Aiken, John Gayle, M.D.

Submitted by Mike Miller

Aiken, John Gayle, M. D., of New Orleans, was born Oct. 16, 1859, at Charleston, S. C., son of Col. Hugh Kerr Aiken, native of Winnsboro, S. C., and Mary R. Gayle Aiken, of Alabama. By birth and family connections, Dr. Aiken is related to the most distinguished people in the Southern states. Gov. William Aiken, of South Carolina, was grand-uncle of Dr. Aiken, and had the distinction of having been one of the first 10 millionaires in the Southern states. The town of Aiken, S. C., was named for Gov. Aiken's father, who was killed on that spot by a frightened horse. John Gayle, maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was twice honored by the people of Alabama as governor of the state, and twice as judge of the supreme court. A tablet has been erected to his memory in the court-house in Mobile. Gov. Gayle's daughter, Amelia, was the wife of Gen. Josiah Gorgas, chief of ordnance in the Confederate States army. His son, Dr. William C. Gorgas, now surgeon-general of U. S., has won international reputation through his eminent services in matters of public sanitation and hygiene, notably his having rid Havana, Cuba, of yellow fever for the first time in 150 years, and as chief sanitary officer of the Canal zone, and in having been consulted by the state of Ecuador, South America, on the sanitary condition of that country, making a visit there at the special request of the government of that state. On several occasions, Dr. Gorgas represented the United States at European conventions of physicians. Col. Hugh Kerr Aiken, father of Dr. John Gayle Aiken, was born in Winnsboro, S. C., July 5, 1822, son of David and Nancy Aiken, whose family consisted of 7 sons and 2 daughters. Hugh Kerr Aiken was reared on the old plantation of his parents and received his education at Mount Zion academy and South Carolina college. He engaged in planting, and after a few years moved to Charleston, S. C., where he was living when the Civil war broke out. From early youth, he was fond of military life, and in 1850 was elected brigadier-general, and afterwards was chosen successor to P. H. Nelson, major-general of South Carolina state troops. His sword, presented on that occasion by Gen. Nelson, is among the most cherished relics in the keeping of his son, Dr. Aiken. As soon as South Carolina seceded from the Union, Col. Aiken entered the Confederate army, and served on the coast until elected colonel of the Sixth South Carolina cavalry. The regiment was ordered to Virginia as part of Gen. M. C. Butler's brigade, and at the battle of Trevillian Station, Col. Aiken istinguished himself. That engagement took place June 11, 1864. The colonel's regiment lost a great number of men, and he, while leading a charge, was esperately wounded, being shot through the body, and the bullet grazing one of his lungs. He was taken by the enemy and placed in an ambulance, but was rescued by his soldiers and carried to the house of Mr. Hunter, near Louisa court-house. He was brought home by his wife and after recovering from his wound, was offered a position of partial retirement in one of the departments at Richmond but he preferred rejoining his regiment in the field, on the Petersburg lines. Here he daily witnessed sorties, desperate fighting, and thunderous bombardments. He saw General Wade Hampton's son shot and unhorsed and killed while dashing across the field. Col. Aiken was put in command of Butler's brigade, consisting of the 4th, 5th and 6th South Carolina cavalry when it was transferred to the Carolinas to meet Sherman's advance. Feb. 27, 1865, he was ordered by General Butler to proceed with his troops, down the east bank of Lynch creek, to ascertain if any of the Federal army had crossed into Darlington, and while in the performance of that duty, received a mortal wound, and expired in the arms of his nephew and courier, William Cloud Aiken. His brother, Col. D. Wyatt Aiken, came out of the war with a fine record, and subsequently represented his state in Congress for several terms. A younger brother, A. M. Aiken, was a private soldier. Col. Hugh K. Aiken was married Dec. 15, 1852, to Mary, third daughter of Gov. John Gayle, of Alabama. Their surviving child is Dr. John Gayle Aiken, of New Orleans. Dr. Aiken received his education at Sewanee university, in Tennessee, graduating in 1881. After a residence of a few years in Mobile, Ala., where he was engaged in the service of the Mobile & Ohio R. R., Dr. Aiken came to New Orleans and entered Tulane university, from which he graduated in 1891; next going to Hahnemann Homeopathic college, Chicago, where he graduated in 1892. Returning to New Orleans, he began the practice of medicine in partnership with his father-in-law, Dr. William H. Holcombe, and continued with him until Dr. Holcombe's death in 1893, and practiced alone since, residing in the home which Dr. Holcombe had occupied for many years, and which he purchased after Dr. Holcombe's death. Dr. William H. Holcombe was born at Lynchburg, Va., May 29, 1825, of an old Virginia family; his grandfather having served in the Continental army, and his father was a distinguished physician of the old school. Dr. William H. Holcombe was sent to the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1847. He removed to Cincinnati, and was there during a siege of Asiatic cholera, which caused him to become interested in homeopathy. The great success he met with in his experiments induced him to devote himself