The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 43

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards
Number of Pages: 1220

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CHARLES W. SARTORI was born in Tren- ton, N. J., September 6, 1806. His father, John Baptiste Sartori, a native of Rome, Italy, came to the United States in 1791. He returned to Rome as United States con- sul from 1795 to 1800, when he came back to the United States as consul for the Papal States. Dr. Sartori's mother was Henrietta, daughter of Chevalier De Woopoin, a French officer, who acquired large estates in San Domingo, but was killed in the negro iu- surrection in that island. Dr. Sartori was educated at Georgetown, D. C. He studied medicine and graduated at the Jefferson Medical College in 1829. Commencing the practice of medicine in Port Republic, At- lantic County, he remained there until 1839, when he removed to Tuckerton, Burlington County, and practiced there until 1843. Be- tween this date and 1849 he was again in At- lantic County, at Pleasant Mills, Atsion,

Batsto, and in the latter year located at Black- wood, Camden County, where he stayed only a short time, removing from thence to Cam- den. He never practiced medicine in Cam- den, although it was his residence until his death, on October 4, 1875. On May 10, 1861, he was appointed acting assistant sur- geon in the United States Navy, and was assigned to the United States steamer "Flag," his brother, Louis C. Sartori, now commodore on the retired list United States Navy, being commander of that vessel. In 1863 he was transferred to the United States steamer " Wyalusing," from which vessel he resigned July 19, 1864. In 1833 Dr. Sartori married Ann L., widow of Captain Robert D. Giberson, of Port Republic. He was never a member of either of the Medical Societies in Camden County.

JOHN VOORHEES SCHENCK belonged to an old East Jersey family, who have had a number of representatives in the medical profession. He was the son of Dr. Ferdi- nand S. and Leah Voorhees Schenck, and was born in Somerset County, N. J., Novem- ber 17, 1824. The elder Dr. Schenck represented his district in Congress for four years, and between 1845 and 1851 he was one of the judges of the Court of Errors and Appeals. Dr. John V. Schenck received his academical education at Rutgers College, from which he obtained his diploma in 1844. Then he attended medical lectures at the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 1847. At first he assisted his father in his practice in his native place, but soon re- moved to Monmouth County, where he re- mained but a short time. In 1848 he located in Camden and gradually secured probably the most extensive practice, especially in obstetrics, of any physician who ever prac- ticed there. He was the eleventh member admitted (1848) to the Camden County Med- ical Society, and became its secretary and treasurer in 1856, and its president in 1859. He was one of the organizers of the Camden

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A HISTORY OF MEDICINE AND MEDICAL MEN.

City Medical Society, and a corporator of the Camden City Dispensary, and was secretary of the former from its commencement until 1859. He was also a member of the New Jersey State Medical Society and its presi- dent in 1876. His health becoming impaired by overwork, he visited Europe for a few months. Returning somewhat benefited, he resumed the practice of medicine. He died July 25, 1882, while on a short sojourn at Atlantic City. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. Dr. Schenck married Martha McLeod, daughter of Henry McKeen, of Philadelphia. He left a widow and two daughters, one of whom is the wife of Major Franklin C. Woolman, of Camden.

Dr. Peter Voorhees Schenck was a younger brother of Dr. J. V. Sehenck and was born May 23, 1838. He was a student at Princeton College, but retired in conse- quence of impaired health. Upon his recov- ery he matriculated in medicine at the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in 1860. He began the practice of his profession in West Philadelphia, but upon the breaking out of the Civil War, in 1861, he entered the regular army and served until the close of the war, when he resigned. In 1867 he joined his brother in Camden and was admitted a member of both of the medical societies. In the succeeding year he removed to St. Louis, Mo., and en- gaged in the practice of medicine. He was at one time the health officer of St. Lonis and physician-in-chief of the female depart- ment of the City Hospital. He married Ruth Anna, daughter of John and Ruth Anna McCune, of St. Louis. He died March 12, 1885, leaving a widow and four children.

