Montgomery-Macon County TN Archives Biographies.....Howser, Stephen Nicholas 1862 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tn/tnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com October 30, 2005, 3:48 am Author: Will T. Hale STEPHEN NICHOLAS HOWSER, M. D. A professional man of notable and varied abilities is Dr. Stephen Nicholas Howser, who combines his work as a medical practitioner with the conduct of a small farm in District No. 11, of Montgomery county. The doctor's own personal status and the rather distinguished character of his parentage makes particularly interesting the genealogical and biographical facts that we are able to gather regarding him. Thomas Howser, his grandfather, was a native of Kentucky, whence he came to Tennessee and there carried on the activities of a farmer of extensive property, including slaves. His son was patriotically named Thomas Jefferson. But the son was one of the original abolitionists. His recognition of the human soul in the black servitors made him. feel slavery was an ethical mistake. He was an extensive stock-raiser, having large numbers of horses, which the war impoverished. He might have espoused the cause with which he sympathized by entering the Union army had not the condition of his eyes prevented. Thomas Jefferson Howser had been blind from about 1861 to 1865. Later in life his sight was restored and of such moment did he feel the healing science to be that he entered upon a thorough study of eye diseases and means of curing them. As a specialist in the treatment of the eye, he became widely known throughout his region of the state and for miles around people came to him for advice and for his services in curing various eye troubles. He kept open house and was frequently host as well as physician to those who came. More often than not, these guests and patients forgot to pay their benefactor, who nevertheless is remembered with deep affection and honor. Thomas Jefferson Howser was married in 1862 to Mary Elizabeth Meador, a daughter of Pleasant and Anne Meador. Both Mr. and Mrs. Howser were members of the Missionary Baptist church, and he, it is needless to say, was a member of the Republican party. They were the parents of twelve children, of whom eleven are now living. Born in 1824, Thomas Jefferson Howser lived until 1909 and his worthy wife yet survives him, her home being at Red Boiling Springs. Fourth child of the parents above noted, Stephen Nicholas Howser, was born at Red Boiling Springs, in Macon county, Tennessee, on October 21, 1862. After his preliminary intellectual development in the public schools of Macon county, and in Willette Academy of the same community, he pursued in professional realms some of the worthiest activities of life, his ultimate services to humanity being those of the medical practitioner. It was some years, however, before he left the first calling which he embraced in youthful years. Before he reached the age of seventeen, S. N. Howser proved himself competent for elementary school-teaching. As time went on he so raised his pedagogical status and so broadened his usefulness as an instructor that his services in that capacity were required in as distant a locality as the state of Texas. Although he had taken up teaching as a temporary profession, he gave it such wholehearted attention and interest that ten years passed before he laid it aside. He was honored with the office of superintendent of public instruction in Macon county in 1887. That position he ably filled for two years, after which he closed his educational career in order to take up his specialized study of medical science. Entering the College of Medicine in Vanderbilt University at Nashville, Stephen N. Howser completed the prescribed courses and in 1891 Tvas graduated, receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine. He then located at Sango, in Montgomery county, where he established a practice of gratifying quality and of growing proportions. In 1893, at Fort Madison, Iowa, Dr. Howser was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Belle Crawford, a native of Tennessee, which is also the birthplace of her parents, Isaac and Elizabeth Crawford, formerly of Clay county. Dr. and Mrs. Howser are both members of the Christian church. The doctor's political affiliation is with the Republican party and his fraternal connection is with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. To both the doctor and his wife a very high standing is accorded by the residents of Sango and its environs as well as in all other parts of the state where they have been known. Additional Comments: From: A history of Tennessee and Tennesseans : the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities by Will T. Hale Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1913 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tn/montgomery/bios/howser261nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/tnfiles/ File size: 5.2 Kb