USA > New York > Ontario County > A history of Ontario County, New York and its people, Volume I > Part 19
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Dr. Atwater arrived soon after this letter was written, and for a period of about forty years actively practiced his profession in this village. He was born in Cheshire, Connecticut, in 1765, and died in Canandaigua in 1847. He had the advantage of a collegiate education at Yale, graduating in the class of 1787, and was twenty-
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five years of age when he began practice here. His wife was Pan- thea Tyler, a native of Connecticut.
Dr. Atwater was better known as Judge Atwater from the fact that in 1795 he was elected to the bench. Dr. Atwater was one of the organizers of the Ontario County Medical Society in 1806. It is recorded that at a meeting of the medical men of Ontario county, held in the court house, January 1, 1806, Dr. Moses Atwater was chosen president and Dr. Richard Wells, secretary. And in the records of the same society, at a meeting held January 11, 1848, Dr. Harvey Jewett in the chair, the death of Dr. Atwater was noticed, the last of those who helped to organize the society. Dr. Atwater, soon after his coming here, built a house beautiful in its day, on the site where Atwater Hall formerly stood, the site of the new United States postoffice building. Here he lived and had his office. When Atwater Hall was built in 1848, this house was moved to the west, where it now stands in a somewhat changed form.
The Doctor may well be described as a gentleman of the old school, courtly in his bearing, having a most excellent opinion of himself, and queer and epigrammatic in speech, and, as Dr. Noah T. Clarke states, somewhat contentious. Dr. Clarke has given us some interesting reminiscences of the Doctor and his wonderful horse Robin and his good dog Bose. Several of our oldest residents describe with vivid recollection the erect figure of the old Judge as he rode through the streets behind his faithful steed, holding his whip in the air, generally with the butt uppermost.
In politics the Doctor was a Federalist and strongly opposed to the war of 1812. He not only refused to illuminate his house, but actually put out all the lights during the victorious celebration at the close of the war, and so offensive was this action that the house was stoned and many windows broken. I have been told by one who remembers his own feeling at the time, that most of the girls were afraid to go by the house, for it was said that he kept his coffin in one of the front rooms.
This is an appropriate place to speak of Dr. Jeremiah Atwater, a brother of the Judge, who practiced here for a few years, but became blind early and retired from active practice. He lived to be ninety years of age and died in 1861. He lived for many years in the house on the east side of upper Main street, where Rev. A. M. Stowe lived for a number of years. Some amusing anecdotes are told of Dr. Jerry, as he was called. Being summoned to go into
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the country one bitter cold night in winter, he went to the barn, as his custom was, without a lantern, to harness his horse. He had great difficulty in getting the bridle on and finally gave up, and returning to the house told his wife that it was so cold that the horse's ears were frozen stiff and it was impossible to get the bridle over them. His good wife, wishing either to verify or dis- approve this remarkable statement, went with him to the barn with a light, when it became evident that the Doctor had gotten into the wrong stall and was trying to harness the cow.
Dr. Moses Atwater, Dr. William A. Williams, and Dr. Samuel Dungan were nearly contemporaneous in their practice and should be noted in the order mentioned.
Dr. William A. Williams was also a graduate of Yale college, finishing his course at the early age of sixteen. He came originally from Wallingford, Connecticut, but practiced a short time in Hatfield, Massachusetts, whence he came to Canandaigua in 1793, at the age of twenty-three. He was twice married, first to Elizabeth Chapin, daughter of Gen. Israel Chapin, and afterwards to Lucinda Barlow, daughter of Deacon Barlow. He purchased a lot just south of the Academy and built thereon a house and office, the house standing on the site of the present J. L. Burnett house, and the office about where the Whiting, now Edson Case, house stands.
Dr. Williams was one of the original eighteen members of the First Congregational church. A neighbor has described him as follows: "A man of plain and simple manners, amiable and kind hearted. Mingling at the bedside of his patients the consolations of friendship with professional advice, in day or night time, in sunshine or in storm, with the rich or poor, he was the same indefatigable physician and good neighbor. He gave his services, ofttimes neither expecting or desiring compensation. Had he been more considerate of himself in this respect, he might have left more worldly goods when he died. The loss of a favorite son was a terrible shock to him and so disturbed him mentally that for a time he was incapaci- tated from work. That he was an advanced thinker in his profession is shown by a conversation which Dr. Dungan records in his diary under date of August 12, 1797.
