Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

3244 GBOEGIA AND GEORGIANSphysicians and surgeons of Southwestern Georgia, special interest in his careeras an exponent of his exacting profession is further signified by the fact thathe is a member of a sterling pioneer family of Georgia and has followed inthe course of both his father and paternal grandfather in adopting a vocationin life. lie is thus a scion of the third generation of the family to have represented the medical profession in this section of the state, and he is dignifyingand honoring the profession of his choice, even as did his father and grandfather before him. He controls a large and important general practice, withresidence and professional headquarters in the thriving little City of Albany,judicial center of Dougherty County, and it is not only consistent but alsospecially gratifying to enter in this history a brief review of his family recordand personal career.Dr. Jeremiah Hilsman, grandfather of him whose name initiates thisarticle, was one of the pioneer physicians and honored and influential citizensof Southwestern Georgia, where he labored with much of ability and unselfishdevotion in the alleviation of human suffering and where he was guide, counselor and friend in the community. He aided much in the furtherance ofcivic and material progress in this section of the.state, and here engaged inactive practice long before the present Town of Albany was laid out or foundrepresentation on the map of the state and when the largest definite villagesettlement in the locality was the Town of Palmyra, in what is now LeeCounty, said county having at that time been still a part of Dooly County.He maintained his home at Palmyra many years and finally became one of theearly settlers at Albany, where he continued in the practice of his professionand where he passed the residue of his long and useful life. He was graduated in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, and whenhis son Palsemon H. manifested a desire to enter the medical profession he gaveto him the most earnest encouragement and instruction, besides providingfor him the best advantages for completing a technical education.Dr. Palasmon H. Hilsman, father of the subject of this review, gained hisearly discipline in the study of medicine under the effective preceptorship ofhis honored father, and finally he entered the latter's alma mater, the metlicalschool of the University of Pennsylvania, in which he was duly graduated withthe degree of Doctor of Medicine. He then returned to Albany, where heengaged in the practice of his profession and where he soon gained leadershipas one of the admirably equipped and successful physicians and surgeons ofthis part of his native state. When the Civil war was precipitated on thenation Doctor Hilsman promptly signalized his loyalty to the cause of theConfederacy by enlisting, at the age of eighteen, in a volunteer company thatwas formed in his part of the state. He went to the City of Atlanta, butthere he was rejected for military service owing to his slight physique, hisweight at the time having been only eighty-five pounds, though his spirit ofloyalty and zeal was in inverse ratio to his physical stature. At this time hewas in charge of a drug store, but was next a doctor of medicine. He resumedhis work at Albany and did all in his power as a civilian to uphold the causeof the fair Southland in its period of struggle and devastation. Revered byall who knew him, Doctor Hilsman gave of the best of his ability and sympathyto the alleviation of suffering and distress until he was called from the stageof life's mortal endeavors, in 1909, at which time he was sixty-two years ofage. His widow celebrated her sixty-fourth birthday anniversary in 1916 andstill maintains her home at Albany. Her maiden name was Ella G. Rust,and she was reared and educated in Albany, Georgia, where her marriage wassolemnized. Her father, Capt. Yowel Rust was captain of an Albany guard(frontier). Camp Rust, which was named in his honor, is the name of thelocal camp of Sons of Civil War Veterans, and it constitutes an enduringmemorial to him as a soldier and as a man of noble character. Dr. PalsemonL. and Ella G. (Rust) Hilsman became the parents of four children, all of