The Reporter-Times from Martinsville, Indiana • 20

Dr. Jarvis Johnson and His Skeleton MORGAN COUNTY YESTERDAY Dale Drake 996-3553 1 A while back I was speaking to the local Kiwanis members about the Morgan County History and Genealogy Association, and Bob Kendall asked me if I knew anything about the legend that John Browns sons skeleton was kept in the closet of a local physician in Martinsville. I told him that everything I knew about the story came from his newspaper a response which caused everyone to chuckle, even Bob. But now I know that the story has a documented historic background. Nancy Eckerman, Medical Historian at the Ruth Lilly Medical Library of the IU School of Medicine, has extensively researched 19th Century physicians in Indiana, and has compiled profiles of 1 1 Hoosier physicians on their web page, http:www.medlib.iupui.edu hom19thdoc.html.

One of her first profiles was about Martinsvilles Dr. Jarvis Johnson, and shes given me permission to reprint the information from her web page here: Jarvis J. Johnson 1829-1899 Born Bedford, Indiana March 4, 1829 Married March 20, 1851 to Miss Catherine Griffitt(d. 1887), 7 children Married 1894, Miss Jennie Moran, 1 daughter Died Martinsville, Indiana Sept. 22, 1899 Jarvis J.

Johnson, physician and surgeon, was born in Bedford, Lawrence County, on the day Andrew Jackson was inaugurated president. His parents Jesse and Sarah (Pleasant) Johnson, originally from Virginia, were pioneers of Lawrence County and owners of over 600 acres. The boyhood of Jarvis Johnson was spent on the farm. At 16 he entered Asbury University, now Depauw University, in Greencastle. He resolved to make medicine his profession.

In 1849 he began a course of study in the office of Doctor W. Foot in Bedford and attended the Louisville University of Medicine. He commenced his practice in Morgantown where he remained until 1854. He then returned to the university and graduated in the spring of 1855. Afterward he attended a full course of lectures in the Kentucky School of Medicine, and received the ad eundem degree in 1858.

He practiced in Morgantown until 1869, excepting time in the U.S. Army and the State Legislature. In 1861 his personal efforts raised a company of volunteers for the Union Army from Jackson Township of Morgan County, afterwards Company of the 27th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, of which he was chosen captain. Before the regiment left the state he was commissioned surgeon of the regiment, with the rank of major of cavalry. He accompanied the regiment for 18 months.

During his service he was taken prisoner and came into possession of the skeleton of Watson Brown, John Browns son, killed at Harpers Ferry. While serving as surgeon of the 27th Indiana Volunteer Regiment, he was nominated by the Republican party as their candidate to the Indiana State Legislature, and was elected in the fall of that year, 1862. He served during the special and regular sessions of his term, and was chairman of the Military Committee in those dark days when that was the all-important interest in the state and throughout the nation. In the fall of 1863 he was elected clerk of the circuit court, and after serving one term returned to the practice of his profession in Martinsville. In spring of 1875 the ad eudem degree was conferred upon him by the Bellevue Hospital College in New York.

In 1878 Dr. Johnson took a protracted trip through the South and West. Dr. Johnson was a pension agent in the city serving as pension examiner for 18 years. injured by the fall of his horse at the battle of Winchester (May 25, 1862) and was compelled to resign soon after the Battle of Cedar Mountain (August 9, 1862).

Watson Brown Skeleton During Dr. Johnsons service with the 27th Indiana, his regiment was in Winchester, Va. There he found a magnificent skeleton hanging in a medical college. He took possession of it and shipped it to his home in Morgan County, where it saw service for 20 years in his office and at times was used in the city schools in the study of physiology. The skeleton was known as that of Watson Brown, the son of the immortal John Brown, of Harpers Ferry fame.

Watson Brown had taken part in the fight there and was shot. The body was secured by the medical college authorities of Winchester, and the skeleton was preserved. In 1880 Dr. Johnson decided to acquaint John Brown, of Put-in-Bay, Ohio, with the fact that the skeleton was in his possession, and John Brown, came to Martinsville and satisfied himself as to its genuineness. It was then taken to Elba, N.Y., where it reposes in the Brown family burying-ground.

Marriages and Children Dr. Jarvis J. Johnson and Catherine H. Griffitt, daughter of a well-known attorney of Morgantown, were on March 20, 1851. They had seven children, five surviving to adulthood.

The elder son, Goldsmith Johnson, was a druggist in Martinsville. The eldest daughter, Marietta, married James Baldwin, also a druggist in Martinsville. The second daughter, Sallie married James G. Bain, editor and proprietor of the Morgan County Republican. The third and youngest son, arvis J.

Johnson, who recently died in Martinsville had chosen his fathers profession and for a time was connected with the Home Lawn Sanitarium. The youngest daughter, Mrs. Harry Askew, lived on a farm near Bedford where her father was born. In 1887 Catherine Johnson died. In 1894, Jarvis J.

Johnson married Jennie Moran. They had one daughter, Helen. Sources for this profile are 16 Civil ar letters of arvis J. Johnson, Surgeon, 27th Indiana Regiment, 1861-1876(7), to wife in Morgantown, while surgeon; Civil War files of Jarvis J. Johnson at the Indiana Historical Society.

If youre interested in learning more about Dr. Johnson you should visit the IHS library and look at these original letters. Upcoming Events Feb. 28: The Indiana Historical Societys Family History Program Committee is sponsoring a computer workshop, Genealogy on the World Wide Web, led by Larry Goss, University of Southern Indiana professor of engineering technology and Continued on page 9 For Fast Fair Friendly Service Contact Roger Wyatt Agency (317) 856-6272 For All Your Insurance Needs. Janellas Bookkeeping Service, Janella Baugh Formerly With James C.

A. 342-8682 Tax Preparation rr-1. vrfghL Also Available a iw III i Ml hi 1040 EVs $15 Johnson was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. A Democrat before the Civil War, he was an active Republican after 1861. He was a Mason and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.

At one time, he was associated with Lanbough in the Antimorphine institute, a center for treating addiction to morphine. Dr. Holman and Dr. Andrew J. Marshall were his partners in practice.

He died in 1899 of pulmonary trouble and an obituary in the Indianapolis News states he was buried in Morgantown with a special train in service for the mourners. 27th Indiana Regiment Dr. Johnson served in the 27th Indiana Volunteer Infantry from September of 1861 until the fall of 1862. He was appointed captain of the company and soon after their arrival in Indianapolis was appointed surgeon of the regiment. He was taken prisoner during Banks retreat at Winchester, Va.

(May 25, 1862). He was severely FREE CONSULTATION 349-3709 D.PJ I'mjjni wuwi.yuis. 5.