Butler County Genealogy Trails Kansas Dr. Frederick E. Dillenbeck Bio

BUTLER COUNTY'S EIGHTY YEARS BIOS

DR. FREDERICK E. DILLENBECK

(Transcribed by Peggy Luce)

Dr. Frederick E. Dillenbeck, for forty years one of the foremost physicians and surgeons of this section of Kansas, dean of the medical profession in Butler County and one of the most widely known and liked citizens of El Dorado, was born near Gouverneur, Saint Lawrence County, New York, April 4, 1867.

Dr. Dillenbeck moved his offices four years ago to a new and modern suite at 109-1/2 West Central Avenue – moving, incidentally, for the first time since he began the practice of medicine here in 1896. His offices are equipped with the most modern of scientific facilities, including an X-ray machine carrying one of thoe largest coils made, and other equipment which represents the expenditure of thousands of dollars. It is probable that no physician in the state is better equipped, both from the standpoint of education and improved office facilities, for the practice of the profession than Dr. Dillenbeck.

At the present time, he is local and dispensing surgeon for the Missouri Pacific and the Santa Fe Railroad companies, medical examiner for a numberous group of old line life insurance concerns and has an extensive individual practice. His medical library is one of the most carefully selected in Kansas and his professional associational affiliations include, not only the Butler County and state societies, but also membership in the American Medical Association, the Military Surgeons of the United States and the Clinical Congress of Surgeons of North America and the American Association of Railway Surgeons. In addition to these memberships, Dr. Dillenbeck has approximately a half score of diplomas, issued by standard institutions for post-graduate work, indicating his wide and thorough information.

Dr. Dillenbeck received his early education in the public schools of St. Lawrence County and after the age of fifteen years, when his parents moved here, in the El Dorado schools. He quit school at seventeen and obtained employment as a clerk in a local drug store at $6 a month. He remained with this store seven years, although its firm name changed four times in that period and, suggestive of his competency, the $6 a month salary upon which he began, had been advanced to $150 with an offer of increase, when he resigned. During his drug store experience, he studied pharmacy and had passed the state board examination as a registered pharmacist before he decided to take up medicine and surgery as a profession. He acquired funds for a portion of his medical course, in 1893-94, by making a successful “run” at the spectacular opening of the Cherokee Strip in Oklahoma. The Cherokee Strip was opened in 1893 and Dr. Dillenbeck, always of an adventurous spirit, bought a fast-running pony, shipped it to the territory and upon the formal signal, entered the race for land. He succeeded in securing a lot, just a half block from the present courthouse site in Perry, Oklahoma. He later sold this for $1,800 which he applied to his medical college fund.

Following his graduation in 1896 from the University Medical College, Kansas City, Kansas, Dr. Dillenbeck returned to El Dorado and opened an office in the building in which he practiced until 1930. His rise to eminence was immediate. He formerly had been appointed, about 1890, while working in the drug store, hospital steward in the Second Regiment, Kansas National Guards. He resigned this and enrolled at college, but in 1899, Governor Morrell appointed him to the medical corps of the State National Guard with the commission of Lieutenant-surgeon. In 1900, Governor W. E. Stanley promoted him to Captain-surgeon and the same year advanced him to Major-surgeon. He continued with the National Guard in this capacity until 1910, when he resigned because of a constantly increasing private practice.

Dr. Dillenbeck is of Dutch descent. He is the son of Charles B. and Helen (Visscher) Dillenbeck, the former a native of Jefferson County, New York and the latter born in Gouveneur in the same state. Charles B. Dillenbeck ws born in 1842 and died at his home in El Dorado, July 8, 1925. He was a Civil War veteran, enlisted, at nineteen, in Company M, Tenth New York, Heavy Artillery, served with the Army of the Potomac and took part in the historic campaigns of General Phil Sheridan in Northern Virginia. He followed the business of buying and shipping high grade race horses and dairy farming. Some of his horses became widely known on the scores of American tracks. He came to Kansas and Butler County in 1882. His parents were Jacob and Catherine (Ostrander) Dillenbeck, also natives of New York. On the maternal side, Dr. Dillenbeck’s mother was the daughter of William Visscher, native of New York. The father died in El Dorado, his wife, grandmother of Dr. Dillenbeck, having died in New York in 1863.

On June 4, 1892, Dr. Dillenbeck was united in marriage to Miss Grace Scott, of El Dorado. Mrs. Dillenbeck is a native of Keokuk, Iowa, and her parents were James and Jennie M. (Best) Scott. Mrs. Dillenbeck was only a child when her parents removed from Iowa to El Dorado and she was reared and educated here. Both her father and mother are dead. Mrs. Dillenbeck is active in club work and was elected Supreme Worthy President of the Social Order of the Beauceant, which position, in 1930, required that she visit virtually every state in the union and particularly the larger cities, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver and other points. The El Dorado Times editorially commended Mrs. Dillenbeck’s fulfillment of that high office.

Dr. and Mrs. Dillenbeck have two sons, Robert L., an executive with the Skelly Oil Company, with headquarters in Wichita, and Dr. Floyd Dillenbeck, who was graduated in medicine and surgery in 1930 and established his office in the same building in which his father’s offices are located. Dr. Floyd Dillenbeck has from the time he opened his office, met with outstanding success in his profession. Dr. Floyd Dillenbeck was married to Miss Florence Durham and has two children, Bobby and Ann.

Before moving to Wichita to become associated with the Skelly Oil Company, Robert L. Dillenbeck was associate owner of the Dillenbeck-Ramsey Motor Company. Mr. Dillenbeck was married to Miss Clara Osburn. Regarding Mr. Dillenbeck’s removal from El Dorado, The El Dorado Times said editorially, on September 20, 1932: R. L. (Bob) Dillenbeck, having sold out the business here that he and his partner, George Ramsey, owned, has gone to Kansas City. It is hard for any town to lose such a fine young man, and El Dorado particularly regrets this removal. Bob Dillenbeck has lived here all his life except for the two years he was in the army service. He has a golden smile and a happy disposition that are worth millions. He is a born salesman. He can make friends instantly with anybody and hold that friendship by reason of his own vigorous and pleasing personality. He covered more friendly miles in a day’s round than any of his fellows, and he was always ready to drop his own affairs and go out on some thankless job for the good of the town. He is a right royal booster and his enthusiasm and loyalty are infectious. El Dorado is going to miss Bob Dillenbeck and to find that he cannot be replaced. But this town will always hold a great, warm spot in its heart for him, and will rejoice in the success that is bound to come his way.”