James Herbert COKER
"During the great war between the forces of the North and the South, when sections of the Southland had been ruined agriculturally and financially and its people who did not participate as soldiers were forced to wander from place to place, family separations contributed very greatly to the sum total of sorrow that pervaded the region. A train of wagons bearing migratory people from some other section of the South passed through Marion County, Arkansas, and gathered up the twelve-year-old son of "Fiddler Bill" Coker. "Fiddler Bill," who, many years before the war, had been an adventurer in Indian Territory, a friend and associate of chiefs, and a pathfinder for industrial developers, was at the front. The lad was taken into North Missouri and there remained for ten years, during which time he never heard from his parents. When he returned to Marion County, Arkansas, and inquired for them he was shown their graves only. Back of the pathos the graves inscribed in his mind was a tragedy that to this day has not been cleared up.
"Fiddler Bill" Coker had acquired a considerable fortune as a trader and cattle dealer. Part of his property consisted in gold and silver that he had buried in the ground to be resurrected when the war was over. Probably shortly after his return his money was taken and through some unknown process he was relieved of nearly all of the remainder of his property and he and his wife were taken to their graves. The returned son of "Fiddler Bill" Coker, is Dr. James Martin Coker, of Yellville, Arkansas.
An account of the adventures and wanderings of "Fiddler Bill" Coker has not been recalled in many years and probably few who are living who remember his activities. He was a daring and picturesque character. During the same years there lived in the Indian country two of his cousins, each from a different branch of the family, one being "Prairie Bill" and the other "River Bill." "Fiddler Bill" was a horseman of parts and owned a private race track on which he trained his blooded stock. It is said that his string of race horses brought him a considerable part of his fortune.
Back into the Indian country has come a grandson of "Fiddler Bill" Coker to make his fortune. He is James Herbert COKER, of Idabel, who was born at Yellville, Arkansas, in 1891, and who is a son of Dr. James Martin and Martha May (CANTRELL) COKER. Doctor Coker, who is a graduate of Barnes Medical College, of St. Louis, Missouri, and who has taken post-graduate diplomas from Chicago and Little Rock schools, has been a practicing physician of Marion County, Arkansas, for a period of thirty-five years. He was a member of the Arkansas Legislature in 1896-7 and for many years has taken an active and leading part in democratic politics, once being a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. He was a supporter and active campaigner for Jeff DAVIS and Senator CLARK. A half sister of Doctor Coker is Mrs. J. W. BLACK, of Marion County, Arkansas, whose husband has been a member of the Arkansas Legislature. John COKER, a brother of Doctor Coker, lives at McAlester, Oklahoma, and another half brother, Calvin COKER, makes his home at Cotter, Arkansas.
James Herbert COKER was educated in the public school and the high school at Yellville, Arkansas, and on the completion of his studies entered the abstract business. For a time he was employed in the home office of the Arkansas Guaranty Title and Trust Company, at Little Rock. In 1911 he became associated with H. C. PERKINS and organized at Idabel, Oklahoma, the Southern Oklahoma Abstract Company, in connection with which enterprise they do a real estate and farm loan business. Mr. Coker has four brothers: E. A., who now lives at McKinney, Texas, and who for four years immediately following statehood was deputy district clerk of Muskogee County, Oklahoma; C. W., a resident of Butte, Montana; John McPherrin, who resides at Joplin, Missouri; and B. L. who resides at Idabel. Two sisters of Mr. Coker are Mrs. M. D. WOODRUFF, of Seattle, Washington; and Mrs. H. C. PERKINS, of Idabel."