USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > History of Savannah, Ga.; from its settlement to the close of the eighteenth century > Part 11
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Charles N. West is a brainy lawyer and a tireless worker. He never gives up so long as there is the smallest chance. Not infrequently has he carried his point when opposed by a long line of counsel, sometimes by half the members of the bar in important assignment and recievership cases. Mr. West has a large, valuable and steadily growing practice.
J. R. Saussy, esq., is a strong civil lawyer, to which practice he chiefly confines himself. If he cannot win a jury or at least a large part of it, no one can for his side of the case. Mr. Saussy has figured in some of the largest cases here, notably the Telfair will case and the Rose will case. As an authority on testamentary law he is at the head of the bar. His law library is one of the largest in the State.
Ex. by F G herman SCOWY.
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Messrs. Garrard & Meldrim, while not by any means old lawyers, are about the oldest firm in the city. They are successful too. Colonel William Garrard fortifies himself with authorities. Mr. Peter W. Mel- drim wins a jury through the evidence and his address and the court he addresses with strong reasoning.
Inheriting the ability of father and grandfather Walter G. Charlton easily attained and maintains a leading position at the Savannah bar. He was solicitor-general for a term, and before that had practically filled the position for a term or two. A fearless prosecutor of violators of the law was he, too, and a lasting benefit did he confer on the city in making the first move to break up the gambling hells and gangs of footpads. Mr. Charlton is an effective speaker, ready at repartee, cool and when he chooses to resort to it bitterly sarcastic.
His law partner W. W. Mackall, esq., has a name as a sound coun- selor and is often selected by the courts to act as master in cases.
Wallace W. Fraser is the present solicitor-general. He is a native of Liberty county and is popular all over the circuit. Mr. Fraser excels as a civil lawyer and he always knows his cases when he appears in court.
Alex. R. MacDonell is among the young lawyers. His city code however, entitles him to rank with the older members of the profession. The work was carefully, thoroughly done and is a highly creditable law book, the best codification of ordinances Savannah has ever had.
The possessor of the most remarkable memory at the Savannah bar, yes at the bar of Georgia, is Joseph Cronk, esq., who cites opinions, titles of authorities, the numbers of the page or section of the codes with un- failing accuracy and without reference to memorandums.
Not another Savannah lawyer has prospered as J. L. Whatley, esq., has. He had a lucrative practice and he was farseeing, he invested and cleared handsomely and is now one of the wealthiest members of his pro- fession. By the way, his partner, General Henry R. Jackson, is the wealthiest member of the bar. Mr. Whatley has not the disadvantage which handicaps so many lawyers, his mind is eminently practical, not theoretical.
If the name of one Savannah lawyer is destined to outlive all others in history William Clifton is that name. He is an original character with a memory for faces and names which is simply phenomenal. That
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HISTORY OF SAVANNAH.
is the chief secret of Mr. Clifton's popularity. He knows by name more men, women and children than any one else in Georgia certainly. And while the city lawyers may defeat him in the courts in Savannah he in- variably gets the better of them on the circuit. Mr. Clifton was a mem- ber of the last Legislature.
R. R. Richards probably has to turn more clients away because he is too busy than any of his legal brothers. Mr. Richards makes no pre- tensions to oratory but he wins cases from those who do. His acquaint- ance with corporation law and the statutes providing for damages for personal injury is wide and thorough.
Captain Henry Cunningham, associate counsel for the Central Rail- road, is another lawyer who sifts a case until he gets at the issues and then he regards them in a practical business way. He has a lucrative practice.
Colonel Rufus E. Lester, for six years mayor of the city and now congressman from this district, might reasonably be supposed from his official career to be a leading lawyer. And he is. Colonel Lester is a good thinker. He gets at the merits of a case, if it has any, and he is strong before a jury. He has been a successful and prosperous attorney.
No lawyer stands higher at the bar than Colonel George A. Mercer who has a remarkably fine legal mind. Colonel Mercer has a deep knowledge of law and a careful judgment which give his counsel author- ative value. He is an unusually fluent and rapid speaker. His style in speaking is chaste and marked by its smoothness and grace. He is iden- tified with many of the most important civil and criminal cases at every term of the courts.
