Louis A. Vawater History of Montana,by Joaquin Miller, 1894 USGENWEB Montana Archives May be copied for non-profit purposes. Dr. Louis A. Vawater, one of the leading physicians of Boulder, was born in West Virginia, October 22, 1840. Edward Vawater, the first of the family in this country, came from England to Virginia in the early part of the seventeenth century. He settled in Essex County where his two sons, Edward and William were born and both served on the Colonial side in the Revolutionary War. William, the grandfather of our subject, secured the appointment of Government Surveyor from the Governor of Virginia, moved to West Virginia in 1791, and pushed as far down as the mouth of the Kanawha River and there met and married Miss Margaret Henderson, a native of Point Pleasant West Virginia and a daughter of James Henderson. After their marriage they located on Hans Creek, Monroe County, that state, where they lived until death, the husband dying at the age of eighty six years and the wife reached the age of ninety years. Six children, three sons and three daughters were born to that union. The eldest child, Jonah Vawater, the father of our subject, was born at the old homestead in West Virginia in 1800. He inheritedhis father's estate and continued to reside there until his death in 1878 at the age of seventy-eight years. He was a successful planter and prominent citizen and represented his district several terms in the Legislature. In 1827 he married Miss Clara S. Peck, a native of Giles County, Pennsylvania and they had thirteen children, twelve of whom grew to years of maturity. The mother died in 1882 at the age of seventy-two years. They were worthymembers of the Methodist Church for many years.Louis A. Vawater, the third child in order of birth, received his primary education under a private tutor, later attended the Union Academy in Union and then entered the Emery & Henry College, in Washington County, WV graduating from the latter institution in 1854. He was then for a short time engaged in engineering, after which he turned his attention to the study of medicine under Dr. E.W. Peck of Red Sulphur Springs. In 1860 Mr. Vawater received his first course of lectures at Richmond Virginia. At the opening of the late war, in 1861 he entered the Confederate service, as Captain of volunteer infantry, Thirtieth Battalion, was taken prisoner at the battle of Winchester, September 19, 1864 and held at Fort Delaware until in July 1865 when hew as set at liberty. Returning to his homein West Virginia the Doctor had charge of his father's plantation for a time. During the winter of 1867-8 he took a course of lectures at Cincinnati in the Ohio Medical College in the latter year began the practice of hisprofession at Ballardsville, West Virginia and from that time until 1882 practiced medicine with R.E. Barnett in Hancock County, Indiana. Dr. Barnett died during the latter year and our subject then received the appointment of Physician to the Round Valley Indian Agency in California. He resigned his position there in 1884 and came toMontana where he followed his profession at Radersburg, Jefferson County, until 1893. Since that time he has beenengaged in the practice of medicine in Boulder. The Doctor is also interested in mining interests in Montana, but has given his undivided attention to his chosen profession. Dr. Vawater was formerly identified with the Democratic Party but is now decidedly in favor of the free coinage of silver.