Chittenden County

ATWATER, Phineas & William

Biography of Phineas ATWATER (brother of William)

Vermont Historical Magazine, No XI, October 1867, p 608

Phineas ATWATER was a resident of this town [Burlington, Chittenden County, 
Vermont] from 1803 until about two years since, when he went to Geneva [New 
York] to visit his children at that place. He was an exemplary member of the 
Episcopal church of this place, a valuable citizen, honest and industrious, 
and highly esteemed for his integrity and usefulness. Phineas ATWATER, aged 
eighty years, died in Geneva [Ontario County], New York, on the morning of 
the 9th [09 January 1860], at 3 o'clock p.m., of consumption. He leaves a 
large circle of relatives and friends to mourn his loss. [By calculation 
Phineas ATWATER was born about 1780. The source notes this information was 
taken from the 09 January 1860 issue of the "Burlington Times."]



Biography of William ATWATER (brother of Phineas)

Vermont Historical Magazine, No XI, October 1867, pp 629-630

Dr. William ATWATER was born 09 [05?] May 1789 in Cheshire [New Haven 
County], Connecticut. He was the youngest of a family of eleven [twelve?] 
children. His father, Ambrose ATWATER, removed with his family from 
Connecticut to Burlington [Chittenden County, Vermont] about 1797, where he 
resided a respected citizen, until his [Ambrose ATWATER's] death, 25 February 
1835, at the advanced age of ninety-two years. He was one of the most 
efficient founders of the St. Paul's Church, and presented to the Society a 
valuable set of silver plate, for the Communion service, which they still use.

The subject of this present sketch [William ATWATER] became a student in the 
University of Vermont, receiving the following certificate of admission: 
"Burlington, Augusti die vicesimo, Anno Domini 1805. In Universitatem 
Viridia Montis, classe Recentium Gulielmus ATWATER alumnus admitatur. - 
Daniel C. SANDERS, Praeses." He graduated 16 August 1809, the class of which 
he was a member being the sixth that was graduated from this University. He 
at once commenced the study of medicine in the office of Dr. John POMEROY, 
who was then in the prime of life, and doing an extensive practice in this 
and the adjoining towns. Dr. ATWATER continued as a student in his office 
the required period of three years, and was then examined, before the Medical 
Society of the county of Chittenden, and received the following diploma: "By 
the third Medical Society of the state of Vermont as by law established:
Mr. William ATWATER, having presented himself to this Society for examination 
on the Anatomy of the Human Body, and the Theory and Practice of Physic and 
Surgery, and being approved by our censors, the Society willingly recommend 
him to the world, as a judicious and safe practitioner in the different 
avocations of the Medical Profession. In testimony whereof we have hereunto 
prefixed the signature of our President and seal of the Society, at the 
Medical Hall in Burlington, the 2nd Tuesday of June, A. D. 1813.
John PERIGO, Secretary; John POMEROY, President."

While a student of medicine he was drafted for service in the War of 1812, by 
the following warning: "Burlington, July 7, 1812 - In compliance with 
instructions received from Hezekiah BARNS, Jun. Captain of the detached 
Militia, you William ATWATER are hereby warned to appear at the place of 
rendezvous in Burlington, on Friday, the 10th at 11 o'clock A. M., completely 
armed and equipped for taking the field, and to consider yourself in actual 
service agreeable to law. - Chas. V. CLARK, Corp'l." He did appear at the 
time and place mentioned, and with gun and knapsack took up the line of march 
for the northern frontier, but was taken ill a few miles from Burlington, and 
was obliged to return home, and thus did not see any actual service in the 
field.

