USA > Ohio > Butler County > A history and biographical cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio, with illustrations and sketches of its representative men and pioneers. Vol. 1 > Part 45
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He died on the seventh day of October. 1870, at the ripe age of eighty-three years, seven months and nine
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THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
days. It will provoke no invidious remark from a sur- vivor who knew Samnel Millikin in his lifetime, and was familiar with his characteristics, to say that few men ever lived in Butler County who were more highly esteemed than he was for his integrity, his conscientiousness, his kindness and good deeds. He always had many endur- ing friends, and died leaving behind him no enemies.
Dr. Robert B. Millikin, the sixth son of James and Dolly Millikin, was born on the ninth day of December, 1793. At the time of the exodus of his three brothers from their home, in 1807, he was only in his fourteenth year. He remained with his parents until the Spring of 1812, when the spirit of emigration got the mastery, and constrained him to follow the examples of his brothers. Upon his arrival in Hamilton, he, too, became a member of the family of his brother, where he continued to reside until the time of bis marriage.
Soon after his arrival in Hamilton he gave his atten- tion to the study of such branches of an education as were preparatory to the study of medicine. The facili- ties for acquiring a good education had been by no means excellent. He availed himself of such as existed for more than a year, and then commenced the study of medicine. The Spring of 1817 was full of interesting events to Robert B. Millikin. He had been licensed to practice his profession, he had taken unto himself a wife, had commenced housekeeping, and opened an office where he proposed to answer professional ealls.
Dr. R. B. Millikin was married on the sixteenth day of December, 1816, to Sarah Gray, who was connected with many of the pioneer families of . that day. They had three children, who arrived at full age, and all of whom still survive. Samuel Millikin resided for many years after he became of age in Hamilton. Many years ago be removed to the State of Missouri, where he now resides, and is engaged in farming operations. Thomas Millikin, his second son of full age, was born on the 28th of September, 1819. He married Mary Vanhook, daugh- ter of William B. Vanhook, who was a pioneer resident of Hamilton for quite half a century. Elizabeth Millikin married William A. Elliott, son of the Rev. Arthur W. Elliott, who died in 1881.
After Dr. Robert B. Millikin commenced the practice of medicine, he devoted himself to his practice with great assitluity, and to the management of his business affairs he gave the most careful attention. The result of many years' practice, and the giving of strict attention to all his interests, was the acquisition of property, and the enjoyment of a comparatively independent position. Even while engaged in the active duties of his profes- sion, he gave attention to other business matters, and di-charged official duties. Ho contacted the business of a drug store in Rossville, now constituting the First Ward in Hamilton. He was postmaster of Rossville for many years, previous to the attachment of that place to Ham- iltom. Subsequently, after he gave les attention to his
professional duties, he engaged in the business of mer- chandising. During the earlier and more active period of his life, he discharged the duties of several honorable positions. He was for years brigadier-general of the militia ; a trustee of Miami University; one of the com- missioners for the selection of canal lands donated to the State, and a member of the Legislature of Ohio. After the defalcation of a treasurer of the county, he was appointed to fill the vacancy in that office, because of his recognized integrity and his strict and careful vigi- lance in the management of such an official trust.
His wife died early in the thirties, and Dr. Millikin subsequently married Mrs. Ann Eliza Yeaman, who still survives. Dr. Millikin died on the twenty-eighth day of Jane, 1860, having attained to the age of sixty-six years, six months, and nineteen days. Thomas Millikin, his son, is a lawyer, and the leader of the bar in this county.
James B. Millikin, another son, after preparatory studies, engaged in the study of law. He was daly ad- mitted to the practice of that profession, and for more than thirty years has been a member of the Butler County bar.
Andrew Millikin was the fourth one of the sons of James and Dolly Millikin, who came to Butler County from Washington County, Peunsylvania. He was boru on the 4th of April, 1796, and removed to Hamilton in . 1820 or 1821. He was a clothier by trade; but after his removal here, ain his marriage, he engaged in sev- eral pursuits, and subsequently purchased a farm on Pleasant Run, near Symmes's Corner.
He was married in 1822 to Adaline Hunter, daughter of Joseph Hunter, and sister to the wife of his brother Samuel, to Mrs. Hoagh and Mrs. Reily. He died in 1833 on his farm, being the Sret victim residing in the county, of the terrible epidemic, Asiatic cholera. He left a widow and three children. He was a man of vig- orens constitution, of activity and industry, and note- rious for his cordial, friendly intercourse with all who knew himt.
Abd Millikin was the youngest son of the family. He continued to reside on the original homestead firm, on Ten-mile, for many years. Finally he removed to Hamilton, and resided here for some years. He was the father of the first wife of Noah C. MeFarland, and father also of Dr. Samuel Millikin, who, for many years, was a reputable practitioner of medicine in Hamilton. He was the partner of Dr. Morris, then a practicing physi- cian. Dr. Samuel Millikin died at the residence of his brother-in-law. N. C. MeFarland, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery, where the remains of his father and his sister were deposited.
Dr. Slayback practiced in Hamilton for several years, about 1818, after which Le removed to Cincinnati. He was a very respectable physician.
Dr. John Weily was here as early as 1819, probably.
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NYM WH
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
He died in 1823, ou Third Street, much respected. Dr. ; Henry Baker and Dr. Samuel Woods were here as part- ners in 1823, dissolving partnership in July, 1824. Dr. Baker continued the practice, preaching also, a part of the time, in the Methodist Church.
Dr. John C. Dunlevy came to Hamilton from Leha- non about the year 1822 or 1823. He was a very thor- oughly educated physician, perhaps the first of that kind in the county, and occupied a high place in the profes- sion. In 1834 he returned to Lebanon. An advertise- ment of his in-the Volunteer, in 1823, reads as follows:
REMOVAL. DR. JOHN C. DUNLEVY
Has recently opened a general assortment of fresh medi- cines in the house adjoining Mr. Falconer's tavern, in Ross- ville, which he will retail at Cincinnati prices.
He will continue to attend to the different branches of his profession on either side of the river. He may be found .at his shop, or at his lodgings at Col. Hall's, when not en- gaged in professional business.
N. B. He designs shortly to make arrangements to re- ceive wheat, pork, and almost any article suitable for the Orleans trade, for professional services.
Dr. L. W. Smith was in Hamilton as a practitioner in the year 1824. He was a genial gentleman, but did not remain beyond that year. Dr. Jeremiah Woolsey immigrated from New Jersey about 1823, and was a censor of the District Medical Society in 1824. He re- ided ou the west side of the river.
Dr. Alexander Ramsey and Dr. Gunn were here at the same time, in 1819 or 1820. The latter was a supe- rior man, and a graduate of the New York College of Physicians and Surgeons. His abilities and attainments were, however, drowned in the ocean of intemperance, as were those of Dr. Alexander Proudfit.
Dr. Loammi Rigdon was born in Pennsylvania, Sep- tember 30, 1791, and graduated in medicine at Transyl- vania Medical College, Lexington, Kentucky, in 1823. He practiced for eleven years in Wilmington, Ohio, and removed to Lebanon in 1824. . In March, 1826, he came to Hamilton, and entered into partnership with Dr. John C. Dunlevy. Early in 1834 Dr. Dunlevy removed to Lebanon, and in October of that year Dr. Rigdon took into partnership, for a term of three years, Dr. Cyrus Falconer. October 9, 1815, he was married to Rebecca Donlevy, the oldest daughter of Judge Francis Danlevy. He died on the 10th of May, 1865. In all the active years of his professional life be had a large medical prae- tice. He was for many years a respected member of the Baptist Church, and died full of honors as of years.
The State was, in the carly part of the century. di- vided by law into medical districts, and in 1824 this county and Proble formed the second. They met at Ox- ford on the 25th of May, and appointed the following officers: Daniel Millikin, president ; George R. Brown, vice-president ; James R. Hughes, treasurer; Peter
Van Derveer, secretary ; John C. Dunlevy, Peter Van Derveer, Jesse Paramour, James R. Hughes, Jeremiah Woolsey, censors, Members: John Woods, Eliphalet Stephens, Joshua Stephens, James M. Cory, Jas. II. Buell, Otho Evans, Samuel Woods, Wm. Bunnel, Dan Egbert, Robert B. Millikin, E. C. Myers, John Richey, Alexander Proudfit, David Baker, and Daniel D. Hall.
A code of by-laws was adopted, which required that the society should meet twice a year at Hamilton, when the board of censors would attend to the examination of candidates for license to practice physic and surgery. The censors were likewise authorized to hold meetings for the examination of candidates during the recess of the society.
