USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people : a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 27
USA > New York > St Lawrence County > Our county and its people: a memorial record of St. Lawrence County, New York > Part 27
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1817, being the youngest of five brothers, all of whom were physicians. He, like most lads brought up in the Green Mountain State, spent his boyhood days on the farm, and was taught frugality, industry and honest economy. He pursued his professional studies at the Albany Medical College, and graduated February, 1841. Mr. Sherman com- menced shortly after to practice medicine at Hammond, N. Y., where he remained some two years, then moved to Potsdam and practiced there about two years. In 1845 he came to Ogdensburg and opened an office, where he has continued to follow his profession ever since, being now the oldest practicing physician in the city and county. In 1847 he married Miss Charlotte Chipman of Waddington, N. Y. They have raised a family of five children, three sons and two daughters. Mr. Sherman, though a Republican, is not a politician, but has strong and clear convictions on general topics of the day. He does not possess a monkish spirit of seclusion from the world or the shrinking of any of the social or political responsibilities that bind one to the neighborhood, city or state. He has always taken great interest in our city schools and was for a number of years a member of the school board. Mr. Sherman was also appointed by Abraham Lincoln in 1862, a member of the Board of Examining Surgeons to recommend pensions in this dis- trict, and was chairman of that body for a number of years. He still continues to follow his profession, being one of the leading physicians of the city, is hale and hearty as ever at the advanced age of seventy-six years. He has practiced fifty-three years, has been president of the New York State Medical Society, organized the Northern New York Medical Association, has been president of the St. Lawrence County Medical Society, vice-president of the New York State Medical Society, and has been president of the Ogdensburg Medical Association for twenty-five years.
Socrates N. Sherman, brother of B. F., was born in Barre, Vt., July 22, 1801. At the age of twenty he left the farm and entered the office of Dr. Van Sicklin, in his native town, as a student of medicine. He graduated and received his diploma at Castleton Medical College in 1824. In the spring of 1825 he located at Heuvelton, and after practicing medicine a few months, he removed to Ogdensburg and entered into partnership with Dr. J. W. Smith, the foremost physician in the county.
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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
Dr. Sherman applied himself devotedly to the study and practice of his profession, gaining the love, respect and confidence of his patients, as well as of the public, during his practice, which extended over this and the surrounding towns, and he soon became eminent in his profession.
In February, 1828, he married Miss Lois Low, formerly from Ver- mont. In politics he first acted with the Anti-Masonic organization. At the collapse of that party, he united with the Whigs and became a leader. On the formation of the Republican party, he heartily joined in the movement, and in 1860 was elected a representative in Congress. His congressional career, which opened favorably, was arrested by the War of the Rebellion, in which he volunteered as surgeon of the 37th New York Volunteers. He was on the Peninsula in 1862, and was there taken very sick. He was ordered to Washington to save his life, but afterwards joined the regiment. Subsequently was appointed United States surgeon and had charge of a large hospital in West Virginia.
Dr. Sherman was instrumental in the erection of our extended system of free and graded schools, under a board of education in Ogdensburg. In the matter of religion he was in sympathy with the Universalist, and was a liberal supporter of that denomination.
His wife, while on a visit with him in the South, died suddenly, June 14, 1864. Dr. Sherman contracted disease while in the service of his country which finally terminated his life. He died at his home Feb - ruary 1, 1873.
A. B. Sherman settled in Ogdensburg about 1830, and was a clerk in the drug store of Dr. S. N. Sherman, his brother. He bought his brother's interest in 1835 and two years later closed out the business. Graduated as a physician in Pittsfield, Mass., in 1838, and practiced in Ogdensburg with his brothers until 1840. He removed to Rossie, and about two years later to Waddington, where he remained to about 1848, when he removed to Morrisburg, Canada.
Frank R. Sherman, son of Dr. B. F. Sherman, studied with his fath- er and graduated in the scientific department of Cornell University and in Bellevue Hospital in February, 1875. He practiced a year in Ogdensburg, removed to Michigan City, Ind., returned and died in Hammond, July 29, 1881, at the age of thirty years.
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THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
J. Chipman Sherman, son of Dr. B. F. Sherman, is associated in prac- tice with his father. He was born July 28, 1849, studied in Ogdens- burg High School and graduated in medicine from the University of New York. He is president of the St. Lawrence County Medical Society.
