James Morrison Bodine, M.D.
Original in New York University Library
Courtesy of Christie Anderberg, Sanctuary Manager
Ahhochee Hill Sanctuary, Brooksville, Florida
The picture below is from the University of Louisville from 1907. James M. Bodine would have been about 76 years old.
There is quite a bit about him in the book History of the Ohio Falls Counties, pp. 447-448.
He attended private schools, then St. Joseph's Academy in Bardstown, Kentucky and Hanover College in Indiana. He taught anatomy many years at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, eventually becoming dean of the faculty. For about five years he and his wife lived in Leavenworth, Kansas. He was the president of the first medical school in that territory. His biography is in the Memorial History of Louisville by Stoddard Johnson and is in the holdings of the Filson Club, Louisville, Kentucky. He was doubtless named after James Morrison (1785-1849) of Nelson County who married Ruth Brown, the aunt of Fanny Maria Ray Bodine.
James Morrison Stone has a copy of the leather-bound memorial booklet passed out at James Bodine's retirement dinner in 1912.
From Ronny Bodine:
From Jefferson County, Kentucky Marriage Records:
Jas. M. Bodine AND Mary E. Crowe were married 24 Dec 1855.
James Morrison Bodine AND Laura M. Williams were married 25 Nov 1903.
Obituary, The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY) of 19 Dec 1907.
Mrs. Laura M. Bodine, wife of Dr. J. M. Bodine, succumbed to a complication of diseases, brought on by chronic stomach trouble, yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock at her apartments at the Galt House. Death resulted from exhaustion and had been expected for several days. Members of the family were at the bedside when the end came. Mrs. Bodine had been ill for about four weeks, but her condition was not considered critical until about two weeks ago, when she began to grow worse and sank gradually. She sank into unconsciousness early Tuesday morning from which she never emerged to the time she passed away yesterday afternoon. Her sisters and brother were summoned to her bedside several days ago and remained by her constantly. Mrs. Bodine was seventy years old and was born in Pittsburg, Pa. She was the daughter of A. W. Butler, a former well-known capitalist of Nashville, and Mary Duke Butler. When a child her parents moved from Pittsburg to Nashville. After taking the full four years' course at a local university at that place, Mrs. Bodine was graduated. She came to Louisville about thirty years ago and has since resided here. Four years ago she became the wife of Dr. J. M. Bodine, who for many years has been the dean of the medical department of the University of Louisville. Mrs. Bodine was a woman of many lovable traits of character and was beloved by all who came within the sphere of her influence. She was interested in the Anti-Tuberculosis Association, and many other charitable organizations in Louisville benefitted by her zeal. Mrs. Bodine was a devout member of Grace Episcopal church. Besides her husband, Mrs. Bodine is survived by three sisters, Mrs. Lizzie H. Ball, of Louisville; Mrs. Walter G. Wilson, of Philadelphia, and Mrs. Sarah Reese, of Louisville, and two brothers, Charles H. Butler and William Butler, both of Nashville. Mrs. J.D.A. Boyd, of 2041 Brook street, is a niece. Mrs. Bodine was the aunt of Harry Bell, formerly a prominent newspaper man of Louisville, now of New York. The funeral services will be held this afternoon at 3 o'clock at Grace Episcopal church, 321 East Gray street, and will be conducted by the rector, the Rev. Lloyd E. Johnston. After the services here the body will be taken to Nashville, where interment will take place in Mt. Olivet Cemetery at that place at 11 o'clock tomorrow morning. The following pallbearers have been selected: E. W. Hays, John P. Malone, Dr. J. M. Ray, J. G. A. Boyd, D. H. Bowman and Thomas B. Harrison.
Obituary, The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY) of 26 Jan 1915.
