CHARLES DUTTON was born in
Wallingford, Connecticut, in 1777. He there studied
medicine with Dr. Jared Potter, a distinguished
physician, the grandfather of the late Dr. Jared
Potter Kirtland, of Poland, Ohio, and afterwards
of Cleveland. As the Western Reserve was opening up for
settlement and emigrants were moving there from Connecticut in
1801, Dr. Dutton, being then ready to commence
practice, determined to settle in the new country.
Turhand Kirtland, the father of Dr. J. P. Kirtland,
was a large proprietor of land in the Reserve, and agent for
other proprietors. From Old to New Connecticut was, then a
long and tedious journey of several weeks. Turhand
Kirtland, in April, 1801, was preparing to move a band of
emigrants from Wallingford, and had provided three four-horse
covered wagons filled with them and their goods ready for
starting. Dr. Kirtland then describes Dr.
Dutton's start for his future home in the West:
The Doctor, somewhat eccentric and peculiar in his ways
of thinking and acting, sprang upon the driver's seat of one of
these wagons, and, at that moment, his aged and widowed mother,
with eyes suffused with tears, and other relatives and friends
gathered around to bid him “farewell." He, without
noticing them, gathered up the reins, cracked his whip, and
started off his team, at the same time singing, in an elevated
strain, the chorus of "Jefferson and Liberty,” the political
song of that day: “Rejoice,
Columbia's sons, rejoice!
To tyrants never bend
your knee,
But join with heart, and soul and voice,
For Jefferson and
Liberty.”
The long journey being safely made,
the young doctor, as Youngstown was then a prominent place and
its prospects promising, selected it for his future residence,
and immediately commenced practice. In July, 1802, he
purchased a tract of two acres, fronting twenty rods on the
south line of West Federal street, a short distance east of
Spring common, for which he paid $200, and there erected a
log-house, and after wards a frame-house, in which he resided
during his life.
He soon became one of the leading citizens. In
July, 1803, he was appointed postmaster of Youngstown, being the
second who held the office, and continued the postmaster until
Mar. 9, 1818. A copy of the quarterly account from Oct. 1
to Dec. 31, 1817, was preserved among his papers, which, as
showing the amount of business of the office at that time, is
quite a curiosity, and also interesting historically. The
amount collected on letters was $35; on newspapers, $3.79;
total, $38.79. Postmaster's commission, $13.19, paid general
post-office, $25.60; total, $38.79. He was also occasionally
elected a township trustee, and to other township offices.
He became the owner of lands near the village and devoted much
attention to farming and stock raising, particularly to raising
mules. In later years he practiced his profession only
occasionally.
Dr. J. P. Kirtland, who visited Youngstown in
1811 and then made him a visit, speaks of him as the leading
physician and surgeon of the vicinity and sustaining a favorable
reputation in that capacity for energy and good judgment.
Another physician of eminence, who knew him well, in a brief
sketch of him says: “Dr. Dutton was regarded by
the medical men of the Reserve as an able man, a very good
surgeon for those days, and a successful physician; was thought
to be somewhat heroic in practice. He was a shrewd man,
possessing discriminating judgment, somewhat eccentric,
sometimes a little rough, very social, having a large share of
those kindly feelings which go into the make up of a good
physician, and I may add enter largely into the composition of a
good man.”
His wife, Cynthia Dutton, died Apr. 26,
1816, aged thirty-one years. They had one child, Jane,
who married Dr. Lemuel Wick, son of Henry Wick, an
early settler. She died some years since. Dr.
Wick died recently.
Dr. Dutton was again married, April 7,
1822, to Miss Cordelia Poole, of
Youngstown. He died in March, 1842. She survived him
a few years.
HENRY MANNING was born in
Lebanon, Connecticut, Jan. 15, 1787. His father was a
farmer, and his ancestors were among the earlier settlers of
Massachusetts. By the side of his
[Page 405] -
[Page 406] -
CHARLES C. COOK
TIMOTHY WOODBRIDGE
[Page 407] -
DR. WILLIAM L. BUECHNER
DR. OLIVER DWIGHT PAINE
[Page 408] -
DR. JOHN McCURDY
DR. C. N. FOWLER
DR. F. V. FLOOR
[PORTRAIT of JOHN R. HOLCOMB]
[Page 409] -
DR. JAMES F. WILSON
DR. JOHN S. CUNNINGHAM
DR. WILLIAM J. WHEELAN
[Page 410] -
DR. JOHN E. WOODBRIDGE
DR. ISAIAH BROTHERS
DR. M. S. CLARK
DR. BENJAMIN F. HAWN
[Page 411] -
DR. GEORGE S. PECK
M. L. DAVIS
GEORGE EDGAR ALLEN
DR. A. M. CLARK
[Page 412] -
DR. JOSEPH WILSON
THE MAHONING COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY
DENTAL SURGEONS.
DR. B. F. GIBBONS
[Page 413] -
DR. NATHAN B .ACHESON
DR. E. A. CLARKE
DR. F. S. WHITSLAR
[Page 414] -
C. A. BEARD
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