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Galen E Bishop Family

    Among the distinguished physicians of Buchanan county, Dr. Bishop
stands prominent.  He has been engaged in the active pursuit of his
profession for nineteen years in Platte county, and for fifteen years in St.
Joseph.  His birth occurred in Somerset, Pulaski county, Kentucky.  His
ancestors were of English descent, and, in colonial times, were residents of
New Hampshire.  Members of the Bishop family fought in the Revolutionary
War, and in 1783 settled in Virginia.  Galen's father, who was born in
Virginia, removed from Kentucky to Missouri in 1843, settling in Platte
county, where he died in 1851.  While compartively young, Dr. Bishop had
resolved on medicine as his profession.  As soon as an opportunity offered,
he began his medical studies, pursued them with dilligence and first
established himself in practice at New Market, Platte county, Missouri, in
the spring of 1846.  He followed his chosen calling in that county for
nineteen years, when on account of threatened lung disease, induced
by exposure incident to a rough country practice, and also with a view of
securing a more central location, he determined to move to St. Joseph.
Accordingly, he located in this city in the spring of 1865, and established
himself in an office and general practice, making his specialties surgey and
chronic diseases.  To accommodate his increasing practice, he built his
infirmary on Third Street, which is beautiful in architectural design.  He
has one of the finest libraries in the western country, and on his long rows
of shelving, ancient and modern authors stand side by side, and there can be
found the best works of the leading writers of all schools.  Dr. Bishop was
originally an allopathic physician, but has thoroughly acquainted himself
with the principles of the different leading schools and systems.  Naturally
liberal in his tendencies, his practice is not hampered by the restrictive
dogmas of any practicular system.  But he believes that some good and some
foundation of truth exists in all systems, of which every physician should
avail himself in his practice.