Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-06-05

|, eVinced fondness for anatomical re-
/, search and expressed a desire to de-
vote his life to the healing Of the
SICK. Accordingly at proper age he
became student of DR.. Greene of
Oxford, and on completing the required
course of study he entered upon the
practice of his profession at Oxfor'l
Centre. Here he married the beauti-
! full Dorothy Moore daughter of
Capt. Elijah Moore a prominent citi-
zen of the town. Local history records
that DIR. Barton and his charming
+ wife were we'll educated people, OF
this union four sons and six daughters
were born. Three of these daughters
married men whose names are wei!
! known in this State. Pamela married
Benjamin Porter of Vienna, Clarissa
became the wife of Richard Foster,
noted punster and rhymester in his
day, who figures as the hero Of tale
told by Holman Day in his volume Of
verse Up in Maine"
Parthenia, married Ruel Pitts OF Au-
gusta who greatly endeared himself
to her family by the depth Of his de-
votion to his gentle bride for the few
months ere death claimed her for his
! own.
AS early as 1867 we find DIR. Barton
coming to Maine, and exploring the
country along the kennebec river. In
O. diary which he opened at Seguin,
he states that he first came to
place called Seguin at the mouth Of
the kenncbec river. This place he
tells us was in latitude 43 by a. Re-
turning to his home in Oxford the
doctor added to his duties as a med
ical practitioner that of Landlord of
! the old Tavern. Although the names
of families prominent in the early his
I tory of Massachusetts are found upon
his old ledger, it is apparent that the
doctors income from his procession
was not sufficient to meet the require
ments of his rapidly increasing fam
lily. Whether he was induced TO try
| his fortunes in Maine with the hOue
of lettering his financial condition, or
from a desire on the part of his wife
to be nearer her sister Martha who
had married William Ballard and was
| then living at Augusta is not known.
| However, this may have been in 1776
we find the family settled in the town
Of Vassalboro, Maine. where the doctor
was practicing his profession and oper-
ating a store for general merchandise
to exc out his meagre income.
That the doctors practice extended
over wide range is evident from the
charges in his old ledger. He visited
families in Winthrop and Hallowell,
at Fort Halifax and Fort Weston. That
his practice was not renumerative is
equally evident, from the charges
made in his day book, which are made
in shillings and pence according to
tho custom of the time.
AS sample of the daily routine of
the oldtme doctor we copy the fol-
lowing items:
1776, April "a, Remington Hobby:
To pulling tooth, yourself.... Sd
| 11I6, May 9th, Asa Phillips:
To visit and bleeding your
wife lis, lod
June 10th. Daniel Fairfield
To visit and attend your son Is, Sd
June IL, to helping make
coffin for same .............. Sd
The doctor in addition to his medical
services was frequently called on to
last will and testament for patient
whose case was hopeless. He also
servednas amanuensis, writing letters
to absent members of the bereaved
family which death mad entered.
In one instance he attends a mother
in child-birth; two days later he fur.
nishes coffin" for the same, and
within the week he makes cradle fol
the infant thus early left motherless
He hangs pigeon nets, and writes
deeds for his neighbors.
For several years he holds the Office
Of Town Clerk. twice he goes to Bos-
ton to represent his town at the Mas
sachusetts General Court.
That the disease now known as tn.
berculosis fastened itself upon the doc
tor while living here is inferred from
an entry in Granny Billiards. diary
in which she records a visit from
Brother Barton and Dear Sister Dor.
othy. and adds that she is anxious
about poor Brother Barton who coughs
badly and seems quite feeble" The
Diary Of this remarkable woman, fig.
ures largely in the early history Of
Kennebec County, and is held as a
choice possession by her descendants
among whom are the Lambard fami.
lies Of Augusta. That the doctor was
a fearless practitioner is apparent from
the frequency with which he resorted
to bleeding and purging in the treat.
ment of his patients" as we'll as the
doses of mercury that he considered
safe to administer.
About 1890 he returned to his early
home in Massachusetts, where he con-
tinued to- reside until 1903 when worn
and weary he again turned his face
towards the wilds of Maine, seeking
strength and relief from the healing
balm Of her pine forests, accompanied
by his younger sons. Elijah and Gid
con. On arriving at Gardiner they left
the vessel which had brought them
hither and starting across the rough
country they Travelled eastward, over
stumps and rocks. through tangled
thickets and dense forests until night
overlook them in a pine woods deer