Title: John G. Meachem, Sr. and Jr. Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1782-1783
Inclusive Dates: 1866-1928

Creators:

• Meachem, John G., 1823-1896
• Meachem, John G., 1846-1942

Call Number: Parkside Mss 15; Micro 931; PH 446

Quantity: 2.0 c.f. (5 archives boxes, 1 oversize volume in flat box), 1 reel of microfilm (35mm), and 44 photographs

Repository:

Housed at the Archives & Area Research Center, Library/Learning Center, University of Wisconsin-Parkside; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

UW-Parkside Library / Parkside Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

Abstract:

Papers of the Meachems, father and son, physicians of Racine, Wisconsin. Included are diaries, articles, speeches, and accounts of both doctors; scrapbooks of John, Sr.'s terms as mayor of Racine, 1876-1878; an autobiography by John, Sr.; records of St. Luke's Hospital, Racine; a minute book of the Racine Hospital Association; a minute book of a society of British physicians in New York, 1782-1783; and miscellaneous materials, including photographs. A few items are in Danish.

Language: English, Danish

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-pks0015

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John G. Meachem, Sr. was born in Axbridge, Somerset, England in 1823. He was one of five children. His father was Thomas Meachem; his mother was a Goldesbrough, hence the recurring middle name. Thomas brought his family to America in 1831. He was ordained in New York in 1832 as an Episcopalian minister. He stayed in New York until 1837 when he moved to West Canada to continue in the ministry. According to an undated copybook of poetry belonging to Thomas, he was born in “Shipton Pallet England” and “died about 1848.”

John, Sr. attended Geneva Medical College in New York in 1841-1842 and graduated from Castleton Medical College in Vermont in 1843. The matriculation cards from the schools are in the collection. He practiced in Lyndon, New York until 1852 when he took his wife and son, John, Jr., to Racine, Wisconsin. For two years during the Civil War period he served as head of Camp Utley's regimental hospital, located on the outskirts of Racine. He was mayor of Racine for three terms. John, Sr. became a trustee of Racine College in 1874 and retained the position until his death in 1896.

John, Jr., only child of John, Sr., was born in Lyndon, New York in 1846. He graduated from Rush Medical School in Chicago in 1865, two months prior to his twentieth birthday. While at Rush College he composed a Rush Medical School March; a copy of the sheet music is in the collection. He practiced with his father in Racine and was very active in St. Luke's Hospital. In the 1920's he served as president of the Wisconsin Hospital Association. He married Eliza Smith of Racine and, when she died, gave in memorial a Gothic chapel and library to St. Luke's Hospital. Their son, John G. Meachem III, is also a graduate of Rush Medical College, studied in London and Paris, and joined his father in practice in Racine. When he was sixteen, he printed and published a newspaper called the “Midget.” A few copies, 1887-1888, are in the collection. In 1872, John Sr. and Jr. cooperated in establishing St. Luke's Hospital in Racine.

The collection comprises the personal papers of four generations of Meachems in addition to records of various medical societies and institutions, and a few assorted manuscript items the family obtained over the years. There are also numerous manuscript articles and speeches written by both doctors, and reprints of some of them. The photographs are primarily portraits of family, friends, and associates, ca. 1860-1900, including a composite of Racine city officials in 1976.

The collection includes an account book kept by the caretaker of St. Luke's, 1877-1899 (the front of which is devoted to the roll call of an organization called the Belle City Guards, 1871-1872); a medical staff record book of St. Luke's, 1922-1928; a partial record of cases of John, Sr., 1873-1894, including miscellaneous accounts and notes and the beginning of an autobiographical sketch; a scrapbook of newsclippings and a folder of material pertaining to the drive of 1924 to raise funds for the construction of an addition to St. Luke's Hospital; and a minute book of the Racine Hospital Association (first called the Danish Hospital Association),1891-1910, parts of which are written in Danish.

