PURCELL, William (Wallace) M. - M.D. - Putnam

Dr. Wallace M. PURCELL, who has been a resident of Rockville since May 1890, where he is gradually building up a good business, was born at Pleasant Garden, Putnam County, Indiana Feb 24, 1839. His parents, John M. and Adaline D. Freeman Purcell, were both born in Orange County this state. Both came to Putnam County at the age of 10, and later became known to each other at Pleasant Garden where they were married and reared a family of four children: Bruce R; who enlisted in Co. B, 4th Iowa Infantry in 1861 and became a veteran by reenlistment. He was shot through the knee-joint while skirmishing near Dallas, George May 28, 1864 and died from the affects of the injury July 12, 1864 in a field hospital at Barton's Iron Works near Alttona, Georgia. Helen Marr, whose first husband, William H. Girton died in service at Columbia, Tenn May 1862. She was afterward married to George W. Osborn, and now resides on a farm near Reelsville, Putnam County. Dove A, who became the wife of Capt. John M. Magner now of Taylorsville, Ill. While visiting her husband at the front she was caught in the battle of Corinth Miss the tent she was occupying being pierced by many bullets during the early part of the engagement. She died of acute illness 1869. Wallace M, the oldest of the children and subject of this sketch had only the facilities afforded by the log school house for acquiring an early education. He was fond of books, however and easly kept at the head of his classes. In March 1854 he entered the office of Dr. RR Stevenson as a student of medicine. Dr. Stevenson was a Kentuckian by birth and at the outbreak of the war he threw up a lucrative practice, went south and joined fortunes with the COnfederates. He became Quartermaster at Andersonville and at the close of the war was indicted along with Wirtz and others for inhumane treatment of prisoners. He escpaed punishment however and later on he gained consideratble reputation by writing a book entitled The Other Side which had an extensive circulation in theSouthern States. Dr. Purcell took his first course of lectures in 1856-57 at Keokus, Iowa. In 1860-62 he was in Philadelphia, PA graduating with honor at Jefferson Medical College of that city in March 1862. He immediately entered the US service as acting assistant surgeon in General Hospital at Mound City, Ill. In 1863 he went to the Hospital at York, PA where he remained until 1864 when he returned to civil practice to which he had since devoted his entire time and attention. To the performance of his duties, he has brought a clear head, analytical abilities of the highest order, and a determination to do that which is right in the profession and never betray a confidence that has been intrusted to his keeping. Manfully, and tenderly, he has stood up to his ideal of what a general practitioner of medicine and surgery ought to be. Many calls for his help from distant parts of Indiana, Illinois and other states give testimony to his high standing in the profession and justifies the assertion that now at age 54, with ripe judgment and ample experience, he ranks high among the most distinguished physicians of Indiana. He is not a specialist in any sense of the term, but thinks that the title of "Doctor" is the highest the medical man may aspire to and that the practice of medicine is the noblest calling a man can engage in. He believes that the highest degree of knowlege attainable upon any subjet, medical or otherwise, must always be associated with a high degree of mental acuteness, in the individual attaining it. He therefore concludes that nine out of ten of the so-called specialists are selfish advertisers and quacks of ordinary ability and totally unable by reason of mental incapacity to ever acquire preeminent qualifications in any field of human thought whatever. To the young practictioner he would say, give special study to each case submitted to your care; strive earnestly and faithfully to understand it; strive as if you thought that there was no other help but your help, and if the proper stuff is in you, there will grow up in your heart, courage, truthfulness, tenderness, benevolence and all the nobler traits of human character. The fruits of vicotry will be strewn along your pathway and you will know that you have not lived in vain. The Dr. is a man of extensive reading and respectable literary attainments and has the faculty of expressing himself clearly and forcibly upon paper. During his careeer, he had collected a fine library but unfortunately the major part of it was destroyed by fire in September 1890. He still has hoever, a choice collection of books, many of them being extremely rare and valuable. Politically, he is a Republican. He thinks, however that voting is the highest act of citizenship and that in the exercise of that privilege, the voter who does not endorse the best candidate attainable, does not property discharge the duty he owes to society and the state. Nov 8, 1871 he removed an ovarian tumor weight 32 pounds from miss Rachel E. Wigginton at Prairieton, Vigo Co IN. Th eresults of this operation from a professional point of view were entirely satisfactory. Socially however the affair terminanted in a manner quite unusual in such cases. The young lady in blooming health was altogether a different being from what she had been in mortal sickness and the physicial shortly afterward found his professional interest in thecase, giving away to friendly interest in theindividual. Then followed the happy days we never forget which finally culminated in a wedding at Terre Haute, indiana Jan 1, 1873. Mrs. Purcell was born in Mt. Washington KY Sept 28, 1845. Her parents, William and Nancy Wiggington were natives of VA. She is a lady of domestic tastes and habits and is devotedly fond of her children whose names with date of birth: Pocahontas, Dec 27, 1873; Nellie Decker April 16, 1875; Charles Frances, April 12, 1877; Mara Rosa, May 29, 1880; Leta Ruby Aug 1, 1882; Bertha Ellen Jully 4, 1844 and Benjamin Harrison Aug 13, 1887.

Purcell, William (Wallace) M. Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphi, 1862