Dr. Allan Arthur Gilbert, an internist of St. Louis, who in his practice has gained high professional standing, was born in Burrton, Kansas, May 26, 1890, a son of the Rev. H. M. Gilbert, who was born in South Carolina, but was descended from one of the old families of Connecticut of English lineage. The progenitor of the family in the new world was Mathew Gilbert, who came across the Atlantic on the historic Mayflower and was the first deputy governor of Connecticut under King George. Among the ancestors of Dr. Gilbert was also Colonel Ethan Allen, who commanded the famous Green Mountain boys in the Revolutionary war. Rev. H. M. Gilbert was a graduate of Vanderbilt University, attending the Theological Seminary and also was gradauted from Wafford College. He received his Doctor of Divinity degree from Vanderbilt and devoted his entire life to the ministry of the Presbyterian church. He is now a representative of the Presbyterian Board of Ministerial Relief and resides in St. Louis, but has his business headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He married Clara Elizabeth Fulton, a native of Illinois. Her father was Isaac B. Fulton, a pioneer of that state and also of Kansas and after removing to the west be served as a member of the state legislature of Kansas for a number of terms and was very active in republican politics. He was likewise a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic, for he had served through the Civil war as a sergeant and was wounded in the battle of Chickamauga. His daughter, Mrs. Gilbert, is still living and to Rev. Mr. Gilbert and his wife were born four children, two sons and two daughters.
Dr. Allan A. Gilbert, the eldest of this family, was educated in the public schools of Chetopa, Kansas, and in the Yeatman high school, from which he was graduated in 1908. He afterward entered Washington Universty as a medical student and completed his course by graduation with the M. D. degree in 1914. He was then made house officer and assistant resident physician of the Barnes Hospital, where he served from 1914 through 1916. He was afterward associated with Dr. Walter Fischel until 1918, when he entered the military service of the country with the rank of first lieutenant and was with Base Hospital, No. 21, at Rouen, France. Later he was commissioned a captain and spent three months in Flanders, being there stationed during the battle of Paschaendaele. He received an honorable discharge May 21, 1919. Since his return home he has continuously engaged in active practice in St. Louis, specializing in internal medicine. He is a member of the medical staff of the Washington University dispensary and belongs to the St. Louis and Missouri State Medical Societies, also to the Washington University Medical Society. He likewise has membership in the Chi Zeta Chi, a medical fraternity.
On the 5th of June, 1920, Dr. Gilbert was married in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to Miss Lucille Frances Fulbright, a native of Sumner county, Missouri, and a daughter of Jay and Roberta (Waugh) Fulbright, both representatives of old families of Sumner county. Dr. and Mrs. Gilbert are members of the West Presbyterian church and he is now baritone singer in its choir. He belongs to the Apollo Club and has always been greatly interested in music. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party. He and his wife reside at 2317 Klemm avenue and their home Is the center of a warmhearted hospitality. Dr. Gilbert is much interested in Boy Scout training work and in many projects which are for public benefit and advance. ment. He has been active in Red Cross work, is well known as a contributor to leading medical journals and is now an assistant surgeon in the United States Public Health Service. He still holds a commission as captain in the United States Medical Reserve Corps and wherever duty calls he makes ready response, while his marked ability has enabled him to do much valuable professional work. When leisure permits he turns from this for his recreation and diversion to vocal music and to all manly outdoor sports and athletics. During his college days he was very active in athletics and has always shown recognition of the fact that physical standards must be maintained in order to promote the highest mental and moral development.