Wayne County Biographies



Part of the Indiana Biographies Project



James F. Hibberd, M. D.

James F. Hibberd, M. D., was born near New Market, Frederick Co., Md., Nov. 4, 1816, a son of Joseph and Rachel (Wright) Hibberd. His grandfather, Joel Wright, was a noted surveyor, and settled in Ohio in the early part of the nineteenth century. His parental ancestors were of English birth and came to America with William Penn, settling in Pennsylvaua, where his father was born in April, 1879, and when still a child removed with his parents to Frederick County, Md., where, March 15, 1806, he married Rachel Wright. Of a family of five sons and one daughter but three sons are now living, the subject of our sketch being the youngest. His mother died in 1844 and his father in 1866. From 1825 to 1837 he lived with his uncle, Aaron Hibberd, near Martinsburg, Berkley Co., Va., attending school and working on the farm and in the woolen-mill. He subsequently took a course in the Hallowell Classical School at Alexandria, Va. In 1837 he took charge of his father's farm near Springboro, Warren Co., Ohio.

Having chosen the medical profession as his life work, in 1838 he commenced reading under his cousin, Dr. Aaron Wright. In 1839-'40 he attended lectures at the Medical Department of Yale College, and Aug. 14, 1840, commenced practicing at Salem, Montgomery Co., Ohio. In 1848 he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, and graduated in March, 1849. He was immediately appointed Surgeon of the Commercial Steamship Senator, which made a trip to Amazon River, Rio Janeiro, St. Catharines, Patagonia. Chili and the cities on the Pacific Coast of South and Central America, thence to San Francisco, Cal., the voyage consuming seven and a half months. He remained in California till 1855, practicing medicine and dealing extensively in real estate. The fall and winter of 1855-'56 he spent in New York reviewing his medical studies. In June, 1856, he opened an office in Dayton, Ohio, but four months later removed to Richmond, Ind., where he has built up a large and lucrative practice. During the session of 1860-'61 he filled the Chair of Physiology and General Pathology in the Ohio Medical College, Cincinnati. Dr. Hibberd is a member of the city, county, district, State, tri-State, Rocky Mountain and American Medical associations, and has been President of all save the latter, of which he has served as First Vice- President. The doctor has written a number of medical essays and has recently reviewed a large number of medical books for a prominent journal. The years 1869 and 1870 were spent in traveling in the Old World, and were the means of increasing his store of general knowledge.





Politically he has affiliated with the Whig and Republican parties, and although not an aspirant for office served in the Ohio State Legislature from 1845 to 1847. He was a member of the Richmond City Council from 1872 to 1874, and the two succeeding years was Mayor of Richmond. His parents were members of the Society of Friends, but since reaching manhood he has severed his connection with the society. He was for many years a member of the Odd Fellows fraternity; was a member of the Grand Lodge, and was High Priest of the encampment at Dayton, Ohio, but in 1850 his papers were sent from Dayton to California and were lost, and he has never applied for reinstatement.

Dr. Hibberd has been married three times. His first wife was Nancy D. Higgins, to whom he was married in March, 1842, in Montgomery County, Ohio. In May, 1856, he married Catherine Leeds, in Richmond, and in April, 1871, he married Lizzie M. Laws. He has two sons — Elgar Grant, born April 24, 1844, and Wilton Leeds, born Sept. 3, 1858.

Source:
History of Wayne County, Indiana. Chicago: Inter-State Publishing Co. 1884. Volume 2