Dr. Henry John Minthorn was a Quaker physician and educator, and uncle and foster father of Herbert Hoover., the 31st President of the United States. Minthorn, was the older brother of Hulda Minthorn, Herbert Hoover’s mother.
Minthorn served in the Union Army in the Civil War. He was superintendent of Chemawa Indian School in Forest Grove, head of what is now George Fox College, successful owner of The Oregon Land Company in Salem , but his chief claim to fame will always be that he was President Herbert Hoover's uncle, and that he raised the orphaned Hoover in Newberg and Salem, from 1885 to 1891, until Hoover left Oregon to study at Stanford.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Henry John Minthorn was born in Bergersville,* Ontario Canada in 1846 to a Quaker family that had emigrated from England. His parents lived on a dairy farm, and like many youngsters, he disliked the regimented work required.
In 1859, the family moved to West Branch, Iowa and joined the Quaker community. During the years before the Civil War, Quakers were quite active in helping slaves escape to freedom in the north via the underground railroad. Minthorn participated in this work.
Minthorn entered the State University of Iowa in the early 1860s planning to be a teacher. When Union Army Recruiters arrived on campus, he and his school mates joined. He served less than a year, did not see battle, and was discharged in November 1865. Joining the army did not set well with those in his Quaker community, who were avowed pacifists. After his dismissal from the Army, Minthorn completed his education and went on to teach in Iowa and Michigan. In 1873, he entered medical school at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and graduated in 1877. Through the rest of his life, he combined teaching and medical practice.
Physicians, especially rural physicians, needed a second profession to make a living since many patients were unable to pay cash for care. He became a government agency physician and school administrator, traveling to Oklahoma and Oregon. Then, in September 1885, he and his family moved to Newberg so he could become the first superintendent of the recently established Friends Pacific Academy, forerunner of today’s George Fox University. He also served as a local physician to the community and areas surrounding Newberg, Oregon.
The need for good medical care was apparent in Dr. Minthorn’s own family. His brother-in-law had died of consumption, his sister Hulda died of “cold on the lungs” and even his nephew, Herbert Hoover, had a bout of croup as a baby so severe that some members of the family thought Herbert had died. Herbert’s aunt, in “laying him out” noticed some sign of life and revived him. Clearly Minthorn knew of the need for good medical care and the difference it made in the lives of every day folks....
Country doctors did not have offices, as are common today. When someone was ill, the family summoned the doctor or sometimes a patient could be seen at the doctor’s home, usually in the parlor. House calls were common, and Dr. Minthorn had several horses and a buggy that he used to reach those in need. When beginning a journey to see a patient, the rural physician needed to bring all supplies which might be needed. At times the doctor might stay with the patient for several hours, especially in cases of complicated child birth, trauma or severe illness. Often the doctor would be exhausted with the long hours and travel over difficult, muddy roads. Falling asleep behind the wagon team was common, and thankfully the horses always knew the way home and where to find their next feed!
Herbert Hoover, who was orphaned before his tenth birthday, was Dr. Minthorn’s nephew.
When the Minthorns moved to Newberg, they asked their relatives to send Bert to come from Iowa to live with them and attend the Friends Pacific Academy. Uncle Henry was stern, demanding, and inflexible, in young Hoover’s eyes.
However, one summer day Bert and friends tried making their own cherry bomb fireworks. After the fireworks exploded, Dr. Minthorn patiently spent several hours picking out pieces of debris from the skin of several small boys. No further punishment ensued.
....One belief that Dr. Minthorn shared with today’s medical community is that life style often leads to illnesses that could be prevented if people took better care of themselves. From Dr. Minthorn’s perspective, education and Christianity were twin solutions to the world’s problems. The Minthorns moved to Salem in 1888 where Dr. Minthorn operated the Oregon Land Company. After it failed in 1893, Dr. Minthorn traveled and worked in Alaska as a physician and teacher. He operated a sanitarium in Newport, Oregon. Dr. Mnthorn died in Portland, Oregon October 11, 1922. His obituary ran locally and in The Wall Street Journal. Herbert Hoover’s adolescent difficulties with his Uncle John were resolved by the wisdom of age. He later ascribed the attributes of commitment, principles and intellect to the lessons learned from his stern uncle. He noted in his memories that “adolescent impressions are not of historical importance.” When he dedicated the Hoover-Minthorn House, Hoover declared it was a testament to rural physicians, and a legacy to Dr. Henry J. Minthorn, a Quaker, rural physician and teacher.
