John Hempstead Gratiot was my maternal grandfather. I knew him as a retired doctor in Monterey, California. He loved dogs and sunflower seeds. He was also a talented artist with a studio in the basement — I will never forget the strong smell of oil paint in that part of the house. Some of his paintings are shown below.
John’s family lived in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, until they moved to Monterey when John was 14. He went to Stanford and then to Harvard Medical School, but he returned to the Monterey Peninsula for his long medical career. His dad and brother were also doctors in that area, and they worked together.
He was a beloved doctor and had many grateful “fans.” Here are some letters people sent him, some with their payments and some just to say thank you.
John Gratiot’s brother was Charles Gratiot, but everyone called him Jim. He told a funny story called “Who killed the dog?”
Here are some photos of John as a boy and young man:
And here are some when he was older:
A few of his paintings: