This and That Newsletter
www.OklahomaHistory.net
Vol 23 Issue 1,192 Circulation 5,000 November 28, 2019
Ardmore, Oklahoma
My permanent email address: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net
580-490-6823
Doctor William and Betty (Blewett) Darling
William A. Darling M.D. was a prominent physician in the early days of New Wilson and the adjacent oil fields. He was inventive in nature and pioneered other professions in the area also. William was the son of William C. and Mary (White) Darling., and was born in Hunt County Texas October 7, 1870. The father was born in Ohio in 1842 and died in Grayson County, Texas in 1872. The grandfather Hector Darling, was also born in Ohio, and was killed by Shelby's men in 1865 in Hunt County, Texas because of his northern sympathies. The Darling family originated in England and came to New York where they were owners of a shipyard. William's mother, Mary White Darling, was born in Texas in 1849.
William attended the Physicians and Surgeons College in Dallas, Texas receiving his MD degree in 1905. His first practice was in Jack County, Texas, but in November 1894 he settled in McMillan, Indian Territory. (Doctors often practice before finally receiving their degree.) He then went to Reck, Indian Territory and 1896 came to Hewitt, Indian Territory which later became Wilson. Here he stayed in practiced for many years. He established in early years the Pioneer Drug Store in New Wilson, later known as The Corner Drug Store.
In 1908 William organized the Darling Telephone Company and built the telephone system throughout his district including the first telephone line into the oilfield. In 1915 he sold the company to Pioneer Telephone Company.
-Indian Territory and Carter County Pioneers book 1982Q. Where in Oklahoma is a 1940s paddlewheel boat?
A. Grove, Oklahoma at Grand lake of the Cherokees
https://www.grandlake.com/todo--family--cherokee-queen-riverboat-ride/517Q. Where in Oklahoma is the red neck capital of the world and the quirkiest curio shop with nothing for sale?
A. Answer in next week's newsletterA flagstone I sandblasted this week.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/GaryDSmithFlagstone.jpg
Below is from This and That newsletter archives of November 29, 2007
Q. "Hi Butch, was just wondering if you would have any info on the little town of Pike, OK. Some of my family was born there and went to school there.A. Pike is in Love county, 13 miles NW of Marietta. A post office from November 25, 1892 to November 30, 1933. Named for Brigadier General Albert Pike, Confederate leader. -from Oklahoma Place Names
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"Butch, My dad and his brother and sisters went to school in Pike. My uncle Ben coached their baseball team, which was mostly my family. Would appreciate any pics and/or Albert Pike Coyle, my gg granddad. He was a full blood Chickasaw Indian born Aug. 14, 1859 in Tishomingo, IT, and a Harley Institute student. He married Clarissa Jane McMahan on Sept 11, 1880. They had 8 children: Ella Maryann, my g grandmother and a Bloomfield student - ( she married David Lee Alexander), James Thomas, Albert Pike, Benjamin Harrison, Earnest Earl, Mabel Pearl, Violet Theresa, and Lillie Audrey. They remained in the Southern Oklahoma area, Pike, IT. I have some info on the kids, but am at a complete stopping point with the older Albert Pike's parents and siblings. I think he had a sister named Jane, she married O'Savior Duroderigo. Family legend has it that Mr. Coyle and a sister was orphaned and found in the Arbuckle Mountains and then was raised by a Gaines family, and when they registered the Indian she declared him as only half, in order to avoid having a white guardian appointed. Clarissa later married James A. Williams on April 22, 1900. Do any of these names sound familiar to anyone? Do you know what newspapers were circulating around that time for the area?" -Wanda Wood
https://law.justia.com/cases/oklahoma/supreme-court/1915/19636.html
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"I love to remember the skating rink at Whittington Park. My grandparents ran the skating rink back then. Everyone called them "Mom" and "Pop". They would take me in my bassinet and I would sleep thru all the noise. Later, I learned to skate there. I remember the contests that were held every Saturday like the limbo and fast skate. Oh what fond memories." -Richie Henry
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"What a wonderful newsletter last week. I lived in Ardmore and had my first jobs there in Duke and Ayers and the two dress shops there plus Wards. I also worked at Pruitt Produce in the pecans as well. It was so good to be reminded of familiar things like Daubes window at Christmas and the good old hamburger Inn (the original) and Basil's grocery where I used to trade as a new bride. I didn't see the old Squeeze Inn cafe on east Main mentioned or Echols Storage etc. Sure brought back memories for me. Thanks to the one who put all this in this week." -Nellie' Loughridge' Combe
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Albert Cullum was in town this week from his stomping grounds of Overbrook, Oklahoma. The picture of the old model car parked at Lone Grove in last week's T&T reminded him of an old jalopy he owned in the mid 1950s. What was so unique about it, was he owned a 1931 or so Ford pickup. He kept the pickup for 3 years and sold it for $100 to someone in Tulsa. Since he bought it for $50, its the only vehicle he said he's owned, that he sold for more than he paid for it. As far as Albert knows, the pickup is still running around Tulsa town!