THOMAS F. CULLEN was one of the few members of the Camden County Medical So- ciety who passed an examination before its board of censors, receiving his license June 18, 1850. He was elected a member of the society in the following December. He was the son of Captain Thomas Cullen, of the

Philadelphia merchant marine, and was born in that city September 3, 1822. He received his scholastic education in Mount Holly, N. J., to which place his parents had removed. Dr. Cullen studied medicine with Dr. Heber Chase, a surgeon of Philadelphia, aud gradu- ated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1844. His first field of practice was in New- ark, Delaware, but in 1849 he removed to Camden. Here his great natural abilities and careful training brought him prominently forward, especially as a surgeon, in which branch of the profession he became so skilled and successful that for the first time in its history Camden became independent of its neighbor across the Delaware for the per- formance of a capital surgical operation. He was an active member of the medical socie- ties, serving as president of the city and county societies, and of the State society in 1869. While a member of the former two, no com- mittee was complete without him. He was one of the corporators of the Camden Dis- pensary and Cooper Hospital. Of the former, he was two years its president, and a director of the latter until his death. He died No- vember 21, 1877. He left no issue.

JACOB GRIGG is of English descent. His grandfather, Rev. Jacob Grigg, was a Baptist missionary, sent from England to Sierra Leone, Africa, but his health failing, he sailed for America. His son, Dr. John R. Grigg, the father of Dr. Jacob Grigg, practiced med- icine at White Marsh, Pennsylvania, where the latter was born, June 23, 1821. He read medicine with his father, and received his diploma from the University of Pennsylva- nia in 1843. In the same year he married Mary, daughter of John Bruner, of Mont- gomery County, in that State, in the mean- while practicing medicine in conjunction with his father. In 1844 Dr. Jacob Grigg removed to Bucks County, and from thence, in 1849, to Blackwood, in Camden County, New Jer- sey. On June 18, 1849, the board of censors of the Camden County Medical Society re-

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

ported that Dr. Grigg had passed a successful examination and had received a license to practice in the State. At the semi-annual meeting of the society, held December 19th of that year, he was elected a member. He was burned out in 1852 and removed to Pennsylvania, at which time his name was dropped from the roll of the society. Re- turning in a few months to Camden County, he remained until 1857, when he left this county and settled in the adjoining one of Burlington. His present residence is Mt. Holly.

ROBERT M. SMALLWOOD belonged to an old Gloucester County family. He was the son of John C. and Mary Smallwood, of Woodbury, and was born August 20, 1827. Adopting the profession of medicine, he en- tered the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 1849. He at once located in Chews Landing and continued in practice there for two years. He joined the Camden County Medical Society June 19, 1849. In the year 1851 he entered the United States Navy, and in 1852 was assigned to duty upon the ship " Levant" and sailed for the Mediterra- nean. While upon this cruise his health failed him, and returning home, he died of phthisis, February 8, 1856. He married Mrs. Mary A. F. Gest in 1850, and had four children.

JOHN I. JESSUP .- At a meeting of the Camden County Medical Society held at Camden, June 19, 1849, the society adjourned for a few hours to give the "board of censors an opportunity to examine candidates for a license to practice medicine in the State." At half-past two o'clock Dr. Isaac S. Mulford, president of the board, reported that after a satisfactory examination they had granted licenses to "Dr. Theodore H. Varick, of Hudson County ; Dr. John I. Jessup, of At- lantic County ; and Dr. John W. Snowden, of Camden County." At the semi-annual meeting, held on December 18th, of this year, Dr. Jessup was elected a member of the

society. He was a grandson of Josiah Albert- son, who kept the old hotel in Blue Anchor from 1812 nntil the Camden and Atlantic Railroad was built, in 1852.

Dr. Jessup graduated at the Jefferson Med- ical College in 1848, and seems to have prac- ticed for a short time in Camden County. Soon after joining its society he removed to Somers Point, in Atlantic County. In 1852 he became prostrated by phthisis, which caused him to return to Blue Anchor, where he soon afterwards died.1

SYLVESTER BIRDSELL'S parentage was of Pennsylvania origin. His father, James Birdsell, married Mary Pyle, both of Ches- ter County, in that State. Their son Syl- vester was, however, born in Baltimore, Md., August 21, 1824. He was. of a studious turn of mind, and taught school while at- tending medical lectures at the Jefferson Medical College, from which he graduated in 1848. Dr. Birdsell commenced the prac- tice of medicine at Point Pleasant, Bucks County, Pa. In 1850 he moved to what was then known as South Camden, N. J., where he opened a drug store and began practicing medicine. In the same year he joined the County Medical Society, becoming its presi- dent in 1858. He was one of the organizers of the city society. His knowledge and ability secured for him a professorship in the "Woman's Medical College " of Philadel- phia, a position he held for some time. Dr. Birdsell married Jane B. Laird, whose death preceded by several years his own, which oc- curred May 29, 1883. He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery. He left two dangh- ters and one son, Rudolph W. Birdsell, who for a long time has been connected with the Camden Fire Insurance Association.

