Letters

In 1901, Fannie Mae Bramblett, a 24-year-old schoolteacher from Texas, won a 160-acre land claim in Kiowa County during a lottery for homesteads in Oklahoma. Along with the land, she attracted suitors eager to marry her, leading to a collection of letters from them, which her great-niece, Jacqueline Gray, has shared with the Kiowa County site. Fannie, who later married George Arnold, lived in New Mexico until her death at 98 in 1975. The letters showcase the romantic pursuits of men hoping to win her affection amidst the excitement of the land lottery.