The Superior Court judges and the Solicitor-Generals of the Eastern Circuit, since the Superior Court, as it now is, was instituted in 1792, have been: John Houstoun, 1792; William Stephens, 1796; John Glen, 1798; David Brydie Mitchell, 1798; Jabez Bowen, 1804; George Jones, 1804; Thomas U. P. Charlton, 1808; John M. Berrien, IS13; Thomas U. P. Charlton, 1821; James M. Wayne, 1822; William Davies, 1828; Will- iam Law, 1829; John I. Nicoll, IS34; Robert M. Charlton, 1835; Charles H. Henry, 1837; William B. Fleming, 1845; Henry R. Jackson, 1849; Joseph W. Jackson, 1853 ; William B. Fleming, 1853; William Schley, 1869; Henry B. Tompkins, 1875 ; William B. Fleming, 1879; Henry B. Tompkins, 1881 ; A. Pratt Adams, 1882; Robert Falligant, 1889.
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Solicitor- generals, George Woodruff, 1795; David B. Mitchell. 1796; William B. Bullock, 1799; T. U. P. Charlton, 1804; John M. Berrien, 1809; Joseph S. Pelot, 1813 ; Edward F. Tattnall, 1816; William Law, 1817; John C. Nicoll, 1821; Nathaniel P. Bond, 1822; Charles S. Henry, 1825; Joseph W. Jackson, 1831 ; William H. Stiles, 1833; John Elliott Ward, 1836; Edward J. Harden, 1838; Richard N. Owens, 1838; Will- iam P. White, 1840; William P. Gaulden. 1847; George A. Gordon, 1855 ; Julian Hartridge, 1855 ; Claudius C. Wilson, Jan. 23, 1860; Fred- erick Tupper, qualified as solicitor-general March 4, 1861, and was act- ing as such on May 12, 1862; John W. Heidt, date of commission does not appear, evidently succeeded Tupper, first reference to him Jan. 29, 1863, was still acting May 24, 1866; Alfred B. Smith; date of commis- sion does not appear, was acting in February, 1868, term expired Janu- ary, 1873 ; Albert R. Lamar, January, 1873; Alfred B. Smith, January, 1877 ; Walter G. Charlton, January, 1881 ; Fleming G. du Bignon, Janu- ary, 1885 ; Wallace W. Fraser, November, 1888.
The judges of the City Court of Savannah have been: James M. Wayne, 1820; John C. Nicoll, 1824 ; Charles S. Henry, 1834; John C. Nicoll, 1837; Levi S. D' Lyon, 1838 ; William B. Fleming, 1844; Ed- ward J. Harden, 1845; Mordecai Sheftall, 1847; Alexander Drysdale, 1850; George Troup Howard, 1853; John M. Millen, 1856; Levi S. De Lyon, 1861 ; Walter S. Chisholm, 1863 ; William D. Harden, 1878.
The following names constitute the roster of Savannah's bar: A. Pratt Adams, S. B. Adams, J. Randolph Anderson, James Atkins, Isaac Beckett, G. E. Bevans, G. T. Cann, J. F. Cann, W. G. Charlton, W. S. Chisholm, jr., J. G. Clark, D. H. Clark, William Clifton, J. A. Cronk, H. C. Cunningham, B. A. Denmark, F. G. du Bignon, R. G. Erwin, Robert Falligant, W. W. Fraser, Davis Freeman, William Garrard, Eugene L. Gilbert, J. M. Guerard, Henry R. Jackson, W. P. La Roche, W. F. Law, A. R. Lawton, sr., A. R. Lawton, jr., S. L. Lazaron, W. R. Leaken, R. E. Lester, W. W. Mackall, U. H. McLaws, A. H. MacDonell, A. M. Martin, P. W. Meldrim, George A. Mercer, G. H. Miller, A. Minis, jr., T. S. Morgan, W. E. Morrison, T. M. Norwood, M. A. O'Byrne, P. J. O'Connor, W. W. Osborne, George W. Owens, W. H. Patterson, Will- iam Pease, R. R. Richards, T. D. Rockwell, J. R. Saussy. sr., J. R. Saussy, jr., John S. Schley, R. D. Walker, Charles N. West, J. L. Whatley, H. E. Wilson, W. G. Woodfin, A. C. Wright.
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HISTORY OF SAVANNAH.
CHAPTER XXIX.
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION OF SAVANNAH.
Sketches of some of the most Prominent Physicians of Savannah, Past and Present -Medical Colleges-Georgia Medical Society.
T HE history of the medical profession of Savannah opens a wide field, but facts to form a perfect record are limited and imperfectly at- tainable. Physicians have little in common with each other to go to form a professional history, an aggregation of the personal attainments of each is therefore essential to its perfection and perpetuation. But to record the deeds of each, or even a bare outline of their achievements and per- sonal history, would develop facts that should be preserved, yet the lim- ited space of a work of this sort forbids its full cultivation.