In this conversation he took strong ground against bleeding in bilious fever, as too much debility was produced by it, from which it took the patient too long to recover. In practice he was more associated with Dr. Dungan than with Dr. Atwater, as they had
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more points in common. Genial and modest in his bearing, he was never in a hurry and was quite apt to be deliberate when others were excited.
Mr. Alexander Howell used to tell how Dr. Williams pulled his teeth on the steps of his office, by means of the old fashioned turnkey with a handkerchief wound about it. Quite a number remember his fondness for pigeons and chickens, and the intimate re- lations which he sustained to these pets as they often shared his lodging. Nor will some of those boys and girls forget the old Doctor in his long dressing gown and cap, either walking through the garden or sitting stick in hand in the doorway of his office. He was fond of children and was apt to communicate to them more genealogy than their juvenile minds were ready to receive. But when it came to the delicious ad- mixture of peppermint essence, sugar and water, which he was accustomed to deal out, there was no hesitation on their part.
Dr. Williams was buried in the old cemetery, and the stone bears this inscription: "Dr. Wil- liam A. Williams, 70, 1834. And his two wives, Elizabeth, 39- 1809; Lucinda, 22-1810."
DR. WILLIAM A. WILLIAMS.
Dr. William A. Williams, who was born in Wallingford, Connecticut, settled in Can- andaigua in 1793; was long a prominent physician at the county seat. Died in Canan- daigua, 1834.
Dr. Samuel Dungan, who was known as a surgeon throughout this section, came here in 1797 from Philadelphia, having been a pupil there of the celebrated Dr. Wistar. Dr. Dungan kept a diary and to that, selections from which have been published by Mr. Thomas Howell, we are indebted for some valuable and interesting data. From this diary it would appear that he was unmarried and quite susceptible to Cupid's dart when he came here. He boarded with the Sanborns, where also boarded among others Dudley Saltonstall, first principal of the Academy, and his family.
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Under date of July 22d, 1797, Dr. Dungan writes: "Spent the day and evening with the Misses Saltonstall alone. They daily increase my attachment to them and I think them all very agreeable girls." And later, "Rose at 6:30 A. M. to go to Sulphur springs with the beautiful and amiable Miss Fanny Saltonstall." It appears that subsequently, however, he was married to some lady from Pennsylvania. It is evident that he did not have a very hard time and that he enjoyed social functions, for frequently it is recorded that he dined at the Morris (the old Judge Taylor) place, and met there distinguished men, or that he went driving with Mr. Howell, or spent the evening singing at the Sanborns, with Mrs. Sanborn and the Saltonstall girls.
Mr. Thomas Howell relates also that Dr. Dungan had a wordy dispute with Deacon Abner Barlow in which he threatened to kill him. Our oldest resident informs me how he scolded the children when they came on to the steps of his house, and that it was a matter of common belief that he locked his own children up in the dungeon, which was another name for his medicine closet. His politics may be inferred from the following quotation from his diary, August 5th, 1797. "In the evening went to Mr. Morris's. Mr. Thorn and Saltonstall were there and they had a long discourse on politics. They were all damning the poor Democrats. Supped there, returned home and went to bed at 10 o'clock."
His opinion of Dr. Atwater is fully expressed in his diary as follows: "Went out this evening as far as the Chapin's saw mill to see a little girl, stayed there all night ; young Atwater was with me, a very insipid fellow, indeed. He stayed till 11 o'clock.
Dr. Clarke and Mr. Howell both state that in 1804 he purchased a house and lot on the east side of Main street, the house being about three feet south of Judge Howell's old law office. In this house, which stood in the south two-thirds of the space where Dungan street joins Main, and flush with the sidewalk, Dr. Dungan lived and had his office. As before stated, this square frame house was standing on the lot in 1804 when Dr. Dungan took possession. By whom it was built we cannot ascertain.
In 1853, when Dungan street was opened by Samuel A. Andrews, he sold the house to Theodore Hart, who moved it to its present site after making some alterations. It is the double brown house just four doors south of Dungan street. Dr. Harvey Jewett lived there for seven years and Dr. M. R. Carson followed him for seven
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years, all the physicians having had their offices on the north side.
Dr. Dungan died in 1818 according to one authority, and in 1823 according to another, and was buried in the old cemetery. No stone marks his resting place.
