Butler County AlArchives Biographies.....Broughton, John L. April 25 1830 - 
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Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 14, 2004, 10:08 am

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
  JOHN L. BROUGHTON, M. D. - Dr. Broughton is one of the oldest and most popular
physicians of Butler County. His paternal ancestors were English people and
members of the family came from the old country in the time of the colonies and
settled in South Carolina, in which state the doctor's grandfather, John
Broughton, was born and raised. John Broughton served in the continental army
during the war of the Revolution and after the close of that struggle emigrated
to Georgia, settling in Green county about two miles from the city of
Greensboro. Edward Broughton, the doctor's father, was born in Green county,
Ga., in the year 1802. He was a planter in early life, but later became
interestd in the internal improvement of the south and was one of the promoters
and contractors of several of the earliest railroads of Georgia and Alabama, in
the construction of which he amassed a large fortune. In partnership with
several of his sons, including the doctor, he built that part of the L. & N.
railroad extending from Fort Deposit to Flowers Mill, in 1855-6, and his
connection with this and other lines brought him into prominence in Alabama and
other states of the south. He was especially noted for his superior
qualifications as a financier, and during his business life succeeded in
accumulating a fortune variously estimated from $500,000 to $800,000. He
married, about the year 1828 or 1829, Sarah Lackey, daughter of Thomas Lackey,
of Greensboro, Ga. Thomas Lackey was a native of South Carolina, born of Irish
parentage, and became a resident of Georgia in 1831, settling in Harris county
about twelve miles from the town of Columbus. In 1836 he made a business trip to
northern Alabama, and on his return was killed by an Indian war party not far
from where the town of Opelika now stands. Edward and Sarah Broughton were the
parents of three sons and seven daughters, namely: John L., Edwin, a.
Confederate soldier, killed before Richmond in 1862; Mary, widow of H. P. T.
Montgomery; Fannie, deceased wife of John B. Long; Mittie, wife of Coleman B.
Ferrels; Georgia, wife of Thomas H. Hayes; L. P., first lieutenant in the
Confederate service, killed in second battle of the Wilderness; Quinnie, wife of
William Martin; Mattie, wife of Matthew Whitfield, and Sarah, who died in
girlhood. The father and mother of these children died in 1878 and 1880
respectively. Dr. Broughton was born in LaGrange, Ga., April 25, 1830. His early
educational training in the common schools was supplemented by a course in the
university of Georgia, where he graduated in 1849, after which he began the
study of medicine at LaGrange with Dr. R. A. Ridley, under whose able
instructions he continued two years and then became a student of the Medical
college of South Carolina, at Charleston. His professional knowledge was further
increased by attendance at the university of Pennsylvania, where he completed
the prescribed course in 1853, and after receiving his degree he returned home
and entered upon the active practice the same year, but in 1854 located in
Greenville. Ala. The doctor moved to the latter place in the two-fold capacity
of physician and contractor, being connected at that time with his father and
brothers in the construction of the M. & M. railroad, which he built from
Montgomery, Ala., to Pensacola, Fla., completing that part of the line in April,
1861. Since that year he has been in the active practice of his profession at
Greenville, and his success as a physician is second to that of no other medical
man in Butler county, or in the southern part of the state. During the late war
Dr. Broughton served as surgeon, with headquarters first at Columbus, Miss., and
later was connected with the Chimborazo hospital, Richmond, Va., where he was
engaged until after the surrender. In addition to the practice of his profession
the doctor has given considerable attention to agriculture, and is now the
possessor of four fine plantations, one containing 580 acres, nine miles from
Greenville, another of 600 acres, six miles north of the town, a third
containing 200 acres, twelve miles north, and the fourth, of 210 acres, lying
three miles in the same direction. Dr. Broughton's professional reputation is of
the highest order of excellence. Of strong character, healthful presence and
sympathetic heart, he always calms the sick room, and his conscientious fidelity
to duty has won for him the love and confidence of all with whom he comes in
contact, either socially or in his capacity as medical adviser. He possesses
many of the elements of popularity, and his deportment is characteristic of the
cultured southern gentleman. The doctor was married, in 1864, at LaGrange, Ga.,
to Sarah, daughter of Thomas Ashford. Mrs. Broughton bore her husband four
children, and departed this life in 1878. The following are the names of the
children: Mary, deceased at the age of four years; Mary, wife of H. G.
Wilkinson; Edward, a medical student at Tulane university, New Orleans, and
Thomas A., who is now pursuing the study of medicine under the instruction of
his father. Dr. Broughton is a member of the F. & A. M., and belongs to the
Baptist church, of which his wife was also a communicant.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 551-553


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