Dr. Hageboeck is a comparatively young man, but he has had opportunities and experiences which many a man of twice his years would be glad to number among the advantages wbich he had enjoyed. He comes of a good ancestry, being the son of Gustav Hageboeck, now a resident of Davenport, and Anna (Hitzeman) Hageboeck, both of whom are natives of Germany, where the family of the former for many generations were residents and owners of large estates along the Rhine. Mr. Hageboeck was born in Kierspe, near Cologne, and both he and Mrs. Hageboeck came to America in their youth. They met in this country and were married April 5, 1854, in St. Louis.
Napoleon's wars had the effect of practically taking away from the Hageboecks their fortune and many of their children. The boys were pressed into the service and the grandfather of Dr. Hageboeck, whose name was Peter, was an officer in Napoleon's army. The main branch of the family still resides in Germany, on the Rhine. Those who emigrated to this country are: Gustav, mentioned above, who is now in the furniture business in the City of Davenport; John, who resides in this city, and who was formerly engaged in the lithographic business; August, now a resident of Minneapolis, and also formerly engaged in the same business as his brother John, the latter two having been partners for several years. A sister, Minna, now the wife of H. Techentin of this city, immigrated to this country after her brothers had located here.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Gustav Hageboeck have been: Lena H., now the widow of H. M. Koehler; Bertha, the wife of C. F. Knappe; and Alfons L., the subject of this sketch. Since the death of Mrs. Koehler's husband she has been a teacher in the high school in this city.
Dr. Hageboeck received his early education in the public schools, graduating from the high school in 1883. He was then but sixteen years of age, being one of the youngest graduates who had ever left the school. During the next year he attended the training school for teachers, and in the spring of 1884 was graduated from that school, and began teaching the following fall. He taught school in Rocking ham Township for six months, and for six months in Hickory Grove, after which he secured a position as teacher of German in the public schools, which position he held for one year. He did not intend, however, to follow teaching as a profession, but engaged in it as a stepping stone to the study of medicine, which had been his ambition from boyhood. He spent what leisure time he had in the office of the late successful physician and surgeon, Dr. Peck, and much of his time was spent with the latter in personal calls upon his patients. During the fall of 1886 Dr. Hageboeck began his medical course at the State University of Iowa, at the same time taking special work in chemistry and zoology in the collegiate department. He was editor for one year while in college of the medical department of the “Vidette Reporter," and graduated with high honors in 1889. During the last term of his college course he was interne at the State University Hospital, and through this means obtained unusual advantages, which were of great benefit to him.
Dr. Hageboeck realized that the education he had received, while it was sufficient to enable him to practice the profession of medicine with reasonably good success, was not all that he needed, nor all that he desired, therefore, immediately after his graduation he sailed for Vienna, Austria, where he entered the Royal University, which is, perhaps, one of the largest and best institutions in which a physician could fit himself for his life's work. He secured an appointment, while studying at the Royal University, to Professor Winckel's clinic at Munich. The latter institution gave Dr. Hageboeck unexcelled oppor tunities for study in the special department which he has followed with such remarkable success, namely, the diseases of women. There is no other institution in the world which has the standing of Professor Winckel's clinic, and there is, perhaps, no better known medical authority than the professor whose name appears in connection with the institution.
While Dr. Hageboeck was in Europe he attended the Ninth Inter national Medical Congress at Berlin as a representative of the Philadelphia "Medical News.” He wrote full and complete reports of the sessions of the congress, and during his entire stay in Europe, covering a period of about two years, he wrote two letters a month for the “News," for which he received handsome remuneration.
During his vacations he spent much time in travel and study. He visited Switzerland, Italy, France, England and Scotland, and in these countries gave much attention to the hospitals. Dr. Hageboeck returned to this country in 1890 and began the practice of his profession in Davenport.
He is connected with St. Luke's Hospital, recently established, and is a member of the State Medical Society and of the Scott County Medical Society. He is a Mason, a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen , of which he is the medical examiner, and a member of the Order of Harugari. In 1892 he established a private clinic in this city and does a large amount of his work there.
He was married on the twenty-second day of October, 1892, to Miss Ida Pauline Haller, a native of Davenport, being the daughter of Louis Haller, the banker. Dr. and Mrs. Hageboeck have one child, Alfons Edward.
Dr. Hageboeck's success as a practitioner has been remarkable. It is probable that he would never have been able to attain the high standing which he now holds in the profession had he not been able to secure the unusual advantages of a European tour, studying in the best universities and hospitals of the world. The practical benefits of his education and of the experiences he went through while in the universities and hospitals have been demonstrated in his daily labor. Although a very young man he has as much as he can do, and it is interesting to note that he ranks among the foremost physicians and surgeons in all this section . Dr. Peck, who was his first preceptor, and whose standing in the community was the highest, perhaps, of any physician during his lifetime, took a great deal of interest in Dr. Hageboeck, and had so great faith in him that he recommended him to many persons who were in need of surgical attendance. This, of itself, speaks volumes, and it is safe to predict for him a brilliant future. He has the energy and ambition and lacks only the opportunity to occupy a position of much greater prominence than has yet been offered him, and, what is more, he has the ability to fill it.
BIOGRAPHIES