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Some Early Medical History of
the Upper Desplaines Valley,
Illinois
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CLARENCE A. EARLE, Ph.B., M.D. bU»* f ^f
Des Plaines,
SOME EARLY MEDICAL HISTORY
OF THE UPPER DESPLAINES
VALLEY, ILLINOIS
Clarence A. Earle, Ph. B., M. D.
DESPLAINES, ILLINOIS
Many years ago I beigan collecting
everything I could that had any
bearing upon the early history of
the locality in which I live, a limited
part of the region of the upper Des
Plaines Valley. It has resulted in the
assemblage of many old photos and
daguerrotypes, many monographs,
contracts, deeds, passports, receipts,
bills, and very many old letters or
copies of letters dating back to 1833.
A judge in the state of Washington
who had lived here wrote me several
hundred pages of early history. Ob-
viously the subject matter of this
paper is but an incident in the major
research that has engaged my atten-
tion.
To me the collecting of early local
history has been an intriguing pas-
time. I have unearthed interesting
records from old attic trunks, from
boxes in the lofts of out-houses,
corn-cribs and garages. In the quest
for early local history the word "fail-
ure" does not exist.
Robt. Collyer, the Unitarian preach-
er, published a biography of A. H.
Conant who had resided two miles
north of where I now live. Collyer
quoted extensively from a diary that
Conant had kept while living here.
This diary contained almost daily
entries from 1836 to 1841. The idea
of getting this record possessed me.
Conant moved from Des Plaines to
Geneva. A visit there netted me a
copy of Collyer's book but no diary.
Conant enlisted as Chaplain of the
19th Illinois from Rockford, and died
immediately after the battle of Stone
River. At my first visit to Rockford
I secured some daguerrotypes and
many of Conant's war letters and ser-
mons, but no diary. On my second
visit to Rockford, I learned that when
Conant's daughter went West she had
left her household effects in the loft
of a garage. I went through every-
thing there, but still no diary. I
returned home discouraged but un-
deterred.
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On a third trip, I scoured the loft
again but found nothing. Discour-
aged, I came downstairs and a boy
repairing a car, pointed to a large
box. Lifting an old oil painting, there
was the leather bound diary in a per-
fect state of preservation! I turned
this diary over to the Chicago His-
torical Society. They very kindly
made me a copy. It might be inter-
esting to you to learn that this same
A. H. Conant read a paper at the first
meeting of the Chicago Historical
Society. I dug out three letters in
a little town in Washington that con-
firms this statement.
I am free to say that the training
of a medical man is and should be
the best possible preparation for one
engaged in collecting local history.
A medical man's status and his posi-
tion in society gives him a distinct
advantage over commercial makers
of county histories. It goes without
saying that he who does not hesitate
to inquire into the venereal history
of a person would not hesitate to
peer into skeleton closets of the past.
I wanted information as to the life
of an early school teacher who later
had killed a man in Minnesota. I
located his wife in Connecticut. I
wrote her and asked her for her hus-
band's photo. She said I must be
mistaken in the person, and of course
she couldn't do anything for me. Be-
fore I got through, I not only got his
history and his photo, but also her
photograph.
I once made a trip to Northern
Wisconsin to interview another pio-
neer school teacher. I rang the door
bell. A highly neurotic daughter
opened the door rather gingerly. To
her, I announced my mission. She
said her mother was an invalid, and
had recently had a stroke and could
not see anyone. I told her that I
was a physician and I would see to
it that no damage would result. She
at once admitted me. I spent a very
pleasant hour with the old lady,
showed her a lot of photographs of
her childhood friends and left her
and her daughter in a happy mood,
after I had gotten ivhat I wanted.
It has happened several times that
I have been able to trade a little
professional advice for a lot of early
history.
In every age a few are born before
their time. No one knows whethetr
these anticipations are intuitive or
philosophic. These few seem to un-
derstand the inadequacy of present
day conditions and are able to visual-
ize those needs of the future that
the slow process of evolution takes
years to bring about. Such a one
was Dr. John A. Kennicott. He was
born January 5 1802, in Montgomery
county, (now Fulton county; , New
York, and died June 4, 1863, at The
Grove, Northfield Township, Illinois.
His paternal ancestors descended
from Roger Kennicott who came from
Devonshire in 1660, and settled in
Maiden, Mass. Three of his lineal
descendants were named John. The
fourth, named Jonathan, was the
father of Dr. Kennicott. All had
large families, of from six to fifteen
children. This Jonathan married
Jane McMillan, descendant of a wide-
ly known Jacobite family. They
moved from Massachusetts to New
York at an early date and had fifteen
children.
