1762 Mercy Shelden Hannah Denslow Jemima Ellsworth Deacons.-Nathaniel Hayden, Josiah Bissell, Esq., chosen Dec. 26, 1768. The Half-Way Covenant. "April 28th, 1776. It having been a usage formerly to admit persons to own the Baptismal Covenant and have baptism for the children, when neither the Covenanters, nor the Church looked on them presently meet for and bound to attendance on the Lord's supper, whereas at present we have but one Covenant or Profession for all, the same are admitted who object against themselves and for scruples of their own are tolerated in a nonattendance on the holy supper, though acknowledged as members in complete standing-a question arose whether the covenanters, especially the former sort, should be required to renew their Covenant in order to their coming to the Lord's supper, and to exercise their right to act in matters of discipline, &c. This matter having been proposed and before disposed-was this day agreed and passed unanimously in a meeting of the Church as follows: That all persons in explicit Covenant with the Church, whether they came in formerly or more latterly, are at liberty if they please to come to all parts of communion with us without renewing the Covenant or Confession. However That it would be more agreeable if such especially as owned their Covenant according to the former usage, were to renew their profession before they came to all parts of Communion." No. 10. Windsor Physicians. DOCTOR BRAY* ROSSETER, Was the first physician of Windsor. His father, Mr. Edward Rosseter, who is described as "a godly man of good estate," belonging to an excellent family in the west of England, was one of the Assistants of the Massachu setts Colony, and a chief promoter and member of the Dorchester Company, which came in the Mary and John. But the life of honor and usefulness which seemed opening to him in this trans-atlantic sphere, was cut short by death, which came to him at Dorchester, October 23d, 1630. Doctor Bray Rosseter, his son, was one of the principal men among those who commenced the settlement of Windsor in 1636 He was a well educated gentleman, and had probably been trained in the best schools in England. Shortly after his arrival he was admitted to practice by the General Court of Connecticut, "being first tried and approved by (Rev.) Mr. Hooker, (Rev.) Mr. Stone, and old Mr. Smith of Wethersfield, in the face of the said Court." He also served as magistrate, and as town clerk, which office he held until 1652. About this time he received a very pressing invitation from Mr. Leete and other principal inhabitants of Guilford, to settle there as a phycian. He according removed thither and purchased the property of Mr. Samuel Desbourough, who was about returning to England. "At a General Court, October 10, 1651," say the Guilford Records, "Mr. Rosseter (was) ad. mitted and appraised a planter here upon the purchase of Mr. Desbourough's accommodations ;" and in June following "Mr. Rosseter for his own person was freed from watching, living here as a physician in practice." We find him, the next year, engaged as town surveyor, an office which he had also filled to a considerable extent, while at Windsor. "At a General Court, held the 3d day of the 1st month (April) 1653; Mr. Rosseter hath agreed, and undertaken forthwith, to survey and stake out the whole of every man's particular proportion sufficiently, for the sum of £5, all men's land to be laid out in two parts." During the difficulties in the church at Guilford, which followed Rev. Mr. Higginson's departure, Dr. Rosseter removed to Killingworth; but when peace was restored by the settlement of the Rev. Joseph Elliot in 1664, he returned to Guilford, and resided there until his decease, in Sept. 30, 1672. His wife Elizabeth and his daughter Sarah, died three years previous, in the month of August, 1669. He had 8 children, viz., I, JOHN, who m. Mary (dau. of Jonathan) Gilbert of Hartford, and d. Sept. 1670. II, JOSIAH, who was recorder, magistrate and a member of the upper house of the Legislature from 1701-1711. He m. Sarah (dau. of Hon. Samuel) Sherman of Woodbury, and d. Jan. 31, 1716. (For descendants see N. E. Gen. Reg. vol. 1x, p. 337.) III, JOHANNAH, m. Rev. John Cotton of Plymouth, Mass., in 1666. IV, SUSANNAH, m. Rev. Zachariah Walker of Woodbury, Conn. A'so, 4 children who d. young. The first post-mortem examination made in the colony of Connecticut, was made by Doctor Rosseter, at that time a resident of Guilford. March 11th, 1662-3, the "Court allows unto Mr. Rosseter, twenty pounds, in reference to opening Kellie's child, and his pains to visit the Dep. Governor, and his pains in visiting and administering to Mr. Talcot. Of this twenty pounds, he hath already received 11 18 4d. He is to make no further demands of any particular persons." For sometime after Dr. Rosseter's removal to Guilford, there seems not to *Or Bryan. There seems to be equal authority for both names. † Dudley's letter to Countess of Lincoln. 