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 13
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99
Doctor William Thurston was at Newport in 1787.
Doctor John R. Thurston was born April 24th, 17744, at New- port, and received his education there. He was a direct de- scendant of Edward Thurston, one of the very early settlers on Rhode Island. Doctor Thurston probably completed his medi- cal education in Scotland, since he married, in 1799, Mary Ann Bruce, of Aberdeen, Scotland. He was captured in a Newport vessel and taken to St. Christopher's, W. T., where he settled, and died there, May 7th, 1819.
Doctor William Torrey Thurston, son of the above, was born at St. Christopher's, July 14th, 1805, graduated 1. B., at Co- lumbia College, New York, in 1819, and M. D. at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, in 1829. He has prac- tised at Westerly and Woonsocket, R. I., and was distin- guished in the United States service during the war. In 1881 he was admitting surgeon and superintendent to Rhode Island Hospital.
Doctor Alfred Henry Thurston, son of Charles M. and Rachel (Pitman) Thurston, was born in Newport, October 2d, 1832, and passed his early years there. Ile graduated A. B. at Columbia College, New York, in 1851, and M. D. at Uni- versity Medical School, New York, in 1854. He died in New York, Angust 2d, 1865. He entered the United States service in 1861, and served with distinction until the close of the war. He was twice married.
Doctor William Tillinghast, son of Pardon and Avis (Nor- ton) Tillinghast, was born at Newport, in 1753, and died at Newport, January 26th, 1786. Doctor Tillinghast married a daughter of John Holmes, a direct descendant of Obadiah Holmes, who succeeded Doctor John Clarke as minister of the Second Baptist church, Newport. Mrs. Tillinghast being the only child of John Holmes, inherited a large landed estate in Middletown. derived from Reverend Obadiah, which descended to her daughters, and has only lately been alienated from the family. They had three daughters: Catharine, married Captain John Dennis : Avis, married John Baker, and had a son, Wil liam ; Mary F. H., married Henry Bull. By this last marriage Doctor Tillinghast was the great-grandfather of the present Doctor William Tillinghast Bull, of New York, who is his
124
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
namesake. Mrs. Bull, at her father's death, was three years old. Doctor Tillinghast, having received preliminary instruc- tion from Doctor Sylvester Gardiner, in Newport, went to Philadelphia and attended lectures, and took a degree at the old school and returned to Newport, where he commenced prac- tice about 1773, and pursued it with great acceptance until 1786, when he died. His residence was in the house built by his uncle, John Tillinghast, on Mill street, opposite the "Old Stone Mill," now the property of Mr. Tuckerman, formerly of Gov- ernor William C. Gibbs. Doctor Tillinghast was a man of fine appearance and elegant address, and never appeared except in the full dress of the period, perfect in all its appointments of ruffles, buckles, etc.
Doctor William Jerauld Townsend, son of Solomon and Ann (Pearce) Townsend, of Newport, was born at Newport in April, 1824. His mother was a daughter of Samuel Pearce of Prudence island, and sister of Hon. Dutee Jerauld Pearce of Newport, and granddaughter of Doctor Dutee Jeranld of Warwick, R. I., of an old French family, among the early settlers of Rhode Island. Having completed his academic education, Doctor Townsend entered, as a medical student, the office of Doctor T. C. Dunn, where he proved himself a most, devoted and faith- ful student, and exhibited remarkable enthusiasm in everything relating to his chosen vocation. After two terms' attendance he took his medical degree at the Jefferson College, Philadel- phia, in March, 1835, and before going home made a visit to the family of Doctor Corson, at New Hope, Penn. There he in- curred a malarial affection, which developed Phthisis, which very rapidly terminated his life. He died at Newport, May 15th, 1835, aged 21 years and 1 month. He was a most amiable and entertaining companion, and gave promise of a most bril- liant future. Doctor Townsend was cousin to the late Christo- pher Townsend, by whose munificence the public library in New- port was established and endowed.
Doctor William Turner, 1st, son of William and Patience (Haile) Turner, was born (probably) in Swansea, Mass. His mother was a noted midwife. He studied medicine with Doctor N. F. Vigneron, in Newport, where his parents lived at that time, and where they died. He settled in Newark, N. J., and had a large practice, and died there. He had three wives, the last of whom, Mehitabel (Foster),
125
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
widow of - --- Campfield, and mother of Doctor Jabez Camp- field, was also the mother of Doctor Peter Turner, of East Greenwich, R. I., whose son-in-law, Doctor William Turner, and whose son, Doctor James V. Turner, practised for many years in Newport.
