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 8
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career he was a very active Freemason, but had differences and dissension with the regular fraternity, and afterward established a lodge which was always spoken of as Doctor Case's lodge. which finally became defunct, and in his later life he became an active and leading spirit among Rhode Island anti-masons. He was a remarkably fine looking man.
Doctor Paul Castel advertised the practice of medicine and surgery in Newport. He was from Cape Francois, and in 1786 had rooms at Widow Lillibridge's, North Side Parade.
Doctor Nathaniel Ray Chace is now practising in Newport. Hle was born at New Shoreham, Newport county, R. I., July Sth, 1842, and was a son of Isaac and Celina (Littlefield) Chace, of New Shoreham. He acquired his academic and classical educa- tion at Lombard University, in Illinois, and received there, his degree of A. B. in 1870, and his M. D. in Hahneman College, Philadelphia, in 1872, as a Homeopathic physician. He prac- tised in Providence one year, and came to Newport in June, 1873, where he has since resided. He is unmarried.
Doctor Stephen Champlin. Among the young gentlemen who were under the instruction of Doctor William Turner of Newport, was Doctor Stephen Champlin, from Lebanon, Conn., who married Alice, daughter of George Armstrong, of Newport, who, at the conclusion of his pupilage, settled in his native town, and practised there for many years, and died, leaving no children.
Doctor Walter Channing, son of Hon. William and Lucy (Ellery) Channing, was born in Newport. April 15th, 1780, in the house southeast corner Mary and School streets, afterward for many years the residence of Charles Gyles, Esq., now or- enpied as a children's home. His father was a very prominent lawyer and attorney-general of Rhode Island from 1777 to 1787. His maternal grandfather was Hon. William Ellery, one of the signers of the declaration of independence. He was a brother of Rev. William E. Channing, D. D. Doctor Channing was a student of medicine with Doctor Barton, of Philadelphia, and a graduate of the Philadelphia Medical School, University of Pennsylvania. He was professor of midwifery and medical jurisprudence at Harvard, from 1815 to 1854. nearly 40 years. He studied also, at the Universities of Edinburgh and London. He settled in Boston in 1802, and became, in a short time, one of the most prominent members of the profession in that city.
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where he continued to practice until his death. Doctor Chan- ning published many books, and was especially interested in ætherization soon after its introduction. He was physician to the Massachusetts General Hospital for nearly twenty years. He came to Newport. on the occasion of the reunion of the sons and daughters of Newport, August 23d, 1859, and delivered an address. Soon after he died.
Doctor John Clarke was the earliest physician known to have belonged to the settlement of Rhode Island, having been a signer of the original compact, on settlement at Pocasset, now Portsmouth, in March, 1638. He was evidently one of the principal factors in that movement, as he was one of the most active, energetic, and efficient in the promotion of the radical ideas which underlaid it, and of resistance to the influences which never relaxed on the part of the home government, to de- feat its prime objects, in which resistance no aid was wanting, which could be given by a considerable party among his fellow colonists. He was a prominent figure in all the negotiations between the colonists, and the parliament, and the king, and is supposed to have been chiefly instrumental in procuring from Charles HI, the charter of 1663, the first grant of perfect reli- gious freedom ever impressed with a royal seal, or signed by a royal hand, and under which the people of Rhode Island prof- ited by its beneficent provisions, and enjoyed the most unex- ceptionably good government ever known among men for 180 years. We have not space to dilate on the political history of John Clarke. It has been sufficiently and very frequently ven- tilated, and no additions can be made to what is thoroughly known.
Medical business never brings a man's name into public rec- ord, and generally his other business transactions are limited, and we only know of John Clarke's professional relations very little. He was in London from 1651 to 1653, as is said, engaged in practice, as he probably was during all his residence in Ports- month and Newport. His signature was "John Clarke, Physi- cian," although he was the founder and benefactor and first pastor for many years of the first Baptist church in Newport, evi- dently prosecuting his ministrations to the bodies as well as to the souls of his parishioners at the same time. Doctor Clarke had three wives but left no descendants. He was born in 1608, and
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died April 20th, 1676, and was at the time of the exodus from Massachusetts bay, 30 years of age.
