USA > Ohio > Henry County > History of Henry and Fulton counties, Ohio : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 45
USA > Ohio > Fulton County > History of Henry and Fulton counties, Ohio : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 45
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Dr. Kendall was born in New York State, June 30, 1793 ; received his medical education in New York; came to Fulton county November, 1839, and practiced in all thirty-six years; died January I, 1873, in Pettisville, Fulton county.
S. W. Jewell was born in Wayne county, O., Jan. 20, 1826; moved with his family to then Lucas county. O., in the year 1842, in the vicinity of Spring Hill.
At the age of twenty-one he commenced to study medicine with Dr. Wm. Hyde, who had recently moved into the neighborhood, remained with him as a student two years.
During the fall of 1848, owing to the amount of sickness and lack of physicians he treated quite a number of families without the aid of his precep- tor, allowing him the fee.
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In the spring of 1849 he commenced to practice medicine for himself.
In 1850 he concluded to attend medical lectures. Accordingly, in the month of October he mounted his horse and rode into Wayne county, the place of his birth, intending to sell his horse there, and with the proceeds attend medical lectures during the winter. Failing to sell as expected, he left his horse with a friend and started for Cleveland, O., on foot, where he arrived in due time, matriculated at the college, bought a ticket on anatomy and received a ticket of general admission to all the lectures good for six weeks. At the end of the time his money was all gone and he was compelled to return home.
Thus armed with a little knowledge of anatomy and what he had seen in the clinics of the college, he went forth again to battle with disease, feeling at least that he was as competent as any of his competitors.
In January, 1855, he married and moved to Toledo, O .; practiced medi- cine in that city during the summer and fall.
In January, 1856, he moved to Wauseon, O., a thriving town on the Air Line Railroad, and within the bounds of his old field of practice. In the fall of 1859 he removed to Valparaiso, Ind., opened an office in that city and practiced un- til the spring of 1861, when from the earnest solicitations of many of his old patrons he moved back to Wauseon, O., where he has remained ever since.
During the war he was commissioned surgeon for Fulton county to exam- ine applicants for exemption from military duty. Served during the continu- ance of the war.
While in Valparaiso, Ind., he learned the business of dentistry as taught in that early day, and when he returned to Wauseon, he practiced jointly medi- cine, surgery and dentistry for many years. In the fall of 1864 he concluded to attend lectures again and obtain the degree of doctor of medicine ; to that end he attended Bellevue Hospital Medical College during the session of 1864 and 1865. He learned after a time that he could not graduate at that insti- tution, however well qualified he might be, in consequence of their rules requir- ing two full courses of lectures, his course at Cleveland, O., in 1850 being only a partial course, rendered him ineligible as a candidate for graduation. At the close of the session he returned home, and not wishing to make another break in practice he concluded to avail himself of the opportunity of attending the spring session of the Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery for the year 1865, the only college in the west at that time holding a spring session.
He repaired at once to Cincinnati, entered the college, and at the close of the term received his diploma bearing date June 19, A. D., 1865.
Since his graduation he has attended medical lectures at Chicago, Ill., in 1873, and at Philadelphia and Baltimore, Md., in the year 1881. Also in the same city he attended, during the months of January and February the daily clinics of Prof. Chisholm at the Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital.
W. A. Scott was born August 21, 1823, in Fairfield, Huron county, O .;
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came to what is now Swanton township, Lucas county, with his parents, in April, 1835.
His preliminary education was obtained in common schools, with two terms of select school in Maumee City. He taught school several winters, two terms of which were in Toledo, O .; studied medicine with Dr. Calvin Smith, of To- ledo, who died of cholera, in 1852. While pursuing his studies was physician for Lucas County Infirmary, for fifteen months ; clerked in a drug store in To- ledo, one year, for the purpose of obtaining a practical knowledge of drugs and their preparation ; attended medical lectures in Cleveland.
Estell H. Rorick was born in Lenawee county, Mich., in 1842. He ob- tained his rudimentary professional education with Dr. Werds, with whom he spent some months at the army hospital at Nashville, Tenn. He attended the lectures at the medical department of the University of Michigan, at Ann Ar- bor, and graduated in 1859. He first located in this county at Spring Hill, and afterwards moved to Fayette, his present residence.
