Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-12-16

From Knox lille Daily Chronicle, G. 10 !
Oar whole community was shocked
yesterday at the sudden death Of DR..
Jno. w. Paxton, long a resident of our
city, and well known throughout the
State, He had been suffering for few
weeks past with rheumatism, and was
confined to his room, but the cause OF
his death was apopeXy. He was vis-
tied in the morning by friends with
whom he held pleasant Intercourse,
ard to whom lac expressed himself as
improving from his Rheumatic troubles.
a short time before lOo'clock he went
out into his garden, and on returning
fell down i'm the door leading into the
bali of his residence. His son saw
this and supposed il was the result of
bis rheumatism, but on going to him,
he saw ii was something more serious.
DIR. j. II. Morgan, who resides near
him and with whom he has heretofore
served rs partner in the practice Of
medicine, was sent for, but not being
in, DR.. Alexander was called in. DR..
Alexander made an effort to bleed him,
without success, the blood having
ceased to circulate. He continued t.
grow worse, and in half an hour he
was corpse.
DIR. Paxton was born in Abingdon.
Va, in the year 1924. He was a son of
the late DR.. James Paxton, an eminent
physician of this city. His mothers
maiden name was Eliza ID. Houston,
daughter of Rev. Samuel Houston, of
ROckbridge county, Virginia. He
came to Knoxville in 1888, when a
boy. He afterwards studied medicine,
aud attended medical schools in Phila
delphia and New York, about the
years 1916 and 1917. He was ALWAYS a
hard student and stood very high i'm
his profession. Not satisfied with any
superficial knowledge of the Science 0f
Medicine, he always kept apace with
the progress of the age and his opin-
ions were regarded as high authority.
He continued TO practice his profession
up to the day of his death.
For the past four or five years, DR..
Paxton has given great deal of atten-
ton to religious subjects. He was firm
believerin the tenets of the NewChurch
generally known as the Swedenbor-
gian. The writer of this article has
had frequent conversations with him
on the subject, and found him thor
oughly cOnversant with nearly all the
literature of the day pertaining to that
religious faith. Although he was firm
In his own belief, he was liberal to-
wards those with whom he differed,
and manifested spirit in this tspect
which must have challenged the al
mirltion of all with whom he came in
contact.
He was a member of the Masonic
fraternity of nearly thirty years stand
ing, having Joined the Order soon af-
ter he attained his majority. No man
in Tennessee stood higher in the sew
eral organizations of Masonry than he.
He was the first Master of Masters
Lodge No. pa of this city, aud may
be regarded as its founder. He has
probably initiated more persons
into the mysteries of the several
branches of Masonry than any man in
the State. He was as well posted in Ma
sonic ceremonies, Masonic usage aud
Masonic jurisprudence as any man In
the country. He has filled the chair
in every branch of Masonry in this
city, having served for many years as
Master of Masters Lodge, No. pa,
High Priest of Pearl Chapter, No. "A,
Thrice Illustrious Master of Zabed
Council, and as Eminent Commander
of Cmur de Lion Commandery, No.
9. He was at the time of his death
Past Grand Master of the Grand
Lodge of Tennessee, Past Grand High
Priest of the Grand Chapter, aud
Thrice Illustrious Grand Master of the
Grand Council.
Few men have taken so much inter-
est in the operations of Masonry a.
DIR. Paxton. He has devoted long
its history, progress aud teach
ings, and in his death. the frater-
nifty in Tennessee has suffered an ir-
reparable loss. All that remains to his
brethren with whom he has mingled
so often now lies mute, land the light
of the eye, the breathing of the lips,
in their language of fraternal greeting,
have ceased for them forever on this
side Of the grave"
The deceased was also a member Of
the order of Odd Fellows, for many
years.
He leaves wife and interesting fami~
ly TO mourn his loss. To them we ten
der our sympathies in this their hour
of sore atfliction. The wife has lost a
kind and devoted husband. lie was a
kind father, speaking frequently of
his children ia such a way os to show
the unceasing and tender love he felt
for them.
Funeral services will take place at
the residence Ofthe deceased on Union
street to-day at two o'clock p. NJ. DIR.
Cunningham will of1iciate.
AImRnacs for 1875.
The merchants now are nearly all