USA > Indiana > Decatur County > History of Decatur County, Indiana: its people, industries and institutions > Part 32
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DECATUR COUNTY, INDIANA.
The names of the deceased members, Olive Smyth, Mrs. Roxy Thornburg Eward and Mrs. Adaline Zoller Ansted, will ever be held in remembrance.
The Cecilians, realizing the value of the Department Club, became ardent promoters, and today many of its members are enrolled in the music study circle.
THE ATHENAEUM.
The Athenaeum, a literary society organized in the spring of 1912, was founded by a group of men, all then in Greensburg, who were interested generally in literature, and was designed for more serious work in research and writing. It held some important meetings before some of its members removed from Greensburg, at which some work of permanent value was produced. The society was limited in membership to ten men, as follow : B. F. Bennett, C. W. Bare, Dr. Charles R. Bird, John F. Goddard, E. L. Grover. Lewis .A. Harding, E. C. Jerman, John W. Rhodes, F. D. Townsley and Dr. D. W. Weaver.
The society maintained its activities for one good year, 1912-1913, and during that time the following men served as its officers: D. W. Weaver, president ; E. C. Jerman, vice-president ; and John W. Rhodes, secretary- treasurer. The following program of work was presented by the society to the membership and invited guests during the year : "The Preliminary Diplomacy of the Spanish-American War," Lewis A. Harding; "Child Philo- sophy," Prof. C. W. Bare; "Medicine in Shakespeare," Dr. Charles R. Bird ; "The Kinetick Theory of Matter," Prof. F. D. Townsley; "The Lawyer's Interpretation of 'The Merchant of Venice'," John F. Goddard; "Right Thinking," Dr. D. W. Weaver; "Plant Breeding-Mendel's Law and Appli- cation," Prof. E. L. Grover ; "The Dynamic Force of Human Development," Prof. E. C. Jerman : "The Short Story," John W. Rhodes: "The Jury Sys- tem," B. F. Bennett.
This society represented perhaps the most serious effort at research and writing ever attempted in an organized way by a literary organization at Greensburg. The members tackled big subjects. Of Mr. Harding's work on "The Preliminary Diplomacy of the Spanish-American War," Dr. Amos Hershey, professor of political science and international law in Indiana Uni- versity, says "it will be of interest and value to students of American his- tory."
CHAPTER XIII.
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
There have been physicians in Decatur county from its earliest organ- ization, and in the ninety-three years which have elapsed since its creation there have been hundreds of physicians who have practiced in the county for varying lengths of time. Few of the early doctors had college train- ing, but they seem to have successfully combated the "fever an' ager" and such complaints as were common among the pioneers. The old-time doctor was a man of wonderful versatility. He could bring the new-born child into the world, christen the babe or comfort the mother if the child failed to live. He could formulate a will or dictate a codicil and, in a case of necessity, could act as a lawyer for his patients. His medicines were largely manu- factured by himself from medicinal plants which he gathered in the neigh- boring woods. These home-made remedies, together with quinine and calo- mel, constituted practically the extent of the pioneer doctor's supply of remedial agents.
It is not certain who was the first physician in Decatur county, but it is know that Mrs. Justus Rich practiced medicine in Greensburg as early as 1821 or 1822. Other early physicians were Conduit, Gillespie, Hartley, Teal, . Lyman and Stubinger. These were followed by Drs. Joshua Poole, John Richey, Frederick Fogg and Abram Carter, these four coming at various periods between 1835 and 1840. Doctor Carter had practiced in Clinton township for several years previous to this.
About 1840, Dr. William Armington, a native of Saratoga county, New York, located in Greensburg, after having practiced for a short time in Switzerland county, Indiana. He was probably the leading physician of the county until the time of his death, February 24, 1862. Another able phy- sician who settled here about the same time as did Dr. Armington was Dr. John W. Moody, a native of Pennsylvania, who practiced in the county until his death in 1867. There was perhaps no more popular physician in the county than Doctor Moody. and in the treatment of acute diseases he made a reputation which was not confined to the county. Other physicians set- tling in Greensburg before the Civil War were Drs. George W. New, E.
