_http://cityguide.pojonews.com/fe/Heritage/stories/he_dr_bard.asp_ (http://cityguide.pojonews.com/fe/Heritage/stories/he_dr_bard.asp) Poughkeepsie Journal Dr. Bard's touch felt in college’s creation By Margaret L. Marquez Samuel Bard helped found the first medical college in New York and was the chief physician of New York’s first hospital. He served as President George Washington’s private doctor and even saved the president’s life not long after his first inauguration. But Bard’s influence was felt as much in the rural hills of Dutchess County as it was in New York City. Bard, who had a home in Hyde Park on what is now the Vanderbilt estate, established both the Medical Society of Dutchess County and the Dutchess County Agricultural Society. He also aided in the development of the county in his role as district secretary of the Society for the Promotion of Agriculture, Manufactures and Useful Arts. His accomplishments might have been difficult to predict during a sickly period of his childhood. He was born in Philadelphia in 1742 to Dr. John and Suzanne Valleau Bard. His grandfather, Pierre Fauconnier, was secretary to Lord Corbury, governor of New York. When he was 14, he had a continual fever, so his father withdrew him from studying and sent him to the home of a friend, Dr. Cadwallader Colden of Newburgh. Bard joined Dr. Colden in his interest in botany. After his health recovered, he entered King’s College and helped with his father’s practice. He went to England to study in 1761 and a year later went to Scotland, where he won the annual medal for botany at the University of Edinburgh. And in 1765, he received his medical degree from the University of Edinburgh. After joining his father in a professional partnership and with the help of 10 other doctors as professors, he founded the first medical college in New York in 1767. Doctor soon aids a president Bard proposed the first hospital for New York, which opened in 1774, with him as chief physician, a post he held for 20 years. After the Revolution, the name of King’s College changed to Columbia College, and the Medical Society of New York was formed with Dr. Bard as the first president. George Washington was inaugurated president in April 1789, and in June he called Bard to relieve a high fever and severe pain in his thigh. Assisted by his father, Bard was credited by Washington with saving his lifng his life by removing a malignancy. Bard founded a dispensary in New York City for medical relief. In 1792, he was appointed dean of the faculty of medicine at Columbia College. Soon after his father decided to retire to Hyde Park, Bard relinquished several of his responsibilities and moved there. Bard quick to take on tasks While building his new home, and despite being involved with laying out the grounds and the design and planting of the gardens, Bard accepted the position with the county promotion society. Transportation was needed and propelling boats by steam was promising. With the help of others, he promoted ship building along the Hudson River. He also established the medical and agricultural societies in 1804. When the medical faculty of Columbia College and the College of Physicians and Surgeons united in 1814, Bard was elected the first president and continued in that position until his death in 1821. The creation and development of the Elgin Garden of medicinal plants in New York City was mainly the work of Dr. David Hosack, but his association with Bard was so firm that it may be attributed to both. When the garden was dismantled, some of the plants and trees came to Hyde Park. Bard lived in retirement in Hyde Park until his death in 1821, one day after his wife Mary died. They are buried in a single grave in St. James Church yard. Bard had been the donor of the land where the church was built. The Hyde Park estate was sold to Hosack, who continued Bard’s efforts in landscaping and botany. Owned by the National Park Service, the site today displays Bard’s and Hosack’ s love and care in designing the grounds as a park. ================================== DR. SAMUEL BARD's wife, MARY BARD, (daughter of PETER BARD & MARY DE NORMANDIE) and granddaughter of ANDRE DE NORMANDIE, was my 1st cousin, six times removed. Jacqueline Sleeper Russell Website: _http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=SRCH&db=jacquelinesr&surn ame=A_ (http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=SRCH&db=jacquelinesr&surname=A) <BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com.