Descendants of William Floyd Randall

Promotional Card Used in Medical Practice of
William Floyd Randall, MD
Forksville, PA
Original is a 3 1/8" x 4 5/8" medicine advertising trade card from the late 1800's.
The card bears the title "Summer At The Seaside" on the back, and is the 13th card in the series.
Click on Reverse to see the other side.
Photo by Scott W. Tilden
Original auctioned on eBay in January 2012

Descendants of William Floyd Randall, MD
by Lorin F. Pardoe
June 2010

Generation No. 1

1. DR. WILLIAM FLOYD³ RANDALL (WALLACE JOSEPH², ?¹) was born February 07, 1867 in Pennsylvania, the son of Wallace Joseph and Sarah (Green) Randall, and died in 1913. He married DELLA J. FLEMING April 18, 1888 in Bride's parents house in Forks Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, daughter of JOHN FLEMING and ZILPHA ROGERS. She was born February 14, 1868 in Forks Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, and died 1963.

Notes for DR. WILLIAM FLOYD RANDALL:

On November 25, 2001 the Fairmount Cemetery, Forksville, PA was transcribed by Tina Pastusic. she shows: "Randall, William F., b. 1867, d. 1913."

1880 Forksville Twp., Sullivan Co., PA census shows: Randall, William F., age 13, b. PA.

1900 Dushore Boro, Sullivan Co., PA census shows: Randall, William F., b. 2/1867, Physician/Surgeon, b. PA., married 12 years.

1910 Dushore Boro, Sullivan Co., PA census shows: Randall, William F., head, age 43, b. PA, married x 1, 21 years, parents b. PA, occupation - Physician - general practice.

The following is a portion from "History of Sullivan County Pennsylvania" by Thomas J. Ingham, 1899:

"WILLIAM FLOYD RANDALL, M. D. --- One of the most exacting of all the higher lines of occupation to which a man may lend his energies is that of the physician. A most scrupulous preliminary training is demanded, and a nicety of judgment but little understood by the laity.

Our subject is well fitted for the profession which he has chosen as a life work, and his skill and ability have won for him a lucrative practice in and around Dushore, Pennsylvania, where he is now located.

The Doctor is a native of Sullivan county, born in Forks township, February 7, 1867, and is a son of Dr. Wallace J. and Sarah (Green) Randall. The father, who died at Forksville, October 3, 1881, was for twenty-two years one of the leading physicians of the county. He was born at Columbia Cross Roads, Bradford county, this state, and settled at Forksville in 1859. He was a prominent Republican and twice was his party's nominee for congress. Fraternally he was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Patrons of Husbandry. ( Editor's Note: See a biographical sketch of Wallace Randall at the bottom of this page.) Our subject is the oldest in his family of six children, the others being Esther M., now the wife of Rev. Charles Shonabacher; Moses L., a carpenter at Lincoln Falls, Pennsylvania; John W., who is still on the homestead farm at Forksville; Washington E., a clerk in a drug store at Forksville; and Maude, who resides with her mother at the old home at Forksville.

Dr. Randall, of this sketch, pursued his studies in the public schools of Forksville and Hepburnville, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, and later took a two-years course in the academic department of the Williamsport Commercial College, and then graduated in the business course in September, 1883. Subsequently he took a special course in German and a post-graduate course at the commercial college. After working for one year as bookkeeper for Lancaster & Stevens at Forksville, he entered the office of Dr. Francis Chaffee and began the study of his chosen profession. He spent the winter of 1886-7 at the College of Physicians & Surgeons in Baltimore, and in the spring of the latter year became interested in the drug business at Forksville with Dr. Chaffee. In the spring of 1889 he graduated at the medical department of the University of Baltimore, and then opened an office at Forksville, where he engaged in practice for a time. He took a post-graduate course at Jefferson Medical College, of Philadelphia, in the winter of 1892-3, and on leaving Forksville in the fall of 1897 attended lectures at Philadelphia for six weeks.On his return to Sullivan county he opened an office in Dushore, and was not long in building up a large and lucrative practice, which he still enjoys. He makes a specialty of the diseases of women and children and also of the diseases of the nose, ear and throat. He was appointed pension examiner in September, 1898, and is an honored member of the Bradford County Medical Society and the State Medical Society.He is also a Knight Templar Mason and a member of the Improved Order of Red Men.

On the 18th of April, 1888, the Doctor was united in marriage with Miss Della J. Fleming, a daughter of John and Zelphia (Rogers) Fleming, of Forksville, and they now have a little son, William Ralph, born June 5, 1893. Both the Doctor and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and hold an enviable position in social circles.

Editor's Note: Here is a story printed in the Sullivan Review in 1891 that reveals some of Dr. Randall's creativity:

The Sullivan Review

February 5, 1891

An interesting item of medical news comes from Fox Township. The particulars of the case are as follows: Mamie, a five year old daughter of Sylvester Brown of Shunk, met with an accident last April which resulted in the formation of two large ulcers in the lumbar region of the back.

One of the ulcers was eleven by four and the other eight by three inches. Medical aid was secured for the little sufferer and an attempt made to heal the sores.

November 17, Dr. W.F. Randall of Forksville, was called and took charge of the case. At that time the ulcers had destroyed the flesh almost down to the bone. Dr. Randall concluded to try to heal the sores by the engrafting of skin and has met with excellent success.

The smaller one was grafted with skin taken from the arms of two healthy brothers and a sister, and the larger one by skin taken from frogs. Both ulcers are healing rapidly and the patient is in a fair way to recover.

This we believe is the first attempt at skin grafting in our county and the many readers of the Review will no doubt be interested in knowing about it. Dr. Randall is entitled to much praise for the professional zeal and skill shown in the treatment of this case."

