"The Sooners"

"The Sooners" was broadcast on 3 March 1858.

In Oklahoma history, "sooners" were people who "jumped the gun" in the various Oklahoma land rushes by sneaking in ahead of time to sake their claims. The fact that most citizens of Oklahoma generally like the nickname of "The Sooner State" despite it implying it is a state full of criminals doesn't say much for Oklahoman ethics.

https://www.history.com/news/why-is-oklahoma-nicknamed-the-sooner-state

Jim Hardie's opening narration says that in 1889, before the land rush started on April 22, Jim brought a thoroughbred horse to a Wells Fargo employee so he would be sure to be the first to reach and stake a claim to the spot in the future Mason City that Wells Fargo had selected for its office there.

Later Jim Hardie travels to Mason City to find out what happened to the employee and the horse. And a calendar in the background of one scene at Mason City shows the month of December in some year.

I guess it must make Wells Fargo employees feel safe to know that if they disappear along with a valuable horse it will take the company only eight months to start investigating.

And one episode of Tales of Wells Fargo, "Escort to Santa Fe", happens on the dates of April 14 & 15, 1865, which is 24 years before "The Sooners". It is amazing how little Jim Hardie seems to age in 24 years!