History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 66

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1490

USA > Ohio > Washington County > Marietta > History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 66

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Dr. Hildreth began practice at Hampstead. New Hampshire, the native home of Dr. Ja- bez True. He boarded in the family of John True, Esq., through whom he learned of the professional success of Dr. True and the pros- pects for a young man at Marietta. From his boyhood he had entertained a desire to see the far West, and in September, 1806, left his New England home in the hope of real- izing his ambition. The journey to Marietta was performed on horseback and consumed about a month. He says in his autobiography, "It was a land of strangers, but he was young and his heart buoyant with hope and expecta- tion of good fortune. He soon obtained a share of the practice, the only physicians then being Dr. True and Dr. Hart. Dr. Leonard had recently died and Dr. McIntosh had aban- doned medicine. His rides sometimes extend- ed over 30 miles through the wilderness, the settlements being few and far between."

Belpre was at that time without a physic- ian, and at the solicitation of leading citizens Dr. Hildreth decided to locate there. He ar- rived at Belpre on the evening of December 10th, just in time to see the deluded Blenner- hassett leave his island paradise to embark in Aaron Burr's perilous expedition.

The sunviner of 1807 was a busy one for

physicians. The epidemic which raged all along the Ohio was particularly severe in the neighborhood of Marietta. Few families at Belpre escaped. Dr. Hildreth was particularly fortunate in his treatment of these cases. Prac- tice at Belpre was excessively laborious on ac- count of the amount of riding necessary. Over- exertion during the summer brought on an attack of inflammation of the hip, which con- tinued for several months. In the spring of 1808 he returned to Marietta, where the prac- tice required less riding. The epidemic of 1807 furnished him the subject for a paper in the roth volume of the New York Medical Repository. From this time he became known as an acute, discerning investigator and faith- ful writer on scientific and historical subjects. He, however, continued his large and laborious practice until a few months before his death, in 1863. He said his profession, during earlier years, kept him busily engaged and his sci- entifie and historical labor could be pursued only by saving the "odds and ends of time."

. Dr. Hildreth was a man of decided political opinions. In 1810 he was elected to represent Washington County in the Legislature, and again re-elected in 1811, when he defeated Judge Cutler, the Federalist candidate, by 20 votes. Hildreth was a supporter of Jefferson and Madison, whose political teachings at this time had displaced the doctrines of Washing- ton and Hamilton. In the same campaign Hon. William Woodridge defeated Hon. Will- ianı R. Putnam for the State Senate, Wood- bridge being a Democrat and Putnam a Fed- eralist. They were four able men, and after the administration of Monroe had broken party lines, all found a home in the political camp of the Whigs. Dr. Hildreth, however, was never again a candidate for office, but never neglected to vote. While in the Legislature, he drafted and succeeded in having passed the first law regulating the practice of medicine and establishing medical societies, which re- mained in force until the rivalry of different medical schools caused all laws on the subject to be repealed.

He held the office of collector of non-resi-

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dent taxes for the Third Ohio District from IS11 until the office was abolished in 1819.

He became clerk of the trustees of the ministerial lands in 1819, and discharged the duties of the office until his death in 1863.

He was a Republican from the formation of the party in 1854.

Dr. Hildreth carried his research into al- most every department of science, but natural history was particularly fascinating. In 1812 he published a paper in the Medical Repository on the American Colombo, with a drawing of the plant. It is proper to state in this connec- tion that he had a remarkable genius in draw- ing. Insects and plants were represented with scrupulous accuracy, and engravings made from them have a permanent value. The il- lustrations in his geological and botanical re- ports were prepared by his own hand. They show artistic ability. as well as accurate ob- servation and close discrimination.

In 1822 he published in the New York Medical Repository two articles, one on hy- drophobia, and one on a curious case of Siam- ese twins, found in his obstetric practice. . 1 full history of the epidemic of 1822-23 was published in the Journal of Medical Science. Philadelphia, in 1824. The author was well qualified to write on this subject, as he had visited daily from Go to 80 patients, and in .August, 1823, was himself attacked. Hle ar- rested the disease in a few days by taking Jesuit's bark in quarter ounce doses. This was a trial of medicine to which few pa- tients would submit. Sulphate of quinine had not yet come into use in Ohio, or by it many valuable lives might have been saved. An article was published in 1825 on the minor diseases, or sequela of the great epidemic in the Western Journal of Medicine, Cincinnati. In 1819 he wrote a series of papers on the natural and civil history of Washington County, which appeared in Silliman's Journal in 1820. One of these articles gave a drawing and de scription of the spoonbill sturgeon found in the waters of the Ohio, In 1827. his articles contained descriptions and drawings of several fresh-water shells found in the Muskingum.

of which nothing had been known. His series of meteorological registers, published in that journal from 1828 until March, 1863, are ise- ful for reference to writers on the climate of Ohio.

