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- When queried about what religion the various Wildman lines had been, Les responded:
Grandad John 'Jack' Nelson Wildman, married Nora Lee Cummins, in Purcell or Lexington, Oklahoma, where she was in a "convent". I know of no other convents but Catholic, but maybe that's just what they called it. Great Grandpa Cummins was an early day preacher, as was his father, who comes from Scotland. In those days, the circuit riding preachers were likely whatever they needed to be. Grandmother (Nora Lee) was a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). There were a number of schisms along that time..like Church of Christ, and a movement of Independent Christian Churches. She was said to be at the door, waiting to get in, whenever they unlocked it. The tradition has been passed on, as my Mother and Dad were both elders, as my brother Joe, and I are (were), The schisms continue, today, as people want to tell God how to run things.
On the town of Wildman and related topics:
Grandad J N Wildman (Jack), stayed pretty close to Frank. When in Oklahoma, Wildman and True Feed and Seed was in Purcell. That's when Grandad met Grandmother. Somehow, Grandad lost his part of it , and he and Uncle Frank turn up in Carnegie and Mountain View. Uncle Duke had settled in Vici. (He died at 96 after falling off a silo, when the hose got caught on his leg and pulled him down). Uncle Dick farmed and worked for the Carnegie or Mountain View school driving the school bus and as a custodian. Grandad was running the creamery in Carnegie. Uncle Frank met E. A. Williams who convinced him that there was gold in the Wichita Mountains and that Uncle Frank should build a cyanide mill to refine the gold. The town of Wildman was born. Had it's own bank, post office and newspaper and population of about 15,000. No commercialy productive quantitives of gold were found, and the cyanide mill went bust. The rock cooling tower and slabs of concrete remain, along with Uncle Frank’s money. At one time they owned and ran a cotton gin. They left for Monahans, Texas, where Uncle Frank openned an insurance agency and Grandad a Transfer and Storage and "cot-house" for oil field workers. (That's not to be confused with a cat house!)
Uncle Frank married E. A. Williams’ sister and had two daughters, Ouida and Mozelle. Ouida was star struck and left for Hollywood and played in some movies. Mozelle married a plumber named "Slick" Hogg. Honest. They had two daughters, Jenny and Ann. Uncle Frank had previously been married and had a daughter named Carrie, who married Stacy Ferrell. They had two children, Edward and Mary Catherine. So, there is a baitshop, pool hall and beer joint, now in Wildman, Oklahoma. That's about it.
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