Jefferson County Online A part of the IAGenWeb and USGenWeb Projects Who's Who in Jefferson County, 1931 Dr. Wateman Thomas Webb

"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Monday, July 13, 1931
Front Page

Who's Who In Jefferson County
By Herbert F. McDougal

Dr. Wateman T. WEBB

When Dr. W. T. Webb was a 13-year-old lad, back in the hills of West Virginia, he walked bare-foot eight miles to a Fourth of July celebration and delivered Patrick Henry's celebrated "Give me liberty or give me death" oration as part of the program. He was clad in overalls supported by one gallus, but clothes did not make the oration, and he was in earnest about it. A number of noted speakers had preceeded him, but that did not dim his ardor. He had been making speeches and engaging in debates at country school houses too long to fear any crowd.

When his older brother, then attending college in Franklin, Ind., heard of the patriotic exploit, he said that the kid should have his chance at college. The chance turned out to be a hard job in a canning factory in Franklin where he made enough money during the summer to start to school the next fall. After that it was the usual story of odd and assorted jobs, including the traditional laundry agency.

When he reached his junior year at Franklin, he decided to study medicine. He picked the Hahnemann Medical college in Chicago as his school. That meant hunting another job. He found one working in an express office from 6 p.m. to midnight. At the end of a year he decided that he was qualified to do male nursing and got occasional jobs at that. As experience came, he grew more ambitious and registered as a professional in an agency, and did well from then on.

He was graduated from Hahnemann in 1911, and went straight-way to Monroe, Nebr., where he took over the practice of an older doctor. He moved in 1913 to Larchwood, Iowa, to a larger field, and was getting well established when the war came on. He at once made preparations to offer his services to his country, but when the community took counsel of the matter, it was decided that there was an urgent need for him at home. The result was that he remained to live the sternuous life (sic) of the doctors of that period. At one time the roads were so bad that he had to travel by buggy for months, and a dealer in western horses kept three teams at hie (sic) disposal, so he could drive in relays.

After the war was over and he had recovered from an attack of the pneumonia that resulted from his overwork, he moved to Audubon. There he engaged in practice from 1919 to 1923. He had a private hospital there which was a marked success.

Then he came to Fairfield where he has won a posittion (sic) in the medical circles of the community. He is a Knight of Pythias, a Mason, member of the Country club and a life member of the Izaak Walton club. He is affiliated with the Christian church. For four years he was coroner of Jefferson county, and is now in his second term as health officer of the city of Fairfield.

Dr. Webb was born at Big Bend, W. Va., August 7, 1886. His father was one of the leading men of the community, prominent in its business affairs. His grandfather built the first mill in the community, and, while the mill now is gone the place still bears the name Webb's mill. It is on Hughes river. Both his parents lived to old age, and one of the satisfying experiences of his life was that he was able to help make their declining years comfortable and happy. That memory, and the act of his brother in calling him out of the hills of West Virginia to college, together with what the call implied, are cherished memories with him.

Dr. Webb married Miss Hazel Alice Parker of Oxford, Ind., June 9, 1911. She was a sister of one of his school mates and fraternity brothers in medical college. They have four children--Margaret, a student in Parsons college; Justus and Justine, twins and Hazel.