Among the earlier settlers upon the site of the present city of Savan- nah, two disciples of Esculapius are found, Dr. Patrick Tailfer and Dr. Hugh Anderson, who in 1741 wrote a description of the settlement found- ed by Oglethorpe, in which they harshly criticised the unhealthfulness of the locality. These two doctors, without doubt, the first in this sec- tion of the country, were worthy followers of the " healing art," and their skill found abundant field of exercise among the members of Oglethorpe's followers. It is to be regretted that history furnishes us so little con- cerning these pioneer physicians.
Dr. Nunis, an Israelite, came among the settlers of Savannah in its early history and at an unfortunate period. The spirit of religious intol- erance was most bitter, and he was informed that Jews and Roman Cath- olics were not welcome among a people whom it would seem had every incentive to be devoid of religious prejudice. Dr. Nunis therefore sought a home in a more generous community and settled in Charleston. Hap- pily the spirit that characterised the earlier settlers of the colony of Geor- gia did not long exist, and at last gave way to broad and enlightened sentiments which found fit expression in the Declaration of Indepen- dence.
In the latter part of the preceding century, when Savannah was hardly
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more than a thriving village, we find among its medical fraternity such distinguished physicians as Dr. Noble Wimberly Jones, Dr. John Irvine, and Dr. Thomas Young, men of refinement and liberal education, who occupied high positions in their profession.
Dr. Jones was born near London, England, in 1732, and was a son of Hon. Noble Jones, who came to Georgia with General Oglethorpe. At the commencement of the dissensions between Great Britain and the Col- onies, Dr. Jones took a decided stand in favor of the latter. He was among the first of those who associated for the purpose of sending dele- gates to a General Congress at Philadelphia, and was chosen speaker of the Provincial Legislature. When Savannah fell under the British in 1778, he removed to Charleston, S. C., where he was arrested by order of the British commander and carried to St. Augustine. He was released after a short imprisonment and went to Philadelphia. While in Phila- delphia he was appointed by the Legislature of Georgia a delegate to Congress, and continued in that capacity until 1782, when he returned to Savannah, where he resumed the practice of his profession. He died in 1805 honored by the community as an honest man, a sterling patriot, and a skillful physician.
Dr. John Irvine was born in Scotland, and before the Revolution came to Georgia where he practiced his profession. He was a Royalist, and we find his name among those dissenting to certain resolutions which sharply criticised the actions of the English government. When the colonies declared war against England he was obliged to leave Georgia and return to England, where shortly after he was appointed physician to the king. After the independence of the colonies was declared he re- turned to Georgia and again settled in Savannah, and became one of the founders of the Georgia Medical Society. He died in March, 1809.
Dr. Thomas Young was located in Savannah for several years. He was a physician of fine ability, and had an extended practice. He died in 1808.
In the beginning of the present century Savannah had a medical corps which, for professional attainments, was as brilliant as has ever marked the city's history. Besides those already named, it was composed of Drs. Thomas Schley, Henry Bourquin, James Bond Read, James Glen, George Vinson Proctor, William Cocke, Nicholas S. Bayard, John Grimes, Lem-
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uel Kollock, James Ewell. John Cumming, Joshua E. White, Moses Shef- tall, all of whom died prior to 1830.
Dr. James Glen was a grandson of Hon. James Glen, who was gov- ernor of South Carolina in 1739, and son of Hon. John Glen, first chief justice of Georgia. He died in 1816.
Beyond the date of death of the contemporaries of Dr. Glen, we have been unable to gather but little concerning their personal history. Dr. Bourquin died in 1819; Dr. Schley in 1812; Dr. Proctor in 1817; Dr. Cocke in 1821 ; Nicholas S. Bayard in 1822 ; Dr. Kollock in 1828 ; Dr. Sheftall in 1830.
Drs. George Jones, William Parker, Charles Williamson, W. C. Daniel, James P. Screven, Peter Ward, and Thomas Young, jr., were also located in Savannah and practicing their profession in the early part of the pres- ent century.
Dr. Daniel was born in Green county, Ga., in 1792, or 1794. He set- tled in Savannah in 1818. He introduced a new system for treating ma- larial fever, and was the author of a work on " The Autumnal Fevers of Savannah." He was educated at the University of Pennsylvania, and died in Savannah in 1869. Dr. Daniel was a practitioner of great ability, took a prominent part in the material development of Savannah, and held many positions of honor in the management of municipal affairs.
