USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Torrington > History of Torrington, Connecticut, from its first settlement in 1737, with biographies and genealogies > Part 51
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the surgeon general as valuable contributions. He contributed the histories of some six hundred cases of amputations of the thigh, knee-joint, leg, and ankle-joint, to the making of the surgical report of the United States sanitary commission, which were highly com- mended by foreign and United States medical and surgical journals.
The apparatus which he has from time to time devised and pre- scribed for amputated limbs, of both inferior and superior extremities ; for resections of shoulder, elbow and hip-joints ; for ununited fractures of thigh, and leg, to create reunion ; for hip disease ; dislocation of knee and ankle joints ; ruptures of the tendons of the knee ; for diseased and curved spine, paralysis of the leg, foot and arm ; for lead palsy of wrist and hand ; for club feet with or without dividing the tendons ; for deformities, and diseased bones of legs, and thighs ; chronic affections of knee and ankle joints ; and other cases of much interest, have proved eminently successful, and have been accepted and approved as the most useful and important surgical devices of modern surgery.
In 1877, Dr. Hudson received the prize medal, and minor medal, and diploma of the Universal Exposition at Paris, for the superiority of his apparatus ; also on the same great occasion, a medal and diploma, awarded by the conference of the International Sanitary commission of all nations, " for the services he had rendered to the cause of universal humanity." In 1876, he was invited to contribute surgical apparatus to the department of the surgeon general, United States army, in the government building at the International Exhibi- tion, Philadelphia, and received the award of the medal and diploma of the centennial commission of the United States.
In 1872, Doctor Hudson made a European tour through Ireland, England, Scotland, Holland, Germany, Switzerland and France, in- dustriously improving all opportunities to observe natural scenery, the condition of the human family, progress of civilization, and Christian humanity. He is still prosecuting his work with untiring application and energy, interested withal in every work of Christian philanthropy, and the progress of an enlightened human civilization.
MRS. E. D. HUDSON,
Martha Turner, was the daughter of Deacon Isaac and Martha (Hum- phrey) Turner, of Marlboro, Berkshire county, Massachusetts ; a highly respectable family of Puritan ancestry. In 1827, she allied herself in marriage to Dr. E. D. Hudson, then a fresh graduate medical doctor, of the Berkshire Medical college, and nephew of
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Martha Turner Hudson.
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Dr. R. M. Fowler, who was at that time her father's family phy- sician. She was every way fitted to be his companion ; eminent in character ; possessing good intellectual endowments and culture ; associated in wealth and high toned moral, social, and psychological excellence, she was well qualified, as the sequel proved, for the posi- tion she was to occupy in life. Although constitutionally cautious, and apprehensive, yet she possessed a so well balanced mind, that whatever good work for human progress, comfort and happiness, in physical, intellectual, moral and genuine Christian reform, presented itself to her general perceptions, she conscientiously, lovingly and uncomplainingly devoted herself to it with the utmost self-sacrifice. Her spirit was ever gentle, and amiable ; her mind ingenuous, and without compromise. Her physiognomy was comely, always admired for its thoughtful, benevolent, social and kind expression, ever accompanied by a pure melodious voice. She was a gracious wife, affectionate and devoted mother ; a generous and hospitable house keeper ; and always united hand to hand, heart to heart and head to head with her husband in his profession ; and the temperance, reli- gious and anti-slavery reforms, and weighty moral warfare of the day ; when one's life became the test of character. Then was the day to face the hostile multitude, and to array one's self on the side of truth and share the wretched crust, ere it was popular to be just. She was among the first to take such a stand in the anti-slavery warfare not- withstanding the obloquy thereby incurred. One noble woman of the society of Friends, was moved to stem the popular prejudice, dogmas and anathemas; and the odium of society, church, clerical appeal, and of the black laws of Connecticut, and plead deliverance for the slave, sister, mother and child, and then Martha Turner Hudson was the first of the women of Connecticut to extend a welcome hand to Abby Kelly, to take her to her home, and accept a seat by her side in public assemblies, and stay up her hands in that hour of grave trial and peril. Then she proved herself a moral heroine in the face of popular coldness, moral cowardice and clerical rebuke.
