Bushrod Washington James

Bushrod Washington James
Born(1836-08-25)August 25, 1836
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedJanuary 6, 1903(1903-01-06) (aged 66)
Resting place
West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, U.S.
EducationHomeopathic College of Pennsylvania (1857)
Medical career
Professionhomeopath

Bushrod Washington James (August 25, 1836–January 6, 1903) was an American homeopath, surgeon, educator, writer, and philanthropist. He worked as an eye doctor for seventeen years at the Children's Homoeopathic Hospital and founded the Bushrod James Ear and Eye Institute. He was a consulting physician at Hahnemann Hospital and chair of physiology, climatology, and sanitary science for the New York Medical College for Women. During the American Civil War he served as a member of the United States Christian Commission and as a volunteer surgeon. He served as president of the American Institute of Homeopathy and the Pennsylvania Medical Society.

He bequeathed land and money for the maintenance of the Bushrod Washington James Eye and Ear Institute as well as creation of a school of domestic science at the American Temperance University, Bushrod Park, and the Bushrod branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia.

Early life and education

James was born August 25, 1836, to David and Amanda James, in Somerton, a village later incorporated into Philadelphia. He was educated by private teachers and graduated from Philadelphia Central High School.[1] He graduated from the Homeopathic College of Pennsylvania in 1857. He studied surgery under David Hayes Agnew at the Philadelphia School of Anatomy.[2]

Career

He worked as an attending physician at the Northern Home for Friendless Children.[2] He gained extensive experience in ophthalmology[3] and successfully treated 500 cases of ophthalmia at the home.[4] He worked as an eye doctor for seventeen years at the Children's Homoeopathic Hospital.[5] He founded the Bushrod James Ear and Eye Institute.[6] He was a consulting physician at Hahnemann Hospital, an advisory board member for the Hahnemann Medical College, and a trustee of the Spring Garden Institute.[5]

He served as a delegate for the American Institute of Homeopathy[7] and later as its president.[8] In 1857, he served as president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society. He was chair of physiology, climatology, and sanitary science for three years at the New York Medical College for Women.[3]

During the American Civil War, he served as a member of the United States Christian Commission, as a volunteer surgeon during the Battle of Antietam and the Battle of Gettysburg,[3] and as a surgeon at an Army hospital in Philadelphia.[5]

He was a frequent contributor to medical literature and published several books of poetry and about his travels in the United States and Europe.[3]

He was a member of the American Academy of Political and Social Science,[9] American Association for the Advancement of Science,[3] the American Public Health Association,[5] the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Franklin Institute,[3] the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the Sons of the Revolution,[9] and the Union League of Philadelphia.[3] He was an honorary member of the Medical Society of the State of New York and the British Homeopathic Society.[10] He was a Freemason and a member of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.[9]

He died January 6, 1903,[11] and was interred at Monument Cemetery.[12] In 1956, his remains and monument were moved to West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.[13]

Philanthropy

He never married[5] and left his fortune to charity. In his will, he bequeathed money to be used for a library at his home in Logan Square. Decades after he died, the Free Library of Philadelphia used his endowment to build the Bushrod branch in Northeast Philadelphia in 1950.[14][15] He also left $55,000 in cash and property for the maintenance of the Bushrod Washington James Eye and Ear Institute. He bequeathed property to the city of Oakland, California, for the creation of Bushrod Park; and to Coronado, California, for the creation of the Bushrod Washington James Institute for the education of children. He left property and $5,000 to the American Temperance University in Harriman, Tennessee, for the creation of a school of domestic science and an educational fund.[16][17]

Publications

References

Citations

  1. ^ Stapleton 1921, p. 9.
  2. ^ a b Stapleton 1921, p. 10.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g White, J. T. (1893). The National Cyclopedia of American Biography - Volume III. New York. p. 492. Retrieved 14 May 2026.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ^ Stapleton 1921, p. 22.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Bushrod Washington James, A.M., M.D., LL.D." Transactions of the American Microscopical Society. 25: 160–162. September 1904. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  6. ^ Stapleton 1921, pp. 40–41.
  7. ^ Stapleton 1921, p. 11.
  8. ^ John Thomas Scharf, Thompson Westcott. History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884. p. 1636.
  9. ^ a b c Stapleton 1921, p. 38.
  10. ^ Stapleton 1921, p. 23.
  11. ^ "Dr. Bushrod W. James". remembermyjourney.com. webCemeteries. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  12. ^ Stapleton 1921, p. 42.
  13. ^ "BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF CITY TRUSTS ACTING FOR THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA 2015 ANNUAL REPORT" (PDF). www.legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  14. ^ Prihar, Asha. "Who is your neighborhood Free Library branch named after?". billypenn.com. Billy Penn at WHYY. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  15. ^ "Bushrod Branch". libwww.freelibrary.org. Free Library of Philadelphia. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  16. ^ Bartlett, Clarence (1903). The Hahnemannian Monthly Volume 38. Philadelphia. pp. 18–19. Retrieved 15 May 2026.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  17. ^ "Bequests by Dr. James". New York Times. January 17, 1903.

Sources

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