Judkins, Oliver P.

JUDKINS

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/29/2021 at 12:43:54

History of Warren County, Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, by Rev. W. C. Martin, Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1908, p.920

OLIVER P. JUDKINS, M. D.
There is no representative of professional life in Indianola who more justly deserves to be ranked with the self-made men of the county than does Dr. Oliver P. Judkins, who through his own labors acquired the funds neces­sary to meet his expenses while he was qualifying for the practice of medicine and surgery. He was born in Indianola, August 31, 1870, his parents being William M. and Ella (Thompson) Judkins. His father, a native of Indiana, is now living at the age of sixty-two years. Both he and his wife are of English lineage. He has for many years engaged in business as a plasterer and, while living a quiet, uneventful life, he has always enjoyed the full respect of his fellow townsmen. Both he and his wife are members of the Presby­terian Church and in social relations he is identified with the Odd Fellows, while his political views are indicated by the endorsement which he gives to the Republican Party at the polls. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Judkins were born four children, the second in order of birth being Fannie, now the wife of John Graham, a merchant of Galesburg, Illinois; C. H. and Edna, both at home.
Dr. Judkins began his education as a pupil in the Indianola schools and passed through successive grades until he was graduated from the high school with the class of 1890. He read medicine with Dr. J. D. McCleary, entering the office in December 1890, and continuing his studies there for four years. In the fall of 1891 he matriculated in the medical department of the State University of Iowa, where he spent two sessions and in 1894 he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Keokuk, being graduated there from in 1895. On the 1st of May of that year he located for practice at Summerset, Iowa, where he continued until 1897. He then resumed his studies in the Rush Medical College, where he was graduated in the spring of 1898, this being the first class to leave the institution after it became the medical de­partment of the Chicago University. Dr. Judkins then returned to Summerset and remained there until 1902, when he came to Indianola, where he is still in active practice, meeting with marked success. Through his whole course of professional training he made his own way and thus displayed the elemental strength of his character, whereby he has overcome difficulties and obstacles and gained an enviable position as an able representative of his chosen profession. In addition to a large private practice he is now examiner for several insurance companies and for the past five years has been coroner of the county. He now belongs to the County, the District, the State and the American Medical Associations.
In 1894 Dr. Judkins was joined in wedlock to Miss Laura B. Hall, who was born in this county in 1871, a daughter of Loveridge and Lucy (Frame) Hall. They now have two interesting children, Katherine Bernice and Oliver Duane. Dr. and Mrs. Judkins are members of the Presbyterian Church and he belongs to the Knights of Pythias, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Modern Woodmen of America. Politically he is a Republican but has had little time for active participation in political or public affairs other than to lend his influence on the side of progress. His attention is given to his professional duties and in his practice he manifests the strictest regard for a high standard of professional ethics.