-
Autobiography
- Southern Illinois University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SILAS THOMPSON TROWBRIDGE M. D. The subject of these pages was born on a farm in Harrison Township, Fa) ette County, Indiana, February 19. 1826. His Parents, LEvr and ABlGAIL Trowbridge, had emigrated from the state of New York, the year before, with a family of two daughters and four sons. They had lost two infant children ( both boys, ) before leaving New York. My sisters, Polly and Sally, were the oldest of the family; and then Billy Smith, Franklin Young, Samuel, John De Matt, ( and his twin brother unnamed, ) Edwin Nester, and last Silas Thompson, were the christian names and order of births of the family of which I sprang. My Father was born in Connecticut, January 16. 1783. He served his country as a Captain of Infantry in the army, which operated against the British forces in 1814, on the Cannadian frontier. He was married to Miss Abigai.l Smith, in the early years of his majority; and settled in central New York. In those days, 2 and near the place of their residence. the Red Man of the Forest made his home. Therefore, a life of primitive simplicity and privation was theirs to follow; in which was mingled, as by the relentless force offate, more of the rougher, than the smoother elements. Being of daring and enterprising natures; clothed with little of this worlds goods; and their numerous family, for whose interests and wellfare they had devoted themselves; with no better result than a good common school education for those old enough to receive it; they determined to settle in the "far west" of that day; and did so in the Fan of 1825. My Mother was the eldest of a large family; many members of which are still living in central Pennsylvania. My Grand }o'ather Smith, was drummer boy in the Revolutionary War, and was one of the musicians who played Yankee Doodle, at the surrender of Lord Cornwallace. He was a Silver-smith by trade. My Mother was born in Vermont January 19. 1782. She was a devoted christian, of the Baptist persuasion ; an indulgent, self-sacrifising, and doting Mother; a generous, just and hospitable neighbor; and in the fullest sense of the word, an eminently good and highly honored woman. She was my Father's safe counsellor; and supported him boldly and [44.202.128.177] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 00:34 GMT) 3 cheerfully in all his daring schemes and enterprises. But "deadt loves a shining mark:" and she died, at the old homestead in Fayette County Indiana, August 26. 1839. At this time the family consisted of my Father, my next older brotlter and myself. The other members being married, and settled in the immediate neighborhood, save Franklin, and Samuel, who had died several years before. Franklin had grown to man's, estate, with more titan ordinary promise . '1(1'" usefulness and talent; had made the profession of Medicine his employment and enlisted so much energy and labor in its arduous course that his exposures and toil ripened Tuberculosis; of which he died, at the place of his location; at Lebanon, Warren County Ohio, and in his 24. year. Samuel, died in infancy. The death of my Mother occasioned a breaking up of house-keeping for my Father; - my brother Edwin, going to live with our oldest brother, Billy; and I, with my brother-in-law, W. VIT. Thomas, who had married my oldest sister, Polly,and lived near by.- This move gave us the opportunity of going to the best school in that part of the State. I resided two years with my brotlter-in-Iaw, going to school during the year, save in the season of corn planting and the raising thereof and through the harvesting of wheat, oats and hay; at 4 which time I "made a full hand," on my Brother-in-law's farm. For these two years I had most excellent opportunities, in teachers and associations, for learning and mental culture; and for which my mind has, at all times since, been filled with gratitude and thanks. Soon after the death of my Mother, my Father converted his limited means into wild lands, and gave them to his three youngest children, John, Edwin and Silas. This consisted of 160 acres, in Clarke County Missouri, to John ; 160 acres in Madison County Indiana, to Edwin : and 80 acres, in Bradford county Indiana, to me. Although I received but 80 acres, yet, it was considered...