The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-10-28
OBITUARY.
DIR. JAMES S ATHoN.

Athon will feel most sadly when they learn
OF bis death. He bresthed bis last at his
residence yesterday, October 25, at II
O'Clock, in the 65th year of his age. On
Tuesday, the 2Sth of September, he was
| stricken down with paralysis of bis entire
lett side, which his physicians ten us was
Indeed by hemorrhags OF the left lobe
OF his brain. But feeble and prostrsted as
he then was. they still bad hopes that he
would rally again, that his manly frame
would recuperate from the paralytic strokes
he had received. Favored with the special
and kindly attentions of Drs. Todd, Bigeaow.
Walker, Parvin, and indeed the whole pro-
fession OF the city, all was done that med
ical skill could devise, and for several days
his symptoms were gradually growing
more favorable, when on Thursday, the
18th inst, there was a still larger hemor
rhsge of the right lobe of his brain, which at
once dispelled all hopes OF his recovery. His
whole physical system now sank under the
shock, and complete parsly zssion ensued OF
his whole nervous organism. In this con-
dition he lay in comatose state, scarcely
recognizing anything until his final depart
ure. Now and then, as he still fingered on
the verge of life, he family recognized the
members of his family, and looked as II he
wished TO utter some last dying word. But
such was the weakness of his tongue that he
could not. His dim and fading eye was all
that could now speak, and that seemed i'm
pressively to tell of his deep concern, of his
good will, of his love for them all. His
over-worked brain had given way, and the
active intellect had 10 yield to the failure Of
it's encasement, and he lay on his couch as
one already dead. The lsbors of his lite had
been too intense, and the strong, majestic
frame of his physical manhood succumbed
to the heavy and constant wear of his nervous
system. Hence IL was apparent at his death
that he had literally worn out in the ser
Vice. But few men have worked harder or
shown a de eper concern for the discharge of
all life's obligations. DIR. Athon was born
in Louden county, Virginia, on the Let OF
April, 1911. His parents, soon after his
birth, removed to Murlreesboro, Tennessee,
where they remained but a short time,
when they came TO Kentucky, and year or
so atterward they settled psrma emily in
the Indiana territory, In what was then
known as Clark's grant. On his mothers
side, the doctor was connected with the
family of President Monroe, and with the
Perkins family, of Tennessee, both con-
/ nections being of old American genealogy
! His father was farmer Of transformations
manners, but of firm integrity, whose char
/ acter stood high as a msn Of Industry and
intelligence. For many years be was an ar.
dent m mber OF the Methodist Episcopal
Church. Living in the country near Charles
eft Ia q Il -.
the family had the privilege of hearing the
i different preachers who visited that place in
: their missions. This, with the winter
schools taught in the "old IA school house,
made up the boundaries of the advantages
Z. DIR. Athon had lor his development when nc
|, was q boy. IL was there under these lin
+ tied opportunities that he laid the founda
4 ton of ell his subsequent intellectual pro.
4 fessionsl and moral training. He worked
J, on his fathers farm until he had grown &c
manhood, when he commenced the study
. of medicine in the office Of DIR
Lyle, in the town of Charlestown
1 soon after completing his studies in the
Office he entered upon the practice In
that county with considerable success. In
i 1895 he married Rebecca Carr, daughter OF
: MIR. Thomas Carr, and sister OF Gen. John
I. w. Carr. Three years after he graduated liz
the medical college of Louisville, Ky.
being the first graduate who received a di
a poms from that institution. The
i fscil tiles of those early days were not like
Y those of the present, and the young man
: to contend with difficulties such as were
very unfavorable TO either distinction or de-
: velopment. For brief period DIR. AthoI
: practiced in Lexington, Scott county, when
4 he settled permanently in CbaTlestown
: where be soon ranked with the foremost
: physicians of the country. He commanded
: the high respect of the community by his
g dignified department, and at the same time
e maintained the genial friendships oil his pro-
fessional brethren. In 1916, when the wal
broke out with Mexico, he received and &C.
cepteG the appointment of
> SURGEON OF THE THIRD INDIANA REGIMENT
commanded by Col. James III. Lane, and in
. this capacity he served through the cam
q paigns of Gen. Taylor, and when the FIFTH
A Indiana regiment was organized under Col
German be became the surgeon OF that regi
ment. Vigorous and in his prime, he wa:
active in his duties of army surgeon, anC
9 many of the brave men of those regiments
doubtless owed their lives to his faithful at.
tention and skillful treatment while under
his care. On his return from the Mexican
war he was elected by his county state sen
ator, In which capacity he served one term
: While in the Senate of Indiana, although q
|, democrat OF the straightest sect, he bsc
many friends on the whig side of the house
, Among these were Joseph g. Marshall, o.
Jefferson, and George G.. Dunn, of Lawrence
Some readers If the Sentinel may remember
: the whig convention oil 1852, that nominated
? Nicholas McCarty for governor. After the
, nomination had been made a ratification
meeting was held in the hall OF the House o.
: Representatives, at which Mr.. Dunn was {
speaker. He was one OF the FIRST men In
= Indiana, and in some respects was superior
= = as an orator to his great colleague In TIT
Senate, Mr.. Marshall. After speaking of tb
nomination of McCarty in glowing terms
he criticised the actions of the democracy II
!, the Senate, and declared his determination
!, to resign his seat and return home. He salt
: he could leave the Senate without regret
; save parting with his political friends, a
from his opponents he had never receives
. either consideration or courtesy. Stop
ping moment, he resumed, say
H.. ic-czot thorn La aAnafn