USA > New York > Ulster County > History of Ulster County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers. Vol. I > Part 34
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Dr. William H. Gedney was the seventh child of Dr. William Gedney, and was born in the town of Marlborough. The earlier years of his life were passed at home and in attendance upon the schools of his native town. Upon reaching mature years he commenced the study of medi- cine with his father, and completed his professional training at the Albany Medical College. In 1846 he entered upon the practice of his profession in Miltou, and has since con- tinued the leading physician of his town and locality, and enjoys a wide and successful practice. He is a member of the Ulster County Medical Society, and has been its vice- president and president.
Aside from his professional life, Dr. Gedney has filled an important place in Marlborough, and enjoyed an influence second to none in the town. Ile has a leading and control- ling mind, is positive in his eonvietions, frank in the ex-
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pression of his views, a fluent and effective speaker, and one of the must cultured and intelligent citizens of Marl- borough.
In politics Dr. Gedney is a Republican, and he has held various offices of trust and responsibility. Ile was super- visor of the town of Marlborough in 1852, 1853, 1855, 1857, and 1874, and has served as a delegate to a large number of political conventions. In 1874 he was nomi- nated by an unpartisan caucus of his fellow-citizens, pledged to make a thorough investigation of the alleged frauds against the county, and served actively and with peculiar zeal upon the committee of investigation.
In 1864, Dr. Gedney was united in marriage to Cordelia A., daughter of Jacob Handley, of Milton, Ulster Co., but was deprived of his wife by death a few months after the union.
EDWARD MCKENZIE, M.D.
The subject of this sketch was born Jan. 15, 1816, in the town of Stamford, Delaware Co., N. Y., of Highland Scotch parentage, and the youngest of six children of Ken- neth Mckenzie and Margery Grant, both having long since passed away. Early in life he was inclined to the medical profession, and strove hard under great difficulties to con- summate his desired object. His early advantages for educa- tion were limited, but later in life, by personal effort, unaided by friends or money, he succeeded in obtaining a good edu- cation, and immediately entered upon the study of medicine under the tuition of Robert S. Marshall, a celebrated physi- cian and surgeon, of the village of Hobart, in his native towu, which pupilage continued for four years; in the mean time, for pecuniary aid, he taught school. After the pre- liminary instruction received in Dr. Marshall's office he en- tered Geneva Medical College, and graduated in the spring of 1844, leaving behind him obligations of several hundred dollars iu consideration of the usual college fees. These obligations were all honored in the space of two years from moneys carned in practice. After graduating he settled in the town of Bovina, Delaware Co., in this State, and prac- tieed for twelve years. Ilis health becoming somewhat impaired, he coneluded to migrate to a warmer climate, and went to the city of Alexandria, Va., as a prospective resi- dence. Not finding matters to suit his ideas, from a Northern standpoint, he soon returned to his native town and county. By accident he became acquainted with the late Dr. Richard Eiting, of Esopus, this county, whose fame as a daring and successful practitioner had become widespread, and was in- vited by him to be his successor in his locality, as his age and infirmities compelled him to retire. The invitation was accepted, and he then settled at Port Ewen, on the Hudson, on the 12th day of December, 1856, and has continued from that time to the date of this sketch with an uninter- rupted practice.
Politically, the doctor has been identified with the Demo- cratie party, and has, by the preference of the people of his town and county, held many important positions of official trust, having been clected supervisor of his towu in 1863 and 1866, justice of the peace for eight consecutive years, and also coroner of the county, with but an interrup- tion of three years, for the period of twenty years, being use of the present incumbents. He was married on the
30th day of April, 1846, to Lydia Maria Scacord, of the town of Bovina, Delaware Co., his family consisting of two sons, both living, siz., Benjamin F. and Henry E .. the latter being a graduate of the Albany Law School of the class of 1871-72, and is now practicing law at Port Ewen, in this county. The doctor's success is acereditable to his own per- severance and industry, and his practice now, as well as in the past, covers a large territory.
II .- ULSTER COUNTY HOMEOPATHIC MEDICAL SOCIETY.
" At a meeting of the Homoeopathic Physicians of the County of Ulster, beld at the Court-House in said County, Wednesday, May 10, 1865, for the purpose of considering the propriety of organizing a County Medical Society, in accordance with an act of the Legislature passel April 12, 1857. the following Physicians were present : Drs. Levi Shaller, F. W. Ingalls, of Kingston ; Theodore Quick, of Milton ; George B. Ketcham, of New Paltz; Daniel L. Everitt, Everitt Ilas- brouck. of Modena.
" The meeting was called to order by Dr. F. W. Ingalls, and organ- ized by the appointment of Dr. Daniel L. Everitt as chairman and Dr. Everitt Hasbrouck as secretary. After consideration. it was re- solved to form such society. It was moved by Dr. Ingalls that a committee of three be appointed by the chairman to report a Consti- tution and By- Laws. Drs. Ingalls, Quick, and Ketebam were ap- pointel, who, after consideration, presented their report, which was acceptel, and the commitice discharged. The Constitution and By- Laws, being read and considere I, were adopted also.
" Dr. Garret D. Crispell, of Kingston, Dr. A. P. Heston, of High- land, Dr. Stephen W. Gerow, of New Paltz, and Dr. Matthew MeCol- Ium, of New Hurley. being absent and known to be in favor of the organization, were duly elected members.
" Those present having signed the Constitution and By-Laws, an election for permanent officers was next in order, and resulted as fol- lows: Daniel I .. Everitt, M.D., President ; Garret D. Crispell, M.D., Vire-President ; Everitt Hasbrouck, M.D., Secretary and Treasurer; Stephen W. Gerow, M.D., Theodore Quick, M.D., FreJ. W. Ingalls, M.D., Censors.
" Drs. Crispell, Shaffer, and Quick were elected delegates to the State Medient Society, Drs. Gerow, Ingalls, and Heston their alter- nates, to bold their offices according to the regulations of the State society.
" Drs. Crispell. Shaffer, and Ingalls were appointed a committee to devise and procure a seal for the use of the society.
" On Motion-Resolved-That the Secretary be authorized to pro- eure the publication of One hundred copies in pamphlet form, of the procce lings of this meeting, and distribute them to the members, and forward a empy to each of the various Homeopathie publications in the United States, an I newspapers in the County.
" On Motion- I solved -- That the next annual meeting be held at the village of New Paltz, on the Second Tuesday in May, 1866, at 1 o'clock p.30.
"The Chairman appointed Drs. Gerow and Ketcham, in connection with the Secretary, an Executive Committee, as provided in the By- Laws.
" On Motion, Society adjourned. " DANIEL L. EVERITT, M.D., President. " EVERITT HASBROUCK, M.D., Secretary."
At the commencement of the second year, May 10, 1866, the following officers were chosen : Daniel J. Everitt, Modena, President; Frederick W. Ingalls, Kingston, Vice- President ; Everitt Hasbrouck, Modena, Secretary and Treasurer; Censors, Stephen W. Gerow, New Paltz; Theo- dore Quick, Milton; Levi Shaffer, Kingston ; Delegates to State Society, G. D. Cripple, Theodore Quick, Levi Shaffer ; Alternates, Stephen W. Gerow, A. P. Ileaton, Frederick W. Ingalls; Executive Committee, E. Hasbrouck, S. W. Gerow, G. B. Ketchum; Committee to Procure a Seal, G. D. Crispell, L. Shaffer, F. W. Ingalls.
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HISTORY OF ULSTER COUNTY, NEW YORK.
By the following extracts from a paper of Dr. Theodore Quick, read before the society in 1866, it appears that the introduction of homeopathie methods of practice dates back to a period some thirty years carlier thau the forma- tion of this society :
" In the year 1836, Dr. Martin Freligh, of Saugerties, a practitioner of old-school medicine, had his attention attracted towards homeopathy. A friend of his living at Catskill, who had been suffering a long time from a chronic disease and had found no permanent relief from medita- ments of the prevailing system, was induced to apply to Dr. Vanderburgh of New York, a homeopathie physician. After a careful examination the doctor gave him a few simple white powders, and through their use he was per- fectly cured. Dr. Freligh, learning these facts, was anxions to learn more about Dr. Vanderburgh's mode of treatment, which had been so very successful after so many had failed, and for this purpose visited De. Vanderburgh in New York. He found the doctor engaged in professional business, and was dirceted to call upon Dr. Channing, another homoeopath, for the information he was in quest of. Hle called upon Dr. Channing, and took his first lesson in the homeopathic school of medicine.
" Dr. Freligh did not fully adopt the new system before leaving the county, which about this time he did to settle in Rinebeck, in the county of Dutchess, where he might have the counsel of Dr. Vanderburgh, who had lately removed to the latter place from New York.
" Dr. Freligh was consequently the first convert to homeopathy in this county. In 1841, Ilr. Garrett D. Crispell, of Kingston, commenced the investigation of homeopathy. He had then been a practitioner of old-school medicine about eighteen years, having read with his brother Dr. Peter Crispell and received a license to practice in 1823. He says 'cirenmstances made it necessary for him to cs- amine the claims of the new system.'
