Biographies   Charleston County - South Carolina Genealogy Trails BUIST, JOHN SOMERS, physician and surgeon, from 1861-65 surgeon and major in the Confederate army, and for many years professor of clinical medicine and surgery, and later of the principles and science of surgery in the Medical College of the State of South Carolina, at Charleston, was born November 26, 1839, a native of the city in which he still resides. His father, George Buist, served as alderman of Charleston, commissioner of schools, commissioner of the orphan house, and judge of probate, a citizen of Charleston who is still well remembered for his firmness and Christian character. His mother was Mary Edwards (Jones) Buist. She was of Welsh descent, her earliest known ancestor in America being Thomas Jones, who came to Charleston, South Carolina, in 1765; while through Mary Edwards Legare she received a strain of Huguenot French blood. The Reverend George Buist, D. D., who came from Scotland to Charleston in 1789, bringing with him and maintaining throughout his life a reputation for exceptionally wide and deep learning, is one of his ancestors. His boyhood was passed in Charleston, and was varied by frequent and prolonged residence in the country for parts of the year. The circumstances of his family were such as to relieve him from any manual labor in his boyhood; nor was he required to depend upon his own exertions for the means to secure an education. He was graduated from the College of Charleston in 1859, with the degree of A. B.; and two years later, in March, 1861, he received the degree of M. D. from the Medical College of the State of South Carolina. The College of Charleston also conferred upon him the degree of M. A., in March, 1869. Upon the outbreak of the War between the States he at once entered the service of the Confederacy as surgeon, and he continued to serve until the close of the war in 1865. He was then made city physician of Charleston. As surgeon of the Roper hospital, and as surgeon in the Marine hospital of the United States, he won a reputation which led to his filling for years the position of adjunct professor of material medical and adjunct professor of clinical medicine and surgery in the Medical college at Charleston, and later that of professor of the principles and science of surgery in the Medical college. He has also served his city for years as a member of the board of health. He is commissioner of the Roper hospital. He has been throughout his professional life an occasional contributor of papers to medical journals and to the proceedings of the medical associations of which he is a member or a correspondent. His favorite lines of reading throughout his life have been history and natural science. For the last fourteen years he has been a member of St. Michael's Episcopal church, with which he is prominently identified. He ranks as strongest in his life the influence of his early home; he places second the ideals and discipline and the general influence of his school life; private study, "the choice of honest Christian companions," and intimate contact with men who are engaged in the active duties of life, he counts as the other forces which have had the strongest influence upon him, and in the order in which he names them. Dr. Buist is a Mason and has attained the highest degree in masonry, the thirty third. He is inspector general of the Honorary Supreme council, Southern jurisdiction, United States of America. In his political opinions he is identified with the Democratic party. He adds: "I voted for McKinley. I could not logically support Bryan with his 'sixteen to one.'" In February, 1867, Doctor Buist married Margaret Sinclair Johnston, daughter of Archibald Simpson Johnston and Mary Bolton (Lamb) Johnston, of Charleston. Of their eight children, six are now (1908) living. By profession a student of the conditions of physical health and of the means of preserving health to the well and restoring the sick to health, Doctor Buist says of the forms of exercise and modes of relaxation which he has enjoyed and found most helpful: "All forms of manual exercise, when I was young. My relaxation now I find in my books." A practicing physician for nearly half a century, and a teacher of young men for a large part of that time, Doctor Buist's words of advice to his young fellow citizens of South Carolina deserve careful consideration. He writes: "Cultivate Christian character, with all that that implies, and it will lead you to proper methods and habits, giving you sound ideals of American life through which you will attain success. His address is Charleston, South Carolina. Men of Mark in South Carolina By James Calvin Hemphill Published 1907 - transcribed and contributed by Barb Ziegenmeyer BACK to Charleston County SC Genealogy Trails © all rights - reserved to the original submitter