Arthur Earnest JESSUP was born November 15, 1869 at Macksburg, Iowa to Martin and Delvina JESSUP and was graduated from Macksburg High School and studied medicine in Des Moines at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.

Following graduation in 1895, he was married the following year to Harriet MEDEMSON and began his life work as a general parctitioner at Caledonia, Iowa where he spent four years. The family lived for a year in Oregon, returning to Iowa where he practiced for ten years at Sharpsburg in Taylor County.

He moved in Diagonal, Ringgold County, Iowa in 1909, establishing his practice here for 35 years, rounding out fifty years as a country doctor.

Death occurred January 12, 1944, with memorial services in the Diagonal Presbyterian Church where he was a member. Burial was in Diagonal Cemetery.

Dr. JESSUP was a keen student of human nature, had a first hand knowledge of and continuing interest in the early and later history of the county.

House calls were made with team and buggy, his first car a two-cylinder Buick, powered by electricity generated by a magneto. He stopped the vehicle outside the garage and pushed it inside, not risking an inability to stop.

During the summer of 1909 when carpenters were hammering away in the building Dr. JESSUP would request them to stop while he listened to the heartbeat of a patient. In retrospect, the family member wondered if the ploy was not also in the area of advertising.

Dr. JESSUP was a man of laconic wit, few words, and cryptic statements. He considered the installation of the telephone to be the best improvement during his years of practice, eliminating many a weary mile.

Over the counter, he sold his own remedies, to name two: "Cough-I-Cure" and "lazy liver leaves."

After he had treated a lad who suffered a heat cut while diving in the JESSUP pond, an inquirer asked the extend of the injury. The doctor's answer, "Two dollars and seventy-five cents worth."

NOTE: The Diagonal Printing Museum was formerly Dr. JESSUP'S medical office. Dr. JESSUP and his family resided in the second floor of the building. I was told that Dr. JESSUP insisted that the windows of his living quarters be opposite one another from one side of the building to the other. His reasoning was that if the windows were situated this way his family would not be infected from any of the illnesses and diseases that he was treating downstairs in his office. ~ SRB

By Mildred Turnbull; submission by Mike Avitt, June of 2010

Photographs courtesy of Diagonal Printing Museum, September of 2011

Note by Sharon R. Becker