ADDISON LYSANDER LINCECUM
A.L.Linecum was born on April 8, 1874 at Longpoint,Texas,(near Washington-on-the-Brazos), to Dr. Lucullus Garland Linecum and Fannie Rainwater Linecum. His grandfather was Dr.Gideon Linecum. His father practiced in Lampasas, Texas until his death at age 78.His mother died when he was two or three years of age.
Addison L. married Miss Letha Gandy on October 24, 1897. They had three children, Barnabas, born in 1900, William and Ruth.
Dr.Linecum studied medicine at Dallas University and Baylor University.He earned his M.D. degree from Baylor in 1903.
He entered practice in Vienna, Texas.In 1904, he moved to Morales in Jackson county; then to Edna.He came to Louise in 1905, and El Campo in 1909.
Dr.Linecum established the first hospital in the county in 1912 in his home on Mechanic Street. It operated until 1915.
His first operation in El Campo was on a patient with a rectal fistula.It was so hot inside that they moved out under a tree to complete the operation.Chloroform was used as the anesthetic.
Drs.Linecum, G.L. Davidson,and T.L. Davidson were the operating staff in those days. Dr. Linecum performed 6,000 major operations with only two deaths.
In 1911-1912, Dr.Linecum served as vice-president of the Texas Medical Association. In 1916, he moved to Austin to work for the State Department of Health.he became Bubonic Plague Commissioner in 1917.
From 1917-1919, he served overseas with the Medical Detachment of the 111th Combat Engineers, attaining the rank of Major.
He returned to El Campo in 1920,and besides practicing medicine, he served as Postmaster,Mayor (one term) and superintendent of Nightingale Hospital (3 1/2 years).Dr.Linecum died on December 6, 1965.
Copy of rough notes I wrote to Naomi Chappel when she asked me to send her some memories of Doc and Doc's stories.[by his daughter]
Member of large family of pioneer physicians. Born in the spring of 1894 at Washington-on-the-Brazos. Actual birth date not known as mother died when he was a small child and father not remembering exact date of birth chose one for him in April.
Claimed he spoke Spanish and French before he learned English. All brothers also physicians. Father moved family to Lampapses, Texas when "Doc" small child. First degree in pharmacy, went on to become M.D.. In all held six degrees. Child of his fathers second marriage. Claimed his interest in music started at an early age when father re-married and he found a cello a nice large instrument to hide behind when his step-mother, also a doctor of medicine, went on the war path. Had one half sister (issue of third marriage of father) named Theresa. Numerous brothers and half brothers, all M.D.'s. Grandfather was Dr. Gideon Lincecum, died year he was born. Many papers and several books written about him.
Met Letha Elizabeth Gandy in Vienna, Texas in 1896. She used to tell me the first time she met "Doc" he was pumping water in his undershirt and kept bowing low from the waist to hide his undress. She took him to home to Gandy's Bend in Jackson Co. to meet her father- who refused permission for "Doc" to court Letha. "Doc" was one of the few highly educated men Grandpa Gandy had associated with and thought he was a Yankee from his manner of speech. Grandpa "Tip" Gandy, a confederate veteran had to be convinced "Doc" was Texas born and bred. The original wedding date came and went with no "Doc". There was a fever epidemic and quarantine was strictly enforced, "Doc" finally bluffed his way to his very unhappy bride - through a flood of the Navidad and Sandy rivers to ass to his problems. Letha's silk stockings had disappeared and she was refusing to go through the with the wedding in cotton hose. "Doc" never a shrinking violet, threatened to pull her into the parlor on a wheel barrow if she didn't appear on her own. Grandmother Lincecum told me these stories many times when I was growing up, and laughed at her brazen husband. She was not a young woman at the time of her marriage by the standards of the times, describing herself as a spinsterish old maid school teacher with two younger, prettier sisters. From the old photographs, this was not a fair description. She said she asked "Doc" once why he chose her when he was such a "catch" and he told her that she was the only lady he courted who refused to see him unchaperoned, or allow him to kiss her.
Their only kiss before the wedding was in her fathers presence at the time he gave his consent.
On their 59th wedding anniversary in 1875 "Doc" wrote grandmother a love letter, calling her his dearest hearts companion, the stabilizing guide in his (and their children's) lives and his best public relations representative over his long and varied professional career. One of the wedding gifts from "Tip" Gandy was a small black child, Will Tone, to be raised by the couple and act as a helper to Grandmother in the house. He was still somewhat dependent upon them and still a household member, though not live in at the time of Grandmother's death. The Lincecums gave them sterling silver made from Mexican dollars.
The couple moved to Lampapsas for a very short time. Doc wanted to have his own practice and living with the large Lincecum clan wasn't to Grandmothers liking, He also wanted to do post-graduate work. Grandmother bought him a buggy and team of beautiful horses and off they went, back to Morales near Grandy's Bend. There was Method to her madness. Grandmother wanted to be near her family- as there was a thorn in the marriage, Doc cussed. When grandmother went to her father in tears over Dad's language she found no sympathy. Tip Gandy knew a good man when he saw one, and told the tearful Letha that Doc didn't even know he was cussing. "Damn" came to him as naturally as "hello". [?Gravel?] mother finally decided her rule of thumb would be she'd tolerate any of his language as long as he didn't use the Lord's name in vane in her presence. Doc was [?] his red headed bride, the apple of his eye - was as hard headed as she was beautiful to him.
From Morales they went to Galveston for more medical training - Grandmother taking a nursing course to be of more help. The hurricane in the early 1900's blew them back to the mainland, but the adventures in Galveston were many fold - including stealing cadavers for the medical school!
They settled for a short time in Louise, Texas, Doc saw that El Campo was the growing community in Wharton County - moved his family - and practice there and helped build the community.
In 1915 they closes their large home also containing the community hospital - and Doc went into public health work for the State Dept of Health in Austin. He was instrumental in abolishing the public drinking cup, screening food handling policies and grocery stores.
Doc went into WWI as a captain in the MR Corps of the Army - serving in France. He returned to El Campo and resumed his practice. From there on is in the files in newspapers in El Campo.
No No- the rest I am sure you can get from other sources. You know a lot of stories I've never heard. I remember a lot more, but Zava said you want this right away. History of Wharton County has a lot to say about his community work.
Please take care of my pictures. I know you will. I wouldn't trust anyone in the world with them but you. I have to have them back. They are my inheritance in Toto-Barney has most of Doc's awards - etc. at his home in Lolita. I'll get them if I can. Hope this helps. If I had more time I could do a better job.
Love, Elizabeth
"Just Notes"
Doc loved good horses. He was finicky about his food. Drank coffee so hot you couldn't touch the cup. Put pepper sauce on everything. Loved young people - never one to sit around & reminisce. Was a terrible driver. Loved his wife, daughter and granddaughter to wear bright colors- partial to red shoes. Never said "do this" - always "If I were you I'd...". Read anything from the classics of the comics - read aloud beautifully. Had no patience with status Quo in local politics. Knew next to nothing about farming - but always thought he could rebuild the farm at Grandy's Bend single handed. Was foolish about money - would invest in anything.
Dr. Gideon Lincecum (1793-1874) (his father) moved to Texas in 1848 and settled in Washington County. He was a prolific letter writer and kept letter press copies of his correspondence. A few years ago, a number of his letters were published by Texas A & M University Press under the name of "Gideon Lincecum's Sword." He was a natural scientist and collected specimens of plants for scientific projects. He was also a plantation owner and Confederate sympathizer, and broke with the northern scientists during the Civil War. Texas A&M Site
You will have to look for the site at this link. Above from Karen McCann Hett
