Biography of Rush Floyd Farley, MD - Mercer Co. WV The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, pg. 545-546 RUSH FLOYD FARLEY, M. D. One of the well-known and capable members of the medical fraternity practicing in the coal mining districts of Mingo County, and a veteran of the World war, is Dr. Rush Floyd Farley, of Burch. While he has been engaged in the practice of his calling for only comparatively a few years, he has made rapid advancement therein and is accounted the leading citizen of Burch Post Office, or Adanac Station, as the community is also known, being a leading property holder and prominent in all civic affairs. Doctor Farley was born March 6, 1887, in Mingo County, West Virginia, and comes of an old Virginia family of Irish origin, being a son of Thomas Benton and Nancy (Pinson) Farley, natives of Virginia. Thomas B. Farley was a young man when the war between the states came on, and he enlisted under the flag of the Confederacy, as a private in the Thirty-sixth Virginia Infantry, his com- manding officer being Gen. Jubal Early. At the battle of Winchester he was wounded and captured by the enemy, having at that time risen to the rank of top sergeant, and was confined at the prison at Point Lockout for six months. Upon his exchange he returned to his home, re- covered from his wound and engaged in farming and mer- chandising. Subsequently he married a Virginia girl and reared a family. He became one of the well-known and prominent farmers and merchants of Mingo County, where be had considerable property holdings, and where he was esteemed and respected by all who knew him. Rush Floyd Farley attended the public schools of Burch Post Office and the Concord Normal School at Athens, following which, having decided upon a profes- sional career, he entered the University of Kentucky, at Louisville, where he pursued a medical course and was duly graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine as a member of the graduating class of 1912. At that time he entered upon the practice of his profession at Holden, West Virginia, but after one year decided that he needed further preparation for the successful practice of his chosen life's vocation and accordingly went to Rochester, Minne- sota, where he did post-graduate work with the eminent Mayo Brothers. Later, in 1914, he further fitted himself by doing post-graduate work under the late Doctor Murphy, the distinguished Chicago surgeon. Returning to West Virginia, he "re-engaged in practice at Ivaton Coal River, and was there engaged until July 17, 1917, when he enlisted in the Medical Reserve Corps of the United States Army. He went to Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, November 15th, was transferred to Camp Meade, Washington, D. C., and on December 15th sailed from Hoboken, New York, for overseas. Landing first in Eng- land, he sailed from Southampton across the English Channel to LeHavre, France, and went to the Vosges Mountain Hospital in Alsace-Lorraine, this being the One Hundred and .Fourth Field Hospital, which was on the move the greater part of the time owing to its proximity to the front line. He was then transferred to Souilly, France, and later to Creel, where he was assigned to the mobile operation unit, with a detachment of French troops to do first aid duty. After two months he was sent to Neuf Chappelle, later to Riveville, where he was with the Third Cavalry, Twenty-sixth Division, and then to Varenns, with a first aid outfit. During the period that he was in France his headquarters were Base Hospital No. 66, his being the first regular army outfit in France from Amer- ica and on the move, giving first aid everywhere. When the armistice was signed he was on the road to Sedan, and remained there until February 15, 1919, when his outfit moved back to St. Nazaire, and after ten days left for home, arriving at Newport News, March 1, 1919. He went then to Richmond, Virginia, later to Baltimore, Mary- land, and then to Washington, D. C., and Boston, Massa- chusetts, finally receiving his honorable discharge March 15th after twenty months in the service. He was pro- moted to captain. Returning to Holden, West Virginia, Doctor Parley became surgeon for the Island Creek Coal Company, with which he was connected one year, and finally came to Burch Post Office, where he engaged in the general practice of his profession, specializing in surgery. He still holds membership in the United States Medical Re- serve Corps. He is highly thought of in his profession in Mingo County, and has gained the full confidence of a large number of patients. On April 17, 1917, at South Charleston, West Virginia, Doctor Farley was united in marriage with Miss Clara Mae Burlington, daughter of Sherman and Fannie Bur- lington, the former of whom is in the Government service, having charge of Lock No. 6. Doctor and Mrs. Farley have had one child, William Allen, who died in September, 1921, when nine months old. They are consistent members of the Baptist Church and have been active in their support of its various movements and enterprises. Doctor Farley is a valued member of the Mingo County Medical Society, the West Virginia State Medical Society, the American Medical Association and the American Col- lege of Surgeons. As a fraternalist he holds member- ship in the Blue Lodge of the Masonic Order, the Bene- volent and Protective Order of Elks, the Knights of Pythias, in which he has held all the chairs and has been a member of the Grand Lodge, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has held all the chairs. He has been very successful in a material way and is the owner of much property at Burch. Submitted by Valerie Crook **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. 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