DEATH OF A PIONEER.
Dr. Thomas W. Radford Came to
Missouri in 1858.
Dr. Thomas W. Radford, 80 years old and a resident of this city since 1880, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. George W. Matthews, 3112 Garner avenue, yesterday at noon.
Dr. Radford was born in Shelbyville, Ky. He graduated in medicine from a college in Louisville, and practiced there for several years. He was for a short time surgeon in a military school at Drenner Springs, Ky., where James G. Blaine was one of the teachers. Four years after his graduation, he decided to come West and visited Kansas City in the spring of 1858. The town didn't seem to be a good location to him then, so he moved to Fayette, Howard county, Mo., and settled there with his wife and slaves.
His practice grew, and soon he and his horse, "Physic," were well known all over the county. The war came on, but Dr. Radford did not enlist with either side, staying at home and attending to his patients, although frequently interferred with by guerillas. That Dr. Radford earned the esteem of his neighbors during these years is shown by the fact that immediately after the war he was elected three times to the office of county treasurer.
In 1880 he moved to Kansas City and opened a downtown office. He continued in practice here until fifteen years ago, when he retired. He was well known to many families in the city.
Dr. Radford attended the First Christian church for many years, but lately had been a regular communicant of the Independence Boulevard Christian church. A widow, seven children, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren survive. One son is T. J. Radford, a druggist at Ninth and Locust streets, and another, C. M. Radford of the Radford-Powell Shoe Company.
Funeral services will be held at 3 o'clock this afternoon from the home. Burial at Elmwood cemetery.
