Nan Travis Memorial Hospital

The facility that now is Nan Travis Memorial Hospital had its inception in 1919 with the opening of a nine-bed Cherokee Sanitarium, Inc., in the former residence of Dr. E. E. Guinn located at 501 Ragsdale Street, site of the present hospital. It was rented from the widow of Dr. Guinn for $66.66-2/3 per month with a 5-year lease.

The fledgling hospital came about as the result of an initial meeting in March, 1919, when Gus Blankinship, banker, met with a group of interested doctors and citizens. Outgrowth of this meeting was Cherokee Sanitarium, Inc., with capital stock of $10,000. Stock sold for $100 a share, and about $7,500 was bought and paid in. The minutes of that first meeting report that Gus Blankinship was elected president, Dr. A. L. Hathcock, first vice-president, and George Williamson, Sr., second vice-president. Dr. J. M. Travis became secretary-treasurer. Drs. F. L. Fuller, J. N. Bone and J. M. Travis with M. C. Parrish were a committee to secure a charter. The Construction and equipment committee included Tom Dean and Drs. Fuller, Bone and Travis.

Dr. Hathcock lived in Palestine but agreed to come here by train three times a week to perform surgery. A nursing school in Philadelphia was contacted for a superintendent and the school recommended Miss Lina Baum-berger. Miss Baumberger was well-qualified, having recently been released from serving during World War I as assistant chief superintendent of armed services' nurses. She agreed to try the challenging job for three months, arriving by train in May, 1919. Miss Baumberger organized the details of running the hospital including operating room, patient care, ordering food and all business procedure. Her nursing staff consisted of one nurse. After three months, she decided to leave. However, in 1921, when Dr. R. T. Travis was chief surgeon, she agreed to return and again take up the duties of superintendent.

The hospital grew rapidly, and in 1925, just six years from the opening, the sanitarium constructed a new 20-bed hospital building. The old building, purchased in 1922, was moved to the rear of the hospital and became a home for nurses. Very shortly, the new building became inadequate. The reputation of the high standards of the hospital and its qualified doctors and surgeons brought patients to Jacksonville from many distant towns and cities. Dr. R. T. Travis had come to Jacksonville in 1920 and his surgical skill became known throughout the state. In 1930, Dr. Lewie L. Travis, son of Dr. J. M. Travis, joined his uncle as a member of the surgical staff and Dr. Lewie continues on the staff at this time.

In 1930, the original stock of the Cherokee Sanitarium, Inc., was called in and donated so that the financial structure and the name of the hospital could be changed. It became a legal not-for-profit hospital and was re-named Nan Travis Memorial Hospital in honor of the mother of Dr. J. M. and Dr. R. T. An extensive building program was completed in 1937 with a new wing to house surgery, laboratory, x-ray and other ancillary facilities, the number of patient beds was about 90. Miss Baumberger continued as superintendent after her marriage to George T. McMahon in 1927. She retired from the hospital in 1945, but has made Jacksonville her home.

In 1953, another major addition was constructed, increasing the hospital size to 130 beds and ten bassinets. However, by the middle 1960s, additional and more modern facilities were needed, some of the old sections were no longer usable. On July 9, 1968, a ground-breaking ceremony started the new four-story addition to include the most modern facilities possible. Completed in the summer of 1970, this latest addition provides 96 new patient rooms, 34 remain in the older section, and ten bassinets. The overall size of the hospital is more than 100,000 square feet. The new structure is designed to carry two additional patient floors for future expansion. Included are four intensive care beds, a completely modern surgical wing, up-to-date x-ray and laboratory departments, and many life-saving pieces of equipment. The emergency room is staffed at all times, the physical therapy department has been expanded, the pharmacy has a full-time pharmacist, and pneumatic tubes allow delivery of medication to all floors instantly. Each room is equipped with electronic communication to nurses' stations, and many more modern conveniences.

