USA > Rhode Island > Newport County > History of Newport County, Rhode Island. From the year 1638 to the year 1887, including the settlement of its towns, and their subsequent progress > Part 12
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Doctor Benjamin Richmond, son of Perez and Deborah (Lor- ing) Richmond, was born in Little Comption. R. I .. Angust 7th, 1747. He was married October 14th, 1770, to Sarah, eldest daughter of Col. Thomas Church, grandson of Col. Benjamin Church, of Indian fighting fame. Doctor Richmond was a practitioner of medicine, widely known and highly appreciated
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in Little Compton and Westport for almost half a century. Hle left several children, of whom Doctor J. W. Richmond, of Providence, was most known. He died September 15th, 1816.
Doctor John Wilkes Richmond, son of Doctor Benjamin and Sarah (Church) Richmond, was born in Little Compton, R. I. Having prosecuted the study of medicine under the auspices of his father, he established himself in Portsmonth, R. I., where he practised for a number of years. While there he built a house of considerable pretensions, on the spot on the west road, next south of the Redwood farm, on the site now occu pied by the residence of Peleg Coggeshall, Esq. Ile married, November 8th, 1804, Miss Mary Nichols Sheffield, daughter of Aaron and Mary (Nichols) Sheffield: He married, second, April 10th, 1815, Henrietta Bours, widow of John, daughter of Wil- ham Shaw, of Newport. Up to the time of his second marriage Doctor Richardson was a resident of Portsmonth, but afterward he removed to Providence, and for many years was a prominent figure in that city. His second wife, Henrietta, died in Provi- dence July 17th, 1849, aged 67 years. He was conspicnous in urging the payment of the Rhode Island revolutionary state debt, not yet paid. He died in Providence at a very advanced age.
Doctor William Cabell Rives, Jr., son of William C. and Grace W. Rives, was born in Paris, France, January 10th, 1850. He received the degree of A. B. from Oxford University, England, in 1874, and of A. M. in 1878. He studied medicine at Harvard Medical School, and the University of the City of New York, graduated in medicine at the latter institution in 1877, and was abroad in 1880 and 1881, pursuing medical studies at Vienna. Doctor Rives was a member of the international congress, at London, in 1881. He settled at Newport, and was appointed a visiting physician to the Newport Hospital in 1882, and was a member and secretary to the Newport city board of health from 1885 to 1887 inclusive. Doctor Rives was also a member of the Newport Medical Society. Within a few months he has re- moved his field of practice to the city of New York, leaving behind him the reputation of a faithful and accomplished phy- sician.
Doctor James Robinson is said to have come to Newport from Little Compton. He was born in 1703, married October 16th, 1740, Mary Challoner, of Newport, and died November 29th.
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1745, aged 42 years. He was a physician of high repute, although his career was short. He had three children : John Tyrrell, born September 23d, 1743, died young ; Sarah Ann, born August 1st, 1745, married Caleb Gardner, June 3d, 1770, had one daughter, afterward the wife of Andley Clarke; and Mary, died April 10th, 1764, aged 22 years, unmarried. Doctor Robinson's widow married John Channing, and had two sons, William and Walter. William Channing married a daughter of William Ellery, signer of the declaration of inde- pendence, and was the father of Rev. William Ellery Channing, the famous divine, and of Doctor Walter Channing of Harvard University. Walter, the son of John and Mary, was one of the celebrated mercantile firm of Gibbs & Channing of Newport.
Doctor Thomas Rodman came to Newport with his younger brother, Doctor John Rodman in 1680. They were the sons of Doctor John Rodman of Christ Church parish, Barbadoes, where they had been long resident. Doctor Thomas Rodman had had a wife, Sarah, previously, but so far as known, no children. In 1682, June 7th, he married Patience Malins, widow of Robert, and daughter of Peter and Ann Coggeshall) Easton, and had a son Thomas and a daughter Ann. He married, third, Hannah, danghter of Governor Walter Clarke and had six children, of whom the second was the future Doctor Clarke Rodman. Doctor Thomas Rodman died Jannary 17th, 1727, aged 87 years and 16 days. He was born in 1640 and was, therefore, forty years old when he came to Newport. He soon became an important factor in the Quaker Society, to which his family belonged, as well as in public affairs, besides occupying a leading place in his profession, and for the fifty years, nearly, of his residence in Newport, he held high rank among her most respected citizens. llis residence was the house on the west side of Thames street, second below the city hall, now the resi- dence of Rowland Sherman, Esq., and late of his father, Job Sherman. Doctor Rodman's progeny are very numerous, and hold many prominent positions throughout the country.
Doctor Thomas Rodman, Jr., son of Doctor Thomas and Pa- tience (Easton) Rodman, was born in Newport, November 11th, 1683, married September 20th, 1706, Katherine Fry, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Griffin) Fry, and died in South Kings- town, R. I., in 1775. He had nine children, from whom are de- scended many persons of great prominence, and the name is
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among the leading ones in South Kingstown at this date. Doc- tor Rodman received his medical training from his father in Newport. and was equally influential and successful in the sphere of activity he had selected.
Doctor Clarke Rodman, second son of Doctor Thomas Rod- man by his third wife, Hannah, daughter of Governor Walter and Hannah (Scott) Clarke, was born in Newport March 10th, 1699, and died August 30th, 1752. He married, Jannary 3d, 1717, Ann, daughter of Daniel and Mary (Mowry) Coggeshall of Portsmouth, R. I. They had ten children, of whom Walter and Thomas were also physicians. Doctor Clarke Rodman followed in the footsteps of his father, ministering to the Newport peo- ple, promoting the interests of the community in which he lived, and of the religious society to which his family were at- tached, in a manner which inspired the esteem and respect of his cotemporaries. He built and occupied the house corner Thames street and Touro, afterward removed to Bridge street, and still standing, the site being occupied by Young's briek block, in which house afterward lived successively, Doctors Hunter, Senter, Case, and Watson, down to 1837, about 100 years. The piece was given to him in the division of the estate of his grand- father, Governor Walter Clarke, whose own residence was the house next south of it, formerly Isaac Gould's. This house is still standing, having been removed to Elm street. He was an original member of Redwood Library Company.
Doctor Walter Rodman, eldest son of Doctor Clarke and Ann (Coggeshall) Rodman, was born in Newport August 13th, 1719, and died at Jamestown July 20th, 1753, aged 34 years. His wife was Rebecca Redwood, sister of Abraham, founder of the li- brary, and danghter of Abraham and Patience (Howland ) Red- wood. They had no children. It is not known whether he practiced in Newport or on Conanient, but it is probable that he lived on the farm on the west side of that island, still known as the Rodman farm, and it is certain that he died on that island. Ilis widow married Joseph Clarke, for many years (1761 to 1792) treasurer of the colony and the state.
Doctor Thomas Rodman, Second, third son of Doctor Clarke and Mary (Coggeshall) Rodman, was born in Newport June 5th, 1726. He married, July 6th, 1750, Catharine, daughter of Deputy Governor John and Frances (Sanford) Gardner. He was admitted freeman of the colony in April, 1745, and signed
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the petition to the king in 1750. In 1758 he was commissioner relative to flags of truce. In February, 1759, "Mr. Thomas Rodman (son of Clarke Rodman, late of Newport, Physician, deceased) was elected Surgeon to the Regiment ordered by this government for the ensuing campaign." In February, 1760, he was reelected. A letter addressed to his wife from Sorel, now in existence, proves that he was engaged under Lord Amherst in that glorious campaign which resulted in the triumph of the British arms in North America. All this proves also that the religious sentiments of his ancestors had lost so much of their hold on the young surgeon as to have failed to restrain his patriotic ardor. In 1760, he was 34 years old, and had prob- ably practised in Newport for a dozen or more years, but no record is afforded of that interval, nor of his future. The time of his death is not known. He left a son, Walter, some of whose descendants are still living in Newport. This gives us an unbroken succession of Doctors Rodman in Newport from 1680 to 1760.
Doctor John Rodman, brother of Doctor Thomas of Newport, and son of Doctor John of Christ Church parish, Barbadoes, came to Newport in 1680 with his brother and practised here for several years, and had several children born here. He was afterward at Block Island for some years, and went finally to Long Island, and has a large number of descendants in New York and New Jersey and elsewhere. He had a wife Mary, who, perhaps, came with him from Barbadoes. He died at Flushing, Long Island, July 10th, 1731, aged 78 years.
Doctor Austin Ledyard Sands was born in Philadelphia, December 14th, 1825. His father was Anstin Ledyard Sands, of New York, and his mother a daughter of Mr. Andrew Hodge, of Philadelphia. Doctor Sands received his preparatory education in the classical department of the New York Univer- sity and entered the regular college course at the age of twelve years and was gradnated at the age of sixteen. He at once be- gan the study of medicine at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, of which his uncle, Doctor Alexander H. Stevens, was president. His medical studies were pursued under the direction of Doctor Stevens and regular examinations also attended under Doctor John Watson, who had been a stu- dent and partner of Doctor Stevens. Before taking his degree of doctor of medicine he received an appointment on the surgi-
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cal staff of the New York Hospital, with which institution he remained for two years. While in attendance as house surgeon of the hospital Doctor Sands received an appointment as phy- sician and surgeon to the West Point Foundry located at Cold Spring, on the Hudson river, then under the management of Governeur Kemble and Mr. Parrott, the inventor of the cele- brated gun of that name. While at Cold Spring Doctor Sands had unusual responsibility cast upon him. Ilis experience was extended and varied, some of the most difficult and important operations in surgery having been accomplished by him. The frequent and severe accidents constantly occurring in this large foundry afforded abundant opportunity for his surgical skill and put to a severe test his merits as a surgeon. At this time also the Hudson River railroad was in process of construction and the frequent blasting accidents at this rocky point added greatly to the number of formidable operations performed by him. Doctor Sands, on his removal from Cold Spring in 1852, returned to New York and until 1860 was associated with Doc- tor Alexander P. Hossack. During the war of the rebellion he twice served on the battle field as volunteer surgeon. In 1860 the wear and tear of city practice produced a marked effect upon his health which began perceptibly to fail. He was compelled for a time to abandon active work and seek repose and much needed rest.
In October, 1863, he repaired to Southern Italy and remained abroad one year. On returning to New York he resumed his practice but was again obliged to seek restoration to health as of primary importance, and left the city. Relatives and friends urged Newport as a desirable point for settlement, and in the spring of 1865 he purchased a residence in that city where the remainder of his life was spent. In the fall of 1875 he was the victim of a brutal assault, the injuries he received being of so severe a character as to seriously undermine his health. He rallied in a measure from the effects of the blow and spent the following winter in the south, but never again resumed the bur- den of a large practice. In the summer of 1876 he shared his labors with a partner, and he spent the following winter in Europe, returning in the spring apparently much improved. The summer's duties again proved detrimental and once more the doctor sailed for Europe in quest of health, trusting that a winter on the Nile might impart to him renewed vigor. He had
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but started when he was prostrated by violent illness and died in Cairo, Egypt, on the 20th of December, 1877. In his death Newport lost an honored citizen and the medical profession one of its brightest lights. lle was devoted to his calling, ever faithful to those committed to his professional care, kind and considerate to the poor, and ready with a skillful hand in cases of need and suffering. His genial nature and unfeigned sym- pathy won the affection of all who knew him.
Doctor Stephen Hull Sears, son of Stephen and Henrietta (Hull) Sears, was born in South Yarmouth, Mass., July 31st, 1854. He studied medicine in the office of Doctor A. Miller, at Needham, Mass., gradnated in medicine at Bellevne Hospital Medical School, New York, in 1879, and has practised in New- port since December 30th. 1879. In December, 1881, he was appointed A. A. Surgeon in the U. S. marine hospital service, which position he still holds. Doctor Sears married, August 23d, 1881, Marianna B., daughter of Danforth P. W. and Ange- line (Bears) Parker, of Barnstable, Mass., and has three children.
Doctor John Sapel, from Germany, was in Newport in 1785.
Doctor Isaac Senter was born in Londonderry, New Hamp- shire, in 1753. Little is known of his early life. He came to Newport in his youth, and was a student in the office of Doctor Thomas Moffatt, a Scotch refugee, after Culloden, whose con- nection with the stamp act made him obnoxious to the friends of liberty in 1765, and who left Newport soon after. Doctor Senter commenced the practice of medicine in Cranston, R. I. After the battle of Lexington, he immediately joined the volun- teers from Rhode Island and marched to Boston, where he soon made himself useful and prominent in the camp of the colonists. He was selected for a prominent position in the expedition soon after organized to join General Richard Montgomery before Qne- bec, under the command of General Benedict Arnold. The trials and struggles and sufferings of this New England contingent, in their advance through the almost unexplored wilderness of northern New England, are well described in Doctor Senter's own journal, as well as those of Doctor Irvin and others, which have been given to the public, and present a wonderful picture of adventurous and enterprising heroism most creditable to all the participants, but in its results most disastrous. Every man of Arnold's command was killed or made prisoner. Senter,
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happily, was among the latter. After a few months service in the hospitals and among the sick and wounded in and about Quebec, he was released and returned home. He left the con- tinental service in 1779 and resumed his practice in Cranston.
