The E-Sylum:  Volume 6, Number 19, May 11, 2003, Article 5

LOTS MORE ON S. Q. LAPIUS

  Ron Haller-Williams writes: "Thought I'd check the on-line
  1901 census for England amp; Wales, for anybody with the
  surname "Lapius":   "No results found".  No surprise, really,
  I guess.

  At http://www.blackmask.com/olbooks/grftrdex.htm we get
  another listing of the O. Henry story referred to by one
  respondent: "The Gentle Grafter".  Relevant extract:

     'Doc,' says the Mayor, 'I'm awful sick. I'm about to die.
     Can't you do nothing for me?'

     'Mr. Mayor,' says I, 'I'm not a regular preordained disciple
     of S. Q. Lapius.  I never took a course in a medical college,'
     says I.   'I've just come as a fellow man to see if I could be of
     assistance.'

     At least this one has frequent financial if not numismatic
     references, including some "marked Bank bills".

   But a word of warning:  Don't blame me if, after reading the
   whole thing, you appear to be in as much distress as this Mayor!"

  Bill Daehn writes: "Regarding the discussion of S. Q. Lapius in
  the latest E-Sylum -- I don't know who he was, but the name is
  certainly a pseudonym taken from the Greek mythological
  character Asclepius, sometimes spelled Aesculapius (S Q Lapius,
  get it?).

  Asclepius appeared in Homer's Iliad as a physician. He was
  known as a great healer who could even raise men  from the
  dead. In ancient Greek times, a cult arose in honor of Asclepius,
  with numerous centers of worship established around the Greek
  world. He is often depicted on ancient Greek coins, and is usually
  accompanied by his symbol, the staff with a snake entwined
  around it."

  [Wow.  I guess I spent Greek Literature class looking out the
  window or at the pretty girl in front of me.  I had never heard of
  Aesculapius, but it sure makes sense.  Martin Purdy mentioned
  this connection as well.  This is why I encourage smart people to
  subscribe to The E-Sylum.  -Editor]

  Len Augsberger writes: "For some reason, it is more fun to work
  on other people's problems.  The 1930 census was recently
  indexed & released on ancestry.com.   There are some problems
  working with it (occasional misspellings, etc.) but the cost is well
  worth it.

  I have a Justin A. Garvin in the 1930 census living in Shaker
  Heights, OH. Age 43 (census taken April 9, so agrees with
  Kleeburg's 1886 birth date), owning his own home valued at
  $20000, and working as a doctor in a hospital.

  Now.......here's the interesting part......Garvin's birthplace is
  given as Chile, and his mother's birthplace is given as Turkey!
  The father is born in America.  Garvin has two children, John
  (possibly "Jack", age 13) and David (age 6).

  Justin is also listed in the 1920 census (age 33) as a physician
  in private practice in Cleveland Heights, OH.

  A WWI military record is at ancestry.com (subscription site):
     Name: Justin Allis Garvin
     Serial Number: First Lieutenant
     Race: W
     Residence: 3155 Sycamore Reserve Division, Cleveland
           Heights, O.
     Birth Place: Valparaiso, Chili.
     Birth Date / Age: 7 June 1886
     Assigns Comment: 1 Lieutenant MC 10 Aug 1918 from
           CL. General Hospital 9 to Discharge Lakewood NJ;
           Cp Dix NJ. Honorable discharge 28 June 1919.

  It also gives the reference:
  "Garvin, Justin Allis 1886-1946  Biography Index. A
   cumulative index to biographical material in books and
   magazines. Volume 1: January, 1946-July, 1949. New York:
   H.W. Wilson Co., 1949. (BioIn 1)

  I am not familiar with this source ("Biography Index") but
  probably any large library has it.

  So, Garvin is obviously a doctor, and obviously well traveled.
  And probably smart enough to publish something so young ....
  but is he the same as Mr. Lapius???

  You are totally right about the Internet -- it can only take you
  so far.  But what amazes me the most is how fast it grows -
  you can repeat searches after a few months and have a good
  chance of finding something new.   Anyway, the material I
  need to see these days is all in Maryland and I have no easy
  way to get at it except to go there.  Kinda frustrating!"

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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