M.P. Messinger, M.D.
Oneida, May 17. - M. P. Messinger, the subject of our sketch, is a young physician who has located at Clockville, a short distance west of this village. He just finished a course of training in the Erie County Hospital, at Buffalo, after having graduated at the University of Buffalo, May 1, 1894, with high honors, having worked his way through college and before that through the Albany Normal School. Dr. Messinger is an old friend of our
Madison county readers, having been reared in Peterboro and having taught school at West Eaton and various other places in the county. Dr. Messinger is meeting with success at Clockville and his many friends will be pleased to know that he has again become a resident of this county. (Undated newspaper article)
August 26, 1918;  Milton P. & wife Julia Messinger of Oakfield, N.Y., Lou Messinger of Ballston Spa, & Nancy C. Messinger of 22 W. 114th St. Chicago, Illinois, sold to Harry Rogers & Florence F. Rogers, tenants, of Clockville, N.Y., for $1.00 Lot # 18 east of two mile strip in Oneida Purchase of 1802 in the town of Lincoln - in line with west line of what was formerly the Methodist Meeting House, south on west line of meeting house - bordering to Stephen Chapman - county road - and former Walrath property southwest corner of Methodist church - the same premises owned by James G. Messinger in his lifetime and at the time of his death and was then passed to Milton.  (Madison Co. Deeds book 223 page 142)
Occupation: doctor - graduate of Buffalo Medical College, practiced initially in Clockville.211, 213

"Oakfield, NY, September 18, 1936
Dear Sister, - We were at Edith's last Sunday and learned that you had Been there last week. We wished you had waited for us and had gone with us on our graveyard trip. On Sunday we went to Cazenovia and then through Nelson Flats and a little beyond there we turned left and visited the graves of your and my great-grandparents, Samuel Gage and his wife born Lucinda Edgerton. Then we went through Pleasant Valley past the farm where Our great grandparents Deacon James Messinger and his wife, born Charlotte Woodbury, located when they came into Madison County from Massachusetts, having stopped three years at Richfield Springs. Then we went by where they built a mill and dam where Whipples lived when we lived there. The house is still there but the Mill and dam are all gone. Then by the school house where you and Fred went to school one summer to Allit Hughes. That is apparently in use yet. Then we went on and found Cameron's woods all cut down apparently for several year as the stumps were gone too. The house where we used to live is inhabited and the barns are there but the Record barn is gone. Peterboro looks as it always did except the Smith house has burned not long ago. At the cemetery we found the graves of all our grandparents well cared for. Also those of Aunt Calista and Hattie and Alverado. On his tombstone the name is spelled Alberado but on the marker at his feet it is spelled correctly. The whole cemetery is well kept and is an honor to a place the size of Peterboro. We then went  to Canastota cemetery as I wanted Sallie and Edwin to know where these ancestors are buried whether they care about it in the future or not. We then went up to Perryville past where I was born then to Chittenango Falls then to Solon. The place where Grandfather Gage and Lucinda Edgerton are buried is better tended then it was a few years ago but when the road was improved a few years ago the roadway going up into the cemetery was torn out entirely and anyone can get into it only by going around through a field and crawling through a barb wire fence. I wish someone could call the attention of the Madison County historical society to this condition as Samuel Gage was a veteran of the war of 1812 and his grave should be approachable. If you know where they are I wish you would do it. Please write when you can find time. Loving brother." (From Milton P. Messinger to his sister Lou E. Messinger)

Retired Physician Injued In A Fall At Oakfield Home
Oakfield, Oct. 16.--Dr. Milton P. Messinger, eighty, retired Oakfield physician, suffered bruises and a head laceration in a fall from the front steps of his North Main street home last evening. He was removed to the Genesee Memorial Hospital in Batavia.
Dr. Messinger's injuries are not considered serious. The retired physician was found about 7 o'clock lying on the sidewalk at the foot of the steps by Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Wolcott of the Oakfield-Elba road as they were on their way to call at the home of Charles Burton. next door to the Messingers.
It is believed Dr. Messinger had been on the walk between 15 minutes and half an hour before being found. He was in a dazed condition and unable to explain the accident.
 

