J. P. Valby, M. D. Biography


	This biography appears on pages 798-799 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				J. P. VALBY, M. D.  

	Dr. J. P. Valby, the pioneer physician of Viborg, where he has 
practiced continuously since 1898, enjoys an enviable reputation as a 
skilled and successful representative of his profession. His birth 
occurred in Denmark on the 30th of October, 1856, his parents being 
George and Elizabeth Valby, who emigrated to the United States and 
settled in Freeborn county, Minnesota, in 1868. There they spent the 
remainder of their lives, the father following farming throughout his 
entire business career.  

	J. P. Valby, who was twelve years of age when he accompanied his 
parents on their emigration to the new world, acquired a district-
school education in his youth, which was largely a period of toil, for 
he assisted his father in the work of the home farm by day and conned 
his lessons at night. He also pursued a high-school course at 
Chatfield, Minnesota, and subsequently took up the study of medicine in 
the College of Physicians & Surgeons at Chicago, the medical department 
of the University of Illinois, which institution conferred upon him the 
degree of M. D. in 1890. His initial work in the profession was done in 
Chicago, where he practiced for one year, but later he located in 
Wisconsin, in which state he remained for five years. In 1898 he came 
to South Dakota and opened an office at Viborg as the pioneer physician 
of the town and has there practiced his profession continuously and 
successfully since. He has ably served in the capacity of county 
physician and acts as surgeon for the Great Northern Railroad Company. 
Dr. Valby is a stockholder in the Union Savings Association, owns 
considerable real estate in Sioux Falls and also one hundred and sixty-
five and a half acres of land in Kingsbury and Yankton counties. He 
erected his modern residence at a cost of six thousand dollars and is 
widely recognized as one of the prosperous and highly esteemed citizens 
of Viborg.  

	On the 31st of January, 1895, Dr. Valby was united in marriage to 
Miss Ella I. Rath, her father being John P. Rath, of Defiance, Ohio, 
who lost his life in the battle of Chickamauga in the Civil war Dr. 
Valby gives his political allegiance to the republican party and his 
religious faith is that of the Lutheran church, but his wife is a 
Catholic. He is deeply and helpfully interested in the development and 
growth of his adopted state and has won a host of friends in both 
professional and social circles here.