CROSS, Joseph B. - M. D. - Putnam

Few of the early physicians of Putnam County succeeded in winning the reputation that Dr. Joseph B. Cross enjoyed through a long span of years in which he engaged in practice here. He was one of those whole-souled, large-hearted, kindly men who delighted in his practice more because he could do humanity the most good in this than by any other medium, and it was not from sordid mercenary motives that he followed his profession. And because of his clean, honorable and praiseworthy life he was always held in the very highest regard by his fellow men. He won a worthy place in the estimation of medical men of this section of the state as both a general practitioner and surgeon, having long maintained his office at Bainbridge.

Doctor Cross was born in Wayne County, Indiana, February 12, 1823, son of John J. and Ruth (Poe) Cross, natives of Ohio and of German ancestry. They were the parents of five children, four of whom grew to maturity.

In 1836 they removed to Montgomery County, Indiana, where they remained until 1854, thence to Iowa for two years, then returned to Putnam County where the father died in April, 1872, and the mother in 1876.

The Doctor was reared on a farm in Wayne and Montgomery counties, Indiana, and received a good primary education in the public schools. He began life as a school teacher, but having been ambitious from boyhood to enter the medical profession, he gave up teaching and earnestly applied himself to the study of medicine in the office of Dr. A. Kelly, of Ladoga, and he took his first course of lectures at the Louisville University, Louisville, Kentucky, in 1847 and 1848. He graduated from the Ohio Medical College, at Cincinnati, in the winter of 1832 and 1853. He returned to Indiana and opened an office in Ladoga. Although he was gaining prestige here, he moved to Carpentersville, where he believed there existed a better opening, and he continued successfully in the latter place for a period of sixteen years, and in 1865 he moved to Bainbridge, Putnam County, where he continued until 1880, building up a very extensive and lucrative practice, retiring from active work on the last mentioned date. His retirement to private life was due principally to inflammatory rheumatism, contracted, no doubt, from his too assiduous attention to his many patients, riding through all kinds of weather, often long distances.

In September, 1850, the Doctor was married to Sallie Call, who was born in Kentucky, October 31, 1831. daughter of Squire and Mary (Moore) Call. Six children were born to Doctor Cross and wife, only two of whom are living. Emma F., wife of J. A. Lewman. a well known farmer and stock man of Putnam County, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in these pages, and Anna Cross, who married Harry G. Brown and they live near Greencastle.

Doctor Cross became well fixed financially and owned two hundred and eighty acres of good land in this township, besides his property in Bainbridge, where he had a large residence and one acre of ground. He was a member of Masonic Lodge No. 75, at Bainbridge and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Lodge No. 311. He was also a member of the Christian church and a liberal supporter of the same.

The Doctor took an interest in his distinguished ancestry. His mother was a first cousin of General Poe, the famous Indian fighter, and the family was also related to Edgar Allen Poe, the great poet. John Call, a brother of Mrs. Cross, died while in the Union army.

J.B. CROSS, retired physician and surgeon, Bainbridge, was born in Wayne County, Indiana, February 12, 1823, son of John J. and Ruth {Poe} Cross, natives of Ohio, and of German ancestry. They were the parents of five children, four of whom lived to be grown, and two are yet living. In 1836 removed to Montgomery County, where they lived until 1854, thence to Iowa for two years, thence to Putnam County, where the father died in April, 1872, and the mother in 1876. The doctor was reared on a farm in Wayne and Montgomery counties, Indiana, receiving his early education in the common schools; then taught school and commenced reading medicine in the office of Dr. A. Kelly, of Ladoga, and took first course of lectures at the Louisville University, Louisville, Kentucky, in 1847 and 1848. He graduated at the Ohio Medical College, Cincinnati, in the winter of 1852-'53, and commenced practice in Ladoga, Indiana. Later he removed to Carpentersville, where he lived sixteen years, and in 1865 came to Bainbridge, this county, where he practiced until 1880, then retired to private life, being afflicted with inflammatory rheumatism. In September, 1850, he was married in this county to Sallie Call, who was born in Kentucky October 31, 1831, daughter of Squire and Mary {Moore} Call. Mr. and Mrs. Cross have two children -- Emma F., wife of J. A. Looman, of this county, and they have two children -- Ida M. and J. B.; and Anna, wife of Harry G. Brown. The doctor owns 280 acres of land in Monroe Township, and one acre where he resides. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge, No. 75, at Bainbridge, and of the Odd Fellows Lodge, No. 311. He is also a member of the Christian church. His mother was first cousin to General Poe, the great Indian fighter. John Call, a brother of Mrs. Cross, was a soldier in the late war, and died at Young's Point, on the way to Vicksburg.

Cross, Joseph B. Wayne Co OH, 2.12.1824

Bainbridge, 3.6.1889

Sarah b. Ky 1832

Med.Col. of Ohio, 1853

Indiana State Medical Society admitted 1877

Tr. Ind. St Med. SOc 1889:215; Butler 1878:198, Putnam (Bainbridge)

1850c $20 / P1886 // Indiana State Board of Health 1882

Record # 10910, 19th and 20th Century Indiana Physicians