Also included are three diaries of trips taken by John, Jr. and his wife: travels in the United States, 1866-1901; a trip to Europe in 1903; and a trip to his birthplace in New York in 1922, complete with photographs. There is a small folder of miscellaneous notes and correspondence of John, Jr. which was removed from the medical staff record book.

A scrapbook contains newsclippings, 1876-1878, of the Proceedings of the Racine City Council and concerning Meachem's terms as mayor. A second scrapbook, covering the 1870's through 1800's, also contains newsclippings concerning the Council, Meachem, Sr.'s medical practice, and items about local and national figures.

Three items acquired by the Meachems but not connected directly with them are: a Minute Record Book of A Society of the Physicians and Surgeons of the British Army and Navy Stationed in and about New York, 1782-1783, with miscellaneous accounts of a private party, 1801-1821, in the back; a subscription list for a Civil War Monument, 1884-1885; and a sanitation recommendation of 1879.

Acquisition Information

Primarily presented by St. Luke's Hospital, Racine, Wis., Jan. 26, 1953. Autobiography presented by J. R. Meachem, West Palm Beach, Florida, 1976. Accession Number: M76-604

Parkside Mss 15 Box   1	Speeches, articles, and matriculation cards of John Meachem, Sr.
Box   1	Autobiography of John Meachem, Sr., as transcribed by J. R. Meachem
Box   2	Speeches, articles, and miscellaneous papers of John Meachem, Jr.
Box   2	Diary of New York trip of John Meachem, Jr., 1922
Box   3	Copybook of Thomas Meachem
Box   3	Subscription list for Civil War monument, 1884-1885
Box   3	Copies of the “Midget,” a boy's (John G. Meachem III) hand-printed newspaper, 1887-1888
Box   3	Sanitation recommendation, Dec. 22, 1879
Box   3	Miscellaneous correspondence and notes of John, Jr., 1908
Box   3	Papers removed from the medical staff record book, 1888, 1923-1926, undated
Box   3	Papers from Fund Drive for an addition to St. Luke's Hospital, 1924
Box   3	Sheet music of “Rush Medical School March” by John Meachem, Jr.
Box   4 Volume   1	Scrapbook of John Meachem, Sr. of newsclippings concerning the Racine City Council, Meachem's medical practice, and items about local and national figures, 1870s-1890s
Box   4 Volume   2	Minute Record Book of A Society of the Physicians and Surgeons of the British Army and Navy Stationed in and about New York, Oct. 18, 1782-Oct. 31, 1783; miscellaneous accounts of a private party, , 1801-1821 Note: Also available on microfilm: Micro 931
Box   4 Volume   3	Diary of John Meachem, Jr., of a trip to Europe, July 1-Oct. 8, 1903 Note: See volume 5 for an account of the beginning of the trip.
Box   4 Volume   4	Newsclippings of Racine City Council Proceedings and articles pertaining to John Meachem, Sr., in his terms as mayor, March, 1876-April 8, 1878
Box   5 Volume   5	Diary of John Meachem, Jr., of travels in the United States, 1866-1901; beginning of trip to Europe,, 1903 Note: Europe diary continued in volume 3.
Box   5 Volume   6	Partial record of cases by John Meachem, Sr., Dec. 26, 1873-April 18, 1891; miscellaneous accounts and notes; autobiographical sketch
Box   5 Volume   7	Medical Staff Record Book of St. Luke's Hospital, Jan. 16, 1922-Sept. 21, 1928
Box   5 Volume   8	Minute book of the Racine Hospital Association, June 8, 1891-March 14, 1910
Box   5 Volume   9	Roll call of the Belle City Guards, 1871-1872; Accounts kept by the caretaker of St. Luke's Hospital, , Nov. 1877-Aug., 1899
Box   6 Volume   10	Scrapbook of newsclippings on drive to raise funds for construction of an addition to St. Luke's Hospital, 1924
PH 446	Photographs, circa 1860-1900