Although she was greatly beloved by the people of Torringford and the church, yet her consistency to maintain the right in truth and justice, refusing to strike hands with the supporters, aiders and abetors of slavery, and slave holders ; the church, led and instigated by a minister not a member thereof excommunicated her and her husband, for no reason except that they declared all slave owning
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and holding a sin per se ; and demanded of the church that it should wash its hands clean of this sin ; cut loose from its affiliation with every church and ecclesiastical body which gave support to this sin ; and refused to recognize the church as Christian ; and to receive letters of credence from it, until it should bear unequivocal testimony against the sum of all villianies, American slavery. For these and other moral reasons she and her husband were recorded and published as excommunicated from the church ; thereby rendering the mem- bers as a church, liable to action in a civil court, for high damages. To write excommunicated on a church record opposite the names of persons still living, without due process in discipline and proof of moral delinquency, is a proceeding not sufferable under the existing laws of the land. Had the church seen fit to drop the names of these persons as absent members, as it did in many other cases the matter would stand far different ; but this was not the case, and no notice was ever given to the parties of the fact of the excommunication.
Mrs. Hudson's self possession, calmness and intrepidity in any emergency of great affliction, were commendable and eminent. At all times in her husband's professional business, and in his fearless moral warfares, and in her dear family circle under afflictions, her spirit was ever stayed and buoyant, equal to the occasion.
In religious revivals, church and maternal meetings she was a constant attendant an active participant and intelligent worker, and all enterprises of education, Sunday schools, Bible classes, and the general welfare of society received her cordial support.
JOHN HUNGERFORD
Was born in Southington, Ct., in 1787 ; resided a time in Harwinton ; married a Miss Elizabeth Webster of Albany ; came to Wolcott- ville soon after the first woolen mill was built, and started a store south side of the bridge on Main street, the red building, second south of the brick academy building where he continued a few years, then occupied what is now the Coe furniture rooms, during the time he was building the store now occupied by Workman and Weeks, where he continued until 1836, when the store was united with the woolen mill and he became largely interested in the manufacturing business. He built the store building now occupied by Agard and Church, and in it his son Walter kept store until 1852 or 3, and he removed the dwelling built by John Brooker, and on its site built the house, now the residence of L. W. Coe. When that first mill was burned in 1844, he united with F. N. Holley in forming the Union
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Manufacturing Company, and started what is the present woolen mill. Previous to this he had become one of three equal stock owners of the brass mill, in which he took more and more interest and finally purchased the whole of that property. From these items, the in- ference is very clear that Mr. Hungerford was during thirty years a leading business man of the place, and during considerable of the time one of the most prominent of such ; and it is pleasing to add maintained an honorable, upright and benevolent character to the last. Steadily did he pursue the path given him to tread, and care- fully managed the interests entrusted to his stewardship until 1856, when he departed this life for the great future. The next year the great financial crisis came, but his family, left with a large amount of business responsibility, struggled through to success and victory.
REV. EDWARD HUNGERFORD,
Son of John and Charlotte (Austin) Hungerford, was born at Wolcott- ville, Sept. 20, 1828, and attended school at Norfolk, Ellington and Hartford in his preparatory course for higher institutions. He en- tered Yale college in 1846, but, in consequence of ill health, passed one year out of study, graduating in 1851 ; and spent the following winter in Lowville, Ky., studying chemistry under Prof. B. Silliman. In the autumn of 1852, he went to Germany and entered the uni- versity of Gottingen, and in the pursuit of higher studies remained in Germany nearly four years, and after devoting a short time to travel, especially in Italy, returned to Wolcottville, in 1856. In his studies abroad he had devoted himself more especially to natural science, and on his return was appointed in the autumn of 1856, to the geo- logical survey of Iowa, on which work he continued until the sum- mer of 1857, when receiving an appointment to a professorship in the university of Vermont, at Burlington, he repaired to that place and entered upon his work. In 1859, he married Maria Buell of Burlington.
In consequence of financial embarrassments of the university he retired from the professorship, purchased a place in the country with the intention of devoting himself to favorite studies, but his interest and activities soon became engaged in Christian work in various parts of Vermont.
