John Franklin Gray

John Franklin Gray (September 23, 1804 – June 9, 1882) was an American educator and physician, a pioneer in the field of homoeopathy and one of its first practitioners in the United States. He is also recognized as an important medical reformer.

Biography Early life and ancestors John Franklin Gray was born on September 23, 1804, at Sherburne, New York and died on June 9, 1882, at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, in New York City. He was the fourth of five sons of John Gray, (December 15, 1769 - April 24, 1859), and the grandson of John Gray, a founder of Sherburne, and Elizabeth Skeel. Two of Dr. Gray's brothers, Dr. Alfred W. Gray (1802–1873) and Dr. Patrick Wells Gray (1806–1882), were both prominent homeopathic physicians and surgeons. Another brother, Nathaniel Gray, was a tanner and politician who served in the New York State Assembly in 1833. Dr. Gray's father served as a captain in Col. Samuel Whiting's 4th regiment of the Connecticut Militia in the American Revolutionary War. He was appointed and served as first Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Chenango County, New York until 1819 when the family removed to Sheridan, Chautauqua County, New York. His life was celebrated by the poet John Greenleaf Whittier, at his funeral in 1859 thus recalls him:

His mother was Diantha Burritt, who graduated from Yale College in 1765. Diantha had been a school teacher in Vermont before her marriage, at Winhall, Vermont on May 26, 1793, and was a poet and woman of literary taste.

Marriage and family

He married on September 25, 1826, in New York City, Elizabeth Williams Hull, born in 1808 in New Hartford, New York and died on May 28, 1868, in New York City, and is buried in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn beside her husband.

She was the daughter of Dr. Amos Gift Hull, a prominent and eminent physician of New York City and one of the founders of the State Medical Society of New York and his third wife, Eunice Williams.

John and Elizabeth were the parents of eight children, all born in New York City: Elizabeth Williams Gray, John Hull Gray, John Franklin Gray, Jr., John Frederick Schiller Gray, Josephine Augusta Gray, Emma Geraldine Hull Gray, Mary Ludlow Gray and Edward Hull Gray.

Education

He began the study of medicine in the academy in Hamilton, New York, (now Madison University) for two years, He first entered the office of Dr. Haven, of Hamilton, New York and he stayed there for two years. He then left for Dunkirk, New York, where he opened a private school, studying medicine all the time under Dr. Ezra Williams.

In 1824, when just 20 years old, he removed to New York City and received instruction from Drs. Valentine Mott and David Hosack. Hosack was a physician, botanist, educator, and a founder of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He was also the doctor who attended to Alexander Hamilton after Hamilton's deadly duel with Aaron Burr.

It was a common practice in the early 19th century for students to receive a part of their education through a system of apprenticeships until medical schools were to assume a major role in education. These apprenticeships usually covered a period of three years and were regulated by local medical societies. a Danish doctor, who was born in Boston of Danish parents and was educated in Denmark. He heard Dr. Gram lecture, but was not convinced. He then reluctantly consented to let Dr. Gram treat one of his patients, whose case had resisted his own skill. Dr. Gram had remarkable success, not only with that patient but with others, and Dr. Gray was converted to homeopathy. He did not, however, believe that homeopathy and allopathic medicine to be mutually exclusive, but rather believed them to be complementary.

In 1828, Dr. Gray adopted homœopathy as the major rule in his practice and announced his intention to practice according to that system openly, and in consequence lost his profitable practice and all his professional friends. He endured many hardships and much ill-treatment for his devotion to homeopathy. John Greenleaf Whittier and Walt Whitman and was a patron of American artists including, Asher Brown Durand and Frederic Edwin Church as well as Samuel Morse, the inventor of telegraphy.

He was also a well-known and prominent Spiritualist in New York as well as a frequent lecturer on the subject. He was a close friend and associate with Kate, Leah and Margaret Fox (the Fox sisters), Andrew Jackson Davis, Amy and Isaac Post and with the Davenport brothers.

He became a noted philanthropist in his later years, especially to the poor, and was consulted in various social issues.

Awards and honors

He received the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from Hamilton College in 1871. He was also a life member of the New York Chapter of The Society of the Cincinnati.

Scientific American referred to Gray as "the father of homeopathy in America" in his June 1882 obituary.

Death He died on June 9, 1882, at New York City. He is buried in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.

Descendants

Dr. C. Loring Brace IV, Biological anthropologist. Gerald Warner Brace (1901–1978) was an American writer, educator, sailor and boat builder. Gerald Hull Gray

List of works The early annals of homœopathy in New York : a discourse before the Homœopathic Societies of New York and Brooklyn, on 10 April 1863, the anniversary of the birthday of Hahnemann. New York : Homœopathic Medical Society of the County of New York, 1863 Homoeopathy in New-York, and the late Abraham D. Wilson, A.M., M.D.. New York : William S. Dorr, Printer, 1865