USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Stamford > History of Stamford, Connecticut : from its settlement in 1641, to the present time, including Darien, which was one of its parishes until 1820 > Part 29
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CHAPTER XXIII.
PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS OF STAMFORD.
PHYSICIANS.
MOEN or MOENE, JACOB, is the first member of the medical profession whose professional title I have found on our records.
The first record in which this name occurs, bears date Mar. 4, 1701-2. In regular town meetings, " by voat ye town do grant to Mr. Jacob Monen, chirgaim, (chirurgeon,) that peese of land in Rocky neck which ye town had of Stephen Bishop upon exchange, for his incouragement to build on upon con- ditions that he settle among us."
Another bears date Oct. 6, 1707. In it, Jacob Moon sells land to David Smith, and the " Majesties' justice," Samuel Peck, before whom he witnessed the sale, calls him Doctor Jacob Moene. I find an earlier record in which Jacob Moon and Mrs. Abigail Selleck were recorded as married Jan. 11, 1704-5; and subsequently several children are recorded to them. On the 10th of October, 1707, Dr. Jacob Moen, chirurgeon, desiring to remove to New York, acknowledges receipt from John Gold, jun., on account of his father, John Gold, sen., yeoman, one gray mare, one quarter of mutton, and twelve pounds of flax. This receipt is signed, Doctor Jacob Moene. This name is spelled by the recorder Moon as well as Moen; and it is sub- scribed by the Doctor himself, neither the one or the other, but Moene. When he came hither and how he succeeded in his profession, we know as little as we do concerning the orthogra- phy of his name.
DREW, JOHN, is the second name on our records which bears
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this professional title. He married here, Feb. 4, 1714, Eliza- beth, a daughter, probably, of one Joseph Green. Mrs. Drew is on record as having died Mar. 25, 1716 ; and of Dr. Drew, nothing further appears on record.
BISHOP, EBENEZER, stands third on the medical list. This name is found on page 58 of the records of births, marriages and deaths, Book No. I. The record informs us that Doctor Ebenezer Bishop dyed on October ye 4th day, 1743. The same . record gives us the death of Thomas, a brother of the doctor ; of Mrs. Sarah Jefferey, his sister ; and Sarah, his mother.
HUBBARD, NATHANIEL, is our fourth recorded "Doctor ;" and the first mention of his name with its professional title, is in the year 1748, when he is reported as a member of the school committee. It is still remembered by some of our oldsst citi- zens that a physician of this name once lived in the house on South Street, just north of the residence of John Furguson, Esq. It is also remembered that he was spoken of as a man of unusual skill in his profession; that he was a very active and energetic man ; that he was remarkably prompt and forcible both in speech and act ; and that his unusual force of character and ex- pression, together with his inexorable practical applications, left the impression that he was a man of unfeeling and cruel harshness. He probably is the Nathaniel Hubbard who mar- ried, May 18, 1733, Mary Quintard. They had a son, Na- thaniel, who was b. Apr. 29, 1745. In 1853 he sells land lying on the road to Stanwich.
On our list of physicians should be found the names of sev- eral " ancient" dames of the town, in whose hands for the first hundred years probably was the most of the medical practice known here. It is hardly probably that they were ever matriculated, M. Ds., as this branch of the medical faculty was yet to come, nor were they, probably, professionally taught the healing art ; yet they exercised such gifts and skill of healing as came to them when the necessity for such practice arose.
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That the profession was honorable in these early days is plain from the honorable mention made of it in the records, as wit- ness the following : " Mrs. Sarah Bates, a useful and skillful midwife, departed this life in Stamford in the evening of the eighteenth day of February in the year 1711-12."
