WI BIO - Dane Co - SHELDON, Charles Stuart
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol I, pp 245-246

Charles Stuart SHELDON, A. M., M. D., of Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, was 
born at New York Mills, Oneida County, New York, 14 January 1842, the son of 
Stephen Smith and Lemira (HARRIS) SHELDON. His parents were married at 
Rupert, Bennington County, Vermont, and removed first to eastern 
Massachusetts and subsequently to New York Mills, where his father was 
secretary of the New York Mills Manufacturing Company. Mr. SHELDON's health 
failing, he purchased a farm near Brockport [Monroe County], New York, where 
he removed with his family when the subject of this sketch was three years 
old.

After reaching a suitable age, Charles assisted in the work on the farm, 
during the summer months and attended school during the winters, so 
continuing until he graduated from the Brockport Collegiate Institute in 
1858. In the fall of the same year he began his studies at Phillips Academy, 
Andover [Essex County], Massachusetts, then under the care of that eminent 
scholar, Dr. Samuel H. TAYLOR and graduated in the following summer. In the 
fall of 1859, with a majority of his Andover classmates, he entered the 
classical department of Yale College, at which he graduated [p 246] in 1863. 
This class was the largest that have ever graduated from Yale and contained 
many who are now widely known for their usefulness and ability. Among them 
may be mentioned Hon. William WHITNEY, ex-Secretary of the Navy, and 
Professor William G. SUMNER of Yale College. Our subject [Charles Stuart 
SHELDON] received the degree of A. M. in 1866.

After graduation our subject removed to Madison, Wisconsin, where his parents 
had previously gone, and in the fall of 1863 accepted the position of 
principal of the First Ward Grammar School, where he taught until the 
following June. At that time he became principal of the State Reform School 
at Waukesha [Waukesha County], Wisconsin, where he remained until January 
1865. He then began the study of medicine at Buffalo [Erie County], New 
York, in the medical department of the Buffalo University. He attended three 
courses of lectures and graduated in February 1867, with the degree of M. D. 
During the period of his studies at Buffalo he acted in the capacity of 
resident physician to the Buffalo General Hospital, remaining until the fall 
of 1867, when he went to New York City for the purpose of attending a course 
of lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and in the spring of 
1868 he graduated from that institution, receiving an ad-eundem degree of M. 
D.

Our subject's first choice of location for the practice of his profession was 
at Winona [Winona County], Minnesota, where he removed soon after graduating 
at New York. He here spent three years, gaining many warm friends and 
succeeding admirably in his practice. In January 1872 he left Winona and 
removed with his family to Greenville [Montcalm County], Michigan, and here 
formed a partnership for the practice of medicine with Dr. John AVERY, for 
many years past president of the Michigan State Board of Health, and at 
present a member of Congress from the Greenville district. He remained in 
Greenville for thirteen years, building up a large practice and actively 
engaging in the affairs of the place. During twelve years of his residence 
there he was Superintendent of the Congregational Sunday school.

In March 1885, Dr. [Charles Stuart] SHELDON removed to Madison [Dane County, 
WI], where he has since practiced his profession most successfully. He has 
been secretary of the Central Wisconsin Medical Society for the past six 
years, and secretary of the State Medical Society for the past three years. 
He is the medical nominator of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of New 
York for Southern Wisconsin and is a member of the Council of the American 
Academy of Medicine. He also served on the Board of Examination for pensions 
at Madison from 01 January 1889 until 14 June 1889. He finds time among the 
engrossing cares of a successful practice to be an occasional contributor to 
the medical journals.

Politically the doctor is a Republican, but he has never sought political 
prominence and has never held office. Dr. [Charles Stuart] SHELDON was 
married at Buffalo [Erie County], New York, 30 October 1868, to Miss Emma L. 
HODGE, of that place, niece of William HODGE of that place, one of the early 
settlers of Buffalo. Mrs. SHELDON graduated at the Buffalo Female Academy in 
1867. To the union [of Dr. Charles Stuart and Emma L. (HODGE) SHELDON] have 
been born four sons and one daughter, as follows: (1) William Hodge, born 
08 October 1869, who died 22 April 1874; (2) Sidney Roby, born 11 April 
1873, now a member of the Junior class in the electrical engineering course 
of the Wisconsin State University [at Madison]; (3) Walter Hodge, born 03 
December 1874, now a freshman in the ancient classical course of the same 
institution; (4) Stuart, born 23 August 1876; [p 247] and (5) Helen Miriam, 
born 03 December 1884.

Dr. and Mrs. SHELDON are members of the Congregational Church and are both 
actively engaged in the work. The Doctor is one of the Deacons of the church 
and was for five years Superintendent of the Sunday school. He is known for 
his public spirit and is deeply interested and actively engaged in temperance 
and all other movements, which have for their object the benefit of the 
community at large.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly