USA > Illinois > Shelby County > Stewardson > Stewardson, the first 100 years : history of the village of Stewardson, Prairie Township and vicinity > Part 5
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Sawbones, Hoss Doctors and Related Professions
Apparently, one hundred years ago, doctors were more plentiful than at the present time. During the 1870's Stew- ardson received medical services from Doctors: J. W. Knox, B. B. Bacon, R. T. Worley, and W. W. Pierce.
Dr. J. W. Knox was born in Clinton
County, Ohio. His father died when Knox was only four years old and he had to become rather self reliant at an early age. He left home at the age of 11, determined to make his own way in the world. Education was important to him and he started reading medical books at an early age. He later con- tinued his study under the direction of Dr. J. C. Shrader in Linn County, Iowa. He remained under Dr. Shrader's supervision for three years before entering practice with his pre- ceptor and continued with him until Shrader entered military service during the Civil War. Dr. Knox then moved to Lawrence County, Illinois. He met
These are pictures of Dr. and Mrs. Knox. The top one was taken in 1864, and the other in 1914. Dr. Knox was one of the first doctors in Stewardson.
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Miss Vietona Trapp of Olney, Illinois and they were married in 1864. His health began to fail in the early 1870's so he and his wife moved to Barton County, Mo. Dr. and Mrs. Knox then moved to the new town of Stewardson in 1873 or 1874 and stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Arch Beals until his office and house were completed. Dr. Knox then returned to his Ohio Medical College in Cincinnatti, Ohio in 1873 and graduated with the degree of M.D. in 1874.
Dr. J. W. Knox erected a building on the north side of East Main Street in 1874 to be used as a doctor's office, drug store, and post office. Later his office building was moved across the street to the corner of East Main and South Pine. The site is now occupied by the Stewardson National Bank. The building was moved again to the lot to the south when the Bank was built.
Dr. and Mrs. Knox lived in a one story frame house on the northeast corner of West Main and North Spruce, just west of the present day home of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Webb. The brick summer kitchen is still standing.
Business and medicine almost totally involved his life and he worked long hours. He is remembered as being a rather independent and self-reliant per- son. Dr. Knox belonged to the I.O.O.F. and belonged to the Methodist Church during the pastorship of R. G. Mont- gomery. Mrs. Knox was very active in the Methodist Church and Steward- son Society. Although a sophisticated lady, Mrs. Knox enjoyed hunting rab- bits with her old Rimfire Rifle. She was self reliant and independent like her husband, as were many of our early citizens. Dr. and Mrs. Knox's children were Carrie and Maud Knox. Dr. Knox died in Stewardson during the mid or late 1920's.
Dr. B. B. Bacon, physician and sur- geon, along with his wife, Angeline Havens, moved from New York state to Shelby County, Illinois in 1854. They moved to Stewardson soon after the town was organized in 1874. Dr. Bacon practiced medicine in the village of Stewardson through the rest of the 1870's and 1880's.
Dr. R. T. Worley, an early physician, moved from Coles County, Illinois to S'ewardson in 1870's and conducted his practice in an office located in his home. Some of our oldest citizens can remember their parents talking about the wonderful Dr. Worley. He was married to Mary J. Mitchell of New Jersey. Some of our older citizens
think they can remember him living on the south side of East Main Street some- place east of the old Ulmer Oliver Sales.
One of the better remembered physi- cians of early Stewardson was Dr. Francis Lee Ingram. Dr. Ingram was born on 9-1-1836 in Indiana. He en- listed into Medical Services of the Union Army during the Civil War. He located in Stewardson after the Civil War and married Mary E. Shumard. Two of Dr. and Mrs. Ingram's children died in infancy and their son Harry is still remembered by many of the people of Stewardson. Dr. Ingram started his practice on the north side of Main Street but during the 1890's he moved his office between Moldankes Bakery and Fred Simmering's shoe shop on the West Side of South Pine. Apparently, Dr. Ingram also ran a small drug store in his office. Unlike modern druggists, he strictly sold drugs. Many people still remember his home on the southeast corner of West Main and South Spruce Street. Bill Moomaw later tore down the house and Wayne Moomaw lives there now.
A skillful surgeon, Dr. W. Wallace Pierce moved to Stewardson around 1880. He specialized in the "diseases of women and midwifery." His office was located above Hoese Dry Goods Store on South Pine Street. It thought this building stood where the old theater now stands. The Clipper of 1887 stated that Dr. W. W. Pierce was "an expert in the management of dif- ficult cases of confinement and a thoroughly-educated, successful physi- cian." Apparenty he performed sev- eral successful operations in Steward- son.
