The tribute paid to Dr. Charles E. Thomas by the people of the Leesburg area last Monday was a fine expression of appreciation to a man who has served his community well for over half a century. As one looks over the list of medical doctors who have served our county one is impressed with the long years of service which many of them have contributed. Kosciusko county will always be indebted to men like Tiffin J. Shackleford, Jacob D. Richer, Irvin B. Webber, Angus C. McDonald, Samuel C. Murphy, Hiram O. King, Charles R. Long, Isaac Jennings, and A. W. Towl--to mention only a few of the many who have served us well.

There may be several doctors who, like Dr. Thomas, have served our county for more than a half century. As far as we can determine, however, only Dr. Calvin W. Burket, who practiced medicine at Warsaw, can equal the record of the doctor honored last Monday night. Perhaps our readers can give us information concerning other doctors who have passed the half century mark in service to our county.

Calvin W. Burket was born at Hagerstown, Indiana on December 13, 1838. Hagerstown is about half way between Richmond and Newcastle. When he was about 21 years of age he began studying medicine at the office of a doctor in Hagerstown. In 1860-61 he took his first course of lectures in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. When the Civil War broke out in April of 1861, he volunteered for service, interrupting his medical schooling to serve with the 11th and 57th Indiana Infantry. In July of 1864 he was honorably discharged from service due to a scalp wound which he had received in battle. He resumed his medical studies at Michigan and then transferred to the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati where he graduated with an M.D. in 1866. It was in that same year that he opened his office in Warsaw and began a half century of service in our county.

Warsaw Times-Union Sat. Dec. 13, 1952