Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 682–683; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Dr. James E. Booe, practicing physician at Canton. Few
mall places have the honor to harbor within their limits of many
brilliant professional men as are claimed by Canton. Here it
would seem an atmosphere of progression both in financial and
professional matters develops superior attainments. Men of
superior mental endowment are found here in abundance, men who add
greatly to the growth and prosperity of a place, and who by their
worthy lives give an excellent example to those just beginning the
battle of life. And among this number, none deserve more praise
than he whose name heads this sketch.
Dr. Booe is a native of Indiana, a State that has contributed so
liberally to the national prosperity by furnishing able men, and his
birth occurred in Fountain Count, October 22, 1857. His parents
were Greenup and Catherine (Johnson) Booe, and the paternal relatives
are of German descent. The grandfather Benjamin Booe, was a
prominent agriculturist in Indiana up to the time of his death.
Greenup Booe followed the same line of work until the war broke out,
and then became a soldier, enlisting in the Sixty-third Indiana
Infantry, and fighting bravely and well for his country. During
service he contracted a lingering disease, that finally resulted in his
death, in the year 1863.
Our subject’s mother was also a native of the Hoosier State, and
her marriage took place there. She died while James was in this
third year, leaving only tow children, Clara, who is the wife of
William Keller, of Mellotte, Ind., and the subject of our sketch.
The latter was only six years old when he sustained the loss of his
father, and was thus in the tender years of childhood deprived of his
natural protectors. His grandparents Booe took charge of him and
he continued to make his home with them at Covington, Ind., on their
farm until he had reached his sixteenth year. He then began
farming for himself, attending school in the meantime, and when twenty
years old, studied medicine under Dr. W. J. Hurt of Waynetown.
These instructions were continued for a year or so, and our subject
then entered Rush Medical College in Chicago, where he remained two
years. During one term he attended Butler University of Medicine
at Indianapolis, and was also a student in the Kentucky School of
Medicine at Louisville, graduating from there in June 1887.
Dr. Booe first practiced his profession Oakland, Ill., next at
Albany for a year, and finally located in Canton in 1888. From
the beginning his success was assured, and he does a large general
practice, besides making a specialty of the eye, the ear and
gynecological work. He was married in Oakland in 1884, the maiden
name of his wife being Cella Curtis, daughter of Philander Curis.
Mrs. Dr. Booe has one child – Anna Glassburner, by a previous
marriage. The Doctor is one of the youngest practitioners in
Canton, but is making a decided success and has the confidence of the
entire community. Politically, he is a Republican, and socially,
is an Odd Fellow.
