History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 84

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302

USA > Ohio > Crawford County > History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 84

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Isaac Cahill, admitted to the bar in 1877, and served for four years as prosecuting at- torney.

John R. Clymer, born in Franklin county, Ohio, in 1834, acquired both a commercial and university education, and for two or three years in the later fifties was engaged in educa- tional work. He was clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Crawford county from 1860 to 1868, when he took charge of the Forum which he conducted for ten years. He was ad- mitted to the bar at Tiffin, Ohio, in 1878, and practiced law in Bucyrus until his death. He was noted as one of the most finished speakers in the county. .

Frank S. Monnett was a graduate of the Delaware University, read law in Bucyrus, and was elected city solicitor. In 1896 he was elected attorney-general of the state, and re- elected in 1898, and after his term of office expired has made his home in Columbus.

Smith W. Bennett read law in Bucyrus, was admitted to the Bar, and in 1897 went to Co- lumbus as Assistant Attorney General and chief counsel in that office, and after ten years' service made his home in Columbus.

W. C. Lemert was born in Texas township, March 4, 1837. He attended the academy at Republic for one year, then Heidelberg College, finishing his education at the Ohio Wesleyan University where he graduated in the class of '58. He read law with Franklin Adams and was admitted to the bar in 1859. He practiced for two years when the war broke out, and he entered the army, becoming colonel of the 86th Ohio; after four years' service he was mustered out, and devoted his time to railroad building.

and manufacturing, until he retired from active business, his home still being in Bucyrus.

Among the present practitioners in Bucyrus, are David C. Cahill who was admitted to the bar in December, 1860, and practiced law in Bucyrus until April, 1865. He then went West, spending two years in California and Oregon. Subsequently returning to Bucyrus, he resumed practice here in June, 1867. In the fall of 1873 he was elected clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Crawford county, and held that position from February, 1874, until February, 1880, after which he returned to the practice of law.

Ebenezer B. Finley was born at Orville, Wayne county, Ohio, in 1833. Some years of his earlier life were spent in the West. In 1859 he located in Bucyrus and, having studied law under his uncle, Stephen R. Harris, was admitted to the bar in June, 1861. In the fall of that year he recruited a military company, was elected first lieutenant, the company be- coming a part of the 64th Regiment, O. V. I. The regiment was present at the battle of Shiloh. Disabled by an accident, Mr. Finley retired from the service in September, 1862, and resumed the practice of law in Bucyrus, and was mayor of the village for two years. He was twice elected to Congress, in 1876 and 1878, and as a member of the House of Representatives distinguished himself by speeches on various public questions, during his second term serving as chairman of the Committee on Public Expenditures. In 1884 he was appointed adjutant-general of the state under Gov. Hoadly and had charge of the Ohio troops at Cincinnati when the rioters burned the Hamilton county court house. In 1896 he was elected circuit judge to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Judge Henry W. Seney. With David C. Cahill he is the veteran practitioner in the county. Besides a vast amount of legal work, he has devoted much time to historical research, be- ing an authority on the Mound Builders.

Judge J. C. Tobias read law in Bucyrus, was admitted to the bar, and in 1887 was elected probate judge of the county, serving for six years. In 1897 he was elected Common Pleas judge, serving two terms of five years each.

Anson Wickham was admitted to the bar at

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Kenton, Ohio, in September, 1875, and was for four years prosecuting attorney of the county; Charles Gallinger, of the hrm of Fin- ley & Gallinger, was also prosecuting attorney for two terms. Judge Edward Vollrath was appointed circuit judge by Gov. Herrick in 1905. Judge C. F. Schaber was elected pro- bate judge in 1905 and re-elected in 1908. Wallace L. Monnett, of the firm of Scroggs & Monnett was referee in bankruptcy for a num- ber of years. W. J. Schwenck is the present prosecuting attorney. William C. Beer is the present reteree in bankruptcy, and also served as city solicitor. O. W. Kennedy is the present city solicitor. Other attorneys are L. C. Feighner, R. V. Sears, Charles J. Scroggs, Al- fred S., Samuel and Godfrey Leuthold, James W. Miller, J. W. Wright, Edward J. Myers, and Benjamin Meck, who was one of the lead- ing attorneys in Wyandot county, before his removal to Bucyrus a few years ago.

Among the early members of the Galion bar were Andrew Poe, M. V. Payne, George Crawford, Lewis Bartow and W. A. Hall.

Abraham Underwood was admitted to the bar in 1855. He was twice elected mayor of Galion in 1878 and 1871. He served as jus- tice of the peace for twenty-seven years.

Henry C. Carhart read law under Judges Brinkerhoff and Geddes, at Mansfield, Ohio, and was admitted to the bar in July, 1852. After practicing a year at Mansfield he re- moved, in October, 1853, to Galion. He was mayor of Galion for three years, from April, 1854; postmaster from May, 1861, until Au- gust, 1864. He was also a member of the Ga- lion Union school board, and a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1876.

James W. Coulter, born in 1846, in Coshoc- ton county, Ohio, read law with Judge Thomas Beer, at Bucyrus, and was admitted to the bar in August, 1865. He immediately began the practice of his profession in Galion. He was elected prosecuting attorney of Crawford county in 1869 and re-elected in 1871. He served as a member of the county board of school examiners and of the board of education of the Galion Union schools.

Jacob Meuser was admitted to the bar about 1874. He was a member of the legislature from January, 1876, to January, 1880, and was

chairman of the House Judiciary committee, and was one of the brightest men of the Craw- ford county bar.

Seth G. Cummings was prosecuting attorney of Crawford county from 1873 to 1877. He moved to Mansfield where he continued the practice of his profession.

John DeGolley was admitted to the bar at Chambersburg, Pa., in 1871. He removed to Galion in 1874 and commenced practice in 1876. In 1879 he was elected corporation at- torney, being the first to serve under the city charter. He later removed to Marion.

George W. Ziegler was admitted to the bar in 1876. He was elected prosecuting attorney of Crawford county in 1877 and re-elected in 1879, and later represented the county for two years in the legislature.

Alexander F. Anderson was admitted to the bar in 1869, and after practicing at Findlay and at Carey, removed to Galion in October, 1878, where he remained but a few years.

The present members of the bar in Galion are R. W. Johnston, who also has an office at Columbus, where he devotes most of his time ; he has been both mayor and city solicitor of the city. W. J. Geer, who has also served as mayor and city solicitor. Carl H. Henkel, who was four years prosecuting attorney of the county. Carl J. Gugler, the present city solicitor. H. R. Shuler who has been city solicitor. A. W. Lewis, Frank Pigman, J. W. McCarron, F. M. Shumaker, Dean C. and J. M. Talbott, and R. C. Tracht.

The early members of the bar at Crestline were Lemuel R. Moss, from 1852 to 1854; James W. Paramore, John W. Jenner, Samuel E. Jenner and O. B. Cruzen, the latter admit- ted to the bar at Bucyrus in 1869. Nathan Jones was admitted to the bar at Norwalk, O., in 1855, began practice at Crestline in 1856. He was twice elected prosecuting at- torney of Crawford county, in 1866 and 1868.

Of the present members of the bar, at Crestline, the oldest is P. W. Poole, who was admitted to practice at Bucyrus in 1865. He has been several times elected mayor of Crest- line, and served two terms as prosecuting at- torney of the county, from 1893 to 1899.

Frederick Newman was admitted to the bar at Mt. Gilead in 1867.

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Judge Daniel Babst was admitted to the bar at Columbus in 1871. He has been several times mayor of the village, and in 1907 was elected common pleas judge, a position he still holds.

The other members of the bar at Crestline

are Carl M. Babst, B. J. Cattey and C. F. Dewald.

The only member of the bar in the county outside of the three cities is John H. Sheets of New Washington.

CHAPTER XXX

MEDICAL

The Pioneer Doctor-Empirical Treatment in Early Days-The "Regular" Treatment Of- ten Inefficient-Various "isms"-Credulity of the Laity-Hardships Endured by the Pioneer Doctors-Their Devotion-Fever and Ague-Physicians of Bucyrus, Galion, Crestline and Other Towns in Crawford County Since Early Days.

The wise old doctor went his round, Just pausing at our door to say, In the brief autocratic way Of one who, prompt at duty's call, Was free to urge her claims on all, That some poor neighbor sick abed At night our mother's aid would need. JOHN G. WHITTIER.