Dr. W. R. Waring began practice in Savannah prior to Dr. Daniel, and for many years was one of the leading physicians of the city. He was a voluminous contributor to the medical literature of the profession, being the author of a valuable work on yellow fever. He was not only a skillful physician, but one of the most public-spirited and useful citizens of Savannah. He was at one time mayor of the city. He died in 1843.
Dr. James P. Screven was a descendant of Rev. William Screven, who came from England prior to 1674, and settled in Maine; moved to Charleston, S. C., in 1683, and founded the Baptist Church in that State. Dr. Screven was born in South Carolina in 1799, and moved to Savan- nah with his parents while an infant. His preliminary education was re- ceived under Dr. Moses Waddell. He studied medicine under Dr. W. R. Waring, of Savannah, and after graduating from the medical department · of the University of Pennsylvania, spent two years in Europe receiv- ing the benefits of the best educational institutions of the old world. He
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THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
commenced his professional labors in Savannah and soon attained de- served success in his calling. In 1834 he withdrew from active profes- sional work to devote his time to his large landed estate and business affairs. In the material development of Savannah he bore an important part, being the originator of the water system, and the main projector of the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway System. Although for sev- eral years he did not practice medicine he continued to feel a warm in- terest in his profession. He was at one time mayor of the city, and for one term represented Chatham county in the State Senate. He died on July 16, 1859.
During the period from 1830 to 1850 the medical profession of Sa- vannah was in its fullest glory. It was made up of as fine material as could be found in any city, many of its members possessing an enviable local reputation and some almost national repute. Space forbids com- plete biographical consideration but their names at least should be pre- served. Of those not elsewhere mentioned there were in active practice during a portion of the above period Drs. William Parker, Cosmo P. . Richardson, T. G. Barnard, J. R. Saussy, Stephen N. Harris, Joseph H. Burroughs, William A. Caruthers, R. D. Arnold, Thadeus Bartow, P. M. Kollock, Martin Tufts, J. D. Fish, Richard Wayne, J. Ashby Wragg, Alexander Cunningham, R. Wildman and William Gaston Bulloch
Perhaps no member of the medical profession of Savannah was more generally known in this community or more highly honored than Dr. Richard D. Arnold. He was born in Savannah in 1808. After a thorough preparatory course of literary and scientific study at Princeton, N. J., he received the degree of doctor of medicine from the medical de- partment of the University of Pennsylvania in 1830, at that time the foremost school of medicine in the United States, and soon after com- menced the active duties of his profession in his native city. Earnest in his efforts for the acquisition of knowledge, possessing a mind with keen perceptive qualities, he soon attained a prominent position in his profes- sion. Appointed in 1835 one of the physicians of the Savannah poor- house and hospital, which appointment was renewed annually for more than twenty years, he acquired a perfect familiarity with the diseases of this climate, and his published monograms on bilious and yellow fevers made him an authority on those subjects which is recognized by the best
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HISTORY OF SAVANNAH.
medical writers in the country. He was a member of the American Medical Association from its inception in 1846 and co-operated heartily in the objects of its formation. He was one of the committee that framed the code of ethics by which the whole medical profession of the United States is governed, and at its fourth annual meeting held in Charleston, S. C., in 1851 was elected one of the vice-presidents of the association.
Upon the recommendation of the association that State medical soci- eties should be formed as auxiliaries in the great work of medical reform, Dr. Arnold took an active part in the organization of the medical society of the State of Georgia, and as president, in 1851, in Atlanta delivered an able address upon " the reciprocal duties of physicians and the public towards each other," in which he advocated a more thorough prepara- tory course of instruction in English, Greek and Latin literature, as well as the collateral sciences, before commencing the study of medicine.
Upon the organization of the Savannah medical college in 1850, he became professor of the theory and practice of medicine and proved himself to be one of its most valuable instructors. He was naturally of a literary turn, and early in his professional career employed his leisure hours in writing for the Savannah Republican. In January, 1833, he be- came part proprietor of the Daily Georgian, and continued in the jour- nalistic field until the early part of 1835, when he sold out and devoted himself entirely to the medical profession.
In the political affairs of the city and State, Dr. Arnold early in life took an active part. In 1839 he was elected to represent Chatham county in the Legislature, and distinguished himself by his fearless and able advocacy of all measures of local character. His entrance into political life was followed by many party triumphs. In 1842 he was elected to the Georgia Senate over General Francis S. Bartow, the candi- date of the Whig party, and in September of 1843 was elected by a large vote as mayor of the city, previously having served several terms as a member of the Board of Aldermen. He was again elevated to the office of the chief magistracy of the city in 1851, then in 1859 and again in 1863, and continued in the position until the close of the war, when the city having been evacuated by General Hardee, he was compelled to ask the protection of General Sherman, upon its occupation by him in De- cember 1864, and was permitted to remain undisturbed in possession of the office until the election of Colonel E. C. Anderson.
