USA > Indiana > Whitley County > History of Whitley County, Indiana > Part 22
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Drs. William M. Swayzee and David G. Linvill came in the fall of 1849. The for- mer graduated from the Western Reserve Medical College, Cleveland, Ohio, in 1848, and the latter in 1849. In addition to being thorough graduates, both had had a consid- erable successful practice at New Salem, Ohio, and were thoroughly equipped for the practice, and were men of excellent charac- ter. Dr. Swayzee's wife was the youngest sister of Dr. Linvill's mother. After years of success Dr. Swayzee, like many others, fell a victim to the wiles of a woman. He left his family and went west, with the red- haired woman, and they seemingly lived happy until his money ran out. She had no farther use for him. He came back and entered the practice at South Whitley, and from there went to Huntington, where he married a woman, who was faithful to him, but his sun had set. He died at Hunting- ton. Dr. Linvill at once took front rank among the physicians of the county, and has never lost his place. When he is superseded as "Dean of the Faculty" it will be when he answers the last roll call. At eighty-six, al- though retired from active riding practice, he is in full possession of all his faculties and fully abreast of the times. It will never be said of David G. Linvill that he is superan- nuated, antedated or unfit to prescribe for any form of disease. His spirits are as youthful and buoyant as when he first rode
the wilderness of Whitley county. At peace with God and man, when the hour arrives he will "Wrap the drapery of his couch about him and lie down to pleasant dreams." His son, Lewis M., became a physician, but died in early manhood. His son David S. is one of the active practitioners of the county and his son Ben is nearing the end of the most complete course of the profes- sion ever taken by a young man in this county.
Dr. S. G. A. Reed, who came in 1851, like some of his predecessors, was a doctor and yet not a doctor. He came here holding a commission from the state to survey the swamp lands of the county, and did sur- vey part of them. He was also a school- teacher, and knew much more of mathemat- ics than medicine. He was a man of good character, prepossessing and educated. He took up the practice of medicine here with but slight previous preparation. He built the house and barn where F. H. Foust 110W lives, corner of Van Buren and Wayne. His wife's father hung himself in the Foust barn. . He was also something of a politi- cian. He also "went west."
Dr. Myers came in 1852, and that is all we can learn of him. He certainly cut no figure or he would not have entirely been forgotten. Dr. William Morris,-yes, Bill Morris has not been forgotten. His claim to being a doctor was based on his mother being a midwife. He was a uruscopian, bought a book of receipts for fifty dollars and started up. He started up with a drug store on Tuttle's corner. He weighed about one hundred and eighty pounds, could talk glibly and smile blandly. A worthy Ger- man citizen sized him up correctly, when he
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said : "Bill Morris is de biggest liar on dis side fun hell." He, too, soon "went west."
Dr. Henry Gregg came in 1853 and lo- cated first in Troy township. He was a graduate of medicine and also a teacher. He taught and practiced. Dr. Gregg was a good man and a good doctor, but an ex- tremist and a spiritualist. He was elected county treasurer in war times and secured the enmity of his brethren by denouncing the practice of medicine as a farce and humbug. After his term of office he moved away, but returned and successfully practiced medicine at Coesse for some time. Dr. Charles Kin- derman came in 1853. He was a German scholar and aristocrat. He was a good drug- gist and made but feeble attempt to practice medicine. He gave to the Masonic lodge the north half of the block extending from the Columbia City National Bank to the Lutheran church, expecting it to be used for the building of a school to educate orphans of Free Masons. His body lies in the Ma- sonic cemetery, enclosed by the only iron railing to be found there. During the cru- sade in the early '50s against liquor he was visited by a delegation of ladies, who begged of him to desist from selling liquor as the saloon did. He was obdurate and insisted that he would not be ruled by petticoats. To all argument he simply plead "not guilty" of being ruled by petticoats. The last argument and appeal was: "Didn't Adam listen to Eve?" The doctor was dazed and did not see the good sister was arguing his side-but the rest saw the joke and quietly filed out.
Dr. Joseph Harper came in 1854. He was a "Thomsonian." He built the house on Line street, just north of Matthias Sless-
man's residence, now owned by Slessmans. He was dirty, slouchy, ignorant, repulsive and a poor conversationalist. He had hand bills put up over town headed with the words: "Calomel kills. Give no person calo- mel." Lobelia was his principal drug. One day in a crowd. Dr. Linvill said to him: "You say that calomel kills. Now I propose to you, that I will take a teaspoonful of cal- omel and you take a like quantity of lobelia, and that we continue the dose every hour until one or both of us is dead." That cooked Dr. Harper and silenced his bat- teries. He soon after left town, presumably for "the west."
