14 April 2017

L is for Lysander M. Lincecum: Killed by His Father (A to Z)

Individual Report - LMLincecumI haven't written much about Gideon Lincecum (1793-1874) in this space, mainly because I'm not sure there is anything to add to what is already out there.  He was a son of Hezekiah Lincecum and Sarah "Sally" Hickman.  Among many other things, Gideon was a well-known naturalist that explored much of Texas.  His writings have been pored over by countless people researching the natural history of that state.

Gideon was also a doctor.  He initially practiced "traditional" medicine, and later moved to prefer more natural remedies whenever possible.

Gideon married Sally Bryan (1797-1867), and the couple had thirteen children – all born prior to his move to Texas:  Lycurgus, Lysander M., Martha Ann Elizabeth, Leonidas L., Leander W. C., Mary Catherine, Lachaon Joseph, Lucullus Garland, Leonora, Cassandra, Sarah M., Lysander Rezin, and Lucifer Hezekiah.

Gideon Lincecum was also known to be very blunt.  This trait shines through in an 1866 letter to a friend (per Lois Burkhalter's biography of Gideon):

"We have lost four children, Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 13 are dead; balance are near and are going well enough…"

Lysander M. was born about 1818 and died in Mississippi in 1832.  In another writing, Gideon explains the death of his second born:

"I, with the assistance of another poison doctor, while I was practicing the old school of medicine, killed one of my children, fourteen years old, by administering the tobacco smoke injection."

I can't even imagine.



Are you wondering what's up with all the "letter" posts? I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (links to official page). This challenge lasts through the month of April, with Sundays off.  Each day follows a different letter prompt, in order, from A to Z.  Click here to see all my letter posts on one page (in reverse order).  Though this is my second year in the challenge, it's my first with two blogs.  My theme here is "kinfolk direct." Versus any name from the one name study, these genealogy and history posts all involve someone to which I am related.  You may follow along with me by RSS feed and other social media platforms listed at the top of the sidebar.  I and other bloggers in the challenge on Twitter will also be using #atozchallenge.

I'm also participating with Southern Graves.  This blog as a whole is one of my themes – telling the tales of tombstones, primarily from those found in the Southern United States and usually the State of Georgia.

Are you participating in the challenge, too? Please leave a link to your blog in the comments, I'd love to pay you a visit.  Good luck to all involved!

2 comments:

Molly of Molly's Canopy said...

Incredibly sad to read the last paragraph about the medical treatment gone wrong. How heartbreaking that must have been, not only for Lysander but the entire family.

Kristin said...

That is terrible. I can only imagine what the smoke tobacco traditional medical cure involved. I wonder if that is one thing that motivated him to go the more natural route.

Finding Eliza

Blog Widget by LinkWithin