William F. Crickard, M.D.
William F. Crickard, M.D., physician and surgeon at Delaware, has been a resident of this city for the past 30 years, but was born in Muskingum County, Ohio. He is a son of James and Eliza Ann (Southard) Crickard.
The parents of Dr. Crickard settled on a farm in Delaware County, during the latter's boyhood. In 1861 the father entered the Federal army as wagon-master of the Eighty-second Regiment, O. V. I., and served in the conflict lor four years. He was promoted to the rank of second and later to that of first lieutenant, subsequently was commissioned a captain and still later brevet major. For two years he faced all the chances of battle. When the Twentieth Army Corps was organized it was sent to Tennessee, and the regiment with which Major Crickard was connected participated in all the battles from Chickamauga to Atlanta, was at Jonesboro and with Sherman in his march to the sea. At Savannah he was placed in charge of 1,000 men, commissioned to take them to New York. After this service was performed, he rejoined his regiment. Major Crickard had a record of being in 36 general engagements, and he did not escape injury. He received a serious wound in the elbow of his right arm—the bullet which caused it never being extracted, and another wound in the temple, where he was struck by an exploding shell. His subsequent life was spent on his farm. Six of his seven children still survive, as follows: James, residing at Vernon, Jennings County, Indiana; John and Dr. William F., both residing at Delaware; Malissa; Lydia, who is principal of the North Delaware Union School; and Cora Belle, who married Charles Copeland, and with her husband is a teacher in the Sandwich Islands.
Dr. Crickard obtained his literary education in the schools of Delaware, and took his first course of medical lectures at Cleveland and his second at Cincinnati. Subsequently he took special courses in Philadelphia and New York, being under the direct instruction of Dr. Hearn, the first assistant of Dr. Gross, the eminent specialist, at Philadelphia. In New York he went before the army Examining Board and after satisfactorily standing all tests, he returned to Delaware and has been engaged in the practice of his profession in this city ever since. He has always been a close student and in 1874-75 he took a special course with the celebrated Dr. Smith, of Cleveland, in diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat. Dr. Crickard is a member of the Delaware County Medical Society and of the Ohio State Medical Society, and keeps well posted on all the advances made in his science.
In 1881 Dr. Crickard was married to Margaret Edwards, then of Delaware County but a native of Racine, Wisconsin. They have a pleasant home in Delaware and Dr. Crickard has well-appointed offices at No. 59 North Union Street. He is a member of the William Street Methodist Episcopal Church. Fraternally, he is connected with the Kinghts of Pythias and the Eagles.
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens by James R. Lytle