ERNEST HEBERSMITH, M.D., was originally born with the first name Heber and the last name Smith. Ernest was born in Rensselaerville, Albany county, N.Y., on the 20th of January, 1840. He was the son of Rev. Orsamus Holmes Smith who was for many years a rector of Christ Church, in Patterson NY. Ernest's mother was Lucy Ann Thorpe 1805-1878 the daughter of Daniel Thorpe 1777 CT-1837 NY and Lucy Beardsley 1777-1843.
From Dec 27, 1877, his name was legally changed to Ernest Hebersmth (no 'i') in a Brooklyn NY courthouse.
Ernest was educated chiefly by his father, until his twelfth year, when he was sent to the Ballston Spa Institute. He prepared for college at the Cheshire Academy, Cheshire, Conn., and entered Hobart College, Geneva, N.Y., in 1857.
He began the study of medicine under Dr. N.W. Wheeler, of Patterson, and graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, of New York, in the spring of 1861. He was at that time a resident interne of Bellevue Hospital and remained until the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, when he entered the U.S. Navy as assistant surgeon, and served in that capacity until the close of the war. His principal service was under Admiral Farragut. He was present at the capture of New Orleans and Mobile, and took part in nearly all the battles fought under that great captain, and in the blockade of the Gulf ports. He was once severely wounded in the face and hand during a skirmish in Virginia, for which he was granted a pension in 1883.
After resigning from the navy in 1865, he settled in New Orleans, engaged in private practice, and was immediately appointed acting assistant surgeon in the U.S. Army. He was assigned to duty at the military hospitals in that city, and as attending surgeon upon officers and officers' families in the city. At one time during the yellow fever epidemic of 1867, he was for a week the only one of five medical officers attached to a large military hospital able to keep his feet, the other four, one of whom was his brother, Orsamus, being down with the fever. The following year an epidemic of cholera taxed the medical officers almost as severely, and the hospitals were discontinued.
His services being no longer required, he resigned from the army and was soon after put in charge of the U.S. Marine Hospital Service, at New Orleans. He was transferred to the charge of the same service at New York in 1871, and in 1879 was transferred to the charge of the same service in San Francisco, where he finally resigned all government service in 1881.
Returning to Patterson in 1882, he engaged in the private practice of his profession and is now associated with Dr. J. Sutcliffe Hill.
History of Putnam County, New York: with biographical sketches of its prominent men (1886),William S. (William Smith) Pelletreau.
Ernest's name appears in minutes as attending a meeting with his uncle, Dr. Stephen Smith in NY, Apr 18, 1872 on the need for a National Sanitary Association to prevent disease. This meeting was the beginning of the American Public Health Association (APHA). Dr. Stephen Smith is the founder of the APHA and cousin of Orsamus Holmes Smith (the father of Ernest Hebersmith). Stephen's parents are Lewis Smith and Chloe Benson. Lewis is the brother of Orsmaus's Father, William Smith. Stephen and Orsamus share the same Grandparents in our pedigree line, Job Smith 1747-1827 and Elizabeth Keeler 1748-1835.
Ernest married Christina Akin of Pawling NY 1840-1932. They had 13 children, only 4 of whom lived into adulthood. Those that survived into later adulthood took on the last name of Heber: Ernest Hebersmith Jr. 1862-1884, Mary Alice Hebersmith 1864-1865, Christine Heber 1869-1956 married Charles R. Query, Martha Heber 1871-1979 never married, Mary Hebersmith 1872-1872, Suzanne Heber 1874-1967 never married, Alice K. Hebersmith 1876-1891, Reginald Heber 1878-1950 married Bertha Proseus McMillan, Lucianne Hebersmith 1880-1896, Florence Hebersmith 1882-1895, Olga Hope Hebersmith 1884-1892, Molly Hebersmith and Cecil Hebersmith.
Daughter Florence is buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Charlotte NC Findagrave# 142319489.
Ernest's daughter Suzanne Heber says this about her father in a 1927 letter to her nieces and nephews:
"He was an exceptionally good and noble gentleman. He died when I was about 14 or 12 years old so I remember him well. I never heard him speak a cross word to anyone that I can remember and yet all his children were obedient and good. Once when I was too little to know any better, I would not pick up some crumbs when he told me to; I was eating some bread and dropping crumbs on the carpet. Well, at first he said I must do it or he would punish me, but that only made me too frightened to do it anyway, so what do you think he did? He sat down and read his paper and paid no attention to me. Pretty soon I was sorry and came back and picked them all up. I suppose he being a doctor understood children must not be scared. ...Every time I think of my father I am proud of the fact that he was a GENTLEMAN and had marvelous self control. I mean he never lost his temper. He was only 40 years old at that time when I (aged 6) refused to pick up those crumbs; I think most people would have been angry and struck me."
Ernest's Granddaughter Mary Parsons Heber Mathews provides this quote about his war injury, military service, and name change: "Heber Smith (later Ernest Hebersmith) graduated from medical college at the age of 21 just as the Civil War broke out and he went to Washington and took the examination for Navy Assistant Surgeon and was commissioned and assigned to the Itasca, then we was married and went off to the war.
grandma (Chirstina Akin Hebersmith) went back to school at Maplewood Institute in Pittsfield MA.
Ernest was wounded in one of the first engagements in the war. His vessel was in the Rappahannock River and someone raised an American Flag at a house on shore and the Captain of the vessel permitted his officers to go ashore. While the officers were being entertained someone notified the rebels that the Yankees were there and the house was surrounded. The Yankees ran to the shore and into the water to their necks while guns from the ship bombarded over their heads while the boats picked the men up. A number were wounded among them grandfather (Hebersmith) who had a gunshot wound through the face taking out his teeth and the tip of his tongue. He was the only surgeon on board and could not speak. He wrote the instructions for the care of all the other wounded and then gave up and the Captain gave up his quarters to him and they kept a steady steam of water running through his face until they reached Fortress Monroe where the wounded were taken.
