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 R. D. M. FALL, physician and surgeon, and President of the Coles County Medical Society, has been a resident of Mattoon for a period of twenty-five years, during which he has built up a successful practice and has become one of its most prominent citizens. He was born in Shelby County, Ind., July 1, 1835, and is the son of Thomas P. and Nancy A. (Miller) Fall, natives of Botetourt County, Va., where the father engaged in farming and was married in 1822. Ten years later the parents removed to Shelby County, Ind., where they spent the remainder of their lives, Thomas P. Fall passing to his final rest in 1883. The mother had died many years before, in 1852. The father of our subject was a Democrat, politically, until within a short time before the organization of the Republican party, and then identified himself with the latter. Both parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which the father served as Steward and Class Leader. Their family included five sons and one daughter, and two sons only of the family are now living, namely, our subject, and his brother, Benjamin F., a lumber merchant of Paulding County, Ohio. The Fall family is of Irish and German ancestry. Our subject was reared amid the scenes of farm life until a youth of eighteen years, in the meantime attending the district school during the winter terms. He then went to Morristown in his native county, and commenced the study of medicine under the instruction of Dr. J. G. Wolf, with whom he remained three years. In the meantime he attended two courses of lectures at Rush Medical College, Chicago, and completed his studies in Jefferson Medical College, at Philadelphia, Pa., from which he was graduated as an M. D. Returning West he commenced the practice of his profession at Cumberland, Ind., whence he removed in the fall of 1862 to Mattoon, where he has since remained. He belongs to the State Medical Society, and by a steady course of reading keeps himself well informed upon the important matters pertaining to his profession. The marriage of Dr. Fall and Miss Helen M. Morrison was celebrated in 1856, and they became the parents of three sons, the two eldest being also practicing physicians. James A. married Miss Mary F. Van Daren. The others are Howard M. and Leslie. Mrs. Fall was born in Shelby County, Ind., and is the daughter of George L. and Jane (Allison) Morrison. Her father for several years was engaged in the furniture business. In 1875 Dr. Fall purchased his present residence, which is located at the corner of Charleston and East First streets. It forms a pleasant and attractive home, and is frequented by the cultivated residents of Mattoon. The Doctor and his estimable lady are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and our subject, politically, is a decided Republican. |
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