==Herbert Hoover and Horses
Dr. Minthorn, as did most rural physicians, relied heavily on horses for transportation to his patients. Dr. Minthorn was also quite fond of horses, but this quality did not pass down to his nephew.
One day Dr. Minthorn asked Bert to deliver medication to a patient. Bert wanted to use his wheel (bicycle), but Dr. Minthorn insisted Bert take the horse. When Bert finally returned, on foot and leading the horse, his dislike of things equestrian was finally known.
Later Herbert Hoover was to write of horses:
I finally arrived at the conclusion that a horse was one of the original mistakes of creation. I felt he was too high off the ground for convenience and safety on mountain trails. He would have been better if he had been given a dozen legs so that he had the smooth and sure pace of a centipede. Further he should have had scales as protection against flies, and a larger water tank like a camel. All these gadgets were known to creation prior to the geological period when the horse was evolved. Why were they not used?
Information from the Hoover-Minthorn House Museum, Newberg, Oregon
*Town as per National Parks Service
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Minthorn left Oregon in 1894, practiced medicine in Iowa, moved to Alaska, returned to Oregon, became a federal agent at Warm Springs Indian Reservation in Central Oregon, directed a health resort in Newport on the Oregon Coast, and then, in 1898, established a sanitarium at Hot Lake, Oregon, near LaGrande.
Recently processed records at the Oregon Archives provide information about Minthorn's time in Newport. There, the physician worked for the Marine-Hospital Service, a federal health-care provider for lighthouse employees. He delivered a baby, Harry Kenneth Wilson, on March 3, 1906, the son of lighthouse tender Henry Wilson and his wife Jennie. When young Harry was born, no birth certificate was filed; seven years later, when Harry's parents applied for their son's birth certificate, Dr. Minthorn wrote a note attesting that he delivered the baby.
Minthorn partnered with his childhood friend 1898 to build a sanitorium in Hot Lake, Oregon, near LaGrande. In 1934, half the building burned to the ground. Recently restored, it is now open to the public.
Information from Pacific Northwest Historian and State Archives Volunteer Kristine Deacon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It is indeed a great honor to have been invited by the Governor and Legislature of Oregon to spend my birthday on the scenes of my boyhood. I was brought here 70 years ago to live in the family of my Uncle Dr. Henry John Minthorn, a country doctor. My activities hereabouts did not make any great transformation of human society. But something else does warrant the restoration and dedication of this cottage. That is expressed in the plaque you have put upon it. "This House was the Home of Dr. Henry John Minthorn, a beloved physician in this Community." I am honored to be mentioned on the plaque. What you have done here is to pay a tribute to all the pioneering country doctors of our Nation. There are thousands of cottages in this land which should be marked with plaques recalling their devotion.
John Minthorn was one of those devoted men. He was born 110 years ago in the Quaker faith. He practiced his healing profession profession mostly in this State for 45 years and lies buried in this village...."
Herbert Hoover, Excepts from an address "Our American Life" given on the occasion of his 81st birthday celebrated by the state of Oregon at Newberg, Ore on Augst 10, 1955. Published in Miscellany,JAMA. Sept 17, 1955;159(3):214-215.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quick Facts
SIGNIFICANCE:
Uncle of President Herbert Hoover
PLACE OF BIRTH:
Bergersville, Ontario
DATE OF BIRTH:
April 25, 1846
PLACE OF DEATH:
Portland, Oregon
DATE OF DEATH:
October 11, 1922
PLACE OF BURIAL:
Newberg, Oregon
CEMETERY NAME:
Friends Cemetery
Henry John Minthorn, physician, educator, missionary, and businessman, was the older brother of Hulda Minthorn, Herbert Hoover’s mother.
In 1885, Dr. Minthorn asked the other relatives of Herbert Hoover to send the orphaned boy to Oregon where he could live with the Minthorn family and attend the Friends Pacific Academy, where Minthorn was superintendent. In 1888, Dr. Minthorn and his family moved to Salem, Oregon with Herbert joining them. In Salem Dr. Minthorn operated the Oregon Land Company, where young Herbert worked as an office boy.
President Hoover wrote in his memoirs, “The doctor was a mostly silent, taciturn man, but still a natural teacher.” Minthorn recalled of Hoover in 1920, “I do not think he was very happy. Our home was not like the one he left with his own parents in it and with very little of responsibility and almost no work.” Hoover later described Minthorn as “my second father.”
