Anna Laura Payne

1913 - 2004  (90 years)

• Name	Anna Laura Payne  [1]
  Birth	23 Oct 1913	Arthur, Parks Township, Stephens County, Oklahoma
  Christening	23 Dec 1922	Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma
  Gender	Female
  Death	15 Sep 2004	Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma
  Burial	18 Sep 2004	Duncan Municipal Cemetery, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma
  Notes	Member of the Chickasaw Nation. Her father, Thomas Hamilton Payne (Original Enrollee #3686) was a Chickasaw by blood. It is believed she was named after the popular Scottish Folk ballad, Annie Laurie. Her nickname, "Roonie" was also a product of popular culture, based on the Little Annie Rooney comic strip that ran during the depression. Anna Laura was baptized in 1922, her sponsors being her Aunt and Uncle, Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Sparks. According to a brochure from the Church of the Assumption, Duncan, commemorating Religious Heritage Day on Sunday, June 28, 1992, "Both sides of Anna Laura (Roonie) Strong's family history intertwines in their settlement of Duncan before the 1900's. Her Uncle John and Aunt Annie Sparks O'Neil's home, presently the Phil Leonard home, was used regularly for masses before the first church was built in 1909. Roonie attended the first parochial school, "Joan of Arc", which had been built by one of the outstanding parish priests, Fr. J.A. Garvey, and run by Sisters of Divine Providence." After their father left home, Bessie had trouble making enough money to support her family. When Anna Laura was 15, she and Fay were sent to Saint Elizabeth Academy, an Orphanage and Boarding School for Native American Girls in Purcell, Oklahoma. Anna Laura remembers the long train ride being frightening. Although the distance from Duncan to Purcell was not particulary long, it was a freight train and made numerous long stops. It was very late at night before they finally arrived, and they had long since finished the sack lunch their mother had made them. Lois joined them at the school when she was old enough. Both Anna Laura and Faye graduated from St. Elizabeth's. Lois returned to Duncan to live with Anna Laura, and she graduated from Duncan High School. Anna Laura's graduation was on the 26 of May in 1931. Her diploma was signed by Rev. Jacques Van Castel, Sister Adelhelma, Sister Theresa and Sister Lena. The nuns were members of the Sisters of St. Francis. Sister Lena had arrived at St. Elizabeth between 1889 and 1890. Sisters Adelhelma and Lena were from Germany. Sister Lena worked in the kitchen and Roonie had been assigned to help her. She recalls the day Sister Lena accidentally dropped her rosary while cooking and loudly proclaimed, "Mein Lord and Mein Gott! I dropped my Jesus in the Soup." Sister Lena presented this same rosary to Anna Laura as a graduation gift, in memory of the work and faith they had shared. An article about the history of this school is contained under the "research" tab of these notes. When Roonie's children were all school age, she returned to work. She was the head cook at first the parochial school in Duncan, and later at Duncan Junior High School. She held this position for approximately 20 years. Roonie and her sisters Fay and Lois remained close friends throughout their adult lifes, often traveling together. The Duncan Banner, Sept. 16, 2004 Anna Laura 'Roonie' Payne Strong Anna Laura "Roonie" Payne Strong, 90, of Duncan, died Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2004, in her home. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Assumption Catholic Church with the Rev. Victor John officiating. Burial will be in Duncan City Cemetery, under direction of Don Grantham Funeral Home. A rosary service will be held at 7 p.m. Friday in the funeral home chapel. Roonie was born Oct. 23, 1913, in Alma (sic) to Thomas H. and Bessie Gentry Payne. She married Homer Richard Strong on Oct. 23, 1931 (sic), in Waurika. He preceded her in death on Sept. 19, 1990. Roonie was a graduate of St. Elizabeth's Academy in Purcell in 1931. She later attended Duncan Business School. She was employed by the Duncan Public School System for 28 years before retiring. She was a member of Assumption Catholic Church, where she sang in the choir for 60 years and was a member of the Ladies' Altar Society. She was also a member of the Fatima Study Club and was a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. She was a wonderful homemaker, wife, mother and grandmother. Survivors