George W. Gabriel

DR. GEORGE W. GABRIEL, a gentleman who has been called upon to fill many offices of public trust, is at the present time representing his district in the state senate of Kansas. He is a physician by profession, and has been engaged in practice in the city of Parsons since 1870.

Dr. Gabriel was born in Athens, Ohio, in November, 1843, and is a son of Moses and Mary (Johnson) Gabriel. He is of French descent, his great-grandfather having served in the French army during the revolution in that country, - he came to this country, settled in Virginia, and later moved to Ohio, where he died when George W. was very young. The grandfather of Dr. Gabriel settled on government land in Ohio in 1798, and lived there the remainder of his life. Moses Gabriel, the father, died in 1879. He married Mary Johnson, who was born in Ireland, and is still living on the old homestead in Ohio, having passed the eighty-seventh anniversary of her birth in October, 1900. Her father came to America in 1820 because of participation in the Irish rebellion, having been at one time an officer in the British army. Moses Gabriel and his wife had six children, as follows: Elias, who served in the 24th Reg., Iowa Vol. Inf., during the Civil war, came to Neosho county, Kansas, with Dr. Gabriel, and is now a farmer near Erie; George W.; Susan (Wells), whose husband is a farmer and has resided near Butler, Missouri, for the past twenty-five years; Christina (Dixon), of Athens, Ohio; Elmer, who died in Ohio in 1898; and Emmett, who died in Ohio in 1888, having been a student in the University of Ohio.

Dr. George W. Gabriel was reared and educated in Ohio, where he attended the State University for three years. He then enlisted in Company I, 52d Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and later in the 75th and 116th Ohio regiments. He was in the forage department mainly, under General Crook and General Franklin, and after three years service was mustered out in the winter of 1863-1864. He came to. Kansas in the spring of 1864, and at Topeka enlisted for six months in Company D, 17th Reg., Kans. Vol. Inf., having charge of teams and foraging. He received his discharge at Fort Leavenworth, November 17, 1864, after the last raid of Price, and then went to Topeka, where he remained until September, 1865. He then returned to Ohio and attended the Starling Medical College two years, and in the fall of 1867 was made assistant surgeon of the Ohio penitentiary. In the fall of 1868, he came to Ladore, Labette county, Kansas, and moved, in 1870, to Parsons, then composed mainly of tents. Besides himself there were but two practicing physicians there at that time, Dr. Keely and Dr. Hutchison. His first office was on Forrest avenue, in the building owned by Haves & Pierson. He practiced alone, at first, and then, in partnership with Dr. Kennedy, in 1872 and 1873. He afterward formed a partnership with Dr. Tinder, which continued from 1884 to 1893. He is engaged in general practice, alone, but is located in the same suite with 0. E. Peak, D. D. S. He enjoys a fair share of the patronage of the community, and is held in the highest esteem by the citizens.

Dr. Gabriel was first married to Mrs. Elizabeth Hallowell, nee Hager, who died in 1891, having given birth to four children, as follows: Harry, a train dispatcher at Fort Scott, Kansas, for the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis Railroad; Hager, who died at the age of two years; Mary, a graduate of the schools of Clinton, Missouri, who is now in New Jersey; and one who died in infancy. The doctor formed a second marital union, Mrs. Mary E. Brown, nee Cassidy, a native of Indiana, becoming his wife. He is a member of the Southeastern Kansas Medical Association; is a Knight Templar; a Shriner; and also a member of the A. 0. U. W.; B. P. 0. E.; and Modern Woodmen of America. His wife is a member of the Eastern Star lodge. His former wife was associate grand matron at the time of her death. Politically, he has always been a Democrat, and has served as mayor of Parsons about ten years in all, his first term having commenced in 1874, and his last term having expired in 1888. He has also served as alderman. He was a member of the Kansas house of representatives three terms, beginning in 1876; his last term expired in the fall of 1900. In the last named year he was elected to the Kansas Senate, from Labette county, and is ably filling the office. He owns and occupies a handsome home in Parsons.