My Genealogy Hound

William J. McAlpin, M. D., a prominent member of the medical fraternity of Clark County, was born in McNairy County, Tenn., March 19, 1836, a son of John A. and Lucinda (Raines) McAlpin, natives of Tennessee, the former dying in McNairy County in 1862, at the age of fifty-eight years, and the latter in McNairy County, Tenn., in 1869, at the age of fifty-four. They were married, lived and died in Tennessee. The father was a farmer in that State, and as such was very successful. Both were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, in which Mr. McAlpin was a deacon for many years. Politically he was a Whig, and served as justice of the peace for many years. The family are of Scotch-Irish descent. The Raines family is an old family of Tennessee. There were born to the marriage of John A. McAlpin and Lucinda Raines, a family of ten children, three now living, the subject of this sketch being the fourth child. Our subject was reared and schooled in his native county, attending the common-schools of his neighborhood. At the age of twenty years he started in life for himself as a farmer, and one year later commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Ephraim Thompson, of McNairy County, as his preceptor, and after three years entered upon the practice of his chosen profession. At the breaking out of the war he joined Company G, of a mixed regiment, made up in Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama, under the command of Col. Baker, going out as first lieutenant. This regiment was afterward reorganized, and he was then transferred to Col. W. A. Quarles' regiment as captain of Company A. During his service in the mixed regiment he was offered the appointment of assistant surgeon, but refused all such offers. In the fall of 1862 he received the appointment of conscript officer, stationed at Port Hudson, in which capacity he served until the close of the war. While in rank he was at the bombardment of Island No. 10, where he was taken prisoner and retained as such about six months, first at Camp Chase, Ohio, and then at Johnson's Island. Immediately after his release he returned to McNairy County, Tenn., and resumed the practice of his profession until 1871, and then came to Clark County, and in 1876 located at Gurdon, where he has since built up an extensive practice. In 1882 he engaged in the drug business with J. H. Cooper, and Dr. W. B. Barner as partners, and continued one year, when Dr. A. B. Moore bought out the partners and he and Dr. McAlpin have since been in partnership in this business, as well as in the practice of medicine. Dr. McAlpin owns a good farm near Gurdon, and has always had farming done; he owns other land also, about 300 acres in all. Since he has been in partnership with Dr. Moore they have been burnt out twice; they have recently erected a handsome brick building, 24x60, and will soon put in a new stock of drugs, paints, etc., and everything sold in a first-class drug store. In 1856 Dr. McAlpin was married to Miss Martha Jane Reynolds, daughter of William Reynolds, of McNairy County, Tenn., and by this union had a family of eight children, six of whom are still living, viz: Mary E. (wife of John B. Randle, a merchant of this place), Lucinda Susan (wife of Miles Daniels, a farmer of this county), Donie Victoria (wife of E. A. Whitmore (merchant of Gurdon, in partnership with A. W. Newton), John T. (is a farmer of this county) and W. A. and Maud Magdaline at home. Both Dr. and Mrs. McAlpin are members of the Missionary Baptist Church. In secret societies Dr. McAlpin belongs to the K. of H. and the Masonic order. Politically he is a thorough Democrat, never having voted a mixed ticket in his life. He is one of Gurdon's best citizens.