San Diego County Biographies

DR E. V. VAN NORMAN 

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


is one of the most noted of San Diego's physicians and surgeons. He was born 
July 18, 1838, at Nelson, Canada West. His father, William Van Norman, was born 
in 1805 at Nelson, Holton County, Canada, and was a land-owner and farmer. His 
grandfather, Isaac Van Norman, was a native of New York, and with three
of his brothers participated in the war of 1812 as United States soldiers. His 
mother, Gills (Black) Van Norman, was a daughter of Dr. Black, of New Brunswick, 
who was drowned in attempting to cross the St. Johns river to see a patient. Her 
brother, Dr. Daniel Black, also sacrificed his life in the practice of his 
profession in his attendance upon cholera patients during the year of that great 
scourge. He contracted the disease and died. His father and mother were blessed 
with ten children, of whom he was the fourth, and by the death of his father he 
was early cast upon his own resources. He had, while quite young, become imbued 
with the desire to become a doctor, and with that end in view prosecuted his 
studies. Up to his twenty-eighth year his time was spent in study and teaching 
varied with other kinds of
work. From much reading and observation he became a convert to the homeopathic 
system, and ultimately in 1869 graduated at the Cleveland Homeopathic Hospital 
College. Previous to and during his practice ophthalmic and aural surgery were 
subjects of study that closely engaged his attention. Prof. T. P. Wilson, 
president of the college from which he graduated, being surgeon in charge of the 
Ophthalmic and Aural Institute and professor of that branch in the college, a 
proposition of partnership was made by Dr. Wilson and accepted, and Dr. Van 
Norman also received the appointment of surgeon to the institute, which he held 
until he left the city of Cleveland, in 1872. He left this city on account of 
the health of his family and moved to Springfield as an inland town, as well as 
on account of its reputation as a healthy location. At this time his school of 
medicine had not been brought to the front, but by faithful, industrious and 
never tiring energy and with peculiar adaptation to the profession, homeopathy 
has in spite of all opposition forced its way to the front rank of medical 
practice. Dr. Van Norman as a medical practitioner has always held independent 
views as to the treatment of disease, holding steadily to the necessity of an 
adaptability to the peculiar work of the profession and regarding common sense 
as the first and last requirement to success. The Doctor is a member of the 
American Institute of Homeopathy and a member of the State Medical Society of 
Ohio, and an active member of the American Public Health Association, and is 
also a member of the Medical Society of San Diego County. He is a thirty-second 
degree Scottish rite Mason, receiving the last of these degrees in 1867. He has 
also been a worthy member of the Odd Fellows Association since 1863. Dr. Van 
Norman was united in marriage to Miss Martha N. Hazlett, daughter of James and 
Elizabeth Hazlett, in 1867. She was born in 1841, at Anderson, Madison County, 
Indiana. Her people were formerly from Virginia. Her parents now reside in 
Riverside, California, and her father has attained the advanced age of 
eighty-one years.
        Dr. and Mrs. Van Norman have two children, a girl and a boy: Gertrude 
G., born May 24, 1871, at Ashtabula, Ohio; and William Vernon, born December 7, 
1875, at Springfield, Clark County, Ohio. The Doctor with his family removed to 
San Diego, July 18, 1888, and has purchased property and located here. Their 
home is corner of Fifth and Maple streets and is connected by telephone with his 
office at 927 Sixth street. Dr. Van Norman became a Methodist when eighteen 
years of age and is a member and one of the trustees of the First Methodist 
Episcopal Church. Mrs. Van Norman was a Presbyterian, but since her marriage she 
has joined the Methodist Church.
 
SOURCE:  An Illustrated History of Southern California:  Embracing the Counties 
of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the Peninsula of Lower 
California� Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1890.  p.-  187-188