USA > Ohio > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Ohio : her people, industries and institutions > Part 14
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72
As to the progress of medical science, let it be stated that the last fifty years have seen vast changes in the treatment of diseases, and nowhere is this advancement more noticeable than in America. Our numerous medical colleges have sent forth men of excellence, and today we have, as a general rule, first-class physicians and surgeons in every community. Our hospitals vie with any in the old world. Especially in dentistry and surgery is this. change very striking. The doctor is a necessity, and he frequently has many bad accounts on his books, but if he be a true physician he slights not the poorest in the community in which he practices. Should the science progress in the next half century as in the last fifty years, a wonderful degree of ex- cellence will certainly exist at that date. All men must die, but many need not go to premature graves if medical aid be rendered at the proper time.
FIRST AND EARLY DOCTORS.
Thomas McGara, a native of Pennsylvania, came to Fayette county in the autumn of 1812 and was the first to practice medicine in this county. His family consisted of wife and two children, Joseph and Jane. Doctor McGara was a great favorite with the pioneer settlers; was elected to the:
151
FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO.
Legislature, serving in such capacity six years. He died at the age of eighty- eight years, his faculties holding out until almost his last hour. He was the uncle of Judge Daniel McLean, the latter being his sister's child. While singular in ways, he was a bright, deliberate and exceedingly popular inan and doctor.
The second physician in the county was Doctor Baldridge (some place him before McGara). He came here about 1811. He was both minister and doctor of medicine. He was a Presbyterian in his religious faith. He had a wife and one child.
The third, or next, physician here was Dr. Benjamin Hinton, who was a man of rare ability. He came from Highland county in 1818. He mar- ried, in this county, Rachel Stimpson. He was an energetic and upright man, noted for his kindness. He was also a member of the Ohio Legislature from this district ; also county treasurer (collector). In 1838 he moved to Peru, Indiana, where he died in the seventies.
Other early physicians were Drs. L. and B. Rush, sons of pioneer Will- iam Rush, of Union township.
OTHER PHYSICIANS.
Drs. A. Worley and A. W. Brown, with office in the drug store of Brown & Worley, announced that they were "fully prepared to treat diseases of all kinds, both chronic and acute, on either the botanic or mineral system."
Dr. O A. Allen, druggist, was born in New Jersey, July 21. 1825. His parents and family moved to Ohio in 1831. The Doctor was a member of the Masonic order and of the Baptist church. He was clerk of the village of Washington C. H. at one time. He studied at Granville College, com- pleting his course at the Cleveland Medical College in 1854, commencing his practice in the spring of that year.
Dr. Henry F. Coffman, druggist and physician, was born in Brown county, Ohio, August 4, 1823. His father was a native of Kentucky and his mother of Pennsylvania. They came to Ohio about 1800 with a family of seven children, four sons and two daughters. The Doctor was a member of the Masonic fraternity and also of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows He successfully practiced medicine for many years at Washington C. H. He was an extensive druggist. It is said that he was one of the most careful and best posted druggists in all Ohio. He graduated from Starling College of Medicine, Columbus, in 1850. He first practiced medicine at Good Hope, this county, without horse, saddle or bridle, beginning with but twenty-five
152
FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO.
cents in his possession. He had accumulated over forty thousand dollars by 1880, but in one deal had all taken from him; however, he set about to retrieve his fortune and finally became well circumstanced, having one of the finest medical and drug practices of any in Fayette county.
Dr. S. S. Salisbury, another physician of Washington C. H., was born in Georgetown, Ohio, in January, 1848, being one of nine in his father's fam- ily which came to Ohio in 1810. He was a member of the Masonic order and identified with the Odd Fellows. Both he and his estimable wife were members of the Presbyterian church. He obtained his education at Lebanon, Olio, and at Peru, Illinois. He studied medicine with Dr. W. H. McGrana- ghan, of Maysville, Kentucky. He attended medical lectures in Philadelphia, at Hahnemann Medical College, from which institution he graduated in March, 1873. He began his practice at Washington C. H. in May, 1873, continuing many years.
Dr. C. M. Wilson, physician at Washington C. H., was a native of Northampton, Pennsylvania, born in 1845. He enlisted in August, 1864, as a Union soldier in Company A, One Hundred and Seventy-fifth Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry ; was wounded in his first engagement, at Franklin, Ten- nessee, and in November, 1864, had his second finger of his right hand shot off; also received flesh wounds in his thigh. He was discharged in May, 1865. That fall he entered the South Salem Academy, where he remained until the fall of 1868, then commenced his medical studies under Doctor Looker, of Cincinnati, graduating from Miami Medical College in March, 1871. He began practice in Washington C. H. and followed the profession several years.
