The list details members of the Saybrook Volunteer detachments, including recruits and substitutes, with their service dates and outcomes using standard abbreviations. It includes information on discharges, promotions, injuries, and deaths among the volunteers.
The Middlesex County Medical Society was established in 1792, reflecting the evolving medical landscape of the area. Pioneering figures like Dr. Jared Eliot and Dr. Benjamin Gale laid crucial foundations for medical education and practice. As private teaching replaced formal education, physicians adapted to rising healthcare demands, notably through practices like inoculation. The region’s early physicians, primarily self-taught, played a vital role in establishing standards and progression in medicine during an era with minimal institutional support. This article provides brief biographical sketches of many of the pioneering doctors of Middlesex County.
Dr. Richard Ely, born in 1765 in North Bristol, graduated from Yale in 1785 and studied medicine under Dr. John Noyes. He practiced in several locations including Killingworth, Wilbraham, and Centerbrook before settling in Chester in 1805. Ely received an honorary M.D. from Yale and served as treasurer for the State Medical Society. He was highly regarded in his field, being elected a Fellow multiple times. His life ended in 1816 due to fever from overwork, leaving behind a legacy of dedication and respect in the medical community.
Middlesex County was established in 1785, originally comprising six towns from Hartford and New London counties, later expanding to fifteen towns, with Durham joining in 1799. The county features a varied landscape, including hills and the Connecticut River, which provides water power for mills. Historically rich in timber and fish, wildlife has significantly diminished due to human activity. The original forests, primarily oak and walnut, have mostly vanished, with only a small growth remaining. Various animals have also disappeared, leading to a dramatic change in the region’s ecology over time.
The early settlers of Middlesex County, primarily of English descent, began establishing towns in the mid-17th century under harsh conditions. Many were motivated by the desire for religious freedom, facing poverty and threats from Indigenous peoples. While slavery existed in the region, it was characterized by relatively humane treatment. These settlers demonstrated remarkable resilience, maintaining strict religious practices and communal bonds. They lived simply, valuing hard work, frugality, and education while fostering a culture that led to their children inheriting strength and adaptability, despite the challenging environment.
The pursuit of the Pequot tribe by early colonists led to the establishment of New Haven in 1638, by leaders like Mr. Eaton and Mr. Davenport. In 1639, free planters in Hartford adopted the first constitution in the New World, emphasizing civil and religious governance. This decade saw various other towns founded, and Connecticut’s government evolved, including the adoption of “blue laws” prescribing severe punishments for certain offenses. The colonies eventually formed the “United Colonies of New England” for mutual defense, as tensions with the Dutch in New Netherland grew.