Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers.  "An
Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties")  Spokane, WA: Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1905.  p. 1031.
 
DR. JOHN ALEXANDER CHASTAIN

     who is now living a retired life in Bonanza, was born on April 3, 1834, the
old home place being situated one mile above Blythe ferry at the mouth
of the Hiawasse river in Meigs county, Tennessee. His father, William Chastain,
was born in Simpson county, Kentucky, on February 11, 1809. When twelve years of
age, hey accompanied his father. Rev. Joseph Chastain, to Meigs county,
Tennessee.  Joseph Chastain, who was the grandfather of our subject, was a noted
Baptist preacher, the son of John Chastain, one of the French Huguenots who came
over from France on account of religious persecution and settled in South
Carolina. He preached for the Baptist church also and was known as the nine
shilling bell man, owing to the fact that his powerful voice could be heard as
far as the nine shilling bell. He was well known all over North and South
Carolina, Georgia and adjacent states. Joseph Chastain Was with General Jackson
in the War of 1812. Our subject's father grew up in Meigs county, Tennessee and
there married Miss Mary Ann Frie, the third daughter of John and Abagail Frie.
She was born in Blunt county, Alabama and came with her parents to Meigs county,
Tennessee when thirteen years of age. In 1837, William Chastain enlisted in
Captain Vernon's Company, United States Volunteers for the purpose of gathering
the Cherokee Indians and placing them on the territory reserved for them in the
Cherokee Nation. It was then that the Hiawasse purchase was made. He was
mustered out of service in July, 1838. In October of the same year, he moved to
Lawrence county, Missouri, twenty miles west of Springfield, which was then a
mere hamlet of four or five houses, and farmed there for sixteen years. Then he
sold and moved to Howell county. When the war broke out; he enlisted in the
confederate army in General McBride's brigade, under Price but afterward was
transferred to Marmaduke's brigade. At the breaking out of the war he had much
property but it was all destroyed or confiscated. Later, his family moved to
Oregon county, Missouri where he died on January 24, 1866 in his fifty-ninth
year. The mother died in 1879, in Arkansas in her sixty-sixth year. They were
the parents of six children, three of whom are living, Joseph and Elizabeth,
both of Baxter county, Arkansas, and our subject. He grew up with his parents
but his schooling facilities were meager. He studied by the open fire place and
by the light of the old dip candle at home so thoroughly that when twenty years
of age he secured a certificate to teach school. His first term was taught in
Jasper county, Missouri. He also taught in various other places and engaged then
in buying horses and mules to take to Louisiana. While teaching, he studied
medicine and in 1856, went to Yell county, Arkansas and studied under the noted
Dr. Ward. Then he drove a team west and later returned to the lead mines of
Missouri where he dealt in mining property successfully.  After this, he was
salesman in a store, bought an interest in tile same but owing to a lawsuit,
lost all. Then again he turned to medicine, studying under Dr. James, in Granby,
Newton county. He handled a drug store in Jasper county, then sold out and went
to Neosho river, Cherokee Nation, where he took up the practice of his
profession. Returning to Jasper county, he was appointed deputy sheriff and took
the census of that division in 1860. On March 3, 1861, the day before Lincoln's
inauguration, he married Miss Sarah T. Boyd. On August 29, 1862, a son was born
to them and the mother died the following morning. The child is William
Chastain, now a farmer in Douglas county, Oregon. On November 29, 1862, the
doctor left his boy with an aunt and organized a company of men for the
confederate army. He was clerk of the brigade in the commissary department under
General Shelby and in the fall of 1863, he went into the ranks, being appointed
regimental quartermaster. Resigning from this, he was recruiting officer and
gathered a company of seventy-four. In August, 1864, he was elected captain of
Company C, in Colonel J. T. Caffrey's regiment. This company was left at
Bateville on provost duty and part of that year he was detailed as recruiting
corporal. In the fall of 1864, he was appointed on a special duty to make a map
of the country preparatory to making a raid that was planned. His work was so
favorably received that he was recommended to Richmond to be appointed as
inspector general of Pagan's cavalry, of the trans-Mississippi department. The
commission was issued but owing to the close of the war, it was never received.
On June 8, 1863 he was paroled at Shrevesport then went to Baton Rouge and at
Balls Bluff bade his company farewell.  Among other things, the doctor stated
that he was forced into the war and he made as good a soldier of himself as he
knew how. Now he proposed to return to private life and make as good a citizen
of himself as he could. He was in thirteen engagements and many skirmishes.
During much of the time, he was sharpshooter and though in many close places and
though his clothing was pierced by many bullets, he never received a wound. He
saw many men shot down at his side and endured all the hardships of a soldier's
life. After the war, he went where his father was living in Oregon county,
Missouri and engaged in farming, having lost everything during the war. He had
lost trace of his son but found him later in Cooper county, Missouri.
     On March 1, 1866, Dr. Chastain married Miss Mary J. King, who was born in
Greene county, Illinois. She had moved thence to Tennessee and later to Howell
county, Missouri, accompanied by her parents, Wilsey P. and Eliza P. King. The
father was a soldier in the army and died in Klamath county March 17, 1904, aged
eighty-four. The mother had died in Howell county, Missouri ten years ago. In
the fall of 1867, Dr. Chastain moved to Izard county, Arkansas and engaged in
the mercantile business. After that, he raised cotton and later moved to Boone
county, Arkansas where he was editor of the Boone County Record, at Bellefonte,
Arkansas.  He fitted up two wagons with ox teams and on April 28, 1875, started
with a train of emigrants across the plains to Oregon. At Cheyenne he sold one
outfit and in due time reached Moonville on the Rogue river. He located on
October 15, on a rented farm and began the practice of Medicine. He soon was
very busy, riding forty miles in every direction. Finally, we find him at
Phoenix, Oregon, where he had a large practice and also operated two drug
stores. Later, the doctor sold out and moved to Williamsburg, Oregon, continuing
his practice, then returned to Phoenix. Finally in April, 1888, he came to
Bonanza and here took up the practice of medicine. He had all he could do and
his family handled a hotel and feed barn, and also conducted a farm. In 1901,
the doctor sold the hotel and barn and moved to his ranch. Later, he traded that
for town property and retired from business. He is now comfortably fixed in
Bonanza while he and his wife are enjoying the competence that their labor and
skill have provided. The doctor has filled various positions, as, justice of the
peace, notary public, was member of the first council in Bonanza and president
of the board, and is now town recorder. For forty-six years he has been a Mason
and a member of the Baptist church. He was baptized by his grandfather, Rev,
Joseph Chastain. Mrs. Chastain is also a member of the church and of the Rebekah
and Eastern Star lodges. To the last marriage of the coctor ten children have
been born : Charles, deceased; George, married to Effa Sutton, at present clerk
of Klamath county; Cora, Price, and Adah, all deceased; Ann Elizabeth, wife of
A. T. Langell.; Etta. wife of R. I. Kilgore; Claude, clerk in a store; Sarah J.,
wife of Robert L. Goss ; and John K., a harness maker in Bonanza. The doctor and
his wife are hearty, genial people, highly respected and substantial.They have
educated their children well and are happily located in that all live near by
and are prosperous.


*******************

Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2011 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.