Benjamin W. Hair, M.D.
Benjamin W. Hair, M. D., discoverer and manufacturer of "Dr. Hair's Asthma Cure," was born July 26, 1819, in Washington County, Pennsylvania, being the youngest of thirteen children. His parents, James and Rebecca (McCowen) Hair, were both born in Berkeley County, Virginia. A few years after their marriage (about 1806) they removed to Pennsylvania, where they lived the remainder of their days. Farming was their life vocation, being pursued both in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Mr. James Hair was also justice of the peace for thirty-four years of his life. At his hands justice was indeed found, for during this long period as a magistrate, both in Virginia and Pennsylvania, there were, out of hundreds of cases, but six that he did not succeed in compromising, and which finally came to trial. He always used every possible influence to secure an amicable settlement between the contestants, in which he was almost invariably successful. He was a true peace-maker, and for this, and many other excellent traits of his character, he was greatly esteemed and respected by all who knew him. He died while yet holding his office. His wife had preceded him, having died in 1840.
Two brothers of Dr. Hair made themselves widely known in the ministry. They were both Presbyterians. One of them died a few years ago in Chicago, while still laboring in his profession. A circumstance worthy of note, as not having a parallel, perhaps, in the United States, is connected with the family of Dr. Hair's oldest brother. The widow, with four generations, all females, constituting the entire posterity of Mr. John Hair, are still living in Sigourney, Iowa, making in all five generations.
Dr. Hair attended the common schools until he was nineteen years of age, when he entered Washington College, in Washington County, Pennsylvania, then in charge of the Rev. Dr. McConaha, where he was a schoolmate of Hon. James G. Blaine, and joined him in debate at college societies, where he graduated in 1842, in high standing. He then began the study of medicine in the office of the noted Dr. Biddle, of Monongahela City, Pennsylvania, and in the meantime entered the Ohio Medical College, at Cincinnati, where he graduated as a doctor of medicine in 1845. A location for practice was the next question to determine, and finally Fairview, Hancock County, Virginia, was selected, where he remained actively engaged till 1849. He next removed to Hamilton County, Ohio, remaining in Sharonsville and vicinity till 1853. From that place he moved into Butler County, where, with the exception of four years spent in Princeton, Illinois, and an equal time in Franklin County, Indiana, he has since remained. In 1864, while in Indiana, he went out as assistant surgeon of the One Hundredth United States Infantry, serving in that capacity until the close of the war. He was with the army of the Tennessee, under General Thomas.
Returning to Butler County, he resumed practice, which was continued till 1879, when a new departure in his professional career took place. While in the army he contracted spasmodic asthma, which developed in a few years into an exceedingly severe case. For eleven years there was not a day or night that he did not experience asthmatic paroxysms, and was finally reduced to a mere skeleton. He had, during all these years, been studying the disease carefully, and had made many experiments to ascertain its true nature, the method to alleviate it, and a rational philosophy of cure. But finally, on the 8th of January, 1876, he began treating his case with a remedy which he compounded upon scientific principles, based upon his own observations, study, and experiments. It relieve him immediately, and since the first forty-eight hours succeeding its first application he has not, in a single instance, experienced a recurrence of his malady.
He then began treating other asthmatics, and found that in a very large majority of cases a perfect cure was effected. To test the medicinal powers of his discovery thoroughly, he treated many cases gratuitously all over the country, and the result was that in a short time his medicine met with a general demand, so that in the Spring of 1879, he began the manufacturing of "Dr. Hair's Asthma Cure" in Hamilton, which was carried on with great success till August, 1881, when the enterprise was removed to Cincinnati under the firm name of Hair & Son. Until recently Dr. Hair has supplied his patrons directly, but the demand became so universal that he decided to furnish all druggists instead, by which means a more general distribution of the cure could be effected. It is now known and used all over America, and has been the means of curing thousands of suffering humanity, its discoverer included. Though established but three years, the enterprise is reputed worth upwards of $300,000, of which Dr. Hair & Son are sole proprietors.
Dr. Hair was married September 24, 1844, to Miss Margaretta L. Hamilton, of Florence, Washington County, Pennsylvania, daughter of John and Margaretta Hamilton of that place, farmers by occupation. Mrs. Hair died March 4, 1882, leaving three daughters and one son. The oldest is the wife of Virgil Gilchrist, of Cincinnati, her second husband, and was born August 8, 1844. West Anna, wife of the Rev. T. J. McClelland, of Piqua, Ohio, was born January 25, 1847. James W. was born the 10th of May, 1851, and Margaretta R., wife of Robert Cochran, of Millville, Butler County, was born March 4, 1856.
Dr. Hair is a man of great earnestness and enthusiasm in whatever interests him. In temperance work he has been very active and influential. He has devoted much time and spent much money in organizing and sustaining temperance organizations. His work in this direction has been followed by great good, and reflects great credit on him. In Church work he is no less prominent, being one of the largest supporters of the Presbyterian Church in Hamilton. His benevolence in these particulars are but symbols of his relation towards all worthy enterprises. As an illustration of his zeal and liberality, his action in the recent efforts to enforce the Sunday laws will show. He, upon the first resistance being offered to the law, came forward and sustained Mayor Puthoff, and offered to give five hundred dollars, or even one thousand dollars if needed, to enforce the law.
In politics he is an enthusiastic Republican, and never fails to vindicate the principles he espouses. Socially he is genial and hospitable, and with friends self-sacrificing.
From A History and Biographical Cyclopædia of Butler County Ohio, With Illustrations and Sketches of its Representative Men and Pioneers, Western Biographical Publishing Company, Cincinnati Ohio, 1882.