American Medical Biographies/Anthon, George Christian
Anthon, George Christian (1734–1815)
George Christian Anthon, first surgeon at Detroit under the British flag, was born at Salzungen, in the Duchy of Saxe, Meiningen, August 25, 1734; his father a clergyman and teacher in the town school for boys; his mother a pastor's daughter. On the death of his father, in 1739, his mother married a surgeon of Salzungen, John Gottlieb Boumbort. Beginning the study of medicine with his stepfather he continued it with Dr. Mackel of Gurnstungen, and in 1750 he passed the examination before the medical authorities in Eisenach, and one in 1754 before the college surgeons at Amsterdam, securing thereby the position of surgeon in the Dutch West India service. On his second trip in the Vrouw Anna he was captured by a British privateer and taken to New York. His usefulness as a surgeon being recognized, he was made assistant surgeon of the General Military Hospital at Albany in 1758 and at the end of the year was appointed assistant surgeon to the first Battalion, Sixtieth Regiment, Royal Americans. His commission in the British Army is dated Albany, June 25, 1761, and signed by the commander-in-chief, Sir Jeffrey Amherst, and appoints him "Surgeon's Mate to his Majesty's Hospital in North America." In 1760 he was detached with the party that took possession of Detroit under Major Rogers, November 29, and for the next twenty-six years was the sole medical officer of the post, for Army, Navy and Indians. During Pontiac's siege of Detroit, Dr. Anthon desiring to have a look at the enemy, climbed an old tree near by. The Indians began firing on him, but Gladwin, unwilling to lose his medicine man, made a sortie, and rescued the doctor. In 1765 Sir William Johnson appointed Dr. Anthon surgeon for the Indians and sent him with Deputy Col. Croghan on an expedition to the Illinois country. The Kickapoos took him prisoner below the mouth of the Wabash, and, released after an imprisonment of three months, he used to tell of the avidity with which he ate the refuse flung him during their repasts. In 1786 he removed to New York City, there finishing his career. In 1802 he was one of the thirteen governors of New York Lying-in Hospital. From 1796 to 1815 he was a trustee of Columbia College. He was a strong believer in the non-contagiousness of yellow fever. Dr. Anthon had the massive, severe appearance of Luther, suggesting an origin from the same Thuringian Saxon race, but relieved by mild sympathetic expressive eyes. Though outwardly stern in manner, he was remarkable for tenderness towards his family, kindness towards his patients and benevolence towards the community in which he lived. Dr. Anthon married on August 13, 1770, Mariana Navarre, who died childless, October 8, 1773. She was a daughter of Robert Navarre, who was appointed by the French Government, Notaire-royal and sub délégué at Detroit. His second wife was Genevieve Jadot, a niece of his first wife, by whom he had eleven children, three being born in Detroit. Of these John, Henry and Charles were renowned as lawyer, minister and scholar respectively. Dr. Anthon died at his home, 11 Broad Street, New York City, December 22, 1815.