Dr. Joseph Ligman was born in Chicago, May 26, 1893. His parents, who were among the founders of St. Helen's parish, died last year. They had lived for more than thirty years in what is today St. Helen's parish, and their four children still reside there. The family was quite large, since there were twelve children; but every child received a proper education. One son, the Reverend Thaddeus Ligman, is dean of St. Stanislaus' College; the second son, Marion, is [now] an oculist and was for many years a druggist; three other sons hold responsible positions with Chicago firms, and Dr. Joseph Ligman, of whom we give this short biographical sketch, is an optometrist and is at present completing his studies as an oculist.

Dr. Joseph Ligman received his elementary and secondary education in the St. Stanislas Kostka parish schools. In his vacations he worked in a drugstore. When he was only seventeen years old, he obtained a position with the Crane Company as a helper in the infirmary; at the same time he continued his 2studies, attending evening classes. Two years later he returned to the pharmaceutical profession and shortly afterwards passed the State examination for druggists. He immediately became manager of one of the largest drugstores downtown. Later, passing the examination for optometrists, he opened his office in the drugstore where he was [still] employed as assistant manager, but when his own business became too large, he was compelled to discontinue his work for the drugstore and to open a large office in the Home Bank Building at 1200 North Ashland Avenue. Recently he equipped a larger office and laboratory at 1064 Milwaukee Avenue.

Besides attending to his [Chicago] patients he also takes care of the eyes of the orphans in St. Hedwig's Orphanage at Niles, Illinois. He has a large patronage among the Polish students in Chicago.

For many years Dr. Ligman has been a member of the Polish Alma Mater; he belongs also to the Knights of Columbus and to the Polish National 3Alliance. He is an active member of the Polish Alma Mater Building and Loan Association, of which he is one of the directors.

In the last war he was a speaker in the Government loan compaigns; he was also one of those who without compensation worked to uncover pro-Germans and German spies, exposing himself frequently to serious danger.

When only twenty-two years old, he married Miss Stephanie Jablonska, member and one of the founders of the St. Helen Chorus. Dr. and Mrs. Ligman have three sons; the family resides [in the apartment] above the Doctor's office.

Still a comparatively young man, he is already well known and respected not only among Poles but also among people of other nationalities.