Son of Shubal & Charlotte (DeKay) Wixom.
Husband of Semantha Doubleday.
Father of Guy Doubleday, Ida Livonia & Salida (Alide) Wixom.
Rochester D&C, Friday, January 17, 1902:
Dr. William Wixom, of Italy Hill, died suddenly at his home in that place Wednesday afternoon, at the advanced age of 83 years. The deceased had been ailing for several month's past. There are surviving his widow, and two grandsons, Rodney
Wixom, of Hammondsport, and Charles Wixom, of Italy Hill.
Naples News, February 27, 1902:
The death of Dr. William Wixom, which recently occurred at his home on Italy Hill, received such brief mention in the local papers at the time, an old friend may be pardoned the wish to add this slight tribute to his memory.
Dr. Wixom was born at Genoa, Cayuga Co., N. Y., February 10, 1819, and was the eldest of ten children. When six years of age his parents moved to a farm on the Prattsburgh side of the town line, between Pulteney and Prattsburgh. As a lad William was always studious and fond of books, and so improved his spare time on the farm that he was qualified for and became a teacher at an early age. Later he read medicine with Dr. Elisha Doubleday at Italy Hill, was graduated at Geneva Medical College in 1846, and married to Miss Samantha Doubleday within a short time from that date. Settling at Italy Hill, the Dr. practiced medicine with much success for many years. His professional good judgment and skill, his ready wit, cheerful presence, and tactful kindness of heart, won him a large practice and many permanent friendships.
When the writer was one of a merry family of boys and girls, on the old farm in Prattsburgh, Dr. Wixom was, next to Dr. Doubleday, the "beloved physician" of the family. Well does one granddaughter of that family remember the loss of her first tooth. Her mother, living neighbor to Dr. Wixom, took the little girl to his house to have the loose, troublesome tooth taken out. Mrs. Wixom held the tearful little face between her hands, while the Dr. picked out the baby tooth. When the mother asked, "How much is it, Dr." he replied, "Well, I think that tooth is worth about ten cents," and forthwith took a ten-cent "shin plaster" from his pocket and handed it to the child, whose pain and tears were at once forgotten. This was doubtless 0nly one of many smaller instances that illustrated the kindly neighbor and friend, as well as the good physician.
In the days of his prime and full strength Dr. Wixom was eminently successful in the treatment of malignant fever, having been often called to Avoca, Naples, Starkey, and other towns remote from his own heme. Loss of sleep, exposure to cold, with long rides over rough roads, were never avoided when duly called, the poor, as well as the rich receiving his careful attention.
The loss of their beautiful daughter, Alide, was the first great sorrow that came to his household, but it was not till the death of his son, Guy, that the shadow deepened, and the light of promise and of hope went out of his life. From that time he became despondent and lost interest in everything. For years he was a great sufferer, tortured with hallucinations and fears, yet ever seeming glad to welcome friends, with whom his conversation was so interesting and enjoyable that a stranger would not have suspected his real condition.
For a long time he wrote frequent bits of local news from Italy Hill to the Prattsburgh paper, and letters to friends were always characteristic and interesting. In one of the latest of these he mentioned that John Sturdevant was his first school teacher, of whom he learned to read and write. The great-grandsons of John Sturdevant are now making a garden spot of the pine timbered farm
that was his in those days.
As Dr. Wixom'a strength continued to fail he fully realized that the end was near. The words of the hymn "Rock of Ages," and others similar, were often on his lips, while the absence of all doubts and fears, and the precious assurance of life-long and deathless love, comfort those that remain.