John Robert McMurrain, D.C., 27th Keeler Recipient

Dr. John Robert McMurrain was born February 26, 1920, the son of Dr. and Mrs. Sterling T. McMurrain, pioneer Texas chiropractor, recipient of the Keeler Plaque in 1958.

Dr. John was educated in the Dallas Public Schools and took his undergraduate work at S.M.U. and Baylor University, majoring in zoology and minoring in chemistry and psychology.  He attended the Universal-Lincoln Chiropractic College and received his D.C. and Ph.C. Degrees from the Texas Chiropractic College in 1942.  Since graduation he has been a student of advanced chiropractic technique and has studied under many post-graduate teachers.

Charles C. Lemly, D.C., 26th Keeler Recipient

Dr. Charles C. Lemly was born April 30, 1892, son of Samuel and Stell Robinson Lemly, 703 Pine Street, Texarkana, Texas.  He grew up in that city and graduated from the local high school and the Texarkana Preparatory School and Junior College.  Samuel Lemly, the father, was thought to be the first graduate Pharmacist in the State of Texas, and Charles, the son, the subject of our sketch, among the first Chiropractic Physicians in Texas.

After completing his academic work, his intention was to study medicine, and he started to do so at the Twin City Medical College, under the tutelage of Drs. Abell, Smith, Kittrell and Hunt, (the last named being at one time President of the Texas Medical Association).  Later due to the wonderful personal results obtained from chiropractic, he decided to study it instead.  He also studied Naturopathy and graduated from the Nashville Naturopathic College and the National College of Drugless Physicians.

Dr. Lemly graduated from the Universal Chiropractic College (1914) and did post graduate work at the National College in Chicago, the Los Angeles College and the Texas Chiropractic College.  He holds the following degrees:  D.C., B.S., F.I.C.C., and the E.E.C.  He is said to have had more cases (66) filed against him by the medical profession and was tried more times in the courts than any other chiropractor.

Sterling T. McMurrain, D.C., 25th Keeler Recipient

I am a native Texan, born in Waco and there received my early education, attending Baylor University and later entered the Universal Chiropractic College in Davenport, Iowa, graduating in 1916 and immediately thereafter opened my office for practice in Hillsboro.  I had a very lucrative business, largely because of the Newspaper publicity given to my fight, to defend my right to practice, in the courts of Hill County on two different occasions.  These trials brought the attention of the public to chiropractic more forcibly than I could have done with thousands of dollars of advertising.  You cannot buy the front page in the papers.

Six months after opening my office in Hillsboro I was called to military service.  My one year in the medical department of the Army in the base hospital gave me quite an insight into medical methods which made me more determined than ever to be a good chiropractor.

Helen B. Mason, D.C., 24th Keeler Recipient

During the flu epidemic of 1917 when so many under medical care were dying, one of my sisters became ill.  My oldest sister, who had just graduated from the Hunter Chiropractic College in Springfield, Missouri took care of her.  However, to verify her diagnosis that it was flu, she had Dr. L. S. Hunter, President of the College, to see her.  

With his adjustment, together with four or five that my sister gave her, she was sick only three days.  On the fourth day, under protest from my sister who was a chiropractor, she walked seven blocks to town and back.  She became well so soon that I almost refused to believe that she had the flu.

Later on, my son when only a year old, became very ill with bronchitis.  My husband and I took him to several medical specialists without any worthwhile results.  We called a chiropractor, as a last resort, and were amazed at the rapidity of his recovery.  We discussed this amazing cure at length and came to the decision that, if chiropractic could do as much for the health of other individuals as it had done for our son we wanted to become chiropractors.

C. L. Gibson, D.C., 23rd Keeler Recipient

Dr. C. L. Gibson received his High School Diploma at San Marcos, Texas.  He attended Southwest Teachers College for one year, the University of Texas for two years, and taught in Public Schools for seven years.

After graduating from Texas Chiropractic College in June, 1929 he went to west Texas where he practiced a few months in each of the following places – with Dr. George Huffman, Spur, Texas; with Dr. T. A. McIlroy, Ralls, Texas and at Loveland, Texas in his own office.  

He moved to Marshall in 1930, where he has practiced since.  He has been active in Marshall Civic activities and in two lodges.  He is a member of the First Baptist Church where he has been active in various Church Organizations, especially as teacher of two separate Men’s Sunday School Classes.

Over a period of several years he has written a number of articles that were published in Texas Chiropractor and other state chiropractic publications.  He has lectured in many places on some of the same subjects that he has had published in chiropractic magazines.  One lecture of the series was given twelve times in and out of the state in 1955-56, on the subject, “A Man of Vision”, which is a eulogy to Dr. D. D. Palmer.  He was on the T.S.C.A.Lecturing Panel for three years to help conduct seven two-day educational seminars for Texas chiropractors in various cities of the state.

A. A. Davenport, D.C., 22nd Keeler Recipient

I was born in Ranger, Texas, August 19, 1911.  I Attended Public Schools in Ranger and Weatherford and Ranger College.  I studied Pharmacy at St. Louis, Missouri and later became a traveling drug salesman in my home state of Texas.  

During my travels I met and married Ruby Jo Butler of Howe, Texas.  Through my wife I met F. B. Young, a chiropractor at Sherman, Texas and became interested in Chiropractic.

I enrolled in Texas Chiropractic College in San Antonio, graduating in the summer of 1939.  Shortly after graduation we moved to Gainesville where I opened my first clinic.  I soon outgrew this clinic and late in 1953 I began to think of building a larger clinic.  Dedication services were held for a new eleven room clinic in March, 1954.

Julius C. Troilo, D.C., 21st Keeler Recipient

Dr. Julius C. Troilo was born September 20, 1900 in San Antonio, Texas. He Completed his grade school work in the San Antonio Public Schools. Entered St. Louis College in the seventh grade and graduated from its high school in June 1918.  He remained for one term in college.  On leaving college went into the real estate sales field, then spent six years as a furniture salesman.

He entered Texas Chiropractic College, San Antonio, Texas, in December 1931 receiving a D.C. and Ph.C. Degree in December 1933.  He practiced in San Antonio until 1937, then  went to New York City and studied clinical laboratory work under Dr. Louis Heitman, M.D., formerly Professor of Bacteriology at the Fordham University School of Medicine, before it was closed.

J. C. Shipman, D.C., 20th Keeler Recipient

I was born in Hamilton, Texas, July 11, 1913 and graduated from Abilene High School in 1931.  I attended Abilene Christian College before entering Carver Chiropractic College and received my D. C. Degree in 1940.

In 1937 I was married to Willie Evelyn Kennedy, a student in Hardin Simmons University.  After marriage she attended Carver Chiropractic College.  Our marriage was blessed with two children, Kenney, who is a student in Texas A. & M. and Penney, who is a junior in Abilene High School.

My first office was established in Seminole, Texas.  In 1942 I enlisted in the Air Force and was discharged in January 1946.  My wife, Dr. Evelyn and I opened offices in Abilene in July, 1946 and have practiced continually since that time, moving into a new clinic building in December 1957.

Paul L. Myers, D.C., 19th Keeler Recipient

I was born on a farm in Gibson County, Indiana and received my High School education there in the Public Schools.  I was totally unaware of the existence of the Science of Chiropractic until 1910 when I was pronounced a victim of tuberculosis.  At that period I was working at the Hercules Buggy Company in Evansville, Indiana and the Doctor advised me to go to the Tennessee climate and to stay out in the open.  

In Nashville I secured a job washing windows for the C. D. Kenney Company, which specialized in coffee and tea.  Slowly working my way up in that Company, I was in charge of all the traveling salesmen by 1916.  My cough gradually grew worse despite medical care.  Then came the turning point in my life – I met Dr. Leslie Douglas, and enthusiastic, dynamic Chiropractor, who adjusted me and, after much questioning, explained that my condition must have been caused by the injury I received from the kick in the back by a horse when I was 14 years old.

James Riddle Drain, D.C., 18th Keeler Recipient

James Riddle Drain was born in Kendrick, Idaho, May 10, 1891.  He became interested in the Science of Chiropractic while seeking relief for the suffering of a paralyzed sister.

He enrolled in the Palmer School of Chiropractic, Davenport, Iowa.  In addition to the regular course of studies, he taught in the College and while there he received special instruction from D.D. Palmer.  He graduated in 1912 and returned to his home town, Scott City, Kansas to practice his chosen profession.  Early in his practice he was influential in getting a law passed in Kansas to license the Chiropractic practitioner.  Kansas was one of the first states to pass a Chiropractic Law and this law was free of Basic-Science requirements for many years.

In 1919 Dr. Drain and family moved to San Antonio, Texas where he later became President of the Texas Chiropractic College in association with Dr. H. E. Weiser and Dr. C. B. Lofting.  They were partners for thirty-four years.

1960

The Keeler Award for 1960 was Awarded to John R. McMurrain, D.C.

Roy Logan is named the twenty-seventh President of the Texas Chiropractic Association.

1959

The Keeler Award for 1959 was awarded to Charles C. Lemly, D.C.

The twenty-sixth President of the Texas Chiropractic Association, M. E. Garrett continues to serve.

1958

The Keeler Award for 1958 was awarded to Sterling T. McMurrain, D.C.

M. E. Garrett is named the twenty-sixth President of the Texas Chiropractic Association.  He serves until 1960.

1957

The Keeler Award for 1957 was awarded to Helen B. Mason, D.C.

C. T. Harkey is named the twenty-fifth President of the Texas Chiropractic Association.

1956

The Keeler Award for 1956 was awarded to C. L. Gibson, D.C.

The twenty-fourth President of the Texas Chiropractic Association, G. M. Brassard, serves his third, and final term.

1955

The Keeler Award for 1955 was awarded to A. A. Davenport, D.C.

The twenty-fourth President of the Texas Chiropractic Association, G. M. Brassard, serves a second term.

1954

The Keeler Award for 1954 was awarded to Julius C. Troilo, D.C.

G. M. Brassard is named the twenty-fourth President of the Texas Chiropractic Association.

1953

The Keeler Award for 1953 was awarded to J. C. Shipman, D.C.

The twenty-third President of the Texas Chiropractic Association, R. E. Hartong, serves a second term.

1952

The Keeler Award for 1952 was awarded to Paul L. Myers, D.C.

R. E. Hartong is named the twenty-third President of the Texas Chiropractic Association.

1951

• The first licensed Black Chiropractor of Texas, Rev. Romanuel Washington, Jr., DC, was licensed in Texas May 12, 1951, just a couple of years after Texas Chiropractic Act was enacted. 

• The chiropractic profession was included by the legislature in the Workmen’s Compensation Act of 1951.