PEREZ FITCH, who graduated at Yale in 1750, stands next on the list. He was born in Canterbury, a son of Major James F. Fitch and great grandson of Rev. James Fitch, the first minis- ter in Norwich. He married here Sept. 4, 1753, Mrs. Martha Coggshall ; and they had children recorded to them ; Martha, b. July 20, 1754; William, b. Oct., 10, 1756; Abigail, Mar. 29 1760; Kate, baptized in 1763; Betsey, b. Oct. 4, 1765, and Samnel, b. Aug. 20, 1768.
Dr. Fitch united with the church here, by letter, Sept. 9, 1759 ; and Martha, his wife, July 6, 1760. In 1757, Capt. Perez Fitch is ordered to sit in the fore pew in the meeting house, which faet sufficiently indicates the social position of the family at that date. Dr. Fitch died before 1776 ; and of course we have no citizens now left who have any personal knowledge of him or of his professional standing. We have those still living, however, who remenber to have heard him spoken of as a very affable and pleasant gentleman ; as urbane and courtly as his competitor, Dr. Hubbard was, forcible and rough. After his death his widow married, Aug. 8, 1776, the IIon. Abraham Davenport, of this town.
COGGSWELL, JAMES, son of the Rev. Dr. James and Alice (Fiteh) Coggswell, of Windham, Scotland Society. After studying medicine, he was settled for a while in Preston ; and on the opening of the revolutionary war he was commissioned a surgeon. In the practice of his official duties, he was sta- tioned in this vicinity, and while the war was going on, he mar- ried here, August 8, 1776, Elizabeth, third child of Hon. Abra- ham and Elizabeth (Huntington) Davenport. While here he seems to have been active, both in the affairs of the church and those of the town, On the death of Dr. Welles, in 1776, he
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HISTORY OF STAMFORD.
was appointed on the committee of supply for the church. In 1779, while the war was still going on, the town voted him liberty "to set up a small pox hospital at the house of Capt. Reuben Scofield, and at such other houses not within one mile of the heart of the town, after liberty first obtained of the neighborhood ; and all such hospitals to be under the inspection of the selectmen." Dr. Coggswell remained here until after the war. His wife died, November 15, 1779, and he married the second time, May 18, 1783, Mrs. Abigail Lloyd, by whom he had children-James, John, Sarah, and Harriet. He re- moved from Stamford to New York city, where he became emi- nent both for professional skill and for his unobtrusive yet effec- tive piety. His first wife left one daughter, Alice, who became the wife of the Rev. Dr. Samuel W. Fisher, of Greenbush, N. Y., and the mother of Rev. Dr. Samuel W. Fisher, Pres. of Hamilton College.
HOUGH, WALTER, was stationed here as surgeon during the revolutionary war, having his post at the fort on Fort Hill, on the lot on which John Clason, Esq., has recently built. He re- mained here some years after the war. He married Patty, a daughter of Dea. Daniel Lockwood, and lived about a mile south of the fort. While here, his son John was born, August 17, 1783. After the birth of this son, the family removed to Canterbury.
HUBBARD, NATHANIEL, was the son of Henry Hubbard, and was born March 4, 1772, in Greenwich, Stanwich Society, a short distance west of the Stamford line. After being licensed to practice medicine, he located himself first in Greenwich, and then for a short time in Carmel, N. Y., and in 1796, he estab- lished himself at what has since been known as Hubbard's Cor- ner, in the west part of Stamford. He soon became known as a snecessful physician, and his practice rapidly extended. For quite a number of years his business was very great, and his health was seriously impaired. His nervous system was so much deranged, as to require him to abandon, at length, his
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practice. In the vigor of his manhood he was noted for a re- markable memory, and for unusual powers of observation. Our records give us a partial report of his marriage. "Dr. Nathan iel Hubbard and Mary Hubbard were married by Mr. Platt Buffet, pastor of the church in Stanwich." The important point of such a record, the date, is omitted. The children of doctor and Mary, his wife, are registered as follows: Arch, b. in Greenwich, October 14, 1798; Henry, b. in Carmel, N. Y., August 17, 1800; Alexander, b. in Stamford, June 3, 1804 : Mary, b. October 28, 1806; John Wheaton, b. May 26, 1808 ; George Mackay, b. June 10, 1810; Eleanor, b. October 10, 1812; Sarah Thomas, b. February 17, 1815, Cornelia, b. May 16, 1817; William, b. July 24, 1719; and Francis, b. August 17, 1821. Dr. Hubbard died in Stamford, June 27, 1855.
