Biographical Sketch of Dr. Charles Richard Teeter
October 6, 1875 – July 13, 1940
Charles Richard Teeter was born at Pottsville, in Pope County Arkansas October 6, 1875, the son of James Lawson and Ellen Brooks Teeter. In the 1880 U. S. Census the farming family consisted of the parents, daughter Minnie B., age 9, son Daniel M, age 6, four years old Charles, and infant Samuel I, age seven months. The family’s home was in Galla Rock, Pope County, Arkansas. In the 1900 U. S. Census, another daughter and four sons had been added to the family. That same year Charles’ father passed away. The family remained located in Galla Rock (Galla Creek in the census) and Charles’ occupation was teacher.
Charles was licensed to practice medicine in 1904 and in 1906 he was practicing in Russellville, Pope County. “Charles was a farmer and taught school prior to entering medical school.”1 In 1907 he graduated from The University of Arkansas School of Medicine and did post graduate work at the University of Kentucky and at Tulane Unviersity.
On January 23, 1908 he and Cora Whitesides were married in Pope County. In the 1909 American Medical Directory he was in Pottsville, Pope County and his address in the 1910 U. S. Census was Galla Creek. Dr. Teeter continued the practice of medicine at both Pottsville and Russellville for 36 years. In the 1940 U. S. Census, the year he died, his occupation remained Doctor.
In a 1936 newspaper article, the headline reads in part; “Dr. C. R. Teeter has made nearly 76,000 calls in 30 years practice.” The article continues…”and has traveled a conservative estimate of 500,000 miles in treating them. He has been enlisted in the cause of suffering humanity-a task that has given him no vacation, no opportunity to take himself away from his work. In the days prior to 1916, when winter roads were bogs, distances vaster than we of the motor age wish to remember, this modern country doctor rode his horse or drove his buggy to the bedsides of patients in many parts of Pope County. During the trying times of 1918 in vicinities where the plague struck, hundreds of people in the vicinity of Pottsville lay at the point of death. Weather conditions during that winter were the worst possible. Cold, snow, drizzling rain and in every house the shadow of death hovered to strike. I remember how at one time I made continuous rounds for three days and nights without a moment’s rest, Dr. Teeter said. Three of my family were down with the flu, but I wasn’t able to devote any more time to them than to the hundreds of other cases. Nor can he forget how, as a young doctor, the pioneer physicians of Pope county gave him solace and advice and encouragement until he had established himself.”2
Dr. Charles Richard Teeter died on July 13, 1940, aged 64 and is buried in Pisgah Cemetery, Pottsville, Pope County, Arkansas.
1 Pope County History, Volume 1, page 443
2 Pottsville Centennial edition, Weekly Tribune, Russellville, Arkansas, July 10, 1936
John T. Mitchell, BBA April 20, 2024