born in Dudley, Worcestershire, England, son of Sarah (Cox) and William Badley, Surgeon. His father died when he was only sixteen and his elder brother was a student of Abernathy at Saint Bartholomew's Hospital in London. When John Badley, F.R.C.S. returned to Dudley he not only took over his father's practice but he also became head of the family assuming responsibility for his mother and younger brothers and sister. "Being imperious and domineering in temper"* John's actions were not always taken well by the siblings. Sent to Edinburgh to study medicine he returned to Dudley and practiced with his brother for a time but they did not get on well. His strong religious feelings led him to return to Edinburgh with the idea of entering the church. This was cut short and he returned to Insetton to be with his mother and sister. "He gave his medical advice gratuitously to the poor and from far and wide the resorted to him for his herb cures. Possibly his oddity in dress and manners and shy ways as well as his goodness and kindness gave them a far greater confidence in him than any other physician." After the death of their brother Radcliff in 1834 and their mother in 1839, his sister Elizabeth, and he set sail for America. Landing in New York City they traveled up the Hudson River and bought a small property. Their happiness was short as Elizabeth died less than two years after their arrival. "While he was surrounded by friends that he had made in both his medical and religious capacities he longed for home faces and returned to England unexpectedly, but went to America again...After his second return he took the Box Hedge house in order to be near his nephews John and Henry at Insetton, of whom he was very fond and they of him."* After John joined his brother William in America, married and also settled in Illinois, he moved first to rooms at Hurst farm and later took a cottage about 5 miles off at Day House Bank on the Lichey Hills where he died from an attack of Bronchitis. He had expressed the wish to be buried at Frankley and "Uncle Henry says that his funeral was followed by crowds of women and girls carrying wreaths of all the flowers they could get from their gardens as a last mark of respect to pay to one who had so befriended them in their troubles."* (bio by: David McJonathan-Swarm)

*the quotations are all taken from a handwritten copy made at Grasmere, (Westmoreland) Cumbria, England by Louise MacArthur of "Reminiscences of The Badleys" written by cousin Mary, the eldest daughter of Dr. James Payton Badley when she interviewed Uncle Henry, her father's brother, at Insetton and from MEMORIES AND REFLECTIONS by J. H. Badley; London: George Allen & Unwin, 1955.