USA > Michigan > Montcalm County > History of Montcalm County, Michigan its people, industries and institutions...with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families Volume I > Part 38
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Dr. James Mulhern was a graduate of the Detroit Medical College, and after the completion of his studies moved to Lakeview. He came to Greenville in 1871. For a time he was in partnership with Dr. C. F. Mor- gan.
Dr. O. E. Herrick began his studies with Doctor Avery in Greenville, and completed them at the Albany Medical College in 1870. He established himself in the city and continued in practice until his removal to Grand Rapids. in 1879.
Dr. Alva W. Nichols, a native of Michigan, made his advent in 1870, and began his studies with Doctors Morgan and Mulhern. He graduated at the Bellevue Medical College in 1874 and later took a special course at the New York eye and car infirmary. He served as pension examiner for a time. as trustee of the Kalamazoo insane asylum, and in 1894 was the Populist candidate for governor, polling six hundred and sixty-two votes in Montcalm county and thirty thousand and twelve in the state of Michigan. Doctor Nichols died about 1910.
DR. JOHN AVERY.
Dr. John Avery was born in Watertown, New York, February 29. 1824, and came to Michigan in 1836. Ilis father served in the War of 1812 Doctor Avery attended the district school in Chautauqua county, New York, and Clinton county. Michigan. He also studied a part of two years at the academy at Grass Lake, which was conducted by the Rev. Hiram Elmer. In 1847 he began the study of medicine with Doctor Whaley. of Grass Lake, and in 1848 went to Duplain. continuing his studies for several months with Doctor Watson. He then attended a medical col- lege in Cleveland, Ohio, graduating from there in 1849, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He then moved to Owasso, Michigan, and entered into partnership with Dr. J. B. Barnes. In the spring of 1854 he moved to Tonia, where he practiced with Dr. D. W. Bliss. Then he moved to Otisco.
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and continued to practice until 1862, when he was appointed assistant sur- geon to the Twenty-first Michigan Infantry, and in the following year was promoted to the rank of surgeon. He remained in the army until the close of the war. During the last year of the war he acted as brigade surgeon. Shortly after the war he moved to Greenville and made that his permanent home. In 1872 he erected a handsome brick store, renting the building for a drug store, and in 1875 he purchased the stock and engaged in the busi- ness himself. Ile was a member of the common council of Greenville, drawing its first charter. He was a member of the Legislature, and was elected to congress in 1802 and re-elected in 1894. He was pension exam- iner for twenty-two years and supervisor for ten years. He was president of the Northern Medical Association and belonged to the Masonic fraternity. He was a member of the Episcopal church and senior warden of the church at Greenville. In May, 1852, he married Jane H. Ewell. daughter of Sam- nel Ewell, of Remeo, Michigan, who was born on August 20. 1823. They had two sons and two daughters. The eldest son, Frank P .. gradnated at West Point, June, 1878, and served as lieutenant in the regular army. Doc- tor Avery died on January 21. 1913. Mrs. Avery died on December 21, 1908.
Dr T .. B. Lester studied and graduated at Geneva, New York, having come from the latter state to Greenville in 1868, where he established him- self in the practice of his profession. He died in 1913. His son, Dr. 1 .. B. Lester. is a practicinig physician at Greenville.
Dr E. Fish, the first practitioner of the homeopathic school at Green- ville, was a native of Wayne county, New York, and moved to Ohio in 1853. He early became a pupil of Dr. David Shepard, of Geauga county, Ohio, and was later a student in the medical department of Willoughby University. He graduated from the Starling Medical College at Columbus, Ohio, in 1848. He spent the winter of 1865-66 in attendance upon the Bellevue and Charity hospitals. New York, and began the practice of medi- cine in Greenville in 1869. having previously been a student of the Homeo- pathic Medical College. Doctor Fish practiced medicine at Greenville for a number of years, and for a few years before his death, which occurred three or four years ago, he was retired.
Dr. T. M. Benedict was a graduate of the Detroit Homeopathic Col- lege, where he finished his course of study in 1873. He moved from Oak- land county to lonia county in 1865, and to Greenville in 1873. Later he moved to Jonia county and died there.
Dr. I. A. Chaffee began the practice of medicine in Greenville in 1871,
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and with the exception of brief intervals of absence, was always a resident of Greenville. Ile belonged to the eclectic school of medicine. He prac- ticed medicine at Greenville until his death, about 1912.
DR. CHARLES M. MARTIN.
