USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Goshen > History of the town of Goshen, Connecticut, with genealogies and biographies based upon the records of Deacon Lewis Mills Norton, 1897 > Part 26
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Mr. Hazen resigned the pastorate November 12, 1882. The church at first refused to accept the resignation, but later they did so, assuring him of the love and esteem in which he was held by all. A council was called, which advised the dis- solution, passing resolutions commending the pastor and ex- pressing sympathy with the church.
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CHAPTER XIX. PHYSICIANS, LAWYERS, AND TEACHERS.
Physicians.
Oliver Wolcott, afterwards Governor of the state, settled in the town some time between 1740 and 1750, with the expecta- tion that it would some day become the county seat of a new county to be organized, and while here was engaged in the practice of medicine. In 1751, when the county was organized and Litchfield was made the shire town, he was appointed the first sheriff and removed to Litchfield.
The Rev. Timothy Collins, the first pastor of the church in Litchfield, was also a medical practitioner. He resigned his pastorate in 1752, and after that devoted himself to medicine, and was much employed in Goshen.
His wife is described as a woman of great sense and capa- bility. She also practiced the healing art, and her ride was almost as extensive as that of her husband. At the birth of Ursula, daughter of Captain Miles Norton of Goshen, East street, she was sent for, and drawn on a hand sled from Litch- field to this town. This was January 25, 1780, this being what was called " the hard winter." The distance was four and one-half miles.
Doctor Elisha Sill came here at an early day from Say- brook, Conn. He married the only child of the Rev. Mr. Heaton, and inherited his large property. There is nothing on record and nothing remembered as to his practice.
Dr. Elias Deming purchased property here in 1754. It is probable that he came from Middletown. Not much is known of his medical practice; probably it was not large. At this time
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the practice of medicine was open to every one, and there were very few who possessed the qualifications of good physicians.
Dr. Joel Soper married the daughter of Benoni Hills, in 1762. He lived in the town for several years and was em- ployed to some small extent as a physician.
In the Norton records I find the following: "was used as a Pest house by Dr. Jesse Carrington, then of East St.," from which we infer that there was a practicing physician here of that name. He seems to have had a brother James.
Doctor Joseph North came to Goshen when he was eight years old. It is related of him that, when he was young, he used to spend some time with Dr. Joel Soper, reading his books, and although the teacher was but poorly taught (as were most of the medical men of those days), the young man ac- quired some knowledge of medicine and surgery. In surgery, and especially in the setting of broken and dislocated bones, he became eminently skillful. His medical and surgical prac- tice was very considerable for many years. He was long re- membered as a valuable citizen, and as a man useful in his day; and although some of his children and grandchildren have gone far beyond him in medical and surgical knowledge, it should be remembered that his opportunities were far less than theirs.
Dr. Elisha North, eldest son of the above, was a physician of great skill, both as a general practicioner and a surgeon. He was engaged in practice here for about thirty years, and re- moved from here to New London, where he died in 1843, aged 75. While residing here he published a treatise on the spotted fever, a disease which was prevailing throughout the state. His work met with general approval among physicians, and gave him a widely extended reputation.
Joseph North, Jr., a second son, became a physician and practiced in Cornwall. His son, Joseph Howard North, is
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now, as for many years, the resident physician in the town, and gives abundant evidence, by his skill and devotion to his profession, that it is worth something to have a long line of an- cestors through whom have been transmitted a natural gift or genius for his work.
Dr. Asahel Mack Huxley practiced in the town for many years, and there never was a physician more generally hon- ored, never one more confided in, never one who took a greater interest in his patients, or responded more readily to their calls than he. His name will be found among the soldiers in the Civil War, and the occasion of his death is there described.
The town has had other physicians, but it has been found difficult, if not impossible, to gather many facts as to their personality or practice.
Charles Henry Stanley Davis was born in Goshen, March 2, 1840. His father, Dr. Timothy F. Davis, removed from Goshen to Litchfield, where he practiced his profession, later to Plymouth and Meriden, where he died in 1870.