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THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
At the inception of the present system of public school education, Dr. Arnold became president of the Board of Education, and held the posi- tion until his death. His interest in the success of these schools was most earnest.
He was one of the original members of the Georgia Historical Society, and at the time of his death, and for many years previous, one of its cura- tors. At the dedication of the present hall in 1875, he delivered a most interesting address in which the history of the society and the efforts of its most prominent early patron was given.
In 1854 when Savannah was devastated by the worst yellow fever epidemic the city has ever experienced, Dr. Arnold was noted for his utter self-abnegation. He was unremitting in his attention to the sick and suffering, and brought safely through some of the severest cases of fever, and many of his patients yet live to remember with gratitude his kindness and zeal. He was an efficient member of the Savannah Benev . olent Association which was organized during those terrible days of 1854 and has maintained its organization ever since. Upon the organization of the Board of Water Commissioners some thirty years ago, Dr. Arnold was elected president and continued to hold the position through all successive city administrations up to the time of his death. He gave great attention to the subject of water supply and many of the improve- ments in the system are to be attributed to his sagacity.
In his intercourse with his professional brothers he was high- toned, honorable, generous, but no man looked upon anything having the slightest appearance of charlatanism or quackery with greater scorn and disgust than Dr. Arnold. His death though not unexpected, produced a profound sense of sorrow, and the spontaneous gathering of the whole community at his obsequies attested the appreciation in which he was held as the kind and skillful physician as well as the intelligent and faith- ful public citizen.
Dr. John D. Fish was born in Washington county, Ga , on Septem- ber 28, 1822. His literary and classical education was obtained at Mer- cer and Oglethorpe Universities in his native State and his medical edu- cation at the University of New York, where he graduated in 1845. The following year was spent at Bellevue Hospital New York. In 1846 he settled in Savannah. He was a member of the Georgia Medical Society,
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HISTORY OF SAVANNAH.
and filled all the offices within the gift of this organization. He pub- lished several articles on public health and delivered before the medical society an able address on the same subject. He was professor of obstet- rics in the Savannah Medical College and an active member of the Sa- vannah Benevolent Association. He died on February 12, 1879.
Dr. Cosmo P. Richardson was one of the most brilliant members of the Savannah medical profession for many years. He was born in Edin- burgh, Scotland, but his father was a native of South Carolina. At the . age of fifteen he came to Georgia and received his preparatory education under the direction of Rev. Carlisle C. P. Beman a well-known and re- markably successful teacher. He studied medicine in the office of Dr. W. C. Daniel of Savannah, and after completing a thorough medical course, commenced the practice of his profession in Savannah. He was far more than a successful practitioner-he was a generous-hearted, kindly man in whose life work was blended the exercise of the noblest Christian virtues. He died in 1852 and is survived by a widow, two daughters and a son.
Dr. William Gaston Bulloch was born in Savannah August 4, 1815, and was a grandson of Hon. Archibald Bulioch, Dr. John Irvine and Dr. Noble Wimberly Jones. Dr. Bulloch graduated at Yale College in 1835, and the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1838. His medical education was thereafter continued for nearly two years in Paris, France. He commenced the practice of his profession in Savannah in 1840, and for many years was one of the best known physicians and surgeons in Georgia, particularly excelling as an oculist. He was one of the founders of the Savannah Medical College, and for several years held the chair of surgery in that institution. In 1869 the Gynæcological So- ciety of Boston elected him a corresponding member. During the late civil war he served as a surgeon in Richmond, Va., as a member of the Charleston Medical examining board, and also had charge of the Brough- ton Street hospital in Savannah. He was a useful citizen of Savannah, and at one time was a member of the city council. He was a physician of decided ability, thoroughly devoted to his profession, and a gentleman of the highest moral worth. He died June 23, 1885.
Dr. Stephen N. Harris was born in Liberty county, Ga., in 1824. He was educated at Athens University, Georgia, and was a graduate of the
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Charleston Medical College in the class of 1840 or 1841. He commenced practice in Liberty county with his father, Dr. Raymond Harris, who for a short time was located in Savannah. In 1844 Dr. Harris moved to Savannah, and until his death, in 1854, when he died of yellow fever, he held a deservedly high position in the medical fraternity of the city. He was a member of the local and State medical associations, a practi- tioner of decided skill, and met his death while attempting to combat the ravages of the memorable epidemic of 1854.
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