Dr. Thomas Delano

Spelling versions from the original French surname.:

De La Noye, De La Noie, De Laniou, De Lannoi, De Lannoy, Delano.

Dr. Thomas Delano

was born 21 Mar 1642 in Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts

and died on 13 Apr 1723 in Duxbury, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

He is buried in the Myles Standish Burying Ground, Duxbury, Massachusetts. [3][4]

Parents: Philip Delano (1603 - 1681) and Hester Dewsbery Delano (____ - 1653)

Married:

1. in 1667 to Rebecca Alden (b. 1643-d. abt. 1687),

daughter of John Alden (1598-1687) and Priscilla Mullins (1602-1685). [1][2]

1. on 24 October 1699 to the widow Hannah Barlett.

She probably died before 1723. [4]; no known children.

9 children of Thomas Delano and Rebecca Alden:

1. Dr. Benoni Delano (1667-1738) m. Elizabeth Drew.
2. Thomas Delano (1669-1712) m. Hannah Bryant.
3. Deborah Delano (1672-bef. 1714) m. John Weston.
4. Jonathan Delano (1674-1765) m. Hannah Doty.
5. David Delano (1678-1755) m. Elizabeth Eddy.
6. Mary Delano (abt. 1679-1756) no known marriage or children.
7. Sarah Delano (b. abt. 1682) m. John Drew.
8. Ruth Delano (b. abt. 1684) m. Samuel Drew.
9. Joseph Delano (1685-1770) m. Hannah Bartlett.

Citations

1. "It is now known that it was not Mary but Rebecca Alden who married Delano." (Roser)
2. subject of unfounded rumor that she was "with child"
3. "Physican, taylor, surveyor, & constable of Duxbury, MA. Married more than once. Buried with the Aldens at Duxbury, MA. Name also shown as Thomas Delane." (Harrison)
4. " Thomas Delano died April 15, 1723. He makes no mention of his second wife, so she was probably dead ... will is to be found in Plymouth Probate Records, Vol.4, p. 388. In this will and elsewhere he is called Doctor. It is dated Oct. 5, 1722. Inventory taken by John Alden and Samuel Weston, April 29, and proved May 6, 1723 ..." (Alden Genealogy)

Links

• Findagrave: Thomas Delano 1642-1723
• The Sprague Project last modified 24 June 2011
• Descendants of Philip Delano
• Delano Ancestors of Howard Douglas Malbone - Generation No. 2

Sources

• Roser, Susan E. Mayflower Marriages (from the files of George Ernest Bowman)
• Descendants of Philippe De La Noye and Hester Dewsbury and Mary Pontus Family Forest Leadership Edition by Bruce H. Harrison; page #6
• Marriages of Mayflower Families, Alden Genealogy; page #36

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Medical Arts on the Mayflower   http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mosmd/medart.htm

Medical Arts on the Mayflower

Mangled arm or legs, concussion, broken ribs - all were common injuries among the crew of an ocean-going vessel in the early 17th Century. One of the most dangerous occupations in those times was to be a crewman at sea-whether the vessel was military or merchant class. Because of long months at sea, the mercantile companies were as concerned about the health of their crews as the military. Scurvy and constipation were the leading causes of death-elated illnesses. What is more, common contagious diseases were a constant threat to the well-being of the mariners. It became obvious that every ship should have its own surgeon-physician. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that a ship's surgeon should be aboard a merchant ship such as Mayflower when she departed on her historic voyage to establish a colony in America.

Physicians and surgeons of that day were reluctant to serve in the armed forces, therefore the medical needs of the military had to be met by the Barber-Surgeons, who were willing to serve in that capacity. However, they were restricted from using inward remedies or doing internal surgery. The Barbers and Surgeons had been separate divisions of the medical profession until they joined as the Company of Barber-Surgeons in 1540. (Surgeons were responsible for internal surgery only. Physicians could prescribe internal medicine only. Barbers could cut hair, treated external problems and let blood.) The willingness of the Barber-Surgeons to serve in the army and navy placed them in the favor and blessing of the State, and they were soon granted license to practice both internal medicine and surgery on military and merchant vessels.

