E.A. Scammon, M.D.

E. A. SCAMMON, M. D., whose long and honorable professional life of 34 years has made him known to almost every resident of Columbus, Kansas, was born at Saco, Maine, and is a son of Luther and Rhoda (Carter) Scammon.

Luther Scammon moved with his family from Maine to Illinois, in 1845, and settled in Bureau County. In 1876 he came to Cherokee County, Kansas, where he died in 1878, aged 70 years. His widow survived until 1896, dying when 88 years old. The family consisted of four sons and one daughter, viz: E. A.; S. F., who died in July, 1902, having settled on a farm near Scammon, Cherokee County, in July, 1872, and being also the owner of large coal interests; E. C., now a resident of Columbus, who was formerly in the coal business, and served one term as treasurer of Cherokee County, and two terms as a member of the Legislature from the northern district of the county; W. L., who resides in the vicinity of Cherokee; and Mrs. Hoover, who is the widowed mother of Ex-County Treasurer Frank Hoover.

Dr. Scammon was reared and educated in Illinois; he attended the Dover Academy at Dover, Bureau County, before going to the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he pursued his medical studies during the winters of 1864 and 1865, and was graduated there in medicine, in 1867. He settled at Arlington, Illinois, for practice, but two years later, in December, 1869, he removed to Columbus, Kansas, where he has made his home ever since. In January, 1870, he opened a drug store, which was the first drug store ever opened in Columbus. This he sold in two years. In 1888 he began to restrict his work to office practice, and opened another drug store, which he sold in 1902, and is now practically retired. Aside from his profession, he has been interested in other lines, and still continues his connection with coal lands, having been formerly engaged in the coal business with his brothers. Dr. Scammon is one of the county's substantial men, who has always shown much public spirit and enterprise. His beautiful home, built on a choice location and in the midst of a plat of 15 acres, is one of the finest in the city.

Dr. Scammon was married in Columbus, Kansas, to Lida Snevely, who was born in Ohio, and is a daughter of Dr. Snevely, who became a prominent physician in Indiana, where Mrs. Scammon's kindred are now located. The two children of Dr. and Mrs. Scammon are: Mrs. F. D. Crowell, whose husband has charge of the electric lights of Columbus; and Harold, a youth of 12 years, who is at school. Dr. and Mrs. Scammon attend the Presbyterian Church.

Politically, Dr. Scammon is a Democrat. He has accepted few political favors, his profession and his coal interests having absorbed his time and attention to a great degree. He accepted, however, the appointment of State mine inspector, tendered him by Governor Glick, being the first incumbent of the office under the law creating it. At that time the office was no sinecure, none of the later regulations being then in force and many of the present safety devices and inventions in modern machinery having hardly been thought of. These in combination render the work at present almost perfunctory. Dr. Scammon has been interested in the growth of the various medical societies in the State, and retains his membership with the Southeastern Kansas and the State medical societies. He has lived a very useful and active life, having achieved success both in business and in his profession, and now commands the respect and enjoys the esteem of his fellow citizens.

History of Cherokee County Kansas and its representative citizens, ed. & comp. by Nathaniel Thompson Allison, 1904, transcribed by Andrea Dinger, student from USD 508 Baxter Springs Middle School, Baxter Springs, Kansas, 11/21/96.