Midwife & Doctors

Dr. R. S. Davis served La Center from 1870 – 1902

Dr. R. S. Davis timeline –

La Center news January 1, 1876; Mr. Chas. Banzer killed a large black bear near here a few days since; his head, the bear’s, not Charles, will soon grace the office of Dr. Davis.”

In the spring of 1879, the new schoolhouse was completed and Miss. Lida Brown was teaching 40 children. Dr. R. S. Davis was expanding his drug store

By the end of 1879, The town is yet small. The La Center house is kept by John Timmen; George Barr operates the steam flouring mill; John C. Miller runs the dry goods store, and Dr. R. S. Davis is the proprietor of the drug store.”

In 1880, Lettie Lyons was teaching at the school, which was now open for 9 months of the year. The Miller & Gaither store, Dr. Davis’ drug store, Ralph Lyons Blacksmith shop, George Barr’s Grist mill, the Bzazee House, the Timmen House, and Culbertson’s saloon, were all still in business.

In June of 1883, Dr. R. S. Davis still keeps the drug store in first-class order, with a stock sufficient for the wants of all in this community.

Dr. R. S. Davis, who was originally from Maine, was the doctor and druggist for La Center since its founding in the 1870’s and was an admired person in the community. The residents there and some from farther away sought him out for advice as he was an intelligent man. It was said that he was so far ahead of his neighbors in intelligence that they thought of him as a wizard. He was a botanist and taxidermist who loved science and antiquities.

On November 29, 1900, It seems that over the years Dr. Davis began to suffer a mental breakdown. Dr. Davis, who was now 83 years old, was arrested and brought to Vancouver for examination of his sanity. This all began around mid November of 1900, when the Doctor became enraged at some workers who were building a boardwalk in front of his drug store. He ordered them to make some changes upon which they refused, and he then became angry and threatened to shoot the workers.

As result of the examination before the superior court, the charge of insanity was dismissed, but the judge ordered the Doctor to pay $500 and not get into any more trouble. He was allowed to leave on his own recognizance.

On September 29, 1902, Fire swept through La Center and destroyed 5 buildings as a result of Dr. R. S. Davis setting the fire that took his own life. It all began when a competitor, Sarah White opened up another drug store in La Center. This made the now 85 year old Doctor quite upset, so he went over and set fire to White’s drug store. He then went back to his own store and torched it as well allowing himself to be burned to death. The fire at White’s store ignited the residence of J. W. Bennett, where it then spread to a shoe shop and a photo gallery.

INSANE MAN’S AWFUL DEED

Crazed by jealousy of his rival and tired of living, Dr. R. S. Davis of La Canter, Monday night set fire to his own drug store and that of his rival, Mrs. Sarah White, and then took poison, having surrounded himself with various weapons.

The people were aroused by an alarm of fire and found both drug stores in flames. The fire from Mrs. Whites building ignited the resident of J. W. Bennet, dock agent of the Lewis River Transportation Company, destroyed it and spread to a shoe store and a small photograph gallery, which stood between the two drug stores. All were completely destroyed.

The body of Mr. Davis was found in his own building, surrounded by a dirk knife, a Colt revolver and hammer-less Winchester shotgun. Davis was an erratic sort of character and had been up for examination as to his sanity. He had lived at La Center for nearly 25 years. He was very bitter toward the rival drug store, and everything points to the fact that he fired the property of his hated competitor, then that of his own, after which he took poison to end his life after and had placed the weapons close in reach for use in case of an emergency, should he be discovered, or the poison fail to bring death. Davis carried a stock of goods estimated to be valued in the neighborhood of $2000 which together with all the property destroyed by the flames he kindled, would foot up a total loss of about $5000.

Davis hated Mrs. White who kept the opposition drug store about 50 yards from his own. He imagined that she was unfair in trade and that her efforts were directed towards injury of his business. Those who are acquainted with the circumstances covering their trade relations say there were no reason for this enmity. Notwithstanding, Davis bore towards Mrs. White a constant feeling of animosity, and the destruction of her property by fire and the following suicide are the result of the old man’s insane imagination of wrongs done him, but which others failed to see.

From the St Helens Mist Newspaper on Fri, Oct 3, 1902

Dr. C. R. Zenner served La Center from 1905 – 1908

The Zenner (Zener) Home and Hospital was built circa 1902 to 1905 near current day East Fourth Street and Cedar Avenue

Dr. Charles Ralph Zenner (Zener) moved to La Center in 1905, at which time he established a medical practice here. He received Dr. Carl Hoffman as an associate in 1907.

Dr. Zenner and his wife had a six-bed clinic and a drug store in their large home, which was located on East 5th Street (currently known as East 4th Street). Dr. Zenner went on to White Salmon and then to Vancouver.