Doctor Henry E. Turner, third son of Doctor Peter, of East Greenwich, was a pupil in the famous classical school of John Fraser, and afterward a student in the office of Doctor William Turner, at Newport. Hle practised for some years in East Greenwich. He married Martha Washington, daughter of Major- General Nathaniel Greene, and widow of John Nightingale, Esq. He first went to Tennessee, and afterward to Savannalı, Ga., where he died in 1861, aged 74 years.
Doctor Peter Turner, second son of Daniel and Sarah (Foster) Turner, of New Jersey, and brother of Doctor William Turner, studied medicine with his brother, in Newport, and was ap- pointed surgeon in the United States army. He died during the war of 1812, at Plattsburg, very young and unmarried.
Doctor Oliver Cromwell Turner, third son of Doctor William Turner of Newport, was born in Middletown, R. I., August 26th, 1814, and studied medicine in the office of Doctors William and James V. Turner, and took his medical degree at Jefferson Med- ical College, in Philadelphia, in 1836. He practised in New- port. He married Sarah, daughter of John Read of Newport. He was a very conscientions and worthy young man, and a great favorite with all who knew him, and very amiable and unpre- tentions. He died November 14th, 1852, aged 38 years.
Doctor Francis Lincoln Turner, son of Doctor James V. and Catharine R. (Greene) Turner, was born in Newport. December 27th, 1835. He studied medicine with his father and brother in Newport. and took his degree in medicine at the Albany Medical College. He married Mary Catharine, daughter of George C. and Elizabeth Munro, but had no children. He commenced practice at Schagticoke, N. Y., but after a year or two returned to Newport and entered into practice here. Shortly after his return to Newport, where he was becoming a favorite and his prospects of a successful career were very promising, his health was seriously impaired by an unfortunate accident, and he never fully recovered it.
Doctor William Turner, United States army, was the eldest of five sons of Daniel Turner, Esq., of Newark, N. J., all of
120
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
whom held commissions in the military or naval service of the United States. He was also the lineal descendant in the sixth generation of the Captain William Turner who lost his life in King Philip's war soon after gaining the battle of Great Falls, Mass., May 18th, 1676. Doctor Turner was born at Perth Am- boy, N. J., September 10th, 1775, and early in life commenced the study of medicine with Doctor Jabez Campfield, of Morris- town, N. J., his father's half-brother. His license to the prac- tice of medicine and surgery bears date Princeton, N. J., June 4th, 1794. Shortly afterward he removed to East Greenwich, R. I., where, with his nnele, Doctor Peter Turner, he practised for some four years. In 1998 he was commissioned assistant- surgeon, United States navy, and August 31st, 1799, was pro- moted to surgeon, and ordered to the U. S. Frigate " General Greene" (28gnns), Christopher Raymond Perry, Esq., command- ing, at Newport, R. I. This ship was built at Warren, R. I., in 1799, and was under orders for the West India Squadron, commanded by Commodore Silas Talbot, then operating against the French in the war of reprisals-a war, for some reason singularly neglected by our historians, and important as the first foreign war in which we ever engaged after the war for in- dependence, though it was against the tri-color and not the lillies of our former allies.
They sailed from Newport September 23d, 1799, and made Cape Frangois, San Domingo, October 6th. At this place they frequently met Tonssaint L'overture, Dessalines, Moize, Rigand and others of the fearful black uprising of 1793, so picturesquely described by Harriet Martinean in " The Hour and The Man." In a letter to Doctor Peter Turner, October 10th, 1799, he de- scribes Tonssaint as "a little, old and very ugly looking negro, but has a keen eye and is very polished in his manners." After capturing a number of prizes among their "L'Industrie," "Flying Fish" and a Danish brig, they received orders to proceed to New Orleans, then French territory, and receive the American Commissioner, General Wilkinson, and his suite, and to carry them to the United States.
Upon arriving at Newport, R. I., the yellow fever, which had made its appearance among the crew of the ship soon after her arrival upon the station, but had disappeared after passing the latitude of the capes of the Chesapeake, again appeared ; and some few cases were reported in the town. The town council of
.
127
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
Newport fully exonerated Doctor Turner from all blame in the matter. But the incident led to a sharp correspondence with Doctor Moses Brown of Providence, which even at this late day excites interest in the reader of the courteous but decided letters of the young surgeon. An interesting incident of this cruise is that Oliver 11. Perry and Benjamin Turner, the doctor's brother, were both midshipmen of the ship on their first cruise, and there cemented a friendship that was only broken by death.