Information from the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
Minthorn served in the Union Army in the Civil War. He was superintendent of Chemawa Indian School in Forest Grove, head of what is now George Fox College, successful owner of The Oregon Land Company in Salem , but his chief claim to fame will always be that he was President Herbert Hoover's uncle, and that he raised the orphaned Hoover in Newberg and Salem, from 1885 to 1891, until Hoover left Oregon to study at Stanford.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Henry John Minthorn was born in Bergersville,* Ontario Canada in 1846 to a Quaker family that had emigrated from England. His parents lived on a dairy farm, and like many youngsters, he disliked the regimented work required.
In 1859, the family moved to West Branch, Iowa and joined the Quaker community. During the years before the Civil War, Quakers were quite active in helping slaves escape to freedom in the north via the underground railroad. Minthorn participated in this work.
Minthorn entered the State University of Iowa in the early 1860s planning to be a teacher. When Union Army Recruiters arrived on campus, he and his school mates joined. He served less than a year, did not see battle, and was discharged in November 1865. Joining the army did not set well with those in his Quaker community, who were avowed pacifists. After his dismissal from the Army, Minthorn completed his education and went on to teach in Iowa and Michigan. In 1873, he entered medical school at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and graduated in 1877. Through the rest of his life, he combined teaching and medical practice.
Physicians, especially rural physicians, needed a second profession to make a living since many patients were unable to pay cash for care. He became a government agency physician and school administrator, traveling to Oklahoma and Oregon. Then, in September 1885, he and his family moved to Newberg so he could become the first superintendent of the recently established Friends Pacific Academy, forerunner of today’s George Fox University. He also served as a local physician to the community and areas surrounding Newberg, Oregon.
The need for good medical care was apparent in Dr. Minthorn’s own family. His brother-in-law had died of consumption, his sister Hulda died of “cold on the lungs” and even his nephew, Herbert Hoover, had a bout of croup as a baby so severe that some members of the family thought Herbert had died. Herbert’s aunt, in “laying him out” noticed some sign of life and revived him. Clearly Minthorn knew of the need for good medical care and the difference it made in the lives of every day folks....
Country doctors did not have offices, as are common today. When someone was ill, the family summoned the doctor or sometimes a patient could be seen at the doctor’s home, usually in the parlor. House calls were common, and Dr. Minthorn had several horses and a buggy that he used to reach those in need. When beginning a journey to see a patient, the rural physician needed to bring all supplies which might be needed. At times the doctor might stay with the patient for several hours, especially in cases of complicated child birth, trauma or severe illness. Often the doctor would be exhausted with the long hours and travel over difficult, muddy roads. Falling asleep behind the wagon team was common, and thankfully the horses always knew the way home and where to find their next feed!
Herbert Hoover, who was orphaned before his tenth birthday, was Dr. Minthorn’s nephew.
When the Minthorns moved to Newberg, they asked their relatives to send Bert to come from Iowa to live with them and attend the Friends Pacific Academy. Uncle Henry was stern, demanding, and inflexible, in young Hoover’s eyes.
However, one summer day Bert and friends tried making their own cherry bomb fireworks. After the fireworks exploded, Dr. Minthorn patiently spent several hours picking out pieces of debris from the skin of several small boys. No further punishment ensued.
....One belief that Dr. Minthorn shared with today’s medical community is that life style often leads to illnesses that could be prevented if people took better care of themselves. From Dr. Minthorn’s perspective, education and Christianity were twin solutions to the world’s problems. The Minthorns moved to Salem in 1888 where Dr. Minthorn operated the Oregon Land Company. After it failed in 1893, Dr. Minthorn traveled and worked in Alaska as a physician and teacher. He operated a sanitarium in Newport, Oregon. Dr. Mnthorn died in Portland, Oregon October 11, 1922. His obituary ran locally and in The Wall Street Journal. Herbert Hoover’s adolescent difficulties with his Uncle John were resolved by the wisdom of age. He later ascribed the attributes of commitment, principles and intellect to the lessons learned from his stern uncle. He noted in his memories that “adolescent impressions are not of historical importance.” When he dedicated the Hoover-Minthorn House, Hoover declared it was a testament to rural physicians, and a legacy to Dr. Henry J. Minthorn, a Quaker, rural physician and teacher.
