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Below is a family biography included in History of Shawnee County, Kansas and Representative Citizens by James L. King, published by Richmond & Arnold, 1905.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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THOMAS C. BIDDLE, M. D.
Thomas C. Biddle, M. D., a distinguished physician and surgeon, is superintendent of the State Hospital for the Insane at Topeka, the duties of which office he has discharged since April, 1899. He was born on his father’s farm in Putnam County, Indiana, September 14, 1857, and is one of a family of 13 children born to his parents, Richard and Elizabeth (Jones) Biddle. His father was a farmer by occupation.

Dr. Biddle was reared in Putnam County, Indiana, and there attended the common schools. He later attended DePauw University, and then took up the study of medicine. He attended Rush Medical College, Chicago, graduating in 1881, then pursued a course in the New York Post-Graduate Medical College. Immediately thereafter he located at Reading, Kansas, and practiced his profession for a period of six years. Seeking a larger field, he located at Emporia, Kansas, where he continued successfully until 1895, when he accepted the appointment of superintendent of the State Hospital for the Insane at Osawatomie, Kansas. He filled that position most satisfactorily for three years, then resigned to answer the call to arms during the Spanish-American War. He was commissioned assistant surgeon in the 21st Regiment, Kansas Infantry, U. S. Volunteers, and served most creditably until he was honorably discharged in December, 1898. In April, 1899, he was appointed to his present position as superintendent of the State Hospital for the Insane at Topeka. The affairs of this institution have been placed upon a firm basis and the people of Kansas can well take pride in the manner in which it has been managed, free from the stigma of complaint and scandal which has characterized the institutions of so many other States. This institution was established in the late ‘70’s, the first inmate being taken in on June 1, 1879, and from that time until the close of the 19th century it cared for 4,545 patients. According to the report made at the end of that period, 1,604 had been discharged as recovered, 698 discharged as improved, 297 as unimproved, 7 as not insane, 130 transferred to the Osawatomie asylum, 44 on visit or eloped, and 903 had died. This is surely a most creditable report. Dr. Biddle is ably assisted in his work by Dr. W. C. Van Nuys and Dr. J. C. Bennett. The capacity of the institution is 1,050, and gives employment to 145 attendants.

Our subject was united in marriage with Elva Egbert, a daughter of S. W. Egbert. In politics, he is an enthusiastic Republican, and has been an active worker for party success. Fraternally, he is a Mason.

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This family biography is one of 206 biographies included in History of Shawnee County, Kansas and Representative Citizens by James L. King, published by Richmond & Arnold, 1905.  For the complete description, click here: Shawnee County, Kansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Shawnee County, Kansas family biographies here: Shawnee County, Kansas

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