Biography - F Stratton
F. M. STRATTON, physician, Litchfield, was born in Jefferson County, Ind., September 22, 1829, and, being left an orphan at an early age, he began, when nine years old, to earn a living and secure an education for himself; he was employed in a drug store at that place for a period of one and a half years; at the age of thirteen, he removed to Jefferson County, Ky., thence to Henry County, Ky., where, at the age of seventeen , he began to learn the trade of carpentering, at which he hoped to earn means to pay for an education; he served as apprentice three years, and then began taking contracts. In the evening, after his work by the firelight he studied medicine, being without a tutor; his early education was obtained through many difficulties, and all his spare hours were devoted to earnest study of the profession he has since adopted and now practices with marked success. At the age of twenty-two years, he married, in Kentucky, and in 1852, removed to Morgan County, Ind., taking some large contracts at Morgantown, which he completed with good success. In August of the following year, he returned to Kentucky, and there his wife died in June, 1854. In the fall of that year, he entered the Medical Department of Michigan University at Ann Arbor, taking a six-months' course, at the close of which he entered the office of Dr. O. B. PAYNE, at Columbus, Adams Co., Ill. In the fall of 1855, he entered the Iowa University at Keokuk, and graduated in medicine in March, 1856. He located at Ashland, Iowa, where he practiced a short time; he then removed to Mill River, Mass., and practiced among the old Berkshire hills eighteen months, and again, in 1858, removed to Fort Madison, Iowa, where he practiced three years, leaving, in May, 1861, for Louisville, Ky., where, with his brother, he engaged in the drug business. The war coming on and cutting off Southern trade made it expedient for them to sell out their stock of drugs, which they did in less than a year, and the following winter, he took a partial course of lectures in the University of Louisville. In May, 1862, he landed in Hillsboro, Ill., and there became the medical partner of Dr. OWEN; here he continued two years, and, in April, 1864, he started overland for Montana Territory, in search of adventure, gold and health; he spent nearly two years in the mines, and returned to Illinois in July, 1866, locating permanently in Litchfield, where he has practiced ever since, except during a portion of the years 1877 and 1878, which he spent in Kentucky and Texas. Mr. STRATTON's children are John A., Owen T. and Francis M. Dr. OWEN was for over seventeen years in the same office with our subject.
Extracted 19 Nov 2016 by Norma Hass from 1882 History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 2 Biographical Department, page 173.