.At the request of Professor Silliman, Dr. Hildreth undertook to explore the coal regions of the Ohio, the result of which was published in the Journal for January, 1836, under the title of "Observations on the bituminous coal deposits in the valley of Ohio, and the accom- panying rock strata, with notices of the fossil organic remains, and the relic of vegetable and animal bodies, illustrated with a geological map, by numerous drawings of plants and shells, and by views of interesting scenery." The Journal said editorialy that this was one of the most important of Dr. Hiklreth's scien- tific labors, and by far the most valuable con- tribution which up to that time had appeared on the subject discussed. It filled an entire number ( 185 pages) of the Journal, and was profusely illustrated by figures of fossils, sec- tions, and original drawings, embraced in 36 plates on wood. Articles on the history of the North American locust, saliferous rock formation, with a history of the manufacture of salt from the first settlement of Ohio. "Ten days in Ohio,"-a geological description of the country from Marietta to Chillicothe by way of Zanesville,-and "the Diary of a Natural- i ist" appeared in the same journal from 1830 to 1 1836.

In 1832 he wrote a history of the floods in the Ohio since the first settlement, which was published in the volume of the transactions of the llistorical Society of Ohio. In 1837 he was employed, in company with other geolo- gists, to make a geological survey of the State. Ile delivered an address in 1839 before the Medical Society of Ohio, of which he was president, on the climate and diseases of Southwestern Ohio, which was printed.

In 1830 Dr. Ilildreth commenced the col- lection of a cabinet of natural history. While out on his daily professional rides, he would stop to gather insects, shells, fishes. fossils, and minerals. He often employed boys in the

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country to do this service for him. When he returned from a drive, he was in the habit of picking out the specimens he desired to keep, labeling them and placing them in cases. Du- plicates were sent to Eastern friends in ex- change for books or specimens of that sec- tion. In the course of eight years his cabinet contained more than 4,000 specimens, and his library, a choice variety of works on natural history. Shortly before his death he donated his cabinet and library to Marietta College, where it is known as the "Hildreth Cabinet." "This donation made Dr. Hildreth one of four or five of the largest benefactors of the Col- lege."

In 1840 Dr. Hildreth turned his attention to writing history of the first settlements of Ohio. He collected his material with great care from manuscripts and personal interviews, and wrote a book of 550 pages, which will al- ways be of interest and value. He was the means of preserving a variety of important history and interesting anecdotes, which would otherwise have been lost to posterity. His second volume of "Lives of the Early Settlers of Ohio" was published in 1852. These two books have a permanent place in history Dr. Hildreth, besides, contributed many interesting historical papers to the Pioneer, and a history of the first settlement of Belleville was pub- lished in the Hesperian. A journal of dis- eases each month, with a bill of mortality, was kept from 1824 till his death. A large amount of manuscript of permanent value, though never published, besides many smaller articles were among the products of his pen.

Rodney M. Stimson in summing up the character of Dr. Hildreth says forcibly :

"He looked on the bright side of things- loved beauty, although of an eminently prac- tical turn of mind-was very fond of flowers, which he cultivated diligently. Industry and system in all that he did may be accounted among his marked points. Besides his labor- jons medical practice, he accomplished, as he himself expressed it, by 'saving the odds and ends of time.' Without having a brilliant mind he exemplified the fact that 'industry is

talent.' He was exact in all his dealings, an honest man, a Christian. His was a complete life-he finished his work.

"His life was gentle, and the elements so mixed that nature might stand up and say to all the world: This was a man.'

