Robert French

June 2, 2018 By in Surnames-F

Birth: 1787
Death: 1835
Occupation: surgeon, US Army

Associated Counties

  • Baltimore City

Directories

DATEOCCUPATIONADDRESSCITY
1831surgeon US ArmyNE corner of Hanover and Barre sts.Baltimore City

Additional Information

In 1819 a Dr. Robert French (1787-1835) received an appointment as Assistant Surgeon in the U.S. Army at Fort McHenry. On February 13, 1832 he informed Major Payne, the Post commander of his concerns upon the condition of the 1814 Post Hospital. The hospital needed repairs of new floors, doors, and windows, and for a kitchen to be attached. His concerns for improvements were the present condition fo the guard house as “a Source of disease.”1

Stationed at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, 1833. 2

A native of Georgetown until he received appointment in U.S. Army at Fort McHenry as Assistant Surgeon in 1819. He took a leave of absense from Fort McHenry on June 1, 1835. Died August 14, 1835.3

On Thursday evening, the 13th inst, at [Eden Bower], near Georgetown, in the 48th year of his age DR. ROBERT FRENCH Assistant Surgeon in the [Army] of the United States. Dr. French was a [native] of Georgetown, in which place he commenced the practice of medicine, and continued to reside [until] his appointment in the medical staff of the Army [in the] year 1819.4

DEATHS

On Thursday evening, the 13th inst, at Eden Bower, near Georgetown, in the 48th year of his age DR. ROBERT FRENCH Assistant Surgeon in the Army of the United States. Dr. French was a native of Georgetown, in which place he commenced the practice of medicine, and continued to reside until his appointment in the medical staff of the Army in the year 1819. The deceased had many friends for he was generous, affectionate, and warm hearted; of great purity of purpose, and with the kindest towards all men. But he was more than this: he was a Christian; for many years a zealous and active Christian; engaging with ardor in all the benevolent institutions of the day, which have for the object the temporal and eternal welfare of man. It has fallen to the lot of few persons to suffer so much from sickness as did the deceased, having, for more than three years past, been afflicted with a painful disease of which he died. But he suffered with meekness, and with submission, and without a murmur. It must be a great consolation to his bereaved widow and relatives to know, that, as he lived the life as a Christian, so he died in the death of a Christian, having hope in his death exchanging for him a life of pain and suffering in this world, for one of peace and happiness in the eternal world.

The officers of the Army, and his relatives and friends, are invited to attend his funeral, which will take plac on Saturday, the 15th instant, at 4 o’clock, P.M. from the residence of Mrs. George French, Bridge Street, Georgetown.5

  1. Information compiled by Scott Sheads drawing on information in the Medical Society of the District of Columbia. History of the Medical Society of the District of Columbia 1817-1909. (Washington, DC: The Society, 1909). ↩︎
  2. Records of the War Department, Office of the Adjutant General. Medical History, Post of Fort McHenry. National Archives, Washington DC, p. 17 ↩︎
  3. U.S. Returns from Military Posts, 1806-1916. National Archives. ↩︎
  4. Baltimore Gazette, 17 August 1835. ↩︎
  5. Daily National Intelligencer (District of Columbia) 15 August 1835. ↩︎