it m WZ 140 A03 B9p 1890 56510690R NLM D5ETT0fi4 E Tl$®». ■ NLM052990842 ^u -*V. *> .v PIONEER PHYSICIANS -OF THE—— MUSKINGUM V/YLLEY, EDMUND CONE BRUSH, f\. M., M. D Paper Read Before the Ohio State Historical Society ing Held in the Hall of the House of Representatives, Columbus, Ohio, March 6. 1890. 14-0 A03 B9p 1890 0^' THE PIONEER ?l YSICIANS -OF THE- MUSKINGUM Vf\LLEY; -by- EDMUND CONE BRUSH, ft. M., M. D. A Paper Read Before the Ohio State Historical Society, at a Meeting Held in the Hall of the House of Representatives, Columbus, Ohio, March 6, 1890. Generation after generation of pioneers have gradually carried the star of empire westward, until it would seem as if the work of the pioneer was nearly done. As these hardy and adventurous men and women have gradually opened up the new world to civilization, they have been closely followed or accompanied by members of the medical profession. These physicians have shared the hardships and privations of the early settlers, joined the settlers in their joys and sorrows, helped them to build their rude homes and to defend them against the natives of the forest. To the loyal Buckeye and especially to the descendants of the Ohio pioneers, Marietta is a hallowed spot. Branch- ing out from Marietta, the pioneers followed the two great water courses uniting there, and dotted their banks with settlements. In these early settle- ments the members of the medical pro- fession took a modest but important part. Forty years ago the late Doctor Samuel Prescott Hildreth, of Marietta, wrote a series of biographical sketches of the early physicians of that place. These sketches have a short preface, in which occurs the following : "As a class, no order of men have done more to promote the good of mankind and develop the resources and natural history of our country than physicians, and where ever the well educated in that profession are found, they are uniformly seen on the side of order, morality, science and religion." What is here given in regard to the Marietta physicians is obtained almost entirely from Doctor Hildreth's sketches and from his "Pioneer His- tory." Doctor Thomas Farley, The son of a revolutionary officer^ emigrated to Marietta in 17S8 from" Ipswich, Mass. He went with the lit- tle colony in the spring (April 20) of 1789 to make the settlement some twen- ty miles up the river, where Beverly and Waterford now stand. In 1790 he was back in Marietta, helping Doctor True attend small-pox cases. Six died of the disease "who took it by in- fection", and out of over one hundred inoculated by the doctors, two died. In 1791 he was back at Waterford, and one of the inmates of Fort Frye, Colonel Joseph L. Barker, one of the early settlers, said of him, "he was a modest, amiable young man, always ready to obey the calls of humanity, and had the good will and confidence of all who knew him." Doctor Hil- dreth says, "the country being new, ^OS2Vf 2 PIONEER PHYSICIANS. and but a few people in the settle- ments, he became discoureged and re- turned to his former home in the au- lumn of 1790." This date must be a mistake or a mis-print, as Doctor Hil- dreth in his history, and Horace Nye in his "Reminiscences", both speak of Doctor Farley as being in Fort Feye, and Fort Frye was built in 1791. He probably went back in that year. Dur- ing his short stay he nobly fought one of the most loathsome of diseases, and shared the hardships of an Indian war. The datj of his birth and death is not known. Doctor Solomon Drown was a native of Rhode Island, and came out to Marietta in the summer of 1788 as one of the proprietors and agents of the Ohio Land Company. It does not appear that he intended to settle in the place as a physician, al- though he attended General Yarnum as consulting physician in the sickness (consumption) of which he died in January, 17S9. Doctor Drown was educated at Brown University, R. I., and was a man "of literature and clas- sic elegance as a writer." The direc- tors of the Ohio Company selected him to pronounce the eulogy at the funeral of General Varnum. He also delivered the first anniversary (April 7, 1789) address commemorative of the landing of the pioneers. At the breaking out of the Indian war, Doctor Drown re- turned to Rhode Island and was ap- pointed professor of botany and nat- ural history in Brown University. Doctor Jabez True, The first physician to make the terri- tory his life-long home, was born in Hampstead, N. H., in 1760. His fath- er was a minister, and in the French war served as chaplain of a colonial regiment. He was the father of ten children, and in addition to his pas- toral duties prepared young men for college. Among his students was his son Jabez, The latter received his medical education under the precep- torship of Doctor Flagg, of Hamp- stead, and having completed his course in medicine before the end ot the revo- lutionary war, at once entered the ser- vice of his country as surgeon of a pri- vateer. The ship was wrecked on the coast of Holland and the crew was ta- ken in and kindly cared for by the Hollanders. Doctor True remained in Holland until the close of the war, when he returned and settled in Gil- mantown, N. H. Staying in that place but a few years, he came to the then far western country, and early in the summer of 17SS landed at Marietta. The settlement was only a few months old, very small, and the country was one