USA > Illinois > Champaign County > A Standard history of Champaign County Illinois : an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, civic and social development : a chronicle of the people, with family lineage and memoirs, Volume I > Part 21
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DRS. HARMON STEVENS AND JOHN G. SADDLER
The next physicians to locate in Champaign County, after Drs. Ful- kerson and Lyon, were Dr. Harmon Stevens, who settled near the pres- ent village of Homer in 1835, and Dr. John G. Saddler, who was the first of his profession to become a resident of Urbana, which he did in 1839. Dr. Saddler remained at the county seat but a few years, while Dr. Stevens, after the establishment of the village of Homer, moved to that place and practiced for many years. When quite aged and virtually retired, he moved to Saline County, Illinois, where he passed the last years of his useful life.
DR. WINSTON SOMERS
The Somers brothers, Drs. Winston and William D., as has been noted, settled in Urbana the year following Dr. Saddler's coming, and were well established before he departed. About 1846 Dr. William D.
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Somers abandoned medicine for the law, and became the leader of the Champaign County bar, as Dr. Winston stood at the head of his pro- fession for many years. His clientele was scattered over much of Cham- paign County, extending to the Sangamon, Okaw, Ambraw and Salt Fork timbers, and even as far as the Middle Fork. His long journeys, through swamps and forests, in all kinds of weather, were made on horseback when his trips were through sections which were virtually roadless. In such cases his saddle bags were thrown across his wise and faithful horse, and contained the most commonly used medicines and surgical instruments, never forgetting what was then considered the indispensable blood-letting lancet. In the bags were also stowed a gen- erous supply of quinine and calomel.
DR. WILLIAM A. CONKEY
Dr. William A. Conkey became a resident physician of Old Homer in 1843. His journey from Massachusetts with other members of the family, when a boy, has been narrated. The Conkey family was reared on the Edgar County farm, and William A. graduated from a medical college at Louisville, Kentucky, a short time previous to locating at Homer. There he practiced for a number of years, as well as at Eugene, Indiana, but finally abandoned the profession for merchandising and farming. He was engaged in agricultural pursuits for the balance of his active life, and about 1900 turned his farm over to one of his sons, moving to the village of Homer. Dr. Conkey was a leading Republican of the county, and served for many terms as a member of the board of supervisors. He was also a prominent Mason. There were seven chil- dren in his family who were reared to maturity, of whom Frank M. adopted the near relative of the profession of the father, and is a lead- ing dentist and citizen of Homer.
DR. PHILIP C. MOSIER
Dr. Philip C. Mosier was a pioneer physician of Homer, who had a large practice in the eastern part of the county and over the line into Vermilion. He was an Indiana man. Dr. Mosier worked hard for his education, and after studying under private tutors and taking several side courses at the Western Agricultural College, he taught school for some time in order to complete the purchase of his doctor's outfit. He was paid a dollar a day for his pedagogic services, out of which he might board himself or "board 'round." The prices of books and medi-
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cines were then high. Quinine was $5 an ounce and opium $8 a pound. But the young man finally supplied himself with a workable outfit, and after practicing for a time in Indiana came to Old Homer in April, 1851. At that time the section of which that place was the center was regarded as one of the most sickly portions of the state. Fever and ague and other malarial diseases generally prevailed, and from the time of his coming Dr. Mosier was busy night and day in fighting them. In the course of a few years his own health was so seriously undermined that he was obliged to abandon practice and retire to the farm which he had purchased about two miles south of Homer. There, engaged in farming, land dealings and other work more healthful and less arduous, and devoting a portion of his time to the public affairs of the county, Dr. Mosier regained his health, accumulated much valuable property, and covered the span of life fairly due to one of his natural vigor and vitality.
