History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers, Part 69

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams
Number of Pages: 1040

USA > Ohio > Sandusky County > History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers > Part 69

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The scourge lasted about three weeks, and the percentage of mortality was large. During the whole time Mr. Brown, Mr. Birchard, Judge Hulburd, and Dr. Raw- son made themselves eminently useful in caring for the sick and burying the dead. Homer Everett acted as general commis- sary, having the keys of nearly all the stores, with instructions to take out what- ever was needed. Most of the merchants cleared the town. About one month elapsed before the disease was wholly eradicated.

In 1849, when cholera visited Sandusky city with such frightful mortality, there irere one or two deaths among those who had taken refuge here, but it did not spread. Almost every family forsook the town.

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There were also one or two deaths in 1854, and two cases, both fatal, in 1866. An epidemic of cerebro spinal meningitis, not affecting large numbers, but character- istically fatal, occured in 1847-48 in Fre- mont and vicinity. This disease has re- appeared two or three times since, and was the cause of several deaths during the present year.

During the latter part of the winter of 1848-49 an exceedingly malignant type of erysipelas prevailed throughout the 1 town and county. It attacked many and was very fatal. Among those who fell victims were two physicians, Drs. A. H. Brown and B. F. Williams. In 1856 dysentery prevailed and caused many deaths. Fremont has enjoyed a remark- able exemption from diphtheria, for al- though since about 1857-58 this dreadful malady has carried off a sma11 number during several and even the present year, the disease never at any time prevailed extensively in the town. It has, however, been in some seasons very destructive in various neighborhoods in different parts of the county. As miasmatic fevers grew less and less prevalent, typhoid fever seemed in some sense to take their place, and appears now to be firmly implanted. This fever is fully as prevalent, if not indeed more so, in the country than in the town, and appears, in both instances, to be clearly traceable to local causes within the reach of practicable means of prevention, when intelligence respecting the causes of its development and diffu- sion becomes more general. The first appearance of scarlet fever is believed to have been about the year 1852, when it occurred in a malignant form, and since that year, although it has occurred on several occasions, the disease has been confined to a few families, and has not been remarkably fatal. Cases of small- pox have now and then been witnessed,

but the disease has never spread among our people.

The pioneers of Sandusky county who endured, with almost matchless fortitude, great privations, were, by the force of cir- cumstances, unable to avoid those dis- eases which inevitably result where, in such a climate as this, the virgin soil with its rank vegetation is first exposed to the rays of the sun by work done with the axe and the plow. No human foresight or skill is able to prevent the development of the peculiar miasma or germ thus brought into activity, and which, though unperceived by the senses, is still the un- doubted source of miasmatic fevers. Pro- longed cultivation, however, diminishes, if it does not finally entirely remove the conditions favorable to the causation of diseases of this class. The case is far dif- ferent with many of the diseases with which we are now called upon to contend, and which are produced by decaying matter supplied by living beings. In our cities, villages, and country places little attention is paid to the prevention of con- tamination of wells and springs supplying water used for drinking by filthy accumu- lations. In many situations, if not in most, the water thus used is manifestly rendered noxious by such sources of con- tamination, and not until the importance of this condition of affairs is fully realized in its relation to the production of disease, and intelligent and effective measures, in accordance with modern sanitary science, are faithfully carried out, can we hope to wipe out those diseases, which are now looked upon by the medical faculty as practically preventable.

DR. GOODIN was probably the first physician to locate in the village of Lower Sandusky. He came soon after the gar- rison was removed. His very meagre in- come was increased somewhat by teaching school. He was somewhat eccentric, and

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was particularly noticeable on account of his frontier dress, which he continued to wear for several years. He always wore a coat and pantaloons of deerskin, which looked very well in fair weather, but in rainy times his clothes stretched and drew to disagreeable shapes. He left here after about ten years.

DR. HASTINGS came to Lower Sandusky about 1816. He was a man of refined manners and general scholarship. In his profession he was successful, and had con- siderable practice, but it was of a laborious and unprofitable character, not differing in this respect from the practice of all the pioneer physicians. He left here in 182S.

