community beyond the limited circle of professional pursuits,
as physicians. Their life is one of incessant confinement,
anxiety, and toil. A portion of their labors, as large as from
one fourth to one third, is gratuitous. To them, if to no
others, it is an abiding truth, _The poor always ye have with
you_. It is exceedingly rare even in cities, still more so in
the country, to find a physician of honorable standing with
his fellows, who has acquired great wealth as the fruit of
professional service. Having food and raiment, he must learn
therewith to be content. Nevertheless, physicians find abundant
sources of enjoyment in the sympathy and kindness of many
attached friends; and it is believed, that, according to the
measure of their ability, they are not behind the average of
their fellow-citizens in works of philanthropy and benevolence.
In the war of the Revolution they were fully represented in
the senate-house, and on the battle-field; and the names of
Prescott, Holton, Thomas, Brooks, and Warren, with many others,
will go down to posterity, no less honored as statesmen and
patriots, than as eminent members of the medical profession.
It is pleasant to recall the virtues of such men; to know where
they lived; who were their associates; how they performed the
duties of social life; what obstacles they encountered and what
rewards they obtained; and to hold forth their example to the
younger members of the profession and especially to those just
about to enter it, as a practical illustration of the great
truth, that a life perseveringly devoted to the good of others,
even under the most discouraging circumstances, will ultimately
secure the public confidence, and meet its reward.
Respectfully, yours.
1.--DR. ERASTUS SERGEANT, SENIOR, OF STOCKBRIDGE.
The following Notice of a distinguished physician and worthy man is
copied, with little alteration, from a letter addressed to myself by
Dr. Oliver Partridge, in December, 1841, when he was over ninety years
of age.
DR. ERASTUS SERGEANT was born at Stockbridge, August 7, 1742, and died
November 14, 1814, aged 72.
He was the son of Rev. John Sergeant, the first missionary to the
Indians on the Housatonic River, who was born in Newark, N. J., in
1710; graduated at Yale College in 1729; was there a Tutor four years,
and, having a great desire to be a missionary to the Aborigines, went
to Litchfield, in 1733, where some English people had settled; procured
a guide and went on foot forty miles further through the wilderness,
to the Indians, where he met a cordial reception. He then returned to
New Haven, resigned his Tutorship, and, having made the necessary
preparations, went back in 1734, and commenced his mission.
In 1735 Gov. Dudley appointed a meeting of the Indians on business at
Deerfield, where the Rev. John Sergeant was ordained as their minister,
and he with Mr. Timothy Woodbridge as schoolmaster, (afterwards Hon.
Timothy W.,) went to spend their lives with the Indians.
The Rev. Mr. Sergeant married Abigail, the daughter of Col. Ephraim
Williams, of Newton, near Boston, one of the chosen six who had farms
allotted them across our pleasant hill, to be society for the two
missionaries.
Mr. Sergeant died in 1749, in the midst of his usefulness, a most
amiable man and greatly lamented. He left three children: Erastus,
the subject of this memoir; Electa, who married Col. Mark Hopkins of
Great Barrington, and was grandmother to the two brothers, Mark and
Albert Hopkins, the former the President and the latter a Professor at
Williams College; and John, the fourth missionary to the said Indians,
who removed with them in 1788, then being about four hundred and fifty
in number, to Oneida County, N. Y., and there died.
Their mother married for her second husband, Gen. Joseph Dwight of
Great Barrington, who then had five children, and by her he had two
more, from whom our Dwights and Sedgwicks are descended,--and their
mother became again a widow.
Notwithstanding the difficulties of the war with the French and Indians
of Canada, and the residing on the frontier with the care of his, hers,
and their children, by the influence and assistance of their friends,
Erastus was prepared for college, and spent two years at Princeton, N.
J., before the circumstances of the family required his return.
In 1761 he went to live with his uncle, Dr. Thomas Williams of
Deerfield, and was there about three years in the study and practice
of medicine. In January, 1765, he commenced the practice of physic in
Stockbridge. The towns in the vicinity were then but partially settled,
and not supplied with physicians, so that he soon had much business.
Several severe cases of comminuted fracture, successfully treated by
him, served to extend his fame, and, in a short time his advice was
much sought, and in surgical cases he became the principal operator
within a circle of thirty miles diameter; and his usefulness was
continued until Dr. Jones and others succeeded him in business.
