Charles McCallister, 1840-1913

MCALLISTER, GOBLE, SPENCER

Posted By: S. Ferrall IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 8/18/2012 at 18:45:03

Prominent Physician and Old Resident Dead

Death is at all times solemn, but never so much so as when it comes to one far from the scenes of life's best struggles and noblest endeavors. The sudden announcement of the death of Dr. Charles McAllister which came to Spencer last Sunday afternoon cast a sorrow over our town which cannot readily be dispelled.

He died last Sunday morning from a stroke of paralysis. Death came to him at his boyhood's home and the place of his birth, South Lee, Massachusetts. He and Mrs. McAllister were on their annual visit to the parental homestead, which Dr. McAllister still owned at the time of his death. As we have suggested there is a touch of sadness in the thought that he should die far from the scenes of his greatest labors and triumphs, but after all there is a fitness in his being gathered to rest at the old ancestral homestead.

Dr. Charles McAllister was born at South Lee, Massachusetts, February 1, 1840 and at the time of his death was 73 years, 5 months and 18 days old and was the last representative of his family.

He graduated from Williams college in 1863. Prior to this he had taught school for two winters. He took up the study of medicine after graduating from Williams and in 1865 he graduated from the Berkshire Medical college, after which he practiced his profession for a time in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, coming to Dixon, Illinois, in 1870 and then to Spencer, Iowa, in 1872, where he had his residence until the time of his death.

Dr. McAllister was first married Jan. 1, 1869, to Miss Laura McAllister, an adopted daughter of his uncle, Charles McAllister. Three sons were born to them; Charles, who died in 1878, at the age of two years; Charles, the second of the name lived fifteen years; and Alexander* who grew to manhood, graduated from Wiliams college in 1906 and afterward married Miss Susie Goble. He died about a year ago. The mother of these boys died in 1892 at the age of forty years.

December 28, 1898, Dr. McAllister was married to Miss Fannie E. Spencer who had been for a time a teacher in the Spencer schools and who survives him.

From the day that Dr. McAllister came to Spenceer forty-one years ago until the day that he and Mrs. McAllister left the last time for the old home in Massachusetts, (on the morning of his last day in Clay county he had been called for into the country to see one of his old friends and patients) his life was a part not only of Spencer, but of Clay county. He came here under the handicap of a naturally delicate constitution but by the sheer force and energy of his masterful will, he won out to a good old age.

Clay county has seen but few, very, very few men possessing the boundless energy and industry of Dr. McAllister. For forty-one years he rode far and wide, not only in Clay but into the surrounding counties he went, at all times and in all sorts of weather, carrying the blessings of his calling to the sick and suffering. From all that we can learn there have been but few men in the medical profession who in the same number of years have travelled so many miles as did Dr. McAllister in the forty-one years he followed his calling in this county. Nor did the practice of his profession absorb all of his time and energy.

He was a member of the Congregational church as well as a trustee and he always gave liberally of his time and money to the support of the church. He took considerable interest in Free Masonry, being a member of the blue lodge, Chapter and Commandry. He took active interest in politics, standing always for the best citizenship and working always for the moral and material upbuilding of the community in which he lived. In a word he was always a public pirited, upright honorable man and it will be long before this community shall see his like again.

He was buried at South Lee, Massachusetts, July 23, 1913. The sympathy of the entire community goes out to the wife who is left to mourn his loss.

~Spencer Reporter, Wednesday, July 23, 1913 (a large photo appeared with his obituary)

*Alex Winchell McAllister 1883-1912 (see his obit on this board)

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A related news article that will be of interest to McAllister researchers:

"Dr. McAllister had the remains of his wife and two children disinterred from their resting place in the Spencer cemetery last Friday and has taken them to be reinterred with those of his folks in the South Lee cemetery, Berkshire county, Mass." ~Spencer Herald, April 8, 1896

~Notes:
1) Bodies removed from Spencer to Massachussets: his wife, Laura McAllister died 1892. 2 sons: Charles McAllister, age 2 died 1878 and Charles McAllister, age 16 died in July 1895.

2) Dr. Charles McAllister was enumerated on the 1900 US census living in Spencer, Clay co. IA. He is a physician, age 60, b. Mass.; and living with his wife of 1 year, Fannie S., age 30. The Directory of deceased American physicians gives the following info.: b. 1840 d. 07/21/1913 in Lee, Berkshire co. MA of a cerebral hemmorrhage; Allopathic practice; graduated Berkshire Medical College, Pittsfield, 1865