USA > Vermont > Bennington County > History of Bennington County, Vt. : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 23
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
The village of Bennington is now assuming the proportions of a city, and with its constantly increasing population, there comes an increased demand for sanitary improvement. To be sure the character of the surface of the land is such as to afford a natural drainage system, so far, at least, as surface water is concerned ; but with the filthy accumulations of years, gaining gradually with population, it behooves the town's authorities to look well to the matter of a thorough system of sewerage, at least through the more densely populated dis- tricts; and what may be true of this locality will apply with equal force to others. This will entail a considerable expense, as a matter of course, but that should be a secondary consideration, unless we controvert the principle taught by the well-known proverb that " self-preservation is the first law of nature."
But what can be recorded in these pages regarding the medical profession in Bennington county, or who were its first representatives ? Upon this ques- tion there appears, unfortunately, no record or reliable tradition. The oldest
207
THE MELICAL PROFESSION.
resident practitioner in the county cannot recall the events of the experiences of the physicians who practiced in the locality seventy-five, or even fifty years ago; how, therefore, can anyone be expected to name all those prior to that time. There were those, of course, who were prominently identified with not only the profession at an early day, but who also associated with the leaders in the affairs regarding the civil and political history of the State and county, and whose names have been mentioned in connection therewith, but the medi- cal profession of the county has recorded nothing of its own early history.
The First Medical Society .- As early as the year 1784 the practicing physi- cians of the the counties of Bennington and Rutland realized the importance of forming a medical society for mutual welfare and benefit ; for this pur- pose they went to the General Assembly in the month of October, of the year named, and procured to be enacted a law entitled : ' An act to establish a society by the name of the First Medical Society in Vermont," the leading clauses of which were as follows: "Whereas, it is a matter of the greatest in- portance to the inhabitants of this State, that the professors of the medical art should receive all proper encouragement to excite them to improve and to acquire a thorough acquaintance with a science so interesting to those who may be in distress through indisposition of body and limbs; and whereas, it ap- pears by a petition signed by Jonas Fay and Lewis Beebe, in behalf of them. selves and a number of gentlemen physicians and surgeons in the counties of Benningtan and Rutland, and parts adjacent, to wit: Nathaniel Dickinson, Seth Alden, Samuel Huntington, Elisha Baker, Lemmel Chipman William Johnston, William Gould, Aaron Hastings, Zina Hitchcock, Silas Holbrook, William Woolcott, Ezra Baker, Ebenezer Tolman, Ezekiel Porter, and Jacob Roeback, did, on the 19th day of August, 1784, form themselves into a medi- cal association and formed a constitution for the government thereof, prayed the Legislature of this State to patronize and establish the same : Therefore,
" Be it enacted, etc, that the following physicians and surgeons, in the coun- ties of Bennington and Rutland, and parts adjacent, to wit: Jonas Fay, Lewis Beebe, Nathaniel Dickinson, Seth Alden, Samuel Huntington, Elisha Baker, Lemuel Chipman, William Johnston, William Gould, Aaron Hastings, Zina Hitchcock, Silas Holbrook, William Woolcott, Ezra Baker, Ebenezer Tolman, Ezekiel Porter, and Jacob Roeback, be, and they are hereby incorporated and constituted a body corporate and politic in law, by the name of The First Medical Society in Vermont, capable of suing and defending, by their agent or attorney, in any court of law or equity. for the recovery and defense of their common rights and interests; and they shall be capable of taking, by gift, grant, or devise, for the purpose of procuring and maintaining a library, and such instruments and apparatus as shall by said society be thought best for making experiments in their art, and for any other purposes that shall be found con- ducive to the encouragement and improvement of the healing art.
208
HISTORY OF BENNINGTON COUNTY.
"And be it further enacted, that the said society be and is hereby vested with full power to elect annually (by ballot) a president, secretary, and two or more censors; and the said society is hereby further authorized and empow- ered to call any of its members to account for any dishonorable conduct rela- tive to the medical profession, and punish the same, (if necessary), by suspen- sion, admonition, or expulsion ; and to make laws, rules, and regulations for the governing the said society and its several members.
" And be it further enacted, that sud society be, and is hereby vested with power to judge and determine with regard to the qualifications of such per- son or persons who shall offer themselves for examination ; and any person or persons who shall hereafter be admitted as members of said society shall be entitled to all and singular the benefits and privileges that those enjoy whose names are mentioned in this act.
"And be it further enacted, that said society be authorized and empowered to appoint and determine the times and places of their stated or adjourned meetings, as to them shall-appear necessary, for the purposes mentioned in this act."