DR. JOSEPH T. MILLER
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PIONEERS AT URBANA AND WEST URBANA
The early '50s also witnessed quite an accession to the ranks of the profession at Urbana and Champaign (West Urbana), although the lat- ter was not incorporated as a village until 1857. Dr. Joseph T. Miller arrived in Urbana in 1853, and practiced there for more than half a century, being long its veteran physician and surgeon; also with no rival in the county in length of continuous service. Dr. James Hollis- ter also located at the county seat in 1853, but remained only a few years. Dr. Hartwell C. Howard and Dr. Shoemaker were the pioneer physicians of West Urbana, settling there in 1854. In that year Dr. C. H. Mills came to Urbana, but in 1856 joined the little professional colony at West Urbana.
Dr. Howard was a very enterprising man outside his profession, being one of the founders of a steam flouring mill at Champaign, the only structure of the kind ever erected in the township. His first pro- fessional card appears in a local paper of April 10, 1856, about a year before West Urbana was incorporated as a village. He retired from regular practice about 1906.
READY FOR THE CHOLERA EPIDEMIC OF 1854
By 1854, therefore, when cholera again made its appearance in Cham- paign County, there were a number of capable physicians to combat the plague and compose the minds of residents who would otherwise be thrown into a condition of terror considered most favorable for the planting of its seeds. As was the case twenty years before, the epidemic was imported from Chicago, and ran like wildfire along the lines of railroad laborers then laying the rails for the Illinois Central road. Most of the fatalities were in the Urbana neighborhood, but although more died in the county than at the first visitation, because the popu- lation was far greater, the panic was not so great, since the medical fraternity and intelligent people everywhere had been learning more of the nature of the disease and of the fairly efficacious measures for its prevention and cure.
THE WIPING OUT OF A FAMILY
Most of the deaths which occurred in 1854 were of foreign laborers, exposed to the inclemencies of a late fall, unable to obtain medical assist- ance, and doubly racked with terror and the natural agonies of the dis- ease. An illustration of the havoc not infrequently caused among this class of unfortunates is given by a county paper of that period. "A
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family of Prussians," it says, "consisting of the father, mother, several children and an aged woman, the mother of the wife, came down from Chicago on a passenger train as far as it then ran, and were set out on the open prairie, about where the village of Ludlow now stands. No shelter was afforded them. Their destination was Danville, where they hoped to find friends in the family of a brother of the husband. A hack, from the termination of the run of the passenger trains, was then making trips to Urbana, but did not afford facilities for the transpor- tation of the family and their belongings. Money was sent by the father to Urbana by the driver to employ a wagon to carry them forward. The next day it was returned with the information that no wagon could be had for that purpose. In the meantime, several members of the family, including the aged mother, were attacked by the cholera then prevailing along the line of the railroad and among the men employed in its con- struction. The father, in default of aid from Urbana, from informa- tion received of the direction of Danville, with two of his little boys, set out for that place, hoping to reach Pilot Grove, the nearest settle- ment in the direction of Danville, the first night. In this he was dis- appointed, and stayed upon the prairie all night. The youngest boy with him was attacked during the night and died of cholera. The sur- viving boy was left in charge of the corpse, while the father proceeded to the settlement for assistance. All day he watched at the side of his dead brother and for the return of his father. Near nightfall, getting no tidings from his absent father, the boy went in search of assistance and found the house of a solitary farmer to whom by the aid of signs and the little of the English he had learned, he told of the misfortunes of the family. The good people into whose hands the lad had fallen, after having given sepulchre as best they could to the body of the little brother who had died on the prairie, sent a messenger to Danville to inform the friends of the family of their misfortunes and need of assist- ance, set about finding the missing father. Soon all-the sick and dying -were loaded into the wagon and started for Danville, across the great stretch of prairie intervening. On the road the aged mother died and one child-a little girl-and were informally buried out on the prairie, as had been the other members of the family. Upon reaching Danville the mother also died, as did the brother who had rescued them."
