Biographies and Obituaries
In loving memory
Mark H. Ragsdale, Dr.
History of Daviess Counties
Goodspeed Publishing Company 1886
DR. MARK H. RAGSDALE is of Scotch-English descent, born in Harrison Township, Daviess Co., Ind., August 26, 1836, son of John and Elizabeth (Palmer) Ragsdale, and is the fourth of their eight children. His parents were born in South Carolina in 1802, the former in November and the latter in August. The family located in what was then the Northwest Territory, but what is now Daviess County, Ind., in 1811. Here the grandparents of our subject died. The Doctor's father died in 1848, and his mother in 1874. The family were among the pioneers of the county. Subject was reared on a farm, where he remained until 1857, when he began the battle of life for himself. In 1864 he enlisted in Company I, Forty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served one year. He began the study of medicine in 1871, under Jacob W. Clark,M. D., of Glendale, and attended medical lectures at the Indiana Medical College at, Indianapolis, and began the practice of his profession in the spring of 1875 at Algiers, Pike Co., Ind. After a one-year's practice in that place be located in Otwell, the same county, remaining five years. He then came to Glendale, where he has continued to practice his profession ever since. In September, 1885, he engaged in the drug and dry goods business at that place. He has been a very successful pbysician, and is a National in politics. He was married, February 22,1866,to Harriet P. Chappell, who bore him these two children: Francis A., born in 1866, and Arsulla E., born in 1881. Mrs. Ragsdale is a native of Daviess County, born in 1845, and is a daughter of Elliott Chappell, who was a pioneer of the county.
Contributed by: Michael L. Tedrow