Dr. Rorick also took a course of lectures at the Detroit Medical College, at Edinburgh, Scotland, and at Mobile, Ala. His success in the field of medicine has been deserved, and he ranks among the leading physicians of the county and State.
Josiah Hibbard Bennett was born July 22, 1825, in Allegany county, State of New York; of American parentage, and of English and French ancestry. He was principally educated in Temple Hill Seminary, at Geneseo, N. Y., and emigrated to Ohio in 1846. He commenced the study of medicine under the tuition of Dr. William C. Porter, of Defiance, O., remaining with him for two years, then continuing his studies with Drs. John Paul and Jonas Colby, one year longer. Subsequently, he finished his course of study at Starling Medical College, Columbus, O., in the winter of 1849-50. He commenced the practice of his profession in the spring of 1850, at Evansport, Defiance county, O., and was one of the pioneer physicians and surgeons of Northwestern Ohio. He remained there thirteen years, practicing his profession with satisfactory suc- cess, without absence for recreation or rest, riding through streams, swamps, thickets and by-paths, upon horse-back, frequently being lost in the dense for- est in the night ; would have to sit upon a log, lay upon the ground, or stand till daylight, weary, sleepy and hungry.
Some years, in his early practice, in very sickly seasons, would ride day and night, for two or three months, without resting upon a bed one whole night.
In August, 1863, he moved to Wauseon, Fulton county, O., where he has ever since resided, and where he is known and recognized as an able physician and surgeon.
In 1869 he was appointed surgeon for the Lake Shore and Michigan South- ern Railroad Company, upon the special recommendation of Hon. M. R. Waite,
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the present chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, which position he still occupies, with credit to himself, with satisfaction to the company, and with honor to the profession. His leisure time has usually been spent in medi- cal colleges and hospitals, especially in the surgical room. Dr. Bennett has been a close medical student for some forty years, and his application has re- sulted in originating the principles of dry surgical dressings, which he has used with great success, for twenty-five years, basing his theory upon dry, infre- quent dressing of wounds, with absolute rest and positive position, as most needful for convalescence. He has had the satisfaction of seeing his method adopted in many of the hospitals of this country and in Europe.
Dr. Bennett is an active member of the Fulton County Medical Society, and also of the United States Medical Congress, since 1856. He also was a member of the International Medical Congress, which convened at London, England, in 1881.
William Ramsey, of Delta, O., was born in the north of Ireland, in 1827, of Scotch parentage; came to Ohio in 1842, and settled near Bolivar, with a widowed mother, three brothers and one sister. He commenced teaching school when seventeen years old and taught until 1847, when he commenced the study of medicine in the office of Drs. Bennett and Dodge, in Bolivar, and attended lectures at the Cleveland Medical College in the years of 1848 and 49 ; went into the drug business in Loudonville, O., in the fall of 1851, and the following spring sold out and moved to Delta, where he practiced medicine up to 1873, when, owing to failing health, he established what is known as the Bank of Delta, which venture proved remunerative in his hands, as had his profession. He still lives in Delta, enjoying the confidence of all who knew him as a physician, and now as one of the leading bankers of the county.
H. F. Van Buskirk was born in Fayette, O., July 25, 1861, and is a son of the late Dr. J. T. Van Buskirk, of the same place ; began the study of medicine in the fall of 1878, and continued under the direction of Drs. McLean and Bach- man, of Stanton, Mich., until September, 1876, when he commenced a six months' course of lectures at the Detroit Medical College.
In the spring of 1880 he went to Philadelphia, Pa., where he began attend- ing the Jefferson Medical College, where he remained until graduating April 1, 1882. Soon after completing his studies he located in his former home, Fayette, O., where he still remains in the practice of his profession.
Charles E. Bennett was born in Evansport, O., March 1, 1856; removed with parents to Wauseon, ()., in October, 1863, where he attended the graded schools until 1873, when he began the study of medicine with his father, Dr. J. H. Bennett ; attended the Detroit Medical College, with Prof. E. W. Jenks as his preceptor, he being president of the institution, and professor of surgical diseases of women and obstetrics.
