Trails to the Past-Vermont-Chittenden Co-Biographies Carpenter

Biographies of Chittenden County

CARPENTER, WALTER, M.D., was born in Walpole, New Hampshire, on the 12th of January, 1808, and is therefore at the present writing nearly seventy-nine years of age. The Carpenter patronymic is borne by many different families, and no date can be assigned for its origin. Dr. Carpenter springs from an English ancestry, the first member of it of whom there is authentic record being his grandfather, Davis Carpenter, of Woodstock, Conn., born about the year 1756, and removing at the age of thirty years with his family to Walpole, N. H., where he successfully established him-self in business as a farmer and tavern keeper. He died in 1823. Sylvester, the fifth of Davis Carpenter's family of children, was born in August, 1786, and passed his early days under the direction of his father, assuming sole control of the business upon the death of the latter until 1838, when he retired from the active pursuits of life, and passed the twelve remaining years of his life at the home of his son Walter, in East Randolph, Vt. His wife was Lydia, daughter of Benjamin Bowker, whom he married in 1807 and who attained the remarkable age of ninety years, and died in 1870. Walter was the only child of Sylvester and Lydia Carpenter. He received his preparatory education at Allstaid, N. H., and afterwards studied, between the ages of fifteen and eighteen years, at the academy in Chesterfield. Having fixed upon the practice of medicine he began his preliminary studies to that end in the office of his uncle, Dr. Davis Carpenter, of Brockport, N. Y., with whom he remained about one year and six months. He then attended one course of lectures at a medical college in Fairfield, N. Y., after which he studied with Dr. Amos Twichell, of Keene, N. H., for more than a year, and passing through one private and one regular course in the medical department of Dartmouth College, he was graduated from that institution in 1829. Immediately after his graduation he settled in Bethel, Vt,, where he remained in active practice for eighteen months, rapidly extending far and wide his reputation for skill and efficiency; so much so that the citizens of Randolph deputed a committee to wait upon him and solicit his removal to their community. Their invitation was at last accepted. His success in the new field was so complete and sudden that in little more than one year two competitors who had theretofore held undisputed possession of the territory were forced to emigrate to more profitable arenas. " Thenceforward," it has been well said, " for nearly twenty-eight years he was the Esculapian monarch of the entire territory. Never was beneficent potentate more assiduous in attention to responsible duty." The fall and winter of 1852-3 he passed in New York visiting hospitals, attending medical lectures, and extending his acquaintance with the latest discoveries in the science and art of medicine and surgery. All his acquisitions were now placed at the service of his own and neighboring States. With characteristic self-abnegation he took an active and leading part in the establishment of the medical school connected with the University of Vermont, and earned the lasting gratitude of the citizens of the State. The under taking was of no mean magnitude. Pecuniary means were wholly insufficient. But sagacity and courage enabled himself and part of his associates to " pilot the enterprise through shoals and breakers into the deep waters of assured and permanent success." The balance left after the payment of the expenses of the first year, $7.25, constituted the only security of the six professors for remuneration. Three of them thereupon relinquished the project for more lucrative employment. Doctors Thayer, Carpenter, and Smith, however, did not lose courage, but continued in their sublime determination to accomplish their purpose. Dr. Carpenter alone assumed all related pecuniary obligations and the new institution resumed operations. More than three times as many students were in attendance during the second year as in the first. Again expenditures consumed the income, and the pay of the professors was made up of honor and praise, which, how-ever acceptable, are not deemed valuable as legal tenders. In the third year the normal prosperity and growth were established by a fresh increase of students. Dr. Carpenter's services as professor were so highly appreciated that in 1857 he was elected by the students to the chair of theory and practice in the stead of an inefficient acting professor. Notwithstanding he had delivered his own course of lectures he completed, at considerable cost to himself, the course of the unacceptable professor, who retired with the emoluments of the office. Anxious to manifest their sense of the sacrifice and their appreciation of the service rendered, the students presented a gold-headed cane to Dr. Carpenter, which now stands in a conspicuous place among the treasured ornaments of his parlor. This pleasing token of esteem was followed by an election to the chair of theory and practice by the trustees of the institution; and from that date until 1872 the subject of this sketch discharged the duties of both professor-ships, delivering each term from one hundred to one hundred and thirty lectures, and receiving payment as the incumbent of one chair only. These severe, unremitting and rather unremunerative labors were all the more remarkable in view of the fact that Dr. Carpenter at the same time prosecuted his own regular and constantly widening practice.

