Finding Frank

This is Frank Matthew James, my Grandfather.

Today we had another day of fun in the Family History section of the Lawson Public Library. What a day we had! I immersed myself in the James family.

Here's a truth. You are not interested in family history until you become interested. Stay with me. I have been surrounded by family history for years, Gramma has been working hard on her family and mine. Yes, I knew a few things, but honestly I always seem to be to involved with the challenges of life for the three Auswanderers--doing chores, caring for the rigs, etc. But for the past few days, in this place and under these circumstances, I became Interested (capital I).

OK, back to the James.

Great Grandfather Andy James was born in Virginia in 1833. In 1863 he married Great Grandmother Susan Catherine Cole. Good decision, it seems. Andy and Susan had 12 children over the next 20 years. The first seven children were born in Virginia. The final five were born in the Oklahoma Territory or Texas. The circumstances of this move from civilization to the wild west are not completely clear.

Child number 8 was Grandfather Frank Matthew. He was the first born in the wilderness on 22 April, 1876 in "Chocata (sic) Nation, Oklahoma Territory". There is much to tell about the James family and the land they came to. I should write about these as part of my journal, my history, and the history of my children. But for today let me share a couple of highlights.

• Yesterday, we found the property for Great Grandfather Andy.

• He and three of his sons, John, Robert and William all claimed 160 acres as a part of the OK land rush. There's much to that story too.

• Yesterday I wondered about Frank.

• Today, continuing our research in the early OK Land Records, we found Frank! He too got his 160 acres, actually he got 320 acres from 1897-1902, in Section 24, Township 1N, Range 20W. That's 1/2 square mile of property!

• Today that property is SE of Altus

• Frank married Annie Lou Gore on December 10, 1902. Their story is for another day.