Perhaps no type of pioneer followed his avocation under greater discouragements, or with scantier rewards, than did the pioneer physician, particularly if he were a man hav- ing a reasonably good knowledge of his pro- fession. No doctor, of course, could make a living at the time of the earliest settlements. The country was too thinly populated and the inhabitants too widely scattered and isolated from each other by natural obstacles in the way of forest and stream and swamp, with lack of roads or bridges, with occasional dangers in the shape of drunken Indians, to make the doc- tor's calling an easy or remunerative one. The lonely trails through the forest were almost im- passable during the greater part of the year, being covered with mud and water, and, in any event, led merely from one lonely cabin to an- other. In some places, particularly in the region south of Bucyrus, the plains were thickly covered with monstrous grasses which attained a height of from six to eight feet and through which the pioneer doctor, traveling on some errand of mercy or urgent need, had to force his way on horseback, his clothes being drenched with the copious dews and moisture from the rank vegetation. His patrons, also, had little or no money-never enough to pro-

vide for themselves such ordinary comforts as would nowadays be regarded as absolute neces- sities, and hence, when medical aid was un- avoidably sought, the ministering physician had in most cases to be content with the prom- ise of future payment-a promise that in many cases was never fulfilled. Under such discour- aging circumstances, therefore, the pioneer doctor pursued his calling, and it is not to be wondered at that few of those who came first to this region remained long in the community, most of them leaving to locate in the larger set- tlements. If any remained they usually found it necessary to unite some other vocation to that of medicine.

Some of the early doctors were mere em- pirics. Not having gone to the expense or taken the trouble to acquire such knowledge of their profession as was then obtainable in the eastern cities, or in Europe, they adopted some peculiar system of treatment, which they ap- plied in general to all cases which came before them and which was not only useless but absurd; yet, owing to the general credulity of mankind with respect to matters of which they are the most ignorant, and also in large part, to the self-assertive impudence of the practitioner, the latter was often able to usurp the functions of the more reputable doctor and reap the greater financial reward.

Perhaps the members of the regular school were to blame, to some extent, for this state of things, through their own lack of progres- siveness, their reliance on such old time meth- ods of treatment as bleeding and blisters, ap-

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plied in cases where they often proved useless and sometimes injurious to the patient, and the dependence on such drugs as mercury, an- timony, arsenic, opium, and others, which the modern physician uses with great caution, if at all, but which were then given almost indis- criminately. Their frequent inefficacy, and the injurious effects they often produced, led to much general distrust of the old school treat- ment and paved the way for the introduction of homeopathy, hydropathy, physiopatlıy, Thomsonianism, chrothermalism, and many other "pathies" and "isms," some of which, by virtue of whatever good they may contain, are in more or less use today, together with others of later birth.

The general credulity of the uneducated lay- man was also manifested in the support given to that class of practitioners, known as "In- dian doctors," the red man being supposed to have some wonderful secret knowledge of the mysterious virtues of various roots and herbs far superior to that gained by study and ex- periment in the laboratories of civilization, or by the Caucasian mind under any circum- stances, except when derived from Indian sources. This superstition has not yet died out, as may be seen from the medical advertise- inents in the daily journals and in the names of some of the best advertised patent medi- cines.

It would be tedious to describe all the va- rious forms of quackery which flourished at one time or another owing to the various causes referred to, or which, under the same or other names are in vogue to some extent to- day. Most of them were based upon an utter lack of anything like scientific knowledge, while others were doubtless simply deliberate attempts on the part of unscrupulous men to fleece a gullible public. A brief reference to the Thomsonian system may suffice. This so- called system of medicine was actually patented in 1823 by Dr. Samuel Thomson and was based on the simple proposition that "heat is life and cold is death." Consequently whatever agencies were capable of producing heat in the patient were supposed to constitute an effi- cacious mode of treatment, in almost any form of disease. Such vegetable substances as lo- belia, cayenne pepper, bayberry root bark, etc., were among the medicines most in use by this

school, while sometimes steam was resorted to in order to keep up the patient's temperature. The "doctor" and his confreres published a book of 24mo, 168 pages of texts, with a sup- plement of 28 more, "which was supposed to contain all that it was necessary to know in the departments of anatomy, physiology, ma- teria medica, practice, surgery, midwifery and chemistry." It appears that students of this system were sometimes graduated within six weeks, and there seems to be no particular rea- son why they should not have been graduated within as many days. It may be said with re- spect to all such systems and also with respect to many cases in which "regular" treatment was employed in those days, that if the patient re- covered it was entirely owing to the strength of his own constitution or the comparatively innocuous nature of the disease by which he was attacked.

