The Forrest City times., 1902-08-01
DIR. p. o. HOOPER
Another Distinguished Citizen Of Arkan-
sss Passes Away.


DR.. P. o. Hooper. father OF the
State Insane Asylum, who resigned
from the position OF superintendent
OF that institution only a few weeks
ago, died July 90, on Choctaw train,
near Sayre. o. L. DIR. 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 alenists in the eoun-
try. a more popular 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 Il.
1888. and resided all his life in Little
Rock. His father. who was one of the
territorial pioneers, removed to Little
Rock in 1927, and died when DR..
Hooper was quite young. His mother,
Mrs. Magdalene Hooper, died jan
uary 3, 1877. at the age of II 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 a drug store Having
acquired some knowledge of drugs. he
attended Jefferson Medical College in
Philadelphia, from which institution
he graduated in 1857. He then re-
turned to his home in Little Rock and
began the practice of medicine with
Dr. Lorenzo Gibson, which he contin-
ued until the breaking out of the civil
war He was then appointed on a
board to examine applicants for the
Confederate service, ana to inspect
camps and hospitals, and served
through the war in that capacity with
DR.. VIM. Lawrence, of Bauesville. and
DR.. Scott, of New Orleans He was
In the transit Mississippi department,
and followed the Confederate army
when they evacuated Little Rock on
September 10, 1863, being located at
terwards 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 pro-
fesson in the state. He had made dis
eases of the mind Aspecialty; in fact,
he devoted his entire LIE to that line
of study, and received his first recog.
milton as an alienlst when Governor
Clayton appointed nim on the board
of trustees of the State Lunatic Asy.
lum, with Judge H. c. Caldwell, Cor.
don Peay and men of like distinction
The board sent him all over the United
States to inspect other institutions of
like character and secure informa-
tion and suggestions that would be
useful in the construction OF the pro-
posed asylum in Little Rock. He was
elected president of the board appoint.
ed by Governor Churchill. the first
after reconstruction, the other mem
bers being Col. John G. Fletcher and
Rev. T. r. Welch, of Little Rock, J.
NJ. Hudson, of Pine Bluff, and ]. w.
Stayton 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 appointed as the
first superintendent, and after serv-
ing two years he resigned. There was
no other man in the state than DIR.
Hopper qualified to take up the work
and manage the institution, and at
the earnest solicitation of his col
leagues on the board he consented to
accept the superintendency. Before
this time, however, he had formed a
partnership in the practice of medi-
cine with the late Dr. A. L. BreySach-
er, which lasted for about fifteen
years. After taking charge of the asy-
lum, which he had practically built,
he continued in that position almost
continuously with the exception of a
few years interim when DR. j. j. Rob-
ertson was superintendent, until about
a month ago.