USA > Illinois > Champaign County > Medicine in Champaign County : a historical sketch > Part 3
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Dr. McClure graduated from the Charity Hospital Medical Col- lege, Cleveland, Ohio, in 1867. The same year he came to Illinois, located in Champaign City for two years and then removed to Ran- toul in 1869, where he practiced for about eighteen years, when his health gave way and he was obliged to try a change of climate. He went to West Point. Miss., and remained there four or five years and finally died in the early nineties. Dr. McClure was the preceptor of Dr. D. A. K. Steele, a well known Chicago Surgeon and
Professor of Surgery in the Medi- cal Department of the University of Illinois.
DR. D. R. MCKINNEY, 1837-1903.
Dr. D. R. Mckinney was born at Piqua , Ohio, April 15, 1837, and obtained his education in the common schools; in September, 1863, he enlisted in the 9th Indi- ana Cavalry and served till the end of the war. Upon leaving the army he turned his attention to medicine and attended lectures at Miami Medical College, Cincin- nati. Later he graduated from In- diana Medical College, Indianap- olis.
In 1868 he located in the north -
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eastern part of Champaign Coun- ty, at Burr Oak Grove, and here continued in practice till 1877, when he removed his office to Gif- ford, then a newly located railway station. Dr. Mckinney remained in active practice at Gifford for about twenty years, when failing health induced him to remove to Indiana, where later he was hon- ored with the Presidency of the Delaware County Medical Society; and also was a member of the Muncie, Indiana Board of United States Surgeons for Pension Ex- aminations. His death occurred Sept. 28, 1903, Champaign.
DR. THOMAS J. MCKINNEY.
Dr. T. J. Mckinney was born 'Nov. 29, 1859, in Delaware, Co.,
Indiana, and removed with his parents to Champaign Co. Ill., in 1868. He received his education in the common schools, the Ur- bana High School and Ill. State Normal School. For a time he taught school and later began the study of medicine in the office of his father, Dr. D. R. Mckinney. In 1883 he graduated from Indi- ana Medical College and some years later took a post-graduate course in the medical department of the Northwestern University. In 1883 he located at Gifford, Ill .. and has ever since been in active practice at that place.
DR. JOSEPH T. MILLER.
Nestor of the Medical Profession in Champaign County.
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Dr. Joseph T. Miller was born in Butler County, Ohio, February 5, 1830. While Dr. Miller was a child his father
removed to Indiana and fol- lowed the life of a farmer. Young Miller worked on the farm and at- tended the country schools till he was eighteen years of age, when for a time he attended Wabash College. Afterward he taught school and meantime began the study of medicine. Later he grad- uated from Rush Medical College. Chicago. Dr. Miller located in Urbana in 1853 and has been in continuous practice in Champaign County longer than any other physician and is consequently our Medical Nestor. He was at one time mayor of Urbana. During the civil war he was surgeon of the 65th Ill. Infantry with the rank of major.
Dr. Charles H. Mills was born at Dumberton, New Hampshire, August 12, 1824. When fourteen years of age he removed with his parents to Michigan, where till he was twenty-one years of age his time was divided between working on the farm and attending school. He afterwards attended the Uni- versity of Michigan for a time and in 1851 graduated from Cleve- land Medical College. He came to Illinois in 1854 and located in Urbana, where he practiced medi- cine till the autumn of 1856, when he removed to Champaign, then
DR. CHARLES M. MILLS, 1823-1897.
West Urbana, opened an office and began answering calls.
In September, 1862, he joined the army as Assistant Surgeon of the 125th Illinois Infantry. In a little time he was promoted to Sur- geon's place in the regiment with the rank of Major. He served till the end of the war in 1865. In the winter of 1864 he received a medical degree from the Univer- sity of Nashville.
Dr. Mills died of angina pectoris July 6, 1907.
Dr. Ellen Miner was born on a farm in Hensley Township, Cham- paign County, Illinois, where she
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DR. ELLEN MINER.
grew to young womanhood and meanwhile acquired her prelimi- nary education in the public schools. In 1893 she graduated from the Medical Department of Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, and for a number of years has been actively engaged profes- sionally at her home in Champaign City.
Dr. John M. Minturn was born in Kentucky in 1849 and graduat- ed from the College of Medicine and Surgery, Cincinnati, in 1884. He located in Rantoul in 1884 and practiced medicine there till his health gave way in 1890. In 1893 he died at the home of his child-
hcod in Kentucky. Dr. Minturn was a member of the Champaign County Board of United States Surgeons for Pensions Examina- tion from 1885 till 1889.
