San Francisco County
Biographies
DR. CHARLES N. ELLINWOOD
DR. CHARLES N. ELLINWOOD, whose office is at No. 715 Clay street, has been a resident of California since 1866, all of which time he has been a resident and practiced medicine in San Francisco. He was born in Cambridge, Vermont, in 1838, and his boyhood was passed partly at Niagara Falls and later at Chicago, where he received his primary education, graduating at Hathaway’s private academy in the latter city in 1853. He then entered the Rush Medical College, and at the same time continued study under the preceptorship of Dr. J. V. Z. Blaney. After a year’s course, and a year spent as interne at the Mercy Hospital, he received his degree as M.D. After one year spent in traveling, during which time he visited California and the Sandwich Islands, and also kept up his studies, he went to Paris, France, entering as a student at the School of Medicine, where he spent two years. The war in this country having broken out, he returned to Chicago, determined to take part in the war for the preservation of the Union. After being twelve days in Chicago, during which time he had passed the necessary examination and was appointed Surgeon of the Seventy-fourth Illinois Voluntary Infantry, he was on his way to the front, joining his regiment at Perrysville, Ohio, where he entered immediately on his duties as a Surgeon. He found the church of Perrysville filled with wounded soldiers from the fight with the rebel General Morgan. He was with his regiment at Emigrant Gap, Murfreesboro, Chattanooga and the charge at Mission Ridge. After the latter battle Dr. Ellinwood organized a hospital of 1,500 beds, on the top of Lookout Mountain, where he remained about seven months. He was then transferred to the charge of a division hospital before Atlanta, where he remained during the siege of that place. He was at the battle of Johnston, Georgia, in the rear of Atlanta, the defeat of the rebels there assisting the fall of Atlanta.
After Sherman had moved on to the sea, Dr. Ellinwood remained with General Thomas, and took part in the battle of Franklin and the other engagements between Thomas and Hood, the last heavy battle in that campaign being at Nashville, where Hood was defeated, which practically ended the campaign. During these various campaigns Dr. Ellinwood was promoted to Brigade Surgeon, and later Medical Director of the Second Division of the Fourth Corps, commanded by General Jeff. C. Davis, and Surgeon in charge of general hospitals at Chattanooga and later at Lookout mountain and Nashville.
At the close of the war Dr. Ellinwood returned to Chicago, and entered upon the practice of his profession about one year. He then removed to California, where he has since practiced. He was appointed Surgeon of the Marine Hospital in 1873, the site of the present main hospital being obtained, and the present hospital he erected during his administration. In 1879, while still in the Marine Hospital, he was ordered to New York and witnessed the erection of the Marine Hospital on Bedloe’s Island, the first marine hospital erected in the State of New York. He was also president of the Board of the United States Pension Examiners in California, from 1870 to 1885. He has also been president of the San Francisco Medical Society, and of the State Board of Medical Examiners. Dr. Ellinwood has been President Professor of Physiology since the organization of the present Cooper Medical College, which was originally the medical department of the University of the Pacific, later the medical department of the State University and now the Cooper Medical College. He has lately been appointed to the professorship of clinical surgery, which makes him the Surgeon of the City and County Hospital, and is a member of the State and County Medical Societies.
Dr. Ellinwood was married, in 1875, to Miss Elizabeth McDowell, a native of Brooklyn, and daughter of Archibald and Charlotte McDowell, natives of New Haven, Connecticut, who came to California in its early history. Dr. Ellinwood’s parents were Thomas and Alice (Lathrop) Ellinwood, who were descended from early New England families, and were the parents of four children. Dr. Ellinwood is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of Thomas Post, G. A. R., and a companion of the California Commandery of the Loyal Legion of the United States.
Transcribed
by Elaine Sturdevant.
Source: "The
© 2006 Elaine Sturdevant.