Dr Israel Balch son of David Balch and Sarah Peabody
was born in Topsfield Sept 14 1788 He fitted for college with the Rev Asahel Huntington entering Dartmouth when he was eighteen years old He received no aid from his father to defray his educational expenses. His grandfather Peabody made him a present of $450 which was all the pecuniary aid he had that he did not earn himself. He was graduated in the class of 1811 After graduating he taught school a year in Topsfield and a year and a half in the Academy at Amesbury After studying medicine with Dr Nathan Smith of Hanover NH and three years with Doctor French of Amesbury he began to practice in Salisbury in 1814 and continued till 1820 when he removed to Amesbury where he resided and practiced until his death July 7 1858 He was married at Amesbury in 1814 to Miss Nancy Goodwin who was born Oct 12 1793 and died at Amesbury in 1865
He was a very successful practitioner of medicine and surgery For seven years he was surgeon of a regiment He had the largest medical library in Amesbury or vicinity Many young men sought his office for instruction in medicine and surgery navigation and higher mathematics He wrote and delivered several lectures on scientific subjects He was gifted with a strong scientific mind He took out several patents and made some very peculiar clocks In contriving and manufacturing surgical instruments he exhibited much ingenuity He was a strong advocate of temperance and a firm abolitionist. John Morrill Currier son of Richard and Dolly Currier, of Amesbury studied medicine in Amesbury with Dr. Israel Balch (Dartmouth College)
See also Cleaveland's Bicentennial Address Appendix 9 and Topsfield Historical Collections Vol 12 page 143
From Tuesday, November 2, 1897 Paper: Boston Herald (Boston, MA)
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