By one of the by-laws members of the society were forbidden, after the next semi-annual meeting, to consult with, or meet on professional business, any person who was not a member of this or some other regularly organ- ized medical society.
An address or dissertation on some medical or seien- tific subject was required to be delivered at each regular meeting of the society, by some member appointed at the preceding meeting, and John C. Donlevy, M. D., was appointed to deliver the address at the next semi-annual meeting, on the last Tuesday in November.
Persons hereafter admitted as members were required to pay two dollars into the hands of the treasurei, on their admission, and the annual assessment of cach mem- ber was made fifty cents.
By a by-law of the society, every member who was called to a patient who had, during his present illness. been attended by another, was required to ascertain whether the other physician understood that the patient was no longer under bis care, and unless he had been dismissed, or had voluntarily relinquished the patient, the second physician was not to take charge of the pa- tient or give his advice without a regular consultation, except in case of emergency.
At the same time and place the board of eensors met, and examined and furnished with certificates, agreeably to law, Henry Baker and Daniel D. Hall, who were licensed to practice physic and surgery as soon as the society should obtain a suitable seal.
By a resolution of the society, a general statement of its proceedings at this meeting, signed by the secretary, was ordered to be published in oue or more of the news- papers at Hamilton and Eaton.
Dr. Joab Hunt, of New Jersey, a graduate of Jeffer- son Medical College, arrived here in 1831, and for two years was a partuer of Dr. R. B. Millikin, of Rossville. He then removed to Mississippi. Dr. Richmond Browu. ell, who had studied medicine with Dr. R. B. Millikin partly at the same time as Dr. Cyras Falconer, had briedy practiced as the partner of his preceptor, and re- moved to Paducah, Kentucky, just before the advent of Dr. Hunt.
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THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
Dr. Jacob Hittell, born in Lehigh County. Pennsylva- nia, in 1797, moved to Butler County in 1839, and after spending three years in Trenten and Rossville, bought a home directly in front of the court-house on High Street, devoting himself to the practice of his profession. He was of German descent, his grandfather having come from Europe in the early part of the eighteenth century. When he was a boy the common speech in Lehigh was German, and he knew no English when he started out, at. fourteen, to earn his living. At sixteen he was a clerk in a grocery-store, saving every cent not necessary for food, clothing, lodging, and education. He had every thing to learn. and be had already determined that he would be a physician. After eight years of unaided effort, he obtained his diploma, with the signatures of Rush, Physiek, Wistar, and the other great professors of the leading medical college of the United States at that time. He then had eight more years of struggle before he had a comfortable position pecuniarily. His settlement in Hamilton. proved fortunate for bin. He was industri- ons, economieal, and sharp-witted. He bought lots, which rapidly rose in value. There were many Germans and Pennsylvania Germans in the county, who gave him most of their medical practice, and his income from that source arose in some years, is was said, to $5,000 --- a large amount forty years ago. Nearly every Fall he took a journey through Northern Ohio and Indiana, to buy wild land, which was then rising rapidly in value. These purchases turned out well in nearly every instance; and as early as 1840 Dr. Hittell was considered one of the richest men of Butler County. He was a very close man in money matters; but in at least one respect no man in Hamilton was more generous -- that was, in educating his children, of whom he bad five. One of these graduated at a young ladies' seminary in Philadelphia, one in Hol- yoke, one in Oxford. and one in Yale; and the other would not graduate anywhere, because he disliked books. About 1865, when nearly seventy years of age, Dr. Hit- tell abandoned his practice, and moved back to his old home in Pennsylvania, where he died in 1878. He laid off' an addition to Hamilton in the southern part of the town, near the casteru bauk of the river. He was a goal surgeon, and a jovial associate among those whose cumpany he enjoyed.
John S. Hittell, his ellest son, was seven years old when his father arrived in Hamilton. After graduating at Oxford, he read law for a time with the late John Woods, William Beckett being in the othice with him. Dyspepsia interrupted his studies, and he never completed them. He went to California in 1849, and. after trying his hand at various occupations, fueleding mining, became que of the ·Itorial weiter of de The fadini new paper. a position which he bell. though not continuon-ly. for more than twenty-four years. He was known as a hard worker and careful student, and was soon recognized as an authority in matter, relating to the industries and resources of the
State. In 1862 he published a book called " The Re- sources of California," and the seventh edition of it ap- peared in 1879. " A History of San Francisco," from his pen, was issued in 1878. He has written several other books, numbering at least half a dozen, and has contributed much to cyclopedias and magazines. His range of knowledge is wide, including familiarity with the literature and tongues of Germany, France, Spain, and Italy. He is a bachelor.
