USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men > Part 128
USA > New Jersey > Union County > History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men > Part 128
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5 Amended Ang. 14, 1872.
6 Subsequently amended.
Lewie Dunham .* 7
Charles Smith .*
William Van Denrseo .*
John Van Cleve .*
Nathaniel Manning .*
Jacob Dunham .*
Josiah B. Andrewe.t
Enoch Wilson .*
Ralph P. Lott .*
C. M. Slack.
A. S. Titeworth.+
David Stephens.+
Samuel St. John Smith .*
Solomon Andrews .*
A. P. Knapen .*
Lewis A. IIall.t
John Helm .*
James Clark .*
D. C. English.
Garrit P. Voorhees .*
D. C. Van Deureen.t
Benjamin E. Tomlinson .*
S. V. D. Clark.
F. R. Smith .*
F. F. Corson.t
Lewis Drnke .*
D Brainerd IInnt.t
11. D. B. Lefferty .*
George J. Janeway.
George M. Maclean.+
Ruch Van Dyke.
Ellie B. Freeman .*
Heury T. Pierce.t
Theodore Hardenbergh.t
Nicholas Williamson.
Samuel Abernethy .*
Samuel P. Herned.
John H Van Deurseo .*
Thomas T. Delivan.
A. D. Newell .*
W. E. Mattison.
Clifford Morrogh .*
George E. Blackham.t
Charles Il. Voorhees .*
J. H. Crawford.t
Augustus F. Taylor.
J. I. Marrley.t
Charles Dunham, Jr .*
C. H Andrews.
John C. Thompson.t
William V. Wilson.
Henry M. Stone .*
F. B. Norton.
James W. Leighton .*
P. A. Shannon.
Henry K. Baldwin.
William W. Hubbard.
George W. Britton .*
John G. Wilson.
Joseph Stennett Martin.t
Roland H. Stubbs.t
George Il. Sears.t
Clifford M. Stelle.
L. T. Baker .*
C. MeKnight Salith .*
OFFICERS .- The following have been officers of the society since its organization in 1816:
Presidents .- Charles Smith, 1816; Matthias Free- man, 1817; Nathaniel Manning, 1818; Jacob Dun- ham, 1819; William Van Denrsen, 1820; Josiah B. Andrews, 1821 ; Charles Smith, 1822; Jacob Dunham, 1825;8 Charles Smith, 1826-28; Jacob Dunham, 1829; Lewis A. Hall, 1830; J. T. B. Skillman, 1831 ; James Clark, 1834;9 F. R. Smith, 1835; Charles Smith, 1836 -37; Lewis Drake, 1838-39;10 F. R. Smith, pro tem., 1840; Samuel Abernethy, 1841 ; Ellis B. Freeman, 1842; John H. Van Deursen, 1843; A. D. Newell, 1844-45;11 Ellis B. Freeman, 1846.
* From the above last date until 1857 the society was discontinued. The record of its reorganization ap- pears in the minutes, as follows :
SOCIETY REORGANIZED .- " New Brunswick, Jan. 21, 1857. A meeting of Physicians of Middlesex Connty having been called for the purpose of organ- izing a Medical Society, Dr. Augustus F. Taylor was appointed Chairman, and Dr. Henry R. Baldwin Sec- retary. It was then unanimously
7 * Deceased : + Removed ; Į Witbdrawn.
8 No meeting recorded between 1822 and 1825.
9 No record between 1831 and 1834.
10 No meeting held in 1839.
11 No meeting, 1845.
Samuel E. Freeman.t
Ambrose Fregernowan. George W. Stout.
F. S. Barbarin.
N. Kæmmerer.
J. W. Meeker.t
C. E. Woodward.t
John J. De Motte.t
Matthias Freeman .*
John A. Pool .*
J. T. B. Skillnian .*
George G. Clark.
Ezra M. Ilunt.
James B Wainright.
524
HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.
"' Resolved, That we physicians of Middlesex County do hereby organ- ize the District Medical Society of this county, and adopt its constitu- tion and by-laws.'
" It was then moved and seconded that Drs. Leigh- ton, Janeway, Dunham, and Morrogh be appointed delegates to attend the meeting of the State Medical Society, and that the delegates and officers proceed to Trenton on Tuesday, the 27th inst. (Signed) HENRY R. BALDWIN, Sec."
