Bio: Dr. D. M. Clay (deceased),  Caddo Parish La
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville,  1890

Submitted by: Suzanne Shoemaker




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Dr. D. M. Clay (deceased).  Nature seems to have intended Dr. Clay for an
exceptionally long and more than ordinarily useful life but, alas, for
human hopes and expectations, while just in the meridian of life and during
the time of his greatest usefulness, his career was closed forever.  He was
born in Wilkinson county, Ga., December 25, 1837, and at an early age
entered and graduated from the medical department of the University of New
York, leaving that institution as an M. D. in 1857.  He soon began the
practice of his profession in his native county, but upon the bursting of
the war cloud which had so long hovered over the country, he left his home
and entered the service of the Confederate Government as a surgeon, and
discharged his duties faithfully and efficiently until the close of
hostilities in 1865.  He then removed westward, settled in Shreveport, La.,
and being a man of much ability and energy he was not long in securing a
good practice and comfortable home in his new location.  His skill as a
surgeon, and his knowledge of medicine soon won for him a widespread
reputation throughout the South, and owing to his own personal worth, he
drew around him a confiding populace.  The many wonderful cures which he
effected brought him prominently before the public as a physician of
exceptional merit, and even now his prescriptions are treasured by his
patients.  He was one of the original members of the medical board, and
took part in its organization in July, 1888, and at the time of his death
he was president of a medical society a member of the board of health,
surgeon in charge of the hospital, and socially belonged to the K. of P.,
the K. of H., the A. L. of H., and K. of St. J. and M.  He combined rare
intellectual worth and ability with innate goodness, warm geniality,
sociability and true charity, and his death, which occurred on September 9,
1889, was lamented by all whom he had known, for they felt that they had
lost a true friend and brother, and one whose place it would be hard to
fill.  He was married in 1859 to Miss Fannie O'Bannon, and by her became
the father of a son and daughter:  David M. Jr., and Fannie H.  The son was
born in 1866, received his education in Shreveport, and in 1889 graduated
from the medical department of the Tulane University of Louisiana, at New
Orleans.  He is now practicing his profession in Shreveport, and gives
every promise of revealing his eminent father in the practice of the
"healing art".