Fry - Thomas (Dr)
Thomas Walker Fry, Sr., MD
(technically he is Jr. as his father was also Thomas Walker Fry)
Photo from findagrave.com
Civil War Rank: Surgeon Civil War
Regiment: 11th
Place of Birth: Danville, Ky
Date of Birth: 8.4.1814
Place of Death: Crawfordsville, In
Date of Death: 2.24.1873
Schools attended: Transylvania Univ Year Medical Grad or Attendance: 1837
Political office or connection: Collector of Internal Revenue in 1867
Career other than physician: Chief editor of Montgomery Journal for the advancement of the Whig Party
Wife: Maria U. Rochester b. 1817 KY
Date of Marriage: 11.1837
Children: 4 b. IN
Obit location: Ji7sma 3:77; Jisma v.28:300
Comm. Date: 8.31.1861 Final Date: 9.28.1861
appointed Brig. surgeon USV
2 Comm: 1.17.1862 Final Date of last commission: 11.30.1865
County: Tippecanoe(Lafayette) / Montgomery(Crawfordsville-1850)
Sources: 1850c $8000 /
At the commencement of the war Dr. Fry tendered his services to his country, and was appointed to the 11th In vol.
After serving about two years, he contracted disease, which caused his transfer to the United States Hospitals at Louisville and New Albany, he continued as chief surgeon of the hopital until the close of the war, after which he returned to Crawfordsville.
Thesis 'Congestive Fever' Index Terms: an inaugural dissertation on cynache trachealis...
Record# 21231 in database 19th Indiana Century Physicians
Source: Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana Review 9 March 1867 p 1
We regret to learn that our esteemed and loyal friend, Dr. Thomas W. Fry, has had his nomination for the Assessorship of this District withdrawn. The reason assigned for this step by the President is said to have been an article which appeared a few days since in the Lafayette Courier in a communication from the Dr. while in Washington, which Lingle, the editor changed into a scandalous attack upon the President, charging the Executive with keeping a harlot in the White House. Notwithstanding the Dr. has denied that he was the author of the scandal, the office has slipped from his grasp, Sec. McCulloch telegraphing the terrible words – too late. From all the evidence we can gather from the facts related to us, it is evident that the Dr. is the victim of a conspiracy, hatched at Lafayette in which Lingle was the chief conspirator. We are assured the Dr. is a warm friend of the President and since his nomination was an ardent advocate of his policy. The loyal sycophants of the Rump Congress will of course feel a gratifying malignity at this discomfiture of the doctor, whom they will charge as belonging to the bread and butter brigade. Had we the ear of the President, the Doctor should receive an appointment.
Source: 19th Century Database of Indiana Physicians
Letter from Paducah Camp Macauley, Paducah, KY, October 2nd, 1861 Editors Journal
I am informed that the Indiana Journal and Sentinel have given circulation to a report that Dr. Thompson and myself had failed to discharge our duties as surgeons of the 11th regiment. I cannot believe that the editor of either paper would intentionally or maliciously injure the character of those who were not on the ground to defend themselves from such attacks. But it does strike me that, before giving currency and cater to such injurious reports, it would be well to ascertain whether either or both of us were guilty of the non-performance of our official duties.
My assistant Dr. Thompson, of Terre Haute, was at home on leave of absence, attending upon a sick wife, who is still too ill for him to leave. The charge against him is, therefore, particularly unjust. He is not a man who would willfully neglect his duties. In regard to myself, I must say, that the charge is unjust. Our regiment left Indianapolis on Saturday morning, the 7th of September, for St. Louis, without medicines or hospital stores. I remained with Capts. Knefler and Darnall, for two purposes, until the following Monday. One of which was to accompany a number of the sick, who were too unwell to start on Saturday; the other was to secure some hospital stores, which I accomplished through Dr. Bobbs. All the Surgeons from Indiana had obtained their medicines and hospital stores at Indianapolis. Thinking that we would still get them there, I had ordered a medical chest, made at my requisition, and was not informed to the contrary until a day or two before our departure, when Gov. Morton told me to send to Dr. Wright, of Cincinnati. It was then too late to get them in time, and as we were ordered to St. Louis, I deemed it best to get them there.
