Home > History

A large place in the life of the pioneers was that maintained by the early day physicians. No less heroic than the exploits of those whose praises are sang in song and story for valorous deeds were the every day undertaking of those pioneer doctors. When the country was new and there were no roads or bridges over the streams, long before the marked highway and the automobile were ever dreamed of, and when life contained constant menace from hardship and danger, these pioneer agents of health and foes of illness went their regular rounds, keeping the people well, closing the eyes of those who had reached the end of their journey and ushering new born children into the world and carrying the highest duties of their profession, in many cases unhonored and unsung, and the recital of their many sacrifices and their many acts of heroism, makes a stirring and compelling tale.

And no less heroic were the exploits of the wives of these early day medical men, for theirs was also a story of sacrifice and heroic courage as helpmeets to their husbands. There were so many of these early day practitioners as the years came and went that it is difficult to enumerate them all. Outstanding in point of long service was the late Dr. David Findley, father of Miss Mamie Findley, East Seventh street, who located in Cass county when it was in the making. Dr. Findley located at Lewis in the year 1862, moving there from Grove City where he came from Ohio shortly before. He come [sic came] just as an epidemic of scarlet fever was raging and he battled the epidemic with all the energy there was in him. That established him in the affections of the community and from that day on until his retirement forty-four years afterwards his popularity was continuous. Dr. Findley died in this city in 1910 in the eightieth year of his age. When he came to the county he made all his calls on horseback and frequently would be gone from home for a week. He had to find his way across the prairie from his knowledge of location and direction as there were no roads. He had to ford streams. He carried his supply of medicines in his saddlebags. Mrs. Findley, listening for his return, would put her ear to the ground to catch the first sound of his horse's hoofs. He braved the terrible winters of the period and endured all sorts of hardship and privations in the execution of the duties of his noble profession. His mainstay during those years was his wife who died in this city at the age of 82, some two years after her husband. A coincidence in the Findley family is the fact that not only are two sons of the late Dr. Findley practitioners of the medical profession, Dr. Thomas Palmer Findley of Omaha and Dr. Will Findley of Sac City, but the former has two sons following in his footsteps, Dr. Thomas Palmer Findley Jr. and Dr. David Pressley Findley.

As time went on the years brought more members of the medical profession to this county and they established themselves in the affections of the people. In the earliest days of the county, before the doctors came, the people were compelled to get along without medical assistance in cases of sickness or accident and there was a decided demand for physicians.

Jeremiah Bradshaw, a pioneer of Lewis, in the year 1868, went to Rockport, Mo., and secured Dr. Swisher, whom he brough to that town. Dr. Swisher brought his wife with him. He labored in the community for four years, but his wife dying in 1857, he shortly afterwards took his departure for Kansas. He was the pioneer physician of Lewis and the second in the county.

Dr. Henry S. Carey, father of the late John C. W. Carey, located at Lewis in 1855 and died there in 1867. It is an interesting thing to know th at the late C. B. Osborne, pioneer funeral director of the county, who died a few weeks ago, officated at the burial of both Dr. Carey and his son.

Dr. A. Teal located at Lewis in 1856. He was a practitioner of the homeopathic school.

Dr. John B. Carey, a brother of Dr. H. S. Carey, came to Lewis and engaged in the practice iwth his brother, dying in Lewis in 1863.

Dr. M. W. Whitted located at Lewis in 1860 and served during the civil war from 1862 to 1863, returning to Lewis and resuming his practice which he continued until he died in 1865.

Other doctors of Lewis who came later were Dr. M. J. Davis, Dr. S. E. H. Gannon, Dr. L. M. Andrews, Dr. J. G. Rishel and Dr. C. L. Campbell, now of Atlantic.

The first physician to locate in this city was Dr. Sanders, who came here in 1868 and practiced here until he died. Drs. J. H. Barnwell, G. S. Montgomery and Richards, came to Atlantic from Grove City in 1869. Dr. Montgomery, who was the grandfather of Dr. E. C. Montgomery, well known local parctitioner [sic practitioner], and the father of Dr. Ed Montgomery of Grant, in addition to his practice, for many years conducted a drug store here where the Gibson & Rabe establishment is now located. He died at Grant about seven years ago. Dr. R. D. Wilkin, native of Pennsylvania, located at Atlantic in 1875. He practiced medicine and for many years conducted a drug store where the Atlantic Home bakery is now located. His widow, Mrs. Virginia Wilkin, still lives here with her brother, Frank Watson. Dr. J. M. Emmert, native of Maryland, came to Atlantic on March 16, 1874, and spent his life in the practice of medicine here. He was the father of Dr. Max Emmert, now of Omaha, and of Joseph Emmert of the same city. He was also a brother of the late Dr. D. F. Emmert of Avoca. Mrs. J. M. Emmert, who was her husband's inspiration and helpmeet during those early years, now lives in Omaha and the widow of Dr. D. F. Emmert makes her home at Avoca. Dr. W. E. Egan was another of the early day physicians coming to Atlantic in 1877. He was a native of Pennsylvania and the father of the late Ed Egan, once editor of The Telegraph. Other doctors in Atlantic in the earlier days were Dr. J. W. Cannon, Dr. A. P. Macomber, Dr. F. Reber, Dr. B. A. Wilder, father of Dr. C. V. Wilder who is now engaged in practice3 here, Dr. W. J. Willim, Dr. W. F. Graham who came to Atlantic in 1880 and passed away in 1927, Dr. J. Nichols, Dr. M. T. Wagner and Dr. M. N. Graves.

Later years brought other physicians of whom Dr. F. W. Porterfield, now of Waterloo, was prominent, as were Dr. T. B. Morris who met an untimely death when his car was struck by a Rock Island train, Dr. Charles B. Burke, now deceased, and the late Dr. C. G. Thompson.

Of the members of the profession now practicing in Atlantic Dr. C. V. Wilder is the oldest in point of service. Dr. C. L. Campbell is next. Other practitioners here at the present time are Dr. R. L. Barnett, Drs. F. J. and R. A. Becker, Dr. W. S. Greenleaf, Dr. C. G. Clark, Dr. M. H. Lynch, Dr. H. A. Johnson, Dr. C. R. Jones, Dr. H. A. Alliband, Dr. Peterson, Dr. E. C. Montgomery, Dr. U. S. Mullins, Dr. Agnes Ross Wilder, and Dr. Harry Hall of the regular school and Dr. W. B. Melenbacker and Dr. H. M. Sash, osteopaths and Dr. W. Floyd Smith, chiropractor.

The first doctor at Griswold was Dr. J. L. Moore. He located there in 1879. Dr. J. W. Hempstead was another early day doctor at Griswold, settling near that town in Waveland township, Pottawattamie county, in 1874, and locating in practice at Griswold in 1884. Dr. A. C. Woodruff located at Griswold in 1881 and Dr. Francis A. Bryan located there in the same year. Dr. Josiah B. Martin also came to Griswold in 1881.

Dr. Mosher was the first physician to locate at Reno, in 1875. Dr. J. H. Hume located there in 1877. Dr. William Snelson came in 1883 and opened a drug store in connection with his practice.

Early day doctors at Anita were Drs. V. S. Rood, J. S. Sansome, E. E. Major, T. B. Beatty, and R. Davis. Dr. H. E. Campbell, now practicing at Anita came later, as did Dr. Adair, also a practitioner of that town. Dr. C. V. Beaver, now retired, was also an early practitioner at Anita.

Dr. C. H. McClees located at Marne in 1881. Dr. John Pipher located at Griswold in 1879 after practicing at Marne three years. Dr. J. I. Pogue located at Wiota in 1877. The late Dr. M. H. Stultz located in that town later.

The Bona Valley Medical association was organized in 1875 with the following officers: President, Dr. J. E. Sampson of Anita; vice president, Dr. J. F. Cloughly, Audubon; secretary, Dr. W. F. Graham, Atlantic; treasurer, Dr. J. M. Emmert, Atlantic.

Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass, August, 2024, from Atlantic News-Telegraph, Thursday, December 5, 1929, Section 2, pg. 3 (pg. 11 of the 62 page special edition).