Doctor Henry Tisdale Coggeshall was born in Newport June 2d, 1858. His father was Thomas, son of Timothy and Alice (AAlmy) Coggeshall, and his mother was Ellen Frances, daughter of George Knowles, all of Newport. He was educated in the public schools of Newport, preparing for college at the Rogers high school. He entered Yale College in 1880, and after one year there entered Harvard Medical School, where he graduated in medicine in 1883. Hle passed one year as house surgeon in the Hospital for Women, in Boston, previously to graduation, and one year subsequently, as resident physician of the New York Infant Asylum, Mt. Vernon, N. Y. In 1884 he practised for five months in Newport, after which he passed two years in medical studies in Europe. While in Europe he attended the third international congress as representative of Rhode Island, by appointment of Governor Wetmore, at Rome, Italy. After his return he served again, for nine months, as resident physi- cian at the New York Infant Asylum. He was appointed Ger- man secretary to the section of diseases of children at the Ninth International Medical Congress, at Washington, in 1887. He settled in New York city in the autumn of 1887, and is now assistant to the chair of diseases of children at Bellevne Hospi- tal Medical School, and physician to out-patients, section of diseases of children, Bellevue Hospital.
A Doctor Simon Cooper was a resident of Newport in 1678, probably the same who was admitted as freeman of the colony in May. 1666. No other record of him is known to exist.
Doctor Dwight Eleazer Cone, of Fall River, Mass., son of Ben- jamin and S. Rosalie Cone, was born at Brookfield, Madison county. New York, August 18th, 1854. He received his educa- tion at New Berlin Academy, and taught school for five years. He studied medicine in the office of his uncle, Doctor Frank D. Beebe, at Hamilton, Madison county, N. Y., and graduated in medicine at the University Medical School, New York city, in May, 1875. Ile became a member of the Chenango Medical Society in June, 1875, and practised for three years at Coventry. Chenango county. He came to Rhode Island in November, 1878, and settled in the town of Portsmouth, where he practised until December, 1882, having joined the Rhode Island Medical Society in March, 1879. He removed thence to Fall River,
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where he has since practised, giving especial attention to gy- naecology and obstetrics. In November, 1883, he became a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society, and is secretary and treasurer of the Fall River Medical Society, of which he was an original member.
Doctor Charles Cotton, son of Rossiter and Priscilla (Jackson) Cotton, of Plymouth, Mass., was born in that historic town ou the 7th of October, 1788, and died in Newport February 3d. 1870. in his 82d year. He graduated as A. B. at Harvard in 1806. and A. M. 1812. February 18th, 1811, he received orders, signed by Paul Hamilton, to join the frigate "Constitution" as surgeon's mate, and April 2d following he received his commission as surgeon's mate in the U. S. navy, signed by President Madison. October 21st, 1812, he received orders from Commodore Bain- bridge to report to Capt. Lawrence on board U. S S. " Hornet" for duty. April 26th, 1813, he was commissioned as surgeon U. S. navy. August 2d, 1813. he received notice of the confir- mation of his commission by the senate. March 25th, 1823, he was ordered to the ship "Hornet," at Norfolk, and November 12th, 1823, to the ship "Cyane." February 10th, 1820, he re- ceived a silver medal, by act of congress, for gallant services. He was in the battle between the U. S. S. " Hornet" and H. B. M. S. "Peacock," when the latter was captured, and is said to have been severely censured by Commodore Bainbridge for un- necessarily exposing himself in the action. He resigned his commission in the navy in 1823. He was on board the "Con- stitution" when she carried Hon. John Jay to France. After- ward he was stationed at Charlestown navy yard, and in 1817 had charge of the naval hospital at Newport, R. I., where he married, at that time, Mary, eldest daughter of Captain Stephen T. and Mary (Langley) Northam. By her he had a large family, of whom the only surviving son is William R. Cotton, Esq., of Newport. Doctor Cotton became a member of the Medical Consociation of Brown University March 9th, 1813, and of the Rhode Island Medical Society September 29th, 1817, as appears by diploma, signed P. Bowen, Praeses, but was re- commended for election by the censors March 6th, 1816. He was a studions man, and accomplished in historical and literary lore. He was genial and companionable, and had a keen appre- ciation of humor and a fund of local anecdote, which made his society agreeable and instructive. He was highly esteemed as
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a surgeon and was a worthy representative of the profession. He was a member of the R. 1. Historical Society, and of the Pil- grim Society, and delivered an address before them on the occa- sion of the removal of a portion of Plymouth Rock to the society's premises, which has since been restored to its original position. He was a pupil of Dr. James Thatcher of Plymonth.