It is believed that W. W. Pierce left Stewardson around 1891. During the 1890's Drs. Cambridge, Cox and Dono- van came to town. However, it was difficult for new Doctors to get started because of three established Doctors. Dr. Cambridge assumed the practice of W. W. Pierce. Dr. Cambridge was a single man and lived in a room next to his office. Dr. Cambridge came from Germany. He advertised in the Clipper, "Spricht, Deutsch and Eng- lish." Some of the old timers recall that Dr. Cambridge made his calls in a two-wheeled cart and supposedly never unhitched his horse. It is thought that he was a doctor in Stewardson for about 10 years. Drs. Cox and Donovan only remained in town for approximate- ly 2 years.
Dr. W. F. Holmes died in 1929; and his son, Wendell who had come here to practice medicine with his father, died about six months later.
Dr. William Franklin Holmes was born in Eaton, Crawford County, Illi- nois on 6-28-1867, son of Reuben and Mary Price Holmes. The family moved and Dr. Holmes spent his youth- ful days southwest of Stewardson, near the old number Seven School house in Effingham County. His parents died when he was 10 years old and he was bound out to another family. He left that family two years later and started making his own way in the world at the age of twelve. Young William Holmes entered Union Christian College in Merom, Ind., when he was 17 years old. He paid his way through school by digging coal at night and studying in the daytime. He graduated from Eureka College and went to work as a bookkeeper for Mr. Gregor and Com- pany in Chicago, Illinois. Holmes then entered Rush Medical College in 1894, graduated in 1897, and started a medi- cal practice in Chicago in April, 1898.
Dr. Holmes moved to Stewardson, Illi- nois in April, 1899 and married Miss Alice Hubbard of Effingham on 10-1- 1899. Dr. and Mrs. Holmes bought the old Ressler home on East Main Street and enlarged it to its present size, in- cluding the concrete block front. This house was later used as a home for the Lutheran Pastor and Clinton Friese
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Dr. Holmes built this hospital at the intersection of Spruce and Main Street. Dr. Holmes died shortly after he built it and since then it has been used as a residence. Richard Johnson lives there now.
Dr. Holmes had great plans for this hospital and he performed a few opera- tions in his operating room.
now owns the house. Dr. and Mrs. Holmes' family consisted of three sons: Wendell, Elgin, and Harold. One of these sons later assumed the medical practice of his father.
Dr. Wm. Holmes was practicing phy- sician and surgeon in a one story frame building just west of the Wabash tracks on the south side of West Main Street. In later years this building was re- modeled to include a brick and stone siding. Some of the carpenters recall that Dr. Holmes was so concerned about his practice being interrupted that he requested the new building be built around the old building and then the interior was changed. A profes- sional card in the Clipper of 3-15-22, stated that his office was equipped for electro-therapy. In addition to his medical practice, Dr. William F. Holmes was appointed Health Officer and served as president of the Village Board for about 10 years, and was an active member in the Christian Church and three lodges. In 1926 Dr. Holmes founded the Stewardson Hospital on the northwest corner of West Main Street and North Spruce Street. The family moved to this new location, where his wife assisted him in caring for the sick.
Dr. Wendel Francis Holmes was born in Stewardson on September 10, 1902. He graduated from the Stewardson three year high school in 1920 and com- pleted a fourth year of high school in 1921 at Sullivan, Illinois. Dr. Wendel graduated from the U. of I. medical school on 6-22-28 and completed a year of Internship at Deaconess Hospital in Chicago and Wesley Memorial Hospital in Witchita, Kansas. He came to Stew- ardson on 6-23-29, assuming the prac- tice of his ailing father.
Ironically, a large career of medical service by one doctor and the promising
career of another ended almost simul- taneously-Dr. William Holmes died at his home and hospital in Stewardson after several months of illness on 9-26- 1929. His son, Dr. Wendel Francis Holmes, age 27, died on 11-13-1929, in the Shelbyville Hospital as a result of complication resulting from acute ap- pendictis.
