History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 7

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572

USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 7

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"Voted, That we highly approve of the measure of establishing a gen- eral hospital at New Haven, and that we will use our best endeavors to promote the same by encouraging subscriptions in our respective neigh- borhoods."

Such was the Fairfield County Medical Society in its earlier days. The State society by degrees spread its hands out over it. The former became a tributary ; it is simply a part of the Connecticut Medical Society. Without detailing the several steps of the change, -- a process hardly called for in a sketch,-we may look at the county society as it stands to-day in its relation to the State Medical Society. This can be done by selections from the by-laws of the State society :

" CHAPTER I .- Section 1. This Society shall be known by the name of Tho Connecticut Medical Society, and it shall be composed of the mem- bers of the county associations and of honorary members.

"Sec. 2. The Connecticut Medical Society shall hold an annual con- vention on the Thursday following the fourth Wednesday in May. The annual convention shall assemble alternately at New Haven and Hait- ord. Ten members shall constitute a quorum.

"Sec. 3. The President and Fellows shall hold an annual meeting.

" Sec. 4. The county associations shall hold in their respective counties an annual meeting.

" CHAPTER II .- Section 1. The officers of the Society shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, Committee on Matters of Professional Interest in the State, and the Presidents of the county asso- ciations, who shall be Vice-Presidents ex-oficio.

" CHAPTER III .- Section 1. Thero shall be an annual meeting of the Presidents and Fellows of the Connecticut Medical Society on the day preceding the annual convention of the Society, and in the same city where the convention is to be held.

"CHAPTER IV .- Section 1. The members of the Connecticut Medical Society shall meet anuually in their respective counties, and at such other times and places as have been or may hereafter be agreed upon by them. Provided, the annual meeting shall be at least four weeks before the fourth Wednesday in May. Each county association shall be known and called by the name of the county in which it exists, and shall choose from among themselves a President, Clerk, and such other officers as may be found necessary. At their annual meeting they shall elect by ballot, of their own number, iu each county five-except in the county of Tol- land, which shall elect three-Fellows, to have part in the superintend- ence aud management of the Society.

"Sec. 2. The county associations, in their respective counties, shall have power to adjourn meetings and to call special meetings from time to time as they shall deem expedient ; and they may adopt such by-laws and regulations for their own goverument, and for the promotion of med- ical science, as they may think proper, not contrary to the laws of the State or the by-laws of the Connecticut Medical Society.

" Sec. 3. Any persou of good moral character, found to possess the qualifications prescribed by the charter and by-laws of this Society, may, by any county association, at any meeting legally holden, be admitted to membership by a major vote of the members present, by ballot. Provided, he is residing and practicing in said county, and makes application for that purpose.

" Sec. 4. All persons so elected shall, within one year after such elec- tion, subscribe the by-laws of the Society, or otherwise declare iu writing their asseut to the same, or such election shall be void.

" Scc. 5. Any county associatiou may by a major vote dismiss from the

MEDICAL HISTORY.

Society any member who shall remove from the State or who shall leave the profession for other pursuits.

" Sec. 6. Any county association may, if it is deemed expedient, recom- mend to the President and Fellows. for dismission from the Socioty, any member residing in that county who shall apply for such dismission by a written request to that effect, delivered to the Clerk of said county asso- eiation at least ten days before the time of holding any legal county meeting, and also any member who shall refuse or neglect to pay taxes ; and upon the approval of such recommendation by tho President and Fellows in annual meeting the connection between such member and tho Society shall be dissolved. Provided, that no member shall be honorably dismissed from the Society nutil all his taxes shall havo been paid.

" Sec. 7. All violation of tho by-laws of tho Connecticut Medieal So- eiety or of tho Medical Polico adopted by the Society, or of the rules and regulations passed by the county associations in conformity with the by- laws of the State society, may be prosecuted and tried in tho respectivo eounty associations, under the following regulations. . . . Provided, that no sentenceo of expulsion shall be valid until confirmod by tho President and Fellows in annual meeting.

" CHAPTER V .- Section 2. All the members of tho Connectieut Medical Society havo the privilego of attending all meetings of the President and Fellows and performing all the duties of Fellows except voting.

" Sec. 5. No member of the Society shall hold professional consultation or intereourse with any other than licensed physicians and surgeons in regular standing.

" CHAPTER VII .- The Society adopts the Code of Ethics of the Ameri- ean Medical Association as a part of tho Constitution and by-laws.

"On the day of the annual convention a dinner shall be provided at the expenso of those members partaking of it."

