Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 658 - 661

DR. F. H. VAN EATON, one of the leading physicians and surgeons of Clearwater, is a gentleman now in the prime of life and following a career of usefulness, having thoroughly fitted himself for the duties of a most responsible position. He was born on the other side of the Mississippi, in Jacksonville, Ill., Oct. 10, 1834, and commenced the study of medicine upon reaching his majority. Since that time he has given his entire attention to the duties of his chosen profession with most satisfactory results, both to himself and his patrons.

             The Kingdom of Holland, which has given to the world one of its hardiest races of people, sheltered the paternal ancestors of our subject, while his mother's people sprang from the Scotch Highlands. Joseph and Catherine (Abbott) Van Eaton, his parents, were natives of Ohio. His paternal great-grandfather, who crossed the Atlantic at an early day, located in North Carolina, where he spent the balance of his life, leaving for his children the venture which made them pioneers of the Buckeye State.

             Dr. Van Eaton was reared to manhood in his native county, and, after completing a scientific course in the college at Jacksonville, entered upon the study of medicine under the instruction of Dr. Higgins, of Griggsville, with whom he remained three years, and in the meantime attended lectures in the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis. He was graduated from that institution in 1858, and commenced practice in the town of Virginia, the county seat of Cass County, Ill., where he remained until the outbreak of the late Civil War.

             In November, 1862, there being little prospect of a cessation of hostilities between the North and South, Dr. Van Eaton identified himself with the 8th Missouri Cavalry as Assistant Surgeon, and later was promoted to full Surgeon of the regiment, with whose fortunes he continued until the close of the war, and until he received his honorable discharge and was mustered out. The 8th Missouri was continuously under fire most of the time from the bushwhackers of the Southwest.

             When he was at liberty to re-open an office, Dr. Van Eaton located in Carrollton, Greene Co., Ill., where he followed the practice of his profession until coming to Kansas in 1870. In this State he first located in Saline County, where he continued until the spring of 1884, then changed his residence to Clearwater, since which time he has been engaged in building up a good business, and has become popular both as a physician and citizen.

             The wife of our subject, to whom he was married in St. Louis, Mo., on the 28th of March, 1859, was formerly Miss Hannah A. Cavanaugh, a native of Philadelphia, Pa., and who was born April 2, 1835. Mrs. Van Eaton is the daughter of Dr. Thomas H. and Rebecca (Speer) Cavanaugh, at that time residents of St. Louis. Her father was born in Princeton, N. J., and the mother was a native of Chester County, Pa. Her paternal ancestors were of Irish and German descent, and on the mother's side represented the Scotch and Swedish nationalities. They were the parents of seven children, of whom six are living. Thomas H. Cavanaugh, a brother of Mrs. Van Eaton, was Secretary of State in Kansas for two terms. Her maternal grandfather, Samuel Speer, was a soldier in the War of 1812, and her father was a successful physician of many years' standing.

             To our subject and his wife there have been born two children only - Lulu B., May 15, 1860, and Frank H., Sept. 12, 1862. The former is the wife of W. A. Lang, of Clearwater, and the latter is engaged as clerk at Wichita. The Doctor is a Republican, politically, and the present Commander of Post No. 356, at Clearwater. He and his estimable wife are popular in society, and numbered among the intelligent and refined people of their community. His property includes a good farm in Saline County, besides real estate in the village of Clearwater. He stands high among the medical fraternity of Sedgwick County, and is a member of the Southwest Medical Association of Kansas.

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