include five sons and spouses: Charles and Pat Strong of Edinburg, Texas, Bill and Betty Strong of Yukon, Tom and Vickie Strong of Laveen, Ariz., and John and Brenda Strong, and Paul David and Jane Strong, all of Duncan; a daughter, Caroline Brasher of Duncan; a sister, Lois Marie Payne Hanna of Oklahoma City; 22 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Theresa Marie Rutledge; a great-granddaughter, Alexandra Kathrine Brasher in 1994; and a sister, Fay Pierce Yeager. Bearers will be her grandsons.Memorial contributions may be made to Chisholm Trail Hospice, P.O. Box 2000, Duncan, OK 73534-2000. (Courtesy of Lynell Cordell) (Research):BELOW IS A TRANSCRIPTION OF AN ARTICLE ABOUT ST. ELIZABETH'S ACADEMY A PIONEER PASSES By Mary Jo Turner Sunday, August 15, 1948 The Daily Oklahoman D-Three Purcell, Aug. 14-Historic St. Elizabeth's convent, which for 60 years played a vital part in cultural development of Indian territory and early growth and education of Oklahoma, is closing its doors September 1 for lack of funds. Founded in February, 1888, one year before Oklahoma was opened to settlement and barely a year after Purcell was established as a junction point on the Santa Fe, it is one of Oklahoma's most famous old schools. The spacious, roomy, two-storied frame building, set in a grassy plot with a peaceful background of slender poplars, elms and cedars, is still a thing of considerable beauty. For many years it was the only educational landmark in an unsettled area, and the sight of students playing about its grounds, supervised by the black-robed nuns, against the bright southwestern skies, has become familiar to nearly all Oklahomans who have lived here any length of time. When St. Elizabeth's convent was founded, in 1888, Purcell was a part of the Chickasaw nation of the old Indian territory, and the gateway to the great ranching empire which lay to the west and south. The country then was all pastureland, heavily wooded and a ranch of 10,000 to 20,000 acres was commonplace. Most of the settlers were Chickasaws, but here were also Choctaw families, and a good many white settlers. All were eager to send their children to school and the news that St. Elizabeth's convent had opened in Purcell was welcomed far and wide. Families packed their children and brought them to board and room at the convent, or if there was no space there, boarded them in homes and they attended day school. Three eager young nuns, all now dead, of the Order of St. Francis, made their way west from Philadelphia and arrived in Purcell on Feb. 14, 1888. They were the late Sister Barbara, Sister Mary Joachim and Sister Patricia. At the time there was under construction a three-room frame building on the same lot where the Benedictine priests had built a one-room church. Sunday services were conducted in the church which on week days was converted into two school rooms by hanging a heavy carpet to form a partition. In one room a Miss Fritch taught the boys, whil in the other room Sister Mary Patricia taught the girls. By November, however, the new three-room frame building was completed and enrolment consisted of 120 pupils. Ages of these pupils ranged from 6 to 18 years. Soon, there were 25 boarders, then 50. The one-room frame building was used for boys. Money for the grounds, buildings and teachers was paid for by Miss Katherine Drexel of the wealthy Philadelphia Drexel family. She had become interested in educating the Indians through the efforts of Father Vincent Jolly, O.S.B., who taught at the Sacred Heart academy situated in unsettled wilderness in what is now Pottawatomie county. Father Jolly, accompanied by Father William Capital, took turns in coming to Purcell to hold services. Father Jolly told Miss Drexel of the Indian boys and girls who needed educational opportunities, and described the great wilderness, which pioneers were still to conquer. One church was unable to bear the expense. But Miss Drexel could and did for 60 years. Miss Drexel furnished money for the grounds, buildings and early support, and a new building site was selected in 1891 by the Very Rev. Ignatius Jean, Benedictine priest, while Rev. F. Steven, director of the Indian bureau, gave the plans of the building to Miss Drexel. At her instigation, Archbishop Ryan of Philadelphia designated the Sisters of St. Francis of the Philadelphia Foundation, Mother House in Glen Riddle, Pa., to take charge of the mission. Miss Drexel also offered to pay of the sister's support. In an area