Dr. Sextus Barbour (July 26, 1813 – December 20, 1848) was a prominent American physician and planter. As the son of Philip P. Barbour (May 25, 1783 – February 25, 1841), U.S. Congressman from

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

and

Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court An associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States is any member of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the chief justice of the United States. The number of associate justices is eight, as set by the Judiciary Act of 1 ...

, Barbour was a

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of the Barbour political family.

Early life and education

Barbour was born on July 26, 1813, in

Orange County Orange County most commonly refers to: *Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Orange County may also refer to: U.S. counties *Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando *Orange County, Indiana *Orange County, New ...

, Virginia. He was the sixth child of Philip P. Barbour and his wife Frances Todd Johnson. Barbour was a matriculant at the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

School of Medicine A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, M ...

in 1834.

Writings

Sometime between 1839 and '43, Barbour wrote "Directions for Writing" which is widely cited in literature on writing and grammar:

In notes in the third person, the address, and date, are to be placed, on the right side just below the last line. Both letters, and notes, are to be addressed, to the persons for whom they are intended, on the left side, of the lower part of the paper. The place of abode of the person to whom sent, to be first. This is the case when they are in the third person. The letter, or note should never be carried so, near the bottom, as not to have room for the usual conclusion, and signature or to crunch it. Postscripts should if possible be avoided, and, on no account should civilities be postponed to this part. All letters should be enveloped but such as are sent by the post. Nothing should be written when the inside of the envelope; not must any address, be put on the enclosed letter. A half sheet to be used for the envelope.

A hiring agreement in 1846 between Barbour and his eldest brother Edmund Pendleton Barbour serves as a historically significant source for the safety of, hiring of, and caring for slaves. The agreement did not list a price for a slave's services but included the standard food and clothing clause along with an additional clause stating that "the boy Edwin not be allowed to cross the Libertyville millpond or the

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when it is high."

Death

Both Barbour and his brother Thomas Barbour, also a physician, died of cholera during the 1848–49 St. Louis cholera epidemic. The epidemic killed 4,500 people, one-tenth of the population of St. Louis. Barbour died on December 20, 1848, and his brother Thomas died the following year in June 1849.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barbour, Sextus 1813 births 1848 deaths Barbour family People from Orange County, Virginia American Presbyterians Virginia Democrats Deaths from cholera in the United States Physicians from Virginia Physicians from Missouri American planters