Cleave’s
Biographical Cyclopædia of
Homœopathic Physicians and Surgeons
By Egbert Cleave
Presented by Sylvain Cazalet
ALMAGE,
SAMUEL, M. D., of Brooklyn, N. Y., was born February 20th, 1831, at
Mont Verd, a villa, beautifully situated one mile north of Somerville,
Somerset county, N. J.His father was Major
Thomas Talmage, an energetic, sagacious and practical farmer, imbued
with the necessity and advantage of employing all the modern
improvements in the art of tilling the soil. He belonged to a long lived
family, being one of a dozen children, three of whom lived several years
with their partners after celebrating their golden weddings. During his
life, he filled many important positions of trust, in Church and State,
with honor and credit to himself and benefit to the community. His
mother was Miss Sophia Van Veghten (before marriage), daughter of
Michael Van Veghten, one of the most extensive landed proprietors on the
Raritan River. It was at the landing place on his estate that one of the
incidents of the revolutionary war took place. A company of British
soldiers landed there, captured and burned a number of flat boats loaded
with hay intended for transportation to our army.The subject of this
brief sketch is the eldest of six children, resulting from the above
marriage -three sons and three daughters. His early education was
received at the Somerville Academy, and, subsequently completed at a
private seminary, in the southern part of Somerset county. His
preceptors appear to have possessed unusual ability, and he himself
displayed a quickness, a readiness of application, and an ardent thirst
after knowledge, which combined to qualify him, at the early age of
seventeen, to assume the duties of a teacher. With one bound he leaped
from the scholar to the pedagogue. His career as instructor was
characterized with marked success. He pursued his avocation con
amore, taking
an active part and a lively interest in the annual meetings of the
Teachers’ Institute of Somerset County, extending his sympathy even to a
similar institution in a neighboring county, before which he was
requested to deliver the annual address. About this period also his
literary tastes and talents were considerably developed, as he wrote
various articles for the different weekly periodicals, notably the Waverly
Magazine,
which is indebted to his pen for many a pleasing sketch.In the year 1855, his
father died, and then the more serious business of life compelled him to
forego the lighter pleasures and studies he had hitherto enjoyed so
keenly. He was called upon to return home, to take charge of the family
and superintend the cultivation of a farm of 160 acres -no light task
for a young man of twenty-four, inexperienced in agricultural pursuits.
He at once complied, and managed the farm successfully for a number of
years. At the breaking out of the war, in 1861, he was appointed and
commissioned by the Governor of New Jersey Captain of an uniformed
company of cavalry.Matters continued thus
till 1867, when, at the suggestion of his brother, Dr. J. F. Talmage, he
was induced to take into consideration the subject of medicine, and
commenced its study by the careful perusal of medical works. After due
deliberation, having convinced himself that he had a natural taste for
the profession, he determined to commence the study of medicine in
earnest, for which purpose he entered the office of Dr. E. Clark, of
Staten Island, N. Y., and began a systematic course.In the autumn of 1868,
he entered the medical department of the University of New York, where
he attended two full courses of lectures, at the termination of which,
he graduated in the same institution, and received his diploma in the
spring of 1870. During this time, he also further perfected himself by
attending lectures, etc., at the New York Hospital, the Bellevue
Hospital, and the Charity Hospital on Blackwell’s Island.During the winter of
1868, by the special request of his brother, he was induced to enter his
office and become an inmate of his family. This change procured for him
a most favorable opportunity of prosecuting his scientific researches.
Having constant access to an extensive medical library, he was able to
investigate the truths of the doctrine of Hahnemann, at the same time
being an eye-witness to the wonderful cures effected by the system of
homœopathy, in all classes of disease, but more especially remarkable
in those pertaining to women and children.Immediately after
receiving his degree, he joined his brother in a partnership, which
still subsists. In March of the same year, he was appointed House
Physician of the Gates Avenue Homœopathic Dispensary, which appointment
he still retains, being punctual in his daily visits to that
institution.In the year 1863, he
was married to Miss Arrietta M. Clark, a lady of much culture, refined
tastes and eminent musical talent. She is the only daughter of Dr. E.
Clark, of Staten Island, his former preceptor, and sister of Dr. James
G. Clark, of North Shore, on the same Island. Thus far this union has
been blessed with three children, two of whom, a daughter and a son, are
living.Dr. Talmage is still
very young in his profession, having received his diploma in 1870, and
we doubt not that there is in store for him a long life of professional
usefulness.Dr. Samuel Talmage is a
member of the Protestant Reformed (Dutch) Church, and has served as
ruling elder in the sessions of both the Reformed and Presbyterian
Churches.Source
: Cleave’s Biographical Cyclopædia of Homœopathic Physicians and
Surgeons By Egbert Cleave