DR. CHARLES A. HUNT
Dr. Charles A. Hunt, who was educated both under private tutorship and at the Ohio College of Medicine, Cincinnati, completed his medical
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course in 1845, and practiced his profession in Indiana and Illinois until he settled at Urbana in 1855. There he continued in the drug business until the opening of the Civil War, although during that period he was incessantly reading and writing upon medical, surgical, scientific and political topics. After the firing upon Fort Sumter, as soon as he could arrange his business and personal affairs, he joined the Union service as surgeon of the 126th Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was a faithful and able officer. At the siege of Vicksburg the regi- mental hospital in his charge was located at Haines Bluff, on the Yazoo, a renowned breeder of miasmic disorders, and where he spent the sum- mer of 1863 in the discharge of his medical and surgical duties. IIe broke under the strain and unhealthful conditions and was taken north to the general hospital at Mound City, where he expired August 2, 1863, only a few hours after the arrival of his wife who, upon hearing of his illness, had hurried to his side. The widow survived him for about fifty years.
DR. SAMUEL W. KINCAID
Dr. Samuel W. Kincaid, of an Ohio family widely known in the profession and in politics, was graduated from the Medical College of Ohio in 1853, practiced for the succeeding two years at Tolono, and in 1855 established himself at Champaign, then West Urbana. Dr. Kincaid was accomplished and genial, public-spirited and popular. He was an early member of the American Medical Association and of the Illinois State Medical Society, and one of the founders of the Champaign County Medical Society. After many years of active practice at Champaign he returned to Adams County, Ohio, and died near his birthplace in West Union.
DR. HERMAN CHAFFEE
Dr. Herman Chaffee, who was educated at Albany Medical College and at Paris, France, entered upon his long and honorable practice at Tolono in April, 1857. He was the first physician, as well as the first postmaster of the village, and was a leader in all public improvements. Dr. Chaffee's death occurred May 22, 1890, and his widow survived him for some twenty years.
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PROFESSION
Then there were Dr. Myron S. Brown, who settled permanently at Urbana in 1858, in 1860 attended his first course of lectures in Chicago,
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entered the Union army as assistant surgeon and concluded his service as a division surgeon, was then a practicing physician at Urbana for several years, as well as at Danville, where he died in 1900; Dr. James M. Bartholow, who settled at Philo in 1869 and afterward moved to Urbana, and Dr. Thomas N. Burwash, who, in 1878, commenced the practice at Plainview and afterward settled at Champaign.
MEN OF A LATER DATE
Among these may be named Drs. J. T. Fugate, S. H. Birney, M. S. Brown, M. Lindley of Urbana; Drs. J. T. Pearman, E. A. Kratz, S. K. Page, J. W. Scroggs of Champaign; and Drs. J. G. Chambers, T. M. Hess, Homer Shaw, A. T. Darran, James Core, A. Catron, G. W. Hart- man, David Jennings and S. S. Salisbury, all in various parts of the county.
Later still came Drs. A. M. Lindley, W. F. Burress, J. M. Bartholow. J. S. Mason, E. J. Davis, C. D. Gulick, J. J. Hanmore, II. W. Miller, 0. O. Stanley, E. S. Smith, D. E. Yantis, C. L. Vandorn and others of Urbana; Drs. C. Bennett, C. M. Craig, G. E. Cogswell, C. S. Davis, J. H. Finch, W. L. Gray, W. M. Honn, C. B. Johnson, A. D. Kirby, H. C. Kariher, Jennie Lyons, J. D. Mandeville, T. J. Mckinney, Ellen Miner, L. C. Miller, W. K. Newcomb, C. F. Newcomb, J. W. Osborne, P. S. Replogle, W. F. Secker, S. W. Shurtz, C. H. Spears, J. L. Polk, A. S. Wall, H. D. Wilson, L. S. Wilcox, A. L. Zorger, W. H. Zorger, etc.
Among prominent physicians located in other Champaign County towns may be named J. Brayshaw, E. M. Brewer, K. W. Bundy, A. J. Dalton, T. A. Dicks, F. S. Diller, R. P. Dowd, T. J. Exton, J. M. Hadden, L. E. Hartrick, J. F. Harris, S. J. Hicks, J. M. Lawson, J. E. Lowry, John Marten, J. T. Miller, J. O. Pearman, G. A. Potter, R. P. Ratts, C. F. Ryan, L. O. Sale and A. L. Volborn.
