USA > Wisconsin > Eau Claire County > History of Eau Claire county, Wisconsin, past and present; including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county > Part 31
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Henry G. Morgan, M. D., came to Wisconsin in 1869 and located at Alma, where he practiced two years. IIe came to Eau Claire in 1871 and began his practice. He was born in Breeks- ville, Ohio, and got his medical education at the Chicago Medical College, graduating in the spring of 1868.
Dr. James H. Noble was born in Madison, March 30, 1851. He was educated at the University of Wisconsin and studied medicine with Dr. Bowen, of Madison. He graduated from the Hahne- mann Medical College, of Chicago, in February, 1871, and came to Eau Claire, March 30, of that year.
Dr. Edward H. Parker, who came to Eau Claire July 12, 1879, was born at Hartford, Washington county, in November, 1854, and moved to Fond du Lac when thirteen years old. Graduated from Fond du Lac high school in 1876, read medicine with Drs. Patchen and Bishop, of that place, graduated at Hahnemann Col- lege, Chicago, came to Eau Claire in 1879, and engaged in prac- tice with Dr. Dwight W. Day, remaining with him until 1881. He died in 1913.
George F. Hamilton, M. D., was born in Chemung county, New York, April 28, 1839. Came to Wisconsin in the fall of 1852, resided at Fond du Lac one year, moved to Oakfield, Dodge county, in 1853, remaining there until 1856, and then for a time lived in Hillsboro, Vernon county. In 1862 went to Sheldon, Monroe county, remaining there until 1866, then returned to Vernon county, residing at Bloomingdale one year and two years in Springville, then for one year resided at Sparta. In 1870 he went to Augusta. He received his medical education at the Ben- nett Eclectic Medical College, Chicago, and commenced practice in 1866. After coming to Augusta he ran a drug store in connec- tion with his practice. He was the first village president of Augusta who was elected on the no-license ticket. He enlisted in Company I, Thirty-seventh Wisconsin Volunteers, was discharged March 18, 1865, on account of wounds received before Peters- burg, Va.
Dr. W. W. Allen came to Eau Claire in the spring of 1857, and with George W. Sanford opened the first shanty store in the village located on the banks of the Chippewa. Dr. Allen left Eau Claire with Captain Wheeler's company in the fall of 1863, and on the reorganization of the Second Wisconsin Regi- ment was appointed assistant surgeon. He continued with the regiment until mustered out at the close of the war and then settled at Mason City, Iowa, where he died and was buried on June 20, 1878.
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Dr. Dwight W. Day came to Eau Claire from Elkader, Clinton county, Iowa, in October, 1868, and engaged in the practice of his profession. He was born in the town of Eagle, Wyoming county, New York, May 14, 1841, and graduated from the Buffalo Medical College February 22, 1861. He was resident physician in the Buffalo General Hospital and Lying In Hospital, and was surgeon of the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth New York Volun- teer Infantry. He went out as first assistant surgeon, was pro- moted to surgeon of the regiment and to acting brigade surgeon. He served three years in the medical department, and then returned to Arcade, New York, where he practiced until 1866, when he moved to Iowa. His father was a prominent doctor in Eagle, New York. Dr. Day was a brother of the late Henry Day and a cousin of Dr. R. R. Chase. He died in 1901 while reading a paper before the Medical Society in Eau Claire, which sudden demise was characteristic of the Day family. Dr. Day was a good doctor and had many warm friends.
Dr. Henry Day was born in Eagle, Wyoming county, New York, September 1, 1840. He was educated in the Buffalo Med- ical College, graduating in 1860. He commenced practice at Arcade, remaining there until he came to Wisconsin. He was in the state in practice with his brother in 1876, and came to Eau Claire in 1881. Dr. Day was assistant surgeon of the Seventy- eighth New York Volunteer Infantry, and acting surgeon of that regiment for six months during the war. While his practice here never assumed the proportions that his brother's did, he had a good general practice and was well liked. He was twice mar- ried. His first wife still lives in her old New York home, while his second wife is matron of the Sparta Home for Dependent Children.
Dr. Clinton Straw Chase was born May 25, 1831, and came from Springfield, Vermont, to Eau Claire. He fitted for college at Springfield, Vermont, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1852, studied medicine at Castleton and in New York City, and received his degree of M. D. in 1855. Practiced two years at Springfield and was in the drug business there and at Detroit, Michigan. He came to Eau Claire in 1859 and went into the drug business with Dr. Skinner, theirs being the first drug store in the Chippewa Valley. He died at Detroit about 1899. October 29, 1869, he married Harriet Eliza Sherwin, of Weathersfield, Ver- mont, and had three children : Anna, Alfred and Alice.
