Dr James Herman Poulton was born in Temperenceville, Ohio on 4th. May 1887 and attended Ohio State University, Cornell University and a school in Germany before becoming a surgeon. He served in the U.S Army Medical Corps during WW1. Like most of the Poulton men, he was called by his middle name, 'Herman' and not by his first name, 'James'.

After the war he settled in practice in Springfield, Ohio and died at Springfield on October 34th. 1934. Family legend has it that "He was so well liked that the whole town of Springfield attended his funeral."