1 Extract from his own letter to the Governor, dated Guilford, June 28, 1669. It was customary in those early days, for the medical examining committee to be composed wholly, or in part, of clergymen, who were always more or less skilled in medical lore. have been any physician at Windsor. They, as well as their sister towns upon the river, had to depend upon Dr. Lord, who resided at Hartford, and whose fees were regulated by a session of the General Court in Hartford, the 30th of June, 1652, as follows: "Thomas Lord, having engaged to this Court to continue this abode in Hartford, for the next ensuing year, and to improve his best skill amongst the inhabitants of the town upon the river within this jurisdiction, both for setting of bones and otherwise, as at all times, occasions and necessities may or shall require; this Court doth grant that he shall be paid by the country the sum of fifteen pounds for the said ensuing year, and they do declare that for every visit or journey that he shall take or make, being sent for to any house in Hartford, twelve pence is reasonable; to any house in Windsor, five shillings; to any house in Weathersfield, three shillings; to any house in Farmington, six shillings; to any house in Mattabeseek [Middletown', eight shillings, (he having promised that he will require no more); and that he shall be freed for the time aforesaid from watching, warding and training; but not from finding arms, according to law." In October, 1654, one Daniel Porter was "allowed and paid out of the public treasury," the salary of six pounds per year, with "six shillings to each town upon the river, to exercise his art of surgery." This encouragement was continued to him the following year. Also as late as 1661-2. In 1674, one ROBERT HOWARD of Windsor, is mentioned as a physician. The period of his practice extended from about the year 1660 to the time of his death in 1684. He was not educated as a physician, but was early a millwright. In his inventory are to be found Medical Books, Surgical Instruments, &c. Howe's Chirurgery was of the number. As will be seen by the records, different cases of surgery were often sent off (at town expense) up to Hadley, Hatfield and other towns in Massachusetts, to be placed under the care of famous physicians who resided there. Among the Wolcott Papers in the Library of the Connecticut Historical Society, we find the following letter addressed: "For His much Respected Friend, Mr. Henry Wolcott, Respected Sr at His House My service being presented to you and to ye Rest of my Masters; these may acquaint you that I have, through God's blessing, performed a cure upon Goodman Denslow's lad, though with a good deal of difficulty, care and trouble; it Remains therefore on your part to perform what you have Ingaged; his Diet and dressing at 4 shilling per week, amounts to ten pounds, six shillings. What I have expended in medicines and otherwise, of which I shall give you a true account, amounts to twenty-seven pounds. I desire you to take some effectual course that I may be paid; for I can truly affirm that I am at least Indamaged ten pounds by ye lad, though I should not (as I hope I shall not), meet with difficulty in getting what is my due; I purpose to see you ye next week, and if it may be, I desire that my pay may be ready against I come down. I have not at present to add but that I am Hatfield, Decemr ye 11th, 1685. Sr Your Friend & Servant, June 5, 1702. £12 were paid to Doctor Jacob Reed [of Simsbury] and Obediah Hosford for the care of Mary Gaylord.-Town Records. DOCTOR SAMUEL MATHER, The son of the Rev. Samuel Mather, was born at Branford in 1677, graduated *Col. Rec. 1, 234. † Col. Rec. 1, 279. at Harvard College in 1698, at the age of 21, and was licensed to practice medicine by the General Assembly in 1702. This license is as follows: [L. S.] Connt. ss. At a General Assembly Holden at Hartford, May 14, 1702, upon the recommendation of the Rev. Mr. Samuel Mather, Doctor Thomas Hooker and Mr. John Fisk, this Assembly doth license Mr. Samuel Mather, Jr., of the town of Windsor, to be a Practitioner of Physick and Chyrurgy, in this Colonie." In testimony that the above written is a true copy, I have caused the seal of his Majestie's Colonie to be hereunto assigned and subscribed." ELEAZER KIMBERLY, Sec'y." After a life of professional usefulness, during which he held various civil and military offices of trust and honor, he died Feb. 6, 1745, in the 68th year of his age. He was the father of Mr. Nathaniel Mather of Windsor (who lived upon "the Island ") who was the father of Elijah Mather, and also of Col. Oliver Mather, late of Windsor. DOCTOR ALEXANDER WOLCOTT, The son of Gov. Roger, and great-grandson of Mr. Henry Wolcott, the Pilgrim, was b. in East (now South) Windsor, January 7, 1712. He graduated at Yale College in 1731, and shortly after became a student of medicine in the office of Dr. Norman Morrison, then a distinguished practitioner in Hartford. Here the same talent and energy which had rendered him, at college, distinguished for his classical attainments-enabled him to grasp the great principles, and explore the mysteries of the healing art, with more than usual rapidity and success. Having finished his course of medical study, Dr. Wolcott (about 1740) commenced practice in his native town, and soon attained a distinguished rank in his profession. He served with ability as surgeon at the capture of Louisburg, in 1745, and in 1776 he was, by appointment of the Assembly, placed at the head of the Examining Committee for Surgeons and Surgeon's Mates in the Continental Army. The records of Windsor, during the Revolutionary struggle, show that Dr. Alexander Wolcott was a firm friend to the cause of America, and always active, both in private and in public, to promote its success. In 1795 he died, full of years and honors. He was twice married, and had 13 children, two of whom were physicians. Dr. CHRISTOPHER, Jr., succeeded his father at Windsor; and Dr. SIMON WOLCOTT removed to New London, and, in 1792, was one of the founders of the Connecticut Medical Society. Dr. Wolcott's residence is now occupied