==Herbert Hoover and Horses
Dr. Minthorn, as did most rural physicians, relied heavily on horses for transportation to his patients. Dr. Minthorn was also quite fond of horses, but this quality did not pass down to his nephew.
One day Dr. Minthorn asked Bert to deliver medication to a patient. Bert wanted to use his wheel (bicycle), but Dr. Minthorn insisted Bert take the horse. When Bert finally returned, on foot and leading the horse, his dislike of things equestrian was finally known.
Later Herbert Hoover was to write of horses:
I finally arrived at the conclusion that a horse was one of the original mistakes of creation. I felt he was too high off the ground for convenience and safety on mountain trails. He would have been better if he had been given a dozen legs so that he had the smooth and sure pace of a centipede. Further he should have had scales as protection against flies, and a larger water tank like a camel. All these gadgets were known to creation prior to the geological period when the horse was evolved. Why were they not used?
Information from the Hoover-Minthorn House Museum, Newberg, Oregon
*Town as per National Parks Service
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Minthorn left Oregon in 1894, practiced medicine in Iowa, moved to Alaska, returned to Oregon, became a federal agent at Warm Springs Indian Reservation in Central Oregon, directed a health resort in Newport on the Oregon Coast, and then, in 1898, established a sanitarium at Hot Lake, Oregon, near LaGrande.
Recently processed records at the Oregon Archives provide information about Minthorn's time in Newport. There, the physician worked for the Marine-Hospital Service, a federal health-care provider for lighthouse employees. He delivered a baby, Harry Kenneth Wilson, on March 3, 1906, the son of lighthouse tender Henry Wilson and his wife Jennie. When young Harry was born, no birth certificate was filed; seven years later, when Harry's parents applied for their son's birth certificate, Dr. Minthorn wrote a note attesting that he delivered the baby.
Minthorn partnered with his childhood friend 1898 to build a sanitorium in Hot Lake, Oregon, near LaGrande. In 1934, half the building burned to the ground. Recently restored, it is now open to the public.
Information from Pacific Northwest Historian and State Archives Volunteer Kristine Deacon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It is indeed a great honor to have been invited by the Governor and Legislature of Oregon to spend my birthday on the scenes of my boyhood. I was brought here 70 years ago to live in the family of my Uncle Dr. Henry John Minthorn, a country doctor. My activities hereabouts did not make any great transformation of human society. But something else does warrant the restoration and dedication of this cottage. That is expressed in the plaque you have put upon it. "This House was the Home of Dr. Henry John Minthorn, a beloved physician in this Community." I am honored to be mentioned on the plaque. What you have done here is to pay a tribute to all the pioneering country doctors of our Nation. There are thousands of cottages in this land which should be marked with plaques recalling their devotion.
John Minthorn was one of those devoted men. He was born 110 years ago in the Quaker faith. He practiced his healing profession profession mostly in this State for 45 years and lies buried in this village...."
Herbert Hoover, Excepts from an address "Our American Life" given on the occasion of his 81st birthday celebrated by the state of Oregon at Newberg, Ore on Augst 10, 1955. Published in Miscellany,JAMA. Sept 17, 1955;159(3):214-215.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quick Facts
SIGNIFICANCE:
Uncle of President Herbert Hoover
PLACE OF BIRTH:
Bergersville, Ontario
DATE OF BIRTH:
April 25, 1846
PLACE OF DEATH:
Portland, Oregon
DATE OF DEATH:
October 11, 1922
PLACE OF BURIAL:
Newberg, Oregon
CEMETERY NAME:
Friends Cemetery
Henry John Minthorn, physician, educator, missionary, and businessman, was the older brother of Hulda Minthorn, Herbert Hoover’s mother.
In 1885, Dr. Minthorn asked the other relatives of Herbert Hoover to send the orphaned boy to Oregon where he could live with the Minthorn family and attend the Friends Pacific Academy, where Minthorn was superintendent. In 1888, Dr. Minthorn and his family moved to Salem, Oregon with Herbert joining them. In Salem Dr. Minthorn operated the Oregon Land Company, where young Herbert worked as an office boy.
President Hoover wrote in his memoirs, “The doctor was a mostly silent, taciturn man, but still a natural teacher.” Minthorn recalled of Hoover in 1920, “I do not think he was very happy. Our home was not like the one he left with his own parents in it and with very little of responsibility and almost no work.” Hoover later described Minthorn as “my second father.”