By virtue of the act above quoted was brought into existence the first medical society organized in the State of Vermont. That was done in the 1784, and at that time the county of Rutland was less than four years old, having been set off from Bennington county in February, 1781 ; therefore, the ma- jority of the physicians whose names are mentioned in the act, must, at some time or other, if in the State at all, have been residents of Bennington county ; but it is also possible that some of those named did not become Vermonters until after the county of Bennington was divided. Concerning the transaction the first society, or concerning its final dissolution there appears no record, and no reliable tradition ; and it is a fact that, to-day, not more than one in ten of the physicians of the State, old or young, ever heard of such an organization or society as that of which the foregoing is a record. Of its officers, its career, and its ending, nothing is now known. And it cannot be claimed that the physicians whose names are mentioned in the foregoing act comprised all members of the medical profession then in the two counties; for it is more than possible that there were some who were indifferent to the project of forming the society, and therefore took no part in the proceedings. But if the authority of the society was fully carried out according to its original con- ception the names of all subsequent practitioners would be found on its rec- ord, if that record could be found ; but as it cannot, all speculation as to who were and who were not members of the society would seem idle in these pages.
The First County Societies .- On the 14th day of January. 1874, Dr. Luther Moseley, of Arlington, delivered an address before the county society (he then being about to retire from the office of president) in which was reviewed the history of the societies that had existed in the county prior to that time, the
209
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
records of which had been lost. At the request of a number of the leading physicians of the county space is given here to that part of the address relat- ing to the early societies, which was follows :
" Gentlemen : You are aware that this is the first anniversary of the present existing Bennington County Medical Society, and I am here nominally to fulfil the last duty of its first retiring president. We have had similar organizations in this county previous to this, and it is not many years since I did the same thing in this very room at the last meeting of this society's immediate prede- cessor.
"This leads me to go back still further. Somewhere about the year 1840 the younger members of the profession in this county, myself among the num- ber, wishing to avail ourselves of the benefits of the association, held a meet- ing to see what should be done. The result was the revival of what we then termed the old Bennington County Medical Society. That society had in its day been necessary for purposes aside from mere mutual benefit, had a charter as auxiliary to the State Medical Society, with authority to grant license to in- dividuals to practice medicine and surgery, according to the requirements of the law as it then existed, and had their board of examiners and their seal. That seal is now in my possession ; a piece of copper some larger in diameter than a silver dollar-if my memory is correct-about the size of the coin, and five-eights of an inch thick, with the proper engravings upon one side. I have, likewise, if not lost, and I think they can be found, a few of their blank forms which, with the imprint of the aforesaid seal attached, enabled the possessor to show his patrons and the public that he had entered his calling through the right door and was legally entitled to his fees. That was mostly in advance of medical colleges. But the times had changed; medical institutions had sprung into existence, not only in the large cities, but in different parts of the county, with teachers more learned 'in their special departments. These absorbed the duties of the examiners both of the State and county societies, leaving them nothing to do.
"Finally the General Assembly abolished all legal restraints to the practice of medicine and surgery ; and in this way matters stood when this attempt was made to revive the old society. By this time (1840) either death or re- moval had reduced the number of its members; enough, however, were left to make a beginning. There were the two Swifts of Bennington, Morgan of Pownal, Johnson of Shaftsbury, Littlefield of Arlington, two Sargeants of Dorset, all men in whom the county feels just pride. Others were admitted, and Dr. Little- field, the oldest man present, was elected president.
" After this the society went along very well for a few years, but the mem- bers were too few and scattering, and their meetings too infrequent to keep up an interest. Consequently, after having met only once or twice a year for six or eight years the meetings became very poorly attended, and finally ceased 27
HISTORY OF BENNINGTON COUNTY.
entirely. Then, I think about the year 1860, or a little previous, another Ben- nington County Medical Society was brought into existence.
" It would have undoubtedly been another revival of the old society but the records could not be found, and we were under the necessity of starting anew, independent of State authority. After organization it followed very much in the footsteps of its predecessor. Its last annual meeting for the election of officers was held, I think, in January, 1864 or 1865. I, the retiring president, read a short paper that I had hurriedly written as an apology for an address which the occasion required. I had one sole auditor, the late Dr. Ames of Fac- tory Point (Manchester Center).
