Eleventh recipient of the KEELER PLAQUE – Chiropractic’s Greatest Honor in Texas. I was born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, August 19, 1891, moved to Texas in infancy with my parents John S. and Frances Wooten Busby, who became a Church of Christ Evangelist, William Edd Busby, for decades, and my two younger sisters. I grew up in Ellis County, near Waxahchie, Texas. Attended public school in Mountain Peak, Texas and high school in Waxahachie.
I first learned about chiropractic in 1907 by contact with one of Texas earliest chiropractors, Dr. Teems of Sherman, Texas. I read all the books and literature available on chiropractic at that time, written by Dr. D. D. Palmer, and later by Dr. B. J. Palmer and Dr. Willard Carver. Still have most of these in my library.
The year 1909 found me in Lockney, Texas near Plainview, where I became acquainted with a young Palmer Graduate, Dr. Vanscoohoven with whom I was associated for several months. I became acquainted with the President of Lockney Christian College, Dr. J. D. Burleson, who was personally acquainted with and greatly admired Dr. D. D. Palmer. He possessed practically every book written by Dr. Palmer.
Dr. Burleson became so engrossed in the study of chiropractic that he enrolled in the Wichita College of Chiropractic, Wichita, Kansas. This college later became known as the Darling Chiropractic College. It was Dr. Burleson, who later induced me to start to the Chiropractic College at Wichita, Kansas. I was only 19 then and didn’t like Kansas, perhaps because I had a sweetheart back in Texas. I went back to Plainview, Texas, and enrolled in the Boone School of Massage and Physiotherapy, a Chartered Texas Institution whose graduates were legalized practitioners in the state and still are. The President of the school was Dr. S. L. Boone, a graduate of Physical Medicine with study in Stockholm, Sweden. Dr. A. W. Canfil, graduate of National College of Chiropractic, Chicago was secretary and Dr. R. B. Longmier, M.D. and Dr. J. D. Burleson, D.C. were members of the faculty, Dr. Burleson was a graduate of the Wichita Chiropractic College and held a Masters Degree from the University of Texas. It was his daughter, Ruth, who later became my wife.
I graduated from the Boone School in March, 1912, and practiced a few months in Post, Texas. Then I enrolled in the original Texas Chiropractic College in San Antonio, under the administration of Dr. J. N. Stone after being given full credit for my work in the school at Plainview I was admitted to the senior class and graduated with my D.C. Degree in December, 1912. I then went to Ft. Worth and studied dissection in the night classes conducted by the old medical Department of T.C.U. in their downtown extension on Houston Street. The Extension was later dissolved.
My next move was to Sweetwater, Texas, where I joined Dr. A. W. Canfil in the establishment of the Sweetwater Mineral Wells Sanatorium in 1913 and remained, principally as an intern in the Sanatorium until 1918. In May, 1918, I formed a partnership with Dr. Roy Crowder, a graduate of the National Chiropractic College, in establishing a chiropractic clinic in Abilene, Texas. During a ten years partnership with Dr. Crowder I took leave of absence at intervals to do further study of chiropractic under the administration of Dr. B. F. Gurden, Dr. James R. Drain and Dr. H. E. Weiser at the Texas Chiropractic College. At this time they were teaching the Palmer method of Chiropractic and I was graduated under the new administration with the Doctor of Chiropractic Degree in December, 1921. All my previous chiropractic credits were accepted as pre-entrance requirements.
In 1924 I had the regular professional course at the National College of Chiropractic in Chicago, specializing in the study of Dissection, Pathology, Gynecology, Symptomatology and Chiropractic X-ray. The partnership with Dr. Crowder in Abilene was dissolved in 1927 when he moved to San Angelo and I remained in Abilene, having as my assistant, an Osteopath., Dr. M. L. Evans who is in practice in Arkansas, or was until recent years.
The first state chiropractic association was organized in Waco, Texas, with some seven charter members, which included Dr. Charles C. Lemly, Waco; Drs. B. F. and Flora Gurden, San Antonio; Dr. W. C. Wishert, Temple; Dr. C. W. Maier, Hillsboro; Dr. Ralph Guy of Dallas; and Dr. M. M. Markwell also of Dallas and Dr. Richardson of Austin. At that time there were quite a lot of chiropractors in Texas, who later became members. I was not a charter member of the association but I was the first member to join this pioneering group, and my membership has continued – without a skip – from 1917 to the present 1961.
I have served in every official capacity in our state professional activities continuously for many years, even up to the present time. Was President of the T.S.C.A. two terms – 1935 and 1936 and served as Secretary of the State Association for fourteen years immediately preceding and during the year that our first licensing law was enacted in 1943. Was a member of the Legislative Committee each Legislative year in effort to secure license for the profession. Our first law was carried to the Supreme Court and was declared unconstitutional, and we were forced to start all over again.
In 1944 my efforts in behalf of the State Association, in strengthening the spirit of its members, and in raising funds to carry on toward the enactment of a more acceptable law, together with the fact that I had consistently “stayed on the job” through the years in every effort for the betterment of the professional status of chiropractic, I was awarded THE KEELER PLAQUE, the highest honor granted each year by the convention assembled. I am one of the charter members of the Gavel Club of T.S.C.A., and was chosen President of the Club in 1957. Have been a member of the Abilene Lions Club for many years.
Was appointed by Governor Buford Jester as a member of the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners for a six year term when our present law was enacted in 1949. Reappointed for another six year term by Governor Allan Shivers and appointed by Governor Price Daniels to the third six year term August 28, 1961. Was chosen by the Board as Secretary-Treasurer when the Board was organized and have been renamed each bi-annual election since that time. It has been my duty and pleasure to inscribe the name of each recipient of license granted to the more than 2100 licensees since our law was passed, and I consider every one as my personal friend.
As previously stated, I married the daughter of a pioneer chiropractor, December 3, 1922. We have three children, two daughters and a son. All are graduates of Abilene Christian College. All are married and have children. We have three grandsons and two grand-daughters, and one great-grand-daughter three years of age.
The foregoing covers some of the highlights of my professional career. I like to hunt, fish and ride horses. If I had my “druthers” I’d like to stick around a while longer. My life as a chiropractor has been good.
ADDENDUM
Dr. Busby was issued a license by the TBCE on September 1, 1949.