Doctor Hazen came to Plymouth in 1846, but his sojourn was brief on account of his bad character, living as he was with a woman not his lawful wife. The moral community would not tolerate him and he wisely removed.
Between 1863 and 1865 Dr. A. J. Gaskin located at Plymouth, and re- mained until 1868.
The next physician at Plymouth was Doctor Spangler, who came from Milledgeville in 1870, bought property and remained until 1881, then returned to Milledgeville.
Doctor Cully was the first physician in Milledgeville, locating there in 1863, remained three years and moved to Plymouth.
Dr. A. J. Gaskin, in 1865, opened an office at Milledgeville, but later removed to Plymouth, where he remained in practice until 1868.
At Martinsburg, one of the pioneer doctors was J. S. Jones, who was at one time engaged in mercantile business at that place.
153
FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO.
Dr. Abraham Baker was a native of Kentucky, where he spent his youthful days. He attended Augusta ( Kentucky) College, and graduated at the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati. Soon afterward he began practicing medicine at Dover, Kentucky; next we find him practicing at Hillsborough, where he remained nine years, then removed to Winchester, Indiana, spent ten years there, thience to Frankfort, Ohio. He remained in practice there six years, then settled at Good Hope, where he continued in the practice. In his younger days he was a traveling preacher in the Methodist Episcopal church.
Dr. James F. Wilson, who died in the seventies or early eighties, was an important factor at New Holland, this county, a part of which is within the borders of Pickaway county. He was born near Chillicothe, Ohio, in October, 1808, his early years having been spent on his father's farm. At the age of twenty-one years he was sent to Greenfield, Highland county, and there commenced the study of medicine under the direction of Dr. Daniel Robbins. He finally secured a diploma, and immediately settled at New Hol- land, of which town he was the first practicing physician. Later he entered Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati, graduating with a fine record. He then returned to New Holland, where he followed his profession the balance of his days. He had a large clientele and made friends on every hand. He suc- ceeded in a financial way and was possessed of a handsome fortune. He had an enviable reputation as a fine surgeon. For a time during the Civil War he was located at Camp Chase, Ohio, in the capacity of surgeon. He was not a church member, but practiced every-day Christianity and was a liberal giver to all good causes. He gave free of charge his medical services to every member of the two companies that enlisted from his neighborhood to enter the Union cause. Their families he sacredly agreed to treat free while the men were at the front, and this he did. For a quarter of a century he was afflicted with heart trouble, and finally, on January 21, 1875, this malady caused his death. His son was Hon. John M. Wilson, so well known over Ohio as a brilliant lawyer and statesman. He was appointed by General Grant, while President, as consul to Bremen; later serving at Hamburg. After this experience, he was sent to Panama to represent the United States.
Concerning some of the physicians at Waterloo, let it be stated that Doctor Dilley was the first to practice in that place. He located there in 1842, but remained only a brief period.
Following him came Doctor Freeman, of London, Madison county, who continued there about four years.
Dr. Tobias Haskins came in about the same date of Doctor Dilley's de-
I54
FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO.
parture and remained until 1860, removing to Licking county. About this. time Doctor Cleeve located at Waterloo, remained a number of years and then went to Illinois.
Dr. V. H. Gaskill commenced practice in Waterloo about the close of the Civil War and was still in practice in the eighties.
Other physicians of the past were Doctors Goldsberry, Harlow and Culy. Also Doctor Martin, the first to locate in Madison township, who was from New England. He opened his office at Yankeetown, remained five years, then removed to Bloomingburg, continuing until 1854, when he moved to McClain county, Illinois.
Dr. J. N. Clark came from Harrisburg, Ohio, in the spring of 1873, locating at Buena Vista, Green township. After one year he opened his office at Madison Mills, where in the nineties he was enjoying an extensive medical practice.
In 1881 these physicians were practicing in the county: Drs. A. and J. L. Worley, C. A. Foster, H. L. Smith, C. M. Wilson, S. A. Salisbury and O. H. Saxton.