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY
The Champaign County Medical Society was organized in March, 1859, and has been a continuous and prosperous organization ever since. Today it is one of the largest and best associations of its kind in Illinois. Save in July and August, this society holds monthly meetings through- out the year. At the sessions the latest discoveries in medicine are reported and the best approved means and methods for handling diseased conditions reviewed and discussed.
Among those present at the first meeting, held March 4, 1859, according to our advisory editor, Dr. Charles B. Johnson of Champaign
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(to whom we are indebted for most of the information which follows), were Drs. H. C. Howard and C. H. Mills of that city, and Dr. Joseph T. Miller of Urbana. In 1860 the society published in pamphlet form its constitution, with the code of ethics of the American Medical Associa- tion, which is still the law and gospel of the profession. Dr. A. E. Kratz has a copy of that precious publication. It is therein stated that the objects of the new organization are: (a) "The establishment and maintenance of union, harmony and good government among its mem- bers, thereby promoting the character, interest, honor and usefulness of the profession," and (b) "the cultivation and advancement of medical science and literature by the collection, diffusion, interchange, preserva- tion and general circulation of medical knowledge among its members."
The pioneer members of the society (names first published in 1860) were: S. L. Bearse, Robert H. Brown, A. Jackson Crane, William M. Goodwin, H. C. Howard, John F. Isom, S. W. Kincaid, J. T. Miller, C. H. Mills, Samuel K. Page, Winston Somers, John Swain, M. B. Thompson, C. A. Thompson.
Dr. Johnson, so long its secretary, gives the following history of the society :
"With the history of the Champaign County Medical Society during the first fifteen years of its existence the writer knows nothing only what he has gleaned from its records and conversation with the pioneer members. But of its work since he can speak with some authority; for more than forty years he has had the privilege of being one of its members, and for about ten years served as its secretary. Some one has said that the secretary of a medical society is the society. This is strong language, nevertheless a secretary has very much to do in making a medical society a success or the reverse.
"In 1874, Dr. M. S. Brown was secretary of the society and did his work especially well. In a year or two he was succeeded by Dr. L. S. Wilcox, who filled the place acceptably for several years. The last half of the '70s was a most prosperous period for the society and the inen who at that time might be referred to as its pillars were Drs. William M. Goodwin, M. S. Brown and S. H. Birney of Urbana; Drs. H. C. Howard and J. T. Pearman of Champaign; Dr. A. T. Darrah of Tolono; Drs. James Core and T. M. Hess of Homer; Dr. G. W. Hartman of Sidney and Dr. David Jennings of St. Joseph. The meetings occurred monthly and the society was 'on wheels,' as one of the members expressed it; that is, meetings were held at various towns in the county. Besides Champaign and Urbana, it met in Tolono, Philo, Sidney, Homer, Ran- toul, etc. At most of these meetings some hospitable member threw
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open his doors, especially the one that led to the dining room, where would be found a table literally groaning under its weight of good things from which every doctor was expected to feast heartily. The social features of these meetings added not a little to the attendance and interest. Frequently three sessions were held, namely, a forenoon, an afternoon and an evening session. The papers read were carefully pre- pared and never failed to call out full and animated discussions. Almost to a man the older members of the society were at this time good off-hand talkers, and what the younger members may have lacked in this direction they sought to, in a measure, make up by preparing carefully written papers.
"An edition of the constitution and by-laws published at this period shows a list of twenty-three members. And as an illustration of the mutations of time it is interesting to note that of these twenty-three doctors thirteen are dead, three have moved out of the county, and one, strange to say, has grown rich, but not in the practice of medicine, as many years ago he changed his calling. He is today a farmer and stock raiser on an extensive scale and can count his cattle on a thousand hills -- corn hills. And only six of the above named twenty-three members are left in Champaign County to practice medicine.
