Fannie's Letters

In 1901, the Kiowa-Comanche-Apache Lands in southwestern Oklahoma Territory, were broken up and a lottery on over two million acres for homesteads was held. Mostly, what was won, were 160 acre parcels of land in three counties, Kiowa, Comanche and Caddo. But, sometimes there were unusual "winnings" besides the land!

One young lady, Miss Fannie Mae Bramblett, age 24, a school teacher in Coleman Co. TX, south of Abilene, won a claim in Kiowa County. But, she also apparently won some suitors for her hand in marriage, along with, (or perhaps, because of!) her claim. Miss Bramblett's great niece, Ms. Jacqueline Gray has graciously offered some of the letter from the young men seeking marriage, to the Kiowa County site. This material remains the property of Ms Gray, and can not be copied or duplicated in any form without her permission.


"My great aunt May was teaching school in Coleman City, TX, having graduated Baylor College in 1898, when she won her claim of 160 acres in what became Burford, OK. She was 24 yrs old at the time. In 1903 she married George Arnold, who owned a number of properties in Snyder, among them a Grocery operated by him and W. Lee Dunn. They lived in Snyder for 9 years, before selling out and moving to the mountains of New Mexico to homstead some property there. My Aunt lived in NM until she died in 1975 at the age of 98."


August 8th 1901

Miss Fannie M. Bramblett

Dear Madam
I thought I would rite you a few lines as I sean your name with the lucky ones that got places in the new country. I tried to get a place but did not get anything but after I looked over it I was glad I did not get one as it is very poor out there. I don't see anything to back it up is all. I went for I heard that there was going to be a girl given away with every place so I thought that I might stand a show to get one as I am single yet but I don't want a claim I just want the girl as she would be better than all the land in the new country to me
Are you going to file on your place or not?
you had better let it go as you are a single womanas you cant make a living out there by your self. Have you been married or not if it aint asking to much of you, how old are you and do you ever think anything of getting married. If you don't file on your claim I would like to correspond with you for a while as I am from Ft. Worth myself. My pa has freighted from Ft. Worth to Coleman City a long time ago. I would like to hear from that place very much as I like that country. I have some relatives living there yet but I lost track of them. I do believe that I have got the prettiest little cosin in Texas. She is about 20 years old but as pretty as the Texas girls ever gets and you no they get verry pretty down there. Well I hope you will answer this and tell me all the news. So I will close for this time if you will correspond with me for a while I would like it very much. I will send my picture to you and you can see how I look. Hope you will send yours.
So goodbye for this time.
Geo. O. Booker
Lexington, Okla.


Sept. the 20th 1901

Dear Madam
I thought I would rite you a few lines as I was so lonesome as I am batching and picking cotton and as I have never heard from you yet I thought you might bee sick perhaps and I could look you up. I hope you did not get mad over that letter that I rote you some time ago or over my picture did you.
Well fannie I am the same old boy and you will find that I am right after that little heart or yours and I will bee untill you answer my letter for I don't get tired of a girl till she says for me to quit. Now fannie don't you think eny thing of getting married or have you got a best fellow?if you have not I am him, say so
Well annie I don't know whether you are Miss or Mrs but I don't care for I am looking for a true loveing wife and I am not agoing to stop till I find her. But didnt you admire my picture very much. It is sweet isnt it. Now fannie you had just as well rite to me as not for I will never quit untill you do for I no you cant help but love that picture I sent you and you would love me if you could see me for I am the loveingest boy you ever see. Belive me fannie for that is the gospel truth as that is all I ever tell. Fannie I would like to call you my swetheart as I no you are a nice little girl and want a boy to loveyou and help you make a living in this world and I can love you if you would let me. What do you say fannie about that. Fannie you are not a going to live single all you live are you. When there are little hearts tha ach for you and with you they would bee happy day and night. Now fannie rite to this poor broken hearted fellow who would like to link his heart with yours and go through life with you as a mate as I no I could love you as any one could and I no you could love me as much. Fannie rite and say you love me a little if it wont hurt you and if you will you will never regret it for you will find a good true heart in the one that rote those few lines to you. Fannie don't bee so selfish to one that wants to love you an call you his own dear little girl. Now fannie think of me as I do you and rite to me.
Dear fannie if others bee as fair what are their charms to me I rather no nor care for thou art all to me.
Please don't get mad as this is my heart and I am sincear in my doing so. Rite soon. I would like to be your friend if no more.
your sincerely
G. O. Booker

p.s. beelieve ms fannie for my heart is on fire for you alone and without you it will still burn but with you it would bee happy all the time

