Northumberland County PA Archives Biographies.....Priestley, Joseph 1819 - 

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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com July 31, 2005, 10:36 pm



Author: Biographical Publishing Co.



DR. JOSEPH PRIESTLEY, deceased, was for more than forty years a prominent

practitioner of the medical profession in Northumberland, Northumberland County,

Pa., where the Priestley family has been established since 1794, the year in

which the eminent philosopher, Rev. Joseph Priestley, settled there. The latter

was the most learned gentleman of the state of Pennsylvania in his day and in

the short space of two years gave to the public more facts concerning pneumatic

chemistry than all of the scientists who preceded him, and by his wonderful

discovery of oxygen gas attained a world-wide reputation.



  Rev. Joseph Priestley was born at Fieldhead, near Leeds, Yorkshire, England,

March 13, 1733, and in his early days gave evidence of being a great student; at

the age of sixteen years he had an extended knowledge of the Latin, Greek, and

Hebrew languages. He entered the ministry as assistant to the Rev. Mr. Meadows

of Needham Market, Suffolk, and during his three years in that capacity he wrote

and published his first book, entitled 'The Doctrine of the Atonement." For the

subsequent three years he devoted his efforts to literary works on religious

subjects, and "Observations on the Character and Reasonings of the Apostle Paul"

resulted from his pen. In that period he also compiled and published an English

grammar. He gave the subject of political economy much attention and after his

meeting with Benjamin Franklin his scientific researches relative to electricity

began. He wrote many works thereafter, the most prominent being "An Essay on

Government," "A familiar Introduction to the Study of Electricity," and "A Chart

of History," Having removed to Leeds, his residence chanced to be in close

proximity to a brewery, and his observations of fixed air caused by fermentation

led him to make experiments whose culmination was the solution of many problems

which had been a perplexity to the scientific world. He wrote a number of papers

in which he elucidated his theories as to how nature purified the air for the

support of animal life, how air vitiated by animal respiration was a pabulum to

vegetable life, and one of these papers read before the Royal Society in 1772

obtained the honor of the Copley Medal. He threw enlightenment upon his

discovery of nitric air; showed the use of a burning lens in pneumatic

experiments; related the discoveries and properties of marine acid air; and he

added much to the little theretofore known of air generated by animal

putrefaction and vegetable fermentation, and determined many facts relating to

the diminution and deterioration of air by the combustion of charcoal and the

calcination of metals. It was not until June or July of 1774, however, that his

greatest discovery was made, that of dephlogisticated air, which he announced

publicly for the first time at the table of M. Lavosier in Paris in October of

that year, and at about the same time repeated his experiments before the

scientific chemists of Paris. In 1780 he removed to Birmingham, Eng., where he

had charge of a dissenting congregation. In 1789 he expressed his disapproval of

the "Test Act," and by favoring the French Revolution he provoked an attack from

Burke in Parliament and aroused the hostility of the populace, his residence

being burned by a mob July 14, 1791. During the next three years he made his

home at London and Hackney, but finding that he was still in disfavor with the

public he decided to leave England, and on the 7th of April, 1794, he immigrated

to America. In his "Memoirs," he relates how Northumberland chanced to become

his home. Many other English emigrants came to this country with him, and it was

their intention to establish a settlement for all friends of liberty at the head

of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. He located there, but the scheme which

they had concocted fell through. Having located there and being pleased with the

country Dr. Priestley decided to remain and in 1795 began the erection of a

large house on the estate which he purchased to the east of the borough, which

is still in a good state of preservation and is owned by Robert Scott, Esq. He

laid out a beautiful lawn and set out many shade trees, but the beauty of the

property has been greatly marred by the construction of a canal and the

Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad. In this grand old house the Doctor had

a large library and a laboratory, and every other convenience for the pursuit of

his studies, there being on the roof an observatory which has disappeared in

recent years. He became the owner of many thousands of acres in what is now

Sullivan County, which he sold to his fellow countrymen very cheap as an

inducement for them to locate in that section. After coming to this country he

did not participate in civil affairs, but was very active in promoting the

educational interests, being one of the founders of Northumberland Academy. He

was a Unitarian in his religious convictions and established the oldest church

of that denomination in Pennsylvania, at Northumberland. The last years of his

life were spent in the quiet and happiness of retired life, and he passed away

February 6, 1804, and was buried in the Northumberland Cemetery. Joseph

Priestley, a son of Rev. Joseph Priestley and the grandfather of our subject,

was born in England in 1768, and after his marriage came to this country with

his father. He too became interested in land speculations in Sullivan County,

and the vast wilds which he and his father possessed have long since been

converted into beautiful homes and farm land. His first union was formed in

England, April 15, 1792, with Elizabeth Ryland, and they were the parents of

five children, namely: Joseph Raynor; Elizabeth Raynor, born August 28, 1798,

who was the wife of Joseph Parker; Lindsay, born July 21, 1801; Marian, born

July 26, 1803, who married Rev. William Bower; and Sarah, born April 28, 1807,

who married Robert Wainwright. After the death of his wife Mr. Priestley

returned to England, where he formed a second matrimonial alliance with Lucinda

Barton, and, as she was opposed to coming to America to live, he spent the

remainder of his life there, dying September 3, 1833.



  Joseph Raynor Priestley, the father of our subject, was born in England March

23, 1793, and upon reaching maturity succeeded to his father's property.

Although a man of means he was largely engaged in farming throughout his life.

On April 22, 1817, he was united in marriage to Frances Dundas and they had

eight children: Jane B., born January 15, 1818; Joseph, the subject of this

personal history; Elizabeth, born August 3, 1821; Marks John, born January 17,

1823; Lindsay, born February 9, 1827; Marianne, born September 22, 1831; Jane

D., born May 4, 1833; and Sarah A., born May 10, 1836. Mr. Priestley died on

November 10, 1863, and his wife survived him until December 1 8, 1878. He was

one of the founders of the First National Bank of Northumberland and for many

years served as its cashier.



  Dr. Joseph Priestley was born in Point township, Northumberland County, Pa.,

September 22, 1819, and attended the private school taught by the Rev. David

Kirkpatrick of Milton. He then read medicine with Dr. James Dougal of Milton,

and was graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania

in March, 1844. He took up the practice of his profession at Northumberland and

rose rapidly to a place in the foremost ranks of the physicians of that section.

During the forty years of his practice, he had a very large patronage and was at

all times held in the highest esteem. He was an extensive owner of real estate,

possessing several farms. He purchased the grand old brick building known at the

time as the Burr Hotel, and remodeled it into a fine home and office, in which

his daughters now live. This property is at the corner of Market and Front

streets and faces Market Square park. He practiced at Northumberland until his

demise, March 10, 1883. He was a member of the national, state andj county

medical associations, and served as president of the county association. He was

an unswerving supporter of the Republican party.



  On March 4, 1847, Dr. Priestley was joined in marriage with Hannah H. Taggart,

who was born September 10, 1825, and died September 28, 1894. This union was

blessed by the following children: Hannah T., who married Hasket Derby Catlin of

Gouverneur, N. Y., by whom she had two children, Joseph, and Lucy H., deceased;

Joseph Raynor, who died in childhood; Frances D., the wife of William Forsyth of

St. Paul, Minn.; and Annie S., and Jean B., who reside on the old homestead in

Northumberland.





Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

  

  Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District

  Published by 

  Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899)









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