Gard, Isaac Newton, MD

Posted By: Wally Garchow
Date: 2 February 2003

transcribed from Frazer Wilson's History of Darke County, v. 1, 1914, pp 334-335.

Dr. Isaac Newton Gard.

A history of Darke county would scarcely be complete without a sketch of the life of the veteran pioneer physician, Dr. Isaac Newton Gard. While not the first, he was among the first physicians locating in the county, where he remained during a long, eventful and eminently useful life. His parents, Stephen and Rachel (Pearce) Gard, were natives of New Jersey, but migrated to Ohio early in the last century. Stephen Gard was a Baptist minister and organized many of the churches of this denomination in the Miami valley. Rachel Gard, the mother of the subject of this sketch, died in Butler county in 1816. Rev. Gard married a second time and died in 1839. Dr. I. N. Gard was born March 20, 1811, in Butler county, Ohio, and was educated in the common schools, Miami University and the Ohio Medical College, Cincinnati, Ohio, from which he was graduated in 1831. At first he practiced in his native county, but in 1834 came to Greenville where he resided until his death on April 24, 1905, a period of seventy-one years. At the time of his arrival there were but few physicians in the county and his associates were probably Drs. Briggs, Perrine and Baskerville. The county was very sparsely settled at that time and was covered with swamps, ponds and pools which bred nausea. Sickness was quite prevalent and the few roads were in a miserable condition. Bilious complaints were especially prevalent. The doctors of those days rode horse back and carried their medicines in saddle bags. As an illustration of the manner of practice, a good story is told in Beer's "History of Darke County," as follows: "Dr. Gard was called in as a family physician to minister to the wants of a sick
child. Cold water was forbidden and calomel, as was usual, was administered. The doctor then retired with promise of a return next day. Cold water was barred; the boy begged for a drink, but entreated in vain, as the doctor's orders were immutable law. He then resorted to strategy. Feigning a desire for rest and repose, the family retired to permit their indulgence. Soon heavy breathing announced that all were asleep, and the patient arose from bed, staggered to the water bucket, and to his dismay, found it empty. This discovery would have been hailed with imprecations that would have roused all in the house had not the necessity of the case demanded control. Water must be had, although the spring was at quite a distance. The coffee-pot was found, and the patient set out to assuage his consuming thirst. He rested several times in the wet grass, but finally arrived at the spring, drank heartily, and undiscovered, returned to his bed, having placed the well filled coffee-pot at the bedside. This was two-thirds emptied before the suicidal act was known, when the doctor was hurriedly summoned and soon stood with astonished and ominous look, awaiting serious results that did not happen. In a few days the patient had recovered."

The doctor often had to ride long distances but he was a man of powerful physique and withstood the years of exposure and fatigue in a wonderful manner. The doctor was a big man, mentally as well as physically, and was called upon by a confiding public to serve in various important capacities. He organized the first medical society, as well as the first agricultural society, and acted as the first president of each. He was also president of the Greenville and Miami railroad during the period of its construction. He represented his district in the state legislature in 1841 or 42, and in the senate in 1858-59. About 1862 he was appointed by the Governor as one of the trustees of the Dayton State Hospital (insane asylum) and held that office for sixteen years.

On January 6, 1835, he married Lucy Tod, of Kentucky, and to them five children were born, two of whom are now living, Mrs. A. Wilson Arnold and Mrs. Harry Knox. In politics he was a Republican. He was a very sociable man upon all occasions and an enjoyable conversationalist.

Dr. Gard died April 23, 1905, full of years and honors.

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