USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, New Jersey, 1664-1920, Volume I > Part 28
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40
J. Kearny was born in Washington, D. C., in 1849, read law with Judge Strong and was admitted in 1876. From 1882-90 he was prose-
239
THE BENCH AND BAR
cutor, was made law judge in 1890 and United States District Attorney in 1896. Theodore B. Booraem was born in New Brunswick in 1861, read law with A. V. Schenck, was law judge from 1901 to 1909, and prosecutor from 1909-12. Adrian Lyon was born in Pluckamin in 1869, read law with James S. Wight, and was admitted to the bar in 1892. He was assemblyman 1899-1900, law judge 1909-1910, judge of District Court of Perth Amboy 1901-10. Since 1899 he has been president of the Perth Amboy Savings Institution, and for many years registrar of the Board of Proprietors of East Jersey. Robert Adrain, son of Gar- nett B. Adrain, was born in New Brunswick in 1853, read law with his father, and was admitted to the bar in 1876. He was prosecutor from 1890-1896, and appointed other years ad interim. He was Senator from 1889-94, and president 1891-93. John S. Voorhees was born in Somerset county in 1855, read law with his uncle, Frederick Voorhees, and admitted to the bar in 1879; he was prosecutor from 1896 to 1904. Peter F. Daly was born in New York, in 1867, and the family removed to New Brunswick in his boyhood. He read law with James H. Van Cleef, and was admitted to the bar in 1888. He was deputy surrogate from 1892-1902, and surrogate from 1902-12. He was appointed law judge in 1911, and reappointed in 1916. George S. Silzer was born in New Brunswick, in 1870, read law with Judge Rice, was admitted to the bar in 1892, was made prosecutor in 1912, and Circuit Court judge in 1914. He was Senator from 1907-13. His circuit consists of Passaic, Union, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties. William E. Florence was born in New Brunswick in 1865, read law with Judge Willard Voorhees, was admitted to the bar in 1887, was prosecutor from 1914-16, and Senator from 1917-1919. Joseph E. Stricker was born in Wittingau, Bohemia, in 1870, read law with Wallis, Bumsted & Edwards, attended the New York Law School, and was admitted to the bar in 1897. He was made assistant prosecutor in 1912, and appointed prosecutor in 1916.
Charles C. Hommann was born in Wisconsin, in 1851, read law with Charles Morgan, of South Amboy, and was admitted to the bar in 1880. He was corporation attorney of Perth Amboy for several years, and was appointed District Court judge for Perth Amboy in 1915, and reap- pointed in 1920. H. Brewster Willis was born in this county, and was admitted to the bar in 1881. He has been counsel to the Board of Free- holders, and for over thirty years county superintendent of the Board of Education. Ephraim Cutler was born in Woodbridge in 1854, gradu- ated from Rutgers College, read law with Andrew Dutcher and Magie & Cross, and was admitted to the bar in 1877. He was a member of the township committee from 1884-89, and for three years its chairman ; assemblyman 1888-89, counsel for several years of the township com- mittee, and president of the Board of Education. Frederick Weigel was born in New Brunswick, in 1859, read law with Senator Adrain, and
240
MIDDLESEX
was admitted to the bar in 1883. He has been corporation attorney for many years. James S. Wight was born in Warren county in 1859, read law with Bedle, Muirheid & McGee, and was admitted to the bar in 1883. He was city clerk and attorney for Perth Amboy for many years. His son, Andrew J., was born in Perth Amboy in 1886, studied with his father, and was admitted to the bar in 1907 ; he was an Assem- blyman in 1918. Joseph H. Thayer Martin was born in Woodbridge, graduated from Harvard University and its Law School, and was admitted to the bar in 1899. He is a partner of ex-Judge Guild, of Newark : he was an Assemblyman in 1904-1905, and is counsel for the Woodbridge Township Committee.