vast forest. Doctor True seems to have been of the same sturdy .stuff as those who came before him. He built himself a log cabin to be used as an office and settled himself to business. When the Indian war broke out in 1791, Doctor True was appointed sur- geons-mate to the troops employed by the Ohio company's directors, with a salary of $22.00 per month. Doctor Hildreth says "this salary was a wel- come and timely aid during the years of privation which attended the war, and sorely tried the resources of the most able among the inhabitants." This appointment was held until the close of the war. "During the most gloomy and disheartening periods schools were kept up by the inhabitants." Doctor True taught school a part of the time in a large lower room of one of the block houses in the garrison at "the point." In 1790 small-pox broke out in the settlement at Marietta. In 1793 this same disease invaded the Farmer's Castle at Belpre, twelve miles below Marietta on the Ohio. "A meeting of the inhabitants was at once called, and it was voted (as there was no chance of escaping it, cooped up as they were in the narrow walls of a garrison) to send to Marietta for Doc- tor True to come down and inoculate them in their own dwellings. The doctor accepted the invitation, and Farmer's Castle became one great hos- pital, containing beneath each roof more or less persons sick with this loathsome disease. The treatment of Doctor True was very successful, and out of nearly a hundred patients not one died. There being no roads or bridges at this time Doctor True's visits to the different settlements were made in a canoe. In making trips down the Ohio, by keeping in the mid- dle of the stream there was com par ative safety, but when returning it was necessary to keep near the shore and take the chances of a bullet from an Indian rifle. Doctor True made several narrow escapes, but a kind providence seems to have protected him and saved him to administer to the relief of his fellow men. After the war was over Doctor True took a step up in the world and built himself a frame house and office, and began clearing and cultivating a small farm on the Ohio, a short distance above PIONEER PHYSICIANS. 3 Marietta. In 1796 he united with the Congregational church and for many years was a deacon. In 1806 he mar- ried Mrs. Sarah Mills, widow of Cap- tain Charles Mills. "She was a cheer- ful, humble and sincere Christian, with a lively benevolent temperament, ever ready to aid the doctor in his works of charity." They had no children, but the children of Mrs. True were treated with all the love and tenderness he could have be- stowed upon his own. By this time the settlers had in- creased in numbers and spread out over the country. Doctor True being the leading physician, his visits ex- tended twenty or thirty miles through the forest. He followed the Indian trails marked by "blazes" on the trees, and swam his horse across the streams. One of Doctor True's strong- est characteristics was charity; and these long lonesome rides were made to the poor with the same willingness as to those who were able to pay. He gave freely of what he had, often de- priving himself. During the last year of his life he was county treasurer. This office gave him additional means with which to help on charitable and religious work. His house was the stopping place for Congregational and Presbyterian ministers,who visited the town. Samuel J. Mills, the projector of foreign missions, spent two weeks Avith Doctor True during the year 1812, and instituted the Washington County Bible Society, which is still in existence. Doctor True was tall and spare, with simple but not ungraceful manners. His eyes were gray and small, one being destroyed by a disease of the optic nerve; with full projecting brows; nose large and aquiline; forehead rather low, but face mild and express- ive of benevolence. He was a man of whom no enemy could say hard things, and whom everybody loved and re- spected. He died in 1823, of the pre- vailing epidemic fever, aged sixty- three years. "His memory is still cherished by the descendants of the ■early pioneers for his universal char- ity, simplicity of manners and sincere piety." The man's name seems to have been emblematic of the man, and his life seems to have been one of stead- fast duty to those around him and to his God. Although occupying an hum- ble position in the settlement of the great northwest territory, Doctor True rilled that position to the best of his physical and mental strength. He fell with his face to the foe, and while try- ing to alleviate the sufferings of oth- ers. AVhat man can do more? The late Doctor S. P. Hildreth,began the practice of medicine in Hempstead, X. II., and boarded in the family of John True, a brother of the doctor. Through Mr. True Dr. Hildreth learn- ed that there was a good opening for a young physician in Marietta and came to that place in 1806. Doctors True and Hart were the only physicians in practice when Doctor Hildreth arriv- ed. Thus it was that the man, who has done more than any other to make us acquainted with pioneer history, came to Ohio. Doctors Farley, Drown and True all came to Marietta during the summer of 17SS. It is not known which one ar- rived first. Doctor \allian IVIcIntosh was born in Xeedham, Mass., in 1768. He was educated at Cambridge and came to Marietta in 1789. His journey west