MEDICAL HSTORY - Fountain -early
Source: Kemper, General William Harrison 1839-1927 – A Medical History of the State of Indiana
Chapter XV – Early History of Fountain County.
Dr. George Rowland, Covington, Ind, has transmitted to me a very interesting paper on the medical history of Fountain County and I only regret that the length of the paper prevents the complete publication of the same. On December 30, 1825, the Legislature passed a law creating Fountain County. On the first Monday in May, 1826, the boundaries of the county were fixed and the county seat established at Covington.
The following named physicians met in Covington on the first Thursday in April 1867 and organized the Fountain County Medical Society: Drs. CV Jones, President; Samuel J. Weldon, Sec; CD Watson, GS Jones, William Colver, William C. Cole and George Rowland.
Dr. John Hamilton, born in Saratoga County NY Jan 7, 1800 came to Covington March 31, 1827 and made it his permanent home. He was the first physician to locate in Fountain County. He was a pioneer and a busy practitioner of medicine, riding on horseback from 10-60 miles a day, along by-paths as there were few roads. Milk sickness and fever and ague prevailed. Medicines were few and commanded a high price and were brought from Cincinnati on a steamboat up the Wabash River to Covington Dr. Hamilton was a successful physician, a graduate of the medical college at Burlington, Vt. He also started the first drug store in this county at Covington.
Dr. John Crawford came to Fountain County in 1828. He was educated in Philadelphia and a graduate of the Medical College of Ohio. He died Sept 29, 1847. Dr. Crawford was well versed in medicine and a successful practitioner and a man of few words.
Dr. Hitchcock was an early pioneer and came to this city in 1829 but soon afterward went to the Black Hawk war. Dr. Jesse Bowen practiced medicine in the county from 1829-1840.
Dr. Joseph Jones came in 1832. He was a peculiar man, tall and the people nicknamed him “Long Jones. There were several other Dr. Jones and Dr. Long Jones tried to have the Legislature change his name to Talbott, the maiden name of his mother.
Dr. Keely came in 1833 and remained but a short time, when he removed to Iowa.
Dr. John S. Jones, nicknamed “Picayune,” came in 1834. He was a druggist but practiced medicine to some extent.
Dr. Lorenzo Rush came to this county in 1840. He was a good physician, scientific and well educated. He was tall, dignified, gentlemanly and popular physician.
Dr. Irish came in 1844 and was a successful physician, serving later as a surgeon in the Civil War.
Dr. Reuben M. Hill came to Fountain County in 1847 and located at Covington. He was a scientific physician and well versed in medicine. He had an extreme disgust for quackery, enjoyed a large practice and was quite a money maker. He was a bachelor. Later in life he was a great sufferer from a chronic disease from which he secured no permanent relief and on July 5, 1880 at the noon hour, while his nurse had gone for a luncheon, committed suicide, shooting himself through the head.
Dr. Jehu Adkins read medicine with Dr. “Long” Jones, above mentioned; graduated in Chicago and located in Jackson Township in 1847. He was a popular physician and had a great reputation in the treatment of milk sickness, which was then very prevalent; also secured quite a reputation by the performance of an operation for club foot upon a child six months old. At the time of his death he was the owner of 1200 acres of land, bought at a low price and subsequently increased in value until he amassed a fortune.
Dr. OS Maxwell and Bell located at Robroy (sic) in 1833. Dr. Cox located at Portland in 1830. Dr. Scott located at Newton (sic) in 1834. Dr. Worthington located at Attica in 1830. Dr. Robert Stevens located near old Chambersburg during the forties.
Dr. Knight located in old Chambersburg before the Civil War. He was very deaf and always rode in an old-fashioned gig. Dr. Greenwood came in the 40s and practiced at Robroy. Dr. Marquam, an eccentric man, located in old Chambersburg during the Civil War. He practiced in the southeast part of the county from 1855-1860. He was indicted for murder by producing an abortion. In the trial he was prosecuted and defended by eminent counsel and was acquitted.
Dr. Newton Spinning probably practiced medicine longer than any other physician in Fountain County – a period of more than 50 years. He died of pneumonia, result of lagrippe, on Feb 11, 1890.