The second child is the subject of
this sketch. As a child he worked
on the farm and orchard. According
to his own statement, he attended
primary school only thirty days.
About 1823, he went to Buffalo where
he studied medicine, taught district
school, clerked in a drug store, and
some of the time taking lectures at
the medical college at Fairfield, New
York, where he got his medical de-
gree in 1826.
It may be interesting to learn
something of this medical college
located in the wilds of central New
York in a village that in 1861 had
but 300 inhabitants.
Fairfield Academy must have been
organized in the late eighteenth cen-
tury. In 1808, Fairfield Medical
College was made an adjunct to Fair-
field Academy. This institution was
called also the College of Physicians
and Surgeons of the Westejrn District
of New York. In 1810 the Legislature
granted the college $5,000, which had
been the proceeds of a lottery. Feuds
and jealousies among the Professors
hindered the college's organization.
However, at one) time Fairfield stood
next to the University of Pennsyl-
vania in number of students. In 1820
an act of Legislature gave to Fair-
field Medical College for dissection,
the unclaimed bodies of the Auburn
prison. Organization of the Geneva
Medical College in 1835 and of the
Albany Medical College in 1838 cut
into the attendance of the Fairfield
school to such an extent that with
the session of 1839-40, it closed its
doors. Not however until many dis-
tinguished men either had taught in
or attended this school. Three of the
Hadleys and Asa Gray attended Fair-
field. Dr. N. S. Davis, Sr., was an
alumnus.
It is altogether likely that Dr.
Kennicott took up medicine mainly
as a livelihood. Later in life he seems
to have looked at it as a cultural
study. In a letter in 1857 to his son,
Charles, who was attending school in
Buffalo, Dr. Kennicott writes, "It
might not be amiss for you to accept
the offer of your friends in Rush
Medical College to attend a full course
there some winter as a part of a good
education for a pomologist, or rather
a horticulturist. I think a course at
Rush would be both pleasant and
profitable. I enjoyed the study of
medicine very much." Immediately
after graduation Dr. Kennicott wrote
for the pres-s in Buffalo and lectured
on botany. He practiced medicine on
the Welland Canal. In 1828 Dr. Ken-
nicott visited Detroit, Mich., Sandus-
ky, Columbus, and Cincinnati, Ohio;
Louisville, Ky., and Natchez, Tenn.;
spending some time at each place in
botanizing. He lectured and practiced
medicine near Jackson, Mississippi,
for a while; after which he located
in New Orleans, La. In 1830 Dr. Ken-
nicott married Mary Shutts Ransom
in Buffalo. In New Orleans, he was
for a time principal of a primary
school. He had charge of a male or-
phanage for one year. He is credited
with having published the first lit-
erary, scientific and religious journal
in New Orleans. This was called the
"Louisiana Recorder."
In 1834 or 1835 Dr. Kennicott's
father and brothers took up land 18
miles Northwest of Chicago on the
stage route to Wisconsin, which is
now Milwaukee Ave. This is un-
doubtedly why in 1836 Dr. Kennicott
came to Cook County. At this time
there were two other doctors in this
locality; Dr. Silas Meacham, a lineal
descendant of Miles Standish, and Dr.
Fred Miner. Dr. Miner's father,
Aaron, came with him from Vermont.
He was a Revolutionary soldier, who
died in Elk Grove, Cook County, in
1848, and was buried there. Eli Skin-
ner, another soldier of the Revolu-
tion, came to this Yankee settlement
and was buried in the same cemetery.
Of the three Revolutionary soldiers
who are known to be buried in Cook
County, the remains of two lie in this
little country burying ground about
five miles west of Des Plaines. The
third, the renowned David Kennison,
was buried in Lincoln Park.
Although it is more than 150 years
since the close of the war of the Re-
volution, there is still living, at this
writing, one real son of that war, —
William Constant Wheeler of Marsh-
field, Vermont. His father enlisted
in 1780 when fourteen years of age
and, when 76 years old, he married
for the third time, and became the
father of two children. William Con-
stant is now 87 years old and in good
health.
As soon as Dr. Kennicott got his
log house up he started in the active
practice of medicine. His daughter
told me that his rides took him as
far north as Waukegan and as far
south as Elgin. Some of the time he
had five horses.
It has been difficult to learn much
definite data of Dr. Kennicott's treat-
ment of diseases. I have been in-
formed that he did not believe much
in emetics nor in blood letting;
though he bled a younger brother
three times who had meningitis. Mer-
cury in the form of calomel, and mer-
cury with chalk were common reme-
dies for nearly everything. His
daughter told me he treated diph-
theria by cauterizing the throat with
silver nitrate stick. The medicine
case of the early doctor smelled
strongly of rhubarb. He did only
minor emergency surgery. He usual-
ly called in either Dr. Brainard or
Dr. Freer for help. I have been un-
able to learn that he ever attended a
medical meeting; yet he kept in con-
tact with the best medical men of
Chicago; Brainard, Freer, Herrick,
Blaney and others.
