Dr. Alexander Allen and Florence Goalder Faris Family Buried In Hickman Cemetery – Fulton County

By Kentucky Kindred Genealogical Research on April 23, 2019 • ( Leave a comment )

Alexander Allen Faris was much more than what is listed in the 1885 Perrin, Battle & Kniffin biography. In 1882 he was mayor of the city of Hickman.

The Hickman Courier, Fulton County, Kentucky

Friday, November 1, 1878

This is an 1878 newspaper ad for Faris and Brother, Physicians and Surgeons. Until I found this I did not know his brother was also a doctor, and that they practiced together. Their office was over C. A. Holcombe’s drugstore – handy for those who needed a prescription after their doctor’s visit.

August through November of 1878 yellow fever ran rampant in Hickman. According to early files from the city’s newspaper, the first case was Charlie Hendricks, a 10-year-old German boy who died on August 16. He had peddled apples to passengers on the steamboats, and townsfolk said that he got the disease from his work. His sister, Louisa, died the next day. Thus it began. All doctors of the area worked tirelessly with the sick – Drs. H. C. Catlett, W. D. Corbett, Carter Blanton, R. C. Prather, Jr., and James Faris – and all lost their lives. Only Alexander Faris survived treating all the sick. It must have been heartrending to lose not only his brother, but medical partner. There were 462 cases of yellow fever, and 150 deaths in the city of Hickman.

The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky

Saturday, May 7, 1898

Alexander and Florence’s daughter, Mai Mourning Faris, was quite the belle in Hickman.

The Hickman Courier, Fulton County, Kentucky

Friday, November 29, 1901

The Embroidery Club gave a reception for Miss Mai Faris and her bridal guests November 22nd. A Cotillon Club dance was also held in her honor.

November 26th Mai married Roy Weaks McKinney, of Paducah, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. ‘The bridesmaids were gowned in Green Chiffon over taffeta, elaborately appliqued with lace, with green sashes, each carrying pink carnations and ferns.’ Sister of the bride, Miss Irene Faris, ‘was attired in white organdy over white satin and carried white carnations.’ The bride was ‘beautifully gowned in white ivory satin with trimmings of chiffon and orange blossoms with bridal veil carrying brides roses with ferns, was led to the altar by her father.’ Many guests attended the wedding.

Kentucky – A History of the State, Perrin, Battle & Kniffin, 1885

Alexander A. Faris, M. D., Fulton County, is the third child born to Richard and Ethalinda (Harris) Faris. The parents were natives of South Carolina and North Carolina, respectively; they emigrated to Missouri in 1838, locating in Mississippi County, where subject was born March 1, 1840. The father was a farmer and mechanic, and died in October 1849, at the age of forty-five years. Subject was reared on a farm, and remained with his mother until 1861, when he entered the Confederate service, enlisting in the Fifth Regiment Tennessee Infantry, with which he served during the greater part of the war. He participated in the hard-fought battles of Belmont, New Madrid, Shiloh, and lost his right arm at the bloody engagement of Perryville, where he was taken prisoner. He was exchanged in December 1862, and immediately rejoined his command, remaining in active service until the winter of 1863, when, on account of disabilities, he was discharged. Two months after leaving the service, he went back to the army and was employed as courier and mail carrier, in which capacity he served until the close of the war, after which he commenced reading medicine under the tutorship of Drs. H. M. Ward and D. G. Hart, of Jacksonport, Ark., with whom he remained six months, and in 1866, entered Nashville University, from which he graduated in 1868. He commenced practicing his profession in Hickman in the spring of 1869, and in the fall of the same year entered the Louisiana University at New Orleans, where he remained four months, taking a full course of lectures. In the fall of 1870 he went to New York, and took a course in Bellevue Hospital, and practiced at Bellevue in 1871. In 1876 he took a full course of lectures at the Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia, Penn.; has practiced in Hickman since 1868, and at the present time is one of the leading physicians and surgeons in the county. He was married May 20, 1871, to Miss Florence, daughter of James and Sallie (Wilson) Goalder, of Springfield, Kentucky. Dr. and Mrs. Faris are the parents of six children, five of whom are living: Light, May M., Alexander A., Irene and Evan G. The doctor is a member of the K. of H., and politically a Democrat. His wife and family are members of the Episcopal Church.

Alexander Allen Faris, M.D., March 1, 1840 – May 12, 1905. Co. I, 5th Tennessee Volunteer Infantry, Confederate States of America. ‘They knew no creed but this, in duty not to falter, with strenth that naught could alter, to be faithful unto death. Hickman Cemetery, Fulton County, Kentucky.