Early Day Ardmore Doctors by Paul N. Frame 1949
Before considering the physicians in early Ardmore, it is of interest to note that a survey of medicine in the Choctaw Nation in 1884 revealed that a large majority of men practicing medicine in the Nation at that time had never attended a medical college. A very few had been one or two course students but the great majority of the practitioners had never been seen in medical school. A few of the untrained doctors agreed to stop their practice, but most of them merely moved to other parts of the Indian Territory, outside the limits of the Choctaw Nation. Undoubtedly many must have come into the Chickasaw Nation.
Dr. Walter Hardy, who came to Ardmore in June 1887 and was a graduate of a recognized medical school, recalled that Pickens County contain many herb doctors, who often showed a considerable amount of shrewdness in diagnosing diseases. Theie prescriptions were limited to tea and stews made out of the bark of various kinds of trees.
To combat the unrestricted practices of the herb doctors and to improve the medical service in the Nation as a whole, the Chickasaw legislature passed a law on September 24, 1887 stating that all non citizen doctors who wish to practice medicine must get a recommendation from three residents citizens of the Nation to the effect that he was a sober man, of good moral character. The medical board of the county and state from which the non citizen doctor came also had to furnish proof that he was a practicing physician in good standing in his home community.
The first physician to practice in Ardmore was Dr Hilliard J. Yarbrough who was also the town's first postmaster. This combination medical post office was on the southeast corner of Main and Caddo streets. Dr. Yarbrough distributed the mail and doctored his patients all in the same room, and quite often at the same time.
Dr. E.G. Wands was considered the first physician with really adequate training.
A Reader passed along some interesting information for those researching their Indian heritage.
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nvsgs/INDIAN.ARTICLE.htm
Dwane Stevens sent in a link to a video made by his SIL's new drone giving us an aerial view of his property from the air. Quite an amazing view. Now Dwane won't have to walk down those long stretches of abandoned railroad tracks, or make that long trek in the Arbuckle Mountains to get photos of The Cut.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl9p0YaXfPM
As many of you know, southern Oklahoma received a lot of rain a couple weeks ago filling up the farm ponds to the delight of the ranchers and farmers. The photo (actually 2 photos) is a farm pond built by one of my neighbors over 2 years ago and then the photo I took a week ago when it was filled to the brim with rain water.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/FarmPondNewport.jpg
This photo was taken sometime in the 1960s I believe of the old Ardmore High School at North Washington and 2nd Street NW. The ladies all had long dresses.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/ArdmoreHighSchool1960s.jpg
A senior citizens has been selling pure, raw honey on the roadside between Ardmore and Lone Grove for a couple weeks now. This is a difference man than the guy from Stratford who parked there in a pickup the past year. This honey is from Sulphur, McGhee Honey Farms, and its very good quality. $15 for the 32 ounce jar in the photo below.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/McGheeHoney122415.jpg
I been trying to find tomatoes grown in the USA ever since Jill laid down the law to me to "not buy any more produce from Mexico. Well I found Del Monte tomatoes at the Ardmore Walmart that says they are grown here.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos16a/WalmartTomatos123015.jpg
November 1931
W.E. Guess and Cecil Crosby, former Carter County Sheriff's Deputies, and now
members of the army of the unemployed, were rejoicing in the knowledge that
grave criminal charges which have stayed over their heads for nearly half a
year, were stricken forever from the hooks of the court. A Carter County jury
said that neither of the defendants was guilty or to blame in the shooting death
of two Mexican National youths. With that official action, the curtain descended
on what probably was the most widely publicized slayings in the history of this
section.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/rubio.html
November 1931
Six horses have been killed on the highway within a 30 day. Vehicle drivers have
taken chances in driving around teams and then been forced to collide with an
oncoming car or run into a team driven by a farmer. Farmers are not obeying the
law said a law enforcement official. They cannot go into court and claim
damages. The law says a light of a certain color and size shall be carried on
all vehicles which are not motor driven and the farmers have neglected to
provide wagons with lights.
November 1955
Like the 5 cent cigar, the nickel payphone will soon fade into the realm of
history. Cost of calls will jump from the 5 cents to a dime next weekend.
November 1955
Miss Helen Price (McReynolds) was crowned sweetheart of the Future Farmers of
America at the halftime of the basketball game between Lone Grove and Springer.
Miss Price, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Theron Price, is a junior at Lone Grove
High School, secretary of her class, and is a candidate for Carnival Queen at
the Lone Grove High School.