Grandfather Hebersmith recovered and returned to the Navy and was in the Battle of Mobile and the Battle of New Orleans and his vessel was blockading off the Coast of Texas. After the Capture of New Orleans Grandfather's vessel was at that port every two weeks and grandfather thought is would be nice to have grandmother (Christina Akin) there so she went there by sea and used to say it was quite exciting running at night without lights. She made the trip back and forth several times coming North in the Summer and returning to New Orleans in the fall.
After the war was over Grandfather Hebersmith went into the Army and had charge of Army hospitals in New Orleans. A brother, Orsamus, was a surgeon in the Army. Later Grandfather was in the Marine Hospital Service, which he helped to establish.
He had charge of the Service for the Port of New York and was in line to be Surgeon General at the time Dr. John M. Woodworth died. However, Grandfather had contracted Tuberculosis in New York and was not well enough to go to Washington so had himself appointed to San Francisco Presidio instead and recommended Dr. John B. Hamilton for Surgeon General in his place. Unfortunately, he had a misunderstanding with Dr. Hamilton later and resigned from the service.
It was while living in New Orleans that the name Smith bothered Grandfather as there was more than one Dr. H. Smith in the city and the mail was constantly being mixed up. At first the name was made Hebersmith and after the first child was born and named Ernest, Grandfather made his name the same as Ernest Jr. Grandmother drew a pension under the name Christina Akin Hebersmith. The name was legally changed to Hebersmth, without the ‘i' the idea being that the ‘mth' was not to be pronounced. This made an impossible word and when Aunt Tinie (Hebersmith's daughter Christine) went into business she just dropped the ‘smth' and the rest of the family followed suit and we have been known as the Heber family ever since except that Grandma (Christina Akin) kept her name Hebersmith."
The siblings of Ernest are: Emily Smith abt. 1828 NY, Annie Smith 1830 NY, William Smith, Lucia Smith 1833-1902 married Henry L. Benedict, Orsamus Smith Jr. 1836-1876 and possibly Cecil Smith.
The parents of Orsamus Holmes Smith are William Smith 1771-1816 and Mary E. Smith 1775-1854. A small book titled 'Allerton Parish - A Tale of the Early Days of Western New York' by John Nicholas Norton, is dedicated to Orsamus Holmes Smith and Chapter 5 is written about a William Smith Family with implication that Orsamus went into study and service in the Episcopal Church under the mentorship of Bishop Hobart.
The parents of Ernest's wife Christina are Elisha Akin 1797-1842 and Susannah Aldrich 1802-1868. Christina's paternal Grandparents are Murray Akin 1765-1825 and Lucy Haynes 1770-1840. Her maternal grandparents are Anthony Aldrich 1766-1844 and Cynthia Allen 1780-1818.
The parents of Orsamus Holmes Smith are William Smith 1771 - Aug 22, 1816 Richmond Ontario NY and Mary E. ___ (and/or Polly) 1775 CT to Jul 9, 1854 NY.
The parents or Orsamus are Job Smith May 3, 1747 Norwalk Fairfield CT - Jan 16, 1827 Spafford Onondaga NY and Elizabeth Keeler May 24, 1748 Norwalk Fairfield NY - Aug 31, 1835
Re: Ernest's mother Lucy Ann Thorpe:
Lucy Ann Thorpe is the daughter of Col Daniel Thorpe 1777-1837 and Lucy Beardsley 1777-1843. I have not yet been able to ID the death date for Lucy Ann or find her grave. Daniel Thorpe (FAG# 86744102) is buried in the Genoa Rural Cemetery in Genoa, Cayuga co. NY along with his wife Lucy B. (FAG# 86744103) so it's possible Lucy Ann is buried there with her parents. Or perhaps Lucy Ann is buried with her husband Orsamus H. Smith in the Pawling NY Cemetery (or he could be buried in the Maple Ave. Cemetery in Patterson NY)
Daniel Thorpe's parents are Nathan Thorpe 1749-11806 (FAG# 53255658) and Patience Wheeler 1755-1808 (FAG# 86744100.) Also in the Genoa Rural Cemetery. There are other likely related Thorpes in that cemetery.
The parents of Patience Wheeler are David Wheeler 1726-1793 and Lois Chauncey 1727-1793. On the Chauncey Pedigree Line-- According to some trees found on Ancestry.com, Chauncey's go to a long line of Wolcotts (including Henry Wolcott 1610 Eng. -1680 CT, FAG # 64773960) who then go to a line of DeCornwall's in England which opens a long line and wide web of royalty including Earls of Cornwall, Henry II & of Aquitaine, William the Conquerer, Charlemagne and many more. This lineage can be traced on my 'Heber/Jahne' public member family tree on ancestry.com.
The family members listed here are largely of New York, many in the Pawling / Patterson area.
Some other related Findagrave Memorial Numbers:
William Smith - 116634526
Mary E. Smith (Polly?) - 116639802
Job Smith - 53038910
Elizabeth Keeler - 74930108
Christine Heber Query - 102442486
Lucia Smith Benedict - 59478190
Bertha Proseus McMillan - 115327472
Reginald Heber Jr. - 111661356
Daniel Thorpe - 86744102
Lucy Beardsley - 86744103
Elisah Akin - 18247749
Susannah Aldrich - 66262859
Anthony Aldrich - 24307393
Cynthia Allen - 29206319
I welcome any additions or corrected information as well as contacts from living relatives.
