History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 4

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 896

USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II > Part 4

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" Dr. Church was always a judicious, but rather a timid, practitioner of medi- cine. His judgment in relation to diseases was discriminating and very correct, Int he never administered his remedies with so bold and unsparing a hand as many of his professional brethren. In his manners he was affable and polite, but modest and retiring. He never sought business, but was ready to attend to calls whenever they were made."

He was plain in his dress and manners, and was considered a good and correct writer, though he published very few of the productions of his brain. A volume of his medical notes was lost with his son and the steamer "Lexington," on Long Island Sound, in January, 1840. He was a poetical writer of more than ordinary ability, and Dr. Williams states that he left three manuscript volumes of poems of more than average merit. He had a great vein of humor and a most ready wit,

as the following anecdote, related by his biographer, fully verifies :

" Dr. Hunt, of Northampton, who kept a drug-store, and of whom Dr. Church procured his medicine, was also a man of unbounded humor. He ouce called upon Dr. Church for the settlement of a bill in the following words:

"' DR. CHURCH : Dear Sir,-I am in want of a fat hog; please send it, or- " 'EBENEZER IlUNT.'

" Dr. Church replied as follows :

"'DR. IFUNT: Dear Sir,-I have no fat hog; and if I had-

"'SAMUEL CHURCH.'"

DR. SAMUEL PRENTISS .- A prominent physician and sur- geon, who resided for a number of years in Franklin County, was Dr. Samuel Prentiss, the father of Hon. Samuel Prentiss, United States Senator from Vermont. Dr. Prentiss was born in Stonington, New London Co., Conn., in 1759. Ilis father was Col. Samuel Prentiss, who was a soldier, and rose to the rank of colonel, in the Revolutionary army. Dr. Prentiss re- ceived a good academical education, and studied medicine with Dr. Philip Turner, of Norwich, Conn., one of the most eminent American surgeons of his day. The young man entered the army, and acted for some time as military waiter for his father ; subsequently, after studying his profession, he entered the service as assistant surgeon, and acquired a great amount of practical knowledge of his profession.

After the war he married a daughter of Capt. Holmes, of Stonington, Conn., and soon after removed to Worcester, Mass., where he resided several years.

About 1786 he removed to Northfield, Mass., and during the continuance of the notorious Shays rebellion was a zeal- ous and active supporter of the State government. His prac- tice as a surgeon while living at Northfield was very exten- sive, and his ride extended into all the western counties of Massachusetts and the adjacent parts of New Hampshire and Vermont. This was largely due to the fact that he was almost the only operating surgeon then in this region.

Dr. Prentiss was admitted a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society in 1810, at which time he was a resident of Bernardston. This membership continued until the time of his death, which occurred at Northfield, in the year 1818, when he was fifty-nine years of age. Four sons survived him, three of whom rose to eminence at the Bar in the States of Vermont and New York and in the then Territory of Wis- consin.

DR. PARDON HAYNES .- This gentleman was born in New London, Conn., Feb. 2, 1762. When he was fifteen years old his father removed to Hoosac. During the Revolutionary war he served a short enlistment in the American army.

Ile studied medicine with an elder brother, and commenced practice in Hebron, Washington Co., N. Y. ; but, not feeling satisfied with his situation, he soon removed to the town of Rowe, Franklin Co., Mass. In that town he lived and prac- ticed for a period of forty-five years, building up a most excellent reputation and accumulating a competence. He possessed a robust constitution, and had that quality of de- termination which invariably wins in the business of life.

The region around Rowe was at the time he settled rough and wild, and his experience was in keeping with the condi- tion of the country. His traveling was mostly on horseback, and his perils and escapes by night and by day were something wonderful to men of the present day. Sometimes, when the snows covered the earth to a great depth, he was compelled to make his visits on the Indian " raquette," or snow-shoe, and the regular recompense was one New England shilling per mile.

In those days bridges were scarce over the larger streams, and the doctor was often obliged to ford the Deerfield River on horseback at the imminent peril of his life and that of his horse.

He was more particularly distinguished as a practitioner of mid wifery, in which department he was probably unexcelled in the region. lle was regular in his habits and always punc-

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HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

tual to his appointments. He was prominent in other diree- tions as well as in the practice of medicine. Under commis- sions issued by Governors John Hancock and Samuel Adams he commanded a military company in Rowe when the position was a most honorable one, and won the then proud distinction from Gen. Mattoon of having the best-disciplined company in his regiment. Dr. Haynes died on the 29th of December, 1833, at the age of seventy-one years. He was a member of the Unitarian Church.

DR. JOSEPH ALLEN was born on Long Island in 1764. His parents removed to Hardwick, Mass., when he was two years of age, where they remained until their son grew to manhood. He studied medicine with Dr. Wm. Kittredge, of Conway, in this county, who was considered in his day a very eminent sur- geon. Dr. Allen commenced practice in the town of Coleraine, and continued for about one year, when he removed to Buek- land, where he remained in practice until his death, in 1823, at the age of fifty-nine years. He built up a very extensive business and accumulated a respectable property. He was in feeble health for many years previous to his death, being troubled with dyspeptie complaints ; but by a rigid system of dieting and a careful husbanding of his resources he bore up under his difficulties, and performed a great amount of pro- fessional labor in a rough and hilly country. lle was a mem- ber of the Massachusetts Medical Association from 1812 to 1818, and was greatly esteemed by the profession.

DR. JOHN LEE .- This accomplished gentleman, who died too early for the good of his profession, was born in the classic town of Amherst, Hampshire Co., Mass., about the year 1786. Of his early years very little is now known, except the fact that until his twentieth year he devoted himself almost wholly to the pursuit of agriculture, for which he had an especial fondness. While engaged in that labor he was attacked by hemorrhage of the lungs, which threatened to terminate in pulmonary consumption, to which he was hereditarily dis- posed. Ilis physicians advised a removal to the sea-board, where he rapidly recovered his health, and soon returned to Hampshire County. Not long after, he entered the office of Dr. William Stoddard Williams, at Deerfield, Franklin Co., along with Drs. Saxton and Stephen W. Williams, where he gave himself wholly to the study of his chosen profession, and after due course established himself in practice in the town of Ashfield, Franklin Co. Ilis business increased, and he had every prospeet before him of a most useful career ; but in the midst of his duties, while actively engaged in trying to stay the ravages of a dreaded disease which had broken out in this region, he was himself taken down, and died within a few days, in the month of April, 1813, when only twenty-seven years of age. lle was greatly respected by his professional brethren and the community generally, and had he lived would no doubt have been an honor to his profession, which he pursued with an ardor which nothing but the conquering hand of death could daunt.

AMOS TAYLOR,-Among the eminent medieal men who have adorned and honored the profession in the Connecticut Valley was Dr. Amos Taylor, who was born in the town of Chester, Hampden Co., Mass., Oet. 21, 1785. He studied medicine and surgery with Dr. Elihu Dwight, of South Had- ley, and attended the medieal department of Yale College in 1813 and 1814. lle married, in 1815, Polly Day, of South Hadley, and soon after settled in the town of Northfield, Franklin Co., where he practiced about one year, when he removed to Warwiek, in the same county, where he soon established a reputation and an extensive and successful, though not very remunerative, practice.

In 1820 he was commissioned surgeon of the 3d Infantry Regiment, in the 2d Brigade and 4th Division of Massachu- setts Militia, which position he held with distinguished ability until 1830, when, at his own request, he was honorably dis- charged from military service. Hle was for many years a repu-

table and active member of the Massachusetts Medieal Society, and held the eivil office of town elerk in Warwick for a long period. lle was also a prominent member of the school com- mittee, and always took an active part in the interests of edu- ention.

His standing among his professional brethren was excellent, and among all classes be maintained the reputation of a thorough and able physician, and an upright and valuable citizen.

DR. JOHN LONG came from Worcester County to Shel- burne Centre about 1776. Hle had served as a surgeon in the American army for a short time previous to his settlement in Western Massachusetts. He practiced his profession from that time until his death, which occurred about 1807, and bore a good reputation, both as a physician and eitizen.

DR. SILAS LONG, son of the foregoing, studied with his father, and practiced at the centre for a number of years. lle also practiced for a considerable time in Greenfield. His whole term of practice in Franklin County probably extended over a period of forty years. About 1840 he removed to Illinois, where he recently died at the advanced age of about ninety years.

DR. ROBERT BURNS SEVERANCE was a student with Dr. John Long, whose daughter he married ; and he also prac- tired at Shelburne Centre for a considerable time. Ile died about the year 1831.

DR. EBENEZER CHILDS was another resident physician at the eentre, in Shelburne, where he practiced for a number of years previous to his death, which occurred about 1813.

DR. EBENEZER CHILDS, JR., son of the last mentioned, studied with his father, and practiced in Shelburne from about 1813 to 1834. He subsequently removed to Western New York, where he resided for several years, when he went to North Carolina and lived with a son until his death, a num- ber of years ago.

DR. GEORGE BULL was born at the centre, in Shelburne, about 1796. He was educated at Williams College, studied medicine with Dr. Robert B. Severanec, and practiced for many years at the centre, and a number of years at Shelburne Falls. He is now (April, 1879) living in the eastern part of Shelburne, at the age of eighty-three years.

For notice of Dr. Charles M. Dunean, see biography in another connection.

DR. CHARLES EARL SEVERANCE was born in the town of Leyden, Franklin Co., Mass., in 1833. In 1851 he entered Yale College for the purpose of taking the regular course of instruction ; but, his eyesight becoming seriously impaired, he was obliged to discontinue his studies, and subsequently trav- eled extensively in the Southern States of the Union for the improvement of his general health, continuing there for a period of nearly two years.

In consequence of the troubles in Kansas and the great po- litieal excitement of the time, in many portions of the South a stranger was looked upon as an intruder, and, very possibly, an emissary sent by some fanatical idea of human rights to stir up the blacks against the superior race ; and he came very near experiencing the vengeance of a mob of two hundred en- raged people who had gathered at Tuscaloosa, Ala., with tar, feathers, and other materials to teach him a lesson in political jurisprudence. His departure from the locality saved them the trouble.

Returning, he entered upon the study of medicine, and grad- uated, in 1857-58, from the College of Physicians and Sur- geons, and the New York Medical College, in New York City. Soon after his graduation he visited Europe, spending a year in London and Paris. On his return, in 1859, he was appointed house physician at the Demilt Dispensary, 23d Street, New York City, and visiting surgeon at the Eastern Dispensary. In 1860 he was elected to the position of house physician and surgeon at the Seaman's Retreat Hospital,

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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.

New York, where he remained until 1862, with the exception of three months spent in the army as surgeon of the 73d New York Volunteers.

The atmosphere and the arduous duties of his position prov- ing very unfavorable to his health, he removed, in 1862, to the more healthful location of Shelburne Falls, Mass., where he has since remained, and where he has a good country practice and an excellent reputation.

Dr. Severance was united in marriage, in 1862, with Mary Ellen, daughter of Dr. Milo Wilson, of Shelburne Falls, who died in 1872. In 1875 he married for his second wife Evelyn M., daughter of Franklin Sawyer, of Brattleboro', Vt., a prominent and successful merchant of that thriving town.

He has had two children,-a son and daughter. The son, Earl Clarendon, an exceedingly promising boy, was drowned in the Deerfield River when thirteen years of age, an event which has cast a deep gloom over the family. llis daughter, Martha Helen, is now ten years of age.

Dr. Severance has been a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society since 1871, and is a member of the Franklin District Medical Society. He was also, while residing in New York, a member of the Richmond County Medical Society. The doctor is something of a scientifie investigator, particu- larly in the department of mineralogy, and has a beautiful and well-chosen cabinet, mostly gathered in the vicinity of Shelburne Falls, which locality is peculiarly rich in minerals.

DR. FRANCIS J. CANEDY is a native of Halifax, Windham Co., Vt., where he was born on the 9th of July, 1846. He studied medicine with Dr. Severance, of Greenfield, Mass., and graduated at the medical department of the Michigan University, at Ann Arbor, in 1870. Ile commenced the practice of his profession in Whitingham, Vt., where he re- mained nearly two years, when he removed to Greenfield, Mass., to take the place of Dr. Severance, who had removed to Rochester, N. Y .; but the return of Dr. Severance to Greenfield made a change necessary, and he settled in his present location, Shelburne Falls, where he has a very respect- able and inercasing practice and a good reputation. Ile is a member of the Franklin District Medical Society. Dr. Canedy married, in 1871, Emma, daughter of Jacob Chase, a farmer of Whitingham, Vt. His practice ineludes both medicine and surgery, and he enjoys the confidence of his older pro- fessional brethren.

DR. PARLEY BARTON was born in Oxford, Mass., March 6, 1770. He studied medicine with Dr. Greene, of Oxford, and also at Rutland, Vt. He commenced the practice of medicine and surgery at North Orange village about 1802, and contin- ued in the same place until about 1845, when he withdrew from active business. His practice was extensive, and he bore an excellent reputation. He was a member of the Massachu- setts Medical Society. His death occurred July 12, 1852.