Dr. Benjamin G. Morris located at Urbana in an early day, later re- moved to Philo, and was the first doctor in that place. He, however, did not remain in active practice long. His death occurred at Philo in September, 1879. The place and date of his birth can not be given. He is said to have been a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. James E. Morrison was born in Buffalo, New York, July 4, 1834, and when a small boy re- moved with his parents to north- ern Illinois where he grew to man- hood. He got his preliminary ed- ucation in the common schools and at Knox College. When a young man he began the study of medicine and later graduated from Hahnemann Medical College, Chi- cago. Dr. Morrison practiced at Paxton, Ill., a number of years and in 1880 removed to Urbana, where he is yet in practice.
Dr. Philip C. Mosier was born December 31, 1827, in Harrison County, Indiana. In his boyhood he worked on the farm and attend- ed the primary subscription schools that were taught in the log cabins that served in that day as school houses.
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DR. PHILLIP C. MOSIER, 1827-1900.
When eighteen years of age he arrived at Homer, Champaign taught school and a little later be- County, April 15, 1851, and at once entered upon the practice of his profession. gan the study of medicine. After studying for a due period he began the practice of medicine in Milford, Dr. Mosier obtained his money Indiana, but at the expiration of for equipping himself to begin the two years removed to Illinois. He practice by teaching school. In
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the middle of the Nineteenth Cen- tury teachers were poorly paid and drugs and instruments were high. Quinine was five dollars per ounce and opium eight dollars a pound. Dr. Mosier's work was laborious in the extreme. Long rides, unbridged streams, hard- ships of every kind and little ready money among his patrons. But Dr. Mosier was hardheaded enough to see that the black, rich loam of Champaign County was in reality a mine of wealth and by some means managed to get hold of four hundred acres in Homer Township. Upon this he planted orchards and made other needed improvements.
This farm and other business matters began to need so much of his attention that in 1859 he re- tired from practice. His business venture prospered and in 1900 Dr. Mosier died a wealthy man.
Dr. W. K. Newcomb was born in Lyons, Iowa, April 6, 1857, and obtained his preliminary education in the Public Schools and at Gem City College, Quincy, Illinois. Af- ter teaching for a time he entered the office of Dr. W. G. Cochrane, Farmer City, Ill., and began the study of medicine. Later he ma- triculated at Rush Medical Col- lege, Chicago, from which he re- ceived the degree of M. D. in 1882. Soon after he located at Fisher, Ill., where he did a laborious coun- try practice till 1896, when he
DR. W. K. NEWCOMB.
went abroad for a season and re- turning home removed to Cham- paign City, opened an office and soon became actively engaged in professional work and is so occu- pied today. For a number of years Dr. Newcomb has faithfully repre- sented the profession in his vicin- ity by serving as councilor of the 8th District of the Illinois State Medical Society.
Dr. John North was born in the year 1841 in Coshocton County, Ohio. He was a well educated man and a graduate in medicine. but from what college cannot now be learned.
Upon the breaking out of the
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civil war he enlisted as a private, but in what regiment is not known. Later he was promoted to a Lieu- tenant.
Towards the close of his army service he acted as Hospital In- spector, and Captain.
This service was the real begin- ning of his professional career. He located in Rantoul in 1865 and practiced there till 1873, when he removed west . In 1803 he re- turned to Rantoul and soon after died in that village.
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DR. SAMUEL K. PAGE, 1810-1893
Dr. Samuel K. Page was born in New Hampshire in 1810, was a student of Dr. Reuben D. Mussey, the noted surgeon. Dr. Page
came to Champaign in 1857 and very soon after entered upon a laborious practice. Some twenty- five years later he retired from ac- tive practice and in 1893 died in Champaign at the advanced age of 83 years. Dr. Page was a genial, pleasant man and a good prac- tical physician, whose kind words and good deeds are cherished remembrances of his old patrons.
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DR. JOHN T. PEARMAN, 1829-1896.
Dr. John T. Pearman was born October 26, 1829, in Hardin County, Kentucky. He grew to manhood on the farm and obtained his education attending the winter schools. Upon reaching young manhood he came to Illinois and
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for a time taught school. Later he began the study of medicine and in 1858 graduated from Rush Medical College. His first loca- tion for practice was in Edgar County, Illinois, but in 1864 he re- moved to Champaign City, where he was in active practice till his health failed in the latter part of the year 1895. May 26, 1896, Dr. Pearman died, regretted by a large circle of admiring friends and ap- preciative patrons.
Dr. Pearman was a man of ex- ceptionally fine social qualities and filled several important posi- tions. For many years he was the Champaign Division Surgeon for the Illinois Central railway; for a time was a member of the Cham- paign County Board of United States Surgeons for Pension Ex- aminations: was for six years a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, and also was for a very long period a member of the Champaign Board of Education.