Freeman Woodbridge was born in Saratoga, New York, in 1866, read law with Judge Strong & Sons, and was admitted to the bar in 1892. He was appointed judge of the District Court of New Brunswick in 1911 and still holds that position. For many years he has been a member of the Board of Managers of the New Jersey Reformatory. Edward W. Hicks was born in New Brunswick in 1868, read law with John S. Voor- hees, and was admitted to the bar in 1890. He was an Assemblyman in 1894-5, and judge of the District Court of New Brunswick from 1901-II. Alfred S. March was born in New Brunswick in 1876, read law with Van Cleef, Daly & Woodbridge, and was admitted to the bar in 1900. In 1907 he formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, Judge Freeman Woodbridge, which continued until 1911, when the latter was made District Court judge. He has been a member of the Board of Aldermen, and in 1917 was appointed a member of the Public Utility Commissioners, from which he resigned last year. Schuyler C. Van Cleef was born in New Brunswick in 1873, read law with his father, Senator Van Cleef, and was admitted to the bar in 1900. Thomas Brown was born in England, in 1877, while his parents were sojourning in that country. He was brought to this country, and has always resided in this county. He graduated from the New York Law School in 1905, and was admitted to the bar in 1907. He was elected Senator in 1918 by a plurality of 1,378 over James A. Edgar. Last year he served on the committees on highways, municipal corporations, riparian rights, taxation, New Jersey Reformatory, Soldiers' Home, Epileptic Village, and Industrial School for Colored Youths.
Frederick W. De Voe was born at Old Bridge, in 1889, attended the New York Law School, and was admitted to the bar in 1915. He resides at Milltown, with an office in New Brunswick. He was elected to the Assembly 1918-19. C. Raymond Lyons was born in New Bruns- wick in 1894, graduated from Fordham University in 1916, and was admitted to the bar 1917 ; he was elected to the Assembly in 1919.
A number of eminent jurists have presided in the Middlesex Circuit, and none more so than Judge Vredenbergh, of Freehold, of
241
THE BENCH AND BAR
whom it was said that his charge to the jury in criminal cases was more dreaded by the counsel for the defense than the arguments of their opponents. An amusing story is told of one of our circuit judges in the old days, who was very arbitrary in his rulings, and often aroused the ire of the lawyers. Upon one occasion a counselor, being much exas- perated by the judge's course, suddenly seized his books and papers, strode wrathfully toward the door and had just reached it, when the judge loudly exclaimed: "Stop, sir!" The counselor obeyed, and His Honor continued : "Are you trying to show your contempt for this court ?" Sweeping him a low bow, the lawyer replied : "Oh, no, sir ; I am only trying to conceal it."
Mid-16
CHAPTER XXIII. THE MEDICAL FRATERNITY.
As the smoke of the battle is disappearing and the echoes of the terrible World War are dying out, men are looking backward, reviewing the past and drawing helpful lessons for a better and more prosperous future. We are taking great pride in the part America played in the war and we are not ashamed of the record the medical profession played. We are conscious of the fact that New Jersey and Middlesex County were not slack in making full contributions to the vast amount of sacrifice of time, money and life that resulted in the achievement of victory. But we take no superficial view by confining our thought and investigation to the recent past as we estimate the valor of our troops and the devotion and efficiency of our surgeons and set high estimates on their bravery and their persistency. It is not a matter of mere coin- cidence that as we are contemplating and drawing lessons from the recent war, that following that war so closely our minds have been occupied, stirred and thrilled by the contemplation of the Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers on our shores three hundred years ago. As we have thought of their heroic deeds and sacrifices that demonstrated the nobility of their characters and their sublime and persistent devotion to truth and righteousness, we are led irresistibly to that wider, fuller, more comprehensive view that takes in the three centuries of the past and to give proper consideration to the influences of bygone generations that have given to the American manhood of today the stamp of char- acter that has made possible noble living and great achievements. The Pilgrim Fathers laid the foundation for America's greatness. We feel justified in taking a very brief portion of the allotted small space to query whether the medical profession does not owe much to one member of that noble band, as will further appear.
Dr. Charles Howard Bangs, in the "Boston Medical and Surgi- cal Journal" of December, 1920, gives an interesting account of Samuel . Fuller, the Pilgrims' Doctor-the first doctor in the Colonies of whom we have any record-who came with the Pilgrims in the Mayflower. Dr. Bangs says : "He ministered not only to the Pilgrims and the natives, but was also called upon to render medical assistance among the Puri- tans as well. At the call of humanity, wherever his services were needed, he performed the duties of his profession from Cape Cod to Cape Ann, serving from 1620 until his death in 1633. * * He earned the title of First Resident Physician of New England, ministering to the spiritual as well as the bodily needs of all the colonists, endearing himself to all by his professional ability and by his upright life. Governor Endicott of the Massachusetts Bay Colony wrote to Governor Bradford highly
244
MIDDLESEX
commending Dr. Fuller for the great services he had rendered. He was a man of decided usefulness in the business affairs of the Colony ; was the eighth signer of the Mayflower Compact. He was an ideal physician." We have digressed from our subject to cite his life and work because the early physicians of Middlesex County-like Mckean, Cochran, Bloom- field, Scott and others had much of his character and devotion to duty.