Dr. John Newton Phifer was born in Mansfield, La. on October 7, 1848. He attended Tulane University Medical School at New Orleans in 1869. Dr. Phifer moved to Moccasin, Illinois and began the practice of medicine. He married Miss Sarah Owens of Moc- casin, Illinois in 1872 and then re- turned to the St. Louis Medical College in 1873 for graduate work. Dr. and Mrs. Phifer moved to Shumway in 1874. In addition to practicing medi- cine, Dr. Phifer assisted in the promo- tion of the Shumway Park and took a very active interest in civic duties in Shumway. The Phifer family left Shumway in 1906 and moved to Chi- cago, Illinois for eight months. Dr. and Mrs. Phifer and children then came to Stewardson in the latter part of 1906 and Dr. Phifer became one of the well- liked doctors of our town. Dr. and Mrs. Phifer were the parents of eight children, with three of their sons en- tering the medical profession. The Phifer family were members of the Methodist Church in Stewardson. He practiced medicine in the Village of Stewardson from 1906 to 1915. Dr. J. N. Phifer then returned to Chicago, Illinois to be near his children and died in Chicago on 2-26-1922 at the age of 73.
Oliver Z. Stephens, son of Wm. and Margaret Stephens was born 2-1-1870, in Christian County, Illinois. Dr. Stephens was orphaned at the age of eleven and lived with his sister when she and her husband moved to Stew- ardson in 1892. During his early youth, Oliver Stephens worked in the coal mines at Taylorville and Pana to earn enough money to enter college. He graduated from Austin College, Effing- ham, Illinois and taught school around Lakewood, Illinois. It was during his years at Lakewood that he met Frances Josephine Jones. They were married in 8-29-1897, and then moved to Chi- cago, Illinois so that Mr. Stephens could attend the North Western Medical School. Dr. Stephens graduated with his M.D. degree in 1904 and began medical practice in Strasburg, Illinois.
Dr. J. N. Phifer retired from practice in 1915 and Dr. O. Z. Stephens bought his business. His old office building was located on the east side of South
Dr. and Mrs. O. Z. Stephens
Pine Street, just south of the Steward- son National Bank. This building was razed in 1973. Dr. and Mrs. Stephens and children: Lala, Lorna, Lowell, Os- ler, Juanita, Twila, and Lewellys lived in the old two story brick house across from the park on the corner of west Main and South Vine. Drs. Ingram and Knox were both elderly and later died leaving Dr. Stephens and Dr. Holmes as the only doctors in the Village.
Dr. Oliver Z. Stephens had an active medical practice until after the death of his wife in 1951. He could no longer make house calls or keep regular of- fice hours because of poor health but he still continued to receive patients at his home until three months prior to his death in 1951. He practiced medi- cine for 48 years.
Dr. Stephen's experience during the flu epidemic of 1917 typifies the life of the old country doctor during the 1800's and the early 1900's. This epidemic occurred during one of the most severe winters in Illinois history. The doctor would be gone for days at a time trav- eling from house-to-house, by sleigh and buggy wrapped in blankets warmed by hot bricks. When he couldn't go by buggy or sleigh, he would go horseback. His meals were eaten wherever he happened to be. Drugs and medicines were dispensed from two black bags which he always carried. A common practice in case of communicable dis- eases, was fumigating after quarantine. One of the middle-age citizens tells of Dr. Stephens' dedication to his profes- sion during the death-dealing smallpox epidemic of about 1927 or 1928. She re- members standing in line nearly a block from the doctor's office, waiting to be vaccinated. During that crucial period, Dr. Stephens worked tirelessly, and didn't go to bed for several days at a time. The practice of medicine in early Stewardson was certainly far different from our modern medical
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practices and clinics of today.
There were also other doctors prac- ticing medicine in Stewardson, Illinois for short periods of time between 1929 and 1941. Dr. M. Alcorn from the Illi- nois Research Hospital was the first of these doctors. Dr. and Mrs. Steven J. Hansen came to Stewardson from Chi- cago in 1933. Dr. Hansen was new to the medical profession and times were rough. He and his wife learned of Stewardson through the state medical registry. Dr. Stephens and his fam- ily were planning to be away for a few years and Stewardson needed a doctor. Dr. Hansen still recalls the rough de- pression days office calls were 50ยข, if anyone had the money to pay for them. It was a common practice to ac- cept shotguns, food, produce, or any other commodity in payment for medi- cal services. Here and there, he would find enough money to buy replace- ment drugs and medicines. He still vividly recalls his visits in the country through mud and snow. Dr. Hansen never knew when he left in the morning whether he was going to be back to town the same day or not. Both Dr. and Mrs. Hansen were well liked by the people of Stewardson who were re- luctant to see them leave. Dr. and Mrs. Hansen left Stewardson in 1935 and moved to Effingham, Illinois. He still continues his practice there to this day.
