Biographical Sketches
LYMAN W FORD, M. D.
Among the worthy sons of the Empire State who have sought homes in Kansas City is Dr. Ford, who ranks among the best physicians of Jackson county. He was born in Saratoga, New York, May 25, 1846, and is a son of Lyman and Adelia (Vanderwalker) Ford, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of Saratoga. The maternal grandfather was in the War of 1812, and his father served in the same war, and was one of the heroes of the Revolution. The grandfather was a native of England. The Ford family located in Connecticut at an early day, while the Vanderwalker family settled at New Amsterdam, now New York City. They were prominent people in England, and the great-grandfather was a surgeon in the English army. The members of both families were farming people and school teachers.
The Doctor's father followed the sea during his early life. At the age of 13 he ran away from home and shipped before the mast on a vessel bound for Liverpool. For many years he sailed on the Atlantic, but at length left the water and turned his attention to farming in Washington county, New York, where he remained for a year. Believing, however, that better advantages were offered in the west, he left the Empire state and took up his residence in Kendall county, Illinois, which was his home until after the close of the war. He then came to Carroll county, Missouri, and is now living in Texas, at abou the age of 80 years. His family numbered six children, who grew to years of maturity, while five are now living, namely: Wyndette, Lyman W., Frank, Edgar and Amy. Martin, the second member of the family, is deceased.
Dr. Ford of this review was principally reared in New York, and acquired his education in the village school and academy, supplemented by a course in the Jennings Seminary, of Aurora, Illinois, after the removal of the family to that state. On the breaking out of the civil war, although only 15 years of age, he left school and joined the 150th Illinois infantry, in which he served until the close of the great contest, participating in the memorable march with Sherman to the sea and a number of important engagements. The soldier boy displayed the same loyalty and fidelity which was manifested by the older veterans, and the blue was worn by no more patriotic defender of the old flag.
After peace was declared Dr. Ford at once returned to the north and became a resident of Boone, Iowa, where he taught the first public school in that place. He had hardly passed his 17th birthday. For 7 years he was connected with the educational interests of that town, as a teacher of recognized ability, and continued to follow that profession until 29 years of age, but in the meantime took up the study of medicine. He entered the old Northwestern University of Chicago, where he paid for his tuition by teaching. In 1875 he became a student in Rush Medical College, of that city, at which he was graduated with the class of 1878. He located at Norborne, Missouri, where he practiced for 9 years, and in 1886 he came to Kansas City, where he has built up a very large business, which is constantly increasing.
Dr. Ford possesses a nature that could never content itself with mediocrity, and has continued his studies and the work of progress along the line of medical research until today he is ranked among the foremost members of the profession in Jackson county. In the years 1894 and 1895 he filled the chair of genito-urinary diseases in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Kansas City. He has been examiner of various prominent insurance companies for a number of years. Socially, he is connected with the Masonic fraternity and the Knights of Pythias order. His while record has been an honorable and commendable one. As a soldier boy, a teacher, and a physician, his history is one deserving of emulation.
This page was last updated August 2, 2006.