No attempt will be made to give a lengthy detailed account of the conditions existing in East Jersey in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Quacks abounded in the Colonies and Middlesex County had its full share of them.
Dr. Shrady, in his "History of the College of Physicians and Sur- geons, of New York City," refers to barbers as surgeons in New York -then New Amsterdam-says that in February, 1652: "On the petition of the Chirurgeons of New Amsterdam, none but they be allowed to shave, the Director General and Council understanding that shaving doth not appertain exclusively to Chirurgery, but is an appendix there- unto; that no man can be prevented operating upon himself, nor to do another this friendly act provided it be through courtesy, and not for gain, which is hereby forbidden." It was added, "Ship Barbers shall not be allowed to dress wounds nor administer any potions on shore without the previous knowledge and special consent of the Petitioners, or at least of Johannes La Montagne." Dr. Shrady refers that those petitioners were Hans Kierstede, Jacob H. Verrevanger and Jacob L'Oragne-the only surgeons then known to be in New Amsterdam. It is an interesting fact Dr. Shrady records-that a descendant of Hans Kierstede, Christopher Kierstede, graduated from the Albany Medical College in 1846, practiced in New York and vicinity over half a century and died at his home in Jersey City, N. J., January 23, 1903, aged 81 years.
Whitehead in his contributions to the "History of Amboy," cites the following: "Charles Gordon of Woodbridge, writing to his brother, Dr. John Gordon, March 7, 1685, after describing the salubrity of the climate, said : 'If you design to come hither yourself, you may come as a planter, or as a merchant, or as a doctor of medicine. I cannot advise you, as I can hear of no diseases here to cure, but some agues, and some cutted fingers and legs, but there are no want of empiricks for these already abound. I confess that you could do more than any yet in America, being versed in Chirurgery and Pharmacie, for here are abun- dance of herbs, shrubs and trees and no doubt medicinell ones for making drugs, but there is no Imployment this way.'" Yet there is definite rec- ord of the prevalence of malarial fevers, smallpox, venereal disease, yellow fever and epidemics of "Throat Distemper," at different times from 1638 to 1736.
Again, in the "New York Gazette," January 18, 1732, it is stated "The smallpox spreads very much in this Province and in New Jersey,
245
THE MEDICAL FRATERNITY
also at Amboy, New Brunswick and Thereaway. Many have been inoculated and not one of them have died, but have had the distemper very easy." That was true of smallpox a little later when Dr. John Cochran, one of the most eminent physicians of New Brunswick, rented a house there-three miles from the center of the town-in which during the winter and spring of 1774-5 he inoculated 400 persons, without a death occurring. Kaim in 1748 and Winterbottom in 1796 say that women constituted the greater number that administered medicine. Smith, in his "History of New York," says: "Few physicians are eminent for their skill. Quacks abound like the locusts of Egypt. * * The pro- fession is under no kind of regulation."
Doubtless an advance in medicine in New Jersey occurred during the French and English War, 1758-1766. Dr. Toner's "Medical Progress" says: "The war gave, perhaps the first material improvement to the condition of medicine in America. The English army was accompanied by a highly respectable medical staff, most of whom landed in New York and continued for some years in the neighboring territory, afford- ing to many young Americans opportunity of attending military hospi- tals and receiving professional instruction." That was the case in New Jersey and notably in Middlesex County. The Port of Perth Amboy was one of the best in the country and that city was one of the favorite gathering places of medical men, as Dr. John Lawrence, referred to elsewhere, used to say, that his residence in Amboy in those early days "was the happiest part of his life, for the reason that the officers of the Crown, resident there, formed a social circle superior to that of New York or Philadelphia." New Brunswick had a reputation somewhat similar. especially during the years 1774-79 when the Barracks built there housed may hundreds of the English troops. The earliest physicians in Middlesex county of whom our records speak were :
I. Henry Greenland, of New Brunswick, was the first physician in Middlesex County of which there is any reliable record. He lived in Newbury, Massachusetts, in 1662 and in Kittery from 1665-1672. He had a good education and was an able physician, but passionate and being a Royalist he became involved in many quarrels with the Puritans, which caused him to leave the Province and he came to East Jersey about 1675 and settled at "The River," as New Brunswick was then called. He practiced here to a very limited extent; kept a tavern on or about the site of the R. W. Johnson residence on the east bank of the Rari- tan ; he was the captain of the Piscataway military company organized for protection against the Indians.