The private journal of Doctor Turner of this cruise shows a refined and cultivated mind, and one that appreciated to the fullest extent the possibilities and opportunities of his pro- fession. His success in the treatment of the yellow fever is shown by the few deaths, while nearly all of the crew at one time or another during the cruise had passed through the ter- rible malady.
Upon his detachment from the ship he made a short visit to his parents, then at New Brunswick, N. J., and was ordered to the U S. Frigate " Adams " (28 guns), S. V. Morris, Esq .. commanding. for a cruise in the Mediterranean. The threaten- ing aspect of our relations with the Barbary powers made it necessary to strengthen our force in those waters.
General William Eaton had been sent to Tunis with extraor- dinary powers, of which he was not slow to avail himself, his position calling forth the exercise of the diplomatic skill which subsequently gained for him the approval of congress, and of the court of Denmark. Upon his health failing he visited the continent, and December 31st, 1801, appointed Doctor William Turner in his place, " with full power to act in his absence."
Doctor Turner's health, which had been delicate before these cruises, was now, after some years at sea, quite robust : and as his desire was for a more extended practice than he could ever hope for in the navy, he resigned his commission October 27th, 1802, and settled in Newport, R. I.
Upon the breaking out of the second war with Great Britain he was appointed by Oliver H. Perry surgeon of his flotilla at Newport, June 29th, 1812, which position he held until Septem- ber 29th, 1812, when he was commissioned surgeon's mate, U. S. army, and ordered to Fort Walcott, Newport Harbor. On the 24th of April, 1816, he was commissioned post surgeon, and surgeon on June 21st. 1821. Ile was the first surgeon attached to Fort Adams, and supervised its sanitary arrangements dur-
128
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
ing construction. He remained on duty at Forts Walcott and Adams until his death, September 26th, 1837. His total mili- tary service amounted to 30 years. He was a strong opponent of the severe corporal punishments inflicted on enlisted men, and did not a little to have them abolished. He corresponded with the eminent medical men of his day, and was held in high esteem by Doctors Rush and Physic, as their letters testify. He was conspicuons in all projects for advancing the standard of the profession in Rhode Island. His certificate of membership of St. John's Lodge of F. & A. Masons, No. 1, bears date June 30th. Anno Lncis, 5801, and is signed by " Moses Sexias, Prince of Masons, etc., etc., etc .: " Robert N. Auchmuty, S. W .: Thomas Tilley, I. W .; and S. Cahoone. secretary.
He married, August 15th, 1800, at East Greenwich, Hette Foster Turner, daughter of Doctor Peter Turner, and grand- danghter of Cromel Child, of Warren, R. I.
Doctor James Varnum Turner was the fourth son of Doctor Peter and Eliza (Child) Turner of East Greenwich, where he was born on the 27th day of March, 1789. He acquired the rudi- ments of his education under the tuition of Master Stephen Franklin, one of the old time pedagognes, who pursued, in its fullest extent, the ancient system of appealing quite as much to the external susceptibilities of his neophytes, as to their intellectual capacity. As, however, he was a quiet and steady- going boy, he suffered less from the method that has very long prevailed, on the authority of the wisest of men, than did some of his more mercurial associates. He completed his academic studies at the Greenwich Academy, then conducted by Abner Alden, Esq., who was noted as an instructor at that date, and had occupied a similar position in Bristol, R. I., and was well known as the publisher of a series of school books, quite famous and popular in their day. A college education at that time was an exceptional advantage, and immediately after leav- ing school he entered the office of his father and commenced his medical education, which he completed in the office of his brother-in-law, Doctor William Turner, of Newport. He, as well as his elder brother, Doctor Henry E. Turner, afterward of Tennessee and Georgia, was an original fellow of the Rhode Island Medical Society. He first went to Warren, R. I., which was his mother's birthplace, and where he had numerons rela-
129
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
tives, with a view to settlement, and after remaining there for a time, became dissatisfied with the prospect and returned to East Greenwich, which was then a place of very considerable com- mercial activity ; falling in with the current, he fitted ont a schooner, called the "Leander," with such commodities as were adapted to the supply of the British army, then occupying Lisbon, entrenched behind the lines of "Torres Vedras." This was not a very successful venture, the vessel arrived in a leaky and damaged condition, was condemned and sold, and he came home in one of Brown & Ives' vessels, commanded by Captain Job Cook, to Providence.
