Shake Those Branches

                                                                Ethel Wall about the time she started school at Spring Hill Lewis Wall Jr.     In the 1890's, the Oklahoma territorial legislature began to set up a public school system in both the towns and rural areas.  The schools in the rural areas were placed about every three miles, so the children wouldn't have to walk to far each day.  The school at Spring Hill was first set up as a subscription school in 1890.   Later that year, the Abbott family donated some land for a school building to be placed near their homestead.  William Abbott and others in the community built the new school tha...

 While doing some newspaper research, I came across this school notice that Ralph Parsons dismissed school for a couple of days since he was needed as a witness in the trial of the State vs. Joe Myers.  This piqued my interest of what the trial was even about.  Of course after some quick research I found out what had happened.   Murder! The article below explains what happened when Joe Myers murdered his fellow farmer and friend Buck Story.  I have a couple of questions.  Was Ralph Parsons a witness to the murder or was he called as a character witness in the trial?  Now I have to see if I can find the court records and see why Ralph Parsons was needed at the trial.  The murder occurred near Lindsay, Oklahoma  on December 23, 1913 and the trial was held in February of 1914.  At this time Ralph was a teacher at Lindsay School.    So, did Joe Myers get sent prison or was he acquitted of Buck Story's murder?  See below to fin...