Some pavers I sandblasted the past week
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/JoeOakmanPaver.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bricks/PaulaCrawfordPaver.jpg
You can find gas prices for a particular Oklahoma town by entering the name or zip code in the GasBuddy search box.
http://www.oklahomagasprices.com/
Still loving my Perfect Probiotic by Probiotic America I have been taking everyday. My stomach fat has been greatly reduced and I feel better than I have in years. If you really want to get rid of that belly fat I truly believe probiotics is a "must have".
http://oklahomahistory.net/probiotics.html
If you are like many and have an all electric home, you're electric bill may be higher in the winter than in the summer. Several friends are finding out my Okie Power Saver is a great way to reduce that electric bill and save money year round.
Q. What was the official name
selected for the Sirloin Stockade's "big cow" mascot in 1966?
A.
Sir Loinsalot. September 1987- Pearline Beavers was awarded a night in Oklahoma
City and $100 worth of meals at the Sirloin Stockade in Ardmore, after she
submitted the winning entry of Sir Loinsalot in the "Name the Bull" contest.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos10a/TheBigCow122510.jpg
Q. The tallest structure in the
world was once located in Oklahoma. What was it?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)
From This and That newsletter archives of January 5, 2002:
I read in The Daily Ardmoreite this week about plans to renovate the old Tivoli Theater on Main Street to host live music entertainment in the building. That will be great, I know Ardmore needs a place for Karioke singers..... we have some really talented singers in this area! Not to mention all the guitar pickers and other musicians!----------------------------------------------------
This past week I was in the mood for baked sweet potato. I popped a couple in the oven, and when they were done, I had them on my plate, preparing to butter these two yams. Next to me was a jar of Cranmore Pure Honey, and I thought, hum, yes, do it. Boy, not my mother, nor my granny Carmon, not even my granny Miller told me about this delectable combination! From now on, every time I eat baked sweet potato, I'll be dribbling honey all over them!
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A Reader wrote in this week to tell about the National Wild Turkey Federation holding a banquet at the Turner School Gym at Burneyville, Oklahoma on Saturday February 2nd. Its their second annual membership drive banquet.
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"Butch I remember Dr. Boyd. I also remember Dr. Higgins. His office was in his home and it was on E. St. N.W. About 8th or 9th Ave. I remember I could walk from my house and I even went by myself by the time I was 8 or 9. He mixed his own medicines mostly and used some of the old standards. If you were not eating as well or your stomach was upset he would say you were "bilious" what ever that meant. Back then it was easy to get "impetigo". The treatment for that from Dr. Veasey was to use "silver nitrate" and if anyone ever had to do that they never wanted to have it happen again. It turned black on your skin and made a scab and that scab had to go for the next treatment. I got it my first year of school almost the first day because I had never been around other kids or hardly out of my yard and God forbid if I touched dirt. My mother didn't like dirt. But Dr. Higgins could mix an ointment that took care of it. I remember Dr. Higgins well."
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"Happy Holidays to you. Thank you again and again for all the lovely memories!!! All the pictures and notes take us back to our youth, and things that we took lightly, or for granted. Ardmore is a wonderful place to call home. Maybe we should name it Ardmore USA!! Thanks again, and hope to see you one of these days." -Jo Summers
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"butch, back in the late 50s and early 60s i had a little league baseball coach named skinny stewart. i believe the stadium in wilson is named after him. he had been a major league ball player, but had become paralyzed in a car accident. also, his sweat glands had been damaged, so he couldn't sweat to cool his body. he had to coach us from a wheelchair out in the 100 degree weather dabbing water from a cooler onto himself with a hanky. i just worshipped that wonderful man and wonder if you know if he is still in the area. i would love to see him again."
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Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"I would really like to see more stories from Roy Miller about Big Canyon, Dolese, Dougherty." -Stan Hall"Hi Butch and Happy New Year! We had springles on our tree when I was a kid growing up in Jefferson county. If I remember right they were silver, red and gold colored. They did look like bed springs and did have glitter all over them. I haven't thought of them in many years and the picture brought back fond memories of past Christmases." -Kim Collins
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos15b/SpringlesDecorations1.jpg
"Thanks so much Butch. I always enjoy your T&T Newsletters very much. The murals in Wilson were very nice to see and the museum is also a great addition. I turned 70 a few days ago and will continue to read the newsletters as long as I can. Happy New Year to you and yours." -Larry Johnson
Interview with God.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/moBvLFbFdJ4?rel=0&autoplay=1
Be at war with your vices; at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man. -Benjamin Franklin
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/viciousdogs.html
Bells of Oklahoma
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/bellpage.html
Carter County Courthouse Paver Project
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/pavers
Ardmore High School Criterions Online
http://www.ArdmoreCriterion.com/
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.us/
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