San
Joaquin County
Biographies
NATHAN ROSWELL BARBOUR, M. D.
The medical profession in San
Joaquin County has an able exponent in Dr. Nathan Roswell Barbour, who has
engaged in practice in Lockeford and vicinity since 1883. A native son of the Golden State, he was born
in Suisun Valley, on August 26, 1853, a son of Nathan and Nancy (Alford)
Barbour. Nathan Barbour was born in New
York State, while the mother was a native of Virginia, and the young people
were married in Missouri and crossed the plains with the Pyle-Whiteman party,
just ahead of the ill-fated Donner party.
Nathan Barbour was a carpenter by trade and built the hotel at Benicia,
which he owned for a time. He went into
the woods of Sonora County and cut the timber and hauled it by teams to
Benicia. Nathan and Roswell Barbour,
father and uncle of Dr. Barbour, both served in the Mexican War under Fremont
and he has their discharge papers signed by General Fremont. During the year of 1849, Nathan Barbour mined
at Hangtown and in 1850 he bought a ranch in the Suisun Valley, consisting of
240 acres, and on this property he raised grain and stock. The following children were born to Nathan
Barbour and his wife: those living are
Eli, Nancy, Nathan Roswell and Julia.
Those deceased are Amelia, William, Nellie, May, Florence and Kate
Viola. The father was born in 1813 and
died in 1872; the mother, who was born in 1827, died in 1869.
The education of Nathan R. Barbour
began in the district school in the upper part of the Suisun Valley and was
completed in the Oakland schools, then he topped off with a six months’ course
at Heald’s Business College in San Francisco.
Deciding to take up the study of medicine he studied the rudiments for
one year, then completed his medical studies at
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1881. He
then spent one year in New Mexico. His
father having passed away, he returned to Suisun as administrator of his
estate; later he spent a short time at Fairfield, Vacaville, and Colusa, and in
1883 settled in Lockeford where he has practiced medicine since that time. Upon his arrival in Lockeford, he purchased a
home and in 1912 built a modern, up-to-date bungalow where the hold house
stood.
Dr. Barbour’s marriage occurred in
Napa, California, on October 7, 1884, and united him with Miss Nellie Josephine
Powell, a native of Monticello, Minnesota, a daughter of William and Barbara
(Barrett) Powell. Her father, William
Powell, was of English descent and engaged in farming for a time; later was a
merchant in Monticello. Her mother
passed away in Minnesota in 1869 and in about 1871 the father brought his
family to California and resided here until his death. Mrs. Barbour received her education in the
Napa schools. Dr. and Mrs. Barbour are
the parents of two children: Nathan
Powell Barbour, a practicing physician residing in Stockton, and Roswell Powell
Barbour, real estate deal at Lodi. Dr.
Barbour has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1882, demitted from
the Suisun Lodge No. 55 to Lodi Lodge No. 256, F. & A. M., in 1886, and he
served for two years as inspector of this district. He joined the Royal Arch Chapter in Suisun in
1883, and Vallejo Commandery that same year; he is past grand of Progressive
Lodge No. 134, I. O. O. F., at Lockeford, which order he joined in 1884. Mrs. Barbour is past noble grand of the
Lockeford Rebekahs, of which Dr. Barbour is also a member. Both Dr. and Mrs. Barbour were members of the
Eastern Star, but now have their demit. Dr. Barbour belongs to the American Institute
of Homeopathy and the California Homeopathic Medical Society. Politically he is an adherent of the
Socialist Party. He is keenly interested
in everything that pertains to the general welfare of the community in which he
has resided for so many years, and has given his support to matters of a constructive
nature.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
527-528. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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