TOWNSEND, PLATT, is reported here in 1763. The town as- signed land to him, and male over to him an old highway that went from the " landing place " to Totomok Point, provided he would secure to the town a good road to said landing, through his land. He married here, April 26, 1760, Elizabeth, daugh ter, probably, of Nathaniel and Mary Quintard Hubbard, who was born here, May 18, 1743 ; and had a daughter, Elizabeth, b. April 25, 1763. In 1777, he deeds to Charles Wright, of Hart- ford, the Tatomoc bottom lands : three islands in Stamford har- bor, near Rocky Neck and Jaek's and Grassy islands, near Shippan. In this deed he is said to be of Greenwich.
WILSON, JOHN, is reported as being a native of the town. He commenced practice here about 1760. He was evidently much respected in town; and during our revolutionary war was one of the most influential of our citizens. He remained here until 1796, when he removed to New York city, where he died in 1802. He had four sons. John, who became a physi- cian, and was settled in New York city ; Stephen, also a physi- cian, of New York city ; James, who was a physician of West- chester county ; and Henry, b. October 10, 1763, a physician, who settled in Bedford. He had also two daughters-Phebe, b. September 9, 1765, and Mary.
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HISTORY OF STAMFORD.
After the death of the mother of the above children, he mar- ried again, June 16, 1787, Mrs. Elizabeth Holly. Our town re- cords, under date December 7, 1784, thus report him to us :
"Upon application made by Dr. John Wilson, praying liberty to carry on the innoculation of the small pox under proper regulations. Voted, That the town grant the above request, and authorize the civil authority and selectmen to grant liberty to said Wilson to carry on innoculation under the direction of said authority, as the law directs."
WILSON, JOHN, JR., was with his father in business here for some years, and then went to New York city. While here, he married, August 12, 1778, Lydia Quintard. The births of two of his children, are recorded here-John Quintard, b. February 3, 1781 ; and Isaac, b. April 22, 1783. He became somewhat eminent in the city.
SMITH, ISAAC, was here in 1780, and as late as 1789, as phy- sician. He was son of Nathaniel and Abigail Smith, and mar- ried Abigail Waring.
DARIUS KNIGHT, brother of Dr. Jonathan Knight, of Nor- walk, was a teacher in this town, and afterwards a practicing physician for a couple of years. He was located in Darien.
JAMES KNIGHT, son of Dr. Jonathan Knight, of Norwalk, settled here in the practice of medicine, and died soon after wards, in 1818.
SAMUEL WEBB, was born here, March 7, 1760, and was son of Col. Charles Webb, who so distinguished himself in our re- volutionary war. He graduated at Yale, in 1779, and soon es- tablished himself here in the medical profession. He became eminent in his profession, and eminent also in civil life. He re- presented Stamford in the state legislature several times, and was one of the most active citizens in all measures which pro- inised the social welfare of the community.
He had studied medicine with Dr. John Wilson, an eminent physician of the town. He married December 15, 1781, Mary, a daughter of Dr. Wilson, and by her, had Charles, b. Septem- ber 29, 1782, who became a seaman, and died in China ; John
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PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS,
Wilson, born August 3, 1784, who was also a seaman and cap- tain, and who died of yellow fever in New Orleans; Henry Wilson, b. November 28, 1786, and became an eminent physi- cian in New York; William, who died in Lima, Peru; Mary and Betsey who died single in Stamford; Cornelia, who died single in Indiana; Caroline, who became the wife of William HI. Holly, Esq., and who is still living ; Angeline, and Catherine, who married a Morehouse, of Indiana. On the death of his first wife, he married a Miss White, of Ballstown, N. Y., and had by her, James A., who was in the whale fishery, hailing from Nantucket, and was lost; Lucy P., who married a Mr: Shaw, and now lives in Nova Scotia ; Fanny, who married a Mr. Royce, and died in Nova Scotia; and Elizabeth, now Mrs. Thomas, of Sacramento, Cal. Dr. Webb occupied the house still known as the " Webb house," on Atlantic street, where he died, December 29, 1826.