The presidents (or moderator and chairman, as they were formerly called) and secretaries,-the only two offices held in the Fairfield County Society,-have been as follows :

1825 .- Gabriel Baldwin, Chairman; Elijah Middle- brook, Clerk.

1826 .- John Judson, Chairman ; Elijah Middlebrook, Clerk.

1827-28 .- William T. Shelton, Moderator; Samuel Simons, Clerk.

1829 .- Elijah Middlebrook, Moderator; Samuel Si- mons, Clerk.

1830 .- John Judson, Moderator; Samuel Simons, Clerk.

1831 .- Lloyd Seeley, Moderator; John Tomlinson, Clerk.

1832-34 .- Elijah Middlebrook, Moderator; John Tom- linson, Clerk.

1835 .- William T. Shelton, Moderator; E. Beach Middlebrook, Clerk.

1836 .- Samuel Simons, Moderator; Dr. Sturges Bulk- ley, Clerk.

1837 .- Elijah Middlebrook, Moderator; Sturges Bulk- ley, Clerk.

1838 .- Rufus Blakeman, Moderator; Sturges Bulk- ley, Clerk.

1839-40 .- Elijah Middlebrook, Moderator; Sturges Bulkley, Clerk.

1841 .- Daniel Comstock, Danbury, Moderator; Stur- ges Bulkley, Clerk.

1842 .- Elijah Middlebrook, Moderator; S. P. V. R. Ten Broeck, Fairfield, Clerk.

· 1843 .- Samuel Simons, Moderator; S. P. V. R. Ten Broeek, Fairfield, Clerk.

1844 .- Elijah Middlebrook, Moderator; S. P. V. R. Teu Broeck, Fairfield, Clerk.

1845 .- Elijah Middlebrook, Moderator; George Blackman, Clerk.

1846 .- D. Comstock, Danbury, Moderator ; Samuel Beach, Clerk.

1847 .- Elijah Middlebrook, Chairman ; Samuel Beach, Clerk.

1848 .- Rufus Blakeman, Chairman ; S. Beach, Clerk. 1849 .- Elijah Middlebrook, Moderator; Samuel Beach, Clerk.

1850-51 .- Elijah Middlebrook, Chairman; Samuel Beach, Clerk.

1852 .- Samuel S. Noyes, Chairman ; Samuel Beach, Clerk.

1853 .- G. Blaekman, Chairman ; F. J. Judson, Clerk. 1854 .- Elijah Middlebrook, Chairman; Justus Sher- wood, Clerk.

1855 .- Samuel S. Noyes, Chairman; Justus Sher- wood, Clerk.

1856-57 .- Elijah Middlebrook, Chairman; H. L. W. Burrit, Clerk.

1858 .- G. Blackman, Chairman ; M. B. Pardee, Clerk. 1859 .- Samuel S. Noyes, Chairman; M. B. Pardee, Clerk.

1860 .- E. P. Bennett, Chairman ; D. S. Burr, Clerk. 1861 .- George Blackman, Chairman; D. S. Burr, Clerk.

1862-63 .- Wanting in record book.

1864 .- Samuel Noyes, Chairman; O. S. Hiekok, Clerk.

1865 .- Samuel S. Noyes, Chairman; William H. Trowbridge, Clerk.

1866 .- Samuel S. Noyes, New Canaan, Chairman ; Samuel Sands, Clerk.

1867-70 .- Samuel S. Noyes, New Canaan, Chairmau ; George L. Burs, Clerk.

1871-72 .- Ira Gregory, Norwalk, Chairman ; George L. Burs, Clerk.

1873 .- Robert Hubbard, Chairman ; George L. Burz, Clerk.

1874-75 .- E. P. Bennett, Chairman; J. G. Gregory, Clerk.

1876 .- W. G. Brownson, New Canaan, Chairman ; J. G. Gregory, Clerk.

1877 .- E. P. Bennett, Chairman ; W. C. Burke, Jr., Clerk.

1878 .- E. P. Bennett, Chairmau ; W. C. Burke, Jr., Clerk.

1879 .- W. G. Brownson, Chairman ; W. C. Burke, Jr., Clerk.

1880 .- Curtis H. Bill, Chairwau; F. M. Wilson, Clerk.

The present list of members, as given in the " Pro- ceedings" for 1880, is as follows :

President .-. C. H. Bill, of Bridgeport.

Clerk .- F. M. Wilson, Jr., of Bridgeport.

Censors .- W. A. Lockwood, C. H. Bill, James R. Cummings.

County Reporter .- W. A. Lockwood.

