DR. L. E. WILLS - RETIRES
July 7, 1949 The Republican Herald Dr. L. E. Wills Is Now Retiring
From Active Practice and Moving To Columbus To Live
(By Barbara Bolmer in The Chillicothe Gazette)
One of the last of the vanishing race of old-fashioned country doctors is slowing down for a well-deserved rest - Dr. Leonidas E. Wills, 78, of Waverly, who for 52 years has tirelessly followed the pursuits of his profession on foot, horseback, by buggy, and finally by automobile.
The doctor, his wife, and son-in-law and daughter, Capt. & Mrs. Bunah Lewis (Marion) Burnham, left Waverly this week to take up residence at 2886 Bryden Road, in Columbus.
Dr. Wills was born August 29th, 1870, in Jackson County, near Richmondale, where he attended public schools. He also attended the Lebanon State Normal School. After teaching school in Ross and Jackson counties, he entered Starling Medical university, Columbus, for one year. Then he transferred to Ohio Medical University, Columbus, from which he was graduated in 1897.
His avid interest in medicine stemmed from his close association with his brother, Dr. John Wills, of Richmondale; his cousin, Dr. John T. Wills, and his former teachers, Dr. G. E. Robbins and Dr. Frank Smallwood, both of Chillicothe.
Taking over the practice of Dr. J. R. Heath, of Omega, Dr. Wills launched on his medical career in 1897. While in Omega he met Miss Georgia E. McCoppin, to whom he was married on Christmas Day, 1900. He served the little Pike County community for three and one-half years.
When his cousin suggested that he practice in Colorado with him, Dr. & Mrs. Wills started the long trip through the West. Dr. Wills accepted the position of physician and surgeon for three years with the Dumphy and Nelson contracting company which was working on the famous Moffat railroad over the Continental Divide of the Colorado Rockies.
In order to reach the contracting camp, Dr. & Mrs. Wills bounced and joggled by stage-coach over 50 miles of tortuous mountain roads from Georgetown, Colorado. They made the trip on December 19, 1903, and went by way of the Berthoud Pass at an elevation of 11,309 feet which necessitated their changing ultimately to bobsleds.
The physician and his wife lived at Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado, during the building of the railroad through Byers Canyon. Then they moved to Kremming, the town which recently drew national attention by its famed physician, Dr. Sudan, who was named “Family Doctor of 1948.”
Imagine Dr. Wills’ delight to see a picture of one of his former patients in an article about
Dr. Sudan. Dr. Wills was located at Kremming before Dr. Sudan. While there he served as health officer of Grand, Co., and was appointed the first local surgeon of the Denver Northwestern and Pacific railroad at Hot Sulphur Springs. In his position he was honored by being one of the passengers on the first train from Hot Sulphur Springs to Denver in 1905.
When the railroad construction was completed in November, 1906, Dr. Wills returned to his native Ohio and resumed the practice of medicine at Omega until 1915, when he moved to Waverly where he has practiced 34 years.
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Dr. Wills has been local surgeon for the D. T. & I. and C. & O. Railroads for many years. He was local examiner for several life insurance companies for a long time.
Before going west, Dr. Wills was appointed Pike County Coroner in 1902 to fill the unexpired term of Dr. J. S. Hunter. During World War I, by special appointment of the President, he served as Pike County examiner of the Pike Co. Draft Board. In addition to his Ohio and Colorado certificates, Dr.. Wills also holds a certificate to practice medicine in New Mexico.
Two years ago, Dr. Wills was honored by his alma mater, Ohio State University, as a 50-year graduate and member of the alumni association. The Pike County Medical Association honored him by sending him a 50-year delegate to the Ohio State Medical meeting at Cleveland.
He has been a member and has held several offices in the Pike County Medical Association for many years and has held several offices in the association, having been president, secretary and delegate to the Ohio State Association meeting.
His service in the Lansing Lodge and Reed Encampment, I. O. O. F., has included being deputy grand master of this district. An active member of the Waverly Methodist Church,
Dr. Wills did much in promoting the construction of the present building.
He and his family for many years were members of Chillicothe Country Club and later joined the Lake White Club. For years Dr. Wills has been known for his avid promotion of cultural, educational and community affairs.
Noted as a family man, Dr. Wills always has maintained his office in connection with his home. Now, that his two sons and their families are located in Columbus, Dr. Wills feels that although he will surely miss his association with Waverly, he will once again be close to his family.
His son, Robert, formerly practiced law in Chillicothe, and now teachers in the law school at
Ohio State University. His other son, Richard, is a dentist, and maintains offices in the Hartman Theatre building, Columbus.
Through the hectic days of packing which go with moving, folks throughout Pike County “dropped in” at the doctor’s “Main Street” office in Waverly to wish him well in his new home.
“Pike County’s loss will be Columbus’ gain” was the apt remark made by one old-timer who remembers Dr. Wills from boyhood days.
Copyright © 2003 by
Pike Co. Genealogy Society a Chapter of O.G.S.
P. O. Box 224, Waverly, Ohio 45690