Elbert D. Beckner

ELBERT D. BECKNER, M. D. It is not only a tribute to the general healthfulness and salubrity of Hoxie that one physician and surgeon is enough for the community, but that fact testifies to the complete confidence reposed by the people there in the abilities and skill of Dr. Elbert D. Beckner who began practice at Hoxie twelve years ago and has the distinction of being the only doctor in the county seat of Sheridan County.

Doctor Beckner was born in Princeton, Kentucky, October 26, 1877. The Beckners as a family came from Ireland to Virginia in colonial times. Doctor Beckner's grandfather, Alford Beckner, was born in Virginia, was a planter there, and left there in 1855 for Caldwell County, Kentucky. J. L. Beckner, father of Doctor Beckner, was born in Virginia in 1852, but grew up and married at Princeton, Kentucky. He was a farmer all his active career. In 1904 he came to Kansas, and has since 1911 been a retired citizen of Hoxie. He is a democrat and an active member of the Methodist Church. He is also affiliated with the Masonic fraternity. J. L. Beckner married Eliza Jane Jones, a native of Caldwell County, Kentucky, born in 1862, and she died in Sheridan County, Kansas, in 1911. Dr. Elbert D. is the oldest of their children. Dr. Ernest J., the second child, graduated M. D. from the University of Nashville, Tennessee, in 1905, and is now in the Medical Reserve Corps of the United States army, with the rank of first lieutenant, and was in France when hostilities closed. Alfred E. lives at Minneapolis, Kansas, and is in the drug business in partnership with his father. Eurie F. was serving as county attorney of Gove County, Kansas, when he joined the United States army and went to France. Ruth, the youngest of the children, is the wife of William Davidson, present county clerk of Sheridan County.

Elbert D. Beckner received his early education in the public schools of Princeton, Kentucky, graduating from high school there, and then entered the University of Nashville, where he received his M. D. degree with the class of 1906. In the same year he came out to Sheridan County, Kansas, and began practice at Hoxie as a physician and surgeon. Besides his private practice he is local surgeon for the Union Pacific Railway Company, and is coroner of Sheridan County, and for eight years has served as health officer of the county. Doctor Beckner is a democrat, and is affiliated with Hoxie Lodge No. 348, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, is a member of the Tri-County Medical Society, the Kansas State Medical Society and the American Medical Association, and has been president of the county society.

Doctor Beckner owns a modern home in Hoxie, built in 1908. He married at Princeton, Kentucky, in 1901, Miss Nellie J. Hollingsworth, daughter of J. W. and Mary Hollingsworth. Her parents are now deceased. Her father was a farmer, banker, stockman, and very prominent citizen of Princeton, Kentucky. Two children were born to Doctor and Mrs. Beckner: Eliza Nell, born May 13, 1912, and James Dudley, born on the 23d of March, 1915, died January 28, 1916.

Pages 2254-2255.