Ernest's Great Granddaughter Sharyl Heber
[email protected]
From Dec 27, 1877, his name was legally changed to Ernest Hebersmth (no 'i') in a Brooklyn NY courthouse.
Ernest was educated chiefly by his father, until his twelfth year, when he was sent to the Ballston Spa Institute. He prepared for college at the Cheshire Academy, Cheshire, Conn., and entered Hobart College, Geneva, N.Y., in 1857.
He began the study of medicine under Dr. N.W. Wheeler, of Patterson, and graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, of New York, in the spring of 1861. He was at that time a resident interne of Bellevue Hospital and remained until the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, when he entered the U.S. Navy as assistant surgeon, and served in that capacity until the close of the war. His principal service was under Admiral Farragut. He was present at the capture of New Orleans and Mobile, and took part in nearly all the battles fought under that great captain, and in the blockade of the Gulf ports. He was once severely wounded in the face and hand during a skirmish in Virginia, for which he was granted a pension in 1883.
After resigning from the navy in 1865, he settled in New Orleans, engaged in private practice, and was immediately appointed acting assistant surgeon in the U.S. Army. He was assigned to duty at the military hospitals in that city, and as attending surgeon upon officers and officers' families in the city. At one time during the yellow fever epidemic of 1867, he was for a week the only one of five medical officers attached to a large military hospital able to keep his feet, the other four, one of whom was his brother, Orsamus, being down with the fever. The following year an epidemic of cholera taxed the medical officers almost as severely, and the hospitals were discontinued.
His services being no longer required, he resigned from the army and was soon after put in charge of the U.S. Marine Hospital Service, at New Orleans. He was transferred to the charge of the same service at New York in 1871, and in 1879 was transferred to the charge of the same service in San Francisco, where he finally resigned all government service in 1881.
Returning to Patterson in 1882, he engaged in the private practice of his profession and is now associated with Dr. J. Sutcliffe Hill.
History of Putnam County, New York: with biographical sketches of its prominent men (1886),William S. (William Smith) Pelletreau.
Ernest's name appears in minutes as attending a meeting with his uncle, Dr. Stephen Smith in NY, Apr 18, 1872 on the need for a National Sanitary Association to prevent disease. This meeting was the beginning of the American Public Health Association (APHA). Dr. Stephen Smith is the founder of the APHA and cousin of Orsamus Holmes Smith (the father of Ernest Hebersmith). Stephen's parents are Lewis Smith and Chloe Benson. Lewis is the brother of Orsmaus's Father, William Smith. Stephen and Orsamus share the same Grandparents in our pedigree line, Job Smith 1747-1827 and Elizabeth Keeler 1748-1835.
Ernest married Christina Akin of Pawling NY 1840-1932. They had 13 children, only 4 of whom lived into adulthood. Those that survived into later adulthood took on the last name of Heber: Ernest Hebersmith Jr. 1862-1884, Mary Alice Hebersmith 1864-1865, Christine Heber 1869-1956 married Charles R. Query, Martha Heber 1871-1979 never married, Mary Hebersmith 1872-1872, Suzanne Heber 1874-1967 never married, Alice K. Hebersmith 1876-1891, Reginald Heber 1878-1950 married Bertha Proseus McMillan, Lucianne Hebersmith 1880-1896, Florence Hebersmith 1882-1895, Olga Hope Hebersmith 1884-1892, Molly Hebersmith and Cecil Hebersmith.
Daughter Florence is buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Charlotte NC Findagrave# 142319489.
Ernest's daughter Suzanne Heber says this about her father in a 1927 letter to her nieces and nephews:
"He was an exceptionally good and noble gentleman. He died when I was about 14 or 12 years old so I remember him well. I never heard him speak a cross word to anyone that I can remember and yet all his children were obedient and good. Once when I was too little to know any better, I would not pick up some crumbs when he told me to; I was eating some bread and dropping crumbs on the carpet. Well, at first he said I must do it or he would punish me, but that only made me too frightened to do it anyway, so what do you think he did? He sat down and read his paper and paid no attention to me. Pretty soon I was sorry and came back and picked them all up. I suppose he being a doctor understood children must not be scared. ...Every time I think of my father I am proud of the fact that he was a GENTLEMAN and had marvelous self control. I mean he never lost his temper. He was only 40 years old at that time when I (aged 6) refused to pick up those crumbs; I think most people would have been angry and struck me."
Ernest's Granddaughter Mary Parsons Heber Mathews provides this quote about his war injury, military service, and name change: "Heber Smith (later Ernest Hebersmith) graduated from medical college at the age of 21 just as the Civil War broke out and he went to Washington and took the examination for Navy Assistant Surgeon and was commissioned and assigned to the Itasca, then we was married and went off to the war.
grandma (Chirstina Akin Hebersmith) went back to school at Maplewood Institute in Pittsfield MA.
Ernest was wounded in one of the first engagements in the war. His vessel was in the Rappahannock River and someone raised an American Flag at a house on shore and the Captain of the vessel permitted his officers to go ashore. While the officers were being entertained someone notified the rebels that the Yankees were there and the house was surrounded. The Yankees ran to the shore and into the water to their necks while guns from the ship bombarded over their heads while the boats picked the men up. A number were wounded among them grandfather (Hebersmith) who had a gunshot wound through the face taking out his teeth and the tip of his tongue. He was the only surgeon on board and could not speak. He wrote the instructions for the care of all the other wounded and then gave up and the Captain gave up his quarters to him and they kept a steady steam of water running through his face until they reached Fortress Monroe where the wounded were taken.
