History of Switzerland County Indiana United States of America

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John Shaw Billings, librarian, was born in Switzerland county, Ind., April 12, 1838. He was graduated from Miami university in 1857, receiving an A.M. in 1860. He took the degree of M.D. from the Ohio medical college in 1860, and in November of the following year entered the U.S. army as acting assistant surgeon, in charge of hospitals at the national capital. In March, 1863, he joined the 5th army corps and was on duty at the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. He was detailed to hospital duty in New York harbor in October, 1863, and in February, 1864, became medical inspector of the army of the Potomac. He was on duty in the surgeon-general's office at Washington from December, 1864. His promotions during his field service were assistant surgeon and brevet captain. In 1865 he was brevetted major and lieutenant-colonel, and in 1876 was promoted surgeon U.S. army. He was on special duty with the treasury department in 1870, in connection with the re-organization of the Marine hospital service. He was vice-president of the national board of health from 1879 to 1880, and in charge of the vital statistics of the tenth census, and of vital and social statistics for the eleventh census. He delivered the American address at the international medical congress of London in 1881; the address on medicine at the British medical association, 1886; the presidential address of the first congress of American physicians and surgeons, 1888; the Lowell lectures on the history of medicine, Boston, 1887-'88, and the Cartwright lectures on vital and medical statistics, N.Y., 1889. He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Edinburgh in 1884, and from Harvard in 1886; that of M.D. from Munich in 1889, that of D.C.L. from Oxford in 1889, and that of LL.D. from Yale in 1901, and from Johns Hopkins in 1902. He was elected president of the American library association in 1901 and vice-chairman of the board of trustees of the Carnegie Institute in 1902. He served as treasurer of the National academy of sciences; as vice-president of the American statistical association; as president of the American public health association; the Philosophical society, Washington, and of the congress of American physicians and surgeons. He was a member of many other prominent scientific and medical bodies in the United States, and was chosen the American member of the permanent committee of the international congress of hygiene, and honorary member of the Statistical society of London, the Royal medical society of London, the Arztlich Verein in Munchen, the Medical society of Sweden, the Soci?t? Francaise d'Hygi?ne, the association of American physicians, the State medical societies of New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maryland, California, and other local societies at home and abroad. For a short time he was a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, resigning Jan. 8, 1896, to accept the position of superintending librarian of the New York public library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden foundations, consolidated. Dr. Billings was special guest at a banquet given on Feb. 14, 1896, by the Metropolitan club of New York to the directors of the library in celebration of the amalgamation of the three libraries. He is tha author of, "Reports in the Medical and Surgical History of the War," also of a "Report on Cryptogamic Growths in Cattle Diseases," a "Report on Barracks and Hospitals," "Bibliography of Cholera" (1875); "Report on Hygiene of the United States Army," "Mortality and Vital Statistics of the United States," "Index Catalogue of the Library of the Surgeon-Gen-eral's Office," "Literature and Institutions" (1876); "Index Medicus," a monthly classified record of the current medical literature of the world, (1879 et seq.); "Medical Bibliography " (1883); "Principles of Ventilation and Heating, and their Practical Application" (1884, 3d ed., 1893); "The National Medical Dictionary," written in collaboration with W. O. Atwater, M.D., Frank Baker, M.D., and others (2 vols., 1890); "Description of the Johns Hopkins Hospital" (1890); "Vital Statistics of the Eleventh Census" (1894); "The History and Literature of Surgery" (1895); "Suggestions to Hospital and Asylum Visitors" (1895); "Bacteria of River Waters" (1895); "Report on Social Statistics of the United States" (1895), and numerous papers in scientific periodicals.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Francis Marion Griffith, representative, was born in Switzerland county, Ind., Aug. 21, 1849; son of Joshua and Caroline (Vernon) Griffith; and grandson of William J. Griffith. He was educated in the Vevay high school and at Franklin college; studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1877, and practised his profession at Vevay. He was a state senator, 1886-94. He was elected a representative in the 55th congress at a special election held Aug. 10, 1897, to fill the Vacancy made by the death of William S. Holman, his opponents being the Rev. C. W. Lee, Republican, and the Rev. M. W. Broader, Populist. He was reelected to the 56th, 57th and 58th congresses, 1897-1905, and served on the committee on public lands.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Patterson McNutt, educator, was born in Switzerland county, Ind., Aug. 27, 1833. He was graduated from the Indiana Asbury (now De Pauw) university, A.B., 1855, A.M., 1858. He was married, Nov. 27, 1855, to Louisa S. Slavens. He was principal of Danville seminary, 1855-58; joined the Illinois conference in 1858; was a professor in the Illinois Wesleyan university, 1858-59, and principal of the Georgetown seminary, 1859-62. He joined the army as captain of the 73rd Illinois volunteers, serving 1862-64. He was president of Marshall college, Ill., 1864-68; president of Baker university, 1869-70; and professor of mathematics, Indiana Asbury university, 1872-83. He was transferred to the St. Louis conference and held pastorates at Warrensburg, Mo., 1883-85, and at Del Norte, Col,, 1885-86. The degree of D.D. was conferred on him by the Illinois Wesleyan university in 1880. He died at DeI Notre, Col., Feb. 9, 1886.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Switzerland County Indiana

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