Robert Morris was born in Glasgow, Scotland, January 28, 1810; settled in Hammond in 1819 and studied medicine in Albany and at- tended two terms in the Albany Medical College, graduating in Jan- uary, 1846. He practiced four years in Hammond and in 1850 settled in Ogdensburg. He served through the war as surgeon of the Ninety- first N. Y. Infantry.
J. H. Benton was born in Antwerp, Jefferson county, February 8, 1823, and studied medicine in Watertown; attended lectures at Wil- loughby College in 1848, graduating from the University of Penn- sylvania in 1848. He practiced two years in West Philadelphia and settled in Ogdensburg in 1851. He died in Ogdensburg, August 31, 1885.
Dr. David E. Southwick was born in Keesville, Clinton county, N. Y., September 29, 1831, and received his rudimentary education in the common schools and by private tuition. At eighteen years of age he entered the Keesville Academy and after a three years' course in that institution began the study of medicine with Dr. Blanchard, of his native place. The following year he entered the office of Dr. Ward, also of Keesville, and attended a course of medical lectures in Albany. He then entered the Homoeopathic Medical College at Philadelphia, the first homoeopathic college established in this country. From this institution he graduated with honors in 1857. In this year he came to Ogdensburg and began the practice of his profession, in which he at- tained eminence. He was the pioneer of the principles of home- opathy in this city and his success from the first has been a fine vindica- tion of the principles of this school and also a practical encomium on his own splendid abilities and professional skill. An epidemic which broke out among the children in the winter of 1858 gave the doctor an admirable opportunity to illustrate the efficacy of his medical theory and his treatment of patients was so singularly successful that his repu-
294
HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
tation and practice were at once permanently established. In 1864 Dr. Southwick associated Dr. N. N. Child with him and the partnership continued till 1871. Dr. Southwick is highly popular both with the members of the medical profession, who respect and admire him for his knowledge, skill and courtesy, and by the people at large who hold him in high esteem for his social qualities, his sterling principles and the fact that while enjoying a large and ofttimes taxing practice, he is always ready to give his best services to the poorest as well as the richest patient. Dr. Southwick has never gone into politics, but pro- fessionally is a member of the American Medical Institute, the State Medical Society and the St. Lawrence County Medical Society, of which he has been president. He is a man of broad and liberal views, enterprising and patriotic, locally as well as nationally. His character is strong, yet unobtrusive, and all his intercourse with his fellowmen is marked by the culture of a gentleman and the wisdom of knowledge. In 1871 he married Sarah Frances Vilas, daughter of Alden and Ellen Vilas, of Ogdensburg. Mr. Vilas was a New Englander by birth, and one of the pioneers in the town of Oswegatchie. He was a son of Peter Vilas, an Englishman, born in 1804. Mrs. Vilas was a daughter of Thomas and Sarah Chandler of Reading, Vt. Dr. Southwick's father was Paul Southwick, who was born in Salem, Mass, May 15, 1797. His ancestors were of English birth and were among the early New England settlers. Mrs. Southwick, the doctor's mother, was born Sep. tember 14, 1800. She died while he was quite young. His father died at the age of sixty-three.
Dr. Caleb Pierce .- This physician was a son of Bestor Pierce, who has been noticed in the history of Potsdam. He was born at Royal- ton, Vt., August 6, 1800, and was six years old when his father removed to Potsdam. When he was nineteen he went to Lebanon, N. H., and studied medicine with two professors of Dartmouth College, attending lectures at the same time, and received his diploma in 1822. In 1823 he settled in the village of Madrid. He was honored with the offices of president and vice president of the County Medical Society, beld an honorary diploma from the Medical College at Castleton, and the degree of M. D. from Dartmouth College. He was prominent in the affairs
295
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
of the town and much respected in the community. He died in Madrid June 14, 1887.
Charles C. Bartholomew was born in Waddington, May 16, 1846. He studied with Dr. J. H. Bartholomew, in Lansing, Mich., attended one term at Ann Arbor and graduated from Bellevue Hospital in 1870. He settled in Ogdensburg and soon gained an excellent repu- tation and large practice. He has held the office of president of the County Medical Society.
Dr. Louis Sanburn studied his profession in Barre, Vt., attended two courses of lectures at Castleton and graduated from the Burlington University in 1825. In 1826 he settled in Heuvelton, where he was for many years a prominent physician. He became a member of the County Medical Society in 1828, and was several times a delegate to the State Society. He removed to Montana and died there at the age of eighty-three.
