Was the City Hospital in Fall River the same as the Fall River Hospital?
Phillips sounds like no, they were different. But postcards show the same building with either name on it.
City Hospital/ Fall River Hospital
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augusta
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FairhavenGuy
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According to Bristol County and its People, 1899, Fall River Hospital was established in 1885. (Bowen was on the staff.) The only other hospital listed in Fall River was Emergency Hospital, which was an adjunct of "The Home Training School for Nurses." It didn't begin until 1894 and was incorporated in 1896.
The only other hospitals in Bristol County at the time seem to be St. Luke's Hosital, New Bedford; Morton Hospital, Taunton; andTaunton Lunatic Hospital.
The only other hospitals in Bristol County at the time seem to be St. Luke's Hosital, New Bedford; Morton Hospital, Taunton; andTaunton Lunatic Hospital.
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Kat
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I have asked around and the Phillips History is correct.
From Phillips History of Fall River, Fascicle II, printed 1945, pg. 97:
“Hospitals
Fall River is perhaps as well equipped for hospitalization as any city of its size in the country. All of the hospitals are open for the use of the public.
The ‘City Hospital’ (The first city hospital was on city farm land near Brownell Street) on ‘The Highlands’ occupies land formerly a part of the poor farm. It provides separate buildings for a general hospital, for contagious diseases and for sufferers from tuberculosis. It is managed by a competent staff and is a credit to the city.
The Union Hospital was erected on the corner of Prospect and Hanover Streets in 1908 and merged two previously established institutions: the Fall River Hospital which occupied the Valentine estate on Prospect Street, founded in 1885 and the Emergency Hospital which was in a house where the ‘Women’s Union’ now stands.
The Truesdale Hospital is partially endowed and privately controlled. It had its beginning in the former First Baptist Church parsonage, now the Sacred Heart Church rectory, on the corner of Winter and Pine Streets. The modern plant on ‘The Highlands’ now covers several acres and has a national reputation. Two of Fall River’s most eminent surgeons, Dr. Philemon E. Truesdale and Dr. Ralph W. French, performed their operations here.
St. Anne’s Hospital, near the South Park, was dedicated Feb. 4, 1906 and is in charge of the Dominican Sisters.”
From Phillips History of Fall River, Fascicle II, printed 1945, pg. 97:
“Hospitals
Fall River is perhaps as well equipped for hospitalization as any city of its size in the country. All of the hospitals are open for the use of the public.
The ‘City Hospital’ (The first city hospital was on city farm land near Brownell Street) on ‘The Highlands’ occupies land formerly a part of the poor farm. It provides separate buildings for a general hospital, for contagious diseases and for sufferers from tuberculosis. It is managed by a competent staff and is a credit to the city.
The Union Hospital was erected on the corner of Prospect and Hanover Streets in 1908 and merged two previously established institutions: the Fall River Hospital which occupied the Valentine estate on Prospect Street, founded in 1885 and the Emergency Hospital which was in a house where the ‘Women’s Union’ now stands.
The Truesdale Hospital is partially endowed and privately controlled. It had its beginning in the former First Baptist Church parsonage, now the Sacred Heart Church rectory, on the corner of Winter and Pine Streets. The modern plant on ‘The Highlands’ now covers several acres and has a national reputation. Two of Fall River’s most eminent surgeons, Dr. Philemon E. Truesdale and Dr. Ralph W. French, performed their operations here.
St. Anne’s Hospital, near the South Park, was dedicated Feb. 4, 1906 and is in charge of the Dominican Sisters.”
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augusta
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Thank you, Kat and Fairhaven Guy. Bill U turned me on to another source also - Rob Lewis's (Images of America series) "Fall River".
On page 31, there's a photo of the postcards I have, one of which incorrectly calls City Hospital by the name of Fall River Hospital. Gee, I wonder if the value of that goes up now?
On the next page, 32, there is Fall River Hospital, right where Kat and Arhtur Phillips say it was before it became Union Hospital after merging with another.
Here is a good summation of Fall River Hospital from Rebello, page 16: "It was in 1891 that the name 'Hospital of the Good Samaritan' was adapted for what was then known as the 'Hospital Building' on Prospect Street or the 'Fall River Hospital'." Bowen served there. The Fall River Hospital was founded in 1885.
Dr. Bowen was on staff at the Fall River Hospital from its origin. He was a trustee at the State Farm at Bridgewater(Mass).
What was the State Farm in Bridgewater? A mental hospital? A sort of prison?
Dr. Bowen was City Physician from 1872 - 1874. (From Rebello, in Dr. Bowen's profile.)
Wow - we really had to dig to find that answer. When they said "City Hospital", I assumed it was another name for "Fall River Hospital".