Dr. Thayer resigned his position as dean of the faculty in 1871, and was absent from the city for several years. A heavy load of care was thus thrown upon the already over-burdened shoulders of Dr. Carpenter, the only resident professor remaining. But he was still punctilious in the performance of every duty. Before Dr. Thayer's departure they had a private class between the terms of the medical school, the scope of which was enlarged by Dr. Carpenter, with the co-operation of other physicians, until it included nearly all the courses of the medical department, and the numbers naturally increased in like proportion. This served as a feeder for the college, the students being transferred every year without reference to their proficiency. Thus through his efforts the course of instruction was practically continued the year round, and a lively interest sustained in an institution not yet able to stand alone. In the interests of this college Dr. Carpenter has therefore always displayed unexampled solicitude and generosity. The need of enlarged facilities drew from him in 1857 a liberal subscription to-wards providing them. Also, in co-operation with others, especially Dr. Thayer, he obtained $5,000 which was expended in the work of rebuilding. Again, in 1880, when the steady increase of students created the necessity of still larger accommodations, he raised more than $2,000 with which he enlarged the lecture-rooms, introduced water, and added a laboratory and private dissecting-room. " The college itself is Dr. Carpenter's proudest and most appropriate monument." Its catalogue is a splendid vista of progress. The number of students has grown from seven to nearly two hundred. From an insignificant beginning it has risen to the dignity of being one of the great medical schools of the United States, and is provided with all the modern appliances of professional instruction. Dr. Carpenter has been one of the most efficient agents of this singular growth. Twice at least he has interposed on critical occasions and saved the college from an untimely decease.

In 1881, owing to the increasing burdens imposed by an expanding practice and the admonitions of the fleeting years, Dr. Carpenter resigned the chair he had so long and honorably filled. But nothing could abate his affectionate interest in the school itself. Whether he had acceptably performed the arduous duties of dean of the faculty, which office he had held so many' years, may be inferred from the following resolutions, adopted unanimously by the class of 1880 :

" Whereas, The graduating class of the medical department of the university of Vermont have learned with regret of the resignation of Professor Walter Carpenter as president of the faculty and professor of the theory and practice of medicine, to take effect at the close of the session of 1881; and " Whereas, In consideration of his long and eminently successful services in behalf of the medical school, his pet and pride, we deem it not only our privilege but our duty to offer the following resolutions:

"Resolved, That we consider Professor Carpenter's connection with the medical department as most opportune and fortunate, and that to him belongs the credit of resurrecting the medical college and bringing it to its present most prosperous condition. "Resolved, That his eminent ability as a practical teacher in our school is not only recognized and appreciated by us as students, but by the physicians throughout the State as well; and that we feel to offer him our gratitude for his courteous manners and kindly and continued interest in our welfare, as well as for his faithful and arduous labors as our teacher.''

Dr. Carpenter's resignation also evoked the following resolutions from the Vermont Medical Society, which show the estimation in which he is held among his professional brethren :

" Resolved, That in the retirement of Dr. Walter Carpenter from active service in the medical department of the University of Vermont we fully realize that for more than a quarter of a century he has made its success the object of his constant care and great practical abilities.

" Resolved, That in him and his early associates in the medical department we owe the rise and progress of the institution to its present high position, and that in parting with him we feel that a strong man has left us, whose place will be hard to fill; but we hope that the college may yet for many years receive the benefit of his counsel."

