History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 44

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1316

USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 44
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 44

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

After meandering over the county, visit- ing the different localities, where villages were being started, I returned to the Shell Rock, and located here as a physician. I purchased several town lots, which, like most of the other lots, were in their wild condition, covered with hazel bushes, limbs of trees, decaying logs and mud- holes. The next summer I erected my present cottage house, which is enclosed with two-inch plank spiked into sills eight inches square. This cottage stands the test of moving time, with but few signs of decay. Within a few years I built on my

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

lots two more dwelling houses, which have been occupied by families for several years. In the meantime I purchased fifty acres of land lying contiguous to the town plat, which has been cleared of its timber and underbrush, and for years has yielded splendid harvests of wheat and corn.

My family arrived here from Ohio in September, 1856. They had never seen wild uncultivated prairies before. Why were they brought to such an awful looking place. There was not a well worked street. The town was full of stumps, logs, bushes, under-brush and mudholes. The school-house was but a rude log shanty, and the meeting-house but little better. Soon they discovered squads of Indians rambling up and down the river. Their fears were excited. The torch-fire, the war club, the hatchet and the scalping knife would be raised. They would return to friends in Ohio. They would not stay here to be murdered by Indians, or to be torn to pieces by wild beasts. This prairie country was only fitted for Indians, bears, wolves and ferocious wild beasts. The Indians were peaceable and friendly, and our family fears subsided into friendly donations.

During the first summer and fall my medical ride extended over a large part of this county and into the adjoining counties. My long rides were fatiguing. Chills and fever were frequent, and most of the cabins were increasing their family num- bers. In the month of November a dan- gerous type of typhoid-fever began to rage, which proved fatal in some localities, and continued its ravages during the winter.

For seven years my profession called me over these wild prairies, frequently in mid-

night darkness. Often the dwellings were miles apart, and naught but a dim trail to follow. Sometimes I was sloughed down, and the wolves howling not far distant, and rattle-snakes hissing. During these seven years the march of improvement in this county was slow. The wild prairies every season produced a vast amount of grass, which was interspersed with several species of gay roses, pinks and violets, which crowded their footholds among the roots of the high grass, and waved their shining flowered plumes on the zephyr's breeze to the passer-by; filling the air with sweet perfume and arresting the monotony of loneliness.

The fall months passed with but little disturbance; December came in like a roaring lion, fiercely driving the falling snow into drifts.

From then to next March, there were but few pleas- ant days; the snow averaging from three to four feet deep. Many buildings were covered. There was much human and animal suffering. In the spring several families left this section. The spring returned in smiles, and the few crops of the county were good, and have averaged abundantly since.

One of the many winter rides which I experienced during the first seven years of my practice here, before the roads were worked or much land cultivated, I briefly present:

On the 14th of January, early in the morning, I started as usual to visit a num- ber of patients up the river, some fifteen miles away. The northwest wind was blowing very hard and cold and the snow flying. My first call to be made was at Mr. Martin's, east of Turkey Grove, five

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miles away and two miles east from the Clarksville road. No track was to be seen after leaving the main road. Fanny plunged ahead until we came to the slough, some twenty rods from the house. She could go no farther. I tightened the reins and covered her with blanket and robe. I wallowed across the slough, found the house and prescribed for the patients. Mr. Martin asked me to step with him to his yard, where I think I saw six dead hogs, which had chilled and were frozen by coming out of their pen to eat corn. He showed me a pair of oxen that were chill- ing badly in their stall. The wind was veering and the air full of snow. I could not see six feet in any direction. I crossed the slough. My sleigh was not there. I traveled, as I supposed, up the slough, down the slough, up and down a number of times, the snow up to my waist. Fanny was not to be found. I stopped, kicked the snow away and stamped my cold feet. Where was Martin's house? I could not see it-in what direction I did not know. My hopes were gone. A cold snow-drift would be my winter tomb; the prowling, hungry wolves would feed upon my physi- cal form. Good-bye to my family and friends. I straightened up and tried to look around. Naught could I see but fly- ing snow.

Oh! for one glimpse of beacon light for me to steer,

To cheer me in my last, my hopeless fear.

In those eternal moments of dark despair, had I owned this globe and the revolving worlds in the solar system, I would gladly have given them all for the privilege of stepping into my sleigh behind Fanny.

