My Genealogy Hound

CALVIN A. MANN, M. D. The city of Chester is not without her share of members of the learned professions, who are a credit to the pursuit they have chosen and to the town itself. Among those who have taken up the calling of a medical practitioner is Dr. Mann, who devotes himself assiduously to his practice and the scientific investigations which will enhance his professional knowledge and skill. He is well established in reputation as a physician and is recognized as among the able practitioners of this section.

Before outlining the life history of our subject, it may be well to make a brief record regarding his parents. His father, John Mann, was born February 1, 1796, in South Carolina, and removed when quite young to Kentucky, where he grew to manhood. On the outbreak of the War of 1812 he enlisted his services, and fought at New Orleans under Gen. Jackson. His father, the grandfather of our subject, bore the name of Robert Mann. He was a native of South Carolina, and of Scotch-Irish extraction. He married Miss Mary Huston, a relative of Governor Huston, of Texas.

The father of our subject was united in marriage on the 4th of July, 1815, to Albina B. Balch, the daughter of the Rev. James Balch, the first Presbyterian minister to ever preach a sermon in Indiana. The parents were married while residing in Kentucky, whence he moved to Indiana, and in 1827 came to Illinois, locating in the town of Preston, four miles east of Kaskaskia. There he made his home until his decease, March 7, 1881. His wife, the mother of our subject, was born in East Tennessee November 25, 1797, and was married to John Mann July 4, 1815. She is also deceased, her death having occurred November 17, 3882. They reared a family of nine children, and two died in infancy. Those living bear the respective names of William H., John P., Robert C., Capt. James F., Albina, Jonathan B., Rev. Alfred M., Calvin A. (our subject) and Mary J. Alfred M. is pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Osawatomie, Miami County, Kan. At the breaking out of the late war, the Mann family was loyal to the Union cause, and Dr. Mann and four of his brothers enlisted in the army and served their country faithfully until the close of the Rebellion.

Our subject entered the common schools, and further advanced his knowledge by attendance at the Chester schools. Having decided to follow the medical profession, he began reading under the tutelage of Dr. Roe. Later entering the St. Louis Medical College, he carried on his studies until he was graduated in 1858. Dr. Mann then engaged in the active practice of his profession, being thus employed until 1876, when he took a course of study at the Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia.

Dr. Mann and Miss Emily C. Young were united in marriage March 10, 1859. The lady was the daughter of John Young, and was born in Chester. They have been blessed with a family of four children, namely: Walter H., Emily A., Cornelius A. and Mary A. Cornelius has followed in the footsteps of his father, and is a practicing physician, being a graduate of the St. Louis Medical College. Politically, our subject is, and always has been, an earnest and stanch Republican, having cast his first vote for John C. Fremont in 1856. Socially, he is an honorary member and ex-President of the Southeastern Missouri Medical Association, and also holds membership with and has occupied the same office in the Southern Illinois Medical Association. He is an ambitious and wide awake man and has contributed several articles of value to the profession, which have been published in the leading medical journals. The Doctor and his wife are devoted members of the First Presbyterian Church of Chester, in which they have been zealous and active workers, and in which Dr. Mann is an Elder.