known as Love's pasture, named for the late Robert Love, Purcell's founder, who proved to be very helpful to the new school, ground was broken and the building erected which still stands today. On the second floor near the chapel is a bronze plaque dedicated to the founder, the late Father Vincent Jolly. In the summers of 1889 and 1890, three more sisters, Sister Valentine, Sister Lena, and Sister Ludemiller joined the little bands of nuns and in 1891, Sister Mary Teresa, who is now the only one of the early group left, came to teach. Sister Teresa, now the Sister Superior of St. Elizabeth's convent, is 80. She is small of stature, being only 4 feet 9 inches in height and is slender and frail. Born in Philadelphia Ja. 29, 1868, she was an only child of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Caterson, also natives of Philadelphia. In May, 1888, she took her vows at Our Lady of Angels convent at Glen Riddle, Pa., and taught one year in Wilmington, Pa. The death of her mother the next year left her free for her appointment ot the new convent in the Indian territory. On the way to the new town of Purcell, she has two companions, twos sisters who were going to the missions near Pawhuska in the Osage nation. She she came alone from St. Louis and arrived at Purcell on Sept. 4, 1891, just in time to see the ground being broken for the present site. Government support by which the Indian girls' tuition was paid in part by the government was withdrawn in 1932......(Causing the sisters) to run the institution on practically no income except from Miss Drexel. For some time the sisters kept the girls without government aid from their own slender resources as teachers. Continued maintenance was impossible during these depressing days. This meant that the girls representing the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Cherokee and Pottawatomie tribes as well as others in all probability would be deprived of an eduation. However, through the mediation of George C. Wells, at that time supervisor of Indian education, Oklahoma district, and Chief Dwight, chief of the Choctaw nation, a contract of 10 was received. But things have changed during the "war" years. There is a scarcity of teachers and enrollment is down. All in all, it seemed best to close the doors. So historic St. Elizabeth is closing its doors. And good little Sister Superior Teresea will teach no more. She will take a long rest. She would like to spend the rest of her life in Purcell but will go where the church decrees. (Medical):mtDNA Results (based on test of a child of Anna Laura PAYNE, a direct female descendant of Mary Richardson). Your Haplogroup and mutations relative to the Cambridge Reference Sequence (CRS) are shown below. A value of CRS indicates no mutations. High resolution (HVR2) results are shown only if you have requested the mtDNAPlus or mtDNA Refine test. If you ordered a Mega mtDNA the Coding Region (CR) will be displayed below. As you go through your mtDNA results, we strongly encourage you to read the ?u?mtDNA Results Tutorial ?/u? that we have put together in the form of frequently asked questions about mtDNA results. HVR1 Haplogroup J HVR1 differences from ?u?CRS ?/u?16069T 16126C 16209C 16265G 16319A ?b?Haplogroup Description?/b? J* Specific mitochondrial haplogroups are typically found in different regions of the world, and this is due to unique population histories. In the process of spreading around the world, many populations-with their special mitochondrial haplogroups-became isolated, and specific haplogroups concentrated in geographic regions. Today, we have identified certain haplogroups that originated in Africa, Europe, Asia, the islands of the Pacific, the Americas, and even particular ethnic groups. Of course, haplogroups that are specific to one region are sometimes found in another, but this is due to recent migration. The mitochondrial haplogroup J contains several sub-lineages. The original haplogroup J originated in the Near East approximately 50,000 years ago. Within Europe, sub-lineages of haplogroup J have distinct and interesting distributions. Haplogroup J* -the root lineage of haplogroup J-is found distributed throughout Europe, but at a relatively low frequency. Haplogroup J* is generally considered one of the prominent lineages that was part of the Neolithic spread of agriculture into Europe from the Near East beginning approximately 10,000 years ago.
  Person ID	i23	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	5 Sep 2015

