William M. Anderson

ANDERSON, GRAHAM, MILLER, RICHIE

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 8/8/2004 at 13:31:27

Dr. William M. Anderson, who was for many years a successful and well-known physician of St. Charles, died at his home here on the 1st of December, 1897, and in his passing the community lost a man whose life had been a factor in the advancement of many worthy projects. He was born on the 3d of October, 1835, in Guernsey county, Ohio, and resided upon the home farm until he was sixteen years of age, when he went to Lexington, that state, and began reading medicine with his uncle, Dr. Hugh P. Anderson. After completing his course of study he became associated with his uncle in practice and thus gained an experience corresponding to the training that the medical students of today gain as internes in a hospital. In 1858 he removed to Iowa, settling first at Greenbush, Warren county, where his father then resided. For a time he taught school, but in 1859 he opened an office for the practice of medicine at Nevada, Story county. In the spring of the following year he purchased the home and business of Dr. J. S. Calaway, of St. Charles, and from that time until his death was active as a physician. He was careful in making a diagnosis and as he knew materia medica thoroughly he was usually able to prescribe the proper remedy for the disease. His knowledge and ability gained him the respect of his colleagues and of the general public and his unselfish devotion to the work of relieving suffering gained him a warm place in the hearts of many. To him the practice of medicine was a profession and an opportunity for service more than a business, and if his aid was needed it was given, irrespective of the ability of the patient to pay for medical attention. At his demise it was said that "the poor of this community have lost their best friend." He was a man of much energy and ambition and practiced until a few hours before his death, and so "died in the harness," which was as he himself would have wished.

Dr. Anderson was twice married, his first union being with Miss Amanda J. Ritchie, who became his wife in February, 1863. She was born in Richland county, Ohio. They were the parents of four children, a daughter and three sons, but the daughter died in infancy and A. R. passed away in the fall of 1911 in Oklahoma. E. K. is living in St. Charles, and H. P., a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work, is a merchant of St. Charles. On the 28th of December, 1871, Dr. Anderson married Miss Annie C. R. Miller, who died January 10, 1902, and to them were born seven children, four of whom died in infancy. The record of those who grew to maturity is as follows: F. R., who was a senior at the medical school of Drake University, when he passed away on the l0th of January, 1902; Susie, the wife of Rev. W. F. Graham, of Winchester, Kansas; and J. H., a rural mail carrier living in St. Charles, who is married and has one child.

Dr. Anderson gave his allegiance to the democratic party, but was never active in politics. He was prominent in church circles, however, and in the fall of 1860 assisted in organizing the Presbyterian church in St. Charles. He was always willing to cooperate in worthy public movements, but his greatest service to his community was as a physician, who at all times held his knowledge and skill at the disposal of those who were sick and suffering, and for forty-seven years he ministered to their needs, riding at all hours of the day and night, stopping neither for bad weather nor fatigue. Although he passed away eighteen years ago, he is still remembered and honored.

Taken from the book, “The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915”

Madison Biographies maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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