Article by Cherl J. Soliday, published in Cushing Daily Citizen, Wednesday, September 28, 2005

     Step back in time for a moment and imagine being six years old and seeing the magical sight. When I was a little girl, the highlight of any parade or reunion was seeing Dr. Orange W. Starr ride up on his Palomino. He was dressed as in full Indian attire, complete with a huge war bonnet. To every small child in northeastern Oklahoma, he was much larger than life when he appeared. 

     He encouraged all children to dress like cowboys and Indians and sometimes gave pony rides all day long. I knew him as a friend of my grandfather's, Bill Hoge. My grandpas made friends all over this state from about 1900 until his death in 1969. Dr. Starr was one of many such friends who ranged from Will Rogers to Pistol Pete. 

     Dr. Starr was well known in Creek County and surrounding areas for delivering what he named "Starr Brand Babies". This term applied to all the babies he delivered in his long career as a country doctor and Cherokee Medicine man in Creek County. He delivered some 3,242 babies in Drumright and the surrounding towns. Ironically today, the population of Drumright is not much more than the number of babies Dr. Starr delivered. 

     Dr. Orange Walter Starr was one of four children of Blue Starr, territorial cattleman and rancher. He was born at Fort Gibson on April 22, 1890 and attended school in Claremore. Dr. Starr served two terms in the Oklahoma House of Representatives during the gubernatorial administration of the late Robert S. Kerr around 1950-54. He was known as the Cherokees' 'Goodwill Ambassador" and was an honorary member of the Creek Council appointed by Chiefs W. W. Keeler of the Cherokees and W.E. (Dode) McIntosh of the Creeks. He earned his Medical Doctor degree from the St. Louis University School of Medicine. He moved to Drumright to begin his practice after a one year internship at a St. Louis hospital. He remained in Drumright for 42 years until moving to Spavinaw into "semi-retirement" around 1959. He retired in 1967. 

     Each year, Star Brand babies received birthday greetings from Dr. Starr complete with a photo showing him in his well-known headdress. He was a regular part of most pioneer parades and reunions.

     The first Starr Brand boy was born in Drumright on December 20, 1915. His name was Ernie Hill. The first Starr Brand girl was Laverne Matts, probably in 1916, but the exact date is not available. The only completely Starr Brand Family found was that of Billee and Orville Linduff. Both were delivered by Dr. Starr as were their daughters Cheryl and Kay. Billee's family (parents Leo and Dixie Jackson) were the largest family of Starr Brand babies delivered, with a total of eight children. Billee had one sister and six brothers. Six of the eight are living and one is named after Dr. Starr, Sammy Starr Jackson. Many of the Starr Brand Babies have Starr somewhere in their names. They are pictured in the book about Drumright by Earl Newsome. 

     There were two huge birthday celebrations held in Whitlock Park in Drumright for all of the "Starr Brand Babies".  The first one was held in 1957 and the second was held there in 1967. They were once again encouraged by Dr. Starr to come to the celebration dressed as cowboys and Indians. They had a great big birthday cake and lots of fried chicken and grape Nehi. 

     Dr. Starr's great legacy lives on through the memories and lives of the 3,242 "Starr Brand Babies" he delivered. Other stories about Dr. Starr include the times he doctored them free of charge. According to a note on the Genealogy of Dr. Orange W. Starr website, his granddaughter Kathleen Coley wrote: "He loved the town of Drumright" and in fact, her mother's middle name is Drumright. In addition to the Starr Brand babies, Dr. Orange W. Starr's colorful history included serving in World War I - during which time he conducted a stomp dance in honor of the king and queen of England. 

     He served two terms as state representative from Creek County and was twice a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. He present President Lyndon B. Johnson with a special peace pipe. He was the recipient of the first Council of American Indian Award for his work with underprivileged Indian children. He often played Santa Claus to Indian children at the Akdar Shrine Temple in Tulsa. He served two years as president of Indian Territory Cowboy and Pioneer Association. Dr. Starr was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Drumright American Legion, serving as commander of the local, county and district posts. 

     He served as chairman of the Salvation Army Advisory Board for 25 years, on the local and Creek County Red Cross board and on the executive board of the Cherokee foundation. Additionally, Dr. Starr was the first appointed city and school physician in Drumright.

     Dr. Starr and my grandfather came from a time in history where their responsibilities went much further than their actual schooling gave them. The school of life and community is what they created out of experience. Dr. Starr became a doctor in the small Creek County community in 1915. Both my grandfather William Hoge and Dr. Starr served in World War I.

     Dr. Starr would show up at events in a horse-drawn wagon sometimes with a sign on the side that read simply, "Corn, Herbs, and Roots" eluding to his title of Cherokee Medicine Man. 

     When I attended school in Drumright I became acquainted with some of the Starr Brand Babies. They were as varied as the man who delivered the Tulsa World newspapers to some of my own classmates. Dr. Orange W. Starr lived a colorful life and left a legacy of the delivery of 3,242 "Starr Brand Babies". May have passed away, but many live on and thousands of people still remember what it was like to be in the throng of children following this gentle wonderful real life Cherokee Medicine Man, Dr. Starr.

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