History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 69

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soon as they were given the opportunity of scientific treatment. The honesty of these weak descendants of a powerful and noble nation is illustrated by a incident in the practice of Dr. Rawson. He was asked to visit a very sick Indian at Upper Sandusky, and while there an old chief came to him and said: "Mr. Doctor, this sick Indian very poor; he no money; not pay you now; but you cure him all same and when we get our pay [annuity] I pay you." The sick Indian got well, and soon after pay day the old chief came to the Doctor's office and left the amount of the bill in shining half dollars.

The Indians were afflicted by the same diseases which prevailed among their white neighbors-fevers, ague, and other malarial complaints. The Doctor says about one- fourth of his practice at Tyamochtee was among the Indians.

In 1827 Dr. Rawson began the practice of his profession in Lower Sandusky, where his life has since been spent, except during an interval of about three years. From 1831 to 1833 he practiced in Findlay, Ohio, and during the winter of 1833-34 attended lectures at the Ohio Medical College, and received the M. D. degree in the spring of 1834. He afterwards attended a course at the University of Pennsylvania, and was the recipient from that institution of the ad eundem degree of M. D. After completing this thorough course of study and preparation, he again opened an office in Lower Sandusky, and was in constant practice until 1855. During this time Dr. Rawson's standing as a physician was recognized by complimentary diplomas of membership in the Cincinnati Medical Society, the Philadelphia Medical Society, and the Ohio Medical Lyceum of Cincinnati.

All through this volume are paragraphs descriptive of the county in its early history. No class of men suffered more

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than the early doctors. The statement has been made, and indeed needs little modification, that sickness was a constant unwelcome guest of every cabin. Houses were far apart and forest paths and primitive roads forbid description. The profession had in it very little to remunerate all these dismal and sometimes dangerous rides. People were all poor and some of them destitute. They were without money and without a market where agricultural products could be exchanged for money. As a consequence the physician saw little hard cash for the hard times he experienced. Dr. Rawson says:

When I located at Lower Sandusky, there were two physicians here-Dr. Hastings and Dr. Daniel Brainard. They were both well educated and skilful in their profession, and now, when looking back to those times, when Sandusky county was a wilderness and uncultivated swamp, and many of the settlements composed of rough pioneers, I wonder why educated and accomplished men, such as the two physicians I have mentioned were, should have come to this desolate place to spend their lives. But such is the history of the human race.

This is a generous compliment to his early contemporaries. Whatever opinions we may entertain of providential dispensations, here we have a peculiarly striking picture illustrating the eternal fitness of things. The spectacle of men of intelligence and science devoting themselves, body and soul, to their lofty calling, often without hope of reward, always amidst the most discouraging surroundings, is worthy of a better pen.

We have given in the preceding sketch of Dr. Brainard, who came here in 1819, some idea of Lower Sandusky's wild surroundings. When Dr. Rawson located here, eight years later, the east part of the county had been opened and clearing fires blazed in every direction. Dr. Harkness had established himself near Bellevue, and considerable territory, formerly embraced within Dr. Brainard's circuit on the east, was cut off. The general limit of Dr.

Rawson's practice was west to the Portage River, from the source of that stream to its entrance into the bay at Port Clinton; on the east Hamar's tavern (now Clyde); and on the south Fort Seneca. None of the streams within this tract, embracing a large part of the present counties of San-dusky, Ottawa, Wood, and Seneca, were bridged, except the Sandusky River, at Lower Sandusky.

The year 1834 was an epoch in the medical history of this county. The cholera scourge prevailed, and many of the frightened people of Lower Sandusky locked their doors and refused to leave their houses or to admit visitors. The village population at that time amounted to about three hundred, a large per cent. of whom were afflicted with the fatal disease, and the mortality was large. Four men,-it is a delight to record their names and preserve the memory of their disinterested charity-Dr. Rawson, Mr. Brown, Mr. Birchard, and Judge Hulburd, went from house to house of the afflicted, performing the tender offices of physician and nurse, and, when sad necessity required, attended the rites of burial. This was the first visitation of the cholera on the Sandusky. It subsequently appeared several times, but never with such fatal results.