" This examination resulted in his adoption of the law of similin as his rule of medical faith and therapeutical practice. He purchased Hahnemann's ' Organon' and a few other books, and without any other teacher or counselor he went out to do battle with disease, while his adversaries, the old-school physicians, kept up a strong and persistent fire in the rear.
" But the doctor had not become a homcopath hastily and for a short time, but was determined to fight it out on that line. He says that about that time there was a great deal of epidemie scarlatina, in the treatment of which he was very successful. When he first adopted the new sys- tem many of his former friends and patrous deserted him, but they returned when they saw the good results of his treatment of this direful disease. Dr. Crispell still resides żu Kingston in the enjoyment of a large practice.
" Dr. Daniel L. Everitt, of Modena, was the next to in- troduce houropathy into the county. He studied with Dr. Asahel Iloughton, of St. Andrew's, Orange Co., and graduated at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York City, in the spring of 1849. During the time he was a student he and Dr. Houghton investigated and quietly tested the clains of the new system. Proceeding carefully and with an earnest desire to prove before adopting, they
introduced the systemu into the region of country about St. Andrew's, and into a few families about Modena. In the fall of 1849, Dr. Everitt opened an office and com- menced practice at his father's, where he remained until about the 1st of March, 1850, when he removed to Modena village. It was soon known that he had adopted the law of similia as the rule of his practice.
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"The doctor pursued the even tenor of his way, combating ridicule with argument and argument with demonstration. Ele was soon able to point to several cases which had long batiled the skill and learning of the old school as having been cured by following the teaching of homoeopathy and the administration of the little pills. Dr. Everitt and Dr. Houghton both adopted the law of similia, and for a year or two labored together, one at Modena, and the other at St. Andrew's, to introdnee it into Orange and Ulster Coun- ties. Dr. Houghton soon after removed to New York, where he still remains, in the enjoyment of a large circle of warm friends and a high position in the profession. Dr. Everitt for some years had to fight the battle alone, but Le rapidly attained practice, and soon had a ride which ex- tended through all the lower towns of Ulster and the upper towns of Orange Counties. Homoeopathy became the ruling practice in that section.
" In the spring of 1855 the writer (Dr. Egbert Guernsey ) settled at Milton, in the town of Marlborough. He lad studied medicine with Dr. Everitt and attended a course of medical lectures at Castleton Medical College, Vermont, another at the Homeopathie Medical College of Pennsyl- vania, at Philadelphia, where he graduated.
"One month afterwards he came to Milton. Milton had been, and was then, in the hands and under the control of old physic. It was a hard field to attempt to occupy, but where there is a determination to conquer, victory will surely follow. For cleven years the progress of houne- opathy in the region about Milton and Marlborough has been steady, and the system seems now to be firmly es- tablished.
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" In the year 1861, Dr. Charles Hait settled at New Paltz and commenced the practice of homoeopathy in that town. He had studied under the instruction of Dr. Everitt. A few finilies scattered about the town bad embraced the doctrines of homeopathy. Dr. Hait soon found patrons, and by his energy and faithful performance of his duty to the sick and suffering bid fair to become as popular as he was a successful physician. But his race was destined to be a short one.
" In the year 1862 he was attacked by diphtheria of a very malignant type, and in a few days was numbered with the dead. He was a young man of fine promise, and his prospects for a life of usefulness and honor were unusually good. He only practiced about twenty months, and died at the age of twenty-four.
" Dr. Stephen W. Gerow shortly after took his place at New Paltz. He had studied with Dr. Everitt and attended lectures in both the old and new schools, and graduated in the year 1857. He entered into copartnership with bis preceptor, and practiced with him about four years, and
G/G.D. Crispece
dostal
F. W. Ingales, M.D.
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then for a short time took up his abode in Newburgh, but after the death of Dr. Hait settled at New Paltz, where he still resides ( 1866). He secured a large and increasing practice. In the year 1858, Dr. Jernigan, of Saugerties, commenced the practice of homeopathy at that place.
" In the year 1863, Dr. Frederick W. Ingalls, a graduate of Cleveland Homeopathie College, Ohio, settled in Kings- ton. He opened an office, and came out an open advocate of the doctrines of homoeopathy. In the spring of 1865 the ranks of our school were strengthened by the accession of Dr. Levi Shaffer, who ranged himself under the banner of similia. Dr. E. Hasbrouck, secretary of the society, studied with Dr. Everitt, and graduated at the New York Homeopathie Medical College, in the spring of 1865. He entered into partnership with Dr. Everitt, and succeeded to his extensive ride.
