Thirty years ago Dr. William A. Trout began the practice of medicine at
Atwater, and he has ever since continued at the same place, acquiring a
reputation as a physician and surgeon seldom accorded to practitioners
outside of the large cities. He has prospered financially and he and his
family occupy the finest residence at Atwater.
He was born in St.
Charles county, Missouri, June 14, 1853, a son of Elkanah D. and America C.
(Anderson) Trout, both of whom were natives of Kentucky. The father
emigrated to Missouri and later came with his family to Macoupin county,
arriving in this locality after the close of the Civil war, in 1865. He
purchased forty acres of unimproved land in Shaws Point township, which he
cleared and improved, later acquiring more land, until he became the owner
of a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He continued on this place during
the remainder of his life, being called away March 16, 1902, at the age of
eighty-six years. Mrs. Trout survived her husband seven years and died
October 23, 1909. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Trout were seven children,
three of whom besides the subject of this review are now living, namely: Dr.
A. L. Trout, who is engaged in active practice at Walsenburg, Colorado; Mrs.
J. P. Enslow, who lives at Atwater; and Mrs. Harriet M. McIntyre, of
Litchfield, Illinois.
William A. Trout was reared in Missouri the
first twelve years of his life and has since made his home in Illinois. He
received his preliminary education in the district schools, and applied
himself to his studies with such diligence that he became a teacher and
engaged in that vocation for one year. Not being satisfied with the
restraints of the schoolroom, he gave up the idea of being a schoolmaster
and for four years devoted his attention to farming. In the meantime,
however, he discovered that his inclinations pointed to a medical career
and, having made the necessary preparations, he matriculated in the Missouri
Medical College, which is now a department of Washington University at St.
Louis, and, after completing the regular course at that institution, was
graduated March 2, 1881, with the degree of M. D. He began practice at
Atwater and has continued at this place without interruption. He is the only
physician in the town and his services are in demand throughout a wide
region in Macoupin and adjoining counties. He stands in high favor with
other physicians and is often called into consultation on difficult and
complicated cases. Professionally he holds membership in the American
Medical Association, the Illinois State Medical Society and the Macoupin
County Medical Society. Soon after taking up his residence at Atwater he
opened a drug store, and he has ever since been identified with that line of
business. He is a regular pharmacist and his store is well patronized, as
people know that they can here receive what they call for, and that the
quality will be the best that can be found in the market. Dr. Trout owns the
building in .which the store is located, and is also the owner of two
hundred and sixty acres of farm land in the state of Mississippi and four
hundred and eighty acres in Kansas. He is a stockholder and director of the
Bank of Atwater, which is capitalized at ten thousand, five hundred dollars
and is a highly flourishing institution.
On the nth of September,
1895, Dr. Trout was married to Miss Mary Thomas, a daughter of A. J. and
Mary (McIntyre) Thomas, both of whom were born in Mississippi. The father
was for many years engaged in farming in his native state and died at his
old homestead in 1904, after reaching the age of seventy-two years. The
mother is still living and resides on the home farm near Jackson,
Mississippi. She is seventy-six years of age and is one of the highly
honored members of the community.
Dr. Trout is prominent in the
Masonic order, being a member of the blue lodge at Raymond and the Knights
Templar lodge at Litchfield, Illinois. Politically he has, ever since he
cast his first ballot, been a supporter of the democratic party and
religiously, he and his wife, affiliate with the Christian church. His
record is a striking illustration of the effect of energy and ability
controlled by worthy ambition and applied to noble ends. Thoroughly trained
as a young man for the duties of his profession, he has made a success of it
and, as he also possesses the business instinct, he has accumulated valuable
property and has gained high standing among the business men of the county.
In all his dealings he has been thoroughly honest and upright, and thus he
laid a secure foundation for the splendid reputation which he today enjoys.
Extracted 18 May 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 66-67.
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