Dr. Noyes Writes of Early Days

Baraboo, Wis., Wednesday, December 18, 1907

Mason City, Iowa

Having read Dr. Mill's article on The Old Time Doctors with very much pleasure, I am constrained to add a little more to it. I also notice with additional pleasure the supplement written by Mrs. E. S. Alexander. I carefully realize her feelings and fully appreciate the sentiment manifested by her in her supplement. As she remarks there were quite a number of physicians not mentioned in Dr. Mill's article. Iwas born in Vermont in 1822, came west in 1844, lost my health in 1844 and 5, went to Baraboo in the winter of 145 and 1845, read medicine with Dr. S.M. Crandall, then a prominent and extensive practitioner of medicine and surgery. The first case of surgery we had of any particular note was a boy with a fractured leg. His name was Rork and he lived in Reedsburg, 16 miles up the Baraboo river, in the last part of the winter of 1845 and 1846.Sometimes I read law in the office of my brother, Col. Noyes, to pass away the time. I used to meet Dr. Joseph Alexander, subsequently Peck & Alexander, druggists. Many and many a time I used to meet Dr. Alexander who was in Baraboo sometime before Dr. Mills arrived. I was with Dr. Alexander at the time of his death.

 Dr. Blackley was a practicing physician in Baraboo in 1854 or 1855. Dr. S. C. Slye I used to meet often. A mighty good man was he. From 1840 to 1849 I was a resident of Baraboo and graduated in 1849. I practiced medicine in Baraboo for 17 years off and on.

Counseled in a professional way, from 1850 at the time. Dr. Mills first came there, until after Mrs. Nyoyes died, who was Miss Maria C. Crandall, in 1861. I was like Dr. Slye. I had an extensive practice and never turned any one away empty handed, always answering every call storm or shine and never refused to go because there was no pay in it.

After a period of over 60 years of hard labor in the profession of medicine and surgery, no human being can say that Doctor Noyes ever refused to answer a call, storm or shine, because they were not able to pay him anything. I used to meet Dr. Cowles, often in consulation, for years and years. Dr. Crandall was one of the earliest and most successful practitioners and long distance riders of any physician that ever practiced in Sauk county. His rides extended 100 miles or more up into the pinery, with nothing to guide him but blazed trees. I have know him to be gone for ten days. I was practicing in Baraboo when Dr. Mills arrived in that city. I had quite an extensive practice, myself far and near. Not much pay, but a great deal of glory. Doctor Crandall practiced in Baraboo from 184 to 1857 I think or later, and died in Mississippi I believe in 1858, with typhoid flux. Many times I met Dr. Jinkins of Dell Prairier, now Kilbourn. I do not remember Dr. Jones, but Dr. Topping of Delton, in 1854 and 1855.

Kindly Yours,

A. A. Noyes, M.D.

  Dr. B. F. Mills came to the territory of Wisconsin in 1846 and fifty-six years ago today he came to Baraboo. He then purchased the property on the corner of Second and Ash whre he has resided ever since. The doctor has lived to see many changes in the city and vicinity. Not a person in business today in Baraboo was in business then. He opened his drug store on the corner of Oak and Third in 1855. He continued this until 1880 when the store burned and he turned to the practice of his profession.  1906

Dies in California      Dec. 6, 1907

  Dr. B. F. Mills has received a California paper telling of the death of Mrs. Cornelia C. Shepard, Nov. 16, at San Andreas. Deceased was a daughter of the late Harvey Canfield of Baraboo and a sister of W. H. Canfield of this city. She was the wife of the late Judge Mark Shepard who was one of the first attoneys in Sauk county and was a partner of C. C. Remingto. The Shepard family went to the coast with the rush for gold years ago. One son, Mark Shepard, survives. Mrs. Shepard was 82 years of age at the time of her death.

More Old Time Doctors  No.v 20, 1907

  Having read Dr. Mill's article upon "Old Time Doctors" with much interest, I have felt moved to write a little supplement, so to speak, as there have occured to me the names of several physicians who were not mentioned in that article but who have borne an honorable part in the life history of this vicinity. Three of these, perhaps are all that would be included among the "Old Time Doctors," however. One Dr. Joseph Alexander, must have been practicing in Baraboo when Dr. Mills arrived as he came here some time in the forties and had quite an extensive practice here and in the county around riding as far as the Lemonweir. He died of consumption about 1857.

  Of Dr. Blachley I know no more than the fact that he lived here many years and that he did practice medicine in the early days but how much I do not know.

  The other came to Baraboo a few years after Dr. Mills, and lived here the remainder of his life, dying in 1898 at the ripe age of eighty-two. Dr. L. C. Slye had a large and successful practice in Baraboo and neighboring county, though he died a poor man. He never hesitated to answer a call even when there was no prospect or any recompense other than the knowledge that he had done his duty. Dr. Slye became the family physician in a number of families in this city who learned, as I did, to love and honor him both as a man and a physician. Many a time the remark has been made to me, "I have Dr. Slye to thank that I still have my son or my daughter, or some member of the family as the case happened to be."

  Dr. Slye was born and lived to manhood near Bennington, Vermont. He was educated and commenced the practice of the allopathic system of medicine there, but soon after came to Wisconsin, settling in Waukesha, then called to Prairieville where he stayed for a number of years, finally coming to Baraboo.

  He was always studying and investigating new discoveries especially when connected with his profession and as a result of this he soon became convinced that the famous German physician, Hahnamann, had opened a better way to better results and became his ardent desciple.

  Of course followers of the new system were frowned upon by their former brothers until the growth of liberal thought broadened men's mind enough to allow them, first, a glimmer, then a clear view of the eternal fact that the first cannot always remain the only one or not always the best and that God has many ways by which to work out the salvation for the human race, both pysicially and spiritually and that the newest is not necessarity the ??

  By theur fruits, ye shall know them

Mrs. E. S. Alexander