George L. Hickman, M. D. Biography


	This biography appears on pages 136-139 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				GEORGE L. HICKMAN, M. D. 

	Dr. George L. Hickman, engaged in the practice of medicine and 
surgery in Bryant, was well qualified for his chosen calling by 
thorough collegiate training and keeps in touch with the trend of 
modern thought by further reading and study. He was born in Galena, 
Illinois, on the 7th of January, 1879, and is a son of George and 
Roxanna (Howe) Hickman, the former a native of Rothenburg, Germany, and 
the latter of Pennsylvania. The father came to the United States with 
his parents when a child of six years, the family home being 
established in Buffalo, New York, whence a removal was subsequently 
made to Illinois. In the meantime Roxanna Howe had become a resident of 
that state, accompanying her parents to the middle west, and in 
Illinois she became the wife of George Hickman. In 1881 they arrived in 
South Dakota and since that time have been residents at various periods 
of Brown, Marshall and McPherson counties, but for a quarter of a 
century have lived in the last named. Mr. Hickman's active life has 
been devoted almost entirely to educational work and he was one of the 
first county superintendents of schools of Marshall county, where he 
also served as probate judge. For twelve years he has served at 
different times as county superintendent of schools of McPherson 
county, being now the incumbent in that office. In the fail of 1889 he 
was elected to represent his district in the state legislature, serving 
for one term. He is one of the foremost citizens of McPherson county, 
his influence has been a potent element for progress along material, 
political and educational lines, and his opinions bear the stamp of 
close reasoning and of honorable purpose. His wife passed away on the 
16th of July, 1912, to the deep regret of many. 

	Dr. Hickman had excellent home training as a guide to character 
building. After mastering the elementary branches of learning taught in 
the public schools he attended the Bath high school, from which he was 
graduated with the class of 1901. Subsequently he became a student in 
the Dakota University at Mitchell and also attended the Aberdeen State 
Normal. For some years he gave his attention to educational work, 
teaching his first school in McPherson county in 1898. He abandoned 
that profession, however, in 1905 and entered upon the study of 
medicine. In the fall of that year he matriculated in the Keokuk 
Medical College at Keokuk, Iowa, where he remained as a student for 
three years. He then completed his course in the College of Physicians 
and Surgeons, the medical department of the University of Illinois, at 
Chicago, and was graduated therefrom with the class of 1909. In the 
following January he located at Wentworth, South Dakota, where he was 
in successful practice for three and a half years. In July, 1913, he 
came to Bryant and in the short space of one year has built up a 
lucrative practice, his ability enabling him to cope with many of the 
intricate and involved problems which continually confront the 
physician. 

	On the 30th of June, 1909, Dr. Hickman was married to Miss Marie 
Dawson, of Farmington, Iowa, and to them have been born two children, a 
son and daughter, Elwood L. and Leona M. The parents are members of the 
Congregational church and Dr. Hickman belongs to Bryant Lodge, No. 105, 
I. O. O. F., to the Modern Woodmen of America and the Yeomen, while 
along strictly professional lines his connection is with the Watertown 
District Medical Society and the South Dakota Medical Society. He has 
ever been cognizant of the fact that success depends upon the 
individual and that he who does not advance cannot even stand still but 
must retrograde. Accordingly he has improved his opportunities to keep 
informed concerning the progressive thought of the profession in its 
scientific investigations and researches and has thus kept his ability 
up to par.