Dr. H. Otto Knause came in 1854 and connected himself with Dr. Kinderman. Mrs. John L. Korn, of the southeast part of the county, was very low for a long time and no one thought that she could live. Knause was called and she rapidly recovered. It was considered a miracle and Dr. Knause was at once on the crest of popularity and had a wonderful business, but he could not endure prosperity, and became an awful drunkard. He drifted over to Napoleon, Ohio, and his wife followed. He died over there of cholera.
Dr. Keller ; such a man was here during or after the Civil war. All we can learn of him is that he practiced most about Fuller's Corner.
Dr. John B. Firestone came in 1854 from Wooster, Ohio. He was a nephew of the celebrated Dr. Firestone who was of the faculty of Western Reserve College of Med- icine and a noted surgeon, and was a student of Dr. Firestone. Dr. John B. Firestone was a thorough doctor and a successful practi- tioner up to within a short time of his death,
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when failing health drove him out of the practice. After a few years here he con- cluded Larwill was going to be the leading town of the county, as it was a very active business point. He located there, and re- mained until his death, about 1883. Dr. Martin Ireland came in 1855. He was an eclectic, a regular graduate in medicine and a successful practitioner for many years, dying at his home on Main street four or five years ago. Dr. Purkey was a nephew of Dr. John B. Firestone, and came here in 1856, forming a partnership with his uncle. Dr. Purkey was a regular graduate, a thorough practitioner and gave promise of becoming quite prominent, but when Dr. Firestone concluded to go to Larwill he re- turned to Ohio.
Dr. Stephen Major came from Defiance, Ohio, in 1856. He was more a druggist than a doctor. He located on Main street and practiced until age forced his retirement. He died about 1880. Dr. James Z. Gower came from Rome City, in 1856. He located here with a project, the building of a rail- road from Rome City to Huntington. He surveyed the line himself. He was bright and shrewd. but not very stable. He gave himself out as a physician, but never dis- tinguished himself in the profession. He soon went away, and we learn drifted into railroading. Dr. James Tollerton came in 1860. He was the son of a uruscopian in Fort Wayne. but Jim was educated and a graduate in medicine. He made as much fun of his father's bunco system as anyone. He was not very successful, soon became discouraged and left.
Dr. Adolph L. Sandmyre came in 1863. He was a thorough and competent druggist.
He never entered into the regular practice. but often assisted in cases, with other doc- tors, and often prescribed for simple ail- ments. He went to Chicago in 1881 and died a couple of years later. Dr. William T. Ferguson located here in 1864. He had some army practice and other preparation. He was quite successful, and a few years later located in Fort Wayne, where he still stands high in the profession. Dr. Henry Safford came in 1864, formerly from Ohio. but came here from Fort Wayne. His fa- ther had been Dr. Linvill's father's family physician at Zanesville, Ohio, many years ago. Dr. Safford was bright and a thor- ough graduate in medicine, but a confirmed drunkard, and soon left town.
Dr. Franklin McCoy came in 1865. He was a polished gentleman and had kissed the "Blarney stone." He was thoroughly versed in "mental therapeutics" and his per- sonality was a large asset in his success. There was a case of hysteria in the commu- nity, that had tired out most of the other doctors, and they thought that Dr. McCoy might help her. Her hallucination was that she had no one to love her. Dr. McCoy fully posted, came into the room in raptures. How well he loved her. no one could know but himself. He called the sun, moon and stars, yea, the angels in heaven to witness this wondrous, raptur- ous love. "You are the man," she ex- claimed : but the spell did not last, and soon he said. "Dang if I can afford to love this woman for nothing." Dr. McCoy's charac- ter was above reproach, and no one thought that the treatment was at all improper. The lady was also of irreproachable private character.
