Biography of John C. Gordon, MD - Wyoming Co. WV


The History of West Virginia, Old and New 
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., 
Chicago and New York, Volume III, 
pg. 565-566 


HON. JOHN C. GORDON, M. D. A well-known figure in 
medical circles of Wyoming County, Dr. John C. Gordon has 
the mine practice of the Miller Pocahontas Coal Company 
at Corinne, and has also the responsibility of a large general 
clientele. In addition to being active as a medical and 
surgical practitioner he is taking an active and prominent 
part in civic affairs, and at the present time is discharging 
the duties connected with the office of mayor. He is able 
both as a physician and an executive, and has done much to 
make Corinne a model coal camp.
Doctor Gordon was born at Lafayette, Montgomery 
County, Virginia, on his father's farm, April 9, 1887, and 
is a son of Joseph Thomas and Ella (Francis) Gordon. 
Joseph T. Gordon was a very successful truck gardener and 
an authority on agricultural subjects, more particularly 
matters pertaining to watermelons. He was preparing a 
series of articles on watermelon culture at the time of 
his early death, in 1902, when he was only forty-eight years 
of age. He sold the product from his farm at Roanoke, 
Christianburg, Blacksburg and in the coal fields, and was 
widely known as a man of integrity and fair dealing. 
An advanced thinker, he was deeply interested in educational 
affairs and always supported the public schools. His 
religious connection was with the Baptist Church, while 
Mrs. Gordon, who died in 1905, at thirty-eight years of 
age, was a Methodist. They were the parents of three 
sons and three daughters: Frank, who is a telegraph operator 
in the employ of the Virginian Railroad Company, at El- 
lett, Virginia: Doctor Joseph, who is a dental practitioner 
at Kingsport, Tennessee; Pearl, the wife of D. C. Horsley, 
in the United States Secret Service at Oakland, California; 
Grace, who is married and living at Birmingham, Alabama; 
Lillian, who died at the age, of thirty-two years, as the 
wife of W. W. Gardner, of Lafayette, Virginia; and Dr. 
John C.
John C. Gordon was a lad of fifteen years, with a public 
school education, at the time of his father's death, when 
he began to work to assist in the support of his mother 
and sisters. Being desirous of further educational ad- 
vantages, he attended high school part of the time and 
worked hard to pay his way, being a member of an 
engineering corps on the Virginian Railroad and a cross 
engineer in the coal fields of Kentucky. Thus he secured 
the means whereby he was able to enter Bell-Montgomery 
Academy at Nashville, Tennessee, and in 1908 commenced 
the study of medicine at the University of Tennessee, Nash- 
ville, from which institution he was graduated as a member 
of the class of 1912, receiving the degree of Doctor of 
Medicine. At that time he located at Keystone, McDowell 
County, West Virginia, taking up a mine practice, but 
after two years removed to Fort Pierce, on the east coast 
of Florida. After three years he removed to Chattanooga, 
Tennessee, where he spent one year, going then to Mullens, 
West Virginia, where he remained until 1921, the time of 
his advent at Corinne. Doctor Gordon recognizes and 
practices the highest ethics of his honored profession, and 
those unable to pay a fee receive his professional services 
free of charge. During the World war he acted as surgeon 
for the Wyoming County Draft Board. Doctor Gordon is 
a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and has 
been active in religious work for the past fifteen years. He 
is a Master Mason at Graham, Virginia, belongs to the 
Chapter at Princeton, West Virginia, and the Commandery 
at Mount Hope, this state, and holds membership in the 
Mystic Shrine at Charleston. As mayor of Corinne he has 
effected many needed municipal improvements and has 
discharged the duties of his office in a conscientious and 
highly efficient manner.
Doctor Gordon married on his birthday, April 9, 1919, 
Miss Ruth Barnett, daughter of G. A. Barnett, of Lynch- 
burg, Virginia, and to this union there has been born one 
daughter, Virginia Clifton.


Submitted by Valerie F. Crook <vfcrook@earthlink.net> 

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