WILLIAM G. THOMAS was born in Phila- delphia, January 16, 1826. He was the son. of Stephen and Sallie Thomas. He com- menced the study of medicine in Columbia,

1 Somers' " Medical History of Atlantic County."

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A HISTORY OF MEDICINE AND MEDICAL MEN.

Lancaster County, Pa., under Dr. Filbert, of that place, and attended medical lectures at the Pennsylvania Medical College, in Phila- delphia, from which he graduated in 1854. Although the Inw did not then require it, he passed an examination before the board of censors of the New Jersey State Medical Society, at Trenton, on May 14, 1854, and then began the practice of medicine in Cam- den. He became a member of the Camden County Medical Society in 1857. He had joined the city society upon his location in Camden and had taken an active interest in its proceedings. Dr. Thomas died of dysen- tery August 17, 1838. He had a hard strug- gle during his short professional career in Camden and after his death the city society paid his funeral expenses. He married, February 7, 1854, Margaret Cramsie, of Phil- adelphin, and left one child.

The three following physicians all practiced in Blackwood, but none of them were ever connected with either the Camden County or City Medical Societies. DR. WILLIAM HOLMES located there between 1845 and 1847. Although he is said to have graduated at the University of Pennsylvania, his name is not in the list of graduates of that institution. He removed to Greenwich, N. J. DR. F. RIDGELEY GRAHAM was a physician in the same town between 1850 and 1858. He was a native of Chillicothe, ()., where he began the study of medicine, completing his education at the Jefferson Medical College, from which he graduated in 1850. He removed to Ches- ter, Pa. The third one was DR. ALEX- ANDER J. MCKELWAY, son of Dr. John MeKelway, of Trenton, N. J., who was born in Scotland December 6. 1813. He graduat- ed at the Jefferson Medical College in 1834. Between the years 1858 and 1861 he pursued his profession in Blackwood. On September 14th of the latter year he entered the volun- teer service as surgeon of the Eighth New Jersey Regiment and continued with it until April 7, 1864, when he resigned. He died

at Williamstown, Gloucester County, N. J., November 8, 1885.

Within the same decade DR. JESSE S. ZANE SELLERS, son of Jesse and Rebecca Sellers, of Philadelphia, opened an office in Camden. He had received his medical education at the University of Pennsylvania, from which institution he graduated in 1852. He be- came a member of the Camden City Medical Society in September, 1854, and faithfully served through the cholera epidemic of that antumn. Soon afterward he removed to Minnesota and engaged in mining. He lived only a few years after his removal to the West.

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE JENNINGS Was twenty-eight years a member of the Camden County Medical Society and was its president in 1861. He died of phthisis at Haddon- field, April 17, 1885. The doctor was the son of Stacy and Sarah Jennings, and was born at Manahawkin, N. J., April 22, 1831. He was educated at the Woodstock Academy, Connecticut, and then entered the office of Dr. Budd, of Medford, N. J., to pursue the study of medicine, and gradnated at the Jef- ferson Medical College, of Philadelphia, in 1856. He immediately entered upon the practice of medicine in Haddonfield, where . he soon gained the confidence of the com- munity by his professional attainments and his excellent social qualities. He was pos- sessed of a singularly genial nature, which overflowed in kindness to all and gained for him the universal good will of the communi- ty in which he lived and practiced for nearly thirty years, and attained for him one of the largest practices over secured by a physician in West Jersey.

He married Mary, daughter of Joshua P. and Amelia Browning. of Haddonfield, who survives him with a family of seven children. He was a consistent member of the Protest- ant Episcopal Church.