Obituary ('Sept. 25' handwritten in)
Dr. Milton P. Messinger
Ballston Spa---Miss Lour Messinger, 60 Milton Ave., a long-time resident of Ballston Spa, has received word of the death of her brother Dr.Milton P. Messinger, Oakfield, who died Thursday morning at the age of 84 at the Genesee Memorial Hospital, Batavia. Funeral service was conducted this afternoon and burial was in the Oakfield Cemetery.
Dr. Messinger had practiced medicine for more than 50 years in the Oakfield area, following several years as a physician in Madison County. He was a member of the honorary staff of physicians in the Batavia Hospital and had received other honors for his long, distinguished service. Other survivors are his wife, two sons and two daughters.

Dr. M. P. Messinger
Dead At Age Of 85
Oakfield Physician for Nearly Half a Century in Poor Health Eight Years Dr. Milton P. Messinger, 85, of North Main St., Oakfield, Genesee County's oldest physician, died at Genesee Memorial Hospital at 7:25 this morning (Sept. 25, 1952). He had been in poor health for the past eight years and a patient at the hospital only a few days.
Dr. Messinger was born Nov. 28, 1866 in Perryville, Madison County, a son of James Gage and Elizabeth Thitts Messinger. He attended the University of Buffalo Medical School from which he was graduated in 1894. Dr. Messinger set up his office in Oakfield and practiced there until retiring in 1942 after suffering a stroke. Four years ago, Dr. Messinger was one of 432 doctors in New York State honored by the State Medical Society for long service in the medical profession. He was a charter member of the
society's 50 Year Club.

Career Spans Half Century
Death has claimed Dr. Milton P. Messinger of Oakfield, Genesee County's oldest physician. He was 85 and had conducted the general practice of medicine approximately half a century in Oakfield.
His career spanned the 'golden age' of medicine. His was a life that accrues to the comparatively few who choose medicine as a profession - the opportunity, through skill and knowledge, to relieve pain and suffering and restore health. Hundreds of grateful patients have thus benefitted under the care of Dr. Messinger.
Illness caused his retirement in 1942. It is noteworthy that in 1948 he was one of 432 doctors cited by the State Medical Society as a charter member of its 50 Year Club.

The Late Dr. M.P. Messinger
Funeral services for Dr. Milton P. Messinger of North Main St., Oakfield, Genesee County's oldest physician, will be at 3 pm Saturday at the Burdett & Sanford Funeral Home, Oakfield, with the Rev. Albert McClements, pastor of the Elba Presbyterian Church, officiating. Burial will be in Cary Cemetery, Oakfield.
Dr. Messinger is survived by his wife, Mrs. Julia Messinger; two sons, Harold Messinger of San Francisco, Calif., and Captain Carleton Messinger serving with the Air Force in Alaska; two daughters, Mrs. E.B. Bickford of Cortland, and Mrs. Ruth Trainor of Worcester, Mass.; a sister Miss Lou Messinger of Ballston Spa; eight grandchildren, two great-granchildren and two nephews.

Mr. Milton P. Messinger Dean of Genesee County Doctors Died Today
Practiced in Oakfield Many Years; World 1 Veteran
Dr. Milton P. Messinger, 85, dean of Genesee County Medical Doctors and Oakfield Physician and Surgeon for many years died early this morning (Thursday, September 25, 1952) at the Genesee Memorial Hospital at Batavia after several years of illness.
Doctor Messinger is survived by his wife Julia and two sons, Harold of San Francisco, California and Captain Carleton Messinger now serving in Alaska with the U.S. Air Force and two daughers Mrs. E.B. Bickford of Cortland and Mrs. Ruth Trainor of Worchester, Mass., and a sister Mrs. Lou Messinger of Ballston Spa, N.Y. and eight grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Doctor Messinger was born November 28, 1868 (handwritten in '1867') in Perryville, Madison Co., New York, the son of James Gage and Elizabeth Pitts (handwritten in 'Phipps') Messinger. Dr. Messinger was the dean of the Genesee County Medical Association and was honored a few years ago on his 50th anniversary as a Doctor. He practiced Medicine in Byron, Swornville, Clockville and Oakfield, N.Y. Having retired about eight years ago and resided at 100 Main street, Oakfield, New York.
Doctor Messinger was a Veteran of World War I and served in France. He was a member of the Genesee County Medical Association; New York and National Medical Associations. He also was a member of Oakfield Lodge No. 603 I.O.O.F. and a Past Grand of the Lodge. Funeral arrangements are being completed by Burdett & Sanford of Oakfield.