2. John Johnstone was born in Edinburgh in 1661; came to this country about 1685; first practiced in New York; removed to Perth Amboy in 1706. In 1709-10 he was a member of the Provincial Assembly of New Jersey. Soon after he returned to New York and served as Mayor of the city from 1714-1718; but he returned to Amboy and thereafter re- sided there. He represented Middlesex County in the General Assembly of the Province thirteen years, during ten of which he held the office of
2.46
MIDDLESEX
Speaker. He was one of the Commissioners appointed to settle the boundary line between New York and New Jersey. He died September 7, 1732. The Philadelphia Weekly Mercury in an obituary notice of him said that "he died very much lamented by all who knew him, and to the unexpressible loss of the poor who were always his particular care." He was a very skilled physician and a man of estimable character and abounding charity.
3. Lewis Johnstone, a son of John, was born in 1704; he adopted his father's profession ; went to Leyden, Holland, for his medical educa- tion ; returned to this country and practiced medicine in Perth Amboy. He was "a physician of highest reputation by all who knew him. He held a high place in the respect and confidence of his associates in the profession." He died November 22, 1773 ; left a very large estate. He had immense tracts of land in New Jersey.
4. George Lockhart, of whom there is little known. He was a resident of Woodbridge ; a "practitioner of physic," in 1689. Dr. Wickes in his History of Medicine says that in 1683, he then being in England "the Proprietaries mention him as possessing, according to his own statement, a considerable plantation in the Province, and 'desirous of having the Marshall's place,' he offering in case they would grant him the commission and a lot of ten acres in 'Perthtown,' to build them a prison and town house." There is no record of the commission.
5. Adam Hay was a resident of Woodbridge as early as 1737, of whom little is known. In 1739 he was one of the vestrymen of St. Peter's Episcopal Church at Perth Amboy. His will-Adam Hay "Doctor of Physick" of Woodbridge, was dated November 12, 1739.
6. William Farquhar, moved from New York to New Brunswick, where he is known to have resided before 1740, for about ten years. He then returned to New York. He married here a daughter of Thomas Farmer, who was one of the Provincial Justices of the Supreme Court and who represented Middlesex in the General Assembly from 1740-43. After the death of his wife, Dr. Farquhar married a daughter of Gov- ernor Colden of New York.
7. John Van Beuren is known to have lived in New Brunswick as early as 1741 as in that year it is on record that Philip French leased to "John Van Beuren of the said city-Chirurgeon," some property.
8. Hezekiah Stites of Cranbury, and-
9. Robert Mckean, of Perth Amboy, biographical notes of both will appear later.
10. Henry Dongan, was a Surgeon's Mate ; he had charge of 300 or 400 of the English Troops, quartered in the Barracks that were built in New Brunswick in 1758. When the troops left New Brunswick, he remained and practiced medicine. In his advertisement announcing his practice he stated that he had had thirteen years practice in the army. He joined the Medical Society of New Jersey, May 10, 1774.
II. Alexander Ross, practiced medicine in New Brunswick, he was originally from Scotland ; later from the Island of Jamaica. He resided at "Ross Hall" on the east bank of the Raritan; probably actively engaged in his profession, as he had at least one student who subse- quently practiced in that city, Dr. C. A. Howard, referred to later, who subsequent to Dr. Ross' death married his widow, who was a daughter of Thomas Farmer, one of New Brunswick's most prominent justices and Assembly representatives.
247
THE MEDICAL FRATERNITY
12. Nehemiah Ludlum was one of the earliest physicians in Cran- bury. He graduated in Princeton in 1762. In 1768 he joined the Medi- cal Society of New Jersey, but died on October 28 of that year. The inscription on his tomb says he was 29 years of age at death.
13. John Griffith of Rahway, and-
14. Thomas Wiggins of Princeton, referred to later-Rahway and Princeton were then in Middlesex County.
These men, and doubtless others of whom we have no record were able, conscientious devoted practitioners, most of whom had lofty con- ceptions of their profession's future possibilities in the service of human- ity that led them to consider how they could best unite the profession and thereby become better qualified to practice their high and holy calling. Thomas F. Gordon, in his "Gazetteer and History of New Jer- sey," published in 1834 says: "No portion of the history of this great country is more filled with cause for grateful exaltation than the State of New Jersey-none can boast greater purity in its organization-none more wisdom, more happiness in its growth." That is true, and when the medical part of that history is considered, there is abundant cause to be proud of the contribution that the members of the medical pro- fession within the bounds of Middlesex County made in initiating and establishing a State-wide organization of the medical profession thereby making possible the development and wonderful growth of the science and art of medicine, as other States have followed New Jersey's example until all the States and territories have now their organizations, and has led in these later years and made vast progress in the development of that great branch of its activities which is the profession's glory-Preventive Medicine-which has for its object the eradication of all preventable disease-the profession sacrificing its material interests in the blessing of humanity.
