Biography of Dr. C. S. Crew, Bowie County, Texas

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Submitted by: Eddie Robinson tempt@icx.net
        Date: Apr 2000
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/bowie/bowitoc.htm
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Taken from Thursday, July 24, 1952, issue of New Boston Journal.

! Also see Dr. Crew's Photo and picture of his home in DeKalb - 
http://www.rootsweb.com/~txbowie/pics/DrCSCrew.html


No man is more widely known in western Bowie County than Dr. C. S. Crew, general
practitioner who has been at DeKalb since 1906.

Nearly half the people living in that section of the county were brought into
the world by the genial physician. In many cases he has delivered three
generations.

He figures he has averaged delivering eight babies a month during the 46 years
he has practiced at DeKalb. The total would be in excess of 4, 400 more than
have been born at many hospitals.

Dr. Crew began going into outlying areas to attend the sick when roads were
little more than pig trails. He rode a horse at first, later got hold of a
buggy, and then bought an automobile. He's still making rural calls, although he
is past his 72nd birthday.

The doctor kept four to five good horses when he went horseback, and many times
it would take better than half a day to make a call. He would start into Red
River bottom, but along the way folks would stop him to examine a sick member of
their families. It would be hours before he arrived at his destination, unless
it was a life or death call. Then he would spur his horse on at a gallop.

Many of his horseback trips would total 25 miles or more. He'd get back to town
and have another call waiting. He'd saddle another horse and strike out again. 

The Doctor recalls that in those days most people weren't financially able to
pay a doctor. "Some of them would bring a load of corn into town and dump it in
my barn for the horses, " he said.

During the buggy days, Dr. Crew carried a lantern and a bird dog with him in the
wintertime. He's put the lighted lantern under his blanket and the dog would
curl up at his feet, keeping him warm. The horses would carry the buggy at a
fast pace, mud or dust.

Dr. Crew bought DeKalb's second automobile, a roadster with three inch tires.
When bad weather set in, he'd wrap chains around the wheels and the car would
take him on. Roads were bad in those days, and he often had to detour around
stumps. Wagons would cut deep ruts through the mud. But the doctor was a good
driver, and his roadster would take him through almost unbelievable places.

Malaria was the big killer in those days, and people were continually plagued by
chills. Unless they were treated, their condition would gradually grow worse,
and they'd die. Many of them were afraid to use quinine. There were times when
Dr. Crew gave his patients quinine without their knowing it. Most of them
recovered, too.

During the 'teens and 1920s, it wasn't unusual for 200 or more people to die
annually in his area from malaria. Scores of children died from "bowel trouble."

The introduction of screen wire on houses was the greatest thing that ever
happened in Bowie County, Dr. Crew declares.

"Screens helped get rid of malaria more than anything else," he said. They also
kept out the flies which caused bowel ailments among children. DDT finally
brought malaria under almost complete control.

The death rate among children has declined sharply during the last few years
because parents have finally realized the importance of cleanliness and proper
nourishment, he said.

He proved his point recently when he took a group through the cemetery at New
Hope. Those present saw that there were almost no new children's graves, while
old tombstones told of a high death rate.

At 72, Dr. Crew is still the most active physician in the western end of the
county, but he is considering retirement.

"I'm thinking about quitting in a couple of years," he said. Those close to him
think he will never fully retire.

Dr. Crew was born in Alabama, the son of a merchant-landowner. He entered
college at what is now Auburn. Later he transferred to medical school at Tulane
University. After three years there. officials thought he had tuberculosis, and
told him to drop out and rest. He went to Avery, in Red River County, and
practiced two years. He recalls making calls out to Pine Springs, a distance of
about 10 miles, by horseback and charging only $2.50.

He went back to Tulane and was graduated in 1904. His father sent him $35 to
come home on. The young doctor took it and came to Texas. He was at Simms and
Avery before moving to DeKalb for good in 1906.


From: 	ThsJoHar@aol.com	

To help all the records as correct as posable consider this;
Dr. C. S. Crew died Nov 3, 1962, in DeKalb
Buried Nov 5, 1962, In Woodman Cemetery, DeKalb. 
His full name was Colonel Seldon Crew
He was born Apr 30, 1876, in Goodwater, Ala.
His father was B. F. Crew