| Rufus Miner Bailey (Jan
3 1852 - Dec 19 1925) Elizabeth Wiser McKeage Bailey (Aug
5 1856 - Jan 1 1944)
Rufus Miner Bailey made a trip from Hoyt, Kansas to visit his sister, Helen Carson. He
liked the new country and looked for a farm that might be for sale. He found 160 acres
seven miles west and one mile north of Britton (what is now NW 108th street and County
Line - legal description SW 1/4 of SEC 19-13N-4W., Spring Creek Township, Oklahoma County,
Oklahoma). Rufus built the largest and nicest house the community had seen up to that
time. He moved his wife and six children from Hoyt in March 1894. By 1900 three more
children were born.
Like all pioneer families their days were filled with long hours of hard work. They
endured many hardships; cyclone (1912), drought, wind, and hail.
Elizabeth McKeage Bailey was a schoolteacher before marriage, educated at a college in
Holton, Kansas. Family evenings would include readings by Rufus and were eagerly
anticipated by all the children. They all developed a great love of reading.
Elizabeth and Rufus retired from farming December 31, 1922 and moved to a home in
Britton, where they lived out the remainder of their lives. During World War II, the
original home was sold and moved to Oklahoma City, where the new owner remodeled it and
covered it with brick. The house is still in use today.
OBITUARY: 12/20/1925
Mr. R. M. Baley
R. M. Baley, 73 years old, died at his home in Britton, Okla., Saturday evening. Funeral
arrangements will be announced later by Watts and McAtee funeral home. Mr. Baley is
survived by his wife, three daughters, Mrs. Olive Meeker, Mrs. Sara Sitlington of Edmond;
Mrs. Berta Lay, Norman; and five sons, J. M. Baley, Britton; W. H. Baley, Buenos Aires,
Argentine; R. M. Baley, Calumet; H. L. Baley, Bethany and Fred Baley, Yukon.
OBITUARY: 12/21/1925
R. M. Bailey
R. M. Bailey, 73 years old, Britton, died at the family home Saturday night.
Funeral services will be conducted from Carson schoolhouse Monday afternoon at 2:30
o'clock, it was announced at Watts and McAtee's Funeral home. Burial will be in Olive Hill
cemetery.
OBITUARY: 01/03/1944
Pioneer State Woman Dies; Rites Tuesday
Memorial services for Mrs. Elizabeth M. Bailey, pioneer resident of Britton who died late
Saturday at her home there, will be held at 10:30 a. m. Monday in the home. Mrs. Bailey,
87, came to Britton in 1894 with her husband. R. M. Bailey who died in 1925. They settled
on a farm eight miles west of Britton and lived there until 1923 when they moved into
town.
Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Sarah H. Sitlington, Edmond, and Mrs. Berta B. Lay,
Britton; four sons, J. M. Bailey, Britton; Ralph and Fred Bailey, both of Yukon, and Harry
Bailey of Bethany; 18 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Scott school house northwest of Britton,
with burial in Olive Hill cemetery under the direction of Watts funeral home.
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