A. Gayden, M. D., East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
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A. Gayden, M. D., superintendent and chief physician of the State Insane asylum, of Jackson,
La., and a native of this parish, was born and reared on the home place of his parents.  [See
sketch of I. G. Gayden.]  He was primarily educated in the common schools, afterward at
Centenary college, and finally took a medical course at Tulane university, of New Orleans, where
he graduated in 1877.  He was an earnest student, and at the time of his graduation was the
valedictorian of his class.  His people were in straitened circumstances after the war and he
was energetic enough to make his own way through school.  He then spent two years in the New
Orleans Charity hospital as a resident student practitioner, when he returned to his native
parish of East Feliciana and has since made his home here.  He located near Wilson.  In 1892 he
was appointed to his present place in the asylum, after serving a term of three years, as first
assistant superintendent.  By his own efforts he has made himself one of the leading physicians
of the parish.  He has studied hard to get to the front rank in his profession, and richly
deserves the place which he now holds.  His first wife, Miss Mary Octavia Perkins, was a
daughter of Dr. L. G. Perkins.  She was educated at Silliman Collegiate institute, from which
she was graduated with a high rank in her class.  She was a lady of much culture and fine
attainments, and at the time of her death was a member of the Baptist church.  She left one son,
who died shortly after her death.  Dr. Gayden then married Miss Kate N. Perkins, a sister of his
former wife, who is also a graduate of Silliman.  She has much musical ability and makes a
specialty of the guitar.  To this union have been born two children;  Mary Octavia and  Lewis
Perkins.  Mrs. Gayden is a member of the Baptist church and her husband is a member of the
Presbyterian church.  The Doctor is a member of the Parish Medical association, of which he has
several times been the president.  He is also a member of the Knights of Honor, and in his
political affiliations is a democrat, though taking no special part in politics, other than to
express his right of suffrage.  He is held in high respect in the parish and he and his
estimable wife are well thought of in the social circles of the place.

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 1), p. 441.  Published by the Goodspeed
Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.