DR. HOLLOWAY was another of the pioneer doctors, but we are unable to learn anything about him. He remained but a short time.

DR. DANIEL BRAINARD, a native of New York, began the practice of medicine in Lower Sandusky in 1819, and con- tinued for a period of about forty years. He ranked among the first practitioners in Northwestern Ohio, and for many years his practice embraced the settlements in- cluded by a line running east of Bellevue, south as far as Fort Seneca, west to Port- age River and north to the lake. Perhaps no man ever lived in the county who had a more varied experience of pioneer life. He was here when the county east and west was a roadless expanse of dark, damp forest, cut into two parts by a tortuous stream over whose rapid current in its upper course skirting trees joined their outstretching branches, and bordering the still waters in its lower course were grassy prairies. Lower Sandusky was an expansion of this forest path, which Indian romance and military history had already celebrated. When Dr. Brainard came here, a village was already showing signs of life and growth, but all around was dark wilder- ness, the gloom of which was broken only

by an occasional habitation. The practice of medicine was especially arduous, be- cause it required almost constant travel. Dr. Brainard was not only sound in the science of physic, but was a de- scriptive wiiter of force and interest. He was himself the hero of an ad- venture worthy of being preserved. The world has little enough romance without any being lost. Prosy detail is the bane of history. Romantic episodes are neces- sary to destroy the drudgery of life, and make history interesting. The scene of Dr. Brainard's experience is laid between twenty and thirty miles southwest of his office at Lower Sandusky, in a dense for- est. On a March morning, while a blus- tering snow storm was closing every path, and a cold northwester was whistling among the trees, this faithful servant of a suffering pioneer community started to see a patient thirty miles distant. The last twelve miles of the journey was through a forest which fallen snow had made path- less. The Doctor, of course, did not reach this forest till late in the day. Snow- laden saplings bent across what seemed the woodland road, and made it necessary to seek openings around. This circum- stance not only retarded his progress, but bewildered him in his course. He finally lost the road altogether, and was com- pelled to rely upon his judgment to direct the horse the remaining miles of the jour- ney. The weary horse and anxious rider both became impatient with their uncer- tain, zig-zag progress. Slowly, and with a consciousness of his rider's bewilderment, the horse stumbled through snow-heaps, seemingly multiplying every hour. At last a plain road was reached, but where it was and whither it led was more than the Doctor or the horse knew. In the hope of soon reaching a house, the horse, whose load was made doubly burdensome by discouragement. (for an animal is not

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HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

slow to detect the thoughts of his master,) was urged on. Night drove light from the inhospitable wilderness. The fatigued horse lagged slowly through the deep snow, while hope kept up the rider's con- fidence, but hunger and cold sadly afflicted both. Dr. Brainard notes that melan- choly began to send strange fancies across his troubled brain. Cold, hungry, lost, with a horse shaking with fatigue, what if some wild animal should attack him while in such a situation ? While revolv- ing these uncomfortable anticipations, the cold, snow-burdened breeze brought the well-know howl of a distant wolf. The lash clashed oftener and louder upon the poor horse, but the faithful animal, ex- hausted by long travelling without food, reeled under the smarting cuts of his fright- ened rider. The terrible howl grew in volume, and fast came closer. No cabin light was within sight. The horse stag- gered in his exertions to hurry. Cold, hunger, exhaustion-fear had displaced them all when the red-tongued pack dashed into the road but a few rods be- hind. Now others crossed the road in front, and, circling near and nearer, their hideous howl became more terrible. The poor horse was too weak to frighten at the situation, which increased the danger. If he should fall from exhaustion, the issue was not doubtful. While Dr. Brainard was debating his ability to escape by climbing a tree, the thought occurred to him that a loud voice would frighten them. He lifted his chest to his lungs' fullest capacity, and sent a strong shout at his unwelcome companions, but his voice was like a musket amidst the roar of artillery. The howling of the circling wolves became inore threatening. Desper- ately they snapped their jaws in the horse's face, and dreadfully their red eyes gleamed from the snow-covered surface. The Doc- tor seriously contemplated sacrificing his