Obituary (handwritten "1952")
Funeral of Dr. Milton P. Messinger
Funeral services for Dr. Milton P. Messinger of 100 Main street, Oakfield, Genesee County's oldest physician was held from the Burdett & Sanford Funeral Home on Saturday, Sept. 27th at 3 pm with the Rev. Albert McClements, pastor of the Elba Presbyterian Church officiating assisted by the Rev. Elmer A. Belknap, pastor of the First Methodist Church of Oakfield. Burial was in Cary Cemetery, Oakfield.
The bearers were Dr. Raymond L. Warn, Dr. Boseph S. Diaslo of Oakfield; Dr. Alfred George, Dr. George Young, Dr. Peter J. DeNatale and Dr. Uard Manchester of Batavia; Honorary bearers were Dr. Dexter Pierce, Dr. Paul J. Maloney, and Dr. Ralph Smallman of Batavia, Dr. Robert A. Wohlfeil of Elba, Dr. Henry G. Knowl of LeRoy.
Floral tributes were received from Oakfield Lodge No. 603, IOOF and Cary Rebekah Lodge of Oakfield; Oakfield Businessmen's Association; Signal Office Headquarters of the 6th Army of San Francisco, Calif.; Now and Then Club of Oakfield Grange; The Friday Bridge Club of Cortland, Friendly House, Worchester, Mass; Friends and relatives. Memorials were made to Genesee Memorial Hospital at Batavia.
People attended from San Francisco California and Worchester, Mass., Cortland, Buffalo, Lockport, Tonawanda, Kenmore, Byron, Bergen, Batavia, LeRoy and Oakfield.

  Resolution
Messinger--Resolved---Whereas on September 25, 1952, Dr. Milton P. Messinger of Oakfield, N.Y. died of natural causes at the Genesee Memorial Hospital in Batavia, N.Y. and
Whereas his fellow practioners of the Genesee County Medical Society recall with great appreciation his example of professional industry and integrity on his patents' behalf, his faithful attendance, thoughtful discussion and apt comments at medical meetings and while at work at the Genesee Memorial and St. Jerome Hospitals, his extremely ethical attitudes and practices in all his professional associations, and his invariably honest and bluntly forceful manner of speech in social and professional intercourse and
Whereas the memory of these associates will stimulate and inspire the members of the Genesee County Medical Society
Be it Resolved that this resolution be spread in our Society records and a copy sent to his family as well as be published in the Daily News and the Oakfield Independent.

JULIA WURTENBERGER "When Mom was 14 her father married a widow with 3 children - Maude, Laura, Albert. Their kids were Richard, wife Mabel - son Lawrence. Malinda - married Jake Kramer - 2 children. Norman wife Floy 3 children Inez, Norma, Robert. I think they always lived in Getzville - a German community - near Buffalo - where they used to take butter & eggs & vegetables to the market. They were Lutherans.
The family all worked hard. In the fall they would have a small hog-killing, 4 pigs. Later in Feb would be 7 pigs. Then there was the head cheese, liver sausage, bacon & hams to cure & smoke.
I think the three older brothers were very good to Julia when she was keeping house for all that family.
I will enclose a picture - I hate to part with it but I am getting rid of a lot of things - your boys will like it-- Love Edith"
In a circle in small lettering it says; Julia at age 14 went to work in the Erie Co. Hospital. Then took the nurses training course, graduated as an RN October 27, 1896.  (Letter from Edith Messinger to her brother Harold, dated from Cortland, NY March 1981)