USA > New York > Saratoga County > Our county and its people : a descriptive and biographical record of Saratoga County, New York > Part 48
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Edwin Quackenbush was born at Troy, N. Y., November 17, 1838, was graduated from Williams college in the class of 1857, and subse- quently attended the Albany Law school, from which he received the degree of LL. B. May 25, 1860. For several years he practiced in New
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York city; in 1870 he moved to Troy as a member of the firm of King & Quackenbush, and in 1874 he located at Ballston Spa, where he has since resided. He is now associated with his son, Edwin B. Quacken- bush. Mr. Quackenbush is recognized as one of the most learned men in the principles and theories of law in Saratoga county, and his coun- sel is frequently sought by his fellow practitioners. He is still an in- cessant student. His entire circle of acquaintances look upon him as a man whose standards of honesty are and always have been as rigid as steel.
Winsor Brown French, born in Cavendish, Windsor county, Vt., July 28, 1832, is a son of Luther and Lydia Brown French. His pater- nal great-grandfather, Joseph French, of Concord, Mass., was a lieu- tenant in the Revolutionary war, and on his mother's side he is a lineal descendant of Chad Brown, of Providence, R. I., and also of Roger Williams. Mr. French attended district school, Clinton Liberal Insti- tute of Clinton, N. Y., and the Woodstock Academy of Woodstock, Vt., at which latter institution he was prepared for college. In 1859 he was graduated from Tufts College, Massachusetts, with the degree of Bach- elor of Arts, to which the honorary degree of A. M. has since been added; and after his graduation he became a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, with which he is still connected.
His legal studies were pursued in the office of Hon. James B. Mc- Kean and Messrs. Pond & Lester, at Saratoga Springs. He was ad- mitted to the bar by the General Term of the Supreme Court for the Fourth Judicial District in May, 1861, and has since been in continuous practice in Saratoga Springs except for a period of three years, when he served in the Union Army. From 1865 to 1888 Mr. French was in partnership with Hon. Alembert Pond, and during a portion of the time Hon. Edgar T. Brackett, now State senator, was a member of the firm. The practice carried on by the firm of Pond, French & Brackett was of a general character, extending to all the courts, and was very large and lucrative.
Mr. French was elected district attorney of Saratoga county in 1868 and held the office for three years. He was pressed by his party for renomination, but owing to the onerous duties and the large firm prac- tice, he was compelled to decline the honor. While serving as district attorney he caused the arrest of one Henry Ray, a member of the State Legislature, on an attachment issued under the direction of Mr. Justice Platt Potter of the Supreme Court, for refusing to obey a subpoena, and
fammighian
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THE BENCH AND BAR.
had him brought to the court house in Ballston Spa to testify in a crim- inal proceeding. This arrest occasioned great excitement in the Legis- lature, and out of it grew the famous Breach of Privilege Case, wherein the Legislature undertook but signally failed to establish the doctrine that the power of the Legislative branch of the government was superior to that of the Judicial. The case attracted widespread interest in the courts and among the legal profession throughout the country, and it is reported in the appendix to Barbour's Supreme Court Reports, Vol- ume 55.
He withdrew from the firm of Pond, French & Brackett in 1888; since which time he has continued his practice alone, except for about three years when Will W. Smith was associated with him, under the firm name of French & Smith, at his office Nos. 7 and 8 French Build- ing, Saratoga Springs.
He has always been prominent before the courts and juries, and dem- onstrated the characteristics of a careful, painstaking lawyer ; extremely loyal to his profession, and always displaying in his practice before courts and juries that dignity, and courtliness which so well become a gentleman and educated lawyer.
Cornelius A. Waldron of Waterford was born July 23, 1829, and was admitted to the bar February 3, 1852. After spending fifteen months in the office of David L. Seymour at Troy, he returned to Waterford and entered upon the practice of his profession in that village where he has since remained. In 1853 he was elected justice of the peace, in the following year served as justice of the sessions, and in 1855 was elected surrogate of Saratoga county, in which office he served with marked ability for a period of twenty two consecutive years. He still resides in Waterford and enjoys an extensive practice.
Elias H. Peters of Saratoga has served in the office of surrogate for over twenty years, his record in that important office being one that re- flects credit upon him as a man and a lawyer.
J. W. Houghton, who is now serving his third term as county judge, is regarded as one of the leaders of the bar of Saratoga county. His career on the bench has been marked by honesty and marked ability. His legal attainments are such as to make him a conspicuous legal character in Saratoga.
John L. Henning, for several years a law partner of Hon. John R. Putnam, also occupies a prominent place in the legal profession. He is well grounded in the principles of the law and has a wide reputa- tion as an orator.
