Dr. Richard Ely of Saybrook

Dr. Richard Ely was born in North Bristol, Guilford, now North Madison, in 1765, where his father of the same name was settled minister. He graduated at Yale in 1785, studied medicine with Dr. John Noyes of Lyme, who certified as follows:

“To all people to whom these lines shall come—Greeting:

Whereas, Dr. Richard Ely, of Saybrook, hath been liberally educated, and been a student with me in the theory and practice of medicines and surgery, and, whereas, said Ely hath made great improvement in the art of physics and surgery, he is well qualified for a practitioner in said arts. I do, therefore, recommend him as a safe, judicious, and able physician, and well qualified for the practice.

Lyme, June 9th, 1786.
John Noyes.”

Dr. Ely commenced practice in what is now Killingworth where he remained four years, when he removed to Wilbraham, Mass. He remained there about a year when he returned to Pautapaug, now Centerbrook, where his father was then settled. He remained there till 1805, when he removed to Chester. He received the honorary degree of M.D. from Yale College. He died in 1816 from a fever brought on by overwork and exposure. He had been treasurer of the State Medical Society three years, at the time of his death; he had been elected a Fellow 16 times in 24 years and was an active member of the society. He shared the confidence and respect of the profession and the public, in a large degree.

Source

Whittemore, Henry, History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, New York : J. B. Beers & Co., 1884.