Upshur County, West Virginia Biography of JAMES A. RUSMISELL, M. D. This file was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 436-437 Upshur JAMES A. RUSMISELL, M. D., who is engaged in the active general practice of his profession at Buckhannon. Upshur County, has here made a record that entitles him to recognition as one of the representative physicians and surgeons of his native county. He was born at French- ton, this county, May 4, 1879, and is a son of John D. and Amanda A. (Hull) Rusmisell, both of whom have been residents of this county from the time of their births, the father being .one of the substantial farmers and sterling citizens of the county, where he is the owner of a valuable farm property of 500 acres. Doctor Rusmisell reverts with satisfaction to the be- nignant influences that compassed his boyhood and early youth, for he was reared on the home farm and early be- gan to aid in its work. After leaving the public schools he continued his studies in the West Virginia Wesleyan College, and in preparation for his chosen profession he entered Maryland Medical College in the City of Balti- more, Maryland. After receiving from this great institu- tion his degree of Doctor of Medicine he passed two years at Orlando, West Virginia. For the ensuing five years he was engaged in practice at Gassaway, Braxton County, West Virginia, and since that time he has made Buck- hannon the central stage of his able and effective pro- fessional service, save for the period of his association with the nation's military service in connection with the World war. The doctor has insistently kept in touch with the advances made in medical and surgical science. He is actively identified with the Upshur County Medical Society, the West Virginia State Medical Society and the Ameri- can Medical Association. In 1921 Doctor Rusmisell took a special course in surgical work in the American Hos- pital in the City of Chicago. He is an ex-member of the West Virginia State Board of Medical Examiners, and his loyal service in the ranks of the republican party needs no further voucher than the statement that he is serving in 1921 as member of its State Central Committee in West Virginia. Both he and hia wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1912 Doctor Rusmisell wedded Miss Anna L. McNutt, and they have on child, James A., Jr. Doctor Rusmisell became a member of the West Vir- ginia National Guard in the year 1914, and he entered ac- tive Federal service before the nation became formally engaged in the World war. He was first at Fairmont, West Virginia, and then went to Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, where for ninety days he received special train- ing for army service as a surgeon. For one year there- after he was with the Medical Corps of the United States Army in the camp at Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and as regimental surgeon of the One Hundred and Thirteenth Engineers he went with his command to France, where he was assigned to duty as medical officer in charge of the secondary depot at La Tracy, in which service he con- tinued eight months. Thereafter he held various assign- ments of important order, he having received commission as a major in the medical corps soon after he entered the service of the Government. He returned to the United States in June, 1919, and after receiving his honorable dis- charge he resumed the practice of his profession at Buckhannon.