was prolonged by an attack of small-pox that laid him up at Mead- ville, Pa. In 1791 Doctor Mcintosh was appointed surgeon's mate to Fort Frye at Waterford. At first he was employed by the Ohio company and afterwards by the government. He remained at Fort Frye about two years, and during this time—May 23, 1792— he was married to Rhoda, the daugh- ter of Deacon Enoch Shephard, of Ma- rietta. In July, 1793, the people of Clarksburg, Va., ^e:e in need of a physician and sent to Marietta for Doc- tor Mcintosh. The request was ac- companied by a company of soldiers to escort the doctor to that place. Mrs. Mcintosh, with a baby six weeks old and a sister, went with the doctor. There were no roads or public houses on the way so that when night came they camped out. In order to keep the baby from crying and thus attract the Indians, it was dosed with paregoric and a handkerchief used to suppress its cries. This baby grew to be Colonel Enoch Shepherd Mcintosh, one of the most respected and best known citi- zens of the Muskingum valley. He died not long since in his ninety-sixth year. Think of the bravery of that young mother and her sister. Imagine if you can a journey on horse back eighty miles through the forests, in constant danger from Indians. Im- agine camping out at night with the sky for a covering and a six-weeks-old baby to care for. No truer, nobler or more heroic women ever lived than 4 PIONEER PHYSICIANS. those who helped to settle the great Northwest territory. Their many good qualities are reflected in the younger generations of Buckeye women. Doctor Mcintosh came back to Marietta in two years and remained there until he died, September .">, 1S23. He was among the victims of the fever epidemic of that year. When first married the doctor and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church. Afterwards he joined the "Methodist Society," finally he came to believe in universal salvation and held that be- lief until the end. He lectured and wrote a great deal on religious sub- jects and published a book on "Scrip- ture Correspondencies." He was vio- lently opposed to secret societies and slavery. Doctor Mcintosh was social- ly inclined and fond of society. His rich fashionable dress and gentlemanly manners greatly promoted his favor with the community. He excelled in surgery and made quite a reputation in that line. During the latter years of his life Doctor Mcintosh devoted himself to brickmaking and contract- ing. One of the doctor's last acts was to ride to Macksburg to be at the death-bed of his oldest daughter. Three weeks more and the doctor, too, had gone to his reward. (The material for this sketch was ob- tained, largely, from the widow of Colonel Mcintosh.) Dr. William Pitt Putnam, A grandson of General Israel Putnam, was born in Brooklyne, Conn., De- cember 11, 1770, and came to Marietta in 1792, He spent part of his time with a brother in Belpre, and in 1794 went back to his eastern home. In 1795 he married Bertha Glyssan and came back to the new territory during that year. In 1799 he purchased a tract of land eight miles above Mariet- ta, on the Ohio river, and turned his attention to clearing and cultivating it. In 1800 he died of bilious fever. "In person, Doctor Putnam was tall and commanding, with a cheerful, lively countenance and genteel ad- dress." Doctor J osiall Hart was born in Berlin, Conn., about 1738, and graduated at Yale in 1762. He had entertained the idea of studying for the ministry, but gave it up and studied medicine under Doctor Potter, of Wal- lingford, Conn. "In 1765 he married Miss Abigail Sherman, of Stonington, and commenced the practice of med- icine in Wethersfield". He served as- a regimental surgeon durine the revo- lution. In 177S. his first wife having died, he married Mrs. Abigail Harris. This made his second Abigail. The Doctor "represented his town in the legislature, and often filled the more important town offices, as well as that of deacon in the church," lii 1796 his second wife died and he came to Ma- rietta. Here he found a third better half and married Anna Moulton. He was one of the first deacons of the Congregational church at Marietta. "In 1811, having become too aged to practice, he moved on to a farm ten miles from Marietta. He died in Au- gust, 1812, of spotted fever, aged seventy-four years. His wife died a few hours after, and they were both buried the same day. "In person Doc- tor Hart was below the medium size, but well formed; countenance mild, pleasing and intelligent. In manners very gentlemanly, and kind, exhibit- ing a true Christian spirit in his inter- course with his fellow men." Doctor William IS. Leonard. was born in London in the year 1737. "When in the prime of life he served as a surgeon in the British navy. About the year 1794, having lost his wife, he decided on removing to the United States to be cone rned in a woolen factory. For this purpose he secretly packed up the machinery and put it on board the yessel in which he had engaged his passage. Before he sailed it was discovered by the officers of the customs,and being a contraband article prohibited by the laws of Eng- land to be transported out of the realm he was arrested and confined for some time in prison. Being finally discharg- ed he came to America about the year 1797." The following year he was practicing his profession in Newburyport, Mass., where he again married, but his wife dying soon after,he moved to Marietta in 1801, and boarded in the family of Mr. William Moulton. Here he again renewed the practice of medicine, and in 1802 married Lydia Moulton, the maiden daughter of his landlord and sister to the wife of Dr. Josiah Hart. He appears to have been a skilled sur- geon, but was rough and coarse in his manners and language, retaining the habits acquired in his naval service. He retained and kept up the fashion of the showy dress, such as prevailed in the days of Queen Elizabeth, which in the backwoods of Ohio excited the PIONEER PHYSICIANS. 