Vermont AHGP
Part of the American History and
Genealogy Project
Physicians and Lawyers
The first physician in town was Amherst Simons, from Windham, Ct. He studied with Dr. Glysson, of Williamstown, and came 'to Plainfield in 1801. For many of the last years of his life he was blind.
Dr. Ebenezer Conant studied with Dr. Robert Paddock, of Barre, and came to Plainfield in 1809. In 1832 he removed into Marshfield, about 2 miles from Plainfield village, near Perkins' mill, but returned to Plainfield after a few years, where he died.
Dr. Nathaniel Bancroft was brought to Plainfield by his father, Harvey Bancroft, from Ward, Mass., when an infant. When 12 years old he went to Montpelier, where he attended school, and at last studied medicine with Dr. Lamb. About 1822, he came to Plainfield to practice, where he remained until 185 1, when he went to Ohio, where he stayed 2 years, thence to Belvidere, Illinois. His pungent and witty sayings are still often quoted by his old friends in Plainfield.
Dr. Daniel Kellogg came to Plainfield in 1834, and built the brick house east of the hotel. His health failing he removed to Berlin in 1836, where he soon died.
Dr. Jared Bassett came to Plainfield in 1839, and removed to Northfield in 1843, and thence to Chicago.
Dr. Daniel Bates was here from 1845 to 1851.
Dr. Stephen Bennett from 185 1 to 1856, when he removed to Ohio.
Dr. Phineas Kellogg, of Brookfield, commenced practice here in 1851. He died of diphtheria Apr. 10, 1862, age 39. Dr. Walter S. Vincent, of Chelsea, now of Burlington, had his residence here for several years, but a large part of the time he was surgeon in the Union army in the war of the rebellion.
Dr. Dudley B. Smith, of Williamstown, came to Plainfield in 1856, and Dr. W. F. Lazell, of Brookfield, came in the fall of 1867. They remain here now.
The first lawyer in town was Charles Roby, who came about the year 1812 not long after the result of the Allen lawsuit had put a mortgage on nearly every farm in town. Probably the people had no desire or money for any more lawsuits at that time, as he left soon.
In 1828, Azel Spalding, of Montpelier, now of Kansas, was here one year. In 1833, Sylvester Eaton, of Calais, came and stayed until 1838.
Stillman H. Curtis was here from 1838 to 1843.
J. A. Wing was here from 1836 to 1852, when he went on to his farm on Maple Hill, in Marshfield, where he stayed about 3 years, then moved to Plainfield, and from here to Montpelier in 1857.
In 1843 Lewis Chamberlain came. He died in Aug. 1863, of dysentery, which was very prevalent and fatal at that time, there being 18 deaths from that disease, 16 of which were within or near the village.
Charles H. Heath came here in 1859, and removed to Montpelier in 1872.
S. C. Shurtleff commenced the practice of law here in 1864, and removed to Montpelier in 1877.
O. L. Hoyt came here in 1873, and still remains.
Source: History of Washington County Vermont, Collated and Published by Abby Maria Hemenway, 1882.
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