Detchon - Elliott (Dr) - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

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Detchon - Elliott (Dr)

Dr. Elliott DETCHON


Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Review "Our Patrons"-- Dec 24, 1881

The Gentlemen whose advertisements appear in the Review who have an abiding faith in Printer's Ink

Dr. DETCHON is a veteran in the practice of medicine, and is proprietor of the mammoth drug store corner of Main & Green Sts, this city.

(Note there are TWO Detchons mentioned as Mds in Crawfordsville, but fairly sure it is Elliott Detchon above as he was a firm believer in advertisements)

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Detchin,(sic) Elliot

Place of Birth: Oh

Date of Birth: 1828

Wife: Martha J b. In 1829

Children: 5 b In

County: Parke(District 85-1850) / Fountain(Richland Twp) / Montogomery(Crawfordsville-1882-)

Med. Reg./Exam.: 7.14.97

Sources: 1850c medical student living with Gibson Agnue / 1870c $15,050 / $5991 // P1886 / Indiana State Board of Health 1882, 1884, 1890

Index Terms: Detchon

Record# 123105 in database 19th Indiana Century Physicians

Source: 19th Century Database of Indiana Physicians (above information)

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Source: Zach, Karen Bazzani.  Montgomery Medicine Men and Women.  Crawfordsville: Montgomery County Historical Society, 2002.

Elliott Detch was born March 15, 1828 in Portage County, Ohio.  His wife, Martha Jane Agnew (daughter of Gibson Agnew of Parke County) was born five days before Christmas the same year. They were married on the 4th of July, 1848 and celerated their Golden Wedding anniversary.  Detchon graduated from Linnean Academy in northern Ohio and Cleveland Medical College.  He travelled a canal from Lafayette to Parke County where he taught school a couple of years while studying medicine.  It was in 1851 he began his medical practice, going into business with his brother-in-law, John Simison in Romney.  He also had practices in New Richmond, Wingate, and Newtown, finally settling in Crawfordsville in 1871.  He switched gears somewhat as he manufactured medicines for many years at 213 E. Main, aided by at least two of his sons, Seymour Gibson and Irwin Agnew Detchon.  Intersting articles regarding these patent medicines can be found throughout the area newspapers.  One such piece (Feb 5, 1881 C'ville Journal) goes like this:  "One of the best medicines for couth, hoarseness and cold upon the lungs, and as a preventative of lung fever, pleurisy, asthma, bronchitis, croup and all breast and throat complaints, is Dr. E. Detchon's Compound Tolu Balsam, for the Throat and Luns.  No family should be without it during the cold and changeable weather of winter.  Prepared by Dr. E. Detchon in Fisher Block, Crawfordsville."  He also made a special study of the nature and most successful treatment of all chronic complaints.  Six years later May 14, 1887 another article noted he was doing so well that it was necessary to form a stock company with a  capital of $100,000 to continue the manufacturing of another medicine, this time, his South American Nervine.  In fact, Dr. Detchpn did so well that he built a beautiful home on the corner of Wabash and Green Street, now gone.  It is said that Dr. Detchon didn't really know how many rooms his mansion had, but he "wanted to make sure there was a room for everyone."  Good thing since the Detchons had seven children which included: Emma; Mattie; Seymore; Ada and Hattie.  Theid grandson, Lee Detchon, was a well-known artist in Crawfordsville.  Dr. Detchon was a stately figure who attracted attention wherever he went.  He told the story that he worked side by side in hay fields in Ohio with John D. Rockefeller.  Detchon was a devout Christian and an active member of the First Methodist Church.  The good doctor died January 29, 1905 and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.  A. "D" Detchon, assumedly him, is listed in the People's Guide, stating he was born in Ohio in 1828 and came to Montgomery County in 1854.  A Democrat and Methodist, he was listed as a druggist and physician.  -- kbz

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© Copyright 9-9-2007 Karen Zach
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