Dr. James Barnsfather
From the book
Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 7th ed.,
Dr. James Barnsfather was born in Banff, Scotland in 1838, the son of Stenhouse Barnsfather, who was professor of languages in the academy in Banff; the latter was a son of James Barnsfather of Stenton, Scotland. The mother of our subject was Margaret (Clyne) Barnsfather, daughter of a distinguished naval officer under Lord Nelson at Trafalgar, and a niece of the Governor of Tasmania. Having been educated in the classics and chemistry at Edinburgh, and read medicine in London, Dr. Barnsfather came to the United States in 1866, and studied in both Miami and the Cincinnati Medical College, graduating in 1873 and becoming a naturalized citizen in 1877.
At St Mary Parish, in Lambert, England, on 25 Mar 1859, he married Annie Barnett, daughter of Richard Barnett, She was born in 1834 in Osprurch, Kent, England and died 8 Nov 1876. The family immigrated to America and arrived in New York City 4 Mar 1867 on the ship Manhattan. They settled in Cabin Creek, Lewis Co, Ky. per the 1870 census.
It is assumed Anna Barnett died in Lewis Co Ky.
Dr. Barnsfather then married Anna Deonbach in 1873 and she died in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati Enquirer, Friday, 10 November 1876, page 5
On Wednesday morning, Mrs. Annie Barnsfather, wife of Dr. Barnsfather, died at her residence, corner of Fifth and Stone streets. The funeral will take place this day from residence at 9 am. Friends invited to attend.
Cincinnati Enquirer, Saturday, 11 November 1876, page 8
Anna, wife of Dr. Barnsfather, who lives at Fifth and Stone streets, died suddenly night before last from bursting a blood vessel in the heart. A post mortem examination disclosed the fact after her death.
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Dr. Barnsfather then married Anna Belle Clark, daughter of John S Clark and Elizabeth Gipson, of Pleasureville, Henry Co, Ky. on 28 May 1878 in Henry Co. She was born in June 1857, graduated from Women's Medical College of Cincinnati in 1894 and died 31 Dec 1929.
Child of James Barnsfather and Anna Barnett
James Stenhouse Barnsfather b-1861 in Lambert, Surrey, England; d-about 1903 in Cincinnati; m-Katherine Louise Grether 13 Sep 1888 in Cincinnati, the daughter of Charles & Christina.
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Child of Dr. James Barnsfather and Anna Deonbach
John Barnsfather b-28 Feb 1874 in Ludlow Ky. d-3 Dec 1909 in Cincinnati; br-St Joseph Old Cemetery
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Children of Dr. James Barnsfather and Anna Belle Clark
Arthur Leroy Barnsfather b-14 Apr 1883 in Pleasantville Ky. d-26 Apr 1974 in Birmingham Ala.
Cincinnati Enquirer, Wednesday, 16 May 1888, page 4
In the inquisitive manner of young children, the five year old son of Dr. Barnsfather of Clay street, Dayton Ky. yesterday went on a tour of discovery in the kitchen. In his search he came across an inhaler, the property of a colored servant. Not satisfied with smelling it, the little fellow placed it to his mouth and swallowed the contents. The drugs took away his breath and burned his throat and mouth in a terrible manner. His mother ran in and found him suffering torture. She called her husband who at once administered the proper remedies. his prompt action no doubt saved the little boy. Last night the boy was much better and now considered out of danger.
Cincinnati Post, Saturday, 16 April 1898, page 6
Boys of the First Intermediate School have organized a military company to be known as the First Intermediate Guards. There are 50 privates and a full corps of officers: The officers are: Second Sergeant, Arthur Barnsfather.
Cincinnati Enquirer, Monday, 17 July 1899, page 9
Dr. Barnsfather and wife of Dayton Ky. will leave tomorrow for Georgia to visit relatives. Mrs. Barnsfather is a sufferer from nervous prostration.
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Children of James Stenhouse Barnsfather and Katherine Louise Grether (1868-1943)
Minnie Barnsfather b-7
Jan 1892 in Ky. d-20 Jan 1961 in Shelbyville Ky.
Anna Ruth Barnsfather b-5 Apr 1893 in Pleasantville Ky. d-10 Dec 1974 in Los
Angeles Calif. br-Roosevelt Cemetery; m-Soch
James Stinson Barnsfather b-12 Feb 1895 in Pleasureville Ky. d-19 Feb 1968 in
Henry Co Ky. br-Dutch Tract Cemetery; m-Rena Bush 9 Apr 1919 in Jeffersonville
Ind.
Charles Barnsfather b-4 May 1897 in Ohio; d-23 Feb 1964 in Columbus Indiana; br-Garland
Brook Cemetery
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Dr. Barnsfather practiced in Cincinnati and Dayton, Kentucky securing a large practice. But his chief service to his profession and to the world, besides his frequent distributions to medical literature, was while engaged as a microscopist. Files of the Cincinnati Medical News show that in 1875, Dr. Barnsfather discovered the bacillus of scarlatina maligna, but the editor advised him not to give the discovery to his brethren. The same year he found the bacillus of consumption, which was found by Koch eight years later. Dr. Barnsfather did not recognize the tremendous importance which the profession has since accorded to the finding of the bacillie.