As soon as some little hamlet advanced to a dozen or more log houses a physician could be expected in that locality. And they were men who took a personal interest in their patients, and in the town to which they had come to make their home. There was little or no money to be had, but to them it mattered not ; they took the long and lonely rides day after day and night after night through the tangled woods, and over the swampy grounds, in an- swer to the call of those in distress. Their mission was to heal the sick, and among all the pioneers in every community none are entitled to more credit than these faithful doctors who endured every hardship to give relief to the suffering. The swampy, marshy nature of the ground made the fever and ague one of the serious complaints, and from this but few es- caped, even if they did take 40 grains of calo- mel twice a day.

Owing to the swampy lands, everybody was annually afflicted with the dread ague. As it existed then, it is thus described by one of the pioneers : "One of the greatest obstacles to the early settlement and prosperity of the West, was the ague, 'fever and ague,' or 'chills and fever' as it was variously termed. In the fall almost everybody was afflicted with it. It was no respecter of persons. Everybody looked pale and sallow, as though he were frost-bitten. It was not contagious, but was derived from impure water and malaria, such as is abun-

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dant in a new country. The impurities from them, combined with those which come from bad dietetics, engorged the liver and deranged the whole vital machinery. By and by, the shock would come, and come in the form of a 'shake,' followed by a fever. These would be regular on certain hours every alternate day, sometimes every day, or every third day. When you had the chill you couldn't get warm, and when you had the fever you couldn't get cool. It was exceedingly awkward in this re- spect, indeed it was! Nor would it stop for any sort of contingency; not even a wedding in the family would stop it. It was tyrannical. When the appointed time came around, every- thing else had to be stopped to attend to its de- mands. It didn't have any Sundays or holi- days."

The first physician to locate in Bucyrus was in all probability a Dr. Rhodes, who came here in the latter part of the year 1822, a few months after the laying out of the village. He remained, however, but a short time. After him, in the following year, 1823, came Dr. McComb, an experienced and well read man, who was much liked, though in his latter years he showed too great a partiality for liquor. His death, which took place about 1836, was due to a fall from a horse. In 1824 or 1825 came Dr. Hobbs, who remained until about 1832, when he went to Indiana. At a later period he returned to Ohio, settling in Mt. Ver- non, where he died in the late seventies, at the age of 82 or 83 years. His wife was one of the earliest school teachers in Bucyrus.

About 1822, Samuel Norton went to his old home in the east and on his return he was ac- companied by his wife's mother, Mrs. Eliza- beth Bucklin, who understood medicine, and prescribed for some of the neighbors. She died in 1824.

Dr. Pierce, a widower with two children, came here from the state of New York about 1825. Soon after his arrival he married Miss Mary Cary. In addition to practicing medi- cine, he kept a tavern. After a residence here of seven or eight years he went West.

Dr. Willis Merriman, born in Cayuga county, N. Y., in 1801, came to Ohio in 1817. He studied medicine in Norwalk, Ohio, be- fore coming to Bucyrus in 1827. He continued practice here until the death of his first wife

in 1834. In the following year he entered into mercantile business, which he continued until 1853. He was for several years one of the directors of the Ohio & Indiana Railroad Com- pany and was its first president. In January, 1855, on the consolidation of the several com- panies operating between Pittsburg and Chi- cago into the Pittsburg, Ft. Wayne & Chicago Railroad Company, he resigned as president and became one of the directors of the new or- ganization, holding that position until 1868. He was a man of vigorous mental powers, well educated, kind of heart and in all things a thorough gentleman. He died in Bucyrus, August 30, 1873.

Dr. Sinclair, who practiced in Bucyrus front 1830 to 1836; and Dr. Douglas, 1835 to 1850, were also successful and popular physicians, the latter being especially noted for his refined and gentlemanly manners.

Dr. Andrew Hetich, who came from Cham- bersburg, Pa., first located in Bucyrus in 1835, but returned to Chambersburg after a short residence here. In 1839 he settled again in Bucyrus and practiced his profession here until a short time before his death in 1860. He was a man of good attainments and popular as a physician.

Dr. A. M. Jones, a native of Massachusetts, settled with his parents in Lorain county, Ohio, in 1817. He came to Bucyrus in 1835 and prac- ticed medicine here for about ten years, after which he engaged in the woolen manufacturing business with Samuel Clapper, and later in the real estate business, giving up his medical prac- tice.

Dr. Frederick Swingley, a native of Mary- land, came to Bucyrus from Chesterville, Ohio, in 1844, and practiced medicine and surgery here for many years. He served several years as surgeon during the Civil War.

