Shepard, Dr. William T.

SHEPARD, CARTER, TEALE

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 3/30/2008 at 21:45:11

WILLIAM T. SHEPARD, M.D.

Dr. William T. Shepard, of LeMars, former president of the Plymouth County Medical Society, former pension examiner for this district and for years one of the best-known physicians in Northwestern Iowa, is a native of Ohio, born at Oberlin, that state, October 12, 1865, son of Dr. William A. and Francena (Carter) Shepard, both natives of the state of New York, the former of whom is still living, long a resident of Denver, Colorado. Dr. William A Shepard is a son of William M. Shepard, also a native of New York, who moved to Ohio and became one of the founders of Oberlin College, his death occurring in Oberlin not many years after he settled there. To Dr. William A. Shepard and wife three sons were born, of whom the subject of this sketch was the last-born and all of whom became physicians, the others being Dr. Edward L. Shepard, of Sand Springs, Montana, and Dr. Charles C. Shepard, of Ord, Nebraska. The mother of these sons died when the last-born child was but a child and the father later moved to Dundee, Illinois, later moving to Denver, Colorado, where he now makes his home.

William T. Shepard received his primary schooling at Oberlin, Ohio, and elementary education at Dundee, Illinois, supplementing the same by a course in the academy at Elgin, same state. He early decided to become a physician and when out of the academy went to New Mexico and there worked on a ranch until he had accumulated sufficient money to pay his way through medical school, after which he entered Hahneman Medical College at Chicago, from which institution he was graduated in 1888. Meanwhile, however, he had passed the examination of the Iowa state board of Medical examiners and in 1886 had begun the practice of his profession at Hull (then Pattersonville), this state, carrying on there a practice during college vacations. Upon his graduation from medical college, Doctor Shepard found his health somewhat impaired and in the belief that the dry atmosphere of New Mexico would prove beneficial, went to Albuquerque, where he opened an office for the practice of his profession and remained there for five years, at the end of which time he returned to Hull and there remained until 1896, when he went to Chicago and there engaged in special practice. His health again failed him and at the end of a year spent in the city, he went to Denver and there engaged for a year in special practice; treatment of diseases of the nose, throat and lungs being his specialty. In 1899 Doctor Shepard returned to Iowa and located at LeMars, where he ever since has been engaged in the practice of his profession, with particular reference to his specialty, the treatment of chronic diseases of the nose, throat and lungs, and has been very successful. In 1912 Doctor Shepard invented a preparation for the treatment of constipation and in that same year organized a company with a capital stock of fifty thousand dollars for the manufacture of the same, the preparation being manufactured in a special factory erected for the purpose at LeMars and is widely marketed under the protected trade-mark of “Cream-Alaska.” Doctor Shepard was for five years, 1911-1915 inclusive, president of the Plymouth County Medical Society, of which he long has been one of the most active members. He also is a member of the American Medical Society, the Iowa State Medical Society, and of the Iowa State Homeopathic Association. For several years, under Republican administration, he was pension examiner for this district.

On March 16, 1887, Dr. William T. Shepard was united in marriage to Vinnie Teal, of Dundee, Illinois, and to this union two sons have been born, William P., born on July 6, 1895, now a medical student at the University of Minnesota and first sergeant of the hospital corps attached to the First Field Artillery of the Minnesota National Guard, now in federal service on the southern border, and Charles E., born in Denver, September 9, 1898, a graduate of LeMars High School, class of 1915, and now attending the University of Minnesota. Doctor and Mrs. Shepard are members of the Congregational Church. The Doctor is a Royal Arch Mason, a Knight Templar and a noble of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, affiliated with Occidental Chapter No. 114, Royal Arch Masons, Plymouth County Commandry No. 57, Knights Templar, at LeMars, and with Abu Bekr Temple, Mystic Shrine at Sioux City.

~Source: Plymouth County History, by Freeman, Vol. II, 1917 pp. 78-80