More About DR. WILLIAM FLOYD RANDALL:

Burial: Fairmount Cemetery, Forksville, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania

Occupation: Physician/Surgeon

Notes for DELLA J. FLEMING:

1870 Forks Twp., Sullivan Co., PA census shows: Delta Fleming, age 2.

1880 Forks Twp., Sullivan Co., PA census shows: Delia J. Fleming, age 12.

1900 Dushore Boro, Sullivan Co., PA census shows: Randall, Delia, b. 2/1868, PA., married 12 years, 1 child.

1910 Dushore Boro, Sullivan Co., PA census shows: Randall, Della, wife, age 42, married x 1, 21 years, 1 child born, 0 children living, father b. NJ, mother b. PA.

On November 25, 2001 the Fairmount Cemetery, Forksville, PA was transcribed by Tina Pastusic. she shows: "Randall, Della J. b. 1868, d. 1963."

See biographical notes on fathers notes page. Shows name as Delia J., b. February 14, 1868 and married to Dr. William F. Randall.

More About DELLA J. FLEMING:

Burial: Fairmount Cemetery, Forksville, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania

Residence: 1907, Lived in Dushore, Sullivan County, PA

Marriage Notes for WILLIAM RANDALL and DELLA FLEMING:

The following marriage announcement was posted at Ancestry.com messge boards on August 9, 2003 by Tine Pastusic:

"The Sullivan Gazette

April 19, 1888

Mr. William Randall of Forksville and Miss Della Fleming of Forks Township were married at the residence of the bride’s parents this Wednesday.

Mr. Randall is the eldest son of the late Dr. Randall, of Forksville. He is doing business in his native town, and is well known as an industrious businessman of steady habits.

Miss Fleming is a daughter of John Fleming of Forks Township. She is an educated and accomplished young lady. Their many friends including the Gazette, with them success and happiness through life."

More About WILLIAM RANDALL and DELLA FLEMING:

Marriage: April 18, 1888, Bride's parents house in Forks Township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania

Child of WILLIAM RANDALL and DELLA FLEMING is:

i. RALPH WILLIAM⁴ RANDALL, b. January 05, 1893, Pennsylvania; d. 1902.

Notes for RALPH WILLIAM RANDALL:

Thomas J. Ingham shows William Ralph Randall, b. June 5, 1893.

More About RALPH WILLIAM RANDALL:

Burial: Fairmount Cemetery, Forksville, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania

Editor's Note: Here is a biographical sketch of Wallace Joseph Green, with appended comments from Larry Pardoe on a handful of errors in the original text:

DR. WALLACE JOSEPH RANDALL,* deceased, was a gentleman widely known throughout Sullivan County, and for many years was the only practitioner of medicine in the borough of Forksville. He was a son of Orrin Randall, and was born at Columbia Cross Roads, Bradford County, Pa., January 16, 1835.
Dr. Randall was educated in the public schools of Elmira. He took up the study of medicine with Dr. Axtel of Troy, Pa., later being admitted to practice. He then practiced with his preceptor at Troy until about 1860, when he located at Forksville, Sullivan County, continuing there until his death. Ambitious by nature, he continued to study during practice and obtained a wonderful knowledge of medical science and great skill in the treatment of his cases. Being the only physician in that vicinity, his practice assumed vast proportions. Many of his patients lived at distant places necessitating long and hard drives almost every day, but being of exceptionally strong constitution he withstood the strain for years. His constitution finally was impaired and typhoid fever setting in he was obliged to take to his bed, but he believed that it would be but a short time before he would be about again. However, he never rallied and passed away on October 3, 1881, leaving a family and scores of friends to mourn his loss.
The doctor had been very successful financially, and was the owner of large real estate interests. As rapidly as he could earn the money, he would invest it to advantage and in this he always displayed the best of judgment and unusual foresight. At the time of his death he owned the noted hotel Eagles Mere, and many acres of choice land there. He owned what is known as the John Brown farm, which he improved in many respects, making it a very valuable property. He also owned a number of large timber tracts. He purchased the John Brown residence on Bridge street in Forksville. where Mrs. Randall now resides, and in which he had his office. Just prior to his last sickness he had a cellar almost completed for a new store and office building, which he planned to be built on a lot adjoining his residence. After his death Mrs. Randall carried out his plans and erected a fine business block, and also built a new house, which he expected to erect, on the farm.
Mrs. Randall was born January 26, 1843, and is a daughter of Wheeler and Hannah (Ball) Green of Hillsgrove, Pa., and her union with Dr. Randall was blessed with the following children: William F., a physician practicing at Dushore, who was born February 7, 1867, and married Delia Fleming, by whom he has a son, Ralph; Esther M., born November 16, 1869, who married Rev. Charles Schaubacher, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Pennelton Center; Moses L., of Lincoln Falls, Pa., born January 22, 1873, who married Nellie Osier, and they have one son, Milton; John W., born August 8, 1876; Washington E., a drug clerk, who was born November 9, 1878; and Maude, born March 26, 1880. Socially our subject was a member of Sullivan Lodge No. 522, I. O. O. F. In politics he was a Republican; in religious belief he was liberal.

Additional Comments:
* The information contained in this biography was supplied by the subject of this sketch. A type-set copy of the biography was sent to the subject to be proof-read, but the subject did not edit and return the copy, so this biography may contain typographical errors.
Extracted from:
Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District
Published by
Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899)

Erratum in this biography:

Wallace was b. February 2, 1833, not January 16, 1835.
Hannah (Ball) should be Harriet (Ball).
Delia Fleming should be Della J. Fleming.
Rev. Charles Schaubacher should be Rev. Charles Shonabacher.
Nellie Osier should be Nellie Julia Osler

Larry Pardoe
September 2010