Jacob W. Graybill, a prominent and successful physician and surgeon of Newton, Kan., represents that younger group of the medical fraternity that is zealously striving to make the medical profession of Kansas excel in all of its departments. Dr. Graybill was born near McAllisterville, Juanita county, Pennsylvania, April 17, 1872, son of Amos and Mary (Shelly) Graybill, whom he accompanied to Kansas, in 1876, thus being practically a Kansan in all except birth, as almost the whole of his life has been spent in this state. Amos Graybill, a native of Pennsylvania, bought a farm in Waton township, Harvey county, on which he resided until his retirement from active farm duties, in 1885, when he removed to Newton and resided there at the time of his death, in 1901. He was a Mennonite in church faith and politically was a Republican all of his life, having cast his ballot for every Republican candidate for president from Fremont to McKinley. He was a son of Peter Graybill, born in Pennsylvania, in which state the Graybill family originated from one of that name who emigrated from Holland, in 1692, and settled in Lancaster county. Peter Shelly, maternal grandfather of Dr. Graybill, was of English descent and spent his entire life in Pennsylvania.

Dr. Graybill obtained his literary education in the public schools of Newton, and on completing his education, in 1889, engaged in the drug business with his brother, S. S. Graybill, at Hutchinson, where he remained two years. He then entered the medical department of the University of Kansas, in 1895, and was graduated in 1898, whereupon he located at Mound Ridge, Kan., and was there engaged in the practice of his profession until 1903. To further qualify himself for his profession he took a post-graduate course in surgery in the Philadelphia Polyclinic School, in 1903, and, in 1904, took a special course on classical diagnosis in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania. In the fall of the latter year he located at Newton, Kan., where his practice and success have been such as to place him in the front rank of the medical profession of that city. When Dr. Crumbine, secretary of the State Board of Health, began the campaign for better health conditions in Kansas, in 1905, Dr. Graybill was made county health officer of Harvey county, which position he held three years. Dr. Graybill makes a specialty of surgery and has attained distinction by his success in that branch of his profession. At the session of the Ancient Order of United Workmen grand lodge at Lawrence, Kan., in 1907, he was elected grand medical examiner for the order in Kansas and, in 1909, was reëlected to that office. At the session of the grand lodge in Independence, Kan., in 1911 he was elected grand master of the order. A Republican in politics he served as a member of the electoral college which elected William Howard Taft to be president of the United States, in 1908. He also served as surgeon in the Kansas National Guard during the term of Governor Hoch. He is a member of the American Medical Association, the Harvey County Medical Society, and the Kansas State Medical Society.

On Jan. 21, 1901, Dr. Graybill married Miss Joanna M. Jackson and of their union have been born two children—Russell, born Aug. 30, 1902, and Harriette, born Sept. 17, 1903. Mrs. Graybill is the daughter of Col. Thomas J. Jackson, a native of Indiana and a veteran of the Civil war, who was an officer in command at the massacre at Fort Pillow, Tenn. He took an active interest in public affairs in Kansas and served one term in the state legislature from Harvey county. Mrs. Graybill is a sister of Cooper Jackson, business manager of the "Mexican Herald" of Mexico City. Dr. Graybill has attained a prominent position in Masonry, being a member of the Blue Lodge, the Chapter, Commandery, Consistory, and the Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.