In 1778, 1779 and 1780 he was representative from Cranston 10 the Rhode Island general assembly. In 1776 he was elected surgeon of Rhode Island state hospitals, and in 1780 physician and surgeon-general of Rhode Island. In 1780 he removed to Newport and occupied the Rodman house, where two genera- tions of Doctors Rodman and Doctor Hunter had preceded him, and where Doctors Benjamin W. Case and Daniel Watson afterward successively lived until about 1837, making an almost if not continuous occupation of the same premises by promi- nent and popular medical men for six generations, and for a period of more than a century and a quarter, and that unques- "tionably the most central and conspicuons point in the ancient town. In all the accounts obtainable Doctor Senter is de- scribed as a tall and large man, with a firm, stately and digni- fied carriage, but of genial and popular manners. He was un- donbtedly a man of brilliant talents. He made some contribu- tions to European medical journals and acquired much distine- tion therefrom, and within my recollection was spoken of by elderly people in the highest terms of appreciation. Doctor Senter had a library which, in those days, was considered large, and was rich in medical and scientific and literary lore. Many of his books may still be found in Newport. He was an honor- ary member of the Medical Society of London. George Chan- ning in " Recollections of Newport," says : " Dr. Senter exert- ed a sort of enchantment, when summoned to a sick bed. if the case demanded only simples, his smile proved more poten- tial than his recipe." In distant lands, the highest commenda- tion was awarded him for medical and surgical superiority. Doctor Senter died at Newport in 1799, aged 44 years.
Doctor Horace Senter, eldest son of Doctor Isaac Senter, was born in 1776, in Cranston, R. L., and was killed in an encounter with lohn Rutledge of South Carolina, January 12th, 180-4, at Savannah. He was esteemed as a young gentleman of very great promise, was given all the advantages of the European schools and hospitals, and stepped into the position just left vacant by his father, into an atmosphere glowing with the aura of his brilliant career, with surpassing charms of person and
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manner, with all the accomplishments which a fine mind and very superior advantages could give, with a social position and popular sentiment which seemed to insure a tide of success, and during his professional life everything warranted the brightest hopes of his friends and the public, but in less than five years his tragical end blasted all these expectations and left a gloom on the community, the shadow of which is hardly yet annihilated. He was a fellow student of Doctor John C. Warren, of Boston, at Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital, London.
Edward Senter, the third son of Doctor Isaac, was also in- tended for the profession. He was a student in the office of Doctor William Turner, at the same time with the late Doctor James V. Turner, about 1810, but he died soon after withont having practised.
Doctor Jotham Sexton came to Adamsville, in Little Comp- ton, R. I., from Connecticut, about 1830, and practised for ten years, his practice being limited, in great measure, to Tiverton, R. I., and Westport, Mass. In 1840 he removed to Fall River, where he practised for ten more years, dying there in 1850.
Doctor Benjamin Stanton, son of John and Mary Stanton, was born in Newport, March 13th, 1684, and died Sep- tember 18th, 1760. He married Martha, daughter of Henry and Sarah (Stanton) Tibbitts, his first cousin. He had a large con- nection among Friends, and an extensive practice, dividing with Doctor Clarke Rodman that influence which afterward de scended almost unbroken to Doctor Jonathan Easton and to Doctor Enoch Hazard consecutively. He had one son and three daughters. He lived at the head of Broad street, opposite Equality park.
