An Historical sketch of the Seneca County Medical Society : with some account of its living and its pioneer members.

New York. Seneca County Medical Society?. 1887.

Printed by resolution of the Society.

pp. 34-35

Abram N. Van Tyne, son of Jacob and Alida Van Tyne, was born near the city of Auburn, Cayuga county, N.Y., November 29, 1798. In the year 1810 or 1811 he with his parents moved to the western part of the State and joined a little colony of old neighbors and friends who had preceded them from the same county, and here he remained until after the war of 1812.

Finding little or not opportunity in that newly settled district to obtain an education, which he greatly desired, he returned to Auburn and entered the academy, then kept in a part of the Theological Seminary, the academy building proper having burned but a short time before. There, as he said, he spent many happy years. At the age of seventeen he taught district school, afterwards attending school for some time. Turning teacher again, he was engaged at Camillus and Elbridge, Onondaga county, N.Y. For a time he was employed as clerk in a bookstore in Auburn. He pursued his classical studies at Auburn, under instruction of Prof. N.D. Strong, principal of the Auburn Associate Academy.

In the study of medicine he was, at different times, under the tutorship of the following preceptors : Drs. Isaac Magoon, Joseph White, Westell Willoughby, James Hadley, T. Romeyn Beck. James McNaugh-

next page
ton and John DeLaMater. He graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of the Western District of the State of New York at Fairfield, Herkimer county, N.Y., receiving his diploma and license in January, 1828.

He first located as a practicing physician at Seneca Falls in June, 1828, in partnership with Dr. M. B. Bellows. In May, 1830, he removed to Varick, where he remained in active practice until May, 1860, when he removed with his family to Chelsea, Washtenaw county, Michigan, where he resided until his death.

Dr. Van Tyne was twice married-- first to Miss Harriet A. Ingram, of Union Springs, N.Y., in February, 1831, who died of consumption in May, 1832. He was married again October 15, 1837, to Miss Mary M. Arms, of Greenfield, Mass.

He was, while in this county, a member of the Seneca County Medical Society, and after removing to the west he became a member of the Washtenaw County (Mich.) Medical Society, and was, at the time of his death, an honorary member of that body.

In early life he united with the Presbyterian church at Auburn, of which Rev. Dr. Lansing was then pastor. Wherever he removed he transferred his membership, and was a member of the Congregational church in Chelsea during his declining years. He retained his mental faculties almost to the last. Although unable to practice for a number of years, through the infirmities of age, he always felt a deep interest in all things pertaining to his profession and the advancement of medical science.

His last illness was of but little over two weeks' duration. The worst symptoms in the disease had apparently abated, and his attendants and friends were hopeful of his recovery, when suddenly, on the 9th of December, 1880, without word of premonition or symptom of approaching dissolution, he expired, aged eighty-two years. His disease was bronchitis, the immediate cause of death being failure of the heart. In the language of his pastor, Rev. Dr. Holmes, "During his last illness his hope was bright, his faith strong, and his soul seemed filled with triumphant joy. Through his final departure occurred almost in a moment of time and very unexpectedly, no dying assurances were necessary to convince the family and friends that all was well."

His wife, one son and three daughters survive him and are all residents of Chelsea.