I am indebted to Dr. John B. Chapin for information about a student of Dr. Dungan, a Dr. Claudius C. Coan. While he was a student, this young man made two journeys to Philadelphia for the purpose of attending lectures in that city, walking from Canan- daigua to Philadelphia on each occasion. Dr. Coan was born in 1794 and died in the town of Ovid, February 28, 1882. His wife died the following day of the same disease (pneumonia) and was buried in the same grave.
Dr. Richard Wells was the son of a physician and was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, in 1774. In 1798 he married a daughter of Dr. Moses Hayden with whom he studied medicine. Not succeed- ing in the east, he left his wife and four daughters and came to the western country to better his financial condition. His family followed him in the autumn of the same year, in a two-horse wagon, with all their household goods. His creditors found him in his new abode the following spring and he was promptly lodged in jail, but obtained bail therefrom and had the privilege of jail limits.
We will not attempt to trace the vicissitudes of the first years of his practice. Suffice it to say that after being under-sheriff, keeping a tavern and living in various places about town, he finally settled in a house on the north side of Bristol street, just west of Sucker brook. Here he resided till his death in 1842. For about thirty years he attended to an immense practice, meeting with great success. He was generous and free hearted, so that he did not lay up much. Dr. Edson Carr and Dr. E. W. Simmons were both students of his, and when Dr. Cheney first came here he was in partnership with Dr. Wells. He reared a family of eleven children, two of his daughters marrying physicians, viz: Dr. Pliny Hayes and Dr. Matthews. He was said to have been fond of society and respected by all who knew him. He was an active supporter of St. John's church. It is recorded somewhere that on the Fourth of July, 1820, in the Methodist church in Canandaigua, Dr. Wells read the Declaration of Independence. Mark H. Sibley delivered the oration, Mr. William Barlow made the prayer, Rev. Mr. Johns read an ode and Chauncey Morse sang it. Dr. Wells died in 1842. In the minutes of the Ontario County Medical Society, it is recorded
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that in honor of his memory the society resolved to wear a badge of mourning for thirty days, inasmuch as he was one of the organ- izers of the society and its first secretary.
Dr. Pliny Hayes was born in Massachusetts in 1789. He, too, was in the war of 1812, but in the navy, and had the good fortune to serve as powder boy in the memorable engagement between the Hornet and Peacock. He studied medicine under Dr. Joseph War- ren of Boston. Soon afterwards he opened an office in Canandai- gua and also a drug store. This he carried on till his death in 1831. His wife, as before stated, was a daughter of Dr. Wells. She died the following year. Two sons survived, viz: Charles and Robert Hayes. One of my informants describes Dr. Pliny Hayes as tall and genteel, always clean and nice; modest and unassuming, and altogether a very delightful man. He was a very fine musician, played several instruments and had a good voice, and led the choir in the Congregational church for several years. He was president of the Handel and Hayden society, which, according to Dr. Clarke, was the "only well organized musical society that every existed and flourished here." He was president also of a Philosophical Institute and gave numerous lectures on scientific subjects. It is noted among other things that on February 21, 1821, at Mills hotel, Dr. Hayes exhibited for the first time in the village nitrous oxide or laughing gas. "Commodious seats," it is said, "were prepared for ladies." Dr. Hayes lived in the brick building which stood where the Congregational chapel now stands. This was torn down in 1872, when the chapel was built. His death occurred in 1831, in New York, where he had gone to purchase drugs for his store.
Dr. Nathaniel Jacobs was for more than sixty years a resident of Canandaigua. He was well educated, at one time a teacher in the Fairfield Medical College, an excellent reader it is said, but in his profession more theoretical than practical. Not finding much to do in a medical way he became for two years principal of the Canandaigua Academy. Dr. Jacobs was present and took part in the organization of St. Matthew's Episcopal church in this village, February 4, 1799, and Mrs. Jacobs was the first person confirmed in that church.
Mrs. Jacobs, who was a daughter of the famous Mr. and Mrs. Sanborn, who kept the tavern in the frame house which stood near the Atwater block site, enjoyed also the distinction of being the
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first white female child born in Canandaigua. She was born Sep- tember 5th, 1790, and died October 25th, 1872, being the last of the Sanborn family. Dr. Jacobs lived for many years in the house on Chapel street now occupied by Mr. Hoag and died there in 1860. The last years of his life were sadly clouded by mental derange- ment.