As the country developed, Dr. Rawson's practice grew more extensive and remunerative. His practice was laborious, but a physique capable of almost any endurance was his best inheritance. The rugged labor of his early life was a fit preparation for the toils of his professional career. In his case vigor of body was happily equaled by vigor of mind. To a close and extensive knowledge of medical science he brought the aid of practical judgment.

Many were the regrets, in 1855, when he announced his intention to withdraw from professional life. His patients

Sophia Rawson

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cherished toward him more than professional affection. He had been to them a prompt friend in every hour of physical distress and anxiety. Aside from his skill and sincere honesty in the treatment of diseases, Dr. Rawson had one characteristic as a practitioner worthy of imitation by members of his profession. He never failed to meet an engagement. Every summon to a bed of sickness was promptly answered by his cheerful presence, regardless of financial condition, or prospect of remuneration. He thus endeared himself to the people whom he served.

He was successively appointed to, the office of county clerk from 1836 to 1851, inclusive. His laborious professional business made it necessary that the charge of the office should be confided to a deputy.

We have now briefly traced the career of Dr. Rawson as a practitioner of medicine during a period of nearly thirty years. But his career of usefulness by no means ended with his retirement from professional life. He had accumulated considerable property, and had for years been alive to every enterprise which promised to become a public benefit. In previous chapters of this volume are detailed the history of three of the most important public improvements in the history of the county, the plank-road from Tiffin to Fremont and Fostoria, the Cleveland, Toledo & Norwalk Railroad, and the Fremont & Indiana Railroad. In the plank-road enterprise Dr. Rawson worked actively and vigorously, and when money was wanted his hand went deep into his treasury.

To detail Dr. Rawson's connection with the other two enterprises would be to re-peat what has already been said by one familiar with all the circumstances. Dr. Rawson and others, when the Cleveland, Toledo & Norwalk Railroad was first inaugurated, obligated themselves to in-

demnify the county commissioners, who, without ample personal guarantee, refused to issue the bonds, as authorized by vote of the people of the county. When stock books were opened, Dr. Rawson was among the heaviest subscribers. For the history of the Lake Erie & Western Railroad, with which the name of Dr. Rawson is so closely associated, we again refer to a preceding chapter. To the united energy of the incorporators-L. Q. Rawson, Sardis Birchard, James Justice, Charles W. Foster, and John R. Pease-the country benefited by this road is indebted. The leading spirit and advocate from the beginning was Dr. Rawson, who, at the first organization of the company in 1853, was elected president and director, and served in that capacity until 1875. For about twenty years he had the general management of all the interests of the road. His connection with the county agricultural society is duly mentioned under the proper head.

Dr. Rawson married, July 8, 1829, Sophia. Beaugrand, daughter of John B. Beaugrand, who was born in Bordeaux, France, in 1768. He was married in St. Anne's church, Detroit, in 1802, to Margaret Chabert, daughter of Colonel Chabert de Joucaire, of the French army. Mr. Beaugrand was a merchant at Maumee from 1802 till 1812. He then went back to Detroit, where the remained till 1823, then came to-Lower Sandusky.

"Mrs. Rawson was born October 20, 1810. The family of Dr. and Mrs. Raw-son consisted of seven children, four of whom survived childhood-Dr. Milton E., Joseph L., Eugene A., and Estelle S., two of whom are living, Joseph and Estelle.

We have in this sketch touched upon only the leading features of the life of a worthy man and citizen, who from early youth was busy, and who in old age has not wholly laid aside the cares of business. His life has been one of real worth, which

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we have but feebly reflected. Mrs. Rawson is a woman of quiet temperament and refined taste. She is a consistent member of her church, and possessed of the virtues which only Christian convictions can give a woman.

DR. ROBERT S. RICE was born in Ohio county, Virginia, May 28, 1805, and died in Fremont, Ohio, August 5, 1875. At the age of ten he came with his father's family to Ohio and located in Chillicothe, Ross county. From that place, in 1818, the family removed to Marion county, and in 1827 he settled in Lower Sandusky. He worked at his trade, a potter, until about the year 1847, when, having long employed his leisure hours in the study of medicine, he began the practice; and al-though he labored under the disadvantages of limited educational opportunities in his youth, and of not having received a regular course of medical instruction, his career as a physician was quite successful. He numbered as his patrons many among the most respectable families in his town and county.

