The John Newton Bone Family

By Minerva Bone Bassett

Dr. John Newton Bone was born in Larissa, Cherokee County, Texas, May 18, 1880. He moved to Jacksonville in January, 1913, and practiced medicine here until his death November 27, 1957. He was the son of Dr. Robert Donnell Bone (April 8, 1832-February 24, 1892) and Griselda Minerva Burk (January 1, 1841-September 7, 1912), both Tennesseans who moved to Nacogdoches County in the early 1840s as children and moved to Larissa, several years after their marriage. Dr. R. D. Bone was an assistant surgeon in the Confederate Army and founder of the Cherokee County Medical Society, for which he wrote the constitution. Eight of his descendants have followed in the medical profession. Children of the R. D. Bones were Dr. Winstead Paine Bone (November 23, 1861-Feb-ruary 12, 1942), president of Cumberland University, Lebanon, Tennessee; Jessie Mae Bone (January 7, 1864-January 15, 1892), wife of Dr. Ripley Hayes Hunter of Bullard; Bettie Bone (October 6, 1865-February 7, 1900), wife of William H. Walker, of Mt. Selman; Nevie Lee Bone (February 3, 1875-August 4, 1933), wife of G. A. McKee, of Jacksonville; Dr. James Robert Bone (November 15, 1877-March 28, 1935); and Dr. J. N. Bone of Jacksonville.

Dr. J. N. Bone attended Trinity University at Tehuacana and was a graduate of Cumberland University and the Medical School of the University of Nashville. He was a member of the Cherokee County Medical Society for 48 years and also served as its president. He was one of the founders of the Cherokee Sanitarium, now the Nan Travis Hospital. He was a charter member of the Jacksonville Kiwanis Club, served as president in 1938, and was for many years chairman of the Kiwanis Under-Privileged Children's Committee, being awarded the first Texas-Oklahoma Award for his outstanding services in this field. Dr. Bone was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, and was an elder for 42 years. He was active in other civic and fraternal organizations, including the Masonic Lodge, the Woodmen of the World, and the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, serving as a director of the latter. In both World Wars, Dr. Bone was an examining physician for the Selective Service System, and served as secretary of the Cherokee County Council of Defense in World War I.

Dr. Bone was a typical family doctor who made his first calls by horseback, then later by buggy. It was not unusual for him to spend the night. One night he was returning home from a distant call, his new model T Ford stalled in a dip in the road that had filled with water due to heavy rains. The car was washed a few yards off the road, and he was forced to take refuge at a near-by farm for the night. The next morning the farmer provided him with brogans, dry overalls, a wide-brim hat and a horse. On his way into town, he stopped by the Jacksonville Drug Store and inquired as to the whereabouts of Dr. Bone whose offices were just above the drug store. He was delighted to find that no one recognized him and he was informed that the "Doc" was late that morning. Dr. Bone was married twice, first, on May 17, 1910, to Roxie Brasfield of Greenfield, Tennessee, who died October 21, 1918; and second, on September 29, 1921, to Frances Gaynelle Bailey, of Washington, Georgia, who died March 5, 1944. The children are Kathryn (Mrs. J. N. Chatfield) of Baytown, Minerva (Mrs. W. K. Bassett) of Bethesda, Md.; Dr. Robert Donnell Bone of Corsicana, Frances (Mrs. R. E. Urban) of Port Arthur, Anna Ruth (Mrs. Alex Beall), of Tyler, and Mary Alice (Mrs. J. R. Adamson) of Jacksonville. Dr. Mary Alice Bone (Mrs. Adamson) is the only one of the children currently living in Jacksonville, and continues the hundred-year tradition of a Dr. Bone practicing medicine in Cherokee County.

Dr. J. N. Bone's first office was located in this building in Mt. Selman. Shown, l. to r., are J. W. Long, Joe Brock, Dr. Bone and Morris (Doc) Dublin.

Shown below, l. to r., are Dr. W. P. Bone, Dr. John N. Bone, Mrs. Nevie Bone McKee and Dr. J. R. Bone, members of a pioneer medical family.