He was endowed with sound judgment and skill in his profession; was
sedate, kind, very charitable and benevolent, with a large share of the
Christian graces, and truly was the "_beloved physician_." More than
twenty young men studied medicine under his direction.
It was said of him, that no one ever spoke ill of him from his youth
up. He was an important member and deacon in the Rev. Dr. West's
church. He received a Master's degree at Yale College in 1784; was
elected a Fellow of the Massachusetts Medical Society in 1785; was a
Justice of the Peace, and a Major in the South Regiment of the County;
and was obliged to keep garrison with the Regiment at Lake Champlain,
from December, 1776, to April, 1777, and to perform other services in
troublesome times, until Burgoyne's surrender.
Some years before his death he was afflicted with symptoms of pulmonary
disease, which were much aggravated by his incessant attention to his
daughter, who died of consumption. In September of 1814 he visited the
"springs," in company with Dr. Partridge, without benefit, indeed, to
his injury; for it was with difficulty that he returned, on account
of his increasing weakness. The day before his death, he had so far
recruited that he rode to Lee on horseback, visited his son's family,
and returned, not complaining of fatigue. The day he died, he was
abroad in the morning. Dr. Partridge adds, "Two friends called on us
from New York, and as we sat at dinner, in social conversation, Dr.
Sergeant suddenly rose, and a stream of blood issued from his mouth. I
instantly sprang to him, and he fell lifeless into my arms, without a
gasp. Thus expired my dear friend, under whose roof I had resided from
my twentieth year, then forty three and a half years, and more than
forty of them harmoniously visiting each other's patients, as necessary
to their satisfaction and our accommodation."
Dr. P. adds, "_natus fui_, April 15, 1751."
II.--DR. HORATIO JONES OF STOCKBRIDGE.
This able and distinguished physician, the pupil and associate of Dr.
Sergeant, (No. I.,) was the son of Capt. Josiah Jones, and grandson of
Mr. Josiah Jones, who, in 1737, emigrated from Weston with Col. Ephraim
Williams of Newton, and settled with their families in Stockbridge.
This sacrifice they cheerfully made, with the benevolent intention
of aiding the mission, then recently commenced among the Housatonic
Indians.
DR. JONES was born at Stockbridge, in 1770. In early youth he
manifested the same energy and decision of character for which he was
so much distinguished in riper years. Having commenced his collegiate
education at Yale College with flattering prospects; and, perhaps,
in his ambition to excel, pursuing his studies with an intensity of
application disproportionate to his power of endurance, his health
became impaired, and he was attacked with a disease in his eyes, which
threatened a total loss of sight. In these circumstances, in accordance
with the recommendation of his medical advisers, he for a time entirely
relinquished his literary pursuits.
Instead of yielding to hopeless despondency, however, he determined to
pursue an active life; and substituting a knapsack for his classics, he
went with a company of surveyors to the Genesee country, New York, to
assist in laying out lands. He was thus exposed to all the hardships
incident to that mode of life, camping out in the wilderness, living
upon the coarsest fare, and not unfrequently making a hollow log his
lodging place for the night.
In due time he recovered his health and sight, and once more resumed
his studies, but not at college. Placing himself under the instruction
of Dr. Sergeant in his native town, he completed the usual term of
medical pupilage. At a subsequent period he attended a course of
medical lectures at Philadelphia.
He first commenced the practice of his profession at Pittsfield, where
he was much respected. But at length finding, as he expressed it, that
there were _more physicians than business_ in that place, he determined
to remove. His decision being known to Dr. Sergeant, then advancing
in life, who was desirous of finding some suitable person to take
his place as an operating surgeon, he with his friend Dr. Partridge
earnestly solicited Dr. Jones to settle in Stockbridge. With this
invitation he eventually complied, and while he lived, the medical
intercourse of the three physicians was most harmonious.
Under these auspices he was soon introduced into a wide circle of
business, not only in Stockbridge, but in all the neighboring towns.
His reputation was not ephemeral, but constantly increased, as he
advanced in life; and his advice was much sought and highly appreciated
by his medical brethren. In 1804 he was elected a Fellow of the
Massachusetts Medical Society, and in 1810 received from Williams
College the honorary degree of M. A.
Such was Dr. Jones,--a man possessed of rare endowments, and eminent in
his profession. In the language of Dr. Partridge, from whom most of the
facts relating to him have been obtained, "he was a good operator in
surgery, active, pleasant, social, very popular, and indefatigable by
night and by day to give relief in cases of distress and danger."
