A Tribute to Doctor Will J. Turner

Submitted by Woodroe Wylie

Those who only knew Doctor W.J. Turner in the closing years of his life cannot begin to know his true worth to Panola County. As a doctor he was of intangible value to people throughout his area. Perhaps many Panola County Citizens are going about performing the duties of life, who would not be here at all if it were not for Doctor Turner’s medical skill. He delivered a number of Panola Countians into the world. Most of his practice went on in the home away from the hospital. That was the general routine of practice during his active years. He had an office in Longbranch for a number of years.

The art of practicing medicine during his active years were very different from what it is during this modern day. X-ray machines were not available. Without the fast reacting drugs that we have today, getting a patient well was a long drawn out process. In fact, many patients died back in those days, when if our modern drugs would have been available it would have been only a matter of a few hours or days to get them well. Practically nothing was known to do for heart trouble as well as other ailments. However, heart failure and some of the other diseases were not near so plentiful as they are now.

In the old days it took months to cure many cases of pneumonia. Sometimes it required an operation before the patient became well. Influenza was another dreadful malady which required a lengthy time to cure. Many patients died from pneumonia or influenza. Now it is easy and only requires a few days to cure these ailments. There were many more diseases which are too numerous to mention which required a lengthy time to cure.

The sulphur drug and penicillin brought wonders to the medical world and there are many more.

Back in Doctor Turner’s day there were many more hardships to practicing medicine. There were no automobiles, or else the roads were too bad to travel. In fact, some of the roads were impassable for wagons. When there was no telephones available, the Doctor ofttimes got the news about the patient by the way of a messenger who sometime traveled in a buggy or afoot.

Dr. Turner had a faithful horse that carried him to his destinations for a number of years. He was a gray horse and his name was “Sam”. Sam’s master loved him with all the devotion that was possible for a human to love a horse. The faithful horse carried Doctor Turner to the neighboring communities of Longbranch, Dotson, Jumbo, Clayton, and Fairplay. He traveled long hours on the horse both night and day. There was usually a dim lamp light to examine the patient and count out the medicine. In the extremely bad weather there would be times when the cold icy rains would freeze his feet to the saddle stirrups. Our modern doctors cannot possibly concieve of the hardships and privations the doctors went through a few decades ago. Many times these doctors of olden times made these unpleasant trips without pay.

Dr. Turner’s love for Sam did not cease at his death. When Sam died, he considered Sam more deserving than an ordinary horse. He remarked that the scavengers would not devour him. He had a grave dug and a monument was placed at Sam’s grave as a tribute to a faithful horse that had been so good to a doctor and his patients.

Doctor Turner’s memories and services goes far beyond the services of a doctor. He reared two orphans to become fine young men which are an asset to the neighborhood in which they lived. These two young men, Pete and Pat, are held in esteem where they are known.

Seeing Doctor Turner in his older life when his physical strength and his general health was impaired, one would not suspicion him to have once been one of the best business men in Panola County. He accumulated several hundred acres of land, mostly through his own initative. He built a number of barns and rent houses on the land. Under his supervision he grew large crops on the land. He grew lots of cotton, corn, ribbon cane and made hundred of gallons of syrup. He was an energetic business man. He once raised lots of mules on the place and sold them. Then he raised cows. He also ran a dry goods store in Longbranch. As the saying goes he once could “wheel and deal”. His loss of health was largely due to the abusive tactics of man. Some sought to use him for selfish gain. When the history of Panola County is written, and those who made contributions name is mentioned Doctor W.J. Turner’s name should be honorably recorded.

Woodroe Wylie

 Dr. W. J. Turner was the son of Jesse Hinton Turner (6/28/1858-11/2/1936) and Clara Nevil (3/16/1866-4/1/1946). He is buried in the Shiloh Cemetery in Rusk Co. next to Jesse and Clara as well as his brother, George Turner. He is the brother of Annie B. Turner who was married to Richard Lee Griffin.