Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 45

Author: McKee, James A., 1865- ed. and comp
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1526

USA > Pennsylvania > Butler County > Butler > Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th > Part 45

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

west before locating in Butler. He con- year. He was a man of exceptional social tinued practicing in Butler until 1885, qualities and an able physician. On June 14, 1903, he met with an accident which caused his death. when he removed to Franklin, Penna. He is now living in New Jersey.

DR. WALTER SCOTT PATTERSON was born in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and is a graduate of the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in the class of 1901, and of the Ada (Ohio) School of Pharmacy in the class of 1898. He located in Butler in 1902 and has built up an extensive prac- tice. He takes an active interest in polit- ical affairs, and was elected county coroner on the Republican ticket in 1905. He has associated with him, in his practice, his wife, Dr. Ella A. H. Patterson, who is a physician of recognized ability.

DR. FRANK L. HAZLETT was born in Con- noquenessing Township, Butler County, April 24, 1878, and is a son of Leslie P. Hazlett, Esq., of Butler. He was educated at Grove City College, class of 1898, and at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, graduating from that institution in 1903. He practiced in Butler from 1903 until 1906, when he removed to Bruin, Butler County, where he died on July 24, 1907.

DR. LESLIE R. HAZLETT is the son of Thomas Hazlett, of Butler, and was born in Butler Township September 1, 1868. He graduated from Edinboro (Penna.) Nor- mal School in the class of 1890, and fol- lowed the profession of school teaching for several years before taking up the study of medicine. He graduated from the Jef- ferson Medical College in Philadelphia in the class of 1896, and the same year lo- cated in New Galilee, Penna., where he practiced for six years. After completing a post-graduate course in Philadelphia in 1902, he located in Butler. He has built up a large general practice, besides a line of special work, and is one of the leading physicians of the town.

DR. JOHN WESLEY FLICK MOORE was a native of Armstrong County. He gradu- teers, and at once assumed his duties, re- ated from the Jefferson Medical College in 1894 and located in Butler in the same

DR. WARREN E. HIGH was a native of Reading, Penna., and a graduate of the medical department of the Western Uni- versity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, in the class of 1894. He entered the United States Navy and saw service in the Span- ish-American war and in the Philippines. Ill health caused him to leave the navy and he registered in Butler as a practicing physician in 1906. His death occurred in Butler in May, 1907.

DR. NICHOLAS N. HOOVER, who is now a resident of Butler, was born in Armstrong County in 1836, and is the son of David and Mary (Myers) Hoover, who were both descendants of German families of the eastern part of the State. He was edu- cated at the old Freeport Academy and began the study of medicine with Dr. Thomas McGill of Freeport. He attended lectures at the Cleveland Medical College in 1860-1861, and the summer of 1861 found him enlisted in his country's defense and a private soldier of the Sixty-first Regi- ment of Ohio Volunteers. He served with much credit until the expiration of his time in July, 1864, having participated in vari- ous campaigns and battles through the states of Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia. During the battle of Wau Hatchie, Ga., fought at night between Gen- eral Hooker's troops and the rebel Gen- eral Bragg's, he was slightly wounded. With the close of his first term of military service, he again turned his attention to medical work and attended a course of lec- tures at Jefferson Medical College at Phil- adelphia, graduating from that institution in March, 1865. He was immediately com- missioned assistant surgeon of the Eighty- seventh Regiment Pennsylvania Volun- maining in the field until the close of the war. In the fall of 1865, he located at

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North Washington, where he practiced un- til 1888, when he removed to Butler. He continued in the active duties of his pro- fession until 1903, when ill health com- pelled him to retire.

