ForwardDr VanWinkleDr. MeeksDr. FosterDoctor PetetDr. WhiteDr. William LomaxDr. Claude LomaxDr. CoultasDr MayfieldDr. EppleDr GobleBetsy & Joe HarbavilleDr. Nicholas JamesDr Fred SmithDr. Ora SmithFirst Hospital
Doctors of Bristow, Indiana community were, Sylvester VanWinkle, then Drs. Meeks, William Lomax, Petet, White, Mayfield, Jeffers, Claude Lomax, Coultas, Goble and Epple. Source; Thomas James De La Hunt, Perry County History – 1916
Dr. Sylvester VanWinkle, is the first doctor mentioned in the early history of the town of Bristow. He was born Jan. 1832, a native of Crawford County, and was the son of Joseph and Mary (Atherton) VanWinkle. He was one of eleven children. He first married, Mary Ann Johnson, and then, Sarah Allen. As a young man he made his home with a relative, Margaret Harding, in Tobin Township. For the last 25 years of his life, he resided near Gatchel. When he died Oct. 1912, he was listed as the oldest doctor in this county. He was 80 years old and was buried in the Carr Cemetery.
Dr. Lewis Meeks was the second doctor mentioned and his address was given as Branchville, IN. He lived there about 1880 and was married to the former Ann Lyman who was a one-time postmaster there. They had two sons (there may have been more children), Dan born 1885 who married, Lucy Miller, and Lewis Jr. born Oct. 1886. As did many of the early doctors, he also served as a dentist. Of course, they could only pull teeth, as they had no means to fill them. Lewis served in the Civil War he Enlisted in Company F, Indiana 1st Cavalry 20 Aug 1861 as rank of Private
He is burred in the Hickory Grove Cemetery, Nat. Newton County, Ar
Dr. Foster is the grandfather of Olive Foster Flamion. Olive remembers hearing how her grandmother, Nancy. when she was 12 years old, along with her family and their horses and livestock crossed Lake Erie, into the United States. The winter was very cold and they walked across the ice and pulled the covered wagon across with ropes and chains.
In the early 1900’s, the home which now belongs to Tarma and T. J. Brown, was the home and office of Doctor Petet. The home was later bought by the grandparents of the late Bertha Lanman. Bertha would visit there as a young girl and attended school on the hill in front of the house. A string of steps extended from the road up the bill to the school. That school must not have been in use very long. Debbie Jones also remembers her mother, the late Judy Devillez, telling of attending school there. The Petet home was later owned by Sam Pete and Mary Lanman Lasher, parents of Lee and Lafe Lasher who lived near by. Others who have owned the home were Lee and Mae were Lee and Mae Long (Mae Hinton) and Bill and Frosta Lehmkuhler.
Dr. David White born in Tobinsport, IN and Nellie Simson daughter of J H and Mary E Simson lived in Stephensport for a couple years after there marriage moved to Stephensport and then moved back to Tobinsport. Dr White lost his wife Nellie Simons five days after their son, William Theodore was born. She died on March 22, 1905. The son, William Theodore died in an auto crash when he was 35 at Fort Lewis, Pierce, Washington, where he served in the US Army. Dr White and Nellie had 3 children, Altha, Cecil and William.
Picture; Dr White’s second wife was Lula Leaf and Cecil and William White. Dr White and Lula born three children; Grace, Helen and Charles White. Dr White and Nellie are buried in the Simons Cemetery and Lula is buried in the Lamb Cemetery both Cemeteries located near Tobinsport, Perry Co. IN.
DR WILLIAM LOMAX The first medical doctor of Bristow, Indiana was Dr. William Lomax who settled in Bristow in 1881, a graduate of Indiana Medical College.
Dr. William Lomax married Hettie Dugan, daughter of Thomas And Sarah Jeffers Dugan. Dr. William Lomax, was born in French Lick, Orange County, Indiana and practiced medicine in Bristow for 40 or 50 years. Dr. Lomax built the large house were Cledith Genet now lives. There was a drug Store and office on the north side. The office is now owned by Hubert Hapenau, the drug store building has been torn down and a porch added to the house on that side. He also owned the store and mill at one time. Several folks remember him and his family. He married the former Hettie Dugan, Daughter of the First Postmaster, Thomas J. and Sarah Dungan. Six children were born to them, three girls, Mary, who was a teacher, married Nicholas Igle; Olive, married Max Baker; and Ella, married a Simon. Three boys Russell, Claude (a doctor) and Muriell. After his retirement he lived 20 years in Evansville, where he was a member of St. Benedict’s Catholic Church. He died at the home of his son, Dr. Claude, in Indianapolis at age 91. He is buried in the St. Joseph’s cemetery in Evansville. Source; A Bristow History 125 years.
Attacked by Anti-Catholics Three Persons Killed and Many Hurt at an Indiana Picnic English, Ind. July 5 1895 —- Dr. William Lomax, of White Sulphur Well, telephoned here this evening news of a serious riot at a picnic in Siberia, Perry County, in which one thousand men and women participated. It is stated that three persons are dead and fifty wounded. St. Martin Of Tours Church Church, Siberia is fifteen miles from a railroad in the wildest part of Perry County. The men supposed to be dead are William Geise, Frank Hart and Frederick Elmer. It was a German Catholic picnic and was interrupted by anti-Catholics – New York Herald 7/6/1895
DR CLAUDE C. LOMAX – Dr. Claude C. Lomax, early doctor of Bristow, was born Jan. 20, 1884, oldest child of Dr. and Mrs. William (Hettie Dugan) Lomax of Bristow.
Dr. Claude Lomax & wife Maude. He practiced with his father and later moved to Dale, Indiana. Prior to this time, Dr. Lomax had been practicing in a hospital in Portland, OR. He had been studying leprosy and theorizing on its cure. Obviously there was no way in which he could put to test his theories formulated for the prevention and cure of the most dreaded of all diseases. There was only one way to sacrifice everything home, friends and eventually, life. It meant facing the multitude of horrors, mental and physical agony. On the other hand was he to succeed where all others had failed, his would be the crowning glory. If he failed, he would have the satisfaction of knowing that even though no cure was affected, he had eased the suffering of many, and that after all he had been of account on earth. If he had succeeded it meant everything. He decided to go. Applications were made to the government to be sent to “Leper Island” and preparation was made for the trip. He wrote his mother and father at Bristow of his decision. Heartbroken and almost frantic with grief, his mother telegraphed that to go would mean her death; that she could not live with the memory always with her, of the life that he had accepted, and asked that he stay with her during the remaining years that were yet hers. His ambition was forgotten and the message came back that he had withdrawn his application and would give up his proposed trip to Leper Island. Source; A Bristow History 125 years.
COULTAS – Dr. Porter Jasper Coultas was born at Gatchel, IN on August 22, 1882. His parent were Joshua and Mary lola Barbre Coultas.
As a young man he taught in the rural schools of Perry and Spencer Counties. It was while teaching in Chrisney that he met Mrs. Coultas, the former Amy Lee Hilt, and they were married on Sept. 19,1909, in his parents home at Chrisney. He was graduated from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in 1909 and returned to Bristow where he served as a general Dr. Porter Jasper Coultas practitioner for more than nine years. His office was in several different houses according to some folks. Such as the old hotel, the Sam Lasher place and the room on the right-front of the Lomax house, and later moved to the house next door. Dr. Coultas, was asked to come to Bristow because of the sudden death of Dr. Mayfield. He and Amy moved in with Mrs. Mayfield and daughter and took over his office which is known as the first hospital in Perry County. From the Mosby history we find the hospital had a laboratory and an operating room. The rooms on the first and second floors were for patients. Dr. Mayfield charged a total of $12.50 for a tonsillectomy if the patient stayed overnight, and $2.50 if the patient went home the same day. Dr. Coultas was a veteran of WWI and was a lieutenant colonel at the time of his death on March 20,1959. He had enough points and credits to receive the rank of a … full colonel. After his return from service, he again served the people of Bristow and the first baby he delivered was Vivian VanWinkle Albin on Sept. 9, 1918. Dr. Coultas served as a general practitioner in Tell City for 39 years. Some will remember their home across from the St. Paul’s Catholic Church with his office on the corner. Dr. Coultas was very active in civic, patriotic and fraternal organizations. There was scarcely an organization in Tell City of which he had not served as its head officer. His death at age 76, was attributed to a heart condition with acute complications. A son, Allen, and a daughter, Helen, preceded him in death. His wife, Amy, died at her home in Bristow on January 11, 1962. Still living at the time was a daughter, Mary Lee Blemker, and Mrs. Gene (Sarah Ann) Phillips, and three grandsons..
DOCTOR ADDISON LUNSFORD MAYFIELD –
Addison Lunsford Mayfield was born in 1879 near Paoli, Indiana to Reverend George Mayfield and Emma (Lomax) Mayfield. He attended Central university of Kentucky at Louisville, KY, and graduated from the University’s Hospital College of Medicine in 1902 achieving second highest honors in a graduating class of 45 students. He began his practice in 1902 at age 23 years a Bristow, Indiana as a partner in the office of an uncle, Dr. William Lomax. Soon he left the association with his uncle and opened his own office in Bristow. He attended John Hopkins University in New York in 1908 where he studied and interned in surgery for six months. He returned to Bristow in June 1908 where he built Perry county’s first hospital, a white frame two story building on the south east corner of Main Street. The building today is used as a family home. From the Mosby history we find the hospital had a laboratory and an operating room. The rooms on the first and second floors were for patients. Dr. Mayfield charged a total of $12.50 for a tonsillectomy if the patient stayed overnight, and $2.50 if the patient went home the same day. On Feb 3, 1910, Dr Mayfield married Anna Ostheimer, and they had one daughter, Evelyn Mayfield Witte (Mrs Carl Witte) who is now deceased. In December 1911, Dr. Addison L. Mayfield died at the age of 32 years. He is buried in the Bristow Cemetery. Source; A Bristow History 125 years.
MY DOCTOR – Brought me into this world
Dr Stephen Logan Epple – Bristow’s Last was born Jan 6 1883, in Anderson Township, the son of Stephen and Clara Harris Epple. Dr. Epple who never married was one of six children. Two sisters, Mrs. M. L. (Mary) Wanish and Mrs. A h. (Lizzie) Davis; three brothers, Elbert, William, and Jacob. After attending township schools in the county, Dr. Epple graduated from Valparaiso University and Indiana University Medical School and for a short time taught in the University of Chicago. He practiced medicine in Bristow for 23 years, retiring in 1946 due to ill health. At first his office was upstairs over the store, which at that time was owned by Ernest Witte. Later the office was moved to the corner house (Mayfield Home) where he also Dr. Stephen Logan Epple rented a sleeping room upstairs, with the office downstairs. In 1936, the same year the mill was rebuilt, he built an office across the street from the mill. That building is now the mill office. About this time he moved to his niece’s home, Mr. and Mrs. Fred (Flora) Smith and lived there until moving to California where he lived for the next ten years. This was one of Bristow’s first losses, when we no longer had a doctor to depend upon in time of sickness. His professional ability in the vicinity was greatly missed by his many friends. and all who knew him. He died Dec. 14, 1956 at the home of a niece, Mrs. Ray Williams in Galt, CA. The funeral service was held Dec. 23 at ConDors (Mt. Zion) Christian Church near Lamar with Brother E. C. Ringer officiating. Source; A Bristow History 125 years.
Dr. Daniel Starks Goble was a native of Huffman Mill, and started his practice at Chrisney, IN. He left there and practiced most of his life in Evansville. Dr. Goble died at age 78 in the late 40’s and is buried in Oak Hill cemetery in Evansville . At the time if his death, he was survived by two daughters, Mrs. L.D. Kingsbury ‘and Mrs. Buford Cadle, and five grandchildren.. Radus T. Goble, D.C. Goble and Oral Goble were nephews and Mrs. Daniel (Grace) Foster and Mrs. Herbert (Blanche) Metz were nieces. Some time ago a friend of Mrs. Louis (Suzanne Goble) Kraus, who is a great niece of Dr. Goble, found a bottle with Dr. Goble’s name on it. It listed everything the medicine was good for, and it was good for everything. Dr. Goble was a member of the Presbyterian church, past president of the McGuffey Society, and the IN Historical Society .The last 20 years of his life were spent in Indianapolis. He was well known in this vicinity where he visited friends and relatives often. Source; A Bristow History 125 years.
