For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 535
WILLIAM DAVISON CONE, M. D....William Davison Cone, M. D., whose demise occurred on the 1st of December, 1899, was for many years successfully engaged in the practice of medicine at Conesville, Iowa. His birth occurred in Coshocton county, Ohio, on the 17th of March, 1838, his parents being Beebe S. and Lucinda ( Davison ) Cone. His great-grandfather, Stewart Beebe, served in a Massachusetts regiment during thr Revolutionary war. At the time of his death our subject was survived by two brothers, namely : James W., an attorney of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, who is the present state senator from Minnehaha county ; and Dr. Jared E. Cone, of Youngstown, Ohio, who died on the 24th of August, 1905.William D. Cone obtained his education in the public schools of his native county and at West Bedford Academy. In November, 1854, he came to Muscatine county, Iowa, with his parents who settled on a large tract of land in what is now Orono township. Here he continued to reside, with the exception of several short intervals, until called to his final rest. Becoming identified with educational interests, the first school over which he presided was a log structure in the Oaks district in Cedar township, where he taught in 1859-60. Subsequently he was engaged in teaching in the Oakland district in Louisa county for two terms---1860-1 and 1862-3. In the fall of 1863 he was elected supervisor from Orono township in order to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Silas Ferry. He served with the board at their meetings in November and December and resigned in January, 1864. On the 1st of December, 1863, he became a member of Company B, Thirty-fifth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, remaining in the service of the Union until February, 1866. He joined the regiment at Vicksburg, Mississippi, in February or March, 1864, and accompanied Banks on his expedition up the Red river. While working on the dam at Alexandria, Louisiana, he became ill and was taken to the general hospital at Mound City. In July, 1864, he was brought home by his mother, who had gone south for that purpose, and remained in her care until December, when he was ordered to report at the hospital at Keokuk, Iowa. There he was assigned to duty in the commissary department and when hostilities had ceased the closing of the hospital was entrusted to him.
Having determined upon the practice of medicine as a life work, he studied with Dr. H. T. Cleaver, of keokuk, and in 1867 was graduated from the medical department of the State University of Iowa. He entered Bellvue Medical College of New York in the fall of 1867 and was graduated therefrom with the class of 1868. Locating for practice at Columbus, Ohio, he there remained until May, 1870, when he returned to Muscatine county. He practiced at West Liberty from August, 1870 until March, 1871, and then came to Conesville, this place remaining the scene of his professional labors throughout the remainder of his life. His ability and skill in the line of his chosen calling were constantly manifest in the excellent results which attended his efforts for the alleviation of human suffering and the restoration of health.
On the 7th of June, 1870, Dr. Cone was united in marriage to Miss Kate F. Lord, a daughter of Richard Lord. They had two children, namely : Edna Lucinda, born March 20, 1871, who is now Mrs. Samuel W. Field, of Kimberly, Minnesota ; and William Lord Cone, born November 7, 1874, who died at Conesville on the 7th of August, 1899. The mother, Kate L. Cone still resides in Conesville.
Dr. Cone took an active part in local politics and was a stanch republican, upholding the principles and defending the policies of that party. He was very fond of reading and thus kept well informed on all questions of general interest. His demise, which occurred on the 1st of December, 1899, was the occasion of deep and widespread regret, his funeral being the largest ever witnessed in the community.
Back to Biographical Index Page