History of Windham County, Connecticut, Part 20

Author: Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: New York, Preston
Number of Pages: 1506

USA > Connecticut > Windham County > History of Windham County, Connecticut > Part 20

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John H. Simmons, M. D., was born November 21st, 1811, at Ashford, in this county. His parents were Alva and Tryphena. Simmons. His childhood and youth were spent in his native place, he receiving his early education in the district school and Ashford Academy. He received his diploma from the Medical Institution of Yale College in 1833. He was married to Mary Smart, of Salem, N. J., May 23d, 1839, by whom he had four chil- dren, three sons and one daughter. The three sons were in the United States service in the late war. The daughter died in 1879. He was married the second time, to Mrs. Emeline E. Moulton, November 19th, 1877. He began the practice of med- icine in 1833 at Pomfret Factory (now Putnam). After remain- ing there one year he removed to Ashford, where he has contin- ued to practice till the present time. A very satisfactory degree of success has attended his labors, and he is still able, at the age of seventy-seven years, to do a comfortable business in his pro- fession. He was a member of the state legislature in 1855, and was in the state senate in 1861 and 1864. He held an office in the Internal Revenue department for five years, was post- master in Ashford two years, registrar of voters fifteen years, and registrar of births, deaths and marriages ten years.

Lowell Holbrook, M. D., is a native of Thompson, where he has also been engaged in the practice of medicine from 1849 to the present time, with the exception of a few years spent in Brooklyn, N. Y., and other years, during the war of the rebellion, when he was in the service as surgeon of the Eighteenth regi- ment of Connecticut volunteers. His father and mother were Horatio Holbrook and Arcena Richardson, natives of Wrentham,

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Norfolk county, Mass. His father, Doctor Horatio Holbrook, was a practicing physician in Thompson and vicinity from 1815 to 1856. The education of the son, Doctor Lowell Holbrook, was at Plainfield Academy, Monson Academy, Mass., and Brown Uni- versity, R. I. His medical education was at the New York Uni- versity, whence he received his diploma in 1849. He was married in 1845 to Mary E. Fisher, daughter of William Fisher, Esq., of Thompson, who was one of the earliest cotton manufacturers of Connecticut. She is still living, but they have no children. Among the most important official positions held by him may be named those of representative of Thompson in the state legisla- ture in 1879 and president of the Connecticut Medical Society in 1884.

Ichabod L. Bradley, M.D., was born in Stafford,Conn., April 17th, 1819, being the youngest son of Elisha and Abigail (Kellogg) Bradley. He studied medicine with Doctor Isaac Sperry, of Hart- ford, his practice being in the botanic course of medicine. He commenced to practice in Ashford, in this county, in 1848, fol- lowing the profession in that town and Eastford for five years, when he came to Putnam, in which town he practiced until his death, November 18th, 1880. His wife was Adaline, daughter of Leland and Casandana (Ransom) Slayton, a native of Wood- stock, Vt. Her mother was a sister of General T. B. Ransom, who was killed in battle during the Mexican war. Their chil- dren were: Frank S., now living in Newark, N. J .; Jane, who died at the age of nine years; Ransom H., who resides in Put- nam; George S., who resides in New Haven ; Carrie L., wife of Reverend Mortimer Gascoigne, a Methodist clergyman, located in Ohio ; and Leland, who is doing business in Southbridge, but makes his home in Putnam.

Doctor Louis Oude Morasse was born in Sorel, province of Quebec, Canada, November 15th, 1860. He was the eldest son of Louis and Annette (Pouliob) Morasse. At the age of twelve years he entered the College of Sorel, and after remaining there three years he attended the Seminary of Three Rivers two years. He graduated from Sorel College in 1878, and afterward attended a medical course at the University Victoria, at Montreal, receiv- ing his diploma in 1884. He practiced in Sorel one year, and in 1885 removed to Southbridge, Mass., and in 1887 came to Put- nam, taking there the practice established by Doctor F. X. Bar- olet. He is a member of the state and county medical societies. He was married May 3d, 1886, to Celia O. Bunze.

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.