"We proceeded to elect officers for the year ensuing. Dr. Ames became president, Dr. Lyman Rogers, I think, secretary, and Dr. Moseley treasurer. No funds, however, ever came into his hands. Notwithstanding this failure we made a tolerably good showing in the next week's Manchester Journal, taking care to say nothing about the number that had assembled at the meeting. We were in hopes to 'rekindle the last spark of an expiring flame ;' but the ' pa- tient' was too far gone -it was its last breath. 'Peace to its ashes.' Our society never met again."
The Bennington County and Hoosick Medical Society .- The society that now exists under the above name, is the outgrowth of a former organization of similar character that was formed in January, 1873, in pursuance of the follow- ing letter addressed to the several physicians of the county of Bennington :
"BENNINGTON, VT., January 13, 1873.
"Dear Sir: The physicians of Bennington county are respectfully invited to meet at the hotel in Arlington, on Friday the 24th inst., at 10 o'clock A. M., for the purpose of taking measures to advance the professional and social interests of the faculty.
"Yours truly. "E. N. S. MORGAN, M.D., "R. W. BENNETT, M.D., "LYMAN ROGERS, M.D., "H. C. DAY, M.D."
In accordance with this communication, there assembled at Arlington, upon the day named, these physicians: R. W. Bennett, of Bennington, Luther Mosely, of Arlington, Lyman Rogers, of South Shaftsbury, (now of Benning- ton), W. S. Phillips, of Arlington, and L. B. Newton, of North Bennington. The meeting was temporarily organized by the election of Dr. Luther Mosely, as president; Lyman Rogers, treasurer, and L. B. Newton, secretary.
The next meeting of the society was held at the Colburn House, in Man- chester Center (formerly Factory Point), upon which occasion those who had been chosen temporary officers were made permanent in their respective posi- tions for the year next ensuing. At the same time Dr. E. N. S. Morgan was chosen vice-president. The members did not adopt a constitution and by-laws
:
211
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
until a subsequent meeting held at North Bennington, February 21, 1873. The following physicians signed the constitution, and thereupon became mem- bers of the society : Luther Mosely, Arlington ; E. N. S. Morgan, Benning- ton ; S. Walter Scott, Pownal; Lyman Rogers, South Shaftsbury ; R. W. Ben- nett, Bennington ; Louis H. Hemenway, Manchester ; F. W. Goodall, Ben- nington ; Charles J. Bacon, North Hoosick ; H. C. Day, Bennington ; Lemuel Sherwood, North Hoosick; E. J. Farwell, Dorset; W. H. Austin, Rupert ; Seneca S. Clemons, Manchester Center; M. Goldsmith, Rutland ; William C. Stewart, East Dorset; George B. Haskin, Arlington ; B. Merritt Bishop, Hoo- sick Falls ; R. H. Greene, Hoosick Corners; John Millington, Dorset ; Homer Bushnell, Pownall; H. R. McLean, Hoosick Falls; W. Thornton Parker, Man- chester ; G. J. Crowley, Manchester ; E. F. Hoyt, Sandgate ; W. S. Phillips, Arlington ; S. E. Ranney, North Bennington.
During the year 1873 meetings were held regularly, and at the annual meeting at Arlington, in January, 1874, provision was made for the regular monthly meetings for the year ensuing, as follows: The February meeting at Factory Point, March at Bennington, April at South Shaftsbury, May at Hoo- sick Falls, June at North Bennington, July at Arlington, August at Factory Point, September at Dorset, October at Bennington, November at North Ben- nington, and December at Hoosick Falls.
At this same meeting also an amendment to the constitution was adopted, by which the name of the society was changed to " The Bennington County and Hoosick Medical Society." The officers elected at the same time, for the succeeding year, were as follows: President, Dr. L. Mosely ; vice-president, Dr. E. N. S. Morgan ; secretary, L. B. Newton ; treasurer, Lyman Rogers. The same fate seems to have overtaken this society that befel the earlier ones. The meetings were regularly held for a time, but gradually the interest seemed to decline until none were held. Dr. Mosely, who had done so much for the welfare of the society and medical profession in the county, died in March, 1877, and Dr. Morgan was chosen to succeed him; but the latter, too, is now dead, and no successor has been chosen in his stead. Although the society has not been called together in some years, it is still in existence, and is offi- cered, except president, as follows : Vice-president, W. S. Phillips, of Arling- ton ; secretary, L. B. Newton, of North Bennington ; treasurer, R. W. Ben- nett, of Bennington ; censors, Drs. Ranney, Goodall, and Phillips.