  
  

  Father	Thomas Hamilton Payne, II,   b. 20 Mar 1893, Marlow, Indian Territory d. 12 Dec 1957, Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon (Age 64 years)
  Mother	Bessie Bird Gentry,   b. 14 Dec 1894, Alma, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory d. 3 May 1958, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma (Age 63 years)
  Marriage	27 Dec 1912	Stephens County, Oklahoma
  	Vol. 3, Stephens County Marriage Book: , Lic. # 101 Thomas H. Payne, 19 to Bessie Gentry, 18 married 12-27-1912 Because of his outgoing nature, it must have come as a surprise to some when Tom Payne and Bessie Gentry were married a few weeks after her 18th birthday. Bessie was timid and shy by nature, and much happier in town than in the outdoors. They had five children in fairly short order, and times were tough in Oklahoma during the dust bowl. Charles Strong, Bessie's oldest grandson, also remembers that Bessie had very high standards, which her husband found hard to live up to. She was a thorough and dedicated housekeeper, and was almost obsessive about things being neat and tidy at all times. Charles recalled a story one of Bessie's brothers related to him about dropping by one afternoon for a visit. Bessie had just mopped, and refused to let him in, not wanting her immaculate floors stepped on.
  Family ID	F21	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Homer Richard Strong,   b. 29 Feb 1908, Junction City, Comanche County, Oklahoma d. 19 Sep 1990, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma (Age 82 years)
  Marriage	23 Feb 1932	Waurika, Jefferson County, Oklahoma
  	Marriage Record No. 10 Waurika, Jefferson County, Oklahoma Between H.R. Strong, age 23 of Duncan, Oklahoma and Anna Laura Payne age 18 of Duncan, Oklahoma. Married by J.H. Harper, County Judge in the presence of Geo. Taber of Waurika, Oklahoma and H.B. Longest of Waurika, Oklahoma
  Children	1. Charles Richard Strong,   b. 24 Aug 1932, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma d. 21 Oct 2021, McAllen, Hidalgo County, Texas (Age 89 years)   2. William Robert Strong,   b. 20 Feb 1934, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma d. 4 Mar 2024, Yukon, Canadian County, Oklahoma (Age 90 years)   3. John Ralph Strong,   b. 16 Jun 1935, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma d. 4 Apr 2022, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma (Age 86 years)   4. Mary Caroline Strong,   b. 18 Mar 1939, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma d. 5 Jan 2018, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma (Age 78 years)   5. Theresa Marie Strong,   b. 25 Mar 1942, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma d. 28 Jul 1995, Austin, Travis County, Texas (Age 53 years)   6. Living   7. Living
  Documents		Payne, Anna Laura marriage to Homer Strong Marriage license issued in Jefferson County, Oklahoma
  Family ID	F9	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	9 Dec 2006

