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Each spring the Painted Stone Settlers of Shelbyville, Kentucky provide a free program to the public. Each program is based on a historical character. When they began this program over 10 years ago the group wanted to show more about history to the community than their annual September re-enactment. There are people who can’t always attend the re-enactment said vice-president Kathy Cummings. Many of the seniors in our community attend the spring event while the fall re-enactment is outside on rough terrain and does not appeal to everyone.
This year’s speaker was chosen from The Kentucky Humanities Concils Chautauqua performers. Dr. Ephraim McDowell was a surgeon and doctor working in Danville, Kentucky in the early 19th century. In 1809, on Christmas Day he performed the first successful abdominal surgery on Jane Crawford. Mrs. Crawford was 46 years old and traveled 60 miles on horseback to have the surgery. She understood the risks but was willing to try the surgery to give her relief from the 22 pound tumor in her abdomen.
McDowell is portrayed by Henry Dowell, who begins his performance as a talk given to medical students at Transylvania College in 1927.
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