William Davidson &
Mary Jane (Bumgarner) Clingan
The above photo was printed in a copy of "Wagoner People" in the year 2000. The article accompanying the photo said they were married at Perryville, Choctaw Nation, on Feb. 6, 1870, and that William ran as the Democratic representative of Wagoner county, Indian Territory. The article went on to describe a good deal of their lives and family.
William Clingan served on the Confederate side during the Civil War. He was a 1st Lt. of the Texas 15th Calvary. This regiment was forced to surrender at Arkansas Post on January 11, 1863; then exchanged in April of the same year and returned to duty*.
*Source : " Compendium of the Confederate Armies, Texas " Stewart Sifakis , 1995 Facts on File Books.
The following article on William is from the "Cherokee Advocate" printed on October 24, 1877. (includes typographical errors)
SHOOTING AFFRAY A DARKEYS MAGNNAIMITY.
We are glad to be informed that Mr. William Clingan, who was shot some ten days or two weeks since in the woods by a Creek colored citizen named Marshall, is recovering from his wound. The story was that Clingan and the darkey met in the woods quite accidentally, and began to settle their differences by mutual accusation, when the temper getting the better of his judgement, or the darkey making a movement to attack him, (we have not learned which) he, Clingan, drew and fired at Marshall. Marshall returned the fire, shooting Clingan from his horse the first fire. What is remarkable about the affray is that after Clingan was down, he requested his opponent to go by and tell his wife so that he should not die left to perish in the woods, which request the colored man immediately complied with. The wounded man was straightway sent for, and as a remote consequence what might have ended fatally for one of the parties will not so end. Mr. Clingan is a valuable member of societyindustrious and enterprising with considerable means to make such qualities beneficial to our fellows. Marshall is also well (unreadable), (unreadable) not favorably though if the above report is true in all the details given, he has some manly attributes well worth respect.