Dr. Kennicott had made few profes-
sional calls when he began to plant
trees, shrubs and flowers, particularly
fruit trees. Early in the forties he
started the Kennicott nurseries, pro-
bably the first in northern Illinois. A
company still operates under that
name. It is conceded that no one did
more for fruit culture in the west
than did Dr. Kennicott. He became the
horticultural editor of the "Prairie
Farmer" and, for a time, its editor.
He was president of the Illinois State
Horticultural Society, and secretary
of the State Agricultural Society. He
edited the first two volumes of this
organization. He was the first presi-
dent of the American Pomological So-
ciety which met in 1848. He seems
to have been on intimate terms with
many of the leading scientists, such
as Kirtland of Cleveland, Latham of
Milwaukee, Thomas and the two
Downings of New York, and the thun-
dering J. B. Turner of Jacksonville.
Few did more than Dr. Kennicott to
secure the final establishment of the
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. It is said
that Zachary Taylor promised Kenni-
cott that he would organize a separate
Department of Agriculture if elected.
Taylor's untimely death prevented
this. Dr. Kennicott's name was prom-
inently mentioned, even in eastern
papers, as the logical head of this
cabinet position, should it be organ-
ized.
Dr. Kennicott was a busy country
doctor, and his editorial and agricul-
tural society connections must have
taken much of his time. What I be-
lieve to have been his greatest work,
was what he did for real education in
this country. Here was a great coun-
try with unlimited possibilities for
agricultural and industrial develop-
ment, yet about all that the colleges
turned out were preachers and classi-
cal graduates. As late as 1850 Turner
said that there were 269 classical
schools in the U. S. and not one agri-
cultural school worthy of the name,
although the vast majority of people
were farmers.
A letter written in 1838 by my
father, who was attending an academy
in Vermont, states that he "is study-
ing Greek, Latin and French," and
apparently not taking English. While
the classics are not stressed as much
as formerly, in my opinion more time
in school should be given to the study
of English, of modern languages and
of natural sciences. I was a member
of a High School Board for twenty-
two years. I recall with dismay a
farmer boy who, through the advice
of a classically trained principal,
studied Latin four years. For four
years this boy walked three miles
night and morning, putting in one
fourth of his time to a study that
touch his daily life less than a falling
star. Intrenched behind the prac-
tices and traditions of ages, coupled
with the greed, envy and jealousy of
sectarianism, the academies and col-
leges of the day presented a formida-
ble obstacle to the establishment of
any but classical schools. Though
many undoubtedly recognized the in-
adequacy of scholastic education, few
bad the temerity to defend a more
useful training. Of those who fought
for the newer education, the name
of the impoverished but militant
Jonathan B. Turner outshines all the
rest.
At that memorable Farmers' Con-
vention meeting at Granville, Illinois,
in September 1851, Turner suggested
the plan of an industrial University
in each state. The following March
Turner announced for the first time
the idea of national grants of land
for the foundation and support of
State Industrial Universities. It took
eleven years to get this idea through
Congress under what is known as
The Morrill Bill.
This eleven year period of gestation
that it took to enact this legislation
was a stormy period. Into the fight,
the enthusiastic Dr. Kennicott threw
the full force of his persuasive per-
sonality and energy. His trenchant
pen never dried, in his advocacy of
the newer education. Several con-
ventions were called in Illinois to dis-
cuss the merits of this new idea. Dr.
Kennicott was a most prominent and
influential member as well as the
chairman of most of the meetings.
The Illinois Legislature was influ-
enced to memoralize Congress. All
over the country papers took up the
"Illinois Idea" as did many legisla-
tures. Dr. Kennicott spent much time
lobbying in Springfield while the
legislature was in session. On one
such trip he had to borrow money
from the governor to pay his bills
and to buy a ticket home!
In 1857 Senator Morrill introduced
this Land Grant Bill into the Senate.
Kennicott made trips to Washington
in the interest of this bill. I have
records of his interviews with the
log rolling, selfish members of Con-
gress. Buchanan vetoed the bill. It
finally became a law when Lincoln
signed the act in 186:.'.
Sixty-nine colleges and universities
have been benefited by this act of
Congress. I have given some of the
history of this legislation, first, be-
cause in my opinion, next to the act
of 1787, this Land Grant Act stands
as the greatest potential stroke for
education ever enacted. Second,
though the concrete idea was sug-
gested by Turner and introduced into
Congress by Morrill, its final enact-
ment in my opinion was in a large
measure due to that persistent, in-
domitable country doctor, John A.
