B. C. Beal was born in 1876 in Toeldo, Iowa. With his family he moved to Smith County, Kansas, where he taught school in winter and attended Salina Normal University, Salina, Kansas in the summer. His medical degree was received from Kansas University.
Doctor Beal practiced medicine in Logan, Kansas in 1902. He moved to Clearwater in 1904 with only $100 to start his practice. He "hung out his shingle" at Mrs. Elliott's home, 119 West Ross (now Ark Valley Printing location) the day of his arrival and that night had his first case, delivering a baby. He charged $10 for the delivery.
His first transportation was a horse and cart in good weather, horse and buggy in fairly bad weather, and horseback in bad weather. In 1908, he purchased his first of many autos - a Reo.
Doctor Beal administered to six generations of patients over a 50 year period. His office for many years was east of the old First Christian Church building (where Home State Bank now stands). Clearwater had a celebration in honor of his 50 years as a doctor in 1952. He was one of the oldest registered pharmacists in Kansas when he died.
He married Maude Brown of Logan, Kansas in 1905. Their children were Claude, Frances and Mary.
As a country doctor, Doctor Beal could see the lighter side of many situations that happened during his years of practice. He died in 1959. ((Taken from Clearwater 1885-1985 page 67 & 68)
Dr. J. Q. Edens from Pickens, South Carolina, graduated from Temple University Dental College in Philadelphia, Pa. In 1908, he took the advice of the fellow who said, "Go West, Young Man, Go West." He had no definite plans on where to go but, by chance stopped in Clearwater. Doctor Edens rented a room in the Sheridan Hotel and his first office was upstairs over Wood's Harness Shop. An old man at the hotel told him to take the first ten dollars he could earn and buy a lot, which he did. He made cement blocks when he wasn't working as a dentist. In 1920, he sold used those blocks for a two-story building which still stands. His office was upstairs and Claude Beal had his restaurant on the lower floor.
He married Bertha Tjaden who died a year after their marriage. Doctor Edens "batched" for many years. He worked long hours starting at 4 a.m. and working until 10 p.m. He charged 50 cents to pull his first customer's tooth. He was always willing to help those in need. Doctor Edens was known throughout the country for his dentures. People as far away as Alaska and Hawaii came to his office for dental work. His favorite mailing container was the empty Prince Albert tobacco can. In 1920, he built a brick building (now fire department building) on the south side of the first block of West Ross.
Katherine Shaffer and Doctor Edens were united in marriage in 1931. He practiced dentistry in Clearwater for 50 years until his death in 1958. (Taken from Clearwater 1885-1985 page 69)
John E. Fieser, a native of Norwich, Kansas, was a graduate of Kansas Veterinary College at Kansas State College, Manhattan, Kansas. He practiced in Clearwater for 31 years. He and his wife, Ann of Shady Dale, Georgia, came to Clearwater in May, 1946. Doctor Fieser had been discharged from the Army as a Captain in the Veterinary Corps. His practice area covered all of Sedgwick County, the east half of Kingman and the north half of Sumner counties. His specialty was large animal surgery and medicine. Doctor Fieser was the first veterinarian in the area to use a two-way radio system. He was "on call" 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
He and his wife have two daughters, Jann and Jane, graduates of Clearwater High School. (Taken from Clearwater 1885-1985 page 70)
L. A. Hammers was born in October, 1884 to George and Rachel Evans Hammers. He grew to manhood on his parent's farm southeast of Clearwater.
He was one of the two graduates of Clearwater High School's first two-year graduating class in 1902. With much urging from his mother, he decided to attend college. Doctor Hammers graduated in 1911 from the Veterinary School at Kansas State College in Manhattan, Kansas. He started his practice in Clearwater immediately upon graduation. A life member of the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association, he served as its president one year. He was also a member of the American Veterinary Association. Doctor Hammers served the Clearwater community as a veterinarian for 60 years. He was mayor of Clearwater from 1945 to 1951.
Doctor Hammers married Jesse Beal in 1912. He died in January, 1974, of an apparent heart attack at the junior high school where he had gone to talk to a class about "Early Day Clearwater." (Taken from Clearwater 1885-1985 page 70)
Dr. Alfred Starr Keeler, veterinarian, came to Clearwater in 1908. At first he had an office at the Frank Wasson Livery Stable. Latter, from 1912 to 1916 he was with the English Likely Livery Stable located north of the I. O. O. F. Hall. To make calls the doctor hired a livery rig, and later, bought a horse and buggy. In died in 1932. (Taken from Clearwater 1885-1985 page 70)
Dr. Lloyd P. Warren came to Clearwater in 1903 to practice medicine. He was born at Ashland, Mo., on a farm. After working in Chicago and St. Louis, he taught three years to finance himself through Beaumont Hospital Medical College at St. Louis, Mo. After serving an internship in St. Mary's Infirmary in St. Louis, he located in Clearwater in 1903. He practiced medicine here until 1909. He moved to Wichita where he was a doctor several years before going abroad for one year to study in Vienna, Austria.
When he returned he opened an office in Wichita where he was an eye, ear, nose and throat doctor.
In 1904, he married Jennie Sautter of Clearwater. Their two sons are Dr. Wirt Warren and Dr. Lloyd Warren of Wichita. Dr. Lloyd P. Warren Sr. died January 17, 1937. (Taken from Clearwater 1885-1985 page 67)
Dr. Kirk C. Wise was born in Peabody, Kansas, October 18, 1905. He moved with his parents to a farm east of Conway Springs, Kansas and later to Clearwater in 1918. He graduated from Clearwater High School in 1923. He attended Kansas State Teachers College at Emporia for two years and taught at Anson, Kansas two years. Wise was at Clearwater High School four years as a teacher, coach and principal. He received his B. S. Degrees from Kansas State Teachers College in 1931.
He entered the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry in 1934 where he was on the honor roll for year years. He was elected to Omicron Kappa Epsilon National Dental honor society. Doctor Wise graduated May 20, 1937 and opened his dental office in Clearwater, July 12, 1937 where he worked until his death September 29, 1964. He married Louise Sautter in 1928. One son, Gary K. Wise lives at Clearwater. (Taken from Clearwater 1885-1985 page 69 & 70)
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