Rymer is a community of farms bordering Buffalo Creek about six miles west of Mannington. It is said that it was named for Dr. Frederick A. Rymer, a Mannington doctor who traveled there via horse and buggy or by whatever means of transportation was required to tend to the medical needs of the area.
When one considers the transportation, roads and winters of Marion County during the 1870-1889 period, one can better envision the real meaning of the term "country doctor" as applied to Dr. Rymer.
Four Rymer brothers from Greensburg Pennsylvania, eventually came to then western Virginia to practice medicine. Dr. Martin N. (1820-1903) settled in Stouts Mill, Ritchie County. It is unclear if he actually practiced in Marion County, but his son Henry married Susan Stewart there in 1867. His youngest brother, Dr. William M. studied under him and began his practice at Harrisville, Ritchie County.
Dr. Henry A. Rymer (1822-1888) was one of the first doctors to practice medicine in Marion County. He settled in Boothsville about 1850, later going on to Tyler County near Middlebourne where he became a noted pharmacist, physician and surgeon, representing Tyler County in the State Legislature, 1878-1880. He married Catherine Mathilda Harter, daughter of George and Sarah (Bebout) Harter. One of their daughters, Elizabeth Jane married Dr. Cyrus F. Boyers of Marion County, 12 February 1867.
Dr. Frederick A. Rymer (1832-1889) came to Boothsville to complete his medical studies under his brother Henry A. Here he met and courted his future wife, Carolyn Augusta Ryan, daughter of George M. and Sarah Jane (Robinson) Ryan. Ryan was a farmer, county constable and merchant.
Upon completion of his studies, Frederick, and Carolyn were married 18 March 1856 going immediately to West Union where he began his own medical practice. Before 1860, however, they returned to Boothsville where Frederick assumed Henry's practice when Henry moved on to Tyler County.
By 1867 his practice had grown to encompass Union Township and Palatine (now east side of Fairmont). Perhaps it was the death of his first child, Hosea, at ten years of age of spinal meningitis that prompted his desire to seek another location. At any rate, he purchased the property and practice of Dr. Brand of Mannington, moved his family there and began anew, remaining in Mannington until his death 3 June 1889.
Frederick and Carolyn had eight children: Hosea (1856-1867); Annie Jane m. (1) Joel V. Carpenter (2) William Houlette, and lived in Columbiana, Ohio; Dayton F. m. Frances G. Anderson; L. Belle m. William I. Young; William G. m. Katie Boone; Thomas S. (1867-1948) m. Anna Elizabeth Mercer, was a merchant in Mannington; Charles Obie m. Harriet Mercer; Woods P. (1875-1935) never married.
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