" Dr. Charles Ketchum studied with Dr. Everitt, and graduated at the same time with Dr. E. Hasbrouck. After a few months with Dr. Gerow at New Paltz, he settled at Tuthill.
" In the same year Dr. Matthew McColloui settled at. New Hurley.
" In the winter of 1866, Dr. Cameron, a graduate of New York Homeopathic Medical College, settled at Ron- dout.
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" Dr. Wilson, in the town of Lloyd, is a practitioner of homeopathy.
" This review shows that the pioneers of homeopathy in Ulster County were Dr. Freligh in the north, Dr. Crispell in the muiddle, and Dr. Everitt in the south, part of the county."
CATALOGUE OF MEMBERS, 1565 TO 1880.
Garrett D. Crispell, Frederick W. Ingalls, Levi Shaffer, Kingston ; Daniel I. Everitt, Everitt Hasbrouck, Modent ; Stephen W. Gerow. George B. Keteham, New Paltz : Theo Jore Quick, Milton : Matthew McCollum, New Hurley ; C. C. Cameron, Kingston; C. P. JFerni- gon, Saugerties ; H. H. Caten. W. D. L. Montanye, Kingston ; Hilan Doty,& Delaware County ; A. P. Chalker, Kingston.
The present officers (May, ISSO) are Levi Shaffer, Presi- dent ; G. D. Crispell, Vice-President ; F. W. Ingalls, Sec- refary and Treasurer; C. P. Chalker, G. D. Crispell, W. D. L. Montanye, Censors.
DR. GARRET DU BOIS CRISPELL.
One of our oldest residents and most esteemed citizens is Dr. Garret Du Bois Crispell, who has been engaged in the active practice of the medical profession in Kingston for nearly fifty-six years.
Dr. Crispell was born in the village of Hurley, on Sept. 8, 1801. His parents were John Crispell and Jane Has- bronck. llis paternal grandmother was Garriije Du Bois, a descendant of one of the brothers, Louis and Jacques Du Bois, who formed a part of the original Huguenot settlers of the county of Ulster. His medical studies were prose- cuted in the office of his older brother, Dr. Peter Crispell, of Marbletown, from the years 1819 to. 1823. During the winter of 1822-23 he attended a course of medical lectures in the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, then located in Barclay Street, and was admitted to practice
medicine, after an examination by the Ulster County Medi. cal Society, in the spring of 1823. After a brief stay in Hurley, he removed to Kingston in the following year, 1824, where he has ever since resided.
Until the year 1841, Dr. Crispell was a practitioner of the old school of medicine; but at that time, having bad occasion to examine the system of homeopathy, and be- coming convinced of the genuineness of its claims, he aban- doned the old practice and declared himself a homeopa- thist. From that day until the present, a period of nearly forty years, he has been a leading practitioner of the homoco- pathic school.
Aside from the practice of Dr. Thomas J. Nelson, who was contemporaneous with him in this new practice, Dr. Crispell was the first practitioner of homoeopathy in Kings- ton, and is numbered among the pioneers in this State who have introduced and successfully made a new departure from the regular practice.
The efforts and influence of the subject of our sketch have not been confined, however, to the medical profession. All public enterprises for advancing the interests of the community have received from him hearty and substantial support. As an instance of appreciation of his public spirit and of confidence in his practical wisdom, it may be mentioned that in 1363 he was chosen one of the directors of the Kingston National Bank, a position which he still holds.
Dr. Crispell is a member and vice-president of the Ulster County Hoprropathie Medical Society, a member of the State Homeopathic Medical Society of New York, and he is a member of the American Institute.
Early in life Dr. Crispell made a profession of the Chris- tian faith, uniting with the First Reformed Church of Kingston, then under the ministry of the Rev. Dr. Gosman, on Christmas-day, 1825. In 1862 he transferred his con- nection to the Second Reformed Church, of which he has been and remains one of the most valued members, and whose interests he has several times served in official posi- tions.
After all the changes of more than half a century, Dr. Crispell, by the favor of Providence, still remains in the freshness of a green old age pursuing his chosen calling, and employing his resources of experience as well as skill iu behalf of the community that has so long and so fully proved the value of his services. One of the valuable men of a former generation, yet toiling on amid the activities of the present hour, he commands not only the respect due to honorable age, but also that which is inspired by the spee- tacle of useful toil at the period of life when many would feel that they had earned the right to rest. Ile is one of those landmarks of the generation which all agree in hoping may not be soon removed.
Hle married, in 1830, Sarah, daughter of Isaac Post, of Saugerties. She died in 1858, aged fifty-eight. Their only surviving child is Jane Catherine, wife of Reuben Bernard, of Kingston.
FREDERICK W. INGALLS, M.D.,
ellest son of Rev. Wilson Ingalls, was born in Glenville, Schenectady Co., N. Y., Feb. 9, 1840. He has three
$ Deceased.
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HISTORY OF ULSTER COUNTY, NEW YORK.
brothers,-Dr. J. ES. V. Ingalls, dentist, Washington, D. C .; Rev. E. C. Ingalls; and R. K. Ingalls, a lawyer in New York City. Ile received his early education, intending to lead a professional life. For three years he studied medi- eine with D. O. K. Strong, M.D., of Owasco, Cayuga Co., N. Y., and for two years was under the direction of Prof. John C. Sanders, M.D., of Cleveland, Ohio, excepting a period of three months, during which time he was acting assistant surgeon in general hospital No. 7, Lonisville, Ky. He attended lectures at Cleveland, and was graduated from the homeopathie college of that city in the spring of 1863.
Dr. Ingalls commenced practice in Kingston May 5th of the same year, and was the second physician to prescribe homeopathieally in that place. There are in 1880 six resident practitioners of the new school, showing the cause has been gaining ground steadily, and that it has not been prejudiced by its early exponents. The ability in practice manifested by Dr. Ingalls, resulting in the successful treat- ment of disease in its various forms, has caused his practice to become large and valuable, and he ranks among the most skillful practitioners of medicine along the Hudson River. He was elected a member of the American Institute of Homeopathy in 1867, of the State society in 1869, and as censor of the same association for the southern district in 1872. Hle has been for many years a member of the Ulster County Homeopathie Medical Society. He became a mem- ber of the Medical Council of Margarettsville ( now Middle- town) Retreat for the Insane in 1869.
Aside from his profession, Dr. Ingalls is interested in many local enterprises ; is a trustee of the Kingston Build- ing Company, a director and vice-president of the Kingston National Bank, and a trustee and first vice-president of Kingston Savings. Bank.
Ile is a member of Kingston Lodge, No. 10, and Past Master of the same, a member of Mount Horeb Chapter, No. 75, of Hudson River Council, No. 21, of Rondout Com- mandery, No. 52, and Consistory of New York City. He married, May 18, 1870, Miss Henrietta, only daughter of Peter J. Du Bois, of Kingston, by whom he has two sons, -- Frederic Du Bois and Orlando Du Bois.
CHAPTER XXII
COUNTY SOCIETIES.
THE county organizations of Ulster, other than the medical societies, -- treated in a preceding chapter,-are the County Historical Society, the County Agricultural Society, the County Temperance Society, the County Bible Society, and the County Sunday School Association. Of these respectively we present the following sketches.
I .- ULSTER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Pursuant to a call published in the papers of the county, a meeting was held on the 10th of May, 1859, in the Re- formed Dutch church at New Paltz, for the purpose of organizing an historical society. A constitution was adopted, and the following, the first, officers of the society elected :
President, Hon. A. Bruyn Hasbrouck, LL. D., Kingston. Vice-Presidents, Rev. Charles Scott, Bruynswick ; Eben- ezer Lounsbery, Stone Ridge; Edmund Eltinge, New Paltz; and George H. Sharp, Kingston.
Secretary, George W. Pratt, Kingston.
Treasurer, Reuben Bernard, Kingston.
The object of this society, as expressed in its constitu- tion, is " the collection of a library ; cabinet of natural history ; papers relative to the original and present county of Ulster, of the Hudson River Valley, and of the State generally ; genealogieal and statistical information, and for the diffusion of a sound historical taste." Meetings were to be held annually on October 16th, the anniversary of the burning of Kingston by the British, and on June 7th, the anniversary of the massacre of the Dutch settlers at Wiltwyck by the Indians in 1663.
The first annual meeting was held at the court-house in Kingston, Oct. 17, 1859. At the annual meeting held Oct. 16, 1862, at the Second Reformed Dutch church, Kingston, tributes of respect were paid to the memory of its late secretary, Col. Pratt, in cloquent addresses and complimentary resolutions. Since 1862 the meetings have not been regularly held, and the society has become some- what dormant. During the few years of its existence, however, quite a valuable collection of historic material -- books, maps, charts, papers, manuscripts, old documents, letters, etc .-- bearing upon the settlement and early history of the county has been gathered. The annual proceedings, published addresses, and historical papers, printed by the society, make a volume of two hundred and sixty pages, and contain the following valuable essays, besides a full list of donations to the society, etc. :
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