Doctor Nathaniel Greene Stanton, son of George A. and Catharine (Sands) Stanton, was born at New Shoreham, July 8th, 1836. He derived his name from the great Major-General Greene, of the revolution, who was, by marriage, the great uncle of his mother. He attended school at East Greenwich, at Suffield, Conn., and lastly at Alfred Center, Allegany county, New York. After leaving school he passed five years in Provi- dence, in the drug store of Wadsworth & Burrington, when, the war breaking out, he enlisted as hospital steward in the First R. I. Cavalry. After a year's service he became medical cadet, and was afterward transferred to the Third R. I. Cavalry, with commission as assistant surgeon, ranking as lieutenant. He
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had charge of the military hospital at Baton Rouge from Feb- rnary to September, 1863. He afterward rejoined the First R. I. Cavalry, at Poolsville, Maryland, and was mnstered out of service as supernumerary. He then studied medicine, and grad- uated in medicine at Harvard, in 1866. He then went to Europe and passed a year in clinical studies at the hospitals of London and Paris, at the Maternity, and at Guy's and St. Bartholo- mew's. On his return he associated himself with Doctor Thomas G. Potter, in old school practice in Providence, and after two years came to Newport and established himself as a homœo- pathic practitioner, which he has continued to this time. In Newport he was first a partner of Doctor N. Greene, and after- ward of Doctor Abiram F. Squire. Doctor Stanton is a popular man and has a good practice.
Doctor Horatio Robinson Storer, son of D. Humphreys Storer, M. D., of Boston, formerly professor of obstetrics and medical jurisprudence in Harvard University, and president of the Ameri - can Medical Association, was born in Boston, February 27th, 1830. He attended the Boston Latin School from 1841 to 1846. On leaving school he entered Harvard University, where he took the degree of A. B. in 1850. He was very early interested in the natural sciences. He was president of the Harvard Natural History Society, and in 1850 published observations made dur- ing a trip to Nova Scotia and Labrador, on the fishes of those coasts. He also spent a summer in Russia before his gradua- tion. He studied medicine in the Tremont Medical School of Boston, and received his medical degree from Harvard College, in 1853. He also attended lectures at Harvard Law School. He spent two years after graduation studying in London, Paris and Edinburgh. and was assistant for one year, in private prac- tice, to Sir James G. Simpson. In 1855 he commenced a very successful practice in Boston, and was very active and promi- nent in all matters pertaining to the profession, and contributed largely to its current literature, especially in relation to his chosen department, Gynæcology. In 1865 he became professor of obstetrics and medical jurisprudence in the Berkshire Medi- cal College, which position he retained until 1869. Ile was prominent among the earlier ovarotomists, and eventually in- eurred septicemia, by which he was disabled and relinquished practice, and retired to Europe in 1872, and remained in South- ern Europe until 1877. On his return he took up his residence
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at Newport, where he has since resided, not in active practice, except for a short time, in connection with Doctor W. F. Parker, when, finding his health again yielding to the strain, he finally retired. Doctor Storer is a man of great acquirements and won- derful facile expression, both by tongue and pen ; the latter of which is sufficiently attested by the large number and great variety of the treatises he has given to the public in the thirty years of his professional life. He is one of the vice-presidents of the section of Gynaecology of the International Medical Congress.
Doctor Abiram Francis Squire is now practising as a homeop- athist, at Newport. He came here in 1873, and became a part- ner with Doctor Nathaniel G. Stanton. He was born in Buffalo. N. Y., February 25th, 1846, and was the son of Abiram H. and Hannah (Huff) Squire. He married, in 1875, Mary Henry Alexander. Doctor Squire acquired his academic education at the Buffalo Central High School, and received the degree of M. D. at Harvard Medical College.
Doctor Peter Tallman, son of Peter and Ann Tallman, was born March 22d. 1658, probably in Newport, as his father was a freeman of Newport in 1655, and in December, 1658, made a considerable purchase of land in Portsmouth, and in 1661 was deputy from Portsmouth and solicitor general of the colony. There is no evidence that Peter, the father, was a physician, as is probable, two of his sons having been members of the pro- fession. He is reputed to have been a French refugee. He died in 1708. Doctor Peter Tallman married, November 7th, 1683, Ann Walstone, widow of John, who died in 1708. She was the daughter of Benjamin and Jane Wright. He was at one time a resident of Guilford, Conn., but returned to Portsmouth and died there, July 6th, 1726. He had three children : Elizabeth, Peter and Ebenezer.
Doctor James Tallman, also a son of the first Peter, of New- port and Portsmouth, was born in Portsmouth, and was a prac- titioner of medicine in that town, of high repute, traditions of which have scarcely yet died ont. He died there in 1724. He married, March 18th, 1689, Mary, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Brayton) Devol. He married for his second wife, Hannah, daughter of lohn and Mary (Wyer) Swain, of Nantucket, September 14th, 1701. Ile had by his first wife, Mary, two sons
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and one daughter, and by his second wife, Hannah, six sons and three daughters.
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