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B. Swem, Newberry Wheeldon and John Wheeldon. Doctor Strong is said to have been the first physician at Clarksburg, although Doctor Gillespie. who later moved to Greensburg, was the first physician in Fugit township. Other early physicians of Fugit township were Doctors Wiley, Weed. Hughes and Hopkins.
According to the 1882 atlas, there had been or were practicing at that time in the various townships of the county the following physicians : Adams township, Drs. Ritchey. R. J. Depew, U. G. Reeves, W. H. Webb. Floyd Connett, Lewis, Cook, Armstrong, Underwood, Shipman and Howard; Clay township, Drs. W. E. Crawford, Lewis McAllister. John Ritchey, St. John, Hawk, James O'Byrne, William A. and Joseph Ardery. A. L. Under- wood, George F. Chittenden, J. W. Martin, John Craig, J. L. Wooden, E. W. Leech, U. G. Reeves, J. H. Alexander and George S. Crawford: Fugit township, Drs. Nathaniel Lewis, S. C. Foster, Robert H. Crawford, Bell & Roberts, Burk. Cain, Thomas Johnson and J. L. Smith (other practicing physicians of Fugit township have been previously mentioned) : Jackson township, Drs. William and D. B. Davis. S. W. Ryker, Austin Marlow. William Hanna, N. E. Charlton. D. Owens, J. W. Allison, William F. and J. H. S. Reiley and Biddinger; Sand Creek township, Drs. Schultz, Conwell, Mccullough, Pottinger, Sparks, Van Horn, J. P. Burroughs, William Hause, Michael Daily and J. V. Schofield (two of these physicians, Bur- roughs and Hause, were surgeons in the Civil War) : Marion township, Drs. Lutz, S. B. Hitt. Hammond. Frank Daily and Reamy : Salt Creek township. Drs. Pennington. Price, Pye, McConnell, Floyd and Dowden : Washington township, Drs. J. L. Armington, George Armnington, William Bracken. L. C. Bunker. J. L. and W. H. Wooden. M. G. Falconberry, J. Y. and S. B. Hitt, C. A. Covert. J. C. Humphries, J. W. Craig, Samuel Maguire, S. V. Wright. Samuel Cook, A. A. Armington, J. C. French, R. D. Homsher, John H. Bobbitt and D. L. Scobey. Presumably all these practiced in Greensburg.
An act of the Legislature in 1885 provided for the registration in each county of all the physicians practicing therein, and the subsequent list exhibits the names of all the physicians registered in Decatur county since that year. The lengthy list of 1885 gives not only those who were admitted to practice that year, but also all those who had been practicing previously to that year.
1885-Frank H. Snedeker. Thomas Johnson, John H. Bobbitt, George E. Clark. G. Tassfeld Ruby, John W. Parker, Samuel V. Wright, George S. Crawford, William Bracken, Cornelius Cain, John H. Alexander. C. M. Beall, John L. Smith, Mordecia B. Mobly, A. A. Armington, J. Y. Hitt, John
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L. Wooden, Alphanso Armstrong, Francis M. Howard, J. W. Howard, William H. Wooden, S. B. Hitt, Benjamin S. White, Samuel Maguire, Eli Pennington, L. C. Bunker, J. W. Selman, Daniel L. Scobey, William F. Reiley, J. H. S. Reiley, D. J. Ballard, Alfred S. Remy, W. A. McCoy, Mil- ford G. Falconbury, R. M. Thomas, Londa W. D. Jerman, Minton C. Vest, J. V. Schofield, F. M. Daily, E. B. Swem, J. H. Leatherman, William Hause, Richard J. Depew, J. B. Kirkpatrick, J. B. Bracken, Erastus E. Eads, Bart Fitzpatrick, James T. Burroughs, Samuel Pagin, Thomas J. Clark, Cornelius A. Covert, Austin Marlow, George W. Godfrey, Conrad Hauser, S. W. Biddinger, Wesley Goff.
1886-James L. Tevis, W. H. Webb, William G. Butler, Robert D. Homsher. T. E. F. Miller, John C. Hicks, James S. Shields, Berry Painter, Lewis C. McFatridge.