William Floyd .- Dr. Floyd was born in New Haven, Vt., October 16, 1800, and settled in Norfolk, St. Lawrence county, in 1829. There is little known of the particulars of his life, excepting that he was a Free Mason of good standing, a staunch Republican in politics, and widely respected in his profession. He died in Norfolk, but the date of his death is not known.
The first physician in the town of Rossie was a Dr. Slade, of whom little is known. He settled there at an early day and continued in practice until 1851, when he removed to Florida and died.
One of the earliest, if not the very first, physicians in the town of Hopkinton was Dr. Stephen Langworthy. He was succeeded in that town by Dr. Gideon Sprague, who came from Addison county. Ver- mont, in 1811, and joined the Medical Society in 1814. He con- tinued in practice until his death in 1859, and was succeeded by his son, F. P. Sprague.
Francis Parker .- Dr. Parker was a native of Clarendon, Vt., where he was born July 14, 1790. He studied medicine in Cornwall, Vt., and received a diploma from the Vermont State Medical Society in 1815. He was present as a surgeon at the battle of Plattsburg, in the war of
296
HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
1812. He lived in Clinton county a few years and then settled in the town of Parish, where he practiced until his death. He was president of the County Medical Society in 1840. He died May 13, 1858.
Robert Campbell .- Dr. Campbell was the first physician in the town of De Kalb, being one of the party of first settlers who located there in 1803. Nothing is known of his after life.
Dr. John Seeley succeeded Dr. Campbell in the town and was for many years a successful physician. It is related of him that he success- fully performed the operation of trepanning on a man who was injured at the raising of a building in 1804, using no other instrument than a steel thimble, which he made into an annular saw. Dr. Seeley died at Cooper's Falls on the 24th of May, 1829.
G. Dart .- Dr. Dart was a homoeopathic physician of the town of Depeyster. He first attended lectures in the Rush Medical College of Chicago and practiced in Depeyster village until 1875, then he attended lectures and graduated at the Detroit Homoeopathic College. He returned to Depeyster and continued practice there a few years and moved to California where he continued to practice his profession.
Joseph Boynton .- Dr. Boynton was one of the early physicians and the first to settle in Morristown. He was from Massachusetts. He continued in practice until about the year 1834.
Dr. Solomon P. Sherwood was also an early physician in Morristown and became a member of the County Medical Society in 1820. He removed to Jefferson county, but returned and practiced there until 1850, when he removed to Illinois.
Dr. J. S. Morgan, a graduate of the Albany Medical College, in 1825, settled in Morristown in 1826. In 1828 he became a member of the County Medical Society, and continued in practice more than fifty years. He died in 1878.
Dr. Robert Burns, a graduate of a medical college at Glasgow, Scot- land, located at Brier Hill at an early day and practiced there with good success until a short time before his death. He joined the County Medical Society in 1848 and died in Morristown in 1862.
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THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
John Bean was the first practicing physician in the town of Ham- mond, where he settled as early as 1820. He continued in practice there until about 1856, when he removed to Richville and died a few years later. With him was associated as a partner for a time a Dr. Blackman.
A. R. Gregor, a graduate of the Geneva Medical College in 1846, having previously attended lectures in the Albany Medical College, settled in the village of Hammond and joined the County Medical Society in 1864, and later was made an honorary member. He was superintendent of schools in 1847 and was coroner from 1867 to 1875.
William S. Paddock .- Dr. Paddock was one of the earliest physicians in the town of Massena, and located there not very long after first settlement of the town. Through his long life he continued in practice, and gained the respect of the community. He joined the County Medical Society in 1816 and held the office of president in 1839. His death took place in Massena May 6, 1859, at the age of seventy-two years.
Joseph H. Ripley, another early physician of Massena, joined the County Society in 1834, and practiced in the town more than forty years. He died in the town February 28, 1880, at the age of eighty- five years.
Dr. E. Whitney settled early in Massena, became a member of the County Medical Society in 1834, and died in the town May 20, 1884.
Henry D. Laughlin .- Dr. Laughlin was born in Hopkinton Sep- tember 17, 1806, and studied medicine with Dr. Sprague in his native town and Dr. Allen, of Middlebury, Vt. He practiced seven years in Hopkinton and removed to Ogdensburg, where he continued his busi- ness more than thirty-five years, and ranked among the foremost phy- sicians of the county. He died in Ogdensburg June 20, 1365, aged fifty- eight years.
P. M. Wise, M.D., was born in Erie county, N. Y., March 7, 1851, and received his literary education in the district schools and Parker Classical Institute. He studied medicine in the University of Buffalo, and was graduated from that institution in 1872. He then took a 38
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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
position in the St. Louis City Hospital, where he remained a year. It was during this year that the city was visited with an epidemic of small- pox. Dr. Wise was appointed quarantine physician, and his admirable work won for him the commendation of the officials and the people of the city.
In 1873 Dr. Wise accepted a position on the medical staff of the Willard Asylum for the Insane, a State institution located on Seneca Lake, New York, and was connected with that institution for eighteen years, during the last six of which he was superintendent.
In 1886 he was one of the commissioners appointed by Governor Hill to locate a site for an asylum in Northern New York, and along with Commissioner Latchworth made a minority report in favor of Ogdens- burg, which, notwithstanding the report of the majority, was sub- sequently acted upon.
In 1890 Dr. Wise accepted his present position of superintendent of the St. Lawrence State Hospital, and his three years of incumbency has established his eminent qualifications for the position. Not only has his superior mind been stored with all the learning of his profession, but a practical experience of twenty years in his special work and the information gained by travel and the inspection of the best asylums of Europe, have contributed to make him one of the ablest experts in this country on mental diseases. But Dr. Wise possesses attributes of heart commensurate with his intellectual attainments, and his kindly sympathy for human suffering, combined with his medical knowledge and fine executive abilities, renders him the one man absolutely fitted for the responsible position he occupies.
The St. Lawrence State Hospital, when completed, will be the largest institution of its kind in the world. Commenting on the insti- tution and its superintendent, the Daily News says: "So with this kindly man at its head, and the great power and resources of the State at its back, the St. Lawrence State Hospital is performing a mighty work for the amelioration of the pain and ills which afflict society's most unfortunate people."
N. N. Child, M.D., was born in the town of Compton, Quebec, Jan- uary 31, 1837. He received an academic education, and also took a classical course. At the age of twenty-three years he entered the office
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THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
of Dr. H. A. Houghton, of Keesville, Clinton county, N. Y., and began the study of medicine. He remained under Dr. Houghton's tutorship for three years, attending lectures at intervals in the medical depart- ment of the University of Vermont ; later on he attended a preliminary and regular course of lectures at the Berkshire Medical College at Pittsfield, Mass, and in November, '62, entered the Homoeopathic Med- ical College of Philadelphia, and graduated from that institution in March, 1863. The same spring he came to Ogdensburg and com- menced the practice of his profession. He was for eight years (from 1863 to 1871), associated with Dr. D. E. Southwick in the practice of his profession, and since that time has been actively engaged in caring for his large and influential practice in the country and city. Dr. Child was married December 7, 1860, to Miss Phoebe Southwick, of Keese- ville, N. Y., a descendant of a Revolutionary family. They have one daughter married, Mrs. G. W. Huntley ; son, Frank S., died at twelve. Dr. Child is a direct descendant of Thomas Child, who came over in the Mayflower, and settled in Massachusetts. His father was Walter Child, a native of West Boylston, Mass., and his mother was Laura B. Bonnell, a daughter of Seth and Rebecca Bonnell. Dr. Child is emi- nently a successful practitioner, and enjoys a well earned competency, the result of his untiring energy. He is held in the highest esteem for his uprightness of character, his quiet and unassuming deportment, as well as for his scientific qualifications and great success in the field of medicine ; being recognized as the leading exponent of homœopathy in St. Lawrence county. In politics Dr. Child is a Democrat, and is identified with leading local and State institutions, both political and professional.
He was appointed examining surgeon upon the Pension Board a few years ago, and has recently been appointed to the same position a second term, and has been a member of the Board of Health for some time, and is now a member of the Board of Public Works of the city. Dr. Child is a gentleman of large and robust frame, combined with a courteous and affable manner, which makes him much respected and esteemed, as a family physician, a public officer and a citizen.
