Embree, Thomas Van Buren LAST: Embree FIRST: Thomas MID: Van Buren GENDER: M MAIDEN NAME:  TITLE: Dr. BORN: 14 Aug 1836 DIED: 26 Oct 1910 BURIED:  (Embree Cemetery) OCCUPATION:  Physician BIRTH PLACE:  Missouri DEATH PLACE: Dallas, Polk Co., Oregon NOTES:  MARRIAGE - Dr T.V.B. Embree & Anna Finley md 13 Feb 1868, Benton Co, Oregon 1870 OR CENSUS - Thomas Embree, age 34, occupation physician, b. Missouri, is enumerated with wife Anna, age 21, b. Missouri, and Margaret, age 7 months, b. Oregon. 1900 OR CENSUS - Thomas V.B. Embree, age 64, occupation physician & surgeon, b. AUg 1835 in Missouri, is enumerated with his wife of 32 years, Annie, age 51, mother of 7 children 4 of whom are living at the time of the census, b. Apr 1849 in Missouri, along with Clyde, age 24, b. Nov 1875 in Oregon, Allie, age 20, b. Feb 1880 in Oregon, Van, age 18, b. Mar 1882 in Oregon, and Lillie, age 14, b. Apr 1886 in Oregon. BIOGRAPHICAL (Source - Hayter, Dr. Mark, "Dr. Hayter Recalls Early Day Doctors of Dallas", Historically Speaking, Vol. V, pg 35, PCHS, Aug 1881):  "Dr. T.V.B. Embree, who had previously practiced in both Lafayette and Amity, located in Dallas I think about 1870, where he soon established a good practice.  He was exceptionally successful in treating diptheria, an epidemic of which swept the valley in the early 70's.  He had at the time as partner Dr. Whitaker, who never seemed to get much of a hnold on people.  It is my recoleection that he did not last long. The doctor was a man who did not like to stay in one town long at a time, consequently he practiced in several different places.  He was located in Dallas three different times.  About 1880 he went to Harney Valley which at the time was mostly occupied by the big cattle companies suchas the Glen-French, Miller & Lux, Devine and some others.  These companies were his best patrons as broken bones were quite common among their riders.  The doctor told me that there were times he would be called to go 150 miles to patch up a fellow whose horse had fallen on him.  He said it would require one week's time to make the round trip but he invariably received from the foreman a check to cover his fee before returning home. After leaving Harney Vally he was located in Portland for a time before making his final return to Dallas where he remained until his death which occurred in the fall of 1910.  The doctor was a man who put the welfare of his patients abouve everything else when occasion demanded it.  I remember one case the most of a family were stricken with typhoid fever he cated as both doctor and nurse - there was no such thing as a trained nurse in these parts at that time - without returning home, until they were all past the danger point.  By the way, he told me he received no fee for his services in the case.  While he was a successful physician, I think he was about the porrest businessman I ever knew.  With hundreds of dollars on his books - if he had any books - he was lucky if he had five dollars on had at one time." OBITUARY:  GONE TO REST Pioneer Polk Physician Passes to the Beyond A week ago we attended the funeral of Uncle Dan Richardson. Among the many aged Masons there turned out none who seemed in better health than T.V.B. Embree, and he mentioned the fact to several friends. A week later he has passed away, and the useful and arduous life of an old time country practitioner has come to an end; and he will soon be forgotten, except by a few, comparatively, grateful souls, who will remember and think kindly of the times that he has aided them when sickness of some loved one was gripping their heart strings and the path of life looked terribly dark before them. His sickness came unexpected to his many friends, and was caused by ureamic poison, his whole condition rapidly giving way before its ravages and yesterday afternoon about 3 o’clock he passed away.  Dr. Embree was a man of undoubted honesty, and strong convictions, and the faculty of expressing them in terse and convincing language, and little did he care whether others coincided with his views or not. Sufficient that the arguments he used were satisfactory to himself. He was a man of generous impulses, and many are the old time families that can give testimony of needed assistance he has given them, both as a physician and as a man and brother.  He was made a Mason in 1858, joining Jennings lodge of Dallas, and has served as Master Mason. He was a practical exempler of the sublime teachings of that order, and aimed to in a Christian and fraternal manner tread the way. At the time of going to press, arrangements have not been definitely concluded as to the time of the funeral.  He was a son of the late Cary and Lucinda Embree, and was born August 14, 1836, near Fayette, Howard County, Missouri. He crossed the plains in 1844, arriving in Oregon City on December 24 of that year. He came with his parents to Polk County in the Spring of ’45, and worked on his father’s farm until 1858, when he began the study of medicine, reading with Dr J.W. Boyle, a well-know pioneer physician. He entered Cooper Medical Institute in San Francisco in 1860, and later practiced in Lafayette and Amity, locating in Dallas in 1874.  He was graduated from the medical department of Willamette University in 1881, and then practiced 3½ years in Corvallis. Then moved to Burns, Harney County, where he practiced 8 years. Returned to Dallas, and later went to Portland, where he practiced about two years. About five years ago he located in Dallas again. He was a veteran of the Yakima Indian War. Enlisted in 1855 in Co. G, Captain Ben Hayden commanding; afterwards re-enlisted in Co. B, Capt. B.F. Burch commanding. Was a member of the State Pioneer Association, and at the time of death was Grand Commander of Indian War Veterans of this state. He married Annie E. Finley in Corvallis in 1868. Seven children were born – three surviving: Clyde and Van of Burns; Mrs. Armon Guthrie, Dallas.  Dallas Itemizer 27 Oct 1910, 2:2 INSCRIPTION:  Dr. T.V. B. Embree 1836 - 1910 SOURCES:  Branigar Survey Saucy Survey & Marker Photographs Benton Co, Oregon, Marriage Records 1870 OR CENSUS (Yamhill Co., Amity, FA #651) 1900 OR CENSUS (Polk Co., Dallas, ED 173, sheet 11B) Historically Speaking, Vol. V, pg 35 DI 27 Oct 1910, 2:2 CONTACTS:  ROW:    IMAGES: