News: Spencer History - Dentists

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Tully, Leason, Rose, Eiche, Krueger, Callahan, Flink, Helsten, Koehler

Source: Spencer Centennial Book (1874 – 1974)

Spencer had no permanent dentist until 1931. Prior to that time traveling dentists came from time to time and during the interim a badly aching tooth was extracted by one of the local doctors.

In the early 1880's a Dr. Tully came to town every Saturday. A newspaper of 1884 noted that Dr. W. A. Leason would spend a week at a time here. He also worked at Loyal, Colby, Unity, and Marshfield, and was listed as a dental surgeon.

In the 1900's, about 1914 or 1915, Dr. D. L. Rose came to town each Friday and had an office on Main Street. By 1920 Dr. Melvin Eiche of Marshfield spent one day each week here and had his office in the back room of the bank at Clark and LaSalle.

Dr. H. W. Krueger came here from Loyal in 1931 and opened an office above the bank, adjacent to Dr. Callahan's office. Later he and Dr. Callahan both occupied office suites on the second floor of Wally Flink's "Cozy Corner" building a short time he built a residence with an office suite on Pacific Street where he remained until his death October 10, 1941. He had married a local girl, Hilda Helsten.

Dr. F. H. Koehler conducted his practice in an office on the second floor of the bank building from 1947 to about 1958. While a resident of Spencer he served on the school board and participated in numerous other community activities.