5 curiosity of a people accustomed to the most simple attire. His favorite cos- tume was a blue broadcloth coat, trim- med in gold lace, and enormous gilt buttons, a waistcoat of crimson velvet, with large pocket flaps, and small clothes of the same material, a pair of silk or worsted stockings drawn over his slender legs, with large silver buckles at the knees and in his shoes. On his head he wore a full flowing per- iwig, (of which he had six or eight va- rieties), crowned with a three-cor- nered or cocked beaver hat. Over the whole, when he appeared on the street, unless the weather was very hot, he wore a large scarlet colored cloak. This dress, with his gold headed cane, always called forth the admiration and wonder of the boys, who followed close in his train, and were often threatened with his displeasure in not very civil lan- guage. When travelling on horse- back to visit his patients, he rode a coal black steed with long flowing mane and tail, the saddle and trap- pings of which were as antiquated and showy as his own dress." He died of consumption in 1806, aged sixty-nine years. On a copper plate prepared before his death, he had the following en- graved : "Friend: for Jesus' sake forbear To touch the dust inclosed here; Blest is the man that spares this urn. An he's a knave that moves my bones." WThich epitaph will be recognized as the one Shakespeare wrote for his own tomb, but slightly changed by Doctor Leonard. Doctor Jolin Baptiste Reg-nier was born in Paris, in the year 1769. He received a good education, but stud- ied chiefly architecture and drawing. He also attended a course of lectures on scientific subjects, including Med- icine. His father was a loyalist, and when his sons were called upon to en- roll themselves in the ranks of the re- formers, he collected all the money he could and sent them out of the country. The doctor was in his twen- tieth year, and with his brother Mo- deste, aged fourteen years, joined a company of emigrants and embarked for the United States. In May, 1790, these brothers landed at Alexandria, and finally reached Marietta in Octo- ber following, with a number of their companions. In a few days they all started down the Ohio river to settle on a tract of land purchased before leaving France. Landing at what they supposed to be their purchase, they at once erected houses. The next summer they spent in clearing land, only to find their title was not good and they were in a wilderness without a home. About this time the Indian war broke out and the emigrants abandoned their homes and moved to other towns. Little Modeste had imbibed such a dread of the Indians, that he did not cease to importune his older brother, whom he looked upon as a father, un- til he decided on leaving the place and going to New York. Towards the last of February, 1792, they embarked in a large perogue with a small party who had joined them, and proceeded up stream for Pittsburg. Near the head of Buffington's island, in passing around a fallen tree top, their vessel upset. They lost all their piovisions and clothing, while they barely es- caped with their lives to the shore. Among the other effects of the unfor- tunate Regnier then lost in the Ohio, was a curiously wrought octagonal cylinder of black marble, made with mathematical accuracy, eight or ten inches long and one in diameter. Sev- eral years after this curious stone was found on the head of a sand bar some distance below, and presented to an eastern museum as a relic of that singular but unknown race, who built the mounds and earth works in the valley of the Ohio. The spot where they were wrecked was many miles from any settlement and the rest of their journey was made on foot. They suffered much for food and were made sick by eating the seeds of decay- ed papaws. They. finally reach- ed Pittsburg and after rest ing a few days proceeded on to New York. Not finding employment here, the young Regniers went to New- foundland, where there was a French settlement. In 1794 they returned to New York. For three years in a land of strangers, with an imperfect knowl- edge of their language, destitute of all things but his head and his hands wherewith to procure a support for himsell and brother, he was many times tempted to give up in despair and cease any further struggle for ex- istence. But his buoyant French heart enabled him to resist such thought*, and kept him afloat in the wide sea of life. After returning to New York he seems to have prospered and in 1796 he married Miss Content Chamberlain, the daughter of a tavern keeper in 6 PIONEER PHYSICIANS. Unadilla, N. Y. Regnier had met her on his journeys. In 1S00 unfortunate investment* made him again a bank- rupt and left him as destitute as when upset in the Ohio, eight years before. He now had a wife and two