In the winter of 1812-13, an alarming and fatal epidemic prevailed
extensively in New England. During its prevalence, Dr. Jones was
incessantly occupied in attendance upon the sick. At length the
fears of his friends respecting him were realized. He was suddenly
prostrated, and, after an illness of only eight days, he died, April
26, 1813, aged 43 years.
His funeral was attended by a great concourse of persons from
Stockbridge and the adjoining towns. The Rev. Dr. Hyde of Lee, who
preached his funeral sermon, from Job xix: 21, speaks of his death as a
public calamity. "Rarely," says he, "has the town, or even the county,
experienced a greater shock in the death of a citizen. His removal in
the midst of his usefulness is an unspeakable loss to the community."
His death is represented to have been eminently peaceful. Although he
had not made a public profession of his faith, he experienced a great
change in his religious feelings during the winter preceding his death.
He gave to those who best knew him, satisfactory evidence of piety.
In his intercourse with his medical brethren, he was courteous and
unassuming. All the duties of domestic and social life he discharged
with fidelity and acceptance. His mind was well balanced and highly
cultivated. He sympathized in the most unaffected manner with the sick
who sought his aid, and by his kindness and gentleness alleviated the
sufferings and won the affections of his patients, even in those cases
where medical and surgical skill could afford only a temporary and
partial relief.
Extracts from the sermon of Dr. Hyde were published in the tenth
volume of the Panoplist; also, an interesting notice of his death and
character, by Rev. Jared Curtis, in the Farmer's Herald. See also a
memoir recently prepared and published by Dr. S. S. Williams, in his
Medical Biography, a work which cannot fail to interest the medical
reader, and is an able sequel to the volumes of the late Dr. Thatcher
on the same subject.
III.--DR. ANDREW MACKIE OF WAREHAM.
DR. MACKIE was the son of Dr. John Mackie, who came from Scotland,
and settled at Southampton, L. I. He was born at Southampton in
1742; studied medicine with his father, and settled as a physician
at Wareham, Ms., where, for many years, he had an extensive practice
in medicine and surgery. He also had the reputation of having been
unusually successful in the treatment of the smallpox.
He was a devoted and active Christian, a member of the church, and for
many years he sustained the office of a deacon.
He had ten children, of whom four sons and three daughters lived to
adult age. Three of his sons studied medicine. 1. John, who graduated
at Brown University in 1800, received the degree of M. D., and settled
at Providence, R. I., where he died, in February, 1833, at the age
of 52 years. He was eminent as a surgeon. 2. Peter, a Fellow of the
Massachusetts Medical Society, now a physician at Wareham. 3. Andrew,
from whom the above-named facts were obtained, born in 1799, graduated
at Brown University, 1814, and received the degree of M. D., 1817. He
first settled at Plymouth, but is now a physician of good reputation in
New Bedford, and is a Fellow of the Massachusetts Medical Society.
Dr. Mackie, the particular subject of this notice, died at Wareham, of
a pulmonary disease, April, 1817, aged 75.
JOHN LEVERETT, WILLIAM BRATTLE AND JAMES OLIVER.
These three distinguished scholars of New England were all born in
Boston, educated at the same school, admitted into Harvard College the
same year, took their degrees at the same time, [1680,] all settled
in Cambridge, one an attorney at law, one a clergyman, and the other
a physician, and all eminent in their professions. The first two were
Fellows of the Royal Society in England.
EXTRACT FROM A LETTER OF HON. WILLIAM CRANCH OF WASHINGTON, D. C.
The following is an extract from a letter of Judge Cranch to the Editor.
"Among some old papers of my father, I found a letter from the Rev.
William Clark, dated Quincy, Aug. 10, 1803, in which he says, 'Mr.
