Essex County, New Jersey Obituaries

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Essex County, New Jersey Obituaries

DR. ISAAC D. DODD.
DR. DODD was born near Utica, New York, in 1799 ; was educated in Newark, attended lectures in Philadelphia, and studied medicine with Dr. Joseph S. Dodd, of Bloomfield. After securing his license he removed to Chester, Orange County, New York, where he had a large practice for ten or fifteen years, and enjoyed the friendship and patronage of Hon. William H. Seward, and the other leading people of that section. In 1838 he returned to Bloomfield, and remained there the balance of his life. He was a man of great physical power and imposing appearance, and on account of his great size was familiarly spoken of as the " big doctor." He died at Bloomfield on the 25th of October, 1869. [Source: Transactions of the Medical Society of New Jersey By Medical Society of New Jersey; 1868. Newark, N.J.; Printed at the Evening Courier Office, 309 Broad St. 1868, pg. 93, submitted by Michelle Byrd]

Capt. Benjamin Douglas - died, Bloomfield, N.J., December, 1882. [1843 Chicago City Directory, reprinted in 1896, submitted by K. Torp]

DR. TIMOTHY KITCHELL
BY H. P. GEIB, M. D.
DR. TIMOTHY KITCHELL was born at Whippany, N. J., in the year 1798.
He commenced the study of Medicine at the age of 21 years, in the office of Dr. Darcy. He received license to practice from the Medical Society of New Jersey, and entered into partnership with Dr. Darcy, continuing with him until the latter left Whippany to practice in the city of Newark. Dr. Kitchell was remarkable for the energy and activity he displayed in the practice of his profession. Practicing for forty-one years in a region of country not very densely populated, and extending over a large territory, from Morris Plains to the Orange Mountains, he was noted for his untiring industry, and for the promptness with which he answered the many calls made upon him. In personal appearance he was plain; quiet and modest in manner ; and was what might be called a true representative of a country physician, never making a display of talent or performing one act for the purpose of increasing his popularity.
In his intercourse with his professional brethren he was noted for his strict adherence to the rules of medical etiquette, always kind and courteous in manner to any of them. He served one term in our State Legislature, with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents, by whom he was again nominated, but refused to accept it. For one year previous to his death he suffered considerably from ill health ; but still continued to discharge the duties of his profession until a few days before his death, which occurred on the 6th day of August, 1869. The immediate cause of death was Uremia. His funeral was attended by the largest number of people ever assembled together at one time in this place. WHIPPANY, May, 1870. [Source: Transactions of the Medical Society of New Jersey By Medical Society of New Jersey; 1868. Newark, N.J.; Printed at the Evening Courier Office, 309 Broad St. 1868, pg. 88-89, submitted by Michelle Byrd]

Gen. Geo. Brinton McClellan - died, St. Cloud, Orange Mountain, N.J., October 28, 1885, aged 59. [1843 Chicago City Directory, reprinted in 1896, submitted by K. Torp]

Died. Michael J. Walker, 48, father of Edwin ("Mickey") Walker, world's champion welterweight pugilist; of heart disease, in Newark. [Time Magazine, Monday, May 5, 1924, submitted by K. Torp]

SAMUEL LAWRENCE WARD, M. D.
BY HIS SON, ARTHUR WARD, II. D., OF NEWARK.
DR. WARD, so long the indefatigable physician of Belleville, was a descendant, in the fifth generation, of John Ward, nephew of Deacon Lawrence Ward, both of whom were among the original settlers of Newark, from Branford, Connecticut.
He was born in Bloomfield, New Jersey, in 1791, and died in Belleville in 1869. He was the tenth of twelve children of Samuel Ward and Margaret Farrand. His early advantages of education were very limited. His father, though well to do, was not wealthy, and nearly if not quite all his academic instruction was obtained in the village school. He entered but never graduated from College.
His taste and early genius tended to mechanics, but there were those of his friends, among them his mother, who thought they saw in him a capacity for greater usefulness in the pursuit of medicine-and the long and useful life, now worn out in the practice, is the evidence both of their correct estimation of him, and of his native adaptation to it. He pursued his medical studies partly in Newark, in the office of Dr. Lee, and partly in New York, in the office of Dr. Seaman, and graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons. Soon after receiving his license he travelled, in search of a location, on horseback, as far as Zanesville in Ohio, then almost a wilderness, and being pleased, proposed to settle there, but he was over-persuaded by friends, and returning, settled for a year in Newark, thence he removed to Belleville, upon the death of Dr. Steel, and continued there to practice almost to the very day of his death-a period of nearly fifty years.
Dr. WARD seemed born a physician. There was in him a gentleness, coupled with firmness, and an unquenchable desire to alleviate human suffering, which, when developed, of necessity made him a martyr to his profession. With a constitution never rugged, he continued the ever arduous duties of a country practice, at all seasons, by night and day, ever ready to deny himself even necessary recreation, if duty called for the comfort or relief of others. His calling, with him, was not a business, else he had been wealthy; it was the unselfish desire to relieve human woe, or to make the approach of death less insufferable, at any cost to himself of time, or money, or effort.
He died of his profession-no specific disease was evident, only the gradual decline of tired nature. He was complaining and feeble for months, but was confined to his bed only a very few days, and then he quietly "slept." In social life, DR. WARD had that genial spirit which made old and young his friends. Modest, almost to a fault, and unconscious of his own value to others, he made every one feel happy in his presence.
He was a true patriot - a friend of learning - a student and ardent lover of nature - and a sincere and honest friend to all. He held the character of others sacred, and. allowed no words of detraction concerning absent acquaintances, and a mean or selfish act he detested beyond expression. In early life he united with the Presbyterian church in Bloomfield, and for many years previous to his death held the office of Elder in the Reformed church in Belleville.
His death was a beautiful closing of a valuable life. His last wish was accomplished in the consciousness that "God's ways were perfect." He had reached-not without a struggle-that abiding assurance whereby the last doubt had vanished and Death had no sting. His own words were, " My work is done-I am only waiting to be taken home." He died peacefully, June 14th, 1869. [Source: Transactions of the Medical Society of New Jersey By Medical Society of New Jersey; 1868. Newark, N.J.; Printed at the Evening Courier Office, 309 Broad St. 1868, pg. 87-88, submitted by Michelle Byrd]