Grandfather Hebersmith recovered and returned to the Navy and was in the Battle of Mobile and the Battle of New Orleans and his vessel was blockading off the Coast of Texas. After the Capture of New Orleans Grandfather's vessel was at that port every two weeks and grandfather thought is would be nice to have grandmother (Christina Akin) there so she went there by sea and used to say it was quite exciting running at night without lights. She made the trip back and forth several times coming North in the Summer and returning to New Orleans in the fall.
After the war was over Grandfather Hebersmith went into the Army and had charge of Army hospitals in New Orleans. A brother, Orsamus, was a surgeon in the Army. Later Grandfather was in the Marine Hospital Service, which he helped to establish.
He had charge of the Service for the Port of New York and was in line to be Surgeon General at the time Dr. John M. Woodworth died. However, Grandfather had contracted Tuberculosis in New York and was not well enough to go to Washington so had himself appointed to San Francisco Presidio instead and recommended Dr. John B. Hamilton for Surgeon General in his place. Unfortunately, he had a misunderstanding with Dr. Hamilton later and resigned from the service.
It was while living in New Orleans that the name Smith bothered Grandfather as there was more than one Dr. H. Smith in the city and the mail was constantly being mixed up. At first the name was made Hebersmith and after the first child was born and named Ernest, Grandfather made his name the same as Ernest Jr. Grandmother drew a pension under the name Christina Akin Hebersmith. The name was legally changed to Hebersmth, without the ‘i' the idea being that the ‘mth' was not to be pronounced. This made an impossible word and when Aunt Tinie (Hebersmith's daughter Christine) went into business she just dropped the ‘smth' and the rest of the family followed suit and we have been known as the Heber family ever since except that Grandma (Christina Akin) kept her name Hebersmith."
The siblings of Ernest are: Emily Smith abt. 1828 NY, Annie Smith 1830 NY, William Smith, Lucia Smith 1833-1902 married Henry L. Benedict, Orsamus Smith Jr. 1836-1876 and possibly Cecil Smith.
The parents of Orsamus Holmes Smith are William Smith 1771-1816 and Mary E. Smith 1775-1854. A small book titled 'Allerton Parish - A Tale of the Early Days of Western New York' by John Nicholas Norton, is dedicated to Orsamus Holmes Smith and Chapter 5 is written about a William Smith Family with implication that Orsamus went into study and service in the Episcopal Church under the mentorship of Bishop Hobart.
The parents of Ernest's wife Christina are Elisha Akin 1797-1842 and Susannah Aldrich 1802-1868. Christina's paternal Grandparents are Murray Akin 1765-1825 and Lucy Haynes 1770-1840. Her maternal grandparents are Anthony Aldrich 1766-1844 and Cynthia Allen 1780-1818.
The parents of Orsamus Holmes Smith are William Smith 1771 - Aug 22, 1816 Richmond Ontario NY and Mary E. ___ (and/or Polly) 1775 CT to Jul 9, 1854 NY.
The parents or Orsamus are Job Smith May 3, 1747 Norwalk Fairfield CT - Jan 16, 1827 Spafford Onondaga NY and Elizabeth Keeler May 24, 1748 Norwalk Fairfield NY - Aug 31, 1835
Re: Ernest's mother Lucy Ann Thorpe:
Lucy Ann Thorpe is the daughter of Col Daniel Thorpe 1777-1837 and Lucy Beardsley 1777-1843. I have not yet been able to ID the death date for Lucy Ann or find her grave. Daniel Thorpe (FAG# 86744102) is buried in the Genoa Rural Cemetery in Genoa, Cayuga co. NY along with his wife Lucy B. (FAG# 86744103) so it's possible Lucy Ann is buried there with her parents. Or perhaps Lucy Ann is buried with her husband Orsamus H. Smith in the Pawling NY Cemetery (or he could be buried in the Maple Ave. Cemetery in Patterson NY)
Daniel Thorpe's parents are Nathan Thorpe 1749-11806 (FAG# 53255658) and Patience Wheeler 1755-1808 (FAG# 86744100.) Also in the Genoa Rural Cemetery. There are other likely related Thorpes in that cemetery.
The parents of Patience Wheeler are David Wheeler 1726-1793 and Lois Chauncey 1727-1793. On the Chauncey Pedigree Line-- According to some trees found on Ancestry.com, Chauncey's go to a long line of Wolcotts (including Henry Wolcott 1610 Eng. -1680 CT, FAG # 64773960) who then go to a line of DeCornwall's in England which opens a long line and wide web of royalty including Earls of Cornwall, Henry II & of Aquitaine, William the Conquerer, Charlemagne and many more. This lineage can be traced on my 'Heber/Jahne' public member family tree on ancestry.com.
The family members listed here are largely of New York, many in the Pawling / Patterson area.
Some other related Findagrave Memorial Numbers:
William Smith - 116634526
Mary E. Smith (Polly?) - 116639802
Job Smith - 53038910
Elizabeth Keeler - 74930108
Christine Heber Query - 102442486
Lucia Smith Benedict - 59478190
Bertha Proseus McMillan - 115327472
Reginald Heber Jr. - 111661356
Daniel Thorpe - 86744102
Lucy Beardsley - 86744103
Elisah Akin - 18247749
Susannah Aldrich - 66262859
Anthony Aldrich - 24307393
Cynthia Allen - 29206319
I welcome any additions or corrected information as well as contacts from living relatives.
