Santa Clara County
Biographies
FRED HERBERT BANGS, M. D.
F. H. BANGS, M. D.
Upon first settling in America the Bangs family identified themselves
with colonial Connecticut and later followed the westward tide of emigration as
far as New York state. Rev. F. B. Bangs, a
native of Delaware county, N. Y., was ordained in
that state to the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and became a
pioneer minister in southeastern Michigan. Through all of his active life he
devoted himself to religious work, remaining in Michigan until his death, which
occurred in 1891 at seventy-eight years of age. His wife, who was Catherine
Webb, a physician’s daughter, was born near Adrian, Mich., and died in that
state. Of their five children four are now living, namely: Albert V., a
rancher at Lawrence, Cal.; Frederick L., who is engaged in mining in
Idaho; C. B. F., a druggist at Charlotte, Mich.; and F. H., of
San Jose. The last-named, who was the youngest of the family, was born
October 31, 1859, while the family were making their home in Jackson,
Mich. Being the son of educated parents, who appreciated the value of knowledge
and were ambitious to prepare their children for positions of usefulness, he
was given every advantage the family means permitted. Attendance at common
schools was supplemented by a course in the State Agricultural College. Having
decided to enter the medical profession, he took his preliminary studies in the
University of Michigan medical department, but a year later matriculated in the
Cleveland Homeopathic Hospital College, from which he was graduated in 1880,
with the degree of M. D.
After a brief period of practice in St. Ignace, Mich., Dr. Bangs came to the Pacific coast to
accept the position of surgeon to the Puget Mill Company at Port Gamble, on the
Puget Sound. In 1882 he resigned that position and came to California, where he
spent the next eight years in Arcada. Since 1890 he
has conducted a general practice of medicine in San Jose and in this city, in
1893, he established the Bangs Sanitarium, at Nos. 76-90 North Third street. Of this institution he has since been the head. He
has made a specialty of gynecology, having done post-graduate work in this
department in the Chicago College of Physicians & Surgeons in 1886 and again
in 1893.
During his residence in Arcada,
Cal., Dr. Bangs was united in marriage with Miss Bella May, who was
born in that town, and is a daughter of Rev. Richard May. The latter, a
native of England, early in life entered the ministry of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, and has since engaged in religious work, being a resident of
British Columbia at this writing and active in his denomination there. While
Dr. Bangs is especially interested in movements pertaining to his
profession and holds membership in the California State Homeopathic
Association, he does not keep himself aloof from organizations of a more direct
fraternal and social nature, as is witnessed by his identification with the
Masons and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. His identification with the
former body dates from his residence in Arcada, when
he was made a Mason in Arcada Lodge,
and on coming to his present location transferred his membership to San Jose
Lodge No. 210, F. & A. M. He is a member of the Chamber
of Commerce, which has done much to promote the progress and develop the
resources of San Jose and the Santa Clara valley. In local and general
elections he gives his support to the Republican party.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard 18 February 2015.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages
354 & 359. The Chapman Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Marie
Hassard.