Biography of Manuel F. Torregrosa, M.D.

MANUEL F. TORREGROSA, M. D. A mining physician and
surgeon at Ashland in McDowell County, Doctor Torregrosa
is one of the brilliant young men in the profession in South-
ern West Virginia and has earned a very successful place
and a large degree of esteem in the community where his
professional labors have been performed during the past
five years.

Doctor Torregrosa is a Porto Rican by birth and repre-
sents some of the old Spanish families of that island. He
was born at Las Marias Island, Porto Rico, April 2, 1891.
His parents, Manuel F. and Juanita (Rodriguez) Torre-
grosa, were also natives of Porto Rico. His father owned
a large drug business prior to the Spanish-American war,
but on account of war conditions and also a long illness of
typhoid fever, he lost most of his property. After the war
he was made inspector of customs and later chemist for the
Island at San Juan. Subsequently he was in the drug busi-
ness at Lajas and was also appointed a justice of the peace.
He died in 1903.

Manuel F. Torregrosa began his education after Porto
Rico came under the American flag. He attended the com-
mon and high schools, and in 1907, at the age of sixteen,
came to the United States and entered William and Mary
College in Virginia. He quickly proved himself one of the
most thorough scholars and also one of the most popular
students of the institution. As a result of his first year's
work he won the Philo Bennett scholarship, endowed by
William Jennings Bryan. During his second year, therefore,
he paid his expenses at William and Mary with the pro-
ceeds of this scholarship. After two years of general
college work he entered the University College of Medicine
at Richmond and graduated M. D. May 29, 1913. After
graduation he was an interne in the City Hospital of Rich-
mond. Doctor Torregrosa after securing his diploma went
back to Porto Rico, but in October, 1914, returned to the
United States and for nine months was company physician
for the W. M. Ritter Lumber Company at Hurley, Virginia.
He was then engaged in general practice at Kent Stores,
Fluvanna County, Virginia, until April, 1916, and following
that was located at Williamsburg, Virginia. In December,
1916, he came to Eckman, West Virginia, with Dr. J. Clark
Killey, and in October, 1917, began his duties at Ashland
for the Ashland Coal & Coke Company. Ashland is an
important coal mining town on a branch of the Norfolk &
Western Railway running from North fork. He has been
a very busy man in this community, and his services to an
essential industry were considered more important than
anything he could do in the army, since his applications for
active duty were rejected. Doctor Torregrosa is a member
of the County, West Virginia State and American Medical
associations, and is a member of the Phi Rho Sigma medical
fraternity. He is also a member of Algoma Lodge, A. F.
and A. M., of North Fork, Zenith Lodge No. 213, I. 0. 0. P.,
and Burks Garden Lodge No. 57, K. of P.

At Norfolk, Virginia, July 11, 1914, he married Miss
Frances Timberlake, of Williamsburg, daughter of John
Corbett and Missouri (Blassingham) Timberlake. John
Corbett Timberlake, father of Mrs. Torregrosa, was a
colonel in the Confederate army, serving through many
hard-fought battles during the Civil war. He was taken
prisoner and served one year in the Johnston Island prison
and two years in Lake Erie prison. His name appears on a
monument erected for Confederate officers at Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania. Doctor and Mrs. Torregrosa are members of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

From The History of West Virginia, Old and New, page 49-50

Submitted by Valerie F. Crook <vfcrook@trellis.net>

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