|
 In
late 1840, the young Dr. Hiram Rutherford moved from Pennsylvania to the
new prairie town of Oakland, Illinois, to set up his medical practice.
He remained there until his death in 1900, and although he was known for
being the village's first educated doctor, that is only one small part
of his amazing story.
Dr. Rutherford left an indelible mark on local, state and national history as a friend of Abraham Lincoln, as a champion of human rights in the Matson slave trial (in which Lincoln unsuccessfully argued for the rights of a Kentucky slave owner keeping slaves near Oakland), and as a civic-minded leader in his community. In addition, his many writings are an invaluable resource full of firsthand accounts of life as a pioneer in the largely unsettled west and tales of being a doctor on the prairie. As stated in the book On The Illinois Frontier: Dr. Hiram Rutherford, 1840-1848, "He was, then, more than just an ordinary Illinois country doctor." We invite you to learn more about this historic figure and how you can visit his home, medical office and other historic structures that helped shape the pre-Civil War world. |
Landmarks Inc., PO Box 84,
Oakland, Illinois 61943 :: 217-948-5629 ::
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