Dr. Rice was a man of sound judgment, quick wit, fond of a joke, and seldom equaled as a mimic and story teller. He was a keen observer, and found amusement and instruction in his daily intercourse with men by perceiving many things that commonly pass unnoticed. His sympathies were constantly extended to all manner of suffering and oppressed people. He denounced human slavery, and from an early period acted politically with the opponents of the hated institution. During a period also when the most brutal corporal punishment was the fashion and practice in families and schools, his voice and example were given in favor of the humane treatment of children. He was of a deeply religious turn of mind. In early years, when preachers were few in this new country, he often exhorted and

preached. He was colonel of the first reg- iment of cavalry militia organized in the county, and also general of the first brigade. He assisted in running the line between Ohio and Michigan, the dispute in regard to which led to the bloodless "Michigan war." He also served one term as mayor of Lower Sandusky, and several terms as justice of the- peace. He was married to Miss Eliza Ann Caldwell, in Marion, Ohio, December 30, 1824. They had seven sons and two daughters. The first two were boys, and died in infancy. William A. was born in Fremont, July 31, 1829; John B., June 23, 1832; Sarah Jane, February 20, 1835; Robert H., De- cember 20, 1837; Albert H., September 23, 1840; Charles F., July 23, 1843; Emeline E., January 14, 1847. Sarah Jane died June 20, 1841; Emeline died September 19, 1859.

The name of Mrs. Eliza Ann Rice de- serves more than bare mention in connection with the record of the family whose chief ornament she was, and to whose intelligence, affection, and example they owe whatever of good they have, or shall accomplish in the world. This amiable and Christian lady, and loving and devoted wife and mother, was born near Chillicothe, Ohio, March 19, 1807. She died on January 17, 1873, in her sixty- sixth year. She belonged to the older class of the community, and occupied a high place in the affection of a large circle of friends. She was a devoted mother, and in return was loved and revered by her family. The following is an extract from a notice in the Fremont Journal of January 24, 1873-one week after her death. It is from the pen of Dr. Thomas Stilwell:

It was not for her to shine in the fashionable as- sembly, or the more ostentatious circles of social life, but wherever "the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit" was the passport to recognition, she was eminently entitled to receive it. But it was within the sacred precincts of home, the true woman's grandest

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field of display, that she exhibited the virtues that win the heart and add a charm to the sacred name of mother.

From early life a member of the church, the Protestant Methodist, her heart was ever in unison with the teachings of the Divine Master, and she died prepared, by a life of faith, "to pass through the valley of the shadow of death, and to fear no evil." Wise in counsel, devoted in her love for her children, her sons, who rank as prominent and respected professional business men of our city, honor themselves by the rec- ognition they give that sainted mother's teachings, for much of what they have at- tained in the walks of life.

Her father, William Caldwell, was the third of the ten children of Robert Caldwell and Mary Stephenson, and was born in York county, Pennsylvania, on the 5th of June, 1779. His parents emigrated to Bourbon county, Kentucky, in 1782. William Caldwell was married to Miss Polly Park, August 2, 1804, in Kentucky. She was born in the State of Virginia, in a block-house to which her mother had fled for refuge from an Indian massacre which threatened the settlement where she lived. Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell settled near Chillicothe soon after their marriage, but afterwards removed to Marion, and finally made their home in Lower Sandusky. The former died June 29, 1835, the latter in 1861. He was a gun-smith by trade; served in the War of 1812, under General Hull, at whose surrender he was made a prisoner of war. They also had two sons: Robert A., who died in California, and Judge William Caldwell, of Elmore.

PETER BEAUGRAND, a son of John B. Beaugrand, came to Lower Sandusky with his father's family in 1823. He was born in Detroit, in August, 1814. In March, 1833, he began the study of medicine at Findlay, Ohio, in the office of B. and. L. Q.