Nan Travis Memorial Hospital is a full-service, not-for-profit facility serving all mankind regardless of race, creed or color, and it now serves not only Jacksonville and Cherokee County but many adjacent areas. Usually more than half of the patients being treated at the hospital are from towns and cities outside of Cherokee County. Since the hospital was founded, the cost of unpaid services has mounted to approximately $1,400,000 and is currently about $10,000 per month. This does not include doctors' fees as no doctor receives payment or profit from the hospital.

Nan Travis Memorial Hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals. It is a member of the American Hospital Association, Texas Hospital Association and the East Texas Hospital Division. It is licensed by the Texas State Department of Public Health, and is certified by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare for participation in Medicare.

Administration of the hospital is carried on through a board of directors and an administrator. The present administrator, William J. Fowler, has been in that post for the past five years. The present board includes Summers A. Norman, president; Colonel D. Acker, vice-president; Frank P. Brinkman, Jr., secretary-treasurer; Jeff Austin, Jr., George L. Barber, Jr., R. G. Beall, J. T. Boyd, M.D., Harbert Davenport, Jr., M.D., E. Moore Decker, Jr., Crawford Godfrey, Ralph D. Kesler, L. W. Ralston, M.D., Richard K. Willms, M.D., and W. J. Fowler, assistant secretary-treasurer.

The doctors now on the staff include Active Staff Members: John A. Armstrong, M.D.; James T. Boyd, M.D.; Joe D. Crawford, M.D.; Harbert Davenport, Jr., M.D.; Maston Lewis Gray, M.D.; Edward Lamar Mahon, M.D.; James S. O'Hare, M.D.; James H. Pesnell, M.D.; L. Wayne Ralston, M.D.; Hugh F. Rives, M.D.; J. Collier Rucker, M.D.; John Travis Scogin, M.D.; Joe R. Tollett, M.E .; Lewie L. Travis, M.D.; Floyd H. Verheyden, M.D.; Richard K. Willms, M.D.

Courtesy Staff includes: Mary Alice Bone (Adamson), M.D.; Norman E. Halbrooks, M.D.; James W. Crawley, M.D.; Wm. Philip Osborne, M.D.; R. Lloyd Waldron, M.D.; W. Thomas Witt, M.D.

Dental Staff includes: James T. Adams, D.D.S.; J* Jack Cleveland, D.D.S.; Charles H. Creed, D.D.S.; Charles Derrick, D.D.S.; Wm. H. Steffens, D.D.S.

Officers of the Medical Staff are J. Collier Rucker, M.D., president; L. Wayne Ralston, M.D., vice-president; John A. Armstrong, M.D., secretary; Hugh F. Rives, M.D., chief of staff.

The employees of the hospital now include more than 300 men and women with one of the largest payrolls in Jacksonville.

The Jacksonville School of Vocational Nursing is located at Nan Travis Memorial Hospital and operates in conjunction with the hospital. The need for better training for the nurses' aides and the shortage of nurses about 1940, caused Mrs. Lina (Baumberger) McMahon, superintendent, to have an assembly hall built for teaching purposes. Physicians along with professional nurses helped to conduct various classes to train nurses to meet the hospital needs. When the Texas Vocational Nurse Act was passed in 1951, the hospital and local school officials felt that the hospital should be utilized for the best service to all in the East Texas area. The first class of vocational nursing began in October, 1952. The Jacksonville School of Vocational Nursing has been a part of the Jacksonville Independent School District and has affiliated with Nan Travis Memorial Hospital from 1952 to the present time. The school received accreditation with the State Board of Vocational Nurse Examiners with the first class and has maintained its accreditation since that time. A total of 247 students have graduated and passed their state examination to become LVNs (licensed vocational nurses). There are currently 23 students enrolled. Mrs. Rebecca Fielding, R. N., is the present director of the school.

The 1925 building with original hospital moved to rear for nurses.

The 1937 addition and remodeling of hospital brought patient beds to 90.

The 1953 addition increased hospital size to 130 beds.

Nan Travis Memorial Hospital building completed in 1970 is modern addition making overall size 100,000 square feet.