The following is added :
" The delegates were cordially received by the State Medieal Society, and the District Medical Soei- ety received in good standing."
Presidents since the Reorganization .- Since the re- organization of the society the following have held the office of president :
Augustus F. Taylor, 1857 ; Clifford Morrogh, 1858 -59; J. T. B. Skillman, 1860; H. M. Stone, 1861; Henry R. Baldwin, 1862-64; Ezra M. Hunt, 1865; A. Fregernowan, 1866; Charles Dunham, Jr., 1867 ; Charles H. Voorhees, 1869; S. St. John Smith, 1870; A. Fregernowan, 1871; D. C. English, 1872; Rush Van Dyke, 1873; C. M. Slack, 1874; W. E. Mattison, 1875; Nicholas Williamson, 1876; T. T. Devan, 1877 ; P. A. Shannon, 1878; C. H. Andrews, 1879; J. W. Rice, 1880.
Secretaries .- The secretaries of the society from the first have been John Van Cleve, 1816; William Van Deursen, 1817-36; Jacob T. B. Skillman, 1836-46. Since the reorganization, Henry R. Baldwin, 1857 ; Charles Dunham, Jr., 1858; L. F. Baker, 1859; J. S. Martin, 1860; S. E. Freeman, 1861-64; George W. Stout, 1865; J. W. Meeker, 1866-68; David Ste- phens, 1868-74; Rush Van Dyke, 1874-76; W. E. Mattison, 1876-80; George G. Clark, 1880-82.
Treasurers. - Jacob Dunham, 1816-18; William Van Deursen, 1818; Nathaniel Manning, 1819-25; John A. Pool, 1825-38; Garret P. Voorhees, 1838; John A. Pool, 1839; Ellis B. Freeman, 1840-44; F. R. Smith, 1844-46; Henry M. Stone, 1857-60; J. C. Thompson, 1860; Joseph S. Martin, 1861-66; F. S. Barbarin, 1866-68; Charles Dunham, Jr., 1868-75; T. T. Devan, 1875; D. C. English, 1876-82.
DELEGATES TO THE STATE SOCIETY .- The fol- lowing persons have been delegates from the District Medical Society of Middlesex County to the Medical Society of the State of New Jersey :
Joseph B. Andrews, Charles Smith, William Van Deursen, John Van Cleve, 1819-20; Matthias Free- man, Nathaniel Manning, Joseph B. Andrews, 1821- 22; Joseph Dunham, John A. Pool, 1823; William Van Deursen, 1824; John A. Pool, Jacob Dunham, 1825; Joseph B. Andrews, Matthias Freeman, Wil- liam Van Deursen, 1826; Joseph B. Andrews, Wil- liam Van Deursen, Lewis A. Ilall, 1827; Joseph B. Andrews, Lewis A. Hall, 1828-29; William Van Deursen, J. T. B. Skillman, Solomon Andrews, J. A. Pool, 1830; Charles Smith, J. T. B. Skillman, L. A. Hall, William Van Deursen, 1831; Garret P.
Voorhees, James Clark, 1832-33; William Van Deursen, George MeLean, James Clark, J. T. B. Skillman, 1834-35; Garret P. Voorhees, J. T. B. Skillman, 1836; Lewis Drake, Garret P. Voorhees, Ellis B. Freeman, William Forman, 1837; Lewis Drake, Garret P. Voorhees, H. D. B. Lefferty, S. Abernethy, 1838; Samuel Abernethy, Lewis Drake, Garret P. Voorhees, H. D. B. Lefferty, 1839; Samuel Abernethy, Ellis B. Freeman, Theodore Harden- burgh, J. T. B. Skillman, 1840-41 ; Ellis B. Freeman, Samuel Abernethy, John H. Van Deursen, J. T. B. Skillman, 1842; Ellis B. Freeman, A. D. Newell, J. H. Van Deursen, J. T. B. Skillman, 1843; A. D. Newell, Samuel Abernethy, Ellis B. Freeman, J. H. Van Deursen, 1844-46.