He then spent several years, associated with his brothers, Henry E. and George, in trading in western lands in Ohio and Tennessee, quite successfully, but came home and went into the West India trade with William Brown of East Greenwich. During this time, August 27th, 1815, he married Catharine Ray Greene, daughter of Hon. Ray and Mary (Flagg) Greene, and afterward had seven sons and four daughters, all of whom grew to man's estate, and of whom eight are still living. In 1821 he took the farm where his wife and four of his children were born, remaining there until 1828, when he removed to Portsmonth, R. I., and resnmed the practice of his profession. Here he was popular and successful. At this time he was 39 years of age. Taking up his burden where he had laid it down, nearly twenty years before, he prosecuted his calling with all the energy of youth, and apparently with all the zest of novelty. At the end of five years, in May, 1833, he removed to Newport and became the partner of his brother-in-law and former instructor, Doctor William Turner. This association was a most harmonions one, and existed until the death of Doctor William Turner, Septem- ber 26th, 1837. Doctor .I. V. Turner then associated with him- self, Doctor O. C. Turner, son of Doctor William, and his own son, Doctor H. E. Turner. At the end of a year, in 1838, Doe- tor O. C. Turner retired from the firm and from that time until October 28th, 1863, twenty-five years, when Doctor .I. V. died, he and his son remained partners.
Doctor James V. Turner was the embodiment of all the sub- stantial qualities that inspire respect, confidence and affection, and he enjoyed, as he well deserved, all these in their fullest extent. Remarkably modest and unpretentious, and yet self- reliant, tinthful and conscientious, a strong man but always
9
130
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
avoiding ostentation, almost too retiring, he yet was firm in as- serting himself whenever he judged proper. He was a home man in the fullest sense and did no visiting for many years ont- side his family. The superlative attraction of his own fireside is well illustrated by the fact that, wanderer as he had been in his youth, during the last 25 years of his life he never was off the island of Rhode Island, except an occasional professional visit to Conanicut. Nevertheless, he was social and genial in his intercourse with the community, and held a high place in the public esteem and regard. His reputation as an obstetri- cian was very high in the community he served, beyond which he had no ambition to extend it.
Of Doctor Turner's seven sons one died in 1859. At the break- ing ont of the war six sons were living, one of these disabled by accidental paralysis. Of the other five, four entered the volun- teer service, two by enlistment as privates, two by appointment as officers. When discharged three were captains. The fourth died in the service at Newbern, North Carolina, a lieutenant. The fifth and eldest son, Doctor Henry E. Turner, then 45 years old, with a small family, was attached to the service but not in the field. He was A. A. surgeon, United States Army, at- tached to Fort Adams, then headquarters of the Fifteenth U. S. Infantry. Doctor J. V. Turner died at Newport October 28th, 1863.
Henry E. Turner, M. D., son of James Varnum and Cathar- ine (Ray) Turner, was born at the Governor Greene homestead, in Warwick, Rhode Island, June 15th, 1816. He is a direct de- scendant of Captain William Turner, of Boston, who, in 1676, raised a company and marched to Northampton under Major Savage, and was present at the repulse of the Indians from that place in March, 1676. In May of the same year, Captain Tur- ner organized a force of one hundred men and surprised and severely punished the Indians at the Connectiont Great Falls, now known as Turner's Falls, but was killed on the retreat. Doctor Turner's grandfather was Doctor Peter Turner, of East Greenwich, R. I., at which place he practised his profession for nearly forty years and died in 1821. During the revolution he was surgeon in Colonel Christopher Greene's Rhode Island regi- ment in the continental line, and was present at Red Bank and other hard-fonght battles. Doctor H. E. Turner is also a de scendant of Simon Ray of Block Island and William Almy of
-
Henry E. Luinon
٦١١٦٢ ٨ ٨
131
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
Portsmouth, R. I. His grandfather on his mother's side was the Hon. Ray Greene of Warwick, son of the second Governor William Greene, and grandson of the first Governor William Greene, who was a grandson of Deputy-Governor Greene of the colony of Rhode Island from 1690 to 1700. Hon. Ray Greene was attorney-general of Rhode Island from May, 1794, to 1797. He represented Rhode Island in the United States senate from 1797 to 1801. In May, 1801, he was appointed United States District Judge, which position he did not, however, fill. His son, the Hon. William Greene, was lientenant-governor of Rhode Island from 1866 to 1868. Doctor Turner is also a de- scendant of Roger Williams and of John Sayles of Providence, John Greene. Randal Holden, Samnel Gorton, Richard Carder and Rufns Barton of Warwick, and of Jeremy Clarke of New- port, all original settlers of Rhode Island.