Dr. Charles M. Martin was born at Portage. Wyoming county. New York, on July 4, 1839. When he was five years of age the family moved to Akron, Ohio, where Charles remained until he was sixteen years of age, receiving such educational advantages as were offered by the common schools and the Akron Academy. In 1855 he came to Ionia county with his father's family, and while he lived there he spent one year at the Agricultural Col- lege at Lansing. In 1861 he began the study of medicine with Doctor Dolley, then attended the medical college at Ann Arbor, and afterward took a second course at the Bellevue Medical College at New York, where he was graduated. Doctor Martin began the practice of medicine at Green- ville in the spring of 1864 and soon established a good practice. In 1867 he formed a partnership with Doctor .Avery, which continued until 1871, when he moved to Longmont. Colorado, on account of his failing health. Here he was elected president of the Chicago Colorado colony, and was also editor of the Longmont Press. After remaining one year, Doctor Martin had so far recovered his health that he returned to Greenville and resumed the practice of his profession. He was a member of the Union Medical Society of Northern Michigan, and also of the State Medical Society. Poli- tically, Doctor Martin is a Republican. He cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln, and has always remained an active member of that party. Doctor Martin was married. March 28. 1865, to Sarah E. Ecker, of Plesis, Jeffer- son county, New York, by whom he had three children. Some twenty years ago Doctor Martin removed to the state of Washington, where he now resides. When Doctor Martin left the state, he sold his business to Dr. D K. Black.
Dr. Charles Stuart Sheklon, long a practicing physician at Greenville, was a native of Oneida county, New York. where he was born on January 14, 1842. He graduated from the Brockport Collegiate Institute in 1858, and a little later entered Phillips' Academy at Andover, Massachusetts, where he remained until the fall of 1859, when he entered Yale. There he was graduated in 1863. ranking forty-second in a class of more than two hundred. In 1865 he began the study of medicine at Buffalo, New York, in the medical department of Buffalo University. He graduated in 1867,
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with the degree of Doctor of Medicine, and afterwards attended lectures at the New York College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he was also graduated in 1868. After practicing three years at Winona, Minnesota, Doctor Sheldon removed to Greenville, in January, 1872, where he con- tinued to practice for many years. He was married on October 30, 1868. to Emma L. Hodge, of Buffalo, by whom several children were born. He was a Republican, and a member of the Congregational church. Many years ago Doctor Sheldon removed to Madison, Wisconsin.
Dr. Seymour A. Woodworth was born in Michigan in 1869. In later years he was graduated from Hahneman Medical College, of Chicago. He also attended the University of Michigan. He was an examining physician of the Knights of Maccabees and Woodmen lodges at Greenville for some time.
Dr. Duncan K. Black was born in Canada in 1861 and attended the Michigan College of Medicine at Detroit, where he was graduated in 1886. In 1893 he took a post-graduate course at the New York Post Graduate School. He has been a resident of Greenville since 1890.
Dr. J. B. Daniels was one of the two men who laid out the village of Six Lakes. Doctor Daniels became a prominent resident of the village and practiced there for many years.
DR. ROSWELL R. EDWARDS.
Dr. Roswell R. Edwards was born in 1824 in Chenango county. New York, where he spent his early years, later moving to Cuyahoga county, Ohio, where for a time he taught school. He was educated for the medical profession in Cleveland, Ohio, and was the first physician to locate in Bush- nell township and among the first in Montcalm county. He was married in Cleveland to Elizabeth Gleason, daughter of Jeremiah D. Gleason and sister of Artemus Gleason, for many years a resident of Bushnell township. About two years after her marriage the first wife died, leaving one son, Austin M., now of Buffalo, New York. In the spring of 1852 Doctor Edwards, in company with his brother-in-law, came to Bushnell, settling on part of sec- tions 18 and 19. He soon returned temporarily to Cleveland, where, in July, 1853. he was married to Adelia B. Hall, daughter of Simeon and Lucinda Daly Hall, and who returned with him to the wilderness home in Michigan. Seven children were born to this union, Clarence C., Ada Eugenia, Francis L., F. Burnside, Paul V., E. Frances and Fred L. For about ten years ensuing he practiced his profession, heeding every call for
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help, white man and red man alike, Chief John Wabasis, of the Chippewa Indians, being counted among his patients; continually enduring the hard- ships and privations of a new and sparsely inhabited country. He then returned to Cleveland, taking his family, where he renewed his professional labors and remained until the close of 1864. when he returned to Bushnell, again to care for the health of his old friends and neighbors, and was wel- comed home by many glad hands. For a number of years prior to his death, in addition to his home office and practice, he and Dr. A. L. Corey became associated and maintained an office at Stanton. He was physician for the Detroit, Lansing & Northern Railroad Company, during the construction of the Stanton branch and for some years after. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity for many years and took an active part in educational matters, serving as school inspector and member of the district board. He served continuously as health officer until June 3. 1890, when death ended his nseful career. He was justly popular in his profession, exceptionally gifted in some of its branches, being not only an able physician but also possessed of a genial manner and honesty of purpose which won friends in all walks of life. In the early days Doctor Edwards encountered many impediments that did not fall to the lot of later practitioners; yet by his innate ability and natural insight into the ailments of his patients, he bridged over many difficulties and overcame many obstacles. Frequently in critical cases, there being an utter lack of nurses and conveniences for nursing, he would remain a greater portion of the time, when not urgently needed else- where, with his stricken friends, giving them the very best care possible. He handled medicines with skill and combated successfully malaria. snake bites, gunshot and ax wounds, fever and ague -- "lung fever"-and other diseases of the early days. With long walks or runs through the woods (not rides in his earlier practice) with a small fee for his services, many times none at all, and most frequently a long-belated pay day, he alleviated the sufferings of the early settlers with an almost heroic devotion. Much of the time he seemed almost indifferent to the financial end of his profession and though he secured a comfortable amount of property, he died in mod- erate circumstances. Of the second family of children, the two daughters reside in Palo. Ionia county, and the sons, Paul and Fred, have their homes in Bushnell township, the others having passed away.
Doctor Richardson was the first practicing physician to locate in Eureka township, having been engaged in the active practice of his profession in Eureka township as early as 1851.
Dr. Joshua Tennant. one of the early physicians of Bloomer township,
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was born in Lanark county, Ontario, Canada, August 25, 1838, his parents, John and Jane Tennant, having been born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, and having emigrated to Canada in 181.2. When he had grown to young manhood. Joshua Tennant entered the office of Dr. William Sloan, of Blyth, Ontario, Canada, and remained there two years, after which he attended the medical school of the University of Michigan, graduating in 1872 After practicing at Dewitt. Clinton county, Michigan, for eight months. Doctor Tennant came to Carson City in the fall of 1872 and resumed his practice. On October 28. 1873, he was married to Jane Tay- lor, who was born at Northeast Hop. Canada, on April 10, 1851, and who was the daughter of the Rev. J. B. and Christina ( Bain) Taylor. Two children. John S., born on June 27, 1877. and William O., born on June 12, 1880, blessed this union. Doctor Tennant was a Republican and a member of the Congregational church.
Dr. J. T. Joslyn was the first physician to locate in Trufant. After remaining for about one year, he returned to Guernsey and was succeeded in the practice by Doctor Hammond.
Dr. H. F. Kilborn was one of the first, if not the very first, physicians to locate in Pierson. He came to Pierson in 1869, but remained only a short time, when he removed to New York state. Doctors Everett, H. S. Holden and Col. D. Johnson followed Doctor Kilborn at Pierson.
FIRST PHYSICIAN IN CATO.
The second settler in Cato township and the first physician in the town- ship was Dr. Daniel King. He was a young man when he arrived in Cato township with his wife and settled on the east half of the northeast quarter of section 23 He was well educated and already had made considerable progress in the study of medicine and may, from the services which he ren- dered during his short stay in Cato township, he considered its first physi- cian. His daughter, born in the spring of 1855, was the first child born in the township. He exchanged farms with E. B. Gallea and returned to Ohio, where he continued to follow his profession.
Dr. Sylvester Derby, who came to Sidney township from Fairplain township, where he was the first physician, settled on section Io, near the southeast shores of the lake which now bears his name. He built a cabin and remained a number of years. He was one of those characters some- times met with on the frontier-a genius in his way. Besides being a good physician for those days, he was a gunsmith, could repair a watch and
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clock, and was, in fact, a jack-of-all-trades. He subsequently went north. where, it is said, after having moved for the fortieth time, he settled down and engaged in running a hotel.
Dr. John Bradish was also one of the first physicians of Sidney town- ship, and although his methods yielded readily to the popular superstitions of the day, he was considered, on the whole, as having been successful in his profession. Later he moved to the West and died there.
Dr. Chauncey E. Shepard, who resided in Fairplain, was one of the carly practicing physicians in Sidney township. He usually made his rounds on foot and. besides carrying a gun, was accompanied by a dog. . An instance is related in which he is said to have killed a large bear near the cabin of a settler in the south part of Sidney township. Finding the family absent, and having no means to convey it to his home, he dragged it to a wagon which stood near the rude barn. Into this he finally succeeded in placing it, where it lay as if ready to spring on the first to pass by. The next morn- ing a lad was so badly frightened that he required the doctor's attention for several days. Doctor Shepard later practiced his profession in Evergreen township.
