J. William Janniere, born in Jamaica, West Indies, on July 4, 1881, first attended school in Kingston; he was a graduate from St. George's College, a Jesuit college. After completing his hospital work in Jamaica, Doctor Janniere came to the United States in 1906 and established a practice in New York City, where he remained for eight years. When Doctor Janniere graduated from the National College of Therapeutics in 1921, he relocated in Erie, where he had a well established practice. Dr. Janniere, one of the no-less-than six African American medical professionals that served Erie’s black community around World War I, first worked as a pharmacist at the Studebacker Laboratory, at 301 East 11th Street, before going into private practice.
Doctor Janniere specialized in electrode physiotherapy therapeutics. His first office was originally at 228 East 11th Street, before moving to 1106 Parade Street. On June 4, 1919, Doctor Janniere married Miss Ruth I. Stewart, of New Haven, Connecticut; they had two children: Marie E. and William James. Doctor Janniere’s wife, Ruth, operated a beauty parlor specializing in hair pressing, marcelling and permanent waving, using the popular Frederic’s method.
Doctor Janniere was a Republican, a member of the Catholic Church, and belonged to the Improved Benevolent Protective Order of Elks of the World. Both Doctor Janniere and his wife were prominent and active in the African-American community, and were founding members of the Negro Civic Organization of Erie. They were both frequently listed in the society pages of the black owned newspapers of the time.
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| Dr. Janniere’s Therapy Room, 1106 Parade Street (1930) |