Los Angeles County
Biographies
JOHN WESLEY POLLARD
POLLARD, JOHN WESLEY,
Physician and Surgeon, Los Angeles, California, was born in Oakland, Illinois,
July 8, 1860, the son of George W. Pollard and Elizabeth (Hoard)
Pollard. He is of English descent, his grandfather having settled in
Massachusetts in the early part of the nineteenth century. His father, however,
migrated to Illinois. Dr. Pollard married Elinor
Caldwell at St. Johns, Michigan, March 29, 1891.
Dr. Pollard’s mother died when he was six years of age
and he lost his father when he was twelve. He received his primary education in
the public schools of Newman and Tuscola, Illinois, following this with
attendance at an Academy in Paris, Illinois. He was graduated from there in
1881 and for approximately three years and a half after leaving school was
engaged in teaching. He then took up the study of medicine at the Cincinnati
College of Medicine and Surgery (now the Medical Department of the University
of Cincinnati), and in 1889 was graduated with the degree of Doctor of
Medicine.
Practically every year since his graduation and despite
the fact that he has become one of the successful practitioners of the West,
Dr. Pollard has taken post graduate work in some special line of his
profession. In 1891 he went to the Chicago Polyclinic College and Hospital; in
1893 and in 1907 he attended the Post Graduate Medical College and Hospital at
Chicago; in 1899 he took a special course at the Chicago Post Graduate School
of Gynecology and Abdominal Surgery, and at other times he has taken up other
special subjects, devoting a part of each year to work in some large medical
institution of the East. In this way he has kept abreast of practically every
important advance made in his profession by the famous surgeons of the Eastern
institutions.
Following his graduation in 1889, Dr. Pollard located in
St. Johns, Michigan, and there opened private practice. He remained there from
that time until 1902, and during the greater part of that period was looked
upon as the leader of the profession there. In addition to his private
practice, he was honored at various times with public or semi-public offices.
For instance he served as City Health Officer of St. Johns and also as County
Physician. In 1894 he was appointed United States Pension Examiner for Michigan
and held this post for approximately three years. He also was the delegate from
Michigan one year to the meeting of the American Medical Association when it
held its sessions in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In 1902, after about twelve years of successful work in
St. Johns, Dr. Pollard decided to move to the Pacific Coast and
accordingly he located at Los Angeles, where he has continued the successful
career he had already begun in Michigan. Since his arrival in the Southern
California metropolis, Dr. Pollard has won a leading position among the
members of his profession and is today regarded as one of the most expert
surgeons in the country, making a specialty of gynecology and abdominal surgery.
In addition to his private practice, Dr. Pollard is a
stockholder in the Clara Barton Hospital of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles
Fire Insurance Company, being Surgeon of the former institution.
He has performed innumerable successful operations and
also has been a liberal contributor to the scientific and professional
journals, having written various papers dealing with gynecology.
Dr. Pollard has never taken any active part in political
affairs, but has at all times been a staunch supporter of the policies of the
Democratic party.
Dr. Pollard is one of the best known men in Los Angeles,
an ardent advocate of athletics and outdoor life and is noted for his perpetual
good humor. His circle of friends is extensive, not only in professional ranks,
but among laymen as well.
Keenly interested in all matters connected with the
advance of his profession, Dr. Pollard is active in the affairs of various
important professional and technical organizations. His memberships include the
American Association of Life Insurance Examining Surgeons. His fraternal
affiliations include the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Odd Fellows,
Modern Woodmen of America, and Knights of Pythias.
For many years of his residence in Michigan,
Dr. Pollard was a member of the State National Guard, being Surgeon of the
2nd Regiment, Infantry.
Dr. Pollard, who resides at the Hotel Lankershim,
has acted as House Physician there since his residence in Los Angeles.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
16 October 2011.
Source: Press Reference
Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 688, International News Service,
New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2011 Marie Hassard.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES