JAMES HENDERSON MEDARIS
Submitted by Bob Webster


James Henderson Medaris family was the fifth generation to come to 
America. He was born in Owens County Indiana November 7th, 1851. He 
married Samilda Dorcas Davis, May 20, 1875.

They built a store in Catarack, Indiana and Dr. Jones had an office in 
the store building and this doctor got James interested in the field of 
medicine.

Dr. Jones' medical books were read over and over by James. In 1885 ill 
health caused James and Samilda to move to Bross, Kansas by train with 
their children, where Dr. Medaris practiced medicine.

Two years later Kansas passed legislation requiring medical school for 
his licensing. So Dr. Medaris and family moved to Kansas City so he 
could attend medical college.

In 1893 the Cherokee Strip opened and Dr. Medaris made the run. He made 
the claim in Enid on the lot that presently has the Mayer Shoe store. 
Later, to be near relatives, they moved to Helena Oklahoma.

To this union eight children were born, Laura, May, Gertrude Bell, Ada 
Ellen, Metta Agnes, Vernon, and Una Clare, she died when she was four 
years of diphtheria. Two children were deceased at birth.

The doctors were far and few between. Dr. Medaris practiced with a horse 
and buggy. Some days it would take all day to see one patient. He had 
trained his horse to take him home while he slept. Whenever the horse 
stopped, Dr. Medaris knew he was home. He fed his horse, ate his 
breakfast, and walked up to his office for another day.

Dr. Medaris bought the first automobile in the community. It was a white 
Buick, very striking in those days. People would come to see it, also 
wanting to take a ride in it. Dr. Medaris could see so many more 
patients in a day now.

There was a sad side to it, though, when horse and buggy would meet the 
automobile some of the horses would rare straight up and others would 
just run away with the buggy, hurting people. Finally when the cars were 
so numerous the buggies gradually disappeared.

Dr. Medaris expected people that was able to pay for his service, but if 
they could not it was alright, too. Many a time he would come home with 
a dozen eggs or a chicken, maybe a peck of potatoes. Dr. Medaris was a 
devout Christian man. He started the Church of Christ in Helena.

by Helen (McCall) Bachman, Grand-daughter of
James Henderson Medaris.