Dr. Sandberg came to Stewardson in the latter part of the 1930's. His office and home were located in the brick building on the north side of West Main St. where Strohls Grocery Store is now located. Dr. Sandberg was a very competent doctor who had a num- ber of new and rather unusual meth- ods of practicing medicine. However, Dr. Sandberg was not a United States citizen. He took advantage of the op- portunity to get his citizenship papers by enlisting in the United States Army. He did not return to Stewardson after World War II.
Peter Kollinger, the son of Franz and Susanna Schmidt Kollinger, was born October 12, 1924 in Ernsthausen, Yougo- slavia, a German community of ap- proximately three thousand people. He attended six years of grade school be- fore going to the Gymnasium in Betschkerek for eight years, where he graduated.
The Communists came into the area in 1944 and the German people were forced to leave the country. The Kol- lingers went to Graz, Austria. Peter attended medical school at the Univer-
Dr. Peter Kollinger's Office located W. South 4th St.
sity at Graz, graduating in January 1951. He served 11/2 years internship at Maria-Zell Hospital in Graz.
He married Milla Rohrer of Graz on November 3, 1951, and they came to the United States in April, 1952. He in- terned at Grant Hospital for one year, and then took his State Board Exam. He remained in Chicago, working as an examiner for Kemper Insurance.
Herbert, his oldest son was born in Chicago on January 4, 1953. The de- cision to come to Stewardson and start a practice was made and on May 6, 1954 they moved into the "Old Duddles- ton House." Both Doctor and his wife, Milla became United States citizens in 1957. Two more sons were born to the Kollingers, Edwin on April 22, 1955 and Erich on September 27, 1964.
A new Clinic Building was completed in 1962. Dr. Kollinger moved his prac- tice to this location at 213 West South Fourth Street, where he is now prac- ticing.
Dr. Lorton
Dr. Lorton lived in Shumway but he was the family doctor for many fam- ilies in our area for many years. He always kept a good team of horses that he was proud of and he kept good care of them. In 1956 he was honored for fifty years service in this area.
In those days he went on regular trips to the patient's home besides making emergency calls when needed.
DENTISTS
The early Doctors were medical Jacks of all trades, so to speak, and at- tended to all medical needs including fitting eye glasses and pulling aching teeth. Dental science was at best rather primitive as practiced by these early Doctors. One of our older citizens remembers going to one of these early doctors for a tooth extraction. The second time the forceps slipped off of the tooth our patient passed out. When he came to he was lying on the floor with the Doctor and forceps a-stradle of him. The tooth suddenly quit hurting and served the patient faithfully until it was extracted in 1966. Another one of our old citizens remembers going to another Doctor to have a tooth extract- ed, but that the Doctor's aim was a bit off that day. So the story goes the steadfast old doctor pulled 3 or 4 teeth until he got the right one.
From time to time throughout the years the citizens were fortunate enough to have the services of a regular den- tist. Dr. Jesse Bowman of Shelbyville apparently was the first dentist in the village. He and his assistant, Dr. F. Reiss, practiced Dental medicine, in 1888, two days a week at Stewardson in an office loated in the Old Button Hotel. They spoke English and German. The next known dentist in Stewardson was Dr. H. H. York. Dr. Harry York, son of Henry H. York, was born in Steward- son on Aug. 4, 1878. He attended the Indiana Dental College and practiced dentistry in Stewardson from the early 1900's until the 1920's. His office was located upstairs in the old Opera Hall. Dr. York was in poor health and retired to his home for a few years during the 1920's. Dr. York and family lived in a large house on the west side of North Spruce St. Aubrey Jones lives there now. Dr. York had a greenhouse be- hind his house and conducted a thriving flower business during the years he was recovering from his illness.
He later returned to his practice of dentistry for a few years. He was mar- ried to Frederica Homan. Their fam- ily consisted af 2 daughters and 3 sons. Dr. York died in 1932.
Dr. Harry E. Meyer practiced den- tistry in Dr. York's old office in the Opera Hall for a few short years during the 1920's. He was born on December 13, 1895, in Epson, Indiana. He later moved to Illinois and taught in a coun- try school for several years before go- ing into dentistry. Dr. Meyers at- tended dental school in Chicago and came to Stewardson after Dr. York re-
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tired in the early 1920's. He married Ada Mae Robison. Dr. Harry Meyers discontinued his practice in Stewardson on December 15, 1926 and moved his business to Windsor, Illinois. Dr. Meyers passed away February 20, 1972.