Fairhaven Guy: I would think there were more hospitals in Fall River than the ones you found in the 1899 directory. But with there being mergers and some being known by a second name, it makes it difficult to sort them out. (BTW, if you really are from Fairhaven, I have to say it is a gorgeous area of the country. All of those Lizzie towns are. I used to just go to Fall River, but last year branched out and visited the other Lizzie towns. I was thrilled! I never realized how beautiful Marion was. Or New Bedford! My husband got really lost in New Bedford, and I just kept saying, "Oh, don't worry about it. You'll find the road back soon." And he didn't! And I loved it! I got this fantastic drive thru probably 99% of New Bedford, heh heh heh.)
On page 31, there's a photo of the postcards I have, one of which incorrectly calls City Hospital by the name of Fall River Hospital. Gee, I wonder if the value of that goes up now?
On the next page, 32, there is Fall River Hospital, right where Kat and Arhtur Phillips say it was before it became Union Hospital after merging with another.
Here is a good summation of Fall River Hospital from Rebello, page 16: "It was in 1891 that the name 'Hospital of the Good Samaritan' was adapted for what was then known as the 'Hospital Building' on Prospect Street or the 'Fall River Hospital'." Bowen served there. The Fall River Hospital was founded in 1885.
Dr. Bowen was on staff at the Fall River Hospital from its origin. He was a trustee at the State Farm at Bridgewater(Mass).
What was the State Farm in Bridgewater? A mental hospital? A sort of prison?
Dr. Bowen was City Physician from 1872 - 1874. (From Rebello, in Dr. Bowen's profile.)
Wow - we really had to dig to find that answer. When they said "City Hospital", I assumed it was another name for "Fall River Hospital".
Fairhaven Guy: I would think there were more hospitals in Fall River than the ones you found in the 1899 directory. But with there being mergers and some being known by a second name, it makes it difficult to sort them out. (BTW, if you really are from Fairhaven, I have to say it is a gorgeous area of the country. All of those Lizzie towns are. I used to just go to Fall River, but last year branched out and visited the other Lizzie towns. I was thrilled! I never realized how beautiful Marion was. Or New Bedford! My husband got really lost in New Bedford, and I just kept saying, "Oh, don't worry about it. You'll find the road back soon." And he didn't! And I loved it! I got this fantastic drive thru probably 99% of New Bedford, heh heh heh.)
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FairhavenGuy
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Yes, Augusta, I really am from the beautiful town of Fairhaven, MA.
It's odd there is no mention of "City Hospital" in this book. Not only does it have a 220-page history of Fall River, but also a twenty-page chapter called "The Medical Profession in Bristol County." This chapter includes early doctors settling in the county during the 1700s, the establishment of all the medical societies, including membership lists, and a capsule history of each of the hospitals. There's even a section on homeopathy.
It lists Seabury W. Bowen joining the Bristol South District Medical Society in 1867 and as vice-president of the Fall River Medical Society in 1894. "In November, 1897, the society occupied new and larger rooms in the A.J. Borden building."
Yet no mention whatsoever of "City Hospital."
Weird.
Incidentally, Fall River Hospital and Emergency Hospital merged to form nion Hospital. Union later merged with Truesdale Clinic and still later became part of Charlton Memorial Hospital. In 1996, Charlton in Fall River, St. Luke's in New Bedford and Tobey in Wareham all merged to form the Southcoast Hospitals Group.
It's odd there is no mention of "City Hospital" in this book. Not only does it have a 220-page history of Fall River, but also a twenty-page chapter called "The Medical Profession in Bristol County." This chapter includes early doctors settling in the county during the 1700s, the establishment of all the medical societies, including membership lists, and a capsule history of each of the hospitals. There's even a section on homeopathy.
It lists Seabury W. Bowen joining the Bristol South District Medical Society in 1867 and as vice-president of the Fall River Medical Society in 1894. "In November, 1897, the society occupied new and larger rooms in the A.J. Borden building."
Yet no mention whatsoever of "City Hospital."
Weird.
Incidentally, Fall River Hospital and Emergency Hospital merged to form nion Hospital. Union later merged with Truesdale Clinic and still later became part of Charlton Memorial Hospital. In 1996, Charlton in Fall River, St. Luke's in New Bedford and Tobey in Wareham all merged to form the Southcoast Hospitals Group.
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augusta
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I think I read that recently, Kat - that the contagious disease cases were there. Thanks.
Wow - you lucky guy, Fairhaven Guy! To actually live there. I hope you enjoy it.
Now how can such a huge book like you have have left out "City Hospital"? Maybe it went by another name. (I'm not trying to start this up again, but "City Hospital" is such a basic name - maybe people back then called it by other names too. That is one reason why I thought it could have been also referred to as 'FR Hospital'. But it's firmly established the two were different hospitals.)
Thank you for the additional information on Dr. Bowen from your book, Fairhaven Guy. I am always looking for more information about Dr. Bowen. There is hardly anything out there.