Information from the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
Dr. Henry John Minthorn was a Quaker physician and educator, and uncle and foster father of Herbert Hoover., the 31st President of the United States. Minthorn, was the older brother of Hulda Minthorn, Herbert Hoover’s mother.
Minthorn served in the Union Army in the Civil War. He was superintendent of Chemawa Indian School in Forest Grove, head of what is now George Fox College, successful owner of The Oregon Land Company in Salem , but his chief claim to fame will always be that he was President Herbert Hoover's uncle, and that he raised the orphaned Hoover in Newberg and Salem, from 1885 to 1891, until Hoover left Oregon to study at Stanford.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Henry John Minthorn was born in Bergersville,* Ontario Canada in 1846 to a Quaker family that had emigrated from England. His parents lived on a dairy farm, and like many youngsters, he disliked the regimented work required.
In 1859, the family moved to West Branch, Iowa and joined the Quaker community. During the years before the Civil War, Quakers were quite active in helping slaves escape to freedom in the north via the underground railroad. Minthorn participated in this work.
Minthorn entered the State University of Iowa in the early 1860s planning to be a teacher. When Union Army Recruiters arrived on campus, he and his school mates joined. He served less than a year, did not see battle, and was discharged in November 1865. Joining the army did not set well with those in his Quaker community, who were avowed pacifists. After his dismissal from the Army, Minthorn completed his education and went on to teach in Iowa and Michigan. In 1873, he entered medical school at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and graduated in 1877. Through the rest of his life, he combined teaching and medical practice.
Physicians, especially rural physicians, needed a second profession to make a living since many patients were unable to pay cash for care. He became a government agency physician and school administrator, traveling to Oklahoma and Oregon. Then, in September 1885, he and his family moved to Newberg so he could become the first superintendent of the recently established Friends Pacific Academy, forerunner of today’s George Fox University. He also served as a local physician to the community and areas surrounding Newberg, Oregon.
The need for good medical care was apparent in Dr. Minthorn’s own family. His brother-in-law had died of consumption, his sister Hulda died of “cold on the lungs” and even his nephew, Herbert Hoover, had a bout of croup as a baby so severe that some members of the family thought Herbert had died. Herbert’s aunt, in “laying him out” noticed some sign of life and revived him. Clearly Minthorn knew of the need for good medical care and the difference it made in the lives of every day folks....
Country doctors did not have offices, as are common today. When someone was ill, the family summoned the doctor or sometimes a patient could be seen at the doctor’s home, usually in the parlor. House calls were common, and Dr. Minthorn had several horses and a buggy that he used to reach those in need. When beginning a journey to see a patient, the rural physician needed to bring all supplies which might be needed. At times the doctor might stay with the patient for several hours, especially in cases of complicated child birth, trauma or severe illness. Often the doctor would be exhausted with the long hours and travel over difficult, muddy roads. Falling asleep behind the wagon team was common, and thankfully the horses always knew the way home and where to find their next feed!
Herbert Hoover, who was orphaned before his tenth birthday, was Dr. Minthorn’s nephew.
When the Minthorns moved to Newberg, they asked their relatives to send Bert to come from Iowa to live with them and attend the Friends Pacific Academy. Uncle Henry was stern, demanding, and inflexible, in young Hoover’s eyes.
However, one summer day Bert and friends tried making their own cherry bomb fireworks. After the fireworks exploded, Dr. Minthorn patiently spent several hours picking out pieces of debris from the skin of several small boys. No further punishment ensued.
....One belief that Dr. Minthorn shared with today’s medical community is that life style often leads to illnesses that could be prevented if people took better care of themselves. From Dr. Minthorn’s perspective, education and Christianity were twin solutions to the world’s problems. The Minthorns moved to Salem in 1888 where Dr. Minthorn operated the Oregon Land Company. After it failed in 1893, Dr. Minthorn traveled and worked in Alaska as a physician and teacher. He operated a sanitarium in Newport, Oregon. Dr. Mnthorn died in Portland, Oregon October 11, 1922. His obituary ran locally and in The Wall Street Journal. Herbert Hoover’s adolescent difficulties with his Uncle John were resolved by the wisdom of age. He later ascribed the attributes of commitment, principles and intellect to the lessons learned from his stern uncle. He noted in his memories that “adolescent impressions are not of historical importance.” When he dedicated the Hoover-Minthorn House, Hoover declared it was a testament to rural physicians, and a legacy to Dr. Henry J. Minthorn, a Quaker, rural physician and teacher.
