Thomas Jefferson University Jefferson Digital Commons Legend and Lore: Jefferson Medical College Jefferson History and Publications March 2009 Chapter 10- The Board of Trustees, pp. 475-488 Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy Follow this and additional works at: http://jdc.jefferson.edu/savacool Part of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Commons Recommended Citation "Chapter 10- The Board of Trustees, pp. 475-488" (2009). Legend and Lore: Jefferson Medical College. Paper 11. http://jdc.jefferson.edu/savacool/11 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Jefferson Digital Commons. The effeJ rson Digital Commons is a service of Thomas Jefferson University's Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). The ommonC s is a showcase for Jefferson books and journals, peer-reviewed scholarly publications, unique historical collections from the University archives, and teaching tools. The effeJ rson Digital Commons allows researchers and interested readers anywhere in the world to learn about and keep up to date with Jefferson scholarship. This article has been accepted for inclusion in Legend and Lore: Jefferson Medical College by an authorized administrator of the Jefferson Digital Commons. For more information, please contact: [email protected]. Jefferson Medical College The !.'======Board of= = = =====!J Trustees Jefferson's Trustees: An Indispensable Asset In reviewing the history of Jefferson's Board of Trustees from its inception, one is struck by the quality and d iversity of its composition. It has constituted a force as important as its distingu ished Faculty. In 1826 the TrusteesofJefferson Collegea t Canonsburg. Pennsylvania, obtained an augmentation of itsCharter, permitting them to appoint Additional Trustees in the City of Philadelphia and authorizing any jud ge of the Supreme or District Court to ad minister the oath of office. The Ca nonsburg Trustees elected, for the supervision of its Medical Department in Philadelphia (jefferson Medical College), eleven Trustees, no­ table men from the religious, legal, business and military community. Seven who served for lengthy periods were as follows: As hbell Green, D.O., LL D. (1762-1848) General William Duncan (1m-l864) Former President of Princeton Trus tee (1826-60) First Board Presiden t (1826-48) Active in War of 1812 Successful merchant; member of Ezra Sti les Ely, D.O. (1786--186]) Pennsylvania State legislature; Provided the Ely Medical Hall (1828) friend of Robert Morris Served until 1853 and as President pro tem po re (1850) Joel B. Sutherland, M.D., Esq. (1792-1861) James Brown, Esq. (1776-1850) Served in Congress and in Congressman and Trustee (1826-38) Pennsylvania State Senate Trustee (1826-61) Samue l Badger, Esq., Tru stee (1826-62) Judge Edward King, Esq., LLO. (t794-1873) Cousin of George McClellan and a Revised the Criminal Code of Pennsylvania Mayor of Philadelphia Trustee (1826-50) and Died in 1867 President of Board (1850-73) Two Trustees served only from 1826 to 1827, ­ They required the Professors to accept the rules in namely Edward Ingersoll, Esq. <the brother-in­ respect to the holding of their Chairs. Under un­ law of George McClellan) and Charles S. Cox, Esq. usual circumstances the mother Board reserved the Two others were ap pointed in 1826 but not listed right to intervene, but all jurisdiction was termi­ thereafter, - namely Jacob J. Jan eway, D.O. and nated in 1838. Edward Humphreys, Esq. In the origina l Philadelphia Board, Ashbell Underany circumstances, six of the whole Board Green, D.O., lLD., Ezra Stiles Ely, D.O., and the were to form a quorum. In 1828 the Canonsburg Honorable Edward King, Esq . were outstand ­ Board surrendered their whole concern to the ing for their con tributions and length of service. Philadelphia Board, and agreed that their decisions They were chronicled in d etail in Thomas Jeffer­ in all cases would take effect without wa iting for son University: Tradition and Heritage and require the confirmation at Canonsburg. The Philadelphia no addi tional recall . It is fitting at this junctu re, Trustees established regulations for their own pro­ however, to document the service of Joel B. ceedings as well as for authority over the Faculty. Sutherland, M.D., Esq. Leeend and Lore 476 Joel B. Sutherland, M.D., Esq.: Trustee From 1826 To 1861 (J 792-1861) The Hon orable Joel Barlow Sutherland, M.D., Esq. (Fig. 1) was born on February 26, 1792, in Clonmel, Gloucester, New Jersey. Daniel and Jane Sutherland , his parents, were Scottish immigra nts. After attending public schools he graduated from the Med ical Schoo l of the University of Pennsyl­ va nia in 