Charles H. S. Davis obtained his medical education at the New York University, afterwards pursuing a post-graduate course, and receiving a " certificate of honor." After taking a special course in the medical department of the University of Baltimore, and another at the Harvard Medical School, he returned to Meriden and succeeded his father in the practice of his profession. Three years later he went abroad, and after visiting Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Scotland, Ireland, and Belgium, he spent several months in the hospitals of London and Paris. Upon his return to Meriden he at once built up a large practice. Dr. Davis is the attending physician of the Curtis Home for Old Ladies and Orphans, also of the State School for Boys.
While engaged in the study of medicine, Dr. Davis took up the study of Hebrew and Arabic, and these languages were fol- lowed in after years with Syriac, Armenian, Ancient Egyp-
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tian, and the modern languages. He began at this time to form a library which now contains some 6,000 volumes, and is very complete in Oriental philology and archaeology. He has contributed largely to the medical and scientific press. In two years he compiled the "Index to Periodical Literature," carefully indexing the contents of some one hundred and twenty-five American and foreign periodicals every month. In 1872, he wrote a work on " The Voice as a Musical Instru- ment," which has been through several editions. He has written largely for the press on the education and management of feeble-minded and backward children, and many of the articles were translated into Spanish and published in El Repertario Medico, and later were published in book form under the title of " The Classification, Training and Education of the Feeble-minded, Imbecile and Idiotic." Some thirty years ago Dr. Davis began to gather material for a local his- tory, which was published under the title of " A History of Wallingford and Meriden." It contained the genealogies of some sixty families. In 1893, in connection with the Rev. Dr. Coburn of Ann Arbor, wrote a "History of Ancient Egypt in the Light of Modern Discoveries." This is the finest work on the subject published in the English language. In 1894 he published the " Egyptian Book of the Dead," translating the work from the French, and writing the introductory chap- ters on "The Religious Belief of Primitive Peoples," "The Religion of Ancient Egypt." For ten years Dr. Davis has ed- ited Biblia, a journal devoted to Biblical and Oriental Ar- chaeology, and the American organ of the Egypt and Pales- tine Exploration Funds. He was one of the founders of the Scientific Association of Meriden, a director in the depart- ment of archaeology and ethnology, corresponding secretary, and has edited its four volumes of transactions and contributed to each volume. For the past ten years he has been engaged in translating the Koran from the Arabic, with a critical, exe- getical, and philological commentary.
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In 1873, '85, and '86, Dr. Davis represented Meriden in the lower house of the General Assembly, serving as chairman and secretary of important committees. In 1886, he was elected mayor of the city, re-elected in 1887, and declined the nomination in 1888. In 1887 he organized the Board of Trade, and was elected its first President. He also assisted in organizing three large building and loan associations with over one thousand members, and for one year edited the monthly journal of sixteen pages, devoted to the affairs of the associa- tions, sometimes writing the entire contents each month. In 1872, he was elected a member of the school board, and served twenty-five years. For five years he was acting school visitor, fourteen years a member of the High School committee, and for a number of years president of the board. For six years Dr. Davis was a trustee of the State School for Boys, serving as secretary of the board, and for two years treasurer of the school, during which time he paid out over $125,000 without an error in his accounts. Dr. Davis has always been interested in the natural sciences, and has collected a cabinet of over 400 mineralogical and geological specimens, a collection of all the varieties of plants found in Meriden and vicinity, and also specimens of all the varieties of trees, some one hundred and fifty in number, showing the leaf, bark, and heartwood of each specimen.
Dr. Davis is an active, honorary, or corresponding member of some thirty historical, scientific, philological, and literary societies. He is one of the honorary secretaries of the Egypt Exploration Fund, and was one of the advisory council of the World's Fair Auxiliary, in the department of Egyptology. To this department he contributed a paper on the Religions of Ancient Egypt.
Dr. Davis very much regrets that he has to spend five or six hours out of the twenty-four for the purpose of eating and sleeping, as he has work laid out to occupy his spare time for the next twenty-five years.
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Lawyers.
