Biography of Elbert F. Peters, M.D. - Summers Co. WV The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 157 ELBERT F. PETERS, M. D. Considering the energy and initiative displayed by Doctor Peters it is probable he would have made a success of any vocation, yet his gifts led him naturally into medicine and surgery, and in this line his service has had a growing scope of benefit and usefulness throughout the southern section of the state. Doctor Peters, whose home is at Princeton, Mercer County, was born at Dunns Post Office in Summers County, West Virginia, January 10, 1878, son of Joseph and Mary Alice (Ellison) Peters. He is of Scotch-Irish ancestry, his father born in Virginia and his mother in West Virginia. Joseph Peters was a farmer, a teacher in his early life, and always kept in touch with educational affairs and public matters in general. He knew Mercer County and the Mercer County people thoroughly, and when the county was revalued he was made assessor for the assessment of all property, coal and timber ands in the county. Elbert F. Peters acquired a common school education, attended the Normal college at Athens, and following that taught school four years. He took up the study of medicine in the Maryland Medical College of Baltimore, graduating M. D. in 1902. Doctor Peters throughout his professional career has done a great deal of industrial practice. His first practice was in McDowell County as physician and surgeon for the Pocahontas Consolidated Colleries Corporation, now the Pocahontas Fuel Company. He is still physician and surgeon for this corporation, and supervises the medical and surgical service for five large coal operations. He maintains a main office at Maybeury in McDowell County, where he has complete operating room and four beds for emergency cases. There is a branch office at Switchback, where he has an assistant. His natural qualifications and the early success he achieved in his practice did not tend to quiet Doctor Peters' aggressive ambitions for the highest possible attainment in his chosen career. He has associated with many of the greatest men in surgery, and has kept in touch with the advancement of the science in various schools. He attended the New York Polyclinic in 1906, in 1908 spent six months at the University of Maryland at Baltimore, pursuing a general course in medicine and surgery; spent several weeks in the Northwestern University at Chicago in 1911, six weeks in 1912 at the New York Post Graduate School and Hospital, three months in 1916 in the same school, and during the World war he volunteered for active service, and while not called Out, he has his certificate as a volunteer. Doctor Peters was from September, 1918, to December, 1921, a member of the Memorial Hospital Corporation of Princeton, West Virginia. This is a private hospital formerly owned by Dr. C. C. Peters, Dr. G. L. Todd and Dr. E. F. Peters. Doctor Peters was one of the principal figures in the organization of this hospital and an active member of the hospital staff. In 1899 Doctor Peters married at Camp Creek, Mercer County, Miss Rose Elizabeth Shrewsbury, daughter of L. C. and Nancy (Rose) Shrewsbury, the former a native of West Virginia and the latter of North Carolina. Doctor and Mrs. Peters have five children, named Bernard Purcell, Nellie French, Gladys Mae, Joseph Ellwood and Elsie Rowena. Doctor and Mrs. Peters are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He is a member of the McDowell County, West Virginia State, American Medical and Southern Medical Associations, is a Royal Arch and Knight Templar Mason and Shriner, an Elk and Knight of Pythias, and is a charter member of the Princeton Country Club. The recreations and interests that refresh and take his mind from his daily duties are hunting, fishing and motoring. Submitted by Kerry Armour **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************