lovingly
Oscar


Lexington O. T.
Octo. 5th 1901

Well I am sorry it made you mad to get a letter from a gentleman as I did not intend to make you mad but you are saddly off when you think that I was in that country last year for I was never in that place in my life and you never seen me in your life. If you don't think I am just what I say I am you can rite to the banker at lexington and find out all about me.it is not because you have got a claim out in the new country that I rote to you. It was just because I seen your name in the paper and thought you were single and might want to marry if you could get a good man. I was out to that country some time ago. Will go again this winter to look at some land at lone wolf. Well my heart is not all in ashhes yet. You can tell your ma that it is as big as a skined mule yet I think I have got as big a heart as eny one has. I am sorry that you had bad luck with that old man of yours as I guess you dream of him sometimes don't you.Have you got any children and how old are you if it is a fair question. I ont like to ask to many questions about you. Cant you send me your picture so I can see what you look like. I am sorry my picture looks so old to you but hope you will forgive me for beeing so fast in riting to you but I was bound to make youanswer one of my letters before I quit. Hope you will be friendly enough to rite some more to me and tell me all about things out there. I am still batching and picking cotton.

Your truly rite soon
Oscar Booker
N.B. those lasses down that tator row that is sweet if you are as sweet as that i would lke to kiss you for shure. Goodby sweatheart.


Oct. 10th 1901

May loveing Dear
As I read your letter over every day it makes me love you more and more darling. You are not mad at me but you thought you would play games on me but you cant do that for I no you are a smart littel girl and as sweet as those lasses that flowed down that tator row. Now darling May I love you and my poor heart is still on fire for you and it will never go to ashes for it is to big for all to burn up. Darling May you are my hearts desire. Darling you are the apple of my green eye and with you for a wife I would be happy all my life.darling mae if others be as fair what are their charms to me I rather no nor care for thou art all to me, yes you are my darling.
Darling Maywhen the name I rite here is dim on the page and the leaves of this volume is yellow with age then think of me kindly and do not forget where ever I am I am loveing you yet.
now darling sweet girl give this rume in your dear loveing heart to rest and remember me as your true loveing friend and remember that I ahve a heart that is big enough for two as one is you.
O darling Maysay I can call you mine as you are the sweetest girl I ever new wont you oh do May. Oh May my darling how I would love to press my tobacco lips on those swwe4et littel lips of yours with the honey dew on them so sweet as it is. Oh darling it is so lonesom without you here with me. I no we could have a good time if you were hear now darling send me your sweet little picture and I will wear it next to my heart Oh say darling wont you swap hearts with me oh say you will as mine will break if I don't get you for I do love you sincerely and I am so lonesome without you and i can cook wash the dishes an sweap the floor and let you sleep if you want to. Oh darling how I would like to be with you rite this minute as it is about bed time and I cant sleep since I got your loveing letter. You set my poor brain a whirling love for I never read a letter so loveing from any girl in my life. Now darling try to rite me a nother one for I do love to read them. You may think I am fooling about it but I am in earnest a bout it. Oh darling May the sweetest girl on earth aint you darling may you littel sweet rose of Texas you no you are sweet.
Oh darling I do wish I had wings like a turtle dove I would fly to the arms of my true love May. Oh darling don't get angry at me for it is my heart that speaks for me to you. Oh darling darling sweet girl don't you no I am lonesome here by my self. Darling havent you got rume enough in your littel sweet heart for me. Oh darling say you have oh do for pity sake honey say you will be mine oh do darling and I will get a claim next to yours and we will start a goose ranch. We can herd them on one claim and raise some fodder and hay for them on the other claim. honey won't you be my loveing companio and pardner through this goose ranch to heaven. Oh say you will darling sweet girl doe for I would by the happiest boy on earth. Darling is you would believe me my sweet darling girl for I am cinsear in it and I bellieve I will get the girl I dearly love best of all the rest and that is my darling littel May the rose that will never wither nor fade in my heart. Well sweet girl I will close for this time hoping to hear from you soon darling don't delay but rite soon as I like to hear from you. You are so sweet so goodby sweetheart for this time.

Your loveing
Oscar Booker
Lexington, O. T. Indian Territory

press your lips here Hurrah for
it is my kiss Your claim

I hope this wont make you cry
ha ha sweatheart


Temple, Tex
Sept. 7, 1900

Miss May Bramlet

Well i spect you have forgot me i met you when you was down to cameron visiten and taked a liken to you. Now miss may if it are greeable of you i wud like ter rite to you and ter com ter sea you we air all well sept papa we air goin to start to pick cotton sune may i wud like ter swop pictures with yer i end mine ter you i spect i wil surprise you rite sune from J. Z. Day to May Bramlet.


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March 15, 2000

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