Dr. Francis Marion Black, deceased, practiced in Washington C. H. from 1874 until within a few months of his death. He was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, studied medicine under Doctor Brown, of Circleville, and began the practice of medicine at a village in Pickaway county known as Darbyville, where he remained in constant practice for just twenty-five years, then moved to Washington C. H., where the remainder of his life was spent, dying January 22, 1902, aged about seventy-two years. For three years, while in Pickaway county, he had for a student and partner Doctor Boggs, now of Good Hope. Doctor Black was highly successful both as a physician and surgeon. He also had the gift of accumulating property. He was wise in that he invested in land and left an estate of some four hundred acres in Pick- away county, the same still being held by his widow, whose maiden name was Mary J. Zimm, a native of Columbus, who married for her first husband Silas Ambrose in 1851. She married Doctor Black in 1853. Doctor Black and wife had no issue, and Mrs. Black, by her former marriage, was the mother of one daughter who died young. Doctor Black was well up in Masonry, belonging to the thirty-second degree of that most ancient and honorable fraternity. Politically, he was a stanch Republican. He served his country during the Civil War, having been a captain in Company A, Ninetieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served one year and was honorably discharged upon his resignation. He served as acting colonel of his regiment at different times, in the absence of the regular colonel. Mrs. Black still re-
155
FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO.
sides in the old homestead on North street, where the Doctor first located upon removing to Washington C. H. in 1884.
Dr. James Hinton, "the thumbless doctor," as he was known, for, be- sides his being a dwarf in stature and humped-backed, he had no thumb on either hand, was of the regular school of medicine and had good success here from an early day on to later years. He it was who originally owned the old Doctor Wilson residence property, now owned and occupied by Doctor Wilson's daughter, Mrs. Jarred Millikan, at the corner of North and Court streets. He was married and reared seven children. His wife became in- sane and was kept in a small room in the residence just named and many queer stories are related of her strange actions. It was an unfortunate case, in which the Doctor had the sympathy of the community. It was 1841 when he sold the property above mentioned, but he remained here several years after that ; he finally went West, and was lost sight of to Fayette county people. It is stated by Mrs. Mary Millikan that he was a good doctor and was fre- quently associated with her father, Dr. J. G. Wilson. From a former history published for this county, it is learned that this Doctor Hinton was the brother of Benjamin Hinton, probably Fayette county's third physician. Dr. James Hinton, it is stated, removed to McLean county, Illinois, where he was still practicing as late as 1881. He was a success financially and accumulated a handsome competency, at one time owning fourteen hundred acres of valu- able land in Illinois.
Dr. Felix H. Knott, physician and surgeon of Washington C. H., was born in this county, February 21, 1851, son of Ananias Knott, who was from Pennsylvania, but emigrated to Ohio about 1845. Felix was married in 1871, to Samantha De Witt. He received his education in Cincinnati, at the Eclectic Medical College, from which he graduated in 1871. He had commenced the practice of medicine in 1869, at Monticello, Illinois, and there continued for about three years. After he settled in Washington C. H. he continued a regular practitioner. He really commenced the reading of medi- cine when twelve years of age, with his father, who was a prominent doctor of his day and generation, at Monticello, Illinois. He soon built up a large and respectable practice here and was widely known and very successful in his calling.
Dr. W. E. Ireland, now the oldest practitioner in Washington C. H., came here in 1887. He was born near Bloomington, Illinois, in 1852. His parents removed to Fayette county when he was but a small lad. He was reared in Fayette and Ross counties. He obtained a good education and taught school for seven years, and finally chose medicine as his profession. He studied
156
FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO.
under Dr. A. Ogar, at Sedalia, Ohio, and graduated from Starling Medical College with the class of 1882; practiced five years at Leesburg, Highland county, Ohio, and moved to Washington C. H. in 1887, since which time he has ranked among the best, most careful and honorable members of the medical fraternity. He married, in 1882, Florence I. Carr, of Jeffersonville, Ohio, by whom two daughters and one son were born, all now married and settled in homes of their own. Politically. the doctor is a Democrat. He has held numerous non-paying offices, including member of the board of educa- tion, a place he has ably filled for about ten years. He is a member of Grace Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is the present president of the board of stewards. In fraternal affairs, he is well up in Masonry, being a Knight Templar. In a financial way, the Doctor has succeeded and is the vice-presi- dent of the Fayette County Bank. He is placed in the list of best citizens and physicians in the county, where he has resided more than twenty-seven years.