Being introduced to this work thus unintentionally he was led on by gradual stages until his plans of life were entirely changed and he was ordained to the gospel ministry in 1871, and was settled as pastor
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of the Center (Congregational) church in Meriden, Ct., in February, 1872, where he still continues with good success. Besides various sermons published in the secular papers, there have been published of his writings, an article on glacial markings on the summits of the green hills, in the American Journal of Science ; Christianity and Bud- dhism, in the New Englander ; Centennial sermons on the Center church in Meriden 1877.
GEORGE O. JARVIS, M.D.,
Was born July 14, 1795, and was the son of John Jarvis of New Canaan, Conn. He taught school two years and pursued the study of medicine with Dr. Freeman S. Wetmore of Winchester, Ct. He also attended lectures at Yale college. In 1817, he received license to practice medicine from the Connecticut Medical Society, and commenced his professional labors in the town of Torrington, taking the place of Dr. Elijah Lyman who had just removed to Warren. While here he married Philomela, daughter of Raphael Marshall, by whom he had six children ; four daughters, of whom three are deceased, and two sons, one of whom, Charles, resides in Portland, Ct., the other, Dr. George C. Jarvis, is a physician in Hartford.
While in this town Dr. Jarvis was prosecuted for malpractice after treating a case of fracture of the thigh bone. It was proved in court that the boy having the fracture was thrown, with the box containing the limb, from his bed to the floor, and therefore the doctor was acquitted. After a few years' stay in Torrington he re- moved to Colebrook and continued there until 1840, when he re- moved to Portland, Conn., where he died of a combined attack of erysipelas and diphtheria, Feb. 3, 1875, after an illness of about one week, having been in active professional life fifty-eight years. He received the degree of M.D. from Yale college in 1846.
In the report of the proceedings of the Annual Convention of the Connecticut Medical Society, in a memoir it is said of him :
In his intellectual capacity, Dr. Jarvis was above the average man. His intuitions were active, his logic clear, and his judgment correct. He had strength of will, fixity of purpose, and energy of action. He was decided and positive in his opinions, but not without good and sufficient reasons for entertaining them. His inventive turn of mind, and a faculty of adjusting means to ends, gave, him an inclination to the practice of surgery ; and at one period a considerable portion of the surgical business of his section came into his hands. His attention to some cases of fracture about the year 1843 led to the invention of his appa- ratus known as the " Jarvis Adjuster " for the reduction and treatment of fractures
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and dislocations. This invention met the approval of many of the first surgeons of the country, and was introduced largely into public hospitals.
In 1845, the doctor went to Europe with his invention, spending six months in introducing it to the notice of the profession in England and on the continent. It was well received ; and he was awarded, by the society for the promotion of arts and commerce, the largest gold medal which to that time had been given to an American citizen. The presentation was made by Prince Albert, then the president of the society. Dr. Jarvis was entitled to be proud of this dis- tinguished honor.
REV. HARVEY LOOMIS,
Son of Joseph and Rhoda (Starks) Loomis was born in Torringford in 1786 ; was graduated at Williams college in 1809 ; studied theo- logy with his pastor Rev. Samuel J. Mills, and with Rev. Ebenezer Porter of Washington, Ct. ; was licensed, and went under a com- mission of the Maine Missionary Society to Bangor, Me., where he gathered a church of which he was ordained pastor November 27, 18II, and died there in that office January 2, 1825, aged forty years. He published a sermon preached before the Maine Missionary Society in 1832. During his pastorate one hundred and seven mem- bers were added to the church by profession and forty by letter.
REV. DAVID B. LYMANI
Was born in New Hartford, Ct., July 28, 1703, and was a son of a farmer, David Lyman, who was son of David of Bethlehem, who married Mary Gitteau, of Huguenot descent.
He was graduated at Williams college in 1828 ; studied theology at Andover seminary ; married Sarah Joyner, of Royalton, Vt., and sailed soon after, as a missionary of the American Board, to the Sandwich islands where he was engaged many years as principal of the Missionary High school for the natives at Hilo, Hawaii.
He had seven children.
Frederick Schwartz Lyman, born at Hilo, in 1837, married Isa- bella, daughter of Levi Chamberlain, one of the earliest missionaries to the Sandwich islands, and was in 1870 circuit judge of Hawaii ; residing on his plantation in Kau, Hawaii.