Doctor Isaac B. Cowen, son of Jesse and Anna Cowen, was born in Canandaigua, New York, March 10th, 1855. His youth was passed, principally, at Mattapoisett and New Bedford, Mass. After graduating from the high school he attended a commercial school at Boston, but his ambition led him to pre- fer a profession, and he entered the office of Dr. Charles L. Swazey, of New Bedford, as a student of medicine, and he re- ceived his medical degree at the College of Physicians and Sur- geons, at New York, in March, 1873. January 1st, 1874, he entered upon the practice of his profession in Little Compton, where he died, March 3d, 1886, leaving a widow and two chil- dren. He was town clerk of Little Compton from June, 1876, to March, 1881, when the pressure of his professional duties con- pelled his resignation. His early decease afforded him only twelve years of professional life.
Doctor John Cranston was born in Scotland, in 1625 or 1626, and died in Newport, March 11th, 1680. He came to Rhode Is- land early, and was elected drummer in March, 1644. In 1656, he is catalogned as a freeman of the colony, from both Portsmouth and Newport, but in the same year was a deputy to the general assembly from Newport. He was afteward at- torney general, and his name, for many years, is conspicuous in colonial affairs. In 1676, he was the military chief of the colony, with the title of major, and so remained during King Philip's war. He was deputy governor from May, 1676, to November, 1678, and governor from November, 1678, to March 12th, 1680. In March, 1663-4, in consideration of " the blessing of God, on the good endeavors of Captayne John Cranston of Newport, both in Phissicke and Chirurgery he is licensed and commissioned to administer Phissicke and practice Chirurgery throughout this entire Colony, and is, by this court, styled and recorded Doctor of Phissieke and Chirurgery." This is um donbtedly the first medical degree ever conferred in Rhode Is- land. if not on this continent. With pain we have to acknowl- edge that we have no other means of judging of his proficiency,
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or of his degree of medical education. As he came to this locality at the age of nineteen, his European advantages were probably limited. Ile was a near relative of Lord Cranston, and of royal blood, one of his ancestors being John Cranston, Prior of Cold- ingham, a natural son of James V. of Scotland. His wife was Mary, danghter of Jeremiah and Frances (Latham) Clarke. His eldest son, Samuel, was governor of Rhode Island from March, 1698 to April 26th, 1727, 29 years, dying in office, like his father.
Doctor William Crooke was the son of William and Mary (Malbone) Crooke, of Newport, and was baptized by the rector of Trinity church, September 27th, 1803. He died in Ports- mouth, R. I .. in 1843. He studied medicine with his uncle, Doc- tor Waring, in Newport, whose wife was his mother's sister, they being daughters of the Hon. Francis Malbone. He settled at Block Island, and until March, 1842, had almost the entire practice of that community, where he was greatly esteemed. At that time he came to Newport, where he remained about a year, but not practising. He then purchased a small place at Lawton's valley, in Portsmonth, and very soon after died there. lle married a Miss Champlin. of Charlestown, R. l., and left one son, William Crooke, who is still living.
Doctor John P. Curley was born at Newport, March 8th, 1856. was educated at Newport, gradnated in medicine at Har- vard College, in 1877, and spent two years following at St. Peter's Hospital, at Albany, New York, as resident physician and surgeon, and commenced practice in Newport, in May, 1879. In 1880. he was elected a member of the Newport Hos- pital medical staff, and served in that capacity for several years. He has left Newport since. Although not long here, he gave an impression of great capacity and promise. Doctor Peter F. Curley, brother of Doctor John P., was born in Newport, Sep- tember 18th, 1861, was edneated at Newport, and graduated at Albany Medical School, in 1883. He was two years resident physician and surgeon at St. Peter's Hospital, Albany, N. Y. Ile opened an office in Providence, R. I., in February, 1884, and practised there until August, 1887, when he removed to New- port.
Doctor Samuel Danforth, son of Sammel, probate judge of Middlesex county. Mass .. was born at Cambridge, in 1740, mar- ried first Watts, second Margaret Billings, third Martha
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Gray. Seven of his ancestors and relatives were graduates of Harvard College before him. He graduated in 1758, studied med- icine with the elder Doctor Read, and afterward probably with Doctor Kast. He came to Newport, and after remaining there a short time, he went to Boston, where he became very prom- inent, especially as a disciple of the ultra-heroic school, and might be styled the Boanerges of the medical profession, in Boston. On the evacuation of Boston by the British, he was made prisoner, as a loyalist, but his services were so desirable he was soon released. He was much interested in chemistry, and had a very complete laboratory in Boston. He died No- vember 16th, 1827, having retired from practice years before. Thatcher says of him, "He was tall, erect, penetrating eye. aquiline nose, very prominent chin, and sagacious expression."