Rawson, and when Dr. L. Q. Rawson re- moved to Lower Sandusky, Mr. Beaugrand came with him. In the winter of 1835-36 he attended a course of lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, at Fair-field, Herkimer county, New York, and afterwards, in 1845, graduated at Ohio Medical college, Cincinnati. Dr. Beaugrand began practicing in Lower Sandusky in 1834. Between 1837 and 1840 he was a partner of Dr. Rawson. At the dissolution of the partnership he went to Michigan and practiced at Monroe City three years. He returned to Fremont in 1843, and has since been in practice here except while serving as surgeon of the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

DRS. BROWN and ANDERSON are two physicians of the earlier period. Both were at different times partners of Dr. Rawson. Dr. Anderson was a partner of Dr. Rawson during the cholera scourge of 1834, but gave no assistance to the suffering. Dr. Brown was a merchant at that time, and made himself conspicuously useful. He afterwards practiced medicine with a fair degree of success, but was all the time more or less interested in mercantile pursuits. He died during the epidemic of 1848-49.

DR. B. F. WILLIAMS was born in Pom- fret, Chautauqua county, New York, June 27, 1811, and came to Lower Sandusky in October, 1822. He attended school at the academy in Sangersfield, New York, after which he returned to Fremont in 1829. About two years later he began the study of medicine with Dr. Anderson, with whom he remained three years. He then went to Cincinnati, where he became a student of Dr. Drake, and attended lectures. He graduated in 1835 or 1836. During his stay in Cincinnati he became acquainted with and married Miss Sarah Addison, a descendant of the English

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author, Joseph Addison. He then returned to Lower Sandusky and began the practice of medicine, in which he continued until the time of his death, which occurred February 9, 1849. Dr. Williams' untimely death terminated what would have been an honorable and successful career. His mental powers were good, and he applied himself closely to study. He was exceedingly fond of scientific pursuits, and possessed excellent literary taste. His manners were cultivated and agreeable, and his character pure and above reproach.

His widow, a son and a daughter reside in Brooklyn, New York, and another son in Minnesota.

DR. LOUIS GESSNER was born April 6, 1804, in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany. His father died in 1809, leaving a widow and four children. Although in moderate cir- cumstances, she succeeded, through true motherly sacrifice and devotion, in securing for them a good education. Louis left home at the age of fifteen, and travelled on foot to the Danube, and thence went to Vienna, where he had relatives, who kindly rendered him assistance in the completion of his education. After finishing his course of study in medicine, he left Vienna, travelling on foot to Switzerland. Arriving at the Canton of Berne in 1828, he commenced the practice of medicine, and in the same year was married to Miss Elizabeth F. Schwartz, daughter of a prominent physician of Thun. In 1833, with his family, he emigrated to America, and located first near Tonawanda, but soon afterwards in Buffalo, New York. In 1837 he removed to Williamsville, Erie county. Leaving his family in that place, he returned to Switzerland, and coming back in 1838, decided to move West. He accordingly settled in Lower Sandusky in that year. He soon enjoyed a good practice, largely, but by no means exclusively,

among the early German settlers in San- dusky county. As a physician, Dr. Gessner won the confidence of the public, and his standing among his brethren of the medical profession was always high. He purchased a house and lot of Thomas L. Hawkins in 1841, and his present residence in the country in 1848.

The offspring consisted of eleven children, three of whom-Karl, Louis, and Louise-were born in Thun, Switzerland. Karl, the eldest, died during the voyage to America, and was buried at sea. Frederick and Emily were born in Buffalo, and Matilda, Caroline, Gustavus A., Randolph, and two others who died in early infancy, in Fremont.

Mrs. Elizabeth Frederika Gessner was, on the maternal side, of Italian descent. Her mother's father was a physician of the name of Rubini. Her great-grandfather, of the same name, was the author of a treatise on materia medica, written in 1688, a copy of which is still preserved. Mrs. Gessner died in 1864. She was a lady of excellent education and great refinement of feeling, tender and sympathetic. Amidst the constant and exacting duties of wife and mother, from which she never shrank, and which she never slighted, her moments of leisure were given to books and music, her passion for which ended only with her life. She delighted most of all in the songs and traditions of the land of her birth, and dwelt on them and kindred topics with a pathos often tinged with melancholy, that impressed those with whom her memory is sacred forever that her lot should have been so cast that the land of her birth had been also the land of her life and death, surrounded only by familiar scenes, and gentle and loving friends.

DR. JAMES W. WILSON was born in New Berlin, Union county, Pennsylvania, February 1, 1816.

