By Beverly Belcher Woody
In every generation, there are those quiet pillars of a community—men and women whose lives are not measured by wealth or fame, but by the steady good they do for others. Last year, we lost a classmate and fine community member, Wesley Towler Tatum. One of the things that Wesley will be remembered for was the Tatum Family Christmas Lights, which brought joy to many people in Patrick County and surrounding communities for many years.
This week, we are going to learn about Wesley’s great grandfather, Dr. Benton Foster Tatum. a physician whose life’s work was rooted in service, sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to his neighbors. The story of Dr. Tatum is not only one of medicine, but of devotion—to his family, to his patients, and to the people of the hills and hollows he called home.
Dr. Tatum was born on the 18th of October 1871 to Thomas Benton Tatum and Ruth Stovall Foster Tatum. These are the children of Thomas and Ruth Tatum:
William Moore Tatum 1861–1946
Lula Hunter Tatum 1864–1921
John Abraham Tatum 1866–1943
Charles Davis Tatum 1869–1937
Dr. Benton Foster Tatum 1871–1916
Eddie Penn Tatum 1874–1958
Mary J Tatum Gladstone 1878–1947
On a December day in Chatham, Virginia, a joyful chapter in his life began. The December 19, 1902, Richmond Dispatch reported that at the home of Mr. W. B. Towler in Callands, Miss Pearl Towler was united in marriage to Dr. Benton Tatum. The wedding, described as “a very pretty home wedding,” was adorned in white and green. The bride was known as a young woman of rare beauty and many accomplishments, and it was while attending college at Stuart that she met the young physician who would become her husband. Together, they made their home in Stuart, where Dr. Tatum would build his practice and his life.
Dr. And Mrs. Pearl Towler Tatum’s children were as follows:
Towler Benton Tatum 1903–1985
Pryor Foster Tatum 1906–1956
Raymond Stovall Tatum 1908–1991
Ruth Marie Tatum Clark 1910–2001
Beatrice Fairfax Tatum 1912–1983
Douglas Wilson Tatum 1915–1987
From the very beginning, Dr. Tatum’s work was marked by readiness and compassion. An account in the Danville Bee tells of H. J. Fulcher, a farmer of Patrick Springs, who was bitten by a moccasin snake while at work. By what can only be called Divine Providence, Dr. Tatum happened to be passing by on his rounds. Without hesitation, he rendered immediate and expert treatment—care that likely saved the man’s life.
In another instance, the October 28, 1915, Enterprise reported that a Mr. Hopkins was badly beaten while in town, and it was Dr. Tatum who stepped forward to dress his wounds. When J. L. and Ida Griffin Biggs two little children, Harry Moir, age two months, and Della Sue, age three years, died within four days of each other in June of 1916, the Enterprise reported that “Dr. Tatum was called immediately and was faithful to the end.” In moments of emergency and uncertainty, the people of Patrick County could depend on him to be there—steady, skilled, and compassionate.
Yet his work did not end with individual care. Dr. Tatum was deeply involved in the broader health of the community. During a time when hookworm disease affected 52% of people in Patrick County, Dr. Tatum participated in widespread examinations. At Peters Creek, Critz, his own location, and Stuart, hundreds were examined, revealing the serious scope of the illness. These efforts speak to a man who understood that caring for a community meant more than treating one patient at a time—it meant confronting the larger challenges that threatened the well-being of all.
Like many men of his time, Dr. Tatum carried more than one responsibility. In order to provide for his family, he took on additional work beyond his medical practice. Records show that he renewed contracts with an automobile company and assisted in delivering Ford touring cars to local residents. In the June 1913 editions of the Enterprise, Dr. Tatum advertised fresh milk cows for sale from his home on Stuart Route 1. These efforts were not distractions from his calling, but extensions of a life built on hard work and determination. He did what was needed, as so many did, to support his household while continuing to serve others.
Those who knew Dr. Tatum also knew the demands such a life required. His work was constant, his responsibilities many. And yet, even as he gave so much of himself to others, his own health began to fail. The Danville Register & Bee reported on December 3, 1916, word came from St. Lukes Hospital in Richmond that Dr. Tatum had undergone a serious operation for an internal disorder. His friends and community, who had so often depended on him, now found themselves hoping and praying for his recovery.
The notice that followed spoke simply but deeply—his friends would be grieved to learn the news. It is a quiet statement, but one that carries great weight. For in those few words, we see the measure of the man. He was not only a physician. He was a neighbor, a helper, and a steady presence in times of need. Dr. Benton Foster Tatum died of pancreatic cancer on December 29, 1916. He was only forty-five years old.
Dr. Tatum had built a practice, first (for a brief time) in Schoolfield and then in Patrick County, but more than that, he had built trust. He had given his time, his knowledge, and his strength to those around him, often without recognition, and always without hesitation.
In remembering Dr. Benton F. Tatum, we are reminded of a time when service was not spoken of loudly, but lived daily. His life stands as a testament to the quiet strength found in those who choose to care for others, no matter the cost.
And in the hills of Patrick County, where stories like his still echo softly through time, his legacy remains—not in grand monuments, but in the lives he touched, the hands he helped, and the community he served so faithfully.
For questions, comments, or story ideas, you may contact Woody at rockcastlecreek1@gmail.com or 276-692-9626.