Ernest's Great Granddaughter Sharyl Heber
[email protected]
ERNEST HEBERSMITH, M.D., was originally born with the first name Heber and the last name Smith. Ernest was born in Rensselaerville, Albany county, N.Y., on the 20th of January, 1840. He was the son of Rev. Orsamus Holmes Smith who was for many years a rector of Christ Church, in Patterson NY. Ernest's mother was Lucy Ann Thorpe 1805-1878 the daughter of Daniel Thorpe 1777 CT-1837 NY and Lucy Beardsley 1777-1843.
From Dec 27, 1877, his name was legally changed to Ernest Hebersmth (no 'i') in a Brooklyn NY courthouse.
Ernest was educated chiefly by his father, until his twelfth year, when he was sent to the Ballston Spa Institute. He prepared for college at the Cheshire Academy, Cheshire, Conn., and entered Hobart College, Geneva, N.Y., in 1857.
He began the study of medicine under Dr. N.W. Wheeler, of Patterson, and graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, of New York, in the spring of 1861. He was at that time a resident interne of Bellevue Hospital and remained until the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, when he entered the U.S. Navy as assistant surgeon, and served in that capacity until the close of the war. His principal service was under Admiral Farragut. He was present at the capture of New Orleans and Mobile, and took part in nearly all the battles fought under that great captain, and in the blockade of the Gulf ports. He was once severely wounded in the face and hand during a skirmish in Virginia, for which he was granted a pension in 1883.
After resigning from the navy in 1865, he settled in New Orleans, engaged in private practice, and was immediately appointed acting assistant surgeon in the U.S. Army. He was assigned to duty at the military hospitals in that city, and as attending surgeon upon officers and officers' families in the city. At one time during the yellow fever epidemic of 1867, he was for a week the only one of five medical officers attached to a large military hospital able to keep his feet, the other four, one of whom was his brother, Orsamus, being down with the fever. The following year an epidemic of cholera taxed the medical officers almost as severely, and the hospitals were discontinued.
His services being no longer required, he resigned from the army and was soon after put in charge of the U.S. Marine Hospital Service, at New Orleans. He was transferred to the charge of the same service at New York in 1871, and in 1879 was transferred to the charge of the same service in San Francisco, where he finally resigned all government service in 1881.
Returning to Patterson in 1882, he engaged in the private practice of his profession and is now associated with Dr. J. Sutcliffe Hill.
History of Putnam County, New York: with biographical sketches of its prominent men (1886),William S. (William Smith) Pelletreau.
Ernest's name appears in minutes as attending a meeting with his uncle, Dr. Stephen Smith in NY, Apr 18, 1872 on the need for a National Sanitary Association to prevent disease. This meeting was the beginning of the American Public Health Association (APHA). Dr. Stephen Smith is the founder of the APHA and cousin of Orsamus Holmes Smith (the father of Ernest Hebersmith). Stephen's parents are Lewis Smith and Chloe Benson. Lewis is the brother of Orsmaus's Father, William Smith. Stephen and Orsamus share the same Grandparents in our pedigree line, Job Smith 1747-1827 and Elizabeth Keeler 1748-1835.
Ernest married Christina Akin of Pawling NY 1840-1932. They had 13 children, only 4 of whom lived into adulthood. Those that survived into later adulthood took on the last name of Heber: Ernest Hebersmith Jr. 1862-1884, Mary Alice Hebersmith 1864-1865, Christine Heber 1869-1956 married Charles R. Query, Martha Heber 1871-1979 never married, Mary Hebersmith 1872-1872, Suzanne Heber 1874-1967 never married, Alice K. Hebersmith 1876-1891, Reginald Heber 1878-1950 married Bertha Proseus McMillan, Lucianne Hebersmith 1880-1896, Florence Hebersmith 1882-1895, Olga Hope Hebersmith 1884-1892, Molly Hebersmith and Cecil Hebersmith.
Daughter Florence is buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Charlotte NC Findagrave# 142319489.
Ernest's daughter Suzanne Heber says this about her father in a 1927 letter to her nieces and nephews:
"He was an exceptionally good and noble gentleman. He died when I was about 14 or 12 years old so I remember him well. I never heard him speak a cross word to anyone that I can remember and yet all his children were obedient and good. Once when I was too little to know any better, I would not pick up some crumbs when he told me to; I was eating some bread and dropping crumbs on the carpet. Well, at first he said I must do it or he would punish me, but that only made me too frightened to do it anyway, so what do you think he did? He sat down and read his paper and paid no attention to me. Pretty soon I was sorry and came back and picked them all up. I suppose he being a doctor understood children must not be scared. ...Every time I think of my father I am proud of the fact that he was a GENTLEMAN and had marvelous self control. I mean he never lost his temper. He was only 40 years old at that time when I (aged 6) refused to pick up those crumbs; I think most people would have been angry and struck me."
Ernest's Granddaughter Mary Parsons Heber Mathews provides this quote about his war injury, military service, and name change: "Heber Smith (later Ernest Hebersmith) graduated from medical college at the age of 21 just as the Civil War broke out and he went to Washington and took the examination for Navy Assistant Surgeon and was commissioned and assigned to the Itasca, then we was married and went off to the war.
grandma (Chirstina Akin Hebersmith) went back to school at Maplewood Institute in Pittsfield MA.
Ernest was wounded in one of the first engagements in the war. His vessel was in the Rappahannock River and someone raised an American Flag at a house on shore and the Captain of the vessel permitted his officers to go ashore. While the officers were being entertained someone notified the rebels that the Yankees were there and the house was surrounded. The Yankees ran to the shore and into the water to their necks while guns from the ship bombarded over their heads while the boats picked the men up. A number were wounded among them grandfather (Hebersmith) who had a gunshot wound through the face taking out his teeth and the tip of his tongue. He was the only surgeon on board and could not speak. He wrote the instructions for the care of all the other wounded and then gave up and the Captain gave up his quarters to him and they kept a steady steam of water running through his face until they reached Fortress Monroe where the wounded were taken.