Dr. James M. Bodine, 83 years old, a leading physician of Louisville for a half century, died of infirmities at noon yesterday at the apartment of his nephew, Dr. J. M. Ray, in the Atherton building. Funeral services will be held to-morrow afternoon at the Grace Episcopal church, 321 East Gray street, the Rev. L. E. Johnston officiating. Burial will be in Cave Hill cemetery. Immediate cause of Mr. Bodine's death was given as dilation of the heart, although he had been failing several months. His condition did not become serious until yesterday morning, as he had read and discussed articles in Sunday papers. Closely identified with the development of Louisville for many years, Dr. Bodine was especially known as a leader in the medical profession of the city. For forty-four years he was dean of the medical department of the University of Louisville and he bore the distinction of having his signature upn more doctor's diplomas than any other college head in the United States. At his death he was president emeritus of the university faculty. He served on the Louisville Board of Health and was regarded as a leading teacher of anatomy throughout the nation.
Dr. Bodine was a descendant of a New Jersey family which came to Kentucky in the latter part of the Eighteenth century. His grandparents settled on the Salt River in a section which now is a part of Nelson county. His father was Dr. Alfred Bodine and his mother, Fannie Maria Ray Bodine. He was born October 2, 1831, at Fairfield, where he received his elementary education in a private school. Later he attended St. Joseph's College, Bardstown, and Hanover College at Hanover, Ind. Coming to Louisville in 1851 he entered the office of Dr. H. H. Bullitt as a medical student. He attended the Kentucky School of Medicine and was graduated in 1854. A short time later he went to Austin, Tex., where he practiced medicine until the fall of 1855. While on a visit to his parents in Louisville he met Miss Elizabeth Crow, daughter of Edward Crow, a merchant, and married her on Christmas day, 1855.
As a result of his marriage Dr. Bodine decided to remain in Louisville. Even in those days he had gained a reputation as an anatomist and he accepted appointment as demonstrator of anatomy at the Kentucky School of Medicine in 1856. He retained this position until 1857, when illness of his wife induced him to move to Leavenworth, Kan. There he became the president of the first medical society in that section of the country. He also served one year in the Leavenworth City Council and took much interest in Episcopal Church affairs. He was appointed delegate to many important church conferences.
In May, 1862, he went to Fairfield, where he remained until the following year, when he came to Louisville and remained until his death. In 1864 he became professor of anatomy in the Kentucky School of Medicine and when the medical department of the University of Louisville was established he received a similar appointment there. It was during the first session, January, 19, 1867, that he was elected dean of the faculty, and he was continuously reelected until August 1, 1907. When the Kentucky University was consolidated with the University of Louisville Dr. Bodine was unanimous choice of the trustees for president. He was said to have shown fine administrative ability, and, despite the demands of his private practice, he never neglected his college work. When he resigned as president in 1912 he was honored by being made president emeritus of the faculty of the medical department of the University of Louisville.
Dr. Bodine was the last of the renowned ante-bellum physicians of the country. He was associated with Dr. T. S. Bell, Dr. Cowling, Dr. Crow, Dr. Bayliss. Dr. Yandell and others similarly well known in years of another generation. He organized the American Medical College Association in 1877, and at a meeting of that organization in Richmond, Va.,, in 1881 was elected its president. He also established the Southern Medical College Association in this city in 1892, and served several terms as president.
His first wife having died in 1896, Dr. Bodine married again in 1903. His second wife was Mrs. Laura M. Williams, of this city, who died in 1907. He leaves a daughter, Mrs. Z. T. McKay, of O'Bannon Station; a grandchild, Mrs. Frank G. Hogan, wife of the former Louisville turfman, who now resides in Pasadena, Cal.; two great-grandchildren, Misses Elizabeth and Frances Hogan, and two nephews, Dr. J. M. Ray, of this city, and Dr. John A. Bodine, professor of surgery in a New York university. Dr. Bodine was prominent in the councils of the Protestant Episcopal Church for many years and took an active interest in all meetings and conferences in both the Kansas and Kentucky dioceses. He was a vestryman of Grace Episcopal church.
Burials in Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky.
(For grave marker photo see Find A Grave Memorials Nos. 100194741 & 106554365)
Dr. James Morrison Bodine Oct. 2, 1831 Jan. 25, 1915
Mary E. Crow wife of Dr. J. M. Bodine Dec. 17, 1837 Sep. 26, 1896