An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., 
The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, page 488

	JAMES B. EAGLESON, one of the foremost medical practitioners of Seattle, was
born in Chillicothe, Ohio, August 30, 1862. His father, William Eagleson, was a
native of county Antrim, Ireland, but at the age of three years emigrated with
his parents to the United States, locating near Chillicothe, where he followed
an agricultural life. He married Miss Elizabeth Hodsden, a native of Ohio.
	James B., our subject, was educated in the public schools, and in the higher
branches by private instructors. At the age of seventeen years he began
teaching, and thus by personal effort secured the higher education, and made
possible the study of medicine. In 1881, under the preceptorship of Dr. D.H.
Scott, of Chillicothe, he began reading medicine, which science he perfected at
the College of Physicians and Surgeons, of Chicago, graduating at that
institution with the class of 1885. By competitive examination Mr. Eagleson then
secured entrance into the United States Marine Hospital at Chicago, as medical
cadet, subsequently becoming Junior Hospital Steward. In September, 1886, he was
sent to port Townsend, Washington, as Hospital Steward; and in August, 1887,
came to Seattle, to establish the Marine hospital station at this port, and was
put in charge as acting assistant surgeon, which position he still continues to
fill. The hospital has grown in importance, and is now in the second rank of
marine hospital stations in the United States in charge of acting assistant
surgeons. Shortly after coming to Seattle Dr. Eagleson was appointed Surgeon of
Grace Hospital, which position he filled until the spring of 1889, when he, with
three other physicians, incorporated the Washington General Hospital
Association, leased the Grace Hospital, which was continued under the above
name, with accommodations for forty-five patients. In addition to hospital work,
the Doctor has followed a general practice. He formed a partnership with Dr.
Lewis H. Dawson, on January 1, 1891, under the firm name of Dawson & Eagleson.
To extend his knowledge of surgery, in September, 1892, Dr. Eagleson made a trip
to Europe, and spent about four months in visiting the Royal Infirmary of
Edinburgh, and the various hospitals of London.
	The Doctor was married in Seattle, July 1, 1889, to Miss Blanche Mills, a
native of Michigan. Dr. Eagleson has been an active worker in medical societies,
and at present is President of the King County Medical Society; Treasurer of the
State Medical Society of Washington; a member of the American Medical
Association; the American Medical Temperance Association, and the Association of
Military Surgeons of the United States. He is also a member of the State Board
of Health and Bureau of Vital Statistics, and United States Board of Pension
Examiners. He has always taken a great interest in the National Guard, having
served as a private in Company E of the First Regiment for three years, within
which time the company did active duty at the time of the big fire in Seattle,
June 6, 1889, and during several mining strikes. On August 4, 1893, he was
appointed by Governor McGraw as Surgeon General on the staff of the
Commander-in-Chief, with the rank of Colonel.

Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in October 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.