Walter Kendall Wadleigh, M.D., a skilled and popular physician of Hopkinton, N.H., was born April 7, 1864, in the town of Franklin, Merrimack County, N.H., a son of Jonathan P. and Betsey (Thomas) Wadleigh. His father, who died in the prime of manhood, was born and reared in Sanbornton, Belknap County, this State, but spent the larger part of his life in Merrimack County, where he was a large land-holder.
Walter K. Wadleigh received his elementary education in Franklin, being graduated from the high school in the class of 1881. Deciding upon a professional career, for which his natural tastes and talents peculiarly fitted him, he began studying medicine with Drs. I. F. Knight and W. W. Sleeper, of Franklin. He subsequently entered Dartmouth Medical College, from which he received his degree in 1886. While in college he taught school a part of the time, thus partially defraying the expense of his education.
Soon after receiving his diploma and shortly after the death of the late Dr. Rogers, Dr. Wadleigh located in Hopkinton, and has since met with flattering success as a practitioner, his previous experience in hospital work having doubtless been of much service to him in his labors. He is a member of the Centre District and of the New Hampshire Medical Societies, and is an active worker in each organization. The Doctor is a close student, and keeps himself in touch with the latest discoveries in medical science. In 1895 he prepared and read a paper on the uses of strophanthus that attracted considerable attention among his professional brethren. He was popular with his classmates while in college, and for two or three years has served as President of the Dartmouth Medical Alumni Association. The Doctor is also quite prominent in local society circles, being a man of scholarly attainments, genial and courteous in manner, and accomplished in the art of music, playing well on the violin.