1 MEMOIRS OF W. J. GILSTRAP DEDICATED TO NETTIE G. GILSTRAP My loving and faithful wife 2010 public computer-file version Edited by: Ruth Whisler Shearer Jean Whisler Cook Alice Joy Shearer Lanning Robert Martin Cook Copyright 1985 heirs of Carlie M. Gilstrap: Roderic Warren Gilstrap Dwight David Gilstrap Ruth Whisler Shearer Jean Whisler Cook 2 THE MEMOIRS OF WILLIAM JASPER GILSTRAP Born: July 5, 1870 Died: February 12, 1957 These Memoirs were begun January 28, 1947 These Memoirs were completed January 16, 1950 Editor's note from Robert Cook: the following page numbers are based on this electronic document as it appears in .doc format while using the OpenOffice word-processing program. (www.openoffice.org) No guarantees they will match up under other formats. If there are any questions, as of January 2011, I can be contacted at [email protected] 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS early history AN ANNOUNCEMENT ........................................................................................ 8 FORWARD ............................................................................................................. 9 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 10 CHAPTER I EARLY HISTORY OF THE GILSTRAPS RECORDS FROM W.H.GILSTRAP OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON ............... 13 CHAPTER II LATER HISTORY OF THE GILSTRAPS 1. About Some of Our Distant Relatives. .............................................................. 18 2. My Grandfather, Isaac Gilstrap, and Family ..................................................... 20 3. My Father, Marion Jasper Gilstrap, and Family ............................................... 22 4. From Zane Francis Gilstrap, Unionville, Missouri ........................................... 26 5. My Maternal Grandfather, Sanford Stockton, and Family ................................ 27 6. My Folks Sold Their Home in Missouri and Moved to Kansas ....................... 30 7. My Folks Moved to Oregon .............................................................................. 31 8. The Great Diphtheria Epidemic of 1878-1879.................................................. 34 9. Our Family Moved to the McQueg Farm ........................................................ 34 10. Our Family Moved to the Van Rankin Place .................................................. 35 11. Our Family Moved to the Ed Test Farm. ........................................................ 36 12. Our Family Moved to Eight Miles West of Junction City .............................. 36 4 CHAPTER III MY EDUCATION AND ASSOCIATED INCIDENTS 1. My Education with Incidents ............................................................................ 39 2. I was Appointed Instructor at O.A.C................................................................. 56 3. Teaching Again .................................................................................................. 57 4. Medical College Finally Entered ...................................................................... 61 5. The Downfall of Independent Medical Colleges .............................................. 64 6. Original Medical Building of the U. of O. ........................................................ 66 7. Where Should I Locate? .................................................................................... 66 CHAPTER IV MY PRACTICE OF MEDICINE AND ASSOCIATED INCIDENTS PART I: MY PRACTICE IN SHERIDAN, OREGON, AND ASSOCIATED INCIDENTS 1. Located for Practice in Sheridan, Oregon ......................................................... 70 2. Sheridan Lumber Company Organized ............................................................. 77 3. Sheridan City Water System Established .......................................................... 78 4. Selected Director of Yamhill County Fair Association ..................................... 79 5. Elected School Director of Sheridan Public Schools ........................................ 79 6. We Bought Our First Home. ............................................................................. 81 7. First Sheridan Hospital Established .................................................................. 81 8. Opened My First Drug Dispensary ................................................................... 84 9. Bought Prince and Clipper .............................................................................. 88 10. The “Boston Doctor” ...................................................................................... 89 11. Man Dies From Alcohol Sold by Drug Store .................................................. 91 12.Paid The Money Owed For Medical Education ............................................... 91 13. Organized Polk-Yamhill County Medical Society ................ 92 5 14. Delivered Major Oration in Sheridan .............................................................. 92 15. Yamhill Drug Co. Store Sold and Associated Incidents .................................. 93 16. We Started Dabbling in Real Estate ................................................................ 96 17. We Built A Large Modern Home .................................................................... 98 18. Sheridan Hospital Closed .............................................................................. 102 19. The Disastrous Sheridan Fire ........................................................................ 103 PART II: MY PRACTICE IN ST. JOHNS, OREGON AND ASSOCIATED INCIDENTS 1. The Move to St. Johns ..................................................................................... 104 2. We Disposed of Prince and Clipper ................................................................ 106 3. My Dispensary ................................................................................................ 107 4. My Draft Board Service in World War I ......................................................... 108 5. Wooden Ships Built in World War I ................................................................. 112 6. The Armistice ................................................................................................... 115 7. The Wooden Ship Fraud ................................................................................... 115 8. Apple Orchard in Hood River Valley ............................................................... 116 9. Driftwood Hotel ............................................................................................... 119 10. Houses in Rainier, Oregon ............................................................................ 120 11. The Beach Cottage at Cannon Beach..................................................... .....123 12. President of St. Johns Businessmen's Association........................................125 13. Physicians on Lower Peninsula................................................................ ...127 Part III: A VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCES.................................................129 CHAPTER V SOCIALIZATION OF MEDICINE ............................ 132 6 CHAPTER VI ALLERGIC AND OTHER REACTIONS 1. Causes and Symptoms of Allergic Reactions ................................................. 148 2. The Treatment of Allergic Reactions .............................................................. 156 3. Later Notes on Allergic Reactions .................................................................. 164 CHAPTER VII EARLY EDUCATION IN MIDWEST AND NORTHWEST 1. Country Schools and Academies ..................................................................... 169 2. Universities and Colleges From Academies .................................................. 171 3. Early Medical Education in the Northwest ..................................................... 172 CHAPTER VIII HUMAN NATURE 1. Human Nature ................................................................................................ 173 2. A Plea for Homes of Good, Honest, Moral People ......................................... 175 3. Severe Winters ................................................................................................ 178 4. Fuel.................................................................................................................. 180 5. Automobile Accidents ..................................................................................... 181 CHAPTER IX OUR FAMILIES AND ASSOCIATED INCIDENTS 1. Maurice D. Allen and Family .......................................................................... 183 2. Lionel A. Johnson and Family ........................................................................ 186 3. Dr. Samuel A. Mulkey and Family ................................................................. 187 4. My Wife's Folks, Christian G. Van Groos and Family .................................... 192 7 5. Ira Wilson Gilstrap and Family ....................................................................... 200 6. Robert Lee Gilstrap and Family ...................................................................... 201 7. Joseph Isaac and Elsie May Gilstrap............................................................... 206 8. Owen Gilford Gilstrap and Wife ..................................................................... 207 9. William Jasper and Nettie Gertrude Gilstrap and Family ............................... 210 10. Our Golden Wedding Anniversary, August 1, 1949 ...................................... 218 11. My Retirement .............................................................................................