Doctor James Puritan Donovan, son of James J. and C. A. Donovan, was born in the city of New York in 1864, and gradu- ated in medicine, at New York College of Physicians and Sur- geons, in 1886. He settled the same year in Newport, and has since been a resident and practitioner in that city. Doctor Donovan is a promising young man.
Doctor Theophilus C. Dunn was the only son of Rev. Thomas Dnnn, a Baptist minister, who came from County Devon, Eng- land, in 1795, to America, and his wife, Mary, daughter of Doctor Puddicome and Mary, his wife, of the same county. Doc- tor Dunn was born in New York, July 8th, 1800, and died at New York, February 26th, 1871. He married Elizabeth. daughter of Captain Robinson and Frances (Gibbs) Potter. Doctor Dann's father lived for many years at Germantown, Pennsylvania, and the doctor received his academie education at Mount Airy chiefly, though he had at some time been un- der the tuition of Rev. William Rogers, of Philadelphia, who was one of the first class of graduates at Brown University, in 1769. Doctor Dunn attended his college course at Princeton, and graduated there, after which he entered the office of Dor- tor Corson, at New Hope, Pennsylvania, and received the de- gree of Doctor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, at about which time his father's family removed to Newport, and remained here during the remainder of their lives. Doctor Dunn also came to Newport and married here. entering im- mediately into the practice of his profession, of which he was a worthy and active member for nearly fifty years. He was a
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most genial and companionable man. He was an optimist of the best variety ; without any tendency to levity, his kindly manner and bright countenance brought relief into the sick room, and gloom was dissipated, unless the gravity of the case demanded gravity of demeanor, when he instinctively graduated his address to the requirements. He was perfectly frank and straightforward ; no sham found any place with him If any- thing questionable were suggested, instantly the reply came, "I wouldn't condescend." In his relations with his profes- sional brethren no suspicion of selfishness ever attached to him, and he accordingly had their warm affection. He was fond of general literature, and conversed on all subjects with great in- telligence and in a very acceptable manner. Doctor Dunn was an active member of the R. I. Medical Society, was its first vice-president from 1840 to 1843, and president from 1843 to 1846.
Doctor Ezra Dyer, son of Ezra C. and Caroline E. (Tiffany) Dyer, was born in Boston, Mass., October 17th, 1836. and grad- uated A. B. at Harvard, in 1857. Before entering college he had given some time to the study of medicine, under Doctors Wy- man and Ware. He entered Harvard Medical School in 1857, and graduated in 1859, having passed the previous year as honse surgeon in the Massachusetts General Hospital. Directly after graduation he went to Europe and passed two years in dil- igent study in the various medical centers, and giving especial attention to diseases of the eye and ear, in which he afterward became distinguished as a specialist. Returning home, in 1861, hie established himself in Philadelphia. In 1862 he was ap- pointed to have charge of all eye and ear cases in the Phila- delphia army hospitals, and he retained this position until 1865. Ile was an original member of the American Ophthalmological Society, formed January 9, 1864. In 1873 Doctor Dyer removed to Pittsburg, Pa., where he remained until 1883, having a large practice, but his health being impaired by two serious surgical injuries, he removed to Newport, R. I., where he resided during the remainder of his life, practising exclusively in diseases of the eye and ear. He was attached to the medical staff of the Newport Hospital, having charge in his specialty of all cases of disease or injury of eye and ear. Doctor Dyer had published several hospital papers, and was a man of brilliant parts and of a genial and amiable temper, and a great favorite with his as-
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sociates. He died at sea, on his return from Florida, where he had gone with the hope of improving his health, February 9th, 1887.
Doctor Jonathan Easton, son of Jonathan and Ruth (Cogges- hall) Easton, fifth in descent from Governor Nicholas, an origi- nal settler, was born in Newport, August 6th, 1747, married Sarah Thurston, daughter of Peleg and Sarah, December 3d, 1778, and died March 13th, 1818. He had three children : Doe- tor Jonathan, Peleg and Sarah. ITis residence was the house in Broad street lately occupied by Miss Ellen Townsend, now the property of the city, and used for an industrial school. Doc- tor Easton was a Quaker, as were most of his relatives, and as people of that persuasion abounded on the island, very natur- ally he absorbed a large part of their patronage and did a large business during all his natural life. According to George Channing, who remembered him well, his appearance and dress were such as adapted him well to secure and maintain the con- fidence of his fellow worshippers. Mr. Channing says, "He blended so much benignity of manner with his medicine as to render the bitter comparatively sweet. He introduced inocu- lation for small pox into Newport, in 1772, his being the first three cases in Rhode Island. He was an original Fellow of the R. I. Medical Society. Doctor Parsons says, he commenced his professional career ten years before the revolution, and con- tinned it for nearly fifty years."
