Dr. Alexander Erskine (b1791)
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| Born: | April 11, 1791, Monroe County, Virgina (Now West Virginia) |
| Died: | July 5, 1857, Huntsville, AL |
| Buried: | Maple Hill Cemetery, Huntsville, AL |
| Residence: | 515 Franklin Street SE |
| Grandfather of: | Albert Russel Erskine (b1871) |
| Father of: | Dr. Albert Russel Erskine (b1827) |
| Husband of: | Susan Catharine Russel Erskine |
Notes:
• He was of the first to discover and introduce into practice the virtues of Secale Corntum (an ingredient found in many pharmaceutical drugs and is also a homeopathic remedy. (He wrote a thesis on the subject) He was also a pioneer in the use of quinine. He was a taciturn man, especially reticent in regard to the secrets of the sick-room. With phenomenal power of endurance, exceedingly temperate, studying his cases with careful discrimination, he was one of the best Diagnosticians of his time. He was the father of eleven children, the two eldest of whom died in infancy. Of the others, Mary Jane Erskine is now the wife of James H. Mastin, a prominent citizen of Huntsville; Dr. Albert R. Erskine now a prominent physician at Huntsville; Alexander Erskine, the subject of this sketch; Laura K. Erskine, who died the wife of Dr. Wilkinson, at Huntsville; Thomas Fearn Erskine,vJames A. Erskine and Miss Kate A. Erskine, now living at Huntsville; William M. Erskine, now in Texas, and Dr. John H. Erskine, who died of yellow fever in Memphis, September 17,1878. - Speer
• The early history of Dr. Erskine's grandmother (Handly) is among the most romantic of family traditions. Her first husband, Paulee, was killed by the Indians, and herself taken captive and kept a prisoner for four years by the Shawnee tribe, in Ohio, the chief adopting her as his daughter. At his death she was ransomed, returned to her family and afterwards married Michael Erskine. She died at the age of ninety years. (For an interesting account of the incidents of her captivity, see Hardesty's Historical and Geographical Encyclopedia, page 371) - Speer
• Son of Michael Erskine, a native of Pennsylvania, emigrated from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to Monroe County, Virginia. He was third of five children of the union of Michael and his mother.
Son of Margaret Hanley Paulee "Nee" Erskine. The early history of Dr. Erskine's mother "is among the most romantic of family traditions. Her first husband, Paulee, was killed by the Indians, and herself taken captive and kept a prisoner for four years by the Shawnee tribe, in Ohio, the chief adopting her as his daughter. At his death she was ransomed, returned to her family and afterwards married Michael Erskine. She died at the age of ninety years."
Grandson of Henry and Jean (Thompson) Erskine of Stirling, Scotland who settled in Cecil County, Md.
Decedents of Rev. Ebenezer Erskine of Scotland, who was born in 1680, and founder of the Secession church. - Speer and Alabama Biography
• Political: Wig - Speer
• Their home is shown to be on the South-East corner of Williams and Franklin. - Fisk
• "He was born in Monroe City, Virginia, in 1791 and was graduated in medicine from the University of Pennsylvania in 1816. The following year, he located in Huntsville and became a successful physician, practicing with his friend and next-door neighbor, Dr. Thomas Fearn. Of Dr. Alexander's eleven children, nine grew to maturity and three were doctors. Dr. Alexander was president of the board of medical examiners of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama and an early member of the Masonic Lodge of Huntsville." - Goldsmith & Fulton
• Father of:
His first two children died in infancy.
Mary Jane Erskine, wife of James H. Mastin, a prominent citizen of Huntsville
Dr. Albert R. Erskine, prominent physician at Huntsville, AL
Dr. Alexander Erskine, Physician in Memphis, TN
Laura E. Erskine, wife of Dr. Wilkinson in Huntsville, AL
Thomas Fearn Erskine
James A. Erskine
Miss Kate A. Erskine, of Huntsville
William M. Erskine, father of Albert Russel Erskine's
Dr. John H. Erskine (His bio is included in his brother's bio in Speer's book of Tennessee notables) - UVa
• He graduated in 1817, at the University of Pennsylvania, and spent the two subsequent years in practice in the almshouse of the city of Philadelphia, and then settled at Huntsville, where he made his mark on the profession in Alabama. - Speer
• He was a taciturn man, especially reticent in regard to the secrets of the sick-room. With phenomenal powers of endurance, exceedingly temperate, studying his cases with careful discrimination, he was one of the best diagnosticians of his time. - Speer
• Mason, Master of Helion Lodge No. 1 in 1821. - Alabama Biography
Related Links:
• ADAH Digital Archives - Ad to reclaim a slave
• Alabama Biography - History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography, Volume 3, by Thomas McAdory Owen, Marie Bankhead Owen, © 1921, pp. 543-4.
• Ancestry.com - Genealogical information posted by Judy Erskine. (Behind Ancestry.com fee wall) (Originally found at http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/4345122/person/-1615613466.)
• Byers - Albert Russel Erskine, by David Byers, from Huntsville Historical Review, Volume 24, #2, Jul 97, pages 11-20
• FindaGrave - Information posted by Graveaddiction on May 16, 2004. It included a photo of the tombstone.
• Fisk - The Williams Street in the Early 1800's by Fisk, S.H. & Smith, J., from Huntsville Historical Review, Volume 1, #1, Jan-71, page 18-33. This includes a paragraph about the Erskine home with map.
• Goldsmith & Fulton - Medicine Bags and Bumpy Roads, by Jewell Shelton Goldsmith and Helen Davis Fulton, © 1985, pp. 133-4.
• Speer - Sketches of Prominent Tennesseans: Containing Biographies and Records, by Silliam S. Speer, ©: 1888, pp. 153-5. He is featured in his son's bio (Dr. Alexander Erskine (born 1932))
• UVa - University of Virginia, Its History, Influence, Equipment and Characteristics with Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Founders, Benefactors, Officers and Alumni, Volume II, © 1904, p. 198. Dr. Alexander Erskine (b. 1791) is featured in his son's bio. His son is Dr. Alexander Erskine born in 1832 and not to be confused with his other son Dr. Albert Russel Erskine (b. 1827).
The Following Pages Link to this Page:
• 515 Franklin Street SE
• Alabama Biography
• Albert Russel Erskine (b1871)
• Byers
• Dr. Albert Russel Erskine (b1827)
• Fisk
• Susan Catharine Russel Erskine