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H. S. Hadsell, M.D.

(Source book includes photo.)

No man, more deservedly than a doctor, stands high in a village community. He is fitted by education and training to be a leader, his profession brings him into peculiar confidential relations with the people, and especially makes him familiar with their sorrows. No other profession demands so much of tact and sympathy, no other calls for senses so alert and reliable, for such well trained powers of observation and memory. For ages man has fought grim disease and slowly but surely is wresting ground from the foe. Cures are accomplished every day that would have been impossible a generation ago, and miracles are done in the way of the prevention of disease. Even so, medical science is but in its beginnings and no field of research is more fascinating or more fruitful to the trained student.

H. S. Hadsell was born in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, January 10, 1852, the son of H. L. and Sophia (Richardson) Hadsell, natives. The first of the name coming to America was James Hadsell, a sea captain, who settled in Connecticut in 1736. From there some of his descendants removed to Pennsylvania, settling in or near the Wyoming valley, where one was killed at the Wyoming massacre during the Revolutionary war. From the Wyoming valley his paternal grandfather removed to Susquehanna county, in that state, where his father was born. His maternal grandfather was of Scotch descent, the family being pioneers of Harford, Pennsylvania, and one of them numbered among the nine original settlers of Harford, who came from eastern Massachusetts and bought a tract of land there. They established a seminary there, which now would be called a college, and Lyman Richardson, a great-uncle of H. S. Hadsell, was made president at its foundation. It was open to all students wishing admission. Doctor Hadsell is one of the few Americans who are so fortunate as to be able to trace their ancestry to Revolutionary soldiers, for quite a number of the Hadsells and the Richardsons were in the Revolution, some as officers.

The Doctor's father, a carpenter, came West in 1865. He had attempted to enlist in the army, but was rejected because of the loss of part of his hand. He located in Cedar Rapids with his family, consisting of his wife, one son and two daughters. He worked at his trade there for a year, then bought a farm in the north part of Linn county and farmed there until 1879, when he removed to Maynard, Iowa, where he lived with the Doctor, his wife dying there in 1882, and himself in December, 1902.

The Doctor attended college at Cedar Rapids, and later went to Beloit College at Beloit, Wisconsin, where he pursued a liberal arts course. He took his first work in medicine at the University of Michigan, then practiced at Sumner and Maynard before finishing his course. He began practice in 1873 and graduated in 1882. After graduation he practiced at West Union for over two years, then went to Maynard, and came to Elgin in 1894, where he has since practiced. In 1875 he married Hettie L. Latimer, and to their union two children have been born, Harry, in 1877, and Fred, in 1880.

Doctor Hadsell is a member of Silverleaf Lodge No. 518, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Unity Chapter No. 62, Royal Arch Masons, and of Langridge Commandery No. 47, Knights Templar. He is a member of the County, State and American Medical Associations, and of the board of United States pension examiners of Fayette county. He is mayor of Elgin. He is deeply interested in his profession, consequently has been successful, and ranks high among the physicians of his section of the state. As a man, his standing is irreproachable.