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 23 Oct 1913 - Arthur, Parks Township, Stephens County, Oklahoma Christening - 23 Dec 1922 - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma Marriage - 23 Feb 1932 - Waurika, Jefferson County, Oklahoma Death - 15 Sep 2004 - Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma Burial - 18 Sep 2004 - Duncan Municipal Cemetery, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Payne, Anna Laura ca 1914 Anna Laura was probably about 18 months old when this picture was taken
  		Payne, Anna Laura ca 1916 with her sister Dora Fay This picture of Fay (l) and Anna Laura (r) was taken when they were still toddlers
  		Payne, Anna Laura ca 1925 at St. Joan of Arc Parochial School, Duncan, Oklahoma Anna Laura is standing immediately to the right of the the nun who was their teacher. The names of the teacher and the other students is not known. Anna Laura's younger sister, Fay Payne is probably present, but not positively identified. PLEASE HELP US IDENTIFY THE UNKNOWN CLASSMATES.
  		PAYNE FAMILY REUNION - 1927 Home of Aunt Annie (O'Neill) Sparks - 303 Hickory, Duncan, Oklahoma This 1927 Payne Reunion photo is of 41 people. On September 21-23, 1999, Charles R. Strong along with his mother, Anna Laura "Rooney" (Payne) Strong and two aunts ? Dora Fay (Payne) Pierce-Yeager and Lois Marie (Payne) Hanna reviewed the picture. The late Lewis Adair Payne had already prepared his own list identifying all persons. Both list had errors. Mary Gwendolyn ?Marilynn? (Payne) Wade of Marlow later helped Charles Strong reconcile the two lists and correct some errors. One reason for differences in the two lists was due to the existence of two pictures, which were almost, but not exactly, identical. This photo slightly differs from Aunt Annie?s version. . NOTE-The list below is numbered left to right - top to bottom. The first number is sequential in total, and the second number is position within the row. TOP ROW 1 1 Paul Puckett, Boy living with Hattie (Brown) Payne. 2 2 Mabel Lyles 3 3 Baby is Mary Gwendolyn ?Marilynn? (Payne) Wade. 4 4 Joseph Ray ?Jodey? Payne Jr. 5 5 Virginia (Payne) Hardin - d. of Walter W., # 22 below 6 6 Vera (Payne) Roberts-Young, -d. of Walter W. #22 and mother of #30 below 7 7 Mary Ethyl (Payne) Benton-Madison-Parker. d. of W. W. # 22 8 8 Claude Chadwick Payne 9 9 Ruth Hazel Witherspoon-d. of Mable (Gentry) Witherspoon, d. of John Price Gentry. 10 10 Florence Scott d. of # 23 Lou Payne Scott & niece of W.W. Payne 11 11 Marvin Walter Payne Sr. Father of #'s 8, 28, 37, & 38 12 12 Gracie (Gentry) Payne Wife of # 11 Marvin W. Payne 13 13 Rene Gentry - s. of Frank Melton and Ada (Jones) Gentry, and nephew of Gracie #12 14 14 Edna (Surginer) Payne, First wife of John Earl (Dukie) Payne 15 15 John Earl, (Dukie) Payne 16 16 Caroline "Carrie" (Cover) Payne 17 17 Harry Carl Payne,Sr. MIDDLE ROW 18 1 William "Billy" West - Grandson of # 23, Louise (Payne) Scott 19 2 Joseph Ray Payne, s. of Wm. Henry H. Payne 20 3 C. Frank Payne, Brother to # 11, Marvin W. Payne Sr. 21 4 Annie (O'Neill) Sparks, Wife of #26 22 5 Walter Winkle Payne 23 6 Louise "Lula" (Payne) Scott 24 7 Hattie (Brown) Payne 25 8 Orville Scott 26 9 James Rufus Sparks f. of # 33, Mary Pat (Sparks) Kubic BOTTOM ROW 27 1 Anna Laura "Rooney" (Payne) Strong 28 2 Mary Olive (Payne) Thompson 29 3 Mary Ethyl (Benton) Jones 30 4 Clifford "Bosco" Roberts 31 5 Virginia Payne, sister to # 4 above, and d. of Joseph R. & g.d. Wm. H. H. Payne ? 32 6 Dora Fay (Payne) Pierce - Yeager 33 7 Mary Pat (Sparks) Kubik 34 8 Francis Hardin, d. of Virginia Payne Hardin, # 5 above, (in lap of Mary Pat) 35 9 Thelma (Gentry) Callaway - d. of Edgar J. Gentry & g.d. of Wm. M. Gentry 36 10 Lois Marie (Payne) Hanna 37 11 Lewis Adair Payne 38 12 Marvin Walter "Snort" Payne Jr. in Lewis' lap. 39 13 Willie Lee "Billy" Payne ? 40 14 Paul James Payne 41 15 Jean Bruce (Benton) Turner
  		St. Elizabeth's Academy, Purcell, Oklahoma, Established 1888; Payne and Rice sisters Top Row: Fay PAYNE, Anna Laura PAYNE, Jessie RICE Bottow Row: RICE Twin, Lois PAYNE, RICE Twin