Doctor Jackson was the first physician to come to Home township. HTe settled in the south part of the township, on section 26, where he remained for several years, and then moved to the West. But he subse- quently returned to Home township and died here. The next physician. Doctor White, like his predecessor. after entering a piece of land. left the county and moved to the West.
One of the carly physicians of Stanton, who is still engaged in the practice is Dr. N. E. Bachman. He was born in New York state in 1845. the son of Jacob S. and Mary ( Penoyer ) Bachman, and was educated for medicine at the Ft. Wayne, Indiana, Medical College, from which he was graduated in March, 1877. After his graduation, he was induced by Dr. D. A. Mclain to locate in Stanton, and for the next five years practiced in partnership with Doctor Mclain. Since that time he has practiced alone. Doctor Bachman was mayor of Stanton three terms: health officer for a number of years, a member of the board of supervisors and pension exani- iner for a number of years. He is a member of the Montcalm County Medi- cal Association and the State Medical Association. In March, 1878. Doctor Bachman was married to Mercy A. Burgess, who died on November 3. 1913. They had three children, one of whom is deceased. Two are living. . Royal O. and Mrs. Lena B. Willett.
Dr. Joseph Wilkinson was one of the very earliest physicians in Stan-
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ton. He came to Stanton in 1866 from what is now the town of Nashville, in Barry county, Michigan, and after practicing here for a number of years removed to Farewell, in Claire county, where he died. During the Civil War, he was an assistant army surgeon.
Dr. Daniel Shook was the first resident physician of Pierson township. He was born in Dutchess county, New York, and after practicing there and in Canada for a time settled in the north part of Pierson township in 1862. In 1877 he moved to Coral, where he continued the practice for a time, when he engaged in mercantile business, at which he continued until his death, ten years ago. His son. Abram N. Shook, continues to conduct the business his father established.
Dr. George Z. Vallean, of Carson City, who died on September 17, 1907, at the age of sixty-four, was one of the pioneer physicians of Bloomer township. After graduating from Kingston University, Ontario, he came to Carson City in 1867 and practiced there until 1878, when he went to Groton, South Dakota, where he remained until 1905, when he returned to Carson City. He did not practice after his return.
Dr. James A. Stringham, another pioneer physician of Carson City. died on July 21, 1906, at the age of fifty-nine.
Dr. Frederick Taylor, of Carson City, who practiced medicine for a time at Stanton, died at Carson City on April 25. 1912, at the age of fifty- one.
Dr. Jay R. Lovett, of Carson City, who was long a familiar figure at Carson City and in Bloomer township, died on December 17, 1904, at the age of fifty-two.
DR. H. B. RANNEY.
Dr. Il. B. Ranney, of Stanton and Edmore, was born near Batavia. New York, June 7. 1833, and accompanied his father to Grand Rapids in 1847 and to Albion in 1851. Ile entered the army in 1863 as second lieu- tenant in the Fifteenth New York Cavalry, in a company which he had assisted in recruiting. At the end of the war and after studying medicine for several years, he worked in his brothers' drug store, and in 1869 com- menced practice with Dr. A. J. Wiggins, of St. Johns. After traveling as "specialist." Doctor Ranney settled at Stanton and became a prominent citi- zen of the village. For a time he was assistant surgeon to the old Detroit. I.ansing & Lake Michigan Railroad. After practicing at Stanton for a num- ber of years he removed to Edmore and died there. He was married in 1856 to Mrs. H. M. Wilsey, who bore him two sons. Doctor Ranney.
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besides being a physician, also practiced dentistry. He was a Mason, Knight of Pythias and member of the Congregational church.
Doctor Culver practiced medicine at Stanton for a time during the carly seventies. He removed from the county, however, and never returned.
Dr. R. L. Bentley, one of the physicians of Stanton, began the prac- tice of medicine in 1803. after graduating from the homeopathic depart- ment of the University of Michigan in 1893. Previously he practiced a short time in Tonia with Dr. A. B. Grant. Doctor Bentley is a member of the State Homeopathic Medical Association. He was pension examiner for many years at Stanton and has served many years as health officer.
REGISTRATION.
Begining in 188t all physicians practicing in the county were required to register in the office of the county clerk, and the following is a complete list of the registrations from 1881 to 1900. The name of the physician, the school where his medical education was received, the year of his graduation, the particular school of medicine to which he belonged, the place where the physician was then practicing and the date of registration are given in most cases. The list of registrations is as follows :
George Ilart. Worthington Eclectic College. Crystal, July ro, 1883.