In those moments of intense thought that seemed to embrace an eternity of time, all the acts, thoughts and deeds of my past life-of three score years-were presented to my mind. My thoughts did not peer into the future; I saw but the . past and present. A thought came, I would start for Martin's though I perished in the attempt. As I was lifting my foot to take the first step, Fanny whinneyed not more than one rod from where I was standing. It was a melodious sound that burst upon my ear through the whirling snow-flakes. My flagging energy revives; I skipped to the sleigh, helped Fanny turn it round, and I steped in. Fanny would soon reach the Clarksville road in the timber. I was now monarch of all I could see; there were none to dispute my right but old boreas. He may rage with all his power in his hydrophobic whirls, and drive his snow minions into fits of desperation, but Fanny and I will win the race without my giving a world or a dime. The road being found, I passed up the river to Clarksville,and went several miles above, making frequent calls to see the sick. In the evening I returned safely home; I enjoyed a quiet rest and started on another pilgrimage the next morning.

A vast progressive change has taken place in this section of country during the last fifteen years. There is probably not one acre of land in Butler county but what is in use, and the largest portion improved by skillful agriculturists. This county is a scientific cultivated field, equaling in its cereal productions, its fine horses, its cattle and hogs, any other county of its size and age in Iowa. There is nota section of land in Butler county but has

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from one to four dwelling houses, barns, out-buildings, gardens and yards, and many of its sections and eighties, fine artificial groves of timber and fruit orchards. Many of its farm-dwellings are two stories high and quite imposing, having bay windows and ornamented porches and side dressings. Butler county is systematically laid outinto school districts, and in each district a fine school-house.

The county and township roads are in good condition; the streams being all bridged, the larger ones with iron. There is a fine capacious court house near the center. There are three railroads in active operation, passing through the county, one of them by the court house.

The hydraulic powers are generally brought into active and profitable use.

The old worn farming utensils are be- ing replaced by more scientific inventions of modern date, and our people are travel- ing on the roads of physical health and spiritual progression.

Here in Shell Rock how changed are the rides and labors of practicing physi- cians. There has long been three or four practicing physicians located here, all of whom do not travel over more territory in their medical rides than one did between the years 1820 and 1830, when there was not a good road or a safe bridge in the county. Now they can dance their spring buggies or sleighs over smooth roads by day or night. No sloughs in which to mire; no wolves to growl; no prairie fires to dread or flee from; no deep rivers to wade through in the darkness of the night; no drifted sloughs on the lonely, wild prai- rie, to wallow through in the depth of win- ter. In this incorporated town, for the

last ten years, there has been but few if any thistle or thorn-beds, or wiry brush beds filled with wild, stinging nettles and burdock burrs to tear the clothes and scratch and bleed the doctor's hands, and no filthy mud-holes in which to soil his boots and pants. He winds his way by night or day over well graded streets and well finished sidewalks, calling, as re- quired, at fine brick, stone or wood resi- dences, without opening a log cabin door. . The march of agricultural improvement in Butler county during the last ten years is very satisfactory, as well as the growth of its incorporated towns and villages; but no more so than the intellectual, pro- gressive dawning of scientific knowledge in our institutions of learning and ortho- dox churches. School teachers for years have not inquired for Dellinsworth nor Webster's spelling books, nor Alexander's nor Murray's grammar, nor for the West- minster catechism, nor often for the Jew- ish Scriptures, from which to teach in school. Science has erected higher ped- estals on which to train the young idea how to shoot and how to climb high up the glorious tree of immortal science.

ALLISON PHYSICIANS.

Allison, the shire town of Butler county, is too young to have given time for the location of as many physicians as have represented the medical profession in most of the towns in the county. The present practicing physicians are Jerome Burbank and Son, and S. E. Burroughs.

Dr. J. S. Riggs, M. D., was the first physician to locate here, coming early in 1880. He started the drug store now

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

owned by J. A. Riggs & Co. He went from Allison to Chicago.

W. A. Curtis, M. D., was the next phy- sician, arriving here and commencing practice on the 10th of April, 1882. He had been in practice in Maiden Rock, Wis- consin, and also in Chicago. His where- abouts at present is unknown.

Dr. S. E. Burroughs arrived in Allison ready for practice in August, 1882. Dr. Burroughs had been in partnership with Dr. Riggs for some time, but was lately from Holland. He is still in Allison, enjoying a lucrative practice.