DR. JAMES COOPER MCKEE, lieutenant- colonel and surgeon of the United States army, was born in Butler Borough May 18, 1830, and died at his residence in But- ler, December 11, 1897. He was the son of Hugh McKee, a pioneer manufacturer of Butler, and the grandson of Thomas McKee, a soldier of the Revolution, who settled in Butler Township in 1777. He was educated at the public schools and at the Butler Academy and in 1848 he at- tended Duquesne College at Pittsburg. He began the study of medicine under Dr. William Thompson, of Indianapolis, and attended lectures at the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, graduating from that institution in 1852. Dr. McKee began practice at Altoona, where he con- tinued until 1856 and for the next year he practiced in Hollidaysburg. He was commissioned assistant surgeon in the United States army in 1858, and his first duty was in charge of a body of recruits across the plains from Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, to Ft. Union, New Mexico, a march of 800 miles. He participated in the cam- paign against the Navajo Indians in New Mexico in 1858 and 1859, and in the cam- paign against the Apache Indians in Ari- zona in the winter of 1859 and 1860. In September, 1860, he was ordered into the Navajo Indian country under Gen. Canby, a winter campaign ensued, and the party did not get back to Fort Filmore until the following June. The Rebellion having broken out, Dr. McKee was taken prisoner by Major Baylor, who commanded the Texas militia, was paroled and returned to Fort Leavenworth, and thence to Jef- ferson Barracks, Missouri. He was soon afterward relieved from parole by ex- change and was assigned to duty in the army. He was ordered to Fort Wayne an ..

thence to Camp Butler, Illinois, where he had charge of the rebel prisoners of war. He was next ordered to Chester, Penna., where he organized a hospital; thence to join Gen. Pope's army at Second Bull Run, where he served as assistant medical di- rector of the army. At the battle of Antie- tam he was made assistant medical pur- veyor and was stationed at Frederick City, Maryland, after the battle. He was next sent to Baltimore and to Pittsburg, where he established hospitals, and in 1863 he was promoted to the rank of captain and placed in charge of Lincoln United States Hospital, Washington, where he remained until the close of the war.

Dr. McKee was next ordered to New Mexico, where he served as chief medical officer. Subsequently he was medical di- rector of the department of Arizona and of the department of the Columbia, with headquarters at Vancouver Barracks, Washington. He was also stationed at Fort Wadsworth, New York Harbor, and at Watertown Arsenal. He was finally re- tired in 1891 for disabilities received in the line of duty, with the rank of lieutenant colonel. Colonel McKee was a man of dig- nified characer, fine literary tastes, and a skillful surgeon. While on the frontier he performed the first operation on the peritoneum recorded by the medical de- partment of the army. The case was that of a young soldier who had swallowed a shingle nail and the piece of iron had lodged in the groin. Colonel McKee was the author of a pamphlet giving the details of the surrender of his command at Fort Fillmore, which ran through several edi- tions and was highly prized by military men. At the time of his death Colonel Mc- Kee had a valuable library, which he left to the high school of Butler:

HON. JOSEPH B. SHOWALTER was born in Fayette Township, Penna., February 11, 1851, and is the youngest in the family of Levi and Elizabeth Showalter. He ob- tained his education in the public schoo!

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

and at Georges Creek Academy at Smith- field. When sixteen years of age he began teaching school in Preston County, W. Va., and followed this vocation for several years in West Virginia, Indiana and Illi- nois. He came to Millerstown, now Chi- cora, with his brothers in 1873, and began operating in the oil field. These opera- tions were extended through various fields until the Showalter brothers were rated among the extensive producers of the state. While teaching he began reading medicine and spent the year of 1883 at Long Island College Hospital, Brooklyn, N. Y. Later he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Baltimore, Md., where he was graduated March 4, 1884. He at once com- menced practice at Chicora and continued his professional duties until 1890, when he retired. Dr. Showalter was elected to the legislature on the Republican ticket in 1886, and to the State Senate in 1888, and served his constituents with ability and fidelity. While he was in the Senate, he was chosen chairman of the committee on health and sanitation, and introduced and secured the passage of the Medical Exam- ination Bill, for which he received a vote of thanks from the Pennsylvania State Medical Society.