to the new school of medicine, and he became one of its most talented disciples. Dr. Holcombe went to Natchez, Miss., in 1852, and he and his partner, Dr. Davis, were appointed physicians and surgeons to the Mississippi State hospital. In 1864 Dr. Holcombe removed to New Orleans, where he made his home until his death, Nov. 28, 1893. He was chairman of the Yellow Fever commission in 1878, and published an excellent report of the work done during the epidemic of that year. For many years he was one of the editors of the North American Journal of Homeopathy, and president of the American Institute of Homeopathy in 1876. He was the author of several books and treatises, publishing, in 1852, "The Scientific Basis of Homeopathy," and, in 1856, "Yellow Fever, and its Homeopathie Treatment." Dr. Holcombe also wrote 2 volumes of poetry, and 8 religious works, embodying the doctrines of Swedenborg. His last literary composition, "The Truth About Homeopathy," was completed a few days before his death. Dr. Holcombe was a man of lofty and noble nature, and of tenderest charity, a true philanthropist, who won the respect and devotion of all who knew him. He married in 1852, Miss Rebecca Palmer, of Cincinnati. There were 4 children; 3 died in infancy, the survivor being Mrs. John Gayle Aiken. In religion, Dr. Aiken belongs to the Episcopal faith, being a member of the Christ Episcopal church congregation since his 11th year; and in politics he is a Democrat, never actively taking part in public affairs, but always exercising the right of suffrage. He cast his first vote for Tilden, the Democratic candidate for president of the United States, in 1880. In 1882, Dr. Aiken married Miss Ada Holcombe, daughter of Dr. W. H. and Rebecca (Palmer) Holcombe, of New Orleans. His family consisted of 7 children, 1 of whom, Hugo Kerr Aiken, died in 1909. The children now living are: William Holcombe Aiken, medical student in Tulane university; John Gayle Aiken, in mercantile business; Warwick Aiken, in the cotton business; Ralph P. Aiken, who has contributed to magazines and newspapers; Charles B. Aiken, at school; and Edith Aiken, a teacher in the kindergarten for the poor children of the city of New Orleans. Hugh Kerr Aiken, second son of Dr. Aiken, a young man of much promise, graduate of Annapolis naval academy, was killed while in performance of duty as a naval officer, July 11, 1909, on the United States steamship, North Carolina, while at Naples, Italy. On the occasion of Pres. Taft 's visit to New Orleans, he referred to Lieut. Aiken in the following words: "But as I stand in the presence of a New Orleans audience, as I stand in an academic atmosphere, I cannot refrain from allusion to the heroic death recently met by a young, bright, able man of your community, Lieut. Aiken of the navy. He saw his dangerous duty, and, with his men under him, thoughtful of their safety, he led them into the place of danger, fell and was overcome, and the only thought he had as he was about to meet his death was, as he asked his commanding officer: 'Have I made good?' It is such standards of living and of dying that I think are inculcated not only at West Point and at Annapolis, but in all academic institutions, of which this Tulane is one of the best examples. And I am glad, in the presence of his neighbors--the neighbors of his father and of his mother, as commander-in-chief of the navy, to pay this tribute to his memory.'' The following beautiful tribute to this young officer was published: "There are sorrows of such wide significance, that when they come into our midst, the minor chords are struck as by a master musician, and the penetrating pathos of the notes find response in every heart. We would not draw aside the veil to whom the right belongs to mourn, but we, too, who stand without, are dim-visioned from the mists of sympathy. We, too, would add a wreath of laurel to the wreaths already there--the 'honor wreaths' for the 'gallant officer and gentleman,' who walked in honor's path, and in his youth, ere life's sun had reached meridional glow, saluted, at last command--received his passport to eternity--and entered into new fields of action, 'where winged souls fly beyond all change, in the eternal distance to perfected life.' For him, 'all's well.' For those who mourn, 'all's well,' for his life, like a broken column, gleams in unsullied whiteness, unmarred by stains of sin, or rude chisel of dishonor. The honors of country and foreign power have been paid him. The flag at half-mast--the wreath of honor--the pall of the flowers, bedewed by sweet affection. And from the bugle's silver-throat, the long, last, farewell note-the call to rest-for 'all's well'-when 'He giveth His Beloved sleep.' A wreath of laurel, to the memory, of Ensign Hugh K. Aiken, U. S. N., 'gallant officer and gentleman', who died in his youth." The classmates of Lieut. Aiken have placed a tablet to his memory at Annapolis Naval academy, upon which is inscribed: "In memory of Ensign Hugh Kerr Aiken, U. S. N., who was killed in the performance of duty on board the United States cruiser, North Carolina, in the Bay of Naples, July 11, 1909. 'And so this man died, leaving his death an example of courage, his life a memorial of virtue.' Erected by his class mates of 1906."

Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 22-25. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.

Note: A photograph of Dr. John Gayle Aiken's father, Hugh Kerr Aiken, is included in the original biography.