HENRY ACKLEY virtually belonged to Camden, although born in Philadelphia, Jan-

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

uary 29, 1837. His grandfather, Thomas Ackley, as early as 1800, kept the old store at the foot of Federal Street, which was demolished a few years ago. His mother, née Barclay, the widow of Lieutenant-Comman- der McCauley, United States Navy, married Thomas Ackley, cashier of the State Bank at Camden. Dr. Ackley received a liberal education, and studied medicine with Pro- fessors E. Wallace and William Keating, of Philadelphia, and graduated at the Jefferson Medical College in 1858. He began prac- tice in Camden and joined the county and city societies, and was secretary of the former in 1859 and 1860. At the commencement of the Civil War he entered the United States Navy, as surgeon, on July 20, 1861, and was assigned to duty in the Philadelphia Navy-Yard. Towards the close of the year he was ordered to the United States ship " Wissahickon," of the East Gulf Blockad- ing Squadron, and served under Admiral Porter in the capture of New Orleans and in the campaign against Vicksburg. In 1863 he was transferred to the flag-ship " San Jacinto," and was acting surgeon-in- chief of the squadron. While on this vessel he was attacked with yellow fever, which so impaired his naturally feeble constitution that he was ordered to the United States receiving ship "Vermont," at New York, in 1864. He died in Camden, of phthisis, December 1, 1865. The year previous he married Sallie, daughter of Hon. Richard Wilkins, of Camden. He left one son, who died in infancy.

WILLIAM S. BISHOP, surgeon of the . United States Navy, an honorary member of the Camden County Medical Society, died De- cember 28, 1868. Dr. Bishop was connected with the navy from an early period of his professional life. He had seen service in most parts of the globe. Several years ago, while on duty with the squadron on the coast of Africa, he suffered from a severe at- tack of coast fever, front the effects of which

he never entirely recovered. He was pro nounced by a medical commission unfit for further sea service, but was employed on shore duty at the various naval stations. At the breaking out of the Rebellion Dr. Bishop was on duty at the navy-yard at Pensacola, Fla., where, in common with the other naval officers, he was obliged to give his parole not to engage in service against the Confederacy before he was permitted to return North. When not employed in service, he resided in Camden for a number of years previous to his death. Shortly after his return to the latter place he was ordered to the navy-yard at Mare Island, in California, where he re- mained during the whole period of the war. He came home much impaired in health, but was employed again on naval medical com- missions of great responsibility; he was finally ordered to the United States Naval Asylum, at Philadelphia, as chief surgeon, at which post he died on December 28, 1868, of a complication of diseases, ending in general dropsy.1 Dr. Bishop was a member of the Camden City Society as well as the County Society.

THOMAS J. SMITH became a member of the Camden County Medical Society on June 18, 1867. He was born in Salem, N. J., April 21, 1841, and is the son of Peter and Elizabeth Smith. He was educated at Williams College, Massachusetts, graduating in 1862. He attended medical lectures in the University of Pennsylvania, and received his degree of M.D. in March, 1866. He began the practice of medicine in Camden. He joined the Camden City Medical Society in March, 1867, and became its secretary the same year, continuing in office nntil his re- moval to Bridgeton, early in the year 1868. Dr. Smith is a member of the New Jersey State Medical Society and is chairman of its standing committee. He married, March 28, 1871, Mary L., daughter of Rev. Elisha V.

1 Transactions of New Jersey State Medical Society, 1869.

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A HISTORY OF MEDICINE AND MEDICAL MEN.

and Matilda B. Glover, of Haddonfield. Dr. Smith is a prominent practitioner in Bridge- ton.

JOSEPH W. MCCULLOUGH fell a victim to the severest epidemic of typhus fever that ever attacked the almshouse in Blackwood, Camden County, literally dying at his post of duty, of that disease, March 15, 1881, after a service of nine years as attending physician at that institution. He was the son of Andrew and Eunice Mccullough, and was born in Wilmington, Del., August 12, 1837. He studied medicine with Dr. Chand- ler, of that city, and graduated at the Jeffer- son Medical College in 1860. When the Civil War broke out, in 1861, he was one of the first to offer his services to the govern- ment, and was appointed surgeon of the First Delaware Regiment. After the close of the war he joined the regular army, and was sent to New Orleans, and thence to Alabama. In consequence of impaired health he resign- ed, and in 1866 located as a practitioner of medicine at Blackwood. In 1880 he and Dr. Brannin, his co-laborer, were appointed phy- sicians to the County Insane Asylum. Dr. Mccullough joined the Camden County Medical Society in 1871. He married, March 9, 1876, Sarah E., only daughter of Richard C. Stevenson, of Blackwood. His widow and two children survive him.

