Notes |
- Ozni Underwood, youngest child
of Thaddeus and Mary (Farr) Under-
wood, was born July 27, 1809, at Marlboro,
Vermont, died in Springfield, Massachu-
setts, July 15, 1885. He spent his boy-
hood in Marlboro at the homestead farm,
prepared for college in the public schools
of Marlboro and Brattleboro, and later en-
tered Williams College, whence he was
graduated, class of 1835. After gradua-
tion he was appointed principal of the
town high school, located on School
street, he having the distinction of being
the first and only principal that school
ever had ; because of its location it
was soon discontinued. He then became
principal of the high school in Spring-
field. After teaching a time, the young
man began the study of medicine, his pre-
ceptor being the eminent Dr. Joshua
Frost, of Springfield. He completed his
professional education at Pittsfield Med-
ical College, and after receiving his M. D.
from that institution, began practicing in
Longmeadow, but did not long remain
there, removing to Springfield, where he
succeeded to the practice of his old pre-
ceptor, Dr. Frost, becoming eminent in
his profession, continuing for over forty
years. Later he studied in Paris, France.
In 1835, as explained farther on, he peti-
tioned the Massachusetts Legislature for
permission to change his name ; this was
granted and from that time onward he
was known as Dr. Henry Robert Vaille.
He was a skillful physician and surgeon,
making a specialty of obstetrics. He pos-
sessed the confidence of a very large clien-
tele and was held in the highest esteem.
During the Civil War he was in the ser-
vice of the Christian Commission, at the
front for a time, and in 1862 was assistant
surgeon of the I2th Regiment, Massachu-
setts Infantry, on duty in the military hos-
pitals at Middletown, Maryland, for three
months, caring for the wounded soldiers
from the battles of South Mountain and
Antietam.
Dr. Vaille early became a member of
the church, and all his life was true to the
obligations of good citizenship. Until the
founding of the Republican party he was
a Whig, and was later affiliated with the
new party. He was city physician for a
long time, and also a member of the
school board. He was a member of the
District Medical, and of the Massachu-
setts Medical societies, taking a deep in-
terest in both. His last years were spent
in retirement, and he died in 1885. He
was highly spoken of by the press of that
day for his professional skill and his
worth as a citizen at his Springfield
home, and at his death the medical socie-
ties and other organizations passed resolu-
tions of respect to his memory. The Dis-
trict Medical Society, in a memorial to
the good doctor, described him as "one
who ever maintained the honor and
worked for the interests of legitimate
medicine."
Dr. Vaille married (first), June 25, 1838,
Anna Pitman, who died in 1847, daughter
of the Rev. Benjamin H. Pitman, of Al-
bany, New York, and at this time Dr.
Vaille changed his name. The Rev. B. H.
Pitman was a man of strong prejudices
and thoroughly orthodox, and at some
time an Underwood had come under the
ban of his displeasure and he would not
consider for a moment his daughter taking
that name. As there was no objection to
the young man personally, a change of
name was decided upon and he applied to
the Legislature and received permission,
when Ozni Underwood became Dr. Henry
Robert Vaille. Dr. and Mrs. Vaille be-
came the parents of two sons : Henry R.,
deceased, and Thomas P. Dr. Vaille mar-
ried (second), in 1849, Sarah Wilkinson
Lewis, of Walpole, who survived him,
and died at the age of eighty-nine years.
Mrs. Vaille was a member of the Congre-
gational church, and a woman greatly
esteemed for her charming social quali-
ties and womanly grace. She died in
Springfield, in 1913.
Dr. and Sarah W.
(Lewis) Vaille were the parents of four
sons and one daughter : Frederick Ozni,
born July 28, 1850, married Harriet Wol-
cott, and resides in Denver, Colorado ;
Frank W., born December 7, 1854, resides
in Seattle, Washington, superintendent of
a railway mail service division of the
Northwest, married Juna Boaz, of Indian-
apolis ; Madora Crosby, of further men-
tion ; Howard T., born February 26, 1861,
married Martha Elder, of Pittsburgh, and
resides in Denver, Colorado.
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