By the death of Congressman J. J. Dav- idson of Beaver County, January 2, 1897, a vacancy occurred in the Twenty-fifth District, and at a special election held April 20, 1897, Dr. Showalter was elected to fill the unexpired term. He was re- elected for the full term in 1898 and again in 1900. The reapportionment of the con- gressional districts in 1901 placed Butler in the district with Westmoreland County and at the succeeding election Col. George F. Huff was elected to succeed Dr. Sho- walter. Upon his retirement from his pub- lic duties in Washington City in 1904, Dr. Showalter removed to Butler, where he re- sided until 1907, when he removed to Pitts- burg.

DR. THOMAS M. MAXWELL is a son of Dr.

J. K. Maxwell of Worthington, Armstrong County, and was born April 19, 1878. He graduated from Grove City College and from West Penn Medical College in 1903 and located in Butler the same year. He is a member of the Butler County Medi- cal Association and the present secretary of the society. He is also a member of the State Medical Society, secretary of the Board of Health of Butler Borough, and local registrar of vital statistics for the district composed of Butler, Center, Sum- mit, Clearfield and Penn Townships and Butler Borough. He is assistant examiner of the State Tuberculosis Dispensary No. 15, located in Butler. Dr. Maxwell was married June 2, 1904, to Miss Mary B. Claypool, daughter of James E. Claypool of Worthington. They have one daughter, Elizabeth. The family are members of the Second Presbyterian Church.

DR. HARVEY D. HOCKENBERRY was born in Centerville, Butler County, October 17, 1850. He received his primary educa- tion in the public schools and took an aca- demic course at the West Sunbury Acad- emy, after which he attended lectures at the medical department of the Wooster University, Cleveland, Ohio, and after- wards took a post-graduate course at Jef- ferson Medical College, Philadelphia. He located in West Sunbury in 1879 and has continued in the active duties of his pro- fession. Dr. Hockenberry is a member of the State Medical Society, and of Butler County Medical Society, of which he was president in 1893 and in 1899. He is medi- cal examiner of the State Tuberculosis Dis- pensary No. 15, and county inspector for the State Board of Health. Since locating in West Sunbury he has built up an ex- tensive practice, and is one of the well- known physicians of the county.

DR. GEORGE H. SCOTT was born in Butler, April 3, 1879, and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Presley Scott, of this city. He received his education in the high schools of Butler, and at Lafayette Col-

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lege, Easton, Penna., and was graduated from the medical department of the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia in June, 1902. He was commissioned first lieutenant and surgeon of the medical corp of the United States army, September, 27, 1902, and promoted captain, September 27, 1907. He saw three years' service in the Philippines and is at present located at Port Logan, Colo. He is a successful phy- sician and surgeon and has a bright out- look for the future.

DR. GEORGE D. THOMAS began practicing medicine in Chicora in 1890 and continued until 1908 when he removed to Meadville, Penna.

DR. HARRY M. DAVIS is a son of I. H. Davis and was born in Franklin, Penna. He graduated from West Penn Medical College in Pittsburg in 1897 and took a post-graduate course in the New York Post-graduate College in 1905. He prac- ticed in New Lebanon, Mercer County, for seven years, and at Cochranton, Crawford County, for two years coming to Butler in July, 1908. He succeeded to the practice of the late Dr. McCurdy Bricker.

DR. JAMES C. BOYLE was born at New Hope, or Bovard's Mills, Butler County, November 14, 1864, and is the son of Thomas and Jane (Stoughton) Boyle. His boyhood days were spent in Worth Town- ship, where he attended the public schools of the district, and subsequently he at- tended Edinboro State Normal School, graduating from the latter institution. He taught in the public and graded schools of the state for eight years and at the same time pursued a course of studies in medi- cine, graduating from the West Penn Med- ical College at Pittsburg in 1892. He first practiced with Dr. Beatty at Leeper, Clar- ion County, and for a short time at Marion- ville, Jefferson County, and then estab- lished himself at Taylorstown, Washing- ton County, Pennsylvania, where he re- mained for four years. Dr. Boyle located in Butler in 1896 and at once built up a