We reached St. Louis on Tuesday evening, and found the Regiment had gone the evening before to Paducah. I immediately handed in my requisition to the Medical Purveyor - told our situation. I urged that they should be immediately sent. We asked for transportation and were ordered on board the steamer J. D. Perry, which was expected to start any hour; but remained at the wharf till Friday evening. This time I endeavored to improve in making efforts to get cots, &c., for our sick. The Purveyor Dr. Alexander, refused them, as he did many articles allowed by the Regulations. I called on Marshal Kase, and told him the necessity of having cots. He did what he could, but failed in getting them.
Leaving St. Louis on Friday evening, we reached Cairo on Sunday, and remained there till Monday noon, and reached Paducah the same afternoon, without medicine, without cots, and without hospital stores. A double portion, however, came to hand in the course of ten days, (excepting cots,) and but for the kindness of Dr. Austin, of the 25th Indiana Regiment, who kindly furnished me a few articles, our men would have suffered. These are the facts, in the case. As to neglect of duty, I am willing that the officers and men of this Regiment may judge. In future it is to be hoped that before the characters of those who have risked their all in defense of the Government is assisted, a little more caution will be observed. I doubt not that those who have given circulation to the reports will as promptly correct them. When either Dr. Thompson or myself fail in discharge of the important trusts confided to us, I hope our commissions will be taken from us.
The Lafayette Courier, Wabash Express and Crawfordsville Journal will confer a favor by copying the above letter.
Truly, Thos. W. Fry, Surgeon, 11th Reg. I.V.M.
P. S. Gen Wallace, I doubt not has written that the charges were false.
Source: Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana Review 9 March 1867 p 1
We regret to learn that our esteemed and loyal friend, Dr. Thomas W. Fry, has had his nomination for the Assessorship of this District withdrawn. The reason assigned for this step by the President is said to have been an article which appeared a few days since in the Lafayette Courier in a communication from the Dr. while in Washington, which Lingle, the editor changed into a scandalous attack upon the President, charging the Executive with keeping a harlot in the White House. Notwithstanding the Dr. has denied that he was the author of the scandal, the office has slipped from his grasp, Sec. McCulloch telegraphing the terrible words – too late. From all the evidence we can gather from the facts related to us, it is evident that the Dr. is the victim of a conspiracy, hatched at Lafayette in which Lingle was the chief conspirator. We are assured the Dr. is a warm friend of the President and since his nomination was an ardent advocate of his policy. The loyal sycophants of the Rump Congress will of course feel a gratifying malignity at this discomfiture of the doctor, whom they will charge as belonging to the bread and butter brigade. Had we the ear of the President, the Doctor should receive an appointment.
Source: Zach, Karen Bazzani. Montgomery Medicine Men ... Crawfordsville: Montgomery County Historical Society, 2002.
Thomas W. Fry, Sr. was born August 4, 1814 in Danville, Boyle County, Kentucky and married Maria Rochester there. Their children included: Thomas, Jr; Julia; William; Louis and Letitia. At least William Garret, born in Virginia in 1838, Ira l Brown, a native Kentuckian, Thomas Mosley and William Robinson studied under this Dr. Fry.
Thomas graduated from Transylvania Univerity in 1837. It is interesting to note that both Thomas, Sr. and Jr. (born about 1839) served in the Civil War. Thomas Sr. began his military service as Surgeon under Lew Wallace in the 11th Indiana Regiment. Later, he reentered in Co. E. 10th Regiment as First Lieutenant with his son under him as Second Lieutenant.
Due to sickness, the father transferred to the US Hospitals at Louisville and New Albany and served there as chief surgeon until the close of the war. The younger Thomas was a lawyer in our area for a few years until death took him young on August 26, 1868. He enlisted in April of 1861 11th Indiana Infantry, staying about four months. In December of 1861 and at this point was a 1st Lt. At the end of that stint, he was Capt and Assistant Quartermaster. He mustered out May 31, 1866.