Kennicott.
In politics Dr. Kennicott was a
Whig. In religion he was a liberal.
There are no records that he ever
attended church. Robert Collyer, the
Unitarian preacher, officiated at an
early funeral of one of the family.
Dr. Kennicott was the father of five
boys and two girls. All have passed
away. It was my pleasure to know
all except the two older boys. Kenni-
( iitt's most noted child was Robert,
a distinguished naturalist. The his-
tory of the classification of the fauna
of this country can never be com-
plete without mention of his work.
Dr. Kennicott was not above five
feet five inches in height, and was
very stoop shouldered. His face was
seamed with deep lines. His eyes
beamed with expression and flashed
with each new thought. In any as-
semblage he would attract attention.
He had the gift of friendliness and
hospitality, but when occasion arose
he could be a doughty opponent. He
loved youth and youth turned to him
with intuitive trust. He fought many
battles for causes and for friends,
but never for his own advantage.
Geniality was one of his most marked
characteristics. This is evident even
in his grandchildren. Dr. Kennicott
was a loyal friend. His innate cour-
tesy and charm of manner made "him
approachable by all whom he chanced
to meet. He had traveled much.
He attended many public gatherings
in his own state, and in other states.
His home was a meeting place for
leaders in the natural sciences and
in medicine. His procedures were
direct. He was as transparent as a
child. There never was a doubt as
to his convictions, and he hated
double-dealing in others. The selfish
ax-grinding politicians excited Dr.
Kennicott's unmitigated disgust. He
was an idealist who pursued realism.
Literally Dr. Kennicott died in his
boots. Powells history states that "a
call was issued during the latter part
of May, 1863, for the Sixth Industrial
Convention to meet in Springfield, on
June 9, 1863. This call was signed
by twelve well known leaders, headed
by the enthusiastic Dr. Kennicott."
But the "Old Doctor" was not there
to answer the call. He had passed
away on June 4. On May 23, 1863,
eleven days before his death, Dr.
Kennicott wrote to his old friend Col.
Hodge of Buffalo. Probably this was
the last letter Kennicott ever wrote.
It is so expressive that I shall give
it:
"My dear old Friend: Are you still
alive? I still live but scarcely
breathe. For two months I have
been at death's door with laryngitis
complicafed with heart disease, etc.
and lately with rheumatic pains in
the chest. Dr. Freer attended me
first and I expect him and Dr. Brain-
ard out tomorrow. It was thought I
could not live, as I breathe with
great difficulty, and often have to sit
up 20 hours in the 24, as I suffocate
if recumbent. The worst is I can't
eat nor exercise. I now write for
the first time in two weeks. I have
been up since half past three A.M.
I now write at six A.M. Very warm.
Let me hear from you. I may suffer
for this imprudence. But you and I
should not neglect each other while
we can hold a pen. I trust you do
not suffer as I have of late. I have
wished for death more than once, but
I don't want to die if I have any
chance of being comfortable again,
and I seem to stand a heap of killing.
Strange how much a man can live
through. God be with you."
"Your old friend the Old Doctor."
As lite years roll, as wealth in-
creases, as urbanization of the prair-
ies proceeds and the haunts of the
deer and other wild game are cut up
by miles of hard smooth roads, I see
a tendency to exaggerate the trials
and vexations of the Pioneer Country
Doctor. My father was a country
doctor. My own professional life in
a rural community reaches hack
nearly half a century. I have gone
through the horseback, the two-
wheeled carl, and the buggy age of a
country practice. Even so they were
safer if not pleasanter hours than I
now experience in going over the
same territory in my car. In the
early days I was summoned in per-
son by a messenger whom I knew. I
knew the people who desired my ser-
vices. If I had any money in my
pocket I never thought of leaving it
when called out at night. The Pio-
neer Doctor never feared being rob-
bed, kidnapped, or murdered when
making a night call. I might gel a
leg scratched riding along a hedge
row or my horse might stumble but
that was nothing compared to being
run into by a drunken driver nowa-
days. One could catch naps riding
behind a faithful horse. I never
dozed but once in my car. When I
awoke I was in a ditch. I do not
wish to minimize the hardships of
the Pioneer Country Doctor for they
were many. Nor do I desire to de-
tract from the halo of glory and
glamor that a generous posterity has
accorded him, but as I see it human
nature was the same in the early
days as now. The problems of life
were similar and are met today with
the same spirit of helpfulness and
earnestness of purpose — if not quite
the fortitude — as in the days of yore,
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