From this date no delegates attended the State So- ciety from the District Society of Middlesex till the annual meeting in January, 1857, when G. J. Jane- way. C. Morrogh, Henry R. Baldwin, and C. Dun- ham were the delegates. From this time the District Society was represented as follows: C. Morrogh, J. C. Thompson, H. M. Stone, J. S. Martin, 1858 ; Clif- ford Morrogh, Ezra M. Hunt, S. St. John Smith, 1859-60; J. S. Martin, E. B. Freeman, S. St. John Smith, A. Fregernowan (alternates, Henry R. Bald- win, H. M. Stone, L. F. Baker, Clifford Morrogh), 1862; A. Fregernowan, J. C. Thompson, Henry M. Stone, S. E. Freeman (alternates, Clifford Morrogh, Henry R. Baldwin, Charles Dunham, Jr., Ezra M. Hunt), 1863; A. Fregernowan, C. MeKnight Smith, R. I. Benmagin, J. S. Martin (alternates, Ellis B. Freeman, Henry M. Stone, J. C. Thompson, G. W. Stout), 1866 ; 1 Charles Dunham, Jr., C. McKnight Smith, A. Fregernowan, 1867; S. St. John Smith, J. J. De Motte, C. H. Voorhees, 1868; J. W. Meeker, John Helm, A. P. Knapen, 1869; D. C. English, D. B. Hunt, S. V. D. Clark, D. C. Van Deursen, 1870; R. Van Dyke, C. Morrogh, J. W. Meeker, H. T. Pierce, 1871; R. Van Dyke, Ezra M. Hunt, C. H. Voorhees, C. Morrogh, J. W. Meeker, Charles Dun- ham, Jr., 1872; C. H. Voorhees, R. Van Dyke, D. C. English, J. W. Meeker, A. Fregernowan, 1873-74; William V. Wilson, C. H. Voorhees, - Holmes, R. Vandyke, 1875; G. J. Janeway, C. H. Voorhees, N. Williamson, C. M. Slack, 1876; T. L. Janeway, C. H. Voorhees, H. B. Garner, D. C. English, N. Wil- liamson, 1877 ; C. H. Voorhees. T. L. Janeway, James B. Wainwright, George G. Clark, D. C. English, 1878; George G. Clark, D. C. English, C. H. Voor- hees, C. H. Andrews, W. E. Mattison, 1879; C. H. Andrews, John Helm, D. C. English, Clifford M. Stelle, C. H. Voorhees, 1880; Clifford Morrogh, D. C. English, -- Rice, W. V. Wilson, J. B. Wainwright, 1881.
Drs. Rush, Van Dyke, and P. A. Shannon, dele- gates to the American Medical Association held at Philadelphia, June 6, 1876; N. Williamson and C. H.
1 No delegates appear to have been appointed from 1863 to 1866.
Burs. Thompson m &
525
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
Voorhees, 1878 ; Clifford Morrogh and John Helm, 1881.
The annual meetings of the Medical Society of New Jersey, with but one or two exceptions, were held at New Brunswick until 1852. In that city the society was first organized in 1766; here it was re- organized after its suspension in 1807, and again re- organized nnder a new charter in 1816; and in this city also, in the chapel of Rutgers College, was held the centennial or one hundredth anniversary of the society in 1866. In 1852 the annual meetings of the society were removed to Trenton, where they have since been held.
LICENSES GRANTED BY THE NEW JERSEY MEDICAL SOCIETY TO RESIDENTS OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY FROM 1816
TO 1842.
John A. Pool, Nov. 13, 1816. James A. Scott, Dec. 20, 1816. George Vau Nest, June 11, 1817.
George O. Trenchard, 1818-19. Hugh Kirkpatrick, 1818-19. Samuel R. Smalley, 1818-19. Henry S. Harris, 1818-19. William R. Griffith, 1825-26. Garret Voorhees, Jan. 4, 1827. Elias Joseph Marsh, 1827-28. Solomon Andrews, 1827-28. James Clark, May 12, 1828. Lewis Drake, May 12, 1828. Jacob P. Thoruton, June 10, 1829. Charles C. Blauvelt, July 7, 1829. llenry Vandervere, Aug. 19, 1829. Samuel C. Thornton, Dec. 17, 1829. Richard Marsh, Jr , Dec. 17, 1829. Samuel L. Howell, June 24, 1830. J. J. Dunn, July 1, 1830.
George M. McLean.
Benj. C. Tomlinson, Nov. 20, 1830. Benj. P. Howell, June 14, 1831.
Selah Ghulick (diploma), May 14, 1833.
Ellis B. Freeman (license), Sept. 24, 1833.
Fred. W. Buckelew (license), Sept. 24, 1833.
