STERLING EVENING GAZETTE
OFFICIAL PAPER OF THE CITY
Wednesday, April 19, 1899

DEATH OF A.C.JOHN
-----------------

Well Known Physician and Old Soldier
of Penrose Died This Morning.

Dr. A.C. John, brother of Chalkley
John, H.L. John and George D. John,
died at 7 o'clock this morning at his
residence in Penrose. His aliment
was spinal meningitis and he was sick
since town election day, when he
caught a cold at the Jordan town hall.
He had an extensive acquaintance and his
death will be mourned by a large circle
of friends. He had many friends in
Sterling including the comrades in
Will Robinson Post, G.A.R., in which
he was an active member.

Abia Comly John was born on a farm
in Pennsylvania in 28 December 1831.
His education was principally gotten
in the public schools,where he also
became a successful teacher and for
several years his younger brothers and
sisters were among his pupils. At the
age of 21 he began to read medicine
with his brother, Dr. Palemon John and
when he commenced practicing in Centre
county, Pennsylvania.

In 1857 or 1858, he came to Jordan,
Whiteside, Illinois and followed his
profession until the fall of 1861, when
he enlisted for the army in Company A.,
34th Illinois, and he re-enlisted at the
end of a three year service and remained
in the field to the end of the war.

About the time of his re-enlistment he
received a furlough and returned to
Centre county, pa., and married Catharine
Lucas. To this union six children were
born. At the close of the war he resumed
his practice for nearly twenty years. The
constant riding day and night over the
large prairie territory he found was fast
wearing him down, so to quit to recoop ? his
own health he moved to Emmons, North Dakota in 1883.
He returned to his little farm in Jordan in
1893, where he lived until he died.

In 1887 in some cases of diptheria, he
undertook the act of a nurse as well as
physician and took the disease himself,
from the effects of which he never fully
recovered. In those weeks of trial he
lost three of his own boys and shortly
before a daughter.

Another daughter, Lillian died in Dakota
in 1890. She had grown to womanhood and
had taught school several terms. The
remaining family now consists of the wife
and one daughter, also Mrs. John's sister,
Miss Belle Lucas who has been one of the
family for thirty years.

Funeral services will be at one of the
churches at Penrose Friday at 10 a.m..
The pall bearers will be chosen from
his comrades of the Grand Army.

Rev. Edward Coale of Blommington, Illinois
will conduct the funeral services.