==Herbert Hoover and Horses
Dr. Minthorn, as did most rural physicians, relied heavily on horses for transportation to his patients. Dr. Minthorn was also quite fond of horses, but this quality did not pass down to his nephew.
One day Dr. Minthorn asked Bert to deliver medication to a patient. Bert wanted to use his wheel (bicycle), but Dr. Minthorn insisted Bert take the horse. When Bert finally returned, on foot and leading the horse, his dislike of things equestrian was finally known.
Later Herbert Hoover was to write of horses:
I finally arrived at the conclusion that a horse was one of the original mistakes of creation. I felt he was too high off the ground for convenience and safety on mountain trails. He would have been better if he had been given a dozen legs so that he had the smooth and sure pace of a centipede. Further he should have had scales as protection against flies, and a larger water tank like a camel. All these gadgets were known to creation prior to the geological period when the horse was evolved. Why were they not used?
Information from the Hoover-Minthorn House Museum, Newberg, Oregon
*Town as per National Parks Service
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Minthorn left Oregon in 1894, practiced medicine in Iowa, moved to Alaska, returned to Oregon, became a federal agent at Warm Springs Indian Reservation in Central Oregon, directed a health resort in Newport on the Oregon Coast, and then, in 1898, established a sanitarium at Hot Lake, Oregon, near LaGrande.
Recently processed records at the Oregon Archives provide information about Minthorn's time in Newport. There, the physician worked for the Marine-Hospital Service, a federal health-care provider for lighthouse employees. He delivered a baby, Harry Kenneth Wilson, on March 3, 1906, the son of lighthouse tender Henry Wilson and his wife Jennie. When young Harry was born, no birth certificate was filed; seven years later, when Harry's parents applied for their son's birth certificate, Dr. Minthorn wrote a note attesting that he delivered the baby.
Minthorn partnered with his childhood friend 1898 to build a sanitorium in Hot Lake, Oregon, near LaGrande. In 1934, half the building burned to the ground. Recently restored, it is now open to the public.
Information from Pacific Northwest Historian and State Archives Volunteer Kristine Deacon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It is indeed a great honor to have been invited by the Governor and Legislature of Oregon to spend my birthday on the scenes of my boyhood. I was brought here 70 years ago to live in the family of my Uncle Dr. Henry John Minthorn, a country doctor. My activities hereabouts did not make any great transformation of human society. But something else does warrant the restoration and dedication of this cottage. That is expressed in the plaque you have put upon it. "This House was the Home of Dr. Henry John Minthorn, a beloved physician in this Community." I am honored to be mentioned on the plaque. What you have done here is to pay a tribute to all the pioneering country doctors of our Nation. There are thousands of cottages in this land which should be marked with plaques recalling their devotion.
John Minthorn was one of those devoted men. He was born 110 years ago in the Quaker faith. He practiced his healing profession profession mostly in this State for 45 years and lies buried in this village...."
Herbert Hoover, Excepts from an address "Our American Life" given on the occasion of his 81st birthday celebrated by the state of Oregon at Newberg, Ore on Augst 10, 1955. Published in Miscellany,JAMA. Sept 17, 1955;159(3):214-215.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quick Facts
SIGNIFICANCE:
Uncle of President Herbert Hoover
PLACE OF BIRTH:
Bergersville, Ontario
DATE OF BIRTH:
April 25, 1846
PLACE OF DEATH:
Portland, Oregon
DATE OF DEATH:
October 11, 1922
PLACE OF BURIAL:
Newberg, Oregon
CEMETERY NAME:
Friends Cemetery
Henry John Minthorn, physician, educator, missionary, and businessman, was the older brother of Hulda Minthorn, Herbert Hoover’s mother.
In 1885, Dr. Minthorn asked the other relatives of Herbert Hoover to send the orphaned boy to Oregon where he could live with the Minthorn family and attend the Friends Pacific Academy, where Minthorn was superintendent. In 1888, Dr. Minthorn and his family moved to Salem, Oregon with Herbert joining them. In Salem Dr. Minthorn operated the Oregon Land Company, where young Herbert worked as an office boy.
President Hoover wrote in his memoirs, “The doctor was a mostly silent, taciturn man, but still a natural teacher.” Minthorn recalled of Hoover in 1920, “I do not think he was very happy. Our home was not like the one he left with his own parents in it and with very little of responsibility and almost no work.” Hoover later described Minthorn as “my second father.”