The Union Medical Association .- On the 30th day of September, 1879 a meeting was held at the office of Dr. James A. Blanchard, in Hoosick Falls, Rensselaer county, N. Y., by a number of prominent physicians, to consider 'the proposition of organizing a Union Medical Association in this region. This was but a preliminary meeting, and the discussion that took place seemed to be in favor of forming the association. Therefore a call was made upon the regular physicians of the counties of Bennington, in Vermont, and Rensselaer
212
HISTORY OF BENNINGTON COUNTY.
and Washington, in New York State, to meet at the Irving House, in Cam- bridge, on the 15th of October, and there perfect the organization. The meet- ing was duly held, and the committee previously appointed for the purpose. Drs. Ketchum and Wallace reported a form of constitution and by-laws for the government of the society, which were adopted.
The name of the organization, according to the provisions of the constitu- tion, was The Union Medical Association, of Bennington, Rensselaer and Washington counties. At that time a board of officers was elected as follows : President, Lyman Rogers, of South Shaftsbury ; first vice-president, J. Lam- bert, of Salem ; second vice-president, E. N. S. Morgan, of Bennington ; third vice-president, C. C. Schuyler, of Troy ; recording secretary, L. B. Newton, of North Bennington; corresponding secretary, John Millington, of East Green- wich ; treasurer, A. B. Willis, of Johnsonville; executive committee, B. F. Ketchum, of Cambridge, J. A. Blanchard, of Hoosick Falls, E. N. S. Morgan, of Bennington ; censors, C. C. Schuyler, of Troy, W. S. Phillips, of Arling- ton, J. Lambert, of Salem.
The organization of the association being thus completed, and its member- ship being comparatively large, regular meetings were appointed to be held, at which papers were read on various subjects having special interest to the med- ical profession. This practice has been kept up to the present time, but of late there seems to have been felt a slight change in the condition of things in the society, growing out of a general difference in opinion among medical men throughout the country, relating to the professional conduct of the physician in certain cases of consultation. While this question is being discussed through- out the land to considerable extent, and great and wide differences of opinion exist, the society has been but slightly affected by it, and it certainly is to be hoped that it will not ; but, whatever may be the outcome of it, it is thought the profession can care for itself, and asks nothing of sympathy.
At the annual meeting held on the second Wednesday of October, 1880, the association extended its jurisdiction by the admission of Berkshire county, Mass., to the rights of membership and participation in the proceedings of the society. From this time the name of the organization has been " The Ben- nington, Berkshire, Rensselaer and Washington Union Medical Association."
Officers from October, ISSo, to October, 1881 .- President, Dr. John Lam- bert ; first vice-president, Homer Bushnell; second vice-president, S. A. Skinner ; third vice-president, Louis H. Hemenway ; recording secretary, L. B. Newton ; corresponding secretary, John Millington ; treasurer, A. B. Willis; censors, C. C. Schuyler, W. S. Phillips, O. J. Brown, T. C. Wallace ; executive committee, J. A. Blanchard, E. N. S. Morgan, O. J. Brown, John Millington.
From October, ISSI to October, 1882 .- President, S. A. Skinner ; first vice-president, N. S. Babbitt; second vice-president, F. W. Goodall ; third
.
213
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
vice-president, T. C. Wallace ; fourth vice-president, C. A. Winship ; recording secretary, L. B. Newton ; corresponding secretary, J. Millington ; treasurer, J. E. Reed ; censors, W. W. Seymour, W. S. Phillips, O. J. Brown, T. C. Wal- lace ; executive committee, J. Millington, O. J. Brown, F. W. Goodall, C. C. Schuyler.
1882 to 1883 .- President, A. M. Smith ; first vice-president, F. W. Good- all ; second vice-president, J. Millington ; third vice-president, C. A. Winship; fourth vice-president, O. J. Brown ; recording secretary, L. B. Newton; cor- responding secretary, J. Millington ; treasurer, L. B. Newton ; executive com- mittee, J. Millington, O. J. Brown, F. W. Goodall, C. C. Schuyler; censors, W. W. Seymour, L. Rogers, O. J. Brown, T. C. Wallace.
1883 to 1884 .- President, F. W. Goodall ; first vice-president, B. F. Ketchum; second vice president, W. W. Seymour; third vice-president, H. J. Millard; fourth vice-president, Lyman Rogers ; secretary and treasurer, L. B. Newton ; corresponding secretary, J. Millington ; executive committee, E. B. Daley, J. C. Hannan, J. Lambert, E. E. Mather ; censors, G. H. Whitcomb, L. Ashton, T. Riley, Lyman Rogers.