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Dr. John Foster came in 1865. He was many years of a highly successful career. a pretended Methodist preacher, and a med- Dr. Marshall was not only a thorough phy- sician, but he was a man of many parts, and high intellectual attainments. He died, uni- versally respected, about 1892. His only son, Thomas R. Marshall, remains one of our most successful and respected lawyers. Dr. Charles S. Williams came from New York in 1873 and enjoyed a good practice until his death in 1905. He was county coroner from 1882 till his death, except from 1894 to 1896. His daughter, Dr. Alice Williams, is now a successful practi- tioner in the city. Dr. John Maine came in 18-6 and with his son, Jefferson M. Maine, conducted a drug store. Dr. Maine was very old and never entered into active prac- tice. He died in Fort Wayne. Dr. C. L. Cass came in 1880. but after a short medical career went into the woolen-mill. business, which he closed out a little later and re- turned to Ohio. ical quack. Was not of good appearance, and of very moderate tact and intelligence. He made no headway. Went from here to Warsaw and died. Dr. C. C. Sutton, who came in 1864, was more a farmer than doc- tor. He owned land in Washington town- ship and in Thorncreek township, on Blue river. Did not pretend to practice much and no one seemed advised of his ability. He was quick, sharp and a thorough business man. With the selling of his farms he left the place. Dr. Allen P. Mitten was born and raised at Huntington. As a boy he worked at the carpenter trade. Studied medicine with his brother-in-law, Dr. Leh- man, and thoroughly equipped himself by education and practice for his profession. Came to Columbia City in 1867, and formed a partnership with Dr. Linvill. Dissolved in 1872. Mitten took post-graduate course at Bellevue, New York. Dr. Mitten was at the very head of the profession when. in 1885, he went to the Pacific coast, and. practically abandoning the practice, he has become a very successful business man and capitalist.
Dr. William Weber came from Hunting- ton, in 1870, a thoroughly educated physi- cian and gentleman. He practiced success- fully until his death, about nine years ago. Dr. W. W. Walkup came in 1872. He was a cancer doctor. Very proficient in the use of words, but his life was strewn with wrecks of broken promises. He died here a very few years later.
Dr. Daniel M. Marshall came from Pierceton, in 1873. He came here prac- tically to retire from the profession after
Dr. S. D. Amerman, a homeopathist. came here from Pierceton, about 1881, and did a fair business for about ten years, when he moved to Florida, where he enjoyed a good business, but died in a few years after locating in that state. Dr. Frederick F. Fisher, a practicing physician, located at Col- lamer, died in 1885.
Dr. Daniel Kirkpatrick came from Ohio and located at Land, sometime in the '50s. In 1860 he located at Larwill and continued in the practice until failing health compelled his retirement. He died about three years ago. Dr. Christopher Souder was born in Richland county, Ohio, in 1842. In 1846 the family located in Richland township, Whitley county. He served in the Forty- fourth Indiana Regiment from 1861 to 1864.
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He studied medicine under Dr. Firestone and graduated from the Cincinnati Medical Col- lege in 1870. He practiced a short time at South Whitley, then went to Larwill, and practiced until his retirement on account of failing health. He died about eight years ago. He was elected county auditor in 1890, but never moved from Larwill and did not give up the practice, dividing his time between practice and office. His son, Carl Souder, is now a successful practitioner in Columbia City.
Dr. Melvin Lower, a native of Richland township, studied under Dr. Firestone at Larwill, graduated and located at North Manchester, where he is in successful practice.
Dr. Henry Swigart, a native of Thorn- creek township, studied under Dr. Souder at Larwill, graduated and located at several places in Indiana, after which he went to Nebraska and became prominent in politics and in his profession. He is now retired. He was a soldier and enjoys a good pension.
Dr. Thomas A. Lancaster, a native of Richland township, studied under the tutel- age of Dr. Souder, graduated and practiced a while at Larwill, then went to North Man- chester, where he was very successful. He went to California some years ago.
Dr. Paige, "Old Doctor Paige," who lo- cated very early at Paige's Crossing, a mile and a half east of Columbia City, did some practice when he first came, but with the advent of more regular practitioners gave it up entirely. He had a very fair general knowledge of ordinary medical remedies. Dr. Joseph Hayes came from Dresden, Lick- ing county, Ohio, to Millersburgh, Col-
lamer, before there was any town, about 1838 to 1840. He had been Dr. Brown's hostler at Dresden for some years and had assisted him in mixing his compounds, tinct- ures and pills. There is a secret about his coming here, which was not to his discredit or dishonor, nevertheless would not be well now to unfold. The early settlers were fa- miliar with it.
A little later came Joseph Hayes, brother to William, who from a driver of mules on the canal evoluted into a Whitley county doctor. There was a long drawn out mal- practice suit against these brothers, brought by a Mr. Neible of near South Whitley. He lost his leg, as he alleged, because of their incompetency. This was one of the most celebrated cases of litigation in the county. Dr. Joseph Hayes died at Collamer and Dr. William Hayes went to Pierceton.