Fry had an interesting career, dabbling in this and that, including having a general store (toiletries, tobacco, staples and the like in 1867) along with selling medicines and drugs. A multitalented man, Fry also served as the editor pf the Crawfordsville Journal for some time. In November, 1875, he died in Lafayette and his body was "brought" down and interred in Oak Hill Cemetery
Source: "Etched In Stone" The Paper of Montgomery County by Karen Bazzani Zach
These two are father and son. They made for quite a task to research and obtain stones. The father wasn’t quite so hard as we had some information and he was a doctor, thus in the news more, but the son was young, moved to Lafayette and was almost impossible to prove well enough for government approval.
Thomas W. Fry was born in Danville, Kentucky 4 August 1814 the son of Thomas Walker Fry and Julia Speed and married Maria Rochester in Logan County, Kentucky 1 November 1837 by Rev. B.J. Wallace, a Presbyterian Minister. His father had passed away earlier that year and his mother went with him to Crawfordsville, Indiana where she passed about ten years later. The Fry family remained active members in the Presbyterian Church, yet Thomas Sr., was a member of the estry of the newly founded St. John’s Episcopal Church when it began, as well as a trustee at Wabash, where his brother, Speed Fry attended (and became a General in the Civil War). Maria was just 20 years old, he three years older. They would have three sons and two daughters, Thomas Walker Fry, Jr., is the one Kim and Susie ordered the stone to go along with his father’s, but it was rejected. Perseverance with these two – they sent it back and wonders of wonders in the stone came!
When the Fry father/son registered for the Civil War draft, Thomas W. Jr was 25 and listed as an attorney whereas Sr. of course was a surgeon at age 48. Senior graduated from Center College, Danville, Kentucky and received his medical training at Transylvania University where he graduated not long before his marriage. Quite in to politics, he served as editor of the Montgomery Journal for the Advancement of the Whig Party. When he returned from the war, he was the Internal Revenue Collector, a political appointment. During the war, he became appointed Brigadier Surgeon in the United States Volunteer service, serving in the 11th Indiana Volunteers until after the battle of Shiloh. Fry, of course, was under Lew Wallace as his surgeon. However, he became sick with disease and upon recovery, then went to the US Hospitals at Louisville and New Albany where he continued as Chief Surgeon at those hospitals until the close of the war when he returned to Crawfordsville to practice. Later, he reentered in Co. E the 10th Regiment and his son was Lt. under him.
Dr. Fry was the mentor to some of our impressive physicians in the area, William Garret; Ira Brown; Thomas Mosley and William Robinson as some. A multi-talented man, he dabbled in this and that, including having a general store with toiletries, tobacco, stables and such. In February, 1873, after a lengthy illness, he died in Lafayette. His body was “brought” down and interred in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Thomas Walker Fry, Jr. was born in Crawfordsville, and attended Wabash College. Before the war, he was an attorney, but volunteered with his father 18 April 1861 (11th Volunteers), served his three months and mustered out 4 August 1861. Signing up again 13 Jan 1862, he was promoted to 1st Lt. Lew Wallace, Fry’s Major General certified that he became ill shortly after Ft. Donelson. Medical personnel verified the illness as “chronic bronchitis,” from which it was impossible for him to recover. His father wrote that Thomas W. Fry, Jr., late Captain AQM of the Co. E, 11th Regt Ind Vol., found it incapable of him performing the duties of a soldier in the field, because of an injury of the spine, the result of the passage of a large wagon wheel over his body.” When he returned from war, he married Jessie and decided the law was too rigorous, thus he began a trading center in Pleasant Hill. Weakened, he had severe breathing spells and camp fever. He applied for a medical pension not long prior to his death, his widow after his death and a minor child a few years afterwards. Sadly, the old cough and back pains from the accident prevailed and he passed away within two years of his return, leaving another Thomas Walker Fry and his wife, Jessie Snyder Fry.
A couple of years after Thomas Sr passed away, Oak Hill Cemetery was being created, and Maria desired her husband and son to be together, along with her and other members of the family. She purchased several spots and had both Sr. and Jr. moved to Oak Hill. In fact, when they were moved an article noted that Sr. had been preserved quite well having been dead for two years. Although both were denied because of proof of burial at OH, eventually they were okayed, and thus, both Thomas W. Frys, the father a surgeon, the son, a lawyer and businessman, died too young, mainly Civil War casualties, neither having a stone but thanks to Kim & Susi they now, rest with marked graves, etched in stone, this time, two by two!
