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John Frazer Pattison, M.D.

The following is a brief sketch of one of Fayette county's progressive and talented professional men, who, while yet young in years, has, by close attention to his individual affairs, achieved marked success in one of the most exacting of callings and risen to an honorable position among the enterprising citizens of the locality with which his interests are identified. It is a plain record, rendered remarkable by no strange or mysterious adventure, no wonderful or lucky accident and no tragic situation, but withal it is a career worthy of emulation by the discouraged youth who have met seemingly insurmountable obstacles thwarting his path to the goal of prosperity and success, for it shows what may be accomplished when proper principles are rightly applied in the everyday affairs of life.

Dr. John Frazer Pattison, scion of an old and prominent family, the son of Dr. Israel Pattison, who for years was one of the leading medical men of this county, was born in the city of Oelwein, June 3, 1874, and there he grew to maturity and was educated in the public schools. Seeking to broaden his knowledge of the owrld at large, young Pattison, after finishing his preparatory schooling, joined the United States navy, early in 1889, and he was thus given an opportunity to visit a large number of the interesting countries of the world, having seen India, China and Africa, spending three years in the Orient. Having entered the service at Washington, D. C., he was sent to Newport, Virginia, where he remained seven months, then was sent to the West Indies on a training ship. Returning to the United States in about three months, he was placed on a full rigged vessel (both sailing and steam), the "Lancaster," and sent on a three years' cruise around the south of Africa to Batavia, through the East Indies to Hong Kong, China, and cruised up and down in Chinese waters for a long time and returned by way of the Suez canal, the cruise taking three years and four months. After a furlough of one month, he returned to the navy and was assigned to the first-class cruiser "New York," which was then the flag-ship of Admiral Evans' fleet. From there he was placed in the school of gunnery at Washington, and there he learned all the different trades needed in making guns and accouterments. He was then sent to Newport to study electricity and diving, but his time of enlistment expired before he finished his course. Many of his classmates re-enlisted and they were sent on the "Maine" and were with that ill-starred vessel when it was blown up in Havana harbor in February, 1898.

After leaving the Navy Mr. Pattison went to the medical department of the University of Buffalo and took a preparatory course in medicine, having decided to follow in the footsteps of his father in the matter of a profession. Before completing the course war was declared with Spain and he left college for the purpose of re-enlisting in the navy. He was assigned to the "New Orleans," a vessel bought from Brazil and which joined the fleet at Hampton Roads, and went to Key West, Florida, thence to Santiago, Cuba, where the "New Orleans," while on scout duty, found Cervera's fleet in Santiago harbor and reported it. After the destruction of this fleet the "New Orleans" and other ships were sent to Puerto Rico, where they remained until after the close of the war. Five weeks later they were ordered home and mustered out. For faithful service and duties well performed young Pattison was given a medal by his government, his services having been indeed meritorious through the war.

After the cessation of hostilities Mr. Pattison returned home and soon entered the University of Kansas, where he completed his medical course. He returned then to Oelwein and for about three years practiced medicine in company with his father until the latter's death. Since then he has practiced independently and he has from the first enjoyed a large and growing patronage and ranks high with the medical fraternity in northeastern Iowa. He keeps thoroughly posted on the latest discoveries in this science and, always a student, he has become profoundly versed in all phases of his profession.

In 1902 Doctor Pattison was married to Amy Beal, daughter of George Beal, who was formerly proprietor of a large laundry at Minneapolis, Minnesota. Doctor and Mrs. Pattison have one son, Donald I.

From the time he first began practicing until July, 1909, Doctor Pattison was surgeon for the Chicago Great Western Railroad Company, he having resigned the position. He is a member of the Masonic order, having attained the Royal Arch degree; he is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Modern Woodmen of America, and belongs to the county and state medical associations and the Mississippi Valley Medical Association.