children to provide for and must make one more effort for a living. A lin- gering desire to see once more the beautiful shores of the Ohio, on which he had labored and suffered so much, still continued to haunt his imagina- tion; and more especially his brother Modeste, now arrived at manhood, never ceased to importune him to return. Finally, determining to perfect himself in the healing art, he left his family with his wife's peo- ple and went to Washington, Pa., to be under Doctor Lamoine. This phy- sician had been a fellow-voyager from France. After a year's study he went back for his family, and they started for the Ohio. In November, 1803, they landed at Marietta. A Frenchman living there offered the doctor 100 acres of land situated on Duck creek, nine miles from town. This the doc- tor bought on credit. By the aid of neighbors, the Regniers soon had a log cabin built and were settled on their farm. It was soon spread through the country that the new settler was "a French doctor," and as there was no one of his calling within a circuit of twenty or thirty miles, except in Ma- rietta, he was soon employed by the sick in every direction. For several months he visited his patients who were within six or eight miles dis- tance, on foot. He did this until able to purchase a horse. There was a good deal of sickness during the early years of the settlements on tde creek, and also many cases of surgery, such as fractured limbs and wounds from axes. These he dressed in the neat- est and most rapid manner. One singular case is worth reporting here. A man was thought to be mortally wounded by being injured from a fallen tree, which caught him under its extreme branches, bruising the flesh all over his body as if whipped with a thousand rods. So many blows paralyzed the heart and rendered him as cold as if dead. The Doctor immediately ordered a large sheep to be killed and the skin stripped hastily off, wrapping the naked body of the man in the hot, moist covering of the animal. The effect was like a charm on the patient, removing all the bruises and the soreness in a few hours. In 1^07 his brother Francis came out to Ohio and proposed to enter into partnership with him in a store at Marietta, O. In order to afford educa- tional- advantages to bis children, he decided to accept the proposition, and in February 1808, left the farm. Before moving he went to Wheeling to select goods for the store. While away Mo- deste was taken with fever and died a few days after the doctor returned. The shock of his death quite over- whelmed the doctor, especially as he thought that had he been home he could have saved him. No telegraph or fast trains in those days to bring him home in a few days. His brother Francis becoming dissatisfied moved away, taking the store with him. Soon after this the doctor purchased a drug store. Success now attended all his endeavors, and his wealth increased in full ratio, with his famiy which consisted of six sons and one daughter. About 1814 he enlarged his town possessions by buying a square, which he improved by plant- ing fruit trees and laying out a large flower garden ornamented with arbors and walks. It was a model for others and ultimately implanted a permanent taste for this refining art among the citizens of Marietta. He was an orig- inal member of the first incorporated medical society of Ohio in 1812. In 1818 he was elected county commission- er and assisted in drafting the model for the court house now remodeled. In May 1819 he sold his property in town to Dr. Cotton and purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land on Duck creek, twenty-two miles from Marietta. Here he removed with his family having in view the establishing of his sons as farmers. Doctor Regnier died in 1821,aged 52 years. His death was a severe loss to the community. Two of his sons be- came physicians. Doctor Increase Mathews, was born in New Braintree, Mass., December 22, 1772. He was the son of General Rufus Putnam's older sister, Hulda, and Daniel Mathews. John Mathews, who came out to Ohio with the original forty-eight, was a brother. In 1798 Doctor Mathews came to Mari- etta on a prospecting tour, and to visit relatives. His diary of this journey is in the possession of his descendents, and is a very interesting document. Under date of August 13, 1798, 1., p. M., is found the following note : "Went with Mr Edward Tupper to call on Mr. Blennerhasset and his lady, by PIONEER PHYSICIANS. 7 whom we were politely received. Met Miss Sallie Loudon, there on a visit. She is on the whole an amiable girl, and possessed of many of those qualities which make a good companion; kind, obliging, ever in good spirits and free from affectation." The young Doctor seems to have been impressed and human nature seems to have been the same then as now. Under date of August 31, 1798, is the following : "At- tended a ball at Colonel Putnam's in Belpre. We had a large collection of ladies, some from Marietta and the Island, who made a brilliant appear- ance. Spent the evening very agreeably." The ladies from the Is- land were no doubt Mrs. Blanner- hasset and tier guest, Miss Loudon. After a pleasant visit Doctor Mathews went back east and married (April 25, 1799) Abigail Willis, of Oakham, Mass. In the fall of 1800, with his wife and baby, he again came to Marietta, ar- riving there October 4. The winter was spent in Marietta