The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-06-13
DR.. BENJAMIN TUSTEN.
The Ideal American Citizen, Patriot
Hero and Martyr Surgeon.

The Ideal American Citizen, PATRIOT,
Hero and Martyr Surgeon.
tFrom the Independent Repub lican, Goshen
N.Y.
On the first day OF July 1906, was organized
In the village of Goshen, "The Orange County
Medical Society" composed OF twentyI,t,Mo ,n
physicians residing in the several TOWNSHIPS
OF the county. Consequently, the neAt t,, an- h
nual meeting of this venerable society VIII pe
It's centennial convocation. An apPIopL VIC e
feature Of It's commemoratlon VIII tos
recognition OF the notable men OF the Pioies,
sion who have graced the meulcai an " "
the county. particularly during tne ealiey s n1v
subject OF memoir DR.. Benjamin Tusten, VINO
stands primus in distinction on the ron y, VI
practitioners CT the healing art inclusive VI W
all the physicians and surgeons who hafs ia
any field. and at any time. pursued ,Il thaI
honored calling in Orange County. rIotn
reliable data. l am able 10 present ln .uns ~,
sketch the salient facts In the life history u
the eminent man whose lllustrlous careei
essay briefly TO depict. sor,,-
Benjamin Tusten was natlVe OF Soutv
old, l.. l., where be was born, Dec; IL, lao.
He was the only son of Benjamin Iusten, d
respectable farmer of that place. His iathei
removed TO Orange County In the year lao.
and settled on the banks OF the Ottefkill, Two
and hall miles from the village OF Goshen,
on the highway leading 10 NeWburgh, Via
Washington nVille, on what is now the place
occupied by Mrs. James A. Price, The su D.
ject OF our sketch was educated at an acaoe-
my in jamaica, l.. l., and at nineteen years
OF age commenced the study OF medicine un-
der DR.. Thomas Wickham, OF Goshen, whose
standing as physician was very nign IN ,, nls
day. Alter spending year win III; WICK.
ham he went TO Newark, n. j., and spent
another year under DR.. Bennett and third
year in the Office OF Dr. Thomas Jones, ol
New York. In 1869 he returned nome ana
Wickham, Dr. Gale and DR.. Plerson. ana
soon performed several operations In sur
gerry which gave him high degree ol
celebrity. DR.. Tusten was mild, modest, anu
unassuming in his manners, pleasant 10 hls
patients, and affable TO al.
II the good which man has done may be
measured by the number OF lives which nave
been saved through his agency, 1t must be
admitted without dispute, that the greatest
benefactor the world has known In any age,
or In any vocation or rank whatever, was Or.
Jenner, the discoverer OF the protective power
OF cowpox against that once dreaded scourge,
the smallpox, and the author Of the pracuce
OF vaccination. The date OF that grand dis.
covery, which tends 10 glorlfy alike 30 dis
tinguishedly It's author and the annals OF the
medical profession ii our era, Was In the
year l7sS. Previous TO this discovery OF pre-
ventive method OF averting the danger OF
seizure Of the malady in question on expos
ure TO It's contagious hazards, such procedure
had never engaged the thought OF physicians.
The problem which addressed itself 10 the
earnest, inQuiring minds OF medical men
was this: some trial OF feasible, rational
and fatality OF this losthsome disease, small.
