Hansford County Obituaries

transcribed by Oneida Swickard Bynum

Dr. J.E. Gower - 1948

Excerpts from the Spearman Reporter

April 1, 1948
Front page

Life of Dr. Gower Draws Tribute From Texas Press.

Editors Note: since the death of Dr. J.E.Gower of Spearman, many daily newspapers have paid tribute to the symbol which he represented, namely The Old Family Doctor, Editor Miller of the Reporter received a wire from the Star Telegram at Ft. Worth, asking for a feature story on the life of Dr. Gower. . Printed below is the story mailed to the large daily paper this week.

Hundreds of people of Hansford County, many of them brought into this world by a gentle spank from the hand of Dr. J.E. Gower, former pioneer physician of Spearman, are quietly organizing into a ‘group for the purpose of securing a “Hero’s medal for the well loved “ Family Doctor’s" family. Most Hansford County citizens believe this old "Family Doctor" who gave his life in service over and above the call of duty, deserves a Hero’s medal just as much as the more spectacular younger man who sacrifice their lives in line of duty.

Joseph Ervin Gower, who died in a Shattuck, Okla., Hospital, on February 29,1948, was born at Mountainview, Arkansas, September 24,1876. He was the son of J.S. and Louisa Gower of Mountainview. During his youth he attended school at Mountainview, and graduated from high school at Batesville, Arkansas. Dr. Gower was a member of a typical pioneer family of 17 children and from early childhood learned to forage for himself.

His early training plus the inspiration and heritage from typical Early American parents enabled him to overcome countless obstacles to gain his rounded out education. Dr. Gower attended college at Little Rock, Arkansas, and graduated from the Kansas City College of Medicine and Surgery in 1919. In order to gain his education Dr. Gower was compelled to work a year and go to college a year. He served as Postmaster, groceryman, farmer, Justice of Peace, and even did a stretch of work on the railroad while working his way through college.

Dr. Gower's first practice of his profession was at his home community of Mountainview,Ark. He also practiced medicine at Culp, Arkansas for seveal years before moving to Arnette, Okla., where he lived for one year before moving to Spearman, Texas in 1923.

He was married to Miss Anna Emmett at Culp, Arkansas, April 5, 1916.

At the time of his death, Dr. Gower was the only practicing physician in Hansford County. He had contributed liberally in time and money in a county program to establish and place in operation the Hansford County Hospital at Spearman. After operating less than three months the hospital closed temporarily, leaving Dr. Gower to take care of a very burdensome practice. Dr. Gower would not stop, even though he realized that he was not physically able to take care of the large practice he had built up during a quarter of a century of service to Hansford people. Dr. Gower was going day and night when the severe blizzard hit Hansford County in Febraury, and although he fell on slippery ice and sustained injuries, he continued to tax his strength beyond human endurance.

After being exposed to below zero weather in a mile walk when his tire blew-out on his car. Dr. Gower went to bed, but did not quit ministering to the ill. People came in his home, and between taking doses of his own medicine he would administer penicillin and other medicine to severe cases who were unable to get to a hospital, since Spearman was isolated for a few days during the blizzard. When road conditions justified Dr. Gower was carried to Shattuck Hospital, where he remained until this death.

When this member of the fast declining American Heritage of a Family Doctor came to Hansford County, Spearman was a small village, scarcely carved out of a cattle and wheat domain and struggling with the problems of a new country and ever present civic problems. His practice was trying, in that he serviced patients from the Canadian river to the Oklahoma border. Records of his office shows that Dr. Gower officiated at the birth of more than 300 children during the first five years of his practice in Hansford County. Many is the time that Dr. Gower was compelled to cut across country, driving or walking over snow drifts and cutting wire fences in order to save the life of a distant patient. With the growth of the pioneer cattle country, the problems of the venerable family doctor became if anyhting more complicated. Over in Hutchinson County the great Borger Oil Field was discovered, and over night and influx of population became the problem of Dr. Gower, since there was not a bridge across the Canadian River, and industrial activities north of the river was serviced out of Spearman.

The widow of Dr. Gower recalls that the old family doctor made many trips over mud splattered roads to aid the sick and injured who inbibed too freely in liquor and cut and wounded each other. Often Dr. Gower would arrive at the scene of a fight before the hostilities had ceased, and he served as an arbitrator as well as physician. His friends suggested he carry a gun on his trips to the oil field territory, but the family doctor only scoffed at the suggestions.

The life of this family doctor was a life of continous service. When he made the one vacation trip back to his old home from Spearman to Culp, Arkansas he was called upon continually for medical aid in emergency cases. On this trip he made an over-nite visit to a pneumonia patient of another doctor, who could not attend the seriously ill, because of weather conditions.

Dr. Gower suffered a frostbitten face and hands, marks of which he carried to his grave, but the ill patient healed and survives our family doctor.

On another occasion Dr. Gower was called on in an emergency birth case. The poor parents came depending on a mid-wife to officiate at the coming event. The mother went into convulsions and Dr. Gower was called. He was not prepared for an operation to remove the stillborn dead baby and Dr. Gower had to remove the infant limb by limb, but the mother lived and survived the country doctor.

Only pioneer people who have been blessed with the faithful service of the family doctor can respect the tragic loss of such a great American citizen. Hansford county people can tell you that no greater blessing can come to any community than a faithful family doctor.

Excerpts from the Spearman Reporter
Feb. 19, 1948
Front page

Doctor Gower Must Remain In The Hospital For Several Weeks

Word from Mrs. J.E. Gower Wednesday stated the Dr. Gower was suffering from a kidney ailment as a result of the flu. He will be in the hospital at Shattuck for several weeks, according to the information from Mrs. Gower.

Everyone will certainly regret to learn that Dr. Gowers serious illness enforced him to stay in the hospital. The country editor suggests that his hundreds of patients of the past should write him a letter while he is in the hospital.

Excerpts from the Spearman Reporter
Thursday Nov. 8, 1934
Front page

Dr. J.E. Gower Is Injured in Car Accident

Dr. J.E. Gower sustained painfull injuries Saturday morning in a car accident, when his car ran into the side of the bridge over Farwell Draw, between Spearman and Hitchland.

The accident occured about 5 AM Saturday morning, and Dr. Gower remained at the scene of the accident until about 8 AM when Roamy Tomlinson picked him up and brought him to Spearman.

A deep gash was cut in his forehead aboouve the eyes, his nose was broken and minor bruises on his right leg.

Immediately after received first aid treatment in Spearman, Dr. Gower was carried to Shattuck Saniterium, Shattuck, Oklahoma. 52 stitches were taken in sewing up the cut places about his face. Dr. Gower remained at Shattuck this week and is reported doing fine with prospects of returning home the first part of next week.

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This page was last updated February 13, 2005.