William Richardson, M. D., whose genealogy is traced from one of the same name who died in 1658, was a native of London- derry, N. H. The early ancestor referred to was William Rich- ardson, of Newbury, Mass., who married Elizabeth Wiseman, August 22d, 1654, and had a son, Joseph, born May 18th, 1655. The wife of Joseph, Margaret Godfrey, is said to have been the first white child born in Newbury. The youngest of their eight children was Caleb, born June 9th, 1704. He married Tryphena Bodwell, and they had ten children. Among the ten was William, born October 21st, 1756, a drummer in the rev- olutionary war, married Lydia Messer, and died March 21st, 1836. He had nine children, the third of which was William M., born February 12th, 1795, married Betsey Pettengill, and had five children, the oldest of whom was William P., born July 26th, 1821, married Sarah Hale Goodwin, and had four children. He was a blacksmith, farmer and lumber manufacturer of London- derry, N.H. The second of his four children was William, the sub- ject of this sketch. He was born February 26th, 1860. Spending his boyhood at work on the farm, in the woods and in the saw mill, and gathering his early education in the district school, he afterward attended the McGaw Normal Institute, at Reed's Ferry, N. H., several terms. In 1880 he began the study of medicine, attended three courses of lectures at Dartmouth Med- ical College, and received his diploma from that college No- vember 13th, 1883. He began to practice medicine in Lowell, Mass., in January, 1884, but returned to Londonderry in June of the same year, remaining there most of the time until June, 1887, when he settled in Westford, and has practiced there un- til the present time. In 1884 he practiced a few months in Alexandria and Salisbury, N. H., and in 1886 spent part of the autumn in the New York Polyclinic School. He married, August 27th, 1884, Esther F. Whidden, of Auburn, N. H., and has had three children, but one of whom is now living, Flor- ence, born March 28th, 1886.

Doctor Levi A. Bliss, now residing at East Woodstock, was born and educated in Massachusetts, his native town being Brookfield. He was born in August, 1828. He practiced med- icine a number of years in Woodstock and adjoining towns, be- ing one of the pioneers in the Homeopathic school of practice. He served in the late war as a member of Company K, in the Seventh regiment of Connecticut volunteers, receiving in the

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.

service injuries which in their subsequent development rendered him incapable of pursuing the practice of his profession. For several years he has been an invalid, almost entirely confined to the house. In the autumn of 1850 he married Lydia A. Coomes, of Woodstock, who is still living. They have no chil- dren.

Doctor Frederic G. Sawtelle was born at Norridgewick, Me., educated at the Long Island College Hospital, at Brooklyn, N. Y., and established himself in the practice of medicine at Pomfret in 1881. He engaged in this field at the invitation of some of the citizens, after the death of Doctor Lewis Williams. His wife was Elizabeth Winthrop Tappan, and they have two chil- dren.

Doctor Joseph D'Auray was born in Ste. Marie de Mannoir, Canada, in 1845. His parents were Charles C. and Marie Louise (Messier) D'Auray. At an early age he was sent to college at Ste. Marie, where he went through a classical course, and grad- uated with distinction in 1867. He then pursued the study of medicine, and received his degree at Bishop Medical and Surg- ical Institute, I. S. In 1871 he commenced practicing at Dan- ielsonville. Six months later he removed to Woonsocket, R. I., and practiced there for two years. He published for a time the first French newspaper in Rhode Island, Le Canadien. In 1872 he was married and has had ten children born to him, five of whom are still living. He soon sold out and returned to Daniel- sonville, where he has since practiced with good success. He is the founder of two benevolent societies and a literary club, of which he was president, was an instigator of the first Canadian Convention of Connecticut, and made president of its first executive committee in 1884.

Seth Rogers, M. D., although not claiming to be a Windham county physician in all senses of the term, is yet too much asso- ciated with our subject to be passed without mention. He is about sixty-five years of age, and practiced medicine thirty years, during about ten of which he had a sanitarium. He now resides in Pomfret Centre, to which place he came from Wor- cester, Mass., after the civil war. He came here for rest and retirement, and during the twenty years or more that he has re- sided here has not taken up general practice, though he has oc- casionally been associated in consultation with other physicians. "He is a man of fine education and is well known in the cities.

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as a physician." This remark is made on the authority of one of the prominent members of the Windham county medical fra- ternity, whose words are few and weighty.