Samuel Pettibone of Simsbury was admitted to the bar in 1729, the first attorney from that township. He removed to Goshen before 1740. Litchfield County was organized in October, 1751, and in December of the same year he was made King's Attorney, the duties of the office being similar to those performed by state attorneys at the present day. After a few years he was succeeded by Reynold Marvin, Esq., Litch- field.
In the address of Judge Church, at the Litchfield County Centennial Celebration, 1851, he says: " Mr. Pettibone lived to a great age and died in reduced circumstances in 1787." In the sermon of the Rev. Grant Powers, from which we make large quotations, he says: " Samuel Pettibone was much em- ploved in the early business transactions of the town; but being overcome and thrust down by the strong man from the West Indies, he terminated his earthly existence at the old house formerly occupied by Harvey Brooks." L. M. Norton, in his records, says of him that, " his talents were respectable, but he was a hasty man, severe in his remarks, and had more of stubbornness than of wisdom." It appears from the Nor- ton records that he had the rank of Captain. He had a large family, but none of its members appear to have remained in Goshen for any length of time. The most that is known of his descendants is the fact that some of them have gained posi- tions of influence and honor.
Samuel Miles Hopkins was born in Waterbury, but re- moved to Goshen with his parents when two years of age. He studied at the Hartford Grammar School, under Mr. Solomon Porter. He was graduated from Yale in 1791, but for some reason the faculty refused him the degree, and the first degree he received from Yale was that of LL.D., which the college conferred upon him when his son entered college. He com- menced the study of law with Mr., afterwards Judge, Reeve,
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and was admitted to the bar in less than two years. It was not long that he remained in Goshen, and the later events of his life were varied and peculiar, but always such as entitled him to respect and honor.
Samuel Lyman (see Gen.), was admitted to the bar at Litchfield, went to Hartford, thence to Springfield, Mass., where he became Judge of the Circuit Court.
Theodore North was graduated from Williams College, studied law and for several years devoted himself to his pro- fession. He was greatly esteemed in the town and elsewhere, both as a lawyer and a man.
Nelson Brewster was for several years a lawyer in the town, having but a limited amount of business. He died in 1850.
The foregoing may indicate that the litigant spirit is not prevalent in the town.
Teachers.
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The following sketch of Professor Asaph Hall is valuable as an illustration of the possibilities to all young men who strive with difficulties.
In spite of the few wonderful accidents that have led to great changes and advancement in modern ideas, most of the real advance of the civilized world has been the result of sim- ple hard work and hard thinking by men of ability. As an example of the type of scientist, who does not make astound- ing discoveries that turn out to be worthless, but who surely and steadily advances the cause of science by faithful work, stands the astronomer, Asaph Hall. He was born on October 15, 1829, in Goshen, in the northwestern corner of Connecti- cut, where the Berkshire Hills come rolling over from Massa- chusetts. His grandfather, a revolutionary officer, was one of the first settlers of the place and was a wealthy man, but his father, Asaph 2d, through business failures lost nearly all his
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property. In 1842 he died, leaving a wife and six children, of whom Asaph, then 13, was the oldest. Up to the time of his father's death, Asaph's life had been that of a well-to-do coun- try boy. He had worked a little on the farm and had gone to the country school. His father was far better educated than most of the men of the place; so many good books fell into the boy's hands, and his rainy days were often spent in the garret fighting the battles on the Trojan plans, or following Ulysses in his homeward wanderings.
