Nebraska State Historical Society
Title
Dr. Gilbert C. Monell and Hon. Phineas W. Hitchcock
Document Type
Article
Date of this Version
January 1885
The biographies of these two old and prominent citizens were written
by Mr. G. M. Hitchcock, grandson of Dr. Monell, and son of Mr.
Hitchcock.
DR. GILBERT C. MONELL was born Oct. 20th, 1816, in Montgomery,
Orange county, N. Y., and was his parents' second son. As
his father could afford to do so in but one case, the elder brother was
alone accorded a college education, and the subject of this sketch was
thrown upon his own resources at an early age with a fair common
school education. He, however, at once made the resolve to acquire
himself what his parents were unable to give him. He took a salaried
position in a country store, and began at the same time earnestly to
prosecute the studies preparatory for a college course. He was enabled
by strict economy and by a gift from his father, to raise a sufficient
amount for a three years' course, and by self education while at work
in the store, he fitted himself to enter Union College in the Sophomore
year, abreast fully with those of his own age. He graduated at the
age of nineteen years, and soon thereafter married Miss Lucinda Carpenter,
in 1836, and then for a short time he continued his mercantile
occupation, but only for the purpose of supporting himself while he studied medicine in New York city. Completing his course there, he,
with his wife and little son returned to Orange county, N. Y., and
located in Newburg. Here a large practice soon rewarded his early
privations, and in the specialty he made of the diseases of women his
success was so great as to bring patients from New York city and
New England.
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Published in Transactions and Reports of the Nebraska State Historical Society, Volume I (Lincoln, NE, 1885).