. There were six girls, Mary (Mrs. John Engle), Ethel (Mrs. Ollie Bloyd), Lena (Mrs. Melton), Bertha Smithson, Josie (Mrs. Norbert Peters), and Opal who died in infancy. The four boys were William, Carl, George, and Ollie. Survivors today (1976) are Mrs. Lena Melton, Irving, Texas., Mrs. Josephine Peters, Caldwell, Kansas and George and Ollie of Alva. Bry's brother, Henry, and his ailing father, William Sr. had also come to live with them so there were fifteen mouths to feed.

When we think of the labor from sun-up to sun-down, the washings by board, the crop raising, the milking, the sewing (mostly by hand), the ironing (and much starch was used in those days), the canning and drying of fruit, the gardening, the huge task of feeding fifteen mouths three times a day, we think what interminable hardships they must have endured. But what to us would seem almost impossible was to them a way of life and a good one.

The ground was new and fertile and anything planted usually made a good crop when rains were plentiful. There were lots of sweet potatoes raised, and sometimes fed to the cattle, Irish potatoes, watermelons, muskmelons, pumpkins, squash, tomatoes, and all other kinds of garden produce were grown. Chickens were raised and cows were milked, so there were plenty of eggs, milk, cream, butter and cottage cheese. Several pigs would be butchered at once. The meat would be smoked or salted and put in a meat box. The lard would be rendered outdoors in an iron kettle. The neighbors would help and they, in turn would help the neighbors.

The principal crops were corn, wheat, oats, kaffir corn, and some broom corn. The ground was listed, using four horses, and when later, a two-row lister was used, it took six horses to pull it. There were two lead horses, and one was sometimes ridden by a child to help with the guiding. There was much competition over who could make the straightest furrows. The key was to keep your eyes on a far site, a distant goal. Perhaps there is a moral here. Corn was raised for food and fuel. IT was eaten as roasting ears, dried, ground to make cornbread and mush, used for livestock food and burned for extra warmth in the cast-iron, wood-burning heater. Corn was very cheap, and a load would only bring around $2.50, but three or four times a year, a load would be taken o Alva to buy necessary supplies. Everyone was happy when a store and post office located at Cora.

The wheat would be planted between the rows of kaffir corn (or other rowed crops.) with a small four-hole drill pulled by one horse. Later as farming advanced 12 hole drills were used pulled by four horses. Wheat was cut either by a binder or header. The barges would stack it and then a long wait for a threshing machine and crew to come through. Wheat was ground for flour, boiled for breakfast food and soaked for pigs.

There was much herding to be done as there were few fences. It was not legal for the settlers to cut their own timber for fence posts, as the land belonged to the government until proved up on. Most law officials overlooked this, but a few would confiscate the posts and later on have a sale of government property and get to keep half of the proceeds. This made the settlers unhappy and some of them would go o the "Ragged Hills," over by Quinlan to cut cedar posts. This took three days. They would build a campfire at night, then put it out and spread their blankets over warm earth where the fire had been. Of course if caught the posts would be confiscated and the settlers fined. The posts would sell for $1.50 per load to buy supplies.

Bryan Smithson gave permission for school to be put on his place with the understanding that when the school was no longer in use, the land would revert back to the owner. Years later the school was consolidated with Farry, the building moved there, and the land reverted back to the present owner. Bry's children received their grade education here.

Pony racing was a popular sport as everyone had a pony. Dancing was also popular, not only in public places, but in the homes. Saturday nights were gala nights as the parties made the rounds, especially in the summer time when out-door party games were played Everyone took turns being hosts. Card parities were also popular and sometimes the furniture had to be moved out of the houses to make room for the people.

When the children were out of grade school a house was purchased in town and Mrs. Smithson would move to town and send the children to school in the winter, then move back in the spring. When the boys were old enough to assume the farm work Bry Smithson took a job with the Crowell Lumber Co. of Alva. His wife Minnie died in 1929 at Alva.

After Bry's retirement a small home was built for him on the ranch so that he could come to the country whenever he wished. His home was destroyed by the tornado of 1947. It was the first building replaced by his son George (who was called "Young Bry") and who now owned the ranch. On the site where Bry homesteaded a house had burned down, a barn had burned down, a house and eleven other buildings had been destroyed by a tornado, still the place survived, a tribute to a pioneer who planted his roots deep, a badge of courage which he, and others like him, bequeathed to a coming generation so they too might leave their footprints in the future history of Woods County.

Bryon C. Smithson passed away at Alva in 1951.

By Mr. and Mrs. George Smithson "

Minnie E. CLAPP and Bryan Cole SMITHSON had the following children: