BOUNELL-H.M. - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

It is no very rare thing in this land of ours for a man to achieve his ambition in the face of obstacles, accepting assistance from no one, or at least not depending upon others to bring them to the goal sought. One such is Dr. H.M. Bounell, of Waynetown, who has since taking up his residence in this locality occupied a conspicuous place among the professional men of Montgomery County. His record both as a skilled physician and a public-spirited citizen and honorable gentleman, being without reproach, for in every walk of life he is recognized by all classes as a high-minded, talented, courteous gentleman of perfect integrity and genuine moral worth. He is acting well his part in life, and while primarily interested in his own affairs, he has not been unmindful of the interests of others, as his interets to advance the public good and promote the wealfare of his fellow men abundantly attest. He is eminently worth of the success he has achieved and of the high-esteem in which he is held by all who know him. Dr. Bounell was born in Lebanon, Indiana Jan 21, 1868. He is a son of Dr. M. H. Bounell. The father, who was a successful practicing physician was born in 1822, an dhis death occurred March 19, 1896. The mother of our subject was born in August 1882 (sic) in this state and she is still living, making her home in Crawfordsville, being now advanced in years. These parents were both well educated, the father having entered Asbury (DePauw) University at Greencastle, Indiana after passing through the common schools and seminary. Dr. M.H. Bounell was twice married and his family consisted of six children, 3 by each wife. Two of them died in infancy. Dr. H.M. Bounell of this sketch received a good common school education, and later attended Purdue University at Lafayette, Indiana. After leaving school he began teaching and taught one year in Montgomery County and one year in Boone County, then went West and taught a year in the state of Washington. He was making a good start as a teacher, but having long entertained a laudable ambition to follow in the footsteps of his father, in a professional way he abandoned the school room and took up the study of medicine at the University of Louisville, where he made a splended record and from which he was graduated with the class of April 1893. He at once located at Jamestown, Indiana where he practiced his profession with ever increasing success until March 1895, when he came to Waynetown, this county and here he had since remained, building up a large and lucrative practice and taking a place among the leading physicians of the county. He has kept well abreast of the times, having remained a close student of all that pertains to his profession. Dr. Bounell was married April 17, 1895 to Elizabeth Shera, who was born in Boone County, Indiana July 2, 1876. She is a representative of a highly respected old family. The union of our subject and wife has been blessed by the birth of two children: Heath who was born April 17, 1901, is attending school and Ralph who was born July 3, 1908. Dr. Bounell is the owner of 170 acres of valuable land, a part of which is in Montgomery County and part in Fountain. It is nearly all tillable, is well tiled and well improved. The Doctor's home is in Waynetown and he has a well equipped office near his home. Politically, he is a Republican but has never found time to take a very active part in public affairs. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic Order, including the Blue Lodge and Scottish Rite degrees, both in Waynetown. He also belongs to the Knights of Pythias. In religious matters, he holds membership with the Methodist Episcopal Church and is a trustee in the same.