****************************************************************************
File contributed to the McLean County ILGenWeb Project
Copyright 1997 to present, all rights reserved.

These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format 
without the written consent of the author, ilmcleanvcc@gmail.com.

****************************************************************************

Contributed by:  McLean Co. Coordinator


****************************************************************************


DR. ZERA WATERS Biography


DR. ZERA WATERS, physician and surgeon, of Bloomington, was born in Watertown, Jefferson Co., N. Y., 
in 1836, and is the son of William and Elizabeth (WAKEFIELD) WATERS, also natives of the Empire State. 
William Waters was there engaged in farming during the earlier years of his life, and came to Illinois 
in 1844, settling in De Witt County, where he departed this life four years later. The mother died in 1852. 
Their four children were, Henry, Orin, Dr. Z., and Susan E., now Mrs. N. O. ANDREWS, of Bloomington.

The subject of this history lived on the farm until his father's death, and attended school until sixteen 
years old. He then engaged as engineer for a sawmill at De Witt, and thence went to the lumber woods where 
he was employed as "scaler," and kept the books for the proprietor, Charles SMITH. The next summer he followed 
fishing on Lake Huron, then resumed his work in the lumber regions in the winter, and soon afterward came to 
Bloomington, and entered the employ of Dr. Wakefield as traveling salesman. He afterward took a two years' 
course of study at Lombard University, Galesburg, and subsequently became engaged in the furniture and agricultural 
implement trade in Clinton, Ill. All this time he devoted his spare moments to the study of medicine, and finally, 
going to Van Buren, Ark., gave his entire time to his studies for one year, then commenced practice. He located at 
Lees Creek about 1861, and being known as an Abolitionist was pronounced a dangerous man. After the attack upon Ft. Sumter, 
he was waited upon by a vigilance committee, who intended to hang him. By a strategic movement, however, he got possession 
of some liquor, and managing to get them intoxicated, made his escape at 11 o'clock at night, taking with him four horses, 
two of these were taken by United States troops, for which he received pay fourteen years afterward. After coming North 
he landed at Bloomington, July 3, 1861, whence he went to Cincinnati, where he attended medical lectures and received his 
diploma in the spring of 1862. He then returned to Bloomington, and enlisted in the fifteen-day service to guard the prisoners 
at Camp Butler, Springfield, where he was made Assistant Surgeon of the 68th Illinois Infantry, and joining them at Alexandria, Va., 
remained there five months, then returned with his regiment to Springfield, and was discharged.

After his return to Bloomington, Dr. Waters opened an office and entered upon the practice which he has since continued with 
ability and success. He was married, in 1870, to Miss Martha A. Frazier, of New York, and they have one child, a son, Robert A. 
The Doctor is a Greenbacker politically, and socially belongs to the Masons, the Knights of Honor and the A.O.U.W. He is a stockholder 
in the Co-operative Stove Works, and in all respects an energetic and worthy representative of the business element of the community. 
The pleasant family residence is located at No. 1207 North Main street.