and the other half of the house in which they lived, was occupied by the father of the late Governor Brough. In the spring of 1801 the Mathews family moved to Zanesville, O. This same year Gener- al Rufui Putnam, his nephew, Doctor Mathews and Levi Whipple, purchased the land now composing the Seventh and Ninth wards in that city, and laid it out into a town, which they called Springfield, afterwaids Putnam. Doc- tor Mathews, after about one year's stay in Zanesville, moved across the river to the newly laid out town, and lived there the remainder of his life. He was the first physician to perma- nently settle on the Muskingum river above Marietta. In 1802 (June 14,) the Doctor's wife died, and in 1S03 (Match 23,) he married for his second wife, Betsy, daughter of Captain John Leavems. They were married in Marietta at Major Lincoln's, who had married Betsy's sister Fanny. Possessing large landed interests and having a taste for agriculture, Doctor Mathews retired from practice as other physicians settled around him. He was a man of many accomplishments with more than the usual amount of energy and push so characteristic of the pioneers. He established the first drug store and was one of the five original members of the first church organized in Muskingum county. Doc- tor Mathews sent to Spain for the first full-blooded Merino sheep brought to Ohio. These sheep were delivered in Washington, D. C, and hauled in a wagon through to Putnam, O., by a man sent to Washington for that pur- pose. In 1801 when Doctor Mathews went to Marietta to buy the land above mentioned, he had part of the way as his companion John Mclntire. These young men rode together, camped to- gether the night out on the road, but neither mentioned his business. When they arrived at Marietta, Doctor Mathews turned up Washington-st. to go to his uncle's (General Putnam's) office, whilst John Mclntire went on to the tavern. The next day the two men found themselves bidding against each other for the same tract of land. John Mclntire already owned a large tract where Zanesville proper now stands, but Doctor Mathews bid on the tract in question at four dollars and five cents an acre. Many years after it became blended with Mclntire's tract in the City of Natural Advantages. The doctor enjoyed telling his grand- children that the earliest distinct rec- ollection of his childhood was the ring- ing of the bells to celebrate the dec- laration of independence. He was a cultivated gentleman of the old school and a man whose energy and charac- ter were felt in his day, and are still exemplified in his de- scendents. He was an accomplish- ed performer on the violincello, an entertaining and instructive conver- sationalist. His life was characterized by its simplicity and purity. He died full of years and with the high esteem of all his fellow townsmen, in the 84th year of his age, and is buried in Wood- lawn cemetery, which was part of his original purchase from the govern- ment in 1801. Date of death June 6, 1856. # In 1796 Doctor Jenner's great dis- covery of vaccination was announc- ed to the medical world. When small- pox broke out in Putnam in the fall of 1809 Doctor Matthews procured vac- cine virus and vaccinnated himself and family. People in general had no con- fidence in it and would not consent to it. In order to prove its efficacy Doc- tor Matthews took his two little daugh- ters, Abigail and Sarah aged 6 and 7 years, who had been vaccinated, into a house and up to the bedside of a pa- tient very ill with virulent smallpox. The children did not take the disease and the doctor triumphantly proclaim- ed the protecting powers of vaccina- tion. The rest of the villagers were inoculated but Doctor Matthews' fam- ily was the only one that depended upon vaccination. So far as can be s PIONEER PHYSICIANS. learned the doctor's family was among the first if not the first in Ohio to be vaccinated. Doctor Jesse Chandler Was the second physician to settle in Putnam. He was born in Vermont in 1764 and studied medicine in his native state. After practicing a few years he came with his family to Ohio and lo- cated in the village of Putnam, across the river from Zanesville and now, as slated, a part of that city. At that time there was but little difference in the population of the two rival vil- lages, both being quite small. But in the year 1804 Zanesville was made the permanent county seat with a fair prospect of being made the state cap- ital, and took the lead. In order to look after his land, Doctor Mathews gladly relinquished his practice, upon the arrival of Doctor Chandler. No other physician settled in Putnam while Doctor Chandler lived. His practice, like Doctor Mathews', ex- tended over all the western part of the county, and into the adjoining coun- ties. Traveling was, of course, done on horseback, and in the earlier years without roads. Trails, or bridle paths, led from house to house, or from neighborhood to neighborhood. Doc- tor Chandler spent a large part of his time in the saddle, but possessing an unusually robust constitution, he was always ready to respond to calls. The fees in those days were very much out of proportion to the time and labor expended. There being no pharma- cists, every physician furnished his own medicines. The doctor's books were a curiosity. He would often ride a dozen miles, furnish the medicine needed^and charge one