Doctor John Bryden Kent was born in Truro, Nova Scotia, November 16th, 1845. His parents were of Scotch descent with an admixture of English blood from his maternal grandmother. After attending the common schools and private school for boys he entered the Provincial Academy, graduating thence in 1864. In the following year he entered upon the study of medicine with Doctor Charles Bent, in his native town, and in the fall of that year entered the medical department of Harvard University. He graduated from that institution in 1869, and soon after came to Putnam, and at once began the practice of his profession. Here he still remains. In 1882 he took a special course at Belle- vue Hospital, in New York city, in gynecology, and has since made that subject a specialty in his practice. For two years past he has been associated in business with Doctor F. A. Morrell, under the firm name of Kent & Morrell. He was married in 1872 to Helen Abbie, only daughter of Honorable James W. Manning, of Putnam. They have one son, Jamie Manning Kent, now twelve years of age. Doctor Kent has been secretary of the county medical society, of which he is a member, and has seven times represented the state and county societies as a dele- gate to the American Medical Society, of which he is a perma- nent member. He has been for ten years a member of the school board, and was most of that time its chairman. He is post sur- geon for the town, examining physician appointed by county coroner, and acting examining surgeon for twelve insurance companies.

Elisha Keyes Robbins, M. D., was born in Ashford, July 21st, 1821. His parents were Hosea C. and Alice Robbins, of whose ten children Elisha K. was the eldest. He received a good com- mon school education, and then studied dentistry with Doctor Joshua Bailey, of Colchester Conn., one year. This profession not proving satisfactory, he studied medicine with Doctors Dick- inson and Holmes at the same place for two years, and with Doctor H. E. Cook, of East Haddam, for another year. He then attended one course of lectures at the Eclectic Medical College of Worcester, Mass., and another course at the Metropolitan Medical College of New York, obtaining his diploma in May, 1853. Since then he practiced medicine in Webster, Mass., four

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years and in Eastford the remainder of the time to the present, with the exception of three years-July, 1862, to August, 1865- spent in the U. S. army hospital. He was married, May 1st, 1842, to Lucy Ann, daughter of Captain Nathan and Lucy Burnham, of Eastford, and they have one son, Erwin E., a merchant in Putnam. Doctor Robbins has served as registrar of births, mar- riages and deaths ten years; as registrar of electors fifteen years; as representative to state legislature for the session of 1881, and as judge of probate for the district of Eastford two years, and has now commenced on a second term of two years in that office.

S. P. Ladd, M. D., was born in Franklin, Conn., December 5th, 1847. He was the son of S. J. P. Ladd, and the maiden name of his mother was Philena B. Hazen. She was a gifted woman and a graduate of the Academy of Wilbraham, Mass., and gave her personal attention largely to the education of her son in the years of his childhood. He was at the age of ten years placed under the care of Reverend Dr. S. J. Horton, who conducted a family school for boys at Windham. Here he received a most thorough classical training for three years, during which time his mother died and her plans with regard to his education were abandoned. His further education was, however, pursued for a few terms at Plainfield Academy and Ellington High School. Leaving the latter place in 1864, he enlisted in the United States navy, and served until after the close of the war in 1865. He then passed several months on his father's farm, and in 1866 found employment in a country store as a clerk. In April, 1869, he found a better position in a freight office in Hartford. During this year, June 7th, he married Miss Sarah A. Meacham, whose acquaintance he had made while in the Ellington High School. His son, Frederick P. Ladd, was born June 11th, 1870. While occupying these clerkships, Doctor Ladd ever preserved a vigor- ous determination to pursue his studies, and found some time to carry out that determination, and at the same time was able to save money enough to help him in its subsequent prosecution, though often in the face of very discouraging circumstances. He was thus enabled, in 1876, to enter the medical department of the University of the City of New York, from which he gradu- ated in February, 1879. He then spent one year in the Hartford Hospital, the first half as assistant and the last half as resident surgeon and physician. He then practiced in Portland, Conn.,

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for two years and a half, and in Putnam for one and one-half years, and in 1884 removed to Moosup, where he still remains, and is realizing in his practice a degree of success exceeding his expectations.

F. S. Burgess, M. D., was born in the village of Moosup, Aug- ust 15th, 1827, and was educated in the common schools until about sixteen years of age, when he was sent to a high school in Norwich for three years. After graduating there, he com- menced the study of medicine with Doctor D. M. Rose, of Her- kimer, N. Y., for two years. He also spent one year in the Al- bany Medical College, under the tutorship of Professor Alden March. He graduated from that institution in the winter of 1849-50. He was married March 16th, 1852, to Miss Julia Wheeler, of West Winfield, N. Y. She died August 16th, 1888, leaving no children. Doctor Burgess began the practice of med- icine in Jewett City, New London county, in the autumn of 1851. He remained there until the autumn of 1855, when he re- moved to Moosup, where he has since been established. He was representative from the town of Plainfield in the state legislature in 1857 and 1867, and was surgeon-general of the state for four successive years under Governor Charles R. Ingersoll. Doctor Burgess is still in active practice, with a commendable degree of professional enthusiasm, fully determined to " die in the har- ness."