Dr. S. A. Ireland, a brother of the above, was born in 1848 in Ohio, and died in Washington C. H. in January, 1911, of pneumonia. He never mar- ried ; was a most excellent physician and had a faculty of winning the con- fidence and esteem of all who knew him. His death was a great loss to the profession and the community. He taught school in young manhood twelve years and after graduating from Starling Medical College located at Martins- ville, Ohio, then in Leesburg in 1887, coming to Washington C. H. in 1889. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and the Masonic order. There was no night too dark and stormy to deter him from making his pro- fessional calls, and really this extreme exposure was what finally caused his death. He was a man of honor, modest, retiring and studious. He was a wonderful worker and never lost sight of advanced theories in medicine and gave his patients the best that his reading and practice afforded.
From Dr. W. E. Ireland's memory, the following facts concerning men of whom he has had knowledge since his coming here in 1887, have been gleaned :
In 1887 Doctor Lowry was in practice at Washington C. H. He mar- died a sister of Dr. S. S. Salisbury, moved West and has been lost sight of.
Doctor Ustick was also here in 1887, later sold his practice to Dr. Rogers, of Greenfield, Ohio. Doctor Ustick went from here to Boise City, Idaho, where he still practices medicine. Doctor Rogers moved to Honolulu, Hawaii.
Doctor Moorehouse located here about 1887, remained a year or two and removed.
I57
FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO.
Dr. O. H. Saxton moved from here to Topeka, Kansas, in 1887, and died there a few years later.
Doctor Teeters, father of Dr. Charles Teeters, located here in the eighties, and died here.
Doctor Roberts came in prior to 1887 and practiced until his death. He was an excellent physician and an honored citizen of the city.
Doctor Hall came here from Good Hope in the eighties, and died years later of consumption.
Dr. Joseph Williams and his father practiced medicine in Washington C. H. many years, and were eminent in their profession.
Dr. J. W. Hughey practiced in the city many years and died in 1912.
Dr. J. Morton Howell practiced here in the city a few years, then moved to Dayton. When he had no real calls in the country, it is related of him that he frequently run his fast team over the rural roads as if he had urgent calls and had no time to waste, but ever drove on, thinking to create the opinion that he had a large practice.
Dr. John G. Wilson was another physician and surgeon of earlier days in this county, who had a very large and successful practice. He was an ex- cellent man and was loved and admired by legions within this county. He was a native of Ross county, born March 19, 1811, of parents who had emi- grated from Pennsylvania. The forefathers were in the Revolutionary struggle, while his father was a soldier in the War of 1812. He studied medicine under Dr. James Robbins, of Greenfield, three years and in 1835 went to Dayton, where for more than five years he was associated with Dr. Henry Vantyne. He then spent a part of a year in Lockport, Indiana, after which he located permanently in Washington C. H., where he continued his medical practice until about eighty years of age. The date of his settlement in Washington C. H. was August, 1841. He died September 22, 1896, at his home. He married, in 1839, Lucinda Mackerley, of New Jersey. She died in 1875 and was the mother of two children, Martha, who died in young womanhood, and Mary L., who became the wife of Jerred L. Millikan and is now the only survivor of the Wilson family living. She occupies the old homestead where Doctor Wilson, her father, resided so many years and in which house she was born. It is at the corner of North and Court streets. Doctor Wilson was physician for the county infirmary for twenty-one years. Politically, he was a stanch Republican, and formerly a Whig. In his church faith he was of the Presbyterian denomination. There are still many within the county who readily recall the good doctor, when he used to ride over the county either in his cart or on horseback. He was absorbed and interested
158
FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO.
in his chosen profession even until the end of life came. During the Civil war days he had a large practice, and agreed with. many a brave man who went forth in defense of the flag that he would look after the health of their families while they were absent. This he carried out to the letter ; some re- paid him and others never did, but he felt he had performed a patriotic duty and thus cancelled the account.
Dr. Harry M. Jenkins, a young and very successful physician, of but few years practice, was born in 1880, and was reared in this county and city. He studied medicine and attended and graduated from the Ohio Medical College. He was married in Sandusky, Ohio, in October, 1914, and two weeks after his marriage ended his life by taking a quantity of carbolic acid, while seated in his own office late in the evening. This act shocked the entire community, for he was a bright, genial and exceptional promising young professional man, with seemingly many years of pleasure and usefulness before him. The motive for this terrible ending was made known by a note he penned the night of his death, in which he referred to the fact that, when twelve years of age, he met with an accident while crossing the Pennsylvania tracks in Washing- ton C. H., by which his skull was crushed and his brain injured. A number of strips of metal were inserted at the time, and one of these seemed to him to have slipped and pressure was brought upon his brain, causing, at numerous times of late, a sudden mental aberration, or insanity, which he feared was fast becoming worse. He feared in his practice that he might administer dangerous drugs and take the lives of others, hence he took his own life. The accident mentioned was twenty-two years prior to his death. Doctor Jenkins was a favorite with very many in the county, and he held member- ship in several secret fraternities. His death caused a general sadness over this entire county.