Dr. Ketchum was another one of the early doctors who prac- tieed but a short time here, when he moved to the far west. He
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practiced here during the reign of Dr. Chase and Dr. Skinner, and these three physicians were styled in a sort of floating joke as "Chase 'em, Ketch 'em and Skin 'em."
Dr. W. W. Day was born in the state of New York, came to Eau Claire county in 1858 and settled on a farm between Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls, where he farmed and practiced medicine. Ile later came to Eau Claire and practiced his profession until he moved to Walla Walla, Washington, in about 1879, where he died.
William Young, farmer and physician, came to Wisconsin in 1839. Located in Waukesha county, farming some two years; then in Jefferson county for fifteen years, farming and practicing medicine. Came to Eau Claire county in 1856, engaged in farm- ing and practicing medicine for many years. Was supervisor of Otter Creek township for several years. He was born in Scot- land in 1816 and came to America in 1828.
Peter McKittrick, M. D., was born near Lanart, Ontario, January 7, 1866, coming to this country when a young man of tender years to carve out a future for himself. By application and thrift the subject of this sketch procured an education and took up the profession of teaching. Later he attended the Rush Medical College, from which he graduated in February, 1889. Immediately after he began the practice of his profession at Thorp, Wis., and with the exception of one year he practiced there continuously till February, 1908. During the one year intervening the doctor practiced at Portland, Oregon.
Seeking a larger field, Dr. McKittrick came to Eau Claire from Thorp and had since continuously resided and practiced here. He was alone in the practice here until February 1, 1910, when he formed a partnership with Dr. E. L. Mason.
The doctor had been ailing for several months, and after this prolonged illness he died December 17, 1913. All recognized in Dr. MeKittrick a man of strong character and kindly disposition -- the kind that makes the world better and brighter for their having lived. It can be truthfully said that Dr. McKittrick's existence was void of enmity. His traits of character were such as to endear him and draw him closer in the bonds of friendship to those who formed acquaintance and association with him. Thus it is but natural, even in anticipation of the inevitable, that the summons would bring tears, grief and sorrow to family, friends and acquaintances.
Joseph J. Selbach, M. D. Among the able physicians of Eau Claire county whose life was devoted to the benevolent work of
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alleviating the sufferings of humanity none stood more prominent than Dr. Selbach. A native of Germany, he was born August 2, 1864, and came to America in 1883. His primary education was received in the common schools of Germany, which was supple- mented by a thorough course at the University of Ann Arbor, from which he graduated with honor. His medical education was received at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Chicago, from which institution he was graduated in 1887. Upon the arrival of Dr. Selbach in this country he came to Wisconsin, locating at Green Bay and there made his home until 1888, when he moved to Eau Claire and commenced the practice of medi- cine in this city. A man of culture and attainments, he possessed excellent personal qualities, which won for him the esteem of all with whom he came in contact. As a member of the Inter- County Medical Society he was often called upon for papers on topics of interest to his profession, and his opinions were much valued by his associates. Ile was popular in the social circles of Eau Claire, and one of his chief diversions was fine music, both vocal and instrumental.
Dr. Selbach was a leading member of the German Catholic church, a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters, also the Catholic Knights of Wisconsin and of the Equitable Fraternal Union. He married Mary M. Hedergott at Green Bay, Wis., and eight children were born to them: Joseph W., William J., August H. was drowned at the age of eight years, Hubert H., Cecelia M., Amelia M., Lucile I. and Marie A. The two elder sons, Joseph W. and William J., are bright and promising young men, holding positions in the Union National Bank, of Eau Claire. Hubert HI. is employed at the International Harvester Company office in Eau Claire as bookkeeper.
F. R. Skinner, M. D., was born in Utica, New York, April 21, 1831. He began his education in the old Utica Academy, was at Clinton Liberal Institute one year, Utica Academy five or six years and at Springfield Wesleyan Academy preparing for college. He entered Dartmouth College in the fall of 1849 and graduated in 1852. He then went to Castleton, Vermont, to study medicine, and graduated in 1854. He attended a course of medical lec- tures in New York City, and after reading awhile with Professor Goldsmith and also Dr. Bodd, of Utica, he took a general tour of the West and Southwest. He located at Stevens Point in the fall of 1855, was taken sick in the spring of 1856 and returned to New York. He came to Eau Claire in 1857, spending a few months in Stillwater, Minnesota, learning the banking business.
