Biographical Sketches
GEORGE HALLEY, M. D.
This is pre-eminently an age of progress and advancement, and there has been no greater improvement in any line than that of medicine. A leader in this advancement Dr. Halley is especially well known as a surgeon, and today ranks among the foremost members of the profession in Kansas City. He was born in Aurora, York county, Ontario, Canada, September 10, 1839, and is a son of George and Jane Halley. His paternal grandfather was a lineal descendant of Sir Edmund Halley, the renowned English astronomer. The grandfather died of typhoid fever when a young man, leaving only 2 children - George and Mrs. Jeannette. The maternal grandfather of the Doctor was James Baird, a native of Scotland and an engineer. He lived to an advanced age, and had a family of 3 sons and 2 daughters.
When the Doctor was only 7 years of age, his parents removed to Peel township, Wellington county, Ontario (the then �backwoods�), which was then a new and undeveloped region, where in the midst of the forest they made a farm. This was no easy task, involving arduous labor, which is almost unknown to young men of this day on account of the superior implements and means wherewith to work. In the early days there was no school in the neighborhood, but young George was taught to read at home, and the very fact that he was deprived of educational privileges probably caused him to peruse more assiduously the books to which he had access. His father's library consisted mainly of Rollins' Ancient History, Hume's and Smollett's Histories of England, Addison's Spectator, Reid on the Human Understanding, the works of Shakespeare and the Bible. With these he became very familiar, gaining noble thoughts, an excellent command of English, as well as the historical, philosophical and ethical facts contained therein. He was 15 years of age before he entered school. A district school was then established in the locality, which he attended through the winter term from 1854 until 1857, inclusive. In 1858 he became a student in the county grammar school, and took up the studies of Latin, French, mathematics and the higher English branches, preparatory to entering the University of Victoria College. His studies were greatly interrupted by the illness and death of his 2 brothers, but he studied under private instruction at home, in 1865 passed the matriculation examination in the University of Victoria College, and then entered upon the study of medicine in the city of Toronto.
This seemed to lead to the fulfillment of his hope of becoming a physician. In 1867 he was appointed professor of the chair of anatomy, and devoted much of this time to acquiring a thorough knowledge of that branch. In March, 1868, he went to New York, took the spring course at Long Island College Hospital, and attended the clinical instruction at the hospitals and dispensaries of New York City through the summer, returning home in time to enter Victoria College. In March, 1869, he passed the final examination, and in June of that year received his diploma with the degree of M. D. It was not possible for him, however, to engage at once in practice. His father had died, and it was necessary that he should superintend the cultivation of the farm and the settling up of the estate. He was thus occupied until January, 1870.
During this period Dr. Halley had been considering the question of a suitable location. He believed the new but rapidly developing west would furnish a good field of labor, and after traveling through Kansas and southern Missouri he identified his interests with those of Kansas City, and has since been numbered among the successful practitioners of that place. At that time the medical institutions of Kansas City were the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Kansas City Medical College. During the ensuing summer, however, these two were consolidated under the name of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Dr. Halley was offered and accepted the position of assistant demonstrator of anatomy in the new faculty, thus serving until 1871, when he was elected to the chair of anatomy to succeed Dr. A. B. Taylor, who had been elected to the chair of surgery. For 10 consecutive years he acceptably served in that position, and on the death of Dr. Taylor was elected to fill temporarily the chair of surgery, delivering his first course of lectures on that subject during the school year of 1880-1. When Dr. W. S. Tremain removed from the city Dr. Halley was elected to succeed him as professor of surgery, and continued in that position until 1891. For the past three years he has been professor of surgery in the University Medical College. He performed the first ovariotomy in Kansas City, in May, 1874, and was highly successful in the work, his patient yet living.
The professional career of Dr. Halley has been one of arduous and almost unremitting labor, yet has brought its reward. He has carried his investigations far and wide into the science of medicine and surgery, taking up every department with pronounced thoroughness, and gaining for himself a most enviable reputation for skill and ability. It is a successful teacher of anatomy and surgery, however, more than by any other gauge, that his achievements will be measured. He is throughout the west recognized as the authority on surgical diagnosis, and its most popular and successful teacher, and has made the University Medical College to lead all western colleges, having built it from an attendance of 60 to 273 matriculants. Dr. Halley is recognized in this college as one of the foremost promoters and teachers of surgery in all the west. Prominence is accorded only to merit in this profession, and the public is slow to bestow its favors, but when once given stands staunchly by those whom it supports. Such has been the case of Dr. Halley, and though he had much to overcome in his career, he is today recognized as a leader in his specialty. He now conducts a private hospital at the corner of 8th and Lydia streets, and has a very large and lucrative patronage. In 1884 he became associated with Dr. A. L. Fulton in the publication of the Kansas City Medical Record, a valuable medical journal, which has won the same success that crowns everything with which he is connected.
In 1871 Dr. Halley was united in marriage with Miss Florence Chiles, and for many years theirs was a very happy home; but in March, 1887, at the age of 51 years, Mrs. Halley died. She was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and had many warm friends. In November, 1889, the Doctor was again married, his 2nd union being with Miss Jessie Egelston, daughter of Dr. J. Q. Egelston, of Olathe, Kansas. They now have 2 children, George E. and Eleanor J. In the Methodist Episcopal church, south, they hold a membership, take an active part in its work and upbuilding. Their home is pleasantly located at No. 2425 Tracy Avenue.
This page was last updated August 2, 2006.