WARREN PERCIVAL, son of Dr. Percival, of East Haddam, where he was born, April 5, 1783. Three of his uncles and four of his brothers were physicians. He studied with his uncle James, father of the poet Percival, and on being licensed to practice medicine, located himself in Middlesex parish, Stam- ford. Here he remained until his death in 1851, having prac- ticed his profession for forty-six years. He was always a care- ful but successful practitioner, and died regretted by all his old friends and patrons. In 1809, Dr. Percival married Sarah, a daughter of Major David Street, and by her had two children, the eldest, a daughter, who married Dr. Chauncey Ayres; and the other, a son, who died in 1854. Dr. Percival survived both his children; but his widow is still living on the old homestead in Darien, in 1868.
SAMUEL LOCKWOOD, was one of ten children of Ezra and Anna (Davis) Lockwood, of Stamford. His parents had moved to Watertown where he was born in July, 1787. In 1801, the family returned to Stamford. After studying medicine with Dr. Elton, of Watertown, he graduated at the New York Med-
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ical College, and soon opened an office here, on the north side of Park place, where Mr. Swartwout now lives. His practice be eame quite extensive, and he at onee rose to eminence in his profession. He was also much esteemed as a eitizen. On re- tiring from active business in 1838, he removed to the home- stead of his father and grandfather, and built near it the resi- denee now occupied by Israel Minor.
He married Helen Sheddon, a native of Scotland. His chil- dren were, Robert, John, William, Ann, Francis, and Helen, now Mrs. Phyffe, of New York, the only surviving member of the family.
JOHN AUGUR came to North Stamford as a teacher, about 1800, and was successor of Rockwell & Foote. He was a good physician, and remained here until his death, April 16, 1827, aged fifty years. His widow continued to reside in the house he left, until her death, in 1865.
SAMUEL BEACH came to Stamford in 1827. He at once en- rolled himself as member of the Congregational Society, and in 1830 was chosen deacon of the church. He was very active in the church, and was a popular man in the community. He removed to Bridgeport in 1834, and was one of the victims of the Norwalk railroad disaster of May 6, 1853.
WILLIAM TURK, about 1805, a choir leader in the Congrega- tional church, and was thought skillful in his profession. He had been a surgeon in the United States navy, to which he re- turned when he left his practice in Stamford.
ROCKWELL, was several years in North Stamford, and went to New York city.
BENJAMIN ROCKWELL, son of above, became a physician, and after practicing with his father, went to New York.
URIAH TURNER, an intelligent man and skillful physician was here a few years, and went to New York,
A few other names have appeared, for a brief time, ou the list of practicing physicians in the town, of which I have been un-
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able to learn any other facts. Their names have been, FOOTE BANKS, CHILDS, TUCKER, and CLOSE.
NATHANIEL D. HAIGHT, a native of Peekskill, N. Y., gradua- ted in medicine at Pittsford, N. Y., in 1825, and came to Stam- ford in 1826, settling first at North Stamford, but soon removing to the village, where he has had an extensive practice ever since. He married in 1824 Phebe Dauchy of Ridgefield. They have had three children ; Wm. B., now in the drug business in Stamford ; Bradford ; and Mary E., wife of Samuel H. Holmes of Stamford.