Varmmm II. Worden, Montcalm. July 28. 1883.
William Gamber, Cleveland Medical College. March 4. 1881, McBride. regular. August 7. 1883.
Jediah B. Sullivan, regular. August 18. 1883.
Charles M. Martin, Bellevue Hospital Medical College, 1874. regular. August 18, 1883.
Allen 1 .. Corey, University of Michigan, 1868, allopathic, Stanton. Angust 21. 1883.
Donald A. Mel.can, University of Michigan, 1867. regular, Stanton, August 22, 1883.
Reuben A. Fuller, homeopathic. Sheridan, August 25, 1883.
M. Clayton Green, University of Michigan. 1883. regular, Stanton, August 25. 1883.
Norman E. Bachman. Medical College of Ft. Wayne, 1877, regular, Stanton, August 25, 1883.
John Phipps, eclectic. August 27, 1883.
Ira S. King. American Medical College, Cincinnati, 1854, eclectic, Coral, August 28, 1883.
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John W. Kirtland, Hahnemann Medical College 1877-78, homeopathic, Lakeview, August 29, 1883.
Louis A. Roller, Rush Medical College, 1881, regular, Edmore, August 28, 1883.
Charles S. Sheldon, College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1868, Buf- falo Medical College, 1867, regular, Greenville, August 28, 1883.
Henry F. Brown, Western Homeopathic College, 1858, eclectic, Bush- nell, August 30, 1883.
James D. Baker, homeopathic, University of Michigan, 1878, Stanton, August 30, 1883.
James J. Wier, eclectic, Edmore, August 31, 1883.
James C. Brooks, eclectic, Lakeview, August 31, 1883.
Cyrenius Sayles, regular, Langston, September 3, 1883.
Charles W. King. Atlanta Medical College, 1861, regular, Langston, September 4. 1883.
John Lamoreux, Eclectic Medical College. 1876, eclectic, Lakeview, September 3, 1883.
Charles O. Adams, Cleveland College of Medicine, 1854. regular, Lake- view, September 5, 1883.
E. W. Hubbard. regular. Six Lakes, September 5, 1883.
Lyman S. Crotser, University of Michigan, 1883, regular, Edmore, September 1. 1883.
Erastus H. Cummings, Hahnemann Medical College, University of Michigan, 1876, regular, Edmore, September 1, 1883.
A. H. Forsyth, University of Buffalo, 1882, regular, Lakeview, Aug- ust 31, 1883.
James H. Moon. eclectic, Sheridan, September 7, 1883.
John H. Dumon, University of Michigan, 1877, regular, Crystal, Sep- tember 6, 1883.
Charles O. Jenison, Bennett Medical College, 1877, eclectic, Greenville, August 30, 1883.
Morris Gibbs, Rush Medical College, 1879, Michigan University and Ypsilanti, 1875-76-77, regular, Howard City, September 17. 1883.
J. Newton Hathaway, Dartmouth Medical College, 1881, regular, How- ard City, September 17, 1883.
Mrs. Sophronia B. Cummins, eclectic, McBride, September 10, 1883.
Silas M. Gleason. Hahnemann Medical College, 1880, homeopathic, Sheridan, September 18, 1883.
(27)
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Edward Brewster, eclectic, McBride, September 22, 1883.
Valentine Cross, Cincinnati Medical College, 1859, eclectic, Crystal, September 19, 1883.
Hugh T. Hubbard, Detroit Medical College, 1883, regular, Sheridan, October 3, 1883.
Elias Fish, Starling Medical College, 1848, homeopathic, Greenville, October 3, 1883.
Truman Sawdy, eclectic, Howard City, October 8, 1883.
Alva W. Nichols, Bellevue Hospital Medical College. 1873, University of Michigan, regular, Greenville, October 9, 1883.
Lewis D. Wetmore, eclectic. Pierson, October 9, 1883.
John Avery, Cleveland Medical College, 1850, regular. Greenville. Octo- ber 18, 1883.
H. L. Ash, Ohio Medical College, 1871, regular, Crystal, October 18, 1883.
Thomas Brayman, Britanic, October 27, 1883.
William Smith, Clairandeant, Fairplain, November 1, 1883.
Charles F. Morgan, Yale Medical College, 1866, regular. Greenville, October 25, 1883.
Charles S. Cope. Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery. Starling College, Columbus, 1875, regular, Edmore, October 9, 1883.
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