Lowell Holbrook Physician's Account Book A description of his account book at Syracuse University

Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Lowell Holbrook (1818-1905) was a physician in Thompson, Connecticut during the mid to late nineteenth century. The account book is signed "L. Holbrook" on the flyleaf, and Lowell is assumed to be the owner. Lowell Holbrook was the son of Horatio Holbrook (b. 1790) and Arcena Richardson. Horatio was a doctor in Thompson, Connecticut from 1815 to 1856, and his son followed in his footsteps. Lowell studied medicine at University Medical College (now NYU School of Medicine), receiving his degree in 1849. He then practiced medicine for a few years in Brooklyn, New York. In 1851, he returned to Thompson, Connecticut and began attending patients there. He continued his practice until around 1902.

Lowell married Mary Fisher (d. 1890) in 1845. He served in the Civil War as a surgeon in the 18th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, and was held as a prisoner of war in Libby Prison for a few months in 1863. He was also president of the Connecticut State Medical Society in 1874 and a representative to the Connecticut General Assembly in 1879.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Lowell Holbrook Physician's Account Book records medical services and financial transactions from 1851 to 1868. The book contains names of patients, lists of services provided (mostly house calls), prices, and dates of payment. Holbrook's records are very sparse; generally he writes simply the date and cost of his treatments, sometimes with a short explanation such as "to attend child" or "to visit wife." Several hundred names of Thompson, CT residents are recorded in the account book, making it potentially useful for local genealogists.

There is also an insert in the back of the book dated 1851 with financial records and names of patients that Holbrook treated in Brooklyn, New York.

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Arrangement of the Collection

Single item.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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