large private practice. In 1902 and 1903 he took a special course in the Philadelphia Polyclinic and College for graduates in medicine, and in 1905 he attended the Royal London Ophthalmic and Westminster Oph- thalmic Hospitals, and the Central Lon- don Ear and Throat Hospital, of London, England, where he made a special study of the eye, ear, nose and throat. Upon his return to Butler he gave his entire time to special work, and in 1908 established an eye and ear hospital in Butler, which is the first institution of the kind in Butler County. The hospital is thoroughly equipped and has a capacity of ten to fif- teen beds. Dr. Boyle was married in 1894 to Miss Kathleen McNair of Butler and they have one son, James C., Jr. The fam- ily are members of the Episcopal Church. Dr. Boyle is a member of the Masonic or- der, the Maccabees, the Protected Home Circle and the Home Guards of America. Politically he is an independent Repub- lican.

DR. R. L. MCCURDY, who recently died in Freeport, was a well-known physician in Butler in the sixties. His son, Dr. Redick Coulter McCurdy, practiced in Butler in 1885.

COUNTY PHYSICIANS.

HARRISVILLE.

DR. JAMES OWENS. The first resident physician of Harrisville was Dr. James Owens. He came from New York State and after about ten years' practice went West about 1850. Dr. James McConnell practiced in Harrisville in the early fifties. He sold his practice to Dr. Ellrick and went to California, where he died.

DR. JACKSON MCMILLAN, who was re- garded as a very competent physician, practiced in Harrisville from about 1845 to 1860 when he went to Kansas, where he died.

DR. J. H. ELRICK located in Harrisville in 1856 and practiced until the latter part

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of the eighties, when he retired to private life. He is still living in Harrisville, and is probably one of the oldest physicians in the county.

The physicians practicing in Harrisville in 1908 were Dr. Walker W. McConnell and Dr. Wilbert B. Campbell.

BREAK NECK, OR EVANS CITY.

The first physician at Break Neck, now Evans City, was Dr. Sample, who located there in 1844, but left in 1845. He was suc- ceeded by Dr. William Sterrett, who prac- ticed from 1848 until 1855, when he moved to Allegheny County, where he died a year later.

DR. WILLIAM IRVINE. The successor of Dr. Sterrett of Evans City was Dr. Will- iam Irvine, a graduate of the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, in the class of 1855. He was the son of Samuel Irvine, an early settler of Adams Town- ship, and was born in 1828. From 1855 to 1868 he was the only practicing physician in the village. He was examining surgeon in 1862 and in 1876 was a member of the State Legislature.

The contemporaries of Dr. Irvine at Evans City were Dr. Theodore Kirsting, who located there in 1867, Dr. Joshua M. List in 1875 and Dr. Floyd B. Brooks in 1877.

The resident physicians in 1908 were: Dr. V. F. Thomas, Dr. Leo A. Dombart and Dr. Harry M. Wilson.

WEST LIBERTY.

DR. ALBERT A. KELLY was the first set- tled physician at West Liberty. He was a graduate of the Cleveland Medical School in 1873 and came to Butler County in 1876.

DR. EDWIN C. THOMPSON located in West Liberty in 1891.

The first physician at Mechanicsburg was Dr. George Kirkpatrick, who also kept a general store at that place for six years. He died at North Liberty in 1841, and was

succeeded by one Dr. Steen, who was a "water doctor."

DR. ABERNATHY was one of the physi- cians in Mechanicsburg community in 1872. He was a graduate of the Jefferson Medi - cal College, and also of the School of Med- . icine in New York City.

CHICORA.

Among the early physicians of Chicora were Dr. Marks, who remained but a short time; Dr. MeLaughlin, who lived in the borough about two years; and Dr. Get- tes, who remained about an equal length of time.