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His grandfather, James Wilson, emigrated from Connecticut to Eastern Pennsylvania about 1791. His father, Samuel Wilson, the only son of James Wilson, was born in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, November 25, 1793. He married Miss Sarah Mauck, a native of Pennsylvania, at New Berlin, and resided there, a much esteemed and successful merchant, until his death, November 3, 1855. His wife, the mother of Dr. Wilson, died May 31, 1872, aged eighty- four years.

Dr. Wilson studied medicine with Dr. Joseph R. Lotz in New Berlin, and after- wards attended lectures at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, where he graduated in March, 1837. He commenced the practice of medicine in Centre county, Pennsylvania, in November of the same year. He emigrated to Ohio in June, 1839, in company with Dr. Thomas Stilwell, and settled in Lower Sandusky (now Fremont), July 24, 1829, where they opened an office, and continued to practice as partners most of the time until 1862.

During the years that Dr. Wilson was engaged in the practice of his profession, he ranked among the most

successful physicians in this section of the State. He was distinguished for promptitude, and faithful punctuality £

in fulfilling engagements. The urbanity of- his manners made him ever welcome to the bed-side of the sufferer. His intelligence and manly deportment won the confidence of the public. His acknowledged skill, and the painstaking care with which he investigated the cases submitted to his judgment, commanded the respect and regard of his fellow-practitioners. It is probable that no physician outside the large cities of Ohio has ever enjoyed a larger practice, or performed more arduous labor in meeting its requirements.

In consequence of extraordinary ex-

posure, while attending to this large practice, Dr. Wilson was attacked, January 9, 1858, with a severe pneumonia, from the effects of which he has never completely recovered; nor has he since devoted himself to the practice of medicine. He has, however, retained a lively interest in whatever pertains to the profession of his choice. He is president of the San-dusky County Medical Society, and a member of the Ohio State Medical Society. During the war of the Rebel-lion he was appointed by Governor Tod (August, 1862), surgeon for Sandusky county, to examine applicants for exemption from draft.

On the 25th of May, 1841, he was married to Miss Nancy E. Justice, daughter of Jude James Justice, of Lower Sandusky. They have four children-two sons and two daughters. Charles G., the eldest son, a graduate of Kenyon College and Harvard Law School, now of the law firm of Pratt & Wilson, of Toledo, married Nellie, daughter of J. E. Amsden, of Fremont. The younger son, James W., is collection clerk in the First National Bank. The eldest daughter is the wife of Dr. John B. Rice, of this city. Mary, the younger daughter, is married to Charles F. Rice, of New York City.

In 1857 Dr. Wilson became a partner in the banking house of Birchard, Miller & Co. In September, 1863, the bank was merged into the First National Bank of Fremont, with Dr. Wilson as vice-president. January 27, 1874, after the death of Mr. Birchard, Dr. Wilson was elected president, which position he now holds.

To the various enterprises tending to promote the business interests and growth of Fremont, the doctor has been a liberal contributor.

Dr. Wilson is a man of conservative views, but still not wanting in the liberality which accords to others the same

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rights and privileges he desires for himself. He is a man of firm religious convictions, and has always been consistent with his professions. For thirty years he has been a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and a regular attendant upon its services. Dr. Wilson holds the church to be the mainspring of law and order in society, and contributes liberally for the support of its charities.

THOMAS STILWELL, M. D., was born in Buffalo Valley, Union county, Pennsylvania, five or six miles west of Lewisburg, in January, 1815. His father, Joseph Stilwell, for more than half a century an honored citizen of that county, died in 1851, aged seventy-four years. His mother, Anna Stilwell, died eleven years later aged eighty- four years.

While a child his parents removed to New Berlin, the county seat of Union county, where he continued to reside, with the exception of such time as he was absent at school, until he left to make the West his future home.

After a full academic course at Milton, Pennsylvania, under the tuition of Rev. David Kirkpatrick, a distinguished teacher in that section of the State, and a brief course of selected studies at Lafayette college, Easton, Pennsylvania, he entered upon the study of medicine with Dr. Joseph R. Lotz, at New Berlin, and graduated at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in March, 1839, and located the same year at Fremont.

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History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 69

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