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L. B. Pike has occupied a leading place among the legal fraternity of Saratoga Springs for years. He is considered one of the shrewdest barristers, and has been very successful in his practice.
Among other well known and prominent advocates now in practice at Saratoga Springs are Charles H. Sturges, Charles M. Davison, Jesse Stiles, Nash Rockwood and James F. Swanick, now corporation counsel of Saratoga Springs.
We omit to mention many of the younger lawyers of the county now engaged in practice therein. Their names will more appropriately appear in a subsequent history of the county.
Many other attorneys of the county, now living or deceased, have attained more or less prominence, whom we have not mentioned, hav. ing been unable to obtain information sufficient to enable us to write a sketch of their lives.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
Closely following the location of the first settlers of Saratoga county in their new homes came the "good physician " in nearly every com- munity. In many instances, perhaps, the pioneers were compelled to ride or drive many miles through the wilderness to secure the services of the "men of medicine," but research into the pioneer history of the county shows the names of a number of medical practitioners who braved the hardships of the wilderness to bring comfort and health to the sturdy inhabitants. Possibly some of these physicians may have come hither in the expectation of building for themselves a wealth- producing business; but if this is so, the majority of them were doomed to profound disappointment. There was nothing in the nature of a bonanza in the necessarily laborious country practice of those days, and many of the early practitioners died quite as poor as they had lived.
In the early years of the present century the State of New York, un- like Pennsylvania and the New England States, had done little or nothing in the way of encouraging science, and particularly the impor- tant science of medicine. Until the century was well advanced there
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was no school of medicine worthy of the name nearer than Philadel- phia or Boston. In rare instances only could young men afford to at- tend either of these schools for the purpose of qualifying themselves for the profession, no matter how brilliant might be the prospects of the future. This condition of things led to the prevailing custom among the younger aspirants for medical practice to enter the office of some physician already established in practice, read the science. under his direction and counsel for two or three years, accompanying him on his professional visits in the meantime, and then enter upon the independ- ent practice of his profession. As laws then governing the admission and practice of physicians were practically worthless, few young men failed to attain the goal sought after two or three years of study of this character. The result was that some of the young practitioners of those days were poorly qualified to enter upon a successful medical career.
But soon reforms in the profession began to be made, chiefly through the instrumentality of practitioners who beheld the mischief that was being wrought by inexperienced, thoughtless and incompetent physi- cians. In 1806 the State Legislature passed an act repealing former laws governing the practice, and authorizing a general State Medical society and county societies in each of the counties of the State. In accordance with the provisions of this act medical societies began to spring up in all parts of the State, and the elevation of the standard of this most important profession began. One of the first counties to take advantage of the privileges granted by the new law was the county of Saratoga.
The Saratoga County Medical society was organized at the court house at Ballston Spa in July, 1806, and existed until 1884, when most of the members united with the State society. The county organiza- tion then became extinct. A year later the Tri-County Medical society, organized many years later, also became extinct. Since that time there has been no county organization of physicians, but in recent years a thriving local society has sprung up in Saratoga Springs, which includes in its membership several well-known physicians residing outside of that village.
Those who attended the meeting for the organization of the the county society were :
Drs. Daniel Bull, William Patrick, John Stearns, Asa C. Barney, Elisha Miles, Samuel Pitkin, William C. Lawrence, Billy J. Clark, Thomas S. Littlefield, Daniel
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Hicks, Elijah Porter, Alpheus Adams, Ephraim Childs, Jesse Seymour, Grant Powells, Samuel Davis, Isaac Finch and Francis Pixley.
The first officers elected were as follows:
President, Daniel Bull; vice-president, William Patrick; secretary, John Stearns; treasurer, Samuel Davis; censors, Elijah Porter, Asa C. Barney, Samuel Pitkin, Billy J. Clark, Ephraim Childs.