Elizabeth “Betsy” (Basinger) Harbaville was a midwife for Dr. Lomax and she got two dollars for each child. Joe Harbaville, her husband, was a horse doctor and they are buried at Apolona in the Harbaville Cemetery .They are the great – grandparents of Maggie Sandage. Betsy & John Joseph Harbaville Source; A Bristow History 125 years.
Dr. Nicholas A. James was a Doctor in Perry County, IN. Graduate of Bristow High School Biography of Nicholas August James published in 1933. An abbreviated extract reads: “Nicholas August James, grd. Bristow (Ind.) High Sch.; Univ. of Louisville Sch . of Medicine, M.D., 1904; was grad. student, eye, ear, nose and throat course, at Chicago, 1919; special course in surg. work, at Chicago Polyclinic, 1914; Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn. ), 1927; surg. course at French Hosp., New York City, 1929. He practiced medicine at Saint Meinrad, Ind., 1904-14, and has practiced at Tell City, Ind., since Feb. 1914. He is one of t he most prominent physicians in Perry and adjoining Counties. In 1923, he built the Parkview Hosp, at Tell City; it is equipped to care for practically al l cases of surgery. Dr. James is on staff of Deaconess, and Saint Mary’s Hosps., Evansville , Ind. In July 1918, he enlisted in the Med. Corps of the U.S. Army for service in the World War I, and was stationed at Camp Custer (Battle Creek, Mich.); commissioned. 1st Lieut., and later Maj.; was honorably discharged Feb 24, 1919. Dr. James is a member of the Am. Legion (Perry Co. Post No . 213), and the Cath. Ch. On May 16, 1917, Dr. Nicholas August James m. Mabel Becker, of Tell City, Ind. They are the parents of 1 child, John Mark, b. June 6, 1924. Source: Don Lautner
Dr Fred Smith, Jr. As a young boy was playing in his fathers feed mill in Bristow when he slipped and fell into a feed grinder. Riley Aders working at the mill grabbed and pulled him from the grips of the grinder and Fred losing some of his toes. He entered I.U. at Bloomington in 1948 where he received his three years of pre-medical and one year of medical training. The final 3 years were spent at the I.U. Medical Center in Indianapolis. He began practice in Perry County on April 2, 1956. He was associated with Drs. N. L. Neifert and L. C. Lohoff, in Tell City, Indiana.
Dr. Ora H. Smith, the former Ora Cherry was one of four students who received BHS diplomas in 1912. She started at Bristow High when it opened its doors in 1908 and was one of four who went through all four years to receive the first diplomas granted by the school. Dr. Smith, who later taught school, was a practicing chiropractor near Adyeville in April 1962. After attending grade school in Clark Township she entered the first high school class at Bristow in 1908. John Skrynecke was trustee but Bart Siegler was in that office by the time for graduation. Lee Mullen was superintendent of schools in Perry County at the time. Dr. Smith remembers that common schools of the township were six month terms in 1908. In order to get the high school accredited, a term of seven months had to be setup. When Clark Township would not pay expenses for an extra month, the four graduating students made up enough money to pay the seventh month. High school started, according to Dr. Smith, in the lower part of town, in a combination dance hall and saloon building. Later the high school was moved to the building where Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Pierrard made their home when they lived in Bristow. In the first year of high school, all classes were taught by Alidore Cassidy. Cleve Bailey was teacher during the class’ sophomore year. By the junior year, the new building, had been completed and Dr. Smith and her classmates got to attend two years in that brand new facility. Mr. Bailey got an assistant that year, a woman teacher, Miss Helen Biddle of Winona Lake. By that time the school had grown to three classes and in 1911-12, a full four year span of classes was entered in the high school. Dr. Smith, in 1919, was married to Roy Smith. They had one son, Carl Smith, who lives in Adyeville. Her husband, also a teacher, was also a member of that first Bristow graduating class. Reading was one of Dr. Smith’s greatest interests and The Pathfinder was one of her favorite magazines. It was in this periodical that she was introduced to articles on Chiropractory. She attended the American University.
First Hospital in Perry County, Indiana Source; A Bristow History 125 years.