Theodore H. Hittell, his brother, born in 1830, stud- ied law in Cincinnati, and moved to San Francisco in 1855, where he was for a time a journalist, and is now an attorney. - He has been engaged in some very heavy law-suits, including the Lick will ease and the San Pablo partition suit, in which, rumor says, his fees have amounted to little fortunes .. He has been a member of the State- Senate, and has compiled several low-books, which are standard authorities ; and perhaps no name appears more frequently than his in the reports of the State Supreme Court. He is married, and has three children.
The youngest living child of Jacob Hittell, Mary, is wife of John W. Killinger, who has represented the Leb- anon Distriet, Pennsylvania, for four terms in Congress. Her eldest sister lives in single blessedness.
Dr. William Kelley, who had studied with Dr. R. B. Millikin, practiced several years, probably front 1834 to 1836, and then removed to Mississippi.
On Monday, January 2, 1837, a large portion of the physicians of Butler County met at Blair's Hotel, at the request of Dr. Falconer and one or two other physicians, and organized a county medical association. They adopted the American code of ethics, and agreed upon a fee-hill, the first ever thought of here. Previous to this the ordinary price for a visit was twenty-five eents, and mileage in country practice twenty-five cents a mile; obstetrical fee from two to three dollars; night practice. at the same prices. By this new agreement prices were raised to a dollar for a visit. We give one of the reso- lutions :
" Resolved (unanimously), That the grade of profes- sional fees this day adopted shall be the standard by which our charges in future shall be regulated, and that our honor as gentlemen and physicians is hereby pledged that we will adhere to it in all cases. except when char- tty or some motive equally honorable may induce us to depart from it: Prorided, That where, from ungenthe- manly neighboring physicians or other extreme cases, a physician is certain that his practice will be seriously and permanently injured by an adherence to this code, then he shall be held ahsolved from the obligation hereby imposed."
It will be seen that this is a most bine and imporeat .
conclusion It was impossible at that time to maintain barriers so strong.
This period, from 1830 to 1850, is to be distinguished as one of medical ferment. Our fathers practiced their
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190
. HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
art by the best lights then attainable; but it was impos- sible for them to gain as thorough a knowledge of the human frame and its diseases and remedies as is now practicable. A reaction sprang up in the carlier part of this period against the excessive use of purgatives, blood- letting, and calomel, and soon attained a stronghold among the people. It soon crystallized into a theory that " heat is life, and cold is death," and that whatever tends to weaken the system or reduce the temperature is positively hurtful. This was known as the Thompsonian or botanic school, and in derision its professors were called by their opponents " steam-doctors." They carried about with them, at all times, apparatus to conduct steam from a fire to the patient. Rooms were closed, and the sick thoroughly heated. The apostle of this theory in this neighborhood was then the Rev. Wilson Thompson, pastor of the Baptist Church, who practiced as a botanic or steam physician. He was really an eloquent man, and he thundered from his pulpit, week after week, de- nunciations of the " calomel murderers," and even calling them by name. The adherents of the new views rap- idly increased in numbers, but an unlucky epidemic de- stroyed their faith. The cholera was raging one year, after they had acquired this foothold, and in Columbus, where it was particularly bad, the deaths were very nu- merous. The followers of Dr. Samuel Thompson were very unsuccessful. Those that they treated died as fast. if not faster, than those who were treated by the allopaths; and they never recovered from the blow.
Dr. Loanumi Rigdon, after the death of Dr. Daniel Millikin, was the senior physician in Hamilton in active practice. He was born in Pennsylvania September 30, 1791, and gradnated in medicine at Transylvania Med- ical College, at Lexington, Kentucky, in 1823. He practiced for eleven months in Wilmington, Ohio, re- moved to Lebanon in 1824, and in March, 1826, came to Hamilton, and entered into partnership with Dr. John C. Dunlevy. Early in 1834 Dr. Dunlevy removed to Lebanon, and in October of that year Dr. Rigdon took into partnership Dr. Cyrus Falconer for a term of three years. On the 9th of October, 1815, he was married to Rebecca Dunlevy, the oldest daughter of Judge Francis Dunlevy. Dr. Rigdon was for a long time president of the County Medical Society, and died on the 10th of July, 1865. In all the active years of his professional life he had a large medical practice. He was for many years a member of the Baptist Church, and died full of honors as of years.
Butler County has contributed a large member of set- tlers to California. Among those who studied medicine ¿ here before going thither was Alexander B. Nixon, M. D., of Sacramento, who was born March 1, 1820, in this county, his family being of English, Irish, and Welsh de- sceut. He was caneated in the common schools and the Miami University. He was a,student of Dr. C. Falconer, of Hamilton, and graduated from the Ohio Medical College
at Cincinnati, in 1846, and began the practice of his pro- Cession in Hamilton, and continued there until the Spring of 1849, when he emigrated to California, and finally settled in Sacramento, the capital of the State, where he has since been continuously engaged in the general prac- tice of his calling. He has filled the office of presi- dent of the State Medical Society, and also the office of secretary ; has been president of the Sacramento County Society, acting as its secretary for a period of three years in succession ; and is now president of the City Board of Health. He also holds the office of commissioner of lunacy, a position which he has oceupied during the last twenty-four years, and is the author of a pamphlet upon the subject of insanity, and of late years bas written a number of papers upon medical subjects for the medical journals. He is now, and has been during the last twelve years, surgeon-in-chief of the Central Pacific Rail- road Hospital. In 1856 he took an active part in the organization of the Republican party, and in 1861 was eleeted State senator on that ticket. During the late civil war he held the office of surgeon of the Board of Enrollment for the Middle District of California. He was married in Hamilton, in 1845, to Margaret Bigham, oldest daughter of the late George R. Bigham. About two years ago, his wife died, leaving him with a family of one daughter and three sons. He is very much at- tached to his adopted State, but says the next best plaec is Butler County, Ohio.
Dr. Loyal Fairman was a physician in Trenton about. 1828, remaining there some seven or eight years. He married Mary Todd, of Newport.
Dr. Isaac N. Gard, a son of the Rev. Stephen Gard, the earliest resident preacher in this county, was born in Trenton in 1811, attended the Miami University at Ox- ford, and graduated at the Ohio Medical University iu March, 1831, beginning practice in Jacksonburg the same year, where he continued until 1834. He then went to Greenville, Darke County, where he has remained ever since, with some brief interruptions, now having been a practitioner over fifty years. In 1841 and 1842 he rep. resented the counties of Darke, Mercer, Shelby, and Miami in the lower house of the Legislature. In 1858 and 1859 he represented the counties of Darke, Miami, and Shelby in the State Senate. He served one year as president of the Greenville and Miami Railroad during its construction, and sixteen years as trustee of the Southern Lunatic Asylum at Dayton.
Dr. Luther Jewett was a native of New England, and enme to Trenton in 1834, when he was about twenty- seven years of age. On his first arrival he went into partnership with Dr. Littell; but after awhile he en- gaged in business on his own account. Trenton and its neighborhood was then almost wholly German, as the Mennonites and other persons from the father-land were on all sides of it, and the Americans were, therefore, driven more closely together than they were elsewhere.
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THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
Dr. Jewett formed the life of this society. He was em- ) inently successful as a physician ; but he also displayed great ability in the management of his pecuniary affairs, a point in which the medical profession are often remiss. Where' other physicians lost from one-third to one-half of their accounts, he only lost a trifling percentage. He had a genius for dunning, and did not, remarkable as it may seem, drive away his patients by it. He remained. in that town until about 1840, when he removed to Lafayette, Indiana, a place then on the outskirts of eiv- ilization. Dr. Jewett succeeded in that city as well as he had in Trenton, and soon had much money to his credit. His fame was coextensive with that part of the State. After becoming thoroughly settled he went back to Vermont, married a wife, and brought her on. But the variation in the climate and the way of living soon developed a hidden disease, and she died after only six weeks of married life. Dr. Jewett remained in the town till his death, which was about 1865 or 1870, leaving. a large property, valued at over $100,000, behind him. He was a man of many peculiar ideas. Among others which might be specified, he was an Abolitionist. He denied the right of one man to hold another in bondage, under any circumstances, and he enforced his view with earnestness and ability. It needed some nerve to be an Abolitionist in 1836 or 1840, much more than it did twenty years after. He was an excellent story-teller, and did not grieve when he himself was made the point of some witty story. He was the brother of Dr. Jewett, of Dayton, the president of the board of directors of the insane asylum in that place. In personal appearance he was tall and striking.
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