My Genealogy Hound

Dr. John D. Simrell, practicing physician and surgeon of Washington Township, was born in Sullivan County, Ind., in 1835, and is the third of two sons and three daughters born to William and Mary (Whalen) Simrell, natives of Tennessee. They were reared in that State, were married there, and there remained until 1830, when they removed to Indiana. Mr. Simrell died there in 1870, and Mrs. Simrell in 1882. Both were members of the Methodist Church for many years, and the father was a farmer by occupation. He was the son of William Simrell. The maternal grandfather, John Whalen, was born in North Carolina, and died in Indiana. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, with Jackson. Dr. John D. Simrell began for himself at the age of fifteen as a farm hand, and attended school when he had the means. In 1856 he began the study of medicine, but soon discontinued that and took up the study of law, which, after continuing for some time, he abandoned and returned to the study of medicine, having previously taught a year. In 1859 and 1860 he attended the Eclectic Medical College at Cincinnati, Ohio, then taught school, and continued his studies until 1864, when he joined Company D, First Indiana Heavy Artillery, and served in Louisiana until the close of the war. He was private secretary of Gen. William P. Benton, at first, but afterward assisted in the medical department. He was married, in 1857, to Miss Albarado, daughter of James and Jemima Hughes. Mrs. Simrell was born in Kentucky, and died in 1866. She was the mother of three children, one daughter now living. Mr. Simrell’s second marriage was in 1869, to Miss Sudie, a native of Morgan County, Mo., and the daughter of Andrew and Nancy Masters, natives of Kentucky and Tennessee, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Masters came to Cedar County, Mo., before the war, and here Mr. Masters died in 1870. Mrs. Masters is still living. Mr. Masters served in the militia during the war, and was probate judge several terms in Morgan County. To the Doctor and last wife were born seven children, three sons and four daughters. He first came to Cedar County in 1866, and has since lived in Washington Township, where he has 640 acres in several farms, all the result of his own work. He has practiced his profession with considerable success ever since locating in Cedar County, and is one of its leading physicians as well as farmers and stock-raisers. He has been a Democrat in his political views all his life, and his first presidential vote was for James Buchanan in 1856. He has been a member of Humansville Lodge of the I. O. O. F. for about seven years, and has held various offices.