Egbert Guernsey
Birth 3 July 1823 in Litchfield, Connecticut
Death Sep 19, 1903 in Fishkill Landing, Dutchess County, New York

DR. EGBERT GUERNSEY DEAD.

Past 80, and One of the Foremost of New York Homoeopathic Physicians.

Dr. Egbert Guernsey of New York died yesterday of bronchial pneumonia at his home at Fishkill Landing. He was one of the foremost among the early homoeopathists and also one of the best known and best respected physicians of the city. Dr. Guernsey was born at Litchfield, Conn., July 3, 1823. He was a lineal descendant of John Guernsey, whose family were Puritans and settled in and around Boston, and who went in 1638 to help found New Haven. Dr. Guernsey's mother was a daughter of William Crosby, of the same family as Enoch Crosby, the Revolutionary spy.

The son went early to Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass., and later studied for a time in the scientific department of Yale College. Then he came to New York and studied medicine under Dr. Valentine Mott and in 1848 was graduated from the medical department of New York University. Always a forcible writer he went into the newspaper business, beginning as an editor of the Evening Mirror. After a short time he associated with George P. Morris, N.P. Willis, George C. Bennett and Aaron Smith, and they established the Brooklyn Times, of which Dr. Guernsey was editor for two years while at the same time be continued his medical practice and was city physician of Brooklyn. He also found time to write a school history of the country, which was used widely as a text book. On account of ill health he retired for a time, but in 1850 he resumed his profession in New York and soon built up a large practice.

Dr. Guernsey always devoted much of his time and energy to affairs of a public or charitable nature. For six years he was a professor in the New York Homoeopathtic Medical College, and was one of the founders of the Western Dispensary and the Good Samaritan Hospital and a member of the staff of the Hahnemann Hospital. He was instrumental in having the inebriate asylum on Ware's Island converted into a general hospital, under the Charities Department, and was one of the originators of the State Insane Asylum at Middletown. In 1872 he founded the New York Medical Times, of which he had always been the senior editor. His "Medical Practice." published in 1855, passed through many editions and was republished in Europe in four languages. He also contributed to many magazines. In May, 1898, a number of physicians met at the Union League Club, of which he was a founder, and presented to him a loving cup to commemorate his semi-centennial in the practice of medicine. Dr. Guernsey at his death weighed 375 pounds.

In 1848 he married Miss Sarah Lefferts Schenck, who died last May. His only son, Egbert, Jr., also a physician, died nine years ago. He is survived by a daughter, Miss Florence Guernsey.

THE SUN, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1903.