Dr. James F. Barnwell

Duane's take

Here's my telling of the official marker for Dr. James F. Barnwell, standing in Blanco County, Texas.

Now settle in, because this is a story about a man who showed up in a horse-drawn buggy and left a county changed. James Franklin Barnwell came into this world on October 23, 1874, in Bowdon, Georgia. Medicine was practically in his blood.

His grandfather was a doctor. Three of his uncles were doctors. You might say the stethoscope was a family heirloom.

He completed his medical education at the University of Tennessee in 1896, and then he and his mother pulled up Georgia roots and moved to Hamilton County, Texas. But Barnwell wasn't done learning. He went on to take additional graduate surgery courses at the University of Chicago and at Tulane University in New Orleans.

He passed the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners on July 27, 1898. And that same year, Dr. James Franklin Barnwell climbed into a horse-drawn buggy and rolled into Johnson City.

That was his arrival. That was his introduction to Blanco County. His first office was a modest thing, a building west of the Blanco County Jail, just two rooms: one for seeing patients, one for mixing medications.

Simple. Functional. A beginning.

Now here is where the story shifts gears. By 1913, Dr. Barnwell built Blanco County's first hospital, right on the east side of the courthouse square.

His residence was on the first floor. The hospital was on the second floor. The man literally lived beneath his work.

And what he put inside that building was something the county had never seen. The first x-ray machine in Blanco County. A Delco plant to furnish electricity for better lighting.

Out here in the Hill Country, that was not a small thing. That was a leap. Dr.

Barnwell married Agnes Wall, and they had two children together. Upon her death, he married Irene Lewis, with whom he had one child. Now Irene was a nurse, and she worked right beside her husband.

The doctor and the nurse, partners in every sense of the word. And Barnwell's reach went beyond the examination room. He served on the Johnson City School Board.

He was president of Johnson City State Bank. He served as county health physician. The man had his hands in the life of this community at just about every level.

Dr. James Franklin Barnwell died on June 16, 1934, and was laid to rest in the Johnson City Masonic Cemetery. His obituary in the Johnson City Record Courier called him a skilled and able surgeon who had established one of the best small town hospitals in the Hill Country.

He arrived in a buggy. He left behind a hospital, a community, a legacy. Not bad for a doctor from Bowdon, Georgia.

What the marker says

James Franklin Barnwell was born on October 23, 1874 in Bowdon, Georgia. His family had a tradition of doctors, including his grandfather and three uncles. Following completion of his medical education at the University of Tennessee in 1896, Barnwell and his mother moved to Hamilton County, Texas. Later, he had additional graduate surgery courses at the University of Chicago and Tulane University in New Orleans. He passed the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners on July 27, 1898. Dr. Barnwell arrived in Johnson City in a horse-drawn buggy in 1898. His first office was in a building west of the Blanco County Jail, consisting of his office and a room to mix medications. Dr. Barnwell built Blanco County's first hospital on the east side of the courthouse square in 1913. His residence was on the first floor and the hospital was on the second floor. The hospital was equipped with the county's first x-ray machine and a Delco plant to furnish electricity for better lighting. Dr. Barnwell served Blanco County as a physician, surgeon and respected community leader. He was married to Agnes Wall with whom he had two children. Upon her death, he married Irene Lewis, with whom he had one child. Irene was a nurse who worked beside her husband. Dr. Barnwell was also a member of the Johnson City School Board, president of Johnson City State Bank, and county health physician. Dr. Barnwell died on June 16, 1934 and was buried in the Johnson City Masonic Cemetery. His obituary in the Johnson City Record Courier called him a "skilled and able surgeon" who had established "one of the best small town hospitals in the Hill Country."