1884 to 1885 .- President, B. F. Ketchum ; first vice-president, W. W. Sey- mour ; second vice-president, H. J. Millard ; third vice-president, R. W. Ben- nett ; fourth vice-president, G. H. Whitcomb ; secretary and treasurer, L. B. Newton; corresponding secretary, John Millington ; executive committee, A. Y. Myers, John Lambert, F. W. Goodall, O. J. Brown; censors, G. H. Whitcomb, L. Ashton, T. Riley, E. B. Daley.
1885 to 1886 .-- President, W. W. Seymour; first vice-president, HI. J. Millard; second vice-preisdent, R. W. Bennett; third vice-president, G. H. Whitcomb; fourth vice-president, S. A. Skinner; secretary and treasurer, L. B. Newton; corresponding secretary, J. Millington; executive committee, C. A. Winship, John Lambert, C. G. R. Jennings, O. J. Brown; censors, B. F. Ketchum, J. C. Hannan, A. M. Smithi, W. S. Phillips.
1886 to 1887 .- President, L. B. Newton; first vice-president, O. J. Brown ; second vice-president, S. A. Skinner ; third vice-president, G. H. Whitcomb ; fourth vice-president, C. G. R. Jennings; corresponding secretary, J. Milling- ton; secretary and treasurer, E. B. Daley; executive committee, F. S. Pratt, A. Y. Myers, B. F. Ketchum, Homer Bushnell; censors, H. J. Millard, S. A. Skinner, A. S. M. Chisholm, G. A. Whitcomb.
1887 to 1888 .-- The officers chosen for this year are not entered on the record.
Present officers of the association .- President, S. A. Skinner; first vice- president, J. C. Hannan ; second vice-president, O. J. Brown ; third vice-presi- dent, J. Millington; fourth vice-president, E. B. Daley; corresponding secre- tary, L. B. Newton ; secretary and treasurer, C. G R. Jennings; executive committee, A. Y. Myers, J. C. Hannan, E. B. Daley. W. W. Seymour; cen- sors, H. J. Millard S. A. Skinner, A. S. M. Chisholm, G. H. Whitcomb.
-
214
HISTORY OF BENNINGTON COUNTY.
Present membership of the association .- Lourie Ashton, R. W. Bennett, J. A. Blanchard, O. J. Brown, H Bushnell, D. D. Bucklin, W. S. Carr, A. S. M. Chisholm, E. B. Daley, W. E. Fox, J. C. Hannan, C. Hewett, E. F. Hoyt, C G. R. Jennings, B. F. Ketchum, C. J. Letcher, J. H. A. Matte, H. J. Mil- lard, J. Millington, A. Y. Myers, L. B. Newton, W. S. Phillips, F. S. Pratt, John H. Riley, L. Rogers, W. P. Seymour, W. W Seymour, G. H. Whitcomb, C. A. Winship, S. A. Skinner; honorary members, M. C. Edmonds, J. E. Metcalf; deceased members, A. N. Allen, G. C. Lawrence, E. N. S. Morgan, F. B. Parmlee, J. A. Thompson, M. Goldsmith, B. F. Morgan.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE VERMONT CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY.
The Vermont Centennial Anniversary -Creation of the Bennington Battle Monument As- sociation-Its Officers Elected -The Centennial Commission -- Preparations for a Magnificent Celebration During the Week of August 16, 1877 -- Committees and Arrangements -- The Cele- bration -- Vermont Day -- Bennington Battle Day -- Order of Exercises-Close of the Celebra- tion -- History of the Battle Monument Association -- Republication of the Account Written by Rev. Isaac Jennings -- Succession of Officers of the Association -- Laying of the Corner Stone of the Monument --- Ceremonies of the Occasion -- The Bennington Historical Society -- Its Or- ganization -- Its Constitution -- Succession of Officers.
N the year 1777 the State of Vermont, through its chosen representatives in convention assembled, was declared to be a free and independent State. During the same year, and on the 16th day of August, the hastily collected forces from Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, under the leader- ship of General John Stark, met and defeated the British invading force, under Colonel Baum, in the battle of Bennington. Thus two great events in the his- tory of the State transpired during that year, and as the hundredth anniver- sary of that year drew near, the people of the State felt that the centennial should be appropriately and fittingly celebrated.
So great an interest was taken in this matter by the people generally throughout the whole State, that Governor Fairbanks in his annual message to the General Assembly in 1876 referred to the approaching centennial year as follows: "The completion of the hundredth year since the independence of the State, since the adoption of the constitution, and since the battle of Ben- nington, mark the coming year emphatically as our centennial year. These memorable events, in a large measure, determined the character of our politi- cal existence, territorially and nationally. The remembrance of them and of
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.