What was the draw for Anders and Christ to move from Iowa to Oklahoma?

What motivated Anders Olson  and Christ Miller to up and move their families to Oklahoma?  They were well established in Jewell, Iowa with homes, a farm with good friends and family.  Anders had only recently purchased farm land from his FIL Christ Miller in September 1895.   Anders would have to leave his two sisters and their families and start anew in Oklahoma.  His children wouldn't have the opportunity to grow up with their cousins.  I am sure it was a hard decision to make. 

 Document showing Anders' purchase of Christ Miller's farm near Jewell

 

Christ and Dora moved into Jewell and set up a home there.   As I have written before, Christ had become quite active in the city life of Jewell.  He seemed to be dealing in real estate and taking an active role in city affairs, even running for city council.  He was well respected in his community.  

 

Newspaper articles started appearing in the local papers around Jewell in the late 1890's about cheap and abundant farm land in Oklahoma.  They even offered excursion trips for anyone interested in seeing what Oklahoma had to offer.  I would almost bet that Anders took a trip to Oklahoma to check out farmland before he made the move.  (we know he checked out farm land in other areas of the west after living in Lexington)  There was already a train station in Purcell, so it would have been an easy trip to check things out.  

 

Here are some of the ads appearing in the Jewell Record.  The first one is for land excursions to various states, including Oklahoma.   

 

 

This one states that Oklahoma Lands are for sale and this will be the "last" opportunity for cheap homes in the United States.  They claim that the soil is deep and rich and the climate is healthy.  They warn not to wait because the country is building up fast. They also say that Oklahoma is the paradise of the south-west.    hmmm

 

 

Another ad for land in Oklahoma. 

I did find this article proving that at least Christ Miller traveled to Cleveland County to check things out and he appears to be well pleased by what he saw.  The article appeared in the Jewell Record in April of 1901.  It appears that he did a little poking at Iowa!   Since he bought several farms, it makes me wonder if he bought land for Anders and family as well.  I need to go check the land records in Cleveland County.  The article is a little hard to read, so I will write it out below.

"Chris Miller one of the veteran farmers of this locality returned from Oklahoma Monday where he has been since last November.  He has purchased several farms near  Lexington and comes back with the intention of selling his property here and moving there at once.  He advertises a sale of his household goods.  Oklahoma is ahead of Iowa according to Mr. Miller's theory.  Crops are up and fruit tree are in bloom."  Jewell Record 1901

 

Christ and Dorothea came before Anders moved his family to Lexington.    Both families lived just across the road from each other.  I think  Anders was motivated by having the opportunity to own a larger farm.  He had only been able to purchase around 25 acres from his FIL in Iowa.  Having around 160 acres in Oklahoma would greatly increase his ability to grow more crops with a longer growing season and wouldn't have to worry about tiling his property and paying tiling fees like he did in Iowa.  I am sure he had plans to purchase more farmland once he was well established.  Knowing Christ's love of fruit trees, he soon put in an orchard.  There is a story that years later his grandson Victor would race home and help his Grandfather Christ hook up buggy, so Christ could travel to the Purcell train station and sell his fruit to the various passengers.  Christ would always be sure to give Victor a few coins or candy for his help.  

The milder Oklahoma weather was also a draw for the two men.  They didn't have to mess with months of snow!  Dorothea Miller who I have been told had a lame foot was probably grateful to live in a warmer climate.

 

I love the painting below by Carrie Olson Henderson of the Christ Miller's homestead in Lexington.  You can see that she included the orchard planted by Christ.  Dorthea at the gate welcoming her daughter Anna and SIL Anders and the children.  And you can see Christ standing by his orchard.  Such a lovely look into their lives that she was able to capture in her painting.   

 

 

 

 

The log cabin the Olson Family lived in after they moved to rural Cleveland County

 

 

I guess there were some that thought Christ Miller wouldn't last long in Oklahoma and would be back to Iowa.  But it looks like he made a liar out of them. Here are some newspaper articles that I came across mentioning that Christ would return.    I love where they say their clothes are made for colder climates.  Like they couldn't buy or make cooler clothing that was suited for Oklahoma.

 

 

 

The train station in Jewell where the family would have left from in 1901 

It took several boxcars for Anders to move his equipment, household goods and animals from Jewell to Purcell, Oklahoma.  He rode with the stock and Anna and the kids rode in the passenger car.  I am not sure if he brought them down before or if they all come together on the same train. 

 

 Purcell Train Station

The scene that welcomed the Olsons to their new home  

There is one funny story that Victor Olson always told about when they arrived in Oklahoma.  He was only about three years old at the time and Mabel would have been an infant.    

When the family arrived in Purcell, Mr. and Mrs. Ross came to the train station to pick up the family.  Since Victor was so young, Mrs. Ross held onto him in the front seat of the buggy, while Anna held onto Mabel.  The other kids got to ride in the back and this made Victor so angry because he thought he was old enough to ride in the back with his older siblings.  As they came to the Canadian River Mrs. Ross wrapped her arms around him so he didn't fall as they crossed the river in order to get to their new home in Lexington.  Because of this Victor didn't like Mrs Ross for quite some time because she had held him as they rode home.  The Ross family became very good friends with the Olsons and years later when Mrs Ross was about to pass away, Victor was there with the family on the night she died.  

 

The picture below is possibly what it looked like to cross the river.  No way of telling how high the water was at that time.  But can you imagine crossing that with only a horse and buggy?  No wonder Mrs Ross and Annie hung on to Victor and Mabel for dear life.  A bridge across the Canadian between Purcell and Lexington was not built until 1910.   Just think of the time and effort to move all their belongs, farm equipment and household goods across this river and several miles drive to their new home. 

South Canadian River

Lucky for them a new bridge was built that made getting their crops to market a lot easier. 

State of Oklahoma approving the new bridge between Lexington and Purcell just a few years after statehood

 

 

A few articles from the Lexington Leader encouraging citizens to buy stock in the new bridge.

 

 

The new 1910 bridge! 

 

 

Since a bridge was not built until 1910, the elderly Christ Miller would have had to cross the river whenever he went to the Purcell Train station to sell his produce.  

 

The Millers and the Olsons then began their new lives in rural Cleveland County and become even more successful than they were in Iowa.