My Genealogy Hound

HORACE MARTIN BELLOWS, a well known physician and surgeon of Huntingdon Valley, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, is among the oldest practicing medical men of his section of the state. He was born in the city of Philadelphia, June 30, 1839, being the son of Martin and Maria (Keim) Bellows.

Martin Bellows, father, was a native of Massachusetts, and a direct descendant of Colonel Benjamin Bellows, the founder of Walpole, New Hampshire. Martin Bellows was born at Sturbridge, Massachusetts, April 5, 1813, being the son of Jonas and Sallie (Bridges) Bellows. He married Maria Keim, July 12, 1838- Their children: Horace Martin, subject of this sketch; William Henry, born March 19, 1841; John Saunders, born January 19, 1843. Martin Bellows was a manufacturer of boots and shoes. He died in Philadelphia, in September, 1888. His wife died in 1898.

Horace M. Bellows obtained his education in the public schools of Philadelphia, including the Hancock Grammar School and the Boys’ High School with the expectation of becoming a physician, but he was apprehensive that he might be too long dependent upon his father. He began to look, after he had graduated with honor, February 12, 1847, toward mercantile pursuits, and took a course in Crittenden’s Commercial College, Philadelphia, receiving his diploma May 8, 1857. Having thus qualified himself for an accountant, he entered his father’s store as book-keeper. This occupation was not, however, suited to his taste, and after a short experience he resolved to turn his attention to the study of medicine as he first intended. In 1858 he entered upon his medical studies with the eminent teacher, Professor Joseph Leidy, as his preceptor at the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania. He entered that institution September 28, 1858, and graduated March 14, 1861. After his graduation he served in the hospital of the Philadelphia Almshouse as resident physician for one year. The rebellion had meantime assumed a threatening appearance, and skillful surgeons were needed in the quickly improvised hospitals that were established in Philadelphia and elsewhere. On January 31, 1862, Dr. Bellows was placed in charge of one of the wards of the United States army general hospital at Broad and Cherry streets, and his services proved to be so satisfactory that he was placed in charge of the hospital itself by the medical director of the department, Surgeon John Neill, during his absence with the troops at Gettysburg.

From this time to the close of the war in 1865, the services of Dr. Bellows were constantly required in the hospital department. March 15, 1864, he was placed in charge of the hospital for recruits, drafted men and substitutes, at Twenty-second and Wood streets, Philadelphia. It still remained under his charge when it was transferred to Twenty-third and Filbert streets, in that city. May 2, 1864, Dr. Bellows was transferred to the United States army general hospital on South street, Philadelphia. May 14, 1864, he was ordered to report to the surgeon-general at Washington, and on May 16 he was assigned to Harewood United States army general hospital on the Corcoran Place, near the national capital. July 12 of the same year he was detailed by the medical director of the department of the Susquehanna to examine recruits at Camp Cadwalader, near Philadelphia. On August 16 he was detailed to examine recruits for muster in the Sixth Union League Regiment, raised by General Horatio Gates Sickel for the Reserve Corps, and known as the One Hundred and Ninety-eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. March 21, 1865, he was ordered to perform the duties of the surgeon commanding at the Citizens’ volunteer hospital, Broad and Prime streets, Philadelphia, during the temporary absence of that officer. May 9, 1865, he was ordered by the medical director to the Citizens’ volunteer hospital for duty. July 16, of that year, he was ordered to conduct a number of sick and wounded soldiers from Philadelphia to the United States army general hospital at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and other points enroute, according to designation. August 9 he was transferred to Mower United States army general hospital, being assigned to the charge of the Christian street general hospital, which was afterward made a ward of the Mower general hospital at Germantown. His connection with the army ceased October 4, 1865, the Christian street general hospital being the last of the army hospitals remaining at Philadelphia, and it was closed soon afterwards. In addition to the positions which have been mentioned, Dr. Bellows held many others under the medical department of the United States government.

After the close of the war, Dr. Bellows began the practice of medicine in the city of Philadelphia, where he remained until March, 1870, when he removed to Huntingdon Valley, having purchased the property on which he still resides, and which from time to time he has greatly improved. He is deeply interested in whatever is likely to interest the community in which he lives, and in which he has built up a large and lucrative practice. He is a member of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, and while he lived in that city was a member of the Medical County Society of Philadelphia, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Dr. Bellows married, in Philadelphia, May 21, 1863, Catherine Schober, daughter of George and Susan Schober. They have one daughter, Susan S., born March 29, 1865. Dr. Bellows is a member of Union Lodge, No. 21, Free and Accepted Masons. He is past master of Excelsior Mark Lodge, and a member of Oriental Chapter, No. 183, Royal Arch Masons, of Philadelphia. He is a member of and past grand of Eagle Lodge, No. 222, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Huntingdon Valley, has been its secretary for many years, and is a member of the grand lodge of Pennsylvania. He is a past chief patriarch of Hatboro Encampment, No. 169, of Odd Fellows, and a member of the grand encampment of Pennsylvania for six years. He is a member and past chief of Moreland Castle, No. 82, K. G. E., and a member of the grand castle of Pennsylvania. Dr. Bellows has filled the position of school director. He has always been interested in every enterprise that is calculated to benefit the community in which he lives. He was reared in the Presbyterian faith.

Dr. Bellows is a direct descendant of Joseph Bartlett, a Puritan of distinction, who arrived in this country in 1750 and was one of the early settled of Cambridge and Newton, Massachusetts. Joseph Bartlett was born in 1634, and died in 1701. He married Mary Wayt, at Cambridge, Massachusetts, October 22, 1668, and had a family of six children, four of whom were born at Cambridge, and two at Newton, to which place they removed in 1678. John, the fifth child of Joseph and Mary (Wayt) Bartlett, was born at Newton, in 1679. He married Patience Cady in 1706, and had ten children. Nathaniel, the fifth child of John and Patience Bartlett, was born at Newton, March 7, 1713. He married Sarah Thompson, of Brookfield, Massachusetts, on May 24, 1734, and his wife died October 28, 1749. He married (second wife) Mrs. Dorothy Harwood, of Worcester, Massachusetts, July 5, 1850. By his two marriages Nathaniel Bartlett had thirteen children, seven by the first, and six by the second marriage. Lucy, the fourth child of Nathaniel and Sarah (Thompson) Bartlett, was born at Brookfield, Massachusetts, April 27, 1740. She married Edmund Bridges, of Spencer, Massachusetts, and had nine children. The eighth child of Edmund and Lucy Bridges was Sarah, or Sallie, born October 22, 1772. She married Jonas Bellows in 1794. They had eight children born at Paxton, West Boylston and Sturbridge. Martin Bellows, father of Dr. Horace M. Bellows, was the youngest child of the family, and was born at Sturbridge, April 5, 1813. He married Maria Keim, at Philadelphia, July 12, 1838. Dr. Bellows is the oldest of their three children.