During the latter half of the 19th century, he and several other local physicians began an expensive hobby-microscopy. This remarkable man registered for his Kentucky State License in 1893. In early as 1900 he was still practicing in Dayton. He died from pneumonia on July 10, 1902 at his home, 129 Sixth Avenue, Dayton, Kentucky. Death certificate shows the date of 19 July 1903 in Dayton Ky.
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Evening Bulletin, Maysville Ky. Friday, 28 August 1891, page 3
Another infallible cure for consumption, which promises to eclipse the Koch Lymph process and perhaps all other treatments that have thus far been put upon the market, is now being experimented with by a well known Cincinnati physician, says the Commerce Gazette. The success thus far enjoyed by Dr. James Barnsfather, the author of the latest known method by which the terrible tuberculosis bacilli is probably destroyed, without, at the same time, exterminating the life of the patient, has not yet been made a matter of publication, but one thing is certain, the inventor has so far been encouraged sufficiently to induce him to assert without hesitancy his utter confidence in his scientific discovery.
In speaking to a reporter, Dr. Barnsfather said: “The modus operandi of my discovery is the transfusion of the blood or blood serum of the rheumatic patient. I claim the rheumatic condition of blood is never found in the consumptive patient and its germs are so antagonistic to the germs in consumptive blood as to utterly destroy them by transfusion. I have been in Europe all winter and a the present time have experiments in process to prove the truth of my statements.
A number of eminent doctors with whom I had interviews stated they had never found the rheumatic diathesis in combination with the phthisic condition in the same patient. Consequently, I feel encouraged to bring this investigation before my brother physicians in the fond hope that I am recommending a treatment that I will cross that pons asinorum by which our profession has so long been baffled.
In an article published in a Cincinnati medical journal of January, 1890, I gave a few of my experiments up to that date, but I was then suffering from a severe attack of la grippe, my remarks were very brief and unsatisfactory, although they contained the essence of my principal experiments. As I thought I would not recover, I hope that some younger bacteriologists would take up the investigations where I had left them after getting the cue from my papers, but so far I have not seen any articles on the subject.
I have every reason to believe my discovery will be declared superior to that of Koch’s and it will be the means of eradicating the terrible disease of consumption. As yet my experiments have not been conclusive enough to convince the public of the value of my findings, but my mind has been unshaken from the start and my faith in the method increases as the tests gradually progress. In a few months the cure of by the transfusion of rheumatic blood or blood serum will be known all over the world.”
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Kentucky, A History of the State by W H Perrin Et Al, Louisville FA Battery & Co 1887
JAMES BARNSFATHER MD, was born in Banff, Scotland in 1838, a son of Stenhouse Barnsfather, who was a professor of languages in the academy in Banff; the latter was a son of James Barnsfather, of Stenton, Scotland. The mother of our subject was Margaret (Clyne), daughter of a distinguished naval officer under Lord Nelson and a niece of the Governor of Tasmania. James Barnsfather, came to the United States in 1870 (actually in 1867) and became a naturalized citizen in 1877. In 1869 he was elected a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.
He was educated in Latin, Greek and French in Edinburgh, Scotland, attended the high school, then served an apprenticeship at the latter place in chemistry and pharmacy. He read medicine at Cincinnati and attended both the Miami and Cincinnati Colleges, graduating in 1973. He located in Cincinnati, where he still practices, though his residence is in Dayton Ky, where he also has an office and a drug store.
In addition to the large practice that has engaged the Doctor, he has been a close student and investigator and in consequence has contributed to the literature of his profession articles that have attracted universal attention, some of them being innovations on old and long accepted theories.
In 1871 he married Annie Dernbach, who died November 8, 1876, and then married Anna Belle Clark, daughter of John S Clark of Pleasantville Ky. Dr. Barnsfather (file ends)
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Cincinnati Enquirer, Saturday, 26 January 1895, page 16
The case of Anna B Barnsfather against James Barnsfather, was again before the Court for further testimony. It was shown that he had beaten and abused her and did not provide for her. A divorce was granted.
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Cincinnati Enquirer, Saturday, 25 May 1895, page 5
The story of finding of the flag made historic by reason of having shrouded the body of Lord Nelson, who was killed on his flag ship, Victory, at the great battle of Trafalgar, is owned by Dr. James Stenhouse Barnsfather, a practicing physician in Dayton Ky.
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Cincinnati Enquirer, Tuesday, 15 April 1902, page 8
A thief visited Dr. James Barnsfather's residence, Sixth and Walnut Streets, Dayton, yesterday afternoon and asked to be treated for rheumatism. His unusal actions were noticed by the doctor, who kept a close watch upon the fellow until he was called to see another patient. During the physician's absence the man, who gave the name of Schwartz, picked up a case of valuable instruments and departed.
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Cincinnati Enquirer, Thursday, 1 May 1902, page 8
Dr. James
Barnsfather, of Dayton Ky. delivered an address on tuberculosis before the
Alumni Association of the Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery. The
address was highly praised by the physicians in attendance. Dr. Barnsfather
scored Prof Koch, of Berlin, on his tuberculosis treatment of consumption and he
submitted evidence showing he had discovered the bacilli of scarlet fever and
consumption in 1875. This was eight years before the discovery of the grim by
Koch. Dr. Barnsfather was elected First Vice President of the Alumni
Association.