Andrew Todd (license), June 18, 1834.
Theodore Ilardenburgh (license), June 18, 1834.
Jonathan C. McChesney (license), June 8, 1835. Nelson Stelle, Sept. 3, 1835.
Isaac B. Hutchinson, June 8, 1835. John N. Woodhull, Sept. 27, 1836. John H. Denrsen, 1840.
Azarialı D. Newell, 1840.
Since 1816 the following physicians of this county have been officers in the Medical Society of New Jersey :
Presidents .- Lewis Dunham, 1816-17 ; John Van Cleve, 1818-19; Augustus R. Taylor, 1822; Augustus R. Taylor, 1831 ; J. T. B. Skillman, 1848.
Vice-Presidents .- Enoch Wilson, 1816; John Van Cleve, 1817; Augustus R. Taylor, 1821-22; Joseph Dunham, 1825-26; George McLean, 1839; J. T. B. Skillman, 1845-47 ; Augustus F. Taylor, 1847-48; C. C. Blauvelt, 1854-56.
Treasurers .- Ephraim F. Smith, 1818-30.
Corresponding Secretaries .- William Van Deursen, 1822-26; Augustus F. Taylor, 1844-45.
Recording Seereturies .- John Van Cleve, 1820-23; William Van Deursen, 1827.
CHARLES H. VOORHEES, physician, New Bruns- For some time after settling in New Brunswick Dr. Clifford T. Morrogh found difficulties almost in- wick, N. J., descended from immigrants to America from Holland in 1670, a grandson of David Voorhees, ; surmountable, but some fortunate and skillful opera- a soldier in the Continental army, and a son of Ira C. Voorhees, was born in New Brunswick, Aug. 3, 1824; graduated from Rutgers College Grammar School, entered the Jefferson Medical College, and from that institution received his degree of M.D. in the spring of 1850. In the same year he established himself as a practitioner in New Brunswick.
He is a member of the Middlesex County Medical
Society ; was president of that organization in 1870. Since 1858 he has been frequently its representative (with others) in the conventions of the New Jersey State Medical Society ; from the State Society he has been a delegate to the State Societies of Vermont and Pennsylvania, and to the American Medical Associa- tion.
He is a member of the New Jersey Microscopic Society, New Brunswick Society, New Jersey Sani- tary Association, American Association for the Ad- vancement of Science, American Medical Association, and Board of Health of the city of New Brunswick. He was county physician of Middlesex County for sixteen years, and served as surgeon of volunteers in the Union army from Feb. 1, 1862, to 1865.
Dr. Voorhees has assisted Dr. Wickes in the " Medi- cal History of the State," gathering and compiling the materials in Middlesex County, and we are in- debted to him for valuable aid in the preparation of the present chapter.
CLIFFORD T. MORROGH, M.D., was born in the city of Cork, Ireland, on July 31, 1821, and was con- sequently in his sixty-first year of age at the time of his decease, March 13, 1882. His father's family was an old, well-known family of Cork, and his mother, a Miss Plowden, came from one of those English fam- ilies that had continued loyal through good and bad fortune, and through all the changes of State religion, to the Roman Catholic Church. The family, con- sisting of father, mother, and ten children, came to this country in 1834. Two sons entered the medical profession, one became a distinguished lawyer in New York, another a jurist of note in Louisiana, the youngest, ordained a priest in Rome, was for many years pastor of a prominent church in New York City, whilst one died quite young. The eldest sister married John L. Burtell, of New York ; the second, Cavaliere Sussarells, of Genoa ; and two others suc- cessively married Gen. Avezzana, who took a very prominent part in all the wars for the unification of Italy. Dr. Morrogh entered the Medical School of the University of the City of New York, whence he graduated March 6, 1847, and came to New Bruns- wick the same year. His brother, Dr. Archibald Morrogh, came with him, and also achieved consider- able reputation, afterwards went to the West Indies, but after some years returned to New York, where he died.
tions gave him a reputation, and after that his prog- ress was rapid and steady until he stood among the first in the State of New Jersey among physicians, and as a surgeou his reputation extended far beyond it. The same year of Dr. Morrogh's settlement in New Brunswick, Dr. A. F. Taylor being the township physician of Franklin, it became necessary to ampu- tate a leg from each of two colored people in the
34
526
HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.