Dr. Bennett attended two regular sessions and was a member, during the 52
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spring and summer of 1875, of the five months' recitation term, graduated the 29th of February, 1876, and commenced practice March 1, 1876, at Wauseon, with his father, where he has constantly resided since, actively practicing his profession.
S. P. Bishop was born in Licking county, O., Dec. 3, 1839. Moved with his parents to Bryan, O., in 1856. Attended the high school 'in the same place for several years. Read medicine with Dr. H. C. Long of Bryan. At- tended the medical department of the University of Michigan in 1862, and '63, and Bellevue Hospital Medical College in 1864 and '65. Received the degree of doctor of medicine in March, 1865, at the last named institution. Permanently located in Delta, O., April, 1865, where he has an extensive and remunerative practice, and is known as a thorough and highly competent physician and surgeon.
L. A. Bassett was born in Amsden Corners (now Bellevue) ' Huron county, O., October 25, 1825. Commenced the practice of medicine in an early day after several years study and riding with Dr. John Osborne, in Wood county, O. Has been a resident and practitioner of medicine in Fulton county since 1857. Now resides in Swanton.
John A. Wilkins was born May. I, in New York. Studied medicine with Dr. Alfred Follett, Granville, O., and graduated at the Starling Medical Col- lege, Columbus, O. Received the degree of A.M. at Dennison University. Practiced medicine and surgery at Delta, O., fourteen years, at which place he still resides. Dr. Wilkins was a member of the Ohio State Senate in 1880 and '81.
G. P. Campbell was born March 19, 1847, at Carmichaeltown, Green county, Pa. Moved to Ohio in 1855. Read medicine with Dr. J. H. Todd, of Wooster, O. Graduated at Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York city, in March, 1870. Located at Ridgeville, Henry county, O., soon after graduating and practiced there until May, 1872, when he moved to Tedrow, Fulton county, O., where he has ever since resided attending to a large and lucrative practice.
Arthur B. Lathrop was born in Richfield township, Lucas county, O., September 27, 1857. Attended the following literary schools : Raisin Valley Seminary, two years; Valparaiso Normal School, seven months; Hillsdale College, two and one-half years. In medical studies Dr. Congrove, of Syl- vania, O., was his preceptor. He took a five months preparatory course at what is now known as the N. W. O. Medical School. He took a course of study at. Starling Medical College two years, graduating from the same in 1882. In the fall of 1882 he attended a course at Bellevue Medical College, New York city, graduating in the spring of 1883, after which he located at Swanton, Fulton county, O., where he still resides, practicing his profession with satisfactory success.
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L. E. Miley was born February 25, 1852, in Clinton township, Fulton county. His early life was spent on the farm and in attending district school dur- ing the winter. At about the age of sixteen entered the high school at Wau- seon, where he attended two years, after which he taught and attended school some eight years, one year of which he attended the Bryan Normal and Bus- iness College. In the winter of 1877 and '78 he began the study of medicine with Dr. G. P. Campbell of Tedrow, O, and on October 1, 1879, entered the medical department of the University of Michigan. He graduated from the university June 30, 1881. In August, 1881, he began practice at Ai, Fulton county, remaining there one year and a half. He then located at Louisville, Ky., when ill health compelled him after nearly a year in the city to return north. February 28, 1884, was married to Ella F. Deyo, daughter of Hon- Albert Deyo. Removing then to Wauseon, O., he has continued to reside there still engaged in the practice of his profession.
H. H. Brown, of Lyons, O., was born at Williamsport, Pa., July 8, 1863. Attended literary school at Clinton, Me., high school and University of Mich- igan. Took three years course in department of medicine and surgery at the University of Michigan, entering fall of 1883, and graduating July 1, 1886. Located at Lyons soon after completing his studies, where he still resides prac- ticing his profession.
CHAPTER XL.
THE PRESS OF FULTON COUNTY.