Grandfather Hebersmith recovered and returned to the Navy and was in the Battle of Mobile and the Battle of New Orleans and his vessel was blockading off the Coast of Texas. After the Capture of New Orleans Grandfather's vessel was at that port every two weeks and grandfather thought is would be nice to have grandmother (Christina Akin) there so she went there by sea and used to say it was quite exciting running at night without lights. She made the trip back and forth several times coming North in the Summer and returning to New Orleans in the fall.
After the war was over Grandfather Hebersmith went into the Army and had charge of Army hospitals in New Orleans. A brother, Orsamus, was a surgeon in the Army. Later Grandfather was in the Marine Hospital Service, which he helped to establish.
He had charge of the Service for the Port of New York and was in line to be Surgeon General at the time Dr. John M. Woodworth died. However, Grandfather had contracted Tuberculosis in New York and was not well enough to go to Washington so had himself appointed to San Francisco Presidio instead and recommended Dr. John B. Hamilton for Surgeon General in his place. Unfortunately, he had a misunderstanding with Dr. Hamilton later and resigned from the service.
It was while living in New Orleans that the name Smith bothered Grandfather as there was more than one Dr. H. Smith in the city and the mail was constantly being mixed up. At first the name was made Hebersmith and after the first child was born and named Ernest, Grandfather made his name the same as Ernest Jr. Grandmother drew a pension under the name Christina Akin Hebersmith. The name was legally changed to Hebersmth, without the ‘i' the idea being that the ‘mth' was not to be pronounced. This made an impossible word and when Aunt Tinie (Hebersmith's daughter Christine) went into business she just dropped the ‘smth' and the rest of the family followed suit and we have been known as the Heber family ever since except that Grandma (Christina Akin) kept her name Hebersmith."
The siblings of Ernest are: Emily Smith abt. 1828 NY, Annie Smith 1830 NY, William Smith, Lucia Smith 1833-1902 married Henry L. Benedict, Orsamus Smith Jr. 1836-1876 and possibly Cecil Smith.
The parents of Orsamus Holmes Smith are William Smith 1771-1816 and Mary E. Smith 1775-1854. A small book titled 'Allerton Parish - A Tale of the Early Days of Western New York' by John Nicholas Norton, is dedicated to Orsamus Holmes Smith and Chapter 5 is written about a William Smith Family with implication that Orsamus went into study and service in the Episcopal Church under the mentorship of Bishop Hobart.
The parents of Ernest's wife Christina are Elisha Akin 1797-1842 and Susannah Aldrich 1802-1868. Christina's paternal Grandparents are Murray Akin 1765-1825 and Lucy Haynes 1770-1840. Her maternal grandparents are Anthony Aldrich 1766-1844 and Cynthia Allen 1780-1818.
The parents of Orsamus Holmes Smith are William Smith 1771 - Aug 22, 1816 Richmond Ontario NY and Mary E. ___ (and/or Polly) 1775 CT to Jul 9, 1854 NY.
The parents or Orsamus are Job Smith May 3, 1747 Norwalk Fairfield CT - Jan 16, 1827 Spafford Onondaga NY and Elizabeth Keeler May 24, 1748 Norwalk Fairfield NY - Aug 31, 1835
Re: Ernest's mother Lucy Ann Thorpe:
Lucy Ann Thorpe is the daughter of Col Daniel Thorpe 1777-1837 and Lucy Beardsley 1777-1843. I have not yet been able to ID the death date for Lucy Ann or find her grave. Daniel Thorpe (FAG# 86744102) is buried in the Genoa Rural Cemetery in Genoa, Cayuga co. NY along with his wife Lucy B. (FAG# 86744103) so it's possible Lucy Ann is buried there with her parents. Or perhaps Lucy Ann is buried with her husband Orsamus H. Smith in the Pawling NY Cemetery (or he could be buried in the Maple Ave. Cemetery in Patterson NY)
Daniel Thorpe's parents are Nathan Thorpe 1749-11806 (FAG# 53255658) and Patience Wheeler 1755-1808 (FAG# 86744100.) Also in the Genoa Rural Cemetery. There are other likely related Thorpes in that cemetery.
The parents of Patience Wheeler are David Wheeler 1726-1793 and Lois Chauncey 1727-1793. On the Chauncey Pedigree Line-- According to some trees found on Ancestry.com, Chauncey's go to a long line of Wolcotts (including Henry Wolcott 1610 Eng. -1680 CT, FAG # 64773960) who then go to a line of DeCornwall's in England which opens a long line and wide web of royalty including Earls of Cornwall, Henry II & of Aquitaine, William the Conquerer, Charlemagne and many more. This lineage can be traced on my 'Heber/Jahne' public member family tree on ancestry.com.
The family members listed here are largely of New York, many in the Pawling / Patterson area.
Some other related Findagrave Memorial Numbers:
William Smith - 116634526
Mary E. Smith (Polly?) - 116639802
Job Smith - 53038910
Elizabeth Keeler - 74930108
Christine Heber Query - 102442486
Lucia Smith Benedict - 59478190
Bertha Proseus McMillan - 115327472
Reginald Heber Jr. - 111661356
Daniel Thorpe - 86744102
Lucy Beardsley - 86744103
Elisah Akin - 18247749
Susannah Aldrich - 66262859
Anthony Aldrich - 24307393
Cynthia Allen - 29206319
I welcome any additions or corrected information as well as contacts from living relatives.