town's charge, and Dr. Taylor called Dr. Morrogh to perform the operation. They made use of chloroform for the first time in this section of the State, and the operations were successful. A year or two afterwards he performed an operation for stone in the bladder upon a lad twelve years old. This operation, always difficult and dangerous, was the first one in the city, and was skillfully executed. He afterwards performed the operation thirty-two different times. He once performed a very difficult removal of a carious bone from the ankle-joint, the first time it had been at- tempted in this country, with a number of original and important modifications, yet it was not till some years after, when Dr. John Carnochan had received great praise for a successful operation of that kind without the ingenious modifications, that Dr. Mor- rogh was persuaded to make public the fact that he had previously done the same thing. With all his skill, Dr. Morrogh was so modest as never to take any steps to extend his reputation, nor would he often prepare for medical publication papers describing his operations.
As a physician he excelled in diagnosis, and would never give up a case until he thoroughly understood it, and rarely made a mistake. During the war he was summoned by Director Simpson after all the great battles on the Peninsula, at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, etc., to assist the gov- ernment in treating the wounded.
A part of the doctor's great success was doubtless owing to his ingennity and fertility of resource in difficulty, which was well illustrated upon an occa- sion where he saved a woman from bleeding to death by an instrument which he devised and made on the spot from a stair-rod and the handle of a whisk- broom. In the sick-room he was like a ray of sun- shine. There seemed to be healing in his very pres- ence. The eye that had been dnll and the face that had been languid would brighten at his approach. There was something about him that inspired im- plicit confidence, for, while full of life and wit, he was never undignified. He did not rely upon long words or professional utterance to inspire one with an idea of his importance, but his very simplicity conveyed the idea of power, and it was only neces- sary to mention his name among the surgeons of repute in New York to find in what estimation he was held by them. Careless of his own personal comforts, to his social surroundings he was singu- larly particular, his house, his offices, his vehicles, and all ministering to his recreation; his yachts and boats were models in their way and witnesses to his taste, to his ingenuity, and to his skill. In fact he never undertook anything the details of which he did not first master, and he possessed the faculty, peculiar to the few, of seeming himself to be instructed while he was imparting knowledge.
Dr. Morrogh never sought any public offices. IIe at one time took great interest in the Young Men's
Catholic Association, and made the society a mu- nificent donation. He was a member of the Mid- dlesex County and New Jersey State Medical Socie- ties, and the week before his decease was elected a delegate to the United States Medical Association, which is to meet in May, 1882, in St. Paul, Minn. He was a director of the old State Bank, and was one of the founders of the New Brunswick Savings-Bank, in which he always took a great interest, and of which lie was at the time of his death vice-president, and had been since the death of Sheriff Voorhees, acting president.
It was through the doctor's influence that the lots on which St. Peter's Church now stands were pur- chased. He drew the plans on which the church was built (which included a height for the steeple of one hundred and ninety feet from the sidewalk to com- plete the design), was appointed treasurer, and issued bonds to the amount of $60,000, which he succeeded in placing; and in great part by his exertions, when he went to Europe in 1868 but a few thousand dol- lars were outstanding. He was largely instrumental in securing for the church the chime of bells, which cost $4000, contributing liberally himself, and in- ducing many of his Protestant friends to contribute liberally also. He also took much interest in St. Peter's Hospital, and gave the Sisters $3000 for it; but the city did not as yet need such an institution, and it was discontinued.
Dr. Morrogh was twice married. Of his father's large family he outlived all but an elder brother, a lawyer in New York.
Following Dr. Morrogh's decease the board of man- agers of the New Brunswick Savings Institution held a meeting, March 15, 1882; the New Jersey State Microscopical Society held a meeting at Rutgers Col- lege, March 20, 1882; and the District Medical So- ciety for the County of Middlesex held a meeting, March 15, 1882, and passed resolutions fitting the great loss they had sustained in the death of their associate and counselor.
Bishop O'Farrell, on the occasion of his funeral, said " that his acquaintance with Dr. Morrogh had been but brief, but from his knowledge of him he had looked forward with great hope that he would be a very great helper to the church in New Brunswick, by the nobility of his character in its example to the young, by the generosity of his soul and that sim- plicity of faith which is so admirable in a man of such superior intellectual abilities. Nowhere is such simple faith more admirable than in a man of that profession, whose intimate knowledge of the wonders of the physical frame often blinds them to the won- ders of the sont and those higher mysteries which are revealed to us by the same God who created these wonderful physical frames. When, after taking charge of this diocese, I spoke of opening a house for young children in this city, the first response I had came from Dr. Morrogh, and I had looked to him to
527
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
be almost a father to those orphans, and those little helpless children would have had one who would feel as deep an interest in them as a father in his children, and whose skill and scientific knowledge would have been of great service to them."
