Rathmell home at 315 W. Sixth St.
Dr. John R. Rathmell
Dr. John R. Rathmell and his wife, Edith, had fine homes on Cameron Hill's West Sixth Street.
After arriving in Chattanooga in 1883, the Rathmells lived for a number of years at 413 West Sixth.
Around the turn of the century, Dr. Rathmell built a two-story beauty with a curved porch at 315 West Sixth. In addition to the spacious porch and an upstairs landing, the Rathmell house featured intricate woodwork inside and out.
John Rathmell was born near Columbus, Ohio. He was one of eight children - three sons and five daughters. His father, John Rathmell, was from Ohio and his mother, Susan Frank Rathmell, was from Pennsylvania. The Rathmells were described as a deeply religious family. The father was a farmer all his life.
John Rathmell graduated from Starling Medical College in 1883. He married Edith Beach of West Jefferson, Ohio, in May of 1884 and they headed South. The couple later had a daughter, Maude, who married J.C. Brooks. Their son was John B. Rathmell.
It was said that as a physician Dr. Rathmell "he has been successful, being progressive, studious, candid and practical." He was soon made secretary of the Board of Health and was its president in 1887. He was also heavily involved at the Chattanooga University medical program and was deeply disappointed when the program was discontinued. He was a devoted worker at First Methodist Church.
Dr. Rathmell became ill early in 1915 and he finally died at his home at the corner of West Sixth and Poplar on Dec. 2. He was 61.
Edith Rathmell afterward moved to 402 West Sixth. The fine home at Sixth and Poplar was enjoyed by Sam Parry and others. William C. Street, of the Street Brothers Machine Works, lived at the Rathmells' first home at 413 West Sixth.
The Rathmell house at Sixth and Poplar had been converted into apartments by the 1950s. It was diagonally across from H. Clay Evans School.