  		Payne, Anna Laura ca 1926 at St. Elizabeth's Academy From her St. Elizabeth Scrapbook
  		Gentry, Bessie Bird ca 1930 with her daughters This picture, of Bessie with her daughters, was probably taken around 1930. From left to right are Bessie Gentry Payne, Anna Laura Payne, Fay Payne, Lois Payne, and Patty Gay Payne.
  		St. Elizabeth's Academy, Purcell, Oklahoma, Established 1888; Students Anna Laura Payne and Alice "Ida" Cotner, around 1931
  		Payne, Anna Laura ca 1931 This photo of Anna Laura was taken shortly before her marriage to Homer Strong, and soon after her graduation from St. Elizabeth's academy in Purcell, Oklahoma. At the time the photo was taken, Anna Laura was with her cousin Mary Pat Sparks. They were going to St. Elizabeth's to pick up Anna Laura's sisters, Fay and Lois, for a school holiday break.
  		Strong, Homer ca 1939 with wife, Anna Laura This appears to have been taken at the Coca-Cola bottling plant, where Homer was employed as a sign painter.
  		Crouch, Stella with Anna Laura Strong ca 1939 Anna Laura (l) with her mother-in-law, Stella Strong (r). Stella was Homer Strong's step-mother.
  		_Payne, Anna Laura ca 1942 Wife of Homer Richard Strong. This was probably taken after her four oldest children were born, possibly when she was pregnant with Theresa
  		Payne, Anna Laura ca 1942 Wife of Homer Richard Strong B. 1913 Oklahoma D. 2004 Oklahoma This is a hand tinted version of the photo which was probably taken around 1942.
  		Payne, Anna Laura ca 1945 This photo of Anna Laura appears to have been taken in the mid 1940's, most likely by her husband, Homer Strong
  		Strong Family Home--located at 1806 Birch Street, Duncan, Oklahoma This is the home, at 1806 Birch, that Homer and Roonie moved into with their youngest children in 1952. They remained in this home for the rest of their lives.
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		Strong, Anna Laura on sofa Roonie, in a playful mood
  		Payne, Anna Laura ca 1956 Wearing a pill box hat
  		Payne, Anna Laura, Fay, Tom, Lois ca 1956 The Payne Siblings, circa 1956. From left to right, standing in order of their birth, Anna Laura (42), Fay (41), Tom (39) and Lois (36)
  		McGuire, Patricia ca 1957 marriage to Charles Richard Strong, Stillwater, Oklahoma 5 of 10 The bride and groom with their parents, l to r, Keith McGuire, Jr, Kenneth Carpenter, Josephine Morlas McGuire Carpenter, the newly wed Pat and Charles Strong, Anna Laura Payne Strong, and Homer Strong
  		Strong-Weaver-Lewis Reunion, Gainesville, Texas, March 1960 The Homer and Anna Laura Strong Family Seated, l to r, are Tommy, Anna Laura, P.D. and Homer Strong. This photo was one in a series of photos taken at a March, 1960, family reunion at the home of Viola Strong Weaver of Gainesville, Texas.
  		Strong, Anna Laura ca 1964 with her namesake grandaughter, Laura Ann Anna Laura Strong holding her granddaughter, Laura Ann, at a Strong family reunion in Duncan, July 1964
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		Payne sisters with family r t l: Fay Payne Yeager, Homer Strong with wife Anna Laura Payne Strong, Lois Payne Hanna, Amos Kubik and wife
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
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  		Strong, Homer ca 1985 with wife, Anna Laura Homer and Anna Laura Strong, Duncan, Oklahoma
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		Payne, Fay and Roonie Fay (L) and Roonie(R) on a Cruise, circa 1990. The three Payne sisters remained close friends their entire lives, often travelling with each other.
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		Strong, Anna Laura with her children ca 1994 This photo was taken at a picnic in Johnson City, Texas around 1993 or 1994. Roonie had been widowed for several years, and Theresa was undergoing treatment for the cancer that would soon take her life. Back Row: Bill, Caroline, Theresa, John. Front Row: Anna Laura "Ronnie", Charles
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.