In early life Doctor Turner attended the academy of East Greenwich, now the Methodist Seminary. When about twelve years of age, in April, 1828, he removed with his parents to Portsmouth, R. I. Five years later, his parents removed to Newport, at which time (1833) he commenced the study of medicine in the office of his uncle and father, Doctors William and James V. Turner, who were then associated in practice. He later went to Philadelphia, where he graduated in medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, in March, 1836. After his graduation he went to Indiana, where he spent about a year. On the decease of his uncle, Doctor William Turner, he entered upon the practice of his profes- sion with his father, which partnership continued until the death of the latter, in October, 1863, since which time he has prosecuted his profession in the same place. For four years Doctor Turner was vice-president and for two years pres- ident of the Rhode Island Medical Society. He is secretary of the Rhode Island Society of Cincinnati, which position he has held for ten years. From November, 1862, to June, 1865, he served in the U. S. army as acting assistant surgeon, being at- tached to headquarters of the Fifteenth U. S. infantry at Fort Adams. For nineteen years he was a member of the school committee of Newport. He has been a director of the Redwood library for nearly forty years, and for two years (1884 to 1886) its president. He represented Newport in the state legislature from May, 1848, to May, 1850. He has been for several years
132
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
vice-president of the Newport Historical Society, is a member of the board of health of Newport and chairman of the state board of health. In 1881 Doctor Turner was appointed by Gov- ernor Littlefield of Rhode Island on the committee to assist the governor in entertaining the delegation from France to the Yorktown celebration. The delegation were the guests of the state in October, 1881. In 1853 he was elected city physician of Newport, which oflice he still holds. Doctor Turner is much interested in the history of his native state, and amid his pro- fessional and other duties he has found time to gratify his lit- erary tastes. He has delivered before the Rhode Island Hi -- torical Society and the Newport Historical Society many lec- tures, among which those on "the Greenes of Warwick," "Jeremy Clarke's family " and "William Coddington," have been published. In matters of genealogy and history he is considered an " authority," and much of his spare time is oc- enpied in assisting numerous historical students both at home and abroad who are constantly asking his aid. He was married July 18th, 1844, to Ann Eliza, danghter of Joseph G. and Sarah D. Stevens. They have had six children, of whom two sons and a daughter are living.
Doctor Peter Thatcher Wales, son of Rev. Atherton and Mary (Niles) Wales, was born at Marshfield, Mass., August 3d, 1745. He married Lydia, daughter of Rouse Potter of Portsmouth, R. T., and died in May, 1809, aged 64 years, in Portsmouth, where his active life had been passed in the successful practice of medicine. His residence was on the Glen road, a short distance from the East Main road, near the Union meeting house, in Portsmouth. His wife, Lydia (Potter) Wales, died in April, 1803, aged 54 years. They had several children, and some of their descendants are still living in Rhode Island.
Doctor Edmund Thomas Waring, son of Thomas Waring, a planter of South Carolina, was born at Charleston, S. C., De- cember 25th, 1779. His early education was received at George- town, S. C., under the instruction of the Rev. William Stough- ton, a Baptist minister, then living there, but afterward of Philadelphia. He then came to Rhode Island, and was a private pupil of Doctor Jonathan Maxey, president of Rhode Island College. He entered college bnt did not graduate ; without completing his college course, he entered the office of Doctor Isaac Senter as a student of medicine. On the comple-
133
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
tion of his studies he settled in Newport, where he was one of the most prominent physicians until within a few months of his death, when he joined his children in South Carolina, where he died, January 1st, 1835. He was cotemporary with Doctors David King and William Turner, who commenced business in Newport about 1800, and all died within three years, 1834-7. Doctor Waring was a well equipped physician and surgeon, and was very much beloved and respected. He was a high-toned gentleman, and of a peculiarly amiable temper and gentle ad- dress. Mr. Channing says, " He never lost a friend or made an enemy." His wife was Freelove Sophia, daughter of Hon. Francis Malbone. member of congress from Rhode Island, who died on the steps of the capitol, at Washington. Doctor War- ing was an original member of the Rhode Island Medical So- ciety, and was second vice-president from 1831 to 1834, when disability precluded his promotion.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.