History of Providence, KY
Part 7
by Frances Bassett Price

Early Doctors

The earliest records refer often to the overflowing forks of Tradewater River. This well know generosity of the historic (at least from Revolutionary standpoints) stream with its attendant malaria and mosquitoes have made physicians, since earliest days, a sine qua non.

The earliest of whom we have any records is Dr. Francis Jett, a native of Mason County, Kentucky. He appears to have come with the first settlers for he was an old man, long-resident in the early 1830's. He represented Hopkins County in the General Assembly in 1832. He died in 1835 from blood poison caused by the sting of a yellow jacket.

Suceeding him were Thomas Miller, Thornton Berry, Green Boyle, Hugh Boyle, James Bassett, Pigman Taylor and A. H. Dorris. Nothing definite is known to the writer concerning the first two.

The Boyles were nephews of Mrs. Amelia Green Weir, wife of Wm. Weir, and were partly reared on the great Weir estate lying along the roadway now U. S. 41 east of Providence. (It will be recalled that in deed book 1, page 212, Hopkins County, is a record of John Robertson purchasing land from Wm. Weir in 1814.)

Dr. James Bassett was born in Mason County, Kentucky in 1817, third son of Capt. John Bassett who was sheriff of that county for twenty-eight years. Immediately after receiving his diploma he rode horseback westward seeking a location. He arrived at Providence in 1840 and located here. He was married on Nov. 1, 1843 to Miss Frances Given, daughter of Judge Eleazar and Mary Savage Given. One child, Henrietta Parke, was born to them; she died in infancy. Dr. Bassett died May 2, 1882.

Dr. Pigman Taylor was born in Ohio county, Feb. 28, 1825. He came from Ohio county to Hopkins in 1849 and to Providence in 1850. His grandfather, Harrison Taylor, (known as "honest Taylor of the mill") came from Fairfax County, Virginia to Kentucky in the first tide of immigration. His maternal grandfather, Ignatius Pigman of Baltimore, Maryland was at the head of the settlement of Ohio County. Dr. Taylor married Miss Almeda Anderson of Culpepper County, Virginia, March 16, 1851. Eight children were born to them. Lelia, Ida, David, Frances Bassett, John Harrison, Thomas Lee, Ellen Mary, and Edgar Anderson. Dr. Taylor died Aug. 22, 1899.

Dr. A. H. Dorris was born Feb. 5, 1837, the son of Levi Dorris. He studied medicine in the office of Dr. James Bassett, and spent one year at the medical school in Louisville. He practiced the profession in Bordley, Union county, for two years, and returned to Providence in 1870, where he remained until his death January 4, 1912. He married Miss Virginia Headley on Oct. 12, 1864, and three of their children survive: Mrs. Amy Brown, Providence; Mrs. Mary Wilson, who taught school here many years and now lives in Hanson; and Mrs. Winnie Niles, Union City, Tenn.

Later physicians were Drs. John A. Bassett, J. H. Taylor, J. T. Dixon, A. O. Williams, E. N. Rice, R. L. Martin, J. B. Wallace, J. C. Snow, J. L. Barker, J. T. White, J. D. McConnell, R. E. Cardwell, A. L. Franklin, A. L. Juers, Edward Davenport, Wm. Wainer. Dentists were Drs. J. F. Sigler, V. L. Shepard, W. T. Hays, C. E. McClure, W. A. Bridwell, A. H. Ellis. Drs. J. R. Gilchrist and S. H. Gilchrist, optometrists; Dr. L. L. Cavanah, osteopath; Dr. Earl Frye, chiropractor.