Small collection of 18 letters written by and to Dr. Francis and his wife, Maria Eliza Cutler Francis: 6 to Francis from colleagues (including his mentor David Hosack and Columbia President W.A. Duer)

by Francis, Dr. John Wakefield (1789-1861)

$1,250 · Offered by Biblio

18 letters, 28 manuscript pages, mainly quarto and folio, some old tape repairs at fold joints, generally in good legible condition, despite the idiosyncratic handwriting of Francis and several of the correspondents in the collection. Family Letters of Dr. John Wakefield Francis, leading High Society Doctor of New York City, guardian of Julia Ward Howe and future "King of the Lobby" Sam Ward and "Literati" physician of Edgar Allan Poe and Herman Melville - 1825- 1856 John Wakefield Francis was born in New York City, the son of a German immigrant. His father's death at an early age forced Francis to apprentice himself to George Long, a printer. After tutoring by two Irish clergymen he was able to enter Columbia College in 1807, with advanced standing. Upon his graduation in 1809 he at once began the study of medicine under David Hosack. Entering the new College of Physicians and Surgeons he became its first graduate in 1811 and entered into partnership with Hosack, which continued until 1820. Appointed lecturer in medicine and materia medica in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, he voluntarily served without fees. When the school merged with the Medical Department of Columbia, he was given professorships in both subjects, and spent the year 1816-17 studying in Europe. Upon his return he was given a third chair, that of forensic medicine, to which was added in 1819, a fourth, obstetrics. Meanwhile, from 1810 to 1814, with Hosack, he edited the American Medical and Philosop

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