Dr. Barton was twice married. llis first wife was Lucy Sibley, of Ward (now Auburn), Worcester Co., Mass., who died about 1802, leaving one son, Parley Barton, Jr., who studied for a physician, but eventually gave his attention through life to the profession of teaching. He was a distin- guished mathematician. Dr. Barton's second wife was the widow of John Goddard, of Killingly, Conn., whom he mar- ried about 1803, and by whom he had eight children,-tive sons and three daughters. The sons were Edward, John G., Wm. Henry Harrison, Napóleon B., and James Madison, the latter of whom died in infancy.

DR. EDWARD BARTON was born Feb. 5, 1806; studied med- icine with his father, and graduated at the Vermont Medical College, Woodstock, in 1831. Ile had previously attended and graduated at the Berkshire Medical Institution. He began practice at Sullivan, N. H., in June, 1831, and continued there three years, when he removed to North Orange village, Mass., where he resided and followed his profession until 1838, when he removed to South Orange (now Orange), where he has

since resided. Ilis practice extends to both medicine and sur- gery, though in the latter there is, of course, not an exten- sive practice in country towns. Ile has been a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society since 1840.

Dr. Barton married, in 1833, Harriet N. Wilson, of Sulli- van, N. H., by whom he has had three daughters,-Josephine Hortense, born July 29, 1835, married Rev. William D. Iler- rick, now of Gardner, Mass. ; another, who was born in Feb- ruary, 1841, and died in infancy ; and Frances Harriet, born Jan. 10, 1853, died June 3, 1877.

DR. JOHN G. BARTON, brother of Edward, was born in 1812. He studied with his older brother, and graduated at the Vermont Medical College in 1850. He practiced in Wen- dell and Erving, Franklin Co., and died at the latter place in September, 1852. He married Martha White, of Erving.

DR. NAPOLEON B. BARTON was born in 1820. He also studied with his brother Edward, and graduated at the Ver- mont Medical College at the same time as his brother John G. Ile commenced practice at West Swanzey, N. H., but lived only a short time, his death occurring in December, 1851. He married Miranda S. Briggs, and left no children.

DR. WILLIAM BROOKS practiced for some years previous to 1837 in Orange, but we have not been able to learn any- thing of his place or date of birth, or what part of the country he probably came from to Orange, though an aged lady, Mrs. Trim, thinks he married in Conway. Hle boarded for some time with Capt. Putnam, father of the present proprietor of the Putnam House at Orange, who also kept a public-house. lle had the reputation of a very good physician and surgeon, and is believed to have attended regular medical lectures pre- vious to commencing practice, and may have been a graduate. He died suddenly of canker rash, about 1837, when at the probable age of fifty years. Ile left one son and two daugh- ters. Those who recollect him describe him as a man of social habits and fond of jokes and frolics.

DR. ROBERT ANDREWS was a native of Sangerfield, Oneida Co., N. Y., where he was born in June, 1802. llis father, Robert S. Andrews, was an early settler of that region, to which he emigrated from New Salem, Franklin Co., Mass. His mother died when he was five years old, and he lived for three years succeeding that event with his maternal grand- parents. At the age of eight years he was sent to live with his grandparents on his father's side, at New Salem, Mass. Strange as it may seem, his relatives treated him with great severity during the six years in which he remained with them. At the age of fourteen years he had a guardian appointed,-an uncle,-and with him he for the first time saw the inside of a school-house and church. Here he remained only one year. At the age of eighteen he had acquired sufficient knowledge of books to teach a district school.

He studied medicine with Dr. William Brooks, and grad- uated at Dartmouth Medical College in 1831, with the degree of M.D. His medical practice commenced in 1831, at New Salem, in connection with Dr. Brooks, with whom he con- tinued until his death, about 1837. lle removed to Orange about 1849, and remained about one year, returning to New Salem, where he continued until 1859, when he once more located in Orange and continued until his death, which took place April 13, 1869, in his sixty-seventh year.

He was a reputable practitioner of both medicine and sur- gery, and had an extensive practice. Ile was a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society for many years, and also filled prominent civil positions. Was a member of the House of Representatives in the State Legislature for two or three terms, and a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1853.

