USA > Illinois > Madison County > Centennial history of Madison County, Illinois, and its people, 1812 to 1912, Volume I > Part 55
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Dr. Joseph L. Darrow was born April 4, 1809, and came to Collinsville in 1833, where he immediately gained a foothold and became very popular. He was also an ordained rec- tor of the Episcopal church and in 1835 founded Christ Episcopal church in Collins- ville and was its rector as long as he lived. He owned and laid out Darrow addition, and not only donated a large lot to the above church but built the church building and do- nated it to the parish. This building was torn down in May, 1912, to be replaced by a handsome church edifice. His pluck and en- ergy in pushing the claims of his church was rewarded by seeing erected in this county two other churches, one in Edwardsville and one in Marine, which were built almost solely by the Doctor's personal means, added to contributions from his friends in the east. When the awful epidemic of cholera raged in 1849, he fought it to the finish, but when the disease returned some years later, it claimed him as one of its first victims. His name, both in a professional and clerical ca-
pacity, is a pleasant memory to the elderly people, to this day. At the early age of forty-six years, he died in Collinsville, on July 28, 1855.
Dr. Peter. Wilkins Randle, son of Josias and Nancy Randle, was born November 9, 1806 and came to Edwardsville with his father and his family, in 1818. The family settled on the premises that later became the homestead of the late Judge David Gillespie, where the father built an ox-mill for grind- ing corn, the grinding stones of which re- mained on the premises, which is now oc- cupied by Henry C. Barnsback, until a few years ago when they were removed by a rel- ative. Josias Randle was also clerk of the first county court of this county.
Dr. Randle began the study of medicine in 1830 under the tutorship of Dr. B. F. Ed- wards, but in 1832 at the age of twenty-six years, he enlisted in Capt. Erastus Wheeler's company of mounted volunteers and became one of the soldiers of the Black Hawk war. He began his medical career in Edwardsville in 1833, and on May 14, 1834, he was married to Miss Lucia M. Long of Edwardsville. When Dr. Edwards moved to Alton in 1837, Dr. Randle took over his practice and contin- ued it with great success for many years. He was an able and popular physician whose practice extended for fifty miles around. He also served as surgeon in the Army of the Po- tomac during the war of the rebellion. Shortly after his return from the army he moved to Alton and after a few years in that location went to San Francisco, and founded the Eclectic Medical College, of which he be- came president. He continued his medical activities for many years and died in San Francisco in 1886, aged eighty years.
Dr. Frederick Humbert, a typical specimen of the sturdy manhood composing the med- ical profession of that early day, was born in Frankfurt-on-the-Main, Prussia, on De- cember 16, 1808. After his early education
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in the schools of his native city, he pursued his medical studies in the University of Vi- enna, Austria, from which he graduated on July 19, 1832. The next year he emigrated to this country and began the practice of medicine in Upper Alton. He gained a wide reputation as an able physician throughout all the surrounding country, was an enthusiast in his profession to which he devoted his long life and made an indelible impression by his work and life, that has had its effect even down to this day. He also took great interest in horticulture and took great delight in planting fruit and shade trees. He was the first one who introduced the dwarf tree into this county, which he did in 1837. Tired, worn out and weary, he laid down his bur- den and went to sleep in Alton on May 18, 1891, aged eighty-three years.
Dr. Samuel Hall was born in Vermont and after a common school education gained at home, graduated from Dartmouth College, and located in Collinsville in 1833. He mar- ried his second wife there, a Miss Mary Berkey, February II, 1844. After a success- ful practice of thirteen years, he died in 1846, at the early age of thirty-six years.
PIONEER MUSICIAN
Dr. Solon Stark was an eastern man, born in Boston, Massachusetts, April 12, 1805, educated in the New England states and came to Edwardsville in 1834. He located on the corner of the old public square, where in con- nection with his practice he opened and con- ducted the first drug store of Edwardsville. He was a man of medium height, with dark complexion, Yankee habits, a polished urbane gentleman. In May, 1842, he married Miss Rachel McCracken, a step-daughter of Dr. Brackett, who was a fine musician and singer. Her musical education was completed under the direction of Mrs. F. A. Wolf, mother of A. P. Wolf, cashier of the Bank of Edwards-
ville. Instruction was given on' a piano that Mrs. Wolf brought with her from Germany.
