U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Jepson, Samuel L. Jepson (1842-1922) --------------------------------------------------------------------- West Virginia Blue Book West Virginia Legislative Hand Book and Manual and Official Register, 1918 Compiled and edited by John T. Harris, Clerk of the Senate The Tribune Printing Company, Charleston, West Virginia Page 742, Health Commissioner. S. L. JEPSON, M. D., (Republican), was born on a farm in Ohio, ten miles west of Wheeling, and soon after—on account of a severe injury that rendered him permanently lame—his father gave up farming and opened a store in St. Clairsville. There the boy grew to manhood. In an ungraded school he pursued his studies which included Latin, Greek and some of the higher mathematics. Applying for admission to the junior class of Washington College, Pennsylvania, (now Washington and Jefferson) he was for several months put on probation. At the end of two years he was graduated (A. B.,) eighth in a class of thirty, being one of the commencement speakers, and sharing the literary honors of the class with one who is now the Bishop of New York. Later, the study of medicine was commenced, and in 1868 the degree of M. D. was conferred by the Medical College of Ohio. The young doctor succeeded—by a competitive examination—in securing a position as resident physician and surgeon in the Cincinnati Hospital, which position he filled for a year. Locating in Wheeling in April, 1869, he was, in 1873, elected as City Health Officer, and held this position for six years. In September, 1895, on account of the long-continued presence of small-pox in the city he was urged to take the office again. He assumed charge of thirty-six cases. In four weeks but three cases remained in the city. For his services $2,000.00 extra compensation was paid, and he was twice re-elected, making a total of eleven years of service as health officer. In 1877 he went to Europe for medical study, spending nearly a year in Edinburgh, London and Vienna. Always active in medic societies, Dr. Jepson has served as secretary and twice as President of the Ohio County Medical Society, for three years as Secretary and in 1887 as President of the State Medical Association, and for three years as a member of the Judicial Council of the American Medical Association. He is also a member of the American Public Health Association, and until the present year was a member of the American Medical Editors Association, and in 1915 a member of its Executive Committee of three. During 1915 he was Vice President of the National Federation of Medical Examining Boards. He was editor of The West Virginia Medical Journal, from its origin, in 1896, until the end of 1915. He has written many medical papers for the journals and societies. From 1884 to 1889 he served in Wheeling as Acting Assistant Surgeon in the United States Marine Hospital Service; from 1889 to 1893 and from 1907 to 1915 as United States examining surgeon for pensions; on the medical staff of the City Hospital, Wheeling, from 1890 to 1915. Always interested in education, he served for sixteen years on the Wheeling Board of Education, part of the time as president. He was the author of resolutions that establish a High School and also a Public Library. Since 1904 he has been a member of the Board of Trustees of Washington and Jefferson College. From this college he received the degree of A. M., and in 1907 the honorary degree of Doctor of Science was conferred by the University of Pittsburgh. In June, 1913, Dr. Jepson was made a member and Secretary of the State Board of Health by His Excellency, Governor Hatfield, and in June, 1914, under the new law constituting a State Department of Health, Governor Hatfield appointed him as the first Commissioner of Health, for a term of four years. ------------------------------------------------------------------- DEATH-CERTIFICATE, Ohio County WV, #6605 Full-name: Dr. Samuel L. Jepson Birth: Apr 7, 1842 in St. Clairsville, Ohio Death: May 2, 1922 in Wheen, Ohio County, WV Marital-status: married Occupation: Physician Father: John Jepson, born in England Mother: Hanna Hunt, born in England Cause-of-death: Apoplexy Informant: Mrs. S. L. Jepson of Woodlawn City Burial: St. Clairsville Cemetery ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Ohio County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/ohio/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------