Three Forks of the Kentucky River Historical Association

Biography

Cornelius Marcum

Material Contributed by John Sandlin and transcribed by Michelle Williams Cole

CORNELIUS MARCUM, M.D. engaged in town and country practice in Estill County thirty years. Doctor Marcum has realized the highest ideals of service in his chosen profession, and no citizen of the county perhaps could be named who stands higher in general esteem.

Doctor Marcum was born in Owsley County, Kentucky, December 30, 1865. His grandfather, Thomas Marcum, established his home on a farm in Owsley County in pioneer days, coming from Virginia. Lewis Marcum, father of Doctor Marcum, was born in Owsley County in 1816 and followed his trade as a blacksmith in his native county, where he married and where he lived until 1878, when he moved to Estill County and conducted his shop near Driprock until his death in 1891. He was a strong believer and one of the enthusiastic members of the Primitive Baptist Church and in politics followed the fortunes of the Republican Party. Lewis Marcum married Jane Bowles, who was born in Owsley County in 1825, and died at her home near Driprock April 6, 1886. She was the mother of thirteen children; John, who died at the age of twenty-four in Owsley County; Peter, who was killed by a falling log at the age of nineteen; Thomas, a farmer who died in Owsley County at the age of seventy-two; America, always called in the family Sis, is the wife of Albert G. Ward, a farmer at Tyner in Jackson County; Sarah, whose first husband was James M. Clowers, a farmer, is now the wife of Hardin Richardson, a farmer at Winston, Estill County; William and Hughes are farmers at Cass, Arkansas; Mary is the wife of Harvey L. Wilson, an employee of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company at Irvine; David, who is a chimney builder by occupation and lives at Regis in Estill County; Harvey is a farmer at Vincent in Owsley County; Margaret is the wife of Perry Green Cox, a farmer at Regis; the twelfth in age among this numerous family is Dr. Cornelius; the youngest, Alfred, is a farmer at Jeffersontown, Kentucky.

Cornelius Marcum as a boy had to strive for his higher education and the opportunities beyond the home farm. He attended rural schools in Owsley and Estill counties, took a course in Berea College, and subsequently entered the Hospital College of Medicine at Louisville, from which he was graduated M. D. in June, 1892. He then returned to his old home locality and in 1892 began practice at Millers Creek in Estill County, remaining there for eighteen years, and since has had his offices in Irvine, though still doing an extensive county practice. His offices are on Main Street, near the Public Square, and he has one of the very desirable homes of the city on Main Street. Doctor Marcum has been examining surgeon for the United States Pension Bureau in Estill County since 1896. Early in his career as a physician he performed the double duty of doctor and county superintendent of schools from 1894 to 1898. He is a member of both the County and State Medical Societies and a former member of the American Medical Association. During the World war he was deeply interested in the success of all the local drives and served as medical examiner for the county draft board.

Doctor Marcum has a farm of two hundred and sixty acres in Jefferson County, Kentucky, and half an interest in eighty acres in Spencer County. In politics he is a republican, is clerk of the Primitive Baptist Church at Irvine, and is affiliated with the Masons, Odd Fellows and Red Men.

In January 1893, at Millers Creek, he married Miss Florence Neal, daughter of Sidney B. and Mary Alice (Blackwell) Neal, now deceased. Her father was for many years a merchant at Millers Creek. To the marriage of Doctor and Mrs. Marcum were born seven children; Carrie, wife of Claude Mitchell, a conductor on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, living at Irvine; Simmie, who died of typhoid fever at the age of sixteen; Myrtle, wife of Jeremiah Whit and living at home; the fourth, a son, died in infancy; Fred is a junior in the Nicholasville High School; Bertha is in the first year of the Irvine High School; and Glenway is in the sixth grade of the public schools.

History of Kentucky, the Blue Grass State
Volume III Illustrated
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
Chicago - Louisville 1928