  
  

  Documents » Slide Show		Payne, Anna Laura ca 1913, Birth Certificate Issued by the State of Oklahoma
  		Payne, Anna Laura ca 1922, Baptism Certificate of Baptism from Church of the Assumption, Duncan, Oklahoma. Her godparents were J.R. and Annie (O'Neill) Sparks.
  		Duncan, Oklahoma, Aerial view of Assumption Catholic Church, ca 1940's Aerial shot of church, rectory, and St. Joan of Arc Catholic School, probably taken in the 1940's
  		St. Elizabeth's Academy, Established 1888, Purcell, Oklahoma Founded in February, 1888, one year before Oklahoma was opened to settlement and barely a year after Purcell was established as a junction point on the Santa Fe, St. Elizabeth is one of Oklahoma's most famous old schools. The spacious, roomy, two-storied frame building, set in a grassy plot with a peaceful background of slender poplars, elms and cedars, is still a thing of considerable beauty. For many years it was the only educational landmark in an unsettled area, and the sight of students playing about its grounds, supervised by the black-robed nuns, against the bright southwestern skies, has become familiar to nearly all Oklahomans who have lived here any length of time. When St. Elizabeth's convent was founded, in 1888, Purcell was a part of the Chickasaw nation of the old Indian territory, and the gateway to the great ranching empire which lay to the west and south. The country then was all pastureland, heavily wooded and a ranch of 10,000 to 20,000 acres was commonplace. Most of the settlers were Chickasaws, but here were also Choctaw families, and a good many white settlers. All were eager to send their children to school and the news that St. Elizabeth's convent had opened in Purcell was welcomed far and wide. Families packed their children and brought them to board and room at the convent, or if there was no space there, boarded them in homes and they attended day school. Three eager young nuns, all now dead, of the Order of St. Francis, made their way west from Philadelphia and arrived in Purcell on Feb. 14, 1888. At the time there was under construction a three-room frame building on the same lot where the Benedictine priests had built a one-room church. Sunday services were conducted in the church which on week days was converted into two school rooms by hanging a heavy carpet to form a partition. By November, however, the new three-room frame building was completed and enrolment consisted of 120 pupils. Ages of these pupils ranged from 6 to 18 years. Soon, there were 25 boarders, then 50. Money for the grounds, buildings and teachers was paid for by Miss Katherine Drexel of the wealthy Philadelphia Drexel family. She had become interested in educating the Indians through the efforts of Father Vincent Jolly, O.S.B., who taught at the Sacred Heart academy situated in unsettled wilderness in what is now Pottawatomie county. Father Jolly, accompanied by Father William Capital, took turns in coming to Purcell to hold services. Father Jolly told Miss Drexel of the Indian boys and girls who needed educational opportunities, and described the great wilderness, which pioneers were still to conquer. One church was unable to bear the expense. But Miss Drexel could and did for 60 years. Miss Drexel furnished money for the grounds, buildings and early support, and a new building site was selected in 1891 by the Very Rev. Ignatius Jean, Benedictine priest, while Rev. F. Steven, director of the Indian bureau, gave the plans of the building to Miss Drexel. At her instigation, Archbishop Ryan of Philadelphia designated the Sisters of St. Francis of the Philadelphia Foundation, Mother House in Glen Riddle, Pa., to take charge of the mission. Miss Drexel also offered to pay of the sister's support. In an area known as Love's pasture, named for the late Robert Love, Purcell's founder, who proved to be very helpful to the new school, ground was broken and the building erected which still stands today. On the second floor near the chapel is a bronze plaque dedicated to the founder, the late Father Vincent Jolly. Government support by which the Indian girls' tuition was paid in part by the government was withdrawn in 1932......(Causing the sisters) to run the institution on practically no income except from Miss Drexel. For some time the sisters kept the girls without government aid from their own slender resources as teachers. Continued maintenance soon became impossible. The school shut its doors for good in 1948. (Excerpted from an August 15, 1948 article in the Daily Oklahoman about the closure of St. Elizabeth's)