Dr. Andrews was twice married. His first wife was Orra Merriam, of New Salem ; his second was Mary Angelia, a sister of his first; both daughters of Benjamin Merriam, a prominent farmer of New Salem. He left three children, all

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HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

sous,-E. Darwin ; Robert Foster, now in practice as a physi- cian nt Gardner; and Warren Brooks, now in the drug busi- ness at Orange. Dr. Andrews was of a jovial, social temper- ament, noted for good-nature and love of fun and frolic.

DR. JOSIAH 11. GODDARD was born in Orange, Franklin Co., Mass., in 1830. llis father, who bore the same name, was a farmer of that town. Dr. Goddard studied under Pro- fessors Albert Smith, of Peterboro', N. H., and Willard Parker, of New York City. Ile graduated at Amherst Col- lege in 1856. In 1857-58 he was engaged in teaching in the State of Illinois, from which he subsequently returned and entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons, of New York City, where he graduated in March, 1861. Hle began the practice of medicine at Huntington, Hampshire Co., Mass., in July, 1861, and continued for about fifteen years, estab- lishing an excellent reputation, though the arduous labor of a country physician among the hills was a severe strain upon his constitution. In the autumn of 1875 he removed to Orange, where he has since continued, and where his practice is largely confined to the thriving manufacturing village which has grown up at that point. Dr. Goddard is a member of the Massachusetts Medieal Society. He married, in 1857, E Jennie Corey, daughter of Charles Corey, of Dublin, N. H. His practice includes both medicine and surgery.

DR. LUCIUS COOK commenced practice in Wendell, Frank- lin Co., about 1840. He is believed to have been from Am- herst, Hampshire Co., and was considered eminent both as a physician and surgeon. Some years after his settlement at Wendell he removed to Miller's Falls, where he continued to reside until his death, about 1858, at the probable age of fifty- five to sixty years. He left no children. He is remembered as a stoutly-built and very corpulent man. He was something of a pettifogger in the law, and held the office of justice of the peace for several years.

DR. WILLIAM HAMILTON was the son of Capt. Robert Hamilton, an officer of the American army in the Revolution. lle was born in Conway, Franklin Co., Mass., in 1772. It is said that in consequence of lameness in early life he devoted his time to books. Ile read medicine in the office of Dr. Cut- ler, of Amherst, a fellow of the Massachusetts Medical Society, and later with Dr. William Kittredge, who then resided in Conway. He commenced practice in his native town, and con- tinued there until his death, which occurred in 1810, when he was thirty-eight years of age. He was a popular physician and citizen, fond of study, and a man of careful reflection. He educated several students, most of whom became respect- able and successful practitioners. In the affairs of civil life he was very popular among his fellow-townsmen, and commanded their confidence through life. On one occasion, during the excitement upon the President's embargo in 1808, he prevented by his influence a serious and probably bloody riot among the people. Ilis memory is held in affectionate remembrance.

DR. ELI S. WING was born in the town of Harwich, Barn- stable Co., Mass., in 1758. Tradition says that he was a great lover of books in his young days, and had a great aversion to manual labor, and, in consequence of what would probably in those days been deemed his worthlessness, his father, who was in comfortable circumstances, left him no portion of his estate. But, notwithstanding his father's unjust treatment, he man- aged, by his own industry, to obtain a good education, and was for many years engaged in teaching school. It was not until the unusual age of thirty years that he began the study of medicine with Dr. Samuel Ware, of Conway, Franklin Co., Mass. He was an industrious and ambitious scholar, and carried his love of reading through his whole life. In his later years he accumulated a very respectable library, mostly of medical works. He also studied the French language late in life. Ilis reputation among the profession was good. He was admitted to the Medical Society of Massachusetts in 1816, and continued until his death, in 1823, at the age of sixty-five

years. Dr. Wing practiced for many years, in the town of Leyden probably, as Dr. S. W. Williams, in his medical biography, speaks of him as belonging to that town.

DR. CHARLES BOWKER was born in Savoy, Berkshire Co., Mass., Sept. 16, 1824. lle studied medicine with Dr. A. M. Bowker, of that town, since dead, and graduated at the Berk- shire Medical College, Pittsfield, Mass., in November, 1854. Ilis medical practice has been one year in Plainfield, Mass., four years in Savoy, four in Wilbraham, and fourteen in Bernardston. He was also engaged for one year in the mili- tary hospital at Alexandria, Va. Dr. Bowker is at present secretary of the Franklin District Medical Society. His repu- tation as a medical man and citizen is excellent, and he has a very comfortable practice in and around Bernardston.

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History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 4

Author: L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts Number of Pages: 896

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 896