PHYSICIANS OF THE COUNTY IN 1914.
In the early autumn of 1914 the following were practicing medicine in Fayette county :
In Washington C. H .- Drs. W. E. Ireland, L. L. Brock, G. W. Blakely, E. F. Todhunter, C. A. Teeters, George S. Hodson, Lucy W. Pine, D. H. Rowe, Paul Hilderbrant, C. A. Harlow, Howard Stitt, A. A. Hyer, L. M. Mc- Fadden, Roy Brown, P. E. Decatur, R. M. Hughey, Florence Rankin, C. A. Hazzard, L. P. Howell. These are all of the regular school of medicine ex- cept Doctors Hazzard and Rankin, osteopaths; Doctors Hodson and Hilder- brant, homeopathic, and Doctor Decatur, eclectic.
159
FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO.
At Milledgeburg-Drs. J. A. Adams, A. N. Vandeman, Grant Marchant. At Bloomingburg-Drs. E. H. McDowell and G. W. Holdren, and, until recently, Doctor Hver, who is now on his farm.
At Jeffersonville-Drs. F. E. Wilson, J. H. French and H. V. Lusher. At Good Hope-Doctors Boggs and Stemler.
At Buena Vista -- Doctor Hooks.
FAYETTE COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY.
There have been several medical societies in this county with the passing years, but the present one is all that will here be mentioned on account of there being no data from which to draw, earlier than that of the present organization.
The Fayette County Medical Society was organized in May, 1903, and contained twenty-one charter members. There have been more and less at various times, the present membership being sixteen.
The original officers were Dr. G. W. Blakely, president: S. A. Ireland, vice-president ; A. O. Erwin, secretary and treasurer. Those serving at pres- ent are : Dr. E. F. Todhunter, president ; H. F. Kaler, vice-president ; Lucy W. Pine, secretary and treasurer. Meetings are supposed to be held once a month, but really are not attended nearly so frequently. Physicians belong- ing to the county society may become members in the state and national society and association, but not otherwise. Hence the importance of these local societies.
CITY HOSPITALS.
The first regular hospital at Washington C. H. was organized and duly incorporated under the state laws, by local people, in the month of November, 1907. The by-laws specified that there be nine directors and the first were as follows : Mrs. Madeline Sharp, Dr. W. E. Ireland, Dr. R. M. Hughey, Col. B. H. Millikan, F. M. Fullerton, Mrs. Aus Hopkins, C. A. Reid, Mrs. F. L. Stutson and J. H. Dahl. For president, Doctor Hughey was elected ; for first vice-president, S. A. Ireland; for second vice-president, Dr. Lucy Pine; for treasurer, Colonel Millikan. The name was given in the articles of incorporation as the Fayette County Hospital Association. It is now con- ducted solely by Dr. L. M. McFadden.
The next hospital was the one still in operation, in the city's very center, the Hodson Hospital, established in 1911 by Dr. George S. Hodson, in miem- ory of his deceased son. This is a well appointed, finely equipped hospital which usually has all the patients it can care for.
CHAPTER XH
THE BENCH AND BAR.
THE JUDICIARY.
On April 15, 1803, the General Assembly of Ohio passed an act estab- lishing the judiciary system of that time. It determined that the supreme court of the state should consist of three judges, chosen in the manner directed in the constitution, that is, they were to be appointed by a joint ballot of both houses of the General Assembly, and they were to hold office for the term of seven years. This court was declared to have original juris- diction in all civil cases, both in law and equity, where the title of land was in question or where the sum in dispute exceeded the value of one thousand dollars. It had exclusive cognizance of all criminal causes where the punish- ment was capital, and of all other crimes and offenses not cognizant by a single justice of the peace; it had cognizance concurrent with the court of common pleas. By this act also the state was divided into circuits. A presi- dent of the court of common pleas was to be appointed in each circuit in the same manner that the supreme judges received their appointment. The president, together with three associate judges, appointed in a similar way, for each county in the state, constituted the court of common pleas for such county.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.