Frazier, Thaddeus Constantine, M. D.

The following data is extracted from A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans.

Thaddeus Constantine Frazier, M. D. A useful life crowded with activity and crowned with achievement both as a physician and as a citizen, Dr. Thaddeus C. Frazier, of Coffeyville, may still further be considered because he is the pioneer medical man of this city. For forty-two years he has been a physician and surgeon here and additionally has been a leader in all forward movements, accepting public positions as a helpful means of progress for the city, encouraging educational movements and through his stability of character conferring honor upon this whole section.

Doctor Frazier was born in Henry County, Tennessee, December 14, 1841. His parents were William and Judith Ann (Sheb) Frazier. The Fraziers were of Scotch extraction but the founders of the American branch came from the North of Ireland and settled in Virginia and North Carolina in colonial days. The grandfather of Doctor Frazier, Julian Frazier, was born in North Carolina. He removed to Tennessee where he subsequently died leaving a large estate to his children. He had been an influential man in politics and at one time served as a member of the Tennessee Legislature.

William Frazier, father of Doctor Frazier, was born in North Carolina, in 1812, and died at Wichita, Kansas, in 1895. He married Judith Ann Sheb, who was born in Henry County, Tennessee, in 1815, and died there in 1845. They were the parents of four children: Samuel V., who died in 1872, in Green County, Missouri, was in business as a country merchant; Thaddeus C.; William M., who is a resident of Los Angeles, California, is a wholesale dealer in fruit and produce and has business houses in Wichita, Hutchinson and Anthony, Kansas; and a daughter that died in infancy. When young the father of the above family accompanied his parents to Knoxville, Tennessce. In early manhood he removed to Henry County and there was a farmer and stockman. In 1874 he came to Kansas. In politics he was a democrat. Both he and wife were members of the Christian (Disciples) Church.

In boyhood Thaddeus C. Frazier attended the public schools and later had academic advantages at Paris, Tennessee, following which he became a student in the state university at Columbia, Missouri. Shortly after entering this institution the Civil war was precipitated and in June, 1861, the youth went to the front as a member of the Eighth Division, Missouri State Guard, in which he served until the battle of Wilson's Creek, on August 10, 1861, in which he lost his right arm. It is not for the biographer to say what such a loss must have been on the threshold of manhood. It has been said that courage is a tremendous constructive force and seemingly Doctor Frazier has proved in his career the truth of this assertion. The seriousness of his injury kept him an invalid for some time and he went to Texas and remained there until 1868, in the meanwhile preparing for the practice of medicine, completing his medical course in the Louisville Medical University.

After practicing for a few months as an undergraduate, in Greene County, Missouri, in 1869 Doctor Frazier came to Montgomery County, Kansas, locating in the old Town of Parker, situated three miles from the present City of Coffeyville, coming to the latter place in the beginning of its history, in 1874, the first resident physician and surgeon. His practice has been general in character and his territory has covered a considerable field, this being especially the case in earlier years.

Politically Doctor Frazier is a democrat but his conceptions of civic duty and responsibility have not confined him to party lines in the administration of public office. For four years he served as mayor of Coffeyville, during which time many measures of public welfare were adopted and wise laws enforced. For one year he was a member of the city council and for one year served as commissioner when such office was a part of city representation. For eight years he served as city physician. In his long professional career Doctor Frazier has accumulated some valuable real estate, included in which is his residence at 1411 Maple Street, in which he maintains his office. He is unmarried. He assisted in the organization of the Montgomery County Medical Society and later was active in its reorganization.

For many years Doctor Frazier has been prominently identified with the fraternal order of Odd Fellows in both branches, is past noble grand in encampment and canton, present deputy commander patriarch militant of Kansas; has served as grand patriarch of the encampment of the state and served one term as grand warden of the Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows of Kansas. Formerly he was a member of the Knights of Honor. He is one of the representative men of Montgomery County.

Source: A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans

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