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Dr. George W. Petty
Photograph courtesy of the Bushwhacker Museum, Nevada, Missouri |
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Dr. G. W. Petty, Metz, Vernon County, Missouri |
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George W. Petty, M.D., a
Kentuckian by birth, was born in Lancaster, Garrard county, October 14,
1850, and is a son of Garrod Scott and Elizabeth (Huffman) Petty, the
former of Scotch-Irish descent, and the latter of German lineage, and
both natives of Kentucky. The father was born in 1805 and died in
1865, and the mother born in 1815, passed away in 1866. Our
subject's paternal grandparents, John and Patsy (Petty) Petty removed
from Virginia to Kentucky and both died there in 1807. They had a
family of four sons and one daughter, of whom the three eldest sons left
Kentucky, with the purpose of settling in Texas, and were never
afterward heard from, and it is supposed they were massacred. Our
subject's maternal grandparents, William and Elizabeth (Jackman)
Huffman, reared a family of five children, among whom were lawyers and
physicians, and all of whom left descendants in the home state.
Dr. Albert G. Huffman, who settled at Peabody, Kansas, and died there in
the nineties.
George W. was educated in
private schools in his native place and at Franklin Institute, where he
was graduated with the class of 1864. Later he pursued a medical
course at Kansas City Medical College, where he was graduated with the
class of 1890, and still later, in 1904, received a post-graduate degree
from the Chicago Polyclinic Institute. Dr. Petty began his
professional career at Metz, in Vernon county, Missouri, in 1886, and
removed thence to Nevada, his present home, in 1905. Prior to
entering the medical profession, Dr. Petty had been engaged in the drug
business at Metz some twelve years, and continued it in connection with
his practice till 1903. He came to Metz in 1874, and for some
years was the only merchant there, and lived there when the location of
the village was changed to its present site on the Missouri and Pacific
railroad, where he erected the first building. Dr. Petty was a
charter member of the Metz Lodge of Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
and is a member of Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church (South) of
Nevada. Dr. Petty has been twice married. His first wife,
whom he married at Fort Scott, Kansas, in 1874, was Mary Alice, daughter
of Mr. E. C. Lynch, of Kentucky. She died in 1883, leaving one
child, now Mrs. Lutie, widow of the late William McKee. She
resides in Nevada and is an instructor in Cottey College. On
August 12, 1885, Dr. Petty married Miss Mary A. Swearingen, a daughter
of Newton and Ann Swearingen, of Metz.
Information from the 1911 History of Vernon
County, Missouri, p. 953-954
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MR. G. W.
PETTY
died at home
in Nevada at 1 o'clock Sunday morning.
Dr. George W. Petty passed
away at his home in Nevada at 1 o'clock Sunday morning, after an illness
of four days with pneumonia and influenza.
Influenza was contracted
while in the discharge of his duties as city health officer, and it may
be truly said that he gave his life for others.
Returning home from seeing a
patient Tuesday afternoon he became ill of the dreadful malady.
Saturday evening pneumonia developed and he passed away at the hour
above stated.
Funeral services were held
Monday afternoon, conducted by Rev. L. F. Clark, pastor of Centenary
church, and burial was in Balltown cemetery. The I.O.O.F. lodge of
Nevada conducted services at the grave.
Dr. Petty was born in
Lancaster, Girard county, Kentucky, October 14, 1850. He was
educated in private schools and later at Franklin Institute where he
graduated in 1864. He took a medical course at the Kansas City
Medical College and graduated in 1890.
Dr. Petty had been twice
married. His first wife, whom he married in Fort Scott [Kansas] in
1874, was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Lynch of Kentucky. She
died in 1883 leaving one child, Mrs. Lutie Key, widow of the late Wm.
Key. On August 12, 1885, he was married to Miss Mary A. Swearingen
of Metz, who survives him.
Dr. Petty was the pioneer
resident, merchant and physician of Metz. He came to Old Metz in
December, 1874. When the railroad was built through in 1890 and
missed Old Metz he removed his building and business to Metz. This
was the first business house erected in Metz and is now occupied by the
postoffice and L. A. Robinson's drug store. He occupied as a
residence the old A. J. Meek farm house until 1891 when he built the
house now owned by Hugh Knight.
Dr. Petty remained in
continuous business in Metz until July, 1903, a period of nearly twenty
nine years. In 1905 he moved to Nevada to avoid the exposure of a
country practice.
Dr. Petty was a man of
positive convictions. One always knew where to find him on all
local or public questions. He did his own thinking, and was always
ready to give a reason for his faith.
He was one of the leading
members of Centenary M. E. church, a strong advocate of temperance and a
prominent member of the Odd Fellows. For a number of years he was
city physician of Nevada and registrar of vital statistics for Vernon
county.