pox, might be mitigated. With this Object
In view, the experiment was resorted to OF
1nnocuiatlon OF the virus Of smallpox nseli
into the systems OF those who had notpre-
viously been exposed 10 tue risks OF the
malady, and might never be thus exposed
This certainly was bold proposition, and
naturally encountered strong protest on the
part OF the more conservative element OF the
community, lay and professional. But the
wisdom Of the experiment was vindictted oy
the salutsry results OF the phllanthroplc sug
gestion Of the practitioners OF medicine VINO
exploited II, themselves 1ncurrlng all lne
dangers in common with those whom they
sought to benefit IN this procedure
To Dr. Benjamin Tusten Is due the credit ol
Introduction OF vaccination for modlneo
smallpox In Orange county. This was IL
TfO, and for the purpose OF prosecuting nls
work he hired four houses, one in Hampton
burgh then Goshep) on the banks oi the
Otterktll, near where he lived, another near
stony Ford Bridge, third al East Division,
and the fourth on the little island near the
Cedar Swamp. In these houses be innocu-
lated about eight hundred persons with such
success al 10 entirely destroy the prejudice
which had previously existed. he Kept hls
houses two years, alter which lnnocuiatlOn
could be performed in private houses. He
continued the practice OF his profession win
success and deserved reputation until tht
year l775. In l717 he was appointed Lleuten-
ant.ColOnel OF the Goshen regiment OF MI
litia, and In IT'S he was appointed Surrogate
OF the county, which office he held al lhe
time OF his tragic death.
; In early lie he married Miss Ann Brown,
OF Newark, N. j. They had five children, al
follows: James, born in lVO; Thomas, 10
l77l; Catharine, in IVA; Sarah in 111t, and
Abigail, in 117S. A large number OF tue oe
sceudants OF DIR. Tusten have been represent
ed In the families OF Goshen and Vicinity
during q century and longer.
In the discussions which eliminated IN the
War of the Revolution DR.. Tusten took a.
active part. Hesitating AT no sacrifice be
nod uifh hia nalphhOr6 In The pursuit OI
the Indian invaders in the western preclncl
of our county and conspicuopsy particlpal
in The memorable battle OF MlnlslpK. Inc
story, as whole, OF that sanguinary engage
3 ment ia so familiar to the citizens OF Orgnge
County as TO need no rehearsal here AID now
I shall limit what have to say concerning
the events OF that historic battle 10 Or. rus
tens participation and related conDecuoI
with 1t alone.
What mortal tongue can describe or pen
Htly chronicle the heroism and fortilude OF
those gallant men who took part and fell 10
that bloody struggle on the distant heights
OF Minisiuk, after deeds of mighty Vaior?
They marched over hill and dale, through
the painless wilderness, meath burning
July snn. They fought, they were outnum-
bered, aye, five to one. Alas they Were con-
quered, but not until bali their little oano
lay dead upon that blood stained held; mol
until they had accomplished feat OF arms
which will blaze forever on the pages OF our
history.
They were heroes, all. But the incompar
able hero OF those match less American pa
triots who fell in that deadly strife on that
memorable day, was Benjamin Tusten, Col
and Doctor. After the ammunition was
nearly gone, the day far spent, and the weak
Gordon of defense broken; In word, when
the inevitable OF massacre or Hight was
reached In the fortunes of the day. then II
was that Gen. Hathorn, chief In command,
and with authority TO speak, proclaimed
these words: Every man for himself and
God for US ALL" But what OF the fate of the
wounded who shou remain prisoners In the
hands OF the merciless savages In that crlsls
of battle?
While yet the battle was raging, and before
the alternative OF massacre or flight had cul.
minated In the conflict, DR.. Tusten had
gathered the wounded in q sheltert place
behind cliff OF rocks when the privileged
retreat commenced. There we're II disabled
men under his care at the moment TO whom
they all were attack ed by the blood thirsty
Bavages and with relentless cruelty every one
perished under the tomahawk and scalping
knife ofthe merciless foe. Though the oppor.
tunity with the others who had fed was
available on the part of DR.. Tus en-, neverthe-
less he voluntarily remained at the chosen
post OF service, performing with self-sacritc
ing fidelity the humane offices OF the ever
dutiful and faithful good physician. Thus
died DR.. BeDjam Tusten, whose heroic de.
mise at the early age Of thirty.six. with
wounded men in his charge, as described,
the Hall OF Fame. know OF no correspond
ing example of marlyrdom on the part Of
su rgeon in the annals Of war.
John II, Thompson, NJ. D.
st. James's Place, Goshen, n. y.