A 1980 Senior's Visit to Pawhuska

A Group from St. Paul as Guests of Chief Sylvester Tinker in Pawhuska.

The photo above was taken in the Senior Citizens center in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, on Monday, November 19, 1980. A group of ten senior citizens, from St. Paul, was hosted by Osage Chief Sylvester Tinker during a tour of several area attractions.

I recently found the photo in a package of St. Paul Information given to me by my cousin [1].  A taped newspaper clipping, on the back of the photo, appears to be from an area newspaper.  The aged Scotch Tape partially obliterates the text, so I have tried to quote it below:

---

"Ten members of the St. Paul Older American Center met a the center about 8:30 a.m., Nov. 10, and boarded the van for a trip to Pawhuska Okla., where they were guests of Indian Chief Sylvester Tinker at the Seniors Citizens Center.  Some of the highlights of the trip were a tour of the Indian Cemetery, the Council Room Museum, and the Catholic Church.  The center of attraction at the church was a large color glass window with Osage scenes including a picture of Father Schoenmaker, who came to St. Paul in 1847.  Chief Tinker's grandfather lived at St. Paul (Osage Mission) and attended school in St Paul."

When I first saw the photo, I couldn't identify many of the people.  So, I posted it here and shared it to the St. Paul community page, Hometown St. Paul, Kansas, where I asked for help, and got some.  Here are the names.
From Left to Right:

• Helen VanLeeuwen
• Anna Beachner
• Henry M. "Hank" Smith
• Catherine Smith
• Cleo O'Brien
• Dick Fortune
• Ray Grillot
• Ethel Grillot
• Rachel Beachner
• Genie VanLeeuwen
• Chief Sylvester Tinker

In looking at the photo, the people, and the circumstances, it reminds me of a time when St. Paul residents were more aware of our story, and how we got where we are today. An earlier visit to Pawhuska included a large number of our young and older citizens who seemed fairly familiar with our history and our Osage friends in Oklahoma.  Our early city fathers and businessmen considered our remarkable story to be an integral part of St. Paul.  After all, if it was not for the Osage, St. Paul would not exist.

---

Thanks to Cousin Karen Steinbacher for the package of interesting St. Paul information!