by the widow of the late Sidney Bowers. "His library," says the late Dr. Sumner, "was large and well selected, and its array of folios, mostly in Latin, which would make a student, of this day, shudder with apprehension. Yet in such form were the works of Bonetus, Senertus and Morgagni, while in less ponderous shape, but in the same language, were found the first edition of the great work of Sydenham; and Dr. Wolcott was in the practice of reading these ponderous tomes of Latin and Greek, though one of the sons, to whom they devolved, looked upon them as excellent waste paper, and as such employed them." Fortunately, however, a remnant of this splendid library was saved, and falling into the hands of Dr. Sumner, whom we have just quoted, was by him presented to Trinity College, at Hartford. There this unique collection of some 200 volumes, many of them bearing the (Latin) annotations of Doctor Wolcott, is carefully preserved; and is easily accessible to the curious, and more knowing, but less learned medical men of this generation. DOCTOR ELIHU TUDOR,† son of the Rev. Samuel, and great-grandson of Owen Tudor, a first settler *In an Address before the State Medical Society. † In his commission as Surgeon's mate, in the 43d Regiment of Foot, dated in September, 1763, his name was by some mistake, written Edward Tudor. As he had always disliked his name of Elihu, he always afterward wrote and drew his pension under the name of Edward, of Windsor, was born in that town, February 3d, 1732. He graduated from Yale College, where he was esteemed an excellent Greek scholar, in 1750, and studied medicine under the then famous Dr. Benjamin Gale of Killingworth. He entered the army service during the French war, probably in August, 1759, as Surgeon's mate, with the rank of a 2d lieutenant.* In this capacity he served with Gen. Wolfe in Canada, and at the capture of Havana. From 1762-1764 he seems to have lived in London, engaged in the hospitals and the active pursuit of his professional studies. Returning then to his native land, with a mind richly stored by research and observation, he established himself in practice at (East) Windsor. His first introduction to surgical practice, as we have been told, was on the occasion of the accidental blowing up of the Hartford School-house, on the 8th of June, 1766, on the day of rejoicing for the Repeal of the Stamp Act. The skill displayed by him in treating the sufferers by this deplorable accident, gave him an excellent start. In the following vear we find in the Connecticut Courant, under date of June 15, 1767, the following advertisement : "Doctor TUDOR, Lately from LONDON, Begs Leave to acquaint the Publick, that he sets out the 22d Instant, to visit the Mineral Springs at Stafford, in Connecticut, where he will be ready to give his Advice to those that choose to consult him in drinking the Waters." Upon the breaking out of the Revolutionary War, Doctor Tudor, who was a pensioner of the British government, and favorable to that cause,† fell under the suspicion of his neighbors at (East) Windsor. Indeed, a party once attempted to "ride him on a rail," but the cool determination of the doctor completely overawed them, and he met with no further annoyance. His popularity, however, visibly declined, and his practice, which was chiefly surgical, was, in his later days, not very extensive. His reputation as a surgeon was, at one time, equal, if not superior, to any in New England. In person, he was of medium height and upright form, nearsighted, always very neat in his dress, wearing ruffles, fine silver buckles, and a nosegay in his button-hole. He died in 1826, at the advanced age of 93." Previous to his death, in 1790, he received from Dartmouth College the degree of Doctor of Medicine, which in that day, was a compliment and honor, which can scarcely be appreciated in these days of indiscriminate diploma-giving. He was one of the founders and second Vice-President of the Connecticut Medical Society. DOCTOR PRIMUS was originally a slave, belonging to Doctor Alexander Wolcott, to whom he acted as escort and body-guard, in his visits to his numerous patients-and as an assistant in the preparation of medicines for the sick. "In this Primus and his master lived on for years, till it occurred to the latter that the old negro should be released from bondage. Primus was free, but he did not waste months in doubts respecting his future course. He immediately removed to the opposite bank of the river and was at once recognized as a doctor, and as such frequently employed. On one occasion he was requested to visit a sick child at Poquonnoc (in West Windsor). Primus obeyed the summons. On his way home he rapped at the door of his old master, who came out to inquire what was wanted. "Nothing particular, master; I called to say that I was sent for to see a child of our old neighbour; found it to be a very simple case, and said to the mother it was not necessary to * Barber's Hist. Col. Conn. p. 54. It is related that he used to have two tea-pots, one of which was filled with sage-tea-the other with real tea-which could be used according to the company he had at his table. It is said that the British Government, thinking the Doctor was stretching out his life to an unconscionable long length, actually sent an agent over to see "whether the old cuss was really alive!" It is a remarkable fact that very many of the pensioners of England, lived to such an advanced age as to induce suspicions on the part of the Home Government, that there was some trickery in the matter. |