DR. JOSIAH McMICHAEL, a native of Meadville, began the practice of medicine in Venango County when twenty-six years of age. He located at Chicora in 1858 and was prominent in professional and local affairs until his death January 12th, 1880.

DR. R. L. PATTERSON located at Chicora about 1872. He was a native of Mercer County and was born in 1852. He gradu- ated from Allegheny College at Meadville and from the Cleveland Medical College in 1872. After his graduation he engaged in the hospital practice in Cleveland for six months and then attended a course of lec- tures in the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He began to practice at Greece City, then a flourishing oil town. and following up the oil excitement, changed his residence to the now defunct village of St. Joe, where he practiced but a short time until he again changed to Chi- cora. Dr. Patterson was numbered among the successful physicians in the county, and the reputation was worthily bestowed. .

PETROLIA.

During a period of ten years, from 1872 to 1882, the town of Petrolia had as many as fifteen physicians. The first was Dr. Lyman Willard, who located in the town in 1872 and removed to New York State in 1878.

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DR. F. C. CLUXTON, a man of education and an accomplished gentleman, succeeded Dr. Willard, and removed to Bradford, fol- lowing the oil excitement in 1880.

DR. J. H. SUTHERLAND, originally of Can- ada, practiced in the town from 1874 to 1881. He went to Richsburg, N. Y.

DR. E. P. SQUIRE was a partner of Dr. Sutherland from 1876 to 1880 and in the latter year removed to New York State.

DR. STEWART, now of Bradford, came to Petrolia during the first oil excitement and remained until 1878.

DR. G. RENO, DR. JOHN MECHLING and DR. DEITRICK were among those who prac- ticed from one to three years between 1872 and 1880.

DR. W. C. FOSTER located in Petrolia in 1876. He was a graduate of the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1874, and practiced two years in New Bethlehem, Clarion County, before coming to Butler County.

DR. C. C. RUMBERGER, who practiced for ten years in the community, was the son of Col. W. F. Rumberger, and was born in Slippery Rock Township, Butler County, in 1851. He graduated from the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania · at Philadelphia in 1872, and first practiced at Buena Vista, where he remained until 1881, when he re- moved to Petrolia. Subsequently he gave up the practice of medicine and entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

KARNS CITY.

The members of the medical fraternity who practiced at Karns City in the days of the oil excitement were Dr. S. H. Petti- grew, who located there in 1872 and re- moved to DuBois, Penna., in 1881; Dr. Blinckard practiced about one year, com- mencing about 1874, and Dr. William F. F. Mahueke for two years, commencing in 1878.

DR. DAVID HARPER, a graduate of the University of Michigan, located in Karns

City in 1873 and practiced for about ten years.

BRUIN AND FAIRVIEW.

The early physicians of Bruin were Dr. Samuel Wallace and Dr. Goe, both of whom were residents of Armstrong Coun- ty. The first resident physician was Dr. David Fowler, who moved to that place from Fairview about 1845. Dr. Fowler also practiced in North Washington and Harrisville.

DR. B. E. DENNISON located in Bruin in 1872. He was educated at Hiram College, Ohio, under President Garfield, and sub- sequently graduated from Harvard Uni- versity. He graduated from the Louisville Medical College in 1860 and at the break- ing out of the rebellion was practicing in Missouri. He entered the Union Army as a surgeon and in 1864 and 65 was one of the staff of the assistant surgeon general at Louisville, Ky.

Among those who have practiced in Bruin for from one to three years each since 1872 have been Dr. S. H. Pettigrew, Dr. J. W. Kelley, Dr. A. Bryan, Dr. C. M. C. Campbell, Dr. S. H. Kerr, Dr. Thomas, and a Dr. Adair.

DR. H. C. BURCHARD, who was a graduate of the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York City, practiced in Fairview in 1873.

DR. J. W. BEATTY, who settled in Fair- view in 1855 or 1856, practiced in that field until his death in 1881.