Information from the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
Minthorn served in the Union Army in the Civil War. He was superintendent of Chemawa Indian School in Forest Grove, head of what is now George Fox College, successful owner of The Oregon Land Company in Salem , but his chief claim to fame will always be that he was President Herbert Hoover's uncle, and that he raised the orphaned Hoover in Newberg and Salem, from 1885 to 1891, until Hoover left Oregon to study at Stanford.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Henry John Minthorn was born in Bergersville,* Ontario Canada in 1846 to a Quaker family that had emigrated from England. His parents lived on a dairy farm, and like many youngsters, he disliked the regimented work required.
In 1859, the family moved to West Branch, Iowa and joined the Quaker community. During the years before the Civil War, Quakers were quite active in helping slaves escape to freedom in the north via the underground railroad. Minthorn participated in this work.
Minthorn entered the State University of Iowa in the early 1860s planning to be a teacher. When Union Army Recruiters arrived on campus, he and his school mates joined. He served less than a year, did not see battle, and was discharged in November 1865. Joining the army did not set well with those in his Quaker community, who were avowed pacifists. After his dismissal from the Army, Minthorn completed his education and went on to teach in Iowa and Michigan. In 1873, he entered medical school at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and graduated in 1877. Through the rest of his life, he combined teaching and medical practice.
Physicians, especially rural physicians, needed a second profession to make a living since many patients were unable to pay cash for care. He became a government agency physician and school administrator, traveling to Oklahoma and Oregon. Then, in September 1885, he and his family moved to Newberg so he could become the first superintendent of the recently established Friends Pacific Academy, forerunner of today’s George Fox University. He also served as a local physician to the community and areas surrounding Newberg, Oregon.
The need for good medical care was apparent in Dr. Minthorn’s own family. His brother-in-law had died of consumption, his sister Hulda died of “cold on the lungs” and even his nephew, Herbert Hoover, had a bout of croup as a baby so severe that some members of the family thought Herbert had died. Herbert’s aunt, in “laying him out” noticed some sign of life and revived him. Clearly Minthorn knew of the need for good medical care and the difference it made in the lives of every day folks....
Country doctors did not have offices, as are common today. When someone was ill, the family summoned the doctor or sometimes a patient could be seen at the doctor’s home, usually in the parlor. House calls were common, and Dr. Minthorn had several horses and a buggy that he used to reach those in need. When beginning a journey to see a patient, the rural physician needed to bring all supplies which might be needed. At times the doctor might stay with the patient for several hours, especially in cases of complicated child birth, trauma or severe illness. Often the doctor would be exhausted with the long hours and travel over difficult, muddy roads. Falling asleep behind the wagon team was common, and thankfully the horses always knew the way home and where to find their next feed!
Herbert Hoover, who was orphaned before his tenth birthday, was Dr. Minthorn’s nephew.
When the Minthorns moved to Newberg, they asked their relatives to send Bert to come from Iowa to live with them and attend the Friends Pacific Academy. Uncle Henry was stern, demanding, and inflexible, in young Hoover’s eyes.
However, one summer day Bert and friends tried making their own cherry bomb fireworks. After the fireworks exploded, Dr. Minthorn patiently spent several hours picking out pieces of debris from the skin of several small boys. No further punishment ensued.
....One belief that Dr. Minthorn shared with today’s medical community is that life style often leads to illnesses that could be prevented if people took better care of themselves. From Dr. Minthorn’s perspective, education and Christianity were twin solutions to the world’s problems. The Minthorns moved to Salem in 1888 where Dr. Minthorn operated the Oregon Land Company. After it failed in 1893, Dr. Minthorn traveled and worked in Alaska as a physician and teacher. He operated a sanitarium in Newport, Oregon. Dr. Mnthorn died in Portland, Oregon October 11, 1922. His obituary ran locally and in The Wall Street Journal. Herbert Hoover’s adolescent difficulties with his Uncle John were resolved by the wisdom of age. He later ascribed the attributes of commitment, principles and intellect to the lessons learned from his stern uncle. He noted in his memories that “adolescent impressions are not of historical importance.” When he dedicated the Hoover-Minthorn House, Hoover declared it was a testament to rural physicians, and a legacy to Dr. Henry J. Minthorn, a Quaker, rural physician and teacher.
==Herbert Hoover and Horses
Dr. Minthorn, as did most rural physicians, relied heavily on horses for transportation to his patients. Dr. Minthorn was also quite fond of horses, but this quality did not pass down to his nephew.