1887-Alvin L. Bailey, W. S. Tingley, John F. Rodgers, Samuel C. Thomas, Simeon Stapp, J. K. Smalley, A. Southworth, Thomas B. Gullefer, B. M. White, I. B. Hettinger.
1888-Sam H. Riley, James Monroe Woods, Myron H. Williams, John M. Tobias, Hiram B. Wray.
1889-Alva M. Kirkpatrick, E. W. Leech, Frank H. Rorick, Orion K. Thomson, E. W. Leech, Frank H. Rorick, W. O. Coffee, Amos W. Dowden, Samuel Salisbury.
1890-Dr. E. J. Price, Charles H. Bogmann, L. P. Walter, Fernando A. Grant.
1891-John Wimmer, Henry Johnston.
1892-James R. Jacks.
1893-Mary Hobbs Iredals. Sanford E. Givan, Mrs. Carrie Branden- burg, Charles Westley Brandenburg.
1894-Condie Butler Beck.
1895-Eden T. Riley, Charles Gilchrist, Elton Baker Crowell.
1896-Isaac Dunn, Frank E. Auten, D. W. Weaver, Ira Witten San- ders, Charles B. Jeffers, George McDonnell Ober.
1897-Charles Leslie Howard, Daniel J. Ballard, William Bracken, John H. Alexander, John H. Bobbitt, L. W. D. Jerman, T. B. Gullifer, R. M. Thomas, D. W. Weaver, Eden T. Riley, L. E. Bunker, S. E. Givan, Thomas Johnson, Henry Johnson, William Hause, John M. Tobias, J. V. Schofield, I. M. Sanders, J. M. Wood, C. A. Covert, Samuel Wright, Myron H. Williams, B. S. White, J. Y. Hitt. E. B. Crowell, C. M. Beall, John W. Parker, Milton C. Vest, C. L. Howard, J. H. D. Lorimor, W. H. Web, T. E. F. Miller, Thomas J. Clark, G. S. Crawford, Wm. H. Wooden, Condie
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B. Beck, John L. Smith, S. B. Hitt, Francis M. Daily, J. H. S. Riley, George E. Denny, F. M. Howard, J. W. Howard, G. D. Dorremus, I. T. Burroughs, J. M. Boyer, Oliver F. Welsh, C. B. Grover.
1898-A. B. Morris, Harriet C. D. Wilson, William L. Wilson, William Warner, Clarence Fay Kercheval, O. K. Thomson.
1899-R. T. Gephart, T. A. Welch, William J. Hatfield.
1900-J. B. Crisler, Loren A. Hyde.
1901-Ezra H. Pleak, W. E. Thomas, Harry N. Oldham, John Robert Love, M. A. Tremain.
1902-Charles W. Pagel, George McOber, J. B. Kinsinger, Leroy M. Comyer, Jesse W. Rucker.
1903-Herman Essex, Hiram M. Johnson, Warren D. Scott, William Edgar Thomas.
1904-John Curtis Hill, Charles Lafayette Williams, Clement L. Canada, H. E. Wilcox, Charles W. Pagel, J. W. Shrout, Clyde C. Morrison. 1905-John Francis Duckworth.
1905-Harry Gilbert Fleming, E. K. Westhafter, John W. Bell, Curtis Bland.
1906-Thomas J. Martin, P. C. Bentle, Charles R. Bird.
1907-William B. Mckinstry, Jacob C. Glass, Charles Wood, John Curtis Hill, Harley S. MeKee, H. E. Wilcox, John Q. Garver.
1908-Edward A. Porter, Charles H. Weaver, Clarence W. Mullikin, William G. French, John H. S. Riley.
1909-Nicholas C. Bauman, Charles D. Allison, Andrew Robison, J. E. Curtis, C. S. Bolender.
1910-Carl D. Jewett, John H. S. Riley.
IQII-Charles W. Pagel, Clyde C. Morrison, Prosser E. Clark.
1912-Dilber. E. Douglas, Paul R. Tindall, Carl Y. Carlewysbeane, Cecil G. Harrod.
1913-George J. Martz, Gewase C. Flick.