Dr. J. L. Polk was born at Bridgeville, Del., Nov. 23. 1841. Obtained his preliminary educa- tion in the common schools and at Milton Academy. Upon reaching manhood began the study of med- icine and graduated from Jeffer- son Medical College in 1868 and for a time was interne in Blocklev Hospital. He began the practice of medicine at Arcola, Ill., in 1868. where for many years he continued
DR. JOHN L. POLK.
to be actively engaged profession- ally. He is now a resident of Champaign City.
Dr. J. T. Purcell was born in Sardinia, Ohio, September 22. 1844. and received his education in the common schools of his na- tive state. October 15, 1861, he enlisted in the 11th Ohio Cavalry, in which organization he served till discharged, July 14, 1866, five years and nine months later, com- pleting, it is believed, the longest volunteer service of any present resident of Champaign County who gave his services through the civil war. Began the study of medicine by attendance upon lec-
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DR. J. T. PURCELL.
tures at Ohio Medical College. Cincinnati, and later graduated from Indiana Medical College, In- dianapolis. In 1869 began prac- tice in Indiana, and in March, 1877, came to Illinois and located at St. Joseph, where he has since been doing a large, laborious prac- tice.
Dr. George T. Rowland was born Dec. 31, 1852, in the City of Louisville, Ky., and received his education in the public schools and at the Xaverian Brothers School, Louisville. Upon reaching young manhood he began the study of medicine and graduated from the Louisville Medical College in
1876. First practiced his profes- sion in Missouri. In 1881 re- moved to Homer, Champaign County, where he was busy pro- fessionally till 1898, when he changed his location to Martins- ville, Ill., where he is now in prac- tice.
Dr. John S. Saddler. See Pion- eer Doctors, Champaign Co.
DR. SAMUEL SCOTT SALISBURY.
Dr. S. S. Salisbury of Tolono was born near Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio, July 22, 1829. Af- ter graduating in medicine from Cleveland Medical College he practiced medicine a few years in his own state. But, thinking the West might afford better oppor- tunities for a young man, he, in
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1861, came to Champaign County and located in Tolono, where he is yet doing an active, laborious practice. As said elsewhere he is but ten days younger than Dr. Howard and like the latter is one of the oldest physicians in the county that assiduously attends to the details of practice.
DR. HOMER A. SHAW.
Dr. Homer A. Shaw was born in Lancaster, Ohio, Nov. 26, 1827. Was educated in the common schools and academy. He studied Latin, German and other higher branches of learning. Upon reach- ing young manhood began the study of medicine and received the degree of M. D. from Starling Medcial College, Columbus, Ohio,
in 1852 and located at Lancaster, Ohio. Upon the breaking out of the civil war became assistant sur- geon of the 10th Ohio Infantry, wherein he served till 1864 when he was made acting staff surgeon, U. S. A., and had charge of a field hospital. In 1866 he located at Homer, Ill., for the practice of his profession and has been so en- gaged ever since.
Dr. R. W. Shumaker was born in Kanawha County, West Vir- ginia, May 22, 1825. Studied medicine and graduated from Cleveland Medical College. Was the first physician to come to Champaign City and located there in the fall of 1854. Remained there in practice till the fall of 1857, when he moved away. Dur- ing the civil war he was connected with a hospital in Louisville, Ken- tucky, but whether in the capacity of a civil or military surgeon is not known. Dr. Shumaker died at Louisville in 1864.
Dr. William B. Sims was born in Blount County, Tennessee, April 14, 1836. When but four years of age his parents removed to Ed- gar County, Illinois. Young Sims worked on the farm and attended the common school till he was thirteen years of age when he learned the shoemaker's trade, which he followed industriously for fifteen years. Upon the break- ing out of the war he left the
.
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shoemaker's bench and enlisted in the 4th Illinois Cavalry. He be- gan the study of medicine in 1866 and subsequently graduated at Louisville Medical College. He located at St. Joseph in the spring of 1870 and was engaged in prac- tice there till 1883, when he re- moved to Urbana, where he yet lives.
Dr .John W. Scroggs was born March 12, 1817 in Harrison County, Ohio. When but ten years of age his mother died and in consequence the family was scattered and young Scroggs was thrown on his own resources when very young. He divided his time between work on the farm and at- tendance upon the subscription schools of the period. He be- came interested in medicine, stud- ied that science and finally gradu- ated in medicine at Cincinnati about 1840 and in the same year began practice at Wilmington, Ohio. In 1857 he located at Champaign, where for a time he engaged in practice, but later quit it for other pursuits. He was at one time proprietor of the Central Il- linois Gazette, predecessor of The Champaign Gazette. In 1868 Dr. Scroggs was elected to the Illi- nois Legislature and served one term. He did his part in getting the University of Illinois located in Champaign County and by Gov- ernor Oglesby was appointed one of its trustees. In 1871 Dr.