James B. Carpenter, M.D., was born June 9, 1819, at Johnstown, N. Y. He was one of ten children of Jonathan and Lucy (Johnson) Car-
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HISTORY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
penter. The grandfather, Jonathan Carpenter, was born in Connecti- cut, coming to Montgomery county near Johnstown and settling early in life. James B. was educated at Gouverneur Academy, studied medicine with Doctors Davison and Brewster, of Theresa, and at Castle- ton Medical College, where he graduated in 1847. He was engaged in the practice of his profession in Theresa for twenty years, when he removed to Gouverneur in March, 1867, where he now lives. He served in the army as surgeon for about two years with the 35th New York Volunteers ; was at the battles of Gettysburg, Fredericksburg, the Wilderness and many others. He married, August 3, 1848, Roxaline Celia Flower, daughter of Nathan M., and sister of Gov. Roswell P. Flower. She died July 9, 1887, leaving one daughter, Francis Amelia, (now Mrs. Andrew Irving of Baltimore).
Jesse Reynolds, M. D., was born in Chazy, Clinton county, Decem- ber 10, 1823, a son of Assemblyman Guy Reynolds, a prominent farm- er of that town. The tradition of the ancestry is that some time in the eighteenth century seven brothers of this name came to this country from Ireland and located in Rhode Island. The first of the family in Vermont was Grindle Reynolds, father of Guy. The latter married Elizabeth Hyde a native of Vermont. The boyhood of Jesse was spent on Grand Island, Vt. He was educated in the common schools and at twenty-one went into the office of Hardy H. Reynolds, M. D., in Al- burgh, Vt., where he spent three years, attending lectures at old Ver- mont Medical College at Woodstock, and graduating June 14, 1847. His first practice was at South Canton, St. Lawrence county, where he spent twelve years. In February, 1860, he located at Potsdam, where he has ever since practiced. Dr. Reynolds was the chairman of the Board of Health in 1890-91, was a member of the first local board of the Potsdam Normal School, and the only one of that board living in Potsdam that is still a trustee. Dr. Reynolds married in September, 1852, Louisa Montgomery, of Canton, who died in March, 1871. His second wife was Lucy A. Leonard, of Canton, who died in November, 1882. The present Mrs. Reynolds was Elizabeth Hargrave of Madrid. Dr. Reynolds has seven children.
B. F. Drury, M. D., was born in Canton, January 6, 1837. His fath- er, Isaac R., and mother, Elizabeth (Van Allen) Drury, were natives of
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THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
Vermont, as was also the grandfather, Ebenezer. He studied medicine with Dr. Hastings at De Kalb, at Castleton, and Burlington, Vt., grad- uating from the medical department of the University of Vermont in 1859. He practiced in Edwards and De Kalb until the fall of 1876, when he came to Gouverneur and engaged in the practice of his pro- fession, where he has since remained. He was married in August, 1859, to Mary A., daughter of Thomas and Mary (Hudson) Ritchie, of De Kalb. The father of Mrs. Drury, a native of Scotland, came to this country in early life, is a civil engineer, and has been a resident of De Kalb for many years. The mother's ancestry were of English descent. They have three children : Juliet L., Frederick F., and Albert N. Frederick F., a physician and surgeon, received his education at Bur- lington, Vt., and at Bellevue Medical College, New York, graduating from Bellevue in April, 1891, since which time he has been engaged in the practice of his profession in partnership with his father, in Gouver- neur.
Hervey Dexter Thatcher, M. D., was born in Newport, N. H., Decem- ber 28, 1835, the second son of Calvin, a native of that town. He attend- ed the academies at Newport, New London and Washington, N. H., and Potsdam and Ogdensburg, N. Y. . Spending one and a half years as a student in medicine he went to New York where he made a year's en- gagement with Ewen McIntyre, president of the New York College of Pharmacy to fill a position in the Broadway Drug Store. Later he turned his attention to the study of medicine, graduating at the Ec- lectic College of Cincinnati, O., in the spring of 1859. During his student life he taught school many terms to procure funds with which to pursue his studies, His first venture in a professional way was in the little town of Walton, Ky., where he had previously taught select school ; his stay here was very short as an opening offered in Canton, N. Y., to connect himself with a drug store at that point ard at the same time follow the practice of medicine. He remained here but one year or until the great fire of 1860 destroyed half the business part of the town, when he removed to Potsdam, N. Y., where for more than a third of a century he has conducted the drug store of which he is still the proprietor. In 1860 he formulated Thatcher's Orange Butter Color and later established a trade for it in every State and in the Canadas.
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