John Scobey

SCOBEY, DUDLEY, SMITH, THORP, SILL, WALLACE, WEED, EASTMAN, PALMER

Posted By: Diane Wilson (email)
Date: 5/22/2004 at 20:56:39

The first physician to locate in this town (Shell Rock) was Dr. John Scobey, who came here in May, 1855. He continued a lucrative practice until 1875, when he retired from active professional work. He is still a resident of the village where he first hung out his shingle, and ins an honored citizen.
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The present representatives of the medical profession are Drs. E. H. Dudley, W. H. Smith, E. L. Thorp and E. E. Sill.
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Doctor John Scobey, the first physician of Shell Rock, was born in Francistown, New Hampshire, April 19, 1800. His early life was passed in his native State, where he received an academic education, and entered Dartmouth Medical College in the year 1824. He diligently applied himself, and graduated in medicine in 1826. Soon after leaving college, he located at Bethlehem, in Northern New Hampshire, where he practiced his profession for five years, and then removed to Concord, Vermont, where he remained another five years. At the expiration of this time he went to Truxton, New York, where he practiced for two years, and then decided to seek his fortune in the west. He located at Jackson, Ohio, where he lived for twenty years.
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In May of 1855, he came to Shell Rock, Iowa. He is the oldest living physician of Butler county, and for a number of years after his settlement here, the doctor’s ride carried him all over this county, and over portions of adjoining counties. For the past seven years the doctor has almost entirely given up practice, being content, in his ripe old age, with the laurels he has so justly won by his knowledge of and faithful attention to the study of medicine.
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Mr. Scobey has always taken great interest in the improvement of Shell Rock, and in his younger days was greatly interested in the politics of the country. He was married in 1825 to Miss Nancy Wallace, of Antrim, New Hampshire. Seven children have blessed this union – Joseph, the eldest son, was an attorney of the State of California, and also a member of the legislature of that State. He died there, July 21, 1866; Philomelia is the wife of Phineas Weed, of Shell Rock; Leander is engaged in business at Ackley, Iowa; Daniel, who now resides in Colorado; John, who lives in Shell Rock; Annette, wife of Oscar Eastman, of Shell Rock; Adelaide, wife of William Palmer, of Pierie (sic?), Dakota.
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Source: History of Butler and Bremer Counties, Iowa
Union Publishing Co., Springfield, IL, 1883
Page 354