Dr. Hildreth's able and productive pen gave him an extended acquaintance among the scientific men of his day. He was one of the first pioneers of science west of the Alleghany Mountains and was regarded as one of the most acute observers of facts of his time. Prof. Benjamin Silliman, his warm friend, has written a feeling tribute to his memory :

"In his private life he illustrated every vir- tue of a Christian gentleman. Bright and cheerful by nature, he loved nature with the simple enthusiasm of a child. Industrious and systematic in a high degree, no moment of life was wasted. In his family we have seen a beautiful example of domestic happiness and warm-hearted hospitality. He lived with na- ture and nature's God-and among the pat- rons and co-workers in this journal, who have left its founder almost alone, no one had shed a purer and more mellow light in the horizon of his setting sun-no one had departed more loved and regretted by the senior editor."

Dr. Hildreth died July 24, 1863, in his 80th year. Ile had been in his usual good health ; a well-preserved and happy old gentle- man until a few weeks before his death. He sank away gradually, his mental faculties be- ing preserved to the last. His funeral was on Sunday, July 26, the services being in the Con- gregational Church, of which he was a member. These last sad rites were conducted by Rev. Mr. Wakefield, of Harmar, and President An- drews of Marietta College.

The following letters came into the hands of the editor in August, 1902, through the kindness of Dr. George O. Hildreth. We ap- pend them to the sketch already given of the life of Dr. S. P. Hildreth.

CITY OF WASHINGTON, April 2, 1855. DEAR SIR :

I returned from Europe last September, having been | abroad since April 19. 1849. I came to this city a few

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days ago, and in a bookstore aw for the first time a work by you, entitled "Pioneer History of the Ohio Valley and the early settlement of the Northwest Ter- ritory." chiefly from original papers, etc. I purchased the book and subsequently ascertained that it was the only copy for sale in this city. The published remarked that it formed the first volume of the transactions of the Historical Society of Cincinnati, and that the man- uscript of a work containing "ample" biographies of the first settlers of Marietta and its vicinity, would be published as the second volume of the transac- tions.

I enquired unsuccessfully at every bookstore in Washington but none had the book. I requested Messrs. Taylor & Maury to purchase it for me in Philadelphia or New York and in a few weeks they returned answer that it could not be procured in either place. Happening to think of the "Omnium Gatherum" Collection of Peter Force, the Bibliomaniac of this city. I there found the book and subsequently I saw a copy in the library of the National Institute. Now as I wish to obtain the 2d volume of the Historical transactions containing as it does an imperfect sketch of my venerated ancestor. Geo. Parsons, I will thank you to inform me whether it can be purchased in New York or New England.

I have read curiously the ist volume of 'Pioneer History of the Ohio Valley," and as you are disposed to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's. I beg leave to ask your attention to page 199 where you say: "The Board of Directors (of the Ohio Company Associates) employed Dr. Cutler to make a contract with the Continental Congress for a tract of land in the great Northwest Territory of the Union. In July following (1787) the Doctor went to New York. and after tedious and lengthened negotiations succeeded in contracting for a million and a half acres for the Ohio Company at two-thirds of a dollar per acre." Now my dear Sir. if the original documents in the handwriting of Samuel Holden Parsons, signed by him alone with his genuine signature, and preserved in the eighth vol- ume of the Washington manuscripts. Page 226 and 230 numbered 41. can be relied upon, the "Memorial to the Continental Congress for a grant of land" and prop- osition for the purchasing of land in the Western Coun- try was made by Gen. Sam. II. Parsons and presented by him as Agent of Associater- and in behalf of the Ohio Company, May 8, 1787.

The memorial was read May o and referred to Messrs. Carrington, King. Dane, Madison and Benson and acted on July 23. 1787-I have a copy of the orig- inal documents in the handwriting of Gen. Parsons .- Subsequently, July 21. 1787. "Proposals of Samuel H. Parsons and others for the purchase of a tract of land in the Western Territory" were introduced in which Mr. S. H. Parsons as associated Agents- but Mr. Par- sons is Arst named and the memorial is filed and en dorsed. "Proposals by S. II. Parsons, July 21 " So much for historical events based upon original vouchers.

Please addres me Middletown, Connecticut, where I now reside, and oblige.

Yours truly.

SAMUEL 11. PARSONS. I hope in a few weeks to see you in Marietta.

MARIETTA. 1Ith April. 1855.

To S. H. Parsons, Esq.