P ERHAPS the scope of this chapter would but ordinarily include and refer to those papers that are now, or heretofore may have been, published or issued in various portions of the county, and without any allusion to any advance or retrograde movement in journalism, from the organization of the county to the present time. It is a known truth that there was no newspaper within the limits of Fulton county prior to its civil organization, and, at that day, the intelligent reader was for information compelled to depend almost entirely upon papers printed and published many miles from his abode, and even then the average citizen cared but little for the current events of the nation ; happenings outside . of the circle of his own limited acquaintance. The cable system for rapid transmission of news from foreign countries, was an unheard of and uncon- ceived idea. The telegraphic system was, in a great measure, in an imperfect condition, and but little used in carrying public news for the press. But as our country grew in population and wealth, so its people also advanced in point of
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intelligence, and a desire to become conversant with the affairs of the country in general, especially in relation to its political advance and status. Forty years ago there was not one person in the hundred that could, or would, attempt an intelligent conversation and argument upon any topic of public in- terest ; content were they rather, on a stormy day to gather at the country store (always near a cross-roads), and discuss crops and incidents, and accidents occurring in their own community, and should, perchance, any one venture an ·opinion upon a matter of public or national interest, they, to a man, would be- come silent listeners, and only within the private of the home and family, could an opinion be drawn from them. Why? because they knew not, nor did they much care, about affairs outside their own community. At the polls they would vote in accordance with their inherited party preferences, and further than this they had no interest. How many sons of fathers, forty and more years ago, dared to, or even thought of departing from the political course of the father, and voting with an opposition party. In those days young men inherited their political allegiance from their parents. Then a newspaper was read, its contents for a time were a source of wonder and amazement, and did it happen to be an organ opposed to the sentiment of the household, it was at once dropped, its doctrines were heresy.
But in the course of American progress, there came a change, a wonderful change, in every community, brought about by a constant interchange of ideas and sentiments among the people, and among the people of the rural districts as well as in thickly populated communities. One step forward has created a desire to go further on, until now, in every part of our land, the people are well informed both as to political and other affairs, and anything that tends to ele- vate and enlighten, and place the people upon a higher plane of intelligence. In answer to the query, what has caused this change? the answer is clear- American progress and the American newspaper.
Again, the question presents itself : Has there been the same improvement, the same advancement in journalism, as in other trades, pursuits and occupa- tions ? For answer only turn to an old paper published half a century ago, and compare it with the average journal of the present day. From the old screw press on which a paper could be printed on one side at about rate of one each minute, we now see in use presses that print on both sides at the rate of about twelve thousand per hour, or about two hundred per minute. And, too, in a great ratio has there been an increase in number of papers in the country, until now the press is regarded and acknowledged as the great medium of exchange, the means of communication between occurring events and an intelligent reading people. The citizens of this country are now sufficiently educated, sufficiently advanced, and sufficiently American as to demand that there be placed at their houses one or more newspapers, and that the affairs of the nation shall be found in their paper's columns. This demand has been fully met by the publisher,
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both as an advance step and a positive necessity; but it entailed such an addi- tional expense, that some means must be devised to reduce that expense, or the alternative, the increased subscription price.
This necessity led some years ago to the introduction of'a system of pro- ducing what has been, for convenience, termed "patent sides." By this system the paper was, and now is, printed on one side at some large city, with the best and most carefully selected miscellaneous matter, and furnished to the proprie- tors of many offices throughout the country, at a price far less than the matter could be set up and printed in the office of the paper. The benefit of this is readily apparent in the now reasonable price of all country papers, by which the same reaches nearly every family in the country, at a cost seldom reaching be- yond $1.50 per year.
Another practice, and a popular one to, is in the stereotyping of colums of printed matter, and moulding it into "plates," or "slugs," which are for sale at many large offices, at so much per foot, or yard. By far a greater portion of the rural papers published in this county are, at least partially, made up in one or the other of the methods named, and the greatest benefit from it is derived by the reader, and there is not now, it is safe to say, a single paper issued or published in Fulton county, but that is in part made up in this manner.