Ernest's Great Granddaughter Sharyl Heber
[email protected]
From Dec 27, 1877, his name was legally changed to Ernest Hebersmth (no 'i') in a Brooklyn NY courthouse.
Ernest was educated chiefly by his father, until his twelfth year, when he was sent to the Ballston Spa Institute. He prepared for college at the Cheshire Academy, Cheshire, Conn., and entered Hobart College, Geneva, N.Y., in 1857.
He began the study of medicine under Dr. N.W. Wheeler, of Patterson, and graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, of New York, in the spring of 1861. He was at that time a resident interne of Bellevue Hospital and remained until the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, when he entered the U.S. Navy as assistant surgeon, and served in that capacity until the close of the war. His principal service was under Admiral Farragut. He was present at the capture of New Orleans and Mobile, and took part in nearly all the battles fought under that great captain, and in the blockade of the Gulf ports. He was once severely wounded in the face and hand during a skirmish in Virginia, for which he was granted a pension in 1883.
After resigning from the navy in 1865, he settled in New Orleans, engaged in private practice, and was immediately appointed acting assistant surgeon in the U.S. Army. He was assigned to duty at the military hospitals in that city, and as attending surgeon upon officers and officers' families in the city. At one time during the yellow fever epidemic of 1867, he was for a week the only one of five medical officers attached to a large military hospital able to keep his feet, the other four, one of whom was his brother, Orsamus, being down with the fever. The following year an epidemic of cholera taxed the medical officers almost as severely, and the hospitals were discontinued.
His services being no longer required, he resigned from the army and was soon after put in charge of the U.S. Marine Hospital Service, at New Orleans. He was transferred to the charge of the same service at New York in 1871, and in 1879 was transferred to the charge of the same service in San Francisco, where he finally resigned all government service in 1881.
Returning to Patterson in 1882, he engaged in the private practice of his profession and is now associated with Dr. J. Sutcliffe Hill.
History of Putnam County, New York: with biographical sketches of its prominent men (1886),William S. (William Smith) Pelletreau.
Ernest's name appears in minutes as attending a meeting with his uncle, Dr. Stephen Smith in NY, Apr 18, 1872 on the need for a National Sanitary Association to prevent disease. This meeting was the beginning of the American Public Health Association (APHA). Dr. Stephen Smith is the founder of the APHA and cousin of Orsamus Holmes Smith (the father of Ernest Hebersmith). Stephen's parents are Lewis Smith and Chloe Benson. Lewis is the brother of Orsmaus's Father, William Smith. Stephen and Orsamus share the same Grandparents in our pedigree line, Job Smith 1747-1827 and Elizabeth Keeler 1748-1835.
Ernest married Christina Akin of Pawling NY 1840-1932. They had 13 children, only 4 of whom lived into adulthood. Those that survived into later adulthood took on the last name of Heber: Ernest Hebersmith Jr. 1862-1884, Mary Alice Hebersmith 1864-1865, Christine Heber 1869-1956 married Charles R. Query, Martha Heber 1871-1979 never married, Mary Hebersmith 1872-1872, Suzanne Heber 1874-1967 never married, Alice K. Hebersmith 1876-1891, Reginald Heber 1878-1950 married Bertha Proseus McMillan, Lucianne Hebersmith 1880-1896, Florence Hebersmith 1882-1895, Olga Hope Hebersmith 1884-1892, Molly Hebersmith and Cecil Hebersmith.
Daughter Florence is buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Charlotte NC Findagrave# 142319489.
Ernest's daughter Suzanne Heber says this about her father in a 1927 letter to her nieces and nephews:
"He was an exceptionally good and noble gentleman. He died when I was about 14 or 12 years old so I remember him well. I never heard him speak a cross word to anyone that I can remember and yet all his children were obedient and good. Once when I was too little to know any better, I would not pick up some crumbs when he told me to; I was eating some bread and dropping crumbs on the carpet. Well, at first he said I must do it or he would punish me, but that only made me too frightened to do it anyway, so what do you think he did? He sat down and read his paper and paid no attention to me. Pretty soon I was sorry and came back and picked them all up. I suppose he being a doctor understood children must not be scared. ...Every time I think of my father I am proud of the fact that he was a GENTLEMAN and had marvelous self control. I mean he never lost his temper. He was only 40 years old at that time when I (aged 6) refused to pick up those crumbs; I think most people would have been angry and struck me."
Ernest's Granddaughter Mary Parsons Heber Mathews provides this quote about his war injury, military service, and name change: "Heber Smith (later Ernest Hebersmith) graduated from medical college at the age of 21 just as the Civil War broke out and he went to Washington and took the examination for Navy Assistant Surgeon and was commissioned and assigned to the Itasca, then we was married and went off to the war.
grandma (Chirstina Akin Hebersmith) went back to school at Maplewood Institute in Pittsfield MA.
Ernest was wounded in one of the first engagements in the war. His vessel was in the Rappahannock River and someone raised an American Flag at a house on shore and the Captain of the vessel permitted his officers to go ashore. While the officers were being entertained someone notified the rebels that the Yankees were there and the house was surrounded. The Yankees ran to the shore and into the water to their necks while guns from the ship bombarded over their heads while the boats picked the men up. A number were wounded among them grandfather (Hebersmith) who had a gunshot wound through the face taking out his teeth and the tip of his tongue. He was the only surgeon on board and could not speak. He wrote the instructions for the care of all the other wounded and then gave up and the Captain gave up his quarters to him and they kept a steady steam of water running through his face until they reached Fortress Monroe where the wounded were taken.
