Tim wrote:
....
One piece has grain and rays like white oak, but it is very dark; the color
of white oak, but the darkness of walnut. It also has numerous very small
pockets of decay. (the rest of the white oak in the lot is normal and no
decay)

I have heard of European Brown Oak, but never seen it. Could this be white
oak with the same type of fungus? Is there such a thing?

I've seen similar white oak as well. Not absolutely sure of the
cause(s), but can be quite attractive, best I could describe it would
be similar to fuming. In at least some instances it occurs in live
wood (not after cut) as have seen it in lumber from a log I know was
cut directly from the stump.

One piece of red oak has whirly curly grain like I've never seen before. ...

Reaction-wood, perhaps? Looks almost like a curly maple effect?
Similar can also be burl or a large wound like growth recovery around a
large broken branch. As you say, once in a (very) rare while...

A wondrous thing of wood--it never ceases to amaze...