One day Dr. Minthorn asked Bert to deliver medication to a patient. Bert wanted to use his wheel (bicycle), but Dr. Minthorn insisted Bert take the horse. When Bert finally returned, on foot and leading the horse, his dislike of things equestrian was finally known.
Later Herbert Hoover was to write of horses:
I finally arrived at the conclusion that a horse was one of the original mistakes of creation. I felt he was too high off the ground for convenience and safety on mountain trails. He would have been better if he had been given a dozen legs so that he had the smooth and sure pace of a centipede. Further he should have had scales as protection against flies, and a larger water tank like a camel. All these gadgets were known to creation prior to the geological period when the horse was evolved. Why were they not used?
Information from the Hoover-Minthorn House Museum, Newberg, Oregon
*Town as per National Parks Service
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Minthorn left Oregon in 1894, practiced medicine in Iowa, moved to Alaska, returned to Oregon, became a federal agent at Warm Springs Indian Reservation in Central Oregon, directed a health resort in Newport on the Oregon Coast, and then, in 1898, established a sanitarium at Hot Lake, Oregon, near LaGrande.
Recently processed records at the Oregon Archives provide information about Minthorn's time in Newport. There, the physician worked for the Marine-Hospital Service, a federal health-care provider for lighthouse employees. He delivered a baby, Harry Kenneth Wilson, on March 3, 1906, the son of lighthouse tender Henry Wilson and his wife Jennie. When young Harry was born, no birth certificate was filed; seven years later, when Harry's parents applied for their son's birth certificate, Dr. Minthorn wrote a note attesting that he delivered the baby.
Minthorn partnered with his childhood friend 1898 to build a sanitorium in Hot Lake, Oregon, near LaGrande. In 1934, half the building burned to the ground. Recently restored, it is now open to the public.
Information from Pacific Northwest Historian and State Archives Volunteer Kristine Deacon
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"It is indeed a great honor to have been invited by the Governor and Legislature of Oregon to spend my birthday on the scenes of my boyhood. I was brought here 70 years ago to live in the family of my Uncle Dr. Henry John Minthorn, a country doctor. My activities hereabouts did not make any great transformation of human society. But something else does warrant the restoration and dedication of this cottage. That is expressed in the plaque you have put upon it. "This House was the Home of Dr. Henry John Minthorn, a beloved physician in this Community." I am honored to be mentioned on the plaque. What you have done here is to pay a tribute to all the pioneering country doctors of our Nation. There are thousands of cottages in this land which should be marked with plaques recalling their devotion.
John Minthorn was one of those devoted men. He was born 110 years ago in the Quaker faith. He practiced his healing profession profession mostly in this State for 45 years and lies buried in this village...."
Herbert Hoover, Excepts from an address "Our American Life" given on the occasion of his 81st birthday celebrated by the state of Oregon at Newberg, Ore on Augst 10, 1955. Published in Miscellany,JAMA. Sept 17, 1955;159(3):214-215.
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Quick Facts
SIGNIFICANCE:
Uncle of President Herbert Hoover
PLACE OF BIRTH:
Bergersville, Ontario
DATE OF BIRTH:
April 25, 1846
PLACE OF DEATH:
Portland, Oregon
DATE OF DEATH:
October 11, 1922
PLACE OF BURIAL:
Newberg, Oregon
CEMETERY NAME:
Friends Cemetery
Henry John Minthorn, physician, educator, missionary, and businessman, was the older brother of Hulda Minthorn, Herbert Hoover’s mother.
In 1885, Dr. Minthorn asked the other relatives of Herbert Hoover to send the orphaned boy to Oregon where he could live with the Minthorn family and attend the Friends Pacific Academy, where Minthorn was superintendent. In 1888, Dr. Minthorn and his family moved to Salem, Oregon with Herbert joining them. In Salem Dr. Minthorn operated the Oregon Land Company, where young Herbert worked as an office boy.
President Hoover wrote in his memoirs, “The doctor was a mostly silent, taciturn man, but still a natural teacher.” Minthorn recalled of Hoover in 1920, “I do not think he was very happy. Our home was not like the one he left with his own parents in it and with very little of responsibility and almost no work.” Hoover later described Minthorn as “my second father.”
Information from the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
Inscription
Horse & Buggy Doctor of Yamhill County Uncle of Herbert Hoover Born Ontario, Canada 1846 Died Newberg, Oregon 1922
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