David Brainard Lyman born at Hilo in 1840, removed to the United States, June 1860, was graduated at Yale college in 1864, and at Harvard Law school in 1866, and became a practicing attor- ney in Chicago, Ill. Rufus Anderson Lyman, was the lieutenant governor of the island of Hawaii in 1870.
I Lyman Genealogy, 134.
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Francis Ogden Lyman, born at Hilo in 1847, removed to the United States in 1866, entered Harvard college in 1867; and was one of the famous boat club in the race at Oxford in 1869.
ELIJAH LYMAN, M.D.,
Was the son of David and Mary (Brown) Lyman of New Hartford, Conn., born August 16, 1773. He studied with Dr. Samuel Wood- ward, and commenced practice as a physician in Warren. In 1807, he purchased the house and lot of Dr. William Bostwick in Torring- ton near Levi Thralls (now Willard Birges), and settled here as a physician. In 1813, he was elected deacon of the Torrington church, and was a man of great excellency of character and moral worth, and was highly esteemed as a physician and citizen. He was noted for his success as a physician, in the treatment of the spotted fever in 1812 and 13, which prevailed at that time to a fearful ex- tent in the town. In 1818, he sold his place and removed to War- ren, where he died November 5, 1819, aged forty-six years.
Dr. Lyman's grand mother was Mary Gitteau daughter of Francis Gitteau, a distinguished physician of Woodbury, who was banished from France during the persecutions of the Huguenots in connection with St. Bartholomew's day, and his mother was a relation of Owen Brown the father of Capt. John Brown. (See genealogies.)
DR. NORMAN LYMAN
Was born in Torringford, Litchfield Co., Ct., September 6, 1787. He early distinguished himself at school, by his great proficiency in his studies. He was at school one year, after which, by his unassisted application, he prepared himself for entering the junior class in college. After obtaining his profession, he found time, under the cares of a family and the pressure of a large professional business, to prosecute his classical and mathematical studies, until he attained the full college course, and made himself one of the most perfect scholars of his time. At the age of twenty-four he was licensed to practice medicine, by a board of censors ; and in 1813, by the recommenda- tion of the president and fellows of the Connecticut Medical Society, received the honorary degree of doctor of medicine from Yale college.
Dr. Lyman was endowed with faculties of mind which fitted him for emi- nence in his profession. He possessed great powers of memory ; so much so, that, when he commenced the study of the Latin and Greek languages, he com- mitted to memory the whole grammar and small dictionaries of these languages.
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His memory was as retentive as it was strong ; for in reading the Greek Testament, with a Latin translation, he so read it that he could recite the whole Testament in the Latin, Greek, and English languages, to the time of his death, and was so familiar with the Latin and Greek classics, that he could recite whole pages, often putting to the blush those who had received a full collegiate education, by his accuracy in classical literature. His strong and retentive memory enabled him to gather all the different systems and theories of medical writers, and the most successful treatment of diseases, from the earliest annals of medicine to the present time. He practiced successfully, about seventeen years in Glastonbury, Connecticut, and afterward for more than twenty years in the town of Warren, Ct., making more than thirty-seven years in which he had been constantly engaged in the ordinary duties of his profession. He married Eunice Smith of Litchfield, September 12, 1812, by whom he had six children.
REV. ORANGE LYMAN
Was born July 26, 1780, in Torringford or in New Hartford, a short time before his father removed to Torringford. He was one of a family of seven sons and one daughter, two of his brothers being physicians of special note and character. He was the son of David Lyman, a puritan of double quality, through his ancestry from Eng- land and the Huguenots of France. The days of his youth were spent under the pastoral care of the Rev. Samuel J. Mills, by whom the sterling worth of a true Christian character was never depreciated. He was graduated at Williams college, and studied theology under Rev. Dr. Porter of Catskill, New York, and became a Presbyterian minister. He married Sept. 13, 1814, Maria, daughter of Stephen Dewy, of Sheffield, Mass. Her brother was a classmate of Mr. Ly- man's and was afterwards professor in Williams college, many years, and was also professor in the Rochester university, N. Y.
