DR. J. D. HARTLEY

Dr. J. D. Hartley, Grand Medical Director of the State of California, U. O. of H., first saw the light of day in Baltimore, Maryland, thirty-nine summers ago. He is English and Scotch on his father’s side, and German on his mother’s. During all the years of boyhood he simply worked and attended school, and thus grew strong and robust physically and mentally, until at the tender age of fifteen years, when the Government was calling for more volunteers to protect the American flag and preserve the Union intact, he left his quiet home and friends behind to join the boys in blue in their loyal efforts to save the grandest republic on which the sun ever shone.

Owing to his age and youthful appearance, however, he was not accepted by the recruiting officers, who, by the way, knew his father, and therefore proposed to return him to his home. Being fond of military display and having anticipated the fondest hopes of becoming a distinguished soldier of Uncle Sam, his disappointment was met with a more painful surprise than being struck by a shell from the enemy’s camp. Feeling cast down, but not discouraged, and possessing a self-reliant spirit, he determined henceforth to be a man and take care of himself.

He therefore began his public career when less than sixteen years of age, by teaching school, with an empty pocket, among strangers, and with nothing to recommend him but an honest face and his manifest desire to rise in the world.

Mr. Jacob Barton, of Bedford county, Pennsylvania, received him to his heart and home and placed him in charge of one of the public schools, which he continued to teach for one year with great pleasure and profit to himself and especially the children, who became very strongly attached to him. By strict attention to business and the practice of judicious economy he was able to show at the close of his first year’s work a cash on hand of $400, every cent of which was the result of his own labor.

He taught the public school during the day and gave instructions to classes of music during the evening; and when not otherwise occupied he was always found in Mr. Barton’s private library of valuable books, preparing himself for his work the following day. His great love of study and high appreciation of scientific knowledge made him ambitious to secure a broad and liberal education. At the age of seventeen years he entered Albion College, Iowa, and invested his money in real estate in Marshalltown, Iowa, which quadrupled itself in less than twelve months. He completed his academic course at Albion in two years, when he sold his real estate in Iowa for $900, and entered Adrian College, Michigan, in 1865, at the age of nineteen, where he completed his literary education four years later.

In 1869 he matriculated as a student in the medical department of the University of Michigan, where he graduated with the highest honors in the year 1873. During his senior year at the university he was appointed assistant to the chair of anatomy and physiology, and also found time to continue his studies in botany, geology and mental philosophy in the department of literature and arts, under distinguished professors.

After graduating as a Doctor of Medicine he began his professional career in the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he had a large practice from the start. From the Medical Society of Fort Wayne he was elected a delegate to the American Medical Association, which met in Detroit, Michigan, in 1874, and has continued him membership in said body ever since.

In 1874 he returned to Ann Arbor, Michigan, the seat of the university from which he graduated, and engaged in teaching medicine and surgery, and the practice of his profession. The same year he was elected a member of the Academy of Sciences of the University, also to membership in the County Medical Society. In 1876 he was elected a member of the Michigan State Medical Society, from which body he was elected a delegate to the American Medical Association, which met in Atlanta, Georgia, May 6, 1879. He was also a delegate to the American Medical Association, which met in New York city in 1880. He devoted about six months during that year in Philadelphia and New York to the special work under eminent professors.

His father died about that time, and he returned to his home in Baltimore and was elected to Membership in the Baltimore Medical Association. He established himself in a magnificent practice during the time he remained home. But Baltimore was too slow for his Western habits, which had fastened themselves upon him. He therefore started for California in 1881 and located in Los Angeles, where he was soon surrounded by a large circle of friends and a lucrative practice.

He located permanently in San Francisco in 1883, where he might enjoy the advantages of a large city. In 1886 he was elected to membership in the San Francisco County Medical Society. The same year he became a member of the California State Medical Society, which appointed him a delegate at its annual session, April 15, 1887, to represent said body at the meeting of the American Medical Association at Chicago, Illinois. He was at the same time elected a delegate to the Ninth International Medical Congress, which met in Washington, District of Columbia, September 5, 1887.

Being socially inclined, he has always taken a lively interest in fraternal societies, in not a few of which he is an active and devoted member. He is a prominent Mason, in Odd Fellowship he has held high places of honor and trust. He is Surgeon and Major of the Second Regiment of the Uniform Rank, I.O.O.F.., and the Rebekahs claim him as a co-laborer in their noble work of love and philanthropy. He has held various office in the Knights of Pythias order, and is at present Physician of his own lodge and Surgeon of the First California Regiment Uniform Rank, K. of P., with the rank of Major.

He is a charter member of Burnaby Lodge, N. 194, Sons of St. George, and has held the office of Physician and Surgeon to the same since the time it was instituted. He represented his lodge in the Grand Lodge at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in August 188-. In 1885 he was elected to the responsible office of Grand Medical Director of U.O. of H. for the State of California.

In 1886 he was re-elected to the same office with but little opposition, and in May of the present year was elected for the third time without opposition. Two years ago he visited the supreme officers at Indianapolis and received a royal welcome. No doubt the report he brought back with him of the solid condition of the order and the high standing of its supreme officers had much to do with the subsequent growth of the order in California. Upon no officer of the order does its ultimate success depend more on the Grand Medical Director. He determines the quality of insurable risks. With this power in the hands of one so well qualified it is felt that the order is safe. The Doctor is a member of the Executive Board, and always present at its meetings.

In person he is five feet seven inches tall, is broad-shouldered and stoutly built, and weighs about 185 pounds. He has a large head, light brown hair and mustache, large, dark-blue eyes. He is genial, approachable, companionable, and seems eminently adapted for the work in which he is so earnestly engaged, and has strong characteristic features.

Transcribed David Rugeroni.

Source: "The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 2, pages 33-35, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.

California Biography Project

San Francisco County

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