HENRY BULLARD, who died in Fairview in 1850, was a contemporary of Dr. Beatty and Dr. Fowler and of Dr. A. Barnhart, who began to practice in that community in 1840.

FARMINGTON.

The physicians located at Farmington in the last quarter of the century were Dr. T. B. Rhodes, from Ohio, who began prac- ticing in 1875, and Dr. Albert Richey, who began in 1881.

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DR. R. J. McMICHAEL, who is one of the present physicians, is a native of Clay Township, Butler County, and began to practice at Sunbury in 1879. He located in Farmington in 1881.

HARMONY AND ZELIENOPLE.

The first physician to practice at Har- mony and Zelienople after the departure of the Rapp community was Dr. Agnew. He was succeeded by Dr. J. McHenry, who practiced from 1815 to 1823. Dr. McHenry was a man of literary tastes and the au- thor of several books, mostly novels and poetry. He was the father of the McHenry who was a well-known railway magnate in the eighties. He removed to Philadelphia in 1823 and died in that city.

DR. ORIN D. PALMER practiced in Zelie- nople from 1836 to 1860. He was a worthy representative of the medical profession and was esteemed both in his professional capacity and as a citizen.

DR. LORING LUSK, who practiced in Har- mony and Zelienople at various times from 1823 to 1878, was born in Ontario County, New York, in 1799. He studied medicine in Mercer, Pennsylvania, with his brother- in-law, Dr. Cossett, and married Miss Smith, daughter of Joseph Smith of Mer- cer. He practiced in Harmony from 1823 to 1829 and then went to Beaver County, where he remained for a few years. He next became an extensive contractor on the State works on the Ohio River to Lake Erie, and was thus engaged until 1844, when he returned to Harmony and re- sumed practice. In 1854 he went to Can- ton, Missouri, and was practicing in that place when the Civil War broke out in 1861. He was elected surgeon of the Twen- ty-first Regiment of Missouri Volunteers, and after serving one year, he returned to Zelienople and engaged in the drug busi- ness. His death occurred in 1878.

DR. JOSEPH S. LusK was born in Har- mony in 1826 and was the son of Dr. Lor- ing Lusk above mentioned. He received

his education at the Mercer Academy, and graduated from the Western Reserve Med- ical College, Cleveland, Ohio, in 1850. The same year he began to practice at Har- mony and continued until 1887, when he removed to Butler, and practiced until his death, February 3, 1889. Dr. Lusk was es- pecially a physician, a medical adviser of high order, and commanded the respect and admiration of his fellows of the pro- fession. He was elected a member of the Legislature on the Republican ticket in 1870 and served in the session of 1871-74- 76.

DR. AMOS LUSK began practice in his na- tive town in 1849. He was the son of Dr. Loring Lusk and a brother of Dr. Joseph L. Lusk, before mentioned. He located at Zelienople in 1851 and in 1853 was ap- pointed in charge of the United States Ma- rine Hospital in Pittsburg. He moved to Missouri in 1857 and returned to Zelie- nople in 1861, where he practiced until his death, November 17, 1891. Dr. Lusk at- tained eminence in the profession for his learning and successful management of disease. He studied many languages and was a lover of books. It has been said that he had mastered thirty-five languages.

The code of ethics prohibiting a physi- cian from advertising was not in force in 1828. If it existed at all it was not ob- served by Dr. Beriah Magoffin, who set- tled at Harmony in that year. In the "Re- pository" of 1829, Dr. Magoffin publishes a card in which he offers his services in the various branches of his profession, set- ting forth that he had studied both at Europe and Transylvania, Kentucky. His office was at the house of John Flemming, Esq., of Harmony. Dr. Magoffin afterward removed to Mercer where he built up a large practice.

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Century history of Butler and Butler County, Pa., and representative citizens 20th, Part 45

Author: McKee, James A., 1865- ed. and comp Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1526

Author: McKee, James A., 1865- ed. and comp
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1526