Dr. Caleb W. Edwards, a teacher, who had studied medicine and taken a one-year's course åt Western Reserve College, came to South Whitley, in the early '40s. He prac- ticed but a short time, and went into busi- ness with J. K. Combs and the firm was highly successful. He died at South Whit- ley about twelve years ago. Dr. Elijah Merriman, a native of Ohio, came to Whit- ley county in 1843. He was a teacher, student of medicine, and on graduation set- tled at South Whitley in 1853. He prac- ticed successfully till his death about 1904.
Dr. Thomas J. Lafollette, a native of Ohio, graduated at Miami Medical College, Cincinnati, in 1873. He first located in Wells county and came to Columbia early in 1876. A very short time thereafter he located at South Whitley. He was in successful prac- tice until 1893. On the World's Fair
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grounds in Chicago he was stricken with paralysis and lived for months a mental and physical wreck, dying at South Whitley. He was postmaster at South Whitley under the first Cleveland administration.
Dr. Goshorn, a sort of traveling physi- cian, practiced in the south part of the county the year following the Civil war. He finally located at North Manchester and died some years ago. Dr. Alexander McHugh, son of Dr. Francis L. McHugh, took up his father's practice at his death. Alex was fitted for a business man, and not a physi- cian. He soon cast off his plug hat and saddle bags and after a successful business career here went to Iowa, where he is em- inently successful.
Dr. Stephen S. Austin, a native of New York, graduated from the Indiana Medical College in 1849 and located at Wolf Lake. After two years he removed to Etna and was an eminently successful practitioner until his death in 1884.
Dr. B. F. Putt, a native of Ohio, came to Laud in 1877, where he practiced a few years and then moved away.
Dr. William H. Coyle graduated in med- icine soon after the war. Practiced at Etna many years and then moved to Columbia City, where he died about three years ago. Dr. David E. Webster, a native of Richland township, graduated in medicine at Ann Arbor, about 1879. Practiced in Larwill until Dr. Mitten left Columbia City. He then came here and practiced successfully until his death about eight years ago.
Dr. Eli Pierce, a graduate of Jefferson College, Philadelphia, settled in the north- east corner of Union township in 1844. He bought a large tract of land and built a great
mansion, known in later years as "Hazel Cot." His brother Joseph came a little later, settled near by on section 1. Eli did not practice much, devoting his time mainly to his estate. He fell dead in Arcola about 1872. Dr. Joseph Pierce practiced in the neighborhood for some years. Dr. John W. Miller died at Collamer in August, 1872. The funeral was preached in Emer- son Grove, then called Harter woods, and he was buried in Collamer cemetery. Dr. Banks lived in the northwest corner of Washington township, on what is now the Swihart farm, from about 1858 up to and during the war, where he practiced, then moved to Fort Wayne and became a special- ist. He died at Fort Wayne.
Dr. F. H. Falkenberg came to Columbia City in 1852. He was a German and a partner of Dr. Kinderman. He did not re- main long in the county.
Dr. Noah R. Wenger practiced at Co- esse some years, then removed to Fort Wayne, where he is now a specialist. Dr. Owen Gandy was born in West Virginia, in 1812, and graduated at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1851. Soon after graduation he settled at Heller's Corners, on the Eel river, in Eel River township, Allen county. After two years he moved one- half mile east, just east of Eel river ceme- tery, and in about two years after, or in 1856, he moved to Smith township, and lived one year on the farm of Mrs. Daniel Miller ; from this place he moved back to Eel River township, about a half mile east of Churu- busco. In 1864 he moved to Churubusco, but shortly thereafter he moved north of Merriam, Noble county, and on a large farm. He lived at this place, practicing and
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superintending his large farm until his death in 1874. He is buried in the Christian Chapel cemetery, half a mile east of his farmn. Dr. Gandy was the first to locate and prac- tice in the township. He was a hard work- er, a thoroughly educated gentleman and physician, successful as a practitioner and a good financier. His first wife died before le came here and he brought with him his four children, Melissa, Luther, Oscar and Winfield S. He married Cynthia Ann Hire. a daughter of Absalom Hire, who was the. second white settler in Smith township and to this union was born Freedom, John Wes- ley, William (deceased), Nora, Charles, Burton. Nora, wife of Judson Smith, lives in Columbia City, Freedom in Columbia City, and the others in Noble county. Dr. Gandy was an ardent Democrat, and while he did not affiliate with any church was a generous supporter to all and made many liberal donations.
