The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-03-15
TO THE MEMORY
OF \ GOOD MAN

DR.. William Robert Overton Veal /.
was born in Camden, S. c., IA years
ago. and died at Martel March 9Th, |
1920. His parents were prominent in ,
the town of his birth and died when /
he was small boy, leaving him in |
the care Of all aunt, who tenderly |
cared for him during his boyhood, Civ |
ing him the best school facilities of |
that day.
On one Of her visits with the doctor |
and his family while he lived in Cot |
ton Plant this aunt passed away and
all that is mortal of her lies in st.
Johns cemetery awaiting the resur-
rection morn.
When the civil war broke out, tho
only a boy, the subject of this sketch
enlisted and served in the army until
the close of the war and then entered
medical school in Charleston, S. c..
from which he graduated Soon after
ne came to Florida and commenced
| the practice of his profession in Cot
ton Plant. 49 years ago. AT that day
there were no railroads and no towns
| in Marion county except Ocala, and
| his practice took in the territory from
| Cotton Plant to the Withlacoochee
river, thence west over the Dunnellon
section to Irglis. bordering Gulf
Hammock, back to Morriston, Romeo
and Blitchton, thus embracing the en-
tire county west of Ocala. Of those
who lived in this territory at that
Gay, they can be numbered On the
fingers of one hand. The subject of
this sketch and the late DIR. Thomas
P. Gary of Oca1a, were great friends
and went hand in hand in their oro-
fession. DR.. Veal had often spoken
to the writer of DR.. Gary and the
valuable aid he had received from him.
There is perhaps no physician in the
state today better posted IN the dis
eases incident to Florida than was DIR.
Veal. No night was too dark, no day
too cold, no distance too great and no
one too poor or degraded that did not
find him ready to minister to the
wants of the suffering.
In 1874 DR.. Veal was married to
Miss Nettie A. Smith, who with her
parents, one sister and brother, came
from Connecticut and located in Cot
ton Plant. To this union was born
three sons, Fred L., who holds a gov
: eminent position in Washington; Will
E, merchant of Wildwood, and Chas
, R., a farmer of Cotton Plant and
member of the board of public instruc-
ton of this county. all of whom were
present at the death of their father
Besides these three sons and THEN
} families, the widow and hosts OF
) friends survive to mourn their loss
2 Especially to the lonely and heart
broken widow would we extend oul
heartfelt sympathies, and commend
: her to an all wise and just God, who
) has said, "My grace is sufficient fol
= thee"
The writer having had the same ex
perience six years ago is fully compe
= tent to realize her grief today. The
= writer and the doctor had been neigh
= bors of the GOOD Samaritan" type
!, for 40 years land in all those years WI
5 have strewn flowers in his pathway
e and with grief lay them on his grave
1 today. With the passing of the de-
ceased, the last one of the writer!
neighbors of half a century ago ha:
= passed away, and he, too, is biding the
= time when he will be gathered with
. the hosts around the throne of God.
= DR.. Veal had never been member
: OF any church, but had great respect
/ for a consistent Christian of ever!
church; was always ready with con
tribution if it was to extend the Chris
e tan religion. His belief and practice
l was 'Fto do unto others as we would
have them do unto u.s."
The charity of DR.. Veal was IN
. bounded both in money and medicine!