Dear Sir: Yours of the 2d inst. is at hand. The brief sketch I have given in the Pioneer History, of the purchase of land- by the Ohio Company, is made on the authority of the original journal of their transac- tions now in the hands of W. R. Putnam, grandson of Gen. Rufus Putnam, one of the original Directors and superintendent of the settlement in Ohio. The journal says that on the 7th of March, 1787, at a meeting of the company in Boston, it was resolved that three di- rectors be appointed for the company and that they make immediate application to the Hon. Congress for a private purchase of land. etc. When Gen. S. H. Par- sons. Rufus Putnam and Rev. Manasseh Cutler were named and chosen, this Board of Directors authorized Mt. Cutler to make a contract with Congress for a tract of land, for which purpose he left home the latter part of June. 1787-called on Gen. Parsons at Middle- town, Conn., the 2d of July and "settled all matters with reference to my business with Congress."

He arrived in New York on the 5th of July and in the 53 Vol. of the V. American Review, page 335 and onward. you will find the history of the "tedious and lengthened negotiations." contract with the Board of Treasury on which was based the purchase. "At a meet- ing of the Director, and agents of the Ohio Company held at the Bunch of Grapes Tavern in Boston, Aug. 29. 1787, the report of Mr. Cutler was read-That in con- sideration of the Res. of Congress of the 27th and 20th July. 1787-he had agreed on the conditions of a con- tract with the Board of Treasury of the U. S. for a par- ticular tract of land containing in the whole as much as the company's funds will pay for, should the sub- scriptions amount to one million dollars agreeably to the articles of association, at $1.00 per acre, from which price is to be deducted one-third of a dollar for bad lands and defraying expenses of the surveying," etc. Then follows the boundaries and other matters -- "where- upon, Resolved, that the above report he received. the proceedings of Mr. Cutler be fully approved. ratfied, and confirmed."

While Mr. Cutler was negotiating for the purchase in New York, he had requested the Directors to associate with him in this transaction-Winthrop Sargent, Secre- tary of the Board-which was done.

"Boston, Sept. 1. 1789 .- At a meeting of the Direc- tors of the Ohie Company at Brackett's Tavern-pres- ent-Gen. Putnam. Rev. Cutler and Gen. Varnum- Resolved, that Mr. Cutler and Winthrop Sargent and they each of them be authorized and empowered to complete the contract made by them with the treasury Board of the U. S" And then directs the treasurer of the company to pay the treasury of the U. S. $500,000 on the order of ciher Cutler or Sargent.

The deed of -ale was made and executed the 27th of Oct. 178g. &c., signed by Mr. Lee and Samuel ()s- good for the U States, and by Mr. Cutler and Win-

NOTE .- The "immense old parchment" was left by William R. Putnam to the care of Marietta College. It is now in a frame on the south wall of the mam library mom. It confirms the statement of Dr. Hildreth.

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throp Sargent for the company and is in an immense old parchment (see Note). now in the possession of W. R. Putnam.

I have thus endeavored to explain to you the grounds and authority I had for saying that the contract with Congress for the Ohio Company lands was made by Messrs. Cutler and Sargent.

There is nothing more recorded in the journal of the doing's of your grandfather, Gen. Parsons, in this transaction, that I have seen; had I been in possession of the facts you have stated in your letter, I should certainly have taken pleasure in noting them in my lstory of the matter.

Should a second edition of the work ever be re- quired. it will be an act of justice to recall more fully the services of Gen. Parsons.

If you can point out any way by which I can send you a volume of "The series of the first settlers of Ohio," I will do so as I have several small ones.

Very truly yours,

S. P. HILDRETH.

DR. JOHN COTTON was a physician well known and highly esteemed in his time, and is still remembered as a successful practition- er of physic and skillful surgeon. He was the son of Rev. Josiah Cotton, and was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1792. Rev. Josiah Cotton was a descendant of Rev. John Cotton, of Boston, and a graduate of Harvard College. The subject of this sketch entered Cambridge University at the age of 14 and graduated in 1810 with honorable standing in his class. He received his medi- cal degree at Cambridge in 1814, and began practicing in Andover, Massachusetts. In 1815 he married Susan Buckminster and came to Marietta, being attracted by the climate. In the latter part of the year he opened an office on the west side of the Muskingum, and soon acquired a comfortable practice, which grew with age and experience.

Dr. Cotton was an enthusiastic worker in the cause of religion. Immediately upon his arrival, he set to work at organizing Sunday- schools, and in 1816 one had been opened on the west side and two on the east side. He continued an enthusiastic Sunday-school worker and teacher. He accumulated a large collection of theological books, and at the age of 40 studied Hebrew that he might be able to understand more fully and explain more

satisfactorily difficult passages in the Old Tes- tament.

