Mrs. Frank Sittel, Sr, (Nellie (Watson) Sittel), 300 East Seminole, a resident of McAlester since 1897, died Monday Night, June 25, 1956, in a local hospital following complications which resulted when she fell two weeks ago and fractured a hip. Funeral services will be held in the Grand Avenue Methodist Church at 11 o'clock Wednesday morning with the Rev. W. J. Gray, pastor of Barnett Memorial Church officiating. Burial will be in the Masonic section of Oak Hill Cemetery under the direction of the Chaney Funeral Home. Mrs. Sittel came to McAlester as a bride of the late Frank Sittel in December 1897. The couple established a home in North McAlester and resided there for 50 years. Mrs. Sittel continued to reside in the family home for the additional years after Mr. Sittel's death in 1947. She was born in Cane Hill, Arkansas, March 24, 1872, the daughter of Sarah Howe and William Albert Watson. She attended the University of Arkansas where she majored in art. In 1895, she came to North McAlester for a visit and organized her first art class here. While here she met Mr. Sittel and the couple was married in Cane Hill, December 22, 1897 and she returned to North McAlester to establish a permanent home here. After Mrs. Sittel's eight children were grown, she organized other art classes and taught oil painting to many young McAlester students and several older women. Her paintings have been on exhibit many times and her home always had many beautiful paintings on display. She was a lifelong member of the Barnett Memorial Church of North McAlester and all her eight children are members. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and was a regent of this organization for several years during the 20's. Other memberships included the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Art Department of the McAlester Fortnightly Club. In 1926, Mrs. Sittel conceived the idea of a Grandmother's Club and she and three other women organized the club which has since become a national organization. She is survived by eight children; five daughters-in-law, one son=in-law; 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. The surviving children are; Miss Clementine Sittel of Hardin, Montana; Virgil Sittel, Tulsa; Clarence Sittel, Quito, Ecuador, South America; Watson Sittel, Denison, Texas; Mrs. W. Chester Robinson (Nee Virginia Sittel) of Columbus, Mississippi; R. E. Sittel, Grand Prairie, Texas; Miss Sue Sittel, Atlanta, Georgia; and Frank Sittel, Jr. of McAlester. A brother, Frank Watson, Tulsa, also survives.
(McAlester News-Capital, June 26, 1956, Page 1/Contributed by Charlotte Schneider)
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Descendant of Col. Gabriel Penn, as follows:
1. William A. Watson (1830-1901) m. 1852 Sarah Ann Howell (1834-1904).
2. William A. Watson (1806-52) m. 1830 Christiana Long Crews (1810-72).
3. Thomas Crews (1774-1858) m. 1804 Sarah Penn (1785-1853).
4. Gabriel Penn m. 1761 Sarah Calloway.
Gabriel Penn served as paymaster, sergeant, captain and colonel in the Amherst County, Virginia militia. Was also a member of the Committee of Safety, Convention of 1776 and of the General Assembly, Virginia. He was born, 1741 in Caroline County; died in Amherst County, Va.
DAR ID Number: 156269
(Contributed by Charlotte Schneider)