William Winthrop of Cambridge has, for some time past, been engaged
in a pursuit rather extraordinary, viz., to investigate the following
particulars of every one who has received a degree at Harvard College,
from the first foundation of that University in 1648 to the present
time; viz., the origination or where born, his professional business or
employment, his place of residence, time of his death and age; also any
thing remarkable in their lives and characters; where such matters can
be ascertained.' Again, Mr. Clark says, 'In his (Mr. Winthrop's) next
letter he opened his design to me; and with respect to the clergy in
particular, when the Catalogue was printed in 1797, the whole number of
graduates then being 3533, of which number those who had been, or then
were, settled ministers of the Gospel amounted to 1121; of this number,
he informed me he had ascertained the places of settlement, and other
particulars of 1117, so that there were but 4 remaining unascertained,
viz., _John Mors_, 1692--_Joseph Gerrish_, 1700--_Noyes Paris_,
1721--of these 2 last, however, he gives some proof, that he was not
wholly destitute of some intelligence about them. But what is most
surprising was, that of the 4 above mentioned unascertained persons,
myself brought up the rear! He had never heard where I officiated
before the revolution, though it was no further from him than _Dedham_,
where I lived ten years!--I wrote him fully of myself, and various
others, whom he has since desired information of; only there were 2
of the last mentioned, that I knew very little about, whose names I
mentioned to you: viz., whether _Cornelius Nye_, who graduated in 1718,
was not the same person who was a schoolmaster in Braintree, and who
was somewhat distinguished for his witty talents? If so, did he ever
pursue any other employment than keeping school? _Shepard Fisk_, who
graduated in 1721, and lived at Braintree, his employment, decease and
age? If you could without inconvenience to yourself, collect any thing
certain of these 2 persons, or either of them, and put it in writing
and send it to me, it would be thankfully received. I expect to have
occasion to write to Mr. Winthrop shortly, and should be happy to
transmit any thing so agreeable to him, as any discovery of this kind,
whose mind seems to be intensely fixed on this pursuit.'
"Mr. Clark afterwards sent to my father the following extracts from Mr.
Winthrop's letter to him, dated Oct. 10, 1803.
"'I feel myself greatly obliged to you, as well as to Judge Cranch,
(Judge Richard Cranch,) for the information contained in your last
letter with its inclosures. I have long since heard of that gentleman's
researches into the antiquities of this country, and conclude he must
be possessed of a large fund of information upon that subject. Is there
no way that I can avail myself of it to promote my plan?
"'Finding by your letter that you suppose that Mr. Sheppard, who was
settled at Cambridge, and who was an eminent minister in that day,
was the same that graduated in 1653, I inclose you some memorandums
respecting that family, which may, perhaps, be gratifying to the Judge
as well as to yourself.'
"The postscript is in these words:--'I will thank you to present my
respects to Judge Cranch, when you have a convenient opportunity, and
inform him that I feel myself under great obligations to him for his
information respecting Messrs. Nye and Fiske; and that any further
communications he will please to make to me, I shall most gratefully
acknowledge.'"
LETTER FROM REV. JOHN WALROND OF OTTERY, ENG., TO REV. WILLIAM WALDRON,
MINISTER OF BOSTON, AND BROTHER OF SECRETARY WALDRON.
OTTERY, March 8, 1725-6.
"REV. AND DEAR SIR,
It was a very pleasant surprise to me to receive a Letter from you, who
no doubt are of the same Name and Family with myself, tho' a letter in
it be transposed, and who by Dr. Mather's Character of you, are not the
least in your Father's House.
I have made some Enquiry about the Somersetshire Branch of our Family,
from whence you are descended, but cannot exactly determine, tho' I
am apt to think it must be from one of those two Gentlemen, of which,
one was Walrond, of _Illbrewers_ who had about five hundred Pounds
pr. Annum or more, and the other Walrond of _Saye_, of about the
same Value, and I think both of them Justices of the Peace, in that
County, one of them I am sure was so, viz., the former; both of them
degenerated into looseness of Living in Charles 2ds Reign, and both
ruined their Estates and dyed poor, above twenty years since. Walrond
of _Illbrewers_ was a great persecutor of the Dissenters, but in the
conclusion wanted bread.
There is an honest family of about a hundred Pounds pr. annum, still
living at _Wellington_, in Somerset, very excellent Men, great supports
of Religion, and one of the Brothers abᵗ your Age, a very good young
Minister, living now in Dorsetshire.
The Head of all our Family still remains in a good Estate, about a
thousand Pounds pr. Annum, from whom I am the second Generation. The
seat is called _Bradfield_ in Devon.
It was granted by the Crown, about six hundred years since, to one
Richard Walerand, and has continued in the Family to this Day; The last
Gentleman that dyed was a very pious good Man, about eighty years of
Age and an excellent Magistrate in his Country, that could at any time
lead three hundred Freeholders, to the Election of a Shire Knight; but
his son is degenerate and very wicked: I conversed much with the old
Gentleman, but this is no Friend to my Profession.