Jerome Burbank, M. D., is the son of a farmer, Ebenezer Burbank and Abagail Turtelotte, and dates his birth at Smeth- port, Pennsylvania, March 1, 1837. When he was a year and a half old the family removed to Sardinia, Erie county, New York, remaining there until the spring of 1845, when they removed to Harrison, Winnebago county, Illinois, where both parents died that year, leaving a family of nine children. Jerome was one of the oldest ones, and at eighteen and for two years had the oversight of the family. At twenty he went to an academy in Beloit, Wisconsin, attending the same three or four terms. In the spring of 1848 he com- menced reading medicine with Professor G. W. Richards, of St. Charles, Illinois; attended a course of lectures at Rock Island, Illinois, in the winter of 1848-49. He practiced his profession at Mt. Vernon, Iowa, during the summer of 1850, and attended a second course of lectures at Keokuk, Iowa, the following winter, graduating in March, 1851. He settled at Avon, Rock county, Wisconsin, in July, 1851, and practiced there until the summer

of 1862, when he was commissioned assis- tant surgeon of the 22d Regiment Wiscon- sin Volunteer's, accompanied the regiment to the field, and was in active service until September, 1863, when, with health com- pletely broken down, he was obliged to resign. When about to leave, the officers drew up a paper expressive of their high appreciation of untiring and self-sacrificing labors in his line of service, and not only every officer, but every private in the regi- ment insisted on signing the paper, which the doctor carefully preserved, as an evi- dence that he did not serve his country in vain. He probably came as near dying from overwork, as any man who went into the army, in any capacity, and came out alive. On returning to his home, at Avon, his health began to improve immediately, and in November, 1863, he was chosen to represent the 6th Assembly District of Rock county, in the legislature, which position he filled creditably to himself, and satisfactory to his constituents In July, 1864 he received a commission as surgeon, unsolicited, and was requested by the governor to join the 33d Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He accepted the commission, and immediately joined the regiment in the field. In De- cember of that year, his old disease- Chronic Dysentery-renewed its attacks, but he remained at the front until mustered out with the regiment, at the close of the war, often on duty when he ought to have. been in bed.

After the close of the war he moved with his family to Waverly, Iowa, where he applied himself as closely to his profes- sion as his impaired health would admit. In the summer of 1881 he erected a fine

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business block, in Allison, the county seat of Butler county, where he put in a drug store, in May, 1882, with his son, F. E. Burbank, who is also a physician, as partner. His family removed to Allison in October, 1882.

In politics he was originally a "free soiler," casting his first vote in 1848, for the men standing on the Buffalo platform, Martin Van Buren and Charles Francis Adams, and has been a staunch republican from the organization of the party.

He is a Free Mason, and has been an active member of the order for several years, and has held the office of High Priest of a Royal Arch Chapter of Masons, at Clarksville, for several years.

His religious sentiments are with the Baptists.

He bears an irreproachable character. Dr. Burbank has a wife and eight children, four sons and four daughters. Mrs. Bur- bank was Jerusha Kinney, her father was Joseph Kinney, Jr., one of the pioneers of Wisconsin, and was a member of the Territorial Legislature, also of the Con- stitutional Convention, and afterward of the State Legislature. They were mar- ried at Avon, Wisconsin, on the 1st day of March, 1853.

Frank E. Burbank, M. D., was born in Rock county, Wisconsin, in 1856. He began the study of medicine with his father in 1877, and has attended two courses of lectures at the Medical Depart- ment of the Iowa State University. He was' engaged in the practice of medicine two years at Knoxville, Nebraska. He married Rosa, daughter of Elias W. Pat- - terson, of Iowa City. He is associated with his father at Allison. .

BRISTOW PHYSICIANS.

The first physician to locate here was Dr. Charles McCormack. Dr. H. S. Strick- land was another early physician to com- mence practice in Bristow. The physi- cians at present are Drs. E. Leroy Turner and Jacob Krebbs.

E. Leroy Turner, M. D., has been in practice at Bristow since July, 1874. Dr. Turner was born in Illinois in 1847. He removed to Butler county, with his father, in 1856. The latter settled in Shell Rock township, being one of its early settlers. He continued to reside there until No- vember, 1881, when he left for Clear Lake, Iowa. Dr. Turner began the study of medicine in 1868, with Dr. Boys, of Wa- verly, and graduated at Rush Medical Col- lege in 1871. He practiced a short time at Shell Rock and then located at Tripoli, Bremer county, where he practiced two years, then locating here, as above stated, succeeding Dr. Charles McCormack. Dr. H. S. Strickland, another Bristow physi- cian, located here after Dr. Turner came and practiced about two years. Dr. Tur- ner is having an extensive practice.

