August Vital Francois Joseph DeBacker

August Vital Francois Joseph DeBacker was born on August 12, 1863 in Renaix (Ronse), Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium.¹ He was the son of Vital Eugene Louis DeBacker and Hortence DeDonder. He married Della Gaume, daughter of Francis Gaume and Della Pickering, on January 6, 1887 in St Marys, Pottawatomie County, Kansas; Sponsors: Camillus Pessemier & Maria DeDonder. He died on June 23, 1921 in St Marys at age 57.

He was a physician in St Marys. This was back in the “horse-and-buggy” days when tuberculosis was known as consumption, diphtheria was called “Putrid Sore Throat”, and the Grippe was what folks called the flu. In those days, doctors charged $10 to deliver a baby and $1 for a house call. Patients could get a prescription for Laudanum (tincture of opium) or morphine as easily as they could for Hostetter’s Celebrated Stomach Bitters or Colden’s Liquid Beef Tonic². He was a Biology Professor in St. Marys College, St Marys, Pottawatomie County, Kansas. He emigrated in 1883 from Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium. He was found on a passenger list with Vital Eugene Louis DeBacker on October 29, 1883 in New York City, New York; The family arrived aboard the SS Nederland from Antwerp, Belgium on October 29, 1883 in at New York City, New York. Their place of origin is shown as France – a mistake made by the Dutch captain probably because the parents and the children all spoke French. From New York, the DeBacker’s next destination was the remote corner of northeast Kansas some 1400 miles away. There is little doubt that in 1883 that they would have traveled by any other means than by way of the railroads.³ He appeared in a group photo with others about 1914 in St Marys, Kansas. See exhibit. He registered for the military draft in September, 1918 at age 55 in Westmorland, Kansas.⁴ He appeared in a group photo with others about 1919 in St Marys. See exhibit. August Vital Francois Joseph DeBacker lived at St Marys, Pottawatomie County, Kansas.
For more information see article The DeBacker Family.