Jefferson County Online A part of the IAGenWeb and USGenWeb Projects Who's Who in 1921 & 1922 Bruce Samuel Ratcliff

"The Fairfield Tribune"
Thursday, July 21, 1921
Page SIX

NO. 22

BRUCE SAMUEL RATCLIFF

Bruce Samuel Ratcliff is known to be a good-natured sort of a chap and the very last man in the world to stir up trouble. But the Tribune is taking no chances, even on Bruce Samuel. Therefore, rather than risk a libel suit we refrain from placing his name under the above cartoon, as to do so would imply that Bruce looked like the chap pictured. And we wouldn't blame Bruce for bringing a libel suit in such a case. So we leave the line blank.

You see the cartoonist was handicapped by having no picture of Bruce from which to work, and it is an impossibility to get this active gentleman to remain still long enough to make a sketch from life. In such circumstances the reader may just assume that a likeness of this handsome chap graces this article.

Bruce Samuel Ratcliff is by way of being no stranger to the people of these parts having made his bow to the world back in '62 on a Fourth of July morning. Bruce treasures proof of having been born by keeping safely locked up the receipt given by the old doctor to Bruce's parents when they made payment for his services given at this important time. This notable event occurred right here in Fairfield. Bruce says his earliest recollection of the town is that of hopping from one jackoak stump to another at crossings where there were no sidewalks.

About the first bid for fame that Bruce Samuel made was to attend medical college at Keokuk and earn his degree of M. D. With the humane thought of making the entire world well and happy Bruce went down to Eldon and opened a doctor's office. Now don't think for a minute that he didn't get any practice. He got more practise than he wanted--but he was a bit shy on getting pay for it. He stuck on the job for about a year or so, during which he spent the $138 which he had when he went there, and the $21 he received from his grateful patients. But he collected a very choice assortment of junk in further payment of his services. In return for getting up at all hours of the night and riding a bronco eight miles into the country, Dr. Ratcliff acquired a nice pile of cordwood, barrels of potatoes, cabbage, carrots, etc. and occasionally an old suit of clothes or a spring calf. Bruce says it was a great opportunity for a junk dealer but had no particular charm for him as an aspiring M. D. Therefore he slipped out of town one night quietly for fear his grateful patients would shower him with further tokens of their esteem if they learned he was leaving. Bruce performed his first operation that night--he cut the M. D. from his name. The operation was successful for the title has never shown any signs of growing back on again.

Then Bruce Samuel went up to Sioux City and helped old man Kelly get his Sioux City Tribune started. Bruce didn't know anything about the printing business, but he learned, and when he left a couple of years later he knew about all there was to know of it. He was advertising man, reporter, janitor and most everything else about the place, even helping to turn the old hand press.

Bruce Samuel tried working for Uncle Sam in the railway mail service for a while but gave that up in order to bring succor to suffering humanity up in the north woods. Bruce sold bitters and tonics to druggists in Wisconsin and Michigan. It was in the days when tonics were real tonics and had a kick in them like home brew. Those husky Scandinavian lumbermen up there required a lot of tonic and Bruce did pretty well in a financial way. But he craved something more exciting. So he joined the Shriners. This Shriner job is one that Bruce likes better than any other. He is willing to work at the job of Shrining any time and any place. Sure thing, he was at the Des Moines convention the other day. Couldn't hire him to keep away from a Shrine meet. They came near not pulling off the big parade at Des Moines on account of Bruce. They were all ready to start when some one said he thought Bruce Ratcliff wasn't there. The parade was immediately called off until they located Bruce.

A little while back Bruce bought a restaurant here in Fairfield and proposes to quit his twenty years service as a grocery salesman on the first of the next year, and give his time to the restaurant. Bruce hopes to get the solid democratic patronage of the county.

Fairfield people are willing to have Bruce Samuel settle down here at home because he is a pretty live member of society. And the chances are that he will do well in his restaurant; you see there's a lot of people who are willing to spend some money with him just for the opportunity of bringing up the medical profession as a subject of conversation and hearing Bruce Samuel's views of it. They're worth hearing.