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A physician and surgeon with a broad and ample
experience in his profession, Dr. Howard J. Reger since March 1911,
has been practicing at Vernon, and is one of the leaders in his
profession in northwest Texas. He is a grandson, through his mother,
of Dr. Hillary Ryan, who was distinguished as one of the pioneer
physicians and surgeons of this state.
Dr. Howard J. Reger was born in Burleson
County, Texas, April 11, 1870, a son of Granville Jarvis and Xanthia
Zenobia (Ryan) Reger. His father, a native of West Virginia, came to
Texas in an early date, after the Civil war, located in Burleson
County, where he lived until his death in 1875. During the Civil war
he had served as lieutenant of Cavalry in a West Virginia regiment,
going through from the first year until the close of hostilities,
and was in the command of Col. Cochran. He was well known as a
merchant, and was also a musician of considerable ability. The
doctor's mother was born in Texas, was reared, educated and married
in this state, and is now living at Fort Worth at the age of
sixty-three. She is now the wife of T. H. McMahan, of that city. Of
the three children in the Reger family the doctor was the first.
He grew up in Burleson and Mitchell
counties, attended the public schools at Caldwell, in the former
county, and at Colorado City in the latter, and while still a boy
took up the responsibilities of life and by his own labors found his
way eventually into a professional career. He entered Centenary
College at Lampasas, but left before graduation. Later he became a
student in the Texas Christian University, now located at Fort
Worth, and graduated in 1902. In October, 1903, he became an interne
and house surgeon of St. Joseph's infirmary at Fort Worth, remaining
with that institution until November 1904. At Fort Worth he was
engaged in general practice until 1906, in which year he moved to
Dalhart, but after a short time returned to the former city and
became an assistant in practice to Dr. Saunders, the eminent surgeon
of that city. In March 1911, Dr. Reger moved to Vernon, and since
that time has built up an excellent local practice. He has
membership in the Wilbarger County Medical Society.
Dr. Reger is prominent in Masonic circles,
having taken his Blue Lodge and Royal Arch degrees at Fort Worth,
Texas, and also the orders of Knights Templar there. Ho is a past
high priest of the Fort Worth Chapter, and past commander of Worth
Commandery, No. 19. He demitted and is now commander of Vernon
Commandery No. 33, K. T. He is also a member of the Dallas
Consistory of Scottish Rite Masonry, No. 2, and a Thirty-second
degree Mason, and also a Shriner in the Hella Temple of Dallas. In
politics the Doctor is a Democrat, and he worships in the
Presbyterian faith.
At Fort Worth on October 23, 1906, Dr.
Reger married Miss Lena May Smythey, a daughter of James and Ellen
Smythey, both of whom are deceased. Dr. Reger is fond of outdoor
life, and is a broad minded young physician, whose successful
accomplishments presage a large field of useful service for the
future.
[-- A History of Texas and
Texans, Volume 3, Francis White Johnson, 1914
Transcribed
by AFOFG]
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