Scroggs began to suffer with symp- toms of paralysis and two years later December 25, 1873, had an apoplectic stroke from which he died January 3, 1874.
DR. ELIJAH S. SMITH.
Elijah S. Smith was born near Bloomington, Ind., March 18, 1856, and while in his early teens removed with his parents to a farm near Charleston, Ill. His early years were divided between farm work and attendance at the nearby country school. Later he attended Lee's Academy at Loxa, Ill., and finally became a student at the University of Illinois. For seventeen years of his life he taught school, and during this
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period became the recipient of a life-certificate from the Illinois State Educational Authorities, and moreover filled a number of impor- tant and responsible positions in his chosen profession. But notwith- standing his success in teaching he finally turned to medicine and in 1893 entered the Chicago Homeo- pathic College, from which he graduated in 1896. Soon af- ter graduation he located for the practice of his profession in Ur- bana and has ever since been ac- tivelv engaged in professional work in that city.
DR. WINSTON SOMERS, 1800-1871.
Dr. Winston Somers. See Pion- eer Doctors Champaign Co.
W. H. Stevens. See Pioneer Doctors Champaign Co.
Dr. Charles A. Thompson was born March 27, 1824, at Sandus- ky, Ohio. When very young he removed with his parents to Mich- igan where he grew up on a farm. At the age of 21 he began the study of medicine and in 1849 graduated from a Medical College at La Porte, Ind. After practicing a few years elsewhere he located at Urbana in 1856 and was there busy in practice when the civil war broke out in April 1861. He at once entered the service as As- sistant Surgeon of the 25th Illi- nois Infantry. In November he was transferred to the 13th Illinois Infantry, in which organization he served as Assistant Surgeon till its term of service expired, when Dr. Thompson was given the Sur- geon's place in the 90th Illinois Infantry. He served during the whole period of the war.
After the war Dr. Thompson lo- cated in Jefferson City, Mo., where he for many years had a large practice. For perhaps a quarter of a century Dr. Thompson was a zealous member of the Missouri State Medical Association and for the period of sixteen years was its Treasurer. For many years he was the local Surgeon of the Mis- souri Pacific, and also for a time was a member of the local Board of United States Surgeons for
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Pension Examinations. Thompson died at his home in Jefferson City, Mo., December 15, 1897, in his seventy-fourth year.
DR. C. L. VANDOREN.
Dr. C. L. VanDoren was born at Farmington, Ill., May 21, 1857. His boyhood days were divided between farm work and attendance at the neighborhood schools. Up- on reaching manhood he deter- mined to make medicine his life vocation and with this end in view entered Bennett Medical College, Chicago, from which he graduated in 1881. Immediately upon com- pleting his medical education Dr. Van Doren located at Hope, Ver- milion Co., Ill., where he soon be-
Dr. came actively engaged in profes- sional duties. In 1900 he removed to Urbana and opened an office there and has since been busy in practice.
DR. T. E. WALKER.
Dr.T.E.Walker was born Aug- ust 1, 1845, in Boone Co., Ind. His early days were divided between farm work and attendance upon the neighborhood schools. Later he went to Butler University, In- dianapolis and finally decided to make medicine his life business. He graduated from Indiana Medi- cal School in 1880 and for two years practiced medicine in his na- tive State. In 1880 he located at Penfield,Ill., where he remained in
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practice two years, when he re- moved to Gifford, Ill., where he has ever since been actively en- gaged in professional work.
DR. CARRIE N. WHITE.
Dr. Carrie N. White was born at New Albany, Indiana, and ob- tained her preliminary education in the public schools and at Jack- sonville College, Jacksonville, Ill. Upon arriving at the age of young womanhood she entered upon the study of medicine and graduated from the Woman's Medical. Col- lege, Chicago, in 1883. With her husband, Dr. J. E. White, she lo- cated in Urbana in 1888, where she remained in practice till 1900 when she removed with him to
Springfield, Ill., and is now follow- ing professional work there.
DR. J. E. WHITE.
Dr. J. E. White was born at Lo- gan, Ohio, in 1854 and obtained his preliminary education in the public schools. After attaining manhood he entered upon the study of medicine and graduated from Rush Medical College, Chi- cago, in 1883.