1914-William R. Turner.
1915-Joseph Coomes, Louis D. Robertson.
The editor of this volume has been very fortunate in securing the services of Dr. John 11. Alexander, one of the oldest physicians of Decatur county, to write brief sketches of the most prominent deceased physicians of the county. For the sake of reference they are arranged in alphabetical order :
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SOME PHYSICIANS OF DECATUR COUNTY.
By J. H. Alexander, M. D.
Dr. Joseph C. Ardery was born in Decatur county, Indiana, in 1825, and died, from a congestive chill, in Hartsville, in 1854. He was one of the four delegates from Decatur county to the convention that met in Indianapolis, June 6, 1849, to organize a state medical society. He probably was a member of the Decatur County Medical Society, organized January 25, 1847, two years before the state society was organized. His postoffice was Milford until a short time before his death. He must have been a very popular physician, as he was often referred to and quoted by his former patrons in Clay town- ship fifty years after his death. Ile died before he reached his thirtieth year.
Dr. William Ardery, whose name is among the members of the medical society organized on January 25, 1847, in Decatur county, resided on a farm northeast of Greensburg.
Dr. John L. Armington, younger brother of Dr. William Armington, came from Switzerland county, Indiana, to Greensburg in 1841 or 1842. He entered into partnership with his brother and practiced in this county fourteen years. He was a member of the Decatur County Medical Society, also a dele- gate to the convention held at Indianapolis, on June 6, 1849, to organize a state medical society-the State Medical Association. Drs. Joseph C. Ardery, John W. Moody and George W. New were also delegates from Decatur county. Doctor Armington removed from this county prior to 1858.
Dr. William Armington was born in Saratoga county, New York, in 1808, and died on February 24, 1862. He came to Switzerland county, Indi- ana, in 1829, and practiced there until in 1840, he removed to Decatur county, where he continued in practice until shortly before his death. He was a very successful physician. In politics, he was a Democrat. Probably he was not a member of any church, though possibly a Methodist. He was a moral and exemplary man ; a good citizen : neat in apparel ; liked to talk medicine and was always instructive and entertaining. His advice to one doctor was, "When you don't know what to do, give calomel." He surely was a calomel doctor. He believed in blood-letting, as was common at that time in cer- tain conditions. He was a safe and discreet consultant. Doctor Arming- ton's name is among the members of the Decatur County Medical Society, organized on January 25, 1847. He was a member of Greensburg Lodge No. 36. Free and Accepted Masons.
In an obituary in the Decatur Republican, published in Greensburg. we find the following tribute from his lodge :
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DECATUR COUNTY, INDIANA.
"His labors have been indefatigable, and success, corresponding. his skill and knowledge are known and acknowledged by all. To relieve suffer- ing has been the leading object of his life. Wherever the sufferer was he was ever ready to go, whether among the rich or poor, among the noble or ignoble. A man of mark-in whatever department he acted with his fellow- man-he was made for a ruler. Ilis own clear intellect and varied attain- ments rendered him prominent in the community. Unpretending, yet com- manding, such position was never sought, but always attained. But while yet in the midst of usefulness to his family and community, he has been removed by death, and the living have a legacy in his character and dis- charge a last duty to him by conveying his body to that narrow house to which all the living are hastening ; therefore,
"Resolved, That, as a lodge, we attend the funeral of our deceased brother, to testify our high esteem for him as a man and a Mason, and to assure those of his immediate family that they have our heart-felt sympathy.
"Resolved. That in the character of our deceased brother we recognize the accomplished physician, the intelligent and honorable gentleman, the devoted husband and father, as well as a much esteemned and consistent man.
"B. W. WILSON, "J. B. LATHROP. "P. EWING, "Committee. "GEORGE M. COLLINS, Secretary."
His remains rest in South Park Cemetery, beside his two wives, several sons and other members of his family.
Sam C. Bartholomew was a member of the Decatur County Medical Society, organized on January 25, 1847, but no other history of him can be found.
