In tribute to the WTF thread on Forum 16 and based on what I read last night, I thought I'd start this thread:

As a first entry, the founder of the X Radio Station in Del Rio (Acuna) "Dr." John R. Brinkley

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_R._Brinkley

Before he started the X to advance his political career, this charlatan invented his own version of Viagra by adding goat gonads to men's testicles who were underperforming. Despite what Wikipedia says, the article I read said this idea came to him from one of his patients, a farmer, who lamented that he wish he could still f*** like his goats. A light bulb went off in John's head and the rest is WTF history.

When his "medical license" was revoked by Kansas, he ran for governor so he could appoint people to the medical board to let him resume his practice.

Anyway please add your moments or persons from history that make you go WTF.

One of my favorite history topics/studies is outlaws of the Old West (having being descended from one myself. )
Anyway one of my WTF history topics pertains to the outlaw Clell Miller, a member of the James-Younger Gang. If you've ever watched the movie The Long Riders, (not an 100% historically accurate movie...but they never are) Miller is portrayed/played by actor Randy Quaid. Anyway, Miller participated in many of the James' gangs robberies....and met his death on the streets of Northfield Minnesota when the gang attempted to rob the First National Bank, but the townfolks unloaded on them. Miller was killed by a University of Michigan medical student Henry Wheeler...who was home on break. (Also killed on the street that day was Bill Chadwell) The outlaws were buried in a shallow grave, and Wheeler dug them up at night, and had them shipped in barrels marked "paint" to the medical school in Michigan. (It seems medical students had to pretty much provide their own cadaver's in those days).
Eventually, Miller's family came to Michigan to get the remains, and Wheeler supposedly kept Miller's and gave them another man's....possibly Chadwell. In the end, Wheeler showed off Miller's skeleton for years to people who came to his office in Grand Rapids, and he eventually donated it to a local lodge before his death. The skeleton in question has been subjected to recent tests to prove its authenticity. (See attached)


https://patch.com/minnesota/northfield/skeleton-could-be-james-gang-member-clell-miller

So, a Dr. who kills a noted outlaw and then keeps the corpse/bones for display is kind of a WTF moment for me!! Nice topic BQ'78 by the way.

Stive said:

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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Abernathy_and_Temple_Abernathy

I had this on the "things I learned this year" thread but I think it probably fits here better.


" Louis (sometimes styled Louie) Abernathy was born in Texas in 1899 and Temple Abernathy was born in 1904 in Tipton, Oklahoma. Their father was cowboy and U.S. Marshal Jack Abernathy.

In 1909 the boys rode by horseback from Frederick, Oklahoma, to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and back. Louis was nine, and Temple was five.[2]

When the boys completed their Santa Fe journey, they began planning a cross-country horseback ride to New York City, again by themselves, to meet Theodore Roosevelt when he returned from his trip to Africa and Europe. They made that trip in 1910. They were greeted as celebrities, and rode their horses in a ticker-tape parade just behind the car carrying Roosevelt. While in New York, the boys purchased a small Brush Motor Car, which they drove, again by themselves, back to Oklahoma, shipping their horses home by train.[3][4][5]

In 1911, they accepted a challenge to ride horseback from New York to San Francisco in 60 days or less. They agreed not to eat or sleep indoors at any point of the journey. They would collect a $10,000 prize if they succeeded.[6]

After a long trip, they arrived in San Francisco in 62 days, thereby losing the prize but setting a record for the time elapsed for the trip.

In 1913, the boys purchased an Indian motorcycle, and with their stepbrother, Anton, journeyed by motorcycle from Oklahoma to New York City. This was their last documented adventure"

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Temple Abernathy was named for Sam Houston's son, Temple Lea Houston who was one of the early graduates of A.M.C.

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The Long Riders, (not an 100% historically accurate movie

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No it's not but close enough for me because it was so darn entertaining. Must of watched it 4 or 5 times one week, it was one of the movies we were watching while sitting alert and as soon as it was over they'd rewind the film and show it again.

Supposedly I have a relative in that film too, Belle Starr, per my grandmother. I've found Missouri Shirleys in my family tree but I can't quite make the connection to Myra Belle.

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Temple Lea Houston who was one of the early graduates of A.M.C.

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Student, not grad. But he is a fascinating character. Spent a lot of his time up here in the Panhandle. Famous for the "soiled dove" defense. Worth Googling.

BQ78 said:

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The Long Riders, (not an 100% historically accurate movie

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No it's not but close enough for me because it was so darn entertaining. Must of watched it 4 or 5 times one week, it was one of the movies we were watching while sitting alert and as soon as it was over they'd rewind the film and show it again.

Supposedly I have a relative in that film too, Belle Starr, per my grandmother. I've found Missouri Shirleys in my family tree but I can't quite make the connection to Myra Belle.

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Your right....it was especially good for the 1980's, and the shootout at Northfield was outstanding. (Plus all the different brothers who played parts.....the Quaids, the Carradines, James and Stacey Keach and even Nicholas and Christopher Guest....that was pretty rare to have all of them in a movie!) Belle Starr......now that would be a very interesting person to be related to!!

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Belle Starr......now that would be a very interesting person to be related to!!

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Speaking of spoiled doves.

Spoiled or soiled?

Yes

Here is a fact that makes people go WTF. More than 2 in 10 men serving in the Union Army in the Civil War were southerners who stayed loyal. Primarily from places like eastern Tennessee, western Virginia, what would become West Virginia, and Western North Carolina. However Arkansas contributed ten regiments to the Union and Texas contributed two regiments of cavalry. You can learn more via the excellent book "Lincoln's Loyalists"

How about famed British actress Laura Keene..........she was the star of My American Cousin the night Lincoln got assassinated. She went up into the box and asked Mrs. Lincoln if she could hold the dying president. Apparently she rested his head on her lap, and her dress was stained with Lincoln's blood (its on display today in Ford's Theater). I've read where she would show it off the people who wanted to see it, and it kind of ruined her career.

Everyone's heard of Oneida Flatware, right?

Recently found out it is the last surviving vestige/business of a perfectionist religious communal society:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oneida_Community

Founded in 1848, the Oneida community believed in free love, mutual criticism, mild eugenics, and communal raising of children.

Pretty avant garde stuff for the mid 1800's.

and the you have the Amish and their Intercourse......Pennsylvania.

Rabid Cougar said:

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and the you have the Amish and their Intercourse......Pennsylvania.

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Best 8th grade class trip ever-

We went to intercourse and bought bumper stickers that said "intercourse, just this side of paradise." As 8th graders, we thought it was hilarious.

Also funny, intercourse, Pa is halfway between blue ball, pa and paradise, pa. The more you know...