Groton historical series: A
collection of papers relating to the ..., Volume 2 By Samuel Abbott Green
Dr Norman Smith was a son of Jesse
and Nabby Kittredge Smith and born at Mount Vernon
New Hampshire on October 13 181 1 He was married first on May 3 1838 to
Harriet daughter of
John and Lydia Sleeper of Frances town New Hampshire who was born on
September 7 18 16
and died at Groton on September 2 1839 secondly on November 6 1843 to
Mariett Sleeper a
sister of his first wife who was born on October 9 1826 and died at Groton
on July 6 1846 thirdly
on September 22 1847 at Lowell to Abigail Maria daughter of Ephraim and
Sarah King Brown of
Wilton New Hampshire who was born on August 26 1828 and died at Groton on
July 17 1852
fourthly on September 12 1853 to Sarah Young daughter of Solomon and Dorcas
Hopkins Frost
of Groton who was born on July 13 1832 and died at Fitchburg on December 4
1856 and fifthly
and lastly on September 11 1866 at Barre to Mrs Mary Jane King Lee daughter
of Daniel and
Rebecca Parmenter King of Rutland Massachusetts and widow of George
Huntington Lee who
was born on November 5 1828 Dr Smith came to Groton about the year 1837 when
he was
associated for a time with his cousin Franklin Otis Kit tredge in the
business of making fancy
boxes From an early age he had a decided taste for medicine and surgery and
he found it
impossible to repress the natural tendency of his desires In the year 1843
he graduated at the
Vermont Medical College Woodstock and soon became widely known as a surgeon
in this
neighborhood He had a large practice extending over the northern part of
Middlesex County
and over the southern part of Hillsborough County New Hampshire In April 1
86 1 at the
beginning of the War of the Rebellion he went out as Surgeon of the Sixth
Massachusetts Militia
Regiment and was with that famous organization on its march through
Baltimore and during its
first campaign of three months On June 9 1875 Dr Smith sailed for Europe
where he passed
several months in visiting hospitals and other medical institutions and
after his return he settled
in Nashua New Hampshire Here he remained until the year 1879 when he came
back to Groton
and resumed practice but owing to the condition of his health which had been
broken down by
exposure in the army it was not now extensive During the last few years of
his life he received a
pension from the Government for his disabilities He was a member of the
Congregational Union
Church and prominent in all matters connected with the welfare of the town
He died on May 24
1888 at his farm on Common Street and the funeral on May 28 was conducted
under Masonic
rites.
For an account of Dr Smith's
services in the army see pages 358 360 of Volume II of this
Historical Series below
DR NORMAN SMITH AT my request the Reverend Charles Babbidge DD has kindly
furnished me with some of his recollections of Dr Smith who went out in the
first campaign of the War of the Rebellion as Surgeon of the Sixth Regiment
of Massachusetts Volunteer Militia It will be remembered that Dr Babbidge
was the Chaplain of this regiment. See page 322 of this volume for a notice
of Dr Smith PEPPERELL January 5 1889
DEAR DR GREEN I had not forgotten that
I promised to furnish such memoranda as I could of Dr Smith's share in the
experiences of the Sixth Regiment in their campaign of 1861 This regiment
was the first to appear at Washington in an organized form and the talk
about any other troops being there before us is all bosh. On that April
morning when the soldiers of North Middlesex came together en route for
Lowell Boston and Washington their hearts were cheered by the presence and
their souls lifted up by the loud and well known laugh of their surgeon. From
the very start Dr Smith was the life of the regiment. Going through Baltimore
he and I sat together side by side in the leading car. The rebel taunts and
insults which were showered upon us broke no windows and inflicted no wounds.
We reached the station toward Washington and were ordered to remain quiet in
our seats and a sentinel at the door took care that we did so.
The Doctor was
full of fight however and with a loaded revolver in his lap seemed impatient
to furnish some Baltimore surgeon with a case of gunshot wound
or to provide
one for himself, but probably the presence of the chaplain of the regiment to
say nothing of other pacifying influences kept him quiet.