Dr. Thomas Rowland, my father, was born in Loudon County, Virginia, July 25, 1810 and read medicine with Dr. Crawford, already mentioned. He located in Hillsboro in 1839 and afterward located at old Chambersburg and was a busy and successful practitioner of medicine until his death which occurred in August 1864. He was well versed in medicine and had an extensive practice in obstetrics and diseases for women. He was a fine conversationalist and loved to mingle with medical men.
Dr. Caleb V. Jones came to Covington in the fall of 1840 and practiced medicine for 40 years. Dr. Jones was a surgeon in the Civil War.
Dr. William Colvert located near Stone Bluff; was a distinguished pioneer physician of Fountain. He was born in Ohio 1819 and came to this county during his boyhood, attended the University of Greencastle and afterward read medicine with Dr. Crawford. He was a successful physician from 1847 to his death which occurred a few years ago. Before reading medicine, he taught for some years in the public schools and his most noted pupil was the Hon. DW Voorhees.
Dr. Joseph Ogden came to this county in the early 40s. He was an excellent physician. Dr. Waite located in this county at an early date. Dr. Bryant was also an early pioneer. Dr. Chester Clark came to an early date to Covington but in later years abandoned the practice for the nursery business. Dr. McElwee came to the county after the Civil War. Dr. John S. Riffle began the study of medicine in 1849. He practiced medicine at Newton (sic) and in Veedersburg and was a member of the US Pension board after 1867. He was an assistant surgeon in the 40th Regiment, Indiana Volunteers. Drs. Miles and Sherman were practitioners at one time at Newtown (sic – finally).
Dr. James C. Burlington graduated in 1877 from Cincinnati Medical College. Located at Attica in 1878. Died several years ago.
Dr. A.L. Whitehall practiced near Newtown in 1832 and later at Attica until his death. Dr. Samuel Fullenwider at an early date practiced at Newtown.
Dr. Leach at one time practiced at Attica, removed to Crawfordsville and later Park (sic) County.
Dr. George C. Hays located at Hillsboro and died there after a long practice. He was a graduate of the Medical College of Indiana.
Dr. John W. Mock, a graduate of a medical college of Ohio, 1863 was a surgeon in the 111th Regiment, Ohio Volunteers.
Dr. Samuel J. Weldon was born in London, England, June 1801 and graduated in NY City. He was well versed in medicine, a fine conversationalist and prominent druggist. He was present at the formation of the Indiana State Medical Society in 1849 and also at the organization of the Fountain County Medical Society in April 1867. Died in 1881.
Dr. Samuel I. Mock graduated at the Medical College of Ohio in 1874; came to Covington in 1879, and afterward removed to Iowa, where he died shortly afterward. Dr. CD Watson, a graduate of Rush Medical College came to Covington, was present at the organization of the Fountain County Medical Society and afterward removed to California.
Dr. John T. Wells practiced in Veedersburg in 1876. Dr. AJ McLelland practiced at Veedersburg for some years and died in that village. (ST is the State Medical Society records)
Other doctors mentioned in the short biographies (some are longer) in the back section
ARMSTRONG, Wesley – Hillsboro (1832-1884) ST 1884 219.
AUSTIN, Charles B. – Veedersburg (1825-190) ST 1890 163
COLE, William C. – Attica (1828-1894). ST 1894 228. Dr. Cole, at the age of 18, enlisted in the regular army and served in Mexico under General Scott. In the Civil War he was surgeon of the 72nd Reg Ind Vol and during the last year of the war was brigade surgeon of Wilder’s Brigade of Mounted Infantry.
COLVERT, William – Fountain County (1816-1883) ST 1883 281.
HAYES, George C. Hillsboro (1836-1903) ST 1904 355
HENDERSON, James T. – Covington (1846-1905) ST 1905 447
JOHNSON, Charles S – Fountain County (1824-1885) ST 1885 209.
JONES, Caleb V. – Covington (1812-1883) ST 1884 213. Surgeon of First Reg Ind Vols in Mexican War and surgeon of 63rd Reg Ind Vol in Civil War. Located in Covington in 1840 was first pres of Fountain County Medical Society.
LYONS, Lewis D. – Attica (1816-1888) ST 1888 215.