In a message dated 4/12/01 5:13:44 AM Mountain Daylight Time, flip@okplus.com writes: << Sharon, Mrs. Herbert FRIEND would like to know just how you connect. She got a buzz out of your earlier message. Would you please tell us how you are connected? >> The short version is that Herbert's grandfather, Thomas Chelton FRIEND, was my GGGgrandfather. That's not a typo -- I descend through a succession of eldest daughters so the generations are now out of sync. But -- not recalling how much family history I sent earlier -- I'll throw in a few more details: T. C. homesteaded in northeastern Oklahoma Co., near the border of the Unassigned Lands, with wife Malinda FILBERT and their youngest daughters. He seems to have been the first of the group to arrive, filing his claim on June 15, 1889. [I'm still trying to determine how they found out there were a number of unclaimed homesteads in that particular area.] Sons Charles Mathews and William Lincoln FRIEND [Herbert's father], and son-in-law Willard SWEAT [husband of daughter Harriet] quickly followed and settled nearby. Some of their homesteads were on the Indian Meridian itself. When the adjacent Iowa Lands were opened in 1891, my GGgrandgrandfather [Andrew Francis MILLIGAN] made the run and staked his claim just across the road. He was married to T.C.'s oldest surviving daughter, Mary Jane FRIEND. By 1900, Malinda had died, as had Charles' wife and one of William's daughters. T.C.'s two youngest daughters, who had married neighboring homesteaders, remained in the area -- as did my line. Sharon McAllister

Thanks Sharon, Mrs. Friend got a kick out of seeing you email. I'll take this one to her to see as well. She tell so that she is the last one living out of the brothers, sisters and in-laws. Vickie Neill Taylor flip@okplus.com