The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-01-17

| age OF n years and month
DR.. Gilman was born at Exeter, NH. the
ancient home of his ancestors, May 9th, 1906.
The political, ecclesastical, social, and finan-
cial history of New Hampshire was more infiu-
enced by the Gilman family than any other,
Tor century and half at least.
| Gov. John Wentworth of New Hamnshire
granted the township of Gilmanton in 1927 to
III persons who had served in the French and
Indian wars, and it was so named because "a
OF the grantees were named Gilman, seven of
whom were ministers. Edward Gilman, the
FIRST OF the family in this country, came from
bingham, England, with his wife, three sons,
two daughters and three servants, in the ship
| Diligent, and arrived in Boston August 10,
! 1888. He, with many more of his townsmen
| who had brought their Church of England
rector with them, settled at bingham, where
| several of their former townsmen had settled
before them. John Gilman, one of his sons,
| came to Exeter and settled in about $685.
Col. Nicholas Gilman, of the fourth genera
ton from Edward of bingham, was treasurer
OF the State of New Hampshire, from ITS to
1882, when he was succeeded by his eldest son,
John Taylor, who was named for his maternal
/ N-NeA~eAcA3 Aeots COHA 1dylCr Ol N4llUOns
The son held the office of treasurer eight years.
He finally became the distinguished Governor
of his State. His first public act was, at the
| age OF ~, on the receipt of the news of the
battle OF Lexington, at the break of day the
day after, to leave Exeter for headquarters
and the next noon was at Cam
bridge common, armed aud equipped for SER
| vice. The next July he was at Exeter and
first read the Declaration of Independence to
the assembled citizens. He was then acting
commissary for the State. He was elected to
constitution in 1881, and reelected the next
year. He was elected State Treasurer in 1884,
and was elected Governor annually from 1895
to 1905. He was again elected Governor in
1913, and held the Office three years, making
fourteen years in all. He died in 1928, aged
| 70. A daughter of Governor Gilman married
Judge Nicholas Emery of Portland; another
married Rev. DR.. Nichols, and third married
Charles s. Daves, Esq, OF Portland
Nathaniel, brother to the Governor, was
the third of the family, who successfully
held the office of State Treasurer of New
Hampshire. He served in that office seven
years, ending in 1914. He died in Exeter in
1S47, aged IS. He was the father of our la
mented fellow citizen the subject of this sketch.
DR.. John I. Gilman, pursued his preliminary
studies at Phillips Academy in his native town,
and was graduated at Bowdoin College in 1926
ne was ninth in class of 81, having for class
mates, Jonn d. Ruwurm, afterwards Governor
OF Liberia, Sargent S. Prentice, VIM. Paine of
Portland and Charles A. Lord, afterwards OF
| Portland DIR. Gilman took his medical de-
| gree at Rowdoln in 1929. He was one Of the
overseers Of that institution six years and then
transferred to the board of trustees in 1873 and
was continued in office until his death. He
came to Portland in 1882, and from his infiuen-
tlal relatives, and from his pleasing address,
he Immediately entered upon large practice,
to which he gave the closest attention. He
| opened an office in the second story OF wood
en- building that stood on the south corner of
| Federal and Temple streets, and boarded at
| the Elm House, opposite, then the leading he
tel of the town. Directly opposite his Office,
| lived DR.. Sumner Cumming, who was then
having more practice than he could give the
necessary attention to- The surplus he turned
over to DR.. Gilman, who soon had all he couli
| dbtoHQ w. 10 Qdu dSSkSttQ III surgery at
the Philadelphia hospitals and having cool
head and steady hand, he became an expert
surgeon, with more practice than any in the
city.
l In 1882, Capt. Jonathan Dow, retired ship
| master, was mayor of the city, and boarded at
| the hotel With DR.. Gilman. he became i'm
| terested in the doctors success, and obtained
| for him the office of city physician, and he was
reelected annually for five years, when his
| growing practice compelled him to decline
reelection. At that time the United States
Marine Hospital was connected with the city
hospital and the city physician had care of
BOTH His second year as city physician was
| the second year of the Asiatic cholera in this
country, which in the South and West had
become frightful epidemic. Portland had
had such purifying and whitewashing as it
had not had before, nor has it had since.
On the 18th Of August, the brig Harvest,
Capt. Phineas Drinkwater, arrived at quaran-
| tine from New York, with three cases of
cholera among the crew, two of whom we're in
state of collapse. These two died under an
awning on deck. Immediately on the arrival
| OF the brig, the city authorities were notified
and sent DR.. Gilman on board. No one MAS
allowed to leave the vessel until after the two
deaths. The board of health directed the
City Physician to accompany the re naming
crew and officers to House Island where the
| loft of a stable, with COWS belowwas procured,
| for temporary hospital Here the doctor was
obliged to act as nurse as well as physician, at
| all times OF night and day. He remained there
three or four days. No new cases occurred,
| and the sick man died, when the doctor came
up to town, after a decidedly unpleasant con-
fnement. The writer, who was also boarder
at the hotel at the time, yet retains vivid
recollection OF the commotio a in the dining
room, caused by the unexpected entrance of
| the doctor from the cholera hospital He
took his usual seat next to the writer, but all
left his vicinity for another table, where
dinner was finished. These were the only
cases of Asiats cholera that ever occurred in
the city.
In 1858 DIR. Gilman was elected trustee of
the State Insane Hospi tai and was sue
cessiyely reelected for several years. In 1886
he was elected resident member of the
Maine Historical Society.
DR.. Gilman was the prime mover in the Pre-.
jew WhiSu AooUibou III Tie eStdOl1BQmenh OF
the Maine General Hospital Its fine buildings
In the city were built under his superintend-
ence. His name headed the petition for an
act of incorporation which was gran led by the
Legislature of 1868, and his is the first name
mentioned in that act as corporator. The first
meeting of his associates was held at his resi-
dence He was chosen chairman of the exec
tive committee, and consulting physician,
which offices he has held ever since By re-elec-
ton. He was emphatically the father of that
institution. His appearance before the com
mittee of the Legislature has always insured
favorable report, and the desired appropria-
ton. All the annual reports from the execu-
tive committee of the hospital are
from his hand.
A family physician is usually chosen for his
known skill, prudence and fidelity. He is
admitted to the Utmost recesses of the family
sanctuary, at all hours of the day and night,
and necessarily has a knowledge Of his pa
fonts infrmities Of body and mind. If
found worthy of confidence, he becomes the
most trusted friend outside of the family
circle; and is often consulted in matters not
protest.
For half q century DR. Gilman has