At last we reached
Washington and there Dr Smith's professional labors began when thirty
wounded men of our regiment required his services. Had he been a classically
educated man he would have burst out with Hie labor hoc opus est, but luckily
he knew as little of the ancient languages as he did of Sanscrit and so he
uttered no exclamation but went at once to work among his wounded comrades.
Throughout the campaign of nearly four months the same untiring spirit of a
judicious and shrewd aptness manifested itself in the Capitol at Washington
a short time after our arrival the Eighth Regiment Massachusetts Militia on
filing into the rotunda upset a stack of muskets and one of them discharging
sent a ball through the foot of Lieutenant Herrick of Beverly. Dr Smith with
characteristic impetuosity without stopping to ask what surgeon should be
called had the man taken into his our room which was one belonging to the
judges of the United States Supreme Court and almost before Herrick knew it
the foot was cut off. And in three weeks time the patient was at his home
attending to his business I never can think or speak of Dr Smith without
being moved to merriment as he was himself so much the embodiment of fun and
humor and this was a providential blessing to his comrades. When all was
darkness and gloom about us the Doctor's boisterous laugh would make
everything bright and joyous. On all occasions he showed a devotion to duty
and a readiness in emergencies which were highly to be commended and time
would now fail to tell one half of what I could say in praise of the surgeon
of the Old Sixth Yours respectfully CHARLES BABBIDGE DR NORMAN SMITH 359
DR NORMAN SMITH See page 307. Dr Norman Smith a son of Jesse and Nabby
Kittredge Smith was born at Mount Vernon New Hampshire on October 13 1811
and died at Groton on May 24 1888 He married first on May 3 1838 Harriet
daughter of John and Lydia Sleeper of Francestown New Hampshire who was born
on September 7 1816 and died at Groton on September 2 1839 secondly on
November 6 1843 Mariett Sleeper a sister of the first wife who was born on
October 9 1826 and died at Groton on July 6 1846 thirdly on September 22
1847 at Lowell Maria A daughter of Ephraim and Sarah King Brown of Wilton
New Hampshire who was born on August 26 1828 and died at Groton on July 17
1852 fourthly on September 12 1853 Sarah Young daughter of Solomon and
Dorcas Hopkins Frost of Groton who was born on July 13 1832 and died at
Fitchburg on December 4 1856 and fifthly and lastly on September n 1866 at
Barre Mrs Mary Jane King Lee daughter of Daniel and Rebecca Parmenter King
of Rutland Massachusetts who was born on November 5 1828 and now living as
Dr Smith's widow CHILDREN By the first wife HENRY born on August 26 1839 and
died on August 26 1858 By the third wife HARRIET M born on November 6 1848
and died FRANK K born on November 2 1851 and died on July 27 1860 By the
fourth wife MARIETT F born on September 23 1855 and died on August 27 1856
By the fifth wife NORMAN KITTREDGE born on September 28 1868 FREDERICK LEE
born on February 26 1871 and LAURA KING born on October 27 1872 The first
husband of Mrs Mary Jane King Lee Smith was George H Lee son of David and
Adelaide Pierce Lee of Barre and the only child by this marriage Adelaide
Louise Lee married Charles Franklin Kittredge Esq a prominent lawyer of
Boston
Dr Smith came to Groton about the year 1837 when he was associated for a
time with his cousin Franklin Otis Kit tredge in the business of making
fancy boxes. The firm occupied the store previously kept by William Farwell Brazer nearly opposite to the Academy. See the first volume of this
Historical Series No VII page 4 for a reference to the building.
From an
early age Dr Smith had a decided taste for medicine and surgery and he found
it impossible to repress the natural tendency of his desires In the year
1843 he graduated at the Vermont Medical College, Woodstock, and soon became
widely known as a surgeon in this neighborhood. He had a large
practice extending over the northern part of Middlesex County and over the
southern part of Hillsborough County New Hampshire In April 1861 at the
beginning of the War of the Rebellion
he went out as Surgeon of
the Sixth Massachusetts Militia Regiment and was with that famous
organization on its march through Baltimore and during its first campaign of
three months.