When his father died it was decided in a family council to remain on one of the farms and try to pay off the mortgage on it. So Asaph and his mother set to work, and for three years toiled might and main carrying on the work of a large farm mostly by themselves. His mother was a tireless worker, and he helped her as best he could, but when the three years were past they found they had been just able to pay the inter- est on the mortgage and nothing more. Sticking to the farm seemed useless, so he decided to learn the carpenter's trade. Accordingly, he was apprenticed at the age of 16 to a local car- penter. He worked with him for three years at $60 a year. At the end of that time he became a regular journeyman. He worked about Litchfield County, building barns and houses that are standing on the old farms to-day. He stuck to his carpenter work for six years, but all the time he was full of ambition. He saw that the men he worked with were a poorly educated set. They knew how to find a right angle by the six, eight, and ten rule, but they had no idea of the reason for it. He was not satisfied to work in this blind fashion, and he kept picking up some knowledge of mathematics to help him under- stand his business. In the summer time he was busy with carpenter work, but in the winter he went home. He did the chores on the farm in the early morning and in the evening, and went to school in the daytime. As he learned more he decided to study and become an architect. He managed to
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spend one winter studying with the principal of the Norfolk Academy. There he went through algebra and six books of geometry.
When he was 25 he had saved a little money. Through the New York Tribune, he saw that there was a college at Mc- Grawville, N. Y., where a young man could earn his living and get an education at the same time. He decided to try to go through this college. In the summer of 1854, he took all his savings, about $300, and set out for McGrawville. When he got to the college he found it a very different place from what he expected. It was open to both sexes, and all colors, and was the gathering place of a queer set of cranks of all sorts. The teachers were poor, but to the green country youth the experience was of immense value. His views were broad- ened and changed. He staid at the college only a year and a half. In that time he went through algebra, geometry, and trigonometry, and studied some French and Latin. He soon proved himself to be by far the best mathematician in the college.
One of the students was a young woman named Angeline Stickney. She was a country girl of fine mental abilities and great sensibility, who was working her way through college. As a senior she helped in the teaching. Asaph Hall was one of her pupils in mathematics. Many a problem he and his classmates contrived to puzzle their teacher, but they never were successful. When she graduated Asaph Hall and she were engaged to be married. He then decided that he had staid long enough at McGrawville. His money was gone and the college was poor. So in 1855 they set out together for Wisconsin, where Miss Stickney had a brother. She staid at his house while he tramped about the country in search of a school where they could teach. No school was open for them. They became tired of the flat, sickly country, and when spring came they decided to leave. On the 31st of March,
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1856, they were married, and then they set out for Ann Arbor, Michigan. Asaph entered the sophomore and junior classes in Michigan University, and studied mathematics and astronomy under Professor Brunnow. He found he could do good work in both these branches. Prof. Brunnow encour- aged him greatly, and helped him a great deal. It was here that he acquired his taste for astronomy and decided to adopt it for a profession. Prof. Bruinnow was an excellent teacher, but he had trouble with his classes, and his work was so changed and broken up, that young Hall decided to leave after he had been there but half a year. He took his wife to Shalersville, Ohio, and took charge of the Academy there. They conducted it very successfully for a year, paying off all their debts and buying themselves new clothes. When the school was over they had no idea where to turn next. He wished to go back and study at Ann Arbor again, but there was a great storm on the lakes at that time, and his wife would not go. So they started East. He had an offer from Prof. Bond, who was in charge of the Harvard College Observatory, in Cambridge, of $3 a week as assistant. Finally he decided to accept it. He visited his old home in the summer, and in the fall of 1857 he took his wife to Cambridge, and began his career as an astronomer.
Very few young married men in this day would like to start in a profession at the age of 28, on a salary of $3 a week. But young Hall expected to be able to pick up outside work. He thought he could pursue his studies in mathematics under Professor Benjamin Pierce, then at Harvard College. So he settled in his new work full of hope.
He took a couple of rooms on Concord avenue, near the Observatory, and began housekeeping. He found the state of things in Cambridge far different from his first ideas of it. The Bonds and Pierce were not on good terms, and he could not study with Prof. Pierce without offending his employer, so
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he gave it up. His new work was hard and tedious, but he managed to study a good deal by himself. He picked up Ger- man by translating German books on mathematics. His little salary was eaten up by room rent, and in order to live he had to get more work. By computing and observing moon cul- ininations for army officers he managed to double his income and just scrape along. His wife worked by his side faithfully encouraging him, helping him in his studies, and doing all the housework with her own hands. Every night in the month of March, 1859, Mrs. Hall would get him out of bed in time to go up to the Observatory and catch the moon culmination. Each culmination meant an extra dollar, and that was some- thing that could not be missed. Besides this he got out al- manacs, and so scraped together a little money. Altogether he just managed to live during the first year in Cambridge.