CHARLES F. CLARKE practiced medicine for over forty years in Gloucester County. He retired in 1868 and moved to Camden, becoming an honorary member of the City Society in 1869 and continuing his connec- tion with it until his death, in 1875. He was born near Paulsboro', Gloucester County, N. J., August 12, 1800. He was educated at Woodbury and at Burlington, and then entered the counting-room of Mr. Hollings- head, in Philadelphia. In the year 1820, being in poor health, he went as supercargo to the West Indies : returning, he commenced the study of medicine and graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1823. In

connection with his cousin, Dr. John Y. Clarke, of Philadelphia, he opened a drug store at the corner of Fifth and Race Streets, in that city. This he soon abandoned, and then began the practice of medicine in Clarksboro', Gloucester County, N. J., thence he went to Paulsboro', and in 1835 to Wood- bury, iu the same county, where he lived for thirty-two years and attended to the largest practice in that section of the county. Dr. Clarke accumulated a considerable fortune. One of his daughters, Eva C., married Dr. Randall W. Morgan. His son, Dr. Henry C. Clarke, succeeded to his father's practice aud is one of the leading physicians in Gloucester County.

RANDAL W. MORGAN was born near Black woodtown, Camden County, June 5, 1848, and was a son of Randal E. and Mary (Willard) Morgan. He attended the West Jersey Academy, at Bridgeton, and later the University of Lewisburgh, Pa. In 1864 he was appointed midshipman at the Naval Academy at Annapolis, which position he was obliged to resign because of an attack of typhoid fever, from which he never fully re- covered. Shortly afterward he commenced his medical studies under Dr. Brannin, of Blackwoodtown, continuing them at the University of Pennsylvania, and graduating from that institution in 1870. Two years later he took the degree of Doctor of Phil- osophy. In 1877 he was elected county physician, an office he held for five years. During the small-pox epidemic, in 1872, he had charge of the small-pox hospital, and labored unselfishly among the victims of that disease. In 1881, much broken in health, he sailed for Europe, and was much benefited by his sojourn there ; but upon returning to practice soon succumbed again to ill health, and in August, 1883, was obliged to re- linquish the duties of his profession. He sailed again for Europe in 1884, intending, while there, to visit some of the hospitals in the cholera-infested portions of France and

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Italy, but, owing to aggravation of his mala- dies, abandoned the project, and sailing for home, died when three days out from Liver- pool, October 20, 1884.

Dr. Morgan was a very active man, dili- gent in the practice of his profession, studious and quite successful. Speaking of his skillful management of the small-pox hos- pital, heretofore alluded to, Dr. R. M. Cooper, in his report to the New Jersey State Medical Society, said : " We have obtained (from Dr. Morgan) some valuable statistics in regard to the disease and its mode of treatment ; and it is but just to him to state that the ratio of mortality of the cases under his care compare very favorably with other small-pox hospitals."

He carried on for several years a drug- store, and was a member of both the Camden County and Camden City Medical Societies.

He was married January 15, 1876, to Eva, daughter of Dr. Charles F. Clarke, late of Camden, who survives him.

JAMES A. ARMSTRONG was born in Phila- delphia, June 12, 1835, and was the son of James and Mary Armstrong. He was edu- cated in the public schools, and graduated from the Philadelphia High School. He engaged in the drug business and obtained a diploma from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy in 1855, and then purchased a drug store at the corner of Fourth and Thompson Streets, in his native city. Subse- quently he studied medicine, graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1861. In September of the latter year Dr. Armstrong was appointed assistant surgeon in a Penn- sylvania regiment, and was assigned to the Army of the Potomac, in Virginia. After three years of military duty in the field he returned home, and was attached to the Satterlee Hospital until the close of the war. He then removed to Camden, and purchased a drug store on Federal Street, above Third, which he afterwards moved to Market, above . the same street. In a few years he relin-

quished the drug business, began the practice of medicine and joined the Camden County Medical Society in 1876. He was surgical examiner for pensions in Camden since the close of the war, and when the United States Board of Pensions was established in that city, in 1884, he was appointed one of its three members. In 1871 he was coroner of Camden City. Dr. Armstrong was an elder in the Presbyterian Church. He died of apoplexy on October 30, 1885, leaving a widow and three daughters.

J. NEWTON ACHUFF was a native of Germantown, Pa. He commenced his medi- cal education with Dr. Lemuel J. Deal, of Philadelphia, and completed it at the Jeffer- son Medical College, graduating in 1867. He at once commenced the practice of his profession in South Camden, and in the same year (1867) joined both the Camden City and County Societies. He was at once appointed a visiting physician of the Camden City Dis- pensary. In the year 1869 he left Camden and entered the service of the government as a contract surgeon, and was assigned to duty in Alaska, and subsequently in California, in which State he died about 1872.

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The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 43

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928 Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards Number of Pages: 1220

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards
Number of Pages: 1220