Dr. F.N. Brian , Rapides Parish Louisiana
Submitted by: Suzanne Shoemaker

**********************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
********************************************** 

Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville,  1890

     DR. F. N. BRIAN, physician and druggist, Boyce, La.  It is to the skill
and science of the druggist that suffering humanity looks for alleviation
of pain.  The physician my successfully diagnose, but it is the chemist who
prepares the remedy.  When, therefore, as in the case of the gentleman
whose name forms the subject of this sketch, the two professions, namely
that of the physician and druggist, are combined, how doubly important
becomes the establishment conducted by Dr. F. N. Brian.  This gentleman was
born in Caldwell Parish, La., on March 7, 1860, and is a son of Francis and
Saloma R. (Cosser) Brian, natives of South Carolina and Mississippi, and
born in 1805 and 1822, respectively.  Mr. Brian was well educated in South
Carolina, and in 1838 removed to Louisiana, where he engaged in planting on
quite an extensive scale.  He was the owner of seventy-five slaves at the
beginning of the war, and was quite wealthy.  He was a Royal Arch Mason,
and was a member of the Missionary Baptist Church.  He died on February 25,
1860.  Mrs. Brian, who is a member of the same church, is still living and
makes her home with her son, Dr. F. N. Brian.  The latter completed a
classical education at A. & M. College, at Baton Rouge, La.  After leaving
school he went in a drug store for two years at Winnfield, La., and then
attended the medical department of the University of Louisiana (now Tulane
College), at New Orleans for three years, completing his course and
receiving a diploma in March, 1884.  After this he continued to practice at
Winnfield three years, or until April, 1887, when he removed to Boyce,
where he has since resided.  He is now considered the leading physician of
this section, and has a lucrative practice.  In the whole list of
professions there are no two usually kept distinct that admit of more
satisfactory blending than that of the physician and druggist, and Dr.
Brian, in his dual capacity, has been very successful.  He is medical
examiner for the New York Mutual Life Insurance Company, and also for the
K. of H. at this place.  He is also local surgeon for the Texas & Pacific
Railroad.  On December 25, 1882, he was married to Miss Geneva Dickerson,
daughter of W. H. and Elizabeth (Jackson) Dickerson, natives of South
Carolina and Louisiana, respectively.  Mrs. Brian died in July, 1885, and
the Doctor was married the second time on July 5, 1888, to Miss Clemie
Jones, daughter of Matthew and Cecelia (McElroy) Jones, who were born in
Tennessee and Louisiana, respectively.  Mr. Jones was a planter and stock
raiser; he died in 1863.  Mrs. Jones is still living in Boyce.  Dr. Brian
is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Eastern Star Lodge No. 151, but is
also a member of the K. of H., Enterprise Lodge No. 3552, at Boyce.  He is
a member of the Missionary Baptist, and his wife a member of the Episcopal
Church.