But what has Fulton county done in the way of newspaper publications ? And aside from those now issued in the county, let us look into the past and see what has been the record of those that are no more. From it the fact is clear that the life of the average editor and publisher has not been altogether strewn with roses, nor has his pathway been paved with gold. Journalism, like any other profession, has its ups and downs, and of the hundreds and thousands who have ventured into its limitless field, but a small proportion have achieved success. Ability and scholarship are not alone the chief requisites for the con - duct of a successful paper, but tact and management likewise constitute an im- portant element in the work, and any aspirant who lacks any one of these accomplishments, had best avoid the sanctum, the desk, and the case.
Of the early papers published in this county no record exists, and such in- formation as can be had concerning them comes from the memory of old resi- dents. It is, therefore, possible that some inaccuracies may be found in the in statements following; yet, on the whole, it is believed that they will be found generally correct.
The Fulton County Democrat. - The village of Delta may lay just claim to the distinction of having the pioneer newspaper of the county, in the publica- tion at that place, of the Fulton county Democrat ; a six-column folio, all home work (at that time patent sheets were unknown). It was established some time during the winter of 1851-52 by Lewis W. Stum, who continued its publi- cation with varying success for about one year, when the office and paper were sold to one Rosenberg. The latter moved the office to Ottokee, the county
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seat, but a few months later he sold to J. W. Carter and H. B. Bayes. Carter and Bayes continued it some six months when Carter bought the interest of his partner, Bayes, and became its sole editor and proprietor.
Carter made an arrangement or lease with one Topliff, who was con- nected with its editorial department for a time, but about the spring of the year 1856, the establishment was sold, and the plant removed to Morenci, Mich. The Democrat was, as its name implied, a democratic paper, and the organ of that party, which during the infant days of the county was numerically in the ascendency.
The Delta Independent Press. - At the time of the founding of the Fulton County Democrat at Delta, that place was perhaps the most important of any of the small towns of the county, and while the publication of a paper there was. not particularly remunerative to its owners, the citizens of the place were much displeased at the sale and removal of the office of the Democrat to Ottokee; and although the latter was the county seat, Delta still held the greater population, and felt entitled to a newspaper publication. This feeling led to the establish- ment of the Delta Independent Press, under the management of Lewis W. Stum, formerly of the Democrat. Stum continued the paper for some months, when he sold his interest to Martin Butler, and the latter, after a short time sold to. William Stum and James K. Newcomer. These gentlemen held its office for several years when Peter James purchased Stum's interest. Under the owner- ship of Mr. Butler the independent tone of the paper was changed, and it be- came thenceforth an advocate of democratic principles. It was issued regularly down to about the time of the war, when for some reason it seemed to gradually decline, and the office was finally closed. The material and stock were moved to Wauseon, and gradually developed into a publication also known as the Ful- ton County Democrat (not the former paper of that name), under the manage- ment and control of M. H. Butler. William Aultman, jr., became connected with its management about this time. Some few weeks later the soldiers came home on a furlough, and it is said, they not liking the tone or manner of its appearance, dumped the material into the street, and the Democrat at Wauseon ceased to exist.
The Signal. A short time after the sale and removal of the Democrat from Ottokee to Morenci, a new paper called the Signal, made its appearance at the county seat, under the editorship of B. F. Montgomery. It lived only about six months. The paper became distinguished by its brief existence, and possibly somewhat by its name, as it proved a signal failure, and the material was moved to Montpelier, Williams county.
The Democrat, (Mirror). Next in the order of succession, there appeared at Ottokee, under the editorship of Henry McElhiney, a paper called the Dem- ocrat. Its first issue appeared in the spring and in the fall it changed owners, H. Day assuming its control. He changed its tone from a Democratic to an
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independent paper and re-christened it the Fulton County Mirror. Under Mr. Day the paper was published about one year when the plant was sold and be- came merged into the Wauseon Sentinel. This ends the life of the press in the county so far as Ottokee is concerned, except for the very brief existence of the Monitor.
The Monitor. This venture into the field of journalism was made at Otto- kee, in the month of June, 1863, by H. B. Bayes, but the paper was short lived, as in the month of February of the following year, 1864, it was sold to James H. Sherwood, of the Northwestern Republican, and by him merged into the last named paper.
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