· Jacob Krebbs, M. D., located at Bris- tow, March, 1881. Dr. Krebbs was born in Snyder county, Pennsylvania, in 1857, and removed to Elkhart county, Indiana. He was a student for one year at Notre Dame University, in that State. He then removed to Ogle county, Illinois, and be- gan the study of medicine with Dr. Mc- Pherson, of Eagle Point. He graduated from the medical department of the Iowa State University in 1879, and practiced two years at Geneva, coming here from that place. He was married in Illinois to Effie Ormsbee. When Dr. Krebbs came

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

to Bristow he succeeded to the practice of Dr. Strickland, who is now in Missouri.

CLARKSVILLE PHYSICIANS.

The first physician to locate here was Dr. James E. Walker, who is noted in va- rious parts of this work, and is mentioned in the beginning of this chapter as the first physician to locate in the county. He was a native of Maine, and returned long since to his native State. Other early physicians were Doctors Jeremiah Wilcox and J. F. Logan. At present the profes- sion is represented by Drs. A. F. Tichenor, D. S. Byres, M. C. Camp and H. W. Dick- enson.

GREENE PHYSICIANS.

The medical profession at Greene has been represented at various times by Drs. Nichols, C. C. Huckins, Miss H. D. Cramer, V. C. Birney, William Young, Woodlin and John Nevins. Those who are still in practice at Greene are Drs. C. C. Huckins, V. C. Birney and John Nevins. The den- tistry department is represented by Dr. Peter Snyder.

The first physician to locate here was Dr. Nichols, who had been in the practice of medicine in Iowa for some time, and who came to Greene in 1871. He was an allopathist, and secured a fair practice, re- maining for several ycars, when he re- moved to Rockford. He was a single man, and socially, was well liked.

V. C. Birney, M. D., has been in prac- tice in Greene since March, 1872. Dr. Birney was born in Canada, in 1849. His father was also a physician, with whom he began the study of medicine. He also practiced with him for a time in Floyd

county; attended Rush Medical College, Chicago, in 1872-3; graduated at the Col- lege of Physicians, at Keokuk, in 1878. His wife was Ada F. Stickney, daughter of Sydney Stickney, an early settler of Floyd county. They have two children, Nellie and Clenthas. Dr. Birney's father was one of the earliest physicians of Floyd county, where he settled in 1856.

C. C. Huckins, M. D., who has been in practice at Greene since March, 1873, was born in Maine in 1843. He served for a time in the army as a member of the 17th Regiment Maine Volunteer Infantry. Be- gan the study of medicine in 1865; he attended lectures at the Maine Medical School; came west and engaged in prac- tice. In 1877 he attended the College of Physicians and Surgeons. The doctor has an extensive practice. He is a thoroughly educated and popular physician. His wife was Pauline Doore, daughter of Joel Doore. Mrs. Huckins is a native of Maine. They have one daughter, Ethel.

Miss Dr. Cramer, commenced practice in Greene early in the seventies, and con- tinued for a number of years, with good success. She was inclined toward the homeopathic side of the profession. She was from Wisconsin, and went from Greenc to Mason City, where she is yet in practice.

William Young, M. D., located in Greenc at the same time, and continued up to the time of his death, in 1878. Dr. Young was from Wisconsin, a single man, and was well educated in the allopathic de- partment of medicine, being a graduate. Socially, he was well liked, and many warm friends mourned his loss.

A Doctor Woodlin was also numbered among Greene's physicians." He went

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from there to Minneapolis, where he has since brought himself into notoriety by shooting a furniture dealer for advertising him as a swindler.

A. K. Johnson, homeopathic physician and surgeon, located here January 1, 1880, was born in Marseilles, Illinois, in 1852; graduated at Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago, in 1878. Practiced at Pontiac, Illinois, for two years before locating here. His wife was Miss F. E. Woodling, widow of Homer R. Woodling.

Dr. John Nevins commenced practice here sometime ago, and enjoys a very fair practice.

