The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-07-16
heath OF DIR. J. S. CASTER.
Noted Physician of Burlington Pass.
ed Away Last Friday-Was
Born in Decatur County.

died at his home in that city last
Friday morning. He was quite Wei
known in Leon, his father being the
hate Or. Paul Caster, and he was 9
cousin of J. M, J. A., Lawrence and
John Caster of Leon. The following
notice in regard to his death is tax
en- from the Burlington Hawk-Eye:
Dr., J. S. Caster widely known
End greatly honorod citizen of Bur.
Mngton, passed away at his home on
North Fourth street at one O'CLOCK
this morning. He had been i'll but
few weeks, and few of his friends
ever, knew that his sickness was any
ihing fatal. He had been of so rug
Yed q nature that those who knew
him best little thought that disease
Tould lay him low.
Some three weeks ago DR.. Caster
began to show signs of breaking
health and he was persuaded to give
ND his practice for the summer. He
cousented to do this with reluctance
md his many patients were notified
that for the first time since he began
the healing art, he would not receive
thetns at his customary hours until
next August.
Meanwhile. his condition became
xiar ming, and a consultation OF ply
aicians was called who held out little
nope to the members of his family
;sza mis- friends. There was hope
tRss liz spite of this the doctor would
get better, and for time this seem
ed likely to be true. But the disease,
which was complication of the kid
neys, slowly made it's power felt,
and by yesterday little hope OF the
Doctors recovery was entertained by
anyone.
The death of DR.. Caster will be
xeeniy felt by thousands of people in
Burlington, who have come to honor
and respect him, for his sterling
qualities of honesty, and his keenness
at judgment in all matters of private
snd public life. AS mayor of Bur
7ington, during 1904 and 1905 he in
PRODUCED many reforms, and was &C
corded the distinction of being one
Of the best Chief executives Burling-
sUn ever had. AS member of the coun-
cal previous to this he was a power
for good in every class of legislation.
As a citizen, Burlington has never
possessed one that had done more
Tor his place of residence in the mat
ter of high ideas and broad, construc-
tive policies.
A native of Iowa. DR.. Caster was
born in Franklin Mills, Decatur coun-
~, September Is, 1860, his parents
being Dr.. Paul and Nancy (Hatfield)
Caster. His paternal grandfather
John Custer, for SO the name was
then spelled, was of German lineage
OF an ancestry that was represented
Ia Pennsylvania at an early day. He
removed from the keystone state tt
.Hagerstown, Ind, becoming one Of
the pioneers of that locality, ant
there DR.. Paul Caster was born ant
reared The latter, subsequent tt
his marriage, and the birth of theil
eldest child, came with his family tt
Iowa, settling in Decatur county
where he. early followed the wheel
4 Kright's trade and also engaged IL
the milling business, being one O
The pioneer representatives of indus
rial interests there. In 1856 HI
hook up the profession of magnetic
healing, and gained wide and lasting
seputation by his skill and efficiency
Removing to Ottumwa. Iowa, hi
a1acsed building there in 1869, a.
cost of eighty-six thousand dollars
now the Ottumwa hospital. There
he treated people from all parts o.
the world, patients coming to hin
from distant sections of this country
i n his fame spread abroad and hit
power was demonstrated by the prac.
tiCz7 results that attended his ef'
forts. He died in April 1881, while
J. His wife passed away when her son
jacob was but two years old. Pau
Caster married, second, Mrs. Sarah
Fri, a widow of a soldier, who was
Hailed at Lookout Mountain, Tenn.
TO the first marriage was born Dr.
-. s. Caster.
Accompanying his parents to Of
xamwa. Iowa, when about eight years
sid, Or. Caster continued his educa-
4 lion in the public schools of that
sIty, and later entered the CONNER
tizl college, from which he was grad
1ated. During the last five years of
hfs fathers life he was associated
with him in practice as superintend-
ani of his infirmary. 1t was the faith
sf's earnest desire that the son
should take up his profession, but
III GdSIS1 lSluoCu pSSouoC VI IAS
xfose confinement necessitated in the
tCHscientious performance of the
duties involved Instead he turned
his attention to the machinist's trade
and for nearly nine years was in the
aerVice of the Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy Railroad company in that
capacity. He came to Burlington
xhile so employed, and while still
uE The railroad service he treated a
humber of charity cases here, his
BmpathyaSb being aroused and his
aEoad humanitarian principles pro-
voting his ready aid in behalf of
those, who had not the means to Sc
sure other professional treatment.
1 The cures he effected drew to him
me attention OF many of the citi-
xens Of Burlington, and many plead
cd with him to treat members OF
heir families.
= T7ius; without effort on his part,
Ne gradually worked into practice
s5xsx made heavier and heavier de-
sxsAds upon his time and attention,
nntis de resolved to direct all his en-
assrgiss into the channels of magnetic
healing. and in 1889 he opened his