Guy Wimberly, M. D., Red River Parish, Louisiana Submitted for the LA GenWeb Archives by Mike Miller, Nov 2001/ =********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** ================================================================ Guy Wimberly, M. D. The outstanding representative of the profession of medicine and surgery in the Longstreet community of Dc Soto Parish is Dr. Guy Wimberly. His home is a big log house, completely modernized, retaining some of the attractive features of the older type of building construction. The house stands under some great live oaks, and it is an ideal home for a busy physician and community worker. Doctor Wimberly was born on his father's plantation in Red River Parish, near Ringgold, January 7, 1885, son of C, P. and Lucy Adeline (Thomas) Wimberly and grandson of William Wimberly, who came from Georgia and was a pioneer in Northern Louisiana. William Wimberly, born in 1800, was one of the very early settlers of Red River Parish. C. P. Wimberly was born in Columbus, Georgia, January 10, 1832, and when the Civil war came on, joined the Confederate troops under the command of General Taylor and took part in many of the battles fought in his home state. He saw General Moulin shot from his horse at the battle of Mansfield April 18, 1864. He was a corporal, and in all his active service was once slightly wounded. His years after the war were devoted to farming, and he died at his old home in Red River Parish February 11, 1911. He and his family were active members of the Methodist Church. C. P. Wimberly married in 1856 Miss Lucy Adeline Thomas, who was born in 1839 and now at the age of eighty-five enjoys good health, her home being with her son, Doctor Guy. Her father, Colonel Thomas, born on the Cumberland River, near Nashville, Tennessee, in 1787, was a conspicuous figure in the life of the Mississippi Valley. In the War of 1812 he was a captain and hater a colonel in the American forces, and participated in the battle of New Orleans. In after years he was commissioned to construct a military road from New Orleans to Nashville, and as a reward for this service received a grant to an entire township of land near the Mississippi River. However, this land was lost through lack of proper attention. He moved to Mississippi, and when his daughter Adeline was eighteen months old he came to Louisiana and died near Columbia in Caldwell Parish in 1844. His daughter, Lucy Adeline, was born in Smith County, Mississippi, near Williamsville. She became the mother of twelve children, three of whom died young. When Dr. Guy Wimberly was thirty years of age his parents were still living and eight of his brothers and sisters. The old farm, Fullers Hill, is still owned by one of the family, Mrs. Mary J. Hays. The son Rev. William Wimberly, is a Presbyterian minister at Plankington, South Dakota. G. B. Wimberly is a planter in Red River Parish. Mrs. S. P. Schwing lives at Plaquemine, Louisiana. Dr. F. Wimberly graduated from the Memphis Hospital Medical College with the same class as his brother Guy and now practices at Ringgold. Mrs. H. N. Getty lives at North Platte, Nebraska. One son, T. R. Wimberly, a former member of the Legislature and of the police jury, died at Coushatta, Louisiana, in 1921. Alice, who died in Bienville Parish, was the wife of E. B. Murph. Mrs. C. E. Hays died near East Point in Red River Parish. Guy Wimberly was reared in the home parish attended the parish schools and was granted a first grade certificate as a teacher but never used it. He took up the study of medicine in the office of Dr. C. C. Allums at Ringgold, and gained a great deal of practical experience going about with Doctor Allu,s during vacation periods while attending the Memphis Hospital Medical College where he was graduated in 1908, taking his degree in medicine. During 1914 he did post- graduate work at the same school and in 1917 took a postgraduate course in Tulane University. He first practiced at Ida in Caddo Parish, but since 1909 has been the chief medical man at Longstreet. He early volunteered his services to the government as a member of the Medical Corps during the World war, but was instructed to remain at home and take care of the sick among the workers. He acted as chairman of the Red Cross Chapter in his district. On August 25, 1907, Doctor Wimberly married Miss Meta Smith, daughter of James and Mary E. Smith, of Doddridge, Miller County, Arkansas. She was born in Cass County, Texas, but was reared in Miller County, Arkansas, where her father was a merchant, farmer and ginner. Five children were born to the marriage of Doctor and Mrs. Wimberly: Jessie Nell, born in 1908, now in the second year of her studies in the Louisiana State Normal College; Guy, Jr., F. F., Jr., Mary Adeline and Edith. The daughter Edith was born while Doctor Wimberly was engaged in a Red Cross drive and she was named in honor of Edith, the wife of President Wilson. Doctor Wimberly is a steward in the Methodist Church, is a member of the Masonic Order and belongs to the Parish and State Medical Societies. On January 1, 1913, he became a member of the Parish School Board, representing Ward One, and has served continuously now for ten years in that capacity. A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 366, by Henry E. Chambers. Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925. # # #