Thursday, December 10, 2020

Webster County, Kentucky Medical Register 1889


Kentucky passed an act in 1874 that made it unlawful for any person, for reward or compensation, to practice or prescribe medicine or perform surgical operations if they have not graduated from a chartered school of medicine. A person who had been regularly and honorably engaged in the practice of medicine for 10 years was deemed to have complied with the provisions of this act. A person having engaged in medicine for 5 years was allowed one year to comply with the provisions. Anyone practicing medicine or performing surgery and did not meet the provisions of this act, if convicted,  had to pay a fine. The act, amended and approved 24 April 1888, stated that, beginning 1 April 1889, any persons practicing medicine in Kentucky must register in the county clerk’s office where he practiced medicine.[1]

The following physicians registered with the State Board of Health in Bowling Green and then with the Webster County court clerk. The following records can be found in Webster County Medical Register 1888 – 1955   on FamilySearch.


Dr. John O. Dixon, age 28; born Dixon, Webster County; diploma from Missouri Medical College of St. Louis 2 Mar 1886. Registered 13 Mar 1889.  [p. 11]

Jno. P. Campbell, age 35; born Webster County; two diplomas from Kentucky School of Medicine in Louisville 1876 & Missouri Medical College in St. Louis 8 Mar 1878. Registered 16 Mar 1889.  [p. 12]

Dr. Will M. Thornberry, age 43; born Webster County; diploma from Univ. of Louisville 2 Mar 1874. Registered 19 Mar 1889. [p. 13]

Dr. R.H. Black, age 27; born Webster County; diploma from Univ. of Louisville 2 Mar 1886. Registered 22 Mar 1889.  [p. 14]

Dr. W.M. Henry, age 61; born Lyon County, Ky; diploma from Univ. of Louisville 28 Mar 1878. Registered 22 Mar 1889.  [p. 15]

Dr. David Morehead, age 67; born Union County, Ky; practiced medicine from 1859 to present time. Registered 22 Mar 1889.  [p. 16]

Dr. James Morehead, age 69; born Union County, Ky; practiced medicine from 1847. Registered 22 Mar 1889.  [p. 17]

Dr. J.T. Bethel, age 48; born Henderson County, Ky; diploma from Kentucky School of Medicine in Louisville Mar 1867. Registered 23 Mar 1889.  [p. 18]

Dr. Chas. M. Smith, age 25; born Webster County; diploma from Missouri Medical College in St. Louis Mar 1885.  Registered 23 Mar 1889.  [p. 19]

Dr. G.W. Campbell, age 66; born Sumner County, Tenn; practiced medicine from 1852 to present. Registered 25 Mar 1889.  [p. 20]

Dr. D.H. Cosby, age 42; born Webster County; practiced medicine since Nov 1865 to present. Registered 25 Mar 1889.  [p. 21]

Dr. Jno. A. Bassett, age 48; born Bracken County, Ky; diploma from Medical Dept of Louisville Mar 1875. Registered 27 Mar 1889.  [p. 22]

Dr. R.L. Hardwick, age 26; born Dixon, Webster County; diploma from Missouri Medical College in St. Louis 2 Mar 1886. Registered 28 Mar 1886.  [p. 23]

Dr. A.H. Doris, age 52; born Webster County; practiced medicine since 1861 in counties of Webster and Union, Ky. Registered 29 Mar 1889.  [p. 24]

Dr. A.E. Bentley, age 48; born Wolverhampton, England; practiced medicine since 1862 in NY City, New Mexico, Maryland and Webster County. Registered 30 Mar 1889. Remarks: Has moved  to Hopkinsville, Christian County. [p. 25]

Dr. John H. Taylor, age 25; born Providence, Ky, diploma from Vanderbilt Univ. of Nashville 26 Feb 1889. Registered 30 Mar 1889. [p. 26]

Dr. Chas. Owens, age 63; born London, England; has practiced medicine since 1862. Practiced in Louisville 22  years; Crittenden County 14 years & Webster and Union Counties to present. Registered 1 Apr 1889. [p. 27]

Dr. Jno. F. Bunton, age 29; born Dycusburg, Ky; diploma from Univ. of Louisville 1 Mar 1888. Registered 1 Apr 1889. [p. 28]

Dr. J.L. Burdon, age 46; born Jefferson County, Ky; has practiced since 1864. Began practice in Jefferson County and since then in Henderson & Webster Counties and Sullivan County, Ind. Registered 1 Apr 1889.  [p. 29]

Dr. P. Taylor, age 64; born Ohio County, Ky; has been practicing since Mar 1847 – 2 years in Ohio County and since then in Hopkins and Webster Counties. Registered 1 Apr 1889. [p. 30]

Dr. E.H. Price, age 48; born Hopkins County, Ky; affidavit stating he has practiced since Jan 1866 in Webster County & the certificate of J.L. Cook, Chrm; J.A. Hodge, Rufus Linthicum, Board of Examiners for 2nd Judicial Dist. Registered 4 Apr 1889. [p. 31]

Dr. Thomas M. Davis, age 62; born Shelby County, Ky, has been practicing since 1854 Rochester, Butler County, Ky 2  yrs & at Calhoun, McLane [sic] County, Ky & in Webster & Henderson Counties to this date. Registered 29 Apr 1889 [p. 32]


[1] “Kentucky’s Amended Empiricism Law,” Medical Laws of Kentucky, Register of the United States, Kentucky, p. 457, Google Books.


Published 10 Dec 2020, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

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