Dr. Shirley was the last permanent dentist in Stewardson. Dr. and Mrs. Shirley and family first lived where Glen Giesler lives, across from the park and later moved to the old Stewardson Hos- pital on the northwest corner of West Main and North Spruce. He practiced dentistry in Dr. York's old office in the Opera Hall throughout the 1930's and moved to Nashville, Illinois around 1940.
VETERINARIANS
Shelby County for the most part was without the benefit of veterinary medi- cine until the late 1880's. Dr. T. B. Newly graduated from the Canadian Veterinary College and came to Shel- byville, Illinois in the spring of 1888. He practiced Veterinary medicine and surgery throughout Shelby County, in- cluding Prairie Township.
Dr. Pegill was the first Veterinarian to live in the Village of Stewardson. It is believed that he practiced veteri- nary medicine in this area through the 1890's and the early 1900's. Dr. Pegill's office was located in an old wooden office building on the southeast corner of North Pine and 1st North Street where Beals Body Shop is now located. Dr. Pegill was a single man and only barely remembered. One of the older citizens recalls that as a lad of six, he was sent to get Doc Pegill to treat their cow. The cow was choking on a pump- kin. Doc Pegill ask for a buggy whip. He used the plyable whip to push the pumpkin down into the cow's stomach. The operation was a success.
Dr. Pegill was followed by Dr. Arthur L. Miller of St. Jacobs, Illinois. Dr. Miller came to Stewardson in 1907 and praciticed veterinary medicine for two years. Dr. Miller lived in the Belles Hotel and maintained an office on the second floor of the Opera Hall. He m'ade a number of friends in Steward- son but the veterinary business was not lucrative enough to warrant perma- nent residence. During his brief stay in Stewardson he met Ollive Reeder and they were married approximately one year later. Ollive Reeder was the daughter of a local businessman C. T. Reeder. Dr. and Mrs. Miller moved to Bethany but made frequent visits to Stewardson over the years.
Between Dr. Miller and Dr. Buzzard the veterinary needs of the local farm-
ing community were met by Charles Wilson and later Dr. Grabb. Mr. Wil- son did not receive formal training in veterinary medicine and it is thought he learned the trade from Dr. Pegill. Mr. Wilson earned permission to doc- tor livestock through certification by three prominent livestock raisers, as was the custom in those days. Dr. Grabb practiced veterinary medicine in the early teens and moved to Findlay, Illinois around 1915. His office was on the second floor of the Opera Hall.
Samuel D. Buzzard, D.V.M. was born in a double log cabin southeast of Cow- den, Illinois in 10-1-1876. He grew up in a section of Bowling Green Town- ship, Fayette County, Illinois, that was referred to as Dixie. He completed his high school education at Beecher City in 1896 and entered Southwestern Business College in St. Louis, Mo. After graduation, he was employed as a bookkeeper for Mansville Pipe Cov- ering Company. He also attended Aus- tin College.
Samuel D. Buzzard was united in marriage with Ethel McElroy of Beech- er City in 1901 and they both returned to the farm. They were engaged in general livestock and grain farming for approximately 11 years.
In 1912, he entered the Chicago Vet- erinary College and graduated in 1915. He first located at Caberry, Illinois and then moved to Stewardson, Illinois, six months later. Oddly enough, he had always wanted to settle in Stewardson but had never seen the town prior to 1915.
Ethel passed away in 1927 and he married Minnie Muchow in 1932. His second wife died in 1936. Samuel D. and Minnie Muchow Buzzard had one child, Samuel D. Jr.
Dr. Buzzard's office was first lo- cated on the second floor of the Opera Hall and then moved it to his home on North Spruce Street around 1920. The Opera Hall office was the scene of many a prize fight since a number of the business men used it as a boxing arena. In addition to Dr. Buzzard, Jack "Legs" Strohl and Adam Brum- merstedt were two of the men who en- joyed this sport.
Dr. Buzzard practiced veterinary medicine in Stewardson area for 47 years covering a territory with a radius of about 35 miles. He also served as assistant State Veterinarian for sev- eral years and continued to test cat- tle for the State until his retirement, because of his strong commitment to the erradication of undulant fever. A sudden attack of arthritis brought his career to a quick end at the age of 83.
Dr. Samuel D. Buzzard died at the age of 92 on 11-27-68.
In addition to his veterinary practice, Dr. Samuel D. Buzzard was a member of the Village Board, a member of the Methodist Church, and a 50 year mem- ber of the Stewardson Masonic lodge.
UNDERTAKERS
Noah Hosteter built one of the first houses in Stewardson, located in the southwest part of town. He sold furniture and the first undertaker, being in business in 1874. In 1879 he built a new residence in the east part of town.
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