Another Branch sprung from Bradfield House in this county (beside those
two families in Somerset before mentioned) which is seated at _Bovey_,
in the East of Devon, which Branch sprang from its Root about 340
years since, and now inherits at least, a thousand Pounds per Annum;
This also has degenerated and become like other Gentlemen in England:
For Religion indeed, is almost quite gone, out of the Familys of the
Gentry, by Means of a loose and licentious Clergy.
I never could find any of our Name, in all England, but in the Western
Counties, and from thence, a Family went, as Merchants to Barbadoes,
grew rich, and was in the Government there; and the last Gentleman a
Batchelor seated himself at Greenwich near London, was morally honest
and very charitable, but having a great loss in the South Sea, of
almost all his Money could not bear it, but shot himself in the Head.
Our Coat of Arms, is three Bulls Heads, as you'l see by my seal on this
Letter, But _Stemata quid faciunt_?
I find our Name in Skinner's _Etymologicon Linguæ Anglicanæ_; toward
the end of which Book, in his _Onomastichon_, he has the word Walarand,
_olim Praenomen nunc Cognomen ab Anglo Sax_ WALPIAN, _volvere, et_
RAND, _Scutum, volvere scutum, i. c., qui Clypeum huc illuc
circumagit_. Waldron _autem cognomen contractum est a_ Walarand. I have
transcribed what he says lest the Book should not be common with you.
I wish you had let me know into what Family your Grandfather married,
for that might perhaps have given Light into the Enquiry; however I
will examine farther, and take the first opportunity to inform you, as
I can get Intelligence; but I know of no male Posterity left of the two
Somersetshire Familys that I mentioned above.
I am much pleased with your Correspondence, and shall at any time be
obliged by Letters from you, * * * send, by a worthy good Man, Capt.
* * * who carries this (as I hope he will) from the * * * Exeter to
Boston. As to any Ecclesiastical Informations I must refer you to
Dr. Mather's Letter which encloses this. May the Lord of the Harvest
prosper you and make you a burning and a shining Light. You and I are
of one Family, Faith and Profession. Let us particularly pray for each
other, tho' we should never see each others face on Earth. Oh that the
God of all Grace, may excite us both, to work the Works, of him that
sent us while it is Day, that we may have a comfortable Requiem, from
our Labors at last, and be accepted, when our Lord shall come, with
which I conclude.
Dear Sir, Your affect: Kinsman and Serv't,
"To the Rev. Mr. William Waldron, John Walrond."
Minister in Boston."
NOTE. Where blanks occur in the last part of the letter, the
words were worn out in the original.
------------------------------------------------------+
FORM OF A FAMILY REGISTER. |
-------------------+----------------------------------+
Parents. | Children. |
-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
| J | H | C W | S | P | H | J |
| A | A | O A | A | O | A | U |
| M | N | T R | L | L | N | D |
| E | N | T D. | L | L | N | I |
| S. | A | O | Y. | Y. | A | T |
| | H. | N | | | H. | H. |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
1755 |B. 14
|Nov.
-----+------+
1763 |8 yrs.| B. 31
|old | Oct.
-----+------+------+
1783 | 28 | 20 | B. 13
| | | July.
-----+------+------+------+
1785 | 30 | 22 | 2 | B. 7
| | | | Aug.
-----+------+------+------+------+
1787 | 32 | 24 | 4 | 2 |B. 19
| | | | |June.
-----+------+------+------+------+------+
1789 | 34 | 26 | 6 | 4 | 2 |B. 12
| | | | | |Mar.
-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+
1791 | 36 | 28 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 |B. 12
| | | | | | |Mar.
-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
1793 | 38 | 30 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| | | | | | | |
-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
1795 | 40 | 32 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 |
| | | | | | | |
-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
1797 | 42 | 34 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 |
| | | | | | | |
-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
1799 | 44 | 36 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 8 |
| | | | | | | |
-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
1802 | 47 | 39 | 19 |M. 4 Fb.| 15 | 13 | 11 |
| | | | 17 | | | |
-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
1805 | 50 | 42 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 14 |
| | | | | | | |
-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
1809 | 54 | 46 | 26 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 18 |
| | | | | | | |
-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
1834 | D. 4 | 71 | 51 | 49 | 47 | 45 | 43 |
| Feb. | | | | | | |
-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+
1847 | | 84 | 64 | 62 | 60 | 58 | 56 |
| | | | | | | |
-----+------+------+------+------+------+------+------+