John Farrell Easmon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Farrell Easmon
MRCS, LM, LKQCP
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John Farrell Easmon (seated) and his brother Albert Whiggs Easmon
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| Born | John Farrell Easmon 30 June 1856 Freetown, Sierra Leone |
| Died | 9 June 1900 (aged 43) Cape Coast, Ghana |
| Nickname | Johnnie or Johnie |
| Occupation | Chief Medical Officer |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | British Subject, |
| Education | CMS Grammar School, University College London |
| Spouse | Annette Kathleen Smith Easmon |
| Children | Two |
| Relatives | Macormack Charles Farrell Easmon (son); Charles Odamtten Easmon (grandson) |
John Farrell Easmon (born June 30, 1856 – died June 9, 1900) was an important doctor from Sierra Leone. He became the Chief Medical Officer in the British Gold Coast (which is now Ghana) in the 1890s. He was the only West African to hold this high medical position.
Dr. Easmon was also very good at studying plants (a botanist). He was an expert in treating diseases found in tropical places. In 1884, he wrote a paper about a sickness called Blackwater Fever. He was the first to connect this fever to malaria. In fact, he even created the name "blackwater fever" for this disease.
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Early Life and Family Background
John Farrell Easmon, also known as "Johnnie," was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone. This was on June 30, 1856. His family, the Easmon family, was well-known for having many doctors.
His parents were Walter Richard Easmon and Mary Ann MacCormac. John's family had deep roots in Freetown. His grandparents came to Sierra Leone from the United States through Nova Scotia in 1792. They were called Nova Scotian settlers. John's mother also had family from Northern Ireland and was part of the Settler community.
Education and Achievements
John F. Easmon grew up in Freetown. He went to a Roman Catholic primary school first. Then, in 1869, he joined the Sierra Leone Grammar School.
After school, he learned from Dr. Robert Smith at the Colonial Hospital. In 1875, he received money from his grandfather's will. He used this money to study at University College London. While there, he was an amazing student. He won six medals, including three gold ones! Newspapers in Sierra Leone praised his academic success.
In 1879, he graduated with honors. He earned medical degrees from important colleges in Ireland and Belgium.
Returning to Sierra Leone
After his studies, John Easmon's uncle, Sir William MacCormac, offered him a job in England. But John turned it down. He decided to go back to Freetown.
He opened his own doctor's office there. He was known for always wearing proper English medical clothes. This included a top hat and a frock coat. He even wore them when he visited England for vacation! Many older settlers came to see him. In 1880, he moved to the Gold Coast (modern-day Ghana). This is where he became a very famous doctor in West Africa.
Medical Work in the Gold Coast
In the Gold Coast, Dr. Easmon became an Assistant Colonial Surgeon. He also had his own private practice in Accra. He worked in different towns like Keta and even in Lagos, Nigeria.
Both local people and Europeans liked him a lot. When he wanted to move back to Sierra Leone, the governor of the Gold Coast, Sir William Brandford Griffith, asked him to stay. The governor said Dr. Easmon was greatly needed there.
Becoming Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Easmon became the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the Gold Coast in 1893. He held this important role until 1897. He resigned after an investigation. They looked into whether he was still seeing private patients and writing articles for newspapers. This was against the rules for colonial officers.
Community Involvement
Dr. Easmon lived with his family in Victoriaborg, which was a European area in Accra. He was very active in the Freemasons, a social group. He was even a leader in their lodges in Accra and England.
He also loved horse racing. He was a member of the Accra Jockey Club. His horse, "His Lordship," won the Governor's Cup many times! He also helped as a medical officer for the Accra Volunteer Corps.
Dr. Easmon helped start the Aburi Botanical Gardens. He also sent plant samples to Kew Gardens in England.
His Family Legacy
In 1889, John Easmon married Annette Kathleen Smith. They had two children: Macormack Charles Farrell Easmon and Kathleen Easmon Simango. Macormack also became a well-known doctor.
John Easmon's grandson, Charles Odamtten Easmon, became the Chief Medical Officer of independent Ghana in 1964. He also became the Dean of the Medical School. John's half-brother, Albert Whiggs Easmon, was also a successful doctor. Albert's son, Raymond Sarif Easmon, became a doctor and a poet.
Death
John Farrell Easmon passed away on June 9, 1900, at the age of 43. He died from pneumonia and was buried in Cape Coast.
