Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Daggett, John F, M D 1815 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 9, 2007, 10:00 pm Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1890 JOHN F. DAGGETT, M. D. The reputation of this gentleman as a well-read and successful physician and surgeon, is not confined to Joliet, where he now makes his home, but reaches far beyond this city. For nearly half a century he held the first place in the ranks of the profession in and about Lockport. He is justly regarded as one of the ablest general practitioners in this section of the State, while as a surgeon he has high repute, his skill and good judgment justly placing him among the leaders in operative and highly successful surgery. Beginning his medical career with a fine theoretical knowledge, he has been studious, discriminating, and desirous of adding to his store of learning all that modern investigation has to enrich the fields of therapeutical science. Dr. Daggett was born in Charlotte, Vt., February 19, 1815, and began his life's labors as a teacher at the early age of sixteen years. After continuing pedagogical work three years he entered the Medical School at Woodstock, Vt., and subsequently one at Pittsfield, Mass., being graduated from the former in 1837. One year later he came West, and September 10, 1838, opened an office in Lockport, Ill., where he continued to reside until 1886, when he took up his abode in Joliet. During this period of practically half a century (1838 to 1886), he was continuously and laboriously engaged in the active practice of his profession. In the early days when the now thickly settled region had only a scattered population, and the now populous city of Joliet had but a few hundred people, his professional ride extended in a circle to Naperville, Summit, Blue Island and Monee, and he was often called in consultation with physicians of these towns and of Joliet, Wilmington, Plainfield and Lemont. Dr. Daggett has for many years been a member of township, county and State medical societies. He has always been prominent in the development and management of the local affairs of Lockport, has been Supervisor of the town, in the County Board, Treasurer of the School Board, and member and President of the Village Board of Trustees. He was always conservative but liberal in the various official positions which he occupied, performing his manifold duties to the satisfaction of the people he represented. The citizens of the Senatorial District in which Dr. Daggett lives (which at that date, 1871, consisted of the counties of Will, Kankakee, Kendall and Grundy, by far the most populous senatorial district in the State) recognized his culture of mind, excellent judgment and deep interest in all that is elevating and progressive, and felt that their interests would be advanced by him in the legislative halls of the State. They therefore sent him to the Senate, and the result proved that they were not wrong in their estimate of his worth. He was a zealous, efficient member, whose record in the capital added to the laurels he had already won as a member of a learned profession. By prudence he has amassed a goodly sum and now owns valuable real estate in both Lockport and Joliet. In 1842 the rites of wedlock were celebrated between Dr. Daggett and Miss Angeline Talcott, a native of New York and a member of a prominent pioneer family that came to Illinois in 1834. She was a sister of Edward B. Talcott, the well-known civil engineer who supervised the construction of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, and who later was Superintendent of the Chicago & Galena Railroad; also sister of Mancel Talcott, of reputable memory in Chicago as a prominent business man and liberal philanthropist—all now dead. After a short but happy married life Mrs. Daggett closed her eyes in death in 1844. A second matrimonial alliance was made by the doctor in 1846, the lady whom he chose for his companion being Miss Cleora Parsons, of the Empire State. This estimable woman had borne him five children, of whom but two are now living, Mrs. Hugo Boehme, of Joliet, and Mrs. Col. R. G. Mayo, of Woodbridge, Orange County, Fla., and in her care and management of the household economy had shown her devotion to home duties, while not neglecting those she owed to neighbors and the world, when from a pulmonary disease she gradually declined for two years, then, lamented by all who personally knew her, she departed this life June 1, 1889. In the evening of life Dr. Daggett enjoys the respect that accrues to honesty of purpose and uprightness of life. Well supplied with worldly goods, serene in the consciousness of duties done, he is going peacefully down the hill of time. He has always been a firm supporter of religion and a liberal contributor to the building, support and maintenance of churches of all denominations in Lockport, and is likewise a liberal and cheerful supporter of the common and high schools of the town. For the years of 1888-89 he was President of the "Pioneer Association" of the old settlers of Will County, and by his efforts did much in adding to the effects and the interesting history of the early residents of the county. But few of his early associates in business and professional circles are now living. Additional Comments: Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/daggett551gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 5.9 Kb