Person Information

Biography

Mentioned by GWS (18490816GWS_WHS) as the doctor who took care of the ailing SSS.

Son of James I. and Elizabeth Ward Ostrom. Husband of Emily Charlotte Gedney. Medical Doctor. Member of the Orange County Medical Society and the Orange County Homoeopathic Medical Society.

Joshua Ward Ostrom attended Fairfield Academy, Salina, NY and later graduated from Fairfield College. After completing college he spent some time reading medicine under Dr. Robert Smith. He subsequently entered medical college at Castleton, VT where he remained for one year. He then went to New York City and became employed in a drug store and at the same time pursued his studies under Dr. Bedford, a professor at the New York Medical College. After spending some time in the drug store he entered the college from which he graduated in 1839 with the degree of M. D. He began his practice of medicine in Goshen, NY where he remained. For twelve years after beginning practice he was a believer in allopathic treatment, but since then he used homeopathic methods. When it was decided to locate the state asylum in Middletown, he was very active in the plans for its erection and was appointed one of its first Trustees, an office in which he continued to serve. At one time he was President of the board, receiving his appointment from the Governor. 

Another account varies somewhat in that his early education was from books at the common school under the private instruction of his uncle, Rev. Mr. Kniffin, of Little Falls, and at the Fairfield Academy, NY from which he graduated. At the age of eighteen he began the study of medicine at Little Falls, with Dr. Arsenus Smith, and the same year attended a course of lectures at Castleton Medical College, Vermont. Being wholly dependent upon his own resources for prosecuting his medical studies, he taught one term of school in Marlborough, and then engaged to attend a drug store in New York where he continued his studies with the proprietor, who was a physician. While there he was invited by Dr. Bedford, of New York, to attend his medical lectures at Peale's Museum, He obtained the confidence of Dr. Bedford to such an extent for his devotion to study, and his determination to succeed, that he was invited to continue his studies with Dr. Bedford, until he graduated at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, in New York, in 1838. In the spring of 1839, Dr. Ostrom settled in the practice of his profession at Goshen. His perseverance and skill in the treatment of disease and his care and sympathy for the afflicted won the confidence of a large circle of friends. A student of his profession, Dr. Ostrom followed the regular practice until 1849, when he began to investigate the priciples of homoeopathy. In 1852 he entered on a regular basis the practice of the new theory of medicine, which, although at first was received with doubts, soon won the confidence of a respectable part of the community, and in a few years was successfully established with a large part of the intelligent reading and thinking public. Dr. Ostrom was the first physician of homoeopathy in Orange County. He was one of the founders of the Orange County Homoeopathic Medical Society. Besides his connections to the Orange County medical societies he was chosen in 1877 for four years as a delegate to the State Medical Society.

Dr. Ostrom was granted a license from the Medical Society of the State of New York. He was a member and secretary of the Orange County Medical Society. He was also a member the Orange County Homoeopathic Medical Society as well as its president in 1852, 1876 and 1878.

Politically he was a stanch Republican and held positions of public trust. He was Trustee of the village of Goshen and was president of the board for three years.

Letter References

Citations

Biography and Citation Information:
Biography: 
Mentioned by GWS (18490816GWS_WHS) as the doctor who took care of the ailing SSS. Son of James I. and Elizabeth Ward Ostrom. Husband of Emily Charlotte Gedney. Medical Doctor. Member of the Orange County Medical Society and the Orange County Homoeopathic Medical Society. Joshua Ward Ostrom attended Fairfield Academy, Salina, NY and later graduated from Fairfield College. After completing college he spent some time reading medicine under Dr. Robert Smith. He subsequently entered medical college at Castleton, VT where he remained for one year. He then went to New York City and became employed in a drug store and at the same time pursued his studies under Dr. Bedford, a professor at the New York Medical College. After spending some time in the drug store he entered the college from which he graduated in 1839 with the degree of M. D. He began his practice of medicine in Goshen, NY where he remained. For twelve years after beginning practice he was a believer in allopathic treatment, but since then he used homeopathic methods. When it was decided to locate the state asylum in Middletown, he was very active in the plans for its erection and was appointed one of its first Trustees, an office in which he continued to serve. At one time he was President of the board, receiving his appointment from the Governor. Another account varies somewhat in that his early education was from books at the common school under the private instruction of his uncle, Rev. Mr. Kniffin, of Little Falls, and at the Fairfield Academy, NY from which he graduated. At the age of eighteen he began the study of medicine at Little Falls, with Dr. Arsenus Smith, and the same year attended a course of lectures at Castleton Medical College, Vermont. Being wholly dependent upon his own resources for prosecuting his medical studies, he taught one term of school in Marlborough, and then engaged to attend a drug store in New York where he continued his studies with the proprietor, who was a physician. While there he was invited by Dr. Bedford, of New York, to attend his medical lectures at Peale's Museum, He obtained the confidence of Dr. Bedford to such an extent for his devotion to study, and his determination to succeed, that he was invited to continue his studies with Dr. Bedford, until he graduated at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, in New York, in 1838. In the spring of 1839, Dr. Ostrom settled in the practice of his profession at Goshen. His perseverance and skill in the treatment of disease and his care and sympathy for the afflicted won the confidence of a large circle of friends. A student of his profession, Dr. Ostrom followed the regular practice until 1849, when he began to investigate the priciples of homoeopathy. In 1852 he entered on a regular basis the practice of the new theory of medicine, which, although at first was received with doubts, soon won the confidence of a respectable part of the community, and in a few years was successfully established with a large part of the intelligent reading and thinking public. Dr. Ostrom was the first physician of homoeopathy in Orange County. He was one of the founders of the Orange County Homoeopathic Medical Society. Besides his connections to the Orange County medical societies he was chosen in 1877 for four years as a delegate to the State Medical Society. Dr. Ostrom was granted a license from the Medical Society of the State of New York. He was a member and secretary of the Orange County Medical Society. He was also a member the Orange County Homoeopathic Medical Society as well as its president in 1852, 1876 and 1878. Politically he was a stanch Republican and held positions of public trust. He was Trustee of the village of Goshen and was president of the board for three years.
Citation Type: 
Website
Citation URL: 
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=ostrom&GSby=1849&GSbyrel=before&GSdy=1849&GSdyrel=after&GSst=36&GScnty=2013&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=30372284&df=all&
Website Viewing Date: 
Thursday, November 19, 2015 - 13:15
Website's Last Modified Date: 
Thursday, November 19, 2015 - 13:15
Citation for Birth Info:
Citation Type: 
Website
Citation URL: 
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=ostrom&GSby=1849&GSbyrel=before&GSdy=1849&GSdyrel=after&GSst=36&GScnty=2013&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=30372284&df=all&
Website Viewing Date: 
Thursday, November 19, 2015 - 13:15
Website Last Modified Date: 
Thursday, November 19, 2015 - 13:15
Citation for Death Info:
Citation Type: 
Website
Citation URL: 
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=ostrom&GSby=1849&GSbyrel=before&GSdy=1849&GSdyrel=after&GSst=36&GScnty=2013&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=30372284&df=all&
Website Viewing Date: 
Thursday, November 19, 2015 - 13:15
Website Last Modified Date: 
Thursday, November 19, 2015 - 13:15