SUMMIT COUNTY OHIO 
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File contributed & permission given for use in the Ohio Biographies Project 
by Maggie Stewart-Zimmerman <73777.25@compuserve.com> & the submitter

From the 
The OHGenWeb Archives
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/oh/ohfiles.htm
a part of
The USGenWeb Archives
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Gina Reasoner 
greasoner@prodigy.net
03 January 1980
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*
History of Ohio
The American Historical Society, Inc., 1925
Volume IV, page 16-17

	THE SUMMIT COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY, is the fourth largest organization of 
the kind in Ohio, has been in existence more than eighty years, and no 
medical society in the state presents a finer record of war service. The 
facts for the brief sketch that follows were furnished by the society's 
secretary, Dr. A.S. McCormick of Akron.
	The history of medicine in Summit County begins in 1800 with the founding 
of Hudson, the oldest settlement in the county. One of the founders of 
Hudson was Moses Thompson, M.D. (1776-1858). The first physician on the 
site of Akron was Titus Chapman, who located there in 1815.
	The Summit County Medical Society, founded in 1842, when Akron had but a 
population of 2,400, has for its object: An association for mutual 
fellowship; the maintenance of harmony, unison and good government among 
members, thereby promoting the character, honor, interests and usefulness 
of the profession; and the cultivation and advancement of medical science 
and literature, and the elevation of the standard of professional education.
	Since its origin the society has had 603 members, the present membership 
being 324. How various members have influenced the development of Akron is 
indicated by a street named after S.W. Bartges, M.D. (1814-82), Prof. S.H. 
Coburn, M.D. (1809-88), E. Crosby, M.D. (1779-1882), A.M. Cole (1855-1922), 
and the great company founded in 1870 by B.F. Goodrich, M.D. (1841-88). 
members of the Society who have served in the Ohio Legislature are M. 
Jewett (1815-89), L.S. Ebright (1844-1917), H.S. Davidson, and associate 
members, W.R. Price and F.B. Burch.
	Active in all matters pertaining to the health of the community, the 
society as an organization or through its individual members was largely 
responsible for the founding of the Akron City Hospital in 1887, the 
Children's Hospital in 1905, the People's Hospital in 1914, the Citizen's 
Hospital in 1915 and other private institutions.
	The members hold degrees from 112 universities and colleges of seven 
countries. By birth the members are from Austria, Canada, China, France, 
Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Roumania, Russia, Syria 
and the Untied States. The seven honorary members are among the most famous 
medical men of North America. The fifty associate members include leaders 
in Akron's business and professional circles who take a special interest in 
the society and the work of its medical members.
	The society meets monthly and holds special dinners in the spring and 
autumn, the speakers on such occasions being leading members of the 
profession in this country and abroad. In addition, a medical section and a 
surgical section meet monthly, with speakers from the society. During the 
summer a series of golf games scheduled by the society, ending with the 
championship match in September. Throughout the country the Summit County 
Medical Society has the reputation of being among the very best in its 
management, program, attendance and all the items that make for efficiency.
	The war record of the society is specially entitled to recognition in any 
history of Ohio. During 113 years members of the society have participated 
in numerous wars. Four members were in service in the War of 1812; 
twenty-four were in the Civil war, from 1861 to 1865; there was one from 
Summit County in the Roumanian Army during the Russo-Turkish war of 1877; 
one in the North West Canadian rebellion of 1885. From the Summit County 
Medical Society eight members went into service in the Spanish-American war 
in 1898, one served with the British Army in the South African war of 
1899-1902, one was in the Philippine campaign from 1899 to 1904. During the 
trouble on the Mexican border in 1916-17 twenty-six of the society's 
members were enrolled. During the period of the World war from 1914 to 1918 
a total of 137 members of the Summit County Medical Society were under 
commission or in active service in some capacity. Seven were with the 
British Army, three with the Canadian Army, three with the French Army, one 
with the German Army, one with the Italian Army, while there were 107 in 
the United States Army, ten in the United States Navy, two with the 
American Red Cross, two with the Untied States Public Health Services, and 
one with the Untied States Secret Service. The ranks held by these medical 
officers included one colonel, one lieutenant-colonel eight majors, 
forty-eight captains, seventy lieutenants and nine other ranks. There was 
also a Summit County physician who was with the Untied States Army in the 
Siberian expedition in 1919.
	The total war record, unsurpassed by any other county medical society in 
Ohio, is 204 members. In addition, forty members have served in times of 
peace in the Canadian, Hungarian, Roumanian, United States Army and Navy, 
bringing the total military record to 244.

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