| Sources |
- [S118] History of early Sevier County Doctors , Beulah Linn, (www.sevierlibrary.org/genealogy/doc/doc.htm).
John Boring (J.B.) Housley was born May 26,1874, at Stony Point in Hawkins County, Tn died on June 18,1929 at Kodak, Tn. He was the youngest of thirteen children born to WiIliam M. and Louisa Jane Housley, both of whom are buried at Fudge's Chapel in Hawkin County.
Dr. Housley was educated in the public schools of Hawkins County, and came to Sevier County around 1890 as a teacher in the Paw Paw Hollow School. He was married to Mar Jane Newman, daughter of Captain JOE. and Martha Ann Newman, on French Broad Rive Two children were born to this union:
1. Onie Kathleen Housley b. 1898, m. Ira Phillips Ch: Ruth; Larry Dean; Mark.
2. Maude Carpenter Housley b. 1900, m. Warren Johnson Ch: Marie: Charles.
Dr. Housley entered medical school and graduated in the class of 1900 at which lima the University of Tennessee medical a nits were located in Knoxville. His office was at the Tamil home on Kodak Road in southeast Knox County from 1900 until 1924 at which time he built anew home and moved into Sevier County to the Kodak community near the present sites the Kodak postoffice. From that location he spent the last five years of his life caring for his patients.
His daughter, Maude Carpenter Johnson, related many stories of his medical practice He always kept two or three good saddle horses for riding to "make house calls". The famil still has the ledger books containing the names of many families visited, the records c births, house calls, medicine dispensed and collections made. They also show that 01 calls were billed $5.00; most house calls were $1.00, except at night or greater distance; then the rate was $1.50. Medicine was sent to the sick at home by family members from the office and the charge was 250 or 50 a broken bone or arm was set for $5.00. As late a 1 982 these ledgers were still being used to obtain birth certificates from Nashville.
The last few years of his life afforded Dr. Housley the pleasure of driving a car, a T-Model Ford, for making house calls. He was held in high esteem and considered a true friend c many in the rural areas of Sevier and Knox County locations where he cared for the sick
Information from:
Marie Johnson Temple
Grand-daughter
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 6 Jun 2015.
Upland Chronicles: Dr. J.B. Housley practiced medicine in Kodak
CARROLL MCMAHAN
Dr. J.B. Housley, pictured toward the end of his life, practiced medicine in the Kodak community for about three decades.
Dr. Housley is pictured with his wife Martha and daughters Onie and Maude.
John B. Housley as a young medical student; he attended the University of Tennessee School of Medicine in Knoxville.
In the late 1800s, trained physicians were scarce in Sevier County, particularly in the remote, rural areas. House calls often kept the few practicing doctors throughout the county away from their families overnight or, sometimes, for several days. They worked long, hard hours for little pay. But none of this prevented a young school teacher from pursuing his dream of becoming a healer of the sick.
John Booring Housley came to Sevier County around 1890 to teach at Paw Paw Hollow School. Not much older than his students, the young, charismatic educator quickly adapted to the isolated community separated from the county seat by the French Broad River.
Born May 28, 1874, at Stony Point in Hawkins County, Tenn., he was the youngest of 13 children of William M. and Louisa Jane Housley. He grew up in a community known as Fudge's Chapel, where he was educated in the public schools. While teaching at Paw Paw Hollow School, Housley met Mary Jane Newman, daughter of riverboat captain James Edmund Newman and Martha Ann Atchley Newman.
Martha's parents, Captain and Mrs. Newman, lived in Catlettsburg before settling in Knox County on the banks of the French Broad River. Newman began his career on the river operating a yawl on which he transported freight to market. He later built and operated a flatboat that allowed him to transport more cargo. After leasing vessels, he finally built his own steamboats, one of which was named the Lucille Borden.
Perhaps the eligible bachelor school teacher met the captain's daughter aboard one of Capt. Newman's steamboats headed to Knoxville.
Housley married Mary Jane, and the couple had two daughters: Onie Kathleen (married Ira Phillips) and Maude Carpenter (married Warren Johnson). With a family to support, he decided to enter the University Of Tennessee School Of Medicine, located at that time in Knoxville.
Since an apprenticeship was not required, as soon as he graduated, Housley set up his practice in 1900 at the family home on Kodak Road in southeast Knox County, where he remained until 1924. Although some were skeptical of the young doctor, preferring to continue their old customs of using herbs for healing or depending on their faith, most in the community were excited to have a trained physician to call when needed.
According to stories told by his daughter, Maude Johnson, to her daughter, Marie Temple, "He always kept two or three good saddle horses for riding to make house calls. He was privileged to own one of the first cars, a T-Model Ford, in north Sevier County, which he used the last few years of his life."
The family still has in its possession the old ledger books containing the names of many of the families he visited, records of births, house calls, as well as medicine dispensed and monetary collections for his services.
The detailed records indicate that Dr. Housley's fee to deliver a baby was $5. Most house calls were $1 each, except those made late at night or at greater distances; then the rate was normally $1.50. Medicine was sent from the office to give to the home of the sick by members of their family. Often the charge was only a quarter or half-dollar. He charged $5 to set a broken bone.