The organization of the Medical Society of New Jersey was con- ceived by the physicians of Middlesex County-Drs. Kean, Cochran and Bloomfield-who enlisting a dozen others in that and the adjoining counties issued the call for the memorable meeting at New Brunswick on July 23, 1766. That call was inserted in the "New York Mercury" and was as follows :
A certain number of practitioners of physic and surgery in East New Jersey, having agreed to form a Society for their mutual improvement, the advancement of the profession and promotion of the public good, and desirous of extending as much as possible the usefulness of their scheme, and cultivating the utmost harmony and friendship with their brethren, hereby request and invite every gentleman of the profession in the Province, that may approve of their design, to attend their first meeting, which will be held at Mr. Duff's, in the City of New Bruns- wick, on Wednesday, the 23d of July, at which time and place the Con- stitution and Regulations of the Society are to be settled and subscribed. East New Jersey, June 27, 1766.
2.48
MIDDLESEX
Seventeen practitioners, mainly of Middlesex, Somerset and what is now Union counties, met on the appointed day and adopted "Instru- ments of Association and Constitutions of the New Jersey Medical Society," which was a model document showing the need of such united association and the methods of securing efficiency for attaining its three- fold object-Mutual Improvement, Advancement of the Profession, Promotion of the Public Good. This document was signed by : Bern Budd, John Griffith, John Cochran, James Gilliland, Thomas Wiggins, Robt. McKean, Chris. Manlove, Moses Bloomfield, Wm. Burnet, Law- rence V. Derveer, Isaac Harris, Joseph Sackett, Jr., Jona. Dayton, Wil- liam Adams.
On the same day the Society elected Dr. Robert Mckean president ; Chris. Manlove, secretary, and John Cochran, treasurer-the first and last named were Middlesex county physicians. In addition to the 14 above signers appear as present Drs. Pezant, Blatchley and Camp.
Then began the history of one of the greatest events that has occurred in Middlesex county or in the State of New Jersey. It is impossible to rehearse even briefly the record of that Society, the results of its work on the State and Nation. To do so would require the tracing of all the influ- ence that has flowed from that one day's meeting if we would know all. All that the Society enabled its originators and those who came after them to do, or the better to do, in saving human life and in relieving the sufferings of men never can be fully estimated. The facts that should be stated are: (1) That the Society's records show that the last one of the three objects for which it was created-The Public Good- has been its chief concern and that the other two objects have been largely contributory thereto; (2) That the Middlesex County Society's members have contributed their full share in its work and have been honored with official positions in its management to an unusual degree, serving in office as follows :
President-Robert Mckean, 1766; John Cochran, 1768; Thomas Wig- gins,1 1774 ; Hezekiah Stites, 1775 ; John Beatty,1 1782 ; Moses Bloomfield, 1785 ; Moses Scott, 1789; John Griffith, 1790; Lewis Dunham, 1791, 1816; Isaac Harris, 1792; Lewis Morgan,2 1809; Charles Smith, ISHI; John Van Cleve, 1815, 1818; Augustus R. Taylor, 1822, 1830; E. F. R. Smith, 1832; J. T. B. Skillman, 1847; Ezra M. Hunt, 1864; Henry R. Baldwin, 1878; David C. English, 1897.
Vice-President-Enoch Wilson, 1816; Jacob Dunham, 1826; George McLean,1 1839; Ezra M. Hunt, 1861-63; Henry R. Baldwin, 1875-77; D. C. English, 1894-96.
Corresponding Secretary-William Van Deursen, 1822-26; Aug. R. Taylor, 1844-5.
Recording Secretary-John Van Cleve,1 1820-23; William Van Deur- sen, 1827.
Treasurer-Ephraim F. R. Smith, 1818-30; Henry R. Baldwin, 1865- 1873.
249
THE MEDICAL FRATERNITY
Standing Committee-Chairmen-Aug. R. Taylor, 1824, 1827; Charles Smith, 1826, 1834; William Van Deursen, 1830; J. T. B. Skillman, 1842; D. C. English, 1891-93. Three years, all three members of it were Middlesex men; and members from that county have served on it for more than 134 years of its existence ; it was instituted at the May 9, 1820, meeting.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.