Background
Shropshire, Courtney William was born on July 10, 1877 in New Orleans. Son of Horace Elmaker and Lise (Courtney) Shropshire.
Shropshire, Courtney William was born on July 10, 1877 in New Orleans. Son of Horace Elmaker and Lise (Courtney) Shropshire.
While living in Jackson, Mississippi, he briefly attended Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical, Millsaps College, and Ward"s Business College. He completed post-graduate studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Mayo Clinic.
After moving to Franklin, Tennessee, to avoid an outbreak of yellow fever, he took a job as an assistant for a local doctor. This experience led him to enroll in the medical school of the University of Tennessee in Nashville. After graduating in 1900, Shropshire began to practice in several small towns.
He moved to Birmingham, Alabama in 1903.
Shropshire also served as the United States Public Health Service representative for Birmingham and the president of the Jefferson County Medical Society. Shropshire was attending a newly organized Rotary club in 1917.
He and several of the other Rotarians decided that the club was too focused on increasing the business of its members. They surrendered their Rotary charter and formed an independent service club focused on serving the community and meeting the needs of individuals that could be served person to person, rather than business for business.
By serving and creating a healthy-whole community, the businesses would naturally thrive.
They held their first meeting on March 17, 1917, with 37 charter members. They named the group the "Civitan Club." Shropshire was elected president for two successive terms as the club grew to 200 members. He envisioned an international organization of clubs, but the nation"s focus on World War I prevented the club from becoming anything more than a local club
With businessmen in other cities asking to form clubs, the International Association of Civitan Clubs was established in 1920.
lieutenant would later become Civitan International. Shropshire was elected as the first international president for two years in a row.
He remains the only individual to serve two terms as international president After his terms ended, Shropshire continued to actively promote Civitan.
He was a frequent speaker at Civitan"s international conventions, and he visited clubs across the country until his death in 1965.
American College of Surgeons fellowship Member American Urological Association (member Executive Committee 1931-1932), American, Southern medical associations, Jefferson County Medical Society (president 1920-1921), Alabama Urological Association (founder, 1st president 1931). Mason (32°, Knights Templar, Shriner), Elk.
Clubs: Civitan International (founder.
Married Leta Mary Duffy, September 21, 1908 (died March 1920). Married second, Mistress. Children: Leta Duffy (Mistress James