William (W.A.) Albert Trekell

William Albert Trekell and his first wife William Albert Trekell

William, known as W.A., was born on December 21st, 1872 in West Union, Cass County, Missouri.  W.A.'s father was Franklin Trekell and his mother was Elizabeth (Lizzie) Anne Currell.  His paternal grandparents were Thomas Wilson Trekell and Elizabeth Sanford; his maternal grandparents were Edward Currell and Thankful Atilla Sears. He had five brothers and five sisters, named Charles, Francis, Franklin, Emory, Harry, Thomas, Clara, Laura, Mary and Bertha.  He was the sixth oldest of the eleven children.  He died at the age of 78 on April 20th, 1951 in Enid, Oklahoma.

• General Notes

  WILLIAM ALBERT TREKELL FAMILY
  William Albert (Will) Trekell was born at West Union, Missouri, December 21, 1872. His father, Franklin Trekell, born July 12, 1840, at Independence, Missouri, and mother, Lizzie A. (Elizabeth Anne) Currell, born Aug. 5, 1844 at Shawnee Mission, Kansas, were married March 3, 1864, at West Union, Cass County, Missouri. To this union were born four girls and seven boys.
  
  William Albert was the sixth child. His younger days were spent at West Union and near Wellington, Kansas. In May, 1892 he graduated from Conway Normal College, Conway Springs, Kansas. Then after harvest and before the great race of September 16, 1893, he, three brothers and one sister made preparations for the "run" into Oklahoma Territory.
  
  His oldest brother, Thomas Edward, had made the run into Old Oklahoma, staking a town lot in Guthrie, and living there; he preferred to make the run into the "Strip" from the south side. Will preferred to make the run from the the south also, because he wanted a lot in Enid. He wasn't quite 21 years old and many people on the north line knew it. So, he crossed the "Land of Promise" on a train from Caldwell, to Hennessey the evening before the run and at noon the next day made the run on a train of cattle cars, numbering about 42, which hadn't "been cleaned since cattle were shipped in them."
  
  Will jumped off the train without considering its speed. In his own words, he said "I landed on the slope of the fill just south of the Elm Street bridge, went head-over-heels down the slope and landed sitting up in a patch of sandburs. I picked out a few before starting, though I might have run faster had I let them cling to the seat of my pants. I dashed southwest across the townsite looking for a lot to stake but people were everywhere, so close together I could see no opening until I thought I saw one west of the southwest corner of the Square. I stuck a stake there, and men on both sides yelled, 'Hey, you're in the street there.' Looking east and west of me, I saw no settlers, so decided they were right; I had staked in the street. I pulled my stake and dashed southeast across the block south of the Square and across Two Street. I could have staked a lot there but did not choose to stake in the low ground, so ran on across the railroad and, finding a place where claimants were not so close together, I demanded of two where the lots were they claimed. Each one walked to his claim, and I said I believed there was room enough between them for me, so stuck my stake there. It proved to be a good guess; I had staked a lot no one else claimed."
  
  A short time later, after Will was 21 and old enough to prove a claim, he bought a quarter section for $1 per acre, adjoining the quarter his sister, Laura, had staked southeast of Hunter; and they built a half-dugout on the line and lived together for a time.
  
  Later, he built a house on his quarter and met and married his first wife, Stella Arrena Connelly, a neighbor girl. Stella was born September 6, 1875 at Canton, Kansas, and they were married December 29, 1896, in Enid. Stella died Jan. 23, 1910 after 13 years and 25 days of marriage and the births of four children.
  
  CHILDREN of WILLIAM and STELLA TREKELL
  Edna Stella was born Jan. 30, 1898 at Hunter, and married Henry Landis Mauldin, December 24, 1928 at Medford, Oklahoma. She died of tuberculosis, Feb. 2, 1935 at Albuquerque, NM, leaving no children. She is buried in the Hunter Cemetery.
  
  Lester William was born June 23, 1899, at Hunter and married Gladys Myrtle Venable, July 19, 1926, at Stillwater, Okla. He died at Univ. Hospital in Oklahoma City and is buried in the Hunter Cemetery. Lester and Gladys had three children; Lester Conley, Everitt, and Norma Lee, all living. Gladys lives in Midwest City, Okla.
  
  Eslie, born June 20, 1901, died July 26, 1902, and is buried in the Hunter Cemetery.
  
  Bessie Gladys was born Oct. 9, 1903, at Hunter and married David Thompson, December 6, 1923 at Perry, Okla. To them was born one daughter, Martha Zoe. David is deceased and Bess is living in Oklahoma City.
  
  CHILDREN of WILLIAM and EULA ALICE TREKELL
  Will Trekell married Eula Alice Lindell September 2, 1929 at Kingfisher, Okla. She was born June 4, 1902 at Sayre, O.T., and died September 6, 1979 in Enid. To their union were born five children, William Allen, Erlin Raymond, Landis, Marilyn Jean and Larry. It is thought that Larry, at age 41 may be the youngest child of any of the original pioneers who made the run that September day in 1893.
  
  By Landis Trekell, Alva, Okla.
  
  

Details of W.A.'s family with Stella Connelly Arrena

Details of W.A.'s family with Eula Alice Lindell