The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-04-08
From the Salem Gazette.

DEATH OF DR.. HOLYoKE. The hearts
of all our citizens were saddened on Tues
day evening, March 81 by the tidings,
announced by the tolling of all our church
bells, that the viltuous, the eminent, and
the excellent EDWARD AUGUSTUS HoL-
YOKE, LII. D., the skillful Physician, the
learned Philosopher, the active Philanthro-
pist, and the good Man, had departed this
life at six O'Clock on that evening, in the
lOlst year of his age.
This beloved and venerated man was
born at Marblehead, in 1928. The house
in which he was born is still standing. He
was graduated at Harvard University, in
1746, and settled in this place in 1749,
where he has ever since, for period of so
years, resided, useful, beloved, and honor
ed. He was married the first time, in 1855.
and second time, in 1859. He had by the
second marriage IL children, of whom only
two survive. His only child by his first
wife died in infancy. He has lived in his
mansion house in Essex street for the last
sixty six years, and at one period of his
practice, he has stated, there was not a
dwelling house in Salem which he had not
visited professionally. For a long period
he nearly engrossed the medical practice
of the place, and is known to have made a
hundred professional visits in day. This
was in May or June of 1888, at which time
the neazles prevailed epidemically. He
passed his long life in almost uninterrupted
health, without any of those accidents and
dangers which his skill was exerted to rem
edy and remove in others, and his old age
has been almost without infirmty, and lit
orally without decrepitude. Who that saw
him does not recollect his firm and elastic
step, and his cheerful looks on the day of
his hundredth anniversary? To much ex-
ercise and great temperance he was dispos-
ed to attribute his health and advanced
age. And if to these causes we add those
of pious opinions, virtuous practice, and a
calm, cheerful, and contented spirit, we
shall have disclosed much of the secret Of
his corporeal advantages. Of his temper
ance we ale induced to make one remark,
that it was not system of rules in diet and
regimen, but temperance of moderate de-
sireS. He enjoyed all the bounties of prov
idence with remarkable appetency, but his
well regulated mind always saved him
from excessive indulgence. OF his exer-
else some idea may be formed by a compu-
tation which he made a short time before
his decease, that he had walked in the
course OF his practice, distance which
would reach three times round the globe.
He has been indisposed during the last
winter, and went into his chamber on the
first Of March, and we regret to say has
suffered much during his confinement from
pain and distress. His mind, during this
period, has been, for the most part, clear
and tranquil, and he was enabled to COM
munlcate his parting advice with peculiar
and affecting minuteness, to the several in
dividuals Of his family. He was sensible
to the last of the presence and affectonate
attentions Of his family, and when all other
power of expressing his emotions had left
him, would denote by the kind pressure of
his hand that he was still sensible to the
assiduities Of those around him.
There have been four portraits of Dr.
Holyoke, executed at different periods of
his life. The first was by Mr.. Blythe Of
this place, at the age of As; the second by
Mr.. rockingham, at the age of 80. These
two are in possession of his family. The
third is likewise Wy rockingham, and was
painted about the same time with the last
mentioned, for the Essex Historical Society.
The fourth has recently been finished, since
he completed his hundredth year, and was
taken by Mr. Osgood Of this town, for the
Essex South District Medical Society. He
appeared pleased by the attention shown
to him by his medical brethren, in request
ing him to sit for his last portrait, and
meeting Of the Society taking place after
he was laid upon his death bed, he trans
mitted to them, by his grandson, his thanks
for their kindness, and most affectiona:e
and parental blessing and farewell.
The Macon Telegraph relates that there is
an old gentleman living in Monroe county,
Georgia, aged 104 years, who oversees his
farm, works, reads without spectacles, hears
well, retains most of his teeth, is married to his
third wife, and has IS or 90 children, the young.
est not yet fourteen years old
Monticello placedthe residence of the late Mr..
Jefferson, is to be convertsd-into a seminary
for boys