dollar. Visits in the village were fifty cents. When many of his people came to settle, the credit side would read, by so much corn, or oats, or potatoes, or cash, as the case might be, and by discount for the bal- ance. Frequently the "by discount" was the larger part of the credit. Doc- tor Chandler did not become wealth vr. In the fall of 1809 a bad case of small- pox developed in the town. As might be expected there was a scare. Vaccin- ation was not yet relied upon, and the doctor had not seen it sufficiently tried to be entirely satisfied with its pro- tecting qualities. Some of the older people had been inoculated with small-pox, but the children, and many of the adults, had no protection. So all were made ready by the prescribed dieting, and a general inoculation took place. The inoculated cases all got along nicely, no deaths and no dis- figurements, there were in the town a dozen or more transient persons, mostly young men, without friends. The doctor turned his house into a hospital, took these young men in, "without money or price," and carried them safely through. In the winter of 1813-14 an heretofore unknown epi- demic broke out in Putnam, which, for the want of a better name, was- called "the cold plague." The attack came on with a congestive chill, un- consciousness soon followed, and death resulted in two or three days. Some recovered, but among the vic- tims was Dr. Jesse Chandler. A true,. self-sacrificing physician and man, he was ready for the summons and faced death as he had disease, without a tremcr. His age was fifty years. Dr. Daniel Bliss, Son of Deacon Isaac Bliss, was born in Warren, Mass., April 10, 1761. He was educated in medicine in Spring- field, Mass., and June 6, 1789, married Prudence, a sister of Dr. Jesse Chand- ler. They came out to Ohio in 1804 with (or about the same time as) Doc- tor Chandler. Doctor Bliss settled in Waterford (on the side of the river where Beverly now stands) but con- tinued sickness led him to seek another location, and he removed to Chandler's salt works (now Chandlersville) a place twelve miles east of Zanesville. Settling on a farm the doctor intended retiring from practice, but there being no other physician in that section, the inhabitants kept him busy. For over twenty years he was the first and only physician in the settlement and his practice extended into what are now Guernsey, Noble and Morgan counties. The doctor kept his farm well stocked with good horses. He always rode horseback, and travelled fast. It was a good horse and rider that could keep up with him on his rounds. As a phy- sician, Doctor Bliss was success- ful and popular. He was a man of strong opinions, and fearless in expressing them. He dared to do right, and take the consequences. In religious belief he was a Congregation- alism Doctor Bliss died March 17, 1842, aged eighty-one years. At a ripe age he surrendered to the great reaper, and with a heavy credit on the Lamb's book of life he went to his re- ward. Doctor Robert Mitchell was born in Westmoreland county, Penn., in 1778. He studied medicine there, and in 1S0S married Catharine PIONEER PHYSICIANS. 9 McCulloch. For a wedding trip the young couple came to Zanesville, O., on horse back. When they settled in that place there were but twelve shingle roofed houses in it. The In- dians were still there, but friendly, and used to come to the doctor's house to see the white papooses. Doctor Mit- chell served in the war of 1S12, and was afterwards a general in the Ohio militia. In 1S33 he was elected to con- gress, but in 1835 was defeated for re- election by his Whig opponent. It is said that the rejoicing of the Whigs over their success, caused more drunk- eness in Zanesville, than ever was known there in one night. Doctor Mitchell died November 13, 1848. Doctor Ziba Adams, was, so far as can be learned, the first physician to settle in what is now Mor- gan county. Doctor Daniel Rusk, of Malta, made an earnest effort to find something of this physician. Just when Doctor Adams arrived, and just when he left, could not be ascertained. That he first settled some four miles above Malta, on the river, and after- wards in Malta, is known. Taking the dates of other events as a criterion, the probabilities are that Doctor Adams came to the Muskingum Valley about 1815 or 1816 and left three or four years after. What little is known of him is to his credit; and he, no doubt, was of the same character as his colleagues in the valley. £, Doctor Samuel Augustus Barker was probably the second physician to settle in Morgan county, and was cer- tainly the first one to make it his per- manent home. He settled in McCon- nelsville in 1818, one year after the place was laid out. Doctor Barker was born in Dutchess county, N. Y. He received a thorough education, and graduated in medicine in time to serve in the war of 1812 Coming west soon after the war, the doctor flrst stopped at Williamsport, Wr. Va., a town across the Ohio from Marietta, where he taught school until he removed to McConnelsville. In the latter place he also taught school until his professional duties de- manded all his attention. In 1822 he was married to Eliza B. Shugert. Doc- tor Barker was the first county auditor and the first clerk of the court of Mor- gan county. He was the first post- master in McConnelsville. He was sheriff four years and represented his county in the legislature