Newport weekly independent., 1902-08-08
DR. P. o. HOOPER.
Another Distinguished Citizen of Arkar-
 sas Passes Away.

ago, died July 29, on a Choctaw train, near Sayre, 0. T. Dr. Hooper, whose health had been failing for some time, was en route to San Francisco when the end came. The deceased was a native of Little Rock and was one of the most noted alien ists in the country. Amore popu- lar man never lived within the borders of Arkansas, and his death will be mourned by his thousands of friends throughout the country. He was born October II, 1883, and resided all his life in Little Rock. His father, who was one of the ter ritorial pioneers, removed to Little Rock in 1927, and died when Dr. Hooper was quite young. His moth CT, Mrs. Magdalene Hooper, died January 3, 1877, at the age of 77 years. She was one of the noblest women the state has ever known. His education was acquired in the public schools of his native city, and in early manhood he clerked in drug store. Having acquired some knowledge of drugs, he attended Jefferson Medical College in Phila- delphia, from which institution he graduated ill 1857. He then re- turned to his home in Little Rock and began the practice of medicine with Dr. Lorenzo Gibson, which he continued until the breaking out of the civil war. He was then ap- pointed on a board to examine ap- plicants for the Confederate service, and to inspect camps and hospitals, and served through the war in that capacity with pr. Wm. Lawrence, of Batesville, and Dr. Scott, of New Orleans. He was in the trans-Mis- sissippi department, and followed the Confederate army when they evacuated Little Rock on Septem- Der 10, 1863, being located after wards at Camden and other head quarters until the surrender. After the war he returned to Little Rock and resumed the active practice, for years standing at the head of the profession in the state. He had made diseases of the mind a spec ialty; in fact, he devoted his en- tire life to that line of study, and received his first recognition as an alienist when Governor Clayton ap- pointed him on the board of trustees of the state lunatic asylum, with Judge H. c. Caldwell, Gordon Peay and men of like distinction. The board sent him all over the United States to inspect other institutions of like character and secure in- formation and suggestions that would be useful in the construction of the proposed asylum in Little Rock. He was elected president of the board appointed by Governor Churchill, the first after reconstruc- tion, the other members being Col. John G. Fletcher and Rev. T. R. Welch, of Little Rock, J. NJ. Hud- son, of Pine Bluff, and J. w. Stay ton, of Newport The present in- stitution was built in 1882 and Dr.
 Hooper, as president of the board, had as much to do with it as any one man. Dr. C. c. Forbes was ap- pointed as the first superintendent, and after serving two years he re- signed. There was no other man in the state than Dr. Hooper quail flied to take up the work and man. age the institution, and at the earn est solicitation of his colleagues on the board he consented to accept the superlntendency. Before this time, however, he had formed a partner ship in the practice of medicine with the late Dr. A. L. Breysacher, which
 lasted for about fifteen years. Af- ter taking charge of the asylum, which he had practically built, he continued in that position almost continuously with the exception of