This society flourished for over three-quarters of a century, and its membership during that period included nearly all the regular physi- cians in practice in Saratoga county, besides several residing outside the county. In addition to those physicians already mentioned, the following were included among the members of this organization :
Beroth Bullard of Saratoga Springs, now Greenfield; John H. Steel, Saratoga Springs; Josiah Pulling, Galway; Nathan Thompson, Galway; Oliver Brisbin, Schuylerville; Samuel Freeman, Ballston Spa, afterwards of Saratoga Springs; John D. Bull, Stillwater; Henry Reynolds, Northumberland, afterwards of Wilton; Wm. Tibbitts, Mechanicville; Silas Wood, Abel Baldwin ; Darius Johnson, Greenfield ; Geo. Burroughs, Gideon Thompson, Isaac Youngs; B. W. Noxon, F. A. Sherman, Lev- erett Moore, Morgan Lewis, Ballston Spa ; J. G. Bacon, C. C. Bedell, Frank M. Boyce, M. H. Colby, C. E. Creal, Charles S. Grant, William H. Hall, W. H. Hodgman, R. C. McEwen, L. B. Putnam, Tabor B. Reynolds, G. D. Van Vranken, Saratoga Springs; Chauncey Boughton, P. T. Heartt, Waterford; N. H. Ballou, C. W. Ensign, Frank Garbutt, Mechanicville; C. D. Bull, Stillwater; A. B. Burger, Gansevoort; D. R. Burrus, Burnt Hills; H. C. Cooper, Clifton Park; Frank Gow, Schuylerville; N. M. Houghton, Corinth; Ianthus G. Johnson, Greenfield Centre; Byron J. Murray, Wilton (now of Saratoga Springs); Truman E. Parkman, Rock City Falls; J. R. Preston, Schuylerville; Calvin Preston, Galway; S. N. Rowell, Malta; Abram Van Woert, Amity; T. A. Young, West Charlton; J. M. Austin, M. N. Babcock, G. S. Beckwith, T. D. Crothers, H. L. Hammond, H. W. Steenburgh, S. H. Freeman, J. H. Allen, R. L. Allen, C. H. Andrus, P. P. Atwell, Israel Youngs, Newell Wright, Ira Wright, J. W. Williams, C. H. Wetmore, David Wells, Isaac W. Weed, A. B. Webber, J. W. Walls, J. L. Perry, J. C. Perry, Samuel Peters, Stephen Potter, James Porter, E. H. Porter, D. L. Porter, S. Porter, W. P. Porter, M. L. Bryan, William Carey, Cyril Carpenter, Abner Carpenter, A. J. Chadsey, Jason Bannister, J. W. Childs, A. F. Childs, Theodore Barnum, William Chambers, J. J. Burrus, Hiram Baxter, J .. B. Colby, G. H. Benham, John Cole, J. W. Pedrom, A. W. Van Woert, William Pearce, Timothy Upham, A. K. Underhill, Booth Northrup, S. M. Tracy, M. L. North, Cave Torrey, E. Mulford, F. Tourtelot, Walter Mott, G. Thomp- son, Avery Benedict, E. G. Crandall, Stephen Bent, E. F. Crandell, John Bennett, D. W. Culver, Abram Berry, Oliver Davidson, S. Billings, David Boyd, R. R. Davis, Roswell Day, C. B. Brown, Josiah Dean, Samuel McLeary, W. H. McLean, C. N. Thompson, F. M. Martin, James Thomas, W. M. Millard, William Tippet, Martin Tinker, N. F. Bruce, R. Derbyshire, J. C. Defreest, J. D. Bull, Edward Dickinson, Ira Dimmick, Samuel Drake, David Low, H. D. Losee, Miles Taylor, Thomas Littlefield, James Lee, E. St. John, M. D. Lathrop, Ira Straing, Jesse Everett, Grant
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Powell, M. L. Finch, J. M. Fiske, O. P. Raymond, Asa Fitch, John Rathbun, James Langworthy, H. J. Landon, John Kinley, A. J. Spencer, John King, James Spencer, P. Fletcher S. Freeman, J. H. Reynolds, S. Gaylord, R. R. Richards, Archibald Gow, Francis Rixby, N. J. Green, B. M. Keeney, L. H. Sprague, T. E. Johnson, Peter Sprague, L. Sprague, G. F. Johnson, Joseph Safford, Henry Griswold, L. D. Sabin, Oliver Goodrich, John Saile, Silas Hamilton, William Savage, J. Howard, D. Shumway, John Higgins, J. W. Smith, M. D. Hicks, D. S. Shelton, John Haight, R. H. Hart, Henry Saunders, W. K. Scott, Ira Hatch, Isaac Sears, F. B. Hicks, William Shaw, D. Sherman, D. J. Hewitt, S. M. Simpson.
After the dissolution of the Saratoga County Medical society in 1884 no organization of the profession existed in this county until October, 1895, when the regular practitioners in Saratoga Springs organized a local society known as the Medical Society of Saratoga Springs. This organization has become very flourishing. The following are the pres- ent members of the society :
J. J. Callahan, George T. Church, George F. Comstock, C. E. Creal, E. Valencourt Deuell, William H. Hall, A. Hewitt, William H. Hodgman, J. F. Humphrey, Erwin G. Inlay, J. B. Ledlie, D. C. Moriarta, Byron J. Murray, Tabor B. Reynolds, F. J. Resseguie, William E. Swan, Arthur A. Swanick, A. W. Thompson, Miles E. Varney, Saratoga Springs; Frank J. Sherman, James T. Sweetman, jr., Ballston Spa; R. A. Heenan, J. T. Park, Sandy Hill; J. S. White, South Glens Falls; H. M. Lincoln, Wilton ; H. O. Fairweather, Troy; Dr. Mallory, Corinth: Dr. Melick, Fort Edward.
In 1863 the homoeopathic medical practitioners of Saratoga county organized the Homoeopathic Medical Society of Saratoga county, an organization which flourished for several years. Among the prominent physicians who were connected with this society were Dr. Zina Clement of Saratoga Springs; Dr. B. F. Cornell who, though a resident of Fort Edward, enjoyed an extensive practice in this county; Dr. S. J. Pear- sall and Dr. Thomas E. Allen, of Saratoga Springs; Dr. J. F. Doolittle, who is still in practice in Ballston Spa; Dr. A. G. Peckham of Water- ford and Dr. William E. Rogers of Rexford's Flats.
Perhaps the most widely known of the pioneer physicians of Saratoga county was Dr. Billy J. Clark, who located in 1799 in that part of the town of Moreau which afterward was called Clark's Corners, in his honor. For many years Dr. Wicker, who resided in Easton, Washing- ton county, cared for the sick in a large part of the eastern section of Saratoga county. Billy J. Clark had been studying with Dr. Wicker for some two or three years, and when the young student had become fitted for the practice of his profession, his preceptor advised him to locate in Moreau, where the population was rapidly increasing.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Few men in those days wielded so wide and potent an influence as Dr. Clark. His practice soon became exceedingly laborious, and a very large share of it was performed in the name of charity. It was said of Dr. Clark that he never made out a bill against any person whom he knew to be unable to pay without pecuniary embarassment ; but on the other hand he never refused to respond to a call, whether the prospective patient were rich or poor. His mission was to do good, not to accumulate wealth.
Dr. Clark was the founder of one of the most powerful temperance societies which ever existed in this section of New York State. This was known as the "Moreau and Northumberland Temperance society," and was founded in Moreau in 1808, chiefly through the instrumentality of this noted physician, missionary and minster to the wants of the afflicted. In his practice he had daily witnessed the terrible physical and moral ruin wrought by intemperance, and was thereby aroused to the necessity of making an effort to stay the progress of the evil. Dr. Bull, then sheriff of the county, co-operated with him, and though they were denounced by most persons as visionary enthusiasts, they not only succeeded in enlisting the active co-operation of many of the most prominent and influential men in the county, but the subsequent work of the society resulted in the accomplishment of a tremendous amount of good, and the planting of the germs of a reform movement which after- ward swept over the entire country.
Dr. Clark was interested in public affairs generally; but though fre- quently importuned to accept public office he uniformly declined, ex- cepting during the years 1809 and 1831, when he was chosen to repre- sent the town of Moreau in the board of supervisors.
Dr. Littlefield was in practice in Moreau during the career of the celebrated Dr. Clark, and for many years enjoyed an extensive and lucrative practice.
The earliest physician to locate in the village of Saratoga Springs probably was Dr. Clement Blakesley, who married Theodosia, daugh- ter of Benjamin Risley. Dr. Blakesley remained here many years and became one of the most successful practitioners in the county. Dr. Cyril Carpenter was also a very early practitioner, his office being located on the site of the United States hotel.
Dr. John H. Steel, who began practice in Saratoga Springs early in the present century, occupied a position of great prominence, and is en- titled to more than passing reference. Dr. Steel was born in Leicester,
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Mass., in 1780, the son of Samuel and Anne Garfield Steel. His grand- father, Samuel Steel, was a judge of the county court; his great-grand- father, Thomas Steel, was also a judge; and his great-great-grand- father, Thomas Steel, who emigrated from England to Boston, was a descendant of William Steel, magistrate, counselor, recorder of Lon- don, baronet and lord lieutenant of Ireland.
Dr. Steel read medicine with Dr. Daniel Bull of Saratoga Springs. In 1808 he became a member of the Saratoga County Medical society, and during every year from 1808 to 1832 held office in that organiza- tion. He also served as president of the New York State Medical so- ciety ; was appointed surgeon of the Fourth New York Cavalry, mustered into service for the war of 1812; was assistant surgeon on an American man-of-war, and was present at the bombardment of Algiers in 1815; and also served as a surgeon in the New York State militia. Later in life he becane judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and also served as postmaster of Saratoga Springs, and president of that village from its incorporation in 1826 to 1836. He was an official member of the Al- bany Lyceum of Natural History, and either an honorary or correspond- ing member of every scientific and historical association of note in North America, besides many in Europe. He was an authority on the history of Saratoga county up to within a short time before his death, which occurred in 1838. In 1817 he published "Some Observations on the Mineral Waters of Saratoga and Ballston," and in 1831 published a larger work, entitled " An Analysis of the Mineral Waters of Saratoga and Ballston." His widow, who was Mary Taylor, a sister of Hon. Miles Taylor, died in 1872. Dr. Steel was always devoted to his pro- fession, and widely respected and beloved.
Dr. Daniel Bull, Dr. Steel's preceptor, for many years enjoyed an extensive practice in Saratoga Springs and vicinity. He was a man of grand character and interested in many movements for the public weal.
Dr. R. L. Allen was in practice in Saratoga Springs for many years in the first half of the century. He was for a long time a leading mem- ber of the county medical society, and in 1844 published the first edition of "A Historical, Chemical and Therapeutical Analysis of the Principal Mineral Waters of Saratoga Springs."
Dr. John Clark was a leading physician at the Springs early in the century. It was he who made the first successful attempt to furnish the village with an adequate supply of water by a conduit system. He erected a water tower about fifty feet high in what is now Congress
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Spring park, raising the water by pumps to the top of this structure and allowing gravity to carry it through wooden conduits through the village. This was in 1832, and for fifteen years this was the only waterworks system at the Springs.
Dr. Samuel Davis, who came to Ballston Spa in 1790, at the age of twenty-five years, probably was the first physician to engage in prac- tice in that village. He was born at East Hampton, Long Island, in 1765, and studied medicine with Dr. Turner, of Stonington, Conn., one of the most distinguished physicians and surgeons of his day. He first practiced in Schoharie county, N. Y., but afterwards removed to Ballston Spa, where he continued to practice for half a century. He was possessed of great skill and won the confidence and esteem of all with whom he came in contact.
Dr. Samuel Freeman began his professional career in Ballston Spa about 1815 and continued in practice in that village for a quarter of a century. He was a conspicuous member of the county medical society and enjoyed a large and lucrative practice.
Dr. Leverett Moore was born December 9, 1805, at Palmer, Mass., and was graduated from the medical college at Pittsfield, Mass., in December, 1829. After practicing a short time in Ulster county, N. Y., he removed to Albany, then to Greenbush, and finally, in 1840, he located at Ballston Spa, succeeding Dr Samuel Freeman. He with- drew from active practice about 1880, dying some eight or nine years later, after having filled, for a period of about forty years, a place in the ranks of the profession attained by few local practitioners. He was universally esteemed, not only as a physician, but as a man of great worth. For many years he was the secretary of the county so- ciety.
Dr. Elisha Miller, who came from Westchester county in 1770 and settled on the east side of Ballston lake, was the earliest physician to engage in practice in the town of Ballston, where he became a man of great prominence. He was a man of varied acquirements, and a large property holder. During the Revolution he removed his family to Schenectady, but returned himself to attend to his many patients. His life was a long, active and exceedingly useful one.
Among the prominent early physicians of the town of Saratoga were Drs. Bull, Bryant, Dean, Smith, Brisbin, Pierce, Copp, Dimmick and Billings. Dr. Samuel Tenney, a regimental surgeon stationed in town in 1783, was the first physician to call the attention of the medical faculty
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to the medicinal properties of the Saratoga spring waters. He addressed a letter upon the subject to Dr. Joshua Fisher of Boston, which was pub- lished in the Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1793).
Dr. Robert Patrick was one of the earliest physicians to locate in the town of Stillwater. Dr. Ephraim Otis, who resided at Quaker Springs, also practiced extensively in town. Dr. William Patrick was also in practice many years. His son, Dr. William Patrick, jr., succeeded him.
Dr. German was the first medical practitioner to locate in Halfmoon, as nearly as can be ascertained. His home was on the river road, and his practice extended many miles in all directions and on both sides of the Hudson. Dr. Sabin and Dr. Shaw succeeded him in practice. All were well known and devoted to their profession. Dr. Tibbets probably was the first physician at Mechanicville, as early as 1832. Dr. Cuerdon kept a tavern near that point as early as 1788, but whether he was a practicing physician is not known.
Dr. Francis Pixley was among the first physicians in Galway, proba- bly the first. For years he was identified with the county medical so- ciety. He rode thousands of miles annually over the central and west- ern parts of the county.
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