for two term<. He ran for congress in 1843, but was defeated by his Whig oppon- ent. Doctor Barker was an honest, upright gentleman and tilled many positions of trust without a blemish on his character. His many social quali- ties made him universally popular. He died May 12, 1S52. Doctor Samuel -Martin was born in Trowbridge, England, in 1796 and died in Zanesville, O., May 25, 1873. When a young man Doctor Martin attended school at Bath, and, living twenty miles from that place, he walked home every Saturday night. Sunday nights he would walk back in order to be on hand for school on Mon- day. He was apprenticed to a phy- sician for a term of seven years, and received his medical education in Lon- don. He was a fellow of the Royal Col- lege of Surgeons and an accomplished Latin, Greek and French scholar. In 1819 Doctor Martin came to McCon- nelsville, O., and went into partner- ship with Doctor Barker. This part- nership was soon dissolved by Doctor Martin moving into Bloom township. (He was the first physician in it.) He married Sarah Montgomery, a daughter of one of the early settlers. Doctor Martin would not send his children to school, but educated them himself, not only in the common school branches, but in Latin, Greek and French. He retired from practice early in life, and moved to Zanesville in 1856. He and many of his family were Deists. The doctor's belief was characterized by its sincerity, and he had his feelings sorely wounded once while serving on a jury. The judge took occasion in delivering a charge to eay "that a man who did not believe in the Revelations was not fit to be a juror." Doctor Martin was a scholar- ly gentleman, a man of fine instincts and refined.sensibilities. Doctor Martin, in his younger days, was quite a pedestrian. Upon arriv- ing in this country he landed at Phila- delphia. From there he walked across the state of Pennsylvania to Olean in western New York. Here he and his companion took a canoe and jour- neyed down the Allegheny and Ohio rivers to Louisville, Ky. Leaving the canoe here Doctor Martin walked to Nashville, Tenn. From this place he tramped through Kentucky to the Wabash river, oppo-ite Shaw- neetown,Ills.; then on to East St. Lou- is, and from there through Illinois and Indiana to Zanesville, Ohio. Hearing of the newly developed salt industry 10 PIONEER PHYSICIANS. down the Muskingum, Doctor Martin walked to Bloom township, Morgan county, and stopped at " 'Squire" Montgomery's, where he met his fu- ture wife. He soon moved into Mc- Connelsville and began the practice of medicine. That journey on foot covered many hundreds of miles, and part of it was made alone. Many nights were spent by the road side, as in parts of the country gone over settle- ments, in those days,were far between. Probably the first castor oil mill, es- tablished west of the Allegheny moun- tains, was built at Dresden by Drs. Nathan Webb, senior and junior. They came to the shores of the' Wau- katomiky in 1821 and cultivated the -castor oil bean. Their mill was located on the "Little Prairie". Two lodges of Shawonese Indians were still there and interested spectators of this symp- tom of civilization. The doctors were not learned in their profession but were the pioneer physicians of Dres- den and evidently had confidence in castor oil. From whence they came or where they went 1 am not able to state. It is impossible for us to fully appre- ciate the primitive manner in which these men practiced medicine. They had to be, in a degree, pharmacists and practical botanists. Roots and herbs were an important part of their arma- mentarium. Infusions and decoctions were the order of the day. The sugar- coated pill was then unknown. In fact the life of the modern physician is sugar-coated when compared with that of the pioneers. These men were obliged to be fertile in resources, apt in expedients, and ingenious in impro- vising Compare, if you can, the log cabin office of one hundred years ago with the physician's office of today. Think of the progress made in medical science since the days of these men. Chloroform, cocaine, the hypodermic syringe, the fever thermometer, and hundreds of other things were un- known to them. Notwithstanding all the new ideas and inventions the rate of mortality, from the ordinary aches and ills of life, was about the same then as now. In looking over the lives of these men we find general characteristics that are worthy of thought. They were interested and active in educa- tional and religious matters. They were energetic and progressive beyond their times. They took an active part in politics and questions of state. If they were alive now they would prob- ably let politics alone. They were brave men, for on their lonely travels in the earlier years, they, had to face the treachery of the Indian and the hunger of wolves. The more the lives of these men are held up to view the more sterling qualities we find to ad- mire. There were one or two more of the very early physicians about Marietta, Waterford and Zanesville of whom the writer could learn nothing, only that they had once lived in these places. Their descendents either could not be found or when found could give no in- formation. "When we are gone, how soon we are forgotten?" TRESSBOARD PAMPHLET BINDER Mmnv/oclund by IGAYLORO BROS. Uc Syracuse, N. Y. Stockton. Calif ^^_t| ¥*' * V**' WZ 140 A03 B9p 1890 56510690R