Continuing my survey of Western Wisconsin patent medicine men I must give brief recognition to a man who has almost entirely vanished from history despite an extravagant name and significant Pioneer cred. Darius E. Bent.
He was living in Eau Claire in 1876 when he copyrighted a medicine called "Dr. Mathew's Great Idaho Indian Compound". The reference to Idaho made me think it was a reference to Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce, but that conflict did not start until 1877. Indian themed medicines were pretty common in this era. Idaho, well Darius might have just picked a place at random.
Mr. Bent seems to have been very well thought of in the community. A lengthy biography written shortly before his death tells his story.
Born in 1820 he came to Eau Claire in 1855 "....when there was scarcely a house in the place and only one between here and Menomonie...". He tried his hand at farming - didn't go well - then joined the Union army in February of 1862. He was at the Battle of Shiloh. Assigned to attending the wounded he injured his back in the process of lifting them. The injury was permanent.
He made his way laboriously home by steam boat. Six months in bed. A year to relearn how to walk. He worked in a shoe store for a while. Then a grocery. His longest employment was with G. Tabor Thompson, an Eau Claire druggist. Probably his venture into patent medicines was at about this time. Thompson was in business starting in 1871, having also been discharged from Civil War service due to illness. Incidentally, we've run across him BEFORE.
Darius Bent had married pre-war. He had three children, and although he seems to have suffered greatly in life it is said that: "Mr. Bent's sickness and trouble cost him several thousand dollars, and time has helped to whiten his locks, but he is yet cheerful and contented and always ready to do a kind act to help any one unfortunate like himself."
Bent, literally, but unbowed. Admirable.
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