1914 Biography - Thomas P. Singletary

Singletary, Thomas Puller, M. D. - For a quarter of a century, Dr. Thomas Puller Singletary was an active practitioner of medicine in East Baton Rouge parish, but he has retired from the active practice, and now is a consulting physician only. He is the founder of the Baton Rouge sanitarium, which he conducted as a private institution for a number of years, and then, in 1911, leased the building. Before he located in the city of Baton Rouge, Dr. Singletary practiced for 2 years as a country physician. He began the practice of medicine in East Baton Rouge parish in 1887, in which year he graduated from the Louisville medical college, Louisville, Ky. Prior to entering the Louisville medical college, he attended a while lectures in the medical department of Tulane university. He began the study of medicine under his father, who was, for many years a successful practitioner of medicine in East Feliciana parish, where the son was born April 12, 1860. He was reared in his native parish, and at the age of 16 he was sent to Emory & Henry college, Virginia, where he remained 2 years, completing a good literary education. Dr. Thomas Puller Singletary comes of old and well-known families of Louisiana. His paternal grandfather, Elisha Singletary, was of Scotch- Irish lineage, a native of South Carolina, from which state he came to Louisiana, and settled in East Feliciana parish, where he became a well-known planter and lived many years. His son, Dr. Samuel L. Singletary, the father of Dr. Thomas Puller Singletary, was born and reared in East Feliciana parish, where he successfully practiced medicine for a long period of time, and where he always lived, and where he died at the age of 76 years. He married Sarah C. Puller, who was born in East Feliciana parish, where she is still living. She was the daughter of Capt. Thomas Puller, who was a prominent steamboatman for years. Dr. Samuel L. Singletary and his wife had 5 sons and 3 daughters, all of whom grew to maturity. Four of the sons became physicians and one a planter. Of their children, Dr. Thomas Puller Singletary is the eldest. Dr. Singletary has always been an ardent student; he has taken 2 post-graduate courses in medicine at New York City, and has long held a membership in East Baton Rouge parish medical society, in the Louisiana State Medical society, and in the American Medical association. For 8 years he served as coroner of East Baton Rouge parish; was for 4 years physician for the state blind institution, and is now physician for the state school for the deaf. He was assistant physician for the Louisiana state university, during Dr. Buffington's administration. Dr. Singletary has always manifested a commendable spirit of public enterprise, and in generous manner contributed to the advancement of movements tending toward the betterment of his fellowman and the community wherein he has lived. In the business world he has gained complimentary success; in the future of Baton Rouge he has always behaved, a fact demonstrated in real estate holdings. He is the owner of the Singletary building on Third street, and other valuable property. He is a stockholder in the Istrouma Hotel Co., and a director of the organization. In politics Dr. Singletary has long been active in the support of the men and measures of the democratic party, and is now a member of party's state executive committee. In fraternal relations, he holds membership in the Woodman Circle and the Knights of Honor. His life, as physician, as a citizen, and as a man among his fellowmen, has been exemplary and above reproach, and in his domestic relations we find his happiest tenor of life. In 1889 he married Miss Sarah E. Allen, the daughter of Clinton Allen of East Baton Rouge parish. The home life of Dr. and Mrs. Singletary has been brightened by the following children: Alice V., the wife of W. D. Thomas, of Baton Rouge; Thomas J. now a student in Tulane university of Louisiana, and Sarah C.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from Louisiana: Comprising Sketches, edited by Alcee Fortier, published in 1914, volume 3, pages 399-400.