Dr. B.B. Davis, McCook physician, 1885-1893

Monday, April 15, 2002
Walt Sehnert

Medical men and pharmacists arrived in McCook almost as soon as the Lincoln Land Co. began selling lots for the new community. One of the first buildings erected in Fairview (which predated McCook) was a "drug store."

In the early days "doctors" did not always have formal certification documents, but the presence of fine medical persons in our community from 1882 until the present day is one, which the citizens of McCook have taken much pride.

Dr. Byron Bennett Davis came to McCook in 1885. He stayed in McCook for only eight years, leaving to serve as professor at the Omaha Medical College. He quickly rose to prominence and became the chief surgeon at several of the Omaha hospitals, as well as serving as president of the county, state, and western surgical Associations, and authored numerous widely acclaimed medical papers on surgery. His son and grandson followed in his footsteps and also became prominent Omaha surgeons.

Dr. Davis

When Dr. Davis arrived in McCook he was still unmarried, and kept up a regular correspondence with his future bride. Through these letters we are given a rare insight into the character of Dr. Davis, a glimpse at the practice of medicine in the 1880s, plus an account of the life in the bustling new city of McCook.

Initially, Dr. Davis was unable to find space for an office anywhere in McCook, and made his headquarters with Dr. Willey at the B & M Pharmacy. He was favorably impressed with the town, which promised steady growth, but with four other physicians already in town, business was very slow at first. In July of 1885 his total receipts were just $79 -- $37 of that amount in cash.

The first years of McCook's existence brought feverish building activity to the town, and some of buildings were not built well. In Dec. 1885 Dr. Davis wrote, "This morning at about 3 o'clock, we were awakened by a severe crash and roar ... we found that a fine new two- story brick (building) two doors from here utterly demolished and piled up on a small wooden building next to it. All this was the result of defective foundation of soft stone. Loss about $3,000 and a dog. This is the third tumble of brick walls since I came here (in June)."

A home for his bride was one of the projects completed by Dr. B.B. Davis

Dr. Davis was a very civic-minded citizen, and one with an eye on the future. He was one of the founding members of the Reading Club, known as "The Chautauqua Circle". Later, with lawyer, Thomas Colfer, he helped found McCook's first public library. He wrote, "Our library is still progress and I see no reason why it should not be made a success. We need it badly.

McCook is large enough to support a good one. We hope to start with four or five hundred volumes and gradually add to that. By the way, I believe a flying machine is feasible and that a few years hence those who sneer at the idea will be as effectually answered as are those who once scoffed at steam locomotion." And on March 31, 1887, "We have electric lights in our town. Behold how we progress!"

The Republican Valley Medical Society, including "all Regular Medicine Men in the Counties of Furnas, Red Willow, Hitchcock, Dundy, Gosper, Frontier, Hayes, and Chase" was organized in his office. Dr. Davis was elected secretary of the new group. The topic for the following meeting was "Membranous Affections of the Throat" (a common ailment of the day).

Dr. Davis was an organizing partner in the McCook Investment Company. "We will start out modestly, but I see no reason why we should not succeed in making a little money. Not a great amount, but it will be a good investment and no wild-cat speculation!" The Club's first investment was in City Lots. "We want to be ready for the boom". Dr. Davis bought one of the lots himself, for the home that he would build for his bride, at 701 E. First. Later that year he wrote, "Our cottage is now under full headway. The entire cost will be $2,475. Ex-Gov. Furnas has been here the past week setting out the park to shade trees. That will make our home just so much more beautiful and desirable".

As a young bachelor, Dr. Davis was in much demand socially. "This evening several of the young married people of McCook are to meet for the purpose of forming a Literary Society. Special grace has been granted to a few of us old maids and old bachelors ... as a special favor."

Sometimes his social schedule was almost too much. "Our Knights of Pythias Banquet met Friday evening. It was very select, only the elite of the city being present. . . Our new hotel, the McEntee opens tomorrow night with a grand ball". Later, "The Library Association Banquet is ... to be the highest toned entertainment ever held in McCook. Tickets three dollars a couple and only the creme de la creme to be admitted at that. It is hoped to make it such a success that an annual Banquet of the kind will become a feature of the town -- replenishing the exchequer of the Library."

But above all, Dr. Davis was a dedicated medical practitioner. A good bit of his practice consisted of making house calls. He used the train for traveling west as far as Benkelman and east as far as Arapahoe, but most of his travel to see patients was by horse and buggy. In January there was a driving snowstorm, "I was called out to see a patient 15 miles in a strange part of the country. The horse slipped down and broke the "buggy" ... so that I did not get started back 'til dark." He lost the road and wandered for hours until "I began to think I was destined to spend the night on the bleak prairie." He was saved when he found the log cabin of an old German and spent the night there. He arrived home "with more respect for the Nebraska prairies than I had before."

In April, he "was called upon to make a drive to the country. Believe it was the windiest day I ever attempted to drive. Could hardly hold the reins in my hands and my lap robe took a sudden departure for parts unknown and up to this time has not been retaken. There is strong suspicion that it started for Canada."

In July, "As the thermometer registered 108 degrees in the shade, I drove the 22 miles to Danbury. . . one of the most wretchedly hot trips I ever attempted.

In September, " ... this is my busiest week ... yesterday gave three teams all the driving they wanted. Last night at midnight took supper sixteen miles N.W. of home and drove in after that."

In the new community Dr. Davis encountered a variety of diseases. "A young lady only four doors from my office died of typhoid fever last week. For some reason we have had almost an epidemic this fall."

Another letter, "I have a case of diphtheria on my hands ... first I have seen in Nebraska ... a boy 10 years old. I have strong hopes for his recovery."

January 1886, My time and thoughts have been pretty largely occupied the past two or three days with a little boy eight years old who is very low with pneumonia ... should not be surprised any minute to hear of his death ... At 4 a.m. the little boy called his parents and brothers and sisters about him and told them he was going to die and go to heaven, and he urged them all to so live that they would meet him there. One of his brothers uses tobacco and he asked him not to do so any more ... He spoke in a clear and earnest voice. To the family it must indeed have seemed ... Iike a message from the other land ... He pats my cheek with his hand ... seems to know I am doing all I can for him." Two weeks later, "The little boy ... seems better and I am becoming more and more encouraged."

Dr. Bryon B. Davis, a man of great compassion, energy, and foresight -- one of the first of a long line of McCook outstanding medical men and women.

Comments
View 1 comment
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. Please note that those who post comments on this website may do so using a screen name, which may or may not reflect a website user's actual name. Readers should be careful not to assign comments to real people who may have names similar to screen names. Refrain from obscenity in your comments, and to keep discussions civil, don't say anything in a way your grandmother would be ashamed to read.
  • Dr. Byron B. Davis is my great great grandfather, and my middle name, along with my father and grandfather's middle name, comes from him! I think my grandfather edited his letters for publication. This article taught me more about my great great grandfather then anything else! I know its from 2002, but I loved reading it! Thank you for keeping this article and for remembering my great great grandfather! I am glad he had such a large impact on the community.

    -- Posted by JohnByron3 on Mon, Apr 4, 2016, at 1:01 AM
Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: