Dr. John Bacon Britton

Narrative:

     Dr. John Bacon Britton was born on 26 Mar 1830 in Halifax Co., Virginia.^6,7,8
     He was probably one of the two males under age 5 listed in the household of his father, Isham H. Britton, in the 1830 Federal Census of Halifax Co., Virginia.¹⁵ He was probably the male age 10 to 15 listed in the household of his father in the 1840 Federal Census of North District, Halifax Co., Virginia.¹⁶ He appeared on the 1850 Federal Census of Halifax Co., Virginia, in the household of his parents, Isham H. Britton and Mary W. Toot.^17,18
     John attended the medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the 1852-53 and 1853-54 terms. University records do not show him as graduating, though it was later claimed that he graduated in 1852.^19,20
     John married first Mary Treadway Price, daughter of Nathaniel D. Price and Mary T. Compton, on 27 Sep 1854 in Prince Edward Co., Virginia.⁹

Moving to North Carolina --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     John and Mary settled in North Carolina after their marriage.²¹
     John established a medical practice in Winston, North Carolina.²²
     While in Winston, John was active in politics. He was one of the three delegates representing Forsyth Co. at the Democratic Party's state convention in Raleigh in 16 Apr 1856.²³
     John and Mary returned to Virginia in the spring of 1858.²²
     She died in 1858 in Virginia.²²

Go West, Young Man --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     John moved west in the fall of 1858, locating in St. Joseph, Missouri, where he continued to pratice.^22,24
     John appeared on the 1860 Federal Census of St Joseph, Buchanan Co., Missouri, enumerated 9 Aug 1860, in a household with six other men, including a brick mason, carpenter, and trader, and a 17-year-old female servant. He reported real estate valued at $30,000 and personal estate of $15,000.²⁵
     He was appointed U.S. physician for the Osage Indians, in anticipation of a treaty that was to be confirmed between the U.S. Government and the tribe. He proceeded to Osage country in August, but the treaty was delayed and he returned to Ft. Scott.²²
     After a short time he moved to Ft. Lincoln, 15 miles north, which had been established for the better protection of the boarder counties in Kansas.²² John was instrumental in establishing a post office at Fort Lincoln, and was appointed the first postmaster there on 25 Nov 1861. He was replaced 29 Jan 1862.^26,27
     John moved to Mapleton in Sep 1862 to take the practice of Dr. S. O. Himor, who had been commissioned as a surgeon in a Wisconsin regiment.^22,28

A Second Marriage --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     John married second Elizabeth Blackmore, daughter of John Blackmore and Mary Laughlin, on 28 Jan 1864 in Bourbon Co., Kansas.^10,11,12
     John and Elizabeth appeared on the 1865 State Census of Timberhill Twp., Bourbon Co., Kansas. Their son Walter was listed as living with them, as was Scott Bloomfield, age 15, relationship unknown.²⁹
     John and Elizabeth moved to the farm about three-quarters of a mile east of Mapleton, where he lived the rest of his life.²² He continued to practice medicine as his primary occupation.^30,31,32
     John and Elizabeth appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Timberhill Twp., Bourbon Co., Kansas, enumerated 26 Aug 1870, reporting real estate valued at $3,500 and personal estate of $600. Their children Walter, Earnest and Lester were listed as living with them, as were two farm laborers, John Caller, age 21, and Thompson Rose, age 16.³³
     John and Elizabeth appeared on the 1875 State Census of Timberhill Twp., Bourbon Co., Kansas, reporting real estate valued at $911 and personal property of $534. Their children Walter, Earnest, Lester, Pomeroy and May were listed as living with them, as were William Carter, age 19, and Samuel Shemker, age 22. They may have been farm hands but no occupations were listed.³⁴

Continuing to be Active in Politics --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---

     John continued to be active in local politics in Bourbon Co.. For example, in May 1876 he was named as a delegate from the county to the state Democratic Party convention. In Sep 1879 he was active in the county's National Greenback Labor party convention, including acting as temporary chair.^35,36
     In Oct 1880 he ran for clerk of District Court on the Democratic ticket. He was unsuccessful, receiving 1,482 votes to his opponent's 2,329.^37,38
     John and Elizabeth appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Timberhill Twp., Bourbon Co., Kansas, enumerated 4 Jun 1880. Their children Walter, Earnest, Lester, Pomeroy and May were listed as living with them.³⁹
     In the 1880 census he reported he owned a farm of 164 acres, which was valued at $3,000, with $300 worth of implements and $1,200 in livestock. He had 100 acres of tilled land, 10 acres of meadows, 4 acres of woodlands, and 50 acres of other unimproved land. He reported the value of the farm's production the prior year as $1,000, having spent $75 on fence repairs and $100 on wages for 28 weeks of work. He had mowed 40 acres the prior year, yielding 80 tons of hay. He reported 10 horses and 2 mules, 13 "milch cows," from which he had produced 1,000 lb. of butter the prior year. There were 31 other cattle and had 8 calves dropped the prior year. He purchased 6 cattle and sold 13 cattle living and slaughtered two. He had 27 swine and 75 poultry, producing 300 dozen eggs. His crops in 1879 had included one acre of buckwheat, producing 17 bushels, 70 acres of Indian corn yielding 1,700 bushels, 8 acres of oats yielding 160 bushels, and 9 acres of wheat yielding 80 bushels. A six-acre apple orchard, with 200 trees, had yielded 30 bushels, valued at $30. A one-acre peach orchard with 100 trees had produced nothing.⁴⁰
     John died on 6 Aug 1884 in Mapleton, Kansas, at age 54.^13,7 He was buried in Mapleton Cemetery, Mapleton, Bourbon Co., Kansas.¹⁴