Plumas
County
Biographies
JOHN DECKER, M. D.
One of the ablest and most
successful physicians and surgeons of Plumas County is Dr. John Decker, of
Portola, who has built up a large practice, covering a wide range of
surrounding country, and stands deservedly high in the ranks of his
profession. He was born in Saginaw,
Michigan, on the 5th of August, 1876, and is a son of Franklin and
Elizabeth (Hamilton) Decker, the former of German parentage, while the latter
was of Scotch-Irish and English stock.
Franklin Decker was a carpenter by trade and developed and carried on a
successful business as a builder. He
died in Michigan when his son John was but one and a half years old. The widowed mother eventually accompanied her
son to California and her death occurred in San Francisco several years
ago. Dr. Decker has a sister, Mrs.
Maggie Ross, of Caldwell, Idaho.
John Decker was reared at home,
remaining in his native city until twenty-one years of age, during which time
he learned the art of telegraphy, by means of a telegraph instrument in his
home. In about 1895 he went to
Pocatello, Idaho, where, being a telegrapher, he entered the employ of the
Oregon Short Line. He held positions at
various places on that line until 1900, when he resigned and, going to San
Francisco, entered the Cooper Medical College, now a part of Stanford
University, from which he was graduated.
He served one year as interne in the San Francisco County hospital,
after which he entered upon the practice of his profession in Goldfield,
Nevada, that being during the gold rush of 1905. The Western Pacific Railroad was then grading
its road into California and Dr. Decker was engaged as the physician and
surgeon for the construction crews along the line of that road. In 1906 he came to Beckwith, California, at
which time the present site of Portola was covered with timber, being only a
logging camp. He accompanied the grading
crew to this place, but continued to live at Beckwith, which was at first the
only town in this vicinity, so that Dr. Decker is justly numbered among the
pioneers of this locality. At that time
the “Logging Road” was not yet completed and tunneling at Chilcoot and Spring
Garden was going on. When the Western
Pacific road was completed to Portola, this became a division point, and as
Portola grew Beckwith declined. Dr.
Decker remained at Beckwith until 1922, when he came to Portola, where he
enjoys a large and important practice, some of his calls necessitating rides
from fifty to one hundred miles. The
Doctor has taken over the hospital formerly owned by the Feather River Lumber
Company and now has splendid equipment for the care of all medical and surgical
cases requiring hospital treatment. A
fine operating room, with all up-to-date conveniences, with two trained nurses
in constant attendance, private rooms and general wards, as well as a special
maternity ward, make this institution one of great importance to the community
which it serves. Persons injured in the Feather River mill and in plants of the
Clover Valley Lumber Company and the Clover Valley Ice Company are brought to
this hospital and properly cared for.
The Doctor is examiner for all companies dealing in industrial insurance
and is the physician in compensation cases.
During the World War he was examiner for the government, giving a
medical examination to all recruits going from this section of the
country. He volunteered his services
during the War and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Medical Corps,
serving as such until honorably discharged after the signing of the
Armistice. He gives his entire time and
attention to his practice, which extends throughout the eastern part of Plumas
County. The Doctor is a man of fine
personal presence, is cool-headed under all conditions and has gained a
reputation as one of the ablest and most skillful surgeons in the Sacramento
Valley. Because of this as well as for
his kindly and courteous manner, he is popular with all classes.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 3 Pages 371-372. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.