William E. Dixon
Dr. W. E. Dixon
circa 1906
Dr. William Ellsworth Dixon (W. E. Dixon) was born on June 23, 1860, at Hemlock Lake, New York, to English immigrants Adam and Ann (Lightfoot) Dixon. After the Civil War his father moved the family to Kansas and served in the Kansas Guard.
While he was serving his internship at a Topeka hospital, Dr. Dixon married Catherine "Kate" Morton at her parents' home in Osage City, KS in 1888. They lived in Topeka, Kansas, until he finished his term at the hospital and then moved to Mead, Nebraska, to establish a practice. Their first daughter Maude was born in 1893 while they were in Nebraska.
The family came to Derby in 1894, where Dr. Dixon established a successful medical practice. They lived in one of the finer houses in town, just north of the Presbyterian church. Their yard at 428 N. Baltimore contained the largest variety of ornamental plants in town, many of which were not common in the area.
William and Kate Dixon in their garden
circa 1900s or 1910s
The couple had two more daughters: Marie in 1895 and Madge in 1898. Kate Dixon would occasionally accompany her husband on his medical rounds but mostly concentrated on raising her family and tending her garden. She was also active in the community.
Dr. Dixon was the first person in Derby to own an automobile, which was described in a short 1908 Mulvane newspaper item as the envy of the Mulvane doctors.
Dr. Dixon developed a severe infection in his right hand in 1912. Repeated treatment by a Wichita doctor could not remedy the problem, which necessitated the amputation of the infected hand. While that did affect Dr. Dixon's ability to perform some tasks, it did not end his practice of medicine. His wife, Kate, became his assistant, providing support and compensating for the missing hand.
William Dixon and his automobile
circa 1910s
Dixon again had to have surgery on his right arm but this time it was amputated to his shoulder in December 1919. Dr. Dixon died suddenly on Nov. 17, 1927, at his home in Derby after a second stroke and was buried Nov. 19. 1927, in the El Paso Cemetery. Dr. Dixon had provided medical services for Derby and the surrounding area for more than three decades. He was survived by his widow, Kate, and two daughters: Mrs. Harry Black and Mrs. Bernard Swaney.
Kate continued to participate in community organizations and activities. She lived in their home on Baltimore until 1959, when the property was sold to developers. This area was named Dixon Square, which is the block where Walgreens is currently located. Catherine "Kate" (Morton) Dixon passed away on Nov. 10, 1960, and was buried next to her husband in the El Paso Cemetery.