Bridgeport .- David H. Nash, Robert Hubbard,

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

Andrew J. Smith, Augustus H. Abernethy, George F. Lewis, James R. Cummings, George L. Porter, Robert Lauder, Francis J. Young, Curtis H. Bill, N. E. Wordin, G. M. Teeple, Charles W. Sheffrey, E. T. Ward, F. M. Wilson, T. F. Martin, W. H. Bunnell, F. B. Downs, B. W. Munson, Mary J. Rising, W. C. Bowers.

Brookfield .- A. L. Williams.

Danbury .- E. P. Bennett, James Baldwin, William C. Bennett, F. P. Clark, A. T. Classon.

Darien .- Samuel Sands, R. L. Bohannan.

New Canaan .- William G. Brownson.

Bethel .- A. D. Barber.

Greenfield Hill .- M. V. B. Dunham.

Fairfield .-- S. M. Garlick.

Norwalk .- James G. Gregory, W. A. Lockwood, John C. Kendall, Robert Nolan, F. V. Buesch, E. C. Clarke, W. J. Wakeman, A. B. Gorham.

South Norwalk .- R. L. Higgins, John Hill, W. C. Burke, Jr.

Ridgefield .- O. S. Hickok, William S. Todd.

Reading .- M. H. Wakeman.

Southport .- C. H. Osborne.

Stratford .- Edwin D. Nooney, Almon S. Allen.

Stamford .- N. D. Haight, H. P. Geib.

North Stamford .- George W. Birch, W. H. Trow- bridge.

Weston .- F. Gorham.

Westport .- George B. Bouton, F. Powers.

Huntington .- Gould A. Shelton.

Sandy Hook .- William C. Wyle.

Wilton .- A. E. Emery, L. H. Huntington.

Of these, Drs. D. H. Nash, of Bridgeport, A. L. Williams, of Brookfield, E. P. Bennett and James Baldwin, of Danbury, and N. D. Haight, of Stam- ford, are over sixty years of age. The records give no indication as to which is the oldest member of the society. The name of Dr. James Baldwin, however, appears earliest on the records. In the year 1833 he was appointed one of the delegates to attend the Medical Convention at Hartford. He must, there- forc, have been a member for some years previous. He was the same year (1833) appointed, with Dr. A. L. Williams, "to read a dissertation at the next an- nual meeting." Their names appear frequently in tlie records of the society. In 1836, Dr. E. P. Bennett was appointed fellow of the State Medical Conven- tion in New Haven, and to read a dissertation at the next annual meeting. In 1838, David H. Nashı was appointed a fellow of tlie State Convention. In 1850 Nathaniel D. Haight was chosen one of the fellows for the ensuing year. It may be safe to estimate their respective ages as members from the above data.

Fairfield County has furnished from its members the following presidents for the State society : Elijah Middlebrook, 1841-42; Rufus Blakeman, 1851-52; Robert Hubbard, 1877.

So much time has been spent with the living that none is left for the virtues and memories of the dead

who strove to keep and to improve the society and themselves. They labored, and we have entered into their labors. Only recently has it become customary to publish obituaries of deceased members. In 1854 a motion was passed "that the clerk notice the death of the members of this Society with a concise biography." If this was ever done, no record of it remains. The records contain but one obituary, whichi, on account of its tenderness and of the source whence it comes, I am constrained to give in full. April, 1856,

"Dr. Blakeman, committee on obituary of members deceased, reported on Dr. R. B. Botsford, dee'd of Daubury, the following letter, which was ordered to be included in the minutes :

"'Dr. Russel B. Botsford was born at Newtown, May 7, 1794, and eom- menced the study of medicine with Dr. Shepard, of Newtown, during . two years of his medical course. In New Haven he was in Dr. Gilbert's office. He received his diploma September, 1816. Iu the spring of 1817 lie commeneed the practice of medicine in the village of Danbury. In 1820 he was married, and his general health was such that for thirty-six years he was (when at home) never preveuted from sitting at the table and enjoying the regular meals of his family. Being of a very depressed temperament and dyspeptic habits, and from too intense application to study and a very laborious practice, in 1832 he was afflicted with a rush of blood to the head, which in a few years resulted in attacks of an epi- leptic eharacter, which continued with more or less frequency and se- verity until, Dee. 26, 1855, they terminated his life at the age of sixty- two. His habits of industry and system were such that to the day before his death he attended to all his domestie duties, keeping everything about and in his premises with perfeet neatness aud order. Perhaps it does uot become the hand of affection to pen liis eulogy, but allow me to say that for purity of eliaracter, untiring devotion to his profession, hospi- tality, and kindness to his friends, he had not his superior.