On June 9 1875 Dr
Smith sailed for Europe where he passed several months in visiting hospitals
and other medical institutions and after his return he settled in Nashua New
Hampshire Here he remained until the year 1879 when he came back to Groton
and resumed practice but owing to the condition of his health which had been
broken down by exposure in the army it was not now extensive. During the last
few years of his life he received a pension from the Government for his
disabilities. He was a member of the Congregational Union Church and
prominent in all matters connected with the welfare of the town. He died on
May 24 1888 at his farm on Common Street and the funeral on May 28 was
conducted under Masonic rites.
History
of the Town of Mont Vernon, N.H.
Dr. Norman
Smith, son of Jesse and Nabby (Kittredge) Smith, was born at Mont
Vernon, Oct. 13, 1811. He graduated from Vermont Medical College,
Woodstock, in 1843, and the same year established himself in the
practice of medicine and surgery at Groton, Mass. He acquired a wide
practice in the surgical branch of his profession extending over the
northern part of Middlesex Co., Mass., and the southern part of
Hillsboro Co., in N. Il. In April, 1801, at the outbreak of the Civil
War he went out as surgeon of 6th Mass. Regt, and was with it in its
famous march through Baltimore, and during its first campaign of three
mouths.
In 1874 he
went to Europe and passed one year attending medical lectures and
hospital practice on the continent. Returning in 1875 he resided in
Nashua. He purchased a fine estate near Groton, Mass., where he closed
his busy and useful life May 24, 1888. During his earlier years Dr.
Smith was proficient in music, which he taught with great success. He
was a member of the Mass. Medical Society and was a public-spirited
citizen, prominent in whatever promoted the welfare of the community in
which he lived. In early life he united with the church in Mont Vernon,
and was one of the oldest
members of the evangelical
church in Groton.
__________________________________________
An account of the physicians and dentists
of Groton, Massachusetts ... By Samuel Abbott
Green
Dr. Norman Smith was a
son of Jesse and Nabby (Kittredge) Smith, and born at Mount Vernon, New
Hampshire,
on October 13, 1811. He was married, first, on May 3, 1838, to Harriet,
daughter of John and Lydia Sleeper, of Frances- town, New Hampshire, who was born on September 7, 18 16, and died at
Groton, on September 2, 1839 J secondly, on November 6, 1843, to Mariett Sleeper, a sister of his first wife, who
was born on October 9, 1826, and died at Groton, on July 6, 1846; thirdly, on September 22, 1847, at Lowell, to Abigail
Maria, daughter of Ephraim and Sarah (King) Brown, of Wilton, New Hampshire, who was born on August 26, 1828, and
died at Groton, on July 17, 1852 ; fourthly, on September 12, 1853, to Sarah Young, daughter of Solomon and Dorcas
(Hopkins) Frost, of Groton, who was born on July 13, 1832, and died at Fitchburg, on December 4, 1856; and, fifthly
and lastly, on September 11, 1866, at Barre, to Mrs. Mary Jane (King) Lee, daughter of Daniel and Rebecca (Parmenter)
King, of Rutland, Massachusetts, and widow of
George Huntington Lee, who was born on November 5, 1828. From an early
age he had a decided taste for medicine and surgery and he found it
impossible to repress the natural tendency of his desires In the year 1843
he graduated at
the Vermont Medical College, Woodstock, and soon became widely known as a
surgeon in this neighborhood.
Dr. Smith came to Groton about the year
1837, when he was associated for a time with his cousin Franklin Otis Kittredge, in the business of making fancy boxes. From an early age he had
a decided taste for medicine and surgery, and he
found it impossible to repress the natural tendency of his desires. In
the year 1843 he graduated at the Vermont Medical College, Woodstock,
and soon became widely known as a surgeon in this neighborhood. He had a
large practice, extending over the northern part of Middlesex County, and over the southern
part of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. In
April, 1861, at the beginning of the War of the Rebellion, he went out
as Surgeon of the Sixth Massachusetts Militia Regiment, and was with that famous organization on its march through
Baltimore, and during its first campaign of three
months.