CHAUNCEY AYRES, born in New Canaan, Ang. 14, 1808 ; grad- uated in medicine at Yale in 1831. He first opened an office in Greenwich, and later in New York, but after a few months set- tled permanently here in 1834, where he has secured a good practice. His first wife was daughter to Dr. Percival, of Darien ; and their children were a son, now engineer in the U. S. N., and three daughters. His second wife was Mrs. Julia A. Simpson, of Brooklyn, N. Y., by whom he has three children.
HARRISON TELLER, settled in 1843, in Stamford, and afte. ten year's practice, went to Brooklyn, N. Y. His wife and two daughters were members of the church in North Stamford in 1848.
SAMUEL SANDS has practiced medicine for several years in Darien, where he still resides.
ROBERT LOCKWOOD, son of Dr. Samuel above, was a native of the town. He studied medicine with his father, and took his diploma from the New York Medical College. He engaged here in the practice of medicine, and in the drug business, but died at the early age of thirty.
LEWIS RAYMOND HURLBUTT, is a native of Wilton. He graduated at Yale in 1843, was tutor from 1847 to 1850, when he received his medical diploma. He came to Stamford in 1852, and from the first took a high rank in his profession. He mar- ried Matilda, daughter of Augustus R. Moen, of Stamford, and has had seven children,
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HISTORY OF STAMFORD.
WILLIAM H. TROWBRIDGE, son of James H., of Danbury, gradnated in medicine at Yale in 1835, and located himself here in 1851. Excepting the period he was in the service of the government as army surgeon he has been in successful practice.
JOSEPH HOWE, a native of Bedford, N. Y., where he studied medicine. He settled in North Stamford in 1853, where he died of consumption, after a successful practice of eight years, Nov. 2, 1861. He was a worthy christian gentleman, as well as a good physician.
GEORGE HUNTINGTON, a graduate of Albany Medical College was here a few months, and went to Portage City, Wis. He was surgeon in the Union army during the late war.
GEORGE W. BIRCH, a native of New York city. He studied medicine in Brookfield, Conn., and graduated M. D. at Yale in 1858, and settled first in Reading, and in 1861 came to North Stamford, as suceessor to Dr. Howe. Ile has this year, (1868) removed to the Borough of Stamford and opened his office on the corner of Atlantic and Broad Streets.
RUSSELL Y. GRISWOLD, graduated at Williamstown College in 1832 and in medicine at Pittsfield, Mass. He commeneed practice in Lanesboro, Mass., and in May, 1859, settled in Stamford.
B. KEITH, came to Stamford from New York city, where he had been for many years a medical practitioner. His specialty is in the treatment of chronic diseases.
PIERRE R. HOLLY, son of Wm. Welles Holly, of Stamford, graduated at Yale in 1852. After a practice of a few years in the West Indies, and in Greenwich, Conn., he settled, here, in his profession in 1860.
JAMES H. HOYT, a native of New Caanan, graduated in medi- eine at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York and practiced in that city one year, and afterwards in Greenwich. He came to Stamford in 1867 and went into partnership with Dr. Haight,
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PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS.
LAWYERS.
The following embraces all whom I have found accredited to Stamford, at any time, as lawyers. The list begins in 1797, when the State Register reports the first two on the list.
JOHN DAVENPORT, the first child of Hon. Abraham and Elizabeth (Huntington) Davenport, was born in Stamford, Jan. 16, 1752. He graduated at Yale in 1770. His scholarship is indicated in his appointment to a tutorship in 1773. Entering on the legal profession, he was soon called to take an important place among the revolutionary patriots of that day. With a major's commission he was employed in commissary depart- ment, and his duties here were often onerous and difficult. When the patriot cause was suffering for the want of a suitable public interest in the welfare of the new nation just ordained by the declaration of independence, he was appointed by the As- sembly of the state as one of a commission to visit the principal towns and arouse the people to a just sense of their dangers and move them to corresponding exertions.
