William Henry Bartran, Sr., (August 21, 1838November 23, 1905) was an American physician and Republican politician. He was the 10th mayor of

Fort Howard, Wisconsin Fort Howard was a city in Brown County, Wisconsin, United States. It was first incorporated as a "borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-gover ...

, and served two terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing northwest Brown County (

1873 Events January–March * January 1 ** Japan adopts the Gregorian calendar. ** The California Penal Code goes into effect. * January 17 – American Indian Wars: Modoc War: First Battle of the Stronghold – Modoc Indians defeat ...

1874 Events January–March * January 1 – New York City annexes The Bronx. * January 2 – Ignacio María González becomes head of state of the Dominican Republic for the first time. * January 3 – Third Carlist War &ndas ...

Early life

William H. Bartran was born in the town of Barton, in Tioga County, New York, on August 21, 1838. He was raised there and received his primary education in the public schools. He attended the Wyoming Seminary in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, but left the school after the outbreak of the American Civil War. After hearing of the attack on Fort Sumter, he returned to New York to enlist for service in the Union Army. He was enrolled as first sergeant of Company D in the

27th New York Infantry Regiment The 27th New York Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment formed in Elmira, New York, to fight and defend the United States during the American Civil War. The regiment was also known as the "Union Regiment". History The regiment was or ...

, but his service was ultimately short. He went south with his regiment to Washington, D.C., and participated in the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861, where he was wounded in battle and unable to return to service. He was discharged due to disability on August 1, 1861, but received an honorary

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

to first lieutenant. After returning from the war, he entered the Michigan Medical College and graduated with his

medical doctorate Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degree. T ...

in 1865.

Medical career

After graduating, he moved west to

Green Lake County, Wisconsin Green Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,018. Its county seat is Green Lake. In 2020, the center of population of Wisconsin was located in Green Lake County, near the ci ...

, and started a medical practice in the village of

Dartford Dartford is the principal town in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England. It is located south-east of Central London and is situated adjacent to the London Borough of Bexley to its west. To its north, across the Thames estuary, is Thurrock in ...

. He remained for four years before moving to Flintville, in the town of

Suamico, Wisconsin Suamico is a village in Brown County, Wisconsin, Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 11,346 at the time of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. Suamico is part of the Green Bay, Wisconsin, Green Bay Green Bay m ...

, in Brown County. He finally settled in the neighboring community of

, in 1871. He was a trusted family physician and surgeon in the Green Bay area for 30 years, and was a member of the Fox River and Brown County medical societies. He served as a medical advisor to the city and county government, and was U.S. examining physician for this region for several years.

Political career

Shortly after coming to Flintville, he became involved in local affairs and was elected chairman of the town board. In 1872, he was the Republican Party nominee for Wisconsin State Assembly in Brown County's 2nd Assembly district, which then comprised roughly the northwest quadrant of the county. He was subsequently re-elected in 1873. He was not a candidate for re-election in 1874. Bartran went on to serve several years as superintendent of schools in his town. Later in life, in 1891, he was elected to a single term as mayor of Fort Howard.

Personal life and family

William H. Bartran was a son of Moses Bartran and his wife Emily (' Bidlack). He had two brothers and five sisters. His brother George R. Bartran also became a medical doctor and practiced in Algoma, Wisconsin, for 30 years. William Bartran married Margaret Smith and had three children. Their two daughters died young, but their son, , went on to graduate from the Northwestern University Medical School and practiced medicine in

Green Bay, Wisconsin Green Bay is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The county seat of Brown County, it is at the head of Green Bay (known locally as "the bay of Green Bay"), a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It is above sea lev ...

, for the rest of his life. William H. Bartran, Sr., suffered from paralysis, caused by

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

, and was forced to retire from his medical practice in 1901. He died at his home in Green Bay on November 23, 1905—the city of Fort Howard having been absorbed into the city of Green Bay in 1895.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bartran, William H. 1838 births 1905 deaths People from Tioga County, New York Politicians from Green Bay, Wisconsin People of New York (state) in the American Civil War University of Michigan alumni Physicians from Wisconsin Mayors of places in Wisconsin Members of the Wisconsin State Assembly Wyoming Seminary alumni 19th-century American legislators 19th-century Wisconsin politicians