Dr. William Bracken, a noted physician and esteemed resident of Greens- burg since 1862, was born near Valley Junction, Dearborn county, Indiana, May 26, 1817. His parents, Thomas and Matilda (Coen) Bracken, removed with their family to Rush county, Indiana, in 1821. In 1834, when only seventeen years old, young Bracken began the study of medicine with Drs. H. C. Sexton and W. H. Martin, in Rushville. Being a persistent student and eager for knowledge, his acquirements soon gave him claim to an exam- ination and license for the practice of medicine. Medical colleges at that day were not available to many, but a provision, as substitute for them, was the district board of censors, to whom by state law, was given the privilege to
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examine and license to practice medicine such as desired it. Young Bracken, being recommended, appeared before the censors of the fifth medical dis- trict, passed his examinations successfully and received his license, which read as follows :
"We, therefore, have licensed William Bracken to practice as a phy- sician and surgeon, with all the rights and privileges and honors thereonto appertaining, and we do recommend him to the faculty and the patronage of the public.
"Done at Connersville, Indiana, November 2, 1836, the year of Amer- ican independence the sixty-first.
"Witness our hands and the seal of the society affixed.
"JOHN M. HOWLAND, Pres., "RYLAND T. BROWN, Sec."
[SEAL. ]
Dr. John M. Howland was the father-in-law of Dr. John W. Moody. of Greensburg. He was a prominent physician of the day and a graduate of the University of Maryland, in 1819.
Dr. Ryland J. Brown was a graduate of the Ohio Medical College, at Cincinnati, class of 1829. He was state geologist in 1854 and professor of natural science in Northwestern Christian University, at Indianapolis, in 1858. He was an author and a man of mark and unusual acquirements.
Doctor Bracken, within sixty days after receiving his authority to practice medicine, removed to a small village in Jackson county, remaining there but a short time. It seems he had plenty of malaria and practice, and but little pay. Returning to Rush county, he located at Richland, and later at Milroy. In 1862 he removed to Greensburg. On November 9, 1837. Doctor Bracken was married to Patience A. Berry, of Rush county, and to this union there were born four sons and one daughter. Mrs. Bracken died on April 18, 1898, in Greensburg. Mrs. Martha Rucker is the only survivor of the family.
In 1850, while a resident of Rush county, Doctor Bracken was elected a delegate to the constitutional convention of Indiana and was the last sur- viving member.
For the advancement of his chosen profession he was always a willing worker. He was an active member in the county medical society, and very seldom absent from its meetings. When Doctor Bracken spoke, the mem- bers present always "sat up and took notice," as he always said something- though not always according to conceded points or opinions. He was some- times aggressive, but defended, with ability, authorities cited or his personal
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experience given to sustain his position. Doctor Bracken was a good diag- nostician, a close observer, did his own thinking and formned his own opinions and conclusions. In the sick room he acted, and knew why he did so. He had confidence in himself. He was president of the Decatur County Med- ical Society several years. In later years he let those who experimented with new remedies lead, and, when tested and proven, was ready to approve and mise them.
Doctor Bracken was one of the first secretaries of the county board of health as now organized.
The last time Doctor Bracken met with the county society, he was called on to address the members then present. His remarks were almost entirely reminescent, as a pioneer physician, relating to the hardships, dan- gers, difficulties, doubts and trials of these physicians, which were described with trembling voice, sometimes with sadness, again animated with the pride of victory and success. Some of the older physicians present had similar experience, while the younger were surprised and perhaps skeptical. In those days visits were necessarily made on horseback, with saddle bags to carry his armamentarium of herbs, roots, barks, etc., often to be prepared at the bedside as infusions. There were no granular tablets or fluid extracts in those days.
Doctor Bracken had always been a Democrat. He believed in govern- ment by the people, for the people. He was a Mason and for many years was worshipful master of Greensburg Lodge No. 36, which had charge of the burial ceremony.
An incident in the life of Doctor Bracken is probably proper to relate here. He was devoted to his profession, lodge, church and other duties, and not disposed to sacrifice any of them to the requirements of society. Dressing reluctantly for a function of this kind, he said to his wife, "Mother, I would rather ride ten miles than go." A call at the door gave him the opportunity to miss the party and see the patient, sure enough ten miles away. A ride through the cold dark night, letting down fences, wandering across fields with doubts as to his course, he finally arrived at his destination, to be detained several hours to relieve a patient in distress. Later, the doctor said that while he had failed to ineet his friends at the party, the satisfaction of having relieved pain and suffering and saved a life more than recompensed him and that he would do it again under similar circum- stances.