Dr. Cochran Fulton, born in Westmoreland county, Pa., in 1819, came to Ohio when a young man and began practice in Bucyrus in 1845. In 1848 he graduated at the Eclectic Medical Institute in Cincinnati and practiced his profession here for many years sub- sequently. In 1861 he opened a drug and book store, which became one of the best known mercantile establishments in the county.

Dr. Robert T. Johnson who came in 1845, also engaged in the drug and book business,

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giving up his medical practice for that pur- pose.

Dr. Francis Meyer came to Bucyrus in 1851 and practiced medicine here until about 1875, when he gave up his profession on account of ill health. He was a native of Frankfort, Ger- many and a very cultured man, having studied in the universities of Tubingen, Heidelberg and Halle. He was highly esteemed, both by his professional brethren and by the citizens generally of Bucyrus and the vicinity.

Dr. M. C. Cuykendall, a native of Cayuga county, N. Y., read medicine in Plymouth, Ohio, and subsequently began practice in Ganges, this state. He came to Bucyrus in 1857 and practiced here until the breaking out of the Civil War, when he entered the military service as surgeon, and before the close of the war reached the position of medical director. After the war he gave his attention largely to the practice of surgery, in which department of the profession he attained quite a reputa- tion. He was one of the first presidents of the Northwestern Ohio Medical Association. For several years in the late seventies he was pro- fessor of gynecology in the Medical College of Columbus, being obliged to give up general practice about this time owing to failing health, the result of hardships experienced during the war.

Dr. Byron Carson, married the only daugh- ter of Dr. Cuykendall, and was associated with him in the latter years of his practice.

Dr. John A. Chesney studied medicine with Drs. Cuykendall and Carson, and first entered into practice with Dr. J. B. Richie of Oceola. Later he returned to Bucyrus, and succeeded Dr. Cuykendall as the surgeon of the city, and at the time of his death in Aug. 31 of this year was the recognized head of his profession, and one of the prominent physicians of northern Ohio.

Dr. J. S. Fitzsimmons was a soldier in the war of the rebellion and after he was dis- charged from the service, graduated in medi- cine, and began practicing in Bucyrus in 1871 and for forty years was one of the leading physicians of the city.

Dr. Boehler came to Bucyrus in 1837, and remained about four years when he removed to Tiffin.

Dr. William Geller came in 1840, and re- mained about four years, when he removed to Mt. Gilead and later went to California.

Dr. Jacob Augustein read medicine with Dr. Boehler, and when that gentleman left suc- ceeded to his practice. Besides his medical work he took an active hand in the affairs of the village, and about 1862 went to Napoleon, Ohio.

Dr. Hauck came to Bucyrus in 1843, but. died a few years after his arrival.

Dr. Robert L. Sweney came with his father to Whetstone township in 1828. He read med- icine with Drs. Douglas and Swingley at Bucy- rus, and practiced here from 1849 to 1851, when he went to Marion.

Dr. George Keller commenced the study of medicine in 1846, graduated from the Cincin- nati Medical College in 1853, and located at West Liberty, where he remained until 1861, when he came to Bucyrus, and built up an ex- tensive practice. He was a wonderfully well- read man on every conceivable subject, and was a recognized authority on practically every- thing. He was admitted to the bar in 1876, but never practiced at that profession.

Dr. Georgia Merriman, the first lady physi- cian, commenced the practice of medicine in Bucyrus in 1879, but after a dozen years re- moved to Columbus.

Dr. Jerome Bland began the practice of med- icine at Benton in 1868, where he built up an extensive practice, when he removed to Bucy- rus. Some years ago he retired from active business on account of the breaking down of his system, and is now living in retirement at his home on East Mansfield street.

The first homeopathist to come to Bucyrus was Dr. Barsham in 1850 but he only remained two years. He was followed by Dr. E. P. Penfield of the same school in 1871, who built up an extensive practice and later moved to Spokane, Wash.

Dr. McNutt came about 1872, but is now retired living at his home on West Mansfield street.

Other early physicians were Dr. Haas in 1845, Dr. Potter in 1847, Dr. Samuel Long in 1849, Dr. James Milott in 1851, Dr. Rogers in 1853, Dr. T. J. Kisner in 1871, Dr. John M. Chesney in 1876, Dr. Kreider in 1877, Dr.

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 84

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850- Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1302

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302