Originally published to facebook.com/NorthPlattePL on August 19, 2022.
Today’s North Platte History looks back at a turn of the century doctor, Dr. Josiah B. Redfield. Dr. Josiah B. Redfield’s family history gave researchers quite a run, so stick with us as we unfold his story. Read on!
Josiah Beckley Redfield was born in Omaha, Nebraska on August 23, 1882 and died in North Platte Nebraska on March 16, 1976 at the age of 93. Some of our readers may remember him personally!
Josiah Beckley Redfield was the son of Willis Cleveland and Catherine “Kate” (Archer) Redfield. Willis C. and Catherine were married in Sarpy County Nebraska on December 20, 1875 had the following six children:
- Willis Jay Redfield (1877 – 1934). Physician and surgeon first in North Platte with his brother, Josiah and then in Omaha.
- Henry A. Redfield (1879 – 1927). AKA Harry A. Adair. Worked at odd jobs, was a miller and a janitor.
- Nellie S. Redfield (1880 – 1881). Died under the age of 2 in September.
- Ernest Redfield (1881 – 1881). Died at the age of 4 months in August.
- John B. Redfield (1882 – 1973). A salesman who worked in the St. Louis and Warrenton MO area. A twin brother to Josiah.
- Josiah B. Redfield (1882 – 1976). The subject of this article and John’s twin brother. He shares his entire name with his grandfather, Josiah Beckley Redfield.
In 1883, when the twins were about 18 months old, their father, Willis C. Redfield, a printer by trade, died in his home in Omaha from consumption at the age of 27. Catherine, now a widow, was left with four children (two children died two years prior). All of the remaining children were under the age of seven. Catherine, overwhelmed with grief, legally gave her children up for adoption soon after the father’s death. In 1886, Catherine remarried Joseph L. Harley and had one more child. Catherine passed away in 1890 at age 34.
Researchers found that the oldest son, Willis Jay Redfield, was apparently adopted by a Ryan family, per the court case. Since he was older, a researcher’s guess is that he remembered and aware of what happened.
The second son, Henry Redfield, was adopted by an Adair family and they change his name to Harry Franklin Adair. Harry had various jobs in his life: miller, bank cashier, and janitor; this was probably due to his fragile health. Harry acquired tuberculosis while serving the in the military in 1898, made his home in Valley Falls, Kansas with his wife, Mamie Russell, and died from pulmonary tuberculosis in 1927, at the age of 46 years. They had two sons.
John B. Redfield is adopted by Adelbert and Jennie Grinnell, farmers near Papillion, Nebraska. John attends agriculture college and returns to the farm to help his Grinnell parents. He eventually marries Florence Marie Anderson of Kent, Iowa in 1905 and they make their home predominantly in Warrenton, Missouri, where John worked in sales. They had one son, John Redfield Grinnell.
Josiah B. Redfield (John’s twin and the primary subject of this post), is also adopted by the Grinnell’s. Both of the boys take the name Grinnell and since they were so young, neither knew they were adopted for some time. John found out when he was about 12, Josiah didn’t know until it was time for him to attend college, around age 19 or 20. After the Grinnell parents had passed away, there was a court case to determine if adoptees were legitimate heirs to foster parent estates. The case in 1928 is still cited sometimes and can be view at https://cite.case.law/neb/117/332/.
Josiah, also called Joe, received his primary education from Papillion High School, graduating in 1898. He went on to further his education in the healing arts with a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Nebraska in 1908.
Dr. Josiah B. Redfield started his medical career in Wood River, Nebraska and then went to Cairo, Nebraska.
Meanwhile Dr. Willis Jay Redfield, Josiah’s brother, was practicing medicine in Grand Island, Nebraska. Willis and his business partner, J. R. McKirahan, decided to relocate their practice North Platte in 1909. Together they open the Physicians and Surgeons Hospital (also known as P. & S. Hospital) at 721-723 Locust Street (now 721-723 North Jeffers Street).
