Holyrood KS Newspaper 2 May 1889 " In the race last Monday there were three or four ladies entered for the race and the only one that succeeded in getting a claim was Mrs. M. E. Dorrance. She was one of three that got to the east shore of the Canadian river and the first to cross the Choteau creek. The way Mrs. Dorrance handled her horse showed her to be superior amongst most of the men in that line. It would take a man with considerable nerve to make the run she made and make it successful as she did and we are led to believe that if there had been many such women in the race, with as good horses, that the men would have stood much of a show to have got their claims. We hope that she may go through her long and happy life with as much as she did in her ride for claim in Oklahoma. (Purcell Register) Mrs. Dorrance is a sister to our townsman J. C. Powell." The above Mary E. Dorrance is my aunt. From the date of the newspaper article it appears she entered into the first race for land. Her son-in-law was the Editor of the Purcell Register and those early newspapers have not been located. He often sent news to the paper in Holyrood, KS where other family members lived. My question is...could it be true only three or four ladies entered the race and she was the only one who succeeded in getting a claim? I contacted the Oklahoma Historical Society a number of years ago, and they had no information on this woman. I would welcome your thoughts. Gayle [email protected]