Doctor Jonathan Easton, Jr., son of Doctor Jonathan and Sarah (Thurston) Easton, was born in Newport about 1780. He studied medicine with his father, and attended lectures in Philadelphia, after the establishment of the medical school in that city by Doctor Shippen and his compeers, Doctor Rush, etc. He remained in Newport but a short time, and removed to Cumberland, R. I., and died early. He also was an original member of the R. I. Medical Society.
Doctor Peter Easton died at Newport, September 16th, 1817, aged 51 years.
A Doctor John Easton is mentioned as having incurred sus- picion, at the breaking out of the revolution, and being put under arrest by order of the general assembly, for royalist leanings ; but nothing more is known of him. He probably be- came a refugee, on the evacuation of Rhode Island by the British.
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Doctor Henry Ecroyd, Jr., eldest son of James and Rachel Ecroyd, was born at Muncy. Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, May 6th. 1858, of Quaker parentage. He attended the Friend's school at Muncy until the age of 14, then entered an ad- vanced Friend's school at Westtown, ten miles from Phila delphia, where he graduated in 1879, having in the interval spent two years at a commercial college, and at the Muncy Normal school. He studied medicine for a year and a half in Doctor William M. Rankin's office, in Muncy, and then entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania. spending the summers in the Friends' Insane Asylum, at Frankfort, and the Pennsylvania Hospital for Insane in West Philadelphia. After a three years' course, he graduated in 1883, and passed the following year in district work and lec- tures. After a few weeks as resident physician in the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania Hospital, he was elected to a similar posi- tion in the Pennsylvania Hospital at Eighth and Pine streets, Philadelphia. After the expiration of his term he passed a few weeks on the Jersey coast, and came to Newport. October 1st, 1885. Here he has made an encouraging beginning, and is one of the attending physicians of the Newport Hospital.
Doctor Edward Ellis. Nothing is known of him, except that in the newspaper report of the celebration of King George Third's coronation, in Newport, the route of the procession is said to be " from Dr. Ellis' house to the state house," and an adver- tisement, not very long after, of the house of " Dr. Edward El- lis," describing the honse at foot of Pope street, corner Spring wharf, latterly known as the Handy house, earlier as the Over- ing house, gives his Christian name, and makes the route of the parade a very natural one, that being then the south end of the town.
Doctor J. J. Ellis was born in Boston in 1826, graduated A. B. at Harvard University in 1847, and took his medical degree at Harvard in 1852. He was house surgeon for one year in the Massachusetts General Hospital. He settled at Portsmouth, R. l., and after two years, removed to Bristol. R. I. in 1854. He remained at Bristol until, in 1862, he became an assistant sur- geon of volunteers, attached to the 37th Massachusetts Regi- ment. He was sick three months at Washington, and was honor- ably discharged for disability, being in an advanced stage of Phthisis. He returned to Newport, and lingered for a few
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weeks in a hopeless condition, and died March 17th, 1863, aged 37 years. He married the only child of Rev. John O. Choules. D. D., by whom he had one son, who is still living. Doctor El- lis was a man of more than ordinary promise.
Doctor George Engs, son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Stanhope) Engs, was born in Newport, February 24th, 1840, and died in Newport, July 7th, 1887. The family of Engs was of a good old Puritan stock, its first representative in America having been a deacon in the old South church in Boston, in very early times. Four or five generations of the family have been among the substantial citizens of Newport. Doctor Engs early indica- ted scholarly tastes and acquired studions habits, and in 1860. received the degree of A. B. at Yale College, and began the study of medicine in the office of Doctor David King, of New- port, graduating in medicine at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York. in 1863. He commenced practice in New- port as physician and obstetrician, but always eschewing surg- ery, as not congenial with his tastes. In 1866 he went to En- rope, passing two years in the different medical capitals, but chiefly in Vienna, making himself an accomplished German scholar, and perfecting himself in professional lore. In 1882, he again visited Europe, on a tour of travel for six months. and resumed practice on his return. Doctor Engs was a man of great intellectual power and an intense love of truth. He in- vestigated thoroughly and reasoned ably. and his analyses were valuable because his mind was always dominated by that instinctive regard for truth and rejection of any evidence which admitted of doubt. Although reticent and retiring, he was genial among his associates, who were not numerous. He had a strong hold on the confidence and kindly appreciations of the community, and gave promise, until his health failed, of an un- usually successful career. He was unmarried.
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