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos7a/1931Ford.jpg
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The Wilson News - submitted by Mindy Taylor
7-21-1915
The railroad people are tearing up the Y tracks at Wilson. This piece of trackage was put down here when Wilson was the terminal station and was a necessity at that time, but now that Wilson is no longer the terminal point, the Y is no longer needed.
7-28-1915
Rev. J. C. Harris, colporteur for the American Bible Society, will be in the city for a few days and will have a stand on the streets. He will furnish Bibles at actual cost of the books.
9-23-1915
C. P. Hall was in Wilson the first of the week looking after his business. After staying here all day he left for Wirt where he has another store. Mr. Hall owns three stores now, one at Ardmore, one at Wirt , and one at Wilson.
9-23-1915
We will take anything you have on subscription except "chickens" and Ford cars. Cordwood, watermelons and cantaloupe preferred, however, payments made in butter must be deferred until cold weather or delivered in a hole-proof tin can.
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
Happy Thanksgiving week, Butch!
I finally caved and ordered a subscription to Newspapers.com for my genealogy work. I did a search in early Ardmore papers trying to find information on my maternal grandfather or his parents and found numerous older Ardmore newspapers from the late 1800's and early 1900's. Just perusing thru them I happened upon the attached article about a gas war between Tom Cooper and Henry Sinclair. Just imagining that someone would be fighting over 15 cents per gallon of gas as opposed to 18 cents per gallon was just almost comical to me. I just thought this might give a few of your readers a good chuckle for this holiday weekend.
Have a blessed week. -Kathi George in Springdale, Arkansas
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Butch- Frances Dunlap has her dates correct regarding the Whittington Park swimming pool. It operated through the summer of 1954. I remember because the following summer, 1955, was the summer before my senior year in high school and I was fortunate to be hired as a life guard at the new pool. What great memories.
-Keith Read
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The paddle wheeler on Grand Lake. Hangs out at Grove, Oklahoma just at end of the bridge. I lived on Monkey Island for several years. Had my own boat so drive around the Cherokee Queen. Grand is a very GRAND lake.Just a little bit more on Grand Lake O (over) the Cherokees. It is 64 miles from the source, two rivers that form it, to the Pensacola Dam. Monkey Island almost half way between. Shangri La located on Monkey Island. Lake is clear especially compared to most Oklahoma lakes due to water sources. One river out of Kansas the other out of Missouri. It's a Grand River Dam Authority lake so not controlled by the Corp. Drop your boat and head to numerous restaurants and bars with courtesy slips. Great golf courses available by boat or car. Great place to visit or live. -Vince
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Q. butch do u remember a waterwheel over near Builder Bobs is there now i remember it well i went and spent time there to think. It was a stone building in the field there was a creek that ran thru growing up when i rode my bike it was off of fourth nw on the north side. No other building at the tine.A. Happy Hollow Sports Center. The water wheel was part of the miniature golf course by John Harlow. Located at 2115 4th NW where the Ardmore Janitorial Supply is located now.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos19b/HappyHollowRecCenterArdmore1974.jpg
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-----------------------------------------------Kemo Sabe Jay Silverheels -Tonto of the Lone Ranger
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
"Friends Make Life Worth Living"PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443http://www.OklahomaHistory.netVicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Oklahoma Bells: http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
Bill Hamm's Cemetery Database
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/carter/cartercm.htm
American Flyers Memorial Fund - Administration Webpage
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/crash66.html
Official American Flyers Memorial Website
http://www.brightok.net/~wwwafm
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Base Website
http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons
Mirror Site of the Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/airbase/
Carter County Government Website
http://cartercountyok.usT&T Sign Up Form
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