Montgomery County PA Archives Biographies.....Bellows, Dr. Horace Martin June 30, 1839 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joe Patterson jpatter@epix.net December 17, 2025, 3:29 pm

Source: Biographical Annals of Montgomery County Pennsylvania, T. S. Benham & Company and the Lewis Publishing Company, 1904
Author: Ellwood Roberts, Editor

  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 bookkeeper. 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 g 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 Park 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 175o 
and was one of the early settlers 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 (Want) 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, 1750. 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.

This file has been created by a form at http://www.usgwarchives.net/pafiles/

File size: 8.8 Kb