"' Very respectfully, "'. ELIZA W. BOTSFORD.' "

A few facts scemingly of interest may be added re- garding the study of medicine and the granting of licenses. Dr. Blakeman states in his address : "Pre- vious to the formation of the county society it is believed that the time devoted to medical qualifica- tion, even of the regular practitioner, was optional with the candidate for public favor. His reliance for a successful practice was more upon the popular decision regarding his skill than upon certificates of qualification which he might derive from his medical teachers." Yet this great

"art, Which doth mend Nature,"

must be handed over to Science or Knowledge for its highest, its complete attainment. "The grounds of every rule of art arc to be found in the theorems of Science" (Mill's "Logic," vol. ii.), and the true phy- sician (for there were many such in those earlier days) souglit some place for the beginning of his medical career.

The sources for the acquisition of medical knowl- edge in the American colonies were few and scanty. A medical department was connected with King's -- afterwards Columbia-College from 1767 to 1813. The Yale Medical School was not organized until 1813, and did not confer degrees until the following year. But very early in the century we learn of young men appealing for licenses to practice. Dr. George Sum-

a 0

DR. RUFUS BLAKEMAN.

MEDICAL HISTORY.

ner, in an address on "The Early Physicians of Con- necticut," in 1851, says John Copp, styled school- master, obtained the recommendation of the sclectmen of Norwalk and applied for a license to practice medicine in 1705. Dr. Uriah Rogers* studied with Dr. Jonathan Bull, of Hartford, and was licensed by the General Court in 1733. Dr. David Rogers,* born in 1741, studied medicine with his father, ob- tained a license to practice medicine in New York, and located at Greenfield Hill, Fairfield. It was the custom for the student, after having qualified as was thought sufficiently by study with a preceptor, to make application and appcar before the physicians of the county or a committee appointed by them for examination and license. Thus were most permits granted until the establishment of the Connecticut Medical Society in 1792. " Among the earliest and most important of the duties of the State Medical Society was examining candidates for the practice of medicine and surgery by a board annually appointed from its members, and legally empowered to issue licenses to practice to such as they deemed properly qualified. It also thus early in its history established a standard of qualifications, making, on the part of the candidate, the attainment of his majority, the evidence of a good moral character, and certificate of three years' study with some reputable physician or surgeon, save in the case of college graduates (when two ycars were accepted), as prerequisite to examina- tion. This method of qualifying students was in vogue until the establishment of the Medical Insti- tution of Yale College" (address of President C. M. Carleton, of Norwich, "Proceedings Connecticut Mcdical Society, 1878," p. 8).

In closing this sketch, cursory and imperfect as it is, I cannot do better than by going back to the be- ginning of the Fairfield County Medical Society.

RUFUS BLAKEMAN, M.D., was a lineal descendant of the fifth generation from Rev. Adam Blakcman, who was born in Staffordshire, England, in 1598, en- tered Cambridge College May 23, 1617, from which he was graduated. He was ordained an Episcopal clergyman, and preached in Leicester, Derbyshire, England, came to America about 1630 or 1635, and was the first clergyman of Stratford, Conn. He died in 1665. He had a family of six children, the eldest of whom was named John, who married Dorothy, daughter of Rev. Henry Smith, of Wethersfield, and died in 1663. He had three children, the second of whom was named Ebenezer, who was twice married, first to Patience, daughter of John Wilconen, of Strat- ford, Conn., second to Abigail Curtis, of Stratford, Conn. He had nine children, of whom the eighth, by his wife Abigail, was named Nathan, who was born Sept. 29, 1702, and married Sarah, daughter of Samuel Wills, in 1732, and had four children, of whom Eph- raim was the second, born March 9, 1746, in Monroe,

Fairfield Co., Conn. He was a farmer in the town of Monroe, married, and had a family of eleven children, of whom Rufus, the subject of this sketch, was the ninth. He died April 13, 1811, aged sixty-five years. His wife, Sarah, died Sept. 19, 1828, aged seventy-four years. Rufus Blakeman was born in Monroe, Fair- field Co., Conn., Jan. 12, 1795. He was graduated from Union College in 1817, and from the Medical University of the city of New York in 1821, and im- mediately commenced the practice of medicine on Greenfield Hill, Fairfield Co., Conn., in the year 1822, and continued to practice until his death, Feb. 27, 1870. ITis ride was very extensive, reaching far into the adjoining towns. He was a member of the Medi- cal Board of Examiners of the New Haven Medical School for many years, and at one time was president of the Connecticut Medical Association. Besides at- tending to the various duties of his profession he often contributed articles on various subjects pertaining to his profession to the medical journals. Hc also pub- lished a work entitled "Credulity and Superstition," which met with a ready sale. In politics he was a staunch Whig and Republican, and as such was a magistrate of the town of Fairfield for many years, judge of Probate for more than twenty-four years, and member of the State Legislature. He was not a mem- ber of any church, but was a regular attendant and liberal supporter of the Congregational Church of Greenfield Hill, of which Rev. Thomas B. Sturges was pastor. He married Mahala, daughter of Nathan N. Walker, of Long Hill, Conn., in 1819. They had two children,-viz., Catharinc A. and Rufus (de- ceased). Mrs. Dr. Blakeman is now, 1880, residing on the old homestead with her daughter.

