Frederick James Port, M. D. Biography


	This biography appears on pages 569-570 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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				FREDERICK JAMES PORT, M. D. 

	Dr. Frederick James Port, a successful physician and surgeon who 
formerly practiced his profession in Parkston, South Dakota, but who 
has now removed to Chicago, was born in Milbank, South Dakota, 
September 4, 1886, a son of Henry G. and Sarah A. (Rooney) Port. The 
paternal grandfather came with his family to Dakota territory in 1879, 
settling at Milbank, and since that time representatives of the family 
have been connected with the development and progress of the state, 
taking an active part in the work of progress in pioneer times and 
during the later period which has brought South Dakota to its present 
condition. The grandfather engaged in the implement business. He drove 
all over his part of the state with a team of mules and was well known 
to the early settlers. He died at the age of fifty-six years and in his 
demise the community lost one of its prominent, representative and 
honored pioneer settlers. His son, Henry G. Port, was a mechanic and in 
early life acquainted himself with the occupation of engineering. He 
first worked as an expert machinist and miller and afterward had charge 
of a pumping station for the Milwaukee Railroad; while still later he 
was employed on the road as inspector of waterworks. He homesteaded 
land in Grant county, as did his father and father-in-law, and the 
property secured by Henry G. Port is still in the possession of his 
family. At one time he was a member of the fire department at Portage, 
Wis. He died at the age of forty-two years. 

	Frederick J. Port attended the public schools and also was a 
student in St. Lawrence Academy at Milbank and he won Archbishop 
Neland's scholarship in a competitive examination in which six states 
were represented among those who took the examination. Mr. Port won the 
prize for the two years course, the prize being two hundred dollars 
allowed as a scholarship at St. Thomas College. After entering that 
institution he took charge of the music of the college and was the 
leader of the band and orchestra for two years. He was afterwards in 
the employ of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway as stenographer 
for eighteen months and for nineteen months was engaged in the piano 
business. He then entered the College of Medicine of the University of 
Illinois, from which he was graduated with the class of 1912. During 
his university days he was vice president of the freshman class. He put 
his theoretical knowledge to practical test in eight months, experience 
as assistant house physician at the Palmer House in Chicago, six months 
as interne in St. Bernard's Hospital in Chicago and six months at St. 
Joseph's Hospital at Fort Wayne, Indiana. This followed the last years 
of his course in preparation for medical practice. 

	Following his hospital work Dr. Port returned to Milbank, where 
he opened an office, remaining there for a year and a half, after which 
he removed to Parkston on the 27th of May, 1914. His ability won him 
almost immediate recognition there and he received a liberal share of 
the public patronage. On April 1, 1915, he was appointed house 
physician for the Auditorium Hotel, at Chicago, Illinois, and has moved 
there with his family. While there he will engage in general practice 
and general surgery with a view of progressing along intellectual and 
professional lines. He is able and conscientious ill the performance of 
his professional duties and is continually adding to his knowledge by 
further reading and investigation. 

	On the 28th of June, 1914, Dr. Port was united in marriage to 
Miss Gretchen Bleser, a daughter of Nicholas J. Bleser, who has been 
engaged in the drug business at Milbank for thirty-two years and is 
also president of the Merchants National Bank there. He came to the 
state in pioneer times and secured a homestead. His daughter, Mrs. 
Port, is a member of the Episcopal church. 

	In politics Dr. Port is independent, supporting men and measures 
rather than party. He is connected with various fraternal organizations 
in which he has held high offices. He has been medical examiner and has 
also been a delegate to the state and national conventions of some of 
these orders. During his university days he was president of the Phi 
Chi Fraternity for two years and he organized a chapter at the 
university known as the Phi Beta chapter of Phi Chi, the national 
medical fraternity. Dr. Port has been an enthusiastic baseball player, 
being a member of the team at St. Thomas for two years. He was 
afterward for two years with the Minnehahas of Minneapolis and for one 
year played with professionals at Omaha, Leavenworth and Oklahoma City. 
He still plays ball and is likewise interested in billiards and enjoys 
motoring, fishing and hunting. In fact he is a good all-round 
sportsman, enjoying all clean sports. He does not allow this, however, 
to interfere with his professional duties and he is a member of the 
Hutchinson County Medical Society, the Mitchell District Medical 
Society, and the South Dakota Medical Association and the American 
Medical Association. He is a lover of music and is interested in all 
that tends to promote the art. Wherever known he is popular and highly 
esteemed, as he possesses attractive social qualities as well as 
professional ability.