Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 371 - 372 

J.H. TILDEN, M. D., an eminent physician of Wichita, residing at No. 255 North Main street, located here Sept. 1, 1886, and immediately established himself in his profession as a general practitioner, though he makes a specialty of surgery. At this writing he has been in the State less than two years, and without doubt has performed more capital operations, such as laparotomy for tumors of kidneys, ovaries, uterus, etc., etc., also for stone, and others of less character, than perhaps any or all the physicians in the State. 

            Dr. J. G. Tilden, our subject's father, was a native of Vermont. He received an exceptionally fine education in the schools of his native State, and was graduated when quite young from the University of Norwich, Vt., after which he taught school and read medicine. Subsequently he attended medical lectures in Castleton and Woodstock, that State. Two years later he was graduated from the medical department at Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., where he was afterward employed as instructor in chemistry. In 1841 he removed to Highland, Ill., where he practiced medicine and taught school. Two years later he went to Vanburenburg, in that State, and opened a drug store. There he successfully carried on his profession in connection with the drug business for several years. In 1871 he made another change of residence, moving to Raymond, Ill., where he made his home until his death, which occurred Dec. 8, 1887, at the advanced age of seventy-seven years, six months and nineteen days. He was one of the first practicing physicians of the Prairie State, locating there when the country was rough and sparsely settled. His practice extended many miles, his journeys being performed on horseback over the broad prairies and swampy lands of Illinois. For many years Dr. J.G. Tilden was a faithful and honored member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. During his long practice he made many warm and life-long friends, and was the beloved physician and counselor in many a household. At his death he left an aged wife and six children, all grown to maturity, to mourn the loss of a kind husband and father. His wife, Ann W. (Hill) Tilden, was born in Illinois in 1819. Her parents were among the early settlers of Montgomery County, Ill., going there from Kentucky. The names of the six children of the late Dr. J.G. Tilden are as follows: Joseph, John H., Scott S., Seth H., Ruth E. and George A. Joseph lives in Mississippi; Scott is a druggist, of Raymond, Ill.; Seth is a medical student in Raymond; Ruth is the wife of H.C. Coleman, a commission merchant of St. Louis, Mo.; George is a clerk in his brother Scott's drug store. 

            Dr. John H. Tilden, the subject of this sketch, was born in Montgomery County, Ill., Jan. 21, 1851. He received his early education in the public schools of Litchfield, and as soon as old enough commenced the study of medicine under the supervision of his father, and at the age of seventeen had perused several medical works. In September, 1868, he entered the office of Dr. J. Fellows, of Nokomis, Ill., and pursued his studies with him for two years. He then matriculated at the Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati, and was graduated from there May 21, 1872. After receiving his diploma he commenced the practice of medicine at Nokomis, and continued there eight years, in the meantime, in the spring of 1877, taking a post-graduate course in the American Medical College at St. Louis, Mo. In 1879 Dr. Tilden left Nokomis for St. Louis, to assume a position as one of the faculty of the college there, where he was engaged for two years as lecturer in anatomy and physiology. In 1881 he removed to Litchfield, Ill., where he formed a partnership with Dr. R. F. Bennett, and they built up a very large practice. The following year the partnership was dissolved, and Dr. Tilden continued practicing there the ensuing four years, and established a fine reputation. In June, 1882, he was elected Adjunct Professor of Anatomy in the college at St. Louis, where he had previously taught, and that position he still retains. In 1886 the subject of our sketch removed to Wichita, where he has a large and lucrative practice. His thorough knowledge of medicine, and skill in surgery, have won for him the confidence of the people to such an extent that, although comparatively a new-comer of this city, his success is already an assured fact. 

            Dr. Tilden was married, in 1873, to Miss Rebecca Maddux, a native of Hillsboro, Ill., and daughter of Nathaniel Maddux. The Doctor and his wife have had two children, one living, a daughter, Edna, born in 1876; she is a brilliant and promising scholar, pursuing her studies at Lewis Academy. The child deceased, Elsie, was born in 1878, and died in 1884. Our subject is a prominent member of the National Eclectic Medical Society, and also of the State Medical Society, of Illinois. In politics he is stanch Republican.

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