History of Pumpkintown & Oolenoy

The Country Doctor

The old-time family physician - "The Country Doctor" is gone. He is as much outmoded as the steel-tired buggy which was his family conveyance at the period.

Oolenoy Community was fortunate to have a physician living in our midst. Dr. John Marshall Crenshaw, son of Jesse Crenshaw and Jane Hendricks Crenshaw, who was a daughter of Larkin Hendricks, my step- grandfather.

Dr. Crenshaw attended the State Medical College at Charleston and graduated with honors. He first married Miss Nimmons of Eastatoe, South Carolina and had one child, Nina, by this marriage. She is still living and active. A second wife, Sallie Cox, had three children Feltz, who became a dentist, and Lela and Lois.

He built a house of unique architectural design that reflected the culture and charming personality of the man. His office was a room of the house with an outside entrance. It had shelves for drugs, a skeleton that all children were anxious to see, and comfortable chairs for patients.

In his early practice he rode a beautiful well-kept horse, named Rex, and .he carried his travelling drugstore in saddlebags. A tonic, "Dr. Crenshaw's Blood Alterative" was acclaimed by the State Medical Society to be the best that could be compounded. It continued to be sold by the Pickens Drugstore until recently.

The Doctor judged by sight the amount of dose his patient needed and folded it in a little paper. He seemed to know how much quinine, calomel, laudanum, Epsom salts, etc. that the patient should take.

Dr. Crenshaw looked the part of Doctor - erect, tall, handsome and always well dressed.

On Sunday when not visiting a patient he went with his family to Sunday School and Church at Oolenoy. He had a good bass voice and always sang while his wife played the organ.

For several years he was trustee of the Oolenoy School. He was interested in young people and when possible attended their programs.

Dr. Crenshaw was born January 19, 1872 near the sight of his new home and died at home June 2, 1932. He was buried in Cross Roads Baptist Church Cemetery. Dr. Crenshaw, we revere thy name for what you have meant and still mean to our Oolenoy families and Community.

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