One interesting entry in the ledger of the 1910s shows a payment on a patient's account was made by the patient exchanging work in Knox County for medical services rendered by Dr. Housley. A receipt from the Knox County Courthouse was attached.
During the early 1900s, Dr. Housley, as well as other country doctors, provided medical services that would be considered crude today. Kitchen-table surgeries by lamplight were commonplace and saved many lives. When Housley started his practice, communicable diseases were rampant, and the use of herbal medicines were often the only recourse. Public health programs were virtually unheard of throughout rural America.
Active in his community, Dr. Housley was a Mason and member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He was known as a good husband and father. Sadly, his devoted wife Mary Jane died Dec. 30, 1919. She was only 46, dying before either of her parents.
At 50, Dr. Housley moved across the county line into Sevier County to a new home he had built. He lived there the last five years of his life, caring for his patients and making house calls in his new T-Model Ford.
Although he lived to see both of his daughters married, Dr. Housley died June 18, 1929, at age 55, following a year of declining health. He is buried beside his wife in the Seven Islands Cemetery.
In addition to dispensing medicine, Housley was a diagnostician, surgeon, counselor, adviser and confident. Hippocrates once said, "Some patients, though conscious that their condition is perilous, recover their health simply through their contentment with the goodness of their physician." John B. Housley was known a good and trusted physician; the statement made by Hippocrates over 2,000 years ago could have been said about him.
Carroll McMahan is special projects facilitator for the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce and serves as Sevier County historian.
The Upland Chronicles series celebrates the heritage and past of Sevier County. If you have suggestions for future topics, would like to submit a column or have comments, contact Carroll McMahan at 453-6411 or cmcmahan@scoc.org; or Ron Rader at 604-9161 or ron@ronraderproperties.com
- [S112] Census, 1880.
Name: John B Houseley
Event Type: Census
Event Year: 1880
Event Place: District 8, Hawkins, Tennessee, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 6
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Race (Original): W
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Son
Birth Year (Estimated): 1874
Birthplace: Tennessee, United States
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee, United States
Mother's Birthplace: Virginia, United States
Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Affiliate Publication Number: T9
Affiliate Film Number: 1261
Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
W M Houseley Self M 51 Tennessee, United States
Nathan T Houseley Son M 23 Tennessee, United States
Isaac M Houseley Son M 21 Tennessee, United States
Ephraim W Houseley Son M 18 Tennessee, United States
David V Houseley Son M 19 Tennessee, United States
Charlie J Houseley Son M 12 Tennessee, United States
Susan P Houseley Daughter F 9 Tennessee, United States
Louisa J Houseley Wife F 50 Virginia, United States
Granville G Houseley Son M 10 Tennessee, United States
John B Houseley Son M 6 Tennessee, United States
Mollie J Houseley Daughter F 14 Tennessee, United States
- [S121] Draft Registration.
Name: John Boring Housley
Event Type: Draft Registration
Event Date: 1917-1918
Event Place: Knox County no 1, Tennessee, United States
Gender: Male
Nationality: United States
Birth Date: 26 May 1874
Birthplace: , , United States
"United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-25094-77387-46?cc=1968530 : accessed 6 June 2015), Tennessee > Knox County no 1; A-Z > image 1755 of 4250; citing NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
- [S71] Sevier County Republican Extracts, Beulah Linn, (http://sevier.tngenealogy.net/research-assistance/records-resources/27-newspapers-a-publications), 19 Jun 1929.
Dr. J.B. Houseley, 55, Kodak, died Tuesday, June 18, at 7 a.m.. He had been in failing health for a year. He had been a practicing physician for about thirty years, was a Mason and a member of the M.E.Church, South. Funeral services and burial will take place this afternoon at 2:30 at Seven Islands. Rev. R.M. Haven and R.M. Brooks will officiate.
Surviving are two children, Mrs. Ira D. Phillips of Minerva, Ohio and Mrs. Warren Johnson of Kodak; two brothers, D.V. and Jim Houseley of Van Buren, Arkansas; and two sisters, Mrs. John Cox of Texas and Mrs. Susan Butt of Jefferson City.
- [S87] Death Certificate.
Name: John B. Housley
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 18 Jun 1929
Event Place: Sevier Co., Tennessee
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Widowed
Race: White
Age: 55
Birth Date: 26 May 1874
Birthplace: Hawkins Co., Tenn.
Father's Name: William M. Housley
Father's Birthplace: Va.
Mother's Name: Louise Carpenter
Mother's Birthplace: Va.
Occupation: Physician
Residence Place: Sevier Co., Tenn.
Cemetery: Seven Islands
Burial Date: 19 Jun 1929
"Tennessee, Death Records, 1914-1955," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11568-108835-38?cc=1417505 : accessed 6 June 2015), 004183619 > image 952 of 2520; State Library and Archives, Nashville.
- [S147] Find a Grave, (Memorial: 33560774).
- [S58] Marriage Certificate.
Name: John B Housley
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 26 Jul 1896
Event Place: Knox, Tennessee, United States
Spouse's Name: Mary Newman
"Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-9820-57420-52?cc=1619127 : accessed 6 June 2015), 004538954 > image 733 of 1516; county courthouses, Tennessee.
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