John Walter McMahan, [Dr.]

b 20 Oct 1875, , Sevier, Tennessee
d 30 Jul 1935, Waycross, , Georgia Archibald 'Redmond' McMahan
bur Pigeon Forge, Sevier, Tennessee Archibald McMahan McNulty
William 'Bill' McMahan b 1773 George Byrd
| b 1804 Elizabeth Byrd Mary
Archibald R. McMahan  d 1866 b 1777  
|b 01 May 1852 | John Black  
|d 16 Sep 1925 Mary Malinda Black b 1795  
|  b 1830 Mary  
John Walter McMahan, [Dr.]  d 1899 b 1800 Robert Shields >
|Sara 'Iota' McMahan Richard S. Shields Sabra White >
|m 02 May 1901 John Tipton 'Jack' Shields b 25 Sep 1794  
|Knoxville, , Tennessee |b 27 Sep 1825 Susanna Thurman  
Sarah Emma 'Sallie' Shields  d 29 Oct 1907 b 12 Mar 1801 Joseph Hill
 b 05 Oct 1858 | Joseph Hill  
 d 20 Jul 1881 Margaret Quintina Hill b 23 Jul 1778  
 b 06 Apr 1827 Susannah McMinn  
 d 20 Oct 1878 b 31 Aug 1789

Children

1 < Iva McMahan
2 < Sara Emma McMahan

Notes

John Walter McMahan was educated in the local schools and academies of Sevier County, Tennessee.

The grief over losing his mother at age six inspired him to become a doctor. He received his midical degree in 1900 from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He did his post graduate work at Louisville (Kentucky) Medical School, New York City Hospital, and Mayo Clinic.

Dr. McMahan practiced in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, 1900-1902, Newport, Tennessee, 1902-1905, Crestmont, North Carolina, 1905-1916 (with the exception of 1909-1910), and Alcoa, Tennessee, 1916-1930. During the years 1917-1927, he was medical director of the Aluminum Company of America. He and his wife operated the first hospital in Blount County, Tennessee, 1921-1927. Dr. McMahan practiced back in Sevier County, Tennessee 1928-1930.

He served two terms in the Tennessee Legislature. He represented Cocke County, Tennessee in the General Assembly, 1905-1907, and Blount County, Tennessee in the State Senate, 1919-1920. He was one of the instigators on the bill which incorporated Alcoa. In 1910 he was private secretary to Congressman Z. D. Massey.

In 1930, Dr. McMahan moved his practice to Alma, Georgia.

He was a 32nd degree Mason, Shriner, Odd Fellow, Woodman of the World, Kiwanian, and a Lion. He served as president of the Blount County Medical Society, as well as the East Tennessee Medical Society.

He was a Southern Baptist and at the time of his death he was Moderator of the Smyrna Baptist Association. He was interim pastor of First Baptist Church, Alma, 1931-1933.

Buried in Pigeon Forge Methodist Church Cemetery.

Source: Rosa Lee Downey notes, 16 June 1983, p 48, 114, 115. 'Dr. Mac', Iva McMahan Moore, 1974, p 83. 'In the Shadow of the Smokies', Smoky Mountain Historical Society, 1993, p 336. 'Sevier County, Tennessee and Its Heritage', 1994, p 261.


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© Copyright 1995, 1996 David L. Beckwith