Dr. Stark was a great lover of music and shared with his wife a great musical talent. He imported the first piano that ever came to Edwardsville and his home became the musical center for the young people of the town and many are the stories told even now of the festivities enjoyed in this hospitable home. He was also a charter member of St. Andrew's Episcopal church, organized in Edwardsville in 1841, and we find his name connected with the board of trustees during his entire residence in the city. Dr. Stark also was largely concerned with civic and judicial affairs and in 1841, the county court appointed him administrator of the estate of one William P. Hall, and under this appoint- ment he sold large holdings of land in Mad- ison, Macoupin, Green and Morgan counties in this state. He moved to St. Louis in 1843 and three years later to Nauvoo, where he remained four years, returning to St. Louis in 1850. Besides being a master of his pro- fession he was a man of more than ordinary executive ability, and during his residence in St. Louis he served as member of the city council, member of the school board and later as health. officer of the city. In 1865 he be- came resident physician of the quarantine hospital and was also a member of the fac- ulty of the oldest medical college in St. Louis. Dr. Stark died in St. Louis April 24, 1878, aged seventy-three years. His widow sur- vived and at the age of ninety years, died in April, 1906. They were both taken back to the old home in Cahokia, Illinois, and their bodies deposited in the family cemetery.
Dr. James Lord Brackett, a native of Vas- selboro, Maine, was born January 10, 1792. After beginning his medical education in the east, he graduated in St. Louis and came to Illinois, settling in Cahokia in 1827. In 1828 he met and married Mrs. Hortense Mc-
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Cracken, who was a member of the old French Jarrot family of Paris, France. In 1835 he moved to Monk's Mound where he remained one year. After practicing in Belle- ville four years, he came to Edwardsville in 1840 and lived on the little hill just south of the city limits, the present site of the county farm. On these premises he also conducted a grist-mill, which was operated by water power furnished by the little stream that ran and still runs through this farm. He was an able physician, ranking high in his profes- sion and was considered a reader and thinker away ahead of his time, and is still very well remembered by our older settlers. In 1841, he assisted in the organization of St. An- drew's Episcopal church and remained on its board of trustees and was a stanch supporter of the church as long as he lived here. In 1843 he moved back to the old family home in Cahokia, where he died in 1844, aged 52 years. Two daughters of Dr. Brackett are still living, Mrs. Maria E. Sibley, of Quincy and Mrs. Julia Butler of St. Louis.
Dr. August Friederich Beck, of Murten, Canton Freiburg, Switzerland, came to Ma- rine with his family of wife, two sons and one daughter, in 1834. He had a thorough scientific education for his calling and readily acquired an extensive practice, but died in 1844 after a brief illness. Dr. Beck, in a short term of ten years, so impressed him- self upon that pioneer community that his in- fluence is felt and commented upon even to this day. The widow and children moved to Highland. The sons were Alexander and Alfred, the latter still living highly aged, while Alexander died May 7, 1909, aged 78 years.
Dr. John H. Weir was one of the old pioneers whose life was marked by strong determination and will power. He was born October 5, 1809, of Scotch-Irish descent, in South Carolina, coming from a family of Covenanters, on both sides. In 1825, he,
with his father's family, removed to Ten- nessee, where he began working for Rev. Samuel A. Worcester, through whose influ- ence and assistance the young man determined to obtain an education. Accordingly in 1829 he walked all the way to Boston and entered Phillips' Academy at Andover, and by teach- ing during winters and working at odd times, managed to defray his expenses and com- pleted a classical course. What young man of this generation would walk from Tennes- see to Boston, to get an education ?
Dr. Weir began the study of medicine in the office of Dr. Kendall Davis, of Reading, Massachusetts, and entering Harvard Uni- versity, completed his medical course in 1835, coming to Edwardsville the same year, and at once began an active, extensive practice, which continued as long as he lived. During the war he was surgeon of the board of en- rollment of the twelfth Illinois district and later became a member of the Board of Pen- sion Examiners for the county. He was a liberal contributor to the medical journals of his day, and corresponding editor of the Southern Medical Record, of Atlanta, Georgia. On December 18, 1839, he was married to Miss Mary Hoxsey.
