William Lincoln McBrien, M. D., one of the
prominent medical practitioners of Macoupin County, who has been located at
Staunton since 1898, was born April 28, 1865, near Toronto, Canada, in the
little city of Oshawa, a port on Lake Ontario. He is a son of Dr. William F.
and Esther Ann (Fisher) McBrien.
Dr. McBrien comes of a family which
for generations has been distinguished in the professions and sciences. His
grandfather, James McBrien, was born in Ireland, became an officer in the
engineer corps of the British Army, and aid-de-camp to Lord Brisbane. He
owned property which is now the site of the city of Brisbane, New South
Wales, which, had it been preserved to his family, would bring them
millions. His death was caused by cholera, while on his way to Australia,
but not before he had made his mark in his profession. His children were:
Australia, who is a pensioned school teacher living in Ontario; William F.,
father of Dr. McBrien; James, who is a public school inspector of Ontario,
having held the office for the past 30 years; Mrs. Louisa McMillen, of
Oshawa, Canada; Dr. Alfred N., deceased; and Mrs. Dina Hickey, of Detroit,
Michigan.
Dr. William F. McBrien was born in 1826, near Enniskillen,
Ireland, and in 1834 accompanied his widowed mother to Canada, and resided
in the Dominion until within six months of his death, which took place in
East St. Louis, Illinois, June 17, 1903. Possessed of little means but much
ambition and the family talent, he worked on farms until he earned enough to
provide him with a complete medical education. He was graduated from the
Rolph Medical School in 1866, and later from Victoria University, both
institutions of Toronto, Canada. After two years of practice at East Whitby,
he went to London, England, spending three years at the Royal College of
Surgeons, of which he became a member. For 40 years he practiced at Oshawa
and Toronto, attaining eminence in the profession. He married Esther Ann
Fisher, who was born in Ontario, Canada, and is now a resident of East St.
Louis, Illinois. She is a daughter of George and Content (Colton) Fisher,
who were natives of New England. Her grandmother, Sarah Demouth, was one of
the devoted women who gave their services during the Revolutionary War as
nurses of sick and wounded patriots, and she was detailed to take care of
General Washington at one time.
Dr. McBrien is one of a family of
seven children, born to his parents viz.: Louisa, wife of Dr. J. S.
Patterson, of East St. Louis, Illinois; Dr. James G., of East St. Louis,
Illinois; William Lincoln, of this sketch; Dr. Alfred Australia, health
officer of East St. Louis, Illinois, and son-in-law of Judge Cook, mayor of
that city; Clara Content, a resident of East St. Louis, Illinois; Richard, a
student of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of St. Louis, Missouri;
and Josephine V., of East St. Louis, Illinois.
Dr. William Lincoln
McBrien completed the common school and high school courses at Oshawa,
Canada, and then entered Trinity Medical College at Toronto, where he
remained three years. His vacations were spent in healthful farm work, but
his aims were continually directed to making progress in his chosen
profession. In 1894 he passed the examinations which entitled him to be a
hospital steward in the United States Regular Army, and he was detailed at
New York harbor, and after three years and three months of service, was
honorably discharged in September, 1897, at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. He then
spent six months in the Midwifery and Lying-in-Hospital, at Toronto, Canada,
and then spent a year at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at St.
Louis, Missouri, obtaining his medical degree from this institution in 1898.
Following this, he took a summer post-graduate course at Toronto, and then
settled at Staunton, where he has been engaged in successful practice ever
since.
In 1897 Dr. McBrien was united in marriage with Annie Low,
who is a daughter of John Low, an alderman of the city of Toronto. Two sons
have been born to this marriage — William B. and James A.
Despite
his Canadian birth, Dr. McBrien is an American citizen, but takes only a
moderate interest in politics, casting his vote more for the support and
administration of good laws than in the interest of any party. Fraternally
he is an Odd Fellow and a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and
is in active co-operation with these bodies in Staunton.
Extracted 2018 May 08 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 517-519.
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