Following is one of the Biographies and Stories which where gathered by Charles Sumner McKamy in the 1950s for publication in a Crawford County History Book. Unfortunately he passed away before the book was published.
This material is from an unpublished interview of Richard D. Firebaugh by C.S. McKamy.
My father, Dr. Isaac L. Firebaugh was a member of one of the oldest families in Crawford County, born in Bucyrus, Ohio July 14, 1848, a son of David Firebaugh, who was a resident and died in Robinson in 1887, and his mother, Lucy Ludwig, was born in Berks County, Pa. In 1818 and died at their home in Robinson in 1901.
The Firebaugh family came to Crawford County from Bellefontaine, Ohio in 1855, purchasing a quarter-section of land four miles west of Robinson, which has remained in the family for almost a hundred years.
Dr. Firebaugh attended grade schools in Bellefontaine, O. and the school near his home in Crawford County, after which he attended the University of Indiana where he graduated then he taught schools two years in order to enable him enough money to enter Miami Medical College at Cincinnati, Ohio where he graduated in 1875, after that engaging in the practicing of medicine in Robinson during his entire life time, having departed this life on ________ 19__.
Dr. Firebaugh died in 1915 and is buried in the Robinson New Cemetery, Robinson, IL.
For 15 years he served as Surgeon for the Big Four Railroad as well as serving in the same capacity for the Illinois Central for several years; also, he served as President Robinson Hospital Association, a member of the County, State and American Medical Associations, President of the Robinson School Board for twenty years and was a member of the Pension Board.
He was married to Ellen M. Sims on Oct.20, 1881, who was born in Edgar County, Ill. In 1858, and to them were born three sons, namely: ______, ______, ______; and one daughter, Esther.
Mrs. Firebaugh, my mother was a lady of Literary tastes and many other accomplishments, having contributed sketches to some of our leading Journals, _______.
Dr. Firebaugh started the first Robinson Hospital on North Cross Street which he and other physicians operated for __ years after which he decided to abandon the Hospital and he opened an office on the northwest corner of the public square where he and Dr. Barlow practiced for a number of years.