Dr. L. C. Bunker was born in Cayuga county, New York, on October 21, 1821. His parents moved to Oberlin, Ohio, when he was a small lad.
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and went from there to Branch county, Michigan, in 1833. Later they set- tled in Boone county, Indiana, and in 1848 located in Ripley county. While in Michigan. L. C. Bunker had the unusual experience of associating him- self with an Indian tribe and in two years became quite intimate with Indian life and lore, being able to converse intelligently with the red men of the Michigan wilderness. At the breaking out of the Mexican war, in 1846, he enlisted in the second Illinois Regiment, that joined Taylor's army and marched to the city of Mexico. He began the study of medicine in 1845, in the office of Doctor Wright, at Belvidere, Illinois, and after his return from the war, he took a course of lectures in the Rush Medical College, in Chicago; in 1852, he graduated from the Eclectic Medical College in Cin- cinnati, Ohio. After practicing several years in Ripley county, he removed to Greensburg in 1865.
Doctor Bunker married Alvira E. Alden, of Ripley county, on Novem- ber 15. 1849. Eight children were born, five of whom survive: Mrs. Lucy E. Montgomery, of Chattanooga, Tennesee : Henry A., a physician of New York city ; George, engaged in business in Dover, Delaware : Mrs. May Wise, of Brooklyn, New York, and Arthur Clifford, an electrician, of Mount Clair, New Jersey. One son. William, a physician at Winston, Illinois, died in 1892. Doctor Bunker's first wife died some twenty-five years ago, and, on April 5, 1899, he married Mrs. Ida V. MeElvain.
Doctor Bunker practiced medicine more than fifty-three years in Rip- ley and Decatur counties. He was a very successful physician and surgeon and kept up with the advanced knowledge of the profession. His former patrons speak with commendation of his care for the interest and comfort of his patients-always attentive, kind and sympathetic. Doctor Bunker was a member of the Baptist church and when possible an attendant at the services of the church. He died on his farm near Greensburg, on August 26. 1907. and his remains rest in South Park cemetery.
Dr. Cornelius Cain was born on August 1, 1808, near Dover, Delaware, and died on June 28, 1903. in this county, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Orlando Hamilton. His father settled in Brookville, Franklin county, about 1827. Doctor Cain studied medicine with Dr. Rufus Haymond, in Brook- ville. He began the practice of medicine at Laurel, and in 1857 he removed to Clarksburg. Decatur county. He was married to Eliza Clements in 1836. To them were born ten children, of whom seven lived to rear families. Two sons, Albert and John, are Methodist preachers. Albert resides in New Jersey, and John is in the North Indiana conference. Homer was engaged in business and died in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1893. Another
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son, Ehmer Ellsworth, who was a teacher. died in 1890. The daughters were Mrs. Orlando Hamilton, Nancy, the widow of F. M. Smith, living at Muncie, and Mrs. Emma Bell, living at Upland.
Doctor Cain continued in practice from 1857 to 1898, forty-one years, in Clarksburg. when he retired to reside with his daughter, Mrs. Orlando Hamilton, near Kingston, where he lived until his death. Doctor Cain was a frequent attendant at the Decatur County Medical Society. He often reported cases in minute detail, showing that he was a close observer and good diagnostician. He reported several cases of colitis (dysentery) treated with castor oil and tincture of opium successfully, which was not the usual treatment at that day, neither was the treatment in vogue nearly so successful as his.
Dr. Abram Carter came from Kentucky to Greensburg prior to 1847, and was present at the organization of perhaps the first medical society on January 25, 1847. His daughter was the wife of Dr. George W. New, sur- geon of a regiment of Indiana volunteers. She was a very efficient nurse and was with her husband during his service, being a great favorite with the members of the regiment. Doctor Carter probably died in this county.
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