The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-10-12


Brief Memoranda Of the Late DR..
Samuel MeKeehan, of West AIexRn-
der, Washington County, Pennsyl-
VAniR.
By DIR. j. C. HUPP, of Wheeling, West Wiz
ginia-
This Nestor of practical medicine and
surgery west Of the Allegheny Noun
tains, was born in Cumberland county,
Pennsylvania, December IL, 1875.
He enjoyed the advantages of lib
eral education, and at an early age won
the richly merited Academic Degree at
Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsyl-
vaniH. Having turned his attention to
the study OF medicine, he entrusted
himself to the pupilaRe OF DIR. Gettys,
OF Newville, Pennsylvania, where his
zeal, energy and naturally comprehen-
sive mind brought him rapidly 10 the
proud position OF peer in medical
knowledge with his distinguished pre-
ceptor.
In search of an appropriate site for
his future labors, his course westward
led him into the broad alluvial fields
in the Mississippi Valley, and in the
year 1903 he settled at Wellsburg, in
what is now Brooke county, West Nir-
ginla. There, and at the village of
West Liberty, on the waters of
Short Creek in Ohio county, he sue
cessfully prosecuted the duties OF his
profession until the year 1912. During
that year Congress had declared war
against Great Britain, and in the begin
ming the preparations for carrying on
the war were i'll no respect of
promising character. A minority
OF the House of Representatives
had entered a protest against the de-
claration OF war. Madison's procla-
nation of war had been issued-Con-
gress had authorized the enlistment of
twenty i've thousand men yet but few
enlisted in the service. The feelings of
high pitch of excitement by the decla-
ration of war. In certain localities
mobs sprang up, and in the fury OF the
moment were carried to the extent of
the shedding of blood; and added to
these lnpropitious circumstances, that
signal disaster to the American arms,
Hull's surrender of his whole army to
the British General Brock, and with 1t
the Fort of Detroit and all other forts
and garrisons belonging to the United
States within the district under his
command, was well calculated to still
further ddHlpeH and discourage the ar
dor of patriotism throughout the coun-
try, and render the commencement of
the contest alike gloomy and morufy-
ing.
The progress of those untoward
events, so discouraging to every patri-
otic heart, and their effect upon the
public mind, was closely observed by
DIR. McKeehan. Being man of hope
ful temperament, of broad views and
sound judgment-poSsessi those re-
murkable mental and physical de-
VelopmeDts, which Were so fully
mHtared as to impart to the pos
SCISSOR the qualities of impulsive-
ness, longevity and endurance-Hred
by the succession of conflicts on the
lakes and along the northern frontier
prompted by n sterling patriotism which
nothing but death could extiuRuish,
DIR. McKeehan entered the service Of
his country, acting as Assistant Sur
geon III the Third Regiment, Second
Brigade Ohio Militia, commanded by
Brigndier General Mercer Duval, which
Brigade formed constituent part of
that division of the army commanded
by General Harrison. and cooperating
in the execution of the concerted plan
for the invasion OF Canada.
After the einhuman butchery of nearly
five hundred prisoners of war near the
river Raisin, by the Indians, in the
month of January, 1913, DIR. Mckeehan,
with two other daring spirits, volnn-
teered their services to Gen. Harrison
to carry flag of truce to the British
commander at Maiden, Upper Canada.
In the prosecution of this difficult and
dangerous undertaking, the Doctor
was wounded and captured by the Iu-
dians, and by the tyrannical and un-
reasonable order OF the British COM
mander, General Proctor, was arrested
on the second day OF March, and barely
escaped the gallows as an alleged spy.
He was taken to Montreal and thrust
into a dungeon for thirty-one days; aud
on the eighteenth of May, ut the instance
of Governor Roberts was liberated. In
the month of June he was appointed
Garrison Surgeon by General Harrison
and shortly afterward was commits
stoned Regimental Surgeon by the then
Secretary OF War, John Armstrong,
aud served faithfully in the army with
General Harrison till December, 1914.
In the year 1925 DR.. Mckeehan per-
mausntly settled in West Alexander,
Washington county, Pennsylvania,
and continued in practice until u few
months before his decease-a service of
three score and four years-at which
place, on the 36th day of September,
1866, lie died, aged nearly ninety-two
years. Such nOble-hearted and pRtri-
otic man should not be forgotten. Dis
for his pbilanthrophy, his
wholesouIed benevolence, his unOsten-
tatious charity, habits and manners,
this good man and scientific practition-
er passed away full OF years and honors
embalmed in the memory of all who
knew him.