Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 4. 
Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 19.
 
DR. MERRITT E. REITZEL

     of Dayton, who has come to be recognized as one of the capable and
successful practitioners of Yamhill county, was born in Chicago, Illinois,
January 10, 1870. His parents, Jacob and Elizabeth (Klugh) Reitzel, were natives
of Mountville, Pennsylvania, where they were reared and married, subsequently
removing to Chicago about 1879. After two years' residence in that city they
returned to Mountville, where they still make their home, and during his
connection with active business affairs the father was a building contractor. At
length his labor brought to him a substantial competence which supplies him with
all of the necessities and many of the comforts of life now that he has retired
from business.
     Dr. Reitzel spent his youthful days in Mountville and after mastering the
elementary branches of learning in the public schools attended the academy at
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and also the State Normal School at Millersville,
Pennsylvania, where he spent one term. In 1889 he left home and after traveling
for a considerable period in the northwestern states passed ten years largely in
southern Oregon. In 1899 he took up the study of medicine, reading under the
direction of Dr. Houck, of Roseburg, this state. This brought him his initial
acquaintance with the science that has since engaged his attention. The
following fall he entered the medical department of the State University of
Oregon but was not graduated until the spring of 1905. He then located in La
Fayette, Yamhill county, where he engaged in active practice for four years, and
in 1909 he came to Dayton, where he has since made his home. Here his ability
has won him recognition as an able member of the medical profession. He is a
member of the Polk-Yamhill Medical Society, the Oregon State Medical Society and
the American Medical Association and of the first named is the vice president.
Anything which tends to bring to man the key to the complex mystery which we
call life is of interest to him and his reading and investigation have brought
him comprehensive knowledge of the science of medicine and the laws of health so
that in his practice his work has been very efficacious in checking kin the
ravages of disease.
     In 1898 Dr. Reitzel was married to Miss Jessie Bell, of Hampshire,
Illinois, who was at that time on a visit in Oregon. Unto them has been born a
daughter, Clare Elizabeth. Dr. Reitzel holds membership in La Fayette Lodge, No.
29. I. 0. 0. F.; La Fayette Lodge, A. 0. U. W.; Dayton Camp of the Woodmen of
the World; and La Fayette Lodge of United Artisans. In these organizations he is
widely and favorably known and in professional circles has gained an extended
acquaintance, his close conformity to a high standard of professional ethics
having gained for him the warm regard of those who are also practitioners of
medicine and surgery. His practice has constantly developed in extent and
importance and he is now well established in his chosen life work.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in April 2007 by Diana Smith. Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.