In politics he was a Whig, but the death of Elijah Lovejoy, in Alton, made him an Ab- olitionist. He was a faithful and earnest member of the Methodist church and, by precept and example, did much to shape the character of the young people within the radius of his influence. After an active prac- tice extending over 43 years, he died in Ed- wardsville, on August 3, 1878, aged sixty- nine years, and was laid to rest in the Old Lusk Cemetery.
Dr. Frederick Ryhiner was born in Basel, Switzerland, December 7, 1806. After ob- taining his preliminary education in the schools of his native city, he graduated in medicine in the University of Basel, in 1829. He was also a graduate of the University of
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Heidelberg, and attended lectures in the uni- versities of Vienna, Prague and Paris. He practiced in Switzerland for six years, being military surgeon of his native city, but be- coming entangled in political troubles on ac- count of his broad and liberal views, he be- came disgusted with affairs in general and emigrated to this country and settled in Marine, Illinois, in August, 1835, where he remained two years. In 1837 he moved to St. Louis, where he remained three years and then located in Highland, where he had an extensive practice until 1857. He was married to Miss Josephine Suppiger of High- land, December 28, 1843. After an extended visit to his native land he returned to High- land and established the banking house of F. Ryhiner & Co., which for many years was the only bank in Highland, and which de- manded his entire time and attention. He died at his home July 14, 1879.
Dr. Charles Skillman came to Alton in 1836 and practiced for many years, occupy- ing an office which stood on the present site of the Alton Savings Bank. He was also in- terested in civic affairs and we find him as alderman representing the first ward in 1852-53. He was a man who stood high in the estimation of his fellow citizens both in a personal and professional way. Shortly after the war he removed to St. Louis where he died in 1866.
A SOUTHERN POLITICIAN
Dr. Thomas M. Hope was born in Hamp- ton, Virginia, August 8, 1813, and came to Kaskaskia, Illinois, in 1832. Three years later he married Miss Elizabeth Pope, daugh- ter of United States District Judge Nathaniel Pope, and soon after removed to Alton, where he followed his profession during his life-time. In 1841 President Tyler appointed him United States Marshal for this district. He occupied a prominent place in the bus- iness affairs of his home city and was mayor
of Alton in 1852. He was of a nervous, san- guine, southern temperament, outspoken in his views, and always ready to back up his convictions. This characteristic led him into frequent disputes and during the Mexican war he fought a duel with a certain Dr. Price in San Antonio, Texas. He took strong grounds on the slavery question and was an active participant in the Lovejoy riots and was present at the death of Lovejoy. During the Civil war his sympathies were with the south and because of the persistence with which he expressed his views in public, it was found necessary to detain him for some time in the prison at Alton. During the Lincoln-Douglas debate at Alton on October 15, 1858, he interrupted the "Little Giant" and asked some very pertinent questions. He also extended his activities to state politics and in 1868 was a candidate for the office of Governor on the Breckenridge ticket but was defeated.
Dr. Hope was an elegant gentleman, of very charming address, a leader of men and a fine physician. He died in Alton, October 15, 1885, aged 72 years.
Dr. Benjamin Kirtland Hart, one of the early pioneers in medicine, and whose life stamped itself indelibly upon the community in which he lived, was born July 2, 1807. He studied medicine under a preceptor in Alton and then went east to complete his edu- cation, graduating from Harvard in 1836 in the same class with Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes. He returned to Alton and at once entered upon an active and successful med- ical career, that continued throughout his whole life. He also identified himself in the civic affairs of the community, being pres- ident of the town board in 1836 and 1837 and after the adoption of the city charter in 1837, represented his ward as alderman in the city council for many years. In school matters he was equally progressive and it was upon his motion on the third of July,
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1843, that the city council appropriated one hundred dollars to purchase Block 19, in Pope and others addition, the first piece of property for school purposes bought in the city of Alton, upon which the first school- house was built for the sum of $580.70, two years later. Out of this small beginning, of which Dr. Hart was the mainspring, devel- oped the splendid physical properties of the Alton public schools as they exist today. His death occurred while on a visit to his brother in Adrian, Michigan, August 30, 1864, aged fifty-seven years, and his body was brought back to Alton, and consigned to the grave amid the mournings of a large concourse of citizens and friends.