On the death of his brother James, in 1799, he was chosen to take his place in the national Congress, and held his seat in the House of Representatives until 1817, when he declined a re- election. He was a member of the Congregational church in Stamford, of which he was appointed deacon in 1795. This was the office in which his eminent goodness was best shown. He was, to his death, an example of earnest, living piety, whose fruits were ever manifest in the character of a benevolent, fer- vent and exemplary christian. His death occurred Nov. 28 1830.
Ilis wife was Mary Sylvester Welles, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Noah Welles, of Stamford. They were married May 7, 1780. Their children were, Elizabeth Huntington, who mar- ried Julge Peter W. Radcliffe, of Brooklyn, N. Y .; John Alfred, who recently died in New Haven, Conn. ; Mary Welles, who married James Boorman, Esq., of New York city; Theo- dosia, who died in her twenty-second year; Theodore, still,
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HISTORY OF STAMFORD.
1868, a deacon in the Congregational church of which his great grandfather was so long a pastor; Rebecca Ann, who died young ; and Matilda, now the wife of Rev. Peter Lockwood, of Binghamton, N. Y.
JOEL T. BENEDICT, son of Rev. Mr. Benedict of North Stam- ford, after a short practice of his legal profession became a preacher.
JAMES STEVENS, was the youngest child of David and Mary (Talmage) Stevens, and was born July 4, 1768, in that part of Stamford, Ponus Street, which has since been incorpo- rated with the town of New Canaan. He became a lawyer, and opened an office in his native town, in the village of Stamford. He was a man of considerable native talent, and joining heartily n the democratic movement, then inaugurated, he won his way to a seat in the house of representatives of our national con- gress. He was in that famous congress which passed the " Mis- souri Compromise," and gave his vote for that measure. IIe represented Stamford thirteen times in the state legislature, and was much in public life until his death, which took place Apr. 4, 1835.
A brief obituary of him in the Sentinel of that date, says ;
" Mr. Stevens has been extensively known as a kind neighbor and friend, as a politician of sterling integrity, and as an inflexible advocate of demo- cratic principles. He has represented this town in both branches of the legislature of this state ; was for some ti:ne a judge of the county court ; has been a representative from this state in the congress of the United States."
While here he married in 1813, Mary, fourth daughter of Thaddeus Hoyt. They had two daughters, Mary H. and Ann C. Stevens, both of whom are still living.
MINOR, SIMEON H., was son of -- , of Woodbury, where he was born, in 1777. Hle was descended from that Thomas Minor who was born at Chew Magna, England, April 23, 1608. Came to New England in 1630, and settled in New London in 1645, where he died in 1690. He was a prominent man among the settlers in eastern Connecticut. His family
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name dates back to about the middle of the fourteenth century, when the Third Edward bestowed it upon Henry the Miner, of Mendippe ITills, Somersetshire, England, for his prompt effi- eieney in furnishing him an escort, as he embarked on that famous invasion of Franee, in which he won the battle of Crecy, against so great odds.
John Minor, third son of John, of New London, was born in 1634, so Cothren, in his History of Woodbury, says, went to Stratford, and thenee to Woodbury, and was a leading man for years.
Simeon H., of Stamford, was probably a great, great grand- son of this second John. On being admitted to the bar, he set- tled in Stamford in 1831, and spent here the rest of his life.
He rapidly won a high position at the Fairfield county bar, of which he was a prominent member until his death, August 2, 1840. The Stamford Advocate, of the same week, pays a high tribute to his professional ability. "Possessed of a strong mind, and sound legal judgment, no member of the bar com- manded a greater share of practice, until his health began to fail him, than he. For fourteen years he discharged the office of state's attorney." Ile represented the town in six sessions of the legislature, and was judge of probate several years. In the discharge of all official duties he was prompt and efficient.
He married, in Stamford, May 31, 1812, Catherine Lockwood, of Greenwich. They had three children: James Hinman, b. November 17, 1813; William Thomas, b. October 3, 1815 ; and George Albert, b. June 19, 1817. His wife died, March 29, 1819.
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