Mr. Lyman was a man of great energy of character, sterling worth and emi- nent piety. He enjoyed the acquaintance, friendship and confidence of a very large number of the best men of his time. Prompted by a desire to do the greatest amount of good, and having a fondness for rural life, he chose the life of a pioneer in the work of the ministry, and from the time when the west meant western New York state, afterwards northeastern Ohio, and in the even- ing of his life, northern Illinois, he was always one in the foremost ranks of the onward moving army. He possessed a rare fund of anecdotes, always appro- priate, of which he made good use in social company, and especially with some old classmate or cherished friend around the cheerful fire in the great fire place in the new country. His wife, one of old Berkshire county's most gifted daughters, was a joy in his house in the fullest sense ; and his home, though some times only a log house, was always graced by her presence and presented the charms of a refined New England home. He died at the age of seventy-one, beloved and respected by all who knew him.
His children were five sons and two daughters.
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GEORGE LYMAN,
The fifth child and second son of Caleb and Hannah (Loomis) Ly- man, was born in Torrington, on the old Lyman place August 1, 1790, and is therefore now, 1877, eighty-seven years of age, and re- sides in Wadsworth, Medina county, Ohio. The Wadsworth Me- morial says of him : " Capt. George Lyman came to Wadsworth in 1817. He was the first township clerk and one of the earliest school teachers. In 1821, he went to Canton, where he was engaged in teaching, three years, and then returned to Wadsworth and engaged in the manufacture of fanning mills and in mercantile business, and by his energy and enterprise he did much toward the business pros- perity of the place in its early history."
Capt. Lyman has been a worthy son of his native town and of his noble ancestors.
The following account of his removal west will be interesting to those who never made the journey, under like circumstances :
In 1816, he sold his interest in his father's estate, and determined to find a home in Ohio, where Joseph Loomis and Benjamin Agard of Torrington had already settled. Accordingly, having one horse and a one horse wagon, and Guerdon Hilliard one horse, a team was arranged with which to drive to Ohio. They started on Thursday, the 25th of February, 1817 ; reached Albany on Saturday afternoon and put up at a tavern two miles west of the town to stay over the Sabbath. During the next two days there was a great fall of snow. On Tuesday they started, drove a few miles, bought a sleigh, put the wagon on it and continued their journey until the snow disappeared, when they left the sleigh and went on with the wagon. They reached Buffalo, on Friday about noon, where they learned that there was good traveling on the ice on the lake. Saturday morning they started early, in company with two other teams with wagons, following the beaten track which was hedged in on either side with large pieces of ice, making about forty miles that day, and drove to the land, to a tavern for the night. On Sabbath morning the other teams went on, but Mr. Lyman and his traveling companion " would not so profane that holy day.""" On Monday they started, but soon found the ice getting very smooth and fearing danger, they went to the shore and inquired the propriety of keep- ing on the ice. They were told that there was no danger, if they kept out from the shore, unless the wind should change. They continued on the ice until within sight of Erie, when looking ahead they saw that beyond a few rods from them there was no ice. They then turned toward the shore, about forty rods distant, but had gone only five or six rods when the horses' feet began to break through the ice. The men jumped from the wagon and loosened the horses from the wagon, by which time the horses were both under water except their heads, in which position they kept them by holding them by the bridles, and keeping their heads on the unbroken ice. About a dozen sailors standing at Erie and seeing their trouble came prepared to help them. Putting a rope around the neck of one of the horses, they choked him until he floated when
I So he wrore to the author in 1875.
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they slipped a plank under him and pulled him upon the ice, and then the other in the same way. They drew the wagon to the shore by hand and led the horses, though one of them fell through and was drawn out in the same manner as before. The cost of this Lake Erie horse bath, was two gallons of whiskey at one dollar per gallon, the drinking of whiskey on such occasions being a part of religious as well as profane courtesy, in those days. They arrived at the town of Hudson in the fourth week from the starting, and the next week they reached the homes of Mr. Loomis and Agard, in Wadsworth. He soon bought land and built upon it a log house, and with the help of Mr. Hilliard cleared five acres planting it with corn and potatoes. The clearing consisted in girdling the large trees and cutting and burning the small stuff.
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