Doctors Spratt and Kelly formed a part- nership and located in Churubusco in 1869 and lived in the hotel in which Jacob Kich- ler now keeps a grocery and bakery. They did a good business until 1871. Dr. Kelly decamped, leaving his partner, Dr. Spratt, financially embarrassed, and leaving also an unsavory record. Dr. Spratt remained a year or two but never recovering from his loss, retired to his son-in-law's farm (Henry Rich), where his wife died in 1876. Dr. Spratt lived in retirement till his death in 1891.
Dr. George Keller came to Churubusco from Bucyrus, Ohio, in 1877, and remained about a year, returning again to his old home. He was a well educated man and a
thorough practitioner. but did not care to enter active work. He lived with his mother and brother, I. N. Keller, at Churu- busco. Dr. Maurice M. Modricker located in Columbia City in 1872, and went to Churubusco in 1876. He was a fine scholar, educated in Berlin, a fine linguist, and com- plete physician, who might have distin- guished himself in the profession, but for his intemperate habits. He would practice with complete success for a time and then go off on a drunken spree until physically and finan- cially exhausted, and finally left the county, keeping up his habits until his death.
Dr. P. H. Aldrich came from Stryker, Ohio, to Churubusco in 1877. He was a graduate in medicine, but a drunkard, and made no headway. A couple of years later he went to Defiance and from there to Sher- wood, Ohio. Dr. William Burney located at Churubusco early in the '70s. He cele- brated his departure by thrashing his wife, and then leaving her destitute. He then went to Hannibal, Missouri.
Dr. John Quincy Adams Banta located north of Land, in Washington township, in 1843. Of his success or the time he re- mained we are not advised.
Dr. Straus located at Bloomfield in the early sixties and remained about four years. Then came Dr. Orvis to the same place (1869), but he soon went to Huntertown.
Dr. J. N. Kester located in Columbia City in 1894 and left in 1896.
Dr. J. N. Hammond was located at Land for some time, leaving in 1873.
Dr. J. R. Baker, physician and politi- cian, was located at Laud and at Columbia City a few years, leaving the county in 1875.
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Dr. James Richards, brother of Dr. John Richards, practiced at Laud for a time, then went to Omaha.
Dr. J. W. Squires located at Churubusco in 1881 and went to Fort Wayne in 1906, where he is now practicing.
A Dr. Reed practiced a while in the east part of Jefferson township just after the Civil war.
A perusal of the foregoing shows the necessity for some kind of legislation re- garding the practice of medicine. The agi- tation by a long-suffering public as well as by regular educated physicians finally pro- duced some action, though it was feeble at first. The legislature of 1881 provided as follows :
Chap. XIX, Sec. 10, Acts 1881, Page 41.
It shall be the duty of all physicans and accouchers in this state to register their names and postoffice address. with the clerk of the circuit court of the county in which they reside, and all such physicians and ac- couchers shall report to the secretary of the board of health of the town, city or county in which they may occur, and within fif- teen days thereafter all deaths and births which may occur under their supervision, etc.
Any physician or accoucher failing or re- fusing to comply with the provisions of this section, shall be deemed guilty of a mis- demeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not less than five nor more than ten dollars.
Sec. II. The clerk of the circuit court of each county in this state shall be re- quired to keep a book, especially prepared
and set apart for the registration of name and postoffice address of physicians and ac- couchers of their county, etc.
The state board of health prepared a form for such book, which, in addition to the legal requirements, had a large space headed "Remarks." The word went all over the state to physicians to register, with their names and postoffice, the college from which they graduated, with date of diploma. etc. Those who were regular graduates of course availed themselves of this privilege, that they might set themselves right in a public record. and at the same time put quacks and uneducated members of the pro- fession in a "hole," as it was termed. This caused quite a commotion, especially in the profession, and every doctor's registration was made the subject of critical examination and discussion, and it was charged that many false entries were made. A number of doc- tors availed themselves of the provisions of the law and made no entries at all under the head of "Remarks." The following entries under the head of "Remarks" were actually made. "Third of a century practice in the county." "For further information call at office," "From the University of Ohio," "Came March, 1856," "Charity Hospital," "Pennsylvania College," etc., etc. Some of these entries, of course, meant nothing at all. The celebrated Dr. Shweitz registered "Godlieb Frederick Joseph Shweitz, Yale College." It is not likely he could have told in what state Yale College was located. Graduates registered about this way : "Graduated from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, 1876." "Graduated from Cin- cinnati College of Medicine and Surgery,
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