He soon became a rapid, skillful, and accurate worker. His employers began to recognize his value, and gradually in- creased his pay, till at last he drew a salary of $600 a year.
He stayed in the Cambridge Observatory till the year 1862. At that time the war had been going on a year. The officers at the Naval Observatory at Washington had gone off into the service of either the North or South. Men were needed to fill their places. Mr. Hall was recommended to fill one of the positions. It was a good opening. He went to Washington, was examined, and offered a place. In the sum- mer of 1862 he began his work, his wife and son following him.
On January 2, 1863, he was appointed a Professor of Mathematics in the United States Navy. After that his career was assured. Starting as a poor farmer boy, then becoming a carpenter, pursuing mathematics with the idea of becoming an architect, finally he had found the best field for his labor. Up to this time his struggle was a hard one. He had never known what it was to have a moment of relaxation. It had been work, work from morning till night, and all the results of
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his work had been used to get other men fame. After his ap- pointment as professor he was able to do work that counted for himself. So his public scientific career really began in 1862. From 1862 to 1866 he worked on the 92-inch equato- rial at the Naval Observatory under Mr. James Ferguson, making observations and reducing his work.
One night while he was working alone in the dome the trap door by which it was entered from below opened, and a tall, thin figure arose, crowned by a stove-pipe hat. It turned out to be President Lincoln. He had walked up alone from the White House, and he wanted to take a look at the heavens through the telescope. Professor Hall showed him the various objects of interest, and finally turned the telescope on the moon. When the President had looked at it a little while he went away. In about a quarter of an hour the trap door opened again, and the same figure appeared. He told Prof. Hall that after leaving the Observatory he had looked at the moon again, and saw that it had been upside down in the tele- scope. He was puzzled and wanted to know the cause. It was explained to him that the simple lens used in telescopes gives inverted images and Mr. Lincoln went away satisfied.
After 1866, Prof. Hall worked as assistant on the prime vertical transit and the meridian circle. In 1867 he was put in charge of the meridian circle. From 1868 to 1875, he was in charge of the 93-inch equatorial, and from 1875 till his re- tirement on October 15, 1891, he was in charge of the 26-inch equatorial. It can thus be seen that his practical experience as an observing astronomer has been long and varied.
During his stay at the Observatory he was sent on several expeditions for the government. In 1869, he was sent to Behring Straits on the ship Mohican to observe the eclipse of the sun. In those days one had to go to San Francisco by way of the Isthmus of Panama, so the trip was a long one. In 1870-71 he went to Sicily to observe another eclipse. In 1874
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he was sent to Vladivostok in Siberia, to observe a transit of Venus. He visited China and Japan on the way. In 1878 he headed an expedition to Colorado to observe the eclipse of the sun, and in 1882 he took a party to Texas to observe another transit of Venus.
Although on these expeditions he did valuable work, it has been at Washington with the 26-inch equatorial that he has done his most important work. He has made studies of many of the double stars to determine their distances and mo- tions. He has also given a great deal of time to the study of the planet Saturn. He made a special investigation of the rings of this planet, and also discovered the motion of the line of Apsides of Hyperion, one of Saturn's satellites. But by far the most important discovery he has made,- the one which will connect his name with astronomy as long as the planets exist - was his discovery of the satellites of Mars. It had been thought by some old astronomers that perhaps Mars had satellites, but no one had been able to find them.
In the fall of 1877, Mars was in a very favorable position to observe, and Professor Hall turned his big telescope upon it. He searched night after night without success till he began to lose hope, but finally, on the night of August 11, 1877, he dis- covered the outer satellite. Six days later he discovered the inner one. The discovery of these two unknown bodies spread like wild fire among the observatories, and the eager astrono- mers began to find enough extra moons to supply another solar system. But after a thorough investigation it was proved that Professor Hall had discovered the two and the only two, which he named.
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