Gee, I'd like to get a copy of that. I'll keep a note on its title and hope it pops up on ebay some day.
Wow - you lucky guy, Fairhaven Guy! To actually live there. I hope you enjoy it.
Now how can such a huge book like you have have left out "City Hospital"? Maybe it went by another name. (I'm not trying to start this up again, but "City Hospital" is such a basic name - maybe people back then called it by other names too. That is one reason why I thought it could have been also referred to as 'FR Hospital'. But it's firmly established the two were different hospitals.)
Thank you for the additional information on Dr. Bowen from your book, Fairhaven Guy. I am always looking for more information about Dr. Bowen. There is hardly anything out there.
Gee, I'd like to get a copy of that. I'll keep a note on its title and hope it pops up on ebay some day.
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FairhavenGuy
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Augusta, the full title of the book is Our County and its People, a Descriptive and Biographical Record of Bristol County, Massachusetts, The Boston History Co., Boston, MA, 1899.
It's one of those 700 or 800 page leatherbound monsters. It was given to me by a dentist who said he'd paid about $400 for it online. He copied out his family info and then gave the book to me!
Here's Bowen's bio from the book. I posted this on the old forum with several other bios. It in the newest section of the fourm archives.
Bowen, Seabury, physician and surgeon, was born in Attleborough, Mass., July 22, 1840, a son of Benjamin and Leafa (Clafflin) Bowen. He obtained his preparatory education in Attleborough Academy, entered Brown University in 1860, was graduated A.B. in 1864, and received the degree of A.M. from his alma mater three years later. He was graduated from Bellevue Hospital Medical College in New York city in 1867, and the same year located in Fall River, where he has since practiced his profession with success. Mr. Bowen is a member of the Fall River Medical Society; Bristol County Medical Society and Massachusetts Medical Society. He has been on the medical staff of the Fall River Hospital since its origin. In 1871 he married Phoebe V. Miller, daughter of Southard H. and Esther G. Miller of Fall River, and they have one daughter, Florence G. Dr. Bowen served as trustee of the State Workhouse at Bridgewater for several years. He has also held the office of city physician of Fall River.
It's one of those 700 or 800 page leatherbound monsters. It was given to me by a dentist who said he'd paid about $400 for it online. He copied out his family info and then gave the book to me!
Here's Bowen's bio from the book. I posted this on the old forum with several other bios. It in the newest section of the fourm archives.
Bowen, Seabury, physician and surgeon, was born in Attleborough, Mass., July 22, 1840, a son of Benjamin and Leafa (Clafflin) Bowen. He obtained his preparatory education in Attleborough Academy, entered Brown University in 1860, was graduated A.B. in 1864, and received the degree of A.M. from his alma mater three years later. He was graduated from Bellevue Hospital Medical College in New York city in 1867, and the same year located in Fall River, where he has since practiced his profession with success. Mr. Bowen is a member of the Fall River Medical Society; Bristol County Medical Society and Massachusetts Medical Society. He has been on the medical staff of the Fall River Hospital since its origin. In 1871 he married Phoebe V. Miller, daughter of Southard H. and Esther G. Miller of Fall River, and they have one daughter, Florence G. Dr. Bowen served as trustee of the State Workhouse at Bridgewater for several years. He has also held the office of city physician of Fall River.
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augusta
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Dr. Bowen and his wife had one child: Florence, who married Horace Hathaway. I have not read that Florence and Horace had any children. I think the FRHS told me Dr. Bowen's direct lineage died out when Florence passed away.
I recently came across some other male Bowen names. I'll look for them and post them and see if maybe we can see if they are siblings or uncles or some other relation. The name Bowen is plentiful in the FR area.
I wonder if writing a few letters to these current-day Bowens, asking if they are any relation to Dr. Seabury, would be a good idea? I did hear that there are some private family papers out there somewhere sitting with possibly one of the relatives.
THANK YOU for the info on Dr. Bowen in your book, Fairhaven Guy! I didn't know what prep school he went to. You also provided me with another name for that State Farm at Bridgewater. I still don't know what they did there, but it's more than I had.
You got that book for FREE??? You are beyond lucky - you are truly blessed.
I recently came across some other male Bowen names. I'll look for them and post them and see if maybe we can see if they are siblings or uncles or some other relation. The name Bowen is plentiful in the FR area.
I wonder if writing a few letters to these current-day Bowens, asking if they are any relation to Dr. Seabury, would be a good idea? I did hear that there are some private family papers out there somewhere sitting with possibly one of the relatives.
THANK YOU for the info on Dr. Bowen in your book, Fairhaven Guy! I didn't know what prep school he went to. You also provided me with another name for that State Farm at Bridgewater. I still don't know what they did there, but it's more than I had.
You got that book for FREE??? You are beyond lucky - you are truly blessed.