Dr. William W. Jones, born in 1780, was an early doctor in Edwardsville, coming here in about 1837. He was a man of splendid education and was popular in the community. He lived in the old Adams house, west side of the park, where William Kroeger lives now. He was also a poet and afforded entertain- ment to the younger element who sometimes made him the unconscious subject of their amusement by inducing him to recite his poetry. Owing to the fact that he had six toes on each foot he was sometimes called "six-toed Jones." He was the first man who introduced "Shanghai" chickens into Ed- wardsville and many came to see these chick- ens eat corn from the head of a standing bar- rel. Dr. Jones was married to Mrs. Rebecca Adams June 19, 1847. He served his patrons well for many years and died aged seventy- nine years, and was buried in Edwardsville. At the time of his funeral, the first church. bell that ever came' to Edwardsville, then hanging in Thompson Chapel, was tolled for the first time.
Dr. James Barber, a member of one of the pioneer families of this county, served an apprenticeship in the study of medicine under Dr. J. H. Weir and began the practice of medicine in Edwardsville about 1838. On
April 2, 1839, he was married to Miss Elvira Hall at Edwardsville. He continued his work here for several years and moved to Green- ville and Hennepin in this state and finally to Donaldson, Illinois, where he died in 1872.
PROMINENT IN THE CIVIL WAR
Dr. George Townsend Allen was a native of New York city, born September 29, 1812, but soon came, with his father and family, to this county, arriving at Edwardsville, De- cember 23, 1817. In 1827 he returned to New York for his education and in 1833 be- gan the study of medicine under Professor G. S. Bedford, and was assistant physician at Bellevue Hospital for two years. He gradu- ated from the College of Physicians and Sur- geons, New York, in March, 1838, and, re- turning to Illinois, began the practice of med- icine in Marine, a settlement established by his father. As a physician and surgeon he was eminently successful and built up a large and remunerative practice but, owing to ex- posure, his health was so much impaired that in a measure he gave up his work. In 1854 he was elected to the state legislature and was one of the five independents who voted for Lyman Trumbull, for United States senator, thereby defeating Abraham Lincoln for that office. Had these five legislators voted for Lincoln and elected him to the United States senate, he would in all probability never have become the leader of the newly-born Repub- lican party. There never would have been any Lincoln-Douglas debates, which so prom- inently brought Lincoln to the attention of the public as the great anti-slavery leader. It may be said that the issues of the Civil war was based upon the action of these independ- ents, of which Dr. Allen was a prominent member.
At the opening of the war, Dr. Allen was the first surgeon commissioned by Governor Yates with the rank of major in the Four- teenth Illinois Volunteers. In April, 1862,
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he was appointed brigade surgeon, and in June of the same year he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel and medical in- spector in the regular army. At the close of the war he resumed the practice of liis pro- fession at Springfield, Illinois, and in June, 1869, was commissioned United States con- sul at Moscow, Russia, by President Grant, which position he held for a little over two years when he resigned. In December, 1872, he was appointed surgeon-in-charge of the United States Marine Hospital, at St. Louis, at which post he died, December 26, 1876. This is a brief sketch of the life of a man, that was certainly crowded with such re- sponsibilities and crowned with such honors, as rarely fall to the lot of any one man.
Dr. Caspar Koepfli, Jr., son of Dr. Caspar Koepfli, came to Highland from Switzerland with his wife, two daughters and one son, in 1839. He had a thorough medical education in Europe and practiced his profession in Switzerland before coming to this county. He was a great addition to the professional element in that pioneer community that had been established by his father only eight years before. He participated in all the dangers and hardships that the various cholera epi- demics heaped upon this little settlement, and continued at his work until 1867, when he moved to Dubuque, Iowa, where, only a few years after, he died.
Dr. Samuel P. McKee was born February 26, 1816, in Marysville, Kentucky. In 1818 he came with his father's family to Edwards- ville, Illinois, where he grew to manhood. His early education was obtained in the com- mon schools of the primitive times and at the Illinois State College at Jacksonville. He be- gan the study of medicine under the tutelage of Dr. John H. Weir, of Edwardsville, and later on attended medical lectures in Louis- ville, Kentucky. He practiced medicine in and about Edwardsville for about ten years, where he was held in high.esteem both as a
citizen and as a physician. On April 9, 1840, he was married to Miss Mary M. Thompson, daughter of Rev. Samuel H. Thompson, for whom Thompson's Chapel now St. John's M. E. Church at Edwardsville, was named. He continued his practice in Summerfield, Illinois, were he lived the most of his professional life, and died at Spring Hill, Kansas, Decem- ber 21, 1889.