Nathaniel Hibbard, M. D., was born in Maulmain, Burmah, a town in British India, June 13th, 1855, his parents being Ameri- can missionaries to that country, sent out by American Baptists. His father, Charles H. Hibbard, was a graduate of Brown Uni- versity in 1850. Young Hibbard was brought to this country at five years of age, and has lived in New England ever since. His youth was spent in the state of Vermont. He prepared for col- lege at the Worcester Academy, and entered Brown University in 1874. Here he graduated with the degree of A. B. in 1878, and after spending several months of 1879 in Europe, entered Harvard Medical School in the fall of that year. There he re- ceived the degree of M. D. in 1882. Since December of that year he has practiced medicine in Danielsonville. He was married to Miss Jennie Robinson, of Providence, R. I., in January, 1885, and they have one son.

Charles H. Colgrove, M. D., was born in Lisbon, New London county, Conn., in 1841, his father being a farmer of that place.

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He had an academical education, and attended two courses of medical lectures at Harvard University, and graduated in Detroit in 1872. Since that time he has practiced most of the time in Willimantic, where he now resides. He was married in 1875, and has two children. He is a member of the Connecticut Homeopathic Medical Society, is contributor to two medical journals, and examiner for two insurance companies. He is also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.

Doctor Henry L. Hammond was born at East Killingly, Sep- tember 7th, 1842. After completing his studies in the common schools, he attended Williston Seminary, East Hampton, Mass., graduating from that institution, and later from Brown Univer- sity, where he received the degree of B. P. in 1864. He then studied medicine, graduating at Harvard Medical College in 1866. During the late war he served as acting assistant surgeon in the 25th Army Corps, Army of the James, going into Rich- mond at its surrender. He commenced the practice of medicine in Pawtucket, R. I., removing thence to Hudson City, N. J., where he remained until 1876, during part of which time he was chosen city physician and police surgeon, and was in charge of the city during the epidemic of small pox. In August, 1870, he married Emma Demy Rawson, of Norwich, Conn. On account of his health, he removed to and located at Saratoga, N. Y., and later, his health still failing, he was obliged to give up his prac- tice there; and then he spent two years in traveling, during which time he visited the Azores and some of the Canary islands. After his return he located in Killingly, where his father, Doctor Justin Hammond, had practiced medicine for forty years. In addition to a very limited practice, he was appointed assistant surgeon of the Third regiment C. N. G., which position he still holds. In December, 1884, he was appointed United States pension surgeon, and assigned to duty at Norwich, Conn., where he was made secretary of the United States pension examining board, which appointment he still retains. He was post surgeon for Windham county in 1886 and 1888. He has also been prom- inent in many social, beneficial, literary and professional organ- izations of the town and county.

Harvey H. Converse was born in Brimfield, Mass., December 19th, 1846. His mother dying when he was five years of age, leaving eight children in limited circumstances, of which he was the youngest, he was placed away from home to live, and under

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such circumstances he attended the common school until he reached the age of twelve, after which he attended a grammar school in Southbridge, Mass., one year, a school in Worcester one year, and a high school in Providence, R. I., one year. Having now arrived at the age of sixteen years he went to the war and served during three years, being in twenty-two general engage- ments, receiving two wounds and spending two months in Libby Prison. At the close of the war he had saved eight hundred dollars, with which he set to work preparing himself for his future profession. In 1878 he graduated at the American Uni- versity Eclectic Medical College of Pennsylvania, and com- menced practice November 1st, of the same year, in the town of Stark, Maine. After five years' practice he was obliged by sick- ness to give up his work. Later he located in Hampton in this county, where he has been engaged in practice five years. He is a member of the Eclectic Medical Association of Connecticut, and holds numerous positions of local honor in the town, being also a member of the National Eclectic Medical Association.

James Fabien McIntosh, M. D. C. M., was born April 2d, 1861, at St. Polycarpe, in the county of Soulanges, Canada. In 1870 he entered the Montreal College, beginning there his classical course, and in 1876 entered the Great Seminary of Montreal to study philosophy. He began his medical course in Victoria University of Montreal, and in 1886 received the degree of M. D. C. M. In the same year he became a member of the Canada Medical Association, and on the 9th of November of the same year he came to North Grosvenor Dale to engage in the practice of medicine. April 19th, 1887, he married Marie Louise Azeline Mayer, eldest daughter of Edward Mayer, of Montreal, Canada, an officer of Her Majesty the Queen Victoria. They have one child, born January 25th, 1888, whom they have named Marie Louise Hermine Yvonne Berthe. The father of Doctor McIntosh was a member of the Hudson Bay Company.

