Clark-Warren County KyArchives Biographies.....VIVION, John Bowen October 23, 1810 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ky/kyfiles.html ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: j. robison normadeplume@wmconnect.com July 29, 2008, 1:15 am Author: Albert J. Perry From 'History of Knox County, Illinois by Albert J. Perry 1912 JOHN BOWEN VIVION Dr. John Bowen Vivion was a distinguished physician, honored by the profession throughout the state. Study and close application constantly promoted his ability and gave him prominent place in the ranks of the medical fraternity in Illinois. He was born in Clark county, Kentucky, October 23, 1810, a son of Henry and Mildred (Ryan) Vivion, both of whom were natives of Virginia, being reared upon farms in the vicinity of Alexandria, that state. They removed westward to Clark county, Kentucky, when it was almost an unbroken wilderness and took helpful part in its reclamation and development. Both were firm believers in the Christian religion and held membership in the Baptist church until that denomination divided upon the question of missions, after which they joined the Christian church. Henry Vivion devoted his life to general agricultural pursuits and was recognized both as good farmer and good citizen. He at one time owned about fifteen slaves, their labor being used in the development and cultivation of his fields. He was ever a most charitable and benevolent man, giving freely of his means to aid the poor, and in 1822, when a scarcity of corn caused great suffering among them, he refused to sell at the advanced price which was being asked, saying that what he could spare he would give to those who needed. About 1810 the family removed from Clark to Warren county, Kentucky, there remaining for six years, at the end of which time they went to Howard county, Missouri, where they resided until the father's death when he was seventy-nine years of age. The mother then made her home in Clinton county, Missouri, with her son James, and reached the advanced age of ninety-five years. Dr. Vivion received limited educational opportunities, yet when the chance offered attended the district schools near his father's homestead until eighteen years of age and afterward engaged in teaching school for two or three years. However, he had decided to make the practice of medicine his life work and during his leisure hours he studied medicine, reading alone. When twenty- two years of age, at Huntsville, Missouri, he began reading under the direction of Drs. Head and Rutherford, with whom he studied for one and a half years. He then went to Winchester, Kentucky, where he spent a year and a half under the preceptorship of Drs. Frasier and Vivion. He next attended lectures in the medical department of Transylvania University at Lexington, Kentucky, and on the 1st of May, 1836, began practice in Dover, Missouri, thereafter following his profession for more than sixty-five years. For thirty-five years he practiced in accordance with the tenets and principles of the allopathic school, but in 1866 became an advocate and practitioner of homeopathy, winning a diploma in Hahnemann College. In 1851 he removed from Dover to Waverly, Missouri, and two years later purchased a farm about two miles from Dover, on which he resided for seven years, practicing all that time. In 1860 he sold this property and went to College Mound, Missouri, while in 1865 he became a resident of Ursa, Illinois. Three years later, or in 1868, he came to Galesburg, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred on July 1, 1902. His work in his profession was most serviceable and throughout the period of his practice his skill and ability increased because of his wide reading and study, and his broad experience. His standing among his professional brethren is indicated by the fact that he was honored with the presidency of the State Medical Association, but resigned in favor of a younger man. On the 26th of September, 1836, Dr. Vivion was united in marriage to Miss Maria Jane Atkinson, and for a half century they traveled life's journey together but were separated through the death of the wife, on the 25th of August, 1887. In their family were eight children of whom four reached adult age, namely: Sarah Ann, the wife of Thomas Gorham; Robert, who was a Union soldier in the Civil war and died from hardships undergone in the field; John G., deceased; and Edward L. On the 16th of May, 1888, Dr. Vivion was again married, his second union being with Lucy Neely, a daughter of James Neely, who came to Galesburg after the arrival of "the colony" from the state of New York. For ten years he resided at Log City and then removed to Center Point, where he followed farming until his death. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Sabrina Arnold, was also from the Empire state. His brother, Abram Neely, came to Knox county at a very early day and owned a mill upon the present site of the Santa Fe depot and also a great deal of land on what is now Broad street. Dr. Vivion gave his early political allegiance to the Whig party and following its dissolution he joined the democratic party in 1856 and remained thereafter one of its strong supporters. He filled a number of local positions, serving as health commissioner of Galesburg for several years, as city health officer for two years and as city physician for five years. He was also prominent in church work and in 1843 was elected an elder of the Christian church, which position he filled throughout the remainder of his days. Church services were held in his office in Galesburg and the Lord's Supper was administered there until 1871, when his denomination built a church in this city. He afterward filled the pulpit much of the time until 1890, when a regular minister was secured. His life was ever characterized by high and honorable principles, his course conforming to his religious professions. He was always kind and generous to the poor and was a loyal, devoted friend. His entire life was characterized by progress, whether in the field of his profession, in public service or in church relationships, and certainly the world is better for his having lived. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ky/clark/bios/vivion481gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/kyfiles/