Little has been written in Pilgrim literature about the healing arts which were known at the time-a far more extensive knowledge than the contemporary reader might realize. In the accounts of Bradford and Winslow, the reader is made aware of the presence of a ship's surgeon on the voyage, but little or no attention is given to the several others on board who were trained and experienced in providing medical assistance.

Giles Heale, the young ship surgeon on the Mayflower, had been licensed in 1619 by the Company of Barber-Surgeons. Thomas Weston found him in his own London parish of St. Giles-in-the-Field. He may not have been a "true surgeon"; however, he probably received training in surgery, anatomy and the dispensing of internal medicines as part of his education. Little else is known of him beyond the fact he returned to London an set up a practice in Drury Lane, London, until his death in 1652. We know his name only because he signed the will of William Mullins along with John Carver and Master Christopher Jones.

It is quite reasonable to believe Giles Heale might have had in his possession a copy of the book, The Surgeon's Mate, published in 1617 by John Woodall. Woodall had been appointed surgeon-general for the East India Company and was responsible for inspecting the surgeons' chests for every ship going to sea for that trading company. His was the first textbook in any language for the guidance of ship surgeons, and was immediately hailed as a work of great importance. In his book Woodall describes the uses of about 36 major categories of surgical instruments necessary to the ship surgeon's chest. The typical ship surgeon's chest might have well contained a total of 75 to 100 surgical instruments. In addition to the above, Woodall lists over 50 other items which he considered essential, such as basins, porringers, cups, weights and scales, pestles and mortars, needles, thread, strainers, etc.

Some medical equipment of the type which might have been found in the surgeon's chest on board Mayflower.

Bradford reported that Dr. Samuel Fuller was the surgeon and physician to the Pilgrims. Fuller had joined the Scrooby congregation sometime before it moved to Holland in 1609. A well-educated man of considerable means, he brought with him an apprentice by the name of William Butten, who died two days before arrival at Cape Cod. Whether Fuller ever took a medical degree is not known. However, he may well have attended lectures in medicine and surgery at Leiden University during the Pilgrim residence there, although no records have been found to verify that. Because of his excellent reputation, the leading men of Salem and Boston called upon Fuller to bleed and convert Puritans at those place, and a number of letters are preserved which speak highly of his successes. It is believed by some that Fuller may have acquired a good deal of his medical knowledge from William Brewster, since it is quite possible Brewster could have received an education in the medical arts as a part of his studies at Cambridge.

Thomas Palmer, a physician who lived most of his life in Plymouth, left a manuscript entitled The Admirable Secrets of Physicke & Chirurgery, dated 1690. Palmer states on the title page that his work was "transcribed from a manuscript by Dr. Fuller" (apparently now lost). There are three possible "Dr. Fullers" at that period of time. One lived, worked and died in England, and therefore seems unlikely to have been the doctor mentioned by Palmer. Another was the Pilgrim doctor, Samuel Fuller. Another Dr. Fuller lived in the area of Barnstable.

Edward Winslow and William Bradford may also have learned something of medicine from William Brewster. The fact that Edward Winslow went to visit the ailing Indian sachem, Massasoit, and gave him some medicines which brought him back to health suggests that he had some understanding of the healing arts.

Stephen Hopkins had served as a clerk to the minister on the ill-fated voyage of the Sea Venture before joining the Pilgrim group on the Mayflower. It is conceivable that he, also, had learned some basic skills in the art of healing from that clergyman.

Thus, on the surface, it would seem there were a number of passengers on the Mayflower who had at least some knowledge of the medical arts and were qualified to treat various illnesses or injuries which might be encountered in the proces of establishing a new colony-not to mention a number of the wives and mothers aboard Mayflower who most certainly were familiar with a number of home remedies. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mosmd/medart.htm

References

• The Great Migration Begins Project - Philip Delano sketch