The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition Thursday, July 1, 1976 Section B, Page 8 DR. WHITLEY PRACTICED BEFORE WINFIELD WAS A TOWN The first doctor, before Winfield ever became a town, was Dr. James Moody WHITLEY, according to many of the early citizens and also positive proof of this fact came from M. Reno McGAHA of Levelland, Texas, whom the Journal Staff had the fortune of meeting as he came through Winfield. Dr. WHITLEY also served as part-time Methodist preacher in those early years before he moved to Texas, where he and his wife died within a week of each other. Mrs. A. W. GREEN, eighty-four years of age, remembers Dr. WHITLEY and a Dr. WOOD as the first two doctors. Mrs. R. E. MOORE, Sr. had heard of a Dr. IVIE who practiced in Winfield, a short time, and Mr. and Mrs. Newt WHITHEAD knew a Dr. Clark MORTON of Fayette, who was in the town for a short period. Dr. Jim Franklin EARNEST was one of the very early doctors also. He took Dr. Ciscero WHEELER in with him and later Dr. EARNEST's son, Dr. Linwood EARNEST also practiced in Winfield until the time of his death. Dr. Vandiver HILL practiced for a short time in Winfield, as did his brother Dr. Marcus HILL, who was an early dentist. Dr. John RANDOLPH and Dr. W. J. McCRARY practiced a short time here, with much of Dr. RANDOLPH's practice being in Brilliant. Dr. R. L. HILL and Dr. M. C. HOLLIS came to Winfield, in 1908 and set up practice together upstairs over ODEN-SHIREY Drug Company. Dr. HILL stated that there were four doctors in the Winfield area at the time he came in 1908, including Dr. W. J. McCRARY, Dr. W. J. COCHRAN of Brilliant, Dr. J. F. and Dr. W. L. EARNEST, Dr. R. H. BARNES came in 1912, and practiced in Winfield until his health forced him to retire shortly before his death. In 1909, Dr. HILL built his home and office next door to McCONNELL's Cleaners and practiced there a short time and then in 1910, he, Dr. HOLLIS and Dr. Murray CURL (an early Dentist until 1912, when he went to Amarilla(sic), Texas) had adjacent offices upstairs over the Winfield Bank and Trust Company. Dr. HILL said that he used a horse and buggy to visit his medical patients until 1914, when he bought his first Ford car. He last buggy, a rubber-tired one cost one hundred dollars and his horse cost three hundred and fifty dollars. Dr. HOLLIS also bought a car near the same time that Dr. HILL did, either before or after. Dr. HILL, Dr. HOLLIS and Dr. BARNES all made trips to Boston, Brilliant and far beyond besides their practice in Winfield. They served on many town and civic organizations and in many other capacities besides just medical practice, the stories being given under their individual histories. A number of people thought Dr. HARKINS of Fayette, Dr. Marcus HILL of Carbon Hill and Dr. Murray CURL to be the first dentists of Winfield, but Mrs. R. E. MOORE Sr. had heard that a Dr. CHISHOLM was the very first. Dr. Murray CURL stated that he was the first dentist to ever located in Winfield permanently. Mr LUCAS and Mrs. MOORE also remembered a Dr. BUSBEE, and Mrs. MOORE said that a Dr. WOODBERRY was also in Winfield, a short time. Dr. J. L. CLINE practiced upstairs over HILL Drug company, setting up dental practice just after returning from World War I and for many years he was the only dentist in Winfield, serving also the people of Brilliant, Boston and surrounding areas. After World War II, Dr. Frank SHIREY set up dental practice in Winfield, where he remained until leaving to specialize in Orthodontistry. He sold his equipment to Dr. R. E. FIKES, who has continued to serve as Winfield Dentist to the present time. Dr. SHIREY had offices in Decatur for a period of time. After World War II, Dr. Edwin COUCH and his nurse-wife, the former Elouise GABA, opened medical offices over the Alabama Power Company in the PEARCE Building, where he served many people until he built his beautiful modern natural rock clinic just north of the City Hall and next door to the Community House as it was years back. Dr. COUCH, the son of Professor Jessee COUCH, taught for a number of years before going to medical school. He was relieved by Dr. I. W. BANKSTON of Scottsboro, for a period of one year, while he returned to Tennessee to specialize in Internal Medicine. He later had Dr. H. A. CHILDS, and Dr. Fred CREWS who were associated with him in this clinic until Dr. CHILDS built his own clinic in South Alabama and Dr. CREWS took over the practice of Dr. R. C. CHRISTOPHER who went into military service, but Dr. COUCH continued his tremendously large practice alone for a number of years. Dr. Robert SMITH, Birmingham surgeon, practiced in Winfield a short time after the old Winfield Hospital was built in 1949 but returned to Birmingham to practice. Dr. Thomas BOSTON and Dr. E. P. MOBLEY of Tennessee practiced at the Winfield Medical Center for a very few months also. Dr. Robert H. MASON of Hamilton, had offices in both Hamilton and Winfield, and practiced only surgery. Presently Dr. James R. SHAMBLIN, Dr. Aubrey SEWELL, Dr. John H. OVERTON, Dr. R. K. SEHGAL and Dr. A. H. PARGHI practice in Winfield. The only two dentists are Dr. R. E. FIKES and his son, Dr. Jerry FIKES. Dr. George H. MANN practiced in Winfield until his death earlier this year. DRUGSTORES IN WINFIELD R. K. SHIREY of the ODEN SHIREY Drug Company said that Harry McCLENANHAN had the first drugstore in the early days of Winfield, after the railroad was built in 1887, and that the drugstore kept changing hands until Henry P. ODEN purchased it in the 1900's and after his death the drugstore became the property of R. K. SHIREY and O. W. ODEN and their wives, who were already associated with Mr. ODEN in the drugstore, and it has continued in the hands of the ODENs and SHIREYs and is known as ODEN-SHIREY Drug Company. In 1919, just after World War I, Dr. R. L. HILL and the PEARCEs opened the HILL-PEARCE Drug Company, and Dr. HILL, a short time later, bought out the stockholders and incorporated it as HILL Drug Company. r. G. CARPENTER first served as manager and later Alfred NEWMAN of Fayette managed the company until R. Fulmer HILL, son of Dr. HILL, succeeded him. Mr. HILL had his college work and degree, taught for a period of time, and then did post-graduate study before returning to take over the drug business. The HILL and ODEN-SHIREY Drugstores were the only two in Winfield, until Beverley HOLLIS, son of Dr. M. C. HOLLIS, opened the HOLLIS Pharmacy after Dr. HOLLIS built the HOLLIS Building in 1950. HOLLIS later built a new modern drugstore where he presently works. Mr. HOLLIS had owned and operated a drugstore in Russellville, for a number of years before coming to Winfield.