Coming to America
William Worrall Mayo was 27 years old when he arrived in the United States from England. He had followed the pattern of many Old Country emigrants. Not long after his ship docked in New York harbor, he began moving westward, settling for various periods in several communities in New York, Indiana, Missouri, and Minnesota. Along the way he gathered experience as a pharmacist, a tailor, a physician and surgeon, a census taker, a farmer, a newspaper publisher, a justice of the peace, a ferryboat operator, and a veterinarian.
In the late 1840s he attended Indiana Medical College at La Porte, and completed a thesis, passed his examination, and graduated on Feb. 14, 1850. Among his courses were pathology and physiology. The school boasted a microscope from England "at great expense." Dr. Mayo became fascinated with microscopy and, during the course of his career, purchased at least two microscopes. After settling in Minnesota and beginning a medical career, he became known as one of a few physicians to regularly use a microscope in practice.
In addition to acquiring a medical diploma, Dr. Mayo developed the conviction that physicians have a great calling filled with opportunity to help further the progress of their profession and communities. He passed this philosophy along to his sons.