Although not one of the "old settlers" of Grant County in the stricter sense of the term, Dr. Hyde was so prominently identified with it for some fifteen years as to entitle his name to a place among those who have made their mark upon its society and institutions. He was a son of Luther Hyde, of Highgate, Vt., well known to many of the citizens of Grant County, who were formerly from that vicinity, and was born at Fairfield, in that State, July 29, 1812. His early life was spent upon a farm until he arrived at a proper age to pursue his studies, in preparation for professional life, for which he was always designed.
     Turning his attention to the profession of medicine, he studied with Dr. Hall, of St. Albans, and attended medical lectures at the Vermont Academy of Medicine at Burlington, and was graduated at the University of Vermont in 1834. He commenced his practice at Hardwick, Vt., but soon afterward removed to Michigan. Here he was one of the pioneers, and endured the hardships and privations incident to the settlement of a new country in those days - remote from the appliances of our modern civilization, and subject to the influence of the malarial diseases for which that State at that stage of its settlement was noted. Here he pursued the practice of his profession for a number of years, and in 1839 married Sarah A. Bennett, of Leona, Mich.
     Finding that his constitution could not withstand the climatic influences, he reutrned, in 1840, to his native State and practiced his profession at St. Albans and across Lake Champlain, at Potsdam, N. Y., for some nine years, his health becoming re-established. In 1855, he came to Lancaster on a tour of inspection, and a visit to his brother, already resident in that village. His professional services were at once in demand, even before he decided to settle here, which he did soon after, and speedily established a high professional reputation and a lucrative practice. For many years Dr. Hyde was the leading surgeon of the large territory embraced in the limits of Grant County, and was often called upon to perform difficult operations, or to meet his professional brethren in consultation, in every part of the county. The roads were at that time in a very imperfect condition; many miles of those he was compelled to travel at all hours of the day and night were mere paths through the woods. With such a practice, under such circumstances, exposure was inevitable, and in time led to the development of the hereditary disease which finally terminated his life - pulmonary consumption. In 1867, his health began to fail and in the following year he removed to Minneapolis, Minn., where he spent a year, in hopes that the change of climate would prove beneficial in arresting the progress of the disease from which he was suffering. Finding that his hopes were not realized, he reutrned to Lancaster in the spring of 1869 and purchased a residence, which, however, he occupied but a few months before his disease had run its course, and on December 7, 1869, he was called hence. He left no children, his immediate family consisting only of his widow and her niece, who had been adopted as a daughter. A number of his brother's family connections, however, are still resident in Lancaster and other parts of the county.
     Dr. Hyde was in the front rank of his profession in Wisconsin, his surgical skill being perhaps unexcelled by that of any physician in the State. During the war he was employed in the Provost Marshal's Department at Prairie du Chien, in which capacity his thorough anatomical knowledge was of much service to the Government. He has appointed by the Commissioner of Pensions to the position of Examining Surgeon, which position he held until physical inability compelled his resignation.
     Dr. Hyde was a high Mason, having attained to the Royal Arch degree and perhaps higher, and was well skilled in the mysteries of that fraternity and of high repute as a Master of the craft, having held the position of Master of Lancaster Lodge No. 20 for twelve years. The high estimation in which he was held by his brother Masons was well shown by the Platteville, Potosi, Beetown and Lancaster Lodges, and Grant Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, which, notwithstanding very unfavorable weather, attended his funeral in bodies, as also did many brethren from other parts of the county, and interred his remains with the impressive ceremonies of their order.

This biography generously submitted by Roxanne Munns.