W. H. Bickley

As printed in 1915

W. H. BICKLEY, M. D.

Dr. H. Bickley, a successful practitioner of medicine and surgery in Waterloo, his native city, was born in 1876, a son of E. G. Bickley, a well known resident of Orange township, Black Hawk county. His birth occurred in Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, and with his parents he came to Iowa in 1861, the family home being established m Orange township. He was a son of E. K. Bickley, who first came to Black Hawk county in 1855 and entered considerable land for himself and friends. At that time there were no railroads in this section of the state and they had to drive across the country from Chicago. The Bickleys were farming people and E. K. Bickley was also a bishop of the Dunkard church in its pioneer days. E. G. Bickley was largely reared upon the frontier and shared with the family in the hardships and privations which fell to the lot of the frontier settlers. It was in this county that he was united in marriage to Miss Arabelle Shrock, who died in 1901. There were but two children in the family, the daughter being Alice Bickley.

The son. Dr. W. H. Bickley, was reared upon the home farm with the usual experiences that fall to the lot of the country-bred boy. He worked in the fields through the summer months and in the winter seasons attended the district schools for some time, but afterward entered the high school of West Waterloo, from which he was graduated with the class of 1894. During that period he continued to live upon the farm, driving four miles to and from school. He afterward took up the profession of teaching, which he followed until 1896, but regarded that merely as an initial step to other professional labor. It was his desire to prepare for the practice of medicine and surgery and with that end in view he became a student in the medical department of the State University of Iowa, in which he pursued his studies for two years. He next entered the New York Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital, from which he was graduated in 1900. He spent the succeeding year as an interne in the Metropolitan Hospital of New York on Blackwell's Island and gained broad knowledge and experience such as comes only from hospital practice. The following year was spent in travel throughout the United States, at the end of which time he returned to Waterloo, where he has since been located. In 19 12 he went abroad and attended clinics in Berlin, Vienna and London and he also traveled extensively over the European continent. He had the opportunity of studying the methods of some of the most eminent physicians and surgeons of the old world and his ability was greatly augmented by the knowledge which he gained in attendance at the European clinics. LTpon his return he resumed the private practice of his profession and is today accounted one of its foremost representatives in Waterloo. A liberal practice is accorded him and his efforts have been attended with substantial success. He further his knowledge through his membership in the Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa State, Austin Flint and Cedar Valley Medical Societies and in the American Medical Association and moreover he is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He has been honored with the presidency of the Waterloo Medical Society, a fact which indicates his high standing among his professional brethren in the city in which he makes his home.

In 1902 Dr. Bickley was united in marriage to Miss Beulah Wick, of St. Louis, a great-granddaughter of Newett Vick, who was the founder of Wicksburg, Mississippi. Dr. and Mrs. Bickley have one child. Robert Crippen. The parents hold membership in the First Brethren church and Dr. Bickley also belongs to the Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained the Knights Templar degree, to the Knights of Pythias and to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He is a representative of one of the oldest pioneer families of the county, represented here through sixty years, and the work for material and moral progress instituted by his grandfather and continued by his father is being still further carried on by him. He is a public-spirited and progressive citizen, as well as an able physician and surgeon and has won for himself a most creditable place in public regard.

As printed in History of Black Hawk County, Iowa, and its people (1915). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.