After receiving his diploma he still remained for a time in the office of Dr. 
POMEROY, practicing with him, enjoying in a high degree the confidence of his 
preceptor and the benefits of his large experience and extensive practice. 
In 1816 he received the commission of which the following is a copy: "By his 
Excellency Jonas GALUSHA, Esq., Captain General, Governor, and Commander in 
Chief, in and over the State of Vermont, To William ATWATER, Esq. - Greeting: 
You being elected Surgeon of the squadron of Cavalry, in the second Brigade 
and third Division of the Militia of this State, and reposing special trust 
and confidence in your patriotism, valor, and good conduct, I do, by virtue 
of these presents, in the name and by the authority of the freemen of the 
State of Vermont, fully authorize and empower you, the said William ATWATER, 
to take charge of the said squadron as their Surgeon. You will therefore, 
carefully and diligently discharge the said duty, by doing and performing 
every matter and thing thereunto relating. You will observe and follow such 
orders and directions as you shall, from time to time, receive from the 
Governor of the State, for the time being, or any other of your superior 
officers, according to military discipline, and the law of this State. And 
all officers and soldiers under your command are to take notice hereof, and 
yield due obedience to your orders, as their Surgeon, in pursuance of the 
trust in you reposed. In testimony whereof, I have caused the seal of this 
State to he hereunto affixed. Given under my hand, in Council Chamber, at 
Montpelier, this twentieth day of September, in the year of our Lord, One 
Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixteen, and of the Independence of the United 
States, the forty-first. By his Excellency's command, R. C. MALLARY, 
Secretary; signed Jonas LAUSKA." The following discharge is endorsed on the 
back of the document: "The within named William ATWATER is hereby honorably 
discharged from further serving as Surgeon in the squadron of Cavalry, in the 
2nd Brigade and 3rd Division of the Militia of the State of Vermont. Signed, 
Abram BRINSMAID, Major Commanding. Burlington, March 3rd, A. D. 1820"

Dr. ATWATER remained in Burlington practicing medicine until about 1818, when 
he removed to St. Lawrence County, New York. On 20 June 1820 he [William 
ATWATER] was married to [Miss?] Delia WETMORE [born 29 July 1797 in 
Burlington, Chittenden County, Vermont, daughter of John Pomeroy WETMORE and 
Miriam DIBBLE]. He practiced in that county until 1829, when he returned 
with his family to this town [Burlington, Chittenden County, Vermont], and 
resided here until his death, which occurred 27 July 1853, at the age of 
sixty-four. [His father, Ambrose ATWATER, died the same year, on 25 February 
1835, as stated above.] During this long professional career of forty years, 
he [Dr. William ATWATER] had the confidence of the people with whom he lived, 
and especially during his last residence in Burlington, a period of 
twenty-four years, he received the patronage of the people of this and the 
adjoining towns to as great an extent as could be desired. During the 
epidemic of malignant erysipelas [a Streptococcal infection of the skin that 
in those days led to gangrene and death] that prevailed so extensively and 
fatally in this town in 1843, he contracted the disease by making a 
post-mortem examination, and came near losing his life. He always attributed 
his recovery to his own firmness in resisting the majority opinion of a 
council of physicians that he would to be bled. He was among the first to 
discard phlebotomy in the treatment of this disease, which had been 
heretofore so commonly resorted to as a remedy, and his success well attested 
the correctness of his judgment. The honorary degree of M. D. was conferred 
upon him by the corporation of the University of Vermont, at their annual 
commencement in 1844.

As a man, Dr. ATWATER was modest and unassuming in his manners, and 
scrupulously honest in all his dealings. As a physician he was uniformly 
courteous and honorable in his profession, never striving by any acts to be a 
rival, and always on terms of friendship with his professional brethren. He 
was a safe and judicious practitioner, never experimenting with life; beloved 
by his patients for his affectionate attention and manifest sincere desire 
for their recovery, attentive equally to the poor and the rich, answering the 
calls of all, regardless of the pecuniary reward or his own convenience or 
comfort. He was eminently fitted by his Christian character and professional 
skill to be a family physician, in the best sense of the term. Fathers and 
mothers freely gave him their confidence, and entrusted to him their most 
delicate family secrets, without fear of ridicule or exposure. The older 
residents still often speak of him with affectionate gratitude. At the time 
of his death he left one daughter [Frances M.] and five [seven?] sons, one 
only of whom, Dr. H. H. ATWATER, still resides in Burlington. Two of his 
brothers, Phinehas [Phineas] and Thomas, were long residents of this town. 
His oldest sister [Frances M.] was the wife of Capt. Thadeus [Thaddeus?] 
TUTTLE, also a resident here for many years. [Bracketed additions included 
by submitter, who is not researching these surnames, to support and clarify 
the information in the biography and to raise questions.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly