Doctors and Lawyers of Barre, Vermont

Doctor Robert Paddock settled in town about 1806, and spent a long life in the practice of his profession. He was a well-educated and energetic man, successful in practice, and not easily turned from his own way. To illustrate: He was troubled with an in-growing nail on the great toe of his right foot. One morning he came into his office, where his son and another student were studying, bringing in a chisel and mallet. Having suitably placed his chisel, he told a student to take the mallet and strike. He at first refused, but he said he should be obeyed, I tell you to strike. The toe went flying across the room, and the remedy was successful.

Doctor Lyman Paddock, son of Doctor Robert, who succeeded him in practice, spent a long number of years in the profession. He is now with his sister in Illinois, is 97 or 98 years old, with a fair prospect of living to be a hundred.

Doctor Robert Paddock kept a small pack of hounds, and no music was sweeter to his ear than the baying of his dogs. General Blanchard was not much behind the Doctor in his love of the same kind of music. Occasionally a bear was captured; generally by a regular hunt, when every man had a chance to show skill, as well as the more practiced huntsman. There was one killed in 1844 or '5, and but one since to the writer's knowledge.

Doctor Vansicklin was another of our early and noted physicians. He was a man of decided talents, and had a large number of students, some of whom became men of talents.

The celebrated Doctor Socrates Sherman, of Ogdensburg, New York, was one of his students, and a Barre boy, the son of Capt. Asaph Sherman. Time does not permit us to mention particularly all who have practiced in town, but we will not neglect to speak of.

Doctor Walter Burnham, who removed to Lowell, Mass., and became celebrated as a successful surgeon.

Later came Doctor A. B. Carpenter and Doctor A. E. Bigelow, now our oldest practicing physician.

Doctor H. O. Worthen, Doctor J. H. Jackson, Doctor A. E. Field and Doctor B. W. Braley are our present physicians in the allopathy practice.

Doctor H. E. Packer succeeds the late Doctor C. H. Chamberlin as a homoeopathist.

Lawyers in Town

One of the first was Judge James Fisk; another, the Hon. Dennison Smith, of both of whom, see notice by Mr. Carpenter. Hon. Lucius B. Peck, a partner of Judge Smith, was a man of note and a representative in Congress.

Newell Kinsman was in practice for a long time, associated in business a part of the time with E. E. French, Esq. C. W. Upton, D. K. Smith, L. C. Wheelock, have all successfully practiced in town. Our present lawyers are: Wm. A. & O. B. Boyce, E. W. Bisbee and G. W. Bassett.

Barre Vermont | Vermont AHGP

Source: The History of Washington County, Vermont Historical Gazetteer, Collated and published by, Abby Maria Hemenway, Montpelier, Vermont, 1882.