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In the interim he built and started a drug store in Eau Claire, which he ran till the spring of 1869, when he sold out to Farr, French & Co. He died March 1, 1904.
Dr. Arthur Thrane, M. D., came to Eau Claire in November, 1875, and has since been engaged in the practice of medicine here. He was born in Norway, January 26, 1844, and came to America in April, 1865. Remaining in New York one year he came to Chicago and commeneed the study of medicine with Dr. Paoli, and graduated from Rush Medical College in 1868, beginning his practice in Chicago.
Christian H. U. Midelfart, M. D., a prominent and successful physician of Eau Claire, was born in Christiania, Norway, August 5, 1865, the son of Peter A. and Nicolena (Solberg) Midelfart. He was reared to manhood in his native country, received his classical education in private schools and his medical education was obtained in the University of Norway at Christiania, where he was graduated in 1892. In 1893 he came to the United States and located in Eau Claire, where he has since succeeded in build- ing up a large and lucrative practice, second to none in this sec- tion of the state, and is widely known as one of the leading mem- bers of his profession. He was the first member of his family to emigrate to the United States. He was married in 1898 to Mar- garet, daughter of Rev. Halvard and (Helberg) Hande, of Chicago, Illinois, who were formerly of Norway. Her father was a clergyman of the Lutheran church and after com- ing to the United States preached the gospel for several years, and later engaged in newspaper work for the Norden Newspaper, published in Chicago, and was considered one of the best Nor- wegian penmen in the United States. Dr. Midelfart and wife are the parents of eight children : Anna L., Margaret E., Dangny N., Peter A., Christian F., Ingeborg, Elise and Signe. The doctor is a member of the Eau Claire County Medical Society, of which he served one term as president, the Wisconsin State Medical Society, the American Medical Association and the Norwegian Physicians' Society. He was one of the directors of the Luther Hospital, and is at the head of the medical and surgical staff of that institution. He occupies a prominent place in social circles of the city and in politics is affiliated with the democratic party.
Roy E. Mitchell, M. D., of Eau Claire, has attained the front rank among the members of his profession in the city. He was born at Porter's Mills, this county, March 17, 1876, a son of Squire F. and Laura (MeIntosh) Mitchell, natives of the state of New York and Maine respectively. His paternal grandfather,
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Samuel Mitchell, whose wife was Adaline Lombard, settled in the town of Brunswick, Eau Claire county, in 1871. He was a lumberman and farmer, cleared and improved a farm in that town and died there. Ilis maternal grandfather, Benjamin G. MeIn- tosh, a native of Maine, with his wife, Lydia, were also pioneers of the town of Brunswick, where they settled in 1864, cleared a part of a farm of 200 acres and resided in the town until his death in May, 1913, aged eighty-nine years. He was a prominent man of affairs and served as a member of the county board several terms. Squire F. Mitchell, father of our subject, was born in Allegany county, New York, November 4, 1851, and attended the common schools of his native state until fifteen years of age. He came to Eau Claire county in 1871 and entered the employ of the Daniel Shaw Lumber Company, which was the commence- ment of his career, details of which are more fully given in his sketch to be found elsewhere in this work.
Dr. Mitchell was reared in his native town, received his educa- tion in the schools of Eau Claire and graduated from the medical department of the University of Minnesota in the class of 1901. He served as interne and chief of staff of the Metropolitan (B. I.) Hospital, New York City, for one and a half years, and in the New York state service at Middletown, New York, nine years. In August, 1911, he located at Eau Claire and has since built up a lucrative practice. He was married September 1, 1908, to Emily, daughter of John Dean and Lucy (Talcott) Judson, of Vernon, New York, and has two children: Marjorie D. and Mancel T.
Dr. Mitchell is a member of the Eau Claire Medical Society, the Wisconsin State Medical Society, the American Medical Asso- ciation and the American Medico-Psycological Association. He is also a member of Eau Claire Lodge No. 112, A. F. and A. M .; Eau Claire Chapter No. 36, R. A. M .; Eau Claire Commandery No. 8, K. T .; the Germania Lodge No. 49, K. of P., l'au Claire, and the Modern Woodmen of America No. 3159, town of Bruns- wick, Eau Claire county. Politically he is independent. In December, 1913, Dr. Mitchell was appointed visiting physician to the new Mt. Washington Tuberculosis Sanitarium.
H'ram A. Fulton, M. D., is another one of the progressive and representative medical men of Eau Claire and the son of Marcus and Adelia (Ansley) Fulton, natives of New York state. Com- ing from Geneva, New York, to Hudson, Wisconsin, in the early sixties, the father embarked in the real estate business and was
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one of the prominent and influential business men of that place, where he resided until his death at the age of fifty-eight years.
Dr. Fulton was born November 23, 1877, at Hudson, Wiscon- sin. Ile was educated in the public schools of that place and the MeAlister College at St. Paul, Minnesota, and received his med- ieal education at the Marquette College, in Milwaukee. Enter- ing the medical department of last named institution in 1897 he was graduated in 1901 and in June of the same year located at Eau Claire, where he has sinee succeeded in building up a large and growing practice. On November 5, 1902, he was united in marriage with Miss Jeannette Putnam, daughter of Samuel and Caroline (Baleom) Putnam, of Eau Claire. To this union has been born one daughter-Frances C.
Dr. Fulton is a member of the Eau Claire County Medical Society and the Wisconsin State Medical Society. He is a Royal Arch Mason, stands high with the medical profession of the eity and is much esteemed for his social qualities.
John B. Mathiesen, M. D., ranks among the prosperous young professional men of Eau Claire. Ile was born in Drammen, Nor- way, November 13, 1872, the son of Thomas and Marie (Berger) Mathiesen.
The subject of this sketch was raised in his native town, received his education in private schools and the gymnasium. Having determined to fit himself for the practice of medicine, he, in 1890, entered the medical department of the University of Norway at Christiania, and was graduated from there with the class of 1898. He began his praetice in Norway the same year and remained thus engaged nntil 1900, when he came to the United States and located in Eau Claire, where with the excep- tion of three years spent abroad and two years spent in practice at Whitehall he has been associated with Dr. Christian Midelfart. He is a member of the Eau Claire County Medical Society, the Wisconsin State Medical Society and the American Medical Association.
On June 24, 1903, Dr. Mathiesen married Miss Augusta, daugh- ter of Einar Selmer, for many years a prominent druggist of Eau Claire. They are the parents of three children-Anna, Erling and Birgit Mathiesen.
Albert F. Hahn, M. D., physician and surgeon, of Eau Claire, Wiseonsin, was born on a farm in Butler county, Iowa, April 17, 1868, a son of August H. and Thusnelda (Kaltwasser) Hahn, both of whom were natives of Germany. His father came to the United
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States in 1849 and for eighteen years was variously employed in the states of Pennsylvania, Illinois and Colorado. He went to Iowa in 1866 and settled on a farm in Butler county, where he was successfully engaged in general farming until 1889, when he retired. After a long and busy life he died at Shellrock, Iowa, in November, 1902, aged seventy-one years. The death of his wife, mother of the doctor, occurred in 1889, at the age of forty- three years.
Raised on the homstead farm in his native state, Dr. Hahn acquired his primary education in the district schools, which was supplemented by courses of study at Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa, and the Iowa State Normal School at Cedar Falls. During the years of 1888, '89 and '90 he taught school, and in the fall of the last named year matriculated with the Rush Medical Col- lege in Chicago, where he spent two years and was graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Chicago in 1893, and was a post-graduate from the Chicago Clinical School in 1896. Ile began the practice of his profession at Michicot, Mani- towoc county, Wisconsin, in 1893. In 1898 he located in the city of Eau Claire, where he has since conducted a successful and con- stantly growing practice.
Dr. Hahn was married June 1, 1898, to Anna Gutwasser, daughter of Fred and Bertha (Hafermeister) Gutwasser, promi- nent residents of Dorchester, Wisconsin. Dr. and Mrs. IIahn have an interesting family of three children-Thusnelda, Cecil F. and Waldemar. The doctor is a member of the American Medical Association, the Wisconsin Medical Society and is prominently identified with the Knights of Pythias, the Maccabees and Mystic Workers. Mrs. Hahn is a descendant in the fourth generation on the paternal side from that sturdy Milwaukee pioneer, Gutwasser.
Dolenna Carlos Leavens, M. D., Fairchild, Wisconsin, is one of the prominent physicians of Eau Claire county. He was born on a farm in Lee Center township, Lee county, Illinois, April 26, 1850, the son of Daniel T. and Angeline (DeWolf) Leavens, natives of New York and Pennsylvania respectively. They were among the pioneers of Lee county, taking up land in Brooklyn township, that county, in an early day, which they improved. In later life the father retired from active labor, moving to Lee Center and resided there until his decease at the age of eighty-one years, and where also the mother died at the age of eighty-nine years. Of a family of twelve children born to them, ten grew to maturity : Dolenna C .; Euretta married D. M. Sawyer; Estella married Cyrus Clark ; Freeman B. ; Ernest ; Elviek and Josephine,
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who married 1. N. Wood. Those deceased are Alfred, Eugene and Charles.
Dr. Leavens was reared on the homestead farm in Lee county, Illinois, receiving his early education in the common schools. He began the study of medicine in 1875 with Dr. J. H. Broffet, of Paw Paw, Illinois. He entered Rush Medical College, Chicago, in 1880 and graduated with the class of 1883. The same year he began practice at Lee Center, Illinois, remaining there for sixteen years, whence he moved to Amboy, Illinois, and practiced there six years. In 1902 on account of ill health he came to Wisconsin and purchased eighty acres of land in the town of Fairchild, Eau Claire county, and was there engaged in farming two years. He later took the examination before the Wisconsin State Board of Medical Examiners and has since been in the active and success- ful practice of his profession in the village of Fairchild.
Dr. Leavens has been twice married. His first wife was HIelen, daughter of Jacob N. and Lydia (Robinson) Hill, of Lee county, Illinois, by whom he had three children, viz .: Mae, wite of Thomas Courtright ; Daniel Earl and Carl H. Mrs. Leavens died in 1895, and the doctor married the second time Ella F. Taylor, daughter of Ephriam and Ellen (Claflin) Taylor, of Lee Center, Ill., and by her has one son-Wray T.
Fraternally Dr. Leavens is a member of Lee Center Lodge No. 146, A. F. and A. M., of which he was Master one term. He is an honorary member of the Lee County Medical Society and politically is a republican.
David W. Ashum, M. D. Standing prominent among the medical profession of Eau Claire county is Dr. David W. Ashum, who was born in Findley, Ohio, January 18, 1854. His parents were John and Fannie (French) Ashum, natives of Virginia and descended from German and English ancestry. The father was a farmer by occupation, and both parents were of fine sensibil- ities, high minded, enltured tastes, of refined manner and charm- ing personality, and were highly esteemed for their sterling qual- ities of mind and heart, and many blessings followed them for their acts of charity to those in need. They both died when Dr. Ashum was a small boy.
The early education of Dr. Ashum was principally received in Michigan. He became interested in the study of medicine and applied himself arduously to it under the preceptorship of Dr. John A. Waterhouse, an eminent physician of Bay City, Mich- igan. He entered the Eclectic Medical Institute at Cincinnati, Ohio, and graduated with the class of 1881. He commenced his
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practice at Bay City, Mich., and at the end of one year he removed to Stevens Point, Wisconsin, where he organized a lum- berman's hospital, under the name of the Michigan and Wiscon- sin Hospital Company. In the spring of 1883 he removed to Eau Claire and here started another lumberman's hospital, which he conducted for seven years. He was instrumental in effecting the organization of the American Hospital Aid Association, at Stev- ens Point, Wausau, Eau Claire and Ashland, Wisconsin, and Minneapolis and Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
As a practitioner Dr. Ashum has been successful. He has built up a large practice and mnade many warm friends among all classes of people. He keeps abreast of the times and is thor- oughly up-to-date in the practice of his profession. In the fall of 1889 he attended the new York Polyclinic, and he holds mem- bership in the National and State Eclectic Medical Societies. He is a member of the National Union, the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and the A. O. U. W.
Dr. Ashum was married at Alpena, Michigan, May 17, 1883, to Miss Carrie Harper, daughter of John and Abbie (Milliken) Harper, the former a native of New Brunswick, and the latter of Maine, both descended from Scotch ancestry.
Alexander Harper, father of John Harper, was born in Aber- deen, Scotland, and came to the western continent in 1818, first settling at Halifax. Benjamin Milliken, father of Abbie Harper, was a native of Maine, and served in the War of 1812. His father, Joel Milliken, was a soldier in the War of the Revolution, and was likely born in this country, being a son of one of three brothers who came from Scotland, and who at one time owned nearly all of the Saco Valley, having purchased it from the Indians. Dr. and Mrs. Ashum were the parents of two children : John Il. and Mande Harper Ashum. Mrs. Ashum died March 8, 1911.
Ralph Rollin Chase, M. D., of Eau Claire, has attained to a prominent place in the ranks of the medical profession of Ean Claire county. He was born in Lima, Livingston county, New York, July 4, 1860, a son of Levi C. and Lucy A. (Crouch) Chase, and comes of English ancestry. Their coat of arms was obtained through Queen Ann, who knighted John Chase, who accompanied her from France as her licentiate or court physician when she returned to England to become queen in 1702. His father, who was born April 11, 1809, died in 1903, and his mother, who was born December 7, 1817, died April 10, 1891.
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