Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/544

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
512
SHIPPEN
SHIPPEN


good."—Joseph‘s son. Edward. merchant. b. in ' latter's residence. After the first lecture he made Boston. Mass. 9 July. 1703: d. in Lancaster. Pa.. 25 Sept. 1751. was brought up to mercantile pur- suit-s by James Logan. and was in business with him in 1732. as Logan and Shippcn; afterward with Thomas Lawrence. in the fur-trade. as Ship- pen and Lawrence. In 17—14 he was elected mayor of the city. In 1745. and for several years there- after. he was one of the judges of the court of com- mon pleas. In May. 1752. he removed to Lancaster. “ here he was appointed prothonotary. and contin- ucd such until 1778. He had large transactions as paymaster for supplies for the British and provin- cial forces when they were commanded by Gen. Forbes, Gen. btanwxx. and Col. Bouquet, and man— aged them with so much integrity as to receive public thanks in 1760. He was a county judge under both the provincial and state governments. In early life he laid out and founded Shippens- burg. Pa. In 1746—15 he was one of the founders of the College of New Jersey. and he was one of its first board of trustees. which post he resigned in 1767. He was also a subscriber to the Philadelphia academy (afterward the University of Pennsyl- vania). and was a founder of the Pennsylvania hospital and the American philosophical society. Mr. Shippen's advanced age prevented him from taking an active part. except as a committee-man. during the Revolution. yet his sentiments were warmly expressed in behalf of his country's—Will- iam. another son of Joseph. physician. b. in Phila- delphia. 1 Oct. 1712: d. in Gerinantown. Pa.. 4 Nov.. 1H01. applied himself early in life to the study of medicine. for which he had a remarkable genius. He speedily obtained a large and lucrative practice. which he maintained throughout his life. He was a member of the Junto. and aided in founding the Pennsylvania hospital. of which he was the physician from 1753 till 1778. the Public academy. and its successor. the College of Phila- delphia (now the University of Pennsylvania). the following announcement in the " Pennsylvania Gazette ": " Dr. Shippen‘s anatomical lectures will begin to—morrow evening. at six o'clock. at his father's house in Fourth street. Tickets for the course to be had of the doctor at five pistoles each: and any gentlemen who incline to see the subject prepared for the lectures. and learn the art of (lis— secting. injecting. etc.. are to pay five pistoles more." Dr. Shippen‘s school of anatomy was con— tinued until 23 Sept. 1765. when he was chosen professor of anatomy and surgery in the newly established medical school of the College of Phila- delphia, of which he “as one of the founders. This was the first medical school in this country. Dr. Shippen retained this post till 1750. when he was elected professor of anatomy. surgery. and midwifery m the ['nhersity of the state of Penn- sylvania. and in 1791. on the union of these insti- tutions. under the name of the University of Penn- sylvania. he became professor of anatomy in the latter. retaining the place until 1806. On 15 July, 1776, he was appointed chief physician of the Fly- ing camp. In March. 1777. he laid before congress a plan for the organization of a hospital depart- ment. which. with some modifications. was adopted. and on 11 April. 1777. he was unanimously elected “ Director-General of all the Military Hospitals for the Armies of the United States." He was charged with an improper administration of the office. and arraigned before a military court. which led him to resign the post. 3 Jan.. 1751. The in\ estigation did not develop any matters reflecting on his integrity. ln 1778—‘9. and again from 1791 till 1302. he was one of the physicians of the Pennsylvania hospital. He was for more than forty years a member of the American philosophical society. in which he held the offices of curator and secretary. His skill and eloquence as a teacher. exercised during forty years in the first medical school in the country. made him widely known at home and abroad. and won for him being chosen in 1749 one of the first trustees of permanent distinction and respect in the medical the academy. He was a trustee of the college in 1755—79. and a member of the American philo- sophical society. of which he was vice-president in 176-“. and for many years after. Ile was for nearly sixty years a member of the 2d Presbyterian church of Philadelphia. being (17 ‘3) one of its founders. On :30 Now, 1778. he was chosen by the assembly of Pennsylvania to the Continental con- gress. and he was re-elected in 1779. He was for thirty years a trustee of Princeton college. Dr. Shippen was notably liberal toward the poor. and. it is said. not only gave his professional art and medicines without charge. but oftentimes assisted them by donations from his purse. He retained his physical powers very late in life. and it is said that “ at the age of ninety he would ride in and out of the city on horsehack without an overcoat in the coldest weather."——William's son. William. known as \Villiam Shippen the younger. physician. b. in Philadel hia. 21 ()ct.. 1736: d. in German- town. Pa.. 11 . uly. 1mm, Was graduated at Prince- ton iu 1754. and delivered the \alcdictory for his class. He studied medicine with his father until 1758. when he went to England. and studierl under Dr. John and Dr. William Hunter and Dr. Mclx'en- zie. and in 1761 was graduated )l. D. at Edinburgh. Returning to Philadelphia in 17132. he entered on the practice of his profession. and on 16 Nov.. 17152. he began the first Course of lectures on anat- omy that was ever delivered in this country. The first were delivered at the state—house. and the world—lid wa rd. son of the second Edward. jurist. b. in Philadelphia. 16 Feb.. 1729: d. there. 16 Apri . lfitlb‘. at the age of seventeen be- gan the study of the law with Tcnch Frail- cis. and. while pursu- ing his studies. draft- ed the first common recovery in Pennsyl- vania. In 1748 he went to London to complete his law stud- ics at the Middle Tem- ple. and. returning to Philadelphia. was ad- mitted to the bar. ()n

32 Nov.. 1752. he was

appointed judge of

the vice - admiralty.

and in 1755 he became one of the commissioners to wait upon the “ Paxton Boys." who were engaged in an insurrection. to persuade them to disperse. which mission was successful. He held several local offices until the Revolution. He took a deep interest in the provincial wars. and watched and recorded every occasion when the provincial troops were successful. In 1762 he was appointed prothonotary of the supreme court. retaining this subsequent ones in rooms that were constructed post till the Revolution. He became anicmber of by his father for the purpose in the rear of the . the provincial council in 1770. in which office he