  		St. Elizabeth's Academy, Purcell, Oklahoma, Established 1888; Montage of Students from the Scrapbook of Anna Laura Payne, a 1931 graduate, from the mid 1920's Please help us identify the students from this photo montage, from the scrapbook of Anna Laura Payne, a 1931 graduate of St. Elizabeth's. Based on the Student Directory, 1888-1968, it is thought the students pictured include Evelyn CUNNINGHAM (later married a Carpento and moved to Canada), Irene DUMAS, Ida KRESS (later married a Singleton and remained in Purcell), Margaret "Maggie" MARTIN, Mary HAYES (married to a McIntosh) and Ruth HAYES, Helen FERRY (later married a Proctor), Anna Laura ("Minnie Ha Ha") PAYNE (later married Homer Strong and lived in Duncan, Oklahoma), "Pa" H. UNKNOWN, "Fama" R. UNKNOWN, Not Labeled-Unknown, "Pat" UNKNOWN (possibly Pacunda COLBERT or Paticia CUTTER), Louise UNKNOWN (possibly Louise McCLURE or Louise MICHAEL), Dorothy "Dot" ROY, and Nora LAWRENCE (later married a Yoakum)
  		Payne, Anna Laura ca 1931, High School Diploma High School Diploma from Saint Elizabeth Academy in Purcell, Oklahoma, a school established for Native American students by Miss Katherine Drexel of the wealthy Philadelphia Drexel family, and run by the Sisters of St. Francis
  		Strong, Anna Laura (Payne), Chicken and Dumpling Recipe Rooney's famous chicken and dumpling recipe, as preserved by her daughter Theresa, and trascribed by daughter-in-law Betty
  		Payne, Anna Laura ca 1996 Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood
  		Payne, Anna Laura ca 1996 Anna Laura "Roonie" Strong's Chickasaw Nation Tribal identification
  		Payne, Anna Laura ca 2004 (Mrs. Homer Strong) Death Certificate Issued by the State of Oklahoma
  		Payne, Anna Laura ca 2004 (Mrs. Homer Strong) Funeral Memorium Provided by the Don Grantham Funeral Home
  		Payne, Anna Laura ca 2004 "Roonie" (Mrs. Homer Strong) Obituary As published in the Chickasaw Times
  		Strong, Homer and Anna Laura (Payne) Children and Grandchildren. These school photos of each of Anna Laura and Homer's children and grandchildren hung on the walls of their home in Duncan for many years
  		Payne, Patty Gay, Note to Santa, 1930's This note to Santa appears to have been written for Patty Gay by either her eldest sister, Anna Laura, or by her cousin Mary Pat Sparks

  
  

  Headstones

  Strong, Homer and Anna Laura (Payne)

  
  

  Albums

  St. Elizabeth's Academy, Purcell, Oklahoma (15) Founded in February, 1888, one year before Oklahoma was opened to settlement and barely a year after Purcell was established as a junction point on the Santa Fe, St. Elizabeth is one of Oklahoma's most famous old schools. Money for the grounds, buildings and teachers was paid for by Miss Katherine Drexel of the wealthy Philadelphia Drexel family. She had become interested in educating the Indians through the efforts of Father Vincent Jolly, O.S.B. The school was under the charge of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Philadelphia Foundation, Mother House in Glen Riddle, Pa. These photos in this album were taken while the Payne sisters (Anna Laura, Fay, and Lois) were boarding students at the school, in the late 1920's and early 1930's. They were in Anna Laura Payne Strong's possession until her death in 2004, and are now in the possession of her son, Charles Strong.

  
  

• Sources

  [S389] State of Oklahoma, Department of Health, Certificate of Death.