Dr. Cotton was ardent in his opinions. He soon became a local political leader, and in 1824 was chosen Representative in the Leg- islature. In 1825 he was chosen associate judge and filled the position until the time of his death. For a number of years he was chairman of the Whig Central Committee, and proved himself an adroit politician. He took delight in scientific studies, and often lectured in the Marietta Lyceum and the Young Ladies' Seminary. Astronomy was his favorite theme. He delivered an address in Latin on the occasion of the installation of the first president of Marietta College. He was one of the original trustees of the Col- lege and for many years president of the Board. He was also trustee of the Medical College of Ohio. He died unexpectedly af- ter a brief illness of three days, April 2, 1847.

DR. JONAS MOORE was a native of New Hampshire, and was in the senior year at Dartmouth when his father died, necessitating his return home. He never went back to graduate. His whole family was soon after carried off by scarlet fever, and he came to Marietta where he taught school and studied medicine with Dr. S. P. Hildreth. He next went to Louisiana where he practiced for a number of years. He afterward became one of the leading physicians of Marietta, where he died in March, 1856. He was a trustee of Marietta College, and took deep interest in educational matters. He was of a scientific turn of mind and invented a number of me- chanical devices for use in surgery. He was highly respected as a man.

DR. G. M. P. HEMPSTEAD, who was a na- tive of Connecticut, came to Ohio in 1802, and found good facilities for obtaining an educa- tion in Muskingum Academy, where he was prepared for college. He was for a short time under the tutelage of Hon. Gustavus Swan, late of the Supreme Court, and Dr. Jonas Moore, of Marietta. He graduated from Ohio University, in 1813, being the first literary

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graduate of that institution and consequently the first in Ohio. He received the degree of A. M. in 1822 and LL. D. in 1879. Ile be- gan the study of medicine in 1813, and in 1816 went to Waterford, where the spotted fever had become epidemic. He was there three or four months, and thence removed to Portsmouth, Ohio, where he was a prominent physician for many years.

DR. MORRIS GERMAN was a native of Che- mango County, New York. He attended lec- tures and received a diploma in New York City. He located in Harmar during the epi- demic of 1823, and in a short time was in pos- session of a full practice, which he held until his death in 1835. Dr. German was a con- temporary of Hildreth and Cotton, and held an honorable standing in the profession. He clied at the age of 39.

DR. FELIX REGNIER, the second son of Dr. J. B. Regnier, was born in Otsego County, New York, in 1801. When he was two years old, his parents moved to Marietta, Ohio, where he received a liberal education and be- gan the study of medicine under Dr. S. P. Hil- dreth. He received a diploma from the Med- ical Society of Ohio in 1824, and in that year began the practice of his profession at Galli- polis, Ohio. In 1831 he removed to Jackson- ville, Illinois, where he remained two years and then came to Marietta. He had an office in Harmar and was regularly engaged in practice here until April, 1866. During the succeeding 11 years he traveled, in the hope of improving his wife's health. After her death in 1877, he removed to Carthage, Illi- nois.

DR. IlUGH TREVOR, a descendant of Sir Hugh Trevor, was born in County Down, Ire- land, in 1806. lle graduated at Trinity Col- lege, Dublin, and at the College of Surgeons. Dublin. He afterward spent nine years in the hospitals of Paris. He came to Marietta in 1834, and began the practice of medicine. Ilis medical knowledge was of a high order, and he had the confidence of a large class of peo- ple. While in Marietta he married Maria Holden, daughter of Joseph Hloklen. In 1858 27

he removed to St. Joseph, Missouri, and in 1881 located at Quincy, Illinois, where he died in April of that year.

DR. SHUBEL FULLER was born in Canada in 1806. In 1818 his parents came to Mari- etta. After passing through the schools of that period, he began the study of medicine in the office of Dr. John Cotton. He attended lectures at the Ohio Medical College, Cincin- nati, and opened an office in Marietta in 1835. Dr. Fuller was a successful physician, and conducted a large practice until the sickness which terminated in his death, February 17, 1857. Dr. Fuller was a descendant of the Plymouth Rock family of that name.

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History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 66

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1490

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1490