About this time Dr. Josiah B. Redfield came to North Platte where he built up his medical practice, making surgery his specialty. McKirahan married and left North Platte; and Josiah came to North Platte to be in practice with his brother, Willis Jay. Willis stayed in practice with Josiah in North Platte until about 1916, when he served his country in the medical corps during World War I. Dr. Willis Redfield returned to Omaha, Nebraska after the war and created a successful practice in his own right there. Willis acquired an illness that forced him to retire from practice in 1930 and he died September 22, 1934 at the age of 58 leaving behind his widow, Margaret, and a son, Willis Glenn Redfield.
Dr. Josiah B. Redfield continued his studies by taking post-graduate work at the Mayo Brothers Hospital in Rochester MN; and continued to hone his surgical skills. When Willis left North Platte, Josiah bought his brother, Willis’ interest in the hospital they co-owned, by that time called General Hospital, which was located at 721-723 Locust (now North Jeffers). Josiah then donated the hospital equipment he owned to Good Samaritan Hospital of North Platte. The location of Good Samaritan Hospital was 113 West 6th ST (now in the vicinity between the Platte Bar and Nebraska Fire and Safety).
Dr. Josiah B Redfield also served his country during World War I, he was stationed for a short time at Fort Riley in Kansas. He later served again during World War II in the Nebraska State Guard and as a member of the Selective Service Boards for McPherson and Lincoln Counties.
In 1909, Josiah married Cassie Harris in Lincoln. Cassie was the daughter of Dr. A. H. Harris. Cassie graduated from Lincoln High School in Lincoln, Nebraska with the class of 1907. She attended Nebraska University for two years. Upon settling in North Platte, Joe and Cassie lived in several rental houses.
Josiah and Cassie had two children:
- Harris Beckley Redfield (1912-1969). Harris was married twice. His first wife was Phyllis Heaton and they got married on January 36, 1933 in Grand Island, Nebraska. Harris enlisted in the Army Medical Administrative Corps at Fort Crook, Nebraska on December 19, 1941, less than two weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. On November 16, 1942, Harris married his second wife, Nelvina La Fern Sorensen in Lubbock, Texas. Harris had at least two children. He died at age 57 in Corpus Christi, Texas.
- John Josiah Redfield (1917-1945). John also became a doctor. John married Dorothy Eileen Larson on September 14, 1939 in Lincoln, Nebraska. John served in the medical corps as a First Lieutenant, when he died at age 28 on August 22, 1945 at the Fort Benning GA regional hospital. His parents had received a letter from him that Monday (August 20th) and in it he told them he hadn’t been feeling well. John died two days after that letter. He is listed on the World War II casualty list for Lincoln County as DNB or died non-battle. John and Dorothy had one daughter.
Dr. Josiah Redfield and his family were active in the Episcopal Church of Our Savior. Josiah was active in a variety of organizations, including:
- Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Platte Valley Lodge No. 32;
- Signet Chapter No. 55, Order of the Eastern Star;
- Theams Temple of the Shrine;
- North Platte Kiwanis Club (charter member);
- Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks;
- P.R. Halligan Post No 163 of the American Legion;
- Lincoln County Medical Society;
- American Medical Association;
- American Legion; and
- North Platte Country Club (Josiah and Harris were regular golfers)
In his spare time, Dr. Redfield liked to tinker and invent things. He invented and patented several devices, including the “Redfield Mouth Gag”; Redfield Voting Booth; and a Tally Sheet (see pictures of his patents in the attached documentation).
Whether golfing with friends, delivering babies, caring for his patients; inventing and patenting his ideas; attending church with his family; serving as county coroner, attending meetings; combating disease by trying to control rat populations; informing the public about rabies; performing surgery; keeping the public safe and informed about polio; Dr. Josiah Redfield was described as personally genial and companionable, warm and loyal, and commanded the respect and esteem of the entire community.
Dr. Josiah Beckley Redfield died on March 16, 1976, at age 93 in a nursing home in North Platte. Cassie died on July 28, 1980, age 89. They are both buried in the North Platte Cemetery.
Thank you for reading!