Early in his professional career Dr. White located in Urbana, Ill., where he continued in practice till 1906 when he removed to Spring- field, Ill., where he has since been in practice. He now holds the po- sition of Supreme Medical Direct- or of the Court of Honor.
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DR. Z. T. WHITMIRE, 1868-1900.
Dr. Z. T. Whitmire was born in Metamora, Ill., about 1866. and obtained his education in the com- mon schools and University of Il- linois, from which he graduated in due time.
mained till his death which oc- curred in December, 1899.
Dr. L. S. Wilcox was born in Lacon, Illinois, in the year 1847. In boyhood he worked on a farm and attended the common schools and later graduated from the Northwestern University. H.
took up the study of medicine and in 1873 graduated from Long Is- land Medical College, Brooklyn. He located in Champaign in 1875 and very soon had a good practice, which he kept for about fifteen years, when President Harrison appointed him Revenue Collector for the Springfield District, a posi- tion he held for four years. In 1807 he was appointed Consul at Hankow, China, by President Mc- Kinley. While a resident of Champaign Dr. Wilcox was sev- eral times Supervisor of the Town- ship and served as Mayor of Champaign City two or three terms.
Dr. Wilcox is now living in re- tirement at Los Angeles, Cali- fornia.
He entered upon the study of medicine soon after completing his preliminary education and While none of the following are physicians, they have all to a greater or less extent been asso- ciated with medical work in Cham- paign County. received his M. D. degree from Rush Medical College, Chicago, in 1890. The same year he located for the practice of his profession at Tolono, Ill., re- mained there two years and then Thomas J. Burrill, LL. D., Ph. removed to Urbana, where he re- D., was born April 25, 1839, at
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DR. LEVI S. WILCOX.
JONATHAN T. BURRILL, Ph. D .. LL. D.
Pittsfield, Mass. Received his preliminary education at the Illi- nois Normal School from which he graduated in 1865. He has been connected with the University of Illinois since its organization, is now its Vice President and served as acting President from 1901 and 1904 and fills the chair of Botany and Horticulture. Has made a special study of diseases of plants and as a Scientist has an inter-na- tional reputation. Is a member of several scientific societies in Amer- ica and Europe. Dr. Burrill is an honorary member of the Cham- paign County Medical Society and has done not a little in sanitation.
John Milton Gregory, Ph. D., LL. D., was born at Sand Lake, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., July 6, 1822. Graduated from Union Col- lege in 1846. After two years' study of law, studied theology and for a number of years was pastor of a Baptist church. In 1858 was elected State Superintendent of Instruction of Michigan, and in 1863 became President of Kala- mazoo, College, Michigan. I11 1867 was elected Regent of Illinois In- dustrial University (later Univer- sity of Illinois.) He served as this Institution's Regent (President) till 1880 and more than all others shaped and moulded the school that it might grow into its present proud position. In 1877 Governor Cullom appointed Dr. Gregory a member of the Illinois State Board of Health at the date of its organ- ization. During his mem- bership he was elected Presi- dent of the Board and by his ready pen and forceful speech did much to start the Board of Health along right lines. From 1882 to 1885 he was a member of the Civil Service Commission under Presi- dent Arthur.
Dr. Gregory died October 20, 1898, and by his request was bur- ied on the campus of the Univer- sity of Illinois.
Stephen A. Forbes, LL. D., Ph. D., was born May 29, 1844, at Silver Creek, Ill. Obtained his
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JOHN MILTON GREGORY. Ph. D., LL. D.
STEPHEN A. FORBES. Ph. D., LL. D.
preliminary education in the pub- lic schools, Beloit College and Rush Medical College.
Dr. Forbes is a Scientist of interna- tional reputation and is a member of a number of Scientific Societies both at home and abroad. For many years he has been Illinois State Entomologist and is now Di- rector of the State Laboratory of Natural History. For a number of years he served as Dean of the College of Science, University of Illinois, and in this institution fills the chair of Zoology and En- tomology. He is an honorary member of the Champaign County Medical Society.
MISS FRANCES NORTH, Superintendent Julia F. Burnham Hospital.
Miss Frances North was born at Edgewood. Effingham County, Illinois, and when eleven years of age removed with her parents to Sparta, Michigan, where she grew to young womanhood, meanwhile obtaining her education in the common schools. In 1891 she en- tered the Training School for Nurses at Grace Hospital, Detroit, Mich. , from which she graduated in 1893. After following her pro- fession for a time in Michigan, she came to Champaign, Ill., where in 1896 she entered the Julia F. Burnham Hospital, in which for many years she has ren- dered most efficient service as Su- perintendent.
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