Dr. John James, a man whose name was a household word for many years in the com- munity in which he lived, was a true type of the "old family doctor." He was born in Vermont, May 18, 1789, and after a thorough classical education in the east came to this county and located in Upper Alton. Just when he came can not be ascertained but it was about the latter 30s. He maintained a large practice for a number of years and was known not only as a thorough conscientious practitioner but also as a scientist of no small degree. He was greatly beloved by his peo- ple and as a physician and citizen was held in high esteem by a large circle of friends. His son Dr. Edward C. James, born in 1845 in Upper Alton, was in later years also a physician in Upper Alton, served as assistant surgeon in the Civil war and died in Upper Alton about 9 years ago. Dr. John James lived to be 70 years old and died in Upper Al- ton, October 12, 1859.
A "THOMSONIAN" CERTIFICATE
Joseph Chapman was the holder of the cer- tificate reproduced here, which shows one of the methods employed in the olden times in creating a practitioner of medicine. When the tide of the Thomsonian school was at its flood, a large number of these certificates were sold, giving the holder thereof the right to practice medicine. Without any medical study except such as was furnished with this certificate any man who would pay the price was permitted to prescribe for the sick and administer such remedies as were endorsed
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by this particular cult which was founded on the use of remedies of vegetable origin only, discarding all remedies which belonged to the mineral kingdom.
"No. 1398. Seventh Edition."
"This may certify that we have received of Joseph Chapman, Twenty Dollars, in full for the right of preparing and using, for himself and family, the Medicine and System of Practice secured to Samuel Thomson, by Let- ters Patent from the President of the United States; and that he is thereby constituted a member of the Friendly Botanic Society, and is entitled to an enjoyment of all the privileges attached to membership therein.
"Dated at Alton this 19th day of ., 1839.
R. P. Maxey Agt. for Pike, Platt & Co., Agents for Samuel Thomson.
"All Purchasers of Rights can have inter- course with each other for advice, by show- ing their Receipt. All those who partake, or have participated, in stolen rights, or what is virtually the same, have bought them of those who have no right to sell, can show no receipt, either from me or any of my Agents, and are not to be patronized by you or any honest man, as they are liable to sixty dol- lars fine for each and every trespass. Hold no counsel or advice with them, or with any who shall pretend to have made any improve- ment on my System of Practice, as I can- not be responsible for the effect of any such improvement. 'Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.'-James.
"Samuel Thomson."
This was the form of the only diploma or license that these practitioners had, but the whole country was full of them. Joseph Chapman was born in North Carolina in 1813 and came to Staunton, Illinois, in 1818. After service in the Black Hawk war he came to Upper Alton in 1836, and engaged in the
mercantile business until he was elected to the office of county clerk in 1861. After a four year term, he entered the abstract busi- ness of Chapman and Leverett in Edwards- ville, of which he continued to be the head until his death. He was also an associate judge of the county court when the present courthouse was built. He occupied the office of justice of the peace during his long resi- dence in Edwardsville. He died on Feb. 18, 1883, aged seventy years.
Dr. Benjamin Shurtleff, of Boston, Massa- chusetts, did not practice in this county but his name is inseparably linked with the cause of educational institutions of an early date. In January, 1836, he gave to the Alton Sem- inary a donation of $10,000 as an endowment fund, a very liberal gift for those days. Shortly after, in grateful acknowledgment of this gift, the trustees changed the name of the Seminary to Shurtleff College.
Dr. W. S. Edgar came to Collinsville about 1840. He built himself a home located on the northwest corner of Main and Morrison avenue, which was a land mark for many years. Now the three-story building occu- pied by Yates & Ambrosius occupies this ground. In 1850, he removed to St. Louis and later to Jacksonville, Illinois, to educate his children. He became a surgeon in the army when the Civil war commenced, and afterward took up his work in St. Louis. He died at Paris, Illinois, while on a visit to his son.
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