1812. Like his later fellow Tru stee, Briga ­ dierGenera l William Duncan, he served in the War of 1812 and became a Lieutenant Colonel of Rifles Fig. 1. Jod B. SutMrbnd. M.D., Esq. (OHislori­ in the Sta te Militia. Gil Soci~ty of Pennsylnnia.1 Du ring th e War, Sutherland d eveloped a n inter­ est in politics and was ejected to the Pennsylvania Assembly th ree times (1813-14-15). In 1816 he lost the vote and returned to medical practice. Having been ma rried the previous year and needing to aug me nt his income, he served as Lazaretto Phy­ sician at the port of Philad elphia. This entailed examina tion of entering ships for infectious dis­ eases among the sailors and putting them under quarantine when necessary. Sensing tha t his interest was more in politics than medicine, Sutherland decided to study law. This he did and was ad mitted to the Bar in 1819. By 1821 he was vo ted back into the State Legisla­ tu re, where he served in the lower Hou se until f ig. 2. General William Duncan al ag~ 90 1825, acting as Speaker d uring the last year. His in 1860. (ClHistorical Socifoty of Pmnsyivania.) ambition was for Congress, but he was defeated in 1822 and 1824. In the signal year of 1826 he was elected to the State Senate, to Congress, and to the newl y created Additional Trustees of Jefferson Medical College. Thus, by the age of 34, he had becomea physician, lawyer, and politician with an honorable military service. This aggressive man became a life member of Jefferson's Board of Trus t­ ees in Philadelphia (at the tim e under the jurisdic­ tion of the mother College at Cano nsbu rg) and would serve for 35 years until his death in 1861. Dr.Sutherland served for one session in the State Senate in 1826. On February 20 of that year (sev­ eral months before his appoi ntment to the Addi­ tion al Trustees of Jefferson Medical Co llege) he fig. 3. Tombslone of General William Duncan demonstrated his championing of the proposed in Wood lands Cemetery, Philadelphia. The Board Of Trustees 477 second Medical College in Philadelphia. No tes taken from the Journal oftheSenate(Harrisburg, PAl indicate tha t four memorials were presented from a number of the members of the medical profes­ sion of Philad elphia remonstrating against the es­ tablishment of the new school. In counter action, on that day, Dr. Sutherland presented a petition from sundry practicing physicians of Pennsylva­ nia, "praying" for the establishment of a new Medi­ cal College in the City of Philadelphia. He also presented the petition of sundry practicing physi­ cians of Lancaster County of similar import. Afterserving in the State Senatesession of 1826, Fig. 4. jbe R e'V ~ rend Ashbel Gret'fI, D.O., LL.D. First Board President (1826-48). he resigned to enter Cong ress in 1827 and served for five terms. He interspersed his work in Wash­ ington with legal work in Philadelphia. In the Iat­ ter City he served as Deputy Prosecuting Attor­ ney and Associate Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. In the Hou se of Congress he was an adept debater and skilled parliamentarian. He wrote a Manual of l..Lgislative Practice and Order of Business in Deliberative Bodies (827) for use in state legisla­ tures which went throu gh five editions by 1853. In 1839 he also wrote a Congressional Manual. In ad d ition to his wise counsel on the Jefferson Board of Trustees he promoted river and harbor devel­ opme nt in Philade lphia, especially the Navy Yard Fig. 5. jhe Rev~rend Ezra Slilt"!i Ely, D.O. Pre!ii· and Delaware Breakwater. dent pro tempore (185 0). H~ prov ided the Su therland finished out his life in the practice Medic..1H..II (1828) on Tenth street. of law and was the first President of the Society of the War of 1812. The d ynamic and brilliant Honorable Joel B. Sutherland died at the age of 69 on November 15, 1861. His sons pursued gov­ ern ment careers in the army, marine corps and civil service respectively. Another ou tsta nd ing member o f Jefferson's origina l Board was General William Duncan. He also deserves a special recount. General William Duncan: Jefferson Trustee From 1826 To 1860 General William Duncan (Fig. 2l wa s the son of Fig. 6. Th~ Rev~mKI Co m~l ius C. Cu yl ~r, D.O. Seth Du ncan who had em igrated from Ireland to Second Board P r t"!iid ~n t (1848·50). (ClPresby· te rian Histor ical Soc i~(y of Philddelphid.) Lancaster Cou nty, Pennsylvani a, arou nd 1750. It is recorded that Seth had a number of children, Lesend end Lcre 478 most of whom became notable people (H istory of As stated in the introduction, the General was Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pa. Part Il, p. active on Jefferson's Board of Trustees from 1826 353).