Jesse M. Coburn, M. D., was born at Pittsfield, N. H., March 27th, 1853, being the eldest son of the Reverend J. M. Coburn, then pastor of the Pittsfield Baptist church, but in 1854 removing to the pastoral charge of the Baptist church at Manchester, N. H. Here the subject of this sketch grew up, passed through the graded public schools and fitted for Harvard College. He after- ward graduated at Pembroke Academy and became a student of medicine in the office of Doctor O. S. Sanders at Boston, where

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he remained two years. He then became associated with Doctor N. P. Clark, of New Boston, N. H., as a student and general practitioner, and later attended lectures at the Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia. After graduating there he entered the office of Professor J. H. Woodbury, registrar of Bos- ton University, receiving a diploma from that institution in the class of 1874. He settled at South Framingham, Mass., and built up a large practice, which at the end of five years he dis- posed of and immediately assumed the practice of Doctor Frank Brigham, of Shrewsbury, Mass., during the absence of the latter in Europe. On his return, in the spring of 1881, Doctor Coburn removed to Brooklyn in this county, where he succeeded to the practice of Doctor James B. Whitcomb. In August, 1879, he married Abbie M. Cutler, daughter of A. G. Cutler, of Shrews- bury, Mass., by whom he has two sons.

Doctor S. C. Chase was born in Killingly, August 23d, 1817. He has practiced magnetism and homeopathy continuously since 1856, and after more than thirty years of professional life he ex- presses himself as well satisfied with the degree of success which has attended his labors. Throughout a long life he has been pre-eminently a man of affairs, having held the offices of con- stable, selectman, and judge of probate, and represented his na- tive town in the state legislature. He is still in practice at East Killingly.

William H. Judson, M. D., now practicing medicine at Daniel- sonville, is the son of Andrew Judson, of Eastford, born August 26th, 1820, who was the son of Zuinglus Judson, also of Ashford, born January 30th, 1790, who was the son of Andrew Judson, born in Stratford, Conn., in 1749, and became the first Congre- gational minister settled in Eastford, and was a direct descend- ant of William Judson, of Yorkshire, who settled in Salem in 1632. On his mother's side, Doctor Judson is connected with the families by the names of Work, Storrs, Southworth and Mat- thews. He was born in Milford, Mass., June 27th, 1854, gradu- ated at Jefferson Medical School, of Philadelphia, where he had been under the old masters, Panchost, Gross, Dacosta, and others, in 1878, and began the practice of medicine in Abington the the same year. In 1879 he removed to Wauregan, and in 1886 to Danielsonville, where he still remains. In the pursuit of his education he worked his own way, from the farm in Mendon, Mass., on which he worked till eighteen years of age, through

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Phillips, Exeter, and Michigan University Medical School, and one year at Philadelphia. He was married December 3d, 1886, to Annie Kinney, at Wauregan. They have no children.

Doctor Orin Witter, the elder, was born in Brooklyn, Conn., July 15th, 1797. He studied medicine with Doctor Hutchins, of his native town, and with Doctor Thomas Hubbard, of Pomfret, completing his medical studies at Yale Medical College in the year 1820. During the same year he established himself in Chaplin as a physician, and soon gained the confidence and ap- probation of the people. Two years later, when the town was incorporated, he was chosen the first town clerk. He was later a member of the board of education, and also judge of probate for the district. The latter office he held for a term of years, in- deed until he arrived at the age of seventy years, and was thus disqualified for holding it longer. He continued to practice med- icine for nearly fifty years, and until about two years before his death. He was married to Florenda Preston, daughter of Josh- ua Preston, March 31st, 1824. They had two daughters and one son. One of the daughters died in infancy ; Cornelia, the other daughter, married Doctor E. C. Holt, of Bennington, N. J .; and the son retains the name and profession of the father at the present time. Doctor Witter, the elder, died February 2d, 1869.

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History of Windham County, Connecticut, Part 20

Author: Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: New York, Preston Number of Pages: 1506

Author: Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: New York, Preston
Number of Pages: 1506