Cleave’s
Biographical Cyclopædia of
Homœopathic Physicians and Surgeons
By Egbert Cleave
Presented by Sylvain Cazalet
OWERS,
DAVID C., M. D., of Coldwater, Mich., was born in Croydon, Sullivan
county, N. H., on June 30th, 1822.When a child, his
parents removed to Cayuga county, N. Y., where he was educated at Aurora
Academy. Having finished his literary education, he entered the office
of his brother-in-law, Dr. N. Leavitt, and at the age of twenty-two,
commenced the study of medicine tinder his supervision. After four
years’ study, including three courses of lectures, he graduated at
Berkshire Medical College, Pittsfield, Mass., in November, 1848.The following January,
Dr. Powers so far contracted the gold fever of that year, that he was
induced to leave his Eastern home, and become for awhile one of the many
who sought employment and wealth in the then unsettled West. He went to
California, an “argonaut of ’49,” but returned the following
spring, resolved to make, for a time, his home in the Eastern States.He married, in 1850,
Miss Margaret Ledyard, of Pultneyville, N. Y., a niece of President H.
H. Childs, of Berkshire Medical College, and established himself in
Auburn, N. Y., where he commenced the practice of medicine. Soon after
this, being led to investigate the principles of homœopathy, he made it
the subject of much study and experiment, the latter resulting so
successfully, as to induce him to become an avowed convert to that
school.Having now entirely
dropped the old system and adopted the new, he removed in the autumn of
1855, to Coldwater, Mich., and became the pioneer practitioner of homœopathy
in that place, forming a partnership with Dr. H. W. White, now of New
York city.At the commencement of
the late war, Dr. Powers was appointed by Governor Blair First Surgeon
of the 9th Infantry Regiment Michigan Volunteers, but, owing to sickness
in his family, he was unable to accompany hi ; regiment when it was
ordered to the seat of war.The measles just about
that time breaking out in the regiment, he was compelled to resign his
position, in order to allow the appointment of another surgeon.In 1862, having been
induced by the urgent requests of the officers of the celebrated
“Loomis Battery,” which was chiefly raised and officered in
Coldwater, to accompany them to the field, he entered the army as
contract surgeon, and served in that capacity for nearly three years.
During that period, he was in charge of hospitals both at Huntsville,
Ala., and Nashville, Tenn.Of Dr. Powers’
patriotism and loyalty it is unnecessary to speak, his career during the
war being sufficient evidence of both.On leaving the Army, he
returned to Coldwater, and resumed the practice of his profession there,
re-establishing and extending a flourishing business.In the spring of 1866,
the citizens of Coldwater showed their appreciation of the talents and
integrity of Dr. Powers by electing him Mayor of the city ; which
office he filled for two years, being re-elected for a second term
without opposition. He is also one of the directors of the Southern
Michigan National Bank.The positions of trust
and honor which Dr. Powers has been called upon to fill, plainly show
the place he occupies in the esteem and confidence of his
fellow-citizens.Source
: Cleave’s Biographical Cyclopædia of Homœopathic Physicians and
Surgeons By Egbert Cleave