Grandfather Hebersmith recovered and returned to the Navy and was in the Battle of Mobile and the Battle of New Orleans and his vessel was blockading off the Coast of Texas. After the Capture of New Orleans Grandfather's vessel was at that port every two weeks and grandfather thought is would be nice to have grandmother (Christina Akin) there so she went there by sea and used to say it was quite exciting running at night without lights. She made the trip back and forth several times coming North in the Summer and returning to New Orleans in the fall.
After the war was over Grandfather Hebersmith went into the Army and had charge of Army hospitals in New Orleans. A brother, Orsamus, was a surgeon in the Army. Later Grandfather was in the Marine Hospital Service, which he helped to establish.
He had charge of the Service for the Port of New York and was in line to be Surgeon General at the time Dr. John M. Woodworth died. However, Grandfather had contracted Tuberculosis in New York and was not well enough to go to Washington so had himself appointed to San Francisco Presidio instead and recommended Dr. John B. Hamilton for Surgeon General in his place. Unfortunately, he had a misunderstanding with Dr. Hamilton later and resigned from the service.
It was while living in New Orleans that the name Smith bothered Grandfather as there was more than one Dr. H. Smith in the city and the mail was constantly being mixed up. At first the name was made Hebersmith and after the first child was born and named Ernest, Grandfather made his name the same as Ernest Jr. Grandmother drew a pension under the name Christina Akin Hebersmith. The name was legally changed to Hebersmth, without the ‘i' the idea being that the ‘mth' was not to be pronounced. This made an impossible word and when Aunt Tinie (Hebersmith's daughter Christine) went into business she just dropped the ‘smth' and the rest of the family followed suit and we have been known as the Heber family ever since except that Grandma (Christina Akin) kept her name Hebersmith."
The siblings of Ernest are: Emily Smith abt. 1828 NY, Annie Smith 1830 NY, William Smith, Lucia Smith 1833-1902 married Henry L. Benedict, Orsamus Smith Jr. 1836-1876 and possibly Cecil Smith.
The parents of Orsamus Holmes Smith are William Smith 1771-1816 and Mary E. Smith 1775-1854. A small book titled 'Allerton Parish - A Tale of the Early Days of Western New York' by John Nicholas Norton, is dedicated to Orsamus Holmes Smith and Chapter 5 is written about a William Smith Family with implication that Orsamus went into study and service in the Episcopal Church under the mentorship of Bishop Hobart.
The parents of Ernest's wife Christina are Elisha Akin 1797-1842 and Susannah Aldrich 1802-1868. Christina's paternal Grandparents are Murray Akin 1765-1825 and Lucy Haynes 1770-1840. Her maternal grandparents are Anthony Aldrich 1766-1844 and Cynthia Allen 1780-1818.
The parents of Orsamus Holmes Smith are William Smith 1771 - Aug 22, 1816 Richmond Ontario NY and Mary E. ___ (and/or Polly) 1775 CT to Jul 9, 1854 NY.
The parents or Orsamus are Job Smith May 3, 1747 Norwalk Fairfield CT - Jan 16, 1827 Spafford Onondaga NY and Elizabeth Keeler May 24, 1748 Norwalk Fairfield NY - Aug 31, 1835
Re: Ernest's mother Lucy Ann Thorpe:
Lucy Ann Thorpe is the daughter of Col Daniel Thorpe 1777-1837 and Lucy Beardsley 1777-1843. I have not yet been able to ID the death date for Lucy Ann or find her grave. Daniel Thorpe (FAG# 86744102) is buried in the Genoa Rural Cemetery in Genoa, Cayuga co. NY along with his wife Lucy B. (FAG# 86744103) so it's possible Lucy Ann is buried there with her parents. Or perhaps Lucy Ann is buried with her husband Orsamus H. Smith in the Pawling NY Cemetery (or he could be buried in the Maple Ave. Cemetery in Patterson NY)
Daniel Thorpe's parents are Nathan Thorpe 1749-11806 (FAG# 53255658) and Patience Wheeler 1755-1808 (FAG# 86744100.) Also in the Genoa Rural Cemetery. There are other likely related Thorpes in that cemetery.
The parents of Patience Wheeler are David Wheeler 1726-1793 and Lois Chauncey 1727-1793. On the Chauncey Pedigree Line-- According to some trees found on Ancestry.com, Chauncey's go to a long line of Wolcotts (including Henry Wolcott 1610 Eng. -1680 CT, FAG # 64773960) who then go to a line of DeCornwall's in England which opens a long line and wide web of royalty including Earls of Cornwall, Henry II & of Aquitaine, William the Conquerer, Charlemagne and many more. This lineage can be traced on my 'Heber/Jahne' public member family tree on ancestry.com.
The family members listed here are largely of New York, many in the Pawling / Patterson area.
Some other related Findagrave Memorial Numbers:
William Smith - 116634526
Mary E. Smith (Polly?) - 116639802
Job Smith - 53038910
Elizabeth Keeler - 74930108
Christine Heber Query - 102442486
Lucia Smith Benedict - 59478190
Bertha Proseus McMillan - 115327472
Reginald Heber Jr. - 111661356
Daniel Thorpe - 86744102
Lucy Beardsley - 86744103
Elisah Akin - 18247749
Susannah Aldrich - 66262859
Anthony Aldrich - 24307393
Cynthia Allen - 29206319
I welcome any additions or corrected information as well as contacts from living relatives.
Ernest's Great Granddaughter Sharyl Heber
[email protected]
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