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Remembering Walt Daugherty
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Montana "Monte" Williams
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Lillie May Williams
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Monte and Lillie Williams
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In December of 1916, silent film actors "Two-Gun" Montana Williams and his very pregnant wife, Lillie May Williams, were touring with their latest film in Oklahoma City, when the Stage Manager told Lillie May, "Lady, you can't go onstage looking like that!" So the Williams's stayed on in Oklahoma City until Walt joined the family on December 18.
Oddly enough, Walt's birth was never listed in the official government records due to an odd sequence of events, beginning with the death of the doctor before records were filed, followed later by a fire in the doctor's office which destroyed all of the existing records.
Monte Williams died while Walt was just a baby. Lillie May remarried later to Jesse M. "Jim" Daugherty, who gave little Walt a new surname, a much treasured Irish heritage, and an authorized birth certificate.
With his passion for living, sense of humor, feel for fun, love of storytelling and colorful personality, Walt was certainly meant to be an Irishman!
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Lillie and Monte Williams.
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Walt's Mom noted on the back of this:
"Walter Williams with the American Army
of Sept 5/18 Louisville KY World War I"
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Hand tinted baby pic
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Baby Walter
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Jim and Lillie Daugherty
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Walt and Jim Daugherty
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Jim and Lillie Daugherty
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Walt learned to ride before he could walk
from mom Lillie May who was a former
wild west show performer.
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Young Walter.
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Walt with his cousin.
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Triviabilia from the young years:
Step-father Jim once introduced young Walt to Wyatt Earp. Walt said all he could remember were Earp's piercing blue eyes, which he could recall his entire life.
Walt once briefly met then unknown pilot Charles Lindbergh, prior to his famous flight, after he'd made an emergency landing in a field near where Walt lived.
Walt was an avid reader, mixed with bike riding, boy scouting, fishing, and ballroom dancing, winning his first dance contest at age nine dancing with his mom.
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Walt with rabbits that he'd raised.
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Walt with Young Eagle, being given his Indian name.
(He was 1/16 Cherokee.)
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Hollywood High School
ROTC Toy Drive
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Hollywood High School ROTC
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LAJC Pep Rally
(Walt on top with hitchhiker thumb out.)
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LAJC Cubs Pep Squad
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Boy Scout Walt with stepdad
Jim Daugherty and Fuzzy
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C Copyright Mary Ellen Daugherty 2013
"Watch the Vulture" logo drawn for Walt by Ron Cobb
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