The following is the address of Dr. Blakeman, de- livered before the State Medical Society in 1853:

ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT, RUFUS BLAKEMAN, M.D.

"GENTLEMEN,-It is known to yon that my predecessor, Dr. Sumner, in his interesting address to this convention, furnished many interesting details relative to the carly history of medicine in Connecticut, together with biographical sketches of some of tho most eminent physicians who flourished in the early periods of its history. The address alluded to possesses great value, not only as affording data for noting the progress which our profession has made in the successive cras of its history, but likewise as a record for rescuing from progressing oblivion the names of individuals of worth and eminence to whose labors we are, in no small degree, indebted for the present advanced respectability which the meci- cal profession in Connecticut sustains,

"There can bo little doubt that in the early history of Connectient, and probably that of our country generally, a large portion of medical prac- tico was in its character empirical. For a considerable period subsequent to tho first settlement of tho several towns, far tho largest part of medi- cal prescription was dispensed by root and Indian doctors. Although the more considerablo villages early possessed their so-called regular physi- cians, yet many of these did not blush boastingly to announce their paternity to nostrums and pretended specifies for particular or for all diseases, as interest might dictate; and this solely with a view of incit- ing public attention towards themselves and seducing patients from their professional neighbors.

" In such a condition of professional morals, it is little surprising that a state of hostility and antagonistic feeling should, generally, have ex- isted, such as is well known to have characterized the medical society of former times. In the several counties of the State, however, exceptions were occasionally found of physi fans of a more honoral le and elevated

* Blakeman's Address.

HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

character, who not only labored to reform the moral habits of the profes- sion, but also to advance its scientific respectability and usefulness.

" Although a retrospect into our early medical history will present physicians of this description but as 'Rari nantes in gurgite vasto' of popular empiricism then prevailing, yet fortunately such have existed, and many of these primary luminaries have been sufficiently fortunate to receive a notice from my predecessor in the address alluded to. Many others have flourished in the several counties, perhaps equal in profes- sional talent and wortb, though less known to general fame, whose names, by the demands of equal justice, ought to be rescued and regis- tered with their co-laborers in support of legitimate medical science dur- ing the dark period of its history in the American colonies. In render- ing such tribute of respect to the memories of our professional progenitors, we, who enjoy the fruits of their pioneer labors and difficulties, are not only discharging a debt of gratitude which is their due, but we are also furnishing for our successors data by which they may be enabled to trace past medical progress, and not improbably may incite them to the performance of a like homage to the memory of the professional bene- factors of the present period. There is no doubt, as stated, that all the counties have furnished many physicians of the character alluded to. But as the limits of an address due from me would be inadequate for their general notice, even were the materials readily accessible, I design only to select as subjects those who passed their professional lives in Fairfield County, leaving those of other sections for individuals possess- ing a similar interest for the memories of their deceased brethren, who from vicinity of location enjoy better facilities for obtaining their Lio- graphical histories.

"Few are the recorded data for biography which ordinarily survive the life of the practitioner of medicine in country districts. The uniform aud familiar character of his vocation affords but scanty material for the adornment of general history. Being more familiar with prescription than the pen, or the more brilliant exploits of war or legislation, his fame is lamentably prone to expire with the memories and lives of those who have enjoyed the benefit of his professional labors.

"Individual exceptions, however, are not wanting of members of our profession who have left recorded testimonials of their character and fanie. The fortuitous circumstances whichi often enstamp individual reputation on the page of history have been the possession of some pliy- sicians. The indulgence of political ambition, a devoted professional philanthropy, as well as the endowment of transcendent intellect, are no less likely historically to note the physician than his co-equals in general society. Most of those in Connecticut who have attained such fortune have been presented to your notico by my predecessor. Accessi- ble records have supplied him with facts, by whichi to delineate the character of his subjects in a manner far more interesting and satisfac- tory than can be expected for those derived from further gleaniugs in the past professional field.

" It is my design in the portion of these papers devoted to biographical notice to select those who, if less distinguished by general fame, were perbaps of equal usefulness in the dispensation of the simple duties of the medical profession.

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 7

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1572

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572