Peter B. Snyder, dentist, came to Greene in 1881. He was born in Germany, in 1859; came to the United States when sixteen years of age; studied dentistry with Dr. C. N. Kindall, of Woodstock, Illi- nois. Dr. Kindall was a graduate of the Dental College, at Cincinnati. Dr. Snyder turned his attention to dentistry at quite an early age, having studied the subject in Germany. He practiced two years in Woodstock before coming to Greene. Dr. Snyder's wife was a native of England.

NEW HARTFORD PHYSICIANS.

The medical profession in New Hart- ford is represented by Drs. D. M. Wick and W. H. H. Hagey.

Dr. D. M. Wick is a son of Azariah and Amanda (Hughes) Wick, and was born in Whiteside county, Illinois, on the 12th day of November, 1848. His early edu- cational advantages were the district school; however, later he attended Mount Morris Seminary, (Illinois) three years, and Cor- nell College, Iowa, two years; after which he received his medical education. He

studied one year in the medical depart- ment of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and two years at the Chicago Medical College, where he graduated in the class of 1874, and for sometime afterwards he was en- gaged in Chicago, in hospital and city practice. In the spring of 1875 he came to New Hartford, Butler county, Iowa, and has since followed his profession here, and enjoys an extended practice. The doctor is, and was a charter member, of the But- ler County Medical Association, and also a member of the Iowa State Medical So- ciety. In 1876 he was united in marriage to Miss Ella Thayer, who was born in the State of Michigan. They have two chil- dren, Merton and Rouelle.

Dr. William H. H. Hagey is a son of George and Sarah (Moyer) Hagey, and was born in Trappe, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, December 5, 1841. In 1855 the family moved to Sterling, Illinois, where the son grew to manhood. His early educational advantages were such as the common schools afforded, and what he eould acquire by studying at such times as he could command. In May of 1861, he enlisted in company B, 13th Illinois In- fantry, serving as a private about one year, was then honorably discharged on account of sickness. He afterwards re- enlisted in the one hundred day service, 140th Regiment Illinois Volunteers, and served until honorably discharged. Upon returning to civil life, he began the study of medicine, and after sometime entered Rush Medical College, of Chicago, graduating from there in February, 1868. Upon receiving his diploma he practiced for a while in Whiteside county, then four years in the city of Chicago, again in

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Whiteside county, and in July, 1881, came to New Hartford, Butler county, where he enjoys an extended practice. In July, 1873, he was united in marriage to Mrs. Ellen Humphrey Mckibbin. They have two children, Josie and Charlie.

PARKERSBURGH PHYSICIANS.

The first representative of the medical profession to locate in this little city was Dr. M. I. Powers, who commenced practice here in 1867. The first physician of the homeopathic school was Dr. John Wyatt, who is now gone. At present the profes- sion is represented by Drs. M. I. Powers, E. B. Ensign and A. O. Strout.

M. I. Powers, M. D., is the pioneer phy- sician of Parkersburgh. He came here May 22, 1867. He was born and grew to manhood in the State of New York. He graduated. at Berkshire Medical College, Massachusetts, in 1865. After graduating he was located at Colliersville, Otsego county, New York, coming here, as stated, in 1867; has been in practice here since that time, except an absence of two years, which he spent at Independence, in this State, returning in October, 1882. His wife was Ella, daughter of N. T. Manley. They have three children-Joseph, Milton and Jennie.

Dr. S. B. Ensign, homeopathic physician and surgeon, has been in practice here since 1871. He is an early settler of the county, and a brother of Charles Ensign, a prominent early settler of Beaver town- ship. He was born in the town of Delhi, Delaware county, New York, but was brought up in Connecticut. He began practice in this county in 1865, and was probably the first homeopathic physician

of the county. He came here, as stated, in 1871, succeeding Dr. John Wyatt, who was the first physician of his school in the town. Dr. Ensign is a successful and pop- ular physician, and has for many years had an extensive and lucrative practice. His wife is a native of Massachusetts. They have an adopted daughter, Hattie R. En- sign.

Dr. A. O. Strout is a native of Portland, Maine, where he was born in 1849. He went to Chicago in 1867, where he was en- gaged in teaching about five years; began the study of medicine in 1872, and gradu- ated at the Chicago Medical College in 1875. He practiced at Anamosa, Jones county, in this State, for four years, and for three years of that time was a physi- cian to the penitentiary at that place. He came here in September, 1879. His wife was W. A., daughter of A. H. Cole, of Davenport. They have one son, Harry R.

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History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 44

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1316

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1316