Milton Cline Garber was born in California, graduated from Upper Iowa University in 1890, and received his law degree from the State University of Iowa (now the University of Iowa) in 1893. When the Cherokee Strip of Oklahoma was opened in a land run later that year, Garber joined his brother, Bert, and brother-in-law, Dr. O.D. Taft, in driving a team of mules to stake a claim. The land they claimed in the run was founded as the city of Garber. The Garber family owned a grocery store in town and farmed the land while Milton and his wife, Lucy, opened his law practice. He served as a probate judge for Garfield County from 1902 to 1906 and was appointed associate justice of the Supreme Court of Oklahoma Territory. Upon statehood, Garber was elected judge of the 20th Judicial District in 1907 and served until 1918. In 1922, Garber was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he served until 1933. Around 1912, Garber and his brother, Bert, became interested in oil, hired a geologist and bought a large block of land between Garber and Covington. From this came the field’s discovery well, the Ed Hoy No. 1, and an oil strike that laid the financial base for industries and residents of the Enid area. Garber purchased a half interest in the Enid Morning News in 1920 and became editor and co-publisher of the Enid Publishing Company in 1923. He was also instrumental in establishing Enid’s early government and civic organizations and was largely responsible for the construction of the Garfield County Fairgrounds. Garber was part owner of Enid’s historic Oxford Hotel and the Enid Radiophone Company.