STEPHEN M. DISBROW, M.D .- Mr. Disbrow is the great-grandson of John Disbrow, a hero of the Revo- lution, whose son, Nicholas Morgan, married Mary, daughter of Judge Cornelius P. Vanderhoef. Among their children was Andrew J., the father of the sub- ject of this biographical sketch, who married Miss Margaret R. Searle, of Philadelphia, Pa., and had five children. One of this number was Stephen M., whose birth occurred Nov. 30, 1846, at Old Bridge, where his life until the age of seventeen was passed. During this period he improved the opportunities for educa- tion afforded at the public school, and also performed some labor upon the farm of his father. He then en- listed as a soldier in the Thirty-seventh Regiment New Jersey Volunteers for one hundred days, and served in the trenches in front of Petersburg. At the close of this period of service, and on his return, he became a student at the New Jersey Scientific and Classical Institute at Hightstown, N. J., where he pursued a course in civil engineering. At the close of his studies he returned to his home, and while oc- cupied with the superintendence of the farm engaged in practical surveying, having been appointed deputy surveyor of East New Jersey, which position he still holds.
Dr. Disbrow determined in 1873 to adopt medicine as a profession, and began his studies with Dr. J. C. Thompson, of South River, N. J. He graduated from the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York City, in February, 1877, and during his term of study had charge of the almshouse, penitentiary, lunatic asylum, and smallpox hospital of Hudson County, N. J., under the direction of Dr. Stout, then county physician.
He in 1877 chose Old Bridge as a desirable point of settlement, and there began the practice of his pro- fession, where he has since remained. He speedily, by close application, acquired an extended field of labor, and now enjoys both a large and successful practice. The doctor is engaged in business aside from his profession, being the owner of a general mer- chandise store at Old Bridge, and largely interested in the culture of cranberries at Deep Run. He also holds the position of township physician for East Brunswick and Madison.
Dr. Disbrow is in politics a pronounced Republi- can, though more devoted to his profession than to politics ; he holds the appointment of notary public and also of commissioner of deeds.
The doctor was on the 26th of February, 1880, united in marriage to Miss Anna Estelle, danghter of Capt. William Rogers, of Old Bridge.
JOHN C. THOMPSON, M.D .- The father of Dr. Thompson was Pierson Thompson, a native of Mon-
mouth County, N. J. In early life he married Miss Eleanor Campbell, of Freehold, N. J., and settled near Englishtown, where he carried on the business of chairmaking until his death in 1851, Mrs. Thomp- son having died in 1842. They left four children, two sons and two daughters. Their eldest son, John C., was born Sept. 27, 1828, and spent his early years with his parents, where he followed the usnal routine of labor and study. He meanwhile acquired a knowl- edge of civil engineering, and was commissioned deputy surveyor to T. W. Brinley, Esq., then surveyor- general, and for years performed the duties pertaining to that position.
In the mean time, an opportunity for studying med- icine having been kindly offered him by Dr. Daniel D. Polhemus, of Englishtown, he entered his office as a student in the spring of 1850, and remained under his instruction for six years, graduating in March, 1856, at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York. In May of the same year he established him- self at South River, and on the 3d of April, 1858, married Miss Julia L., daughter of Thomas McDowell, of that village. Their only child, Ira Van Giesen, who was born June 19, 1859, died Aug. 6, 1862, his death having immediately followed that of his mother, which occurred on the 1st of the same month. In May, 1865, the doctor married Mary M., daughter of D. P. Merrick, of Rahway.
Politically, Dr. Thompson is a Democrat, though he feels little interest in party struggles and is never a participant in those contests. He has for many years been a member of the Middlesex County Medi- cal Society, and has attained an enviable rank in his profession, his reputation being extended rather than local. Since his first settlement in South River his professional skill has been greatly in demand, and his practice now reaches far beyond the confines of his own county. This is due no less to a thorough knowl- edge of the science of which he is an exponent than to untiring devotion to the interests of the commu- nity in which he resides. The doctor has no chil- dren.
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