Although Dr. A. G. Bristol was in Canandaigua but a short time, it is proper to mention him among the early physicians. He came to Canandaigua from New Haven in 1831. He married Mary Gorham, daughter of Nathaniel Gorham, but after four or five years spent in practice here he moved to Rochester, where he died in 1873. His medical education was acquired in Paris, where he spent upwards of five years. He lived first in the old Gorham house, where the Court House now stands, and afterwards in what was known as the Jobson house on Gorham street.
Dr. John Rosewarne was identified with the history of the village of Canandaigua for a number of years, though not as an active practitioner. He was born in 1789 in Cornwall, England, was a pupil of Sir Astley Cooper, and came to Canandaigua in 1829. He came here a man heartbroken by reason of domestic trouble and lived a secluded life on the shores of Canandaigua lake, in the farm house connected with what is now known as Gen. Reynolds' place. He was extremely fond of the lake, was one of the original Black pointers, and a great friend of Captain Menteth and Mr. Paton.
He did not covet practice, but went often in consulta- tion, as he was considered to be a very able physician. He died in Canandaigua, August 19, 1865, at the age of seventy-six and was buried in what was then known as the new cemetery. At the four corners of the lot in which he is buried are placed four stones, marked each with the name of one of the points on the lake and contributed by the occupants of the cabins.
Dr. Ephraim W. Cheney was born in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, in 1793 or '94. He had only a common school education and studied medicine with Dr. Amasa Trowbridge, of Watertown, N. Y. Dr. Cheney also had experience in the war of 1812, as he was with Dr. Trowbridge at Sackett Harbor. He was licensed to prac- tice in 1816 and came to Richmond, Ontario county. He there married a daughter of Judge Lemuel Chipman, one of the leading men of the town and county. Practicing there until 1832, he then moved to Canandaigua. On coming to Canandaigua, Dr. Cheney
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was three years in partnership with Dr. Wells, a short time also with a Dr. Ransom, and later in life, for two years, with Dr. M. R. Carson.
Dr. Cheney was a very religious man, a regular attendant and active member of St. John's church, genial and kind hearted in all his ways, very fond of telling stories, and slow and deliberate in all his movements. He was a very literal man, interpreting people according to their words, as, for instance, some one meeting him who had not seen him for some time exclaimed, "It is really good to see you, Doctor ; it is a sight for sore eyes." "Are your eyes sore, madam?" He had eight children, of whom Bishop Cheney, of Chicago, was one. Another son also entered the ministry, and one, Dr. W. Fitch Cheney, became a physician and practiced here for a time, occupying the Voak house, corner of Brook and Main streets. Dr. W. Fitch Cheney moved to California and died there a number of years ago. Dr. Ephraim Cheney built the house now occupied by Dr. Lot D. Sutherland, north of the Methodist church. having his office in the wing, and lived there until his death in 1864.
Both Dr. Cheney and Dr. Edson Carr are well remembered by many. Dr. Edson Carr was born in Vermont, in 1801. His early education, also, was meagre, but he largely compensated for it in later years by his indomitable energy and natural talent. He came here when nineteen years of age, supporting himself for a time by teaching school during the day and conducting a singing school at night. He entered a drug store as clerk and then studied medi- cine in Dr. Wells's office. He was licensed to practice in 1826 by the Ontario County Medical Society.
About 1824 or '25, when Mr. H. B. Gibson bought the Abner Barlow farm and laid out Gibson street, he sold to Dr. Carr a lot from the same on which Dr. Carr built the house formerly occupied by Dr. J. B. Hayes and now by his son, Edward G. Hayes. Dr. Carr married a daughter of Thomas Beals, in 1827. Dr. Carr was a most excellent dentist as well as physician. His natural mechan- ical skill aided him greatly in this branch, as well as in surgery. ยท
Dr. Clarke states that Dr. Carr wrote most excellent papers for the Medical Society and that one who was competent to judge said of him, "He was more observant of style, more discriminating in his choice of words, than most persons who have passed through what is called a liberal education. His example shows how far good native powers may go, with the help of careful observation.
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in the absence of academic discipline, to attain literary as well as scientific merit."
He was a generous man, giving liberally to all good causes, and was an influential member of the Congregational church for over forty years. Being an excellent musician, he led the choir in that church for many years. The ruffled shirt and ruddy complexion of the good doctor as he led the musical services of the sanctuary abide in the recollection of many of the older members. Mrs. Carr was a very religious woman, doing a great deal of benevolent work, distributing tracts and rendering useful service in many needy homes. Dr. Carr's son, Dudley, was with him during the early years of his practice, but did not long survive.
No history of Dr. Carr would be complete without reference to his horses. In the latter part of his life he became very fond of blooded stock, having by chance come into the possession of a valu- able mare which he selected from a drove of western horses. The animal was sick at the Webster House stable and the doctor obtained her for a nominal price. A strain of horses which today is not extinct became widely known throughout this section as the Dr. Carr stock. At one time, it is said, the doctor had sixteen horses in his stables. Dr. Carr died in 1861, Mrs. Carr preceding him by a few months. He was greatly mourned by a large circle of friends and patients. Dr. Daggett preached a funeral sermon from the text, "The beloved physician."
Dr. Joseph Byron Hayes was a student in Dr. Carr's office and at his death succeeded to a large proportion of his practice, occupy- ing his residence and office. He was graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1860 and died in 1890. He was born in Canan- dlaigua and his whole life was devoted to his profession and to the welfare of his native town. He was a most acceptable secretary of the Ontario County Medical Society from 1863 to 1879.
The Society of Physicians of the Village of Canandaigua, organ- ized in 1864, was known as the Village Medical Society until its incorporation in 1892. The object of the society, as stated in the original articles of association, was to promote the scientific improvement and social fellowship of its members, to preserve the unity and to maintain the dignity and honor of the profession. The original members were John B. Chapin, M. R. Carson, W. Fitch Cheney, George Cook, Harvey Jewett, J. Byron Hayes, J. A. Rog- ers, Elnathan W. Simmons, Joseph T. Smith, W. T. Swart. Of
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these all are dead, with the exception of Drs. Chapin and Carson. Honorary members, elected soon after organization, were Drs. William S. Zantzinger, John Rosewarne, Alexander Murray, and Charles S. Hoyt.
In the year 1855, Dr. George Cook came to Canandaigua and in company with his brother, Robert D. Cook, and William G. Wayne, formed an association, purchased a site, and built Brigham Hall, a hospital for the insane. The first patient was received Octo- ber 3, 1855. Until May, 1860, Dr. Cook was alone in the medical care of the institution, but from that time until October, 1869, Dr. John B. Chapin was associated with him.
Dr. Cook was well prepared for the work which he undertook, having been in the service of the Utica State Hospital for six years under Dr. Brigham and having traveled for a year abroad studying the asylums of England, Scotland, and France. He was a most estimable man and his standing in the community and the respect in which he was held by his fellow citizens may be judged by the fact that at various times he held the offices of supervisor of the county, president of the village, president of the First National Bank, and member of the State Legislature. His untimely death in June, 1876, at the hands of an insane patient, was a terrible shock to the community.
Dr. John B. Chapin went from Brigham Hall to be superin- tendent of the State Hospital at Willard, where he remained for about fifteen years, and then to his present position as superintend- ent of the Pennsylvania State Hospital for the Insane, at Philadel- phia.
For a short time Dr. Harvey Jewett was in charge of Brigham Hall after Dr. Cook's death and then Dr. Dwight R. Burrell suc- ceeded to the superintendency. Dr. Burrell also was a man who impressed himself upon the community life, serving upon the board of trustees and prominent in every undertaking that looked to the welfare of the town or county. He died in June, 1910, and his place was taken by Dr. Robert G. Cook, a son of Dr. George Cook, founder of the institution.
Of Dr. Chapin's work at Willard State Hospital some idea may be formed from the following minute, which is taken from the records of the Ontario County Medical Society, under date of Sep- tember 12, 1872. The entire Society, upon invitation of Dr. Chapin, visited the hospital on that date. We extract the following from
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the report of the committee: "We record with unqualified satis- faction the important public service of Dr. John B. Chapin in carry- ing out the designs of himself and others into practical results; in successfully overcoming the difficulties incident to the reception and classification of so large a number of chronic insane in so brief a period ; in the establishment of order and harmony in the various departments of this great enterprise; that in the place of the soli- tary cell and clanking chain, we find freedom from personal restraint, comparative order, and enjoyment ; that in the ample, clean, well ventilated halls, we find all the appliances for the humane care and restoration of these unfortunate creatures to their right mind."
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