Harry L. Aldrich

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Dr. Harry L. Aldrich and his wife, Dr. Hattie B. Aldrich (of Caney, Kansas) were both medical doctors who achieved success in their special lines of practice. Dr. Harry Aldrich's specialty was women's and childrens' diseases. Dr. Hattie Aldrich's specialty was that of chronic diseases.

Dr. Harry L. Aldrich was born at Newport, Vermont, March 29, 1869, son of Albert H. and Ruia R. (Tucker) Aldrich, the former of whom was born in New Hampshire and the latter in Vermont, Both on the paternal and the maternal sides Dr. Aldrich is the descendant of old New England families which originally came from England. His parents came to Kansas in 1871 and located on a farm in Shawnee county, eighteen miles from Topeka, where the father engaged in farming and stock-raising. There the boy Harry L. performed the usual duties of the farm lad, which included herding cattle, and attending the district schools.

In March, 1883, the family returned east to Littleton, New Hampshire, where our subject attended the graded and high schools, but in 1887 they once more returned to Kansas and located again in Shawnee county. There Dr. Aldrich completed his high school education at Dover High School, and later attended the Kansas State Normal School.

From 1889 to 1892 he engaged in the profession of teaching and was principal of the schools at Willard, Kansas. He was then appointed postmaster at Dover, Kansas, and served four years during which time he also conducted a general store which he sold at the close of his term as postmaster.

In 1897 he began the study of medicine and spent his first year of preparation in the Kansas Medical College, Topeka. He completed his studies at the Herring Medical College, Chicago, Illinois, where he graduated with the honors of his class in 1901.

He located for practice in Waterbury, Connecticut, where he remained one year, and then returned to Topeka, where he practiced for a similar period. In 1904 he re-located to Caney, Montgomery County, Kansas, where he at once secured recognition and built an extensive and lucrative practice. He served three years as city physician of Caney; was appointed a member of the Kansas State Board of Health in 1909 by Gov. Stubbs, to serve a three-years term; and in 1910 was elected president of the Kansas State Homeopathic Medical Society.

[edit] Marriage/Hattie Aldrich

In 1901 Dr. Aldrich married Hattie B. Bassett, who was born in Dover, Kansas in 1869, the daughter of James and Ann (Sage) Bassett, both of whom were born in England and are of English descent. They were married in the United States and settled in Kansas in 1854, among the earliest pioneers in the state. Hattie's father crossed the plains twice, as those early days were before the advent of railroads into Kansas.

Dr. Hattie B. Aldrich was reared in Dover, where she received a high school education. She then attended the Kansas State Normal School in Emporia, Kansas and was graduated with the class of 1895, after which she, too, became a teacher and was principal of the Harper, Kansas High School one year, then superintendent of the Clifton, Kansas, schools one year, and then taught elocution and oratory in the Kansas State Normal School until her marriage to Dr. Harry L. Aldrich in 1901.

She graduated from the medical department of Washburn College in 1904 when she associated with her husband in the practice of medicine. She was a member of the Kansas State Homeopathic Medical Society and was president of the Ladies' Library Club of Caney.

Fraternally, Dr. Harry L. Aldrich was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and politically, he was a Republican, but not partisan in his views. Hattie Aldrich was a Suffragist. Both Harry and Hattie Aldrich were members of the Congregational church.

[edit] References

• Pages 841-842 from volume III, part 2 of Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... / with a supplementary volume devoted to selected personal history and reminiscence. Standard Pub. Co. Chicago : 1912. 3 v. in 4. : front., ill., ports.; 28 cm. Vols. I-II edited by Frank W. Blackmar.