horse to the appetites of his pursuers, and indeed hints that he would have done so had not such an undertaking been too hazardous. He therefore, as the safer al- ternative, resolved to stick "to his wearied horse as long as it could walk, and trust to Providence for the event." The pack gathered so near that their horrid grin was discernable. They seemed to be gather- ing resolution to make an attack. Fear- ing that his fatigued horse might give way, the doctor prepared to climb. He took off his overcoat, released his feet from the stirrups, and chose his tree at every point of the slowly-traversed road. In this way a distance of at least four miles was passed over. At length a bright spot appeared in the not far distant dark- ness. It was the star which hope had seen during more than four hours of peril. The sight of that cabin window brought joy inexpressible. Even the way-worn horse recovered his spirits and quickened his step. Maddened animals, fierce winds, and beating snow were all forgotten at the glimpse of a log hearth, caught through a paper window. The horse, a moment be- fore on the point of falling, pricked up his ears and neighed aloud. The hospitable inhabitants of that lonely forest home had heard the coming of the weary traveller and his unwelcome train. They were at the door, ready to receive their guest and serve his wants. The emboldened beasts pressed near, but the heavy sound of a musket, the bark of a faithful dog, and the light of several torches sent them howling to the wilderness. It was now 2 o'clock in the morning. The Doctor's wants were abundantly provided for, and the horse given the best of corn. Upon inquiry, he found that he was ten miles south of the point of his destination.

Dr. Brainard had the respect and confi- dence of the people, whom he served for forty years. He was one of the first

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Free Masons in Lower Sandusky, and a member of Fort Stephenson lodge after the revival of Masonry. Brainard lodge was named in his honor. His funeral was conducted with Masonic honors. Dr. Brainard died in 1859, just forty years after beginning his useful career in this county.

DR. LAQUINIO RAWSON .- A biography of Dr. Rawson is part of the legitimate history of Sandusky county. He came here in an early year of its settlement, and has since devoted his strong energies and very respectable talent to the service of his fellow-citizens, both as a physician and in business enterprises of a public and useful character.

Dr. Rawson's descent is traced from the age of English chivalry, the coat of arms descending from family to family, until finally inherited by Edward Rawson, who came to America in 1636 or 1637, and was chosen to the secretaryship of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay. He sev- eral times represented his town of New- bury in the General Court of the colony, and was a man of note and influence in the early history of New England. Of the fifth generation from Secretary Edward Rawson, was Lemuel Rawson, father of the subject of this biography. He was born in 1767. He was occupied as a tanner at Warwick, Massachusetts, until about 1812. He then turned his atten- tion to agriculture, residing in each of the following-named places: Orange, New Salem, and Irving Grant, all in Massa- chusetts, until 1836, when he came to Ohio, and located at Bath, Summit county, where he remained until Sep- tember 20, 1844, when his wife died, after which he lived with his children in Northern Ohio. He died December 2, 1851, at Dr. Rawson's residence in Fre- mont. His wife was Sarah Barrus, whom he married at Warwick, Massachusetts, in

1791. The family consisted of six sons and three daughters. Five of the sons came to Ohio; four of them were success- ful practitioners of medicine, and the other attained a high place in the legal profession of Northern Ohio. Secretary Rawson, oldest of the five brothers, prac- ticed medicine in Richfield, Summit county, Ohio, forty-two years. Success followed him through his professional life.

Abel Rawson, second of the five Ohio brothers, was well-known in this county. He was one of the pioneer lawyers at Tiffin, Ohio, and his presence was familiar in every court-room in this part of the State. He studied law in Massachusetts, and when admitted to the Bar was over four hundred dollars in debt. He came to Ohio in 1824, and taught school at Norwalk. In 1826 he opened a law office at Tiffin, and at once took high rank in his profession.

Dr. Bass Rawson first learned the trade of a hatter, but in a few years began the study of medicine in New Hampshire. In 1829 he located in Findlay, Hancock county, Ohio, where he earned a reputa- tion as a skillful physician, and was very successful.

Dr. Alonzo Rawson, youngest of the brothers who came to Ohio, first learned the trade of printing. He established, in Tiffin, in 1834, the Independent Chroni- cle. After two years experience he dis- continued editorial work to engage in mercantile enterprises, but finally studied medicine, and was a successtul practi- tioner.

Few families have honored the memory of a worthy ancestor by successful and useful lives as have the members of this branch of the Rawson family. De- pending wholly upon their own exertions, each has left the impress of his life and character upon the history of the com-

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HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

munity in which he lived and labored. We have spoken of these members of the Rawson family partly to show the charac- ter of the family, and partly because they are remembered by a large number of people living within the proper scope of this history. We now turn to the subject of this biography.

. LaQuino Rawson was born at Irving, Franklin county, Massachusetts, Septem- ber 14, 1804. His earlier boyhood was spent on his father's farm, and in the com- mon schools of his neighborhood. At the age of sixteen, being ambitious to acquire an education, and being wholly dependent upon himself for the means of pursuing his cherished purpose, he left home and entered the academy at New Salem, where he attended instruction for some time, ex- cept during the intervals spent at com- mon labor and teaching school, by which means he earned money to pay his ex- penses at the academy. In 1824, being then nineteen years old, he came to Ohio and entered upon the study of medicine, and at the same time taught school to meet his expenses. In 1826 he was granted license to practice by the Ohio Medical Society, and entered upon the duties of his profession at Tyamochtee, Crawford county. At that time the Wy- andot Indians occupied a large reserva- tion in the county, and he had frequent calls to attend their sick. The Indians received the intelligent services of their white physician very gratefully, and paid their bills much more promptly than the white people. The Indians generally en- tertained an idea that they could not en- ter the happy hunting ground without every obligation having been discharged, and consequently cheerfully handed over to their doctor the shining half dollars received as annuity from the Government. The Indian doctors and their herb reme- dies were in most cases abandoned as

soon as they were given the op ortunity 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 Tya- mochtee was among the Indians.

In 1827 Dr. Rawson began the prac- tice 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 Find- lay, 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 at- tended 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. Dur- ing this time Dr. Rawson's standing as a physician was recognized by complimen- tary diplomas of membership in the Cin- cinnati 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 his- tory. 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 primi- tive roads forbid description. The pro- fession 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 ex- perienced. 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 skil- ful in their profession, and now, when looking back to those times, when Sandusky county was a wilder- ness and uncultivated swamp, and many of the set- tlements 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 dispensa- tions, here we have a peculiarly striking picture illustrating the eternal fitness of things. The spectacle of men of intelli- gence 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 sur- roundings. 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 disin- terested charity-Dr. Rawson, Mr. Brown, Mr. Birchard, and Judge Hulburd, went from house to house of the afflicted, per- forming 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 San- dusky. It subsequently appeared several times, but never with such fatal results.

As the country developed, Dr. Rawson's practice grew more extensive and re- munerative. His practice was laborious, but a physique capable of almost any en- durance was his best inheritance. The rugged labor of his early life was a fit preparation for the toils of his profession- al career. In his case vigor of body was happily equalled 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

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cherished toward him more than profes- sional 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 character- istic 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 prompt- ly answered by his cheerful presence, re- gardless of financial condition, or prospect of remuneration. He thus endeared him- self 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 medi- cine during a period of nearly thirty years. But his career of usefulness by no means ended with his retirement from profession- al life. He had accumulated considerable property, and had for years been alive to every enterprise which promised to be- come a public benefit. In previous chap- ters 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 en- terprise 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 in- augurated, 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 Rail- road, 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. Fos- ter, and John R. Pease-the country ben- efited by this road is indebted. The lead- ing spirit and advocate from the beginning was Dr. Rawson, who, at the first organiza- tion 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 connec- tion with the county agricultural society is duly mentioned under the proper head.

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History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers, Part 69

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams Number of Pages: 1040

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams
Number of Pages: 1040