His beneficent services have not, however, been confined to assuring the success of the medical school. He was the instrument in securing the magnificent donation which founded the Mary Fletcher Hospital; himself secured the charter, assisted in the preparation of the plans for the edifice, and since its completion has held the joint office of president and consulting physician of the institution. The dedication of the hospital in

January, 1879, was by a propitious coincidence the semi-centennial of his own entrance into the medical profession. He celebrated the occasion by tendering a reception to the representatives of the three learned professions-law, medicine and theology. The Burlington Clipper justly declared it to be a " memorable occasion.'' The Free Press also referred to it as the deserved honor to the " Nestor of his profession in this State." Dr. Holton, of Brattleboro, happily officiated as chairman and toast-master, and, after eulogizing Dr. Carpenter in his connection with the medical department of the University of Vermont, he added, that " his acquaintance with the lady who has so munificently endowed the hospital was most fortunate for the city," and that " while she may be truly called its mother, Dr. Carpenter is as truly the father of the Mary Fletcher Hospital. On his brow we place the laurel wreath, as having accomplished what no other member of the profession has done." He then proposed as the first toast, " Professor Walter Carpenter in his long life of high and successful devotion to his profession, to the relief of suffering and to the welfare of mankind, he has given us an example worthy to be imitated." Dr. Carpenter responded in retrospective vein, humorously described his earlier experiences, and pointed out the great changes that had occurred since his en-trance into professional life. Professor D. B. St. John Roosa, of New York, Rev. Dr. At well, of Burlington, President Buckham, of the University of Vermont, the Hon. E. J. Phelps, and others spoke to the topics of different toasts. Professor A. P. Grinnell, in closing his address, referred to one admirable characteristic of Dr. Carpenter in the words, " I am now convinced that my success and the success of the college depends upon his remaining among us. It gives me great pleasure in offering my congratulations to add the statement that Dr. Carpenter is, and always has been, a friend to young men." The Hon. Henry Ballard, in a brief and eloquent speech, exclaimed, " A half-century of work! What a long career ! What a large and varied experience! and yet we see him to-night! Though just on the wintry side of three score and ten years, we can say of him as we said of Moses on Pisgah's top, His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. His long career illustrates how much an unflagging energy, enthusiasm, zeal, persistency, and effort, when rightly directed, can crowd into a life-work. Looking at his career we can all say that this community, our State, our people, have reason to be grateful for the example and influence of such a man as our distinguished host, Dr. Walter Carpenter. The pleasure of the evening was greatly enhanced by the distribution to his guests of photographs of himself as a country doctor of the olden time, seated on horseback and carrying well-filled saddle-bags.

The contrast between past and present, between Dr. Carpenter of 1829 and Dr. Carpenter of 1879, was both humorous and instructive. Dr. Carpenter having been all his life a man devoted exclusively to the advancements incident to his profession, has seldom traveled beyond the orbit of his medical activities. Pie has been a member of the Vermont State Medical Society since 1832, and officiated as its president for one year. He has also been a member of the American Medical Association for the past thirty-seven years. Although he has ever been desirous of escaping from the labyrinths of politics and public office, he was placed by a peculiar conspiracy of affairs in 1870 in the position of a candidate for the representation of Burlington in the Legislature. A majority of 354 votes in his favor, the largest ever given in the city, attested his standing with the masses of his fellow citizens. Legislative duties, however, he preferred to leave to men of legislative qualifications and predilections. The science and art of medicine are to him all-sufficient. Now, in his seventy-ninth year, in good health, and with the recollection of only fourteen days of sickness in more than half a century, he regularly attends to an extensive and remunerative practice, and seems likely to continue doing good for years to come. Walter Carpenter has been thrice married. In 1832 he was united to Olivia Chase Blodgett, by whom he became the father of a daughter and a son. She died in 1840. In 1844 he married Mrs. Ann (Brown) Troop, who died in April, 1869. In February, 1872, Dr. Carpenter again married, this time to Adeline Brown. His only surviving child, Dr. Benjamin W. Carpenter, was surgeon of the Ninth Vermont Volunteer militia during the last war, and is now engaged in the drug business in Burlington.

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