Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Surgeon George Derby 23rd Massachusetts Infrantry


George Derby (1819-1874) son of John Derby son Elias Hasket Derby of Salem and Elizabeth Crowninshield born in 1767 died 1821 at Salem, MA. Married Eleanor Foster Coffin, daughter of Dr. Nathaniel Coffin and Eleanor Foster, on 12 Dec 1801 at Salem, MA. Eleanor Foster was daughter of Isaac Foster and Eleanor Wyer of Charlestown, Massachusetts. Married Elizabeth Parsons 13 Feb 1819; d. 20 Jun 1874 daughter of Justice William Parsons and Judith Sawyer. William Parsons was nephew of Theophilus Parsons.
Derby fought in the United States Civil War for the Union Side. He was listed as being from Massachusetts. He was a Major/Surgeon F&S in the 23rd Massachusetts Infantry. Derby, hygienist, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, February 13, 1819. He graduated at Harvard University in 1838 and at Harvard Medical School in 1843, then settled to practice in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1861 he was commissioned surgeon in the 23rd Massachusetts Volunteers; he was medical inspector of the Department of Virginia and North Carolina; later surgeon-in-chief of divisions and when his health failed was brevetted lieutenant-colonel of volunteers and in 1868 given command of the National Soldiers' Home at Togus, Maine.
 

He returned to Boston in 1866, became a surgeon to the Boston City Hospital for two years and aided in establishing a State Board of Health, of which he was secretary and executive officer.
 

From 1867 to 1871 he was lecturer at the Harvard Medical School. In 1871 he was appointed to the new professorship of hygiene at Harvard, holding the position until his death on June 20, 1874. He was author of "Annual Reports Massachusetts State Board of Health," 1866-1873"; "Anthracite and Health."
Sources: Universities and Their Sons, by Joshua L. Chamberlain. Boston, 1889, 5 v.  History Harvard Medical School, T. F. Harrington, N. Y., 1905. Commission of Appointment as Surgeon of Volunteers to George Derby by Pres. Abraham Lincoln, July 7, 1864




From The Harvard Book: A Series of Historical, Biographical, and Descriptive Sketches, Volume 1





  • A record of the Twenty-third Regiment Mass. Vol. Infantry in the War of the Rebellion 1861-1865 Emmerton, James A. (James Arthur), 1834-1888
  • Famous Mule Tom—U.S. Surgeon (23rd MA Inf.) George Derby
  • Horses and Mules in the Civil War: A Complete History with a Roster of More Than 700 War Horses Gene C. Armistead 
  • Genealogy of the Greenleaf Family James Edward Greenleaf

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