The Century Chest Collection

Women of '89, letter to future president

(Transcribed from the original)

To the Pres. of the Women of '89, 2013.
If there is such an Organization in existence and if not I request the one who opens and reads this to send it to any of the descendents (sic) of my posterity (if they can be found) should they wish to have it.
Myrta Shear Mitscher
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma,
April 22d, 1913.

To the President of the Women of '89.

I greet you on this 22d of April, 1913 and hope for the continuation of the Organization until April 22d, 2013, that you may receive it. I wish to say (in justice to the one who should have penned these lines) that Mrs Fred Sutton was the one who first advanced the idea of forming an Organization composed of the wives and daughters of the pioneers of Oklahoma.

We called ourselves the Women of '89, and she was our first President.

Out of deference to me, the third and present Pres. she has graciously requested me to write this in her stead. This is the fourth year of our existence and we have the Organization on a very substantial basis, and hope for its continuation by the lineal descendents (sic) of '89ers for an indefinite period. Our principle work at the present time is visiting the sick and sending flowers to the sick and the dead and while we have extended our work along a great many lines we feel that we have done nothing that has met with greater appreciation than the giving of flowers to cheer the sick and to silently bear our message of appreciation for the departed. (over)

Where ever the casket bunch of white roses is seen tied with green ribbon, all know that the Women of '89 have (by this insigna of their organization) placed the badge of honor and esteem on those who have been pioneers of the state of Oklahoma. Our earnest wish is (at the present time) that those who have perpetuated the name of the Women of '89 have not departed from the work we have outlined and when this is read will still be observing our beautiful custom-originated by those who were the real pioneers. You will find with this letter our history, constitution and by laws and our first year book which will give you all information in regard to the object of organizing the pioneers of the state and purposes for which we aim. That these may be useful and interesting to you one hundred years from now, is our hope and we have spent a great deal of time writing our history to date and placing with it whatever pertains to our organization that we think may be instructive to those who follow us. Our aim has been onward and upward and in the four years of our history we have done a great deal toward making the pioneers of the state the prominent leaders in all circles-which is only justice to the ones who paved the way for fame and fortune for others when they invaded the little stretch of country called Oklahoma, on April 22, 1889 and endured the hardships and privations that were incident to their establishing homes in a new and unimproved land.

Again I greet you and hope that peace and prosperity has attended all descendents (sic) of '89ers since the writing of these lines.

Yours very fraternally,
Myrta Shear Mitscher.
229 East Park Place,
Oklahoma City, Okla.
President of the Women of '89.

I leave to the world the following posterity

Zoe Mitscher married to Hugo H. Hoevel living at the present time at Cleveland, Okla – on child Kenneth Oscar Hoevel.

Marc Andrew Mitscher, Ensign in the United States Navy, Married to Frances Eulalia Smally of Tacoma, Washington.

Thomas Oscar Mitscher – unmarried

One sister – Helen Shear Pinch living at Hillsboro, Wisconsin – five children.

Two brothers – Wesley W. Shear – married to Cora Salts – four children.
Byron Delos Shear married to Ida Cunningham – no children.
(over)

I would request that these lines be given to anyone of the descendents (sic) of the ones named if they wish to have them.

Myrta S. Mitscher