ST JOHN, Ouis E.

ST JOHN, ORR

Posted By: Tony Mercer (email)
Date: 10/22/2021 at 07:12:10

Ouis E. St. JOHN, M.D., a practicing physician and surgeon, and the proprietor of the drug store at Blencoe, was born near Delhi, Delaware County, N. Y., March 8, 1834, and is the son of Lichard and Betsy Ann (BURROUGHS) St. JOHN. His father is a native of the same county, of French-English descent and was born September 22, 1784. At Binghampton, Broorae County, N. Y., in 1818, the latter married Miss Betsy Amy BURROUGHS, who was born in Cherry Valley, Otsego County, in the same State, in March, 1794, and died in New York City, October 22, 1866. She was of French descent. The elder Mr. St. JOHN died in Sandusky, Ohio, October 19. 1856.

Dr. St. JOHN was the youngest of a family of five children born to his parents, and when but one year of age, removed with the family to Sandusky, Ohio. He »ceived his preparatory education in the schools of that city, and in 1855 entered the Ohio Wesleyan Methodist University, at Delaware, that State, where he remained a year and a-half. Previous to this, like President GARFIELD in his youth, having a great longing for a sailor's life, he was engaged in sailing on the great lakes and the St. Lawrence River, for two seasons. At the Western Reserve College, in 1856-57, he attended a course of medical lectures, but the following year followed the water as Captain of the steamers "Comet" and "C. L. Burton." In 1859, while commanding the tug "A. S. Field," at Detroit, Michian, the boiler exploded, disabling him so that he was laid up for some time. On recovering he went to Snachwine, Putnam County, Illinois, where he taught school until 1862, when, being taken sick in the fall of that year, he was unable to do much and spent several years traveling through California and several oilier States and in Canada. In 1866 he removed to Grand Mound, Clinton County, Iowa, where he practiced medicine for about a year, and followed the same profession at Lake City, Calhoun County, for two years more, and then returned to Toledo, Ohio. In 1871 he returned to Iowa, locating at Creston, but a year later removed to Ringgold County, where he platted the town site of Kugene, and made his home in that spot until 1883. At the latter period he removed to Tingley, in the same county, being the first settler of that village, where he erected a building and went into the drug business. On the 14th of March, 1884, Dr. St. JOHN came to Blencoe, and there made his home until December 15, 1888, when he moved to Merrill, Iowa, but in July, 1889, returned to Blencoe, and July 17, of that year, started in his present business.

The Doctor received a certificate of professional ability from the Northwestern College, at Chicago. In 1881, and while a resident of Tingley, in 1883-4, was surgeon of the Humeston & Shenandoah Railroad. He was also registered as a druggist by the Iowa State Board of Pharmacy, May 10, 1882.

Dr. St. JOHN was married March 11, 1862, to Miss Sarah J. ORR, a native of Michigan, of Scotch parents. By this union they have had a family of six children: one who died in infancy; Anna B., born June 12, 1868, who died January 23, 1877; Frank L., born Marcy 29, 1876; one unnamed that died in infancy; Walter E., born January 28, 1881; and Effie Monona, October 8, 1886.

The Doctor is a member of Afton Lodge, No. 130, I.O.O.F., of Afton, Union County, Iowa.

SOURCE: EATON, Samuel John Mills History of Monona County, Iowa p. 439. National Publ. Co. Chicago. 1890.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2009