"With the advent of the '80s, the society passed into a period when not much interest was taken in its meetings. Several causes conduced to this state of relative apathy. One was the fact that several of the old 'wheel horses,' so to speak, were lost to the society by death or removal from the county. But the organization was faithfully kept up and not long after the advent of the '90s the society received a new impetus and entered upon the highly prosperous career that for about twenty years past it has been enjoying. One reason for this renewed life is the fact that a great many bright, active, new men have come into the county. The meetings of the Champaign County Medical Society occur near the middle of each month, are well attended and much interest is mani- fested in them by those in attendance. Two or three papers are presented at each session and these unfailingly draw out free discus- sions."
The presidents, vice-presidents and secretary-treasurers of the society have been as follows:
Presidents-Dr. A. T. Darrah, 1874; Dr. J. T. Pearman, 1875; T. M. Hess, 1876; William Goodwin, 1877; C. B. Johnson, 1878; H. C. Howard, 1879 ; Lyman Hall, 1880; L. S. Wilcox, 1881; D. R. McKinney, 1882; S. H. Birney, 1883; J. D. Mandeville, 1884; A. L. Whitcomb, 1885-87; J. C. Harmon, 1888-89 ; William Dillon, 1890; W. K. Newcomb,
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1891; H. E. Cushing, 1892; W. J. Fernald, 1893-94; C. B. Johnson, 1895; J. E. White, 1896 ; J. A. Hoffman, 1897; W. L. Gray, 1898; W. F. Burres, 1899; T. J. McKinney, 1900; John Laughlin, 1901; A. S. Wall, 1902; J. T. Purcell, 1903 ; S. S. Salisbury, 1904; J. M. Bartholow, 1905; C. M. Craig, 1906; J. C. Dodds, 1907; J. S. Mason, 1908; W. E. Schoen- gerdt, 1909; John Marten, 1910; William Rees, 1911; T. E. Walker, 1912; C. D. Gulick, 1913; T. J. Exton, 1914; F. S. Diller, 1915; J. H. Finch, 1916; O. O. Stanley, 1917.
Vice-Presidents- J. T. Pearman, 1874; B. D. Keater, 1875; C. B. Johnson, 1877; C. W. Allen, 1878; J. T. Purcell, 1879 ; J. D. Mande- ville, 1880; C. T. Pope, 1881; F. W. Prentice, 1882-83; J. B. Clark, 1884; J. T. Pearman, 1885-88; W. K. Newcomb, 1890; H. E. Cushing, 1891; C. N. White, 1892; Z. L. Whitmire, 1893-94; J. A. Hoffman, 1895; S. W. Shurtz, 1896; C. M. Craig, 1897; W. F. Burres, 1898; J. C. Dodds, 1899; John Laughlin, 1900; John Marten, 1901; Z. E. Matheney, 1902; S. W. Shurtz, 1903; W. L. Gray, 1904; C. M. Craig, 1905; John Marten, 1906; J. S. Mason, 1907; W. E. Schoengerdt, 1908; F. H. Powers, 1909; Ellen Miner, 1910; Lucy Exton, 1911; G. W. Rice, 1912; T. J. Exton, 1913; H. W. Bundy, 1914; D. A. Kirby, 1915; L. O. Sale, 1916; H. W. Bundy, 1917.
Secretary-Treasurers-M. S. Brown and J. D. Mandeville, 1874; S. H. Birney, 1875 ; L. S. Wilcox, 1876 ; L. S. Wilcox and J. D. Mande- ville, 1877; M. S. Brown and J. T. Pearman, 1878; M. S. Brown, 1880-82; C. B. Johnson, 1883-89; C. N. White, 1890-91; J. E. White, 1892; C. B. Johnson, 1893-94; W. L. Gray, 1895-96; Ellen Miner, 1897; John Laughlin, 1898; J. C. Dodds, 1899; John Laughlin, 1900; A. S. Wall, 1901; H. E. Cushing, 1902; J. S. Mason, 1903-04; C. D. Gulick, 1905-07; C. F. Newcomb, 1908-09; N. M. Baker, 1910; Jennie Lyons, 1911-12; Jennie Lyons and W. V. Secker, 1913; W. V. Secker, 1914-16; J. C. Dallenbach, 1917.
PIONEER PHYSICIANS BY LOCALITIES
In 1909 Dr. Johnson published a remarkably interesting history, in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the society, entitled "Medicine in Champaign County." At that time Dr. Joseph T. Miller of Urbana and Dr. Hartwell C. Howard of Cham- paign were the only living representatives of those who organized the Champaign County Medical Society fifty years before. Dr. Miller located at the county seat in 1853 and Dr. Howard at Champaign in 1855.
Among other complete and interesting data collected by the author
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is that which covers the dates when the pioneer physicians of the county settled at the various towns, villages and cities. The localities are arranged alphabetically, and speak for themselves:
Bondville-This village had its origin about 1870 and was named in honor of L. J. Bond of Monticello, an officer in the early history of the railway that goes through the town. The first physician to locate in Bondville was Dr. O. B. Simmons, who came there in the '70s and remained until 1896.
Broadlands-This village was laid out in 1883, but in 1881 Dr. W. F. Burres practiced medicine in that locality and had his office at the Old Head Quarters House. Dr. Burres moved to Sidney in 1882.
Champaign-The first physician to locate in Champaign was Dr. R. W. Schumacher, brother-in-law to Judge Calvin C. Staley. November 9, 1854, Dr. Schumacher published a card in the Urbana Union announcing his new location. Dr. H. C. Howard came in 1855; also Dr. S. W. Kincaid, who remained but a few years. A little later came Drs. J. Hollister, S. K. Page, Joseph Hagar, C. L. Swain and A. J. Crane. Dr. Page continued in practice till advancing years com- pelled his retirement late in the '70s. Dr. C. H. Mills came in 1856 and remained until his death in 1907. Dr. J. T. Pearman located in Champaign in 1864 and remained in active practice till about a year and a half before his death in May, 1896.
Fisher-Dr. James G. Elder was the first physician in this place. Dr. Joseph Carr was the next, but did not remain long. About 1880 Dr. A. L. Elder practiced there for a time, when he removed to Nebraska. Dr. W. K. Newcomb located in Fisher and continued in active practice there till 1896, when he removed to Champaign.
Foosland-The first physician in this village was one Dr. Stephens, who, about 1870, was succeeded by Dr. H. L. Harris, who practiced there for a number of years, when he in turn was followed by Dr. A. C. Albright. In 1892 Dr. J. E. Lowry became the successor to Dr. Albright.
Gifford-This village was laid out in 1876 and was named in honor of Benjamin Gifford. The first doctor in the place was Dr. Salmons, who remained but a short time. He was followed by Dr. T. J. Berry. Later came Dr. W. Van Camp, and in 1877 Dr. D. R. Mckinney, who practiced medicine there for about twenty years and then went to Indiana.
Homer-Old Homer, situated on the creek about a mile north of the Homer of today, was first settled in 1835. Dr. Harmon Stevens was one of the earliest physicians to locate in Champaign County.
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When the Wabash Railway was built through the southern part of Champaign County in 1857, New Homer came into existence at the railway station, a mile south of Old Homer, and the last named village soon passed out of existence. Dr. Stevens at once removed to the new village and practiced medicine there a good many years till his removal to Newton, Illinois. In 1840 Dr. W. A. Conkey located in Old Homer and continued in practice there till 1850, when he retired permanently. In 1851 Dr. C. P. Mosier came to HIomer, and five years later removed to the new town site, but all the while he continued in active practice till his retirement in 1859 to engage in farming and other pursuits In 1853 Dr. James Core arrived in Old Homer, engaged in practice, removed to the new village at its beginning and continued the practice until his death in 1888.
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