Obituary from The Metz Times, Metz,
Missouri. Friday, December 27, 1918, page 1. |
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Back of G. W. Petty Advertising Card
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Front of Advertising Card
(Copy of card provided by Georgia Charles) |
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Enlargement of name on back of advertising card
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State of Missouri))
County of Vernon)) s.s.
The State of Missouri to the keeper of the Jail of said County greeting.
These are to command and charge you that you receive in to your said
Jail the Body of George Withers late of this County charged before me J
G Hudson, a Justice of the Peace, within and for said county. Upon
the Oath of G W Petty, of Metz, that is to say that, George Withers, did
burgalerise the said G W Petty store, in Metz, on the morning of
November 2d 1887, of Merchandise and cash to the amount of $8.00 Dollars
and that you safley keep the said George Weathers, in your said Jail
until He shall be discharged there from by due course of law through the
Circuit Court of this County.
Given under my Hand this 2d day of November 1887.
J G Hudson
Justice of the Peace
To
S J Baze
Constable, Metz Township.
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A METZ STORE BURGLARIZED.
The Thief Meets His Fate in the Osage
Pursued by a Searching Party He Takes to the Water.
The store of Dr. G. W. Petty
was burglarized, Wednesday night, being the fourth time during its 18
years existence at Metz.
One George LaShul, a young
man who had been about Metz for a month was the suspected party.
He effected entrance through a back window and carried off goods fully
to the amount of $60 or more. He had placed several pounds of
candy, tobacco and some knives in a stump in the Osage bottom, near the
bridge for a son of a Mr. Kirkman, where he had been stopping.
This led to a clue and Dr. Petty and two others, while examining the
surroundings of the stump, concluded to make a hunt in the river bend,
containing about 25 acres, which is heavily timbered.
While passing up the river
Mr. Hudson noticed something floating down the stream. Mr. Kirkman
swam in and brought it to shore. It proved to contain shoes,
underwear, pants, cutlery, etc. Its condition assured the party
that it had been in the water but a short time.
Believing that they had
pressed the thief so hard that he had crossed the river and lost the
package while swimming they detailed a party to take the opposite side
of the stream and made haste to press on. In a short time a new
hat--one taken from the store--was found lodged on a drift. About
200 yards further on they discovered two pairs of pants, which had been
laid aside for better ones, and the hat and shirt which LaShul had been
wearing since he came there. Several stolen articles lay around in
such a manner as to show that he had made a hasty flight. Less
than 100 feet further up he leaped over a 10 foot bank, and his tracks
led directly into the river where the water was fully 10 feet deep.
Much time was spent in searching carefully the banks both up and down
stream, to find some signs where he had made his exit, but none could be
found. The condition of the banks was such that he could not have
come from the river without leaving very plain tracks. The
pursuing party, which had increased in numbers, was forced to believe
that he had drowned in trying to cross. They did some dragging for
the body Thursday afternoon which was continued today.
The Nevada Daily Mail, Nevada, Missouri.
Friday, May 12, 1893.
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GEORGE LASHELL A KANSAN.
__________
His Father Writes from Lenora and Describes the Son.
__________
The persistent efforts of the
citizens of Metz have at last unraveled the mystery surrounding the
antecedents of LaShell, the burglar, who was drowned while attempting to
evade pursuit.
When the Osage river had given up
its dead, an accurate description of the young robber was kept for
identification.
It now appears that the home of
LaShell was at Lenora, Kas. The description given by the following
letter answers that preserved at Metz with the exception of the age
which was thought a little older than that given by the Kansas
correspondent.
To Dr. Petty at Metz:
Lenora, Kas., May 21 -- Dear Sir:
In a copy of the Kansas City Star I saw an account of the drowning of a
man who had broken into your store, and from a card I received from the
county clerk of your county of the drowning of my son George in the
Osage River, I believe they are the same. Will you kindly inform
me if such is the case, and how long had the man who was drowned been in
your section. My son was 17 years old past, about 5 feet 8 inches
high, smooth face, dark hair usually cut short; moderately heavy build,
weight about 145 or 150; scar on top of head, and large scar and lump on
top of one foot necessitating the wearing of lace shoes. He left
home about one year ago and we have heard from him only twice since.
If it was our son will you kindly send us the letters and papers found
on him--of no consequence to anyone else I suppose, but his mother wants
them. And state what were the expenses of burying him. Hope
to hear from you soon.
Respectfully,
G. P. LaShell.
In a letter written to County
Clerk Gordon Mr. LaShall expresses an intention of coming after the body
of his son. He thinks it will not be possible to move it during
the warm weather and consequently will not come until winter. He
asks to know the name of the secretary of the local A. O. U. W. lodge.
The father was very much exercised
because no one telegraphed him of the death of his son. He very
thoughtlessly ignores the fact that no one in this section of the state
knew anything about the locality from which the drowned man came.
The Nevada Daily Mail, Nevada,
Missouri. May 25, 1893.
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