Nov 1, 2023
For two thirds of the 20th century, the name Arthur Ritchey Stagg would have been on everyone’s short list of the most respected people in Medfield. Actually, the name would appear twice, because there were two Dr. Arthur Ritchey Staggs, senior and junior.
Stagg Senior (1907-2006), the grandson of a doctor, was born in Nashville, Tennessee, He was one of eight children, three of whom became doctors. Two of the eight died relatively young, but six lived extraordinarily long lives: one to 101, four in their 90s, and one at 87.
After receiving his M.D. from the College of Medical Evangelists (now part of Loma Linda University) in 1932, young doctor Stagg moved to Main Street, Medfield in 1934, where he practiced medicine, served on the board of health, and was the company doctor at the Tofias hat factory. After service as a medical officer in Rome during World War II, he and his family returned to Medfield and moved into a new house at 25 Pleasant Street, built on the site of the Wheelock School, which burned down March 21, 1940. When that house was demolished and replaced in 2010, an historic marker was placed at the site.
Dr. Stagg ran his practice solo – and he made house calls and was the school physician! – until his son joined him about 1970.
The son was named Arthur Ritchey Stagg, Jr., in accordance with the father’s wishes, but he was always called Pete, in accordance with his mother’s wishes. Pete (1938-2023) graduated from Medfield High School in 1956 and went to Dartmouth and then to Harvard Medical School. He and his wife Lois and their sons Peter and Greg lived for many years at a Royal Barry Wills-designed house at 213 North Street.
